Past Haunts: Chapter 9

Darlings, I must beg your forgiveness, for I will not be here to post next week! I'm going away to a premed program, so I will not have access to my account:( Terribly sorry, but that's the truth:(

But... Turn that frown upside down, cause here's an early extra long chapter!:) Hope ya like it. Now... Read On!

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*

Looking Bad, Looking Up, Look at the Caller ID

They were all seated as Peter dropped the case file on to the table. A picture of a man flashed up on the screen behind him.

"This is Obadiah Crowley. He is the leader of the Philadelphia crime family, and is suspected in multiple murder cases and kidnaping cases. What is interesting now though is, he has decided to visit New York. There has been wind of an illegal underground auction being held in six days, and they happen to be selling a very rare piece of art that Mr. Crowley is interested in. The other agencies after him suspect he is here for another reason, but think this auction is the only chance they are going to have to get this guy. If we catch him participating in illegal activities, then he can be held while they get warrants for all of his properties and belongings. He hasn't dealt with White Collar before, so hopefully we can catch him by surprise. Neal, we're going to need you to go undercover for this one. I know it's more dangerous than our usual cases, but we need to get this guy off the streets. Are you alright with that?"

Neal heard the double meaning to the question. He wasn't stupid, but that didn't mean he was a-okay with doing this either. This man is very dangerous, and not Neal's typical crook buddy. Besides that, Neal wasn't exactly... up to par at the moment. He could just walk without wincing every time he moved. He inwardly sighed and put on an incredulous mask.

"Of course, Peter. You'll be in the van when I have to actually meet him, and you all know I'm pretty good at running when there's trouble. I'll be fine. Let's get this guy." Neal ignored the flash of concern in Peter's eyes. It was hard enough keeping this up without wanting to tell Peter everything whenever he gave him that look. Peter let out the breath he had been holding, but it didn't do anything to loosen the tight knot that had formed in his chest. He had a really bad gut feeling about this one.

Peter sat in his office watching Neal. He had been working uncharacteristically productively. He stayed at his desk, didn't take a million unnecessary coffee or bathroom breaks, and didn't wander around the bullpen doing nothing but making everyone else less productive with his searches for distracting conversation.

Peter inwardly groaned. They had nothing to their 'Save Neal' plan as Mozzie insisted upon calling it. What hit Peter hardest though, was that Peter knew that Neal knew that Peter figured at least part of what was going on, and the younger man blatantly ignored it, acting like there was absolutely nothing wrong with coming to work with a black eye and a flimsy excuse, and smothering obvious winces as he walked to collect files, and even the way he greedily drank their sludge called coffee and burned his tongue in his haste to keep himself awake. It was like the real person Neal Caffrey was gone, leaving behind nothing but a con in a fedora and wrinkled thousand dollar suit.

Peter looked back down at the file in front of him. It wasn't the Crowley case; it was the file Hughes had given him two days before. Peter stared at the face he wanted to see bloody beneath his fists and settled for throwing his pen at the offending picture. Frank Smithson looked almost smug in the picture, like he knew he would come back to ruin Neal and Peter couldn't do a thing to stop it.

Neal knew he was acting off. Even he could see what a bad con he was at the moment. He inwardly groaned as he leaned forward in his chair. Everything hurt, and he wanted nothing more than to sleep. Neal rubbed his eyes and picked his pen back up to work on his current paperwork. Yes, they had a new case, but right now all they could do was wait. They had settled everything in the conference room.

"Obadiah is said to be a big fan of Degas. We have also heard that there is going to be one at the auction, specifically 'Two Dancers on the Stage'. What we need is to spook Crowley. Make him think that buying the real thing is more of a danger to him than making a deal for a forgery. If he buys the real thing, and we come knocking on his door; he could say he thought it was a legitimate purchase. Any good lawyer, and we all know he can afford a few, could get him off with nothing more than a fine. We need to make something stick, so Neal, you're going to have to get into contact with him. Try and get a position in the auction that will get you in direct contact with the buyers. Offer him a forgery you already have of the same piece, after he buys it. We'll truss up false police reports saying that local authorities are very close to obtaining the stolen painting. Then offer to take the real one off his hands and in exchange give him the fake." Neal nodded despite his stiff neck.

"That way he get's caught on buying a known forgery, buying stolen goods-" Peter nodded and smiled as he got excited with the planning.

"And with you at the auction, we have a witness to him being involved in known criminal activities. That should be plenty to hold him long enough for the other agencies to get the more serious charges on him." Neal couldn't resist.

"Hey, Al Capon went to jail for tax evasion. I say either way, he's sunk." With a plan in mind, Peter concluded the meeting. Neal could feel the agents eyes burning a hole into his back as he walked out the door.

Neal rolled his eyes as he felt even more of his suit jacket being singed by unwanted observation. The last thing he needed was two more people jumping on the 'let's help Neal with his personal life' band wagon. This was his problem. He had to deal with it on his own. Couldn't they see that? Frank is a dangerous man, and the last thing Neal wants is for his friends and real family to get anywhere near the despicable human being. Neal's heart hurt at the thought of what his family would think if they knew the truth. If they knew Neal didn't fight back, just... did whatever that sick man wanted. What hurt even more was that after all of these years, he's still doing it. He couldn't get away from him.

Neal imagined the look in Peter's eyes if he ever found out. Anger. Disgust. Betrayal. He couldn't betray Peter again! He was...he's like my father. As soon as he admitted it to himself, a fierce desire to protect his family overcame him.

I just have to get through this. I can't lose my family all over again. I'll do what he wants, then he'll leave, and they'll be safe. My family will be safe.

Neal could never see that just talking to Peter would be better than what he was going to do. He glanced up at his office in time to see him throw his pen at something on his desk. Neal's brow furrowed. Peter rarely lost his temper. There was that time when El had been- Neal shuddered at the memories. Those had been dark days for all of them.

Neal turned back to the files in front of him. All they were really telling him, was that Obadiah Crowley was a very dangerous man with a taste for art, and that all meant something bad was going to happen. A thought struck Neal. What if something happened to him, Frank found out. Neal's heart rate picked up. Frank would probably kill him for just being late if he was in a mood.

No. The young man shook his head. If he thought like that, he'd never get through a day. He had to work this case. For starters, he had to forge a Degas. This should be fun.

Peter watched Neal head home early. Hughes suggested he just go home for lunch and stay there so he could get started. He hated having to see him go right back to where Peter knew he was being hurt. Peter wished he could just scoop Neal up and keep him at his house, until Peter was done with Frank. Everything was a crazy mess right now with this new high profile case and Neal... Peter had to do something. But what could he do? Neal had to forge a Degas and go undercover during and in four days! Peter couldn't just say that Neal has to stay with him during that time and- Peter paused.

He could do just that! He was Neal's handler after all. All Peter had to do was say he thought Neal was a flight risk for this case and say Peter could keep a better eye on him in his own home. The higher ups would do anything to keep a con from bringing bad press to the agency. Hughes would automatically approve without asking any questions. El would be ecstatic! And Peter could get Neal away from Frank, and give himself time to maybe convince Neal to press charges. Peter smiled to himself. Operation Save Neal was starting to come together. All he had to do now was fill out the proper paperwork, tell El, and let Mozzie know. Things were looking up.

Neal wasn't sure how he was going to explain this to Frank. His uncle expected them to plan all night as soon as Neal got home, but Neal had to get started on the Degas. It wasn't like he could just call Mozzie up for a real one (even though Neal is sure Mozz kept at least one). Thinking about Mozz made him cringe inside.

He hated lying to his face, especially in such a blatant manner. He knew he hurt Mozz's feelings, but it was for the best. It would make everything Neal was putting up with for nothing, if Mozz decided to go after Frank in revenge. Neal had learned what revenge could do to someone. He wouldn't let his best friend make the same mistake he did, even if he would greatly appreciate the gesture.

The fedora sporting gentleman snuck up to his apartment like a thief in his own home. No surprise that Frank was already waiting for him at the kitchen table.

"Matty." The word sounded like snake venom coming from that man's mouth. "How was work?" Neal was already preparing himself for the blow up.

"We got a new case. I have to go undercover." His uncle only looked at him with a dark amusement sparkling in his eyes. "I also have to forge a Degas, so I kinda have to get started on it now." Neal hated himself for the way he stepped back as Frank stood up and looked him up and down with that sickening smile of his accentuating the small wrinkles on his face.

"Oh, do you? I thought we already had plans tonight, Matty?" Neal continued to back up.

"I.. I k-know we did, but.. We only have four days before Obadiah Crowley goes to the auction, and-" A startled breath of air flew from him as his jaw was violently grabbed and brought closer to his uncle's face without warning.

"Who did you say you're going after?" Neal looked back into matching blue eyes and swore, for the first time ever, he saw a hint of fear.

"O-Obadiah Cr-Crowley. He's in town for an art auction and other business. This is the only way to catch him and-" Neal stopped as the breath was knocked out of him. His uncle, startled by the sudden ringing of the phone, had thrown Neal to where he hit his back against the footboard of his bed. Frank Smithson stalked over to the phone, picked it up like it would bite him, then scowled when he saw the caller ID.

"It's that FBI agent babysitter of yours." Neal watched in horror as his uncle actually answered the phone! He wanted to rush up and snatch the devise out of his meaty hands and then beat him over the head with it, but his already fractured ribs made it difficult to breath after his ever so recent 'bout of clumsiness'.

"Agent Burke, to what do I owe the pleasure?" A quick pause.

"Oh, well Neal just got home and just about passed out from exhaustion. You've been workin' him real hard." Neal watched as his uncle's false smile slowly drew down and twisted into a scowl.

"Is that really necessary? Why can't he just stay here?" Neal allowed his brow to curl in confusion.

"Flight risk? But he's-" If possible the scowl deepened.

"Fine. But I want him back in one piece. We had plans for while I was here, and I just got him back. Will I still be allowed to contact him?" His uncle sighed then let his sickeningly sweet charm ooze out.

"Thank you. ... No, that's alright. I understand. It's just I only got him back a week ago and-" He nodded though no one could see him.

"Of course. I'll make sure he's ready to go." Another pause. "Oh no! Don't trouble yourself; I'll make sure he get's there. He'll be there in about an hour. You too. Bye." His uncle calmly pressed the end call button, then proceeded to slam the phone back into its cradle.

Neal shrunk back from his enraged uncle, but the two hands hauled him to his feet and pushed him towards his bed.

"You're spending the next week at the Burke's home. They say you're a 'flight risk'. This all going to cut into our planning, but if you don't go Peter will come by here. I'm sure you don't want him to do that." Neal's eyes widened in fear. If Peter came... if he saw or heard! The young man shook his head fervently, unable to get sound out. His uncle scowled at him.

"I didn't think so. Now, I know,"A stare for his ice blue eyes accentuated his claim, "you'll say you won't tell him anything, but," He unbuckled his belt and held it firmly in his fist. "I think I need to ensure that little bit of instruction stays in your brain." Neal couldn't have been ready when the first blow struck.

Sorry, it's a cliffie, but it's not too terribly bad right? (Begs down on knees)

Anyways, Next time on Past Haunts: Will Neal finally be safe or will danger follow him all the way to his family's doorstep? Who will talk first, the parents or the son? Well? R&R:)