Author's Note: I finally managed to get another chapter together and hope you will like it.
I would also like to take the time to wish you a merry Christmas (or happy holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas) :D

CHAPTER 27

As soon as they had helped Neal change his clothes, the boy fell asleep on the couch with his Satchmo toy clutched tightly to his chest, and the real Satchmo lying on the floor next to him, ready to protect the youngling.
The adults sat down at the kitchen table, but both of them kept glancing over at the couch, as if they looked away for too long the boy would disappear.

"You have to make sure that Keller can't escape again."

Elizabeth said, looking at her husband, who looked like he had aged several years in the past hours.
He looked at her and she could see the pain and exhaustion in his chocolate eyes.

"El, I have to tell you something, Keller wasn't alone in this."
"You're talking about Kate?"
"Yeah, she was there but I'm not talking about her."

Peter paused, and she knew that whatever he was about to say was something bad.

"James Bennett, Neal's father, was there as well."

It took a few seconds for his words to really sink in but once it did she was filled with rage.
Just the thought of that man made her want to go find him and hurt him just like he had hurt the sweet, innocent young boy currently sleeping peacefully on their couch.
She didn't answer him, instead she just clenched her fists so tight that her nails dug into her skin.
A couple of big, warm hands were placed on hers and she slowly relaxed, unclenching her fists before looking into her husband's eyes.

"El, I promise that I'll do anything in my power to make sure that they will all go away for a very, very long time."

Elizabeth forced a smile, knowing that Peter would really do everything he could to make sure that the men were punished, even if no amount of prison time would ever come close to justifying what they did to the young boy.

"Did James hurt him?"
"Yeah, he did and the worst part is that he wasn't even bothered about having his six year old son's blood on his shirt."

Peter sounded as disgusted as she felt and there was not a single part of her that could even begin to understand that monster of a man.
How could anyone ever hurt their child?
A parent had a responsibility to protect and care for their defenseless, innocent kid, and James had done the exact opposite with Neal.

"James managed to mess with his head too,"

Peter said and Elizabeth understood why the boy had continued to beg them to take him with them and not go back.
She had thought that it was just simple confusion but now she knew that Neal's father had told him he was going back and the poor boy had believed him.
It made her wonder if that had been James plan, if he had taken Neal with him if they hadn't saved him, or had the man even planned on letting the kid live?
The thought made her shudder and she thanked all her lucky stars that Neal's odd friend had decided to involve the FBI and make sure that Neal got saved.

"What happened to Mozzie?"

They had been so busy with Neal that she hadn't even thought of the man until now, she really wanted to talk to him again and make sure to thank him.
A guilty look appeared on her husband's face as she mentioned the man.

"Keller shot him and it looked pretty bad when we left. I should really get an update on that."
Peter answered and got up from the chair before walking out the backdoor to make the call in private.

When he returned inside, she immediately asked him if Mozzie was okay.
She really hoped that the man was alright, because she didn't even want to begin to imagine telling Neal that his friend was dead.

"He's in surgery. He's in a critical situation but at least he's alive."

Elizabeth released a sigh of relief at the news, hoping that the man would get better.

"Should we tell Neal?"

She asked but Peter shook his head and answered that they should wait until he got better and she realized that he was right, the boy was having a hard enough time already.
They sat in silence for a while until Satchmo reluctantly left the sleeping boy and went over to the door, whining to tell his owners what he needed.
Peter volunteered to walk him and after she had reassured him that she would be fine on her own, her husband and dog walked out the door.
Despite her insistence that she would be fine, she wasn't.
Her brain kept reminding her that the last time she was alone with Neal, he had been kidnapped and that thought made her sit down in the armchair and watch the boy like a hawk.
Even if she knew that Keller and James had been taken care of, she was still ready to protect Neal.
If anyone tried to come for him they would have to go through her, and it turned out that something was coming for him but it wasn't something she could protect him from.
This time the monsters decided to attack the child in his dreams.
Neal started to whimper in his sleep and Elizabeth crouched down in front of the couch, and then she started to stroke the kid's hair while trying to make him calm down.
Despite Elizabeth's comforting the whimpers escalated to crying and then Neal suddenly shot up, letting out a scared scream.
She reached for him but the child flinched away from her, as if he had been burned.

"It's okay, sweetie. It's just me."

Neal looked at her in confusion and she had to patiently wait for him to recognize her, even if it was really hard when she wanted nothing else but to hold him in his arms and tell him that it was okay.
After what felt like an eternity, Neal's tired and concussed brain realized where he was and who was with him and he immediately held out his arms for a hug.
Elizabeth sat down on the couch and Neal crawled up in her lap before throwing his arms around her neck.

"I don't wanna die"

Neal suddenly said between the sniffles and Elizabeth was so shocked by his words that she didn't know what to say.

"Please 'Lizbeth."

He pleaded while he held on to her tighter, as if he was afraid she was going to disappear.

"Don't let daddy kill me."

Elizabeth's heart broke at his words and she tightened his grip around him as well.
Those words should never have to come out of a child's mouth, and a child should never have to have nightmares about their own father killing them.

"Don't worry, honey. He's never going to hurt you ever again."

She promised and she meant it.
As long as she and Peter were around they would never let that bastard put his filthy hands on Neal ever again.

She heard the door open and seconds later Satchmo came running, it was as if the dog could sense that the little human was in need of comfort.
The dog started to whine and didn't stop until Neal released his grip of Elizabeth and payed attention to the dog, giggling softly when Satchmo started to lick his hand.
Shortly after Satchmo's entrance, Peter came into the living room.

"He had a nightmare."

Elizabeth informed her husband and he responded with a nod before sitting down next to them, gently patting Neal's leg in a comforting gesture.
The kid looked at Peter in surprise, he had probably been to focused on Satchmo to notice the man entering the room.

"I heard you had a bad dream, kiddo."

Peter said and Neal nodded before bowing his head in shame.

"I was really scared, I'm not as brave as you, Peter,"
"Hey, you can be scared and still be brave."
"Really?"
"Yes, and I think you're the bravest kid I've ever met."

Neal looked astonished by Peter's words, it was like he just couldn't believe that a courageous FBI agent would think that he was brave.
Elizabeth agreed with Peter, you had to be brave to meet James everyday for several years and you had to brave to make it through all that abuse and still be the kind, sweet little boy Neal was.

"Do you want to know a secret?"

Elizabeth asked and Neal nodded eagerly.

"I think you're even braver than Peter."

Elizabeth whispered causing Neal's face to light up before he looked at Peter with a secretive smile.
Peter tried to get Neal to tell him what Elizabeth had whispered but he refused and Peter ended up gently tickling the boy who started to giggle.
Elizabeth smiled at her boys and in her heart the scene felt just right.
She could see the happiness in both of their eyes and it was in that moment that she knew that they were made for each other and she would never ever let the boy leave them again.

Author's Note 2: I have been thinking a lot about the future of this fic and I think that the drama with Keller and James is officially over, I don't want to torture the characters too much.
I could still write more chapters but they would be more revolved around the family aspect and not that much drama, would that still be fun to read or should I try to wrap this up?
Let me know what you think :)