Here's the third chapter!
...
Peter took a few files from the kitchen and sunk on one of his armchairs opposite to the couch.
He realized immediately that it would be difficult to concentrate on the case as he couldn't stop staring at Neal, who was sleeping perfectly still under the blankets. He wondered if he should call a doctor if the fever wouldn't break... Even if in that situation, with the blizzard hitting New York, no one would answer his call.
Despite being worried he couldn't help finding the comic side of that situation: never had he imagined that the kid he had chased so carefully and for so long would one day sleep on his couch! The great Neal Caffrey! He was only an achy and feverish kid!
Peter spent a few hours with an eye at his documents and the another at Neal; until when he gave up and closed the files. He poured himself a cup of coffee, shifting comfortably on the armchair and let his thought wandering, thinking back at the amount time and energy he had spent trying to catch the incredibly talented and amazing forger that had eluded him many times.
Without realizing, he let himself lulling by Neal's slow and regular breathing rhythm and started snoozing until he was awake by a movement came from the couch. He turned his head and saw that Neal was still laid under the blanket nut his eyes were open and he was staring at him.
"Have you looked at me sleeping for long?"
"How're you feeling?"
"Well, I..."
Peter stood up and placed a hand on Neal's forehead, who shivered
"What are you doing?"
"May I check a thing... May I?
Willy-nilly Neal let Peter put a hand on his forehead, even if the situation seemed somewhat weird.
Peter taking care of him that way, was something he could have never imagined.
"It seems that the fever has dropped..."
"Oh... Are you also a nurse now?"
"Ha ha ha, Reeeally funny! stay put. I'm taking a thermometer"
"Peter no! Where are you going?"
"Neal, For heaven's sake! You're sick! I only wanna know how much!
He went upstairs and in few minutes he was heading downstairs with the thermometer in his hands.
He found Neal sit with the head resting in his hands.
Peter understood that we was feeling cold even with a blanket around his shoulders. He placed a hand over the shoulder to catch his attention and handed him the thermometer. Neal placed it under his tongue. The effect of the pill he had taken was gone and the headache had came back so hard, that he didn't even register Peter's absence, until a glass of water and a tablet materialized in front of him.
Peter took the thermometer as soon as he heard the beep
"102.5. You can check if you don't trust me..."
"Thanks for the trust"
Neal took the tablet and gulped the water until the glass was completely empty then he stared at it for a couple of minutes.
Peter who had seen the scene, recalled that one of the few important things that the fever treatment required was to keep the person hydrated. Without thinking too much he took the glass from Neal's hands and filled it with water. When he came back, Neal hadn't shift at all. He gulped down also the second glass of water.
"Are you feeling better?"
Neal nodded
"Thanks"
Per sat down next to him on the couch, he could hardly almost Neal's feelings. He was certainly worn out, the dark circle under his eyes made them seem much brighter by contrast.
Those very eyes he was fighting to keep opened.
"Why haven't you call me this morning and asked for a sick day?"
"It was only a bit of headache. Nothing too bad..."
"Obviously is something more than a simple headache..."
"Okay, the next time I sneeze, I promise I'll call."
"Neal I'm serious. Think about it. What if you were assigned an under covered job in these conditions. You could have made a big mistake or even worst, you could have endangered yourself!"
The two of them shared a long glance in silence. Neal nodded simply. Satisfied, Peter put a hand on the younger man's shoulder in a motion of comfort.
"Rest. Meanwhile I'll go cooking something for dinner. It's almost eight o' clock..."
"I'm not hungry...!"
"I can easy imagine that, but I think I really need eat something"
Peter started standing up when Neal grabbed his arm.
He turned and looked at Neal right in his eyes.
"Thank you... for everything!"
And in that moment in his two bright sapphires, feverish shining, Peter could see the very gratitude and sincerity he had only seen once since now, on the small airport strip the day Kate had died.