"Hey Neal" Elizabeth whispered, as she opened the door.

"Who's here?" Neal could hear Peter bellowing from inside the house.

Thank you Elizabeth mouthed as she motioned for Neal to enter.

"A little early for dinner isn't it?" Peter asked as he eyed the figure following his wife into the house.

"Good to see you too" Neal calmly commented as he scrutinized the man sitting on the sofa. "You look good" he added, a smile playing on his face. "How about we get out of here so your wife doesn't kill you?"

"I'm watching football" Peter said, his eyes darting from Neal to his wife. "Besides, this is my house and I don't have to leave if I don't want to."

"I see what you mean" Neal quietly said.

"Peter, it's Saturday and it's college football. There will be another game on after this and probably another one after that. Please go upstairs, get dressed and go out." Something in his wife's tone made Peter sit up and take notice.

"Fine" he muttered as he shut the TV off. Peter stood with a quiet groan as he walked slowly towards the staircase.

"How is he?" Neal asked once Peter was out of ear shot. "The truth Elizabeth" Neal demanded before she had a chance to get a word out.

"The truth is he's fine if I don't kill him." She smiled wearily. "He gets weekly blood draws and so far his kidneys are within normal range. He's still on a special diet but slowly he's getting back to his normal appetite." Elizabeth led Neal towards the kitchen and handed him a small bag. "These are the pills he'll have to take while you're out, all color coded and time marked."

"Elizabeth, do you think he's ready to go back to work Monday?"

"I think we're both more than ready" she answered. "Neal, he's anxious and he's nervous but he needs to go back to work and get on with his life. We both do." They both heard Peter yelling and then something hit the wall. Neal looked over at Elizabeth with eyes wide.

"It's nothing" she said, laughing. "He still has trouble getting his right sock on. I need to go help him."

Fifteen minute later, Neal was seated on the sofa, petting the dog when Peter finally was ready.

"Where are we going?" Peter gruffly asked as he put his jacket on.

Neal shrugged, glancing at Elizabeth for help.

"Go for a drive" she suggested. "Wherever you go, bring back dessert for tonight, ok?" Elizabeth grabbed the cane and handed it to her husband. "In case you do any walking" she said.

"Wait" Peter said as he opened the door. "El, where's that envelope?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded and walked away, returning a few minutes later with a large manila envelope. Neal glanced at it questioningly but stayed silent as he followed Peter out of the house.

They drove in silence until Neal parked near a play ground about two miles from the Burke's home. Neal eyed the bakery across the street.

"They have the best espresso in town" Neal stated as he turned the engine off.

"Can we sit outside for a bit?" Peter suggested, pointing towards a bench.

"It's a little cold…"

"It's fine" Peter interrupted, grabbing his cane and hauling himself out of the car. Neal easily caught up to his friend and slowed his pace to match Peter's. The bench was near a small retention pond and they both sat and watched a small family of ducks, swimming in a single line.

"Do you think that's a learned trait or are they born with it?" Neal asked, breaking the awkward silence. Peter glanced his way and then back at the ducks. "Not a clue" he mumbled as he zipped his jacket up. "Neal, I'm sorry" Peter quietly said, eyeing his friend. "Asking you to stay away wasn't about you. It was me…I felt guilty about you blaming yourself and I didn't want to see you like that…I'm sorry if you saw it any other way."

Neal kept his eyes glued on the ducks, the only movement a small twitch in his face as he bit down on his lower lip.

"Neal, are you ok?"

"Yeah", the younger man answered.

"Are we ok?"

Neal nodded his head yes. "It was a nice touch, you orchestrating my social life."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked.

"Didn't you ask Jones and Diana to keep me busy?"

"No." Peter shook his head. "I sent Elizabeth your way a few times but as you saw today, she needed to get away from me."

"Maybe they felt sorry for me" Neal said, rather glumly.

"Maybe they enjoyed your company and wanted to spend time with you" Peter quickly countered. "Neal, you're part of the team and I've heard nothing but good things from everyone including Hughes. You know I'm proud of you, don't you?"

"Just doing what you asked me to do" he said.

"No." Peter wouldn't accept that. "It's more than that and you know it." Peter suddenly produced the envelope from beneath his jacket and handed it to Neal. "Read this over and think about it. I don't need an answer today."

Neal glanced at Peter before taking the envelope and slowly opening it. Peter watched him intently as Neal poured over the job application, his only reaction a slight shaking of his hands.

"Peter, is this for real?"

Peter nodded. "Just needs your signature and the job will be waiting when your four years are up."

"A real job?" Neal asked.

"Neal, obviously there will be limitations to what you can do, but yes it's a real job with pay and benefits. You'll have to go though some training and get your GED." Neal glanced at Peter several times, his face full of emotion.

"I don't know" Neal said, shaking his head. "Peter, I don't know if I want to do this when I'm free. I'm only here because I have to be." He lowered his gaze, towards his foot and his constant companion wrapped around his ankle.

"It may have started that way" Peter agreed. "And you can do what you want when you're free. Neal, just think about it." Peter grabbed the papers from Neal and carefully placed them back in the envelope. "It's an option, if you choose to stay here. "

"Peter, if I stay, I'm only going to disappoint you. You know I'm going to screw up just like I did when you got shot."

"I'm willing to take that chance" Peter said as he glanced at his watch. "It's time for my meds and it's getting colder. Let's go across the street and get some of that espresso you mentioned"

They both ordered an espresso and a piece of pie. Peter quietly ate as he listened to Neal retell the highlights of the past few weeks.

"I think Diana's girlfriend digs me" Neal said as he forked some apple filling into his mouth.

"Neal, don't go there" Peter warned.

"OK, she digs my artistic knowledge" Neal revised before returning his attention to his pie. Peter took that time to really look at Neal and he didn't like what he saw. He was always thin but it was obvious he had lost weight and he had deep, dark circles under his eyes.

"Neal, are you still having trouble sleeping?"

"Huh?" Neal looked at Peter. "No, I'm fine." Neal put his fork down. "Besides, you're coming back to work so things will get back to normal."

Peter decided to let it go for now. He was going back to work and he planned on keeping a close eye on Neal.

"Think Elizabeth would like this pie?" Neal nodded his head, as he stuffed the last crumbs into his mouth. "Here, finish mine." Peter pushed his half eaten piece towards the younger man. "I'll go order a pie for tonight."

As he waited in line, Peter watched his friend from afar. Neal was a work in progress but Peter always liked a challenge and he wasn't about to give up now, not on someone he cared about.