A/N: I'm so sorry for the long time to take to update this. I hope the long wait was worth it. Enjoy!

Thank you Fierce Queen for taking out time to beta this, you're amazing!

Thank you everyone who has read and reviewed this story, this ones for you!

Peter Burke had been right in expecting El to lecture him when he returned home after wasting time at the office when his pathetic attempt at talking to Neal failed.

"Peter, hon. He feels guilty as it is. Don't make it worse. Go talk to him."

"But El, I tried! You know I'm horrible at this emotional stuff," he all but whined to his wife.

"Well you have to talk to him. Tomorrow. No excuses."

"But El!" he whined.

"No buts! And you can sleep on the couch till you talk to Neal. Satchmo can keep your side warm until then." His annoyed wife stormed upstairs, leaving him to stare at her retreating figure dumbfounded. So he had been forced to sleep on the couch for three days straight, being too nervous to confront Neal till he was discharged. And his backache got the better of him.

And that's why Peter Burke, FBI agent was standing outside June Ellington's mansion as he unsurely shifted his weight from one foot to the next. The door swung open before he could knock it, revealing Neal's benefactress.

"Peter! What a pleasant surprise! Please, do come in!" the always gracious June gestured for the shocked man to enter.

"Hi June. I came to see Neal. How is he?"

"Ah, well. He says he is fine. But we all know how little he cares for his own health," June answered with a frown. "I meant to ask, what happened while I was away? How did that poor dear get pneumonia in the first place?"

"Um, I have no idea," Peter muttered, feeling his cheeks heat up as he was reminded how little attention he had paid to his friends waning health.

"Peter, dear. There is something clearly wrong. I can see that something happened to drive the two of you apart, and it's clearly eating up Neal from the inside. You don't have to tell me what it is, just talk to him."

"That's what I'm here for."

"And go gentle. He just came home today." Concern coloured her voice.

"I will, thanks June." He gave her a parting smile as he headed upstairs to Neal's apartment.

After climbing the three flights of steps that led to the con-man's studio apartment, he was again filled with uncertainty. He stood facing the mahogany door for a good ten minutes, unsure of what he was going to say when he entered. He mentally shook himself, 'cowboy up Peter!' he scolded himself as he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

A soft but clear "Come in!" made him turn the knob and enter the apartment.

Neal stood with his back towards Peter, an easel set up in front of him as he painted. Peter couldn't see what he was working on at that angle but he saw the top of what looked like a tree taking form under the young man's talented hands.

"Moz, seriously. You don't have to keep dropping in. I'm perfectly fine and it's not like I'm going to die, so relax. Go out, have fun. I kicked you out two hours ago and I'm kicking you out again," Neal said as he turned around to face Peter with a fond smile on his face.

His expression quickly changed from fond to panicky to confused. Had it been some other time, Peter would have laughed. Neal looked so comical holding a palette in one hand and a paintbrush in another, a streak of green paint on his cheek. He looked younger than he usually did, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a tee-shirt, his hair un-styled and falling over his face. That mixed with the dumbstruck expression his consultant currently wore would've made him burst into peals of hysterical laughter. Instead, he closed the door and took a step closer to the con-man.

"Peter," came the slightly shocked voice of his CI.

"Neal. We need to talk."

A/N: I know that many people feel as though El should be on Peters side, but I think that she would support Neal in this situation. She was the one who encouraged Peter to forgive Neal in the cannon for the Keller fiasco. However, that is just my opinion and since this is fiction; it doesn't really matter. There is just one final chapter after this. I'm hoping to put it up soon since my beta has a bit of free time. Thank you for reading! Please leave behind a review if you can, reviews feed the author!