Neal and Peter are not owned by me


It had been a month since Neal had told Jamie about his past when the object of his birthday came up.

"I don't want anything, Jamie, really."

Jamie rolled her eyes, "Everyone always says that, but really everyone wants something for their birthday. So, what do you, Neal Caffrey, want?"

Neal smirked, "You," he stated simply before kissing his girlfriend.

"Well, you already have that, don't you Caffrey. Really Neal, what do you want?"

Neal didn't answer he just kissed her again.

Jamie knew what Neal wanted, she knew exactly what he really wanted, freedom. Not total freedom, Neal was okay with his deal right now, but Jamie saw the frustration in his eyes when they decided where to eat for the night, she knew how guilty Neal felt about not being able to go an art show she had a piece in, it was at that moment she knew exactly what she was giving Neal for his birthday.

Jamie knew when Neal went for coffee, they had met for coffee during one of his breaks many times, and she used this knowledge to her advantage. One morning, when Neal went for coffee Jamie slipped in and hurried up to Peter's office.

"Jamie, hi, Neal just headed out..."

"I know, I wanted to talk to you Peter."

"Oh...okay,uh, talk away."

"Why the two mile radius Peter?"

Jamie's question caught him by surprise, "Well...the center of the radius is my home, and I need him close just in case he goes outside the radius, or if we have a break in a case...why?"

Jamie bit her lip, "Peter next Friday is Neal's birthday."

"I know..."

"Would Neal be allowed to stay at my place?"

"Jamie..."

"Peter, I only live a quarter mile outside his radius, and if you drove him there, and picked him up in the morning...We'll stay in my apartment all night. Peter, please, Neal's been good, he hasn't broken any big rules in a while. I know this is asking a lot of you, but Peter, it'll make him so happy."

Peter sighed, "I'll look into it, okay?"

Jamie smiled, "Thank you, Peter, thank you."

"Peter you just drove past June's."

"Did I? Shoot, let me just...I'll find a place to turn around..."

Neal looked at Peter like he was crazy, but stayed quiet and waited for his partner to turn around. When he parked though, Neal got suspicious, "Uh...Peter, I hate to break to to you, but we haven't turned around."

"Oh I forgot to tell you, I have to drop something off here for El."

"So...I can stay in the car?"

"Nope, you're coming with me."

Neal sighed dramatically and got out of the car, following Peter into the artsy looking apartment complex.

When reached the stoop Peter buzzed and a chirpy, "Come on up!" sounded from the speaker.

Neal raised an eyebrow, "Is someone wxpecting you?"

"El called ahead, letting her friend know what time I would stop by."

"Alrighty then."

While they were riding in the elevator, Neal tried to get some more information out of Peter, "So...uh...what's this oh so important package that needs to be dropped off?"

"Oh nothing really, it's been sitting around the house for a while, I thought I'd get around to dropping it off."

"Peter...I didn't think you were that much of a neat freak. Really? Obviously, its small enough to fit in your pocket and yet, it annoyed you that much?"

Peter smiled as they walked into the open apartment, "Actually its bigger than you think."

Neal looked around the sitting room they had entered, all he saw was a cat, "Hey Peter no one's here..."

"Actually, I was just cleaning up a painting," a familiar voice said from behind Neal.

Neal jumped and turned around, he face lighting up with a smile when he saw Jamie, "Hey!" He pulled her into a kiss, then he pulled away, looking from Jamie to Peter. "Uh...I'm lost."

"Well, Jamie it looks like we've pulled off the impossible, we've confused Neal Caffrey."

Jamie laughed, "Remember when I ran into you at the coffee place last week?"

"Uh...yes?"

"I was talking to Peter."

"About..."

"Your birthday present."

"I still don't follow."

Peter broke in, "Neal, I got your radius extended for the night, as long as you don't leave the apartment until morning, your anklet won't go off when I leave."

Neal looked at Jamie, open mouthed, "Thank you," he breathed.

"Well," Peter said, "I better get going. Neal, I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, okay, bye Peter," Neal replied, never looking away from Jamie.

"Neal?" Jamie asked, amused.

"I just...no one's ever..."

Jamie laughed, "I stole some of your clothes this morning while you were asleep, I got take-out from a really good Italian place down the street, and your favorite movie. We're set for the night."

"I'm still...why did you bother?"

Taken aback, Jamie responded, "Why did I bother? I bothered, Neal, because right now, one of the more important things in my life is seeing you happy. I saw how frustrated you would get when we were deciding what to do for a night...I've been at your place almost every night for the past two months, you're long overdue for a stay at mine."

Neal sighed, and smiled, wondering how he got so lucky, "Thank you."

Jamie smiled, "You're welcome, now we have all night, what would you like to do first, Birthday Boy?"

"How about you start by showing me that painting you were working on before we came."

Jamie took Neal's hand, "I'd be happy to."


AN: Phew, guys I know this is long overdue, but I've had some serious writer's block. Thankfully, a nice dose of White Collar cheered me up. Geez! What an episode, and the preview...I don't know if I'll last until next Tuesday! Anyways...I'll have a chapter up soon! Please review! Thanks! :D