Past Haunts: Chapter 6

Welcome to Chapter 6! Here is my normally scheduled update. Not much to say so... Enjoy!:)

Warnings: Oh! and don't kill me! Has Neal whumpage, and some mentions of past non con. as stated above, never anything desrciptive. Read these warnings BEFORE you read please!

Disclaimer: I don't own white collar, just this plot line and OC. *sigh*

An unexpected someone gets involved. Do they have more answers or questions? HMMMM...

Midnight Planning is bad for the Brain

It must have been only a few hours later, because it was still dark out when Neal finally woke up, in an awkward position on the floor. He clutched his ribs, and made to at least get to his knees, but was unable to do so and proceeded to slide back down to the uncomfortable polished wood. A small cry escaped his lips when his head was sharply yanked up by a hand in his hair. A menacing chuckle emitted from the mouth breathing in his ear.

"Good. You're awake. Now get up, we've got some planning to do."

Neal was hauled up by his collar and deposited into a kitchen chair facing the table. His eyes were still making things fuzzy and wouldn't let him focus on what Frank was pointing at. The next slap cleared his head a bit, enough for him to deduce Frank was trying to tell him about some building he wanted Neal to steal something from... Wait, what?

Neal hadn't realized he had said this out loud and flinched in anticipation of the next blow, but it didn't come. Instead he looked up to see Frank's equally blue eyes boring holes into Neal's skull. Those eyes got really close to his, close enough Neal could have scratched those leering eyes out. After what felt like an eternity of intense scrutiny, Frank Smithson barked out a laugh right in his face.

"Don't tell me this is about that FBI agent! You- *HA!* You actually think you're one of them! That they've, what?, accepted you? Befriended you?" If at all possible the ice blue eyes grew even colder. "Grow up, Matty. They couldn't care about a worthless piece of crap like you! I'm the only one who's ever cared for you..." His hand took up its familiar habit of stroking the younger man's face. In his drunken state, and in Neal's most likely concussed one, neither noticed the instinctual cringe Neal did upon contact. "Once you get that into your head, this will be so much easier for both of us."

Sleeping isn't an Option for Anyone

Peter and El went to bed that night, but didn't sleep. They were both too worried about the young man they had come to see as friend and family.

"What do you think is going on here, Peter? I mean, I've never seen Neal like this before. Just looking at him makes me want to cry. Frank Bomer..." Even in the dark Peter could see his wife's scowl, "He's hurting him isn't he. Who else would give him those bruises?" Peter sighed for the millionth time that night. He had to calm himself before he even thought about that man, because whenever he did Peter almost reaches for his gun to go use Frank Bomer for target practice. The thought doesn't even make him feel slightly guilty, only smile a bit.

"I...I think so, Honey. Neal's been so defensive lately, but mostly... scared. And that's just... not Neal. You know I can't stand the thought of someone hurting him; he's like... he's like a son to me. I feel like I have to protect him as much as scold him. And please don't think any less of me when I say thoughts of ripping Frank Bomer's head off makes me smile." El gave a rather frightening momma bear-like chuckle.

"Oh, I have to admit I'd like to see that too, as long as you let me use your gun in him." They both chuckled at that, but quickly sobered as thoughts of Neal returned. There wasn't anything they could do right now, but Peter finally fell asleep at two in the morning promising himself and Neal that he would do whatever it takes to put that... horrible man... in jail, for life.

Bacon and Bosses

Peter slept in for the first time in weeks. He felt the typical late morning laziness pass over him, and a content smile lighted his face for a brief moment before last night came back to him. There went his morning. El was already up, and from the smell of it, was cooking breakfast. Hmmm, bacon.

Peter stretched his tight muscles then plodded down the stairs.

"Hey, Hon. What's the occas-" He stopped in his tracks when he saw none other than Director Hughes at his kitchen table. It took him a moment to register that his boss was in his home, and he was in his boxers and undershirt.

"Um..." Hughes had a rare satisfied smirk playing on his lips as he brought his filled coffee mug to them.

"Morning, Agent Burke. I came by to discuss something with you, and your lovely wife offered to make breakfast. Now get that look off your face and put some pants on." Hughes's expression grew serious. "We need to talk about Neal."

El turned to give Peter a sad smile, and her eyes urged him to hurry. She was just as eager as him to know why Peter's own boss was willing to show up at their home to talk about Peter's CI.

Once Peter was seated with his own mug of coffee and fully clothed, the director turned to him.

"Peter, you are one of my best agents, and I must say that you are friend to me as well. Consequently, Caffrey has grown on me quite a bit as well, even if he acts like a perpetual six year old with way too much self confidence." Peter could do nothing but stare to the point where he feared he was being rude. But... this was his house and that was a rather unexpected confession.

"Anyways, I hope this means you'll understand that I would rather not drag the kid's personal life through the office." Peter nodded, but Hughes noted his confusion. "A while back I worked human trafficking and was assigned to a case involving young boys." Peter heart skipped a beat with where his mind thought this conversation was headed. He could tell El paused in her cooking and knew she was wondering the same thing. Hughes sighed and continued.

"There was one boy who wasn't involved in the ring I was trying to bust, but he still tried to help. He had known a couple of the boys from working besides them before, but didn't work for the same... pimp." Peter almost dropped his mug. This can't be.. Please tell me this isn't true.

"The information he gave us eventually helped us close the case and get most of the boys out physically unscathed, but... He disappeared. The next day there was a headline in the paper reading LOCAL GALLERY DISCOVERS FORGERY AMONG COLLECTION. ORIGINAL NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. " El had come to place plates in front of the two men and looked to be almost in tears, having to quickly lay the plates on the table lest she drop and shatter them. Peter still hadn't said a word. Hughes pushed a file in front of him.

"Haven't seen or heard from him since. Though the other boys told me about his son of a..." He took a deep breath, " his 'sugar daddy'. Said that the man used to drop him off on the corner and leave him there. He wouldn't say a word to any of them for a long time, but they finally dragged a name out of him. Told them to call him 'Pony Boy'." Peter thought he was going to be sick. "After a while, he stopped showing up, and when they saw him again, he said he found a better career path." Peter stared down at the closed file in front ofhim, not meeting his bosses eyes.

"Why are you telling me this?" Peter knew the answer, but he wasn't sure he could handle hearing it. Hughes just took the offending file in to his own hands and opened it up.

"Because, from the boys' description we at least found out who the perp was and the boys name. I think you'll understand why I wasn't happy with the name you ran yesterday." Peter ignored his wife's curious yet puffy eyed glance. He was too busy glaring at a picture of Frank Smithson staring back at him and a very young Neal Caffrey, whose picture Peter was going to be sick over was no doubt from his time in the hospital after the car accident when he was eight. His nausea turned to blind fury as he picked up the old mug shot of Frank Smithson, nearly ripping it into shreds. Frank Smithson was going to die for what he did to Peter's son.

OOOOOHHH! Protective Peter! So, next week, what will Peter do with this new info? What is Frank planning? R&R!:)