Notes: What if Bryce had a different reaction to learning that Neal was working with the FBI? Say, maybe he thought this was his chance to get Neal on his team?

SY - Say 'Yes'

Within a week of his deal with the FBI being made official, Neal received an email from an old acquaintance. After all, what do you call your brother you hadn't seen in years? Neal didn't want to consider him a 'friend', not after that fiasco in Rome, Italy.

Neal was still mad about that. What kind of brother crashes your heist and then tries to hand you over to the polizia?

So Neal ignored the email. That action was probably a mistake.

Neal was exiting the FBI building when Bryce made an appearance. He bumped into Neal, pushing him between two of the buildings.

"Hey, big brother!" Bryce greeted him happily.

"Bryce. What do you want?" Neal questioned. Bryce had moved his jacket so Neal could see the gun holstered in his waistband and his hand was placed on the wall, his arm blocking off Neal's movement. "And why are you threatening me?"

Bryce seemed surprised at the outright accusation. He sighed, the smile dropping off his face.

"If I didn't do this, I doubt you'd stand around talking to me," he commented.

"Maybe if you didn't greet me with a false smile and manufactured personality, we'd talk more," Neal responded.

"Fine," Bryce muttered in a downcast tone. "But that goes for you as well."

"I'm fine!" Neal insisted.

"Kate." Bryce caught the twitch in Neal's throat. The involuntary movement which said that no, he was not fine. "Look, I wanted to make you an offer."

"What's that?"

"They're letting me make my own team." The CIA. Neal hated how his brother worked for them; hated how Bryce had changed since working for them. "I want you to be on it."

"You must have done something great to be allowed that kind of free will," Neal commented, looking Bryce right in the eyes. Bryce's blue irises held his. Defiant. Neal huffed, "for a spy, you're a terrible secret keeper. What happened?"

"I may have… died. Again."

Died?

Again?

"And you want me to join you in this crazy self-sacrifice?" Neal questioned in a high, disbelieving tone.

"Yes."

"No," Neal responded.

"Come on, Neal," Bryce insisted. "I know, you don't like the Feds but the CIA is only a step up from the FBI. You won't have to wear that." Bryce pointed to his ankle, where the anklet was hidden under the folds of his slacks. "And we'll help you find Kate."

While that was a temping offer, Neal didn't know whether Bryce would keep up that side of the deal. He knew his brother had done, would do, some questionable things to keep his friends and family safe. Peter at least let Neal make his own choices concerning Kate. Bryce was more likely to just cut Neal off from her.

"How about I make a suggestion?" Neal sighed. He knew a few agents who might be what Bryce needed. His information was about four years out of date but it would be easy to update.

Neal stared at his computer. Specifically, the email Bryce sent him.

Pictures of Bryce and his team, including the plucky FBI agent Diana Barrigan.

Didn't this break some kind of CIA secrecy thing?

Kate's plane blew up and Diana moved back to the FBI. Her deal with the CIA allowed her to pick where she wanted to work when she returned. Her proximity to Neal was just a bonus.

"You know, your brother's an alright guy. Nothing like you but his heart's in the right place," she commented one day.

Neal declined to respond. He should have done the same when Bryce turned up on June's doorstep dressed as a pizza delivery person.

"I'm not joining your team," Neal hissed at him.

"Come on, I have an opening," Bryce said, alluding to how Diana had left. "Besides, there's no Kate keeping you here."

"I'm not joining your team," Neal repeated. "Now, shoo." He took the pizzas and closed the door in Bryce's face.

A few months later, when Fowler had been 'collared', Bryce appeared again. Neal was on a run in a nearby park when Bryce dropped into a jog beside him.

There was no outrunning a former track star.

"You're blocking my emails," Bryce said with an expression like a kicked puppy.

Neal rolled his eyes, his stride not faltering. He had spent days blocking every email address Bryce used to contact him. It wasn't perfect but it had obviously bugged his little brother.

"Of course. I've already said no."

"You've got Fowler," Bryce said, "so run away with me."

"Are you going to turn up whenever something big happens?" Neal questioned in an annoyed tone. He was starting to get puffed while Bryce sounded like he could do this all day.

Bryce grinned. "Probably. It's my way of checking up on you. Plus, I'm hoping that, one day, that 'no' will become a 'yes'."

Neal skidded to a stop.

"Why do you want me to join your team so bad?" he finally asked.

Bryce looked back at him. He took a few steps towards him, closing the gap between them.

"You're one of the few people I can trust."

Neal sighed. He had said something similar to Peter. Except, he trusted Peter more than he trusted Bryce.

He couldn't lie, it was mostly because of Bryce's involvement in the CIA. Neal had seen his brother change because of it.

"Have you thought that's because we don't work together?" They were too alike to work together.

Bryce was comically silent for a moment before agreeing, "possibly, yes."

A few days after El had been kidnapped by Keller, Bryce appeared again. Keller admitted to stealing the very treasure he had been trying to get his hands on through ransoming Peter's wife and was now being protected by the Russians.

Peter still didn't know what to think about Neal's involvement in concealing the location of the treasure; the act which lead to El's kidnapping.

Mozzie was annoyed that Neal wanted to stay with the FBI but Neal counted himself lucky that Mozzie hadn't run off as soon as Keller was arrested.

All in all, it ended with Neal being alone in his apartment, drinking wine and feeling like the scum of the Earth.

"So," Bryce commented as he opened the balcony doors. He had climbed up to the balcony to see his twin.

"I'm not joining your team," Neal ground out. "Not even if you offered me commutation today."

"I came to see how you're doing. You gave up a lot."

"I would have lost more if I hadn't," Neal responded.

"I know," Bryce said solemnly. He placed a bag on the table. "I brought beer and wine. Not sure what kinds you like but it's enough to get so drunk that you'll at least be able to forget about this for a few hours."

Normally, Neal wouldn't agree to an offer like that. However, he knew Bryce wouldn't let anything happen to him so they spent the time until sunrise sampling and critiquing the drinks Bryce brought.

Neal fled from the FBI. It was the perfect time for Bryce to ask his question and create a deal between Neal Caffrey and the CIA, hopefully restoring some of the damage the FBI's betrayal had caused, however he couldn't find him.