A/N: Hello Collars! I'm half-way to thirty today, so perhaps you could leave a review as a gift for me in my old age! :)

"Morning, Peter," Neal said brightly, hopping into the Taurus. Peter just nodded. Neal leaned back in the seat and looked at his partner curiously.

"Do we have a case?" He asked. Peter nodded again, pulling the car back onto the road. Neal frowned when the agent remained silent.

"...so, are you going to tell me about it?"

"No."

"Oh." Neal leaned back again, watching the road.

"Are we going to FBI headquarters?" He tried.

"No."

Neal let out a silent breath of frustration.

"Are we going to your house?"

"No."

"Is that the only word you're going to say to me today?"

"No."

"Fine." Neal ran a hand through his air. It was silly of him to get this frustrated, yes, but there it was. He was frustrated.

"Did I do something wrong?" Neal inquired.

"No." That was something, at least. He could've sworn he almost heard a hint of humor in the agent's voice. That, or he was just projecting.

"Did you do something wrong?"

"No."

Neal resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he examined the hem of his jacket for a moment.

"Is the case exciting?"

"No."

"Would you mind if I took a stroll down to the Met and stole a painting this afternoon?"

"No." Peter's answer had obviously become automatic, and Neal grinned.

"Really? Hm. Should be fun." Neal watched, amused, as Peter realized what had been said, and he gave Neal a withering look.

"Fine, fine, no theft," Neal said, raising one hand in defense. He shifted as Peter kept driving silently. "Did you lose a dare or something?"

"No." Peter pulled into a parking spot by the street and got out of the car. Neal got out after Peter did and hesitantly followed him into a small-ish building. It seemed completely empty, and they walked all the way through to the backyard. There were a good half-dozen people there, along with a couple of tables and chairs.

Elizabeth walked up to them and grinned. "So, did Peter spoil it?"

"No," Peter said in a long-suffering tone, smiling slightly.

"Spoil what?" Neal asked, insanely curious.

"The party," Elizabeth explained. "It's not a surprise party per se, but I still wanted it to be sort of a surprise."

"Party?" Neal repeated, tilting his head to one side slightly.

"Yes," Elizabeth said, smiling. "It's the one year anniversary of your partnership, so I thought we'd do something... special."

"Really?" Neal was surprised. He'd remembered the date, obviously, but he hadn't thought that anyone else would. "That's nice of you, Elizabeth. Thanks."

"It was my pleasure," she said. "Thank you. Now, enjoy yourself! You two both have the morning off, right?"

"No," Peter said with a nod.

"Why is he doing that?" Neal asked, looking to Elizabeth curiously.

"He took me very literally." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Peter, dear, you can speak normally now, the secret is safe."

"Thank goodness," Peter said with a grin. "I thought I was going to be permanently stuck 'not telling anyone anything.' "

"And how did you get 'only use the word no' from that?" Neal asked, raising one eyebrow.

Peter shrugged, still smiling brightly.

"Uh huh." Neal looked at him flatly, then smiled. "Well, everything looks really nice, Elizabeth."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said appreciatively. They spoke with the few friends they had present, eating some of the delicious food Elizabeth had gotten. When everyone else was gone, they were left standing near the small gazebo in the middle, Elizabeth with her head on Peter's shoulder. She lifted it and smiled at Neal.

"It's been good to have you with us this past year," she told him with a happy smile. His eyes softened slightly, sincerely touched.

"It's been good to be here," he said.

"You've really been a good addition to the Division, too," she continued, nodding. She looked up at her husband. "Don't you agree, Peter?"

Peter was silent for a moment, regarding Neal with something akin to fatherly affection in his eyes. Then a slow, teasing smile spread across his face. "No."

Elizabeth swatted him playfully on the arm and rolled her eyes at Neal. "Don't mind him, he's just being difficult."

"Don't worry, Elizabeth, I have experience with his stubbornness," Neal said, nodding with mock-sympathy. "I mean, he chased me for three years."

"That he did," Elizabeth agreed, leaning her head back on her husband's shoulder with a contented smile. "And may I say, as much as I disliked it then, I'm honestly glad now that he did."

"Me too," Neal said. He heard the words spoken at the same time from next to him and looked at Peter curiously. Peter looked back.

"Did you say something?" Neal asked, tilting his head slightly to one side.

Peter just smiled and shrugged. "No."