Meanwhile Mozzie was pacing impatiently in Diana's living room.
"Could you please sit down? You're making me nervous.
"Sorry, but I don't like it that this woman has the lead in this plan. She deceived us all and who knows if she isn't the real head behind Phalanx?"
"Mozzie, we checked that. We even spoke with someone from her MI5 team earlier. You were with me when we copied those files."
"And who tells you that they are who they pretend to be?"
"I understand your concerns because she poisoned you and you want Neal to be safe but in this case I don't think Rachel is a threat at least not for us. I know you don't want to hear that but they looked happy together and it was her who brought Neal back to us."
"Who know for whatever reason she did this! I've seen that way too often, Kate, Alex, Sara but it was never so bad like now."
"If I wouldn't know better I would assume you're jealous."
"What? No way."
"As I said if I wouldn't know better..."
"I just don't like how this is going and that Neal got brainwashed and she's by his side all the time. She could have put a trigger word into his head the days they were alone!"
"Just for the record. It wasn't her who brainwashed him and Phalanx tried to delete or block any memory of him regarding her. You should really start to befriend yourself with the thought that she has true feelings for him and vice versa."
"And that's why she deceived him?"
"Says the right person, Agent Greutzner. Did Neal ever tell you about the voice mail message she left?"
"He mentioned it but said it was just another ruse."
Diana had to bite back a chuckle.
"It was way more than that but Neal denied it."
"How do you know?"
"Easy guess. Neal was on the receiving end of his own conman game and his ego was hurt. He played the "I'm fine and I don't care" game to hide what was really going on even if Jones and Peter tried to convince him she said the truth at least this one time. And what do you think why did Rachel give up at the Fort? She could have taken Neal hostage herself to get a way out but she didn't."
"Because she knew someone would keep her from going back in? I'm not convinced she's on our side until that meeting is done."
"Your ego is hurt because she poisoned you."
"That's just the icing on the cake," Mozzie added sarcastically.
A few hours later Neal and Rachel laid snuggled up in the king size bed of their hotel suite. A small chuckle escaped her throat.
"What's so funny?"
"I just realized I never spent so much time in bed when I had to hide and seek during an assignment."
"Did you have company back then?"
"Sometimes but mostly I was alone. But I have to say I could get used to this."
"To what exactly?"
"Spend more time with you like that."
"So that means you will stay?"
"I can't make any promises to you but if there is any chance I will. But if I have to support my team hunting down Phalanx. I have to join them but I'll come back to you."
He pulled her closer and buried his nose in her neck.
"I guess this means we should use every chance to be together."
"Neal, we just had..."
"I don't mean it this way." Neal laughed.
"I couldn't be sure."
"I can't recall you had a problem with it."
"You are unbelievable." Rachel chuckled and sighed content.
"What do you think how long it will take?"
"Till we tracked them down?"
"Yeah..."
"I don't know. It can be years."
"Hmmm..."
"You are thinking about joining me again, don't you?"
"Not only." he admitted.
"A penny for your thoughts."
His hands moved to her stomach and he looked at her serious.
"I am sick of people wandering in and out of my life. The encounter with you showed me I can't move on like this. I wanted to retire from being a conman. You can picture how thrilled Moz was about it."
"Not a tiniest bit."
"No, but that's what I wanted to do when I came New York years ago."
"He pulled you back into it?" she asked with a frown.
"Somehow. It's not like he forced me. He showed me a way to make a lot of money with some effort and I thought it could be a good last score."
"But because of Adler and Kate plans changed."
"Yes and I won't let this happen again. I'll retire, become honest as much as I can get and finally settle down."
"You know any other woman would be happy about it."
"But you aren't?"
"I know you, Neal. You are good at what you do and deep down inside yourself you love it. You grew up conning people. It became your defensive wall and no one can drop them that easy."
"I never expected it to be easy. You know I like the challenge." Neal smiled confident.
"It will be a lifelong challenge. It would be the same with me. You can't forget the stuff you trained for so long. I will always be careful and watch my surrounding. We would be an odd couple."
"I don't think so."
"No?" she asked surprised.
"No. We are just careful because we know of the danger around us."
"I know..." Rachel sighed and laid her head on his chest.
"Now I would like to know what you think about?"
"Nothing. I just want to lay here."
With another sigh she closed her eyes.
Those two days went by faster then Neal liked. With all the planning and keeping Mozzie and Rachel from killing each other there was barely time to think about something else.
The Central Park was full of people like always even if fall was about to come and days became chilly. Rachel stood next to him and no matter how much he protested against it she carried a hidden gun with her. She said she wanted to be save and not end up dead after this meeting. Neal knew Peter got the whole area surrounded with covered SWAT teams along with Rachel's team mates but non the less he got the feeling they missed something. She felt him tensing next to her when a tall slender man in a suit came to them.
"You know him?" she whispered.
"It's the spokesperson who gave me the poison."
"Nice..."
A few seconds later he was close enough to talk.
"I am deadly sorry we have to meet on these term again, Neal."
"Can't say the same."
"You still can come back."
"I have no intention. You played me."
The spokesperson crocked a smile.
"We? Not really. You wanted to be played."
"Ok, cut that crap. You know what we want." Rachel stepped in. The man turned to her and looked her up and down analyzing.
"Indeed we know, Miss Turner. We should have listened to our psychologist you are a possible threat. Be sure we won't do this mistake again."
"Of course you won't because if you do the whole world will learn about those dirty little games you play." she shot back.
"They aren't as little as you think." the spokesperson smiled content. Something about his whole behavior made Neal's neck tingle in foresight of something unexpected.
"Non the less we want you to leave us alone and make the charges against her get dropped."
"Oh you mean the charges of the murder of Agent David Siegel, Curtis Hagen and Daniel Lettemar."
"Lettemar? What does he has to do with it?" Neal asked worried.
"Your little girlfriend here shot him."
"But he was still alive when we left."
"He isn't anymore and I am sure if he gets found the ballistics will prove that her shots got him killed."
"You bastard." Rachel hissed and twisted his arm behind his back. Neal put his hand on her shoulder.
"Let him go. You know we can prove your innocent. If they ever want to press charges for anything it won't be murder and we got evidence that will show you did right."
She let got of the spokesperson but glared at him.
"I just want to know one thing."
"What ever you want, Miss Turner."
"Did you really want to let us go?"
"No." the man smiled. Neal looked aside more out of the urge to see if Peter was still in sight when he spotted the aiming dots at Rachel's back and head. Within the blink of an eye hell break loose when Neal pushed her aside burying her underneath him the moment three shots got fired. He felt how two of them hit him in the left side of his back. The spokesperson fell next to them with a nice clear head shot. Jones and Peter hurried over to them with their guns drawn. They arrived the moment Rachel managed it to crawl free from under Neal.
"Neal, can you hear me?"
"I HATE getting shot..." Neal whispered pissed off.
"Why the hell did you do this?" she yelled angry at him.
"They aimed at you."
"Where did it even come from?" Peter looked around saw how the SWAT team arrested two of their own colleagues.
"I fucking don't care. Where are the damn paramedics?" Rachel shouted at Peter.
"Hey, I am fine..." Neal tried to joke.
"I am full of your blood! You are not!"
"It doesn't seem to hit vital organs..." Jones tried to analyze the wounds while they waited for the ambulance. Even with one around for safety reasons they took way to long for all of them.
"You ok?" Neal asked Rachel.
"I am but if you ever dare to play human bullet proof vest again I shoot you personally."
"How did you know it?" Peter asked to keep Neal awake.
"I looked aside and saw the dots."
"But who shot the Phalanx guy?"
"I guess that was me." one of Rachel's team said. She looked up and saw her two team mates standing behind Peter.
"I was never so happy to have you guys."
"Yeah, I know I am good."
"Damn this hurts." Neal coughed. Finally the paramedics arrived and started to care for Neal. Peter pulled everyone a few steps aside.
"What do we do now?"
"We will sent them a message." the other team mate of Rachel said.
"They didn't plan to accept the deal." Jones stated.
"They didn't. I think we have some work to do. We're preparing to leave. Where can we pick you up?"
Rachel looked at her team and slowly shook her head.
"I'm not coming with you. It is over. Please do whatever is necessary to hunt them down but I'm out of it. I have to stay with him, guys." Rachel told a bit embarrassed. Her team mates just looked at each other and smiled.
"You know how to reach us. Good luck, girl."
A little clueless Peter watched her team leave.
"What was that about?"
"I retired."
"When?"
"In just this moment."
Peter ran up and down in the waiting area of the hospital. Neal was still in for surgery. Rachel went to change after Diana brought her some fresh clothes. For a twentieth time since they arrived at the hospital his phone went off because Mozzie called for an update. He refused to come as long as Rachel was there too. The sound of high heels announced her coming back from the wash rooms but to his surprise it was June who entered the waiting area.
"June?"
"How is he?"
"Stable but they need to get the bullets out. He had a lot of luck. I guess Moz sent you?"
"He called me, yes." the older lady smiled and handed Peter a coffee.
"Sometimes you are heaven sent."
"Hope so. Is it true he took the bullets for this woman?"
"Yes. June, see... I know you want to protect him but she isn't as bad as we think. She got played and deceived like we."
"I know. Neal came to me two days ago. His love for her never got lost."
"And it seem to deepen in this time they were on their own." Peter rubbed his face to feel more awake.
"It didn't deepen." Rachel came around the corner hugging herself.
"Are you sure?" June asked astonished.
"I am. He would have caught this bullet before he found out what I am. He forgave me, that's all."
"I think it's more than that." the older lady smiled.
"Why should it?"
"When Neal came to see me he asked me if I mind you staying at the penthouse after all this is finished and you move on."
"I should have known." Rachel smiled.
"Why?"
"Because we had a conversation about this two days ago. I can only apologize for any kind of trouble I caused. If you feel uncomfortable with me staying in your house I understand it..."
"It's okay. I know Neal wants to have you around and I want him to be happy."
"Thank you. Did we hear anything new?"
"No, not yet."
"But it can't be that bad. I heard some paramedics talking about him after he got there and I've been outside to call my babysitter," Diana said with a slight chuckle.
"What did they say?"
"That Neal lamented about his suit being ruined by blood and bullet holes."
Even though Rachel still felt guilty she couldn't avoid to laugh.
"Oh my gosh, you would bet there are bigger things to worry about than your suits after catching two bullets."
"So you shouldn't worry much. Neal will be fine again and a massive pain in the ass when he's on sick leave and has to stay at home."
"Really?"
"Yes, he rarely gets sick and if he does it's hard to convince him that he should better stay at home. Once he had caught the flu but non the less he went to work while running a high fever. Before we could make him understand he's better off at home he infected at least 5 other agents and wondered why so many people were on sick leave when he came back."
"Sounds like a challenge."
"Since we don't plan to put the anklet back on we can't put him under house arrest."
"You don't plan to put it back?"
"No, at the moment you two are our prime witnesses in this case." Peter said with a smile.
"Thank you."
"Thank us when Neal escapes you the first time." Diana laughed.
"I think I can keep him from this."
"Yeah, I know."
Peter groaned perfectly knowing what she meant.
Neal woke up feeling fuzzy and his mind clouded. He wanted to get up but the sudden dizziness made him decide otherwise. With a sloppy movement he rubbed his eyes. The next moment he felt the weight of someone next to his other arm and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Becca?" he asked with a hoarse whisper. She stirred and blinked before she smiled at him.
"Hey..."
"Hey..."
"How do you feel?"
"Drugged..."
"Yeah the narcotics will need some time."
"How late?"
She looked at her watch.
"Past two in the morning. Peter made sure they let me stay with you."
"He did?"
"Yeah, I don't want to know what he told but I don't care."
Neal smiled at her boyish.
"I like to see you more."
"I like to see you too." she chuckled, "And you can be really happy. It seems like you had a whole army of guardian angels."
"Why?"
"The bullet neither hit an organ nor a major artery. Non the less you bled like hell. They want to keep you for at least a week."
"Can't I go home?"
"And make me your nurse?" Rachel asked amused.
"Sounds perfect..."
"Oh no way, Mister. You aren't allowed to do sports or have sex until your wounds healed almost completely."
"Means?"
"At least three weeks. IF you are a good boy. But..."
"But?" Neal asked hopefully.
"But I will stay with you."
"You will?"
"Yes, I will."
"How long?"
"As long as you want me."
Neal looked at her clueless and rubbed his eyes again.
"I think I have hallucinations from the narcotics."
"Why?"
"I think you said you will stay forever."
"Forever is a long time but yes."
"And your team?"
"I retired. I need to make it official but my team already knows."
"Why?"
"Neal, because of you. I can't run anymore. I've finally found a place where I can feel at home. Even after all that happened you still opened up your heart for me. And you caught two bullets for me. Not many people would have done that for someone like me."
"Becca, I love you and without you I would be still with them. But the most important thing is do you want to stay?"
"Why you're asking?"
"As you said I'm used to being a conman and you're used to your lie as a trained agent. Can you let it go? Are you sure you won't get bored with just one life and one identity?"
"I felt comfortable being Rebecca Lowe, I had a nice job... okay, until I lost it because of a certain someone and I met an amazing guy."
"Really? Who is he? Must be one hell of a guy if you like him."
"Well you know, he's very handsome, smart, charming, sometimes stubborn like a mule but a true gentleman. I think he's a keeper."
"Sounds like you're very happy."
"I am and I'm really sure I want to stay with you. But now you should sleep, my wounded hero."
"Do you stay here?"
"I do because I bet Mozzie will be at your place, drinking wine and installing some surveillance to make sure I won't kill you or anyone else. He refused to come while I'm here with you."
"He will get over it."
"Are you sure?"
"Just give it time."
"Your favorite statement recently."
"It's true. He could get over a lot other things. He will."
"At least your team and June seemed to befriend themselves with the thought I will stay and stick around."
"I told you."
"Yeah I know. Smartass."
