Eleven Months Later...
Peter exhaled heavily as he sat. He'd not slept last night and it had been a long day. They had buried Elizabeth at 2 and it was nearing 7 now, but way he was feeling he wouldn't make it past 9. He turned his drifting attention to Satch, when he jumped onto the small sofa and snuggled into his lap. Truth be told, Peter was glad to have the excuse to put a little distance between him and the few people left in the house.
Neal and Sara were busily putting food away and cleaning up the kitchen as Diana and Christy tidied up the living room. El's mother had retreated to the back porch after her sister left and seemed to be in need of a few moments herself.
Peter had wanted to comment on how well Neal and Sara seemed to work together, but he just didn't have the energy to do any 'yentaing' and it was probably useless at this point. He could see the distance between them plainly; whatever they'd had or been working toward, was over. Neal had this way of unconsciously pulling people to him, but Sara's body language made it clear that she was no longer one of those people. Peter had been so distracted with...everything, he'd not yet gotten the full story on what happened to make it so.
At least Neal and Mozzie had finally seemed to make up after 'the treasure' debacle. Neal didn't show hurt often but when Mozzie had dropped out of his life 'to deal with a few personal issues' after Neal had led Peter to the treasure, he'd been edgy and distracted for days. Peter felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth. Of course, their reconciliation had been El's doing. She'd been holding court at the hospital and home for weeks before Mozzie finally agreed that seeing El was more important than holding his grudge against Neal.
Once the two men where in the same room with each other, it took just a gentle nudge from El to get them talking again. Peter had smiled knowingly at the innocent expression she'd made when Neal argued that she wasn't playing fair.
He was a little lost in the memory, so he started lightly when he felt a warm hand cover the one he had on Satch's shoulder. Diana smiled at him sweetly, partially bent in front of the sofa as Christie looked on behind her. "We're going to head on home. If you need anything..." She left the words hanging, lifting her brow at him. She knew him well-enough to know that he wouldn't ask, besides, well, it was strange. He really didn't feel like he needed very much at all. There were things he wanted...wanted desperately, but right now he just needed to sit on the couch with his dog for a little while, take him for a walk later, have a glass whatever wine Neal had opened for them when he got back and go to bed.
"Thanks, Diana. Thanks for coming." He managed a weak smile, he knew it must have been pathetically weak when she patted his hand before straightening back up, pulling her suit jacket down when it rode up a little. "Good night, Peter," Christie called over Diana's shoulder as they linked hands and walked to the front door.
Peter watched their interlocked hands as they disappeared from view.
He could hear Neal and Sarah exchanging a few brief words that he couldn't quite make out followed by what Peter guessed to be a peck on someone's cheek. He managed a stronger smile for Sarah than he had for Diana, when she popped around the bookcase pulling on her jacket. Peter could see that the work in the kitchen had given her a light sheen of sweat, but she managed somehow to look incredibly put together by the time she made it to him.
She too, bent to speak and it occurred to him that maybe he should try standing. All this bending over to address him was causing him to feel like a misbehaving child. "Neal's got everything under control in there. It looks like you'll have leftovers for a few days at least, but if you..."
"Everything's fine," He interrupted her without thinking, halting momentarily before continuing in a softer tone, "thanks for helping out, Sara. I really appreciate it."
"No problem. I was glad to help." She rubbed her hand over his in much the same manner Diana had, giving Satch's fur a quick ruffle before straightening back up. "We'll see each other soon." She said in a reassuring tone. He nodded his head in agreement, but really, unless she and Neal got back together it was unlikely they would see each other anytime soon. They might cross paths when their work inter-meshed, but outside of that, they would have no reason to interact at all now.
He met her eyes again as she opened the door, sharing quick smiles as she too, left.
He turned his head from the closing door when he heard the sound of the back door being opened. Neal was talking to Laura. She had retreated out there to smoke when the cleaning had started. Peter could tell that she had wanted to help, but not knowing Neal or Diana very well had opted instead to get a little space for herself.
He could hear Neal asking if she needed anything and telling her that he had made up the spare bedroom for her. Peter felt his face turn down into a frown. What the hell had he been thinking? They only had one spare bedroom. He hadn't even thought about where Laura would sleep when he had invited her to stay instead of heading back to her sister's house for the night. Damn it! He'd essentially kicked Neal out after everything he'd done for him, for El.
He saw concern mare Neal's face as he approached Peter. "Neal, I'm sorry I didn't even think."
"What?" Neal said, genuinely perplexed-looking.
"Inviting Laura..." He made a hand motion toward the stairs.
"Oh, God! Peter, No, think nothing of it. I need to get back to June's anyway. I've taken advantage of your hospitality long enough."
Peter snorted loudly. "My... you've practically kept me together body and soul." A wave of melancholy had him turning his face down. He felt a little guilty as he pet Satch in long strokes down his flank. "You didn't have to do that, but...well thanks, Neal. It's meant a lot to me."
"Think nothing of it Peter." He said, then dropped his voice lower, "The day Kate died, if you hadn't been there." Peter eyes rose to find Neal shaking his head, a far off look in his eyes. Peter knew he was remembering that day. It had been, before El, one of the most gut-wrenching moments of his life. He'd had to use all of his strength to hold Neal back from the flames. Finally, having to throw Neal down bodily and lying on him until he stopped fighting to get to the plane.
Peter had held him until the airport EMS had arrived, forcing them back as the firefighters worked to put out the flames. Neal had gone silent for a long time afterward. Peter had had to step up to ask the hard questions and to identify Kate's body when they pulled her from the wreckage.
Neal had stayed the night with him and El, in the same room he'd been staying in for the past several weeks. But after getting over the shock that first night, Neal had distanced himself from everyone as he struggled to come to terms with loss. They'd all had to work hard to bring Neal back to them. Peter felt his throat tighten at the memory.
"You'll be by tomorrow?" He asked hopefully. "I had a few thoughts on the Benson case."
"Peter," Neal's tone held reprimand, "you're not working tomorrow. It's Sunday. You're supposed to be relaxing and if I do come by, it will be to talk you into taking more time off."
Peter felt a twist in his gut. "No!" He answered gruffly turning his face away at the hurt look Neal gave him. "I can't stay in this house."
"You don't have to..."
"I'm not taking a trip! She practically had to beg me..." Peter clamped his jaw shut.
"Peter." Neal's voice was soft and the look in his eyes when Peter met them was pleading.
"I'm sorry." Peter held up a hand when Neal opened his mouth to speak. "I just want to get back to work. I need some normal. Okay?"
"Okay, Peter. If that's what you want." Neal had crossed his arms as he spoke. He didn't like the idea, but he would deal with it.
"What time will you be back from the airport? I'll swing by the office and grab the case files."
"Oh, Laura's heading out pretty early. I should be back before you're even out of bed."
Neal gave him a mock affronted look. "I'll have you know that between prison and working for the FBI, I've learned the pleasure of being an early riser."
Peter smiled a little at that. "Yeah, yeah. The mean old FBI making you wake up too early."
Satch sat up, allowing Peter to stretch his legs a little. "Tell you what. Come for lunch and stay for the game. We'll go over the files while we eat and at half-time."
"Sounds like a plan." Neal gave him a quick half-smile, fidgeting for a moment before heading to the hall closet to pull out his already packed bag.
Peter felt his brow furrow. When did he get the time to pack that? When Neal turned and saw the look on his face, "What? I'm stealthy. It's one of the things that make me a great con...fidential informant."
Peter harrumphed slightly as he urged Satch off the couch so he could stand. "Is that so?" He said as walked to where to Neal stood, one hand on the door knob now.
"It's what they tell me, anyway." Neal tilted his face down as a smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
"Well, whoever has been stroking your ego at work is going to have hell to pay when I get back in the office on Monday." He said coming to halt in front of Neal.
They fell into an uncomfortable silence when they realized how close they were standing. Peter shook his head at his self. He was a grown man. Did he really need to invade Neal's space or bully him into coming over tomorrow just because he couldn't stand the thought of being alone just yet?
Neal's eyes had softened as Peter came to his senses and stepped back to give him room to open the door. He wasn't even going to be alone. Though, Laura was so..."No mother should outlive her child," she had said, when El had slipped into unconsciousness. She had been doing her duty to her daughter's friends and the rest of the family, but she had been so drained and she had Peter just hadn't been able to support each other the way they wanted to. If anything, they seemed to drain each other. Their grief too much for the other while dealing with their own sense of loss.
"If you need..." The look on Neal's face told Peter that he knew he was the twentieth, 'if you need' of the day, but he also knew it was one of the most sincere, so he gave him a forgiving smile and said, "I know. I know. I'll call."
Neal opened the door with one hand then switched his bag so that he had a free hand to put up for a shake. Peter looked down at the hand and back up to Neal doubtfully as he pulled him close with one arm. Neal melted against him slightly as Peter squeezed him once, then twice, clapping his back as he pulled away. "Thanks Neal. Really." His voice had grown scratchy. He pulled back as Neal maneuvered into the doorway, clapping his shoulder once more as he turned away.
"Anything you need, Peter." He said as he reached to pull the door shut behind him. Peter grabbed the door before Neal did, leaning against it as an excuse to keep it open so he could watch Neal leave. "Goodnight, Neal." Peter said, nodding his head when Neal looked over his shoulder at him.
"Night, Peter." Neal said as he trotted down the steps. Peter watched as he turned left at the bottom of the steps, giving Peter a nod when he started to walk to the intersection to catch a cab.
Peter felt Satch rub against his leg and bent to take hiss leash from the basket next to the couch where El kept it. He told Satch to "Sit," so he could put the leash on for his walk. He supposed he should ask Laura if she wanted to join them, though she would probably decline, he decided it would be rude not to ask. He pulled gently on Satch's collar to let him know they'd be going out the back door first and readied himself to speak to El's mother by taking a deep, cleansing breath.