Past Haunts: Chapter 19
Early post, Again?! There must be something in the air! Luv all of you for your wonderful support. :) I am working on another white collar fic (significantly shorter than this one though) and a one-shot prompt from one of you reviewers. ;) Once I finish those, I'll post them. For now, I humbly offer up chapter 19 of Past Haunts.
And sorry for annoying any of you with my story interrupting A/Ns. I'll refrain from that in the future!
Ok, so what I said in the last chaps A/N still and always stands. Not ok for anyone to go through anything like this...
Enjoy:)
Warnings: -_- really guys? you should know the warnings by now...
Disclaimer: I don't own white collar, just this plot line and OC. *sigh*
Busy, Dinner Time, and *Gasp*!
Mozzie in fact was busy looking stuff up already when Peter called. He was typing away furiously, writing cryptic letters, and even, God forgive him, using his phone to call, all of his contacts to find anything he could. (He even went as far as slipping back into the Dentist of Detroit; it does come in handy from time to time.)
His phone rang, and he quickly picked it up, assuming it was one of his informants.
"Roger, tell me you found something." There was a pause then,
"Mozzie, this is Peter. I need to ask you some-" Mozzie rolled his eyes and had a sudden urge to throw the phone across the room.
"Suit! I have no time for your harassment and abuse of power! I'm waiting for information from multiple sources, so kindly get advice from somebody else!" He promptly hung up and went back to checking email and pigeon post, waiting for any response. He needed to find out what was in the Bureau that was so important to Frank. Then he would destroy him.
Peter was staring at his phone incredulously. Then he shook his head sighing. Well, it seems that Mozzie was already on the hunt so it was probably for the best that Peter didn't interrupt him. He would call Peter if he found anything...hopefully. Peter actually shivered at the thought of a rogue Mozzie out for blood. Yeah... not good. When he broke from his thoughts, he realized just how tired he was. To say it was a trying day would be an understatement. Maybe he should go check on Elizabeth.
Before he knew it, Peter was passed out in his wife's arms, his dreams of seriously harming a certain 'man' bringing him an almost uncomfortable amount of contentment. He woke to the sound of knocking on his door, El stirring around him.
"Peter, you go see who's at the door," she mumbled into his chest. He groaned but then when he saw the clock on his night stand, he bolted upright. They had slept for four hours! Well, Peter did. El had slept for a bit more than five. Work was going to suck tomorrow when they couldn't get any sleep that night. More knocking. Tentative and unsure. Who-? Oh! Neal!
Peter quickly opened the door to their bedroom and found Neal standing outside of it rather awkwardly.
"Um, hey Peter. Uh, I finished the painting and, um... dinner's ready." The agent's eyes almost bugged out of his head. Neal made dinner? Neal was shuffling from foot to foot under his gaze, so Peter smiled and told him he didn't have to do that. Neal vehemently shook his head at that.
"No, no, no! You guys have done so much for me, and both of you are really tired (rightfully so), and I can't leave to pick up take out, so...That left cooking. Um, come down when you're ready. Everything's set up." There was a sudden intake of air, as one who is suddenly waking up.
"Peter, Honey? Who is it? Is Neal okay?" Peter chuckled at both his wife's questions and Neal for looking sheepish.
"Yes, El, Neal's fine. In fact, he made us dinner and it's ready. So, we'll be downstairs while you do whatever it is you need to..." Awkward silence. "Right, so, we'll be downstairs." Peter closed the door, and Neal laughed quietly at him.
It didn't take long for Elizabeth to join them; the boys were gathered by the 'Degas', Neal attempting to explain to Peter, well, everything. El took a moment to admire the content scene before her before entering.
"It's no use, Neal. I've tried for years to get him to understand, but it hasn't worked yet." Peter rolled his eyes as Neal chuckled.
"Trust me, Hon. Neal's been trying too, every time we have a case that involves any kind art. I know all I need to know." El smiled then paused. She smelled something amazing!
"Neal, Honey, what is that delicious smell?" Neal smiled at the floor, and Peter swore he could make out a subtle blush tinting his cheeks.
"It's just some broccoli and Parmesan risotto. My, uh, my mom taught me how to make it when I was little. Simple really, and you didn't have much else, so... yeah. Risotto it was!" Neal felt surprisingly awkward, but that disappeared when El wrapped him in her arms.
"You didn't have to, Neal, but thank you." She pulled back and smiled brightly at him. "Now, lets eat. I'm starved." The boys gathered up bowls and things while El grabbed the risotto. When they all had a hearty serving on their plates, they dug in. It was divine!
"Wow, Bud, this is great. Glad you made so much, cause I might just eat it all." Neal grinned at the praise, even if he merely poked his dinner.
"Well, I figured you would be hungry considering, well, everything. This was the only way I could think of to say thanks for putting up with all of that-"
"Neal, Hon, you should know by now, we love you like a son. We would happily do that all over again. Now, I have a question for you..." Neal furrowed his brow, suspicious.
"Yeah? I can give you the recipe if that's what-"
"Ponyboy?" Neal blanched for a moment before he took a deep breath and slipped on his Caffrey suit. His smile was bright but chipped at the edges.
"Yeah. I love the book The Outsiders. My art teacher gave it to me, since I think he knew something was going on at home, and thought it could give me a nice distraction. I had it memorized in a week. Then when... things got really bad, and I needed something for people to call me, that was the first thing that came to mind." El regretted asking the question when she saw Neal's initial reaction, but was still happy to hear about his past some. She felt she needed to hear it all. He was her baby, and all she wanted was to live his pain for him, so he could let it go. El reached out her hand to cover Neal's and smiled at him.
"Well, I applaud your choice in literature. I have a copy around here somewhere if you ever want to read it again." Neal lit up at that.
"Thank you, El. I think I'll take you up on that." And their family dinner went on, the conversation steered clear of the past. When they were cleaning up the dishes, Neal asked Peter when he would be going back to work. Peter contemplated this as he blew soap bubbles off of his fingertips.
"Well, today was technically your last day of 'sanctioned leave', but there is really nothing you need to be there for tomorrow. I'm sure Hughes would be fine with it, especially since you finished the painting, and I can keep you up to speed, if we even get anything useful." Neal nodded, and El smiled.
"Oh good! I was planning on staying home tomorrow anyway. Neal and I can hang out while you go get things ready to catch the bad guy!" Peter pictured the two of them alone in the house, and he shivered.
"I'm not sure I can trust you two troublemakers to be by yourselves here while I'm gone." He got twin stares of indignation, so he gave them his best 'That won't work on me' look. They held that moment for ten seconds... then they all burst out laughing.
"Oh *gasp* Peter! *gasp* We'll be *gasp* fine!" El was turning red like a tomato at this point from not being able to catch her breathe. Neal didn't even bother trying to speak, knowing it would be pointless. Peter caught his breathe before she did.
"I know, Hon. I'm just giving you both a hard time. I trust you. Neal on the other hand..."
"Hey!" Peter got a towel to the back of the head. That brought on another giggle fit from El, but she was able to compose herself more quickly this time.
"Oh, come on you two. Let's join Satch in the living room and have a movie night. What should we watch?" There was a chorus of, "The Sting!" And the rest of the night was filled with cons and well deserved sleep, not a worry to be found.
Oooo! Mozzie bein' a sass! But understandebly so. Hope you enjoyed a little fluffy lightness. :) Please review!