Being rescued - last chapter - Locking her away
Yes, I know, it is just a short chapter. It can also be found on AO3.
The moment the doors of the elevator open, Neal´s breathing hitches. He can feel Peter glancing with concern, but he doesn´t say anything. Peter places his hand in the small of his back and he gently pushes. Neal starts walking but he seems to go slower and slower as they near the room next to the lineup.
Peter stops Neal outside near the water cooler and hands him a cup.
“You have done this before. So you know they can´t see you, you don´t have to talk. You are allowed to wait until they have left the room again. Take your time. This a double blind line up, so I can´t join you as I may inadvertently influence you. The agent inside has nothing to do with the case.”
Neal simply nods.
Peter notices that Neal has developed a nervous tick with his fingers. He keeps rubbing his thumb and point finger together. Peter silently places his hand over Neal´s. Neal looks up to Peter and gives him a small smile.
“I´m ready.”
Peter opens the door and Neal reluctantly walks in. The door closes behind him and Neal can feel his anxiety is building. Rationally he knows he can´t be hurt. There is an agent in the room, there is bullet proof mirroring glass between him and the person who did this to him.
The line-up room is bright and it hurts his head a bit. When the door opens in the other room and the first in-mate enters, Neal holds his breath. The moment Eva enters, he pales and the agent asks if he is OK. He must have been studying Neal. Neal has a feeling of the room is closing in on him. It is abnormally hot and he needs to get out.
“That is her, number five” Neal whispers while turning to leave the room. He pulls open the door and is outside and stumbles right into Peter´s chest, who catches him.
“It´s OK, Neal, breathe.”
“I want to go.” He chokes out.
“Ok, let´s go.”
* * *
Peter takes Neal back to his house and seats him on the couch. Neal looks a bit pale and Peter walks to the kitchen to get something to drink. He wants to make coffee but thinks better of it and starts making hot cocoa. His mum always made it and it made him feel loved. He remembers that El bought some fancy chocolate on sticks, so he starts rummaging through the cupboards until he finds them. He places one in each cup and pours the warm milk on top of them. He finishes the two cups with a drop of rum and a dollop of whipped cream.
When he hands one cup to Neal, he looks up in surprise. He has been petting Satchmo.
“How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“Nothing.” Neal stares back in his hot cocoa.
“No, please, tell me.”
“Ellen would always make me some hot cocoa when I was a bit down. It always made me feel special that she would go through the trouble of making hot chocolate. And not the instant kind.”
Peter smiles, so his mum was not the only one.
His telephone vibrates and he excuses himself and walks back in the kitchen. It is agent Daggs, he explains to Peter that Neal has positively identified Eva Doerner, so they will hand the case to Violent Crimes. They will have to make an appointment for Neal to make his statement. Peter promises he will talk to Neal and thanks agent Daggs, ending the call. He walks back to Neal.
Neal is curled up on the couch with his hands wrapped around the cup of cocoa. He is still a bit pale, but looks cold. Peter takes one of his mum´s quilts and drapes it around Neal´s shoulders. Neal gives him a grateful smile and snuggles inside the quilt.
Peter walks back into the kitchen and starts preparing some sandwiches for the two of them. He walks back with them and sits down next to Neal. Peter turns on the television and surfs until he finds a documentary on ancient Egyptian artifacts. Neal lists against Peter and finally places his head on Peter´s shoulder. Peter lets him and drops his right hand on Neal´s side. With his left he takes a bite size piece of sandwich and holds it in front of Neal who eats it. Before Peter can take the last piece of the sandwich, Neal snatches it. Peter can´t hide a smile.
It is going to be OK, Neal will get over this trauma, They will help him, that is what family does, and Neal Caffrey is definitely family.
The moment the doors of the elevator open, Neal´s breathing hitches. He can feel Peter glancing with concern, but he doesn´t say anything. Peter places his hand in the small of his back and he gently pushes. Neal starts walking but he seems to go slower and slower as they near the room next to the lineup.
Peter stops Neal outside near the water cooler and hands him a cup.
“You have done this before. So you know they can´t see you, you don´t have to talk. You are allowed to wait until they have left the room again. Take your time. This a double blind line up, so I can´t join you as I may inadvertently influence you. The agent inside has nothing to do with the case.”
Neal simply nods.
Peter notices that Neal has developed a nervous tick with his fingers. He keeps rubbing his thumb and point finger together. Peter silently places his hand over Neal´s. Neal looks up to Peter and gives him a small smile.
“I´m ready.”
Peter opens the door and Neal reluctantly walks in. The door closes behind him and Neal can feel his anxiety is building. Rationally he knows he can´t be hurt. There is an agent in the room, there is bullet proof mirroring glass between him and the person who did this to him.
The line-up room is bright and it hurts his head a bit. When the door opens in the other room and the first in-mate enters, Neal holds his breath. The moment Eva enters, he pales and the agent asks if he is OK. He must have been studying Neal. Neal has a feeling of the room is closing in on him. It is abnormally hot and he needs to get out.
“That is her, number five” Neal whispers while turning to leave the room. He pulls open the door and is outside and stumbles right into Peter´s chest, who catches him.
“It´s OK, Neal, breathe.”
“I want to go.” He chokes out.
“Ok, let´s go.”
* * *
Peter takes Neal back to his house and seats him on the couch. Neal looks a bit pale and Peter walks to the kitchen to get something to drink. He wants to make coffee but thinks better of it and starts making hot cocoa. His mum always made it and it made him feel loved. He remembers that El bought some fancy chocolate on sticks, so he starts rummaging through the cupboards until he finds them. He places one in each cup and pours the warm milk on top of them. He finishes the two cups with a drop of rum and a dollop of whipped cream.
When he hands one cup to Neal, he looks up in surprise. He has been petting Satchmo.
“How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“Nothing.” Neal stares back in his hot cocoa.
“No, please, tell me.”
“Ellen would always make me some hot cocoa when I was a bit down. It always made me feel special that she would go through the trouble of making hot chocolate. And not the instant kind.”
Peter smiles, so his mum was not the only one.
His telephone vibrates and he excuses himself and walks back in the kitchen. It is agent Daggs, he explains to Peter that Neal has positively identified Eva Doerner, so they will hand the case to Violent Crimes. They will have to make an appointment for Neal to make his statement. Peter promises he will talk to Neal and thanks agent Daggs, ending the call. He walks back to Neal.
Neal is curled up on the couch with his hands wrapped around the cup of cocoa. He is still a bit pale, but looks cold. Peter takes one of his mum´s quilts and drapes it around Neal´s shoulders. Neal gives him a grateful smile and snuggles inside the quilt.
Peter walks back into the kitchen and starts preparing some sandwiches for the two of them. He walks back with them and sits down next to Neal. Peter turns on the television and surfs until he finds a documentary on ancient Egyptian artifacts. Neal lists against Peter and finally places his head on Peter´s shoulder. Peter lets him and drops his right hand on Neal´s side. With his left he takes a bite size piece of sandwich and holds it in front of Neal who eats it. Before Peter can take the last piece of the sandwich, Neal snatches it. Peter can´t hide a smile.
It is going to be OK, Neal will get over this trauma, They will help him, that is what family does, and Neal Caffrey is definitely family.