So I started this the minute I saved my last chapter. Same train ride and everything. Lets see how far I get…
Neal didn't really mean to snap at Jones; he was just getting paranoid that everyone wanted him to open up. Neal didn't want to talk to anyone; he just wanted to get through it so things could get back to normal.
Elizabeth had been wrong yesterday. Neal did know he wasn't okay. He just didn't want to tell anyone else that he knew. Neal knew he was never really okay. He bottled up his emotions and put a mask on for the world to see, and rarely, if ever, let it slip. That's what he meant when he called last night a slip up. He always built his emotional walls high and as strong as he could, with brightly painted masks covering what he was really feeling. When enough things began to build up behind the wall, he didn't know how to channel it. So it kept building until the carefully constructed wall exploded and everything came out.
He wouldn't let that happen again.
After his little talk with Jones, which he did feel bad about now, Neal had run to the roof. It was the one place he could really clear his head.
The open air, which was not exactly clean air as this was New York, felt good, even if it was bitter with December chill. The snow had yet to fall, although Neal could feel that it was coming soon. The noise from the streets drifted up to him and relaxed him.
This was his home.
A few minutes of bitter weather later Neal had to go inside to avoid being frozen solid. His head was slightly clearer, enough to know he owed Jones and apology.
He walked back into the office a minute later to see Jones and Diana both talking to Peter. He hoped he could just slink back to his desk unnoticed and apologize to the agent later, but Peter spotted him and gave him the two-fingered point and summon.
As Neal trudged up the stairs Diana and Jones left, and Neal took his chance.
"Hey Jones?" Neal said, just loud enough for the agent to hear and turn to Neal. "I'm sorry about snapping earlier. I didn't mean all of that, and I'm sorry about saying it."
Jones nodded, a small smile on his face. "It's okay Neal. We get you are under a lot of pressure, just remember you might be working for the FBI, but the people you meet here actually care about you. We would all be happy to talk to you."
Neal nodded and continued his walk of doom to Peter's office.
"What were you talking to Jones about?" Peter asked when Neal entered the room.
"I owed him an apology, that's all. What did you need?" Neal said simply.
"Its about the warehouse. We are sending you back in tonight, against my wishes, but if there's a clue to finding Mozzie I know you will go anyways." Peter told him.
Neal nodded. "Great, anything else?"
Peter looked at Neal skeptically. Neal was sitting in the chair across from Peter's desk, looking completely calm and the perfect image of normal. The perfect image of normal…
"Nope, go fill out your paper work." Peter said.
"But mortgage fraud is so boring. Don't you have anything else for me to do?" Neal complained, getting up to leave.
"I can get someone from your school to bring your homework over. Sarah might be willing to stop by again." Peter told him with a smirk.
"School doesn't get out for another few hours." Neal said confidently.
"After school. I'm sure Diana would be more than happy to make Sarah a coffee and chat with her." Peter countered.
"And with that the mortgage fraud case seems more appealing." Neal said, all but sprinting out of Peter's office.
WCWCWCWCWCWCWCWCWCWCWCWC
"I think I saw movement upstairs." Neal whispered into his coms.
"Go check it out, but be cautious. From what you've told us about Keller, he is not to be underestimated." Hughes responded.
They were in the van, and it was killing Peter. Not just because they squeezed Jones, Diana, Hughes, and Peter into the van, but because Neal was fifteen and in there alone. And Peter was pretty sure Neal was glossing over most of the horrible things Keller has done.
The silence was deafening in the van, until
"Hello Neal."
I finished this the day I uploaded it. Mainly because I am procrastinating studying for my next test.