11B: Identity Revealed
His rocky friendship with Neal still had a tenuous grip on their former connection, but Peter couldn't seem to get passed Neal's walls of defense. Neal continued to avoid him with surprising success!
Zoning into the conversations flowing around him on the elevator ride, Peter sought distractions from his personal problems. Listening, the primary topic appeared to be rumors about a Washington task force agent on assignment in the New York office. Intrigued, Peter tried to pick up clues, but the other agents didn't seem to have much in the way of concrete information. They had narrowed their theory down to the possible identity of the agent being someone called Danny Brooks, but no one could get enough information to confirm the possibility beyond knowing he was active undercover and skilled at tandem work with OPR.
Frowning, Peter didn't like the idea of an agent sneaking around and spying for Washington, even though he had nothing to hide for himself or his team. It was about the blanket search for corruption that could be abused and cause people's privacy to be unnecessarily invaded that bothered him.
When he got to his office, Peter decided to give a shot at some quick research. Putting Daniel Brooks into his FBI employee search engine and narrowing his results down by focusing on the Washington and New York branches he set it to start searching the database.
While he waited for the results, he got started on some of his other work for the day.
Once he finished the file he'd started, Peter took a look at his search results. It was Neal's face looking back at him, again!
"Don't tell me there are four of them!" Peter grouched at his computer in frustration. Nothing was simple when it came to his consultant and his family!
Feeling like he'd done it twice before, Peter went through researching what he could find on the agent.
Based on what he found, Neal was definitely agent Brooks. He had the same face, he was on assignment in New York and there was only one of those faces in the offices, and there couldn't be identical quadruplets… Could there?
Although it was unlikely, Peter had already been proven wrong on twins and then triplets, it was possible, and he decided to keep an open mind that there could be a fourth brother running around somewhere.
His next move was to consider what that meant. Neal either had another brother investigating the building, or Neal was investigating the building. Still, he probably shared information that ended up in Washington through one route or another.
As a point of curiosity, Peter checked his own files and confirmed that he had indeed been investigated. It had only been once, but his information had been thoroughly gone through.
Why? What had he done to deserve such attention? Was it because of something Brooks said, had he unknowingly done something, or was it random? He doubted the last one, it wasn't likely to be a coincidence that Washington was in his office and he'd been investigated.
Angry, hurt, disappointed, and feeling betrayed, Peter didn't appreciate knowing this all traced back to Neal. Once again, his consultant and his family were making a mess of his life!
Holding off until the office had cleared out again, Peter repeated what had become his pattern of hauling Neal to the interrogation room for a talk.
"Now what has one of my brothers done?" Neal griped as he stood with his arms crossed defensively. He didn't give Peter the lead this time.
"Unless you have yet another brother, it's you this time!" Peter growled as he put a folder of information on the table beside them. "I doubt the FBI would allow you to commit the crimes attributed to you, but I also doubt you're an identical quadruplet. However, I do know that I don't appreciate being thoroughly investigated for no reason. I didn't do anything, let alone something big enough to instigate such a deep look into my entire life, so I think it has to do with you." His fury was rising as he remembered that they had also pulled Elizabeth's life apart. He wanted answers and he didn't want to wait for a story to be concocted.
"You don't have to wait to meet another brother, I'm Daniel Brooks. Congratulations, Peter, you've found who I actually grew up to be." Neal's voice had an edge to it and his stance remained firm. "You were investigated for my safety. Law enforcement has been trying to kill my brothers and me since we were three and Bryce has technically died twice in his battles against corruption. Others have had stellar reputations and passed all checks and still put a bullet in my brother's back. I don't want to experience that so I agreed to the bosses checking you out while reviewing you myself, just to be sure."
That hurt Peter to realize that Neal had indeed instigated the investigations. But, he still had questions and doubts about an agent committing crimes.
Laughing without humor, Neal seemed to be getting angrier, "What do you want from me, Peter? I'm not actually Neal Caffrey, the con artist and criminal you arrested, it's a role I play for a task force. The FBI and NSA buffer my reputation with the help of additional contacts. Neal the artist didn't happen, that's more of a hobby for me than a career choice I want to pursue. And you can't believe that I'm Agent Daniel Brooks of the FBI. So, who am I? Huh, Peter? Do you want to peg me as someone I'm not because you can't accept who I am?"
Shaking his head with a frustrated snort, Neal wasn't done just yet, "You'd think you prefer me to actually be a criminal, like being an FBI agent is a bad thing. Well, I guess you can have your way soon enough. My assignment is expected to wrap up soon and then I'll be out of your life. You can have it as you like it again then, more simplified, without me complicating it." Then he dropped his arms as he gave up and left. The click of the door closing was the only sound of his parting.
Flinching, Peter had to admit that it was a good question, what did he want? Alone again, Peter was more confused than ever. Did he want Neal to leave and disappear from his life?
A part of him did, but he also remembered how it felt with Neal avoiding him, and he didn't like it, so a permanent version wasn't something to look forward to.
With nothing else he could do, Peter called it a night and went home.
Over the following weeks, Peter talked about the situation with his wife. Elizabeth had good insight into the situation and slowly helped him come to terms with it.
"You've been investing Bryce, James, and then Daniel just for crossing your path and looking like Neal. Considering what happened to his brother, can you blame him for wanting to be sure of you before trusting you with his back? He's not only trusted you with his back but with the knowledge of his brothers to the point of introducing you to them in person. I guess that's kind of like you trusting my life into his hands, at least by comparison as his closest family. Hon, that's a lot considering the betrayals they've gone through."
When she reached the cumulative summary of her reasoning, Peter felt horrible. No wonder his friend was avoiding him, he hadn't been much of a friend himself recently. With one accusation after another, he'd pushed Neal away.
Coming to the conclusion of his failures was only the beginning though, he needed to find a way to rectify them and he was running out of time.
With his operation wrapping up, the entire building had become aware of Agent Brooks. His presence was the highlight of office gossip and the word was people were beginning to organize a going away party, despite other rumors that management was trying to poach him to their office. If it was true that the New York Office was trying to poach Brooks, Peter knew why their efforts were failing.
Watching Neal in the office, Peter couldn't find an opening to talk to him. Between his work and efforts to avoid him, the agent succeeded in his evasive maneuvers!
Eventually, the rumor of a going-away party was fulfilled and it was publically revealed that Neal was the agent in question. This caused widespread curiosity so a lot of agents showed up in White Collar on the day appointed to confirm old or start new gossip.
Looking over the crowded office, Peter wasn't sure how to catch Neal for a conversation.
"What's up boss?" Diana moved to lean on the rail beside him with Jones to the other side.
"I'm trying to figure out what to do…" it seemed hopeless, but he needed to repair the damage or he'd always regret it.
"Need to talk to Brooks?" Jones questioned from his position in line.
"Apologize…" Peter added to himself in a mutter, "Lots of apologizing."
"Alright," Diana went to strategizing with Jones on how to break up the crowd around their colleague. "Give us a minute and then you can grab him." She clapped him on the shoulder as she passed him to descend to the main floor with Jones.
Continuing to watch, Peter saw their plan work so he moved to take his chance. Catching Brooks, he took him back to the interrogation room again.
When they got to their destination, Neal got defensive, "Now what have I or my brothers done?"
Hanging his head, Peter couldn't blame the younger agent. "Nothing, it's what I've done that's the problem." Looking up, he saw Neal's confused expression.
With a sigh of resignation, Peter started, despite fearing it was too little too late. "You're an artist with your skills, you performed as Caffrey the con, and you're agent Daniel Brooks. It's me that's wrong; for all of my talk about knowing everything about you, that I'm the expert on Neal Caffrey, I missed the important stuff, I missed who you are, and I shouldn't have been so upset with you. I would do everything in my power to keep my parents and Elizabeth safe, how could I begrudge you protecting yourself and your family?" Neal's expression was getting more confused as he went. Pushing on, Peter continued, "I'm sorry, for everything I've done, I hope D.C. works out for you, and if you can forgive me, I hope you'll at least keep in touch."
"Wow, you're actually apologizing? You never apologize to me!" Neal voiced the cause of his surprise as his defensive stance relaxed and he dropped his arms to his side.
Looking towards the floor, Peter couldn't look at Neal in his guilt. "Yes, something I should have done sooner and more often, I know."
He realized that apologizing might not be enough, he really had messed the situation up, but it was the best he could think of. Bracing for goodbye and fighting the pain of losing his friend, he expected Neal to say something and then leave.
"This is really bothering you, isn't it?" Neal continued to be surprised based on his voice. "For everything that we've been through over the years, how many times have you actually admitted to being wrong?"
Feeling like he'd been slapped, Peter answered, "Not nearly enough. You're the best friend and partner I've ever had and I've done a poor job of treating you as such. I didn't see you for who you really are." Peter still couldn't look at Neal so he flinched when he felt Neal's hand on his shoulder.
"Stop beating yourself up, Peter. My family's lives depended on me playing my part and keeping you in the dark. What hurt was when you knew…" Neal continued to reach out to him.
Interrupting in shame, Peter finished, "And still shot you down."
"It took time to adjust to, didn't it?" Neal's voice seemed to be softer, calmer in understanding.
Snorting, Peter thought that was an understatement. "You could say that again," his criminal informant turning out to be an agent, one of identical triplet agents for that matter; it wasn't easy to rework that into the picture he'd had before. His view of Neal crashed, burned, and then had to be reconstructed!
"What if I told you that I did transfer," Neal started.
"I know you did, that's why today is your last day," Peter interrupted.
"…To New York from Washington DC?" Neal finished with a sense of humor creeping into his voice.
Snapping his head up in confusion, Peter finally looked at Neal, "What?"
Smiling, Neal seemed to be enjoying his surprise. "I'm officially your partner; if you'll have me."
Shocked, Peter took a moment to catch up. Then he began to smile as he realized that he could live the dream. Reaching out and pulling his friend into a hug, he clapped him on the back, "That's definite, partner!"
Neal allowed, and seemed to relish in, the hug for a few moments before he stepped back, "Should we tell the team?"
Agreeing to the proposition, Peter kept a hand on his shoulder as they walked slowly, "Why the charade, everyone believes you're returning to DC?"
"That's for you, mostly," Neal started but elaborated when prompted. "If you weren't receptive, if you didn't want me here, then I would have canceled the transfer and remained in DC."
Stopping, Peter was reminded once again of how much he'd hurt his friend. "I'm sorry, I wish I'd gotten it together sooner," he apologized again.
Hugging him sideways, Neal told him it was better late than never, "I'm just glad you got it together."
Throwing an arm across his friend's shoulders, Peter agreed, "Me too."
Rejoining the team, Peter still had his arm across Neal's shoulders as everyone turned to look at them.
"Should I tell them or would you like to?" Neal asked with a smile.
Beaming back, Peter was amused, "How about you tell them since you conned us all, again?"
Everyone had quieted and was looking at them.
Launching into the story, Neal told how he'd convinced the bosses to the charade to test how he'd be received as an agent after being undercover in their presence, "I start work here as an agent on Monday."
With cheers and whistles, the team converged on them to welcome Neal and ask a slew of new questions.
As the conversation and party wound down with agents going home for the weekend, Peter overheard an inquiry into how long Neal had been with the agency.
"I'll get my ten-year ring in a few months," Neal answered with a glance at Peter.
Suddenly looking forward to it, Peter knew he'd be attending the event to honor his friend and partner.
In the meanwhile, he relaxed knowing he was going to invite Neal over for dinner and to talk before enjoying the weekend.
He knew Daniel Brooks was an agent who played Neal and who had two identical triplet brothers, but they still had plenty to talk about.
The Friday party was the end of an era, but Monday promised the beginning of a new one.
Thank you, everyone, for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting/reviewing :D
Sorry, I thought I had this posted, but apparently, I only got it up on AO3. I've had a stretch of shifts here with a day off here and there, and I'm presently in the long stretch of the current schedule and running short on personal time. This next week I'll be mostly off, as presently scheduled but that could change, so I intend to play catch up and hopefully make some headway on my buffer ;)