HEY,

Sorry for the wait. My hockey team has been on a roll though and playoffs were this week so I have been super busy. All the hard work payed off though because WE'RE GOING TO STATE! I'm beyond excited and was up until like two in the morning today so I'm sorry if this chapter is a little whacky. I'm running on little sleep and a lot of hyperness at the moment.

Anywho, here's the next chapter. Please review, I love the feedback. And I'm super excited about the next chapter so hopefully I post it soon although with STATE! next weekend I'm not sure.

Okay enough of my ramblings. Here you go...

Chapter 25: Almost There

The coming days, wasn't going any better. Peter was still skeptical on whether or not to believe dad, and Mozzie was so roped up in helping dad with whatever they were up too that I didn't really get the chance to talk to him.

I knew my dad was innocent, but proving it to every other person on the planet was proving to be a really difficult challenge. Plus to make matters worse, I was being harassed by this OPR guy, Agent Fowler, who was definitely out to get my dad.

"Look I told you already that I have no idea what you're talking about" I said to the man sitting across from me.

He just glares at me, "Somehow I doubt that. You're trying to tell me that your dad doesn't let you in on his little capers."

"Yes genius that's exactly what I'm saying" I huff completely annoyed.

"Don't get snippy with me Ms. Caffery, I can have you arrested for that" he says just as annoyed.

I roll my eyes. "Somehow I doubt that."

He slams his hand on the table on stands to yell something at me when Peter thankfully walks in.

"Agent Fowler, what are you doing talking to my kid?" he asks crossing his arms. The fact that he just called me his kid doesn't go unnoticed by any of us.

"What so now you're adopting Caffery's kid too. Yeesh Burke for someone with a law abiding rep as yourself, I never thought you'd be the one to raise a juvenile delinquent," Fowler says flatly.

"Kids" Peter says annoyed, "And I don't care what you think Fowler, they're in my custody, so unless your accusing her of robbing a jewelry store too I suggest you leave."

Way to go Peter!

Fowler for his part looks irritated, but turns to leave anyways, "Fine. You want to protect a potential lead that's your business, but if Caffery walks it's on you."

With that the creepy agent exits the room leaving Peter standing there with his angry face, and me having a whole new respect for my foster father.

Not that we're ever going to tell him that.

"You okay Peter" I ask still sitting at the conference table.

He sighs and runs his hand over his face, "Yeah. What did want anyways?"

I shrug, "He was asking me about some alleged cons dad had pulled and if I knew where all the stuff he stole was."

"If he tries to talk to you again just ignore him" he says after a moment of contemplation.

He walks over towards the table and sits in the seat Fowler just vacated. "How's the homework coming?"

"A Tale of Two Cities isn't actually as bad as you'd think" I say smiling, making us both laugh.

"I'd rather be doing something else though. It's hard to focus on Charles Dickens in the first place, but then add in being worried about dad's hearing tomorrow and it's near impossible" I say.

Peter nods as we sit in silence for a minute, both contemplating the inevitability of tomorrow and the decision it will bring.

"Hey, what do you say I take off early and you and me go to the park and play some catch" he says suddenly sounding a lot happier.

Since I'm sick of all this homework and being stuck here at the FBI offices, Pete's grandparents are making him go out to dinner with some friends of theirs and Abbey and Luc were busy I got stuck here, I'm desperate to go do anything else. Plus playing catch with Peter might not be so bad.

"Let's go" I say starting to stuff my books back into my backpack.

Peter smiles, "Let's go."

…

"So this is nice huh?" Peter says twenty minutes later as we stand in the middle of Central Park throwing a baseball back and forth.

I laugh, "Let's not get to sentimental about this, it's just catch."

"Yeah but, we haven't really spent any time together since you got here" he says smiling.

"Well you are a fed who locked my father up in prison for four years, after you arrested him in front of me" I say throwing a fast ball at him.

"Wow, you've got a nice arm" Peter says throwing one back equally as hard.

"Same for you" I laugh as the ball hits my mitt.

"Hey, I'm sorry about the whole cuffing your dad in front of you thing" he says sincerely.

I smile at him as I loft the ball back, "It was four years ago, I forgive you."

"Really" he says stopping our game for a second.

I nod, "Look, initially I hated you. For years I hated you Peter, because I though you took my dad away from me, and I still don't really like that, but you were only doing your job."

"I was" he cuts in.

"I know" I say, "besides what you've done for all of us since then. You agreeing to work out a deal with dad, taking us in, finding Grayson, you're actually a good guy Peter."

He smiles and tosses the ball back.

"And just so you know, no matter what happens tomorrow, I promise I won't hate you again" I add.

There's some truth to that. No matter what happens with my dad's hearing tomorrow, I know that Peter will still try to help him and that he and Elizabeth won't give us up any time soon. Initially my goal was to get onto Peter's good side for the sake of the impending heist, but I'm starting to realize I actually like the guy. He really is a good guy, and he's great at things that dad's horrible at too. Like sports. Dad can play catch sure, but he doesn't understand the game all that well or why I like baseball so much. Peter gets it though.

"Thanks Callen" Peter says, "that actually means a lot."

Now I could say something sarcastic here, but instead I respond with "You're welcome, and this is kind of fun."

"Yeah" he says smiling.

I nod, "Remember how I said dad wasn't any good at sports?"

"Sure" he says nodding.

"Well it's nice playing with someone who can throw more than just straight."

He smiles that cheesy smile of his I'm actually starting to like, "Well than go long, how about hit some outfield flies."

"Awesome" I shout taking off down the field.

…

The next day at school is going by way to slow for my liking. It's the day of the trial and I'm beyond nervous. This is worse than when he went to prison the first time. At least then I knew he actually did it, but this he didn't do. He's impulsive not stupid. He wouldn't steal a diamond with Peter so close.

"Callen, earth to Callen. CALLEN" Abbey yells snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Gosh Abbs you don't have to yell" I say moving her hand and feeling like this happened before.

She rolls her eyes, "I wouldn't have to yell if you stopped spacing out."

"Whatever" I say "What did you want in the first place?"

"I asked if you wanted to come over later to work on our science project" she says sarcastically.

"Abbey you need to seriously relax" Pete says sticking his two sense in.

She gives him a glare, "Well excuse me for being nervous about our little impending raid that we could all die for."

"Again with the dramatics" Pete says making a crazy sign in Luc's direction.

I shake my head, "Abbey it's not a raid, and you're not going to die. Besides you don't even have to do anything, just stay in….."

My sentence trails off as I stop walking. The Burke's house is surrounded by cop cars and surveillance vans.

I take off running towards the house sliding past the agents standing there while all of my friends come running after me. There's two guys blocking the entrance to the house, both big and currently in my way.

"Move" I shout at them. "Now."

"Sorry kids" the one says, this area is off limits.

"That's my house" I scream at him. "My mom and siblings are in there. What the heck is going on?"

I'm too hyped up right now to be in panic mode. What on earth could have possible gone wrong that the house is surrounded. I'm to worried about my new little family to realize that this might be about my dad.

"That's classified" the other guy replies.

I roll my eyes. I hate guys like this. Throwing a quick look to Pete who nods in return, we each kick one of the guards in the shin and use the opportunity to open the door and slam it quickly locking it on them once were all inside.

"MOM" I shout not bothering with the fact that she's not actually my mom since I'm too worried to care.

"What, what's wrong" Elizabeth says rounding the corner of the kitchen.

I sigh in relief and giver her a hug. "What's going on? Where's Peter?"

"At work. Callen sweetie calm down" she says looking at me and my friends. "Peter's fine, it's your dad."

"Wait what about him" I ask now more concerned than before. If the cavalry's here, it can't be good.

"Peter didn't tell you?" she asks. I shake my head. "He escaped."

"Wait Neal broke out of prison" Pete asks in disbelief.

"Your dad was back in prison" Abbey and Luc say at the same time. "Why didn't you say anything?"

I shrug knowing that that's the least of my concerns right now. "Where'd he go, why'd he, how?"

"A open window and a bakery awning" a new voice says quietly.

I spin on my heals to find my dad leaning up against the kitchen door frame. Without second thought I bolt over to him, wrapping him in a huge hug.

"What are you doing?" I whisper knowing that him being here is illegal and that there are cops outside.

Before he can say anything, Elizabeth cuts in, "Why don't we move into the kitchen and then he can explain himself."

Two hours later, the group has dwindled to just me, Elizabeth and dad. Abbey and Luc had to go home for dinner and Pete stuck around for a bit until his grandma called him because she had to go to Bingo and needed him home before that. The little kids I learned were with June and Mozzie so that there would be no issues with blabbering little mouths.

We had just finished eating when Peter came in through the front door and while Elizabeth went out to great him, me and dad hung back.

I'm staring at him when he turns his attention back to me. "What?"

I shrug, "I can't believe you jumped out of a window in the middle of broad daylight."

"You know I once climbed out the stop story of a palace using only a bed sheet" he says using his charm smile.

I laugh quietly, "You're one in a million."

"Neal" we hear Peter whisper shout.

I pat dad on the back, "Let's just hope you live long enough to stay that way."

With that I walk out of the room, "Hey Peter" I say as I pass the fuming FBI agent and quickly descend the steps to my room. I could eaves drop if I wanted to, but there's no point seeing as dad's already explained everything to me. Fowler was right, me and dad are super close and share nearly everything.

Not that I'd ever tell the snooty OPR douche that.

…

"So dad was framed" I say coming down the stairs latter that evening to find Peter sitting on the couch, beer in hand watching the TV on mute.

I flop down on the couch next to him and he looks at me blankly.

"I got coned" he says turning back to the TV.

I roll my eyes, "I'm sure you've been coned before. I know for a fact dad coned you at least once all those years ago."

He glances in my direction but doesn't say anything.

"What are you two going to do?" I ask.

He shrugs, "You said it yourself, We're going to catch him."

"Good" I say patting him on the shoulder, "Now turn up the volume, the Yankees are creaming the Mets."

I finally get him to smile as he turns up the volume.

I wake up the next morning in my own bed and realize that Peter must have carried me up here since I know I didn't get here by myself. And then it hits me. It's Friday. Heist day. Glancing around my room I realize how good it feels to be here.

My room is probably the closest thing to normalcy I have in my life at the moment. It's a bright blue and I have a bed, a desk, a dresser, a bean bag chair, and lots of pictures and a Beckham poster hanging on the walls. It's pretty cool actually, and a mess. Being a constantly moving teenager, my room has stuff strewn all over it. When I was little I never had that much and what I did have was always packed in case of a quick move, but now I can afford to be messy.

My room at dad's is still pretty clean though. Old habits I guess.

I quickly get dressed in my jeans and T-shirt and toss on my Converse before grabbing my soccer zip up and running down stairs. To my surprise, I find Pete sitting at the table talking to Elizabeth.

"Morning Caffery" he says giving me his best smile, "Happy Friday."

I give him a smile in return. "Morning Elizabeth, Pete."

"Hi sweetie" she says standing, "I'm gonna go grab you some juice."

"Thanks" I say as she exits the room and then turn to Pete, "What the heck are you doing here?"

He shrugs, "Big day today. Thought we could talk."

"There's nothing to talk about" I whisper, "It's all gonna go down just fine."

"What'll be fine" Elizabeth asks returning with a pop tart package, and some juice in a travel cup.

"Our history test" Pete says smoothly, "Mr. Raphael gives some pretty challenging tests."

"Yeah challenging for everyone but me" I say not being able to help the ego boosting.

Elizabeth smiles, "Well I'm sure you'll both do fine."

"We will" I tell her, and then we wish her our good byes and head out for school.

The day ticks by slowly as we wait for time to pass. I'm not at all nervous about the heist tonight, but I am nervous about dad and Peter. They've got today to clear dad's name otherwise it will be very difficult for me to do anything this evening with Fowlers men keeping tabs on all of us.

The text rolls in at 4:30 while I'm sitting in Baskin Robbins with Abbey, Luc, Peter, and Connor.

"Well" Connor says finishing off his sundae. "We good?"

I nod smiling, "It was Tulene. They got him on video."

"Excellent" Pete says smiling. "I knew Neal was innocent."

"So now can we go over this plan one more time" Abbey asks. She still hasn't stopped freaking out.

I nod. "Alright guys listen up closely. All four of you are going to be at Pete's. Abbey is you're dad okay with you coming home latter?"

"Yup, he's too busy to notice when I come and go" she says.

"Good and Luc your parents know your at Pete's right?"

"Yup" he says "And Connor's with us too right."

I nod and Pete rolls his eyes. He still doesn't like him. "I'll be at my dad's so as to avoid Mr. FBI, and then we all meet out front of the gallery at ten. From there you two" I say pointing at the rookies, "Stay close in case we need back up, but far enough away that in case it goes south your out Scott free."

I turn to Pete and Connor next. "You two ready for your parts."

"Call we were born ready" Connor smiles.

The three of us share a smile reserved only for the most devious of con men.

"Great than let's move."