Important: This is an alpha/beta/omega AU. Also Elizabeth is the sister and not the wife of Peter Burke. Mainly she is a sister that is living with her brother for now until she gets on her feet again.
Peter sat in the room that once was Neal's room. Everything was covered with sheets. He put his head into his hands. All that just happened running through his head. All these voices come to a halt when he hears Neal's voice. "When this is all over, I'll tell you everything"
He sat there slumped near tears but he was too tough for that. Right? He started picking at his hands remembering he told him to run so he would not be taken by agent Kramer to Washington D.C and work for him. He looked at him and subtle shook his head saying run now. He knew he would miss him more then he would like to admit.
He remembers rushing to the commission meeting where he gave his statement to the people who could suspend the rest of Neal's sentence.
"Mr. Burke, do you believe that Neal should be free?" the woman behind the desk said.
"Yes I believe that Neal Caffery should be freed." Peter said without hesitation. Then Diana burst in and said that Neal cut his ankle tracker and is gone. He was crushed by the words but knew it was for the best.
Peter eventually got up from the chair and drove home silently. Just replying what was happening in his head over and over. Once home he told his sister, Elizabeth, everything: how hurt and alone he felt, how he was going to miss him.
"It will be okay, Peter." Elizabeth said "Before we know it he will be back."
It was a lie, they both knew it but neither acknowledged it.
Ever since the start Peter had a strange attachment to Neal. It might be because he is an omega and hasn't been mated. Or it could be more? But Peter shook his head at the thought. It's not like he could ask anyone. Only his family (which did not consist of many omegas, Elizabeth being a beta) and doctors knew. If others knew he didn't think he would be respected by his team in the white collar division or anyone as a leader. Omegas were equal in the laws but still not in society.
The FBI has a policy or a "system" where every six month, you must get a shot to stabilize the hormones, which in turn helps with covering up the pheromones. Then the rank is sealed away, only medical professionals have access. Even consults must go through this. Those who are in charge of said consult do not know due to safety. Granted you could tell someone but that is frowned upon. Like all systems, this one does have it's pros and cons.
Peter couldn't sleep that night because all his dreams were invaded by the ex-con man. To the sarcastic jokes to the devilish smirk. None will be there in the morning. The omega soon fell into a restless sleep.
He stood by the coffee pot, glaring at the cup. The boss's words running through his head. "Do your normal work, forget about Neal Caffery. Soon we all will."
He shook his head trying to focus on something else. Eventually Jones joined him in small talk. He saw something happening at Neal's old desk.
"Who the hell is at Neal's Desk?" Peter said irritated.
"I don't know." Jones said. Just then the tall figure starting walking towards them. "But he sure knows you."
Peter looks flabbergast and glares at the figure. The tall figure looks at him while walking, gives him the look up and down and smiles. Peter watches him go into another office. "Got quite the Swagger, doesn't he?"
"Alpha Pride Bullshit" Jones mutters.
He was about to say something when he was asked to join the tall figure and the boss in the office.
"Looks like my cue" He mumbles. He straightens his jacket and heads over to the boss's office silently forgetting his coffee.
The boss begins with introducing the tall figure. Agent Kyle Collins from IOA (International Affairs). Collins begins aggressively talking about how they need to find Neal Caffery and send him to prison for a long time. But there is no evidence of where he could have gone.
"We have turned every mattress that Caffery has ever slept on" said Hughes.
"Yes" said Collins "But none of them are Peter Burke." He gets closer to Peter with a glint in his eyes with cockiness.
"I've already given my statement. " Peter said calmly "Everything I know is in the file."
"Everything that's official maybe." Collins whispered getting too close to Peter. "Kramer says there was more to your relationship than what meets the eye."
"Kramer sent you." Peter said ignoring what was being implied.
Collins smirked moving back to Hughes' desk. "So was there a relationship?"
"What are you trying to ask me?" Peter glared. "Everything I know is in that folder that you are holding."
"You di-" Collins was interrupted.
"If Peter says it is all there, then it is all there." said Hughes softly. He nodded towards Peter showing that he may go.
"He speaks eight languages, has 23 known alliances." Collins says reading Peter's statement. "He has a weakness for beautiful women and I like this. He runs."
Peter clenches his fist and turns towards Collins with his hands behind his back. "Quite Correct. Can I go now?"
"No, because agent Burke I will be capturing Neal Caffery and bringing him to justice. You can either help me or get hurt " Collins says, walking towards Peter again and whispers in his ear. "And I would hate for a pretty little omega like you to get hurt."
Peter schools his face. How could he know? It was sealed away in records that no one was allowed into. Did he guess or did he know?
"Have fun" Peter says, smirking at the other agent. "I will be going now." He nods at this boss and tries to exit when Collin commands:
"You will be helping me whether you like it or not."
After he rushed out of there. He had bigger things to worry about, like finding Neal before Collins does.
Jones, Diana, and Elizabeth help Peter in this quest to find him, the only thing is there aren't any solid leads. Peter figured out quickly that if he wanted to find Caffery he would have to help Collins.
"Fuck" he muttered.
Collins sat in Neal's chair looking through the whole desk with paper spread across it. Peter tried to sneak past him.
"In the report you never told about Ellen Parker." Collins says without lifting his head.
"I didn't think it was necessary." Peter explained
"Well it is now, now tell me where he could have gone." He said sternly
"Well he likes rum, maybe the Philippines." Peter remarked.
"I have men down there. There is no way."
"Well clearly you know more than I do." Peter walked away calmly.
xxx
When Peter gets home, he goes straight for the office that holds all the maps and sticky notes. Trying to figure out where he could be, they narrowed down so much yet not enough. He puts a red x through the Philippines.
"Aww I would have liked to think of Neal and Mozzie drinking coconuts." said Elizabeth.
"You always did have a fondness for Mozzie." Peter mumbled.
Elizabeth blushed and quietly murmured shut up and pushed her brother in the shoulder. "You know I could save us all the trouble if you just let me beat Collins' ass. Excepically after what he said to you."
Peter grabbed Elizabeth's hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about me, I can handle him. Plus we need to focus on where Neal could be. It's been six weeks and he is my responsibility."
Elizabeth signed and hugged her brother. "You really miss him, don't you?"
Peter was silent for a couple long seconds then quietly said "More than anything."
xxx
Peter and Elizabeth are in a gray small car across the street from E Parker's house where Collins is about to enter. All covered in hats, hoodies, sunglasses with a pair of binoculars. They look like they did when they were kids playing spy.
"I made you your favorite." She says pointing to the lunch box.
"O ya. I never understand why Neal never liked this." Peter said through a mouthful of the sandwich.
"Because he had a nose" mumbled Elizabeth.
"What?" Peter said, then turning smirking at his sandwich knowing what she said.
"Oh nothing" she said, acting casual and smirking herself.
"You know steakhouses were the best yet worse things with Neal. He get bored of the van then wants to listen to public radio. Which really public radio? Then he would ran off when I told him not to but at the same time he would tell jokes and always make me smile." Peter said sadly.
"We'll find him." Elizabeth said rubbing Peter's back.
Collins walks out of Ellen's house with a disappointed and piss-off look on his face. Peter waited until he turned the corner of the sidewalk before he slipped out of the car, he tried talking to the woman. It ended in misery with the door slammed in his face because she thought he wanted to put Neal back in jail. He doesn't blame her for protecting him.
"Well fuck" He exclaimed and jogged to the car. He sat down and looked at Elizabeth. "Well what's next"
xxx
Peter started working behind Collins's back and trying to find Neal with help but still nothing. Peter was to his breaking point and about to give up when Ellen was convinced by Elizabeth, proving that Peter was working to find Neal to get his name cleared. Ellen showed how to get a hold of Neal by a pager. Peter sent a message, it was all a waiting game now.
After an hour or so Ellen's phone started ringing and Peter answered.
"Ellen?" Neal questioned. Peter felt a weight lift off his shoulder. He felt like he was going to cry.
"Neal" Peter excitedly exclaimed "It's Peter."
"Peter where is Ellen?" Neal concerned
"She is fine. I- I - I am just trying to warn you about someone who is trying to track you down." Peter explained not sure what to say. Too scared to tell Neal the bigger reason he called him… to hear his voice.
Amongst the silence you could hear something between a thunder or a wave.
"Is this person you?"
"No but-"
"Then I am not worried"
"But this guy means business. His name is Kyle Collins. He is not going to stop until he gets you. Please Neal listen!"
"Well make sure he doesn't. Goodbye Peter."
"Neal please listen, I need to talk to you"
Silence
"Goodbye Peter, it was fun while it lasted."
Then all that could be heard was static through the phone. Peter stood there frozen, he gently laid the phone down.
"Peter?" Elizabeth said.
"Honey?" Ellen Parker said.
"He isn't ever coming back and h-he h-" Peter tripped over his words trying to hold back his tears.
"He's gone forever." Peter says coldly.
Peter throws the pagar at the wall, screaming and breaks down crying. Elizabeth and Ellen comfort him.
Ellen looks at Elizabeth and says "You were right."
Peter didn't bother paying attention or bother caring what that meant. All he knew now was that Neal was gone…
Neal threw his phone into the ocean as far as he could. The phone landed in the roaring waves. He stood there still, his toes digging into the sand. He looked at the waves and felt a tear run down his cheek.
"I will never hear or see Peter again." Neal said to the open air.
He walked back to his house, ignoring the side of him that died knowing that Peter was no longer in his life.
