I AM NEAL (5)

When Neal's tracker alarm sounded, Peter brought up the tracking data on his computer. First thing he noticed is the kid wasn't running, he was walking, and so he observed for a few minutes. The kid had left the park walking and continued on the sidewalk. His actions were not that of a runaway. He retrieved his coat from the back of his chair and headed down to the bullpen.

"Jones, pull up Neal's tracking data and keep an eye on it, I'm going to go pick him up. If you notice any change in direction, give me a call. I will call for updates as I need them."

"Got it Boss."

Peter headed out the door to collect the miscreant.

***WC***

Neal sat there waiting, wondering how hard it would be to escape from a juvenile detention center. He considered lifting a phone and calling Moz, but he had walked off on him, and Moz would be pretty pissed off at him for messing up this fast. No, he'd have to figure it out on his own.

He heard a horn beep and watched Peter's Taurus pull up to the curb and the passenger door pushed open. He stood up and sighed, the week of near-freedom had been a nice break, but now he was going to be sent back to lock-up. As he reached the car, he realized he would be sent to Juvie as Bryce Bomer and he slammed the side of his fist against the car's rooftop before he dejectedly slid into the passenger seat.

Peter said one word before he slid the car back into traffic, "Seatbelt."

Once Peter got into the flow he glanced at Neal, "What's the problem, kid?"

"I'm fine Peter." Neal looked out the passenger window.

"I didn't ask how you were; I asked you what the problem was."

Neal turned to Peter putting on the false charm, "Why would you think there was a problem Peter?"

The experienced agent shook his head at the masks the kid could throw on so easy, "Well, you're out of your radius, and you hit the top of my car. I hope you didn't dent it."

"Oh that! Well, I was just walking Peter. Is that a problem?" Neal tried to deflect attention from his lack of anger control.

"It's a problem if you go outside your radius."

Neal stared back out the passenger window; he didn't feel like talking anymore, he was going to Juvie. By then they had pulled up to the house and as Peter got out, he noticed the kid wasn't moving,

"Are you coming?"

Neal looked around to see where they were and was surprised to see the Burke's townhouse,

"Why are we here?"

"Because you live here Neal. Come on, let's go."

Neal was confused as he followed the older man inside. Once inside, Peter directed Neal to take a seat in the dining room, he grabbed a couple of beers out of the refrigerator, handed one to Neal and sat down across from him,

"Now tell me Neal. Why were you outside of your radius?"

Neal opened his root beer and took a drink, "I told you Peter, I was just walking. I didn't notice the alarm go off."

Peter stared at the kid, his eyes demanding the truth. Neal tried to look away,

"I guess I was thinking too hard. I really didn't hear it."

"Thinking about what?"

Neal looked down at his hands, noticing some dirt under his cuticle; he concentrated on trying to remove it.

"Neal."

"About living here Peter." Neal burst out. "About being stuck here. But I guess that's not a problem now."

Peter took a drink and studied the kid; just a couple of days ago he saw determination in the boy's eyes to leave; now he saw resignation,

"Is staying here so bad?"

"Like I said Peter, it doesn't matter now."

"Why not Neal?"

Neal looked up at Peter like he was dense, "I violated probation, and you're going to send me back to jail!"

Peter narrowed his eyes, "What did you do Neal?" He waited for Neal to confess to a crime.

Neal lifted his left leg, "The tracker…"

Realization dawned on Peter and shook his head and smiled, "Guess you weren't really paying attention when you were told the terms and conditions of your probation, were you?"

Neal studied Peter, his confusion evident, "Huh?"

Now Peter chuckled, "Your probation confines you to the city limits, unless you are accompanied by either El or I. I have control on the radius of your tracker. You violated my rules, not probation."

"You mean I'm not going back to jail?" The relief was evident in the boy's face.

"No Neal. But there are consequences when you break the rules."

Neal swallowed, "Like what?"

"Like you get to do yard work this weekend and sweep the patio, stuff like that. I'll show you."

Neal was surprised that was all that was going to happen, but he hid the surprise, "Okay Peter."

"Now Neal, what was your problem about being 'stuck' here?"

Neal thought about it, maybe it wasn't so bad. Except for school. He decided to cross that bridge when he came to it,

"Nothing Peter. I just had to figure some things out, you know, new home and all."

As Peter swallowed another drink from his beer, he didn't swallow all of Neal's story. But the kid did seem a little more relaxed, a little more accepting.

"Maybe when you finish the yard work, we can go toss the ball a bit."

Neal smiled, "I'd like that Peter."

***WC***

Instead of concentrating on leaving, Neal spent the next couple of days concentrating on staying. The yard work Peter gave him was simple and he finished it by lunch time. That afternoon Peter took him to the park as promised and Neal paid more attention to how Peter acted as they played catch. He was surprised when he saw what Moz had told him. Peter seemed to actually enjoy playing catch with him and was sending more and more difficult throws his way and praising him as he caught them or giving pointers if he missed them. Except for Moz, no one had really shown any interest in how good he did in much of anything in a long time.

On the walk back home, Peter put his arm around Neal's shoulders and he did his best not to flinch. He hoped Peter didn't notice.

By Monday morning, Neal was determined to try to make the best of it at school and decided to just put on that Caffrey charm; which was really the Bomer charm, but Neal didn't know that; and make others see things his way. He always introduced himself as Neal to the other students and first time the teachers called him Bryce, he very politely and charmingly explained that he went by Neal. A couple of teachers accepted that up front, a couple had to wait until the second or third time they called him Bryce and were totally ignored before they would use the name Neal. But a couple of teachers refused on the grounds it was not his legal name, and when Neal ignored them too many times they called him by his full name loud and clear,

"Bryce Matthew Bomer!"

He still ignored the teacher, but his fellow students had heard his last name.

For three days, he made things work for him. Most were using the name Neal, those that didn't he ignored. Since he had such a friendly outgoing personally and looks the girls could not disregard, few wanted to be ignored by him.

Thursday that changed. He was in between classes reaching into his locker to exchange the last set of class books for the next set he would need when he heard it,

"Hey Bomer, I got a boner for ya!"

He was not the super sensitive type, he could handle kids jibing him; it was the words and the flashback they caused…

He could smell the whiskey on his breath as he came into the room. He heard the creak of the bed as he crawled on it. He knew his hand was reaching out… He knew those words were coming…

He slammed the locker door shut and the noise drove the image away like a shutter on a camera. It only took a few seconds for Neal to replace the mask he had temporarily lost. By the time he turned around he radiated charm and innocence. As he walked toward the front door, greetings slid off his silver tongue like mercury.

"Hi Neal!"

"Hi Lisa! You look charming today."

Giggles, "Thank you Neal."

"Hey Neal!"

"Hey Brad! Saw you on the field, you have a good arm."

With the easy banter and the innocent look no one ever suspected he shouldn't be walking out the front door and down the sidewalk.

After he got away from the school he started relaxing, the day was too beautiful not to. He loved the hustle and bustle of the city and walked along enjoying the feel of it. He realized he missed Moz, he hadn't seen him since that day he had walked off from him. He decided to go to the park, just in case Moz was around. You never knew with him. He went to the bench Moz had found him on once before and sat down to wait and hope his friend would show. As he stretched both arms across the back of the bench he settled back, eyes closed, to feel the warmth of the sun on his face and relish the sounds of the park.

***WC***

Peter got a call from the school saying Bryce had attended a couple of morning classes, and then had left the school, skipping the rest of the day. Peter thought the kid had been doing well; he had been attending school and adjusting. What had happened to make him walk off?

He pulled up the tracking data and saw he was in the park by the house. He watched for a couple of minutes to see if Neal was moving, but he seemed to be staying in the one spot. He hadn't heard Reese walk in the room, or noticed him observing the computer screen,

"I told you he was incorrigible."

Peter shook his head, "No Reese, he's not. He just needs a firm hand to guide him." He grabbed his coat and headed out of the room. Reese's words followed him down to the bullpen,

"A firm hand on his backside, you mean!"

Peter gave Jones his instructions and headed out to get his wayward charge. Again.

***WC***