Chapter 7

Peter didn't even bother to wait for the elevator. He would just walk down the stairs to the lobby. He didn't want to have to see anyone. Then he just stopped his descent. He turned and looked back up the three flights of stairs he had bounded down. He started back up. Neal deserved to know some things. Neal said he didn't know where Peter was in his thoughts. Peter decided, if there was any way to mend that relationship Neal needed to know some things that would probably be very uncomfortable and hard for the both of them.

Peter paused outside Neal's door. He knew that Mozzie could easily sway the conman to leave the city if Neal felt as if there was nothing keeping him here. The agent entered the conman's room, without knocking, in time to see Neal pull his pajama top off. The bruises on his back where black and yellow and still very angry, and for the first time Peter saw the scars that the altercation and the following emergency surgery had left on Neal's body. He started to back out the door. The sight of the scars unnerved him a little. But, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak.

"What do you want?" Neal asked, without even looking to see who was at his door. He knew it was Peter.

"Neal, I've never…" The agent said, entering the room. "…I didn't know…."

"I was beaten, Peter. I just had surgery." Neal said looking down at his chest. "There tends to be wounds and scars."

"I know. I just…. I'm sorry." The fed stated.

Neal forced out a breath before he replied. "This is not about you, Peter. You're free and clear. As soon as I'm able, I'm going back. There is no real reason for you to be here."

"Neal…."

"You can go now, I'm tired." Neal said, turning his face to the wall.

"Neal! Neal, I'm going to fix this. You're going to be a free man, no matter what it costs me." Peter stated to Neal's back. "I promise you that, no matter what."

Neal sighed. "Yeah, sure Agent Burke, whatever.

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It didn't take much convincing, surprisingly, to win his boss, Agent Reese Hughes, over. And Peter had thought that he, frankly would be a huge hurdle to get over. Peter and Reese then followed the chain of command. Peter talked to any and everybody who would listen. He touted Neal Caffrey's accomplishments, his value to White Collar. He praised the young man by reminding the higher-ups of their solve rates since Caffrey had come onboard. He explained away the recent incarceration, saying that it had been a mistake. It had been a mistake, but the mistake was not one made by the federal government. It had been a huge mistake made by one Agent Peter Burke.

Peter's crusade became a part of the office rumor mill quickly. Most agents said that Peter was wasting his career for a conman. Most others didn't believe any of it was true. How…why would a federal agent, any agent, but especially an agent of Burke's caliber ruin his career? Why would he take that chance? And then there was a small percentage, a very small percentage, who knew the truth and even they were split. There were those who were concerned for Neal's safety when he was returned to prison. And there were those who were concerned for Peter's career.

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El looked at her husband as they had coffee after diner one evening after work. "You know, I can handle not being a federal agent's wife, Peter. And, I can handle all that that entails. The question is can you handle not being a federal agent?"

Peter looked at his wife. He had asked himself that question, at least, a thousand times. And the truth was he didn't know. He had never given much thought to himself not being a federal agent. He had assumed he would retire from the bureau after a long and illustrious career. He had imagined that he would have climbed through the ranks, pretty high. He had never let himself imagine how high. But, that was all gone now. He had lost the respect of many of his fellow agents. They just couldn't or wouldn't understand that he felt he had wronged a conman and had wanted to make it right. He had annoyed and irritated his superiors, so he knew he had burned some bridges there. Even his very thoughts of a promotion, or any type of advancement had gone up in smoke.

Peter sighed before he looked at up and answered her honestly. "As long as you're okay with us being a one-income household, until I can find another job." The statement truly was a loaded one. Peter knew he would not get the bonuses due him. He doubted he would get his back paid time off. He would get paid for hours worked, Some amount that they found suitable, he figured, and that was probably it. Plus, on an even more practical side, they would have no health insurance, since Peter carried El on his policy. They would have no car. They would not have a lot of little niceties that a federal agent's salary could afford, and that his status and position offered. Theirlife could be in for a huge change. He just hoped, in the end, it would be worth it. That he could get Neal the justice that he deserved.

TBC

END NOTES: I got a little lost on this story for awhile, sorry for the delay in posting. I am planning on finishing this story in another chapter or two. JL