"Peter." Dr. Wilson met him in the hall "we were just about to call you." Something in his tone stopped the agent in his tracks.

"What happened?"

"It appears Neal has had a bit of a setback." His words suggested it was a minor inconvenience but his eyes spoke of something much more serious. "As you know we planned to remove the ventilator this morning….?"

"Yes."

"We removed it at about 8:30 am… it appeared to be successful. His respiration and O2 levels remained stable for several hours then suddenly about forty five minutes ago his respiration became very rapid and his oxygen level plummeted. His pulse became erratic and his left lung began to collapse from the strain." Noting the expression on Peter's face the doctor smiled gently "we were able to stabilize him quickly, but obviously he is not ready to breathe on his own." He shook his head "and likely won't be for some time if his lungs are not able to remain inflated under relaxed conditions. In his panic he also tore the bandages away from his arms…took quite a bit of skin too… the skin grafts we talked about will be necessary very soon.."

"I see."

"He's resting now and he seems stable." The grey haired doctor smiled encouragingly

"Thank you." Stepping into the room seemed to take more effort than it had for several days. Lowering himself into the chair, he waited. It was two hours before he raised his head from his book at a small frightened movement, to find blue eyes resting on him, wide and fearful.

"shhh, it's ok… they had to put the tube back in." that was the only reason he could think of for the panic in Neal's expression, but his words didn't seem to sooth the young man. Neal's hand's moved rapidly in gestures Peter's limited knowledge of sign language did not allow him to follow. Leave it to Neal to reveal another language he was fluent in while he was fighting for his life. "Hey… slow down… I don't understand. Just a minute, ok?" a couple of the nurses the last couple of days understood the gestures well enough to follow what Neal was saying… Peter hoped one of them was on duty. He stood to go find them when his friend's hand wrapped around his wrist and held on desperately. There was no strength in the grip but he stopped. The sign the young man's hand made now was one of the few the agent knew

"Please."

"I'm not leaving, I was just going to get someone who can translate. I'll be right back" the hand on his arm released reluctantly but the pleading remained in his friend's expression. "ok…ok, I'll stay." Neal's lips flicked up in a ghost of a smile. He fumbled for his phone on the bedside table. Peter smiled… typing out the message was much more effective communication between the two of them, even if it was clearly harder for Neal. As the younger man typed Peter said softly "I know you must be frustrated with having that tube back in but you have to give your body time to heal…your lung collapsed again without it…"his voice faded at the look Neal gave him, a mix of fear, confusion and disbelief. His hand shook as he handed over the phone.

"Someone was here. He tried to kill me."

"Someone tried to kill you?" he looked at Neal worriedly "Who? When?" the young man took the phone back

"Don't know his name. One of the men who took me."

"What happened?"

"Took the mask off … used the pillow. I couldn't breathe." Peter understood the feeling. He lay his hand on his friend's hand careful not to touch the bandages around his forearm.

"Why didn't anyone mention an attack? The nurse must have noticed someone suffocating you!" he tried to keep his voice calm but the anger seeped in.

"Nurse didn't see… there was another man… pulled him away."

"Someone saved you before the nurses came in? Who? Did you recognize him?" Peter watched the young man nod, his eyes confused.

"It was me…" his eyes were already drifting closed so the older man didn't push for more, instead he sat back, trying to wrap his mind around this new information. Someone came here and tried to kill the kid again, unless Neal dreamed the incident… surely someone must have noticed something if he was attacked, right? Was it possible Kevin Grant was in town? Was Ms. Woodbridge trust in him justified or was he a threat in his own right? If he was William's father what did that mean…? That the Medical examiner made a mistake thirty years ago? It was looking more and more probable.

)()()())()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

Spending a couple of hours at the park had been a good idea this afternoon, Elizabeth thought. She and Will had been cooped up in the house for days and the little boy was restless. She hadn't gotten any work done all that morning as he found things to climb and chased the poor dog through the living room and kitchen… even upstairs. Catching them both drinking out of the toilet had been the last straw. Taking them both to the park had been an enlightened idea. Will had run nonstop over the playground, tackling the equipment meant for the five to twelve year olds like it was nothing. Satchmo had kept her pacing in circles around the play area so he could keep a doggie eye on his little friend until the boy decided to chase the dog around the grassy field for half an hour. Elizabeth found herself laughing easily for the first time since the young agent knocked on her door eight days ago. Carrying a sleepy toddler and hanging on to a curious retriever on the way home after two hours of constant motion though, was a bit challenging.

Tangling the leash around her legs on the steps nearly sent her to the ground. As she twisted to unwrap her legs she caught a glimpse of movement across the street. She froze.

The figure that vanished into the gathering shadows was familiar…Neal. Will's innocent heartbreaking question from a couple of days ago floated unwelcome through her mind. No. Peter would have called if… It was his first day back at work but he would have been contacted immediately if something… went wrong and he would have called her.

The little boy in her arms shifted. She glanced at him. Her thoughts spinning for a more probable explanation than… she shook that thought away. It occurred to her it could be the mysterious double that started this whole mess. Was he a threat? Had he come looking for Will? What would she do if he tried to take the boy by force.

Of course she could have imagined the resemblance too. In the fading light… it had only been a quick glimpse. Probably just one of the neighborhood teenagers headed home. That was the most likely situation.

Her nerves soothed a bit she quickly unlocked the front door and stepped inside. If she closed and locked the front door a little faster than normal… well her hands were full and William was getting heavy…

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

Sitting in the chair watching his friend sleep Peter replayed the conversation he just had with Tammy, the first nurse in the room when Neal's condition suddenly deteriorated. Her expression when he asked if she noticed anything unusual had been annoyed.

'The man was barely breathing… his lung was collapsing… he was about two minutes away from cardiac arrest!" She shook her head irritably "I was focused on my patient not on insignificant details…" her look softened suddenly "although it is strange…"

"What is?"

"It's just I didn't think about it until you asked but… someone pushed the emergency button, but there was no one in the room… and now that I'm thinking… it was odd that the pillow was on the floor… about 4 feet from the bed."

"So someone could have attacked him?"

"Maybe…"she shrugged. "I suppose it's possible… it would explain why he went downhill so quickly… he was doing so well just 15 minutes earlier…" the woman shook her head, turning to go.

Peter was on the phone before she was out the door, calling the office, ordering protection on his friend, mentally cursing himself for not thinking of it sooner.

Shifting in his chair he noticed blue eyes watching him questioningly. He smiled and patted the younger man's knee with a smile.

"It's ok… everything is ok" the doubtful look made him sigh. "They aren't going to get in here again, I promise."

Neal had nodded, texting with a tiny smile "worry too much" the words on the glowing screen made the older man smile a bit in return.

"Because you never worry at all." He gave the younger man a gentle glare, but he noticed the faintest flicker of fear still lingering in blue eyes belying that argument.

"Someone has to keep their wits and not panic" The screen responded, before slipping through suddenly relaxed fingers as Neal's eyes closed abruptly… with an effort he pulled them open and fumbled for the device. The agent picked it up and held in front of the young man…then lay it just within reach on the table.

"Rest. Ok? You're safe and someone from our team will be here when you wake up." He received a drowsy nod in response. Silence reigned after that, allowing Peter's questions to rattle wildly in his skull.

His phone rang stridently, jarring Peter out of his thoughts.

"Agent Burke?" Officer DeMarco sounded pleased and puzzled

"DeMarco. How can I help you?"

"David Hamelin was found unconscious on a park bench two blocks from Columbia/ Presbyterian hospital, his hands restrained and lashed to the bench … he was picked up by the department about two hours ago."

"Thank G**" the agent breathed.

"I thought you might like to hear that…" he could feel the young officer smile through the phone then the tone turned serious " after what he did to your man…" there was hesitation in his voice "speaking of your agent… did he… is he…?"

"He's alive… and conscious. He still has a long way to go but." the officer deserved to know that, after working so hard to save him. "I never thanked you for… everything… last week."

"Just doing my job. I'm glad to hear he made it. He going to recover?"

"Hopefully…though someone, probably Hamelin, came after him again today."

"D***" the young officer put Peter's thoughts into that word. "He really attracts trouble doesn't he?"

"You don't know how right you are?"

"Not sure I'd stay with the job if I had his luck… You think he will, after this."

"It's complicated, but yeah I do… if he can." Peter sighed, the officer was quiet a moment. When he spoke again he was all business.

"Hamelin looked like he had been a fight… a heck of a fight, his face and body are bruised, but the doctor who examined him said his lack of consciousness is the result of a powerful tranquilizer in his system."

"That is strange, isn't it?"

"We thought so."

Five minutes later the agent strode into the Emergency Room and looked at the sleeping man. Peter took great pleasure in handcuffing him to the hospital bed. Waiting to speak to the doctor about when he could move Hamelin to a cell he frowned deeply. He couldn't wait to question him … the delay grated on his mind.

At least his friend would be glad to know another one of his attackers was off the streets, even if the circumstances were… odd.