Chapter 5: Fixing
Neal transformed the first time as he was just five years old. Early, earlier than most. Only witness to this was his mother. A mother that had lost her husband only a few months ago and who has only her baby boy left. Her very talented, brilliant and beautiful boy who just turned into a bird. A bird that would learn to fly soon. A bird that would be able to fly away from her. The leave her behind. So she did the only thing that came to her mind. She took the bird and broke both of it´s wings, locking him into his room after bolting shut the window and putting a second lock on the door.
As Neal turned back the first time, hurt and crying she told him that he isn't allowed to transform and that every time he would try, she would break his wings. Of course, transforming or shifting as it is called doesn't come from will alone. Sometimes it just happened. It´s a emotional bound ability and who could say a child is emotional stabile. So, Neal changes sometimes by accident. Most times his mother would see and as promised brake his wings again. No one ever caught up to it for the simple reason that only the pain would follow from one form to the other. Even with broken wings, Neals arms were fine. Hurting but not a scratch on them.
He wasn't allowed to go outside anymore and his mother brought him colour books, paper and books to entertain himself. With the years and the official story that he is a sickly child and got home-schooled Neal had learned that changing into an animal only brings pain. So he did everything in his power to never do it again. He hide this ability like he did with his emotion. As the day of the official test came (every child did it). They tested his DNA, but after he told the doctor that took his blood that he had never changed and didn't know what kind of animal he would become they could leave again.
It was easier that way. No one would ask to many questions and as Neal become 16, he used the one moment she wasn't locking. He unlocked his door and left. Without a note or a word. He just left, taking the next bus into the city, changing his name and hide behind the mask of a smile.
Some of his more fantastical heist and achievement were later named only possible by using his ability, not that anyone know what it was but they knew that he is a shifter. Neal never bothered to correct them. He never did. Another layer of the mystery of Neal Caffrey. It still made him felling uneasy but if it helps his reputation he wouldn't complain. Why would he?
He never shifted again after the last time, as he was nine and his mother pulled out his already broken and bend wings of their socked to dislocated them. He never bothered to see the damage. He notice that only the time as a bird would heal the bones and feathers. Without changing he just felt the wage memory of pain. For as long as he remembers.
Neal looks up at Peter. The agent had stayed quiet while Neal told him about his childhood, about his mother and what she did. He had felt his emotion disconnect with him. As if Neal told the story about another boy that got hurt. Somehow Neal knew what Peters first words would be. Normally people would tell you that they are sorry offer their condolence, but Peter would offer him something else. Like he always does.
"We could get a doctor to look at it. Trying to fix it." Neal sees it, Peter understand that there is always pain, physical and psychological and that he might be able to fix one. Maybe the other too, with time can care and love.
"They will put it into my file." Neal says weakly.
"It wouldn't be so bad. We already know your shoesize what difference does it make that we know what colour your beak has?" Neal smiles.
"It´s yellow with a black front." He answers and looks at his arm for the first time since he woke up. Broken, like his wings and if he wants both to heal, he has to spend lots of time in his animal form. A form that only ever brought pain and sorrow. Would he be able to feel safe? Would he be able to trust someone enough to stay that way without the fear of getting hurt again. Neal looks over at Peter who is watching him. "Ok."
A single word, two letters but it´s enough for Peter and Neal knows that Peter will take care of everything. That he will protect Neal from everything that wants to harm him, in any form.