White Collar Fic: Free Falling
Title: Free Falling
Author: dennih23
Characters: Neal Caffrey, Peter Burke, Elizabeth Burke, Matthew Keller
Rating: G
Warnings: Wingfic - ?
Word Count: 1149
Disclaimer: Characters not mine, they belong to Jeff Eastin
Beta: Thank you Sherylyn, all mistakes belong to me
A/N: Fills the Falling square on my H/C Bingo Card. This is all Sherylyn’s and Kanarek13’s fault - see artwork here
Neal couldn’t believe his luck. He’d been shot, tasered, and then thrown into the back of a filthy van. His abductors didn’t even bother to pick up his fallen fedora; he was really going to miss that hat.
He woke and found himself in a small cell. His right arm had been bandaged and there was a bottle of water sitting next to the small cot. Neal tried talking to his two guards, but it only earned him another tasing. In fact, every time he tried asking them questions he would be tased. After the fourth time he decided it was best to keep his mouth shut.
His kidnappers left him what he presumed was supposed to be food. It resembled one of Peter’s deviled ham sandwiches. He scraped the ‘meat’ off the bread and ate what he considered edible. It wasn’t much, but at least it was some food and he had water.
On the third day, Matthew Keller waltzed through the door.
“Matthew.” Neal grinned. He didn’t want to react to whatever game his opponent was playing.
Keller didn’t respond. He called his minions over and glanced in Neal’s direction, but Neal couldn’t hear what they were saying.
One of the two men came over and hauled Neal out of his cage. “You’re coming with us.”
He was led up a flight of stairs to a rooftop where a helicopter was waiting for them. Keller was sitting behind the pilot and motioned Neal to join him.
Neal climbed into the whirlybird and Matthew signaled the pilot to take off. They sat in silence as the chopper climbed higher and higher. They were heading south out of New York when Keller pulled out a gun.
“Sorry, Neal, it’s time for you to get out.” Matthew fired a round before Neal could react. The impact sent him flying.
He was plunging to his death, there was no way out of this. He closed his eyes and waited for the hard landing, wondering if he would bounce off any buildings or if they would even be able to identify his body.
Suddenly, he was no longer falling. Neal wondered if he was still alive, he felt alive, and he didn’t remember crashing to the ground. He realized there was someone else with him, holding him, keeping him from falling. Cautiously, he peeled open an eye.
“Peter?”
His friend smiled at him.
“Peter, what are you doing here?”
Peter laughed. “What I always do, catching you.”
Neal smiled; of course, Peter always found him. He started to move and Peter held unto him tightly. “Neal, stay still.”
“I’m fine.”
“Really, because I think you need to get to a hospital.”
“No, Peter, I’m good.” That’s when Neal realized they were still in the air. He looked carefully at his partner and realized there were large wings sticking out of Peter’s back. He closed his eyes and counted to ten before opening them again. The wings were still there, beating in time to his heartbeat.
Neal cocked his head and looked questioningly at his friend. “Peter, do you know you have wings?”
“Whatever you say, Neal.”
“No, Peter, really. We’re flying?” Neal held on tightly to Peter.
“Neal, buddy, I need to breathe, would you mind loosening your grip a little?”
He looked down and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Okay, then just try and relax, we’ll be at the hospital soon.”
Neal listened to the swooshing of Peter’s feathers against the wind. He let the sound of the powerful wings wash over him as he lost consciousness.
*******
When Neal woke he felt terrible, everything hurt. He opened his eyes and took inventory. He was in a hospital bed, his right arm bandaged, and his ribs were throbbing. There was an IV attached to his left hand and he wondered what was being pumped into him.
A small cough coming from his left caught his attention. He turned and saw Peter sleeping on a small couch. Elizabeth was nudging her husband. “Peter, hon, Neal’s awake.”
Peter groaned and Neal watched as his friend got up, stretched, and moved towards the bed.
Patting Neal’s leg, Peter gave a lop-sided grin. “Welcome back, buddy.”
Neal winced. “How long was I out?”
“A couple of days. We were all worried about you. Do you remember what happened?”
Neal furrowed his brow in deep concentration. “A little, I remember we were looking for Keller and that the bastard shot me.” He looked down at his arm.
“That’s right, we found Keller’s hideout and he didn’t want to come peacefully. He used you for target practice.”
“Then he had some thugs throw me in the van.”
“Correct again, he contacted me and wanted a way out of the city in exchange for you. I’m really getting tired of him kidnapping people I care about.”
“I thought the FBI didn’t negotiate with kidnappers.”
“They don’t, Keller contacted me. I gave him the run around until Moz could find you.”
“I’m surprised Keller fell for it.”
“Well, he did want a helicopter to take him out of the city; that does take time to arrange.”
Neal winced. “What a minute, I remember the helicopter. Keller pushed me out. I was falling, plunging to my death. You saved me.” Neal pointed at Peter. “You had wings, big beautiful bronze wings. You caught me and flew me here.”
El snickered.
Peter just shook his head. “Neal, you were hallucinating.”
“No, Peter, I remember how the feathers reflected off the sunlight.”
“Neal, by the time I found you, your wound was infected, and you had a raging fever of 105 degrees.”
It did sound crazy, no one could fly. “Sorry, Peter, it just seemed so real.” Neal hesitated a moment and sheepishly asked, “I don’t suppose you would take off you suit jack and shirt and prove you don’t have wings?” Neal grinned.
“No, Neal, I’m not going to undress for you.”
El laughed. “But it does explain June’s comments.”
“What did June say?”
“While she was visiting, she said you were singing, ‘Come Fly With Me.’” El’s eyes lit up in laughter.
Neal blushed, he hated that he tended to sing when drugged.
Peter leaned over and squeezed Neal’s good shoulder. “Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone. Now, I need to let everyone know you’ll be okay and you need to get some rest.”
He watched as Peter and Elizabeth headed out. They left the door open and Neal observed as the happy couple stood in the hallway with their arms wrapped around each other. When they finished hugging, El stepped back and straightened her husband’s jacket. She reached up and brushed something off Peter’s shoulders. Neal went wide-eyed as what appeared to be small bronze feathers wafted to the floor.
El gave a sly grin and winked in Neal’s direction just before they disappeared down the corridor.
Cross Posted at AO3
Author: dennih23
Characters: Neal Caffrey, Peter Burke, Elizabeth Burke, Matthew Keller
Rating: G
Warnings: Wingfic - ?
Word Count: 1149
Disclaimer: Characters not mine, they belong to Jeff Eastin
Beta: Thank you Sherylyn, all mistakes belong to me
A/N: Fills the Falling square on my H/C Bingo Card. This is all Sherylyn’s and Kanarek13’s fault - see artwork here
Neal couldn’t believe his luck. He’d been shot, tasered, and then thrown into the back of a filthy van. His abductors didn’t even bother to pick up his fallen fedora; he was really going to miss that hat.
He woke and found himself in a small cell. His right arm had been bandaged and there was a bottle of water sitting next to the small cot. Neal tried talking to his two guards, but it only earned him another tasing. In fact, every time he tried asking them questions he would be tased. After the fourth time he decided it was best to keep his mouth shut.
His kidnappers left him what he presumed was supposed to be food. It resembled one of Peter’s deviled ham sandwiches. He scraped the ‘meat’ off the bread and ate what he considered edible. It wasn’t much, but at least it was some food and he had water.
On the third day, Matthew Keller waltzed through the door.
“Matthew.” Neal grinned. He didn’t want to react to whatever game his opponent was playing.
Keller didn’t respond. He called his minions over and glanced in Neal’s direction, but Neal couldn’t hear what they were saying.
One of the two men came over and hauled Neal out of his cage. “You’re coming with us.”
He was led up a flight of stairs to a rooftop where a helicopter was waiting for them. Keller was sitting behind the pilot and motioned Neal to join him.
Neal climbed into the whirlybird and Matthew signaled the pilot to take off. They sat in silence as the chopper climbed higher and higher. They were heading south out of New York when Keller pulled out a gun.
“Sorry, Neal, it’s time for you to get out.” Matthew fired a round before Neal could react. The impact sent him flying.
He was plunging to his death, there was no way out of this. He closed his eyes and waited for the hard landing, wondering if he would bounce off any buildings or if they would even be able to identify his body.
Suddenly, he was no longer falling. Neal wondered if he was still alive, he felt alive, and he didn’t remember crashing to the ground. He realized there was someone else with him, holding him, keeping him from falling. Cautiously, he peeled open an eye.
“Peter?”
His friend smiled at him.
“Peter, what are you doing here?”
Peter laughed. “What I always do, catching you.”
Neal smiled; of course, Peter always found him. He started to move and Peter held unto him tightly. “Neal, stay still.”
“I’m fine.”
“Really, because I think you need to get to a hospital.”
“No, Peter, I’m good.” That’s when Neal realized they were still in the air. He looked carefully at his partner and realized there were large wings sticking out of Peter’s back. He closed his eyes and counted to ten before opening them again. The wings were still there, beating in time to his heartbeat.
Neal cocked his head and looked questioningly at his friend. “Peter, do you know you have wings?”
“Whatever you say, Neal.”
“No, Peter, really. We’re flying?” Neal held on tightly to Peter.
“Neal, buddy, I need to breathe, would you mind loosening your grip a little?”
He looked down and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Okay, then just try and relax, we’ll be at the hospital soon.”
Neal listened to the swooshing of Peter’s feathers against the wind. He let the sound of the powerful wings wash over him as he lost consciousness.
*******
When Neal woke he felt terrible, everything hurt. He opened his eyes and took inventory. He was in a hospital bed, his right arm bandaged, and his ribs were throbbing. There was an IV attached to his left hand and he wondered what was being pumped into him.
A small cough coming from his left caught his attention. He turned and saw Peter sleeping on a small couch. Elizabeth was nudging her husband. “Peter, hon, Neal’s awake.”
Peter groaned and Neal watched as his friend got up, stretched, and moved towards the bed.
Patting Neal’s leg, Peter gave a lop-sided grin. “Welcome back, buddy.”
Neal winced. “How long was I out?”
“A couple of days. We were all worried about you. Do you remember what happened?”
Neal furrowed his brow in deep concentration. “A little, I remember we were looking for Keller and that the bastard shot me.” He looked down at his arm.
“That’s right, we found Keller’s hideout and he didn’t want to come peacefully. He used you for target practice.”
“Then he had some thugs throw me in the van.”
“Correct again, he contacted me and wanted a way out of the city in exchange for you. I’m really getting tired of him kidnapping people I care about.”
“I thought the FBI didn’t negotiate with kidnappers.”
“They don’t, Keller contacted me. I gave him the run around until Moz could find you.”
“I’m surprised Keller fell for it.”
“Well, he did want a helicopter to take him out of the city; that does take time to arrange.”
Neal winced. “What a minute, I remember the helicopter. Keller pushed me out. I was falling, plunging to my death. You saved me.” Neal pointed at Peter. “You had wings, big beautiful bronze wings. You caught me and flew me here.”
El snickered.
Peter just shook his head. “Neal, you were hallucinating.”
“No, Peter, I remember how the feathers reflected off the sunlight.”
“Neal, by the time I found you, your wound was infected, and you had a raging fever of 105 degrees.”
It did sound crazy, no one could fly. “Sorry, Peter, it just seemed so real.” Neal hesitated a moment and sheepishly asked, “I don’t suppose you would take off you suit jack and shirt and prove you don’t have wings?” Neal grinned.
“No, Neal, I’m not going to undress for you.”
El laughed. “But it does explain June’s comments.”
“What did June say?”
“While she was visiting, she said you were singing, ‘Come Fly With Me.’” El’s eyes lit up in laughter.
Neal blushed, he hated that he tended to sing when drugged.
Peter leaned over and squeezed Neal’s good shoulder. “Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone. Now, I need to let everyone know you’ll be okay and you need to get some rest.”
He watched as Peter and Elizabeth headed out. They left the door open and Neal observed as the happy couple stood in the hallway with their arms wrapped around each other. When they finished hugging, El stepped back and straightened her husband’s jacket. She reached up and brushed something off Peter’s shoulders. Neal went wide-eyed as what appeared to be small bronze feathers wafted to the floor.
El gave a sly grin and winked in Neal’s direction just before they disappeared down the corridor.
Cross Posted at AO3