Hey Guys (: Hereeeee's Chapter Fourteen. I hope you enjoy it! Please please review.
Title :: Neal's Secret - Chapter Fourteen.
Disclaimer :: I do not own White Collar. (but, I will steal it if I get the chance. hehe.)
Summary :: Trust is questioned between Peter and Neal when someone Neal knew gets brought up. Neal's trying his hardest to hide something, Peter just has to try harder to figure out what it is.
Author's Note :: I wrote this whole chapter while listening to Hollywood Undead songs. Just thought I'd share. It's not really an important note...On with the story!
Neal's eyes opened slowly, the sound of the shot from Diana's gun still ringing in his ears causing everything else to fall silent. He couldn't see right, most things were blurred but there was a glimpse of Peter running towards him and it registered in his mind that there was something wet against his side and once he looked down all he saw was red. The body beside his was being handcuffed and struggling against Jones' strength.
There was a distant yell for a medic and then his name was called. His mind shifted through the blurriness and confusion and he saw Peter almost clearly at his side now, helping him sit up. The Agent had immediately pulled him across the floor, away from the other criminal, and Neal clutched to the fabric of shirt infront of him. Sam was yelling now as Jones pressed a towel against his shoulder - where he had gotten shot, Neal guessed. It wasn't through and through, just a graze across his upper arm. Sam's outburst was looking a lot like Roy's and Neal began to feel uncomfortable curled on the floor so close. He tugged at Peter's arm and the other man immediately helped him up.
Peter stood with Neal close by his side, as Jones pulled Sam to his feet. He was breathing harshly, Neal couldn't tell if it was from anger or pain. Sam's devilish eyes locked with Peter's.
"You will never see daylight again." Peter said coldly. Neal glanced at Peter before immediately looking at the ground, unable to look at Sam. There was a feeling of guilt pressing down on him again - the feeling of causing this whole mess in the first place.
"What makes you think I won't break out again?" Sam threatened. Neal's eyes snapped up at that, terrified of the possibility. Peter had noticed and Sam smirked at Neal's reaction as well and at that moment Peter had lost it. He threw a swing, catching Sam right in the mouth with enough force that Diana heard the contact from her position by the door. Peter shook his knuckle, a bit embarrassed, as he returned it to his side - Sam's jaw was harder than he thought - but he made his point. Sam breaking out was not ever going to happen. Jones had chuckled at his boss and Sam used the momentary distraction and broke from Jones grip, pushing the young agent to the floor roughly and going after Neal, anger in his eyes. Peter stepped over and Sam was centimeters away until the sound of breaking glass filtered through the loft and Sam fell to the floor, unconscious. The broken blue glass around him looked familiar and Neal noticed it was one of the vases by his bathroom.
He looked up to see Mozzie, wide-eyed and hands pressed firmly to his sides. "I didn't do it." Mozzie said quickly, taking a step back. Neal couldn't help but smile and Peter shook his head.
Jones had stood up, helping the medics get Sam on the stretcher and out of the house - cuffed twice, and to the stretcher itself, this time for all precautions. Neal stood close to Peter as his nightmare was wheeled out, a sort of safety coming from the other man that Neal had wanted. Peter noticed Neal stepped closer beside him and put a firm hand on his shoulder, reassuring Neal that he was there for him.
As Diana had followed them out of the loft Neal looked down at the broken glass and dish still on his floor, happy that Sam's blood wasn't also part of the mess. It was silent for a few seconds before Mozzie sighed. "I'll clean 'em up." Neal and Peter smiled as Mozzie passed them and walked out the door.
Peter looked at Neal, the con's eyes meeting his as he looked back up.
"I think we need to burn that shirt." Peter commented. Neal glanced down at the spots of blood against his side and nodded. "I agree."
-x-
Neal had changed shirts as Mozzie cleaned up the mess, tossing the blood stained one into the trash with a sort of triumphant smile on his face. After ten minutes of convincing, Neal had finally persuaded Mozzie he could go home and that he'd be fine alone, plus he wanted to be. He needed time to sort this out and think without a hovering Mozzie over his shoulder. Mozzie made him promise to call if he needed anything and Neal agreed to the terms as long as Mozzie wouldn't come checking up on him. After a few moments of thought, Mozzie nodded and left Neal to calm himself down.
As the night got later, Peter returned to Neal's place after processing Sam - giving him hell for a good half hour just for the fun of it. He found a some happiness in the fact that Sam was going to go through his own nightmare experience of prison.
Neal opened the door to a pajama-wearing Peter with a small case of beer and a bag in his hand. After a quizzical look Peter handed the bag over to him and Neal pulled a small blue vase out. "I figured it would need replacing."
The con rolled his eyes with a chuckle, allowing him to come in and Peter set the six-pack down on the table. Peter let out a sigh at the familiar sound of opening his beer and Neal sat beside him with a predictive glass of wine.
"What's going to happen to him?" Neal asked.
"Preferably, death, but since I don't have a say in that, prison for now. Where he will be held in a box the size of this table with no sunlight or human contact for the rest of his miserable, miserable life." There was a bit of pride in Peter's voice as he sipped from the tip of his bottle.
Neal nodded slowly. "Why?" Peter asked. Neal took a deep breath, unsure if he wanted to voice his thoughts - wondering if he even knew how to. Peter saw the conflict in Neal's body language and leaned over the table to get closer to him.
"Neal, I get it." The con looked over at him. "Everything you're thinking right now - wondering what you did to deserve it, wondering if you should feel guilty or bad about this."
Neal's gaze dropped but Peter leaned closer, knowing that meant he did.
"You don't have to worry about this Neal. You never did anything wrong." Peter swallowed. "I heard what you told Mozzie." He admitted. Neal immediately looked at him, panic across his face. "What you're thinking...he...he was trying to get inside your head Neal. He wanted you to believe that he was your only option - your only way to be safe - but, that's not true. He was what was putting you in danger. He's manipulating and just...a dangerous person. You know that. The things he said to you were to get you on his side. They were to make you think like this. You can't let him win."
Neal looked at him and Peter could see he was still mentally fighting himself from both sides of the argument. There were a thin line of tears against the conman's lashes and Peter put a hand on his arm. "He's not coming back. I promise. You're safe, now."
That's what broke Neal, those words - Peter's promise, and a sob escaped from his lips. Peter brought his chair closer and put his arm around Neal's shoulder. "I gotcha, buddy." He whispered.
Neal wiped at his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I just...I can't..." Neal let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his eyes.
"Talk to me, kid." Peter said, squeezing his shoulder lightly.
"Is...this..." Neal shifted in his seat a bit, looking over at the protective agent. "...really over...?"
There was a silence that fell over them at that moment and Peter looked directly at him. Those blue eyes were passing through hope, uncertainty, strength, and fear as Neal's voice fell timidly from his lips - much like that small scared child Peter swore he saw in those eyes some days. The Agent took a breath, placing his beer flat on the table.
He was sure Neal's mind was a million miles away in an attempt to sort out everything that had happened, everything that was going to happen, but for some reason as they sat there at the kitchen table instead of feeling worried for what they were going to have to work through, or guilty for allowing it to happen, or pity for it actually happening, Peter felt like something around them was lifted. There was an understanding between them, much clearer than the one before this, and Peter could only think that they were going to work through this, things were going to get better, and they were going to make it, as he met those blue eyes with more than just strength, but certainty, a promised understanding that he would never let this ever happened again.
Peter made sure his voice was strong enough to prove to Neal what he was saying as he reassuringly squeezed the cons shoulder once more.
"Yes."
-x-
The End.
Well. There it is. Chapter Fourteen wraps up this story. I really hope you guys enjoyed it, I enjoyed writing it. Please Review, that'd be awesome, don't have to tell you how much I love those things. It's a little after eleven, I actually finished a chapter before midnight! Haha, Goodnight Guys. Love you all.