I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.
Peter's Point of View-
I went home after work knowing that there wasn't much more to do today, Neal was gone for rest of the day at the jail with his girlfriend and pissed at me for doing my job. I walked into the house smelling dinner when I opened the door.
"Honey, I'm home." I said shutting the door.
"Oh, your home just in time...what happened today?" Elizabeth asked as she walked out of the kitchen setting the pot of food in the middle of the table for us to dish out our own food.
"Nothing much, just normal things..."
"You didn't go arresting people, perhaps someone that your partner is dating?" Elizabeth asked sitting down across from me.
"Yes, I arrested Leslie today..."
"How could you Peter? She was a great girl and she kept Neal out of trouble...when was the last time he acted up?" Elizabeth asked.
"It doesn't matter if he hasn't acted up lately or that she may have been a good influence on him, but it is my duty to arrest those that have done wrong and are wanted and that is exactly what I did today..." I said.
"What did she do to make herself wanted?"
"She is Keller's daughter, she stole and helped embezzle $1 billion out of the United States..." I said.
"Wow...what does Keller need with that money?" Elizabeth asked.
"That I don't know...but at least she is in jail where she is supposed to be..."
"Neal wasn't happy when he came by earlier...neither was Olivia..." Elizabeth said as I could tell she was upset about the news.
"Well, I'm sure that Olivia will be taken good care of..." I said knowing that Neal and June will take care of that little girl until Sarah would get out of jail. A knock came to the door, I looked to my wife who had the same expression as I did. "Are you expecting any guests?" I asked.
"No, you?" Elizabeth asked.
"No..." I said as Elizabeth got up going to the door, I watched as she looked through the peep hole looking back at me before she opened the door where I could see Neal on the other side.
"Hey Neal, come on in." Elizabeth said.
"Sorry to interrupt dinner but I couldn't wait..." Neal said.
"What is it Neal?" I asked standing up as Neal walked over to the table sitting down across from me and I sat back down.
"You have to make a deal and get Sarah out of there and if not I WILL cut my anklet and break Sarah out of jail..." Neal said, I chuckled thinking he was joking before making eye contact with Neal seeing how serious he was and how angry he was at me about this situation.
"Your serious?" I asked letting out a couple more chuckles before I went completely straight faced saying "I will see what I can do tomorrow."
"No, tonight...she's Keller's daughter Peter and he is still at large...if you don't get her out by tomorrow morning, me AND her will be out of here, it took you how long to find me the first time? Just imagine how long it will take for you to find both of us..." Neal said standing up.
"Neal..." I said trying to stop him to continue talking to him and try to talk this out.
"Do it Peter...night Elizabeth." Neal said walking out of the house, I felt bad because we haven't been able to talk this out and I may not want to consider him my friend but I hate seeing him mad at me even if it was part of my job to do so.
"Your going to do it right?" Elizabeth asked looking from the door where Neal just angrily exited to me with her arms crossed over her chest.
"I don't know..." I said stunned and taken aback from how Neal was acting.
"I think you need to get going on this deal...let's face it, that is the only option you have." Elizabeth said.
"It's not that easy though..." I said running my hands over my face imagining how much work I had to do tonight.
"Well, get working...I will get out of your way." Elizabeth said grabbing her plate and going into the other room as I went to my breifcase pulling out paperwork and blank pieces of paper writing up possible deals I can work with, I begun filling out the right paperwork that needed to be filled out in order to get Sarah out. I then searched through my contacts on my cell phone calling person after person that I needed to call not keeping track of time. The last person I had to call was my superior Mr. Hughes about getting this paperwork signed since all the other personnel I had contacted had approved of such deal and the go ahead, they told me to go ahead and drop by their offices to stamp off their area.
"Burke, you know what time it is?" Mr. Hughes said.
"Yes sir, but this is important." I said.
"It better be because it's past midnight..." Mr. Hughes said.
"I want talk to you about a deal I have been pitching about Sarah Keller."
"You just arrested her today Burke, isn't it kind of early to get her out of jail?"
"I know sir, but just hear me out...since she is the daughter of Keller, what if there is a way we let her out of jail on an anklet like Neal's and she helps us get to her dad since he is who we truly want?" I asked.
"Sounds good, but she has to have more than just an anklet, she's got to do community service or something to make up for the time she won't be making in jail..."
"Fine, 100 hours of community service?" I asked writing it down onto the sheet for me to bring with me.
"Sounds good, have the paperwork on my office first thing in the morning and I will get it approved." Mr. Hughes said before he hung up on me, I hung up my phone before I pulled out my laptop typing up the deal that we have all agreed on sending it to those that needed such copy and realized that I couldn't print it out here with Elizabeth being asleep upstairs so I put on a pot of coffee pouring it into a thermose taking it with me to the FBI headquarters where I printed all the copies I needed taking them with me putting them on the desks and stamping their approval with their custom made stamps they had in the proper section before going back to my office looking out over the empty headquarters. I begun reviewing what I needed for the next day of work trying not to fall asleep until Mr. Hughes came in at 7 AM. "You look tired." He said popping into my office getting me to jump forward from my reclined position.
"Yeah, was up all night getting all this paperwork done..." I said rubbing my face.
"Come to my office and I will approve it..." Mr. Hughes said as I stood up gathering all the paperwork taking it with me to his office where he looked it over signing the last spot that needed to be signed.
"Thanks sir..." I said walking out to my office grabbing what I needed, I made copies of all the paperwork to put in her file before I headed down to the jail getting past security showing it to the head security guard having him look it over and processing it before they brought Sarah to the open area, I turned around from looking out the window from where the sun was shining in from. I turned around seeing Sarah who looked just as tired as I was, "Morning Sarah..." I said as I headed towards the table that separated us, "Have a seat." I said pointing to the table with the file and she sat down.
"What are you doing here?" She asked curiously and an angry tone.
"Neal came by, he really does care about you..." I said smirking before I sat down.
"He doesn't say 'I love you' for no reason..." Sarah said.
"No, he seriously does...he hasn't acted this way about a girl in a while..."
"Thanks?" She said.
"Your a good influence on him and glad that he's hanging around you rather than some of the others that are here in New York..." I said as she gave me this weird look, "Right...why I'm here...I was able to negotiate a deal with a bail bonds, a judge, my boss, and a few other superiors to get you out of jail..." I said.
"Really? How?" She asked excitedly.
"You have to wear a tracking anklet like Neal's over the next year for close monitoring to make sure your not fleaing New York, you have to complete 100 hours of community service while keeping in contact with your payroll officer which will end up being me since I'm the one getting you out of here, and if you can help the FBI catch your dad." I said pulling out the deal that has been typed turning it around on the table for her to read over.
"I can deal with this...can I still have custody of Olivia?" She asked.
"Full custody, this won't affect your relationship with your daughter...I am sure that Neal, Elizabeth nor June would allow anything to happen to that girl..." I said.
"Good...I don't want Olivia involved with any of this..."
"You take the deal?" I asked.
"Yes..." Sarah said.
"This security guard will escort you back to your room where you will be allowed to change back to your normal clothes and processed out, I will then meet you at the end of processing where you will sign and fingerprint this contract in the presence of me, a judge and the security officer." I stated.
"Okay...thanks Peter." Sarah said standing up so she could lean over the table hugging me happily.
"Don't thank me...thank Neal." I said standing up leaving the area to go await her in the processing area watching cell mate after cell mate stand in front of the judge via camera to hear their punishment until I saw Sarah walk in wearing the clothes she had worn the day before with the same smile she had on her face from when she left the conference area.
"Sarah Keller." The judge said.
"That'll be me ma'am." Sarah said walking as fast as she could still having chains and cuffs on her wrists and ankles.
"Do you agree and accept to the terms of wearing a tracking anklet for a year, 100 hours of community service, helping the FBI White Collar Unit in search of your father and to keep in contact with Mr. Burke during such time?" The judge asked.
"Yes ma'am." Sarah said.
"Peter Burke?" She asked, I stood up walking onto camera standing beside Sarah, "You have this documentation with you?"
"Yes ma'am..." I said.
"Sarah, you are now to sign and fingerprint such paperwork..." The judge said as I watched Sarah do so. "You are now free to go, I better not see you back in these headquarters because I would hate to see you lose your 7 year old daughter...you better be thankful to have a boyfriend that loves you as much as he does and knows people with good authority..."
"Yes ma'am, I won't be back here..." Sarah said smiling and nodding.
"I hope so." The judge said as I rested my hand on her back leading her out of that area to where the security finished checking her out of their system and unhooking her handcuffs before I escorted her back to the White Collar Unit.
"What am I doing here?" She asked.
"I want to surprise Neal..." I said smiling.
"Which desk is his?" Sarah asked as she looked around at the multiple desks.
"That one." I said nodding to the first one on my right, she smiled and started heading around the desk to sit in his chair, "Would you like some coffee?" I asked.
"Please."
"Sugar or cream?"
"Sugar." Sarah said smiling as I nodded going to the empty employee lounge pouring two cups of coffee carrying them back out seeing a few people finally coming into the office.
"Morning boss." Jones said as I walked past him on the way back to Sarah.
"Morning Jones." I said.
"Who's the girl?"
"Neal's girlfriend..." I said as he smiled and rolled his eyes before I went back handing her the one coffee.
"Thanks Peter." Sarah said taking a sip of the coffee.
"No problem, I'll be up in my office if you need anything...feel free to use the computer or do whatever, just don't get into trouble..." I said smiling as she nodded, I headed back to my office to continue my work but kept an eye on her awaiting for Neal's arrival. I watched as she drunk her coffee looking at the photoframe Neal had just added to his desk getting a smile to creep back onto her face and she begun fumbling with the paperwork. I watched as Jones and Diana went and introduced themselves individually, I heard my phone ring, I reached over picking it up, "Burke." I said listening to the male on the other line about a case file and where we were on such and such project. I looked up to check on Sarah seeing her wrapped up in Neal's embrace, I smiled and made eye contact with Neal seeing his face lit up with joy.