HOW FAR

Summary: "He did have that plane ready awfully fast…" When faced with life's greatest trials, what would you do for a friend? Peter, Neal, Mozzie, Diana and Hughes must find their own answers to this question as the knowledge of the U-Boat treasure surviving the fire comes to light. AU to On Guard, earlier posted on collarkink as a response to a prompt.

A/N: The story has been beta'ed by November Leaving.

CHAPTER 8

When Peter hears the recording and learns the truth, he is stunned; for multiple reasons.

Mozzie made a confession. That alone would be hard enough to wrap his brain around, but Peter has heard the other messages as well – even as hidden and obscured as some of them were.

So, Mozzie stole the treasure. Suddenly, Neal's words from yesterday come into mind: 'Just because we're friends doesn't mean I know every single thing that he has planned.'

He has been wrong.

And Neal has been innocent.

Well, calling Neal innocent is a hell of a stretch. But he didn't steal the art. Whatever else came later, he hadn't done the one thing that Peter accused him of.

And he might have or might have not intended to run… but afterwards, he wanted to stay, even when the whole thing blew up in his face.

(Peter wonders if there's a pun hidden somewhere...)

He resists the urge to groan and drop his face into his hands.

Peter has never been one of those agents who viewed things as black and white. But with Neal, it feels like there are even more myriads of colors.

Jones is the first of the three of them who's brave enough to speak. "So it wasn't Caffrey after all."

"No," says Peter. At least not all of it.

Just for a moment, Peter spares a rare longing thought to the times when things weren't so damn complicated.

"You okay, boss?" asks Diana after a while.

"Yeah," he says slowly, still feeling overwhelmed by the implications of what he's just heard. "Yeah, I'm okay." He makes a pause. "I need to speak with Elizabeth," he says. "She wanted to know what's on the flashdrive. … And we need to show this to Hughes. Jones…"

"I'll tell him," says Jones immediately and disappears, leaving Peter and Diana alone.

"What are you thinking, boss?" asks Diana softly.

Peter stares at the screen of his computer in the office. "What should I do, Diana?"

"He still had the treasure, boss," she says quietly. "He wanted to run."

"And you think I should make a decision based on that?" asks Peter gently.

"I don't know. I'm trying to play the devil's advocate here," says Diana.

"I appreciate that… but I think I have my own mind to do that for me," replies Peter tiredly.

"In that case…" Diana makes a pause. "I hate what he's tried to do. But with the circumstances… I like having Caffrey on the team."

"And prison did little to make him change his ways," mumbles Peter.

Silence.

"What do we do, then?" asks Diana after a while.

Not really sure what he's looking for, but feeling the need to find an answer, Peter turns on Mozzie's audio again.

"Hello. My name is Mozzie… Mozzie Haversham… and I'm doing this to right a wrong that has been done to my friend. … Neal Caffrey is my friend, and I used him to – "

Peter turns off the recording and falls into deep thought.

"I didn't think Mozzie would go that far for Neal," says Diana suddenly. "I'd love to kick his ass for stealing the treasure, but I have to appreciate what he's done just now."

"He said he'd give me the means to get Neal out of this mess," shakes his head Peter in dismay. "I thought he had some crazy, half-assed plan."

"Turns out it wasn't that crazy after all."

"No. No, it wasn't."

A pause.

"Diana…" starts Peter at last.

"If you want to ask me how far I'd be willing to go? I trust you, boss," says Diana. "Whatever you think is right, let me help."

Peter turns around to face her. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah. I am."

They exchange a look.

Wordlessly, they reach mutual agreement.

"If Mozzie's story is to hold up, someone needs to fill Neal in on it," says Peter at last.

"I'll do what I can, Peter," promises Diana.

"Thank you," says Peter quietly.

Then Hughes and Jones enter his office.

o – o – o

Once again, Reese Hughes and Peter find themselves in Reese's office. And it takes mere few minutes before Reese feels another headache forming.

"According to that confession, Neal has done nothing wrong, except for breaking into that gallery. When we consider that in light of the facts that it was his friend who used him this way, and that he eventually told us about the treasure –"

"Peter, stop. I don't need you to create me the fairytale that I should write into the official file," says Hughes. "Instead, try to give me a good reason why I should pretend to be an idiot and accept that recording at face value. Why should I let Caffrey get away with trying to run and pulling a heist of the century?"

"We don't have anything on him, Reese," says Peter calmly. "The painting scrap wouldn't even be considered proper evidence."

"Because you didn't handle it properly," says Reese sharply.

Peter doesn't even try to deny it. "That's right, sir."

Reese throws his hands in the air. "Peter, do you realize what you've done here? You could lose your job over this!"

"I know," says Peter. "And I'm prepared to face the consequences."

Reese sighs. "So if I pursue this, I'll lose my best case agent, plus maybe a few others, all so that you can free Caffrey on a technicality." He makes a pause. "They'd still terminate his work-release program, do you realize that? They don't need too much for that."

"You don't know that for sure," opposes Peter.

"Damn it, Burke!" exclaims Hughes. "Don't you see what position you're putting me in?"

"I know, Reese," replies Peter quietly. "And I'm sorry. But with all respect, I'm not backing down."

Reese stares back at him, and realizes that his worries have been confirmed. Peter's radiating quiet determination, and he won't be able to persuade him to change his mind.

"You're backing me in a corner," says Hughes as he looks at his friend.

"I guess I am," admits Peter. "And I have little ammunition, but I'll use everything I can to get you to close this case."

Reese takes a random file from the pile on his desk and slams it on the desk's board. "And you don't see what's wrong with this? What happened to you, Peter? Today, you decide to cover up for Caffrey when he steals a multi-billion dollar treasure – "

"Neal didn't steal it," says Peter decisively.

Hughes makes a pause. "You're sure about that," he says questioningly after a while.

"Yes. I am."

A long pause.

At last, Reese sits down and stares at Peter. "You're asking me to put my whole division at risk."

"Neal has been an invaluable asset to us," insists Peter. "He risked his life numerous times for us. He is part of the team, Reese. We owe him something."

"Don't think for a second I've forgotten Caffrey's work," says Reese immediately, and makes sure that Peter can hear the truth in that statement. "I appreciate everything he has done for us. He has helped us close numerous cases, often beyond what his original agreement said. I know that he saved your life – and your job." Hughes couldn't be more serious as he speaks these words. But… "But don't deny that it went both ways, Peter. I'm not a fool. I've noticed the Fowler situation, and that's only the most obvious example. I've tolerated a lot, but I still have a responsibility as an agent. And so have you."

"Then I'm not asking you as an agent," says Peter "I'm asking you as a friend."

Reese shakes his head in disagreement. "Peter – "

"Neal is my friend, Reese," says Peter with a hint of pleading. "He made the mistake of letting himself be influenced by another friend."

"That's an interesting way of putting it."

"Look, you've said it yourself that he's helped us clear numerous cases," says Peter reasonably. "If we send him back to prison, he won't last a month. They'll kill him. Neal deserves better than that."

"We can guarantee his security," says Reese sharply. "We've done it before, and you know that. So don't pull that crap on me, Peter."

"But is that really the best way to see justice done?" asks Peter softly. "The treasure has been recovered. We have a valid confession of the real perpetrator – a confession that says that Neal played a big part in the treasure's recovery. If we try to prove Neal's complicity, we'll put the whole confession in question."

"Those really aren't the best defense arguments I've ever heard," says Hughes skeptically.

"I know," admits Peter. "And I realize I'm asking for a lot."

Yep, Reese's headache has officially reached new, undiscovered levels.

He runs a hand over his face. "What guarantees do I have that Caffrey won't do this again?" he asks slowly at last.

"None," answers Peter truthfully. "The only thing I can tell you is that Neal just lost his best friend and partner-in-crime."

Yes, that. "His partner in crime - whom he shouldn't have been in contact with in the first place," says Reese flatly.

"Mozzie was never convicted," says Peter with a shrug. "Not even accused. Technically, there was nothing wrong about their association –"

"That's right; "technically", there was nothing wrong," says Reese sarcastically. "Except the two of them pulled of a multi-billon dollar theft right under our noses!"

"According to Mozzie's confession –"

"I know what the recording said, thank you," says Reese sharply. He makes a long pause.

"Mozzie has done his share to help us as well," says Peter quietly.

Hughes stares at him in disbelief. "Peter, if you suggest we cut this "Mozzie" a deal –"

"No," says Peter immediately. "No, that's not what I meant."

"Good," says Hughes shortly, "because for a moment, I was really worried about your judgment."

"Yes, this office probably couldn't survive with more than one anklet-bounded criminal at once."

"That wasn't a good joke," says Reese flatly.

"No. No, it wasn't," says Peter.

Hughes irrationally starts to long for an Advil pill or two. This is becoming absolutely impossible.

"Mozzie isn't here anymore," says Peter. "Neal is."

"That's right, Mozzie is gone – thanks to Caffrey, who conned us again to help him escape."

"Neal didn't know that Mozzie would run," says Peter.

"Are you sure about that?" asks Reese again.

"Yes. I'm sure he didn't know what Mozzie planned."

So, supposedly, Caffrey didn't orchestrate this.

Of course, Hughes has the feeling that Peter's not telling him the whole truth. He believes it's a reasonable guess that if Neal knew what this "Mozzie" guy had planned, he wouldn't have told them.

"Neal has a potential to be more than an ex-con, Reese," says Peter at last. "But he won't learn that from the inside of a prison cell."

"Do you have any other reasons, or was that all?" asks Hughes calmly.

"He's my partner. I can depend on him when it matters," says Peter immediately.

"Any other reason besides that?"

There is long hesitation.

"No," admits Peter quietly at last.

"Good," says Hughes curtly.

"Reese – "

"I need to speak with Caffrey," interrupts him Reese. "And I'm not making any promises, Peter. Just bring him here."

"I'll go get him right away."

Reese turns away from him. "That will be all."

He hears the agent walk to the door, before the steps stop. "Reese? Thank you," says Peter simply, but the deep emotion in his voice almost cuts through Hughes's heart.

Then the door closes behind him.

And Hughes is left alone to wonder why in the world he ever agreed to allow Caffrey into his division.

Technically, Peter is right. They can choose to accept Mozzie's confession and let Neal off with a slap on the wrist. It wouldn't be easy to prove Caffrey's involvement anyway; except for him breaking into the gallery. That would be enough to revoke Neal's parole; probably even enough to make a case against him.

But does he really want to do that?

Despite his sharp words, Hughes respects Neal – but more than that, he is aware that by acting against Caffrey, he will likely bring Peter down as well.

"Damn these two!"

Maybe retirement wasn't such a bad idea after all…

o – o – o

When Peter enters Neal's cell again, they just stare at each other for a few seconds. Then Neal decides to break the tension.

"Peter."

"Neal."

Silence.

'What are you doing here?' wants to ask Neal.

But Peter speaks first: "Has Diana been here to talk to you?"

"Yes, she has," says Neal. "She explained some things about Mozzie."

"Good," says Peter and buries his hands deep into his pockets.

"Peter – "

"We can talk later," says Peter abruptly. "Hughes has heard the recording, and he wants to talk to you."

"What am I supposed to say?" asks Neal.

"Say… whatever you have to," says Peter meaningfully.

That unfortunately doesn't exactly answer Neal's question.

Well, in that case, he'll have to figure it out himself, thinks Neal. He'll probably stick to the new "official" version… and see where that takes him.

Considering that this strategy landed him in a cell last time, it's not exactly comforting idea. Neal briefly wonders whether Hughes wants to hear his story, or to just see him one last time before they ship him back to supermax for an unknown amount of time.

"He hasn't made a decision yet."

Neal looks at Peter, startled. It almost seems like Peter could read Neal's thoughts.

Neal stands up and nods. He straightens his suit and his tie, and then he gives Peter a smile. "So, it's up to me now?" he says lightly, despite the heavy feeling of responsibility and his desperate need to get some missing answers. "All right. Let's get this over with."

As he follows Peter out into the corridor and to the elevators, Neal runs his hand through his hair and thinks about the right way to handle this.

They enter the elevator in silence. Neal tries to ignore the weirdness between them and push away the memories of yesterday. Instead, he tries to figure out whether Hughes would believe Mozzie's tape… and if he did, whether it would be enough to allow Neal to stay.

One way or another… if he screws this up, he won't get another chance to fix it.

"Neal," says Peter suddenly when the elevator reaches their destination.

Neal turns to face him. "Yeah?"

Peter stares at him. "Good luck," he says simply.

Then the door opens.

"Thank you, Peter."

They step out. And of course, people notice them almost immediately.

Even though he and Peter walk side to side, Neal feels the other agents' eyes on himself; some suspicious, some curious, some almost pitying. He wonders how much they all know about yesterday events, and with a pang of regret, he realizes that if even Hughes allows him to stay, it will be a long time before he regains the trust of all these people.

For some reason, that thought bothers him.

But he can't dwell on it now. With a nod, he and Peter part ways when they climb the stairs. Peter goes to his own office, while Neal takes a deep breath and approaches the other door.

Hughes is already waiting there for him.

A/N: Only one chapter remaining.

As always, reviews are appreciated.