Chapter 2

Peter got in his car. He started the engine, but he sat for a little bit before driving off. Peter had been almost positive that Neal would choose to come back to work in the bureau. He knew how much Neal loved the work. And he knew that Neal was missed by a lot of the agents. They would have been glad to see him back, though they would never admit it.

And, Peter had thought that Neal would have missed them too, maybe not him, but, at least, a few of the agents there. And Peter had wanted to be able to make up for the hurt he had caused, or, at least, try to.

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June saw Neal's company as her driver drove up. She hadn't asked Neal anything when he got into the car. Neal had not said anything and she didn't want to press. She hadn't seen him since they had suspended his visitations, a common practice with those being released. She had been so glad to just see him she had not asked a lot of questions.

"We've got the space almost ready. Mozzie and I have been working, for months." June replied.

"You didn't have to do everything…." Neal stated.

"Trust me, we didn't. We didn't have to try to leave you anything to do, there's plenty." June paused. "It just…it gave us both something to do, something to look forward to. That and knowing you would be getting out."

"We're not going there now?" Neal asked.

June touched his arm. "No, Darlin', I wanted to get some real food in you. I know you won't be eating much once you start working."

Neal nodded and smiled; his first real smile in months. Neal had been thinking about his freedom, what his life after prison would be like. And he had come to a few decisions and conclusions. He had called June and set a few things in motion. And June had recruited Mozzie to help her. The job was just that big, and it required Mozzie's type of expertise.

"Mozzie!" Neal smiled entering June's house. He hugged his friend.

June had finally got to hug Neal out on the sidewalk. She had wanted to get out and hug him at the prison. But she could tell Neal wanted to just get away from there. Peter had not really been that unexpected, but June had really thought he would not have the nerve.

"Mon frère…." Mozzie replied, delighted to see his friend.

"June says you two have been very busy." Neal stated.

Mozzie nodded as they all sat down at June's table. Mozzie poured the wine. They then uncovered prepared plates and began to eat. They discussed Neal's plans for his space and just how much progress June and Mozzie had made on their own.

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Elizabeth Burke could tell that Peter's meeting with Neal had not gone well. Peter sighed as he sat down at the kitchen table. He drank the glass of wine El had sat down in front of him before he spoke.

"He refused…again." Peter shook his head. "He just flat refused. It just…people think that I let him take the fall for this, El. I promise you I didn't. He got caught in the middle, and he got blamed. He just…nobody wanted to believe he could do better, he could be better." Peter got up and paced the room. "Even me, El…especially me. I told him he was just a criminal in the office. I don't know who was there when I said it. I don't know who heard that, who might have thought I actually felt that way."

"Peter, he…give him time." El said.

Peter shook his head. "It's not that simple, El, the…the way he looked at me. He refers to me as Agent Burke. He calls you Ms. Burke or 'your wife.'"

El was shocked. She had no idea. The 'your wife' thing really bothered her. Neal no longer even deemed her worthy of a name.

"I had just hoped. If…I wanted him back at the FBI so that he would see that they hadn't…they hadn't given up on him. I wanted him to know that not everybody saw him that way. Most of the agents want him back there, El. And they are going to be very disappointed when I tell them tomorrow that he flatly refused the deal."

"What's he got going then?" El asked. "What is he going to do?"

Peter shook his head. "He said he had some jobs lined up."

"Jobs? What does that mean?" El asked.

Peter sighed again. "I have no idea."

TBC