Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar

Alright, the next chapter has Neal in it. Well… It has the mentioning of Neal in it. Actually, this chapter has that too. But Neal Caffrey coming, I promise! (Meire)

The ride to the Burke household was rather tense. I sat in the backseat, absentmindedly stroking the soft seat beside me.

"So, Kat," Elizabeth said, to break the silence. "Do you like to read?"

My head came up and I shrugged. I saw Peter look back at me in the review mirror, his eyes narrowed.

"Really?" She said, eyebrow raised. "Did they have a lot of books at the orphanage?" I felt a slight change in her tone and I immediately sat straighter. I answered this time, saying, "Reading's not really my forte."

"Well, what do you like to do?" Elizabeth asked, innocently. Well, slightly innocent.

I blushed. I noticed Peter perk up a little.

"Well, you know, stealing, putting myself in danger, only what all the other teenagers I know do." I was going for sarcasm, but towards the end, my voice went higher and I glanced to the side.

Everyone was silent. I saw the corner of Peter's mouth turn upwards, and I felt mine do the same. Elizabeth looked a bit surprised, but smiling just the same.

"Allegedly." I burst out. "Allegedly." I repeated a bit quieter this time. My voice cracked when I said it, so I winced. It was just another very good reason why I don't lie. I was terrible at it.

"Of course." Peter said. "Allegedly." Awkward silence filled the car. I noticed that we were in the same neighborhood when I was at their house last time.

"So how long will I stay here?" I asked slowly. We had just pulled into the driveway.

Peter answered me after he got out of the car. "Depends."

Elizabeth and I also got out, and I shouldered my bag on my right side. "Depends on what?"

Peter smirked at me as he walked towards the door. "If my wallet feels lighter or not."

~!~

"Do you like it?"

I stood in the middle of a plain bedroom. The sheets on the bed were blue, the walls an off shade of white, a desk lining beside the window, which surprisingly had a window seat. I touched it gently, feeling the fabric of the seat beneath my fingertips. I always wanted a window seat.

I turned back to look at Elizabeth and spotted Peter in the background. "I…" I trailed off, looking around the room. With an uncharacteristically warm smile, I finished, "It's wonderful, thank you."

Elizabeth returned my meager smile warmly and told me to just settle in, wash up and then come down to help with dinner. After she left, Peter came in. I sat on the window seat, bouncing a little.

Before Peter opened his mouth to saw anything, I whispered, "I don't know why you did it, but thank you." To my mortification, my throat was starting to close up a tiny bit. I swallowed and quickly looked away, fearing that the tingling behind my nose might lead to crying-a path I did not want to take.

Peter leaned on the door-frame and said, "You understand this, though, right? You make a mistake, you steal something, or you lie-"

"Unlikely, but continue." I muttered under my breath.

Peter continued, "-you do anything, anything at all, that's illegal, and this deal is off. You get sent back to the orphanage."

"Not to juvi?" I asked, a hint of a joking tone.

"That's only if you actually get to pull anything off. Because believe me, you try to pull one over on me, on El, on the FBI, or anyone, and I will catch you in the act, red-handed. I've played this game much longer than you, I know the rules."

"Maybe its time the rules were revised." I snapped back. There wasn't much anger in my voice, just tenseness.

Peter didn't say anything.

I sighed and pushed my bangs from my eyes. "'M sorry."

He mhmm-ed, then left-leaving the door opened, I noticed.

I didn't close it, but waited ten seconds after he left. I slowly stood up and rummaged through my bag. Grabbing what I needed, I placed it on the window seat. I slowly put away my few clothes in the dresser and pulled out the file. Quietly and quickly, I hid the file behind the dresser, close to the floor. After taking one long look at the room, I left, heading downstairs towards the kitchen.

Peter moved out from the doorway of his bedroom and into the guest bedroom, that was doubling as Kat's new bedroom. He noticed nothing new about the surroundings, other than that she had put away a couple of things. One thing caught his eyes though. A small, raggedy stuffed cat on the window seat. He smiled and then shook it off. Peter gently closed the door; then made his way down stairs.

~!~

Dinner was awkward, to say the least. Elizabeth asked me questions from time to time and after the first three or so I began to relax. I asked her to call me Kat, instead of Kate or Katherine. I was thinking about names when I realized something. Peter had just finished his piece of casserole when I asked him, "Um… Special Agent Peter Burke, that's your full title, right?"

He nodded.

My jaw dropped a little, but I continued, "You wouldn't the same one who caught Neal Caffrey, then, would you?! I had remembered about three years back hearing about how a great art thief and forger had been caught.

Neal Caffrey was a pro. A perfect con-man.

Who had been caught.

"How'd you hear of that?" Peter asked me.

I scoffed, then laughed. "You kidding me? Neal Caffrey's almost a legend! He was the best of the best, that is, until he got caught." I took a bite of the casserole and swallowed. "By you." I let out a snort, "To think. I pick-pocketed the same man who caught Neal Caffrey." I smiled.

"But you were also caught." Peter pointed out.

"True, but you didn't catch me until I returned the wallet back to you."

Peter was silent for a moment.

"Excuse me, put what back?" Elizabeth asked.

I had taken my last bite of casserole and quickly swallowed. I reluctantly answered her, "I don't have a use for the license or credit cards, only the cash." I smirked, "Non-traceable items, you understand."

Peter's eyes lit up.

My voice slightly higher, I shifted my eyes to the side and said, "Not that I would know from experience, right?"

"Right." Peter repeated, a smug smile on his face.

"Besides, it would be a waste to throw it away, so I, allegedly, return the wallets. Allegedly." I really needed to stop talking, otherwise I would just keep blabbing all my secrets away.

I decided to keep my answers to a minimum during dinner.

"Where do you go to school?" Elizabeth asked me, while I was helping wipe down the table and put away the leftovers.

"A teacher would come to the orphanage and teach us there during the week." I answered. "It's like being homeschooled, in a way."

I saw Elizabeth nod and then bit her lip briefly before a thoughtful look came on her face. "What would you think of going to a real school?"

Peter and I's head shot up. Eye wide, I looked at her like she was crazy. "Um, what?"

"Yes, what?" Peter echoed.

Elizabeth gave us a smile and a laugh. "No need to look so scared, it was just a suggestion."

I bit my lip and raised an eyebrow. Going to an actual school? Granted, it was just about winter break. School had just ended. And I seriously doubted that I would stay there for that long, but still...

"It's just Winter Break." I mumbled quietly. I had a month of free time before 'school' would begin. But… What if I was staying here during school? Could I transfer to a real-

I almost let out a bitter laugh. Me, going to an actual school? Having a real-life education? I barely passed Algebra ½, I couldn't even comprehend Biology.

But there was a small part of me that was excited at the thought of actual lockers, terrible cafeteria food and the thought of a classroom gave me shivers. And not the bad kind.

Plus, the kind of trouble I could get into in a real school.

On to reviews!

CoolCoke: Aw, thanks! I love your story as well, its wicked! :)

chicca01: Thank you! My favorite moments that I can't wait to write are between Peter and Kat. Also, between her and Neal. And her and another character. That I think everyone is gonna love. Hopefully.

Sorry its so short! I just needed to get it out and move on, in a way, it was difficult to write, if you can tell. But, next chapter will include some of the first episode. I think. Hopefully.

Please, review!

With that out of the way, its time to say-

-GP2 OUT!