Here is the II chapter, I hope you like it, it's not beta read (yet) so anytime you see a mistake, I'll be glad if you let me know. Thanks :)

...

They put down the boxes, near the entrance and shooke their coats while stamping their feet trying to clean them from the snow, before entering the house. Satchmo welcomed them wagging his tale happily.

Neal had never thought that the warmth of a house could cheer him up. Relieved, he felt his icy joints melting, while he followed Peter in the dining room and put down the box near the table

Neal sunk in a chair, sighing.

"What would you like to drink?" asked Peter

"Anything hot!"

"Okay! Coffee? The? Hot chocolate? Soup?"

"A coffee is perfect!"

Neal stared at Peter feeling somewhat guilty, he was doing absolutely nothing and he wasn't providing him with any help, but he was feeling tired, too tired...

He was feeling like his head was too heavy for his neck and shoulders!

He put his elbows on the table and dropped the head in his hands. He closed his eyes and started rubbing his temples trying to sooth the heartbeat that pounded in his skull.

He heard the phone ringing and caught some seconds of the talk Peter was having, all seemed happening far away from him, as in a dream..."Honey... With Neal... Yes... Okay... Yes, I'm sure... . ... I love you... See you tomorrow... tomorrow... me too..." Then the silence came back, broken only by the sound of the coffee machine.

"The coffee is ready" said Peter, placing a cup in front of Neal who cracked open his eyes. The shift gave him a wave of dizziness which required a big effort to be taken under control.

"And a Tylenol pill" added the agent, setting near the cup a glass of water and a tablet

"Peter, I'm fine... I"

"Cut the crap Neal! You fell asleep in the car. You're a shade darker than Casper... I've been keeping an eye on you for a bit... Take this pill. And don't dare arguing. That's an order!"

Normally Neal would have starting arguing but, in that moment, he hadn't enough energy to do it, besides he really needed that tablet; he felt the need to sooth his headache.

He thanked Peter and took the pill.

"Was it El at the phone"

"Yup"

"Everything alright?"

"She's keen to come home but she is stuck at work. Besides all cabs are busy, the subway stop is too far and she can't walk in this conditions. She's sleeping in a hotel for tonight..."

"Oh... With her colleagues...men!"

"It's for work!"

"Wow, it seems sexy..."

Peter put the box on the table and took a sit in front of Neal

"Let's see what we have... Assurance fraud..."

"Boring"

"Documents forgeries..."

"Prescription?

"I could take a look... Too late. Oh! Oh! That one may be interesting for you... An art forgery dated 1997. That's not you, isn't it?"

"Life is full of mystery..."

"So...?"

"It's possible"

"Neal!"

"No, Peter it's not me… Okay? I'll take this"

They started reading.

The two of them were focused on the cases and nothing could be heard but the soft noise of pages being turned.

The Tylenol seemed to have worked and Neal could manage to stay concentrate on the forgeries for at least half an hour, but then the headache showed up again. His vision started blurring and the room turned too cold for him. He begun feeling cold again and couldn't control the chills

He laid the sheets on the table, instead of holding them with his hands hoping that Peter wouldn't notice his hands shaking and tried to read the last pages of his case with his head leaned on the right hand.

Peter, still stuck to his file (an old case of stolen jewels fence in which no one had already been arrested) after fifteen minutes in which he had been trying to read a paragraph again and again, closed his file and raising his gaze, saw that Neal had fallen asleep. He had his head leaning on the arms and the file was being used as a sort of pillow. He was still very pale and a damp lock was leaning on his forehead. He stretched out his hand to reach Neal's forehead

The difference of temperature between Peter's hand and Neal's hot forehead was a surprise for both of them. For a few seconds Neal seemed lost; he took a look at Peter, and then at the room he was in. He squeezed his eyes many times, puzzled and then, taking awareness of what had happened, mumbled: "Peter... I'm... sorry. I... have fallen asleep without realizing it. I'm..."

"Neal ..."

"I'm sorry. I...I'm nearly done... anyway..."

"Neal!"

"What?"

"You should lay down on the couch for awhile"

"No, I'm fine. I'll finish this one"

"Neal! You should lay down on the couch for awhile"

"But... Why?"

"Because you're burning up... That's why!"

Since Neal didn't seem eager to take his advice, staying still looking at him, Peter walked beside him and helped him getting up, holding his arm.

"Let's go"

Neal swayed a bit, once on his feet, but Peter supported him.

"Wowww! Easy!"

Peter strengthened his support putting his other arm around Neal's hip, then he noticed he was trembling and walked him in the living room, followed by Satchmo, trotting happily around them.

"No Satch! Not now. Go away!"

Peter's hard tone couldn't be clearer, so the golden Labrador trotted back to the kitchen immediately.

Neal was surprisingly quiet. He let Peter walk him towards the couch without arguing, and that obviously worried Peter so much that he didn't let him go until he was perfectly sit on the couch.

"Stay put, I'll be right back!"

Neal followed Peter with his eyes until he disappeared upstairs

He came back few minutes after, holding a thick blanket and founding Neal laid on the couch with his tie loosen, without shoes and with his knees folded to his breast and his arms tight around them trying to warm himself up.

Peter covered him with the blanket, touched his forehead but he kept on sleeping.