(( here we go the story is getting good now hope you enjoy and review love all you guys who read and you know I don't own the main chars I wish I did))
Chapter 4: Justice
Hughes looked at the two men behind him. "Will you two explain what's wrong with you?" he said hoping someone would clear something up soon. Neal cleared his throat a bit. "Right introductions, sir this is my brother Nicolai…he never told me he was an agent, he told me he worked at a club," Neal remarked looking his brother over a bit.
"Sorry little brother I had to lie, I didn't need you spilling my big secret to mom and dad…now where do you want this filth?" Nicolai asked giving Jordan a good shove. Peter stepped forward and grabbed Jordan by the arm and dragged him away from Nicolai and the others. Dragging the man up the stairs into the conference room he shoved him into a chair his hands still cuffed behind his back. Taking a seat across the table Peter looked at the younger man. "When the DEA and DOJ officials get here you are going to tell them the truth about your connection with Jack Lawson and if you even think about lying I will personally crush you like a bug," Peter warned.
Jordan leaned back against the seat his shoulders cracking a bit as he tried to get comfortable. "I'm glad to be back in the States; at least I know I won't be smacked around because now I have rights…now if you want me to talk and be a good boy let me have five minutes alone with Lark or should I call him by his real name, Neal. So five minutes or I call in a team of lawyers and let you all fry in the fire," Jordan said with a smirk.
Peter slowly stood up and made his way to the doorway where Neal was standing waiting nervously for Peter to return. "Well what does he want?" Neal asked looking into the conference room at Jordan. "He wants to be alone with you for five minutes, but you don't have to go in there and listen to him at all," Peter said as he tried to keep Neal from going into the room. Neal smiled reassuringly "I'll be fine Peter he's handcuffed and you're out here; don't worry I know I'm safe," he said softly as he walked passed Peter and into the conference room and took a seat across the table from Jordan.
"It's nice to see you again; I wish I could hear you sing again you have a very nice voice. Then again you're voice can't compare to your body. Maybe you could pick these cuffs and then we could get to know each other again," Jordan remarked with a smirk that made Neal's skin crawl. "You said you wanted five minutes alone with me and that is all you're going to get, that means I don't have to talk to you or even look at you during that time," Neal remarked as he turned his chair away so he didn't have to look at Jordan.
"Oh no, if you don't talk to me I won't say a word," Jordan warned leaning forward in his seat. As Neal turned toward Jordan he felt his stomach twist in knots until he saw Peter and his brother standing behind the glass wall with both of them with their arms crossed over their chests the handles of their guns visible. Neal swallowed hard and looked at Jordan. "We have four minutes, what would you like to talk about for that span of time?" Neal asked crossing his legs and his arms.
With a smirk Jordan sat back in his seat and turned his chair a bit to look at Nicolai and Peter. "Oh they look intimidating; they really are protective of you aren't they," he remarked as he pushed himself to his feet and walked around to the windows. Neal watched Jordan closely. "Yes they are and there are two minutes now," Neal said keeping himself protected. Jordan gave a small laugh as he walked around the table toward the ex con artist, before he could get close enough Nicolai walked into the room and stood behind his brother. "Get back to your seat" he said as he watched Jordan walk back around the table and sit down before leaving and going back to where Peter was standing.
Jordan looked Neal over and honed in on the dark hickey on Neal's neck "Someone knows how to mark what's theirs very well you really should cover that up better when you're at work or someone might think you're easy," Jordan remarked with a smirk. Neal pursed his lips in anger and decided not speak for the last two minutes.
After the two minutes Hughes walked into the conference room flanked by Peter, Nicolai and the head of the DEA New York branch and a DOJ official. Peter took the seat on Neal's left and gave him a quick pat on the thigh to show him he was there for support. Neal looked over and smiled at Peter. Once everyone was seated and Jordan was un-cuffed Hughes cleared his throat. "Now were you or were you not working with Jack Lawson?" he asked hoping to clear Neal from going to jail, he may not have liked the younger man all the time but he knew that Neal was a great asset and friend to many of the agents in the department.
Jordan stretched his arms over his head "Yeah I was working with him, he would bust my competition and I would sell the drugs he didn't log into evidence for three times the amount and he would get a third of the money I got from my buyers. But he wasn't the one calling the shots, there was another man pulling the strings…he called himself the Puppet Master, I never knew his real name he never met in person all I knew is he would call like clockwork," Jordan said as he watched the DEA agent taking notes. Just as the agent finished writing the glass wall of the conference room shattered. Peter instinctively pulled Neal against him for cover he knew right away that someone had fired a gun.
Hughes stood up after a few minutes once he was sure it was safe and kept to the wall as he looked at everyone crouching in the bullpen. "Everyone make your way to the lobby downstairs and wait for further instructions. Jones! Diana! I need you to wait in the hallway," Hughes ordered as he walked back into the room.
Nicolai got up slowly and walked to the window and looked at it and whistled. "That was one hell of a shot, but from the hole in the window it was someone in building shooting from a room on the same floor as this for such a headshot as clean as this, even in my training I don't think I could pull something like this off," Nicolai remarked as he looked over at his brother and saw him looking at Jordan's body. Walking around the table he helped his brother up and removed his jacket and put it over his shoulders.
"Come on squirt I'm taking you home, it'll be safer there," Nicolai said as he careful began to lead Neal out of the room. Peter followed behind them until they were in the hall by the elevators. "You're going to take him back to June's?" Peter asked as he grabbed Neal by the arm and kept him from walking away. Nicolai turned around and kept his arm around his brother. "No… I'm going to take him to our home, where we grew up it's safer than leaving him in the city, he'll need to get the tracker off," Nicolai remarked. Peter shook his head. "He is staying right here it's safer for Neal to be where the FBI can watch over him," Peter said taking a step closer to Neal.
"The hell he is…he needs to be with his family it's much safer back home; no one knows where we live except family so if someone is after him then they won't be able to find him," Nicolai added as he tugged his younger brother closer. Peter grabbed Neal by the arm and started to pull him away from his brother. Hughes walked over "Burke I'm moving everyone upstairs to the twenty fourth floor. It's going to be a tight squeeze but it will only be for a few days while the windows are replaced," Hughes said. "Peter…from the looks of it Wilson was the target all along, I want the team pulled together in twenty minutes…so hand Caffrey off to his brother; he's still on medical leave. I need you here," he added looking at the brothers.
Neal looked at his older brother "Come on we'll go to June's it's one of the safest places in the city, we'll take your car but I need my things from Peter's car first," Neal said as he looked at the FBI agent and held out his hand for Peter's car keys. Peter reluctantly reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. "I'll help you move your things; I still don't trust you with the car…just yet," he said pressing the down elevator button.
Once Neal's things were out of his car Peter looked at his partner. "I want you to call me the second you get to June's and after work I'll stop by to see how you're doing. I'll be checking your tracker and if you stray from the way to June's by more than a street for any reason except for a detour I will really let you have it," Peter warned as he looked from Neal to his brother. "The same goes double for you," he added pointing at Nicolai who he raised his hands up in defense. "Yeah…yeah I'll bring him there," he said getting behind the wheel of his rental car. "And I promise I'll call you when I get there," Neal assured as he got in the car.
After leaving the parking garage Nicolai pulled out a knife and handed it to Neal. "Okay cut it off we're heading home," he said as he pulled up to a stoplight. Neal looked at the knife in his hand and dropped it on the floor. "No we're going to June's, you really don't want bring Peter's wrath down on you, trust me I know what he can do," Neal remarked casually as he dropped the knife on the floor of the car. Nicolai sighed in defeat and tapped the steering wheel. "Fine, give me the directions to this woman's house," he yawned as he listened to Neal's directions to June's mansion.
Nicolai parked his car out front and looked at the house "Well I'll tell you this you surely don't stray far from your comfort zone," Nicolai remarked as he got out of the car. Neal chuckled "You should have seen Peter's reaction when he saw me sitting in front on the city view I have upstairs. Let's unpack the car," he said grabbing his duffel bag from the back seat. When they were done Nicolai looked around his brother's apartment. "You're really living the high life, I wish my place in Russia had a view like this, mines just bigger is all," he remarked walking over to the doors and looking at the view. Neal put his last bag down on the floor and walked over to his wine selection and looked it over right away he could tell that Mozzie had been in his apartment recently. Digging into his bag he found his cell phone and put it on the counter.
"Nick…can I ask you something, why did you go to Russia? I told Peter you went because you fought with our father…" Neal said taking a seat at the table. Nicolai turned away from the window and looked at his kid brother "Oh don't play stupid Neal you know damn well why I left. Dad and mom were stressed with Interpol hot on their tail and they weren't around for months and the times they were around dad always decided to take it out on me after a few dozen drinks. I still have the scar from the bookcase he shoved me against, you know the one that fell on top of me and broke four of my ribs," he said slamming his hand on the table.
Neal looked at the table "Well it didn't help that the first thing they heard from you every time they came home was you yelling at them all the time for leaving us behind, of course he would drink and even then you pushed his buttons until he snapped and he put you in your place, you always acted like a spoiled brat about it," Neal remarked looking at Nicolai. "Spoiled brat? Like hell I was, while mom and dad were running around the globe knocking off jewelry stores and switching fake paintings for real ones I was watching out for you. You're the spoiled brat, mom used to coddle you and give you whatever you wanted, while I had to work for everything, my cons weren't seamless enough or my forgeries weren't perfect enough for them, so I have every right to be pissed," he yelled ignoring the anger on his little brother's face.
Getting to his feet Neal felt his anger clouding his judgment "I've never been spoiled in my life, and if you hadn't been the biggest baby in the world and ran away I wouldn't have had to work so hard in my life to get where I am today. Not to mention I lost a lot as well getting this far, at least you still have your girlfriend mine died!" Neal yelled as he moved toward his brother. "Well you have a funny way of mourning her, first you lose your memory then you stupidly let yourself kidnapped twice by the same man then you throw yourself at a married man you work with. You're nothing more than a white collar whore," Nicolai said with a smirk only to have said smirk punched off his face by his younger brother.
Rubbing jaw Nicolai looked at his brother and growled as he tackled him against the table both of them rolling off and hitting the ground hard. Neal grabbed his brother's hair and pulled it as hard as he could. Nicolai grabbed Neal by the back of his hair and pulled and shoved him off hard enough into the glass windows and breaking a couple of the windows. Neither Caffrey noticed the apartment door open or the two police officers walking in from a local precinct followed by one of June's maid's. As they were pulled apart both men struggled as they were handcuffed and pulled out of the apartment.
Both men looked at each other as they were shoved roughly into the back seat of the police car. "This is your fault Nick," Neal said giving Nicolai a kick in the leg. Nicolai kicked back with as much force as he could manage. "You're the one that started all of this; you asked the question first about my past," Nicolai remarked as he continued to struggle against the handcuffs. Neal quickly shifted around and tried to get free but with someone sitting beside him he found it hard to get his hands free.
After a short drive Neal and Nicolai looked at each other from across the room, before Neal could even give a false name one of the officers walked up to him. "Alright Mr. Caffrey, we have found your information and have called your handler and from the sound of it he should be here soon, once I mentioned your name he used some pretty colorful language," the officer said a small smirk forming on his lips. Neal sighed and put his hands in his hands. "Oh god I'm a dead man…Peter is going to murder me…" Neal said to himself as he looked up when he heard his brother chuckle at his reaction.
When Peter arrived Neal looked down at the floor; he was visibly shaking hard enough to affect a glass of water two desks over. Peter walked over to him and stood over the younger man and looked at his brother across the room still handcuffed to a chair arm. Too furious to talk to them Peter walked into the Captain's office and talked the captain into releasing both men into his custody and after a little chat Peter managed to get the charges dropped with a promise of full governmental punishment brought down on both of them. After the brothers were un-cuffed from their chairs Neal followed behind Peter with his head down with his brother walking beside him.
Peter hadn't said a word to them yet the truth was he was too furious to speak to either of them. He quickly got them in the car and drove to the Burke's home. Neal whimpered, he knew right away he was in trouble and his fears were confirmed when they pulled up to the house. Peter pulled his cell phone out and hit a speed dial button. "Yes this is Special agent Peter Burke I'm calling to restrict the tracking device of Neal Caffrey at this address for twenty-four hours from two miles to a hundred feet…yes after it can be reset to its original setting of two miles at that address," Peter said as he looked at Neal in the rear view mirror with a 'just question this call I dare you' look, Neal shivered and closed his mouth without speaking. After getting the brothers inside Peter closed the front door with a small slam since he knew it was Elizabeth's day off and from the looks of the living room she was home.
Elizabeth walked out of the kitchen and saw the anger etched in Peter's face "Hey hon…what's wrong, and what's going on here I thought you and Neal were going to be up at the cabin for another four days?" she asked when she saw Neal looking around trying to figure out an escape route from the couch. Peter looked over his shoulder and quashed any thoughts in Neal's mind of getting out of the house.
"Well, we were going to stay but you remember that guy from the club case? Well he was found in Russia and brought in by Nick who turns out work for the government in a job that is the Russian equivalent of the FBI. As I was saying that guy Jordan was brought in and turns out someone wanted him dead because they shot him from three hundred yards away from a room on the same floor as ours… but this whole little story is after that, when these two were supposed to go to June's and call me when they got there but instead something happened and they got into a fight and June's maid didn't know they were in the house; so low and behold she called the police and they were arrested for fighting," he added glaring at the brothers. "So Neal is being punished with a hundred foot radius outside the front and back door until tomorrow," he added and watched as Neal lowered his head again.
Not wanting to take sides since Elizabeth knew Peter was mad "I have to go out for a while a client called the cake shop and she was told that the cake wouldn't be ready in time so she called me directly and now she's threatening to cancel the entire party. I have to go smooth this out. Can you try and not punish them too much? I think they needed to get this out of their systems in the first place," She said as she gave Peter a quick peck on the cheek before going over to Neal and lifting his head up and giving him a kiss on the forehead. "It's for the best sweetie…" she added before going out the front door.
Peter looked at Neal. "You know the drill get moving," he barked pointing at the dining room table. Not wanting to make Peter any madder Neal got up with his face flushed red from embarrassment as he bent over the table. Closing his eyes tightly Neal waited for Peter to begin. "You're going to get five hundred swats; that is the only way you're going to learn," Peter remarked as walked into the kitchen and came back with a large wooden spoon as he looked over at Nicolai on the couch. Neal closed his eyes even tighter as he felt the spoon hit his backside with enough force to nearly break the spoon in half. Neal cried out as his head fell forward and hit the table with a thud. Nicolai watched in horror as his little brother being spanked.
Not feeling protective at all Nicolai silently stood up and started to creep toward the front door only to come face to face with a growling Satchmo. "Nice doggy… shh…" Nicolai whispered hoping to calm the large dog down; he noticed the dog calmed down when he moved back toward the couch. Giving a defeated sigh Nicolai sat back on the couch and watched his brother get punished. By the thirty-fourth strike Peter felt his hand get tired of holding onto the wooden spoon and he dropped the spoon on the table and began to use his open hand on Neal's backside. Neal whimpered he could barely feel anything below his waist, he wanted to cry out but he was tired. "Enough Peter I've learned my lesson, I'm sorry I got arrested," Neal whimpered as he waited for the next swat.
"That's what I wanted to hear, I can tell you've learned your lesson now," Peter remarked as he helped Neal stand up with support from the table. Neal took a step away from the table and felt his legs give out. Peter caught Neal and supported him against his body as he guided Neal to the stairs and helped him up each step and into the guest room. After he got Neal comfortable he sat on the bed. "Peter…I'm sorry about the fight I didn't mean to but when Nick called me a white collar whore so I got mad and I punched him," he whimpered as he felt Peter push his hair around. "You just rest I need to go speak to your brother about this," Peter remarked as he left the room and went back downstairs to find Nicolai walking around the living room looking at his things. "Everything in the house is counted so don't even think of lifting anything, now we need to talk. Neal is sensitive and he doesn't need his own brother insulting him right now, you're going to go up those stairs and apologize to him," Peter said pointing at the stairs.
Nicolai groaned and walked up the stairs and went to Neal's room "Hey squirt… look I'm sorry for starting that fight, and I'm sorry I left home all those years ago, now you rest up I'm going to go watch some TV downstairs," Nicolai said giving his brother a smack on his already abused backside. Neal jumped up and rubbed his backside. "Nick you're an ass," Neal cried out as his brother left the room. Peter walked out of the kitchen with an ice pack and saw Nicolai laughing as he came down the stairs. "What did you do?" Peter asked, when he didn't get an answer he walked upstairs and found the younger Caffrey pouting. "Hey kitten, I brought you something to help with the pain," Peter said handing Neal the ice pack.
"Peter, be honest do you like being with me… in a relationship I mean? You don't think I'm throwing myself at you do you?" Neal asked thinking back to what his brother said earlier. Sitting on the bed Peter let Neal get comfortable on his stomach before he helped him put the ice pack on his backside. "In my honest opinion Neal, you've been on my mind the four years I chased you, I have to admit that even though I acted liked I didn't like the cards and gifts but I still kept them all in the chest at the end of my bed," Peter said softly.
Elizabeth decided her walk around the park would be enough time to convince everyone she had been busy with work, as she walked up the front steps she thought about what to make for a late lunch. She knew Neal and Peter's tastes but Neal's brother was a mystery to her; even when they talked in the hospital he barely talked about his life just things like the weather or if the coffee machine had been fixed at the end of the hall. "I see why Neal likes you; you're a lot like our mother. You baby him too, the whole forehead kiss thing she did that all the time when she went out on jobs with Dad… that's what made him so innocent he never got yelled at when he was growing up. After all he was the baby of the family and it was only after I left they actually put any pressure on him," Nicolai said as he got up from the couch.
"Why don't you join us for lunch, I guess my husband is making sure that Neal is comfortable?" she asked as she walked toward the kitchen. Nicolai sighed "I have no idea what their up to; maybe they are even having sex. Neal does seem more content at the moment and he's usually only like that when he's gotten something he wants. You think you really know my brother… you don't he can stab you in the back before you even realize it," Nicolai lied since he was bored and wanted to stir up a little trouble for fun.
Looking at the stairs Elizabeth stood up and walked to the kitchen she glanced up at the ceiling her curiosity; after a moment she realized what Nicolai was up to. He's good; he actually got me questioning my own husband... even after I told him I was fine with their relationship going that far, Elizabeth thought as she gathered the ingredients for chicken salad sandwiches and a deviled ham one for Peter.
Peter rubbed Neal's back and felt as he breathed in and out. Feeling that the younger man breathing so steadily he leaned over and found that Neal had drifted off, "Neal… we're going to be having lunch soon, come on I know you're hungry," Peter remarked leaning in closer. Neal smirked and rolled over his backside throbbing lightly as he looked at the older man and tapped his finger against his lips for a kiss. Not bothering to roll his eyes Peter leaned in and closed his eyes as his lips met Neal's, when he tried to pull away he realized that Neal had his slipped his fingers into his hair and was holding him in place. It took Peter a second to realize that there were only two ways to get free the first was to pinch Neal on his already abused buttocks or kiss his way out, choosing to do the latter Peter began to kiss the other man.
Neal matched each move Peter made with just a bit more force than the other man; so by the end Peter managed to pull away to find Neal panting a bit through parted bruised and swollen lips. "You said something about lunch?"Neal asked with a smile. Rising up from the edge of the bed Peter helped Neal up. "Before we go down Hughes wanted me to ask you if you were all right. What I mean is that you might feel fine now but later we don't know that's why I decided to limit you to this address," Peter explained.
"So what your trying to say is that you're making sure I don't have a panic attack from flash backs of my own shooting. Peter I'm fine I'll stay tonight but please don't worry if something starts to bother me I will tell you right away I promise," Neal said as he got off the bed and walked past Peter and to the door.
As they made their way downstairs Neal looked at his brother on the couch, and moving over to the couch Neal sat down on the open spot near the edge while Peter went into the kitchen to help with lunch. "So you're planning on coming home for Thanksgiving right?" Nicolai asked as he kept his eyes glued on the television. "Yeah just as long as I play the right cards and lie through my teeth well enough, I'll be there a few days early… Mom told me Grandpa was going to be there so we have to be ready for his speech again, now I'm starting to wish I was back in prison just to avoid hearing that again," Neal said leaning back against the couch.
Nicolai glanced at brother "He's still on about that? I thought he would have given up years ago especially after you went to jail… the only family member to be through the whole process," Nick remarked with a small laugh. Neal rolled his eyes "It was worth it to find Kate again, wait a second you were arrested when you were sixteen and you went to juvie for a month," Neal remarked. Nicolai smirked "That doesn't count…those records get sealed remember," Nicolai replied.
Elizabeth walked out of the kitchen a few minutes later carrying two sandwiches for the brothers, as she put the plates on the table and looked over at the couch where she found Neal and Nicolai curled up on either side of the couch sound asleep.
Peter walked out of the kitchen and stopped when he saw his wife looking at the couch. "We'll just wrap up their lunch, they both need their sleep," he said softly as he placed his plate on the table next to his beer. "They are quite the handful I now have more respect for their parents even if they are criminals they still had to deal with these two growing up," Peter remarked as he began to eat his lunch. Smiling at the view Elizabeth got up and found a blanket and covered the brothers to keep them warm. "I guess now is the best time to ask how your trip was, did Neal enjoy the art supplies you got him?" she asked quietly to make sure she didn't wake the sleeping guests.
"He loved them, I just hope I didn't give him he tools to create forgeries," Peter remarked with a smile as he worked on his beer. Elizabeth knew it was the right moment to pop her question. "So how was the sex?" she asked truly interested, Peter choked on his beer as he looked at his wife, he didn't know what to say, any other man would deny any affair. "It was what I expected about him, he is quite amazing," he said looking over at Neal asleep on the couch. "Is there video of it? I would have liked to see," she remarked with a smirk as she sipped her tea.
Neal groaned as he sat up and rubbed his eyes he looked around the semi dark living room and saw Peter sitting at the table watching him. "Where's Nick?" Neal asked groggily as he started to feel his mind get clearer. "He woke up an hour ago and he asked El to drive him to June's so he could get his rental and head home since his plane was leaving soon, he said he'll call you when he gets home. El is stopping by her place, to finish up some paperwork; she left you a sandwich in the fridge and some wine," Peter replied as he walked over to the couch and sat down. Neal looked around for a clock but when he didn't see one he gave up and sighed "I wonder why I was so tired?" Neal asked as he stretched the kinks out of his back. Peter shrugged his shoulders he wasn't going to tell Neal he had slipped him some sleeping pills instead on pain killers for his backside.
"So it's just the two of us… I like that," Neal remarked as he moved over and straddled Peter's lap and looked at him. Peter looked at the younger man on his lap, "I thought you would be too sore to do anything?" Peter asked as he placed a hand on Neal's hip to push him off. "If I'm going to be stuck here under house arrest I get to choose my entertainment Muffin," Neal said with a smirk."Please tell me that nickname is short for something more manly," Peter remarked as he started to push Neal away. "You know it is, it's short for Stud Muffin," Neal replied as he put his forehead against Peter's. "Maybe we can continue what we started earlier upstairs," he whispered with a smirk. Sliding his hand down to Neal's thigh, he pulled Neal into a kiss and close to him.
Purring loudly Neal and Peter didn't hear the front door open or Elizabeth walking into the living room. Neal shivered with the feeling he was being watched. Pulling away from Peter and looked behind them at his partner's wife. "Hey Elizabeth, we we're just talking about you… well sort of," Neal remarked as he tried to push away from the other man that was holding him close. Peter slowly let go and cleared his throat and tried to regain a clear head as Neal climbed off his lap. "Hey hon, did Nick get to his car in time to get home?" Peter asked trying to change the subject. Elizabeth stood there for a moment "Yes, he is probably on the plane now getting ready to take off," she remarked as she walked toward the kitchen. Neal followed behind Elizabeth into the kitchen "If I could I would go home and let you two have the night to yourselves but since I can't I'll stay down stairs tonight and I'll be as quite as a mouse," Neal remarked with a smile.
Elizabeth smiled "Oh Neal please don't worry about it I'm not jealous of you two and you don't have to say anything. Now about the upcoming holidays your brother warned me about your little plan," she said as she pulled the sandwich out of the fridge and handed it to Neal. "I'll be there earlier than Peter... I just hope your plan works and he's not too mad," she remarked smiling at the younger man. Going to the table Neal sat down and began to nibble at the chilled chicken sandwich. Peter moved from the couch and sat across from Neal. "Do you have any idea who the Puppet Master could be?"Peter asked as he reached over and stole a pickle from Neal's plate. Neal thought for a moment. "I don't know, I've never heard of someone giving themselves a code name for others to use. He values privacy and did you notice that the shooting only happened after Jordan mentioned the name Puppet Master, so either the shooter read his lips or Jordan had a microphone on his person," Neal commented as he took another bite.
Peter held up a finger and grabbed a file off the edge of the table "the inventory list, on the inside of the collar of his shirt was a pin microphone that transmitted via wifi connection, Jones tracked the signal to a building across the street between the two office buildings a block away from the FBI building. It was on the twenty first floor that the agents we sent over found a sniper's nest in an abandoned office, the gun was left behind but there were no prints so we're thinking latex gloves," Peter said as he filled his partner in Neal looked across the table at Peter. "Why couldn't we just have a nice boring case of mortgage fraud?"Neal asked with a small smile.
"Don't worry about it you're benched from this case, even when you get cleared to go back to work… The DEA dropped the charges against you for Jack's death now they're looking to clean their own house so to speak," Peter remarked as he let Neal finish eating.
When he finished dinner Neal found himself wide awake with nothing to do, so he walked around the living room, looking at the shelf filled with movies and books. Peter had decided to call it an early night with his wife leaving the ex con to fend for himself for the night. Neal decided he would rather read a book than watch a movie so after pouring himself a glass of wine he sat on the couch and began to read. By the end of the book Neal was bored and he didn't know what to do it as it was close to ten and being under a very restrained house arrest which was starting to get to him already.
Getting up from the couch Neal paced the room a few times; he needed to get out of the house but the farthest he could go was to the curb and a few steps in either direction. Before he started to rip his hair out Neal walked out the front door and sat on the front steps with the cold air feeling good on his face. He felt nervous and jumpy in the house something was bothering him but he couldn't put his finger on it. Once he was sure he had cleared his head Neal got back up and walked into the house and tried to find something to occupy his mind until he fell asleep. Neal growled when he looked at the time and saw it was two in the morning, he didn't know why sleep was escaping him. After a long internal argument he turned the television on with the volume turned way down, he flipped a couple channels before landing on a movie, in nine minutes Neal was out like a light the soft blue glow of the television flickering around the room.
Peter woke early the next morning he slipped out of bed and walked downstairs and found Neal asleep on the couch the television was still on and an old black and white movie was playing. Grabbing the remote from the coffee table Peter turned the TV off and made his way into the kitchen to make coffee. As the coffee pot did its job Peter walked back into the living room to watch Neal sleep. Neal begins to move his head from side to side a look of pain on his face. Moving in closer Peter looked at the younger man to comfort him he barely touched Neal when the younger man began to start screaming and sat up. Neal was breathing heavy as he looked around and saw a very worried Peter looking at him.
"You're all right, thank god" Neal mumbled as he threw himself into Peter's arms and held onto him tightly. Peter held the younger man and stroked his hair; he knew that Neal would have a nightmare sooner or later after the shooting. "I'm right here Kitten…just breathe…" Peter said softly as he pulled Neal to the couch and sat down beside him. Neal tightened his hold around Peter to make sure the other man was really there, "I had a dream that you were… were on the plane with Kate and I knew about the bomb and I couldn't warn you in time to get off and the bomb went off and…and… you died," Neal said as he buried his face against Peter's shoulder.
Peter sighed softly. "It was a bad dream Neal I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere I promise," he said softly as he rubbed Neal's back. Neal slowly pulled away and rubbed his eyes before leaning in and kissing Peter for a moment. When he pulled away he smiled. "It's nice to see you are really here," Neal remarked as he nuzzled up against Peter. "Do you really have to go in today?" he asked as he began to nuzzle Peter's shoulder. "Yes, they need me to help solve this case but I before I go in I'll bring you back to June's that way you won't go too stir crazy in my house. I'll go get dressed why don't go and get some coffee; I made some Italian Roast that we had left over from the stuff June gave us," Peter remarked as he stood up and looked back at Neal and held his hand out.
Neal took the hand offered to him as he stood up. "Before you dress how about a proper good morning kiss," Neal remarked giving Peter a quick kiss. Pulling away Peter smirked and looked at his lover before grabbing him by the back of the neck and pulling him into another kiss. When he finally let Neal go to breathe he walked past him to dress.
Once he was dressed Peter took the cup of coffee Neal was holding for him "Elizabeth was worried when she heard you yell I told her what happened, she thinks you should lay off the wine before bed," Peter remarked as he sipped his coffee. Neal chuckled "Yeah I guess chicken salad and wine don't mix well with insomnia," Neal remarked as he followed Peter to the car and got into the passenger side.
As they drove to June's Neal watched Peter as he drove with his coffee clasped tight in his hands "You know I never actually just sat and watched you Peter, you're fascinating to look at," Neal remarked as he sipped the coffee he was holding. Peter chuckled as he pulled away from the stop light and drove down June's street but when he pulled up in front of her house he parked and killed the engine before walking Neal up to his apartment with his travel cup of coffee in his hand. Neal looked around his apartment and saw the windows in the doors were repaired.
"I have to get going Hughes wants everyone in early, this shooting has everyone on edge at the office so I can stay for a maximum of five minutes and don't even think of even trying to get me to stay later than that," Peter said as he sat down on the loveseat and looked at the ex con standing in front of him. "You shouldn't sit if you don't plan on staying Muffin," Neal remarked with a smirk as he put his coffee down and climbed onto Peter's lap. Peter smirked and tapped Neal on the tip of his nose. "Nice try Neal but I'm going to work and nothing you do or say is going to stop that," he remarked as watched the gears in Neal's head began to turn.