(Chapter 11)
Neal didn't know what to say. How could he explain his reasoning? He had thought Peter was dead because of him so he wanted to die too? No that wasn't it. It wasn't that he "wanted" to die, he could easily have lived but with Nick on the loose, would anyone else be safe? The box had been all he could think of to get rid of the other him that still threatened his sanity and his way of life. Peter seemed to be waiting for an answer as he took another sip of the water and asked for more. Peter complied, watching him with silent regard drinking the water till it was gone. Finally, Neal spoke.
"He... Nick wanted you dead, Peter. He wanted everything that kept me who I was gone. I couldn't deal with that. He was... stronger than I thought so I did... I did what I thought would get rid of him."
He averted his eyes, staring to the right where the window lay curtained. There was a hint of light in the background just enough to let him know the sun was there. It made him think of the darkness Soren had opened up within him. What was there to keep Nick from returning? He had tried and failed, nearly killing a guard and then practically killing Peter. They should lock him up.
"That's your excuse?"
Neal turned and blinked, the tone of his friend chiding but then a smile and sigh escaped the agent's stiff expression.
"You have more control than you think, Neal."
He was further confused when the agent pulled out his phone, pushed a few buttons then handed it over to him. Neal took the cell as if it might bite him, watching the agent cautiously before turning his attention to what was on the screen.
"Just scroll through. Mozzie gave these to Diana and she passed them along to Jones. He can't control you, Neal."
Neal scrolled through the pictures, eyes widening in surprise as he saw what had really happened. Nick had hidden things from him and he had hidden things from Nick. This proved he was innocent but what if he had done it and Nick had effectively hidden the facts from him. He might be proved unable to know right from wrong but then he'd be locked up in a loony bin for ever. He handed the phone back to the agent feeling both better and worse. Peter put his good hand on his shoulder.
"We'll find someone to help you, Neal. You can be who you were again. I'll be there every step of the way. I promise. You're not alone."
He heard the sincerity in Peter's voice but couldn't think how to react.
"If he hid that I was innocent, what if he hides other things from me Peter? What if I wake up with y... with blood on my hands and no memory of what happened. I don't want to take that risk."
He felt a hint of something rushing up in the background, a voice speaking over his own thoughts. Peter kept his hand on his shoulder not realizing what was happening.
"Neal, I don't care how long it takes. We'll help you with this. El and I. She doesn't know exactly what happened although... I think she suspects something."
Neal felt an odd smile grow on his face hidden when the agent looked at him. He wasn't sure what was going on as Peter's voice seemed to change and mute and Neal felt himself changing. Dark laughter filled his mind.
"Elizabeth is smart, Peter. She probably knows more than you think."
He watched the agent nod, brown eyes thoughtful as he looked at him. The laughter continued in the background, drowning out anything Peter said after that as it grew louder. Neal didn't know what was going on, a kind of trance coming over him.
"Neal? Hey... buddy."
He heard a snapping sound and realized Peter was snapping his fingers at him.
"I'm ok... Peter. I just... could you get me another cup of water?"
He smiled at the agent, handing him back the cup from before. Peter nodded, taking the cup and turning towards the sink. Neal watched him, a hand tapping him on the shoulder.
I told you I wouldn't go away. Your friends aren't safe.
Nick's voice rung in his ears as he turned to see nobody there. Neal turned left and right before realizing he wasn't in bed anymore. He was standing, a syringe in his hand he didn't remember having before. His mind was blank as to how he was up and about and the needle...
"Peter?"
He looked around, eyes moving down to the foot of the bed where he found his friend laying still and slumped, eyes staring ahead glassily. Neal crouched down beside the agent, shaking him.
"Peter... wake up. Peter!"
The laughter returned as Nick stood there smiling, his dark blue eyes sparkling.
You think he'll ever trust you after this, Neal? He's never going to help you now. You tried to kill him once, now a second time. They'll lock you away in a rubber room and throw away the key... IF he lives.
Neal stared up at the figure and stood, his hands clenched at his sides. Nick continued to laugh, a cold smile on his face as Neal felt the anger grow in him. Peter was hurt and he had to call for help. He turned to reach for the nurse call but Nick stopped him.
You can't call anyone Neal. They'll take you away. El will never forgive you... you're just a killer, Neal. You and I are one and the same...
He'd had enough. His hands were clenched tightly at his side before he finally broke down and jumped Nick. His alter ego looked surprised as Neal threw him to the ground and started punching at him.
"I'm nothing like you! You're not me! Soren made you! Go away! Leave me alone! Leave my friends alone!"
Neal just punched at the figure, Nick's smile fading as he started to feel pain and tried to hold up a hand to protect himself but Neal just kept hitting him over and over. He saw his other self flinch and finally cry out.
"Soren made you but I don't have to deal with you anymore! This is MY life!"
Nick was bruised and battered, split lip and black eye as he flinched away from Neal. His other self looked cowed by his show of strength.
"Did I make myself clear?"
He stood up and Nick cowered again, nodding back as Neal smiled. He wasn't a violent person but to protect his friends he had to be if only this once.
Crystal... now what?
Nick's voice was definitely less sarcastic, tone more uncertain as their eyes met but his turned away from the strength Neal showed.
"You keep doing what you do under my control. You were wrong about many things Nick but the fact I need you wasn't one of them."
He saw a glimmer show before he glared at this other him and Nick cowered back further.
"You do what I say and we'll get along just fine..."
Neal held out a hand to the darker him, Nick looking at him as if he didn't understand until finally he took it and the scene faded to the sound of worried voices.
"Is he going to be ok? We were just talking and then suddenly... he just started seizing!"
It was Peter talking as Neal's eyes opened and two blurry forms stood over him. A third came around his right, eyes following them till they focused to see it was a nurse and the other two figures were his doctor and Peter. They continued to whisper around him suddenly noticing his open eyes.
"Neal? Hey buddy..."
There was a kind of quiet in his mind, a peace he hadn't had for the past few weeks or years. The guilt over Chris had left him finally. He felt something else he wasn't sure of until he locked eyes with Peter.
"Peter? I..."
The agent looked at him curiously, no signs of the earlier scene where he had hurt him. In fact now the scene seemed more like a dream and he realized that Nick had tricked him. Peter's hand squeezed his as the monitors calmed and the doctor and nurse finished their assessment.
"He seems to be ok now. I want to take an MRI again to be certain."
Neal slumped back against the bed exhausted. He didn't understand why he was so tired as Peter continued to hold his hand.
()()()
Peter waited outside the MRI room, Elizabeth finally showing up to meet with him once her client meeting had ended. Mr. Feng Shui as they'd dubbed him had called her back for a meeting about his party. She had not been in the mood to deal with it since that night but when she had been honest with him, the man had taken that as a sign she was a good business person. He wanted her to do his next event in two months. Peter hugged her back, both sitting in the waiting room as they tried not to think anything but positive thoughts for their friend.
"He's going to be ok, Peter. It might take time..."
Elizabeth paused as they saw the doctor walk out. Dr. Marrin smiled at them which made them more secure as he neared them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Burke... I have good news."
Both blinked at him, Peter glad to see the physician was smiling and without any hidden bad news it seemed.
"Mr. Caffrey's MRI was cleaner this time. Very little seizure activity in his brain. I think his episodes are going away. I would still suggest a visit to a psychiatrist to be safe with what you've told me, but I think the worse of this is behind him. We'll keep him over night for observation."
Peter felt relief as they thanked the doctor and shook his hand. He smiled warmly at them as they saw Neal taken out on a gurney.
"He seemed tired which is why we didn't use a wheelchair. Mr. Caffrey will be in his room again soon and you can visit with him."
They nodded to the doctor as they followed along and talked with him before they ended up at Neal's room yet again. They watched the young man moved from the gurney to his bed, Neal seemingly relaxed and sleeping well. Peter smiled knowing his friend was doing better.
"Thank you doctor."
()()()
It was barely a week later that Neal was back in his apartment at June's waiting for Peter to pick him up. The past month and all that had happened in it seemed little more than a dream as he tried not to think about it. The con ran a hand through his hair, dressed in a pair of light brown khakis, a white linen shirt and light brown top-sider loafers. He paced some before sitting down at the sofa again. He seemed anxious.
"So they let you off for another few weeks for a psych eval? I'd run if I were you, Neal. If the Suits weren't trying to control you, the shrinks will."
Neal rolled his eyes watching as Mozzie swirled a glass of wine in his hands while he was stuck with ginger ale. They had him on a light regiment of drugs to control the few seizures his mind was still having so no alcohol. They weren't obvious seizures but enough from the MRI to know he needed something to make sure nothing happened between his release and his next appointment. The hospital shrink had seen him and on his evaluation Neal was given something to help with the seizures till his appointment today with his new doctor. The new psychiatrist would suggest a further plan of what he might have to take or not.
"Peter's late."
He said it without much inflection making Mozzie looked up from his glass.
"Maybe El has the car?"
Neal shook his head as he put his glass down and walked to the terrace. He glanced over the side but didn't see the Taurus any where below. Mozzie had come to join him.
"Elizabeth is out of town on business."
He was distracted, looking down again when he saw a familiar blue car pulling along the curb and parking. Mozzie peeked over and nodded.
"There's your Suit. Have fun at the shrink, Neal. Don't let them brain wash you into becoming a pillar of society."
Neal watched his friend move away, glass placed in the sink as Mozzie started to leave the room. He nearly bumped into Peter who was already coming up the stairs. He heard something muffled said between them as Peter walked over with a curious glance.
"Is Mozzie drunk?"
The agent sounded serious but Neal just shrugged.
"No more than usual. I'm ready. Let me grab my jacket."
()()()
Peter could tell from Neal's body language that his partner was nervous about meeting with the psychiatrist. He hid it well enough to the untrained eye but there was a certain something missing the agent could see from years of watching the con. He'd been free of his alter ego since that day they'd gone to visit him in the hospital. Peter hoped that meant things were done with whatever Sorenson had created but the higher ups (Hughes hadn't really told them anything beyond it being some kind of Post Traumatic stress) wanted to be certain by having Neal attend some therapy and today's included regression and hypnosis.
"I'm sure the therapist will be nice."
Neal turned and glanced at him briefly, expression shuttered for the most part.
"I'm sure they are."
He didn't say anything else, his attention back to staring out the window as Peter let the young man do what he had to do to relax. He wanted to push and find out what his friend was feeling but Neal was obviously not in a talkative mood. After driving for a bit, they reached an old brownstone in a small homey area towards midtown, a building obviously from another era that had been renovated. Dr. Moran had offices in their home, a sign out front indicating they ring the bell as they exited the vehicle and did as instructed. A staticy female voice came over the box after a moment.
"Yes?"
Peter spoke up.
"My name is Peter Burke. My friend has an appointment with you. Neal Caffrey."
He heard silence a moment then a buzz and a click as the door unlocked.
"Come right in, Mr. Burke and Caffrey. First door on the right."
()()()
Neal didn't want to go to the shrink but knew if he didn't he would either be put away in prison or worse some kind of mental ward. Both weren't options he looked forward to so he did what needed to be done. Nick was behaving himself so maybe the psychiatrist would tell him he was fixed and could go back to his normal life. That's what he wanted to hear.
They entered the old brownstone, a long tan wooden staircase going upwards with a shiny polished banister and railing. The first floor was a combination of tile near the door that turned to wood for the rest of the foyer-like area. It was highly polished but he wasn't sure what kind of wood it was as they crossed to the first door on the right. Another door was off to the left at the bottom of the stairs closed, while two more sat to the right.
Peter knocked and both men waited till they heard quick footsteps from the other side and the turn of the knob. A woman in her mid to late 40s, graying blond hair pulled back in a loose braid glanced back at them. She wore a pair of dark blue denim jeans with a light blue cardigan type sweater over a plain black t-shirt. She was casual looking for a shrink, blinking at them from behind small dark framed glasses.
"Mr. Burke and Caffrey..."
She was looking between them as she spoke, Peter nodding when she said his name while Neal remained quiet. Dr. Moran smiled as she ushered them into what appeared to be a very nice library. It had a large window towards the right as they entered which was currently curtained leaving the room in shadow but for a few lamps scattered around the room for a cozy warm feeling. There were shelves built into the surrounding walls reaching up to the high ceiling above full of books, various knickknacks and pictures. A small wooden desk sat in the far corner in a kind of niche with it's own personal lamp, computer and small shelving also built into the walls. Neal guessed it had once been a large closet or pantry of some kind as he took in the renovated quarters and noted the comfy chairs and sofa centered in the middle of the room. Dr. Moran pointed at the seating area as she closed the door, then walked over to the desk and picked up a small legal pad and pen.
"Please make yourselves at home. Did you want anything to drink? I have a mini-fridge by my desk if you want water, soda or juice. I also have some grapes and cantaloupe if you're interested."
Both men declined, Neal walking around the room a moment before finally settling into a nice large comfy blue chair in the seating area. Peter sat on the sofa to his right as the doctor took the other arm chair nearly across from him. He thought she looked satisfied with the set up.
"This is just a preliminary meeting but I did want to see if possibly... Mr. Caffrey, I would like to see how well you do with hypnosis therapy. I've had similar cases to yours where this worked. Some people do very well with it, and some... well it depends on the person really."
She looked at him expectantly, Peter trying to pretend he wasn't there for his sake. He nodded.
"I've never been hypnotized before... and you can call me Neal."
Dr. Moran nodded smiling as she held out her hand, leaning across the space. Neal took it and felt how warm her hands were, long thin artistic fingers grasping his firmly.
"Emily."
She paused a moment looking at Peter then back at Neal.
"I have a TV room if you would like to wait there, Mr. Burke?"
Peter glanced at him curiously as Neal gave a slight shake of his head. He wanted Peter there. Maybe he was believing what Mozzie said or maybe he just needed a familiar face nearby. The doctor noticed and smiled.
"That's fine. Just please remain as quiet as possible..."
She paused for the agent's name.
"Peter."
"Thank you, Peter. Neal, shall we begin? I just have some basic questions about what happened to you before we get started. I understand the delicacy of your situation working with the Bureau so give as many details as you feel comfortable with."
()()()
Peter listened to the story that Neal told her, a very bare bones version that had all the necessary details including a clandestine mission that had started the ball rolling originally 10 years ago. Well she obvious didn't know he was a con and this was Neal's call for the moment. He needed to feel comfortable and Peter would be quiet as requested, the younger man looking at him off and on when he didn't break in. Neal seemed thankful for his silence and yet more so for his presence. He just tried to be there as a comfort if anything for his friend as Neal finished and they both watched Emily Moran finish writing on her legal pad. She seemed to be mentally editing everything she'd heard as she wrote it smiling all the while and showing great interest.
"Very interesting. So this man held a grudge and basically took you under the influence and made you another person?"
He saw Neal nod in reply as Emily looked up and took in his quiet demeanor. The con seemed cowed in a way despite his usual confidence. The past month had changed Neal in many ways if not Peter's view of him. Seeing this other side to his friend had both fascinated and scared him, but Neal was his partner and more so his friend. He would support his recovery in any way possible. Peter watched as Emily rose and brought an item back from the large bookshelf. It appeared to be a metronome of some kind with an added feature he found curious.
"I think you've seen a metronome before, Neal? This is my own little invention of sorts. Let me get it started..."
She wound the item up before gently pulling the arm to one side then letting go. A steady click click click sound started from the box that at first seemed loud and very monotonous but there was a slight hint of red and gold flashing brightly on the top as it hit the light nearby. Emily smiled and pointed to the item that swung atop the arm, Neal's eyes drawn to the item. She turned to Peter and whispered.
"Don't look at this."
He nodded already getting a bit dizzy from watching as he turned enough to observe without seeing the flashing red stone and metal disc as they flashed back and forth. Neal's eyes seemed to be crossing as he watched it, body still somewhat stiff but relaxing slowly as Emily spoke quietly to him.
"Follow the red stone with your eyes Neal and listen to the soft tick tick ticking of the metronome. Your eyes may start to feel heavy after a bit. It's ok. I'm here and my voice is the only one you need to listen to. Nothing will hurt you and everything you see while under the influence will not hurt you. It is all memories."
Neal's expression was slowly blanking out but he nodded, eyes still moving back and forth with the movement of the metronome but beginning to droop, eye lids closing... Peter was surprised to see the young man falling so easily under the influence. He wanted to check it out for himself but the doctor must have notice, holding up a hand for him to stay back as she quietly stopped the metronome.
"Neal... can you hear me?"
The young man nodded his head, Peter watching with interest at this spectacle. He didn't believe in hypnosis either but so far Dr. Moran seemed to know her stuff. She smiled at him briefly before returning to her patient.
"Good. There should be three doors in the room you're in. The door to your right leads to your subconscious. I want you to open it up."
Neal nodded, turning slightly to his right where he sat as his hand reached out to turn some invisible knob. Peter noticed the young man hesitating, hand hovering over the unseen item. Emily must have seen too.
"Neal, nothing can hurt you behind that door. I promise. You are merely an observer so please, open the door."
He continued to hesitate, hand shaking as he turned towards her voice and shook his head.
"I can't. If I open the door he'll... come out again."
Neal's face was tight as he spoke, eyes moving beneath closed lids as he seemed to see things that weren't there. Peter wanted to say something but again, Emily held up a hand.
"Neal, who else is there?"
The young man's face was tighter now but then something happened and he started to smile. Peter felt a chill as the smile darkened and grew colder to a kind of smirk.
"You should have listened to him, doctor. I'm not a nice person like Neal is. Soren made sure of that."
Neal's eyes popped open, blue eyes darker than Peter remembered as the young man glanced at Emily coldly. The agent had met Nick once before and got ready to act if this other persona did anything. Emily saw his reaction, curiosity obvious as she held up a hand and told him to keep back for now. Nick turned and looked at Peter, a cold emotionless glare on his face.
"So, if you're not Neal, who are you?"
Emily ignored the threats and posing of this other Neal and although she looked a bit tense Peter thought she had possibly dealt with something like this before. He watched Neal / Nick turn back to her with a predatory glance.
"Nick DeCarres. Watch out doctor... I bite."
He gave a wide toothy grin only to have his head hit the back of the chair hard as if he'd been socked. Peter looked worried as did the psychiatrist but soon the dark blue of Neal's eyes softened to a more relaxed normal tone. There was fear there as those eyes shut and the con slumped against the chair. His lips moved slightly, words nearly audible.
"Closed... closed the door. I can't let him out."
Neal sounded like a little kid, innocent and frightened. Emily reached to touch his hand but his eyes popped open, that coldness there again. Those emotionless eyes turned to look at Peter.
"You can't trust him. He has secrets. I'll tell you if you let me stay."
The face was like Keller's, the voice similar. He thought about the antithesis of his friend who'd nearly killed him and now ran free. If he ever turned into Keller... he couldn't think about it as he watched the stranger before him. There were things about Neal he'd like to know but not like this. It wasn't natural. He wanted the young man to talk to him on his own, not forced or under duress.
"I wouldn't let you stay if you told me he had anything I was looking for, Nick."
Emily peered between the both of them curious about the conversation as Nick shrugged.
"Oh, but I have a particular juicy bit of gossip. U might enjoy it."
Nick grinned ever so slightly but Peter gave a sound of derision, turning his head a moment as if to push the figure away. That seemed to upset Nick more.
"Don't ignore me, Agent Burke. I can make sure he never comes back. He may have pushed me aside but I'm not one to stay hidden."
That was when he saw Emily look worried and start the metronome back up. Nick turned towards her with angry eyes. She drew his attention to her.
"I think it's time we end this. Neal... Neal talk to me."
The smirk remained but slowly those dark blue eyes began to follow the arm of the metronome and his face softened.
"Neal?"
Peter watched his partner's face contort, fighting something it seemed before his eyes drooped, closing and he seemed to relax. Peter looked at her but she held up a hand to remain quiet.
"Neal... you are in control. Nobody can hurt you, not even Nick. Remember that. YOU are in control. Now, close and lock the door and head towards the stairs on your left. They will lead you out. When you reach the bottom most step, you will awaken and feel calm and relaxed."
Emily started to count down as if following his steps before snapping her fingers and Neal woke up. She stopped the metronome, putting it behind her on the table there before reaching over to pat him on the knee.
"How do you feel?"
Neal looked a bit confused despite what she had said. His eyes were looking at the clock then at his own watch. Peter wondered what he was thinking.
"I feel ok. So... what happened?"
His eyes turned to Peter's and he saw a flush to the young man's cheeks. Maybe he really didn't remember.
"We talked to Nick. What can you tell me about him?"
The flush grew, Neal's cheeks obviously pink with a combination of embarrassment and uncertainty. Peter wasn't sure how to take the expression where the con usually held his own.
"He tried to... I tried to kill my friends."
Neal flushed even more red, eyes paling in memory but a hand on his shoulder made him turn to see Peter beside him.
"You didn't do anything, Neal. Sorenson did."
Emily seemed to be watching them curiously but nodded in agreement.
"Your partner is right, Neal. There are several schools of thought out there on split personalities. Some say that it's a need or want to do something you can't or won't so you create a new persona. In this case you did not create it but someone else did."
He watched Neal nod slightly but still look tormented at the thought of Nick being loose as they listened to Emily speak.
"This is a created persona. It's formed from elements of your own personality but it's not you. It's artificial. There may be some elements of truth in Nick that you secretly wish to have or have held back doing but he is just a facet of your personality. He's not you."
Neal just nodded blankly, leaning back in the chair and looking exhausted. Peter made a motion to the doctor as she moved over to her desk.
"Is he going to be ok?"
Peter watched her place her closed notebook with her thoughts on the desk before reaching down to open up the small mini fridge and offer him a water.
"It's still early but I think we can help Mr. Caffrey control his urges. It will change him you know if he loses too much of 'Nick's' personality. All of us have different facets that if lost change us. I get the feeling Nick is large part of your friend. He's an ex-con isn't he?"
Peter stiffened knowing he hadn't told her of Neal's past and Hughes had sent the file over without specifying the con's actual records except for being a consultant. She touched his arm and smiled.
"Sorry, I guess I wasn't supposed to know. He's non-violent which is evident and fears hurting others. Probably hates guns. I just... let's say I've worked with enough ex-cons to sense one. I can tell you're friends."
Peter blinked then nodded as he relaxed. He was hoping this wouldn't change anything and she seemed to understand.
"You trust him and he trusts you. I won't let knowing he's an ex-con color my evaluation. Let me set up another appointment for next week."
He nodded their voices low as they spoke. He turned to see how Neal was and found the young man gone and the door open. Emily was busy looking through her appointment book as he excused himself and walked out into the hallway. The front door was still closed but the door at the bottom of the stairs was slightly ajar.
"Neal?"
Peter walked into the room and found a room filled wall to wall with electronics. It was like the home theater of your dreams with the biggest LCD screen he'd ever seen next to the one at the FBI conference room and DVDs and VHS tapes lining the shelves around the room. Another corner held a couple of computer stations, smaller TVs and video games like Wii or PlayStation. He figured this must be the room she spoke of earlier. The games were probably to evaluate as well as to entertain. He saw a list of various games he'd seen and heard about through friends and colleagues. There was another door off to the right that was secreted amongst the shelving as he headed towards it.
"Neal?"
The room was dimly lit, empty and sparse but for a few chairs and a small love seat. Most of the furniture was pushed aside as if this were a large walk-in storage space. He didn't see any way out of the room and wondered if Neal was in here at all until he heard the door slam shut and lock behind him.
"We're finally alone, Peter. Neal wanted to say good-bye but I'm afraid he's not available right now."
()()()
Emily Moran wasn't surprised by the personality Neal showed but there was something hinky here. This was not the alter ego of a normal individual. Mannerisms indicated a fear of being locked up and a need to take what wasn't there's. She sensed a deep jealousy and loneliness as well and knew once their session was done, she should ask more into the young man's past. The simple dossier they had given her had been meant to alert her to helping his current situation not his past and from what Nick said, Neal had a past. Peter was fatherly if not brotherly in his concern but was obviously not family. Emily sensed not only a duty to help his partner but more, although the duty aspect made her think he had been brought into a forced relationship with the young man. They were at odds with one another as Nick so elegantly put it.
She sighed at how full and busy her schedule was finally finding a time for the young man to come back. Emily turned to ask if next Thursday morning would be good when she realized she was alone. She had been vaguely aware of Peter's absence but not Neal's. She saw the open door and something else. Dr. Moran walked over to the bookshelf and saw the empty sheath there where the antique dagger had sat. A cold chill came over her as she left the room and made her way to the TV room she had offered to Peter earlier in the session. The room was empty but the back door to the closet sat ajar. She heard muffled voices as she approached.
()()()
Peter saw the cold look in Neal's eyes and knew this was Nick talking. Something akin to fear filled him. He could easily overpower Neal but the young man wasn't a push over in the least. He didn't want to hurt his friend if he could help it.
"Don't worry about not hurting Neal. I think I'll get more punches in this time around. I don't play nice like he does."
They circled back and forth like two wrestlers, the furniture between them. Peter stayed behind a table hoping to avoid confrontation as he spoke quietly and calmly.
"Neal... I know you're there. Don't let him control you."
The smile was all Nick, wide and toothy with murderous intention.
"He's secreted away. You can thank the kind shrink for bringing me back out. He had pushed me away quite adequately till she made him open that door. I'm not going back in. I refuse to be a 'facet' of his personality."
He thought he was safe till Neal suddenly flew across the table at him, Peter's head hitting the wall behind him with a loud thud. He was temporarily stunned, long enough for Nick to grab up some twine from a nearby chair and use it to bind the agent's wrists as he flipped him over.
"You have no idea what Neal is capable of. You use so little of his actual talent. Keller was right when he told him he didn't like to get his hands dirty. I don't mind it. I will get done what needs to be done."
Peter felt himself flipped over again, Neal straddling him as he saw the dagger blade hanging over his face. Nick pushed it against his throat with a broad smile that just didn't fit the young man's face. Neal had to be in there somewhere. He had to get him back. He wondered if Emily knew they were here.
"Don't... Neal. Please."
He felt the blade pressed more against his skin as those cold blue eyes stared blankly down at him.
"My name is Nick, Agent Burke. Neal is now a small facet of my personality. He has no say in the matter. I want my freedom and getting rid of your ensures that."
Peter felt the blade start to break his skin as he tried one last tactic.
"You didn't kill El. You could have easily... but you didn't. You're not a murderer, Neal. I know you. I trust you... to have my... back."
He closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable to come. Peter could feel the blade pressing against his Adam's apple before the pressure slowly released and he glanced up cautiously. Neal held the dagger up high, hands shaking as he fought with himself. Suddenly those blue eyes glared down at him as the blade was thrust quickly at him. He felt his heart racing at the adrenaline kick he got, fear making him weak but there was no pain. His eyes turned to find the dagger thrust deeply into the hardwood floors barely an inch from his face. Neal stared down at him cheeks flush with effort, skin pale and sweaty as their eyes met. Nick must have still been there, those blue eyes staring coldly downwards till finally his expression softened and he collapsed beside the agent. Peter was worried, rolling over to nudge Neal who's face looked truly relaxed.
"Agent Burke?"
He looked up as the door opened and he saw Emily Moran with the key in hand for the room. Neal must have locked them inside and she figured it out.
"Over here..."
Peter worried about his partner as the psychiatrist took the blade from the floor and cut him loose. She seemed calm enough but he knew it was just practice from years of dealing with similar situations.
"Are you certain you're ok..."
He nodded as he checked on Neal, the young man's eyes shut as he lay there perfectly still.
"Neal... wake up. Hey buddy..."
Neal didn't move but his pulse and breath were strong although he didn't react to them.
"Let's move him out to the main room."
Peter nodded as he lifted his friend up, putting one arm around his body and half carried him to the entertainment area and placed him on the sofa. Emily pulled out a thin blanket from a drawer and lay it over the young man before turning back to the agent.
"Peter... may I call you that?"
He nodded as he stood there and tried to figure things out. Maybe this psychiatric thing had been poorly planned.
"Maybe I was too hasty in making him deal with this other self. I apologize for what happened. I can recommend one of my colleagues..."
Peter shook his head. He was certain this wasn't her fault entirely. Sorenson's methods had caused this and what they were he'd taken to the grave. Peter had been in that box but who knows what other parts to the programming there had been that they didn't know about. The man had been secretive at best.
"It wasn't your fault, Emily. The man who did this is dead so we have no way to know what else he did beyond the things I know were done to my partner. I was in the same predicament..."
His voice trailed off as he looked down at the unconscious form of his friend. Neal looked so relaxed and happy but what was he dreaming about? Maybe Nick was still waiting to jump out. He felt a hand on his arm and looked at the doctor.
"You experienced the same programming but fought it? Then you know how to help him, Peter. You saw what he went through."
He nodded uncertainly then looked at her when something clicked.
"Can you help me to simulate the same conditions of his programming? I can describe what we need."
Emily looked a bit uncertain then nodded.
"If you want me to continue helping, I will. What do you want me to do?"
oOoOoOo
Author's Note: Sorry for the delays. Been busy with other stuff and distracted and writer's block to some extent. Plus other stories keep popping into my head and I get off this one. So did anyone see the preview from Comic-Con for "In Time" with Matt Bomer? So spoilerish but awesome! I can't wait to watch it this Fall. :)