I AM NEAL (3)
When Peter went to wake Neal up the next morning, he had to pause in the doorway of the guest bedroom a few moments. The kid looked so innocent, so young.
"Neal."
The kid didn't budge.
"Neal!"
No movement. Peter reached out to shake the kid, "Neal!"
Peter flinched back as the kid jumped in fear and looked around, he focused on Peter,
"Hey Peter." He flashed a smile.
Peter wondered if he would ever see a real smile on the kid's face,
"Come on, get up. It's time to get ready for work."
Neal glanced at the government issued clothes, "Sure Peter. Do I have to wear those?"
"It's all you got right now kid. Move."
"Yes Peter."
***WC***
Neal looked a lot better after a decent dinner and breakfast and a decent night's sleep, but he still looked gaunt. Both Peter and Neal pretended the grip on Neal's arm was because the agent couldn't trust the con, not because Peter cared or Neal needed the help of the agent.
Once they reached the office, Peter really didn't know what to do with Neal, or what happens next. For lack of any better ideas, he put Neal in his office and told him to stay there.
Then he went to talk to Hughes about Neal's disposition. Hughes wanted to send Neal straight to a juvenile detention center but Peter was not comfortable with that. He tried to argue on Neal's behalf and was told to read Bryce's file before he went any further.
Peter searched out Diana to obtain the file.
Bryce Bomer was born in Spring, Texas. His father worked for the Houston Police Department. He was shot and killed when Bryce was two years old, but not in the line of duty, so his widow only got the insurance money and no more. There were questions surrounding his death that were not answered. For unknown reasons, Bryce's mom moved them to the north west when he was four.
When Bryce was eight, his mother was diagnosed with cancer and her health slowly deteriorated after that. Bryce was arrested several times for theft, but the small town knew his mother was sick and needed him at home, so they repeatedly released him back to her custody so he could take care of her. During this time, he maintained a straight 'A' grade average at school.
When he was twelve, his mother died and he was put into the foster care system. He went through several foster homes as his behavior continually disintegrated. Stealing and lying being a major foster parent complaint along with constantly skipping school. His straight 'A' status dropped to 'D's, not because he couldn't pass a test, if he was there and took the test, he aced it; it was because he wasn't there. He was absent more than he was present.
When he was fourteen he was placed in a foster home that seemed to turn his life around. His grades slowly started improving and the stealing and lying stopped. The town thought they had finally found the perfect home for the troubled youth and ignored the occasional bruises and complaints he voiced. His complaints soon stopped but not the bruises.
One night, the family car missed a turn and drove off the cliff of a coastal highway. Only partial remains of the foster father were found. No remains of the wife or foster son were found and it was assumed the sea took both of them and they were both declared dead.
Diana took it one step further and ran an FBI background check of the foster parents. When Bryce was placed with his last foster family, the state only did a state background check, not country wide, as Diana did. In the state, Bryce's foster father was perfect. In the south east, he was not.
In the south east, he was arrested several times for domestic violence, but his wife always dropped the charges and he was never convicted. He was also arrested a couple of times for child abuse and molestation. The young boys placed in his care swore he never touched them, even though evidence spoke to the contrary.
Peter closed the file and rubbed his eyes. He looked up at his office at the boy sitting in there. Was he reading a file? Never mind. What was he going to do? He tried to think. The boy had already suffered 'cruel and unusual' punishment. In Peter's mind, the kid had paid his debt to society via the abuse and he felt the quilt of that. He did not want to send him to juvenile. But there was no other option. Or was there? He tried to think. He finally broke down and called Elizabeth.
***WC***
Peter went back to Hughes to give his suggestions.
"Peter, didn't you read his file? He's incorrigible. Why would you want to take on the responsibility?"
"He's not a throw away Reese. He's smart. He just needs a chance and no one else is going to give it to him, and… and some of this is my fault Reese."
Arguments were made, the presiding judge from Neal's case was contacted, and finally agreements were completed.
Neal/Bryce would still be held accountable on his four year sentence. He would be released into the custody of Peter for those four years with a GPS tracking anklet to monitor his activities.
***WC***
While Peter was wheeling and dealing over his fate, Neal got bored sitting in the office alone. He did not know what Peter was doing, but he was tired of sitting around doing nothing. He casually wandered to the office door and stepped out. No one seemed to care. He slowly and casually worked his way down to the bullpen. No one stopped him.
Neal decided his best bet was to put everyone at ease, so he put on his charm and started socializing.
"Good afternoon Diana. You look lovely today. That color really looks good on you."
"Cut the crap, Neal."
Neal put on such an innocent hurt face, she tried not to laugh, "What do you want, Neal?"
He poured the charisma on, "Why nothing Diana! I just wanted to enjoy the pleasure of your company."
Neal roamed the bullpen, charming all as he went. He got closer and closer to the doors. Jones was watching him every step of the way, and when Neal got too close, he spoke up,
"Get away from the door before I handcuff you to a chair, kid."
Damn! He portrayed the essence of innocence as he protested Jones insinuation that he would do anything so bold. Jones just shook his head thinking that if the kid had put on that act in court, he would have been found innocent.
***WC***
Finally Peter emerged from Hughes office, "Bryce!"
Neal ignored him, even though the agents were trying to get him to respond.
"Neal!"
Neal turned to face the agent, "Did you call Peter?"
Peter wondered what he was getting himself into as he motioned with two fingers for Neal to get up there.
Neal entered Hughes office wondering what was up and what was going to happen to him. He soon found out. He looked at Peter in shock when he found out Peter would be taking custody of him. He studied Peter; he didn't strike him to be… He hadn't read him that way, was he…? He swallowed, Peter was a lot stronger than him and if he… He decided there was no other reason Peter would take custody of him. Peter was one of them. That was why he had been nice, they always were at first. Neal decided he was going to disappear at his first opportunity. After all, this was New York City, once you are out of sight, you are gone.
He was really unhappy when they showed him the tracking anklet and explained it. He was sure Moz could free him from it. He had to figure out how to contact Mozzie. Maybe he had a couple days; maybe Peter would wait until he fully recovered, maybe… He had to find Mozzie fast.
Neal didn't pay much attention to the rest of the conversation, he had retreated inside; he had closed himself off from them.
Peter noticed the change in the kid and just thought it was due to a matter of adjustment. When it was time to leave, he grabbed Neal's arm and wondered why the boy flinched, he hadn't done that before.
***WC***
Peter didn't let Neal get near anyone close enough to lift a phone. Neal knew he could not call Moz from any known phones, Moz would kick his ass. He had to steal a total stranger's phone to make the call. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe Peter would wait. Maybe…
When they got back to the house, Neal quickly jumped out of the car and headed to the house to avoid Peter's hand helping him, touching him. Peter was pleased at his actions; he thought they meant he wanted to be there.
Once they got inside, El took over. She fawned over him and then showed him the clothes she had bought for him,
"I wasn't sure what you'd like, but somehow, you just don't strike me as the jeans type. I bought you some nice khakis and button up shirts. They will look so good on you. Do you like them?"
Neal couldn't believe this women who looked so much like his mother before she got sick, would actually promote her husband's desires. But here was the proof. She wanted him to look good for Peter. He had to remember the old controls, retreat, sink within, you are not here…
"Yes."
Elizabeth was so pleased that he liked her selections.
"Neal, sit down we need to talk."
Peter pointed the chair out for him to sit in. He sat.
"We need to discuss your name and who you are."
"I am Neal."
Peter sighed, "No. You are Bryce Bomer, a sixteen year old. Why didn't you tell us the truth? We would have sent you to a juvenile detention center."
Neal thought about Bryce. Bryce had been beat. Bryce had been broke. He was not Bryce. He had fought, no matter how many came at him, he had fought.
"I am Neal."
"Damn it Bryce, you are sixteen years old! Why the hell didn't you say something?"
"Bryce is dead. What else is there to say?"
Peter was getting frustrated, he wiped his hand down his face, "But you are not Neal."
"Prove it."
That was part of the problem. Neal's birth certificate was perfect. The court house it was supposedly filed in had burned down when Neal was three, before they had computerized their records. There was no proof Neal was not real, but there was proof Bryce was real and Neal was Bryce.
Neal thought he realized what the problem was and smiled at Peter,
"What's wrong? Is nineteen too old for you?"
Before Peter could even comprehend what the kid meant, El announced dinner was ready.
***WC***
Neal lay awake a long time in bed that night waiting for Peter. Peter never came to his bed and he finally fell asleep.
***WC***
The next morning, Neal went downstairs in his government issued clothes. They were starting to smell, but that was a good thing. Elizabeth confronted him,
"What's wrong sweetie; did I get the wrong size? I'm so sorry. Where they too large or too small, I need to know so I can exchange them. Tell me sweetie."
She was so hard to refuse, so hard to deny, she looked too much like his mother, "Ah, let me go back and check."
They fit perfect and he looked at himself in the mirror. He did not want to look like that, he did not want…
He straightened up. He was Neal Caffrey. He would not give in. He was strong. He went downstairs.
"Oh sweetie, those fit perfect!" El declared as she saw him. She walked up and gave him a little tuck here and a little tuck there, like she really changed anything,
"You look so handsome!"
She actually embarrassed him and he blushed.
"Thank you Elizabeth."
He avoided Peter's eyes; he could not stand the idea of seeing the lust in them.
***WC***