He leaned back in his chair and stared out the window. Neal flashed the waitress a smile before he sipped the drink she brought him. The fading evening sun shone outside and the brisk air was carrying hints of spring. A year ago he sat out there on that patio savoring a victory much like he was tonight, blissfully unaware that his life was about to change in such a violent and dramatic way that just the memory sometimes took his breath away. He dropped his eyes and studied his coffee allowing a pensive expression to cross his features, but only momentarily. His life had changed, but it had not ended and he refused to dwell on the losses. Especially tonight… tonight he was a free man. Feeling the anklet fall away this morning had been a strange sensation. Not unpleasant but it was a bit disconcerting not to have the familiar weight on his ankle, knowing it would not be going back on at the end of a case.

Neal's future stretched out in front of him, an open book waiting for him to write the rest of the chapters. He could travel again… a year ago that possibility seemed so important, now…well, travel wasn't as simple as it had once been. He could continue working on the twenty-first floor, and probably would until he had figured out his next step, but he wasn't sure about that as a permanent solution. Peter suggested his own private consulting business, and that sounded oddly promising. It would give him more freedom to wander into the grey areas than the FBI did, while offering the challenge of bringing down the bad guys. He smiled. The worst part would be facing his friend's smug grin when he told Peter he was taking his suggestion. Elizabeth wanted him to show some of his paintings but finding a gallery that would take art from a known forger would be a challenge… besides his forgeries were masterpieces, his own work… well… he might let her try a few and see what happened, but he wasn't getting his hopes very high.

He finished his coffee and reached for the cane that leaned against the arm of his chair. His back throbbed in protest as he pushed himself to his feet, the cool damp days of early spring had done little to alleviate the aches in his body. For a moment he stood unmoving while his legs briefly debated holding his weight. Then he walked slowly to the door. He had discovered the last couple of months that if he didn't move to quickly his gait appeared natural and smooth, allowing the illusion that the cane was merely an accessary. It will be eventually, he reminded himself because on grey, drizzly days like this it when the icepick in his back twisted mercilessly it was hard to remember.

Walking home Neal's thoughts wandered to that night last year… he thought of Amelia at his door clutching her tiny son and his dangerous teddy bear. He wondered, as he had a thousand times if he could have helped her if he had known the things he knew now… if he could have saved her. It was a pointless train of thought, he would never know… but William would ask eventually why no one saved her. William… the thought of the little boy brightened his smile and speeded his steps.

"How are you this evening, sweetheart." June greeted as he stepped through her front door as his nephew launched himself from the floor to wrap around his legs.

"I'm great." He smiled warmly, lifting his pant cuff to reveal his bare ankle before he lifted the small boy, with his free arm. The three year old clung to his neck tightly

"Was he good for you, June?"

"He is always an angel, Darling." She smiled gently "Just like his uncle."

"Thanks for picking him up."

"Of course. His teacher said to tell you it's time for spring conferences."

"Uncle Neal?" the properly pronounced name reminded Neal how quickly the child was growing. "You know what happened at school today? Bobby was running and Miss Annie told him to slow down but he didn't lis-ten and he falled down and his knee was bweeding…" Neal chuckled a bit at the boy's chatter, grateful that William could talk about his friend's bleeding without panicking. The first few months after the child moved in the smallest cut or scrape, on anyone, resulted in hysterical sobbing. Miranda recommended a pediatric psychologist who was good with traumatized children, and one night after a particularly bad dream Neal had pulled off his shirt and showed the boy his scars to assure him that owies healed.

He sat his nephew down at the stairs… he wasn't quite confident enough on his feet yet to carry the child up them, so Neal settled for holding the small hand while the little one bounced beside him still chattering eagerly.

Opening his apartment door the young man froze. The figure stood beside his French doors, leaning on the frame and staring out at the city.

"Kevin?" the man turned his head to look at them with half a smile on his lips.

"Neal."

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought you said I was always welcome?"

"You are." Neal tried to cover his shock "But I thought you had no intention of taking me up on that offer."

"I didn't." Kevin pushed away from the wall and walked slowly to the table. Neal noticed his movements were stiff and careful as he sat down. "But circumstances changed my mind."

"What happened?" the words were out before he remembered Kevin's job.

"You know I can't tell you that." His brother reproached gently. "Suffice to say I had the opportunity to find myself waking up in a hospital again recently."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough… that isn't important." He brushed aside his injuries "What is important is I found myself waking up there… alone. The entire time I was recovering I found myself thinking about waking up to find you there watching over me. It's ridiculous I know but… it made me think about … well… family."

"So you thought you would visit."

"Something like that." Kevin dropped his eyes. "Hey, you're on your feet." He finally observed.

"I am. I still move a little slow but I'm still recovering." Neal surveyed his brother "are you ok? You still seem pretty sore."

"I'm fine… I took a pretty nasty fall when I was leaving… somewhere."

"A fall? From which floor?" both men grinned a bit.

"You probably don't want to know."

"Probably not…did you get it?"

"Get what?" Kevin pulled off an innocent look pretty well.

"Whatever it was you weren't there to not get."

"Of course." The grins widened

"Good because if you didn't…" Neal sank into a chair across from his brother as they regarded each other quietly. William eyed his father suspiciously for a moment before he scrambled down to find his toys.

"I have a few more weeks of convalescent leave."

"How long are you planning to stay?"

"This trip? Two or three weeks…" Kevin sucked in a deep breath carefully and released it slowly. "I was hoping you and William might have time to help me look for an apartment."

"You're planning on staying?" Neal couldn't contain his shocked, joyful expression.

"I requested New York for my home base in the future."

"So I assume you will be taking custody of Will." Neal's mind reeled a little at that, some of the happiness leaking out of his expression. After nine months of being a single father he was suddenly going to be relegated to uncle status. He would miss the little ball of energy.

"Well yes… though I'll still be gone for the job, sometimes weeks…months at a time, so I couldn't be a full time father so maybe you could keep William while I'm gone? I know that's asking a lot especially after I basically abandoned him with you last year." he raised his eyebrows

"No that would be great." Neal grinned honestly

"How have you been?"

"Ok. I had to testify against Ridgemont and his goons… but Ridgemont is serving life and the other two both got forty years. Dennison was convicted last week… his sentence should come down soon. I seriously doubt he will ever be released. Richards is protesting his conviction… but he can't seem to get anyone to believe he was set up… Diana covered her bases well." He looked at Kevin and shrugged "I've been helping Diana track down the kids he took and their families. There have been a lot of family reunions to arrange… we were the only twins though." He smiled as he thought of the hugs and tears he had witnessed over the last few months, they had carried him though the long months on light duty. Seeing the missing kids come home was… beautiful. Of course they would all have complications but…

"Bet none of the reunions were as dramatic as ours either."

"Yeah." Neal hesitated "I got a letter from mom a couple of weeks ago."

"What did she have to say?"

"She's in rehab for her… problem… they have been making her see a therapist. She apologized for her behavior when she visited… and the way she acted when I was a kid. She wants a chance to fix things between us."

"You going to give her a chance?"

"I haven't decided honestly. Peter and Diana say not to contact her again, to completely cut her out. That's probably the smart thing to do but part of me wants to give her one last chance… I mean if she is really getting clean… I haven't written her back yet though."

"One more chance might not be bad… but Neal don't let her hurt you."

"She never hurt me… well rarely."

"I didn't mean physically." Kevin sighed.

"Mostly she was just… gone… I mean she was there but she wasn't. She was hurting so much

and I didn't even know why."

"Despite what she said Neal… none of her pain was your fault."

"I know." He shrugged "I know that." He should know Peter and Diana had told him enough

times.

"Uncle Neal!" William interrupted throwing himself at his uncle "I have to potty!" he announced loudly.

"Well go." Neal shook his head ruefully as the boy vanished down the hall. "You see what your future holds? Still think you want to move to New York?" Kevin laughed out loud.

"I can't wait."

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

She slipped out of bed and treaded softly down the stairs. As she suspected Elizabeth found her husband sitting quietly at the table, a cup of coffee all but forgotten in his hands. She brushed her fingers over his collar and up into his hair.

"Hey hon… its late, isn't it?"

"Almost two am. You coming to bed soon?"

"Yeah… yeah I'll be right up."

"What are you trying to sort out? Is Neal in some sort of trouble?" she had made a conscious effort the last few months not to ask what Neal had done.

"No…. probably not."

"But you are worried about him."

"He's done… finished his time."

"I know that. He has been for a week. You don't seriously think he will go back to… he has Will now."

"No, I don't actually, but he got a letter from his mother a few weeks ago." Elizabeth winced, Peter's description of his brief encounter with the woman had been painful just to listen to… She couldn't even imagine the agony Meredith put their friend though growing up.

"And he doesn't want to talk about what she said?" she guessed.

"No, he asked my advice."

"Oh…"

"She apologized, said she is in rehab and therapy. She wants another chance to make things right."

"Would that be so bad?"

"The woman is crazy… she will hurt him again."

"Maybe… but maybe he needs to sort out his feelings for her himself."

"I know… you're right. To make things even better his brother is in town… looking for an apartment."

"I thought you liked his brother?"

"I do… mostly."

"What does that mean?"

"He's a lot like Neal but without the aversion to guns… and probably a license to kill for all I know."

"Peter you don't think…"

"No, he's one of the good guys… I'm pretty sure of that, but his life is by nature secrets and lies and well… he attracts trouble just as much as Neal does."

"So now you have two of them to watch out for… that definitely explains the late night brooding." she grinned.

"Oh NO… Kevin is all the CIA's problem. I am staying out of his business."

"But you think Neal won't."

"I think that career might hold a lot of appeal for a former con artist."

"So you are worried about losing him to his mother and to the CIA… Honey…"

"I just…"

"He's happy here, hon. His life is here… his family is here. He's not going to disappear to chase a job as a spy."

"I know, you're right but it's not just a job, its family too…"

"Neal is tired of being on the run, he wants to figure out who he is… he has his nephew to think about. He may go see his mom for a few days, he may occasionally decide to help Kevin out with his thing… but his life is here and I think with everything that has happened it always will be."

"Thanks hon."

"You're welcome. Now come to bed, honey."

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

He glanced back at the two men seated discretely at the back of the courtroom. Seeing Neal and Kevin seated side by side still startled him. Peter shuttered inwardly at the thought of the two of them living in the same city, but he smiled, at least he wasn't responsible for their behavior.

With a sigh he turned back to the front of the room and rose respectfully as the judge entered. He had promised his weekend to help settle Kevin into his new place after James Dennison's sentence was handed down. Taking his seat once more he risked another look at the twins in the back, Neal grinned at him hopefully and he returned the expression. Dennison's gaze fell on Peter coldly, recognition in his eyes as the judge read the charges he had been convicted of and sentenced him to life in prison for Amelia Woodbridge's death and twenty years for the attempted murder of one Neal Caffrey. Peter smiled as the bailiff took charge of the man. Justice was a beautiful thing when the system worked the way it should. He felt more than heard his best friend and his brother move up beside him and he knew the exact moment the convicted man caught sight of them. The startled expression was priceless as he realized for the first time there were two of them. Kevin stepped forward and addressed Dennison

"I wanted you to die… pictured every day for months ending your life with my own hands…" he shook his head and grinned "but this… this so much better. I hope you live a long, long time Dennison. I hope you spend your hundredth birthday looking out through the bars."

The officer led Dennison away. As the door slammed behind him Neal looked between his brother and his friend and smiled "Anyone feel like celebrating, because I know this great little place on Fifth…"

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

The room was dark when he eased himself out of bed, silvery moonlight spilling eloquently in through the doors to his balcony. Without turning on the light Neal stepped slowly to his table and pulled out the crumbled letter. Rereading his mother's words he wondered if she really meant them… even if she did, would she be able to stay clean? She mentioned wanting to visit sometime. Her words sounded genuinely sorry, but then again so had James when he wanted Neal to let him into his life. He didn't really need her… he had a family here, but she was his mom and he felt the need to make sure she was ok. It had always been his job to take care of her. He could remember tucking her in after her bad nights when he was seven or eight years old. Neal sighed and clicked on a small lamp, lifted his pen, positioned the quality paper he acquired from June and hesitated as he thought about all the things he needed to say.

"Dear Mom," he began…and paused allowing his cheek to rest on his hand as his mind drifted with his reflections…

THE END

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I do not own the rights to the White collar characters or plots. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this story. Please feel free to let me know if you enjoyed it, hated it, or think I am crazy. I am thankful to my wonderful editor and co-author kittaleen.