Author's Note: I finally got a chapter up woop!
I'm currently reading 2 very intense university courses at once and that paired with my mental health issues has lead to me being completely burned out.
I've been wanting to update for a long time now but I've just not had the energy or mental capacity but I finally managed to do it so I'm proud of myself.

I unfortunately don't have the time to spend editing it, so I apologize for any mistakes that I've missed.

CHAPTER 25

It felt strange to think that Peter had almost not dated Elizabeth just because she had a kid, especially considering how good the domestic life felt.
The three of them fell into a comfortable everyday routine and for once everything was going smoothly.
Elizabeth got more responsibility at her job, Peter was currently on a fast-closing-cases streak and Neal was loving it at his new school.
The kid had a new sort of energy, he was no longer dreading school instead he rushed the adults in the morning and every afternoon he could spend hours talking about what had happened in school, most of the stories involving Kate.
Peter hadn't met the girl yet but he felt like he knew her from all of Neal's stories.
The mother and son started to take up more space in the house, Neal spreading his toys and books everywhere while Elizabeth decided to redecorate, saying that Peter simply had a lousy taste.

One weekend Elizabeth even suggested that they would go out just the two of them, something that they hadn't done since before Elizabeth's kidnapping, and Peter had absolutely nothing against that.
So on Saturday evening the two of them went to the Italian restaurant where they'd had their first date while Neal was left in Mozzie's good, or well at least safe, hands.
Elizabeth was dressed in a beautiful blue dress and she looked so absolutely perfect that Peter could hardly take his eyes off of her.
Their date was amazing, they ate great food, had a little too much wine and had a lot of laughs.
It reminded him of their first date, except they were more relaxed now, Peter was feeling less anxious and he was even more in love with the woman across from him.
After dinner they took a walk through the park, just talking and enjoying each other's company.
None of them really wanted their night alone to end but eventually they realized how late it was and they had to hail a cab.
As they quietly walked through the door, Elizabeth stumbled over a shoe which caused her to giggle and Peter shushed her while trying not to laugh as well.
The whole thing reminded of two drunken teenagers sneaking back into the house in the middle of the night.
The lights were still on in the living room and the sight they saw on the couch made Elizabeth let out a big "aaaawww".
Mozzie was sitting on the couch, remote control still in his hand, snoring softly while Neal was sprawled out next to him, his head in his babysitter's lap, peacefully asleep as well.
Elizabeth got her phone and took a picture of them before Peter walked over and tried to grab the remote from Mozzie in order to turn off the TV, who was still on and showing some nature documentary.
The man jolted awake when Peter accidentally bumped his leg and he tightened his grip on the remote, pointing it at Peter like a weapon.

"You'll never take me alive."

He said while blinking, seemingly trying to remember where he was and what he had been doing.

"Calm down, Mozzie."

Elizabeth giggled and the man relaxed slightly.
Neal stirred on the couch and Peter decided that it was best to move the kid to his bed.
He carefully lifted the boy, who let out a soft whine that reminded Peter of the noises Satchmo used to make as a puppy.
Neal instinctively threw his arms around Peter's neck and then buried his head in the agent's shoulder while mumbling something incoherent.
Peter smiled at the adorable boy, wondering how he could have ever thought that Neal was nothing but a hinder in his and Elizabeth's relationship.
He affectionately kissed the boy on the top of his head before turning towards the staris.
Elizabeth was still standing in the doorway, looking at them with a fond expression.

"Maybe it isn't such a bad idea for us to move in on a more permanent basis."

She said before giving both Peter and Neal a kiss and then walking over to Mozzie to thank him for tonight.
Peter couldn't believe it, up until now he had been the one suggesting them moving in permanently and Elizabeth had always been hesitant.
He wanted to ask her what had changed her mind but the six-year-old was getting heavy in his arms so he carried him upstairs and tucked him into his bed.
When he made it downstairs again, Elizabeth and Mozzie had poured some wine and was sitting at the table, discussing some painting.
Peter got a beer and joined them at the table, momentarily forgetting about what Elizabeth had said.

The next morning he was reminded about what Elizabeth had said and he wondered if it had been serious or if it had been the wine talking.
"Were you serious about the whole moving in permanently thing?"
He asked her as they were laying in bed, both of them needing just a couple of extra minutes to relax in bed before they got up to face the day,
Elizabeth nodded.

"Yes, I was."
"What changed your mind?"
"I just realized how much I really enjoy this, the whole domestic thing, and Neal seems to get used to it as well."

She paused and looked up at him with a fond smile.

"I was scared of rushing into this like I did with my exes, but I have realized that this feels more right than it ever did with them. Yesterday when I saw you with Neal I saw how much you truly care about him and I think you are the right one, both for me and for him."

Peter didn't even know how to respond, the only thing he could do was to lean over and kiss her.

"And I don't think I can live there again, I would never feel safe."

She suddenly added, her voice changing from soft and loving to sad.
Apart from when Neal had ran away to their old apartment, Elizabeth hadn't been back there since she was kidnapped.
She was feeling a lot better now but Peter knew that she was still recovering from that trauma and he understood that getting kidnapped from your own home, where you were supposed to be safe, could make that home impossible to live in afterwards.
He was about to answer her but he was interrupted by her phone beeping.

"Shoot."

She mumbled when she read the message.

"A co-worker is sick, my boss asked if I could take their shift."
"Go for it, if you want to."

Elizabeth truly loved her job and very rarely turned down the opportunity to work and make some extra money.

"Kate is coming over for a play-date with Neal today."
"I can handle it."
"Are you sure?"

Peter nodded and Elizabeth smiled before she texted her boss back, saying that she could work.

"I love you."
"Love you too."

Elizabeth left the bed and left to take a shower before work and Satchmo decided that he had waited long enough for his morning walk so he got Peter out of bed too.

"I'm coming, boy."
He said, petting the dog's head while reminding himself to drink an extra cup of coffee today, he would need it if he was going to watch two kids.

It was shortly after noon when the doorbell rang and Neal abandoned his drawing in order to run to the door and open it.
Satchmo was barking happily and he heard a girl giggle, which told him that it was Kate that had arrived.
Peter downed what was left of his coffee before he walked to the front door where Kate and her mother were.
The little girl had long brown hair that was in a braid hanging on the left side of her face and she had icy blue eyes, just like Neal and his mother.
Kate's mother looked exactly like her daughter, she was even wearing the same kind of braid.
Peter introduced himself and after talking with the mother for a few minutes, she left and he was left alone with the kids.

"I'm gonna show you my room!"

Neal exclaimed and ran up the stairs with Kate and Satchmo in tow.
Peter smiled at the fact that he had called the old guestroom "his room" before he sat down at the kitchen table to get some work done, smiling every time he heard the children's laughter coming from upstairs.
Once in a while he walked up to check on them, making sure that they were okay and behaving.
After about two hours of the kids playing Peter decided to go upstairs and see if the kids wanted a snack.
When he was halfway up the stairs he heard Neal shout.

"FBI! Freeze!"

Peter smiled to himself as he paused and continued to listen.
It seemed like they were playing that Neal was an FBI agent and Kate was a crook who refused to be arrested.

"I'm gonna shoot you."

Peter heard Neal say and he felt slightly uncomfortable hearing that from a six-year-old so he continued up the stairs to interrupt their playing.
He reached the open door and he could swear that his heart stopped when he saw what Neal had in his hands.

"Boom!"

Neal shouted as he pointed Peter's gun right at Kate's chest and the girl got down to the ground while groaning, pretending to die.
Peter wanted to rush in and end this macabre game but he forced himself to wait until Neal had lowered the gun so that it was pointing at the floor rather than his friend.
The gun had not been loaded but he didn't want to take any risks.

"Neal, put the gun down."

He said as soon as the gun was lowered and slowly walked into the room.
Neal turned around, looking at him with that "deer in headlights" look, before he quickly put the weapon on the floor.
As soon as Neal's hand left the gun, Peter rushed forward and grabbed it, letting out a sigh of relief as it was in fact still not loaded.

"Kate, I think it's time you go home now."

Peter said and the girl nodded, she seemed to understand the seriousness in the situation.
Neal, however pouted and started to beg him to please let her stay longer.
The girl walked over to Neal and whispered something in his ear which caused him to stop whining, but he still sent dirty looks at Peter.
After putting the gun back into his safe he decided to call Kate's mother to tell her what had happened and she, clearly shaken, agreed that it was best to end the play-date.
While waiting for Kate's mother, Peter sat the kids down on the couch and lectured them about guns not being toys.

As soon as Kate had left, Neal threw an epic tantrum.
He refused to admit that playing with the gun was wrong, instead he just blamed Peter for cutting his play-date short.
It felt like he the kid was screaming for hours and Peter did his best to calm him down but he just wouldn't listen.
Eventually, after what felt like years, the kid's energy ran out and he ended up sitting on one of the kitchen chairs, trying to catch his breath after all the screaming.
Peter had tried to put him in the corner but the kid had refused to stay.

"You're not my dad."

Neal muttered as Peter yet again told him to go sit in the corner.
He crossed his arms, reminding Peter of a sulking teenager.
Peter did not look forward to dealing with Neal as a teenager, if he was still around then.

"No but I'm the adult your mother left in charge."

He answered but Neal just stuck his tongue out.
Peter's phone beeped and he grabbed it and read the text message.
It was Elizabeth saying she was on her way, luckily it was a shorter shift today.

"Speaking of your mother, she's on her way home."

Neal paled at the mention of his mother.
Peter sat down on the opposite side of Neal and watched the kid as he finally realized the seriousness in the situation.
After a while the door opened and they heard Elizabeth greet them before she walked into the living room.
She immediately sensed the tension between them and her smile disappeared.

"What's going on?"
"Do you want to tell her, Neal?"

The child shook his head and Peter sighed.

"Neal and Kate was playing with my gun. Neal pretended to shoot Kate with it."

Elizabeth looked at her son in shock.

"Neal, guns are not toys. You know that!"

Neal nodded while looking down at the table.

"Was it locked away in the safe?"

Elizabeth asked and Peter assured her that it had been, he had always been careful with the weapon but since Neal moved in, he had always triple checked that the gun was in the safe and that it was properly locked.
This all meant that Neal must have gotten into the safe.

"How did you get into the safe?"

Neal didn't answer him but he didn't need to, Peter realized exactly how he had been able to crack the safe and so did Elizabeth.

"I'm going to call Mozzie."

Elizabeth grumbled before storming outside to get some privacy.

"I'm gonna go sit in the corner."

Neal mumbled and walked over to the chair that Peter had placed in the corner earlier.

"Good idea."

Peter looked at the kid and then out the window where Elizabeth was standing, having a heated discussion with Mozzie.
Helping Elizabeth raise Neal would certainly be a challenge, but he was ready for it.