Chapter Ninety-four

"I am. It's good to be home. I'll see you tomorrow."

"…okay."

Hanging up the phone Peter stared at the darkened screen with a painful knot in his stomach. He wished that Neal had sounded a little more convincing on the phone but Peter could hear an edge of anxiety in his voice. With his own mounting anxiety Peter worried that Neal was in for a long night, and worse yet that there wasn't anything he could do about it. It had been hard enough to feel helpless in the Labyrinth, but right now there really wasn't any reason for Neal to suffer alone tonight beyond the fact that he had decided to.

"Hon?"

Peter hated that he jolted at the sound of Elizabeth's voice but he couldn't help the reaction. Turning around Peter pulled her into a hug to prevent her from apologizing for startling him. Elizabeth returned the affection and rested her head against his chest. Peter tensed slightly knowing that she was going to notice how hard his heart was working right now. Elizabeth smiled sadly and hugged him tighter for a moment.

"Neal will be okay." Elizabeth assured.

"I know." Peter replied. "I just wish he had gone home for himself and not for me."

"I think you both need a little time where you don't feel like you have to put a brave face on for one another."

Peter nodded, closing his eyes in exhaustion despite the early hour. Seeing him having trouble staying awake Elizabeth guided Peter over to the couch. Not protesting Peter sat down and pulled Elizabeth down onto his lap. Wrapping his arms around her Peter took a deep breath of her scent and managed to relax. In the Labyrinth he hadn't really dared to hope that he could hold her again, it had just made the captivity harder to bear to focus on what had seemed so out of reach at the time.

"I want to say that I missed you, but that's such an understatement that it almost feels insulting." Peter said.

"I know what you mean." Elizabeth smiled. "I need a stronger word than 'missed' as well."

Demonstrating that words weren't really necessary Satchmo walked over with his tail wagging. Looking hopefully up at Peter he silently asked for permission to join the family up on the couch. Smiling at the dog Peter gestured for him to jump up. Leaping up on the couch Satchmo nuzzled up against the pair and beat his tail happily against the sofa cushions.

Surrounded by his loved ones Peter found a moment of peace but he was frustrated when it didn't last. As much as he wanted to just live in the present the past kept stalking him while the future loomed threateningly. Trying to calm himself Peter took a deep breath and released it slowly. He knew the move would reveal to Elizabeth that he was stressed but one of the reasons he loved her was that he knew he didn't have to hide from her. Elizabeth traced her fingertips across his forearm soothingly which helped momentarily. However it wasn't long before his stomach started twisting again as Peter swallowed hard to keep the bile down.

"How can I help?" Elizabeth asked gently.

"I don't know." Peter admitted. "I think tonight is just going to be difficult."

"I suppose it's to be expected, I just feel so helpless."

"So do I." Peter sighed.

Hugging Elizabeth tighter Peter tried to force himself to focus on her and push the rest of his racing thoughts back. It worked for a while but eventually his dark thoughts creeped back. His blood ran cold without any specific cause as his stressed system defaulted to releasing adrenaline.

"…I don't know what I'm going to do.." Peter broke the silence.

"About Neal?" Elizabeth asked a little lost.

"About the FBI." Peter clarified.

"You don't have to make any decisions right now."

"I want to go back, but I don't think I can in good conscious."

"What do you mean 'in good conscious'?" Elizabeth asked. "Hon, you need to give yourself more time. It's way too soon for you to know if you can do you job well again."

"No it isn't." Peter replied seriously. "I can't arrest Neal, worse yet I won't."

"Peter," Elizabeth said concerned "you're not making any sense. The ink isn't even dry on Neal's release papers, you can't think that he's going to instantly turn back to crime. That isn't being fair to him."

"It's not about Neal. He could never break the law again, but that won't change the fact that I've already made the decision that if he did I wouldn't do anything about it. The Labyrinth changed everything. I might even help him escape before standing by and let him face a prison sentence that he likely wouldn't survive."

"Peter…"

"How can I be an Agent if I know I won't up hold the law equally?"

Elizabeth didn't respond knowing that an 'answer' wasn't what Peter was looking for right now. Turning around in Peter's arms to face him Elizabeth smiled warmly before kissing his cheek.

"You're looking at this the wrong way, Peter. Neal's best chance at success is having you back at the FBI, even if that means possibly having to face a conflict of interests."

"He's not going to go back without me, is he?" Peter sighed knowingly.

"Never." Elizabeth chuckled. "Besides maybe there is a third option out there, one that keeps you and Neal working together but isn't with the FBI."

"Are you suggesting I go into the art heist business?" Peter smiled. "I'd be terrible at that."

"You really would." Elizabeth agreed. "I was thinking more along the lines of putting your combined skills and experiences to something new, something different. It doesn't have to be the FBI or nothing for you two."

"I didn't think of that."

"That's why you have me."

Genuinely feeling better Peter leaned in and kissed Elizabeth. Settling his back into the soft couch Peter closed his eyes. Free from the twisting pain in his stomach he quickly fell asleep. Far from having a long night Peter was surprised to open his eyes and have the sun streaming in through the window. Peter smiled at his ability to once again handle the daylight without pain. The morning also helped him clear up some of the darker thoughts that had plagued him last night. There was something about the night that made it so much easier for his thoughts and anxiety to race out of control.

With Elizabeth still laying against him Peter looked around trying to figure out what time it was. Neal had said he would be back in the morning, but if he'd had trouble sleeping last night he may end up sleeping half the day away. As much as he tried to tell himself that Neal was fine Peter was still relieved when the phone rang. Elizabeth reached out and picked the phone up off the coffee table and handed it to him.

"Good morning, Neal." Peter greeted.

"Hey, Peter." Neal replied sounding tired.

"Long night?" Peter asked sympathetically.

"I've had longer." Neal said dismissively. "However I think I am just going to stay home today."

"Do you want me to come by?"

"No." Neal said a little too quickly. "Sorry, I just wish I could have a little time alone, it's been a while."

Peter furrowed his brow at Neal's unusual wording, trying to figure out if he was just being hyper sensitive or if Neal really was trying to say something more. Peter realized too late that he had tipped off his suspicious by not responding to Neal quickly enough. A nauseating dizziness seized his senses when he heard Neal's visitor.

"Damn it, Neal." Jake growled. "I told you no secret codes."

"That wasn't a code, I swear…" Neal's voice trailed off as the phone was obviously taken away from him.

"Jake," Peter called out worried that Jake was just going to hang up "Jake, wait, please…"

"Stay out our way, Peter. Seriously if you do *anything* to get between me and what I want I swear that I will take Neal down with me."

"Jake, don't do this. Please, come to me, together with the FBI we can take…"

"No, the FBI has had their chance, it's my turn." Jake snarled passionately. "If I even suspect that you've warned York that I'm coming for him I'll slit Neal's throat before my own. Promise me you won't make me do that."

"I promise, please don't hurt him."

"You know I don't want to."

"I do."

"Good, you get to choose how this is all going to end, Peter."

"Jake…"

"Stand down, Agent, do nothing and everything will work out for the best. Understood?"

"…understood."