Author's Notes: Sorry about the wait you guys, its been a long week or so. I haven't really had a lot of time to work on my stories... anyways I hope you enjoy!

The machines were beeping in a perfect rhythm and the soft whirr they created worked together to create a symphony. A symphony that was interrupted by a determined young man with crystal clear blue eyes. A hand twitched before the young man's head turned to the side restlessly with a small sigh.

Neal Caffrey inhaled sharply as his eyes slowly opened and allowed him to glimpse the world around him for the first time in nearly a week. The room around him was dark and the many signals and signs on the multiple machines around him told the con-artist that he was in his least favorite place.

For Neal hospitals were the equivalent of hell and were only topped by prison. He hated how the doctors would ask him if his stomach hurt (after already telling them that it hurt) and then regardless of the answer, prod it anyways. Or the time when he had sworn that he didn't have strep throat and that his throat was slightly aggravated because of his sinus infection.

Of course the doctor had ignored his protestations and shoved the hated swab down his throat anyways. Neal smirked at the memory. He had gotten his revenge on the doctor by showing the doctor the meaning of the words 'gag reflex'. Neal's stomach had more than readily shown the doctor the contents of his lunch, breakfast and the other night's dinner. The doc had gone through all of that just to have the strep tests come back negative and the diagnostics of a sinus infection positive.

It was a shame that the 'gag reflex' gig wouldn't help him get out of here. Neal racked his brain as he tried to figure out why he was there and started to sit up slowly. Pain shot through his torso and he hissed sharply before lying back down again. Prison, hostage, key, man, hurting and Peter were the jumbled thoughts that raced back into the fore front of his mind. The young man's brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to sort through the cluttered mess of memories. He dimly remembered a man—no Peter—beating him… remembered Ruth's betrayal and the stunned hurt that her actions had caused. Neal shifted uncomfortably as the brutal images of Peter's livid face shot across his eyes.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Neal attempted to block out the images and felt something in his brain give. It took him a while to realize that it was his emotional barrier—the one that had been fortified following Kate's death- and knew that there was nothing he could do to try and keep it intact.

But none of this made any sense. Peter had told him that Neal was like a son to him, so why would the older man beat him half-to-death?

Maybe the concern that agent had been showing was fake, suppose Peter really did hate him that much? There wasn't anything Neal could do about that except to try and make up whatever he had done wrong to the older man. The only problem was, he didn't know what he had done to warrant such horrid behavior from his partner.

With a small whimper of confusion and hurt Neal let his eyes drift shut and slid back into the darkness.

Neal found himself standing in a subway like station. In fact to be precise it was a monorail station. His friends (both from his past life and current life) were standing on both sides of the station. One group split off and boarded the current monorail and another group split up and boarded on the next monorail to pass through the station. This kept occurring until it was just Neal and Peter waiting for a ride. Peter was making small talk and acting like his normal self after a good day of work. The next mono-rail pulled in and the two partners boarded it without hesitation.

Peter gestured for Neal to go in front of him and the reformed con-artist rolled his eyes, feeling a bit hurt that Peter didn't trust him to get onto a monorail without trying to make a run for it.

A hand shot out and dragged the startled young man in as Peter roughly shoved him forward. A surprised cry of pain tore itself from his throat when a fist sank into his stomach. A familiar and unwelcome accented voice greeted him from the dark recesses of the cabin, "Hello Neal. I see that you're still inside of your territory so far. What a shame."

Keller.

Then another voice piped up, this one a bit closer than Keller's and Neal's eyes widened in horror. "I don't take kindly to being double-crossed twice Caffrey. I will find that girl and kill her with dignity of a long, slow painful death. I want you to know that it will be your fault that she dies."

The fist sank into his stomach again as Wilkes forced his hand into Neal's solar plexus. Neal choked slightly and his fearful and pained eyes sought out Peter. Surely Peter would help him, Peter must have tripped getting in and that was why he had been shoved so hard by his partner.

Something hard struck him across the jaw and Neal yelped as a sickening crack told him that it had been broken. " 'ter?" The word was forced through the aching jaw and was slightly slurred in the process.

"Shut it Caffrey." Peter snarled in response and Neal flinched back in surprised hurt.

" 'hy?"

"Because you have caused me nothing but trouble. You have no idea how many times I've had to risk my job to cover for your idiotic actions. I'm sick of it and I'm not going to have you to continue to ruin my life."

Tears leaked out of the corners of Neal's eyes as he sought out his mentor's gaze. A pair of steely brown eyes met his gaze and Neal blinked pleadingly at Peter. There was no change in the man's expression and Neal knew then that the man he had dared to hope to call his 'father' hated his guts.

There was no reason left to care about what happened to himself. There was no reason to want to go through the humdrum existence of everyday living if it meant being around people that despised him or living in a jail cell. Kate was dead. Peter hated him and Neal wondered if El's affection towards him had been faked.

He winced as another fist slammed into his ribcage and choked as a searing pain shot through his chest. The only thing racing through his mind was why….

"Neal! Neal calm down buddy, you're safe now." The voice that should have brought the younger man comfort and peace only served to agitate him more. Neal thrashed against the bindings, wait….he was bound to the bed now?

Panic set in and the ex-con artist thrashed even harder, the machines were screaming and the sound of voices shouting orders served only to confuse the young man even more.

Then a more gentle, soothing voice broke through the panicky haze that ran through his brain. "Neal, honey its ok." A gentle hand ran through his hair and Neal leaned into the caress, his heart beat slowly starting to go back to normal.

His eyes opened slightly and peered up into El's warm eyes with a sheepish grin that turned into a grimace as pain shot through his body.

"Hey…" He rasped as she smiled at him fondly.

"You feeling better?"

"I'm fine."

Peter rolled his eyes from his seat in the corner. The older man was confused by Neal's reaction to him earlier and had decided that it was best that he didn't rush things with Neal.

"You look like crap."

It took Peter a couple of seconds to realize that his charge was addressing him. "Moi?" He feigned an innocent expression as he stood up slowly.

"No, my invisible friend."

Peter ran a hand over his face and winced when he felt the stubble.

"Good to see you awake kiddo." Peter told Neal, his voice sounding a bit gruff. He was rewarded with a small smile from his partner before he saw the younger man's eyes drift shut, the drug that he'd been administered taking affect.

El just continued to smile and quickly promised Neal that the next time he woke up that he would be greeted with the sight of a heap of cookies. A small, tired smile grace the younger man's face before he drifted off completly.

It was several hours later when Neal woke up again and this time he found himself alone. Or at least he thought he was alone….

The man dressed in the white suit slumped back in his chair that occupied one of the dark corners of the room.

Author's Note: I love my DVR sooo much! Its been taping the White Collar's that are on at 1:00 in the morning on Friday nights =) I'm somewhat peeved that it didn't tape Out of the Box last night but hopefully after going through Season 2 again it'll return to Season 1.

I know this was short but I thought it was best I upload now so that you guys could have an update. Please leave me a review, you know I like them!