EPILOGUE 2

"You have got to watch out for him, Peter." June replied one morning catching Peter before he headed upstairs to get Neal.

"Neal is a grown man. He…." Peter replied.

June nodded. "Yes…he is a grown man. He's a grown man who is overworking himself trying to gain back his friend's trust…your trust. Don't you see that?"

"We're all working hard these days, June." Peter explained. "Case load's up…."

"That might all be well and true. But he's not sleeping, Peter. He's not sleeping." June paused. "I hear him up, up there, pacing the floors. He's not sleeping. He's not eating. He's lost weight. Please don't tell me you haven't noticed that."

June continued. "I can see it. Through his chest, his face, his cheeks are sunken in. He's…." She paused again. "You have got to forgive him for this. You've got to or your…something's gonna happen. He's going to end up in the hospital…or worse."

"I've forgiven him."

June shook her head. "You can keep telling yourself that, if you want. But you haven't. Elizabeth is safe now, Peter. Keller is behind bars. You have got to stop punishing Neal."

Peter shook his head before heading on upstairs. He and Neal came back down moments later. They headed out to work. June's words still echoing in Peter's mind. It was true what she had said. But, in a sick, sad way Peter had taken satisfaction in punishing Neal. He had told Neal he was forgiven, but he hadn't really meant it. And Neal knew that, and ever since he had been trying to make things up to Peter. But Peter was stewing. He was stewing and he allowed himself to continue. And it had even given him a sort of sick satisfaction when others in White Collar had continued to treat Neal unfairly. It was nothing major, just not ordering enough sandwiches for lunch or bagels for breakfast, so that none were left for Neal. And there never seemed to be enough coffee. And, of course, Peter had played right into it. He pretended not to notice the fact that Neal was not getting anything to eat or drink. But he then would not allow Neal to leave the room to get anything. The van was no different, there never seemed to be enough sandwiches or bottled water to go around. Neal had caught on to these things quickly though. He had started bringing in his own food and drink. But there were still days Neal would forget, and, as usual, the lunch or breakfast order would be inexplicably short an item or two.

Peter knew he was being unfair, but he was still angry. His mind still flashed back to the scene in the kitchen. The sauce dripping down the stove and onto the floor, it still disturbed him. And he thought, what disturbed him more was the fact that El had forgiven Neal. That Peter could not understand.

Peter was also doing other things he would not normally do. He was giving Neal lots of menial work, work that was tedious and that took time. Neal was often, because of this extra work, kept at the office hours after Peter was gone for the day. This added to Neal getting to bed late at night and then having to get up too early in the morning.

Neal knew Peter had not forgiven him. He knew he had to prove himself again to Peter. But he had not anticipated the reaction of the rest of the White Collar Division. He had not expected them to be so…unforgiving.

Neal had been devastated when El had been taken. He had not expected Keller to go that far. He had not expected Keller to do anything like what he did. Neal had no problem with Keller coming after him. But when he involved El…. It had hurt Neal…a lot. But it had made him angry. Though he was a man who, normally, abhorred violence, he had had a great many murderous thought.

Neal closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. It was just another long day. One more of many passed. He stared at the mound of busy work, paper work in front of him. He was hungry, and, as usual, these days running late from getting up too late. And he had, again, forgotten to bring himself anything to eat. His stomach was growling. He rummaged through his desk looking for anything he could find to appease it. He stood up to get something to eat just as Peter left his office.

"Leaving early?" Peter asked.

Neal shook his head. "I just…."

"I need those by the end of the day, today." Peter replied.

"All of them?"

Peter nodded.

Neal sighed and sat back down. He guessed his stomach would just have to rumble. It seemed like it had been several hours before looked up again. He had not finished the paperwork Peter had given him. And Peter was on his way down the stairs.

Peter didn't even look at Neal. "Those had better be on my desk when I get in in the morning." He said, barely pausing to speak.

Neal nodded, though he knew Peter was not seeing him.

Neal finished an hour later. He stood up, but had to grab on to the edge of the desk as a wave of dizziness overtook him. He stood still for several moments, waiting for the sensation to pass. He then headed home, meeting June's driver downstairs, outside the building. He decided not to let anyone know about his 'incident' at work. Besides, he had recovered quickly. He just needed to remember to bring something to eat to work with him from then on.

Neal made it home and up the stairs. He decided he was just going to go to bed. He would eat something when he woke up. But right now, he was too tired to even think about it. Neal never made it to his bed. He managed to pull off his jacket and tie and unbutton his shirt just before he collapsed to the floor.

June was in the kitchen when Neal got home. She had started to fix him something when he came in. She climbed the stairs to his apartment tray in hand. She nearly dropped it in surprise when she saw Neal lying, unconscious, on the floor. June sat the tray on the table. She then went to Neal and tried to rouse him. It didn't work. She then checked to see if he had a pulse. It was weak, but it was there. She called 9-1-1.

June debated calling Peter, but she decided not to. She was still very angry with him, and she didn't want to make a scene and risk upsetting Neal. This is if Neal could hear her. He had not opened his eyes, at all, since being brought in. June had stayed the night walking the floors of the ICU waiting room. She was just steps away from Neal's room. She had been granted permission to go in whenever she wanted and to stay as long as she needed.

WC WC WC WC WC

"Where is he?" Peter asked, pacing his office. "Where is Neal?" He asked himself.

Diana and Jones appeared in Peter's doorway, just as Peter started to call for them.

"Boss," Diana paused. "I saw that Neal was running late so I went ahead and checked his anklet. He's …."

"He's in the hospital." Jones added. "I checked the medical record. He was admitted at 7:43 pm yesterday evening, unconscious. June told the EMTs she had found him lying on the floor. She couldn't wake him. She called 9-1-1."

"Why didn't June call you?" Diana asked.

The truth was on the tip of Peter's tongue, and he almost blurted it out. But then he opted for a more 'politically correct' answer.

"June and I have not been seeing eye-to-eye on a lot of things concerning Neal." Peter stated.

Both Diana and Jones nodded though neither understood what the statement really meant.

Peter grabbed his jacket. He, Diana, and Jones headed to the hospital. They arrived 15 minutes later. Peter parked in the first available spot and they all raced in.

June's demeanor changed as soon as she saw Peter. She physically blocked him from entering Neal's room.

"I warned you that this would happen. I told you that it would. And look, Agent Burke! Look at him! He's been out for 14 hours now! fourteen hours!" June ranted. "He came home last night exhausted. He was going to go to bed, but he couldn't even make it to the bed. He passed out halfway there."

"June…." Peter looked at June, but sneaked glances at Neal through the ICU observation window.

"That's Ms. Ellington to you!" June corrected him.

El arrived in time to see part of June's rant. Peter had called her on his way to the hospital. She stepped in. "June, I really don't see…. Peter didn't…."

June turned to El. "I think you should discuss with your husband what he did or did not do." June started to turn away. "I'll be with Neal."

El looked Peter in the eye. "What is she talking about? What did you do?" El waited for him to answer.

"El…I think I am responsible for this. No, I know I am. I am responsible for this." Peter admitted.

El just started and him for a second. She started to speak, but he stopped her.

"I've been pushing him. I've been punishing him for…for the Keller thing. For what happened to you."

"Neal didn't mean for that to happen. He didn't want it to happen." El stated. "I've forgiven him. Why can't you?"

"I just…I keep flashing back to that scene in our kitchen and I…I lose it, El." Peter explained. "I keep feeling those feelings again, and I hate it. I hate feeling that way. I hate feeling helpless, and I blame Neal."

"It wasn't Neal's fault." El said gently and quietly.

Peter nodded. "Keller would have never been in our lives if it hadn't been for Neal."

"It's not like Neal…invited him in." El said. "Keller wanted the treasure. He heard that Neal had it. There is nothing Neal could have done about that."

"I know, but…."

"There is no but. You have to forgive him, for me and for yourself. You have to forgive him."

Peter sighed as he looked at his C.I. through the observation window. "He told me he didn't deserve how I had been treating him. He said he had proved himself over and over to me and to the whole division. He was right. I just chose not to see it."

"You've got to make it up to him, Hon, and to June." El replied. "Though, somehow, I think June is going to be a lot less forgiving." El said as she watched June through the observation window.

TBC

END NOTE: There will be a part 3. I just wanted to get this part out since I did promise a continuation.