Fic: Blink of an Eye - Epilogue
Title: Blink of an Eye
Artist: aragarna
Author: reve_silencieux
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Neal, Peter, James, Elizabeth, Mozzie, Jones, June, Sara, Neal/Sara
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1,260
Beta: sherylyn
Summary: In the blink of an eye, life can change, and all your plans crumble to pieces. An alternate beginning to S5 after Peter is arrested, but Neal saves the day-which is not without major consequences that everyone will have to learn how to deal with.
Author's Note: Written for White Collar Big Bang 2016.
Six Months Later
“If you don’t stop wiggling, you’re going to look more like a Heffalump, and less like Tigger, buddy,”
Andrew’s legs stilled, and Neal gave him a bright smile in encouragement, as he continued to paint his son’s face.
The doorbell rang and Neal quickly pulled back just as Andrew whipped his head to the side. “Stay where you are. Mommy can get it.”
Sara walked past them, leaving the kitchen, while Neal tried to finish Andrew’s face before he totally lost his son’s attention to their guests. This was his first Halloween, and while he probably didn’t understand the finer aspects of it, Andrew was excited about dressing up and spending time with his Uncle Peter.
“Whoa, look at what we have here! Is that Tigger I see?” Peter called out, and Neal gave up as Andrew grinned and waved.
“Unc-a P’tr!!”
“Oh, wow! You look incredible, sweetie!” Elizabeth exclaimed as she followed Peter into the kitchen. She went immediately over to the table where Andrew was sitting and made a point of oohing and ahhing over his costume. Andrew soaked up the attention, his eyes shining bright and legs swinging away.
“You did good. And Tigger-now that’s appropriate,” Peter remarked, sliding Neal a knowing smile.
Neal scoffed and walked over to the sink to wash his hands. “You’re telling me. I can barely get him to stop running around.”
Peter let out a low chuckle, and smirked. Neal knew he was enjoying how roles had reversed and rolled his eyes.
“Now, I’ll need you to explain your get-up. Who are you supposed to be?” Peter asked, waving at Neal’s own painted face and costume.
Beaming, Neal picked up a headband with two furry ears from the table and slid it on his head. “I’m Nick Wilde.”
Peter’s face was blank. “Who?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Tsk, tsk, Uncle Peter. You need catch up on your Disney films. Nick is from Zootopia. It came out last year.”
“Excuse me?” Peter's eyebrows shot up, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Since when? I’m not a Disney expert, but isn’t Andrew a little young?”
“It’s a movie with talking animals, Peter,” Neal replied, giving him a pointed look. “He may not understand the plot, but he can still enjoy it. And for the record, it’s a really good movie. Let me tell you, you’ll watch anything when you’re stuck in a hospital for months on end.”
He’d had a steady stream of visitors in rehab, but Neal had to entertain himself most of the time. Watching Disney movies with his son had been a highlight, even if most of the time Andrew fell asleep half way through. He just appreciated spending time with him, and getting to know him. It was even better once he was ambulatory and could actively play with Andrew. Coloring had been a frequent activity.
“Anyway,” Neal continued, “Zootopia is about a society of animals, much like us, where Judy Hopps, a bunny,” he paused and Sara pointed to her own rabbit ears, “aspires to be a police officer, and enlists the help of Nick Wilde, a fox and con artist, to help solve her first case.”
Peter snorted. “Nice. You would identify with him, wouldn’t you? Did he wear a tie as well or is this your addition?”
It was Sara’s turn to laugh. “Oh, it’s in character alright, and if it weren’t for Nick’s green eyes, I’d say they modeled him after Neal.”
“I’m just glad you have pants,” Peter replied wryly.
Elizabeth looked up from where she’d been chatting with Andrew and giggled. Apparently she had been listening in.
Neal sighed. “Yes, Peter, in Zootopia, they wear clothes, including pants, just like us. Besides, if they didn’t, I would.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
Turning around, Neal wiggled his hips. “Do you like my tail?”
“Oh, good grief.”
Neal turned back around and laughed. “You know, I can paint your face too, if you want. How about we make you Chief Bogo, the African buffalo? Or you can be a bear, a baboon...”
“Real funny,” Peter drawled, but smiled. “You’re having fun, aren’t you?”
“It’s not a Monet or Degas, but yeah… I am,” Neal answered honestly. His hands still weren’t the steadiest, but they were getting better and just being able to color and paint with Andrew was enough for him.
Since he left rehab, he hadn’t worried about what he was going to do with his life. He was happy staying at home with Andrew. His family came first, and no con or adrenaline rush could tear him away.
“I might take up Jessica’s offer though,” he said and shrugged lightly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Jessica was an art therapist that had visited his rehab center. As an artist, it had been a difficult time. He’d barely been able to hold a paintbrush in the beginning, but with Jessica’s patience and understanding, he had found peace in accepting his limitations, and challenged himself to start over.
Each day was still sometimes a struggle. As he had told Peter, tests weren't perfect, or infallible. His head injury had left lasting effects, but he’d been lucky they had been mild. Physically, he still wasn’t one hundred percent, and he still had brief lapses of memory and vocabulary, yet, he was the happiest he’d ever been.
“Just a few classes a week, right?”
Jessica had asked if he would like to help out with some of her art therapy classes. Having gone through an injury himself, he understood what they were going through, and wanted to give them hope that it would get better. He’d had enough second chances to know it was possible.
Neal nodded. “Yeah. I’d probably start with a couple, and see how it goes. It’ll be nice to get out of the house, and I’m sure Andrew would have fun with it, too.”
Peter glanced over to where Andrew was excitedly chatting away with Sara and Elizabeth, and smiled. “I bet.”
It was a small step in regaining his life, albeit a different one. He might not be able to forge the Masters anymore, but this felt more worthwhile of his time and would reward him in a way he hadn’t felt before.
Maybe he wasn’t helping out Peter and the FBI, and maybe he wasn’t a suave conman who jumped out of buildings, but this new life meant so much more to him. He had a family-an even bigger one than before, and he would never give that up, because they had never given up on him.
Everyone had stepped up to help out the past few months, from helping Sara find a place, to babysitting Andrew, and shuttling him back and forth to spend time with Neal while Sara worked. They might have moved on in his absence, but he was still a part of their lives, he’d realized, just in a different way.
“Well, how about we get this show on the road?” Peter clapped his hands. “Who’s ready for candy?”
“Yay!!!” Andrew screamed, and Neal and Sara shared a knowing look. They were in for a long night.
Elizabeth handed Andrew his pumpkin bucket, and he skipped out of the kitchen before anyone else said a word.
“Maybe he’ll be so tired by the end, that he’ll forget about the candy?” Neal offered.
Everyone laughed.
Yeah, it wasn’t likely.
But Neal couldn’t really complain. He wouldn’t trade this life, not for anything else in the world.
Fin
Artist: aragarna
Author: reve_silencieux
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Neal, Peter, James, Elizabeth, Mozzie, Jones, June, Sara, Neal/Sara
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1,260
Beta: sherylyn
Summary: In the blink of an eye, life can change, and all your plans crumble to pieces. An alternate beginning to S5 after Peter is arrested, but Neal saves the day-which is not without major consequences that everyone will have to learn how to deal with.
Author's Note: Written for White Collar Big Bang 2016.
Six Months Later
“If you don’t stop wiggling, you’re going to look more like a Heffalump, and less like Tigger, buddy,”
Andrew’s legs stilled, and Neal gave him a bright smile in encouragement, as he continued to paint his son’s face.
The doorbell rang and Neal quickly pulled back just as Andrew whipped his head to the side. “Stay where you are. Mommy can get it.”
Sara walked past them, leaving the kitchen, while Neal tried to finish Andrew’s face before he totally lost his son’s attention to their guests. This was his first Halloween, and while he probably didn’t understand the finer aspects of it, Andrew was excited about dressing up and spending time with his Uncle Peter.
“Whoa, look at what we have here! Is that Tigger I see?” Peter called out, and Neal gave up as Andrew grinned and waved.
“Unc-a P’tr!!”
“Oh, wow! You look incredible, sweetie!” Elizabeth exclaimed as she followed Peter into the kitchen. She went immediately over to the table where Andrew was sitting and made a point of oohing and ahhing over his costume. Andrew soaked up the attention, his eyes shining bright and legs swinging away.
“You did good. And Tigger-now that’s appropriate,” Peter remarked, sliding Neal a knowing smile.
Neal scoffed and walked over to the sink to wash his hands. “You’re telling me. I can barely get him to stop running around.”
Peter let out a low chuckle, and smirked. Neal knew he was enjoying how roles had reversed and rolled his eyes.
“Now, I’ll need you to explain your get-up. Who are you supposed to be?” Peter asked, waving at Neal’s own painted face and costume.
Beaming, Neal picked up a headband with two furry ears from the table and slid it on his head. “I’m Nick Wilde.”
Peter’s face was blank. “Who?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Tsk, tsk, Uncle Peter. You need catch up on your Disney films. Nick is from Zootopia. It came out last year.”
“Excuse me?” Peter's eyebrows shot up, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Since when? I’m not a Disney expert, but isn’t Andrew a little young?”
“It’s a movie with talking animals, Peter,” Neal replied, giving him a pointed look. “He may not understand the plot, but he can still enjoy it. And for the record, it’s a really good movie. Let me tell you, you’ll watch anything when you’re stuck in a hospital for months on end.”
He’d had a steady stream of visitors in rehab, but Neal had to entertain himself most of the time. Watching Disney movies with his son had been a highlight, even if most of the time Andrew fell asleep half way through. He just appreciated spending time with him, and getting to know him. It was even better once he was ambulatory and could actively play with Andrew. Coloring had been a frequent activity.
“Anyway,” Neal continued, “Zootopia is about a society of animals, much like us, where Judy Hopps, a bunny,” he paused and Sara pointed to her own rabbit ears, “aspires to be a police officer, and enlists the help of Nick Wilde, a fox and con artist, to help solve her first case.”
Peter snorted. “Nice. You would identify with him, wouldn’t you? Did he wear a tie as well or is this your addition?”
It was Sara’s turn to laugh. “Oh, it’s in character alright, and if it weren’t for Nick’s green eyes, I’d say they modeled him after Neal.”
“I’m just glad you have pants,” Peter replied wryly.
Elizabeth looked up from where she’d been chatting with Andrew and giggled. Apparently she had been listening in.
Neal sighed. “Yes, Peter, in Zootopia, they wear clothes, including pants, just like us. Besides, if they didn’t, I would.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
Turning around, Neal wiggled his hips. “Do you like my tail?”
“Oh, good grief.”
Neal turned back around and laughed. “You know, I can paint your face too, if you want. How about we make you Chief Bogo, the African buffalo? Or you can be a bear, a baboon...”
“Real funny,” Peter drawled, but smiled. “You’re having fun, aren’t you?”
“It’s not a Monet or Degas, but yeah… I am,” Neal answered honestly. His hands still weren’t the steadiest, but they were getting better and just being able to color and paint with Andrew was enough for him.
Since he left rehab, he hadn’t worried about what he was going to do with his life. He was happy staying at home with Andrew. His family came first, and no con or adrenaline rush could tear him away.
“I might take up Jessica’s offer though,” he said and shrugged lightly, shoving his hands in his pockets. Jessica was an art therapist that had visited his rehab center. As an artist, it had been a difficult time. He’d barely been able to hold a paintbrush in the beginning, but with Jessica’s patience and understanding, he had found peace in accepting his limitations, and challenged himself to start over.
Each day was still sometimes a struggle. As he had told Peter, tests weren't perfect, or infallible. His head injury had left lasting effects, but he’d been lucky they had been mild. Physically, he still wasn’t one hundred percent, and he still had brief lapses of memory and vocabulary, yet, he was the happiest he’d ever been.
“Just a few classes a week, right?”
Jessica had asked if he would like to help out with some of her art therapy classes. Having gone through an injury himself, he understood what they were going through, and wanted to give them hope that it would get better. He’d had enough second chances to know it was possible.
Neal nodded. “Yeah. I’d probably start with a couple, and see how it goes. It’ll be nice to get out of the house, and I’m sure Andrew would have fun with it, too.”
Peter glanced over to where Andrew was excitedly chatting away with Sara and Elizabeth, and smiled. “I bet.”
It was a small step in regaining his life, albeit a different one. He might not be able to forge the Masters anymore, but this felt more worthwhile of his time and would reward him in a way he hadn’t felt before.
Maybe he wasn’t helping out Peter and the FBI, and maybe he wasn’t a suave conman who jumped out of buildings, but this new life meant so much more to him. He had a family-an even bigger one than before, and he would never give that up, because they had never given up on him.
Everyone had stepped up to help out the past few months, from helping Sara find a place, to babysitting Andrew, and shuttling him back and forth to spend time with Neal while Sara worked. They might have moved on in his absence, but he was still a part of their lives, he’d realized, just in a different way.
“Well, how about we get this show on the road?” Peter clapped his hands. “Who’s ready for candy?”
“Yay!!!” Andrew screamed, and Neal and Sara shared a knowing look. They were in for a long night.
Elizabeth handed Andrew his pumpkin bucket, and he skipped out of the kitchen before anyone else said a word.
“Maybe he’ll be so tired by the end, that he’ll forget about the candy?” Neal offered.
Everyone laughed.
Yeah, it wasn’t likely.
But Neal couldn’t really complain. He wouldn’t trade this life, not for anything else in the world.
Fin