The call to protect Caffrey's hospital room came as a surprise more than a week after he was found, but there had been no shortage of volunteers. Diana smiled, her boss would be proud of his team when she told him. Arranging the crew into four hours shifts took only a few minutes before she and Jones headed out to take the first stint. Her friend was quiet as they drove, she let him be… focused on her own thoughts.

"You think he's…" Jones broke the silence as the parked. "You know… still Caffrey?"

"Peter said he is awake…"

"Yeah but he was underwater a long time. Awake doesn't equal the same."

"I know." She shrugged helplessly "it was pretty cold though so…"

"Yeah… but still…" it hung there between them…

The two agents exchanged nervous looks as they approached the room, both of them remembering all too clearly the last time they stepped through that door.

As soon as they reached the door Peter brushed passed them with barely a nod of acknowledgement. His expression was an intense mix of bewilderment and fury. Neither agent was inclined to stop him for an explanation, settling instead for sharing a puzzled look of their own.

Diana took a fortifying breath and stepped inside, trying not to think about what Peter seemed to be holding back… tried not to think about seven minutes and twenty seven seconds and the damage that much time without oxygen could do to a human brain. Hypothermia may have warded off some of the damage but how much…? Enough for Caffrey to still be the man she knew? He still looked very much the same as the last time she saw him… pale, lifeless and still. Then his hand pulled at the blanket and he shifted slightly. She stepped farther into the room.

Diana forced a smile as Neal rolled his head toward her, blue eyes struggling to focus, "I heard you were doing better…" she shook her head, wondering if the young man understood her words… what awake actually translated to… "No offense Caffrey but you still look like s***." She was pleasantly surprised when he smiled, eyes sparkling like fireworks at her teasing. She looked at him more closely, the swelling around his eye and cheek was almost gone, revealing the slightly misshapen bone beneath the mottled skin, the bruises on his face were deep purple and blue, but the bluish cast had faded from his lips… though the ventilator was still in place… she tore her eyes away from the tube that disappeared into his mouth, to eyes glassy with whatever drugs they were pumping into him, she was sure there were plenty of them. At least she hoped it was the drugs.

Moving forward she planted herself in the chair beside him. "Peter sent me to make sure you're safe. So here I am. Jones is right outside." His hands moved suddenly, rapidly, fluttering frantically, wincing occasionally as the movement pulled on his forearms… it took several moments to realize what he was doing… Diana smiled in understanding just as the trembling limbs dropped back to his sides with a frustrated look… "You'll have to go a little slower Caffrey… it's been twenty years since Charlie taught me sign language." His face brightened and he repeated the motions at a slower pace.

"Glad to see you." his hands said

"I'm glad to see you awake…we weren't sure…" her voice faltered "Peter was worried."

"But not you?" his awkward attempt at a smile was meant to be playful. Diana grinned, unable to hide her delight that he seemed intact.

"Only for his sake" she returned but her voice was gentle. "I'm glad you are going to recover." She added despite herself.

"Me too" Caffrey was still for a long moment. "Is Will ok?" the signs were tentative, afraid of the answer.

"Yes." She nodded "he's ok… he's safe."

"That's good" the slim fingers said

"Elizabeth took him home…"

"Good… he's with family." Neal's hands dropped back to his sides for a moment "I remember… gun to his head."

"He's safe, I promise… you saved him." she nervously patted his knee. The young man drooped with relief and closed his eyes. He was still for so long Diana thought he was dozing.

"Diana…" slim hands formed the word slowly, nervously, catching her off guard. "I… was Peter really worried?"

"Of course he was. Why would you ask that?" Neal looked away, but his hands were still. "Caffrey? Why would you doubt that?" he shrugged but the sedatives did not allow him to hide the distress on his face.

"It's nothing… you're right. Of course he was." The long fingers that formed the words trembled visibly.

"Something made you doubt that… What is it? Did they tell you something…?" she frowned, his hands still trembled slightly when he responded.

"I have this dream…" he shook his head sadly…and he was still again.

"A dream? What sort of dream?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Forget I said anything… it's just a dream." He smiled.

"Oh no! Caffrey you started to tell me, you will finish." the heat in her voice faded as she caught his eyes lids sinking wearily… "Though maybe after you rest."

"I heard him say…" the motions surprised her, slow and awkward with exhaustion. "In the dream he told Davis not to save me… to stop" his eyes were closed by the time his hands dropped. Diana swallowed hard, the memory of Peter's despairing face on the dock rushing suddenly into her mind… Neal couldn't have heard what he said in the moment he lost hope… there was no way… but somehow he had. She was not looking forward to telling her boss that.

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

"How was your first day back, hon" she asked when he came downstairs after his shower. "I made dinner and since you're here…" Elizabeth noticed the exhaustion in his eyes, the weary slope of his shoulders.

"Thanks hon." He smiled at her gratefully sinking into his chair at the table. She hadn't seen more than a glimpse of him the last two days, so she would take what she could get. "It was good to be back. We have two of the men who took Neal in custody."

"That's great!" she smiled "And how is he doing… any better."

"Much. He's going to get through this." The relief in his eyes was a brilliant spark. "At least the doctor is getting more optimistic that he will… there are still things that could go wrong but…"

"That's good. Hon that's great!"

"Yeah it is." He smiled and if it was a bit sad she let him slide "I just hope he feels the same."

"He will." Taking his hand she squeezed gently "Why wouldn't he?"

"His life may never be the same Elle, the things they did to him…" he ran his hand over his face wearily."

"Peter, look at me. Neal is a survivor… he always has been. Whatever the long term affects, he'll adapt."

"He will…" Peter nodded "you're right hon, he will"

"but you are still worried." When he nodded she slid her arm around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. For a few minutes they ate in silence.

"Where is William? He doing ok?"

"Sleeping… we went to the park." She smiled "When do you think he can see Neal… he asks for him all the time."

"I'm not sure seeing him right now, Elle would be good for either of them." He kept his attention on his plate "but hopefully soon." She nodded "but I'm sure he would appreciate a visit from you… I could… maybe watch the boy… while you went" she had to hide a laugh at the thought of Peter babysitting the small whirlwind upstairs.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea hon, I mean you and kids…"

"Ok so maybe not me but I know Neal would love to see you."

"He's awake enough to know me?"

"Yeah, his mind seems ok." She definitely didn't miss the way her husband's eyes darkened with unspoken worry as he said it.

"But…?"

"I'd rather not get into the rest."

"Ok."

"He knows sign language…" his lips twitched with amusement despite himself, "I'll have to add that to his file."

"I'm not actually that surprised…" Elizabeth couldn't suppress her grin.

"I shouldn't be." Peter grinned in return "he speaks nine languages fluently… that I know of. Why not sign language too?"

"And he has the nurses wrapped around his finger I'm sure."

"Even though he can't talk." his smile was soft Peter took her hand gently "But I know he'd still like to see another familiar face."

"I don't know … I'll have to see if I can work something out."

"You haven't been to see him since… you ask me to arrange for you to keep William."

"Hon…" she studied the table a moment "I just don't… it's not easy to see him like that."

"I know, but he needs all the friends he has, right now."

"You're right… I just… hon… When I saw you in the ER" she admitted "and you said you tried to save him… My first thought was he… betrayed you somehow." she blinked the tears away furiously.

"Elle…" he looked at her

"Jones pointed out my attitude… I…" She dabbed her eyes with her napkin "I'm not sure I'm ready to face him yet." She waited for him to say… something.

"Hon…" his voice choked slightly "You just doubted him. I may have destroyed his future…" she watched him swallow convulsively pushing his plate away.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing…"he said it too quickly before he looked away " just all of this…It's not just going to go away." He looked at her with such pain, she knew there was more "But…My point is…" he fell silent twisting his napkin, in his lap.

"Abandoning him isn't going to make it better… I know." She squeezed his hand and sighed.

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

Lost in thought as he slid into his car, Peter didn't register the slim figure in the passenger seat until the man cleared his throat. He froze, looking up slowly. Blue eyes sparkled with amusement and a hint of superiority. Brown hair falling into those eyes in controlled disarray. Peter stared at the familiar face that definitely should not be in his car in disbelief.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Peter… I can call you Peter, right? The young man flashed a brilliant grin.

"I'm not sure I can say the same… Agent Grant."

"Very good, Peter, you got passed the alias, I'm impressed." He grinned again "Call me Kevin."

"I assume, Kevin, you are responsible for Hamelin's condition." Peter couldn't help noticing the kid didn't have a mark on him.

"I didn't hurt him. Much" he looked down for a moment "He tried to kill your consultant."

"I know… Neal told me? Do you know Neal?"

"No" a look of disbelief flickered across the familiar face before it disappeared behind the smile "that is a weird coincidence isn't it… a perfect stranger walking around with my face… disturbing."

'It is." the older man eyed him suspiciously. "What were you doing at the hospital?"

"Your Agent Berrigan told my boss that you pulled your consultant out of the river… implying he was dead." He shot Peter the same amused look Neal always did when he noticed something no one else did. "But she never actually said he was… once I knew that, it was only a matter of a little research…"

"But why were you there?"

"Curiosity?" he shrugged and the older man caught sight of the small gun under his suit coat. That was one distinct difference. Now that he noticed it, he saw others, slight as they were… the calluses on the slim finger were on the pads instead of the sides indicating keyboard use instead of paintbrushes, there was a hint of hardness… the ghosts of things done lingering in those blue eyes that was absent in Neal… the way Kevin sat was different, though relaxed his back was straighter, giving his carriage a slightly military baring, a result of six years in the Air Force, no doubt. His hair style was different, shorter on the sides and back, falling forward into his eyes. "I wanted to see for myself if there was a man who someone could mistake for me…"

"Satisfied?" He watched the blue eyes crinkle in wonder.

"At the risk of sounding unprofessional, sir…"there was another difference, Neal never called Peter sir… "Freaked out would be a better description." He flashed that grin again… but there was something in his voice Peter couldn't quite place, hesitance … uncertainty.

"Why all the hiding… you could have walked into my office and asked."

"I'm technically working… My boss would not be happy if he found out I was poking around this…"

"Why am I not surprised you have trouble following orders?" Peter shook his head.

"I follow orders just fine." He tried to sound offended but it fell short when his lips twitched up as he added quietly "Except when they are stupid orders."

"Like stay out of this mess."

"Something like that."

"So you were the one following my agent?"

"No, but I wouldn't put it passed my boss." He shrugged "He is very protective of his people. Valuable government assets and all that."

"Then why are you here?"

"I believe I just answered that."

"I meant what are you doing in my car? If you aren't supposed to be here why show yourself to me." The mischievous grin was so very like Neal's… but something was just slightly different.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me…"

"Amelia Woodbridge left a memory card with the man she believed was you."

"Your consultant?"

"Yeah."

"Is the FBI willing to turn it over to me?"

"I don't know about the FBI as a whole but, my team will be glad to return it to you."

"Thank you." Silence fell for a moment…while Peter tried to think of how to say the next part gently. "She's dead." He flinched, that was far from tactful but at least it was out there. He saw raw pain flash through those to familiar blue eyes, but Kevin covered it just as quickly as Neal would have.

"I know… I-I saw the police report." It was the tiniest stumble but Peter heard it clearly… he remembered Neal sounding much the same…

"You were close?"

"In a manner of speaking," his smile was soft…warm for a moment "We worked together a few times."

"Mannheim, Barcelona, London…" the young operative looked at him, stunned for a moment.

"How did you know?" Kevin's voice was low… sorrow seeping to his words despite his self-control.

"She brought them up trying to get Neal to remember." He sighed "the memory card… we decrypted it… the information is… dangerous. In the wrong hands…"

"I'll take care of it." he hesitated, the question lingering in his eyes before it reached his lips. "These men… the one that attacked Mr. Caffrey this afternoon and the others you suspect… they killed her didn't they?" Peter flinched inwardly. He recognized that look that flashed in those blue eyes far too well.

"Yeah, I think they did," he kept his voice even, as fury raced across the young man's expression turning his blue eyes to sharp glittering stone. "Kevin… I'll tell you the same thing I told Neal a couple of years ago… there is justice and there is revenge. Revenge is short sighted, it brings more chaos. Justice brings things back into order." The young man turned away, his shoulders drooping slightly.

"I know… my dad was a lawyer… an ADA… he always said the same thing to people… victims and their families." His voice caught a little on the words. Peter gave the younger man a moment to collect himself.

"She gave Neal something else… she wanted you to take care of." He thought of the toddler his wife had doted on for the last week.

"What do you mean?"

"It's complicated… if you will come with me." He knew no matter what happened, he was about to change this kid's life.

"I can't…I have a job to do over the weekend, but I will meet you Monday" he smiled as he slipped out of the car "at your consultant's apartment."