Okay guys so far I'm loving all the reviews! One lovely reader pointed out that it sounded like I wouldn't continue this story if I didn't get reviews. THIS IS FALSE! If I don't update for awhile its not your fault! It's just that finals are coming up and my soccer season is very hectic. But Don't worry I love you guys all the same!
Chapter 2
PETER POV
I watched as Neal was called into Hughes' office. I unconsciously became worried, knowing that anything Hughes had to say probably wasn't good.
"While Caffrey is gone I will explain each of your jobs. Jones and Diana you guys will-"
"No no no NO NONONO!" I heard Neal yell from the office. Of course everyone turned to see what was going on. Neal was sitting in front of Hughes, all of his usual charm gone. His face was pale and his hands were shaking. But that wasn't what scared me the most. His eyes. His eyes held complete tragedy and loss in them. The only other time I saw this much pain from Neal was when Kate had died.
"Meeting adjourned," I said and stalked out of the room. I wonder what Hughes said. As I got to the room I heard the ending of their conversation.
"Neal, as of right now you are the official guardian of Lena Marie Caffrey."
"What?" I yelled as I barged in.
"Peter," Hughes said with a sigh, "how nice of you to join us."
"Who is this Lena?"
"My niece," Neal whispered.
"How can you have a niece when you don't have any siblings?" I asked incredulously.
"I have-had a sister." Neal whispered then started shaking his head. "She's gone. Peter! She's gone. Nonononononono not Amelia. I raised her how am I supposed to live without her? Nononononono….." I was taken aback at Neal's words. He has a sister, supposedly named Amelia. How come I didn't know this?
"How come I didn't know this?" I voiced my thoughts. "I know everything about Neal Caffrey. How did this happen?"
"Name's not officially Neal, Petey" Neal whispered while looking off into space, his eyes glazed over and not seeing anything.
"What do you mean?" Hughes asked, honestly confused.
"The name I was born with is Nicholas Michael Caffrey. Neal was my dad's name."
"I thought your dad was a dirty cop?" I questioned. "Why would you want his name?"
"Easy to remember. Flowed with the last name. Reminded me of home."
"This still doesn't explain what happened to Amelia."
"Hit and run." Hughes said solemnly. That's when it hit me. She's dead. She's dead and has a child.
"Doesn't Lena have a father?"
"No." Neal whispered. "Dead. Iraq right after she was born."
"So that means…" I realized coming to a conclusion.
"She's mine."
I thought of stopping the story here but there hasn't been much that's happened so far so I wrote more. I also really want to do Neal POV.
NEAL POV
"Paperwork?" I heard Peter ask.
"It's down in Maryland with the foster home that is caring for Lena at the moment." Hughes explained.
"I have to go get her. NOW." I said strongly, no longer whispering.
"Neal you need to think this through-" Peter started.
"Think what through? There's nothing to think through! I'm not going to leave my baby with strangers for longer than I have to!"
"Your baby?"
"Peter, she's all I have left." I pleaded, looking in his eyes.
"All right, I guess we're going to Maryland."
…...
After about 4 hours of driving we finally made it to Maryland. I haven't been here in years. Nothing's changed.
"When was the last time you were here?" Peter asked as if reading my thoughts.
"Honestly? I can't remember all that well. 7 years? I came down here for Amelia and Erik's wedding."
"Were you close with your sister? You mentioned you practically raised her."
"Peter, my parents were….not all there you could say." I explained while looking out the window. It's so green. "My dad died when I was 2. My mom, thankfully after that became…different. I slightly remember the lullabies stopped and more bottles lying on the floor."
"At 2?" Peter asked in disbelief.
"I'm a remarkable child," I said with a cocky smirk. Peter just stared. "Yeah, I know. Continue."
"Well, Amelia isn't my full sister. She's my half sister." I explained. "When I was 8 my mom came home after being gone an entire week. Yeah she left an eight year old home alone."
FLASHBACK
"Mommy?" I questioned as I came out of my room. She's home! I ran up to her and hugged her knees. "Mommy! I missed you!"
"Hi baby," She wearily said. I looked up at her and saw black circles under her eyes.
"Mommy you need to rest." I suggested, wise beyond my years. "Here sit here!" I placed her on the broken down sofa we had and ran to the kitchen. I grabbed the drink that she liked, although it smelled funny and made her act differently.
"Drink up! And no buts, you look tired!" I said, imitating what she would say to me when I wouldn't drink my milk. She smiled and laughed my favorite laugh in the whole world. I want to be able to hear that laugh for the rest of my life.
"I can't baby," She said. "If I do I will hurt your little sister."
"I don't have a little sister, silly!" I laughed while getting on the couch and curling into her side.
"But you will! In a few months it'll be you, me, and this little bugger," She said while pointing to her stomach.
"She's in there?" I said poking the stomach that I was now realizing was a lot fatter than normal. "Is she okay?"
"Yes baby. She's perfectly happy because now she has you!" She laughed and kissed the top of my head.
END FLASHBACK
"She was about 5 months along and had just found out it was a girl."
"Who was the father?" Peter asked.
"Some random guy that my mother slept with while she was drunk. She had a lot of those guys after my father died." I explained solemnly. "After Amelia was born my mom just got worse. She couldn't stand Amelia's crying and I was worried she would end up hurting one of us, mostly her. So I took up the duties of parent.
"At eight years old?" Peter was shocked, I could tell. I nodded.
"I fed her the bottles, changed her, taught her how to walk and crawl. She learned how to read because of me. She was my everything," I smiled, not realizing that I was crying. I reached up and brushed the tears away.
"Neal-"
"No, I'm fine. I want you to know," I sighed. "I remember when my mom began coming home less and less. I was about 15 and Amelia was 7."
FLASHBACK
"Nick?" I heard Amelia come from her room. "Where's mommy?
"Hey sweetie," I whispered. "Come here." She came and sat on my lap. I was on the couch paying the bills as best I could. I kissed her forehead and she giggled.
"Nicky," She whispered again, "where's mommy?"
"I don't know Amy. But she will be home soon. You should be in bed."
"But why isn't she home? Doesn't she love us? Is it my fault?" She cried as she buried her head in my shoulder. My hurt contracted. How could she think its her fault?
"NO! Sweetie it will never, ever be your fault okay?" She nodded. "Mommy is just really busy and is doing the best she can for us." I knew this was a lie, but I didn't tell her. Mom's probably drinking and wasting our money at some bar.
"Okay. I love you Nicky even if Mommy doesn't." She whispered and kissed my cheek.
"I love you too baby." I smiled. "Now go to bed, you have school tomorrow."
"But first grade isn't hard!"
"You still have to be awake." I laughed and picked her up, setting her on my hip.
"Fiiiine." She sighed with a big breath but leaned her head on my shoulder. I heard her yawn and chuckled to myself. I tucked her in and said good night. But before I could close the door she stopped me.
"Nicky, will you sing me a song?" She asked timidly.
"Sure baby."
Michael row your boat ashore, halleluiah
Michael row your boat ashore, halleluiah
Time for Amy to go to sleep, halleluiah
Time for Amy to go to sleep, halleluiah
When I finished she was fast asleep, I laughed, memorized the picture, and kissed her head.
END FLASHBACK
"You sound like one hell of a brother." Peter laughed.
"Thanks."
"So when did you leave?"
"When I was eighteen. I changed my name, took Amelia with me, and just left." I sighed.
"What about your mom? Didn't she know you guys were gone?"
"My mom was officially gone when I was 16. I dropped out of school and took on multiple jobs. I did my best never to show how bad things were to Amy. She would go over to a friend's house after school while I worked my second job. At night I would tuck her in and have one of the friendlier neighbors watch her so I could work my third job."
"Three jobs? Geez Neal!" Peter was astounded. He just can't believe I'm that responsible.
"I paid the bills and finally when I was 18 and a legal adult we got up and left."
"Then you went to New York and met up with Mozzie and then the rest is history."
"Before New York I got Amy into a boarding school on a scholarship so she could be safe."
"Scholarship?"
"We Caffreys are pretty smart Peter." I laughed.
"As if I didn't know," he mumbled under his breath.
Wooh! That was long! I didn't plan for it to be this long it just kept on flowing. I love when that happens. I hope you guys liked this! Kid Neal was really fun to write. Hopefully you will get to meet Lena next chapter. She will be similar to little Amelia. The lullaby is what my dad used to sing to me every single night.
REVIEW PLEASE!