Author's Note: Sorry for the delay guys with the updating of this story! I'm flabbergasted at the amount of attention and reviews this story has had! It makes my day whenever I see a story alert, fave, or (especially) a review in my inbox! I hope you enjoy!

The man in the white suit was furious. The news concerning his two associates' deaths had spread quickly and he was saw people glancing over at him suspiciously. Of course they would blame him; he was after all the last one to have seen them alive. He was absolutely livid that the most non-violent con artist in history had killed one of the agents and had helped his handler kill Ruth. He would make sure that the con artist paid… that is if he survived the ordeal he had just gone through…

Peter Burke could only watch helplessly as his best friend, partner and little brother went into a cardiac arrest. There was nothing he could do, and Elizabeth kept telling him that but it didn't help Peter to know that. That only meant that he had failed to keep Neal safe, alive and healthy. Well, you kind of have to be alive in order to be healthy, a sarcastic voice whispered in his brain, sounding an awfully lot like a certain con-artist.

He stared as Neal's body arched while electricity jolted through it in an attempt to bring the still heart back to life. Still no response from said organ. One of the paramedics shook his head hopelessly but motioned to the others that they should try one more time. "Clear!" The electricity jolted through the motionless body once more and Peter looked away. "He's back!"

Peter started in surprise when he heard the positive feed back from one of the paramedics that was leaning over Neal. El squeezed his arm and offered her husband a small smile as the medics started to carry Neal out on a stretcher. The agent walked over to the man's body and flipped the corpse over. Running his hands through the various pockets Peter found what he had been looking for. An id.

The agent quickly pocketed the id before he let El lead him away from the corpse. His mind was numbed from the overload of thoughts that were all trying to be processed at the same time.

Peter blinked and realized then that he was standing in daylight, no longer inside of the hell-house. His body was sore from the strange position he had been sitting in for so long and he sighed as opened the door to his car. El got in the driver's side as Peter shot her a puzzled glance.

"You need to rest." Was all she said as she started the engine.

Peter nodded and ran a hand through his hair as he tried to calm himself down a little. He pressed his forehead against the glass of the car's window and breathed deeply. It was an exercise he had grown familiar due to a certain ex-con. He sensed more than saw Elizabeth shoot a look of concern and worry his way but decided not to acknowledge it. The rest of the car ride was silent, the car's passengers to worried to bring up any conversation.

The waiting room was eerily silent and Peter Burke couldn't help but think that the silence was a foreshadowing that would affect the rest of his life. He hoped desperately that it wasn't.

A life without Neal Caffrey in it would be flat out boring. Peter wouldn't have someone to try and figure out, someone that kept him on his toes, rebuked his sense of fashion or to continuously harass him. There wouldn't be a young man that could make Peter have a heart attack every time a foolish stunt was pulled. Peter ran a hand through his hair as he got up and started to pace again. He was well aware of El's exasperated sigh and shot his wife a quick grin.

He had been waiting for close to four hours now and with every minute that passed Peter could've sworn that a day had come and gone. He leaned against the wall, his forehead pressed against it and his mind flashed back to when he had bent over Neal and their foreheads had touched while Peter had battled the conflicting motions that had been raging through him. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and inhaled the smell of his wife and a sense of peace washed over him. It really was amazing that she could emanate such a strong aura of peace, love and security while she was hurting inside.

Peter turned and felt the arms wrap around him a delicate head rest against his chest. His wife's body shuddered and Peter ran a hand through her hair in a lousy attempt to comfort her. He really needed to work on this emotional stuff. He was about as helpful as a newborn babe when it came to helping people with their emotions.

They were still like that when the doctor came out into the waiting room. It was obvious that the man was tired but he greeted them with a warm smile as he approached. "Are you family for Neal Caffrey?" He asked.

"Yes." El replied automatically, making it sound like he really was their son.

Peter smiled softly at her reply before he corrected with a "More like friends, but we do consider him a part of our family."

The doctor nodded and asked them to follow him to his office. Once everyone was situated he pulled out a file and opened it. "Let's start with the good news shall we?"

Peter and El nodded their eyes were lighting up with hope.

"Mr. Caffrey is expected to survive. Of course the next twenty-four hours are critical. I will warn you that he is on a ventilator to help his breathing and will be for the next couple of days. He is in a medically induced coma so that his body has more time to heal before he wakes up."

Peter's face was pale as he absorbed the information. A machine was breathing for Neal. He swallowed and almost didn't want to see his friend. Didn't want to see Neal lying prone and helpless, hooked up to tons of machines. Machines that breathed for him, nourished his body and kept him pumped with fluids.

The agent closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he looked down at the floor. He noticed then that his socks didn't match. Woops. Neal would probably tease him about that later.

"Can we see him?"

The doctor nodded. "Only one person at a time and for a bout five minutes each. His room number is 312."

"Thank you."

The couple walked down the long hallway with trepidation. El was clutching Peter's hand in such a tight grip that he had heard his fingers crack. He winced but didn't say anything. The two stopped outside of the door with numbers 312 on it. Peter swallowed and steeled himself for the sight that was about to greet him.

"You go first." El told him as she gave him a gentle shove in the direction of the door. Peter swallowed and turned the knob, the door creaking open as he slid through the gap. He turned around and his eyes widened as he took in the sight of his partner.

Christ. Neal had never looked so small and vulnerable. The younger man looked like a little kid and Peter ran a trembling hand through the consultant's hair. The dark brown locks were soft but lacking the usual shine that they normally had. It was like all the vitality had been sucked from his friend.

"Hey Neal," Peter whispered softly feeling slightly stupid. It wasn't like Neal would be able to hear him, right? He shrugged and decided to keep talking anyways. "You're going to be fine buddy. The doctors fixed you up the best they could and said that you would be able to do the rest. Neal," Peter broke off unsure of what to tell the younger man. He hoped that the younger man couldn't hear him. At least not this next part because if he did, the younger man would never cease to torment Peter about it. "Neal, I miss you. Life is more exciting for me with you in it and even though you know exactly which buttons to push to piss me off…" Peter smirked slightly, "you're like a little brother to me. Or a son depends on the day." Peter grimaced as he thought how sappy this must sound. He leaned over and mussed the younger man's hair again and almost froze in shock when Neal leaned into the comforting gesture. It was almost like the kid knew that it was Peter.

A small but genuine smile lit Peter's face before he whispered that he had to go for a while but that he would be coming back. With one more glance at his partner, Peter went outside, holding the door open for El. He squeezed her hand gently as she passed him before allowing the door to close.

El approached the bed nervously, her eyes scanning the prone figure that resided on it. "Oh Neal," she sighed as she took his hand and held it. "hang in there." She hoped that if the artistic young man in front of her heard her that he would understand the deeper meaning. El gazed at the various machines hooked up to her friend and felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She-unlike her husband-was not afraid to let her emotions show. "Don't worry about only getting to eat the hospital food. I'll make sure you get some real food in that belly of yours. Can't have you eating nasty stuff all the time sweetie. First thing your getting is a batch of your favorite cookies, but you have to keep this between you and me or else I'll get in trouble." El smirked at what the doctor's or any of the nurses' faces would look like if they caught her smuggling home-made goodies to their patient.

Leaning over, El kissed the younger man's forehead gently before stroking the soft locks of hair out his face in a motherly gesture.

Neal Caffrey was floating through a world of darkness. The feeling was disconcerting but he didn't mind all that much. He wondered briefly if this is what it would feel like if humans could fly on their own. Neal could hear snippets of conversations going on around him and assumed that they were doctors and nurses talking. After what seemed like an eternity the voices went away.

Shortly after the unwanted voices disappeared Neal sensed a familiar presence. He suddenly felt safe and secure. The young felon knew instinctively that it was Peter, and he was proven correct when he heard his mentor speak. The words that poured out of his friend's mouth gave him a source of energy, a source of strength. It allowed his body to tap into a reserve of willpower that Neal hadn't even known he had. When Peter told him that he was like a son to him…

A feeling of warmth spread through his body, chasing away the cold that he had felt previously and some of the darkness was pushed to the side as he tried to claw his way to consciousness. Wanted to tell Peter that he was the only real father-figure he had. Then again, he thought wryly, Peter'll find a way to use that against me somehow. Not in a bad way though, but in a teasing manner. A familiar hand mussed his hair and Neal leaned into it, trying to tell Peter that he wanted the agent to stay. He dimly heard Peter say something about coming back later and wished that the older man would just stay.

He felt another hand, this one smaller and softer than Peter's grasp his own in a firm but comforting grip. Elizabeth. He must have scared the crap out of her when she had seen him. Neal winced mentally feeling bad for putting El through that and tried to keep his muddled mind in line as she started to talk.

Neal's mind seemed to magically clear at the mention of home-made cookies. Hospital food was not his favorite kind of food. He attempted to squeeze El's hand to show that he was a huge fan of that and smirked mentally when she whispered in his ear, telling him to keep it a secret. The con artist would never have dreamed of telling a soul. Neal felt her lips press against his forehead gently and then her hand delicately pushing his hair back. The young man realized that she was leaving and felt a surge of panic crash through his system. Stay, please! He pleaded. If neither of them stayed then there would be nothing to help him ward off the darkness that he knew would consume him.

And the thought terrified him.

Author's Notes: Sorry if Peter seems ooc in this chapter, I find it hard to portray his emotions when it comes to sentimental stuff like this so I hope I didn't botch it...

Neal: I'm amazed

Me: About what?

Neal: You didn't hurt me in this chapter!

Me: Enjoy it while it lasts buddy boy

Neal: What's that supposed to mean? You know what? Just don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question.

Me: Don't worry, your out of the 'accumulating injuries' spotlight at least for the next chapter

Neal: YAY! This deserves a party!

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