Alissandra stared at the nondescript looking house that her source had informed her Neal Caffrey resided. A chill ran down her back as she felt someone's eyes also on her and on the house. Keeping calm, she turned on her motorcycle and drove out he vicinity of that house. She felt the eyes follow her.

...

Carter instructed his limo driver to follow Alissandra as she drove from the house he knew was Neal's. She was trying to keep him away from Neal, how sweet. However, she would soon learn, it wasn't just Neal he was after. He was a collector. Anything he found interesting he collected; she should know that. His eyes flickered to the silent man beside him. Such an enigma, hiding his emotions although Carter could already see how he looked at the young woman; he understood, they'd been best friends once. The two had feelings that had never come out and though Alissandra had now buried those feeling under her work, they were there.

A smiled split his face; maybe this would be more interesting than he thought.

...

Neal looked at the people all in the room around him. They were staring at him with mixed emotions of wariness and emotions like unhidden excitement. He cleared his throat and started.

"We all know Carter is here," he stated. Solemn nods around the room. No surprised faces.

"Does anyone know what he wants?" Neal pressed. Shakes of heads all around the room.

"Did anyone get a message from him?" More shakes of heads, except Avery who stood up. Being the youngest of them, Neal was surprised that Carter had sent him a note. Avery read from a small slip of a card in his hand.

"It says 'Tell the others not interfere. They will never forget the consequences if they do.' That's it."

Apparently that was enough, the whole room was silent. Carter was serious.

"Interfere with what?" Neal asked softly. He knew that was what the whole room was wondering.

"He's going to make a move," Lasare said. "Probably really soon."

"True," James agreed. "He never stays in the city for long. So he's probably going to take action and head out like he usually does."

"We still don't know what or who he wants." Allen spoke up.

"He told us not to get into it," Quarty said softly. James looked at her; she was the most kind-hearted.

"What if it's one of us?" Julie asked, panic making her voice tremble.

"He would've already started hunting you," Henry said, stating the facts as always. "You'd know." Neal felt something trigger and his heart sped up. "You'd know." Was he the one? His brain immediately kicked in. What would Carter with him? Everyone knew what happened when Carter wanted something and he was told he couldn't have it. Cold chills crawled over his skin.

"What do you think he's after, Neal? Neal?" Neal blinked and looked up at James.

"I don't really know," he told them. "But I think we need to discuss if we are going to even help this person if we found out."

Quarty stood. "I'm pretty sure it's not, but if it's me I don't want any of you laying your lives down for me. Keep living on in the lives we all fought to make for ourselves." The room was silent as the room took in that announcement.

"Same here," Allen stated. "Y'all just keep on living and don't give up in it."

"I agree," Lasare said in her rich Jamaican accent. But then she looked at Avery who was apparently biting his lower lip, looking too young to be in their business. She spoke with deep emotion. "For you, little one, will i fight if he comes after you."

Quarty looked over, a surprised expression on her face. Neal was shocked, too. Lasare was the only one who was actually talking about fighting Carter. It was an insane idea. Then his gaze went to the people around the room and he wondered if any of them would really just sit by while the other was taken. He doubted it.

"Would you fight for me, too?" Every other head whirled to find usually snotty and perfect Julie looking lost. Lasare smiled and went to her, filing her rich colored fingers through Julie's hair in a mother like way.

Smiling again, the fearless Jamaican woman answered, "Of course."

"I'll fight for him with you," their wild spirited Jenny replied, making Aaron grab her hand and look up at her as if she'd lost her mind. She looked back down at him with emerald fire in her eyes and he seemed to melt for her while holding onto her hand tighter. He nodded.

"Neal, would you defend one of them, too?" Lasare asked him and Neal looked at her for a moment, wondering where she even thought he could be that nice of a person.

Then his gaze swept to a particular pale female whose hair shined in the sunlight, in the corner. Clary smiled at him,her sapphire eyes shining in the evening light even as her long orange hair seemed to glow almost as bright as the sun itself, her youth apparent but all of them knew what she had been through. He knew it then-he would protect Clary, even if it took him his life. Clary smiled at him and she was hugging him the next second. He smiled even as he heard her whisper into his ear, her tiny body vibrating against his as she read him like she usually did and reacted either laughing or crying-he wasn't quite sure.

"Thank you."

She had said that to him so many time, even when she was in the hospital and he prayed he wouldn't lose her.

"As for me," Neal said, lowering Clary and drawing looks. "I'm serious when I say this, please don't risk your fulfilling lives for something like this if it may be me." Clary whirled to face him.

"And what if it's finally time to fight?" Jenny asked, coming to life again.

Neal looked at her and then looked over at the entire group. There were sure and unsure faces; scared and elated faces. "Then if we do agree then we need everyone for this one. Not only New York. I'm talking about Trans-Atlantic." The room grew silent but seemed to grow in excitement and fear.

The conversational buzz started once more as Clary spoke to Lasare and James to Julie, trying to calm her. Henry was talking to Avery and Quarty was trying to prove her point to Allen. He was about to speak again-

When his phone beeped to life. He opened it and answered Mozzie, the room growing silent.

"Feds on the way to your location," Mozzie told him and he slapped the phone shut. He looked up at his close knit group and said the code word. The group immediately went for the back. Neal helped them get out, undetected and directed them to a road that would go around the normal road, right before he gave Clary a light kiss on the cheek as she entered Lasare's car. He was glad none of them suspected him of leading them into a trap-which he wasn't.

He then went in and sat on the couch until Peter walked in, cops behind him.

He looked up at Peter with a look. The other man looked around the house which was being confirmed empty even as they shared the look.

"I told you that you shouldn't have me followed," Neal said to him. Peter looked at him once more, he had gotten a tip that Neal and people who were under suspicion for all kinds of activities, most like Neal's former activities, were gathering together. He had dispatched officers and even started out himself.

Now he found Neal sitting there, alone.