Thanks for reading. Here is another chapter. Hope you enjoy, and I love reading your reviews.

Chapter Three

For more than a week Neal managed to avoid Rocco. He stayed out of sight when he had the opportunity to hide; when hiding was not an option he managed to stay near a guard. Rocco always made sure Neal knew he remained the object of his desire, despite the many inconveniences Neal managed to employ; by staring him down, licking his lips, or gesturing in a threatening way at him.

Neal was aware that eventually he would have to face Rocco, he would have to face the consequences of standing his ground against the perverted convict. Levi also knew what Neal was up against. He remained silent about it however. It was a battle Neal had to face on his own. When you're in prison, it's every man for himself. Levi was not about to get involved, he knew what was down that road, he had been there himself, and he would never go back.

Sunday afternoon was the day off from normal Prison duties. The General Population Room was left open for the inmates to mingle among themselves. Cell doors were left open throughout the day, convicts came and went as they pleased. Guards stood by at the four corners of the open room, there ready to intercede should things get out of hand amongst the men. Neal chose to remain in his cell, he hoped to avoid any confrontation with Rocco or any other violent men he had yet to meet.

Levi stood just outside of the cell doors talking with another prisoner. Neal could not hear anything that was said due to the roar of chattering voices that choked out any other sound. He laid in his bed and just watched the commotion in the GenPop room. The sounds in the room reminded Neal of an airport or train station. People talking and arguing, rushing back and forth in search of someone or something. He leaned his head back as he watched Levi deeply engaged in conversation. His eyes drifted closed, the lack of sleep he sustained over the past week was quickly taking its toll on him.

The noise gradually became as a hum in his ears. He was slipping into a deep sleep, a much needed and welcomed deep sleep.

He was jolted awake when her heard Levi's voice, "Hey, Picasso!"

Neal opened his eyes and saw Levi standing in the doorway to their shared cell.

"Yeah?" he sleepily replied.

"I'm going to check in on a friend downstairs, you wanna come?" Levi wasn't exactly sure why he asked Neal. He had a feeling that deep down he was worried about the kid. He didn't seem to have a violent bone in his body. And he knew he was the prey of a great hunter at the moment. He almost regretted asking the question the moment it escaped his mouth. He did not want to get involved. It would be much better if Rocco came for Neal when he wasn't around, that would make staying out of it easier. He felt relieved when Neal shook his head no. He just turned and walked away. It was better this way.

Neal let his eyes drift closed again. He needed to rest, he prayed for sleep to overtake him. And slowly it did. While he slept his dreams where welcoming. They opened him up to a different reality, one with him still on the outside. Living life in luxury, eating fine foods, drinking fine wines, seducing beautiful women. He longed for that life again. The Agent who caught him, Peter Burke, had no idea what he had done to him putting him behind these prison walls. It was no place for a young man like Neal Caffrey.

Neal knew that Agent Burke could care less about that. In his eyes he was a criminal and he was where criminals belonged, no matter their status or their style. Despite how badly Peter Burke acted like he hated him, Neal felt somehow drawn to the man. As if he were somehow a saving force in a twisted sort of way. He could not make sense of it, but he hoped one day to find out what that might mean to him.

"Well hello there Lovely." Neal heard the cold words uttered in a slow dark tone. His eyes sprung open immediately as he looked up and saw Rocco standing in his cell, looking down at him. Neal quickly sprung to his feet and stepped backwards away from the man. His three thug friends lingered close behind just outside of the cell doors.

"Get out!" Neal ordered.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, now you don't get to give orders around here my boy. That's my job." Rocco stepped closer to Neal, cornering him in the back of the cell behind the bunk beds.

Neal clinched his teeth and took another step back, his back braced against the rear wall of the cell. With nowhere left to hide, he took a deep breath and pushed forward, crowding back into Rocco's personal space. "What do you want Rocco?"

Rocco smiled and looked back at the three men behind him, "Isn't he a pretty one boy's." he turned back to face Neal, who had a look of profound determination on his face. He reached his hand up and gently stroked the side of Neal's cheek. Neal slapped his hand away from his face. Rocco only laughed, "Oh how I love it when they play hard to get."

Neal stepped forward again; he wanted to crowd Rocco out of his cell. But Rocco refused to back away, bringing Neal within inches of the man's face. Neal could feel his hot breath against his skin, the stench of rotting teeth made his stomach churn. "Get out!" Neal barked.

Suddenly before Neal realized what happened Rocco had his hand at Neal's throat. The grip was like a vice, closing off his air supply, his cold hand was threatening to squeeze away his life. He felt his fear kick into overdrive, but his common sense suppressed the fear. He stood motionless and stared Rocco in the eyes. Rocco hissed through his teeth, "You're mine pretty boy. It's time you accept that."

"Get out Rocco." Levi was now standing behind Rocco. His tone was firm and he growled it under his breath in anger.

Rocco released his grip on Neal's throat and slowly turned around to face Levi. "I do hope you're not trying to protect the kid, Levi. That would be a mistake on your part."

Levi stepped sideways to allow room for Rocco to exit the tiny cell, "No, whatever you want with the kid is between you and him. Just so long as it doesn't happen in my block."

Rocco snarled as he walked passed Levi exiting the cell. "Well do this later boys. Let's go."

Neal reached up with his hand and rubbed his throat where the death grip had its hold. He looked at Levi almost with a smile of gratitude but was quickly cut off by Levi's reply.

"Don't think I did that for you kid. Cause I didn't. Rocco and I had an agreement he would stay out of my block and I'd stay out of his. That was just me reminding him of that agreement. It had nothing to do with you." Levi jumped onto the top bunk. He pulled a handkerchief over his eyes as he laid down.

Neal sat back down on the bottom bunk and leaned back against the wall. He tried to slow his breathing down as well as his heart rate. That was a close call, even if Levi had not intervened on his behalf, he was still thankful to him all the same. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes. "Well thanks just the same."

He was met with no reply from Levi. Even though the man seemed the least bit interested in helping him, he did feel somewhat safer with him around. He felt helpless in this world. He could con his way out of just about anything outside these walls. But here it was a different story. Here he had no money to use as leverage, no skills he could use to climb his way out of dire situations. Nothing. But there had to be something, there was always something. He just needed to learn more about prison life, in order to come up with something that he could work with.

"Levi? Is there anyone here that is Rocco's enemy?"

Levi pulled the handkerchief off of his face and stared up at the ceiling as he thought about Neal's question. Hesitantly he replied, "Yeah. There is."

"Who?"

"I know what you're thinking Picasso, but you don't want to mess with him. He's more trouble than Rocco."

"Who Levi?"

There was a long pause, Levi was not sure if this information was the right thing to tell the kid. He knew what he wanted and he also knew it was taking your life in your own hands to go down that road. But he had said he wouldn't get involved and it was Neal's choice what he would do if he had the name of Rocco's enemy. "His name is Ike Lacey but he goes by Icey."

"Why haven't I seen or heard of him since I've been here?"

"He tried to kill a guy and got three months in solitary confinement."

"How long does he have left in solitary?"

"Two months."

"What gets a guy into solitary?"

"Picasso, you're barking up the wrong tree. Trust me you don't want to be placed in solitary. That place makes a guy go crazy. You need to come up with a different plan. And one that does not involve Icey. He's crazier than Rocco."

"I think I need someone crazier than Rocco."

"You go after Icey, then you are crazier than Rocco. Even Rocco knows to stay clear of him."

Neal sighed and laid down on his bed. He could hear the guards calling out for the men to return to their cells. After a few minutes the cell doors all slid shut, the lights began to shut off like a domino effect down the corridors and cell blocks. It was another night to be faced in the confinements of the prison walls, Neal could feel his sleep yet again being chased away by the sounds of the prison. He knew what he had to do, and he knew it would be hard. He needed to pull the biggest con of his life on a man most feared more than anyone else. And yet there was nothing that could prepare him for the task at hand.