A/N: I'M SO SORRY. There really is no excuse for the amount of time it's taken me to upload this and I'm really sorry. I just found it super difficult to start this chapter, I don't know why.

You'll be glad to know that there's one more chapter left and that one's already written and will be posted in a few days!

When Neal next woke, it was to a brightly lit room that forced him to immediately close his eyes. There was a beeping noise somewhere to the left of him, and in the distance he could hear faint voices. When he felt as though he could handle the lights, he opened his eyes.

Neal had guessed he was in a hospital room, and now he could see he was correct. The curtains were drawn closed across the window to his right, and a lamp in the corner lit the room with a soft, dim, glow, much to the amazement of his blinded eyes.

Next to his bed though, was Peter, and Neal had not been expecting him to be here. The agent was slouched in a chair on the right side of his bed, an elbow leaning on the mattress with his head resting on his hand, looking down at his phone. His tie was loosened around his collar and his suit jacket was slung over the back of his chair. Neal couldn't see his face but he didn't need to; just knowing Peter was here – regardless of his mood – was enough to take some of the pain he was feeling away.

And speaking of pain, he hadn't failed to notice his left arm was in a sling. His shoulder was aching badly and he didn't dare move it in case it became more painful. His face was sore too – no doubt he had a bruise or too as a souvenir of his time in Keller's clutches.

Neal turned his head to look at Peter again and smiled. "S'that Angry Birds?" he croaked, grinning slightly when Peter jumped and snapped his head up to look at Neal.

"Caffrey," Peter said, and the gentleness of his tone made up for the use of Neal's last name. "You sure took your time waking up." he said with a twist of his lips.

"How long's it been?"

"Three days." Peter said, reaching for a nearby cup of water and offering the straw to Neal. "There were complications with your shoulder, it got infected."

"Elizabeth?" he asked, only now flashing back to seeing her be dragged off by a couple of Keller's men.

"She's fine." Peter answered with a small smile. "She's just gone to get some coffee, actually, she'll be back in a bit."

"She's really ok?"

"Yeah, she is." he responded. "They kept her in overnight for observation but that was it. Which can't be said for you, Caffrey. It'll be a while before you're one hundred percent again."

Neal hesitated before saying what was on his mind, choosing to watch Peter as he shuffled the chair closer to the bed. "And then? When I'm better?"

Peter's expression fell, hardened into something stony and iron. "You'll go back to prison."

Neal sighed and closed his eyes, knowing that that was going to be the answer but still feeling like Peter had pulled the rug out from under him.

"I know you didn't steal that piece from El's gallery," Peter continued. "And I'm sorry you were wrongfully accused, but," Neal heard him shift and a second later he felt a hand tentatively touch his arm.

"You were gonna steal a different piece, weren't you?"

Neal didn't answer.

"Too many people know, Neal, I can't protect you from this. And the FBI already knew Neal Caffrey has done a lot more than plan to steal a painting."

Neal scoffed involuntarily and the look of confusion on Peter's face when he opened his eyes was baffling to him.

"What?" Peter asked.

"C'mon Peter, don't lie to me."

"Lie to you? Alright, I'm gonna ignore the fact that that's what you've been doing the minute we met and instead ask you what the hell you're talking about."

"Oh please, you'd never protect me. I'm a criminal, like you guessed; you loathe me, so why on earth would you want to protect me?"

"Loathe you? God, Neal, I don't loathe you."

Neal chose not to respond. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm angry that you lied to me and El, I wish I didn't care about you as much as I do, and I hate that you messed me around, but–"

"I wasn't mess–!" He gave up mid-sentence and turned his head away, finding no use in defending himself to Peter. What was the point?

There was silence for a long time. When Peter next spoke, it was almost a whisper. "What did you think was going to happen, Neal?"

"Clearly I didn't think." Neal said shortly.

"Did you just hope I'd never find out? And that we'd… what?"

"Peter, just leave it." he said, opening his eyes and letting him see the yearning and heartache he'd been battling with for so long. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm not your business, now. You can handcuff me to this bed, find Elizabeth and leave, and just forget about me. I'm sorry if I ever made you uncomfortable."

"Neal," Peter sighed, rubbing his forehead while a tired expression crossed his face. "You didn't. You never did. I just… it couldn't have worked. You know that, right?"

"Right." Neal said, his throat tightening.

"Maybe you can forget about me, too. Serve your time, and then go and find Kate. Via legal means." he added.

Kate was absolutely the last person he wanted to think about now. "Right." he repeated, in a voice softer than the last time he said it.

Peter's long fingers found his hand and squeezed. "I'm sorry, Neal. Really, I am."

Neal looked down at his lap for a moment, before mustering every last ounce of the conman he knew he could be and channelling that into a charismatic smile.

"Don't be, Peter. I'm glad I met you."

Peter smiled wryly at him. "Likewise."

Four years later

"Let me see it."

Neal stopped and hitched up his pant leg, letting Peter see the tracker.

"You understand how this works?"

Neal began to make his way over to where Peter was waiting by a car. "I'm being released into the custody of the FBI, under your supervision, and this thing chaffs my leg. Anything I'm missing?"

"Yeah," Peter responded, and Neal paused in front of him. "If you run, and I catch you, which you know I will because I'm 2 and 0, you're not back here for four years, you're back here for good."

While he spoke, Neal admired how the agent was able to appear so aloof and emotionless, as if he barely knew him. He hoped he was displaying the same sentiment and that none of the excitement and joy he felt upon seeing Peter again was visible.

"You're going to be tempted to look for Kate. Don't."

Four years later, and Peter changes his tune. Neal knew that the circumstances under which he'd gotten out of prison were different to the one Peter had been envisioning back when he was sat in Neal's hospital room, but he wondered if Peter remembered his parting words. He doubted it.

"I told you: the bottle meant good-bye." he said instead.

"Then leave it at that. This is a temporary situation. Help me catch the Dutchman, we can make it permanent."

Neal offered Peter a small smile as they approached the car. "Where are we headed?" he asked.

"Your new home." Peter said, and Neal thought he could hear an ounce of smugness in his voice.

In the car ride over Neal alternated between looking outside at New York and looking at Peter. He'd barely changed in the four years since he'd last seen him, and Neal felt the stirrings of something felt long ago begin to waken. He bit his lip and glanced back out the window. Kate was his priority now. He needed to find her.

"You're awfully quiet." Peter said. "Having second thoughts about our deal?"

"Not at all." Neal replied with an easy smile.

Peter shot him a suspicious look but didn't comment further.

"How have you been?" Neal asked. "You're still with Elizabeth, right?"

At the question Peter's fingers tightened their grip on the steering wheel.

"Nothing can happen, Neal." he said sharply.

"I – what?"

"I am your superior and I'm not going to abuse the power I hold over you, got that?"

"Peter, that wasn't at all what I was getting at." Though at least that answered one question that had been residing at the back of his mind. "I wanted to ask after Elizabeth but I didn't know if she was still in the picture, that's all."

Peter cleared his throat and nodded once. "Right, sorry."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Neal was hopeful about seeing Elizabeth again. Even though she had been one of the factors preventing him from acting on his feelings for Peter, he could never dislike her. He wondered if Peter had ever talked to her about their conversation in the hospital room. Probably not.

Next to him, Peter cleared his throat and Neal looked at him expectantly.

"While I'm not thrilled at the circumstances we're meeting again in… it's good to see you." he said, his eyes fixed determinedly on the road even though they'd stopped at traffic lights.

Neal grinned at him. "Likewise."

He didn't miss the smile that tugged at Peter's lips.

TBC