A/N: Shauna's episodes will continue in a series of one-shots as long as my addiction to White Collar lasts, which will probably be until the show ends, which will hopefully be never. Rated T just in case. Neal, Peter, and the rest of the gang (including a couple of quotes) do not belong to me, but to the brilliant writers of a brilliant show.

This episode has spoilers through Season 2 Episode 2. [SPOILERS BEGIN NOW] It takes place in the middle of the episode, after Neal confronts Peter about the pictures of him and Diana doing after-hours work. There is a similar scene in the show with just Neal and Mozzie, and I suppose this episode could be considered its replacement. If, of course, during the show Neal had a sixteen-year-old sister named Shauna Caffrey. :)

"That's cheating." Shauna stared at the board before her.

"By your rules, maybe. But I'm playing by rules that have been place since the Battle of Hastings. That was a time when pawns could move backwards." Mozzie leaned back from the chess board, satisfied.

"It was not."

"Don't believe me? Ask Neal. Remember the Lost Book of Rules?"

Shauna moved her own pawn forward, the way it was supposed to go. "The fact that he forged it should tell you something about the authenticity of the rules inside it."

"Don't tell Neal you're doubting the authenticity of his masterpiece. He got a quarter of a million for that." Mozzie moved a piece.

"I know. I delivered it." Shauna heard Neal's steps in the hall, and she tipped over Mozzie's queen by moving her bishop to the side. "Check-mate."

"Bishops can't move laterally," Mozzie protested.

She shrugged. "Lost Book of Rules."

The key jiggled in the lock, and Neal stepped in. His hair was tangled out-of-place, and he didn't turn around once he shut the door.

Shauna forgot the chess game. "What's wrong?"

"Peter's lying to me."

The blood drained from her face, but she caught Mozzie's eye and forced a casual tone. "Well, you lie to everyone else. Does it bother you that much?"

"You sound just like him." Neal stepped over to the chess game, his frustration evident from the way his shoes pounded the floor. He glanced at the pieces distractedly. "Bishops can't move laterally."

"I tried to tell her," said Mozzie, seizing the diversion. "Your sister cheats."

"By your rules, maybe. But I'm playing by the Lost Book of Rules. Remember them?" Shauna held her breath, hoping that her brother could be distracted the way he was distracting the entire city of New York with his rumors about the new stadium.

Neal made a noncommittal sound in his throat. "I never lied to Peter."

"Of course you did," said Mozzie cheerfully. "He's a suit. You're...you."

"I never lied to him. Not really."

Shauna caught a glimpse of his bloodshot eyes before he turned away. She looked at Mozzie, but he shrugged helplessly. "Well, what do you think he's lying about?"

"I don't think he's lying, I know he is!" Neal turned back to her almost viciously, his fingers accidentally knocking over half the chess game.

Mozzie looked at the spilled pieces morosely. "There goes that."

"You were cheating anyway," Shauna told him. She stood up and touched Neal's arm, tightening her grip when he tried to pull away. "Neal, you're overreacting. You're right. You can trust Peter. He wouldn't lie to you."

"I am not overreacting. I saw the pictures! Diana was at his house last night."

Shauna let go and looked hopelessly at Mozzie. She'd offered Peter her help. She hadn't offered to lie for him. "How'd you get pictures?"

"Jennings. He thinks Peter's having an affair."

"With Diana?" Shauna raised her eyebrows. "Did you tell him he was wrong?"

"No, we're using it to our advantage." Neal pulled away, and she let his blazer slide through her fingers.

"So what's the big deal?" Mozzie rolled one of the chess pieces between his fingers. "Diana was at Peter's house. How does that mean he's lying?"

"Unless," said Shauna, "he really is having an affair."

Neal cocked an eyebrow. "Really? This is Peter we're talking about."

"A paragon of integrity and morality," intoned Mozzie.

"Which is why he'd never lie to you." Shauna winced, hoping she didn't sound too forceful. "Besides, I don't see anything wrong with him working after-hours with Diana if Elizabeth doesn't mind."

"He told me he was going to be at a stake-out." And there was bitterness in his tone.

Shauna sighed. Peter was digging a hole she didn't think she could pull him out of. "What did he say when you asked him about it?"

"Stake-out got canceled."

"That does happen," interrupted Mozzie. "Remember the job on 24th Street? I canceled that one. The feds still believe OPR didn't want them looking into it."

"And we made off with twenty thousand in cash," finished Shauna. "It happens, Neal. Stake-outs get canceled."

Neal looked at them both but leveled his gaze at Mozzie. "Since when do you trust a suit instead of me?"

"I'm insulted!" Mozzie swallowed, but he was a professional liar, and he didn't even glance at Shauna. "I just think you're taking this too far."

"Besides, for a suit, Peter's pretty nice," Shauan inserted, trying to save both herself and Mozzie and getting very angry with Peter for putting them in this position. "He's your friend! He wouldn't lie to you. I trust him!"

"You're sixteen," Neal shot back.

She clenched her jaw, crossed her arms over her chest. "Now I'm insulted."

Neal stared at them both and ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it even further. Then he shook his head and stepped toward the alcove that doubled as a bedroom, ignoring them both. Shauna turned back to Mozzie, who was loosening his collar. "This sucks."

"I don't understand why Peter just can't tell the kid what he's doing," said Mozzie under his breath, setting up the chess pieces again.

Shauna leaned close and placed her own pieces on the board. "If Peter comes clean now, it will all blow up in his face. Neal's already freaking out..."

"Who's freaking out?" Free of his blazer, Neal had returned to the living room. His movements were stiff. Angry.

"You," said Mozzie, without looking up.

"Oh, I'm fine." For once, Neal's tone was unconvincing. His eyes wandered the room as if searching for something to take his mind off things. He pulled a book from the antique-studded bookshelf and thumbed through it, disinterested.

Shauna forced herself to look back at the board to where Mozzie was moving a pawn forward. Without cheating.

There was the thump of the book being returned to the shelf, and then a sudden crash and shatter. Shauna jumped out of her chair, but Mozzie didn't even flinch. "That vase was authentic sixteenth century," he said warningly. "Once belonged to Shakespeare."

"I'll make another one," said Neal.

Shauna sucked in a breath through her teeth as she sat back down. "Peter's going to regret this."