A/N: I have just read over this chapter and made a few changes, hope they make the story more enjoyable.

Neal never liked hospitals. Far too public and they insisted on recording every little detail about you and putting it on record. Private practices were better, the staff, the treatment, the food. But when you black out and are in need medical treatment, you tend to vouch away your right to voice your recovery accommodation.

It was strange though. Neal knew he was sleeping, or rather on the verge of waking up. He could hear the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor beside him, announcing every beat his heart made. And he felt a strange, calm enveloping him. Like he had slept in a deep hibernation and was waking up to a glorious spring. His logical brain told him it was either shock or drugs diluting his senses so his body and mind could recover from his ordeal. Either way, Neal wasn't complaining. It was quite nice, lying on a soft mattress and feeling completely relaxed.

As the world made itself known a little more with each passing beat, he slowly began to peal open his gummy eyes. White light surrounded him and covered all objects around until his eyes grew accustomed to the brightness, allowing him to focus on the room. It appeared how you might expect a public hospital room to be, light blue walls trying there best to produce an ambiance of calm and serenity into the patient's recovery. However, with years of use and abuse there were stains and smudges slashed across the surfaces. They appeared old and tired more then anything.

Neal glanced to the side of him and saw a hunched figure huddled on one of the four plastic chairs that surrounded his bed. On one of the empty chairs was draped a woman's jacket and gloves, but whomever they belonged to they weren't in the room. It was just the one sleeping figure closest to him.

Neal inspected the form of the person. His brain wasn't focussing on recognising the figure. He knew he should, but try as he might, he couldn't form the connection. Then the person gave a start, inhaling sharply his eyes snapped open to survey his surroundings.

As soon as Neal saw the face, a swarm of memories flooded back into his mind. How could he forget this man, this was the person that had changed his life.

Peter focused on Neal, still half asleep, it took a few moments for his brain to connect to his tongue. "You're awake."

Neal felt a smile broaden across his face, "Hi Peter."

"Hi Neal." Both men smiled at each other, saying everything without uttering a word. Everything was right again, Neal was safe and Peter had saved him. They were partners, brothers in arms. And both were glad to be back in each other's company, intact and mostly unscathed.

The door to the room opened and Elizabeth walked in carrying two plastic cups of what Neal assumed to be cheap machine coffee. "Neal!" She exclaimed as she almost flew across the room to hug him. She set the cups down and gently embraced him. Neal inhaled her perfume. He recognised the subtle sweet scent of the perfume 'Beautiful'. For a moment, he felt like a small child again in his mothers arms, then she pulled away from him and cupped his face in her hands. "I'm so glad your safe."

An image flashed before his eyes, The Beholder standing above him, caressing his cheek. "Me too." He said. "Sorry I made you guys worry, and to have to drink that." Neal said pointing to the two steaming cups on the table beside him.

"I've drunk worse." Peter said, a smile in his voice, and came to stand on the other side of Neal.

"How long was I out for?"

"The rest of the night, at least some of us got some sleep." Peter joked, then continued more seriously. "The doctors said that once you woke up most of the drugs that were in your system would be gone, but they would want to check you over."

"I should go tell them your awake." Elizabeth said as she tucked a short piece of hair behind Neal's ear. It fell right out of place again, but Neal didn't think that was the point. She smiled at him one last time before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

"You had me worried there for a while." Said Peter.

Neal pulled himself up on the cushions to gain a vertical view of the room instead of a horizontal one. "I was worried myself." The two men were silent for a moment, then Neal added "Peter," he hesitated, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it kido." Peter said ruffling his hair, a smile broadening across his face.

The room's door opened again and both men turned expecting to see Elizabeth. Instead, Hughes stood in the doorway. Both men spluttered at the sight. "Sir!" Peter said obviously shocked to see his boss visiting his ex-con partner. If Peter had still been sitting, Neal could have seen the man shooting up from his seat, and his chair being flung away by the force. "What are you- I mean." Peter stammered, obviously at a loss on how to address his boss out of usual circumstance. "Why are you here?"

Hughes stood in the doorway, his tiered demeanor saturating the energy from his surroundings, and stared at the two flabbergasted men. "I do get out of the office every now and then you know. You can stop gawking now." He exhaled noisily as he entered the room, his jacket tucked over one arm, and a small black box was held in his hand. He pulled at one of the vacant chairs and lowered himself into it gingerly.

Neal looked at Peter, Peter looked at Neal. Their facial expressions mirroring each others exactly. An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. The moments ticked by, Neal's eyes shifted to the door, then to Hughes and then to Peter.

Hesitantly Peter broke the silence. "Not that it isn't grate to see you Sir, but-"

"What am I doing here?"

"It's very thoughtful of you to come by." Said Neal. "But it is a little," He paused, trying to find the right word without offending Hughes.

"Irregular." Interjected Peter. Neal nodded his head in time with Peter.

"What, can I not visit a work colleague when he's been injured?" Hughes was a head figure, Neal didn't think he was the kind of man to just 'pop down' to see little old him. No, there had to be a bigger picture. "I brought a present for Caffrey from the Bureau." Said Hughes, shaking the box in his hands.

"That's it?" Peter said. He received a dark look from Hughes. He'd been too direct. Damn.

Neal beamed. Could he really be here to give him a present? "Well I'm flattered, you shouldn't have."

"No, I really should." Hughes said as he stood and presented the box to Neal. Neal took the box and opened it. Inside was a circular band, attached to it was a plastic electronic tracker. He should have known better. Hughes had just coned him into momentarily thinking he was getting a genuine get well present. Touché Hughes, thought Neal silently.

"Well, its not Tiffanie's, but your sure know the way to a gal' s heart." Neal said. He took out his 'gift' and gave it to Hughes's out stretched hand, who in turn lifted Caffrey's blanket and looped his new piece of jewelery around his ankle. The old one had probably been removed when he had entered A&E.

"I'm not just here to visit Caffrey." Hughes said. "You remember Daniel Picah?"

How could Neal forget? He was the owner of one of the jade elephants that he and Peter were once upon a time, tasked with to bring back to the Japanese. He had irritated Neal to no end, imitating him with his fedora hat. And he treated his art collection like furniture. "Real estate tycoon Neil Bluhm, was visiting his collection last night when they were attacked by two masked men. Pucah was kidnapped and Bluhm was put into hospital."

"And they brought him here?" Said Neal. Both men turned to look at him. "Don't get me wrong, this hospitals just grate, but a tycoon? Couldn't he afford privet health care?"

Peter was smiling at Neal, the kind of smile that could not resist from radiating from his lips when Neal made and inappropriate comment in front of the wrong company. Hughes glared at him, awed by the lack of respect that he demonstrated. Caffrey was smart, but sometimes his cavalier remarks made Reese wonder if the man said these things just to prompt a response. He was not going to indulge him. He continued as if Neal had never spoken.

"Nothing was stolen, we think, which is unusual in these circumstances considering the collection. I'm here because someone with enough credentials has to handle this case. Bluhm is a rising industrialist and will one day have a lot of influence that might be needed one day. Since most of my agents with the right qualifications," he said this with a poignant glare at Peter, "can't be pulled away from their cases, I had to come down and take his statement instead. Damn bureaucracy." Hughes did not look happy. In fact, he looked down right angry at being pulled away from his place behind a desk. Tasked with the mundane chore of having to take someone's statement, regardless of their position really seemed beneath him. Neal felt for the man whom had to brownnose with so many officials, he too hated bureaucracy, but that didn't mean he didn't understand the sway that it held.

Neal really wanted to pass comment, but a glare from Peter made him keep his mouth firmly closed. "Are there any suspects? Anything to go on?" Peter said.

"Not as of yet. But aside from that matter, Agents Durk and Huntington have been hounding me. They want to talk to Caffrey. He's the first victim of The Beholder's to remain intact." Peter started to interject but was hushed by a calm gesture from Hughes's. "Don't worry Peter, I told them they're just going to have to wait. But tomorrow, you're going to have them full on back at the bureau."

"Thank you," Said Neal. He was not sure if he was up to talking about what had happened just yet. Especially not with Agent Durk, or Huntington for that matter. He had to piece it together himself first. There were things that The Beholder said that just didn't add up. Like that, he had arranged to meet with Neal before he got sent away to prison, and Neal had cancelled. And the people he had killed were all re-enactments. Just what did it mean? Neal needed to take a step back and work it all out. Collect his thoughts, and then, maybe, he could talk about it.

Hughes patted Neal's leg, "I'm glad you're alright Caffrey." He said genuinely. For a moment, Neal saw the man behind the boss, and then he was gone. "I'll se you both at the office tomorrow. We can arrange a safe house for Neal, as well as everything else." Hughes looked tired as he muttered a goodbye, before trudging out of the room. Then again, he always looked tired.

Peter looked after his superior for a moment before turning to Neal. "Well, that was different."

Neal laughed as Elizabeth returned to the room with a nurse. She looked curious as to why Neal was laughing, but didn't question him. Instead, the nurse became center of attention when she addressed Neal. "Mr Caffrey, good to see you're awake. I'm Linda, would you mind if I took some blood?" Linda took charge strait away with obvious years of experience. And before Neal even had a chance to shake his head, she was at his sleeve.

A fleeting memory flashed before him, The Beholder grasping his arm trying to inject him on the couch back in the apartment. He closed his eyes and shook the sensation away.

Peter regarded Neal as the nurse took his blood. He didn't think that Neal would be squeamish when giving blood, but then he considered how he had found Neal the night before, being threatened with a syringe. If he had arrived there five minuets later, Neal would have been gone. He kicked himself again, he may have prevented Neal from being taken by The Beholder, but Neal would never have been put in that situation had Peter simply stayed with him.

"There we go, all done. We'll get these tested for you strait away. Now let me take a little look at you neck there." She said as she leaned in and with a proficient manner, and stripped off a bandage that Neal hadn't even realised was there. "Seems to be healing nicely Mr Caffrey." Linda smiled at him sweetly. He lifted his hand to feel the injury but it was slapped away by the nurse. "You'll get it infected. Honestly, what is it about boy's and picking at scabs." She joked as she applied ointment and a new bandage.

The room filled with polite laughter. The nurse, Peter observed, had grate bedside manners. She turned and addressed Peter, assuming he was the man in charge of Caffrey. "As soon as the results are back and we get an all clear I don't see why Mr Caffrey shouldn't be able to leave. As long as he has someone watching over him for the next twenty four hours he can go home."

"I don't think home is the best place right now." Peter said, thinking of June's spare room. Forensic were still in there combing for possible clues. He could just imagine the reaction Neal would have if he found out that the FBI were going through all of his belongings.

He received a curt slap on the shoulder from Elizabeth. "He has a place to stay." She said addressing the nurse, ignoring her husband's last remark.

"He does?" Questioned Peter, obviously clueless.

"Of course he does. Neal," She now turned to Neal, "Would you like to stay at our place for the night? Or until things get sorted and back to normal?"

Neal regarded Elizabeth; She was already nodding expecting his answer to be in the affirmative. He merely stammered. "I er-"

"Yes then its sorted. Neal will be coming back to our place. Who better then to look after him then an FBI agent, hm?"

As soon as Neal walked through the front door of Burke household, Sachmo was upon him, wagging his tail, excited at having company again. Neal leaned down and petted the dog, thinking how simple life was for the mutt.

Elizabeth then ushered Neal up to the guest bedroom while Peter lugged his bag up two flights of stairs behind them. They had stopped by Neal's apartment on the way back from the hospital and Peter had collected a few things for Neal while he stayed with them. When Neal had found out that the FBI was combing through his room he immediately thought of the file that he and Mozzie were compiling on the music box, among other miscellaneous. Most of his extra curriculum was hidden around the apartment, and Neal knew that the FBI could be thorough. He also knew that they could use the situation that had been provided to their advantage, and search areas that were usually out of bounds. Not in a situation to do anything about it, Neal could only hope that his hiding places were good enough to keep them from finding anything.

The Burke's spare room was cosy, and decorated in two-toned placid colours. Like the rest of the house, the furniture had an elegant but homely style. Large windows adorned with plain nets allowed the glow of the evening sun to shine into the room. A few box's labelled work were stacked to one side, and a small desk held an ancient Pentium PC. It's robust and out of fashion screen and tower dominated most of the surface. "Sorry about the mess. We haven't had someone stay in a while" Elizabeth apologised.

Peter followed them into the room and set Neal's bag down onto the unmade bed. "I'll just get you some fresh sheets as well." Elizabeth said. She smiled sweetly before leaving the room, returning moments later. "This is in case you feel like a shower before dinner." She said pointing to a towel that she had added to the top of the pile, "Im going to cook up some good old fashioned home cooking. Something tells me you guys could use a good meal."

"Thank you Elle, and Peter. Thank you both." Neal said. They both smiled before leaving him to unpack.

Alone, Neal took a moment. Sitting on the edge of the twin bed, he placed his head in his hands. He wasn't going to unpack much, he already felt odd about staying with Peter. But somehow it made him hopeful. Peter's house was the ideal home. If not for the décor, for the atmosphere that it provided. It was a happy home, one that housed good people. A part of Neal felt out of place, but another part wanted this kind of existence to be his life. This is what he wanted him and Kate to have one day. Somewhere to settle down. To create a life for just the two of them, no one interjecting their own agendas, no need to plan the next con. Possibly even start their own family. He could just imagine a little baby Caffrey with Kate's stunning features and his blue, blue eyes.

Neal pulled himself forcibly out of his daydream. Tears stung at his eyes that he didn't realise he needed to shed. He shook them away and decided to have that shower Elizabeth had suggested and wash away the previous day's events.

Once there, the hot water helped to regain a part of him that had been worn away. Afterward he felt like apart of the old Neal Caffrey was coming back. He dressed in a crisp white shirt and a pair of Epsom trousers. He brushed his dark hair back and allowed it to dry by its self.

When he made his appearance downstairs Peter was already in his slacks setting the table and Elizabeth was serving dinner. He felt a smile broaden across his face. This was home, he just hadn't realised it until now.

A/N: AWE, So cute. I couldn't resist putting a cheesy moment in there. Hope you enjoyed. The reviews i received for the last chapter made me so happy, thank you infinity!

ghostdolly, you put a smile on my face for about 20 minuets.=) see, there it is.

Tello, you're fantastic, than you so much.

Itamaru, i watched the first episode recently and it made me think of you!

inlovewithfanfics & LittleBloodyJ, The fact that i got an A. M. A. Z. I. N. G!(spelled just like that) made my mind explode a little.

NayahReidWhumper xD, Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment. I'm still blushing. *^_^*

Seriously, the comments have been grate, thank you all so much. After reading the last chapters reviews, my fingers took on a life of there own when i was writing this.

~Chow4noW~