A/N Thanks for your reviews and support.

gabelou1991: thanks for your reviews and support. I do not speak French unfortunately but I hope you like it and continue to.

Boxfin: thanks for your review, my friend. So glad you enjoy it!

Neal's POV

Blue clashed against blue as he stared down the man he considered his father for years. Their bond had diminished greatly over the years but it was still there. Part of him still considered Bruce to be his father.

It was the tiniest part of him that still felt like a child. He buried it when he joined the CIA. He buried most of his childhood self when he joined them. It was far easier to bury and forget than to remember and always wonder.

Having his past confront him headfirst brought back the buried memories. Slowly his hand reached up to grab the cross on the necklace that Matt had given him. A necklace that had saved his life more than once for the tracker that was embedded inside.

Flashback

A silver cross on a necklace was pushed across the table. Neal and Matt were in a safe house of the agency's in France having barely escaped Interpol for the third time.

Their escape had been a close call on Neal's part. He had been cornered in the far side of the building. To keep his nonviolent status he couldn't fight back and there wasnt a way to push through. Then Matthew had burst in and took out the agents that cornered him.

Neal raised an eyebrow as he questioned, "Why are you giving me this? I don't wear any kind of jewelry. It just gets in the way and makes you more identifiable."

Matt said coolly, "The chain can be shortened so it doesn't get in the way. Since it is near impossible to keep track of you otherwise I had this made. It has an undetectable tracker implanted in it. Only I have the activation sequence to pull it up."

"Why?" He questioned curious to know the answer.

Matt looked exhausted as he answered, "Because of last night's near capture. Police are one thing but the Ring are another. The Ring are still out there and if you are captured I need a way to find you again. That's why I had this made."

Neal stared down at it for a moment before sighing. It wasnt like the other was wrong. The Ring was still in fact after his head and likely would be for some time. There were those who believed that he had faked his death once again. Until the CIA brought them to their knees the Ring was still a threat. Both to his freedom and to his life.

So with slight hesitation, he slipped the necklace over his head. Then hid it underneath his shirt.

End of flashback

The necklace had saved his life more than once over the years. It got to the point that he never took it off. Being on the run or having someone out to kill you. He never knew when he would have to up and leave again. So taking it off and risking forgetting it was impractical.

A voice said from behind them, "Don't talk like that now, Larkin. I haven't worked so hard all these years to keep you alive only for you to give up. You might be a pain in my ass but you keep things interesting."

Neal turned to see Matt standing in the kitchen his arms folded over his chest. Hazel eyes glared at Bruce who met the gaze evenly.

Neal greeted with a small smile that didnt quite reach his eyes, "Matt. You can sooner than I expected. Is Orion..."

Matt's gaze softened slightly as the hazel eyes turned to him and said, "He will be fine as I said earlier. No doubt he is driving the doctors and nurses up the wall now. How's the leg?"

Bruce answered before Neal could, "It collapsed from under his as he got changed. His arm is weak as well. Now I have a question for you. Who are you to my son?"

Matt growled, "I am his handler obviously and unlike the rest of you I do care about him."

Matt... sometimes he went too far in what he said. On the other hand, he was right at this moment. Bruce and the other members of the family needed to understand he was not the same person from before. The naive kid he had been before had died. Only his cold exterior remained.

Bruce snapped his eyes going cold, "What would you know of his past? He left because of miscommunication between us and him. Our family has never been the best a communication but we can get better."

"Do you think of me as an idiot," questioned Matt, "You'd have him return to being a vigilante? A vigilante whose mantel has already been taken up by another. Not to mention Larkin isn't physically able to keep up with you much less his brothers in a fight. This isn't me being a bastard it's the truth. No medical doctor would ever sign off on him doing anything that has to do with fighting."

Bruce's eyes trailed over to where he had seen Neal's wounds. Matt had a point and he knew it. Neal would never be able to return to a full combat level of fighting. In fact, if he were to rejoin the vigilantes out on the streets he'd be lucky if he only got himself killed. That in itself would be the best-case scenario. Worst case his brothers or a civilian would die. That was not something he would be able to live with. Not now.

Neal said rubbing at his eyes, "He's right. Even if I did return to Gotham I would be nothing more than a liability. The damage from my time away is too severe to overlook. Staying here in New York is what I want. And if you try to take me by force Bruce you will not like the consequences."

There were those out there who still owed him a favor or two. No one was dumb enough not to pay a debt owed. If they tried the whole underground knew and they would be ostracised by the entire community.

Bruce stood his blue eyes narrowed as he said, "I'll leave for now but Dick this is not over. Not by a long shot."

Neal watched as Bruce left the apartment. He knew that this wasn't over yet. Matt could only keep his adoptive father and siblings at bay for so long. They would eventually demand his presence. For now, he would do his best to avoid any more confrontations.

Turning to Matt he questioned, "You know about my condition what about yours? Were you injured in the battle?"

Matt replied touching the upper part of his left bicep followed by another touch to his lower right, "A small cut to my lower arm from a knife it will heal on its own. A gunshot graze to my bicep that was stitched up at the hospital," Neal opened his mouth but was beaten by the sharp order, "Don't you dare apologize for not noticing. The wounds were small and practically nonexistent."

A small laugh escaped the dark-haired man. It was so like his handler to say something like that. A chuckle escaped the other. As a whole neither truly laughed very much anymore. When they did it was such a rare occasion that their fellow agents would stop and stare.

It lifted the weight that he didnt realize was bearing down on his shoulders. By Matt's own body language he felt the same way. They both had a darkness within their hearts that held them back. It was what allowed them to bond and work so well together.

Matt ordered coming around to stand in front of him, "Go to bed, Bryce. It's been a long day and you will go back to the FBI in the morning. I'll take the couch tonight."