Chapter 5

When Neal arrived at his apartment after work he was surprised to see Peter waiting for him. "Peter…how I've missed you," greeted Neal who on impulse ran and gave the older agent a welcoming hug.

Peter returned it before pulling away to look at Neal. "El and I missed you too buddy. That's the main reason we came back early…we just could stand to be away from you…and Satch any longer. El feels that I have a calming effect on you when needed…and after reading the report of the week from Sister Anna Marie I tend to agree. We will be discussing the part about you endangering your life needlessly this weekend. That is why I'm here now…to bring you home. So pack a bag enough for the weekend and let's get back," replied Peter as his expression went from delight at seeing him again and disappointed because of his behavior the week he was gone.

Neal didn't whine but meekly did as he was told, a surprise that Peter couldn't keep off his face. "Be sure to pack something loose and comfortable as well as a nice suit; at the Sister's insistence we are going to church Sunday and by we she means you, too. She wants the whole family there."

This time Neal did protest, "Ahh, Peter I'm not much in to going to church so if you don't mind I will just stay at home…probably won't feel much like sitting anyhow if we are going to have one of your discussions."

"The Sister asked me to give you this little note if you declined her invitation," Peter said as he handed over a piece of paper. Neal tentatively took it and read and Peter had to laugh at Neal's changing expressions before going back into his closet to grab a nice suit and pick up the accessories to go along with it.

"I see that her note convinced you to tag along," Peter mentioned with a laugh.

"She said that if I didn't attend she would visit me after lunch Sunday and explain why it is never a good choice to turn an invitation from her down…and she would explain it to me on my backside with her trusty ruler," whined Neal as he finished his packing.

"What are we having for supper?" Neal added as he turned to his wine rack.

"I don't know…El said that she would whip up something tasty…why?" replied Peter.

"I want to bring a bottle of wine for the occasion of you and El's return," Neal explained as he picked up two bottles before handing Peter his overnight bag while he took the bottles of wine and suit bag. "I'm bringing a red and white and what we don't drink tonight I'll probably need tomorrow."

By the time Neal and Peter arrived back home El was just putting supper into the oven. Satch's barking alerted her to their arrival and she hurried to greet them.

"Neal," she greeted with a kiss to his cheek, "I missed you these last few days. How did you like not having Peter looking over your shoulder?" she added with a hug.

"I missed not having Peter there," Neal was quick to respond as he handed El the two bottles of wine. "I didn't know what we were having so I brought you and red and a white."

"Thank you…I will put the white in the refrigerator to cool…we are having Cornish hens tonight," El replied as she hurried to the kitchen to put the wine in to cool while placing the red wine on the counter out of the way.

"Neal why don't you go to your room and change into something more comfortable," suggested Peter before adding when he saw the uncertainty in his CI's eyes, "no we aren't going to have that type of discussion tonight…tonight we are going to celebrate having the family back together."

Neal smiled at being called part of the family before grabbing his overnight and suit bags and heading to his room. He changed quickly to a pair of jeans and polo shirt before heading back down bringing what he found on his bed with him. He found El ad Peter in the living room. Peter in his recliner and El on the couch with Satch at her feet.

"El," Neal said upon entering the room, "I found this on my bed…did you put it there?" he added as he held up a plush giraffe.

El nodded and explained as she motioned for him to join her on the couch, "While Peter was at the conference I went sightseeing and one of the places I went was to the famous San Diego Zoo. It is amazing with all of the animals and other creatures and before I left I wanted to bring you back something and noticed that plush animal and bought it for you? It seemed to say 'take me to Neal'. Do you like it?"

Neal nodded replying, "How did you know?"

"Know what, dear?"

"That my mom gave me a plush giraffe when I was a small boy for the last birthday I had with her…before she died. I carried it with me until my dad threw it away a few years later saying I was too old for stuffed animals," Neal explained as he felt the tears run down his face.

El pulled him into her arms and held him before saying, "A mother just knows these things dear. You can take it back with you when you go home Sunday."

"Thanks El," replied Neal as he pulled away wiping his face.

El turned to Peter and said, "And you said he was too old for stuffed animals."

"That was before I learned just how old he really is…tell El your true age, Neal," ordered Peter in his best fatherly voice.

"I told Sister Anna that I was twenty-one," replied Neal quietly.

"Twenty-one…well that explains a lot but I would have thought that you were younger," replied El thoughtfully as she looked at Neal. "It must be the fact that you don't always act your age that had me fooled," El added.

Neal looked at El with a pout then said, "I do so act my age."

"Watch it buddy, you are about to slip back a few years," cautioned Peter as he glanced at his wife.

"Well, not as often as you two seem to think," amended Neal.

"Now before Neal leads you down another road other than the one that is going to get him a spanking this weekend…tell El why you conned Diana in the first place and what it almost cost us," ordered Peter sternly.

Neal glared at Peter then and whined, "You are making me feel like a kid confessing my misdeeds to mom."

"Go with the feeling and speak up…or I might be tempted tanned your hide tonight," threatened Peter with a twinkle in his eye that only El saw.

Neal glared again but started his restitution, "I didn't tell Diana that the forger knew me and that he was most likely going to react violently towards me. I knew that we didn't have a warrant to raid the place yet but hoped to do so once they got enough evidence from the bugs I planted. I also knew that if they heard that my life might be threatened or if gun shots were heard they would come in and rescue me and if the forged items were on display then a warrant wouldn't be necessary. So I had Mozzie call in a tip about the counterfeit operation being run out of the convenience shop and Diana naturally sent me in to investigate. As soon as I was recognized he tried to shoot me and Diana and Jones rushed in and arrested everyone and took the forged items as evidence…case solved. Everything would have worked out if Mozzie hadn't come out to greet me and Diana put two and two together and crept close enough to hear out exchange."

To Neal's misfortune he hadn't been looking at El while reciting his misbehavior and didn't see her expression or actions as soon as he admitted to putting his life in danger…yet again. So he was totally surprised when he finished to feel a hand to his ear and being pulled from his seat to be dragged to the kitchen table and pushed over. Neal looked over his shoulder to see her about to smack his backside with her wooden spoon and yelled, "Peter you said that I wouldn't be punished tonight!"

"Sorry buddy, I said I wouldn't punish you tonight. I never said anything about El smacking your backside for your actions," corrected Peter as he leaned back and watched the show as his petite wife smacked his CI's backside over and over again with her wooden spoon causing him to yell repeatedly before the heat in his backside made him sob. The sobbing caused El to pause as she considered whether he had enough before slamming her makeshift paddle harder against his backside another ten times before allowing him up and pulling him into an embrace.

"I'm not sorry that I paddled you dear. If that stunt had cost you to be severely injured or even killed we would have been devastated. You are the son we couldn't have and for me to stand by while you admit your misbehavior without punishing you for your wrong might make you try it again and that is something I couldn't do…I can't lose you; you mean too much to me…to Peter….so I paddled you to show just how much you are loved," explained El as she kissed him on the cheek as she rubbed his back. Peter joined the hug a few minutes later as Neal got his emotions under control.

"I love you guys too but do you have to show your love so strongly to my backside," Neal replied as he rubbed his backside. "I guess this means that I won't be getting that spanking from you tomorrow Dad," quipped Neal.

"Why would you believe that buddy?" Peter asked with a straight face.

Neal's mouth fell open with shock as he looked at the stern face of his handler and surrogate father. "You going to still spank me?" he squeaked.

"Neal you went into a building knowing that being shot was a strong possibility; do you really think that a paddling by El is going to suffice?" Peter asked seriously.

"But her paddling hurts Peter," whined Neal and then realizing that Peter wasn't going to change his mind added irritably, "Fine…then why don't you just go ahead and do it now and get it over with?"

Peter nodded intending to carry his charade out to make a point. So he pulled his belt from his trousers before saying, "Neal bend back over and prepare to receive twelve more licks!"

Neal's expression was unreadable before he squeaked out… "I changed my mind…I can wait until later."

"If you ever pull a stunt like this again, I won't hesitate to give you a spanking on the spot and I don't care who might be watching…do we have an understanding buddy?" Peter warned sternly.

"Yes, sir," and then catching the wink that Peter gave El he added, "You were just teasing me about the second spanking?"

Peter nodded with a smirk. "After seeing how El lit into you I decided to let her impromptu paddling take care of your misbehavior this time…but next time you won't be so lucky!"

"I'll behave, I promise," Neal assured the couple.

"I'll believe that when I see that…or until your butt cools down," laughed Peter.

"By the way, Reece gave me some good news that affects you most of all," Peter said with a smile.

"What?"

"Sister Anna has accepted his offer to work at White Collar. She will be doing little things like making coffee and counseling but her main job will be doling out punishment to misbehaving CI's like you," Peter smirked.

"NOOOOOO!...OWWWWWW!" cried Neal as he sat down without thinking at the news…Sister Anna Marie wasn't leaving.

The End