Chapter Thirty-seven

Standing in the empty intersection with his heart in his throat Neal found himself more anxious than during his first round in the ring. He clenched and opened his fists a few times in a desperate attempt to quell the trembling in his muscles that had escalated into an all out shivering. With his adrenaline demanding that he did something it was getting increasingly difficult to do nothing while he waited to hear a cry of pain from Sawyer. Neal was still having a hard time coming to terms with Peter's radical act of preemptive self defense, but now that he had agreed to let it happen he just wanted it over with. There was still a voice in the back of his head that kept nagging at him that they were both going to regret this brutality for the rest of their lives, but there was a louder voice that was reminding him that at least they'd have a chance at having the rest of their lives.

Neal knew Peter would have to be careful sneaking up on the dangerous man but as the seconds stretched into minutes he started to fear that something had terribly gone wrong. Before Neal could come to the decision on whether or not to leave his post his fears were confirmed when he heard Sawyer's voice and condescending chuckle as he surprised Peter from behind. Neal was too far away to hear exactly what was said, but the words didn't matter. The fact that any words were being exchanged was enough to know that Sawyer wasn't incapacitated by alcohol or even off his guard. Neal doubted that Jake had sent them knowingly into a trap, if he wanted them dead he could do it in the ring, but the results were the same.

"Neal!"

Neal was already half way down the hall having broken into a run the second he'd heard Sawyer's voice by the time Peter called out. Neal only had a split second to contemplate it but he was startled by the fact that Peter's cry had definitely been one of asking for help instead of a warning for Neal to run away. Not that either request would have changed Neal's actions, he just wasn't used to Peter asking for help in a dangerous situation since usually he just wanted him out of the way. Neal couldn't recall a single time that Peter had ever said 'stay here' that he had actually listened, but that never stopped Peter from trying time and time again to keep Neal out of harms way whenever a case suddenly escalated into violence. However with Neal's own continued survival depending on Peter's as well the situation called for a change in tactics.

Focusing on the sounds of the fight that had erupted between Peter and Sawyer it didn't occur to Neal to be cautious when he went to run past the two doors that were between the intersection and Sawyer's room. At a dead run Neal had no chance of stopping when the second door opened and Sawyer's men stepped out in front of him. Instead of even attempting to slow down or even evade the men Neal just lowered his shoulder and slammed into the closest one.

Not expecting to have Neal charge him the man cried out in alarm as he was knocked to the floor. Unable to keep his own balance with all his forward momentum Neal landed on top of him. Before the man could recover Neal sat back on his hips before punching him across the bridge of his nose to try and ensure that he stayed down. The man under him squealed in pain and threw his hands up over his face as blood erupted from his broken nose. Neal ground his teeth at the sound of the other three men laugh and mockingly cringed at their fallen friend the same way a group of spectators did when someone wiped out spectacularly on a skateboard after trying an overly ambitions trick. At ease with their upper hand and having far less at stake in the fight they were not taking it very seriously. Like cats playing with a mouse they knew they could end the fight at any time just by letting their prey go.

Engaged as he was by his tormentor's caviler attitude towards the threat he pose Neal resisted the urge to throw himself at the men in an act of hopeless violence. Neal knew he was a secondary target in all of this and if he took off running that they probably wouldn't even bother chasing after him. Using that theory to his advantage Neal scrambled to his feet and took off making it look like he was just attempting to bolt to save his own life. Underestimating their quarry they joking called him a coward and worse, but their tone changed to one of alarm when they realized he wasn't running away, he was running head long into a fight with their leader.

Bursting into the dark room where Peter and Sawyer were battling one another like angry lions Neal wasn't immediately sure how he could best help the situation. The only light in the room was coming from the hallway adding to the general chaos of the scene. Both men were bloodied but it was difficult to determine if either one of them truly had the upper hand. Armed with the metal baton Peter was not the easy prey that Sawyer was used to dealing with in the ring where no weapons were available. Despite appearing to be holding his own for the time being even armed Peter wasn't going to keep on top for long. Even without the added stresses of several weeks of captivity and previous injuries Peter wasn't a match for Sawyer's strength and relative youth.

Desperate to end the fight quickly Peter swung the heavy metal bar at Sawyer's head. Sawyer managed to reach up in time and finally grabbed a hold of the weapon. Peter cried out in a mixture of panic and frustration as if he'd just been wounded when he failed to yank the baton out of Sawyer's grip. Neal didn't understand the ramification of what had just happened, but Peter was acutely aware of the fact that for all intensive purposes he'd just lost the fight. Sawyer didn't even try to twist the weapon out of Peter's grip, he didn't have to. Peter was in a no win situation, letting go of the baton and surrendering it to Sawyer would be a fatal move, but keeping a hold of it meant he couldn't back away and now only had one hand to both fight with and defend himself. Sawyer smiled brightly at Peter knowing that in the war of attrition that the fight had suddenly become he was sure to win.

The entire scene had only taken seconds to unfold but Neal felt like he had been standing there watching helplessly for an hour. Looking around for anything that could help Neal spotted the large half empty bottle of vodka that Sawyer had left out to help sell his trap. The rest of Sawyer's friends had regrouped and were just arriving as Neal attacked Sawyer with the bottle. Bashing the bottle against the back of Sawyer's head Neal had fully expected it to break but the thick glass remained intact.

Sawyer roared more out of rage than pain at the blow that had been powerful enough to darken his vision for a second but not enough to bring him down. Lashing out at Peter and striking him in the throat Sawyer ripped the baton out of Peter's hand. Already gasping for breath Peter was easy brought down to his knees with a quick blow to the outside of his thigh at the vulnerable pressure point of the illiotbial band that held a bundles of nerves that stretched from his hip to his knee. Turning on Neal with lightning speed Sawyer swung at him recklessly. Jumping back Neal was able to avoid the potentially lethal blow but in doing so he stumble backwards right into Sawyer's friends. The man whose nose Neal had broken wrapped his arm around Neal's throat and held him against his chest as he crushed down on him. Neal reached up and clawed at the arm that was choking him but he could already feel the edges of his consciousness slipping away.

"Carter, don't kill him!" Sawyer barked. "Someone turn on the goddamn lights!"

Carter relaxed his grip just enough to let Neal get a needed breath as the lights momentarily blinded him. Neal tried to free himself but Carter reached around with his free hand and grabbed a hold of Neal's wrist and threatened to break the delicate bones in his grip when Neal offered even the slightest struggle. Finding himself pinned Neal watched in horror as Sawyer casually turned his attention back to Peter twirling the baton in his hand with a casual menace. Bloodied and exhausted Peter had tried to get to his feet but when he'd looked up and seen that Neal had been captured he gave in to a moment of defeat. For a moment everything was quiet, almost calm, in the aftermath of the brief but violent struggle.

Out numbered five to two they had had no chance from the start but it was still hard for Neal to accept that they had just lost their lives even though he knew Sawyer wasn't going to show them any mercy. Peter seemed much more at peace with the idea that the fight was over. Ignoring Sawyer's approach Peter gave Neal a look of sorrowful apology for failing to keep him safe. Neal let him know he had his forgiveness with a genuine smile, he knew that every step Peter had taken had been in an effort to protect him. Peter returned the smile, relaxing slightly at at least knowing that Neal didn't blame him for what was about to happen.

"Touching." Sawyer mocked noticing the silent exchange.

"Sawyer," Peter said in a quiet pleading tone "none of this has anything to do with Neal, please let him go."

"Sure." Sawyer agreed easily with a shrug. "Carter, let him go."

"What?" Carter asked confused.

"I said let him go." Sawyer growled in dangerous irritation at having to repeat himself. "He's not going to leave anyway so we might as well make it his own damn fault that he gets himself beaten to death."

Carter still hesitated to release his captive having been looking forward to getting some revenge for the nose he'd broken. When Sawyer curled his lip at him in warning Carter gave in and let Neal go. Shoving Neal forward Carter punched him hard in the kidney. With a breathless cry of pain Neal dropped to his knees, but more out of a strategic advantage than weakness. Being down low he could use his powerful legs to explode up and into Sawyer's stomach. It wasn't exactly a winning strategy and Sawyer would probably quickly recover and make him regret the surprise attack, but if they were going to die Neal planed to at least go down fighting. Neal was getting ready to spring when Peter stopped him.

"Neal, no. It's over." Peter said firmly reading Neal's body language. "Just go. Get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you. We're in this together, remember?"

"Neal, please, do as I say just this once." Peter pleaded with a horrifying finality.

"Peter…"

"Neal…there's nothing you can do about this."

Having changed his inflection slightly to emphasize the 'you' in his statement Peter stared at Neal expectantly and with almost an electric shock effect Neal figured out what Peter was actually asking him to do. Neal hoped that he managed to hide his realization from Sawyer as he tried to extinguish the spark of hope in his eyes and replace it with a feigned battered defeat. Making a show of being painfully conflicted about leaving Peter behind Neal looked from Peter to the door behind him before sighing heavily and nodding. Getting to his feet Neal went to step towards Peter to say good bye but stopped when Sawyer aggressively pulled his shoulders back as he anticipated Neal to attack him. Neal put his hands up peacefully to show he wasn't a threat. Calling on a skill he'd spent years perfecting Neal brightened his eyes with crocodile tears and let them slip unchecked down his cheeks as he stepped backwards towards the door.

"It's been an honor, Peter."

"Likewise. Good luck."

"Thank you."

"Okay, this I wasn't expecting." Sawyer admitted to Neal. "I can't decide if this is cowardice or incredibly noble of you to honor your friend's last wish."

"Just promise me you'll make it quick." Neal said sourly.

"Absolutely not." Sawyer chuckled. "I offered you a chance to help Burke with a quick death before and you turned me down. We are going to play all night so if I were you I'd get out of ear shot as quickly as possible."

Neal didn't need any acting skills to make him look hesitant to leave to the point of physically shaking. Peter was putting a great deal of faith in him to be going forward with this plan rather than having allowed Neal to try one last ditch effort at violence. Neal's option of attacking Sawyer probably wouldn't have worked but at least Peter wouldn't have had to die alone, something that was a distinct possibility now. Anxious himself Peter swallowed hard from his place on his knees and nodded slightly to Neal to encourage him to leave. Turning away before he could lose his resolve Neal walked away without looking back.

It took all of Neal's strength to force himself to walk out of the room. Spying Jake's key ring still in the door Neal snatched them and broke into a sprint as he took off down the desolate tunnel. Unable to find what he was looking for from where he was Neal was forced to retreat back to the room he shared with Peter to get his bearings. Getting to the door he doubled over and retched against an empty stomach in a combination of fear and exhaustion.

As much as it sickened him Neal was counting on the fact that Sawyer would be true to his word and not just murder Peter without tormenting him first but time was still a major factor. Taking off again Neal prayed that Jake was as much a creature of habit as Neal thought he was. Coming to the room that Jake dragged him to anytime he was bored and wanted to play Neal pounded on the door but got no response. He tested the handle and discovered the door was unlocked. An ever deepening pit opened in Neal's stomach as he opened it and found that no one was inside.

"Jake!" Neal cried desperately down the empty hallway. "Jake! Please! I need your help!"

Neal's heart lept in a moment of hope as a door just down the hall opened and Jake stepped out. It was obvious that he hadn't been faking his own intoxication when he'd handed Peter his mission. Teetering between still drunk and suffering a hangover Jake struggled to focus on Neal who had rushed up to him and grabbed his wrist.

"Neal?" Jake asked groggily. "What's going on?"

"Sawyer is killing Peter right now!"

"Shit." Jake swore as he instantly sobered.

"We need to help him!" Neal urged as he tried to tugged Jake down the hall. "You can stop Sawyer, you're the only one who can."

"Or he'll just kill all three of us."

"I don't care!" Neal roared in frustration. "Help me or I swear *I* will kill you!"

Taking Neal's threat seriously Jake nodded and followed Neal. He couldn't run with the same speed that Neal could but he did his best to keep up. Neal kept a firm grip on Jake's wrist and helped pull him along. Neal started going back to his own room as a starting point to find Sawyer's again but Jake redirected him to a different faster route. Trusting Jake to lead him Neal changed course without argument.

When they took the final turn back into the hall where Sawyer was Neal's heart stumbled in it's galloping rhythm as Peter's tortured voice echoed down the hall. Terrified that they were going to be too late Neal went to force Jake faster down the hall but Jake picked up his own pace at hearing Peter's cry of pain. When they were about fifteen feet from the door Jake suddenly stopped and jerked Neal to a stop as well. Neal took a breath to protest but Jake lashed out and clamped his hand down over Neal's mouth to keep him quiet.

Diving into Neal's pocket Jake stole back his key ring. Jake released Neal and then pointed at the spot where Neal was standing in a clear sign for him to stay put. With Peter screaming once again in the background Neal just nodded as he fought to keep his labored breathing quiet. Jake took a second to compose himself as he prepared to wade into Sawyer's den with only his pretense of authority to shield him. Neal wrapped his arms over his stomach to try and dull the sensation that someone was twisting a knife into it as he watched Jake step into the door way. Neal had no idea if Jake had enough power over Sawyer to make this work but the alpha dog posture Jake had taken gave him hope.

"What the fuck is going on in here?!" Jake demanded like an angry parent coming home to a rowdy party.

"Jake…" Sawyer started in an startled tone.

"Get off of him!"

"He attacked me first." Sawyer stated defensively. "Don't think for a second that I don't know that you..."

"Are you out of your goddamned mind?!" Jake snarled with an impressive amount of passion. "I don't care who started it, you know the rules! Do you want to end up branded?!"

"Wha…"

"Shut up!" Jake demanded before Sawyer got a chance to question his logic. "Burke, get up! Get over here now!"

"No way," Sawyer growled "he's mine!"

"He's York's!" Jake shot back. "You want to explain to York why one of his prize brandeds ended up dying without an audience paying to see it?"

Neal held his breath knowing that this was the argument that was going to either win Peter a reprieve or else prove that Sawyer was beyond the point of reason. There was a palpably tense moment of silence where Sawyer was contemplating his options. A wave of relief that literally brought Neal to his knees washed over him as Peter suddenly stumbled out into the hallway with blood from his battered temple obscuring half his face. Neal got back up and wanted to help Peter as he struggled to remain standing but he feared that if Sawyer learned that Peter had tricked him into letting him go to get help that he'd kill them all in his rage. It was far better to let him think that it was him forcing Peter to scream instead of killing him quickly that had garnered the attention of the labyrinth's Minotaur warden.

"I want my turn in the ring with him." Sawyer demanded.

"Then I suggest you not tell York what happened here tonight." Jake said as he backed out of the room to join Peter in the hallway.

Before Sawyer could respond Jake pulled the door closed and used his keys to lock it. As soon as the door was locked Neal rushed forward to help Peter. The way he was cradling his arm Neal feared that Sawyer had broken it, but when he saw the fresh blood flowing from the bite mark he guessed that Sawyer had been digging into the infected wound to inflict pain. When Neal approached Peter pulled him into an embrace both in grateful relief that they'd survived as well as to help himself stay on his feet.

Neal barely had the strength to help Peter at the moment but he was determined to try. Jake stepped up to the pair revealing that he was shaking violently himself. It was the first time Neal had seen Jake looking truly terrified proving that he really hadn't been sure that he'd be able to control Sawyer. Before Neal could even say thank you Jake pressed them to start moving.

With everything that had happened it was all Neal could do to get Peter back to their room. Peter passively allowed Neal to guide him to the door but once there he fought to keep from stepping inside. Neal didn't understand at first until Peter turned to Jake and reached out to put his hand on his shoulder. Jake looked a little frightened as Peter locked eyes with him as if expecting him to lash out at him in some way.

"Thank you." Peter said gratefully.

Jake furrowed his brow in confusion as he stared at Peter without responding.

"Jake?"

"I figured you'd be furious at me for sending you after Sawyer in the first place."

"I made the decision to go after Sawyer on my own. I'm responsible for what happened, not you."

The brief explanation took just about the last of Peter's energy. When Peter's knee buckled Jake reached out and helped Neal keep Peter up. Barely making it over to the thick blanket on the floor himself Neal was grateful for Jake's help in getting Peter there. Sitting down in the corner Neal encouraged Peter to lean against him. Neal had no illusions about being able to stay awake for long but he still felt the need to sit up to try and watch over Peter as long as he could. Settling in against Neal's chest Peter closed his eyes and instantly passed out. Wrapping his arms around Peter's waist protectively Neal tried to calm his own still racing heart. He tried to push thoughts about how close they'd come to death out of his head and just focus on the fact that they were safe for right now.

Neal hadn't even noticed that Jake had momentarily left until he returned from the bathroom with a washcloth and a few medical supplies. Neal watched Jake wordlessly as he crouched down next to them and did his best to clean away the blood from Peter's gashed temple before turning his surprisingly gently touch to the reopened wound on his arm. Neal thought he saw a glimmer of guilt or maybe even empathy in Jake's eyes but he didn't comment on it. After removing the worst of the blood Jake started to wrap carefully gauze around Peter's arm. Without the strength to even evaluate Peter's injuries Neal was grateful to have Jake tending to the most pressing ones. However there was one more danger that was fast approaching that had Neal worried despite everything else on his mind.

"Peter has a ring fight tomorrow night…"

"Actually it's in about ten hours." Jake corrected somehow seeming to just know the time as he finished wrapping Peter's arm.

"He'll never make it, please, let me…"

"Don't worry about it." Jake interrupted. "I'll take care of it."

"Thank you."

Jake looked up from Peter and gave Neal the same slightly confused look that he had given Peter earlier. Neal could understand if Jake felt like the sentiment was just a ruse, a desperate move from hapless captives trying their best to win the mercy of their captor rather than a true expression of gratitude. Neal held his rescued friend closer to show Jake that he was honestly grateful to have him saved for now even if it was just prolonging the inevitable.

"Thank you, Jake."

"…you're welcome, Neal."