"Kate!"

Both Peter and Elizabeth woke to the sound of Neal shouting. Peter started to get out of bed but Elizabeth stopped him. "I'll go hon. You go back to sleep,"

"Are you sure? You know how Neal gets…"

"I'll be fine. Don't worry." She gave Peter a quick kiss on the cheek as he drifted back to sleep.

Elizabeth got out of bed and padded down the hall to Neal's room. She gently pushed the door open and saw Neal tossing in his sleep, his blankets tangled around his legs. He was mumbling but Elizabeth could make out: "Kate, so sorry and love you."

She went over and sat down on the bed. Reaching a hand to still his movements, she gently touched his face.

"Neal, Neal, wake up. You're dreaming."

Neal's eyes flew open in shock. He sat up and his eyes darted around the room frantically. When his eyes landed on Elizabeth, he immediately pulled her into a tight embrace.

Startled, it took Elizabeth a second to return the hug. "Neal, honey are you okay?'

Neal pulled back and replied, "I'm so glad you're here Kate but we gotta get out of here before Sir comes back."

Neal scrambled out of bed and before Elizabeth knew what was happening he had grabbed her by the hand and started towards the door.

Elizabeth tried to stop him but Neal was determined to save "Kate." He dragged her out into the hallway and was looking for a way out. "Kate we gotta move quickly before Sir comes back."

Elizabeth could hear the fear in his voice. "Neal, listen to me. I'm not Kate. It's Elizabeth. Sir's not here, you're safe."

Neal stared at her with confusion in his eyes. "No, this is a trick…one of Sir's tricks. Please listen to me Kate. I'm trying to keep you safe." Neal was becoming agitated and began tugging on Elizabeth's hand more insistently.

Peter heard the commotion and stepped out of his room. "What's going on?" Peter asked. He saw Neal holding Elizabeth's hand and he gave his wife a questioning look.

"It's okay Peter. Neal's a little confused. He thinks I'm Kate. Neal, sweetie, it's Elizabeth. Please let go, you're not in any danger. Look, Peter's here too."

"Peter?" A spark of recognition seemed to reach Neal's eyes but just as quickly it disappeared to be replaced by suspicion.

"You're not MY Peter. You're Sir's Peter. Stay away from Kate!" Neal yelled. He had Elizabeth's hand in a death grip and she was starting to lose feeling in it.

"C'mon Neal, that's not Kate. It's Elizabeth. Now let her go and we'll get you back in bed."

Neal was insistent and wasn't going to let go of "Kate" so easily. He tried to dodge past Peter and run down the stairs but Peter blocked his way. Getting frustrated, Neal became aggressive and once again tried to push past Peter.

The momentum of Peter's resistance made Neal lose his balance. To compensate Neal flailed his arms out to steady himself. In the process, Neal's elbow inadvertently struck Elizabeth in the face. Elizabeth gasped in pain.

Peter had had enough. When it came to Elizabeth his overprotective streak jumped to the forefront. Peter grabbed Neal and pushed him out of the way. "El, are you okay?" he asked with concern.

El rubbed her cheek which was already starting to turn red. "I'm fine Peter. He didn't mean it." She could feel Peter's anger and she knew that Peter wasn't really angry at Neal but at the situation that had just occurred.

Finally snapping out of it, Neal looked at El and Peter in horror. What had he done? He looked at Elizabeth who was holding her cheek and saw Peter glaring at him in anger.

Neal's eyes widened in shock. Did he do this to Elizabeth? He couldn't imagine hurting her!

Neal felt sick to his stomach and had to get out of there. He pushed past Peter and ran frantically down the stairs.

Peter let him go as his sole focus was on Elizabeth. "El, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine Peter. He didn't mean it. Neal would never hurt me intentionally," Elizabeth soothed as she could still feel the anger emanating from her husband.

"He hurt you El, intentional or not," Peter said angrily.

"I'm fine, Peter. Go to him," El reasoned.

"You need me right now. I'll go get you a cold compress." Peter started towards the bathroom.

"Neal needs you more. I'll get the compress and you go talk to Neal. Please go. I'll feel better if you do."

Peter sighed and ran a hand down his face. He took El in his arms and touched her cheek gently. "Go talk to Neal. He needs you."

"Okay you win. I'll go talk to Neal."

Peter walked down the stairs to find the living and dining room dark. Neal wasn't there but he found Satchmo lying by the back door.

"Hey boy. Is Neal out there?"

Satchmo wagged his tail in response.

Peter opened the back door to find Neal sitting on the patio chair rocking back and forth chanting "sorry" over and over. Peter's anger dissipated in that moment and he approached Neal cautiously.

"Hey buddy, he said gently. Why don't we go inside? It's not exactly warm out here." There was a definite chill in the air and Neal was wearing only a thin t-shirt and his sleep pants.

At the sound of Peter's voice, Neal only rocked harder. He continued to chant "sorry" over and over.

"Neal stop and look at me." Getting no response Peter put his hand softly on Neal's shoulder. "Neal please stop," he said again.

Neal looked up at Peter with panic in his eyes. "I'm sorry Peter. I'll leave right now." He jumped up from his chair.

"Neal…" Not letting Peter finish Neal continued on. "You have every right to be angry. Sir's right. I'm a horrible person who hurt the people that I care about. I don't belong in your home." Neal was pacing back and forth, his hands in his hair. He was breathing harshly and Peter recognized the signs of an imminent panic attack.

"Neal stop!" Peter commanded. He wasn't angry….anymore. He just needed Neal to stop talking and listen to him.

"I know you're sorry and I'm not angry," Peter said gently.

Still breathing harshly Neal looked at Peter in disbelief. "But I hurt Elizabeth."

"You did," Peter stated and Neal immediately looked away in shame. "But I know you didn't do it intentionally."

"C'mon let's got inside." Neal was shaking whether it was from the cold or the events that transpired he couldn't tell. Both men wearily went inside with Peter turning on the living room lights.

"Do you want to try going back to bed Neal?" Peter asked.

Neal shook his head. "I don't think I can sleep. I'll just sit down here for awhile."

"How about some tea to warm up?"

Neal nodded and Peter busied himself in the kitchen.

Neal couldn't believe the events that transpired tonight. Never in his wildest dreams did he want to hurt Elizabeth. He couldn't stay here, he was a danger to the people he cared most about. The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became.

He bolted from the couch intent on grabbing his stuff and leaving. As he was heading up the stairs, Elizabeth was on her way down. They locked eyes and Neal froze. He could see the bruise forming on her face and before El could say anything, he was running past her up the stairs.

Neal reached his room and slammed the door. He got his bag from the closet and started throwing his clothes into it. Peter heard running and a door slamming so he left the kitchen to investigate. He saw El standing near the bottom of the stairs. Peter winced in sympathy at the dark purple bruise on her cheek.

"Hey hon, how do you feel?"

"A little sore but I'm okay. It's nothing a little make-up can't hide. Neal's not handling this well."

Peter sighed and rubbed his hand wearily down his face. "I'll go talk to him."

"No, let me." Elizabeth said. "I think he needs to hear from me that I don't blame him and it wasn't his fault what happened tonight."

Elizabeth went upstairs and knocked on Neal's door. Not getting a response she pushed the door open and saw Neal frantically throwing clothes into his bag.

"Sweetie, Neal we need to talk," Elizabeth said gently. Neal continued to pack, not acknowledging Elizabeth's presence.

Elizabeth walked up to him and reached an arm to still his movements.

"Neal, stop and look at me." Neal couldn't bear to look El in the eyes, guilt overwhelming him.

She tilted his chin up until he met her eyes. "This is not your fault," she said adamantly. I know you didn't mean to hurt me. It was an accident."

"I'm so sorry Elizabeth. I don't belong here." Neal's eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

"Yes, you do belong here. You're family." El said fiercely. "We want to help you but you've got to let us in."

Neal sees the love in her eyes and can feel it but he knows he doesn't deserve it. Everything he's done makes him unworthy.

Neal shook his head. "Please let me go. I don't want to hurt you again. You mean too much to me."

"El's right you know. You're family and we're not going to let you go." Peter said from the doorway.

"You may feel broken now but you will heal. Trust me on that. It will take time and there will be setbacks but it will get better. You will get your life back and you're going to be okay Neal," Peter said with such conviction in his voice.

Neal found those words so hard to believe but he wanted to believe them so badly. So, he was going to take a leap of faith and allow himself to grab onto those words like a lifeline.

Taking a deep breath, Neal looked Peter straight in the eyes. "Peter, please help me."