A COMMON BOND

AN: A note for later…. Yes, all you Supernatural fans out there, it is the same song. FYI…on YouTube you can find Matt and Tim singing the song. I knew Matt could sing, but Tim…. That was a very pleasant surprise. Just search Matt and Tim singing…it's worth a look. jackileigh

Tony and Neal both loved music. Tony sang at work, it drove his co-workers crazy. But, for the most part, they didn't mind. Tony had a pretty nice voice. Neal loved to sing also, But he kept this talent hidden he wasn't ashamed if it. He just…it was something that was all his. It was something no one really knew about. He felt that with his arrest, with his court cases, his life had been way too publicized, and not in a good way. Everybody who was in the court room got to hear all about his life. He knew that he had been a prisoner, and certain liberties were no longer afforded him. But he hadn't though the loss of that particular liberty would bother him as much as it had. He had felt exposed and vulnerable, all his secrets revealed, save this very special one. He still had a part of him.

Prison had reduced him to a number, actually two numbers. He had his prisoner ID number, assigned him by the Federal courts. He then had his cell number, assigned him by the prison he was sent to. And he was expected to know and respond to both. It no longer mattered who he was, what he could do, what his talents were. The prisoners even did it to one another, the depersonalization, making up nicknames for other prisoners based on the crimes they had committed. All that mattered was who you knew and what you persona was. Tough guys didn't get messed with. White collar or non-violent criminals usually got separated from the general prison population, ie, the violent criminals. That, however, was not always the case. And the times that it hadn't happened for him, Neal had had to use bribery, coercion, and sometimes, downright lies to make sure that he survived another day.

But anyway, back to the singing. Neal used to sing to himself softly ink his prison cell after lights out. Well, he tried to sing to himself. Its funny how sound carries in large cavernous buildings that were unnervingly quiet. The other prisoners tried to locate where the sound was coming from. A few prisoners had battery-powered radios in their cells and most would not play then at night, batteries were too hard to come by. They had a hard time finding the guy with the voice. But Neal was eventually found out. And it made his life much easier; he was protected by the tough guys. All he had to do in return was sing. As it turns out, even hardened criminals are music lovers.

Neal, when he got out, still used his voice. He couldn't be a public figure, a superstar, with his voice. Though there were people who believed that his talent was that great. But that's not what he wanted. He didn't' want people screaming his name, only wanting to know the image he would have created for himself, or only wanting to ride the coat tails of his fame. And give his career choice, it was better; as it turned out, not to draw attention to one's self.

When he was younger he and his best friend Tony formed a duo called 'Wayward Son.' They both loved the song "Carry On My Wayward Son by the group Kansas. And they sung it as often as they could. It was one of their most requested songs. It was also autobiographical in a way. Both he and Tony had serious father issues. Neal's dad was physically absent. Tony's was emotionally absent. And both scenarios had left their marks.

At any rate, their friendship had truly cemented when they started singing together. They had 'gigs' on the weekends. They played at most of the military school's events. They play at neighboring school's events. They even played a private party or two, for friends of theirs. Sometimes they were paid money. But sometimes, actually most of the time, they got paid in food and alcohol. They didn't really care, as long as they got to play their instruments and sing their songs.

So, it was strange, when on a Tuesday morning, Peter Burke received a DVD in his White Collar office mail. He turned the thick paper envelope over in his hands, trying to figure out what, exactly, was inside. He could hear something moving. He read the labels over again. It has been addressed to both Peter and Neal, and it had come from Tony DiNozzo. He was not sure he should open it.

Peter couldn't imagine that Tony would send anything to the White Collar offices that was person. But if it was a case, why just go ahead and sent it? Why didn't Tony call to let him know something was coming? If for no other reason than to let him know if it was okay to open it without Neal being there? Peter was still undecided as the rest of the office began to fill with agent arriving for the day. Peter decided he would go ahead and open the package. The then went into the conference room and put the DVD into the player. He hit the Play button.

Peter was so absorbed in what he was watching, he didn't notice the agents entering the room in preparation for the morning meeting. The other agents sat down at the table and joined Peter in watching the video. That is, once they realized who it was they were actually watching. No one even noticed when the subject of the video entered the room. They were too busy watching a younger version of him on screen.

Neal grinned. He was glad Tony had sent the DVD. He had figured that Tony would send it to the house, not to work. But this was okay too. Neal had been after Tony to put all their performances onto DVD. Tony had come through. And he had done a great job of it. The picture and sound quality was great. Neal took a seat in the back of the room as the agents enjoyed the performances.

The DVD contained all if their performances, including just the two of them sitting on June's house on Neal's balcony. And those were very, very recent. Starting out, they had tried to have everything taped, even paying people to tape them. Back then, they were building a video resume, in hopes of, one day, getting a record deal. It never happened, of course. But, back then, hopes ran high, and they had actually been good enough for it to happen.

The white collar agents sat and watched Neal grow up, on screen. No one had any idea what the younger Neal looked like. So they had really not been prepared for the long curly black hair Neal had sported. The only thing that had made him recognizable was those amazing blue eyes. And nobody recognized the blonde-haired kid, with glasses as Tony. He just looked so different that his is deep green eyes didn't even give him away.

"The long hair…that way my hard-rock phase. I loved the electric guitar, still do." Neal said, and suddenly the room was still. Nobody had even known that he was there.

Neal watched everyone's reaction and grinned. They all seemed to find the floor very interesting all of the sudden.

"I don't mind that you've seen this." Neal said, referring to the tape. "Tony and I had a great time. We were…."

"That was Tony?" Diana asked, astonished. "That was Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo?" She asked, turning and looking at Neal.

Neal nodded. "That was before the Lasik's. He had to put on the glasses sometimes, to read the music…not really part of a rocker's image to wear glasses." He replied. "And his hair, it just seemed like it turned brown overnight. Not sure what happened there."

"You were good." One of the other agents replied. "…really good."

"Wayward Son?" Peter asked.

"Nice name." Jones said.

Neal nodded. "We love the song by Kansas, "Carry On My Wayward Son." The name…it's almost autobiographical."

Peter looked at Neal, but didn't say anything. Peter knew all about Neal's childhood. But it was up to Neal if he wanted to share with anyone else.

"Why would Tony send that to me?" Peter asked, speaking of the DVD.

Neal shrugged. "Tony's always thought that I was talented enough to make it…used to tell me all the time. He told me I should go for it. I just…." Neal shook his head.

"Maybe he just wanted other people to see it, too." Peter offered smiling.

"I don't know." Neal replied. It was his turn to find the carpet fascinating.

"So…this is modest Neal Caffrey." Diana replied. "I like it."

THE END