Neal adjusted the radio to a different station and lowered the volume, glancing sideways to see if Peter was still asleep.

Something changed; maybe subtle or just gradual enough that it took Neal a couple of days to figure it out.

But after breakfast, when Peter gave him the keys and told him to drive, it hit Neal like a ton of bricks. At some point Peter had become the friend he had asked for and not the man who felt responsible for Neal's well being and sometimes treated him like a child.

Neal might never admit it but he was glad he told Peter about his childhood; though Peter would be the first to tell him he was an adult and he had to put the past behind him, he was sure Peter understood that some things couldn't be left behind and helped shape the man that Neal had become.

He glanced at the dashboard and noticed they were almost on empty; he drove another mile until he saw a gas sign and turned off.

"Peter." Neal reached over and gently shook the agent. Peter stirred with a quiet groan before opening his eyes.

"We need gas. Do you want anything from inside?" Peter turned his head as he tried to gauge their location.

"Where are we?" he finally asked.

"We're still in Indiana but not far from the border."

Peter nodded as he opened his door. "Think I'll stretch my legs" he said as he gingerly got out.

Neal watched him walk away and then started pumping gas. When he was done he found Peter inside, checking out the array of junk food.

"We could stop for lunch" Neal suggested as he grabbed a bottle of water.

"We could" Peter agreed as he took a bag of chips and a diet soda to the counter.

Neal followed and paid for everything with the credit card that Peter knew about.

"Peter, are you ok?" Neal asked once they were settled back in the car.

"Yeah." Peter nodded as he buckled the seat belt and opened his soda."Tired" he admitted as he leaned back and stared out the window.

"If you want to drive let me know."

"I'm good." Peter ripped open the bag of chips and started munching. "Do you want one?"

"No." Neal played with the radio until he found a station that came in clearly.

"What is that?" Peter's eyed widened as he listened to the strange music.

"Not a clue." Neal moved the dial until he found a country station. When Peter didn't protest, he left it there.

"Peter, what do your parents know about me?"

The agent sat up straighter, momentarily surprised by the question.

"What do you mean?" he finally asked.

"Do they know why you were in jail?"

After several minutes of awkward silence Peter answered with a quiet no.

"So you lied to them?"

"I may have omitted a few things" Peter replied.

"So you lied" Neal repeated with a hint of triumph in his voice. He didn't need to look Peter's way to know the agent was squirming a bit.

"Why don't you tell them the truth?"

"Neal, they're my parents and I don't think they'd allow you in if they knew about your father."

"Yet, you don't blame me" Neal quietly said.

"I don't" Peter said loudly. "Neal, my parents are old and it killed them to know their son was in jail."

"So, tell them the truth..."

"No." Peter reached over and turned off the radio. "At no point in that house do you bring up your father or what happened. OK?"

"But they know you were innocent right?"

"They do."

"Do they know about the nightmares?"

"What do you think?"

Neal shrugged. "Are you afraid they're going to hear you?"

Peter smiled. "I figured it's easier to stay awake..."

"Might be easier to not stop there" Neal suggested.

"Not really" Peter remarked with a loud sigh. "They threatened to drive down to Brooklyn if I didn't stop by." Peter paused as he grabbed a handful of chips. "Neal, my dad will be eighty next year. It's too far for him to drive but he won't admit he can't do it. So I said I'd come to them and this road trip gave me the perfect opportunity. Besides, they've heard enough about you that I'm sure they'd finally like to meet you."

"Peter, what are your parents like?"

Peter sighed with a small shake of his head; he knew where Neal was going and he didn't want to have this conversation.

"Does it matter?"

"It does to me" Neal insisted. "Peter I won't compare and contrast parents." He chuckled bitterly. "It's a no win scenario and I won't put myself in that situation." He briefly glanced sideways. "You know I hate to lose. I just want to know what kind of people raised Peter Burke."

"Fine" Peter remarked evenly though every bone in his body said this wasn't a good idea. "Stop for lunch and we'll continue this conversation." Peter knew the next exit was ten miles away and it would give him time to figure out the answer.

Of all the places to choose Neal picked a Crackle Barrel, a restaurant Peter had seen numerous times during his travels but never stopped to eat at.

It was a quaint place with a fireplace and a gift shop at the front. They were seated right away and quietly read the menus.

Neal glanced over his menu at Peter and smiled, though the smile quickly faded when Peter realized he was being watch.

"What?" The agent asked.

Neal shrugged. "Thank you" he simply said before returning his attention to the menu.

"Would you like to elaborate on that?" Peter wasn't one to let something go, especially if it kept Neal talking.

"For letting me have my vacation. Don't." Neal held a warning finger up. "I know what it is but I'd rather think of it as a vacation. Never had one before..."

"Neal, you've been all over the world."

Neal laughed. "Either doing a job or running for my life. This is the first time I've enjoyed the company and I wasn't looking over my shoulder." He shrugged. "And you didn't have to do it...I'm rather surprised that you agreed." He wriggled his free ankle. "My ankle thanks you too."

Peter rolled his eyes at Neal's last statement. "Tell your ankle to enjoy it while it lasts." Peter smiled. "And you're welcome. I've had fun too." Confessions done, both went back to staring at their menus.

"Wow that was good." Peter leaned back and eyed the few crumbs left from his Reuben sandwich and steak fries.

Neal nodded in agreement as he finished the last of his roast beef sandwich.

"So" Neal said as he gulped down his coke, "are you going to tell me about your parents?"

Of course Neal didn't forget as Peter had hoped during a quiet lunch, sprinkled with talk about the past few days.

"Neal, what do you want me to say? My father was tough but fair..."

"No." Neal stopped the agent in mid sentence. "I don't want the TV version. Just tell me what they're like."

Peter rolled his eyes as the waitress came over to fill his coffee. He thanked her and then glanced Neal's way with a weary smile. "My father was tough" Peter repeated, "and he expected nothing less than obedience and good grades." Peter shrugged. "He wasn't above using the belt when needed and he was an opposing figure..." Peter smiled.

"Did you get in trouble?" Neal asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Sometimes" Peter admitted. "He worked long days so he went to bed early... and I had a penchant for sneaking out after dark and meeting my friends."

"Peter, really. I'm shocked." Neal smirked.

"I didn't do anything illegal" Peter put forth as he added cream and sugar to his coffee. "But I did get caught a few times trying to get back into the house." Peter chuckled. "It was ok if my mom caught me but if Dad did..." Peter paused and Neal didn't ask him to elaborate.

"I learned to love baseball from my dad and he made it to all my games."

"I wonder if my dad was around if I would have liked sports" Neal said forlornly.

"Neal!" Peter reached over and lightly swatted him on the arm. "You said you wouldn't do that."

"I know." Neal looked away with a pensive frown.

"Neal, don't do this" Peter warned as he called over the waitress for another refill of coffee. "You got something special from your mom and I will never understand why you didn't do something with your artistic abilities."

Neal continued to stare out the window.

"Neal, baseball pretty much ruined my relationship with my brother."

That got the ex-con's attention and he glanced Peter's way. "What happened?" he quietly asked. He knew Peter had a brother but the agent rarely talked about him.

"Do you promise to stop with the what ifs?"

Neal shrugged.

"Negotiations" Peter reminded the ex-con. "You said it's how you get what you want."

Neal couldn't help but chuckle as Peter used his own words against him. "I promise" he finally answered with a genuine smile. "Tell me about your brother."

Peter took a deep breath as he wondered how much he should tell Neal. Only Elizabeth knew the whole truth and though she helped them get back in touch with each other, the relationship still wasn't what it should be or what Peter hoped it would be in the future.

"David's a year older than me" Peter started with a quiet voice. "And because we were so close in age everything was a competition. He'd dare me to jump off the garage and I would do it." Peter smiled at the memories. "My poor mom caught us once and..." Peter shrugged. "If I tell you my mom was a saint, believe it."

"Were there good times?" Neal asked.

"Yeah." Peter nodded slightly. "When we were young we were on the same baseball team and it was fun. But I got better." Peter sighed deeply. "Suddenly I was getting noticed and David was resentful. Being drafted...he didn't even get a tryout and it devastated him."

"So he was jealous" Neal put forth.

Peter shrugged. "I guess. But I was hurt. He was my big brother and I wanted him to be happy for me." Peter glanced out the windows with a long shuddering breath.

"Peter?"

"I'm fine" the agent answered but they both knew that was a lie. Neal fidgeted in his seat and then glanced at the desert menu while he waited for Peter to compose himself. He waved the waitress over and ordered two slices of apple pie ala mode.

By the time she returned Peter seemed in better spirits and he eagerly dug into his pie, though he refused to meet Neal's gaze. The ex-con ate his pie with much less enthusiasm, with his mind working through what Peter had told him.

"Peter, what happened next?" Neal asked after they finished dessert.

"Nothing" Peter answered with a defiant shrug. "We were amicable at family functions but we kept our distance from each other."

"And now?" Neal prompted when Peter grew quiet.

"Elizabeth was shocked when she learned all of this. She's so close with her sister she couldn't imagine me rarely talking to my brother." Peter smiled wearily. "She plotted with my mom to get us together and forced us to talk..."

"And it's ok now?" Neal asked, interrupting the agent.

"It's better" Peter admitted, "but I'm not sure it will ever be good between us. We grew apart and that's that."

"Peter, I'm sorry."

The agent shrugged. "It's what we've both said before. Family isn't always related by blood."

Neal smiled with the meaning of Peter's words all too clear. He checked his watch and realized they'd been sitting there for nearly three hours and they still had a distance to go before reaching Cleveland.

"Should we get going?" Neal asked.

Peter nodded.

They paid and headed out, with neither man talking.

"I'll drive" Peter said as he took the keys from Neal and opened the front door. "Take a look at the brochures and see if anything looks appealing for tonight."

Neal slid into the passenger seat and buckled his seat belt. He waited until they were on the expressway before asking the agent something that was bothering him.

"Peter, what happened between you and your brother, can that happen to us?"

"No" Peter answered without having to think that over. "I'm older and wiser and believe it or not I value our friendship."

"I've said some pretty bad things to you."

Peter chuckled. "I'm sure I've done the same."

With that settled, at least for the moment, Neal leaned back and closed his eyes, tired from the earlier drive.

Peter pulled into the hotel parking lot and found an open spot, turning the car off with a heavy sigh. Yawning most of the last hour, Peter decided they would do nothing that evening but watch TV and rest. The agent's decision was easy considering Neal hadn't budged since they left the restaurant.

"Neal." Peter nudged the ex-con's left shoulder. "Hey, wake up."

Neal turned his head and frowned with his sleep induced eyes staring unfocused.

"We're here" Peter said with a weary smile as he nudged Neal once more.

"Did I sleep the whole way?" Neal rubbed his eyes as he stretched each leg with a quiet groan.

"You did." Peter got out of the car and glanced up at the bright sun. He opened the back door and pulled out both suitcases, setting them on the ground as he waited for Neal.

"How does pizza and a movie sound?" Peter asked when Neal finally joined him.

"Works for me" Neal answered as he grabbed his suitcase and staggered towards the entrance.

Two hours later the pizza was half gone and Peter nursed his can of beer, a small victory after a heated argument with Neal over his drinking. Even though he bought a six-pack he promised Neal he would stop after one can; inwardly smiling as he watched the ex-con open his second can...suffering with the taste to ensure that Peter didn't drink it all.

Neal was quiet and Peter didn't think it was because of their fight. Neal had his eyes on the movie but Peter was sure he wasn't paying attention.

"Neal, what's wrong?"

The younger man shrugged as he looked at Peter with a half-hearted smile.

"I'm still having trouble with what you said earlier..." he paused.

"Trouble, how?" Peter asked with just a little hint of anger. "I didn't tell you so you can judge me..."

"Peter, I'm not" Neal quickly interjected. "It...Just doesn't seem like you" Neal explained somewhat hesitantly. "You don't seem like someone who would hold a grudge" Neal continued as he turned away from Peter's gaze.

Peter grabbed another piece of pizza and leaned back in his chair with a small smile playing on his face. "Neal, I love my brother but we're very different and we grew apart. I really have no other explanation." Peter chuckled nervously. "I was young and I didn't realize how important family was...is" he quickly corrected.

"So Peter Burke is human after all" Neal said, raising his beer can.

"So I've been told." Peter mirrored Neal's salute.

"I was eight when I realized how different I was."

Peter glanced Neal's way with a neutral face; waiting for Neal to go on, surprised that the ex-con was willing to give up information without Peter prying.

"It was the start of the school year and we had to write what we did during the summer." Neal shrugged, recalling the obnoxious assignment that most teachers gave at the beginning of the year.

"Bobby Banger was first up..."

"You're making this up." Peter chuckled. "Bobby Banger..."

"He wrote about his family vacation..." Neal continued, ignoring Peter's comments.

"The Bobby Banger family vacation..."

"Peter!"

"Sorry." The agent tried unsuccessfully to wipe the smile from his face

"Are you done?"

"Hopefully..." Peter snorted. "I'm assuming he got teased a lot."

"He was a head taller and thirty pounds heavier than everyone else. No, we left him alone." Neal sighed audibly as he picked up his beer. "Can I finish?"

Peter nodded solemnly. "Go on" he urged as he reached for another slice of pizza.

"Bobby's vacation was a camping trip with his father, grandfather, uncles and cousins." Neal played with the can as he vividly remembered that day, when his life changed forever. He looked over at Peter and then stared out the window, away from the agent's eyes.

"Neal, I'm a little confused. How did that affect you?"

Neal stood and took a few steps, so he could see the street below. The hotel was situated on a main street not far from the downtown area. Neal watched the people walk briskly by, with children and packages in toll.

"That night" Neal continued as he stared out the window, "I asked my mom where our family was." He turned briefly to face Peter. "I knew about my father but I didn't have grandparents, uncles, cousins...anything." Neal chuckled bitterly. "I asked my mom why we had no one and she started crying..." Neal shook his head with a deep sigh as he sat down and leaned back, with his weary eyes searching the ceiling.

"Peter, it wasn't just tears. She was sobbing uncontrollably..."

"Neal, what did you do?"

"I did what any child would do. I ran to my bedroom and hid in the closet and covered my ears so I couldn't hear her."

"Neal..."

"NO!" Neal stated loudly. "Don't use that tone with me. Peter, I've said it before. I don't want your pity...I just want you to understand."

"OK" Peter whispered evenly. "What happened next?"

"I fell asleep and when I woke up my mom was gone."

"She left you alone?"

"No." Neal shook his head as he reached for another beer. Peter intercepted his hand and grabbed the can. "If you want, we can go downstairs and you can get a real drink at the bar."

Neal shrugged as he sagged deeper into the chair, drawing his knees up. "She went down the hall to Ellen's apartment." Neal smiled weakly. "I searched everywhere for any pictures and I found nothing. Peter, it was the weirdest feeling to know you had no one out there that cared..."

"Neal..." Peter paused, at a loss for words.

"The next day Ellen told me not to bring up the subject again and I didn't. I will never forget the sounds my mom made..." Neal closed his eyes and took a couple of breaths, trying to tuck those memories away.

He opened his eyes to see Peter watching him, with concern clearly etched on his face. "Things changed after that day. I started wandering the streets more and I met Sal soon after..."

"And your life of crime began" Peter finished.

"Something like that." Neal stood. "How about that drink you mentioned?" He grabbed his wallet and without waiting for Peter, Neal walked out.

Peter nursed his soda water as he watched Neal down his second gin and tonic, clearly agitated and unwilling to engage in any conversation.

Peter wanted a real drink but he knew it would upset Neal even more and that's not what either of them needed at the moment.

They were seated at a table tucked away in a corner with only two other patrons sitting at the bar. Peter felt safe enough to reach over and briefly grabbed Neal's hand, drawing the ex-con back to the present.

"Neal, let's make a deal. When we hit New York we stop talking about the past. Sound ok?"

Neal managed a weary smile. "Sure, just when I get to meet your parents. Can I ask about your childhood?"

"No."

"What about your brother?"

"NO." Peter exclaimed loudly. "No past means no past..."

"What if your mom brings it up?"

Peter lowered his head and rubbed his eyes.

"Peter, I can't be rude ..."

"Neal." Peter said sternly. "Are you ready to go up?"

Neal finished his drink and then tossed a few bills on the table.

"You do realize I have a long list of questions for your parents."

With a deep sigh, Peter followed him out of the bar.