Chapter 6

Peter knew of only one thing that he could do for Neal, and it might cost him his job. The agent knew how hard he would have to push to get what he had in mind to come about. But Peter knew that it was really the only true option.

Neal could not go back to prison. The conman's safety would be a huge issue, in any prison. Neal would, most likely, not be able to survive another attack. And an attack was not just a possibility, it was a sure thing. That realization made the agent's blood run cold. He had to do something for Neal, and it would probably be the last thing he would ever do, as a federal agent. Peter wanted to Neal to know how much his friendship and their partnership had truly meant to him.

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"Are you sure, Hon? I mean…." El started. She had had an idea of what her husband had wanted to do. That didn't surprise her at all, what surprised her was what he told her it could cost him in the end. She had not been prepared for the aspect of him losing his job.

Elizabeth Burke had not really given it much thought, the idea that Peter might not be an agent anymore. When she had met Peter, he was already an agent. She was not sure how to handle the prospect. And, that was mainly because she was not sure how Peer would handle it. They could survive, financially. And their marriage would not end. But she worried what it would do to Peter's self-concept, to self-esteem. She worried that he didn't think he was able to do anything else, besides be an agent. El could understand Peter wanting, needing to help Neal. But, she didn't want him to destroy himself in the process.

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"You were right, Moz. I hate to admit it. But you were right." Neal said as he talked to his guest inside his hospital room. Peter had started around the corner and then into the room. But he stopped himself when he heard another voice inside the room. He waited to see who Neal's visitor was before he proceeded.

Moz looked, sympathetically at this friend. He knew how much Neal had wanted this to work. He knew how much Neal had come to like Peter and El.

Mozzie shook his head. "I just…."

Neal stopped him. "I wanted it to work. I believed that it could. But there is no way, in hell, I could or would go back to work for the FBI. And I can't go back to prison. I'm a marked man. Plus, I don't think I could survive another attack. I don't…."

"I've already put some things into motion, Neal. All we have to do is…."

Peter couldn't listen to any more of this. He had to stop it. He walked into the room. "You don't have to do that, Neal."

Neal and Mozzie looked at one another. The two made a silent agreement and then older conman left the room.

Peter looked at the interaction between the two. He did not miss the look that passed between them. He then turned his full attention to Neal.

"You don't have to do this, Neal." Peter stated.

"Do what?" Neal asked. He had no plans of discussing this with the agent.

"You don't have to run away."

The statement made Neal angry. He, at first, was not going to say anything about it. But then he decided he could not allow Peter to get away with that.

"I am not running away from anything, Agent Burke." Neal said, correcting him. "I'm taking my life back. I'm not going to allow myself to be 'used' anymore. I'm not going to allow people to treat me like I'm beneath them, like I'm sub human for the sake of a few good 'solve rates.'"

"Neal, I…."

Neal shook his head. "This is not about you. Conmen are a dime a dozen. You could have a new C.I. tomorrow. So, don't pretend that this is about having me back. You sent me to prison pretty quickly. You didn't seem to even consider what that could mean for me, for my life." Neal paused. "Or was it that you just didn't care?"

"You dared me, Neal. What was that, some ploy? Were you testing me to see just exactly what I would do?" Peter replied.

Neal nodded as he spoke. "You used to tell me every day, everything I did you would send me back to prison. You said it constantly. I just…I was tired of having to watch my back. I mean, on the inside you know, for the most part who is coming after you. But, then you…you get out and the lines are even more blurred. I have people who hate me for the simple fact I've been to prison. I have agents who hate me because they think I am getting off easy by working with you. I have other agents who think that they are too good to work with the likes of someone like me. I have criminals who don't trust me because I've turned. Then I have criminals who want me dead because I've turned. Then, I have the 1% of the world. That comprises the Mozzies, the Junes and the Els of the world. They know exactly who and what I am, and they are still willing to give me a chance. They can see past that. They are willing to look." Neal paused and looked at Peter for a second. "I used to know where you were in all this. Now…now, I don't' have a clue."

Peter opened his mouth to speak. But, what could he say. There was nothing to say. He just shook his head and left the room.

TBC

END NOTES: Thanks to the GUEST who made the suggestion of Peter overhearing a conversation between Mozzie and Neal. I hope you like what I came up with.