chapter 5

Sorry for the delay. I have the flu and it has not been fun:( hope you enjoy. Reviews are better than medicine!

Neal had awoken mere hours after having fallen asleep but refused to leave the bed. His eyes were bright but the spark that made Neal who he was had faded into an ember. Peter sat drinking coffee, keeping on eye on his charge when a knock at the door startled Neal whose questioning eyes sought his. Peter grinned a crocked grin and muttered.

"Wonder who that could be..."

Neal continued to sit on the bed slumped over with the warm sun arched across his back leaving his face in shadows.

"Neal???"

Neal's head shot up at the familiar voice. Moz had pushed himself past Peter without so much as an "I'm sorry." and went to see his friend. Neal swallowed against the rage he could see in Mozzie's eyes.

"When were you gonna tell me huh?"

Neal lowered his head.

"I was going to call you...."

"When , huh? After the investigation ended? That could've been months."

Neal , keeping his head down, continued to ask questions.

"How did you find out?"

Moz stopped pacing , his eyes narrowed on Neal.

"Oh let's see. I saw the footage of the plane blowing up that you were suppose to be on!!! If it weren't for the Suit here, I would've been planning your funeral."

Neal cringed at the tone. He had heard Moz use it many times in his life particularly when he was trying to guide the younger man. Neal sighed.

His baby blues pleaded with Moz as they met face to face.

"I'm sorry."

The strangled words barely made it past Neal's lips.

Moz stopped pacing long enough to look, actually look, at Neal. He saw a pale reflection of his friend, the kid he had taken under his wing, the kid he did his damnedest to protect. He saw the person he thought he had lost forever, barely holding it together.

Withtin two steps, Moz allowed himself to give into the touch he denied himself before Neal had left. Without hesitation he threw his arms around his best friend.

Neal stiffened for a moment at he contact before melting into it, burying his face in Mozzie's shoulder.

"She's gone. "

The words were muffled , and Moz who was never short on words found himself at a loss as exactly what to say other than the facts.

"I know."

Peter watched on in silence seeing for perhaps the first time that Moz meant more to Neal than he might have realized. While Peter didn't know all the details of Neal's youth, he had a strong suspicion that he wouldn't have gotten through it in one piece if it weren't for this man here, kneeling in front of his sobbing friend, simply holding him. Peter was grateful that Haversham had Neal's back as more than a partner in crime. Neal needed all the parental figures he could get.

Neal finally leaned back from Mozzie's shirt, drenched with his tears. His embarrassment clearly etched on his face.

"I can't believe I just did that."

Moz looked at his shirt.

"Did what? Got snot all over my Italian threads?"

Neal looked into his friend's eyes about to protest that the shirt was clearly a fake when he saw the grin hidden withtin.

For the first time in days Neal smiled back.

I know short but I've been sick here and wanted to deliver something. Up next a bit more Moz, a bit of June and maybe El!