Chapter 9 –Epilogue

AN: By overwhelming majority, you guys asked for a continuation. So, here it is. I hope you like what I came up with. Also, in my version Diana didn't get pregnant and go off to D.C. JL

Life outside the FBI had been interesting. The year since Peter Burke had left the FBI had been a challenge. He had called in some favors, to get a job or two. Only to find out that it just was not the job for him. So far, he had been a night security guard, and a body guard. These were jobs which amounted to long periods of mind-numbing boredom, punctuated by minutes of mild excitement. He lasted about 1 week at each of those jobs.

Some of the 'friends' the agent had made in the bureau wanted nothing to do with the former agent, given how he left the FBI. Most didn't understand what Peter had done with regards to Neal. But there were others who just didn't care. And it was one of the ones who didn't care who had offered Peter a job as a private investigator. Cary Andrews had been away from the bureau for about 10 years. He had gone through Quantico with Peter and had been assigned to the homicide division. But, he soon tired of the crime scene work. He wanted to be in a position to prevent the crimes he had seen too often as a cop, then as an agent. Andrews thought that maybe through work as a P.I. he could do that. And then when he got a call from Former FBI Agent Peter Burke. He jumped at the chance to hire his old friend.

Now, Peter spent his days in jeans and t-shirts sitting in cars waiting for things to happen. Long gone were the suits and the office, and the nice coffee mugs. These days his workspace was his car and his paperwork involved expense journals and observational journals. He got reimbursed for his expenses. But it was tedious to have to write things down in a journal and to hold on to numerous receipts. And now days his coffee was strong, black and come from cheap paper cups.

Since Peter did sit and wait for extended periods of time, he had a great deal of time to think. And while he didn't regret the decision he had made. He did miss the FBI. He missed the life he had there. He missed the people he worked with. He missed all of that. In the end, Reese had not understood and had essentially broken all ties with Peter. Jones also had not understood, and had followed suit. Diana didn't understand either. But she had a hard time severing ties. So, she called Peter and they would go out to lunch on occasion.

Peter and El began to make new friends among the fellow PIs in the agency. Most were younger than Peter. But they were all at different points in their lives: Anywhere and everywhere from never married to widowed. It was all over the board. And the children story was anything from no kids to grown adults with their own children.

Cary and the other men had working for him made Peter feel welcome in the agency and they all got along well. But, still every time Peter passed the building he wondered what was going on inside.

Diana kept Peter up to date on the happenings in the FBI. And when she told him that she had been offered and had accepted his old position, Peter had not been surprised. He knew everything would be okay. Diana would be a good leader.

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Neal's life was very different than before. He had been in a quandary for several weeks. He didn't know what to do. Mozzie had even talked about leaving. He had left Lolanna to shake her hips on the former C.I.s fireplace mantle, once again. But Neal didn't want to leave New York. And Neal knew, in his heart, that Mozzie didn't really want to either.

Neal had not talked to Peter in little over a year. Their paths never crossed. Neal spent his days teaching art classes. He had gotten studio space in an old remodeled factory. He had then custom designed his space to allow him to have his own private studio, plus an area large enough to hold classes. All thanks to June's financial assistance.

Neal Caffrey, former international art thief and former conman, actually enjoyed teaching. That really surprised him. He didn't know if teaching students the finer aspects of creating art would be enough. But, he loved watching the students' eyes light up with they finally got a technique he was trying to teach them. He loved the looks on their faces when they finally finished a work, when they made that last brushstroke and declared the piece finished. He loved the look of accomplishment. And even in the short time he had been working with his small group of students, he had seen major improvements in nearly every one of them.

Mozzie had not been too happy with Neal's decision to open a studio. He was sure that Neal would not be able to stay with it. He just knew that it would not be enough to make the conman happy. But Mozzie was proved wrong, and in a big way, when he had the chance to sit in on one of Neal's classes. He saw what it was the Neal was talking about, why the conman's eyes lit up when he talked about it. As the ex C.I. had said, it was great to see young people excited about art. It was nice to see that level of seriousness among those who were so young.

Neal and Mozzie had decided to keep their joint venture, The Greatest Cake, open also. They put the store manager in charge of the daily operations with either Neal or Mozzie checking in with surprise visits. The conmen made absolutely sure that they kept a close eye on their bottom line.

Neal wondered about the Burke's he couldn't help himself. He had to credit Peter and El with the turnaround he had made in his life. He had gotten to see how things worked, from Peter's side. Neal realized that now, since Peter knew him a lot better, if he did go back 'to the life,' he would always have Peter hunting him. And, most likely, knowing what he knew now, Peter would find him much, much quicker. Neither he nor Mozzie thought the risk would be worth it.

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"I guess you saw it." El stated while she and Peter enjoyed supper on evening. She knew he had. He had even seen the date circled on Peter's calendar.

Peter nodded and smiled. He and El had been talking to one another about Neal a lot lately. El had been by The Greatest Cake to place her yearly order for the Haverstein Gallery's annual event. She had been back a couple times to modify her order. She had asked about Neal, each time. But, the manager and employees were very tight lipped. She didn't know if they didn't know anything, or if they were instructed not to say anything.

"I really would like to go, Peter." She said, looking into their living room. "I think our house could do with a Caffrey original."

Peter nodded again. "I agree."

END NOTES: I debated continuing this story from here. But, I think this is a good place to end it. You can imagine for yourself how things went when Peter and Neal saw one another again. I hope you enjoyed. Thank you for being so faithful, to me, and to this story.