AN: Hi readers, I've got great news! I have a Beta now! Deej1957 has been kind enough to go over my story and fix any mistakes. :)

Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA Network and Jeff Eastin.

CHAPTER 9

Neal had been sneaking away almost every day to meet Mozzie in the same park they used the first time. They were in the middle of a discussion one morning when they heard someone clearing his throat behind them.

They both turned around to see Peter Burke.

"Peter. Hi." Neal hesitated. He really didn't want to lie to Peter, a realization that somewhat startled him. Peter just looked at them and remained quiet.

"Peter, I…"

"Stop. Neal, whatever you're going to say, save it for later. The car is parked down the street. Wait for me there. I need to have a few words with your pal here."

Neal swallowed whatever he was going to say as soon as he took another look at Peter. There wasn't anything in Peter's eyes and voice that incited any reason for argument. So, he nodded briefly to Mozzie and turned towards the direction of the car.

Peter waited until Neal was gone and then turned to face the somewhat puzzling character in front of him. He looked older than Neal. Yes, definitely older, but still young. He also had a sense of street smarts about him. The same thing he had felt when he first saw Neal. Peter had no doubt in his mind that this guy was Neal's friend and crime partner. He had been monitoring Neal closely in case he tried to escape, but the only thing out of the ordinary had been his early meetings in the park with this guy standing in front of him. He had followed Neal carefully and had tried to look his friend up-, but found absolutely nothing in the FBI database. The man was a ghost.

"So, you're the kid's crime buddy," Peter said. "I thought you'd be taller."

"Me too," Mozzie responded. His hands were sweating and he had a giant urge to break out running, but he decided to face 'The Man', if only to keep Neal out of trouble.

"You've been meeting with him ever since I got him out."

Mozzie turned around and threw his hand in the air. "I should have known you were watching us!" He continued to pace and finally sat down in one of the benches. "You know, Neal had every right to be here, it's still within his radius."

"Yeah, I know. He didn't break any FBI rules, but he did break my rules. In my house it's against the rules to go somewhere and not tell me. It's definitely against the rules to sneak out through the window. You can't say anything to change my mind. He's still in trouble."

"Look, Suit, the kid just came out of Juvie. He's been hurt and needs a friend. He needs me. I appreciate you taking him in, but you don't expect to keep him away from me do you?"

Peter stared back at the other man and suddenly realized that the relationship between this guy and Neal was much deeper than he had thought at first. The way he talked about Neal just screamed out his strong regard for his friend. He wasn't just a friend and crime partner, he was probably the only other person Neal could even regard as family. Peter sighed.

"You're right." Mozzie looked up at him, started at getting the Suit to agree with him over this. "I'm not asking you to stay away from him," Peter continued, "I'm saying that you have to stop seeing him like this. He can't keep on deceiving me and sneaking around. Neal has something good going on here, and he can't afford to throw it away."

Mozzie snorted. "Good? You call it staying in a Suit's house and having an electrical leash good?" He got up and started pacing again. "What about being a snitch? Is that good? By now, everyone knows he's working with the FBI. Do you know what people in our line of business do to snitches?"

"I do, but Neal has a chance at a better life here. He's fifteen for crying out loud! You're his friend, you should know he deserves a break."

Mozzie knew that if there was anyone he ever met that deserved a chance at a better life it was Neal. His friend was smart and he was good, and he'd been through too much. Way more than anyone should ever have to go through. Peter Burke seemed like a trustworthy person, for a pig… Mozzie wanted to believe that he would help Neal if he needed it. He couldn't be around all the time, and Neal needed someone. He had always needed someone to be there for him.

"If you want to see him, you can come visit him at my house." Peter regretted the offer as soon as he said it. The last thing he needed or wanted was another con in his house, but if that kept Neal out of trouble, then that's what would have to happen.

"Ha! As if I would ever put a foot in a pig's house!"

"Look, those are the rules. I need to know that you're not getting Neal into any trouble or planning something for the future."

"That's nice, Suit. I think I'm leaving now. I'll take it under advisement." Mozzie turned to leave.

"Wait, what's your name? I can't really keep calling you Neal's little friend."

"Little friend? Sure, mock the short guy…"

Peter rolled his eyes.

"For all purposes from here on, you can call me Haversham."

"Haversham. Okay, how do I get in touch with you? I want to ask you some things about Neal."

Mozzie stared back and responded quickly. "You can't get in touch with me and I don't rat out friends."

"It's to protect him," Peter said.

"That's the same rationale that was used by the Gestapo and the KGB."

The guy was definitely paranoid. Peter tried the only thing that seemed to get to him. "Look, I worry about him too." Peter faltered for a second before speaking again. He didn't want to violate Neal's trust, but things hadn't been going too well, and he really needed more information on the kid. This was his chance.

Mozzie was getting jumpy again. Maybe the Suit was going to arrest him after all. He located his nearest escape route and was about to turn around and run when Peter's next question stopped him in his tracks.

"Who's Kate?" Peter asked softly.

Mozzie turned around slowly and faced him. "Has he been talking about her?"

"Neal's been having… trouble sleeping. He wakes up in the middle of the night and screams Kate's name. It's her name most of the times, sometimes he calls his mom," Peter said. He really wasn't comfortable talking about this.

"There are many things of which a wise man might wish to be ignorant," Mozzie paused, "Neal's past…"

Peter looked at him expectantly. Mozzie stood still and regarded him carefully before he made up his mind.

"Kate, she was Neal's girlfriend. She died recently."

Peter nodded. Great, one more person dying on the kid…he thought.

"Have you seen him, during his panic attacks?" Peter asked. "He… after he wakes up, they happen. My wife and I, we don't really know how to help him. He never talks about anything that's happened to him. Sometimes I think he likes to pretend that there's only ever been Present Neal and there has never been a Past Neal." Peter rubbed his face with his hands.

"Of course I've seen the panic attacks," Mozzie responded. "Just keep him breathing, talk to him. He just needs time." Mozzie would never betray Neal's trust, but he felt like he needed to explain things just a bit more.

"Neal… He hasn't had the easiest of lives. He's been through a lot. It's hard to let some things go. He's smart and sensitive, which kind of makes it worse. He rationalized everything that's happened to him, and has found a common factor."

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"Sorry, Suit. That, you have to find out for yourself. Just, go easy on him, okay?" Mozzie started to walk away.

"Haversham! No funny business with the kid, no sneaking around, no secret meetings, and no cons!"

Mozzie stopped for a moment then continued walking out of the park.

Peter found a nervous looking Neal pacing in front of his Taurus. He took out his keys and pressed the button to open the car.

"Get in."

Neal stepped into the passenger's seat and sat down waiting for Peter to go around and get into the car. It had been hard - harder than anything he'd had to do lately - to try and stay put while waiting for Peter to return. The urge to run had been big. Especially since he knew he'd be in trouble. In Neal's mind, any type of conflict meant trouble.

Peter got into the car, started it up, and began driving. They kept quiet for the 10 minutes it took them to make their way back the Burke's and find a parking spot a few houses down. Neal was about to open the door to get out when Peter stopped him.

"Neal. We have to talk."

"Yeah?" Neal asked with nonchalance, trying to sound amused. It didn't quite work.

"Yes. You deliberately disobeyed the rules. This type of behavior won't be tolerated. You've been sneaking around, climbing out through windows?" Peter turned to look at him and he didn't look angry. It was worse, he looked disappointed.

"I…" Neal deliberated about his next words. "Peter, I had to see him. Mozzie. I knew you wouldn't be okay with it …"

"Mozzie?" Peter asked calmly.

"He… umm, he didn't tell you his name?" Shit, now I've got Mozz in trouble, Neal thought.

"Haversham told me his name. Mozzie didn't," Peter clarified.

"Right. Haversham. I've known him for a long time and I needed to see him. I kew you wouldn't approve–"

"What makes you think I wouldn't approve? Is it the fact that he was your crime buddy or the fact that he was probably the one that helped you escape Juvie? Maybe it was the fact that he doesn't even have a real name?"

Neal swallowed hard. He was in trouble. Peter sounded angry now. This wasn't okay. "Peter, I just… I had to see him."

"Neal, look at me." Neal lifted his eyes hesitantly. "I can't stop you from meeting with anyone. You can meet with Haversham, just don't lie about it."

"I didn't lie," Neal offered up quickly.

"Yes, you did. An omission like this is just like a lie. You came back every day and pretended to wake up later, and acted like nothing happened."

Neal lowered his gaze and asked somewhat quietly, "So this means I can still see him?"

"Yeah, you can see him, just don't do anything stupid. Don't plan cons, don't ruin this."

"Okay," Neal acquiesced. There really wasn't anything else to say. He couldn't give up on seeing Mozzie even if Peter had forbidden it. He hadn't planned anything criminal yet either, but that could change somewhere in the foreseeable future.

"Okay," said Peter and got out of the car. They both made their way into the house and found Elizabeth waiting for them with breakfast in the table and Satchmo at her feet.

"Good morning boys." She got up and kissed Peter while Neal made his way to his seat on the table and patted Satchmo.

Elizabeth sat down and started talking about the day ahead of them. She was incredible. Neal still had a hard time getting it around his mind that Peter could be married to someone as amazing as Elizabeth. She didn't even ask where they had been or what had happened. Neal guessed that Peter had probably told her before leaving, but still…

The three of them settled into a comfortable conversation about one of Elizabeth's clients. It was the same one who had been bothering her with lighting changes in a ballroom every day during the last week. Neal laughed at all the right places in the story and was surprised once again at how easy it was falling into life with the Burkes. He enjoyed their house, their dog, and their conversations. Their life held an appeal for Neal that nothing else ever had.

He'd never had to follow rules before. He'd never had a curfew or had to tell anyone if he was going somewhere. He'd never had anyone ask him how his day was. It was nice…it was too easy. Living here, it was comfortable. Temporary, Neal. This is temporary, don't get attached, and don't get close, Neal thought. Peter and Elizabeth were just temporary. He didn't belong here. He could never belong to them, so he might as well keep his distance before anyone got too attached. He'd pretend to be normal. He was great at pretending.

After breakfast, he grabbed his backpack and Peter drove him to school on his way to work. Neal tried to repeat it to himself on the way to school. He said it over and over again in his mind trying to trick his brain into believing it. You don't belong here Neal.