Neal's trembling hands passed over meaningless objects, objects that would not save his life. He could feel the poison consuming him. It was as though he could feel it oozing through his veins, lashing out at every blood cell in his body. He was aware that within minutes he would become nauseas and weak. The conman searched faster, wanting to offer as much help to the panicking trio whom he saw searching just as frantically as he was. They all knew the fate that Neal would find at his doorstep in eight hours which now had been lessened to seven hours and some odd minutes. Neal was not sure if it was the poison or the fear of dying that twisted his stomach causing him to gag. He closed his eyes, trying to work through the feeling, but suddenly he became sluggish. He reached out to brace himself up against an old dresser so his quivering legs wouldn't go out from under him and send him crashing to the floor. Diana must have noticed. She placed a comforting hand on his back, asking if Neal was alright before giving Peter a worried glance. Neal nodded and gave her his Neal Caffrey trademark grin as best as he could. It wasn't convincing.

Where could it be? Where could it be? Eight hours is all we have to find the tiny syringe that contains the antidote. There's so much junk. We will never find it! Neal will…

Diana risked taking a glance at Neal and wished she hadn't. His face blanched and he began to sway on unsteady legs. Knowing the poison was taking its toll, she made her way over to the younger man. Diana placed a hand on his back as if it would do any good. She knew the answer to the question she was about to ask before it had ever found its way through her lips, but inquired anyway. As expected he replied yes and gave his famous Neal Caffrey grin, but she saw right through it. She watched as pain, fear and desperation flashed in his eyes. Diana dropped her tearing gaze to his legs noticing how they trembled much like his hands.

"Neal, let's sit down for a minute okay?" She asked gently. Diana didn't expect the conman to give in so easily. On any other occasion it would have felt triumphant but right now she was unnerved by his surrender. She softly grabbed him around the shoulders and guided him to the wall nearby. Together, they slid down the wall slowly.

They sat side by side, shoulders touching, legs stretched out in front of them. Neal let his head fall back against the wall and closed his eyes. Diana watched as Peter and Jones continued looking. Every few seconds one of them would turn to look at Neal. She watched fear and concern etch its way onto each of the agent's features. She knew she looked the same.

Neal groaned softly.

"Neal?" Diana asked as she placed her hand to his forehead. Luckily, he didn't have a fever…. yet. Neal rolled his head away from her hand then the wall and looked at her.

"I'm ok. I just get nauseas from time to time." Neal replied. Diana nodded with a sympathetic look.

"We should get back to searching, I guess." Neal stated after a few minutes of silence passed.

Diana nodded again, but reached an arm out in front of Neal, preventing him from standing.

"I'll start searching, you just sit here and relax, okay." Diana told him. Neal made to protest but Peter's voice stopped him.

"She's right Neal! Just sit down, alright." Neal looked around trying to find Peter, eventually the older man came out from around one of the walls that separated the basement into different rooms. He walked up to Neal and knelt down in front of his friend. "You need all of your strength, don't waste it on searching, let us worry about that. Just sit here and rest. We will find it, I promise." With that, the agent patted Neal on the shoulder and left to continue looking for the antidote.

Twenty minutes passed. No antidote had been discovered and only an eighth of the rubbish had been looked through. There were piles and piles of pointless objects and items, from old furniture to things none of the team knew what it was. Neal sat quietly watching as Peter, Diana, and Jones went through it. He felt so helpless, after all it was because of him they were doing this. He stopped them.

"Guys, why don't you stop for a minute? Just take a break."

It was Jones who spoke first.

"No. We have to find it, Neal. Then we will take a break." The unwillingness to let the conman die in Jones' struck at Neal's heart but so did the exhausted slouch of his shoulders.

"Look, you will find it, but please just stop for a second. Okay? You guys have been at this for almost an hour. Take five minutes at least and sit down. Please." Neal didn't stop the pleading tone that made its way into his voice. The three agents looked at Neal then at each other. Knowing they were all tired, they complied with Neal's plea. Peter sat down by Neal, shoulders touching slightly. Diana sat cross legged and Jones sat with his knees bent and his arms wrapping loosely around them, in front of Neal and Peter.

"Has this ever happened before?" Neal asked to no one in particular.

It was Peter who responded. "Not in our division, no." Peter answered fully aware that Neal was talking about the particular situation they were in now.

Neal waited then asked, "Are you sure there's no way out of here? I mean there's gotta be…." Neal let the words die off.

"We looked. There's only one door, the one that leads down here, but it is bolted from the outside. It wouldn't budge with every offensive line-man from the NFL pushing against it. Walls are concrete so we can't get through them. There's a window but it isn't big enough for anyone to fit through. There's no way out." Diana informed the conman.

"Oh….. well that's …. Great." Neal said sarcastically.

Jones laughed, "Yeah, but at least there's an antidote…. Somewhere."

"I hope so." Neal said quietly before grinning hoping it would diminish any appearance of fear that registered on his face.

"How are you feeling?" Peter asked as he eyed Neal.

"I'm fine. Never been better." Neal answered putting up a façade that all three could easily see through.

"Okay. Now that you've lied, how about an honest answer?" Peter countered. Neal smiled a little.

"I'm okay, really. Just a little nauseas and dizzy at times. Other than that I'm fine, honestly." Neal reassured. But as soon as the words left his mouth he began to shiver slightly.

"Are you cold?" Diana asked. They all felt a pang of fear wash over them as they noticed how hot it was in the basement.

"A little." Neal answered as he wrapped his arms around his torso. Peter placed a hand to Neal's forehead and felt heat radiating from the younger man's skin. Jones stood and retrieved a quilt he had come across while he was searching. He shook it, freeing the dust that settled in it and walked back to the group. He draped it over Neal.

"Thanks, Jones." The conman replied as he let his head fall back against the wall.

"We better get back to searching." Peter said as he stood. Diana and Jones followed.

It was only a few minutes before Diana's voice made its way across the room.

"Hey Boss, you better come take a look at this."

Peter's head shot up as did Jones'. As they made their way over to the colleague, Peter asked,

"Did you find the antidote?"

"I think so. But we've got a big problem." Diana replied showing the other agents the small box that she held in her hands.

They were overwhelmed at what they saw.

AN: Can't wait to hear what you guys think! Hope you guys like it so far!