White Collar fic "By your side", Chapter 3
By your side
Chapter 3
Please read the introductory guide at Chapter 1!
Once again, I'm so proud of all of you who took the time to read and review! It feels so good to have such support. Thank you!
Now, on the story...life is like a bumpy road. There are ups and downs. And the Burkes receive another alarming phone call...
October, 2019
Hospital scene
The moment Elizabeth had received the rather frantic phone call from Neal's grandparents, she and Peter had been in a rush. There hadn't been time to get more information about what exactly had happened to Neal. So both of them were clueless and worried at the same time. Peter walked in front of her and she had problems keeping up with him as he rushed towards the ER. He went straight to the reception.
"My name is Peter Burke. I'm looking for Neal Caffrey. We're his godparents," he said out of breath. Waiting impatiently, he drummed with his fingers on the counter.
El approached him just the second the nurse whose tag name read "Sally" looked up at Peter.
"Neal came in about 30 minutes ago-"
"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked.
"I don't know yet. The doctor will talk to once he has seen Neal-"
Again, Peter cut her off. "What?! Thirty minutes ago and still no doctor to look after him?" Peter was furious. "What kind of hospital are you?"
"Peter, please," El touched his hand and shot him a look to quiet him before she turned to Sally. "Do you know where he is right now?" She smiled at her, although it was obvious that she was worried as well.
Sally typed something into the computer and then replied, "He's in radiology. You can take the elevator up to the 5th floor. Then you go down the floor to the right side."
El nodded. "Thank you."
~*~*~
The ride with the elevator was done in silence, both Peter and El lost in their own thoughts. After stepping out, Peter looked down the floor and then grabbed El's hand. He was upset, but he didn't want to show his emotions to El but somehow he doubted that he succeeded so far. "I'm sure he's okay," he mumbled and took a deep breath. "I'm sure he's okay."
"Just promise me that you'll not freak out on the doctor like you did with the nurse," El said quietly.
"I didn't freak out!" Peter frowned. "How can you be so calm? She said that Neal's here since more than 30 minutes...I mean...I'm...it's just...," he sighed and let his shoulders slump. Memories of the car accident from Neal and Linda came to his mind. It had been only four months since his best friend and his wife had died in a car crash. He could feel a lump in his throat and he had to swallow a few times.
"Hon, I know," El simply answered and laid her hand on his back, rubbing it gently. Her face showed her concern but still she managed a slight smile. "Let's go find him, okay?"
It didn't take long for them to find the right unit and just when Peter was about to ask one of the employees for help, a door opened and a white haired man stepped out, holding a cell phone. "Oh, Peter! Elizabeth! Right on time. I was about to call you again," the man said and sounded really relieved. "He won't calm down."
Peter immediately straightened his back and asked, "What happened, Richard?"
The older man seemed uncomfortable and ran a hand through his hair. "He...he was outside. Playing. And suddenly he came running in, crying. He must have hurt his arm. But he's refusing help. He doesn't want to be touched. And he won't calm down. He's been crying ever since." The stress took its toll and the man swayed slightly.
El was by his side in an instance. "Why don't you sit down, Richard?" She pointed to a row of chairs on the wall.
"But Neal?" he asked, unsure what to do.
"I'm taking care of him," Peter said and nodded to his wife. With one last glance over his shoulder, Peter stepped into the room. And immediately his heart broke seeing the terrified child hiding under the exam table. He was crying loudly. "Hey, buddy," he said and tried to sound cheerful even if he didn't feel like it. "You gave us quite a scare. Especially your grandpa." Peter knelt down slowly and sat down next to Neal, eying him carefully.
But the kid didn't respond. It seemed that he was blocking out everything around him. His face was red from crying, the tears streaming down his cheeks, his voice hoarse. He was holding his right arm close to his chest while he was screaming and sobbing.
Seeing his godson like this brought Peter nearly to tears, but he reminded himself that he needed to calm the boy down. Which wasn't an easy task because the boy repeatedly asked for his parents. Peter's heart was heavy because he knew that Neal and Linda wouldn't come to get their son. Peter searched for a handkerchief in his pockets. "Here," he finally found it and was offering it to Neal. "Blow your nose, will you? You can hardly breathe."
For a few seconds, Neal seemed to be confused by Peter's actions and he stopped crying. Instead he looked at him with bleary eyes and sobbed violently.
Peter got a bit closer to him and gently wiped away the tears. "There you go," he praised him. "That's a good boy." Taking a deep breath himself Peter nodded. "Did you hurt your arm?"
Neal nodded hesitantly and fresh tears ran down his cheeks.
"No, no," Peter said. "Don't cry. It's okay. We're not angry at you. We are worried, you know. Your grandpa is out there waiting. Do you want him to come back in?"
The only response of the child was a silent head shake.
That did surprise Peter. "Why not?"
Again, Neal chose to stay silent.
Peter sighed and ran a hand over his face. He needed to find another way to get Neal talking. "It's quite uncomfortable down here, don't you think? Why don't you come out?"
"I-I wa-want Daddy co-ome to get me-e home," he whined, his voice almost inaudible.
Startled by the faint voice, Peter looked at his godson. The lump was back in his throat. "Do you remember what we've talked about? That Daddy and Mommy are on a long journey? They can’t come back here and pick you up. That's why Grandpa Richard is here. He's taking care of you. And later on he will bring you back to their house. I'm sure Grandma Maggie is already waiting for you." The explanation was somehow lame, but, on the other hand it wasn't a completely lie at all. He wasn't very religious, but he felt more comfortable with the idea of Neal and Linda traveling around rather than being buried six feet under. Telling himself and his Godson that Neal and Linda were somewhere near, made it easier for him to cope with the bereavement.
Hearing those words seemed to upset Neal once more because his lips began trembling. Again, he screamed, "Daddy! I want my Daddy!"
"Don't cry, Neal. Everything will be fine. I promise," Peter said and felt helpless. He wished El would be here. She was way better with handling Neal. He knew that the boy still missed his parents badly. "But you have calm down, buddy. We must look after your arm."
Instinctively Neal grabbed his right arm and shook his head, still sobbing. "Afraid."
"Oh there's nothing to be afraid of, buddy. We're all here with you. El's outside too. We’ll make sure that nothing happens to you."
"Promise?" Neal asked him.
"Of course." It may have been a lie, but Peter was desperate. "So, what happened?"
"Fell down the tree," Neal mumbled and sniffed.
"Alright." Relieved that the boy seemed to calm down at least a bit, Peter smiled. "I fell down a tree, too as a kid. But I hurt my ankle instead."
"You were in the hospital too?"
"Yeah, I was. And tell you what?" Peter leaned forward and looked around to get the kid's attention. "After they checked me out, I got a sucker from one of the nurses. And if you're a good boy, I guess El will make you muffins."
"The chocolate muffins?"
"Mh-mh. The one and only."
Neal seemed to reconsider his options and rocked forward while he watched Peter with his big blue eyes. He startled as the door opened.
El carefully glanced inside. "Hey my boys," she said and stepped in. She knelt down next to Peter and looked at him. "Everything alright here?"
Peter nodded, also aware that Neal eyed them cautiously. "We're good, right?"
The boy sighed heavily since his nose was still slightly swollen and he couldn't breathe freely. "I want to go home," he said and sounded very dejected.
"We will," Elizabeth said and stroked Neal's wet cheek and then his back. "But first the doctor has to look for your arm. After that we will meet with Grandpa Richard. He's waiting outside."
"How's he doing?" Peter asked her quietly.
"Better. I got him some water and one of the nurses is nearby."
Just when he thought that they had Neal under control, the door opened again and a doctor stepped in. "Oh hey, I wasn't expecting something like that," he smiled. "Although I've been warned that our friend here would be a little bit upset." The man introduced himself to Peter. "Hi, my name is Dr. Robertson."
Immediately Neal started to shiver and tried to hide again. "Shhh," Peter soothed him and leaned forward so that he gently could rub his back just like El had done it before. "I'm right here, champ. You don't have to worry."
All of a sudden, Neal emerged from under the table and snuggled up to Peter's shoulder.
Peter embraced the boy gently and tried to avoid contact with Neal’s injured right arm. Looking up to Dr. Robertson, he didn't stand up since Neal was still holding him tightly. Instead he just nodded. "Peter Burke. And this is my wife Elizabeth."
"Okay, young man," Dr. Robertson studied the chart in his hand, "so let's take a look at your arm..."
~*~*~
Two x-rays, a few more tears and the promise of a visit to a McDonald's later, Peter carried a very exhausted Neal out of the exam room. Neal's head rested on Peter's shoulder and the boy fought hard to stay awake. In his left hand he held a green sucker.
In an instant, Richard was by his side. "So it's broken?" he asked quietly and pointed to the blue colored cast which covered Neal's right hand.
"Yup. But there shouldn't be a problem. In about six weeks the cast comes off again."
"Considering that, I guess that's good news after all," El said and ruffled through Neal's hair which caused only a mild response telling her how tired her godson really was.
Peter grinned. "Let's go home." He looked at Richard. "Do you mind if we keep him over the weekend?" It wasn't uncommon that the Burkes would have Neal overnight, although the overnight stays had been rare lately.
"Not at all," Richard answered. He seemed composed and collected. "It's been a busy day and it wouldn't do him good to drag him across the city. I will call Maggie and let her know that everything's okay."
"You can come along, Richard," Elizabeth offered. "Have a cup of coffee before you head home."
The older man hesitated. "I think I should drive home. Maggie's waiting. Thank you for your help, though. I was...I couldn't calm him down," he said and admitted his defeat.
"Speaking of," Peter looked at his wife, "in order to keep him under control and because he was such a brave young man I promised him your chocolate muffins." He was well aware that Neal was listening intently even if he didn't say a word.
"Oh of course, sweetie," she said and smiled at Neal, caressing his cheek. "Anything you want."
"I wa't choc'late muffin'," the little boy mumbled indistinctly, with his eyes half closed. "An' ma'shmellow'"
Peter smirked and put his hand on Neal's back, tapping it softly. That was so typical for the boy. Yet he wasn't mad about him for at least trying to work things to his favor. "Don't push your luck, pal."
~*~*~
As Peter quietly closed the door to the guest room he waited for a few more seconds and listened attentively. Neal had finally lost his battle against sleep and Peter had carried him to the room. The boy had been in high spirits after they all had come home and had occupied them. Now Peter felt exhausted too. Satisfied that no noises could be heard from inside, Peter carefully went down to his own bedroom where Elizabeth was already in the bed waiting for him. "Hey."
"Hey," she answered smiling. "He's sleeping?"
"Yeah. It was about time." He slipped under the blanket and exhaled loudly as he watched the ceiling letting his thoughts wander. The words from Richard circled constantly in his mind.
"He's not the only one. I'm glad he's okay. He's had quite a day, huh?"
"Mhm."
"Penny for your thoughts, hon."
It took Peter a moment to realize that El had spoken to him. "Sorry. What did you say?"
"I wanted to know what's bothering you."
"I'm just thinking about Richard and Maggie. Today showed that they are not capable in such situations. I mean, look at them, they are in their seventies. Richard almost passed out. And Maggie," he shook his head, "she's still grieving. I mean we all are, but she's devastated and hasn't got the strength to look after Neal."
Snuggling closer to her husband, Elizabeth replied, "They are not used to have a very active six year old around them 24/7. And you're right. The whole thing was too much for them. But they were not the only ones who overreacted." She put a hand on his chest.
"Yeah I know," he grumbled. "I was a little bit…harsh on Sally, but…"
"Hon, it's okay." After a moment she asked, "After all, you were the one who calmed him down." Leaning forward, she kissed him. "You're good with handling a Caffrey. He trusts you."
"That's what Neal had told me shortly after we started to work together," Peter chuckled softly, but fell silent again. It hurt so much thinking of Neal Sen.
"So what now?" El seemed to feel his sad mood and tried to change the subject.
"Do you-" Peter started but then went silent again for a moment, reconsidering his next words carefully. "I was thinking…if we should consider becoming Neal's legal guardians. When he gets older, I don't think Richard and Maggie will be able to handle him. We both know that he takes after his father and that he can be a handful. Already. Now imagine him in 10 years."
Elizabeth chuckled. "He'll be a ladies’ man, just like Neal, that's for sure."
"Oh yeah, I bet he will." Peter went silent again as he thought of his late friend and sighed. In moments like this, when they talked about their best friend, he realized how much he missed him. How close they had grown together as a family. "As far as I'm concerned, if anything happens to Richard and Maggie, child service will step in and…," he stopped, grabbed El's hand and turned to face his wife directly, "…El, I don't think I could handle the thought that Neal will be put into a new family."
"Me neither. And I think your idea is great."
"You do? I wasn't sure about it."
"Hon, we’ve known the little one since the day he was born. And we're his godparents. Linda and Neal had confidence in us that we would look after their son if...," she fell silent. Apparently she was thinking of the deceased couple too. "I think we should do it."
Peter nodded. "Hopefully Richard and Maggie will approve this."
"There's only one way to find out. We have to talk to them."
"Let's get to sleep first," Peter said and suppressed a yawn. "Love you, hon."
"Love you too."
To be continued
Chapter 3
Please read the introductory guide at Chapter 1!
Once again, I'm so proud of all of you who took the time to read and review! It feels so good to have such support. Thank you!
Now, on the story...life is like a bumpy road. There are ups and downs. And the Burkes receive another alarming phone call...
October, 2019
Hospital scene
The moment Elizabeth had received the rather frantic phone call from Neal's grandparents, she and Peter had been in a rush. There hadn't been time to get more information about what exactly had happened to Neal. So both of them were clueless and worried at the same time. Peter walked in front of her and she had problems keeping up with him as he rushed towards the ER. He went straight to the reception.
"My name is Peter Burke. I'm looking for Neal Caffrey. We're his godparents," he said out of breath. Waiting impatiently, he drummed with his fingers on the counter.
El approached him just the second the nurse whose tag name read "Sally" looked up at Peter.
"Neal came in about 30 minutes ago-"
"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked.
"I don't know yet. The doctor will talk to once he has seen Neal-"
Again, Peter cut her off. "What?! Thirty minutes ago and still no doctor to look after him?" Peter was furious. "What kind of hospital are you?"
"Peter, please," El touched his hand and shot him a look to quiet him before she turned to Sally. "Do you know where he is right now?" She smiled at her, although it was obvious that she was worried as well.
Sally typed something into the computer and then replied, "He's in radiology. You can take the elevator up to the 5th floor. Then you go down the floor to the right side."
El nodded. "Thank you."
~*~*~
The ride with the elevator was done in silence, both Peter and El lost in their own thoughts. After stepping out, Peter looked down the floor and then grabbed El's hand. He was upset, but he didn't want to show his emotions to El but somehow he doubted that he succeeded so far. "I'm sure he's okay," he mumbled and took a deep breath. "I'm sure he's okay."
"Just promise me that you'll not freak out on the doctor like you did with the nurse," El said quietly.
"I didn't freak out!" Peter frowned. "How can you be so calm? She said that Neal's here since more than 30 minutes...I mean...I'm...it's just...," he sighed and let his shoulders slump. Memories of the car accident from Neal and Linda came to his mind. It had been only four months since his best friend and his wife had died in a car crash. He could feel a lump in his throat and he had to swallow a few times.
"Hon, I know," El simply answered and laid her hand on his back, rubbing it gently. Her face showed her concern but still she managed a slight smile. "Let's go find him, okay?"
It didn't take long for them to find the right unit and just when Peter was about to ask one of the employees for help, a door opened and a white haired man stepped out, holding a cell phone. "Oh, Peter! Elizabeth! Right on time. I was about to call you again," the man said and sounded really relieved. "He won't calm down."
Peter immediately straightened his back and asked, "What happened, Richard?"
The older man seemed uncomfortable and ran a hand through his hair. "He...he was outside. Playing. And suddenly he came running in, crying. He must have hurt his arm. But he's refusing help. He doesn't want to be touched. And he won't calm down. He's been crying ever since." The stress took its toll and the man swayed slightly.
El was by his side in an instance. "Why don't you sit down, Richard?" She pointed to a row of chairs on the wall.
"But Neal?" he asked, unsure what to do.
"I'm taking care of him," Peter said and nodded to his wife. With one last glance over his shoulder, Peter stepped into the room. And immediately his heart broke seeing the terrified child hiding under the exam table. He was crying loudly. "Hey, buddy," he said and tried to sound cheerful even if he didn't feel like it. "You gave us quite a scare. Especially your grandpa." Peter knelt down slowly and sat down next to Neal, eying him carefully.
But the kid didn't respond. It seemed that he was blocking out everything around him. His face was red from crying, the tears streaming down his cheeks, his voice hoarse. He was holding his right arm close to his chest while he was screaming and sobbing.
Seeing his godson like this brought Peter nearly to tears, but he reminded himself that he needed to calm the boy down. Which wasn't an easy task because the boy repeatedly asked for his parents. Peter's heart was heavy because he knew that Neal and Linda wouldn't come to get their son. Peter searched for a handkerchief in his pockets. "Here," he finally found it and was offering it to Neal. "Blow your nose, will you? You can hardly breathe."
For a few seconds, Neal seemed to be confused by Peter's actions and he stopped crying. Instead he looked at him with bleary eyes and sobbed violently.
Peter got a bit closer to him and gently wiped away the tears. "There you go," he praised him. "That's a good boy." Taking a deep breath himself Peter nodded. "Did you hurt your arm?"
Neal nodded hesitantly and fresh tears ran down his cheeks.
"No, no," Peter said. "Don't cry. It's okay. We're not angry at you. We are worried, you know. Your grandpa is out there waiting. Do you want him to come back in?"
The only response of the child was a silent head shake.
That did surprise Peter. "Why not?"
Again, Neal chose to stay silent.
Peter sighed and ran a hand over his face. He needed to find another way to get Neal talking. "It's quite uncomfortable down here, don't you think? Why don't you come out?"
"I-I wa-want Daddy co-ome to get me-e home," he whined, his voice almost inaudible.
Startled by the faint voice, Peter looked at his godson. The lump was back in his throat. "Do you remember what we've talked about? That Daddy and Mommy are on a long journey? They can’t come back here and pick you up. That's why Grandpa Richard is here. He's taking care of you. And later on he will bring you back to their house. I'm sure Grandma Maggie is already waiting for you." The explanation was somehow lame, but, on the other hand it wasn't a completely lie at all. He wasn't very religious, but he felt more comfortable with the idea of Neal and Linda traveling around rather than being buried six feet under. Telling himself and his Godson that Neal and Linda were somewhere near, made it easier for him to cope with the bereavement.
Hearing those words seemed to upset Neal once more because his lips began trembling. Again, he screamed, "Daddy! I want my Daddy!"
"Don't cry, Neal. Everything will be fine. I promise," Peter said and felt helpless. He wished El would be here. She was way better with handling Neal. He knew that the boy still missed his parents badly. "But you have calm down, buddy. We must look after your arm."
Instinctively Neal grabbed his right arm and shook his head, still sobbing. "Afraid."
"Oh there's nothing to be afraid of, buddy. We're all here with you. El's outside too. We’ll make sure that nothing happens to you."
"Promise?" Neal asked him.
"Of course." It may have been a lie, but Peter was desperate. "So, what happened?"
"Fell down the tree," Neal mumbled and sniffed.
"Alright." Relieved that the boy seemed to calm down at least a bit, Peter smiled. "I fell down a tree, too as a kid. But I hurt my ankle instead."
"You were in the hospital too?"
"Yeah, I was. And tell you what?" Peter leaned forward and looked around to get the kid's attention. "After they checked me out, I got a sucker from one of the nurses. And if you're a good boy, I guess El will make you muffins."
"The chocolate muffins?"
"Mh-mh. The one and only."
Neal seemed to reconsider his options and rocked forward while he watched Peter with his big blue eyes. He startled as the door opened.
El carefully glanced inside. "Hey my boys," she said and stepped in. She knelt down next to Peter and looked at him. "Everything alright here?"
Peter nodded, also aware that Neal eyed them cautiously. "We're good, right?"
The boy sighed heavily since his nose was still slightly swollen and he couldn't breathe freely. "I want to go home," he said and sounded very dejected.
"We will," Elizabeth said and stroked Neal's wet cheek and then his back. "But first the doctor has to look for your arm. After that we will meet with Grandpa Richard. He's waiting outside."
"How's he doing?" Peter asked her quietly.
"Better. I got him some water and one of the nurses is nearby."
Just when he thought that they had Neal under control, the door opened again and a doctor stepped in. "Oh hey, I wasn't expecting something like that," he smiled. "Although I've been warned that our friend here would be a little bit upset." The man introduced himself to Peter. "Hi, my name is Dr. Robertson."
Immediately Neal started to shiver and tried to hide again. "Shhh," Peter soothed him and leaned forward so that he gently could rub his back just like El had done it before. "I'm right here, champ. You don't have to worry."
All of a sudden, Neal emerged from under the table and snuggled up to Peter's shoulder.
Peter embraced the boy gently and tried to avoid contact with Neal’s injured right arm. Looking up to Dr. Robertson, he didn't stand up since Neal was still holding him tightly. Instead he just nodded. "Peter Burke. And this is my wife Elizabeth."
"Okay, young man," Dr. Robertson studied the chart in his hand, "so let's take a look at your arm..."
~*~*~
Two x-rays, a few more tears and the promise of a visit to a McDonald's later, Peter carried a very exhausted Neal out of the exam room. Neal's head rested on Peter's shoulder and the boy fought hard to stay awake. In his left hand he held a green sucker.
In an instant, Richard was by his side. "So it's broken?" he asked quietly and pointed to the blue colored cast which covered Neal's right hand.
"Yup. But there shouldn't be a problem. In about six weeks the cast comes off again."
"Considering that, I guess that's good news after all," El said and ruffled through Neal's hair which caused only a mild response telling her how tired her godson really was.
Peter grinned. "Let's go home." He looked at Richard. "Do you mind if we keep him over the weekend?" It wasn't uncommon that the Burkes would have Neal overnight, although the overnight stays had been rare lately.
"Not at all," Richard answered. He seemed composed and collected. "It's been a busy day and it wouldn't do him good to drag him across the city. I will call Maggie and let her know that everything's okay."
"You can come along, Richard," Elizabeth offered. "Have a cup of coffee before you head home."
The older man hesitated. "I think I should drive home. Maggie's waiting. Thank you for your help, though. I was...I couldn't calm him down," he said and admitted his defeat.
"Speaking of," Peter looked at his wife, "in order to keep him under control and because he was such a brave young man I promised him your chocolate muffins." He was well aware that Neal was listening intently even if he didn't say a word.
"Oh of course, sweetie," she said and smiled at Neal, caressing his cheek. "Anything you want."
"I wa't choc'late muffin'," the little boy mumbled indistinctly, with his eyes half closed. "An' ma'shmellow'"
Peter smirked and put his hand on Neal's back, tapping it softly. That was so typical for the boy. Yet he wasn't mad about him for at least trying to work things to his favor. "Don't push your luck, pal."
~*~*~
As Peter quietly closed the door to the guest room he waited for a few more seconds and listened attentively. Neal had finally lost his battle against sleep and Peter had carried him to the room. The boy had been in high spirits after they all had come home and had occupied them. Now Peter felt exhausted too. Satisfied that no noises could be heard from inside, Peter carefully went down to his own bedroom where Elizabeth was already in the bed waiting for him. "Hey."
"Hey," she answered smiling. "He's sleeping?"
"Yeah. It was about time." He slipped under the blanket and exhaled loudly as he watched the ceiling letting his thoughts wander. The words from Richard circled constantly in his mind.
"He's not the only one. I'm glad he's okay. He's had quite a day, huh?"
"Mhm."
"Penny for your thoughts, hon."
It took Peter a moment to realize that El had spoken to him. "Sorry. What did you say?"
"I wanted to know what's bothering you."
"I'm just thinking about Richard and Maggie. Today showed that they are not capable in such situations. I mean, look at them, they are in their seventies. Richard almost passed out. And Maggie," he shook his head, "she's still grieving. I mean we all are, but she's devastated and hasn't got the strength to look after Neal."
Snuggling closer to her husband, Elizabeth replied, "They are not used to have a very active six year old around them 24/7. And you're right. The whole thing was too much for them. But they were not the only ones who overreacted." She put a hand on his chest.
"Yeah I know," he grumbled. "I was a little bit…harsh on Sally, but…"
"Hon, it's okay." After a moment she asked, "After all, you were the one who calmed him down." Leaning forward, she kissed him. "You're good with handling a Caffrey. He trusts you."
"That's what Neal had told me shortly after we started to work together," Peter chuckled softly, but fell silent again. It hurt so much thinking of Neal Sen.
"So what now?" El seemed to feel his sad mood and tried to change the subject.
"Do you-" Peter started but then went silent again for a moment, reconsidering his next words carefully. "I was thinking…if we should consider becoming Neal's legal guardians. When he gets older, I don't think Richard and Maggie will be able to handle him. We both know that he takes after his father and that he can be a handful. Already. Now imagine him in 10 years."
Elizabeth chuckled. "He'll be a ladies’ man, just like Neal, that's for sure."
"Oh yeah, I bet he will." Peter went silent again as he thought of his late friend and sighed. In moments like this, when they talked about their best friend, he realized how much he missed him. How close they had grown together as a family. "As far as I'm concerned, if anything happens to Richard and Maggie, child service will step in and…," he stopped, grabbed El's hand and turned to face his wife directly, "…El, I don't think I could handle the thought that Neal will be put into a new family."
"Me neither. And I think your idea is great."
"You do? I wasn't sure about it."
"Hon, we’ve known the little one since the day he was born. And we're his godparents. Linda and Neal had confidence in us that we would look after their son if...," she fell silent. Apparently she was thinking of the deceased couple too. "I think we should do it."
Peter nodded. "Hopefully Richard and Maggie will approve this."
"There's only one way to find out. We have to talk to them."
"Let's get to sleep first," Peter said and suppressed a yawn. "Love you, hon."
"Love you too."
To be continued