Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Elizabeth's POV

Well, today didn't go at all how she had planned it. She had planned on going into work but her client called and cancelled and so there was no point in that. So she was puttering around the house which had resulted in her curled up on the sofa with a small tub of ice cream that was already half eaten. She sighed when the cell phone rang but reached out anyway figuring it was Peter.

"Hey honey, I was just thinking about you."

"El, are you home?" He sounded freaked out and it caused her to move off the couch quickly.

"Yeah, what's wrong Peter?"

"Something isn't right with Neal, we're following his anklet and it shows he's going to the house. If he comes to the door, just wait until the unit rolls up. I don't want you taking any chances." She held her breath at the mention of Neal, she liked the young man and she realized how Peter felt about him. She understood it, he was a remarkable and genuinely good man despite his criminal ways. He had a good heart and if something happened to him under Peter's watch…

"What do you mean taking any chances, Peter its Neal he wouldn't do anything to…" She would trust Neal with her life if she had to, but something about what Peter had said caught her off guard. Why wouldn't he trust the young con? Well, that was obvious but still…

"I know, just trust me alright?"

"Alright, I'll call you if he comes to the door." She heard the phone disconnect and she moved to put the ice cream up and make sure everything was locked up tight. Then she turned off the television and took up her place on the staircase so she could watch the door, cell phone in hand.

She was going over the Neal she'd come to know through Peter, the man that was charming and gentle yet at the same time far too distant for someone his age. She let out a breath and rested her chin against her hand, he had something back in his life that had caused him to become so secretive and so untrusting. But that wasn't the problem now. Now the problem was that something was wrong and he hadn't told anyone, he was doing everything alone like he always seemed to think he had to do.

She heard a sound and twisted in the direction of the backdoor, apparently she had been sitting there thinking for a while because it was Peter who unlocked and entered the house.

"Hey honey, nothing yet." She saw him let out a sigh of relief before he sat down next to her on the step. She frowned and reached over to stroke his cheek softly, "What's going on?"

"I don't know El. I got a call from Neal's cell, but there wasn't a response, there was a pop and then the line went dead." He let out a shaky breath and his head slung forward slightly which prompted her to slide her hand from his cheek to his shoulder as the other reached and gripped his chin lightly so she could turn him to face her.

"Hey, it'll be alright Peter. Neal is strong, he's a tough kid and he has you in his corner. Where can he go wrong?" She offered her husband a soft smile, trying to conceal her own worries for him and for their young friend. He couldn't help but crack one of his typical smiles and it made a wave of relief run across her body, she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to his before resting her forehead against his. "Peter, it'll work out. Don't worry so much."

She wasn't expecting what would happen next, but then again neither was Peter. A shadow crossed their door and both Burkes turned to look at it as it's owner leaned into the frame and offered a weak knock. Peter let out a breath and pulled his service weapon out, dragging a finger over her lips before pointing around the stairs. She took his suggestion and moved silently out of sight and out of weapons fire if it came down to that.

When Peter reached for the door he wasn't greeted by weapons or anything ordinary, he was greeted by a human body collapsing across his feet.