Thanks so much for all the reviews! They keep me encouraged to continue writing. I have a lot of demand for the next chapter, so I thought I would get it out there ASAP. Here you go!
Dinner was awkward to say the least.
Elizabeth tried to put on a smile as she gracefully ate her dinner, making a few attempts at conversation.
Peter just sat there, staring darkly at Neal.
And Neal just sat there, trying to smile a few times, but mostly just had his head down.
Finally, Elizabeth had enough. She slammed her fork down on the table, causing the boys to jump slightly.
"Okay boys, you are going to make conversation." She ordered, glaring at the both of them. They had both turn their heads to look at her, and they shared the same look. One of absolute disbelief.
"Don't give me those looks." Elizabeth ordered sharply. "I will not have a silent dinner. If it continues like this, Neal is staying for breakfast too."
That seemed to at least snap Peter into trying to make conversation, not so much Neal. But after a sharp look from the hostess, Neal complied.
"So, Neal. What did you do today?" Peter asked Neal with a tight smile. The kid just shot a look at him, then gave Peter his 1000 watt smile.
"I helped Elizabeth all day, then took a nice nap on your couch." Neal said in a slightly mocking tone of voice.
Peter's smile dropped. He glanced over at the couch he had spent countless nights watching the Yankees play. He was going to have to burn the couch.
"Neal was very helpful with all my clients today." Elizabeth said, her smile half genuine, half forced. "We were all over the city today, and he just collapsed on the couch."
"You were all over the city?" Peter asked.
"Yep. Empire State building, Central Park, a lot of places." Elizabeth answered him with a smile. Maybe dinner wouldn't be that bad.
Peter dropped his fork on his plate and sat back in his chair. He covered his eyes with his hands as Neal and Elizabeth looked at him with curiosity in their eyes. Finally he removed his hands from his face and looked at Neal with a smile. Now Neal looked slightly afraid.
"Wow. Just wow." Peter said with a slight chuckle. Neal still looked sort of scared. "I had teams looking all over the city for you, and you some how don't show up anywhere. You are good."
Neal couldn't tell if Peter was genuinely impressed or annoyed, probably a little of both.
"Thank you." He said, a little hesitant. Peter just chuckled.
"For this kid, I'm just curious, a little annoyed with my tech crew, but curious all the same. How did you do it?" Peter asked, leaning forward with a look of genuine curiosity on his face. Neal was surprised, but a little happy that his skills were recognized.
"Question for you then," Neal said, a small smile on his face "when your crew looks through a video feed at a crowd, who stands out the most? The nervous kid glancing over his shoulder the whole time, trying to keep his head down, or the kid who is naturally walking around with his eyes glued on his phone like every other teenager."
Peter's eyebrows rose up. The kid had a point. "We would check out the first one. Nice one kid."
Neal smiled fully for the first time since sitting down. It wasn't his 1000-watt smile that could charm most people, but a smile of happiness.
"Thank you very much." Neal said. "Since you asked me a question, can I ask you one?"
"Sure, why not?" Peter said, taking a sip of his beer. Dinner was starting to get nicer.
"How did you find me?" Neal asked, his smile dropped, but the tone of voice was one of disbelief, like he still couldn't believe that Peter had tracked him down.
Peter's nodded, as if he had expected this. "Remember that last art heist you did, well, what we think is the last one?"
Neal nodded at this.
"You left your grading rubric on the back of the painting. When the cleaners took it down the next day, it was proved a fake." Peter told him. "It probably would have passed an authenticator too. It was good, kid."
Neal just sunk back in his chair, disbelief in his eyes. He still wasn't processing it. "I got caught, because I forgot to remove a grading sheet."
Peter chuckled at Neal's reaction. He figured it would be something like this.
"Yep." Peter accented the "p"
"Damn. Well in my defense, I had four tests the next day and my mind was swimming with how many wives Henry VIII had, some poems by Edgar Allen Poe, and some physics stuff." Neal said, making it seem as though he was just shrugging it off. The thing that betrayed him was his crystal blue eyes. They had hints of anger and tears.
Peter stopped for a moment at his words. "You said four, why did you only name three subjects."
Neal smiled at this. "I did my math studying when I calculated how to get in and out of the museum. Plus, I have never studied for a math class in my life, and I don't plan to."
Peter chuckled again. "I bet your math teacher isn't happy about that."
"He probably doesn't know. I ace his tests any ways." Neal chuckled, remembering the looks on Mr. Elric's face whenever Neal corrected him.
Peter smiled. The boys started to talk about Neal's school life, almost as if he wasn't an international art thief and world-class forger.
Neal didn't do any clubs or sports after school, but he seemed to excel in many of his classes. Though art of course had been his favorite.
As dinner wound down, the conversation stopped flowing as easily. They all knew what would happen once Neal ate the last noddle on his plate. But he had to, and dinner ended.
"Okay." Neal said, standing up and walking over to Peter. He held out his hands. "I promised. Make your phone call and lets get this over with."
Peter glanced down at the kid's hands, then at Neal's face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Peter hit the speed dial and waited for a moment.
"Jones?" Peter said once the line was picked up. "I have Caffery. I'm taking him down it you want to come in. Call Diana too. She might want to be there."
Peter slapped the phone shut and stood up. He brushed off his shirt and looked at the teenager who was only a few inches shorter than Peter was.
"Okay kid, let's go. Grab your coat and shoes, and wait for me by the door." Peter ordered. Neal nodded, slightly confused about why he wasn't getting cuffs slapped on him, then went to follow the agent's orders.
Peter turned to Elizabeth. "I'll see what I can do, but I might not be home until late."
Elizabeth nodded. "Okay, just be nice to him."
Peter nodded and headed towards the front door where the kid was waiting for him.
Okay I feel like it was a really bad chapter because I was trying too hard. Well here is the dinner scene for a Christmas present. Merry Christmas!