Comment-A-Thon Round 4

[kriadydragon]

Nothing special this time around, folks. Just the usual request and replying.

Authors, make a request using this format:

Prompt/Request:
Characters:
I would Like:
I Don't Want:

Writers, reply with a story.

Rules found here.

Comments

Untitled Pt. 2

[kriadydragon]

But it's only two more weeks, and then Krepsky will be gone.

One week to go, and a break in their current case (the one forcing Krepsky to keep gracing them with his presence) puts Neal in under cover. Things go to hell in a hand basket. No one dies and a couple of suspects are right where Peter can interrogate them, but Neal is now the proud owner of a broken arm, courtesy of tackling a guy twice his size when the guy took a shot at Peter.

It's a nasty break, just under the shoulder, the bone splint so that it has to be realigned. The doctors put Neal under in order to fix it. Two days later, he's back at work.

Which, really, he shouldn't be, but the higher ups aren't happy with the idea of Neal taking sick leave when he's not sick. It's desk duty. No harm in him sitting around reading a few files.

But Neal is limited, miserable, and his pain medication only effective he doesn't move too much. His arm has been strapped to his body, leaving him at the mercy of an untucked shirt, an empty sleeve and the inability to where his suit jacket. It's hard for him to find a comfortable way to sit and lean over his desk, and he spends most of the day fidgeting. Peter tries to help make it easy on him. He keeps his mouth shut about how Neal has only read through three reports in four hours, then takes him to an early lunch at his favorite restaurant. Diana has no doubts that Peter will take Neal home as early as he can get away with it.

The special treatment doesn't get past Krepsky, and he doesn't look happy about it.

Peter and Neal come back from lunch, Neal looking less miserable and Peter looking excited. He calls everyone to the conference room, which means lunch was productive and Peter and Neal were able to work something out about the case.

Neal is moving slower than everyone else, no doubt having just taken his next dose of medication. Diana looks back, keeping an eye on him.

And watches, too late to voice a warning, as Krepsky barrels past Neal, clipping Neal in the bad arm. It's like a miracle that Neal doesn't fall to his knees. He does cry out, biting it off in order to bite his lip. He's doubled over, cradling his arm, riding out the agony. and Krepsky's hovering, bellowing saccharine apologies that are a load of blatant crap. The bastard's smiling, touching Neal's bad arm as though fumbling to help keep Neal upright.

Diana, fuming, steps forward to intervene.

"Krepsky what the hell are you doing!" Peter bellows from behind. The office goes quiet. Everyone looks up. Except for Neal still trying to ride out the pain.

"Just a little accident, Burke. No big deal."

Peter doesn't say anything. He gives Krepsky the double finger point, and not just any double-finger point. It's sharp, quick, like the fall of an ax. Krepksy gives Neal a parting look of disgust and stomps to Peter's office.