Chapter 9

El stepped back to let Neal in. She was so speechless it took her a second or two to get the words out to call her husband. She could tell Neal didn't quite recognize her, but he seemed to be remembering something.

Neal looked at El. Then he looked around the room. He felt something wet and warm on his hand. He looked down. Satchemo was greeting him in his own way, licking his hand.

Neal spoke to no one in particular. "The lady in the van said that I'd been here before. I…." He stopped himself and just stared at El. The dam broke. Elizabeth Burke was one of the few people in his life who just accepted him for him and didn't try to change him. He would never be a model citizen, and El didn't make him try to be.

Neal smiled. "It's been awhile, Elizabeth."

El wiped her eyes and hugged him. "Six very, very long months, Sweetie."

"We've missed you, Neal." Peter chimed in, smiling as he watched their interaction.

Peter than gave Neal a quick hug. And they all sat down. Nobody said anything, at first. El and Peter were still a little too surprised to have Neal sitting there, in their living room.

El reached out and took Neal's hand. "Where have you been?"

Peter looked at his wife. He knew she had a million questions, he did too. But he didn't' want to overwhelm Neal, especially when he was just recovering his memories.

"I've gotta go." Neal said, standing up. He suddenly remembered the truck waiting for him and 'Jay Sterling's' job.

"Neal!" Peter said, as he and El stood up. They had just gotten him back. There was no way that Peter was going to let Neal out of his sight.

Neal saw their panic. He shook his head and smiled. "I either need to finish 'Jay Sterling's' route to return the truck to Allied." He replied.

Peter nodded, relieved. "I'll ride with you in the truck. El can follow in the car."

Neal looked at him, unbelieving. "You don't trust me to return the truck?"

"You're off anklet." Peter replied.

"I was off anklet for 6 months." Neal countered.

"Yes, as Jay Sterling. And Jay stayed in the city." Peter explained. "Would Neal have stayed in the city?"

Neal didn't answer.

"I rest my case." Peter said as they left the house.

Neal sighed. "So much for the nice, warm reunion."

Peter put his hand on Neal's shoulder and squeezed. "I really have missed you, Kid."

WC WC WC WC WC

Peter, El and Neal returned the truck and then came back to Peter's house. The Marshalls couldn't have a new anklet out to him until morning and Peter's was not going to let Neal out of his sight until he was back on his leash.

El joined Peter and Neal in the living room after ordering Chinese take out for them all. She sat down on the couch beside Neal. She grabbed Neal's hand and squeezed it.

"It's still hard to believe you're here, Neal." El stated. "Now you can answer my question. Where have you been?"

Neal explained the whole thing to Peter and El. He started with the gunshot. He remembered falling. He ended with walking into Peter's house earlier that evening. He didn't leave anything out. Except, he still didn't remember what had happened to him from the time he hit the water until waking up on the riverbank. He even told them how he had come up with the name Jay Sterling.

Neal started to stand up. "June…Mozzie…I need to go home." Neal said. "June…is she…?"

El smiled. "June's kept your place just the same. She never believed….. She wanted it to be ready when you came back."

Neal shook his head and smiled. June was a very, very special woman.

"You can make June's day tomorrow, Neal." Peter told him. "The Marshalls will deliver a new anklet in the morning."

El stood, silently staring at the sleeping form who occupied the bed in their guest room. She sighed as Peter slipped up behind her and slid his arms around her waist.

"I woke up, and you weren't there." Peter stated.

"I just…I needed to make sure that it was real." El said, holding her husband's hands in her. "I wanted to make sure that he was really here. That I hadn't just dreamed the whole thing."

"He's here, El." Peter reassured her as they both looked in on the softly-snoring form. "He came back."

"Is he going to be okay? I mean, really okay?" El asked.

Peter nodded. "I'll make sure he gets a physical. I'll make him an appointment with our counselor. I'll make sure he gets what he needs, Hon." He reassured El. "He's going to have to write a report to submit to the FBI explaining his activities for the past 6 months. They will ask for agent's statements to verify that Neal was suffering from memory loss. But it will be fine. He will be fine."

TBC