A/n: This chapter is in Neal's point of view.

I don't own White Collar just the little mistakes here and there

"You've reached Eleanor. I can't come to the phone right now, so if you leave your name, number and the time you called I'll get right back with you! Thanks and have a great day!"

"Hey…Ellie, it's me. Please call me back; I need to talk to you. Thanks…bye." Neal said somberly before hanging up. He stared down at his phone in disgust, his back to the empty conference room table. This was the tenth time in the past hour that he had called her, getting no response. She was avoiding him. Neal heard the conference room door open and the sound of files hitting the polished surface of the table. With the feeling of defeat Neal hid away his phone into the breast pocket of his vest and turned to see who had entered. Peter was standing at the end of the table in his normal 'Peter Burke Stance', his hands on his hips and an always thinking look on his face.

"How did your chat with Alex go last night?" Peter asked. Neal snorted and took a seat at the table. He rubbed his eyes, and then ran them through his hair sighing deeply. Flashes form last night had been playing over and over in his head all day.

He had just gotten home from a long day at the office when there was a soft knock at his door. He remembered hoping it was Ellie, sneaking out from the thumb of her mother to spend the night. But when he opened the door, he didn't find Ellie standing there with her cheeks flushed and bright from excitement. Instead he found Alex standing at his door, dressed in her signature skin tight leather pants and low cut tank top, batting her beautiful doe eyes.

Of course he knew she was coming over, he invited her over earlier that day, but he still looked surprised.

"You going to let me in?" she asked her soft lips parting in a smile.

"Come on in." he said opening the door all the way. Alex had walked in like she owned the place, tossing her hand bag on his couch and helping herself to a glass of wine.

"Whatta you want Caffrey?" she had asked still standing as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"I need some information."

"Mozzie can't help you with that?" Alex asked him. She was right, he could have asked Mozzie and maybe then Eleanor wouldn't be avoiding him, but it would have taken time that he couldn't afford to lose.

"I suppose I could have, but I wanted to see you." he had said, flashing his brightest smile. Now, Neal would have given anything to take those words back. But last night he needed information, any he was ready to use any means necessary. After a few glasses of wine, he and Alex got caught up in a light hearted conversation about the good old days and before he knew it, Alex was sitting on his kitchen table in front of him a dangerous look in her eyes. He remembered looking up at her, her brown eyes soft, her dark hair tucked behind her ear. Her arm reached out, her hand cupping the side of his face. Her touch was cool and brought back many pleasant memories, but he had moved on now. He had found someone else to share his love with. Only he never heard his apartment door open, even after wracking his brain over and over, he never heard his new love walk in on them.

The look on Eleanor's face made his heart break every time he thought about it. Her face was flushed with anger but her eyes were wide with betrayal. He could imagine what it looked like to her, an unknown woman leaning over her boyfriend. Neal had to admit, it didn't look good. He tried running after her, to explain, he had to explain it to her. There was nothing going on between him and Alex, not anymore, if he told her then she would understand. But she didn't listen to him. She was so…angry at him. Then her leg flared up, and he tried to help her but she pushed him away. She said he'd broken her trust.

But what drove him crazy, what made him the most frustrated was, this wasn't all his fault. He didn't do everything wrong. He wanted to explain himself, he still did. He wanted to tell his side of the story and she didn't listen. She jumped to all the wrong conclusions. She ran off before hearing the whole story. She claimed to have trusted him, but Neal began to wonder how much she actually trusted him in the first place.

No, what was he thinking? This was Eleanor he was talking about. Maybe she had her reasons for the way she acted. Maybe he needed to hear her side of the story, give her the chance she didn't give him.

"Caffrey!" Peter snapped when Neal didn't answer him. Neal's head shot up and looked Peter in the eye.

"Sorry, yeah, things went great."

"Did she know anything?"

"According to Alex, there are three possible galleries the thieves are planning to hit."

"Three? Any chance you got the names for those galleries?"

"Peter," Neal said giving him a disbelieving look. "You know me better. Of course I got the names."

"Care to share with the class?" Peter asked rolling his eyes.

"The Sampson, the Gagosian, and the Met."

"Which one do you think they'll hit?"

"Well the Met and the Gagosian are pretty high profile galleries, more security, doesn't really fit they're M.O."

"So you think they'll hit the Sampson." Peter said sitting down brainstorming.

"Think about it, it makes the most sense. The Sampson is smaller and has easy access to the alley way perfect for a getaway vehicle. The art is valuable but not so much so that it requires heavy security. They have two or three guards, at most, on duty. It's perfect for their style."

"You cased the gallery." Peter said more as a statement then a question.

"I'm very thorough." Neal said flashing his perfect grim. Peter just rolled his eyes.

"I'll have Jones and Diana set up teams to sit on the other two places." Peter said getting to his feet and taking the files off the table.

"We'll be in the van?" Neal asked not moving.

"Yup."

"Deviled Ham?"

"Of course. Want me to make you one?"

"No thanks I'll pass."

"Have it your way then. Meet me here at seven and say hello to Eleanor for me." Peter said before walking out the room. A frown formed on Neal's lips as he pulled out his phone and dialed Eleanor's number one more time. There was a nagging feeling in his gut that he couldn't shake. It had something to do with the Sampson gallery he just didn't know what. He had a vague memory of someone telling him something about a party happening at the Sampson. Was it Mozzie? Or maybe it was Alex telling him a story about it last night? Regardless, he couldn't remember and that made his nagging feeling worse.

"You've reached Eleanor. I can't come to the phone right now, so if you leave your name, number and the time you called I'll get right back with you! Thanks and have a great day!"

"Ellie, it's Neal again…."

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