Chapter Twenty-nine

Walking down the dank hallway Neal flipped through the ring of keys that he had swiped from Jake while he depended on Peter to both guide the way and keep an eye out for Sawyer. Thinking about Sawyer Neal realized that he actually hadn't come to taunted them in several days, which wasn't like him. Deciding to be grateful for the break Neal turned his attention back to the keys he'd stolen. Under normal circumstances he would expect Jake to notice them gone almost instantly, but when he'd left Jake he was slugging vodka straight from the bottle looking like he intended to finish it.

Jake had invited him to join him in a drink, but thankfully he hadn't made it mandatory the way he had the first time. Neal had been able to get away by muttering something dark about having to think about what he'd said about Peter. Far from wanting to sulk alone Neal had rushed back to Peter knowing that he would be sick with worry and frustration. It went against all of Peter's instincts and personality to not be able to be in a position where he could act as a defender and be in charge. Neal had started to worry about Peter's mental state as the strain of feeling helpless got more powerful, but glancing over at him now Neal found that he was watching him with an expectant look and a trace of a smile.

"What?" Neal chuckled.

"I didn't think you were going to come back from Jake in one piece, let alone in a good mood. What happened?"

"Jake was working over time to drive a wedge between you and I, but it only did the opposite." Neal explained. "He made a surprisingly compelling argument on why I should blame you for what I did to Marco, and he's right, I *could* resent you for everything that's happening, but I don't. The idea that any of this is your fault or that you're somehow turning me into heartless killer never crossed my mind."

"I'm just trying to protect you."

"I know." Neal smiled warmly. "You're not a killer, not the way Jake was trying to paint you, and you're not making me one. I wanted to make sure you knew that I knew that."

"Thank you. I have been worried about that. I hate to encourage you to be violent...I hate to encourage it in myself."

"It's okay, I understand. The world needs guardians."

"That's exactly what doctor Web…wait…did you read my psychology file?"

"No." Neal replied a little too quickly.

"No, of course you didn't, she wouldn't have written down what she said." Peter huffed in sudden irritation. "You must have listened to it."

"Peter…"

"Are you insane?" Peter demanded. "You bugged the psychiatrist's office at the FBI?"

"No, absolutely not. I promise." Neal held his hands up in peacefully surrender. "But Dr. Weber does record all her sessions."

"What?"

"It's in the fine print of the patient agreement you sign before you see her."

"Neal…" Peter growled.

"I was worried about you after Adler," Neal explained innocently "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"You could have just asked me."

"I don't know how you remember those next few months after Adler, but you and I were not on great terms." Neal pointed out. "I didn't exactly have your trust."

"You didn't exactly deserve it."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I didn't care."

"You should have just come to me from the start."

"And how would that conversation have gone?" Neal asked seriously. "'Hey, Peter, are you okay with having murdered someone for me even though you're convinced I'm guilty, oh and by the way I kinda am guilty.'."

"I didn't murder Adler, I killed him. There's a difference."

"Absolutely. I'm sorry. I was just trying to make a point." Neal apologized genuinely as the conversation continued to spiral. "It all happened so quickly and things between us became so strained that I never got a chance to talk to you about it. Please, just…I felt terrible about everything, it was tearing me apart."

"I know." Peter replied as his expression softened.

"Particularly Adler. I just didn't know what to say. I suppose 'thank you' might have been a start."

"...your welcome."

"So…all is forgiven?" Neal asked hopefully.

"I forgave you for all that long ago Neal."

"I know, but I still like to hear it." Neal chuckled as he flipped through the keys in his hands to help change the subject. "On a different note I'm starting to believe your theory more and more about Jake being a prisoner."

"Really? Because I've been leaning away from that."

"Well, this key ring tells me a story."

"How so?"

"There are a lot of duplicate keys on here, and non-door keys."

"Non-door?"

"Bike lock, safety deposit box, padlock, old car key, I think this one goes to a child's diary." Neal named the key types off as he held them up. "There are a few keys to doors on here, but mostly this is just a collection of the one thing that makes Jake feel like he has a chance at freedom."

"Or something that helps him maintain the illusion of power." Peter added.

"Yeah." Neal agreed with a quiet sigh.

"Neal?"

"It's nothing, well it's not nothing, but…" Neal trailed off in frustration. "I don't want to feel sorry for Jake."

"But…" Peter pressed.

"He said a few things that were out of place. Whether he works for York or if he really is a prisoner down here, either way I think it's been a very, very long time since Jake's seen daylight."

"That's a horrible thought, but could work to our advantage if we could get him to believe that we can help him get out. On the other hand if he is a prisoner these keys aren't going to be useful."

"Even a negative can be a useful result." Neal pointed out.

"If none of these keys open the door beyond the bodies there's a good chance it's a way out."

"Exactly. It might be better for us if none of these fit."

"Only one way to find out."

Neal flashed Peter a concerned look at the heaviness his tone had suddenly taken. Squaring his shoulders as though he was preparing for a fight Peter picked up his pace to take the lead and guide Neal the rest of the way to the long corridor that held the makeshift graveyard at the end of it. Neal hadn't forgotten that Peter had been back to this room without him and why he had been there, but he had underestimated how much it had effected Peter to have handled Jake's last victim. Peter had been shaken when he'd first returned but Neal had thought he'd gotten past it. Seeing him now Neal realized that he'd simply gotten better at hiding it.

The noxious scent of decay had been powerful the first time Neal had been down the hall but it was ten fold now. By the time they got within ten feet of the door Neal's eyes were watering and it was all he could do to keep from retching. The muscles in Peter's throat were starkly defined from the way he was clenching his jaw to keep his own stomach under control. Wanting to get this over with quickly Neal went to step in front of Peter to get to the door but Peter put his hand on Neal's chest to stop him.

"Give me the keys." Peter ordered as he held out his hand "Stay here."

"What? No, I…"

"This isn't up for debate, Neal." Peter said firmly. "I can handle this alone, I know how keys work. You're staying out here, I will come and get you if the door opens."

"Peter, if this is about the bodies I've seen them already."

"You haven't seen Miller." Peter replied grimly. "The others had decayed to a point where it was easier to mentally separate them from having been living. Miller's not like that yet, it's an image that I see every time I close my eyes."

"Peter…"

"I'm not going to let him haunt you too."

"You shouldn't have to go alone."

"I know I don't have to. I need to, more than that: I want to."

"What? Why?"

"I can't protect you from Jake, but I can protect you from this."