Past Haunts: Chapter 12

I'm back:)...and can't think of anything fun to say besides 'Yeah! New Chapter Time!'

AN: To Molly (guest) I would PM you about this but I can't so here it is. Thank you for your story suggestion, but unfortunately I do not read or watch vampire diaries. I would not want to do the stories or characters any injustice by messing them all up. It does sound like an interesting plot line, though, so I hope you find someone able to progress it for you. I am terribly sorry, but thank you for reading my work and reviewing.

Warnings: Neal whumpage, and some mentions of past non con. there may be triggers in this story from abuse sections. I apologize for not mentioning this earlier.

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

Heart Stuttering Phone Calls, Dead Ends, and Groceries

It was surprisingly quite, even Satch was quite. Neal had taken him on an extra long walk just to revel in the incoming spring warmth. It was beautiful in the park, and Satch was loving every minute of it. As soon as they got back though, the retriever had slumped onto the rug with a groan, and Neal startled when he saw that he had spent an hour and a half on the walk. He chuckled.

"Sorry, Peter." He settled to get back to work on the Degas. He wasn't able to get as far on it last night like he normally would. The young man sighed.

"Well, I've got to start now if I want to get anywhere with this."

He had been working on it for an hour when is cell rang. Figuring it was Peter calling to check on him, he didn't bother looking at the caller ID.

"Hey, Peter I was just-"

"Don't call me that. It sounds like you're getting way too comfortable over there, Matty." Neal dropped his brush and stiffened. That voice had the power to freeze him even at a distance.

"Um-I-uh-" The laugh that came through the phone effectively closed off Neal's air supply.

"Oh, calm down, Matty. I'm just calling to make sure you were being a good boy. You haven't told your little FBI friends about me, have you?" Neal shook his head before remembering Frank couldn't see him.

"N-No." Another terrible laugh.

"Good. I'll call when I need you. Oh, and Neal... this case... I don't want you getting into any trouble preventing you from coming home as soon as you can, got it? I'll be following this very closely." Neal shuddered at the threat, and nearly dropped the phone when he heard the click of the phone on the other end being hung up abruptly. He gently set his phone on the counter nearest him. He couldn't get away from him even here. He could never get away.

Peter groaned and rubbed his eyes for the millionth time. The clock said only a minute had passed since the last time he had checked. That can't be right. But it was, and he knew it. It was so frustrating trying to pretend to be focused on the case, when all he was really doing was staring blindly down at the files in front of him, while his mind was going on overdrive thinking about Neal.

It was unbearable watching him struggle to hide his pain from them. Peter had to fight every protective instinct that flared up when he saw Neal's tight smile at breakfast that morning. All it would do would be to effectively chase him away, which was the last thing any of them wanted.

So, instead of staying home with Neal, watching him every minute, holding him tight and telling him it would all be okay, he was here at work, watching his clock drag his torture out. The techs were having a lot of trouble getting anything on Crowley that they could use for Neal's undercover op, leaving Peter with not much more to do than reread the same file, and look at the same dead ends till the lunch bell in his head went off.

With absolutely no reason to be at work any longer, he told Hughes he would be taking the rest of the day off to keep an eye on Neal. His boss simply nodded in understanding, and it was all Peter could do not to run out the doors, down to his car. Jones and Diana watched him practically flee from his office, as they kept digging.

They knew Peter had made up the flight risk report to keep Neal safe and with him, and they were glad for it. The two junior agents were hoping it would give them enough time to figure something out to arrest 'John Caffrey' over.

'John Caffrey' didn't have a record. On paper, he was a model citizen, and they couldn't run his fingerprints to verify his identity without a warrant, which they knew no judge in their right mind would grant them. So, while all of the other junior agents were focused solely on getting all the dead ends they could on their newest case, Diana and Jones were quietly digging up all they could on Frank Smithson. There had to be something out there that could help their friend. There had to be, and they refused to give up until they found it.

El was having an equally crappy day. Nothing really registered, only how slowly the clock hands seemed to be moving. She was lucky she didn't have any clients that morning or her business would have gone down considerably due to her lack of response to anything. It was her new assistant that got through to her enough to tell her to go home, that she would handle any business that might come that day. El knew she liked the girl for a reason.

She decided to stop at the grocery store to pick up some extra provisions, things that just happened to be some of Neal's favorites. El couldn't help the fond smile that graced her lips as she pictured Neal's face when she would show him what she had picked up. She shook her head as she glanced again at the Reese's Cups and Lucky Charms in the plastic bags. Neal was so like a boy sometimes, but it was adorable, so she never got on him about it.

She shifted everything to one arm, so she could get the door open. It was quiet save Satchmo stretching to come to her and the faint sound of a paintbrush on a canvas. She rounded the corner, still with a smile on her face. That smile dropped as did the groceries, and she didn't stop the horrified, strangled sound that came out of her at what she saw.

Sooooo...Nothing happened on the walk! I could not believe the amount of people scared about the walk, but hey glad I made the story suspensful enough to make people worry at the turn of every corner:) So, next time on Past Haunts...What did El see, and what does Peter come home to? BA BA BUMMMMMM! :)

PS. I love hearing suggestions for directions of stories (like.. IDK what to do with Frank... food for thought). Also I am open to writing stories for people:) Keep in mind I don't do crossovers, slash, or rated M material. Keep it F/M and rated T or below and I'll be happy to give it a go.:)

P.S.S. I must say here, if I do not watch or read, or in general know the book, show, movie, or characters for a story you might suggest, I will turn it down in a desire to not ruin your fav shows and such. I would not want to do them an injustice by screwing them all up. So, sorry if that effects anyone's plans, but feel free to run anything by me, and I will gladly let you know:)