"Agent Burke," June said politely though with reasonable caution. And then, "Neal!"

"Yeah," Burke said, helping Caffrey into June's house. They made a racket going up the stairs, June prodding Burke on what the hell happened and Burke refusing to answer until Caffrey had "gone to sleep". So they helped Caffrey into bed, took off his shoes and let him mumble random words until he went completely silent.

June turned to Burke, "What the hell happened? Neal's never been this drunk. Neal's never drunk."

Burke let out a deep sigh. "It's a long story."

"Well, I've got time."

"Okay, maybe it's a short story." A pause. "Neal. He was going to leave."

"I know," June said. "I told him I didn't believe in goodbyes."

"Yeah? Well at least he had the decency to bid you goodbye," Burke snorted.

June's eyes changed. "He didn't say goodbye to you?"

Burke scoffed and dropped his head. "He said goodbye to my wife. But not to me."

"So..."

"So I went after him. He was going to catch a plane and...disappear. But I caught him first, told him that he was making the biggest mistake of his life. You know what he did, June? He returned the FBI badge I'd given him."

"He was serious!"

"I asked him why he'd said goodbye to everyone but me."

A long pause as June stared at Burke and Burke stared at the floor.

"Neal said..." Burke started, drawing another deep breath, "He said it was because I was the only one who could change his mind."

"Well, that's Neal for you. Painfully honest."

Burke nodded.

"So what's he doing here?" June asked, glancing at Caffrey, sprawled across the bed, head buried in a pillow.

"Kate was in that plane, June," Burke said, his voice going soft. "Neal was going to disappear. But then he turned back to me, wanted to say something. And then... The plane exploded."

"What?!" June gasped.

"Yeah. I got to him. He was okay. But the pain...the horror, June. I couldn't..."

"I know," June said softly, reaching out to hold his face, voice laced with emotion, "There was nothing you could've done."

"They found the body, June. Ran lab tests and everything. I made in high priority. It was Kate. She's gone."

They lapsed into silence, glancing at Neal every once in a while. But he never stirred. Burke dug his hands deep into his pocket, occasionally running a hand through his hair.

He finally broke the silence, "I have to head home. Elizabeth-"

"Yes, you should," June said. "I'll look after Neal."

"Thank you, June."

-xxx-

TBC