Just an important note, I've slightly changed the prologue to fit my story better. James Monroe has been changed to an OC character of mine – Megan Lowe. Re-read the first section of the Prologue to read a bit about her! It felt like everything would get very complicating if I had Avery chasing after an OC guy so that's when Megan popped into mind.

Megan Lowe's character appearance – think of Michelle Trachtenberg. Looks like I'm bringing back Buffy and Dawn for this story, lol.

White Collar Fanfic | Threads of Trust | Pilot – Part 1

A few hours later, Peter Burke found himself visiting the prison where Avery had been staying for the past three and ¾ years. As soon as he entered the front doors, there was a line up of five people standing there, waiting for him to arrive. Two of the women to the side were guards of a high rank, two others (men) were in business suits and then there was another guy that had a bold red tie hanging from his neck. He was the one that stood out the most, considering his suit was a polished black.

"Agent Burke." The man with the red tie smiled slightly upon seeing him enter. He took a step forwards, reaching out his hand to shake politely. "I'm Thompson." He introduced himself, "U.S. Marshals." Peter shook his hand but obviously didn't look pleased. From what he heard; they basically let Avery walk out the front door under their watch. "We appreciate the help." They let go of hands, "You are the case agent?"

Two people stopped behind Peter; they were from his division, looking to help while the others kept on going with the Dutchman's case.

"Yes, I was." He answered, nodding but kept his un-pleased gaze on the man.

Thompson still didn't understand Avery Daniels – especially with what has just happened today. Why would someone escape with only 4 months left on a four-year term? "So, you'll agree that this is an unusual situation?"

Peter agreed, "Why would Avery run with just four months left on a four-year sentence?" Voicing out the man's inner queries.

Thompson nodded, "That's what we're wondering." One of the suited men behind him came up to the pair, looking a little anxious. Thompson glanced over to him before introducing this new person to the Case Agent, "This is Warden Haskley." He said, "Agent Burke of the FBI."

Peter shook his hand, but cocked an unimpressed eyebrow, "So, you're the one who dropped the ball."

Haskley swallowed nervously, "You of all people should know what Avery Daniel's is capable of." He tried to derail the blame off himself. This has never happened to him before so long as he's been in charge. He was sure to be fired for this stunt after Daniel's gets caught again.

Peter just sent the man a humorless smile. It was true though, his sister was indeed very smart and anyone who didn't really know her couldn't imagine the things that she was actually capable of. She's a con-woman and very resourceful. He wasn't actually that surprised when he heard of her escape. But at this close to being free – something was up and he intended to find out what it was, "I know I spent three years chasing her and you pretty much let her walk out the front door."

Thompson could feel the tension building between the two, so he butted in, his tone sounding just a touch urgent when he spoke, "Gentlemen." He stopped the incoming head-banging. He headed towards the inner door, the way that led to the prison cells, "Might I remind you that Daniels has a four-hour head start?"

…

Thompson, Haskley and Burke were heading down the hallways side by side, past many of the cells that were currently unoccupied. Every prisoner was scattered across the facility doing their daily routines.

"Avery came out of the E Block Staff Bathroom and dressed as a guard." Peter repeated, having read a brief report on the way over. He glanced over to Thompson, "Where did she get the uniform?"

Thompson sighed, this was the more embarrassing part, more than the fact that Avery simply walked out of the front door. "Uniform supply company on the Internet."

'Makes sense.' Peter thought, 'Many prisoners have their ways of bringing things in from the outside. I really shouldn't be surprised that my sister did something like that too.'

"She used a credit card?"

At this point; Thompson turned a glare over to the Warden – this part was completely his wrong doing. A terrible one at that.

"She, uh," Haskley looked nervous once again, feeling the glare burning against his skin, "She used my wife's American Express." Peter couldn't help it, his lip quirked with amusement, he made sure to hide it enough, though. Peter really wasn't liking the fact that this guy was a Warden. From what he can tell, there's been mistake after mistake for this guy today. He was sure to find more faults along the way too.

Thompson ceased his glare, getting back to business, "We're tracing the number just in case she uses it again." He assured the Case Agent. If Avery Daniels was to use the credit card again – they'd know exactly where she is.

They arrived to the cell Avery had been sleeping in for nearly four years. "She won't." Peter told him, knowing Ava wouldn't be that stupid. If that's something she did – someone would have caught her years ago. After being in prison for over three years, Ava's collected quite a few things to have in her room and he'll admit, there was a sketchbook he sent her about a year on the small table, along with a few pencils. At this point she was deemed non-threatening, meaning there would be a minimal chance of a pencil stabbing happening in the future.

Peter looked over at one wall and it was completely covered with dozens upon dozens of five-streaked line symbols – each one counting five days that have gone by. They were marked on the wall by a felt tip pen and in other places there were a couple of sketches and artwork. They really were very good – she always had a gift in the arts. He just never thought she'd take this route and become another criminal he had to put away behind bars.

While he inspected everything in the room, he distractedly asked, "How did she get the key card for the gate?" Every Guard needed a key card in order to get in and out of the cell block.

Thompson leaned against the barred doorway, gesturing over to the recorder player while doing so, "Well, we think she re-striped a utility card, using the record head on that." Peter went over to the tape machine and pulled out the tape currently inside, it was marked, 'Ava's Mix #61'. This machine was so old that he was surprised it still played anything.

"Probably should have given her a CD Player instead." He commented, closing up the tape player before looking around the room again. Peter sat down on the bed, it was covered in stuff and it was pretty much everything that could be found that could be connected with the escape plan she pulled. He started to flip through a truck manual as Thompson continued to re-tell Avery's plan of escapee – the one that succeeded.

"She just walked out of the front door and hot-wired a maintenance truck in the parking lot." He explained. "We found it abandoned near an airport. We've beefed up Security just in case she tried to get out that way." Referring to Airport Security.

Peter let out a small scoff under his breath. There was a reason as to why Ava broke out of prison this early, earning herself another four years if she's caught and flying away on a plane to another country just isn't something she'd do in this situation. He may not really know her personally anymore … since her late teen years, but he still knew her. She was still his sister. "You're not going to catch Avery using road blocks and wanted posters." Speaking out his thoughts, flipping through the several books and leaflets littered all over her cell bed. The two that stood out was a leaflet for airport valet staff and a Dummies book on the make-up of a truck's structure, much like the one she had stolen in the parking lot.

Peter couldn't help but catch the strong whiff of coffee beans surrounding him and just over to the side, he saw a small bowl with a darkened paste in it. It smelt a little foul to him. His brows creased, nodding over to the substance, "What's that?" Picking the bowl up that barely had any of the mixture left in it, just a pungent smell.

Haskley could answer that, "She dyed her hair just before escaping – it's how the guards didn't recognise her leaving."

Peter frowned, looking confused. He knew Ava loved her shade of hair colour and it sounded odd that she'd go to that length in order to get out of this place. Something prompted her to leave before her sentence end date and it must have been a very important reason to do so. Especially with only four months left.

"I need to know when she last had a visitor." An inkling started forming in his head.

…

Haskley skimmed through the visitor records quickly, focusing on the last two weeks, trying to find Avery's name and the name of a visitor next to it. He remembered briefly someone coming to see the woman, a younger girl, but he couldn't recall much more than that.

"She had a visitor." He announced, finding Avery's name and another signed next to it.

Megan Lowe.

Peter looked over his shoulder and stared down at the book – Megan Lowe, he remembered that girl. He still didn't know what kind of a connection she had with Avery but he knew very well that the younger girl was greatly cared for. It's how he was able to finally catch his sister and lock her away. He had to use that connection to his advantage.

Thompson looked over too, but he didn't recognise the name, "Megan Lowe?" He questioned, "You know her?" Looking over to the FBI agent.

Peter sighed, nodding his head, "Yeah." He replied, "I do."

…

The black and white video of Megan last coming to visit was now up on the screen in front of the three men – they watched as a long-haired brunette around the age of 22 talk to Avery but she didn't look happy. She almost looked sad. The video was silent and no voices appeared out of the speaker, only a video to watch and interpret.

"No audio?" Peter questioned, hating the silence.

Haskley paced behind him, "No." He answered, stripping his jacket off before flinging it over his desk chair. They were currently in his office watching the tape – the base station for everything that goes on in this prison he wardens.

Thompson got curious, he was flipping through week after week of the visitor log. "This girl comes back week after week." He exclaimed, a little surprised, "Two times a week in fact, almost at the same exact same time and day."

Peter was actually the first to recognise that the girl in the video wasn't looking too happy this time about the visit. "She's not thrilled about this visit." The brunette kept shaking her head, glancing over her shoulder towards the exit door. Thompson and Haskley stood behind the Agent, watching as the scene unfolded.

The brunette, Megan, finally stood up from her chair hastily while she spoke again towards Ava. Avery was still sitting down, but her head shook slowly, almost as if there could be disbelief running off her in waves.

Thompson glanced over to Haskley, "How soon can we get a lip-reader in here?"

"I'll save you the trouble." Peter butted in, already having a bit of experience in the trade. It wasn't exactly hard and he's had to do it a few times before in the past. He squinted his eyes towards the screen, beginning to read off Megan's lips the best he could. "Adios Ava … it's been real."

Peter couldn't tear his eyes from the screen, there was something that made him pause but he didn't exactly know why. Looking closely at Megan – she looked terribly similar to Avery in a way. Mostly in the face. "Did she come back the next week?"

Thompson shook his head, "No, she never came back again after this." He said almost sadly. The two women obviously had a good relationship going, no matter what it was. Avery in the video stood up sharply in almost a panicked way when Megan quickly walked away – they could see the blonde calling out for the girl to stop. But she didn't – Megan just left the building and for the last time too.

"Alright." A game plan formed in Peter's head – he's gonna have to do the same as he did last time. Find Megan in order to find Ava. "Let's find Megan."

…

In an abandoned apartment, on the third floor, Ava sat against a post that kept the ceiling where it was. The apartment that she was in had been completely emptied and there was no piece of furniture or life in sight. It was empty and completely dead inside, much like how Ava was feeling right about now. Her head was leaning back against the post, her hands grasping around an 1891 Bordeaux bottle of wine, an empty one.

It took her only a few hours to find this place; the apartment Megan had been living in for the past few years after her capture. It was a good size and was perfect for a young adult like her – Ava was proud to say that Megan was a quick learner when it came to the trade. Initially, she hadn't wanted the younger girl to follow in her footsteps but Megan wanted to – the brunette wanted to stay with Ava rather than go back to where she used to be.

Ava could vaguely hear footsteps entering the apartment but she didn't bother to turn around, she had a feeling as to whom it might actually be. "I see Megan moved out." The familiar voice called out to her, the footsteps moving closer before making a stop.

Ava couldn't help but let a quirk on her lips form, it's been a while since she's heard that voice. And of course, she knew he'd find her eventually, especially if she sat here all day and waited. She stayed silent, so he continued, "She leave you a message in that?" Referring to the bottle in her hands. Only half her body could be seen from the front door where Peter walked in from but he could easily see the bottle.

Avery looked numbly at the bottle, "The bottle is the message." She replied after a moment, a sadness in her tone. She couldn't seem to figure out the true message from this bottle and only one conclusion has sprung to mind – one that she didn't want to accept. One that she couldn't. She's been sitting in this apartment for well over an hour now and still nothing. All she could think was that Megan's words to her may be true all those weeks ago – she may have actually parted this time, for good.

Peter let a small smile lift on his face, it's been almost four years since seeing his sister and it felt really nice to hear her voice again, to see her again. Even if he was there to once again take her into custody – giving her another four-year sentence for her boneheaded escape. "It's been a while."

Ava hummed, nodding her head a little, her eyes still locked onto the bottle in her hands. "It has, hasn't it?" She replied, "More than a few years at least." It didn't hurt a little that he never came to visit her but she did get the occasional card on her birthday and a phone call or two.

Peter had to ask, "Are you carrying?" Although, he already knew the answer to that question. It was kind of stupid to ask at this point.

Avery rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on." She sighed, "You know I hate guns and besides, you know I wouldn't shoot you." It was true, she's been shot once or twice in the past – not that many people actually knew that of course. Once bullet went clean through and another just grazed her leg.

Peter started moving forwards again, walking around to the side so he can get a full frontal view of his sister. "They've asked me 'What makes a girl like you pull a boneheaded escape with only four months to go?'" He really wanted to figure it out as well and he knew there was something about Megan that he didn't quite know yet. He was aching to know the answer to that question. They could just be best friends but it felt like it was more than that.

A humourless smile reached onto her lips, "You figured it out pretty quickly." She applauded lightly.

By this time, Peter was now in front of her, taking in what Avery now looked like. Her hair was indeed dark from roots to ends and obviously, she looked a bit older than when she first went into the cell. He had to say, dark hair actually suited her but the blonde worked better with her eyes. "So, who is Megan?" He finally asked a question that's been bugging him for a while. "Really?"

Ava bit her lip, not wanting to tell him who Megan really was to her (for safety and privacy reasons) but she could feel his eyes staring at her, waiting for an answer – she knew he wouldn't stop inquiring. Finally, she just sighed, giving in, "Megan's my sister, Peter." She revealed, finally looking up to him with a seriousness in her eyes.

Peter looked take aback, "Huh?" He murmured, wondering if he heard right. He knew, obviously, that Avery had been adopted into the family when she was eleven. He had been old enough to remember enough detail. Was that why she left the moment she turned 18? To find her real family?

"She's my blood sister – my little sister." She let out a breath, finally putting the bottle onto the wooden floor, the tap echoing throughout the room. She looked up to him. "I missed her by TWO days." That was the frustrating part about all this; she could have escaped last week because she already had everything in place. However, last week had a lot more guards on duty and today there wasn't.

Peter finally startled himself back to reality, getting back to the human conversation. He made a note to really look into this Megan Lowe the moment Avery was back behind bars. "Still, it only took you a few weeks to escape a super-max." He commented, almost sounded proud behind his words, not that he'd admit that out loud. He really shouldn't say something like that given who he was. "It's pretty impressive." He went with instead.

Avery chuckled slightly, she already knew that, "Oh, I know." She boasted lightly, knowing she could be sounding very arrogant at that point.

Another quirk lifted on his lips as Peter raised the walkie-talkie towards his face, speaking into the microphone. "All clear." He said, "Subject identified and unarmed." Another man on the other end acknowledged what he said. Most likely preparing to enter the building with guns and handcuffs.

It was then that the thought finally hit her – there must be other officers with Peter and surrounding the place. He wouldn't have skipped out on the detail to find her by himself. He's too goody for breaking the rules, unlike her must she admit. "We're surrounded aren't we?" Already knowing the answer.

Peter sighed, putting away the radio into his jacket, nodding his head, "Yeah."

"How many?" Ava was just simply curious and besides, she really didn't want to end up being one of those prisoner escapees that gets shot in the head for running, especially if a swat team was outside and waiting.

"Including my agents and the marshals … all of them, I think." Peter noticed her eyes flicker back over to the bottle sitting on the floor, "What's the message?" Knowing by the look forming on her face, it meant that there was one.

Avery just gave him a shrug, "It means 'Goodbye'." … for now … she might be able to figure out another message later on but as for right now, she really couldn't see any alternative.

"Siblings." Peter commented with a feigned annoyed tone, rolling his eyes but there was a smile on his face. "They're a handful." Putting two meanings into his statement.

Avery scoffed, shaking her head. "No kidding." She muttered.

Peter took a good look at his sister before really getting to the point, one that he really didn't want to mention, "You know … we're gonna have to give you another four years for this stunt." Honestly not wanting to but the law's the law. Avery broke it and now she's gonna have to pay the price.

Avery knew she should be bothered about that concept and she was sure that if another person were in her position, they would be begging their brother to not do that to them. But, to be honest, she didn't care about the fact that she's going to be in a cell for another four years. It wasn't all that bad, just very boring about 97% of the time. "I don't care." She murmured, taking another look at the bottle. The whole reason for escaping was to find Megan and that turned out to be a bust. The younger girl left like she said she would – there wasn't any chance of stopping it now.

With a sigh, she looked back over to her brother, about to let him take her in but something amusing finally caught her eye. A laugh just burst out of her, making her feel just a touch better than before.

Peter now looked at her confused, his eyebrows furrowing as she laughed, "What?" Looking a tad defensive.

Avery slowly got up on her feet, fully turned to him as she stood. She eyed the suit with a smile of remembrance, "That's the same suit you wore when you arrested me." She had a good memory.

Peter didn't realise that but he shouldn't be surprised if it were true. He's been wearing the same suits for over five years now. He liked re-using clothing and he hated shopping – he stuck to what he knew in that world. "Mm." He hummed, looking down at himself for a second before slipping his hands into his pockets, "Classics never go out of style."

Suddenly, a little spark of colour immediately caught Avery's eye – she narrowed her eyes to something on his shoulder and laying on it seemed to be a thin strand of something. It looked very familiar. She started to reach over to it but gathered her brother's wary look in the process. After assuring she wasn't going to cause him harm, she grabbed the strand and looked at it carefully. It was red, almost like a wire but too thin to actually be one. It was a balance between the two.

"Do you know what this is?" She asked her brother, curiously raising an eyebrow towards him. She already knew what it was after a careful look – and that's when the idea came to mind, another plan of sorts.

Peter huffed, shaking his head. "No idea." He admitted, not having the faintest idea on what it could be. Not even a room full of Harvard Graduates knew either. "I got it from a case that I was supposed to be working on before they yanked me off to find you." He silently knew he shouldn't be talking about other cases with a felon but didn't really care right now. This Dutchman was in the midst off pulling his hair out with frustration.

Avery had an unusual look on her face, something of which Peter never caught. "Do you think you'll catch him?"

Peter sighed, shaking his head. "Don't know." Let's just say it's not looking very likely right now. "He's good." He complimented the felon, looking up to her while his next sentence was almost a tease, "Maybe as good as you."

Ava just smiled, nodding her head to herself, not actually taking that statement in at all. She already knew she was good and this Dutchmen just sounded fascinating if anything. She held up the strand higher towards his face, "What's it worth if I tell you what this is?" Her brother suddenly stared at her, unsure of what her game was. "Is it worth you finally visiting me … just once?"

Peter didn't know what to think, "What are you talking about?"

Now she looked serious. "If I tell you what this is right now-" Gesturing to the strand in her hand, "-will you agree to finally visit me after all these years? One week from today."

The sounds of Agents coming into the apartment could be heard but Avery didn't let that distract her. She hoped her brother would say 'Yes'. The Agents outside were yelling about every room being 'All Clear' and she knew there wasn't much time left until she was taken away again.

It was a second before Peter finally responded, "Okay." He owed her at least several visits anyway.

Inside; Ava breathed a sigh of relief but then held up her end of the bargain. The Agents finally entered the room with guns held at the ready, she spoke quickly. "It's a security fibre for the new Canadian 100-dollar bill." She revealed, passing over the strand.

An Agent swiftly arrested her once again with her hands behind her back, cuffs being placed around her wrists, she gave her brother one last look before they dragged her away. Peter had to watch her get taken away again, but this time, it wasn't him throwing her into a cop car.

"One week, Peter!" Ava called out to him before she vanished, knowing that he would keep up his end of the bargain anyway. He wasn't the type of man to break deals and promises – especially with her.

Ah, finally done. Hope you loved it!

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