Hi guys,

Thank you so much for the kind reviews!

And sorry for the delay! I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew with three stories and a fulltime internship. BUT as a way of thank you, I wrote an extra long chapter. Hope you guys can be patient with me in the future, I'd hate to lose you.

Please remember to review. Thnx!

Soph

Her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady. It surprised her how calm she was. Maybe it just hasn't hit her yet? After all, everything did happen very fast.

They had called Mozzie in the van and Neal informed him of their extra guest. Needless to say, Mozzie wasn't very pleased with the addition, but there was no turning back. After they picked up Neal's emergency bag and some supplies, they left June's house via the back door, leaving Ricky to wait in vain.

Everything was so well orchestrated, so secure, so accurate, so clever, that all of Sara's first instincts of shock and indignation had been replaced by awe.

It did, however, take a while to get used to her new ID: Sophia Moreau. She didn't know if Mozzie was pulling her leg by making her Neal's wife or it really was the only ID he could come up with on such short notice. She didn't worry too much about it though, he told her it was just a temporary one. He'd warned her it wasn't a waterproof ID and said they'd have to get new ones once they were save.

They had traveled by car, by boat, by train ánd by plane, all in two hours after they left Sterling Bosch.

And now here she was, on the third plane. A float plane with no one other than Mozzie flying it. Clenching her fists so tight that her hands were drained from their much needed blood, Sara put all her focus into her breathing. Steady and calm. Eyes shut tight and not thinking about the fact that they were bumpily flying miles above the ocean in a tiny, off the radar, plane.

She then felt something warm covering her cold hand and she lifted her right eye just enough to see that it was Neal's hand. He unclenched her hand, finger by finger, and put his hand on hers, intertwining their fingers. She allowed herself to fully open her eyes to meet his comforting smile.

She tried to show her gratefulness by smiling back, but her nausea put up a fight. She knew this wasn't easy for him. He didn't want to run. She remembered his stiff composure all the way to their second flight. His eyes were - and still are - filled with pain and she desperately wished there was another way for him.

Squeezing his hand gently, she offered him the same comfort as he did her, all the while trying her best to keep her stomach from flipping over.

"Almost there!" Mozzie suddenly shouted, as if he knew what they were thinking.

Sara glanced over at Mozzie - who had taken the whole pilot thing just a bit too seriously, it almost looked like he was wearing a Halloween costume - and remembered the relief she felt earlier that day when they had cleared the air between them. It was obvious that they had to get passed their differences since they were going to to be stuck with each other for the foreseeable future. At least they had one thing in common; they both cared a great deal for Neal.

So on the second plane ride, when Neal had finally fallen asleep, she gently released herself from his embrace and walked over to the empty seat next to Mozzie's. She had pulled off his headphone and he had opened his eyes in annoyance, "Hey!" he'd objected, "I was listening to that."

"Mozzie, can we talk?"

He read her serious expression and waved a hand as if to say "go ahead". She figured he knew this moment was inevitable as well and took a seat next to him.

"Remember when I said I liked you?"

"Please don't tell me you've developed a crush," he raised his hands as if to stop her, "Bob would be very upset if his friend's wife wasn't faithful."

Sara rolled her eyes, "I'm serious, Moz," she whispered, "for Neal."

Mozzie dropped his shoulders and gestured for her to continue.

"I meant what I said. For whatever reason, I do like you. You're loyal and honest… In your own way," she added with half a smile, "And smart, I mean.." gesturing to the plane, she referred to the entire escape strategy, "I honestly thought that we were getting along again in New York, but you've been giving me the cold shoulder ever since I saw you today. Did I do something wrong?"

Mozzie removed the headphone from his neck and put his music away, definitely trying to stall. And maybe - just childishly - attempting to push her buttons. He leaned back in his chair and sighed, "I do like you Sara, that's the problem."

Sara looked up at that, "Don't tell me you've developed a crush," she quoted, "Sophia would be very upset if her husband's best friend wasn't faithful."

Mozzie let out a chuckle, "Touché."

Sara shared his grin for a moment, but let it fade after two seconds, and indicated for him to explain himself.

"Look, the life of a con is always changing. It's fast and unexpected and you never know what the next move is until it's suddenly there. For us to be able to move that fast, there needs to be space to move. No ties, no attachments, no nothing. Neal's first tie was the Suit, then came Mrs. Suit and June. But I was convinced that if needed, Neal could break those ties. Then you came and eventually you gave him hope again. Hope that he could maybe have the live he thought he'd always wanted, but the one that was ripped away from him."

Sara nodded as she was taking in his words, understanding his point of view. She didn't agree, of course, but she allowed herself to agree to disagree in silence.

"What about you? You can't tell me you don't care about all those people?"

Mozzie shrugged, "I.. may…have been tied loosely" Mozzie admitted carefully, "but I will never forget my strongest tie to Neal and our way of life."

Sara smiled and put her hand on his arm, squeezing it gently.

"I do like you, Sara," he admitted, "but I don't have to like it," he smiled.

Sara chuckled, "Thanks, Moz." She leaned in closer and placed a quick kiss on his cheek, earning an honest, shy smile from him. Something truly rare, she'd imagine.

She had stayed next to him during the remainder of the flight and they had talked about wines and good books.

Sara was brutally woken from her memories by a loud thud of the plane, causing her to jump from her seat and nearly fall to the floor. She quickly recomposed herself and used her free arm to press against the back of the seat in front of her to stop from falling on the floor.

"You alright?" Neal asked her worriedly, "Moz, please, a little heads up next time."

Sara nodded, "Mhm," she didn't trust herself to open her mouth just yet. Felt like her stomach was finally making that flip she so feared.

"Oops!" Mozzie's version of an apology sounded. "Alright, get ready for landing!"

Ten bumpy minutes later, Sara's pride at managing not to throw up had melted like snow on a hot summer day at the view of the island. It knocked her almost breathless and she all but pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She's traveled before, sure. She's seen the most gorgeous places on Earth, sure.

But this was a whole new level of Paradise. Pure and untouched by humanity. Well, all, but the enormous condo on the beach - which was a work of art on it's own.

She looked at Neal and Mozzie whose faces were the objectifications of her emotions.

"I… It's beautiful," she managed to choke out.

It was a small island; she could see both ends curve to meet on the other side of the gray mountains that lay center on the island. The water's years of practice with ebb and flow had left a wonderful transition of transparent water turning white and effortlessly flowing in almost every shade of blue till it reached the blackness of the ocean.

The sand, white and untouched, invited her to explore and she jumped in joy only to take off to the house in a run, squealing like a little girl and not even caring.

"Come on, let's go!" she laughed and yelled back at the boys, who didn't wait for a second invitation.

(A week later)

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes and trying to suppress a yawn, Neal shuffled to the kitchen where he assumed all the noise was coming from. He came to a stop at the end of the hallway where the bedroom area met with the open kitchen and the living room. Neal lowered his hand from his eye and blinked once or twice before his eyes were adjusted to the sunlight that happily swam in their spacious, glass-walled condo. He narrowed his eyes, watching her every move, before he abruptly looked up and raised his eyebrows at the sudden bang of another cupboard being slammed shut.

"Argh!" He heard her grunt in frustration as she bent down to open a drawer and try to find whatever it was she was looking for. But after rummaging for literally two second, the drawer, too, faced a very painful fate as she slammed it shut.

Neal's confusion flowed away, taking the sleep with it in the process, and left enough room for his guilt to swim around.

Though the entire week they'd been on the island had felt like the cheesy happily-ever-after ending of an overrated B-movie, he knew he shouldn't have asked her to come with. It was selfish and stupid and he knew she'd be unhappy. She wasn't ready for a commitment like this and he shouldn't have forced her to make a decision like that. It wasn't fair. Hell, he didn't even know if he was ready for a commitment this size.

He approached the kitchen island that separated the kitchen from the living room and took place on one of the stools, waiting for her to notice him.

As if on cue, Sara swiftly turned around - her body rigid with frustration - with her eyes closed and her hands rested on the back of her head. She let out a heavy sigh and opened her eyes, only to be caught by a scrutinizing Neal. She quickly dropped her arms while her eyes widened for a blip of a second and reverted them to the floor to recover herself before looking back up again to meet his gaze.

She took a faltered breath to settle her emotions and hoped he wouldn't notice her embarrassment at being caught in this state.

"There's no coffee," she tried, hoping this was a credible explanation, all the while knowing her effort was in vain.

"Moz'll be back soon with supplies." He didn't buy her excuse for a second, but went along with it anyway, stalling until they could talk about what really was going on.

Sara nodded slightly in response as she pressed herself into the kitchen counter even more, trying to make herself as small as she felt. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"That's okay, wasn't having a good night anyway."

"I know," Sara started and took Neal's surprised expression as a sign to explain, "you were talking in your sleep again."

"Again?" Neal frowned, "Hm, must still be getting used to the heat."

"Yeah, must be." Sara spat almost too sourly and lifted herself off the kitchen counter to walk away, "I'm going to take a shower."

Neal jumped off the stool and walked around the island to block Sara's exit, causing her to bump into him.

"Neal, wha-?"

"Talk to me, what's going on?"

She looked up at him and Neal saw how her annoyed frown melted and hesitation took over. He stared her down, letting her know he wasn't backing off and excuses wouldn't work.

"It's nothing," she shrugged and tried to maneuver around him.

Neal lifted his arm to stop her again and gently pulled her back to face him.

"C'mon," he encouraged, "no secrets, remember?"

At this, she sighed. She could hardly break her own first rule their relationship was based upon. Not that it wasn't broken before, but if they were going to try this again, she wasn't going to let something like this get in the way. And if it wasn't going to work out, she might as well know sooner rather than later.

She unwound her shoulders in defeat while letting out another heavy breath, "Last night, you were… You were dreaming about Kate, Neal. You mentioned her name in your sleep, more than once."

His eyes nearly popped and he unwittingly took a step backwards at her words, as if they were an actual blow to his stomach; painful and completely unexpected.

"Oh.." his voice was just as stripped from emotion as his expression.

"Yeah, 'Oh'. Now will you please excuse me?" She took advantage of his motionless state and moved passed him to the hallway that led to their bedroom, hoping she could lock herself away in the bathroom for at least the next hour. She needed some alone time.

As Sara was brushing her hair, she realized that maybe being alone in the bathroom was not such a good idea. Or maybe it just wasn't a good idea to be 'alone' at the house, with Neal just a few feet away from her. All she could think about was Neal and how running away with him was looking more and more like a very bad choice. She needed to get away from the house, from Neal, to gain some perspective, but she freaking couldn't. He'd find her in a heartbeat on this godforsaken, pinhead island. And she had no idea how to get somewhere else - or where somewhere else even was, for that matter - cause Mozzie wouldn't tell them just yet.

She took another look at the time and sighed. She'd been in the bathroom for almost an hour and it was time to get out. She put down her brush, took another look at herself in the mirror and turned for the door.

Wearing nothing but a turquoise A-line sundress, she took a breath and headed for the kitchen, only to find Neal sitting at the same stool as he had an hour ago.

"Mozzie's been here?" She tried to sound casually as she tilted her head to refer to the brown paper bags on the kitchen island. She walked over to the kitchen counter, standing right across from Neal, with only the island in their midst, all the while very well aware of Neal's gaze following her every move.

"Yeah, but he had to leave quickly again."

Somewhere in the far back of her mind, Sara wondered if Mozzie had to leave to get their new ID's, maybe then she could actually leave if she wanted to. She lifted herself up on her toes to peek what's inside the bags, desperately hoping that wherever they where, there was good coffee available.

She spotted a bag of one of her favorite blends of coffee beans and eagerly pulled it out of the bag, "Oh, thank God!"

She turned around and walked over to the far left corner to where their coffee machine was situated. After filling the container with the beans she turned around to fill the water reservoir at the sink, only to bump into Neal, for the second time this morning.

"You really have to stop doing that," she complained as she rubbed her nose.

He smiled, "Sorry," and took a few steps back, leaning against the island.

Sara walked passed him to the sink, only to have Neal take hold of her arm and spin her around, landing her between his arms as he locked his fingers and rested his hands on her lower back.

"We need to talk," his voice was low and serious, kinda sultry. She hated it. But she liked it.

"We do?" she looked up at him, pushing the flutters away and focusing on trying to look innocently oblivious.

"Yes."

"Then talk."

Neal took a breath, "Okay," he paused as he let out his breath. Stalling, as he was still unsure how to go about this, "I understand that you're mad, bu-"

She shook her head and showed a half-smile that was too tired to grace her face any longer than two seconds, "No," she corrected him, "Neal, I'm not mad, I'm just..," she took a moment to find the right words. Or maybe to encourage herself to tell him how she feels, "I need to know that I didn't give everything up for nothing. I'm not… mad or jealous or anything, I understand that she was your 'great love' and all, but," she shrugged, figuring that it would be best to just get it over with, "I just need to know that 'this'," she pointed her index finger back and forth between them, referring to their relationship, "is worth more than what I gave up."

"You don't think it is?" Even Neal was surprised to hear the hurt in his own voice.

"I never really thought about it, but I guess I must have if I came with you, right? I just don't know… how... you feel?" listening to her own voice, Sara mentally kicked herself for sounding so vulnerable. So insecure. So unlike her.

Neal took a deep breath and with it, her words, letting them register as he was forming a proper reply. This was so unfamiliar, to him, to her and to this entire relationship. They've always been ones whose actions speak louder than words. It's safer that way and it's what they're grown used to, from themselves and from one another. But there was no 'acting' themselves out of this one. Nowhere to run and no one to turn to but each other. Well, there was Moz, but really… what riddle could he give them that would progress their relationship?

"Look, I don't know what 'this'," he quoted her and mimicked her reference to their relationship, "is, exactly. But I do know that this is by far the most real commitment I've ever made. And the scariest," he smiled as her expression immediately showed understanding at his words, "I also don't know where we'll stand a week from now, or a month, or in a year. I do know, however, that the only ending I see for us right now, is together." He concluded simply.

Sara looked up at that, a broad smile appearing and in it's process, brightening her eyes. "You mean that?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I do," he shrugged, "I'm not saying I never loved Kate, because I did, but I'm not calling her my 'greatest love' either. I also can't tell you that I don't think about her. She was the center of my world for a long period of time and then she was instantly ripped from my universe right in front of my eyes. It's going to take a while to fully get over that..." he went over his words in his head and realized how they must sound, "Or.. fully adjust to that reality, if that makes sense?"

Sara looked down, nodding her head. She understood, of course she did. He'd been through a traumatic event and it'd be unreal for him to not think about it from time to time. But then, why did the piercing needle of betrayal sting behind her eyes?

"I understand."

Neal put his hand under her chin and lifted her face up again, forcing her to meet his smiling blues, "But I am not in love with her," he emphasized, "or the idea of her. When I said I think about her, I didn't mean our relationship. I meant the role she had in my life," he then chuckled, "Trust me, you're all the woman I can handle."

Sara shared his chuckle and gently punched his shoulder while a rush of blood colored her cheeks a soft pink.

"So?" he asked, "worth it?"

"Kinda," she answered with a blasé shrug and smiled at her joke.

"Now, you really weren't mad? I think the cupboards might disagree," he tilted his head towards the counter, referring to the cupboards.

Sara looked down, embarrassment finding a way to her cheeks again, "Yeah, about that, I'm sorry. Think I got a little carried away," her eyes grew big with guilt as she looked up at him and silently asked for forgiveness.

"Oh, no complaint here," he lowered his voice as he leaned in, "it was kinda hot seeing you all fired up like that."

"Yeah?" she smiled, picking up on his mood instantly as she let their noses graze.

"Mhm," his low voice was thick with desire and he could feel his heart pick up the pace. Their lips grazed and he let out a faltered breath that gladly mingled with hers while she kept her lips away, teasingly.

"Huh, I might have to remember that for next time then."

"You do that," he mumbled and before Sara got a chance to reply and keep the tease going, he crashed his lips on hers and spun her around so her back was now against the island. He was eager to prove that his previous words had true meaning and it somewhat surprised him. They've had sex countless times and though every single time has brought him to ecstasy, he knew that this time it was going to be different. Better.

He knew she felt it too. There was something different about the way she was letting him take control. Sara has always been controlling - or trying to be - during the first part and gradually let Neal take over, but this time she didn't even try. It was like she was surrendering.

With a desperate need for fresh air, Neal broke the kiss and moved his lips to the back of her earlobe, leaving a trail of kisses as he moved to her neck.

Sara let her head fall back into her neck as she couldn't help but let out a soft moan at his tongue and teeth playing with her senses.

Neal put his hands around her waist and effortlessly picked her up and put her on the island. His hands searched for her dress' zipper as their lips met again in a dizzying frenzy.

"Mm," Sara started when she remembered something. She slowly pulled away an inch and opened her eyes only to close them a second later as Neal buried his face between her breasts. But then reason knocked on the door again and she gently pushed his head away, "Not here, Mozzie could walk in any second."

Neal looked up and smiled his all-knowing smile, "He won't be back for a while," he panted, "I told him we needed time to talk."

"You said he had to leave quickly?"

"He did," Neal shrugged and explained as a matter of fact, "cause we needed to talk."

Sara grinned at his ever remaining deviousness. Even if he could, she didn't want him to get rid of it. It was a part of him and she wanted it. She just needed to trust that he wouldn't use it against her. It surprised her that she almost could.

She didn't need much convincing and they soon picked up where they left off.

It was practically thirty seconds later that they were interrupted by the clearing of one's throat, "Clearly, the talk went well?"

The seconds that followed where those filled with awkward throat clearing and the readjusting of clothes and selves.

By the by... I haven't been keeping up with any spoilers so anything you read in my stories is purely speculation and/or imagination.

Please review!)

Soph

P.S: YES, I named Sara's new ID after ME! :P