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

CHAPTER 17

Everything was different after that. Dinner with the Burkes had never been that hard. It had been two days after the last fiasco, and Neal was still in trouble with Peter. He didn't really know how Peter had gotten him out of trouble with the FBI. He didn't even want to know. The only thing that really mattered was that Adler was free again. They had nothing to hold him. He was gone.

Peter wasn't talking to him. Not really. Neal could sense that he was still very much angry at him for everything that had happened. He could sense it in the way his shoulders were so straight, his jaw completely tense, when he was around him. Neal had tried hard all day, he told jokes, washed dishes, did his chores, stayed grounded in his room… but nothing seemed to help. Neal briefly wondered if going back to Juvie was something Peter would consider, but Elizabeth had assured him that it wasn't.

Peter was angry. Neal didn't listen to him, he told him not to do anything stupid. He could have died! He almost killed someone! Peter didn't even want to envision what that would've done to Neal. He'd had to work hard to keep Neal out of prison, and that was only thanks to the cooperation of all the agents present at the scene that day. His efforts wouldn't have mattered if Adler had decided to press charges against Neal, but he hadn't.

Neal gave Peter a disconsolate look after he excused himself from the table and the man hardly acknowledged him. Elizabeth suggested a walk with Satchmo to clear their minds and after taking the dishes to the kitchen, they left everything in the dish washer and went out. Elizabeth hadn't judged or admonished Neal, but her disappointment was almost palpable.

"El, I've never lied to Peter," Neal tried to explain, a couple of houses down the block. He needed El to understand, to tell him it was alright and that Peter would forgive him somehow.

"You did leave things out. You conned and stole. You could have done something unforgivable, Neal." Elizabeth and Satchmo walked beside him in the sidewalk. She was agonizingly direct.

Neal's voice took a pleading tone. "You don't understand. I had to stop this before anyone else got hurt."

"Neal, Peter really wants to trust you, but you keep giving him reasons not to."

"I didn't think it through. I didn't think…" Neal stopped and took Elizabeth's hand, the one not holding to Satchmo's leash. "Elizabeth, I'm sorry."

El smiled. "Honey, you don't have to apologize to me. I know you're sorry." She sighed as Neal let go of her and then continued walking. "Peter likes things to be straightforward. Have you apologized?"

"I don't know if I should. I know he's never trusted me." There wasn't really a reason why he'd trust an apology.

"Do it, honey. You need to make this right."

Neal gave her an uncertain smile and they walked quietly around the block and back.

Later that night Neal got up to go to the bathroom and saw the light still on downstairs. He made his way down and found Peter on the dining room going over a pile of files. He was just like he'd left him three hours ago.

"Peter?" Neal asked, his voice almost a whisper.

"Hmmm?" Peter didn't look up from the files on the desk. Neal could see his shoulders tensing.

This was hard, but Neal had to say something to make this right. Did Peter think he didn't care about everything he'd done for him?

"I know I complicated your life -" Neal started.

"Stop," Peter raised a hand and met his eyes for the first time in two days. Neal stood barefoot in stripped pajama bottoms and an old college t-shirt of Peter's. His hair was messy and he had an eager puppy look on his face. His shoulders relaxed and he let go of a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He wasn't really angry anymore, at least not at Neal. "Don't say anything else, kid," he said.

Neal stopped short. He had his whole speech prepared, but he guessed he could go for a simple classic approach. "Can I just say thank you?"

"I told them the truth," Peter replied, knowing he meant getting him out of trouble again.

"But you didn't tell them everything," Neal pressed.

Peter shrugged it off, like it was something that didn't matter anymore.

"Thank you for… stopping me, as well. I… I know what this opportunity means. Trust me. I won't let you down again."

Peter's voice turned serious again. "You almost killed a man." He paused, letting his words sink in.

"I know." Neal's voice was filled with emotion. Regret. Remorse.

Peter closed the folders, turned off the light, and headed for the stairs. "Come on Neal, lets get some sleep."

It took a week for Peter to finally unwind. Peter sat down in his patio beside Elizabeth. It was a chilly night, and Elizabeth had placed a dozen lit candles all around the patio. He sat down and reached over to take her hand in his. He squeezed it and let it go.

"I still don't understand this connection I have with him," Peter admitted. "I covered everything up, and I would do it again to keep him safe," he said incredulously.

"Honey…" El looked at him lovingly. This was part of why she loved him so much.

"We are complete opposites El, like…shadow and light. He's a criminal and I'm the law…. I… I just care about him. I can't understand how I can feel so strongly about this kid," Peter said disconcerted.

"Well, I know why," El replied confidently. "You two are so alike. There's a lot of Neal in you; the part that enjoys the rush, the con, the game, the deceiving, and the winning. There's a large part of you in Neal too… Neal yearns to have those things that make you who you are. He wants to have a home, friends, and family. He wants to be loved. It just hasn't been easy for him. It still isn't."

"I think I know that. I see it. I know he can change – has changed, but I still can't help but wonder what he's gonna do next. I'm not sure if the lying and manipulating will ever stop."

"You'll just have to trust for the best. Believe in him, he'll change."

Peter looked at her lovingly. How had he ever gotten so lucky?

Adler contacted Neal the next week. He asked him to meet him the next day, and Neal had agreed. He deliberated on whether he should tell Peter or not, but decided against it, for the same reasons as before.

Peter had seen Neal act strange all morning, there had been break at school, and he'd taken him to the office to help around . He was quiet and subdued and all around too well behaved for his liking. It was worrisome. He saw Neal get up nonchalantly from his desk at lunch time and didn't even think about it. He grabbed his coat and followed him. He would be there for him this time.

Neal got to the Vanderbilt Gate in the Conservatory Garden, and waited for the call. He got it, and looked up to see a limo there, with the door opened. Peter hurried to stop him.

"Neal!" he shouted as he grabbed him by the shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Neal turned around startled. He'd been so focused on what Adler wanted that he'd actually missed Peter following him. He wasn't supposed to be here.

"Go away Peter. This is something I have to do myself. After this, you and Elizabeth get to have a normal life. It's what's best for everyone."

"What about you? What happens to you?" Peter asked him.

Neal shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

Peter looked at him with disbelief. "Don't do this, Neal. I'll go with you," he offered.

Neal looked at him fondly. "Peter, you don't have to do this. I know that I keep messing things up… that I've let you down. This is my chance to make things right."

Peter tried to think what to do. A man had stepped out of the limo and was waiting for them to go inside. He wondered for a second if he'd had time to create a diversion and get Neal to escape. Maybe he could somehow contact his team, but there was no time. Peter held on desperately to Neal's arm, not wanting to let him go. "You're not alone. Not anymore, not ever again. I'm going with you."

Neal finally nodded and they both made their way to the limo and got in.

Peter wasn't sure of what had happened afterwards. He had woken up in brightly lit white room beside a still unconscious Neal and a young woman his muddled brain had taken a few seconds to identify as Alex Hunter, one of Neal's old associates.

The talk on the limo had been brief. Adler had been a son of a bitch and Neal had been impulsive and naïve once more. Peter remembered deactivating Neal's anklet and then he'd seen how Neal had taken a drink of whatever drug they'd given him. He had followed suit. At least now they knew what the code to the music box lead to. It was a sunken Nazi U-Boat, filled with priceless art and treasure. Adler had wanted Alex for her information and Neal for his skills. He wanted people that he could manipulate and dump at his will.

Shortly after Neal woke up, Adler walked into the room and took them all to the sub. It was impressive. There were explosives in the doors and Adler had made Neal take Peter to help him open it. Peter was glad. He didn't want to let Neal out of his sight.

The problem was Neal wasn't sure he'd be able to open it. No, he was sure he would open it, he just didn't want to anymore. Not with Alex and Peter as hostages. As soon as it was opened, they would all be dead.

He walked to the base of the sub but stopped and turned around.

"What are you doing, Neal?" Adler asked derisively.

Neal responded decisively, "I'm not doing this."

"Did you suddenly forget who has the guns?" Adler raised his gun and showed it to him mockingly.

"No, but I'm not doing this until you let Alex and Peter go."

Adler laughed emphatically, like Neal had just told a long forgotten joke. "There's nothing sadder than a con man conning himself. Come on, Neal." He made his way downstairs and walked to stand beside Peter.

"You really are something else, my boy. You have to learn that there are things in life that are not up for negotiation." He lifted his gun before either of them could do anything, and hit Peter on the back of his head. Peter collapsed on the ground, but before Neal could even take a step towards him, Adler grabbed Peter by the collar and pushed his gun at his blood covered head.

"Hey, Peter, Peter…" he taunted happily. "Wakey wakey Peter." Peter opened his eyes slowly, but didn't say anything. Neal was relieved to see that he was okay. Disoriented and hurt, but okay.

"Get on with it Neal. I'm pretty sure you don't want to be responsible for someone else's death. You really are a death magnet, aren't you?"

Neal shook his head and tried to shut his words out. Of course he was right, and Peter didn't have to pay for this. Not Peter. He grabbed the tools, climbed the U-boat and started working on the hatch. He removed the panel and cut the right cables. Breathing heavily, he begged that a panic attack wouldn't hit him, and took long deep breaths. He figured out the password of the enigma and opened it. He looked over to see that Peter was slumped against a wall, and was being held at gunpoint by one of Adler's henchmen. Adler himself was smiling and going up to see the treasure inside.

Peter couldn't believe this was happening. Adler was going to kill Neal. Somehow, Neal had gotten the sub open and suddenly, they weren't needed anymore. He got up and took advantage of a moments gaze of his guard in the other direction. He disarmed him and knocked him down easily. He shifted and ran towards Neal and Adler. The man had his gun pointed straight at Neal and was apparently saying goodbye.

Peter raised his gun, took aim, and his bullet hit Adler right on the chest. Even through the haze in his mind, he had no doubt that Adler was dead. He hurried over to check on Neal. The boy was shaking, and he could sense the fear emanating from him. Neal had dropped to his knees unable to turn his gaze away from the body in front of him. Peter turned him around and was about to gather him in his arms when he heard another shot followed by unbearable pain in his shoulder.

Neal finally reacted. He grabbed Peter by his arms, but couldn't hold on to him. Peter was slumping forward, and the weight was too much. He lowered him as gently as possible to his back and stared at him. Blood was oozing from the bullet wound on Peter's shoulder and a small pool was already gathering around him on the ground.

He had to do something. Damn it, do something Neal. Do something.He could feel the panic building, but he couldn't panic, not right now, not with Peter bleeding. He pushed as hard as he could into the wound and saw Peter's eyes flutter open and gasp. Neal's mind didn't even register the commotion and shouts around him.

Jones was there. He was telling him something. "No!" Neal shouted hysterically when someone tried to move him. "God, no… I can't. I can't do this again…" His voice was filled with such anguish that it was painful to hear.

"I can't… I can't… can't…" Neal mumbled incoherently. His eyes were clouded. Peter. Please God, not Peter… not Peter… not Peter…His heart was pounding so fast, his chest hurt.

Peter raised his uninjured hand and cupped Neal's cheek carefully, making him look at him. "Hey… buddy," his words were tender, but filled with pain. "It's okay…"

"Peter…" Neal choked out, his tears spilling everywhere.

Then, somebody grabbed him from behind and there where people everywhere. He registered Jones' voice and he watched transfixed as the EMTs worked on Peter and then took him away.

Someone – Jones – covered him with a thick blanket and wiped the blood of his hands. Neal found himself inside a car, driving somewhere. He closed his eyes and let the darkness claim him.