On the car ride from the office, Neal noticed Peter was exceptionally quiet. Not being able to take it any longer, "Peter, tell me, okay. What did Hughes say?" He thought for a moment. "Is my deal being revoked and I'm going back to prison? If so, I deserve a heads up."

"No, Neal, it's not that." said Peter glancing at Neal. "That's all fine, though we need to talk later. I have to talk to El first is all and then I promise to explain."

"Why would you need to talk to El?" asked Neal, genuinely confused. "Why would El be involved?"

"It's not important and everything will be fine." said Peter, trying to sound comforting and figuring he's failing. He can't help but think Elizabeth is so much better at this stuff. "Can we drop this for awhile?"

Neal goes quiet and Peter is grateful the rest of the ride home is quiet. After getting Neal settled on the couch with a pain pill and a glass of ice water, he waits until he hears him snoring softly to talk to El on the back patio.

"So what's going on?" said El, sitting at her tea. She spies Peter glancing in through the window at Neal. "Peter, just tell me. You texted me it was important and I can handle it if it's bad news."

"More like just news and then something we need to talk about. Hughes had a talk with me. Neal can no longer stay at June's." said Peter, continuing to glance inside every couple of minutes. "The gun issue makes it a violation of his promotion."

"Oh don't tell me he has to go back to that hotel." said El. "Even you couldn't take it one night and ended up at June's." She notices a 'how did you know' look from Peter. "Diana ended up telling me not even a couple weeks later. She answers your phone more than you, you know."

"I should have guessed." said Peter laughing, only a little annoyed someone had told on him on that one. "I don't want him to go there either. Remember how we talked about making the third floor an apartment years ago when we bought the house?"

"Yeah? We dropped it as we weren't sure if we wanted tenants." said El, a little confused. She suddenly smiles. "You want to fix it up for Neal, don't you?"

"Hughes has to make sure it clears, but yeah I do. We both planned to let Neal stay here until he could handle more stairs anyways." said Peter, nodding. "But let's be honest, he's over a lot and he probably could be talked into being your official taste tester."

"You don't have to sell him to me. He's become a friend to both of us...plus he has better taste than you." said El, adding the last part as a joke. "I mean if you are up for it, sure...though a part of me wonders if you just want to keep a closer eye on him."

"I can't say it wouldn't be nice, but not quite for the same reasons. More out of guilt for what happened." said Peter. "And he doesn't deserve to lose everything."

"I agree, Peter." said El. "And he seems to want to change and I think we both agree to wanting that."

Peter nods. "Very much so. We would receive the same stipend, though it's not about the money at all."

"Well he's starting to wake." said El, peeking inside. "Go tell him and see what he thinks."