"Neal… I have to go…" he spoke softly, gently. Peter didn't want to frighten him… on the off chance his friend could hear him "Elle is on her way. She's going to stay with you for a while. Why don't you make her day and wake up for her." He sighed. "D*** that little boy is definitely yours." He took a deep breath. He stood there silently listening to the soft mechanical breathing that seemed to fill the room. The door clicked open behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and gave his wife a half smile.
"Hey hon" he managed
"How is he?" she stepped further into the room "he looks better… the swelling has gone down some."
"That's great… will make the mortician's job easier" he couldn't keep himself from muttering bitterly.
"Honey?" She took his hand gently "did the doctor say something? I thought they said his chances are getting better?"
"Yeah up to about 50/50… flip a coin…" he sighed "but it may not matter."
"What do you mean?"
"Because this may be his future Elle. Just like he is right now… the doctor says he isn't showing any neurological improvement. That's a bad sign…"
"He'll get better" she squeezed her husband's hand softly "he will, honey"
"I hope so because I know he wouldn't want to live like this…" Peter swallowed harshly "and I don't know if I'm capable of making that kind of decision for him…. I don't think I can." Her slim arm snaked around his waist.
"It's far too soon to be thinking about that." he forced a smile for his wife and kissed her cheek
"I know but I can't help it" he sighed "but right now I've got to run"
"What's wrong?"
"Nathen has disappeared. I have to find him… if anything happens to the kid…" he trailed off as she nodded. "You'll stay with Neal…? I keep hoping if he isn't alone…"
"I'll be here."
"Thanks hon." He turned to hurry out. He needed to find Nate … even if no one was gunning for the boy the streets of New York were a dangerous place for such a small child. The stubborn boy really was just like his… father. Peter couldn't stop the smirk… he could picture Nathen in a few years standing in his office wearing that trade mark Caffrey grin. With the right guidance Nate could be an amazing agent… Peter sighed. With the right guidance there was no limit to the boy's potential there was no reason to assume…
He turned the corner at the nurse's station and stopped short. The dark hair came just above the woman's waist, the frightened little voice didn't quite carry his words to Peter's ears but he could guess what the boy was arguing with the nurse. Clearly she was sticking to the no children under 12 in the ICU policy.
"Nate?!" the child and the nurse looked up
"You know this boy Agent Burke?" she sounded surprised
"I do Pamela"
"He's not allowed in there."
"I'll take care of him." Peter took his arm "What are you doing here Nate?"
"I need to see Neal."
"Nate… that is a very bad idea… Neal is…"
"Still unconscious …I know Diana told me"
"Then you understand why I can't let you see him" he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed "Nathen do you have any idea how much you worried Diana? What were you thinking?" Peter cringed, he sounded like the boy's father … well he corrected himself, maybe not this boy's father. Somehow he couldn't picture Neal ever saying those words.
"I have to see him." the blue eyes were huge and plaintive "My mom says if someone does something nice you have to say thank you… and he might die and I won't ever get the chance to tell him… Please." Peter shook his head, struggling to ignore the desperate pleading in the small voice.
"Berrigan." Diana's voice radiated stress.
"I've got him…" the sigh of relief echoed in his ear.
"Where is he?"
"At the hospital … I caught him unsuccessfully trying to talk his way passed the nurse… to see Neal"
"D*** it! he's been asking to see him for a couple of days." Peter flinched slightly. Apparently this wasn't just an impulsive idea "I've tried to talk him out of it …"
"I'll keep him here until you come for him."
"On my way Boss." She disconnected with a soft curse. Peter studied the child grimly for a long moment. Then he spun on his heal and approached the nurse.
"Pamela? Neal is Nathen's father, would it be possible for him to come in for just a moment…" she glared at him sharply "Please I won't let him stay long but… who knows it might help." The woman pursed her lips thoughtfully. Glancing at the boy she blew out a breath and nodded
"Two minutes you understand agent Burke not one second longer… and make sure he doesn't disturb anything…. I don't need to remind you how precarious Neal's condition is." Peter nodded grimly… he definitely didn't need any reminder of that.
"Thank you." He turned and took the child's small hand. "I got you two minutes Nate…" he studied the kid "you need to know there is a lot of things attached to him… tubes and wires… you absolutely can't touch any of them. Do you understand…?"Peter wasn't sure how much to explain to the child so he finished awkwardly "Right now they are what's keeping him alive." The boy nodded solemnly. "Good come on" he guided Nathen down the hall and into the bleak room. Nathen seemed to freeze in the doorway for a long moment. Peter let him take in the scene without saying anything. Elle looked up curiously when the door opened. She rose from her seat at the bedside and gently took the little boy's hand shooting Peter look that screamed what are you thinking bring a child in here? He shrugged helplessly
"It's ok sweetie… come on in" Nathen followed her into the room. As they approached the bed he seemed to shake himself from his trance. Timidly his small hand moved to touch Neal then abruptly drew back… "What's wrong sweet heart?" she spoke soothingly Nathen regarded her nervously
"I don't want to hurt him." Elizabeth smiled kindly, sadly
"you won't…" she looked a Peter helplessly clearly trying to think how to explain to a seven year old the still figure in the bed was seemingly incapable of feeling pain at the moment.
"He said I might mess something up…" the little boy pointed to the agent
"Peter!" she glared at him mildly "Nathen honey it's ok… here you can touch his arm… see, nothing attached there." He nodded then lay his small hand on the man's arm
"Mama says I should always say thank you when someone does something nice… and you protected me and got me out of the dark… and you might be my other dad so… thank you." The little fingers slid down the arm and grasped Neal's hand as he added in the smallest whisper. "And please don't die… I want to know you." He stood there quietly… uncharacteristically still for a small boy. Peter looked at his watch and cleared his throat
"Time to go Nate." The child nodded and released the limp hand he held. As his fingers skimmed across Neal's palm to everyone's surprise the lifeless hand suddenly closed around the boy's in a weak grasp. Nate looked at Peter panic in his eyes
"I didn't touch anything… she said it was ok, that I wouldn't hurt him." Peter smiled in disbelief moving carefully to his friend's side
"I don't think you did anything wrong." He told the boy his hands moving to gently encase the hand that loosely gripped Nathen's "Neal...? Can you hear me?" Nothing… He sighed, disappointed. Still this was something… wasn't it? "Come on Nate… Diana will be here soon." He gently helped the child extradite his hand… sheparding the boy toward the door Peter looked back one last time… he froze… dark eyelashes fluttered briefly before a thin slit of blue appeared…widening slightly
"Neal?" the eyes flicker to his face trying to focus. Peter immediately moved closer bending over the bed. Recognition fluttered through the young man's gaze "are you awake?" the pale eyes drifted away from his face… searching… resting on Nate for one instant, widening with relief before they closed … leaving Neal as apparently lifeless as before. Peter honestly smiled for the first time in 4 days.
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Valdez was fuming. How dare Berrigan go behind her back like this and insist Hughes keep a small protection detail on the boy… clearly he was not the object of the suspect's vendetta. The child had been a means to an end… a way to get Caffrey's attention… nothing more. Handing him over to child services was the appropriate action… especially after his little disappearing act last night…It should have been done the day he was rescued. The social worker had been kind but the kid clung to agent Berrigan desperately, trying his best not to cry. The agent told him to be brave, that she would not abandon him…She gently peeled him off her leg and shot Valdez an artic glare. Obviously the woman took it personally arranging this protection detail to make Valdez look bad… and to tie up half her team…they had more important cases to work on. They didn't have time to waste on some old partner of Caffrey's… according to the kid he accused the con artist of murder… the man might have a valid beef with the guy.
She parked her car in front of the social services building… grateful to find a spot so close. She intended to collect her team from this pointless gesture. As soon as she stepped out of the car she heard it… gunshots. Drawing her weapon Valdez hurried to the mouth of the alley. Three men blew past, knocking her to the ground… she struck hard as if hit by a truck… momentarily dazed she sat up slowly. Shaking her head to clear it she caught a glimpse of the men as they scrambled into a cab. Recognizing the smaller man from the boy's sketch, Valdez leapt to her feet and ran into the alley.
"WHERE THE H*** IS THAT AMBULENCE!" Berrigan's voice echoed from the concrete walls. "hey Lenny… you stay with me, ok… hang in there. Eyes on me you got that?" Valdez pulled up short at the scene before her…Berrigan bend over Lenny Thompson leaning heavily on the man's chest, arms soaked with blood to the elbows. Jennifer Williams was busy tying her scarf around Agent Jones left arm… he flinched slightly but declined her suggestion he sit down with a shake of his head… his right hand wrapped protectively around the small boy that clutched his leg, sobbing in terror, while he spoke rapidly into his phone.
"D***IT!" Valdez thought sprinting forward.