Title: Both Sides Of The Story
Author: TeeJay
whitecollar100 Prompt: #40 Judge
Genre: Gen
Characters/Pairings: Neal, Elizabeth
Word Count: 300
Rating: PG
Warning: Spoilers for 2x16 'Under The Radar'
Summary: Elizabeth believes in 'innocent until proven guilty'. It was time she heard Neal's side of the story.
Disclaimer: White Collar, its characters and its settings belong to Jeff Eastin and USA Network. And, guys? Your characters are not only welcome, they're wonderful. I'm just borrowing, I promise.
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It had been weeks, Elizabeth realized-weeks since she'd seen Neal. Oh, sure, it wasn't like they invited him over every weekend. But he'd come into the house with Peter after a wrapped up case every now and then, or stay for dinner. She found she'd gotten used to him being a friend, and his absence was starting to feel wrong.
Things had been testy between Neal and Peter ever since the day Peter had killed Adler. Both men were stubborn, and now they had backed themselves into opposite corners.
She drew in a long breath before she knocked on the white wooden door inside the Riverside Drive mansion. Something at the back of her mind told her that what she was doing was wrong. That Peter would be furious if he knew. But something louder, more prominent told her there was nothing wrong with visiting a friend.
"Moz?" she heard the muffled but familiar voice from the inside.
"No, it's Elizabeth," she answered.
The door opened, and the surprise in Neal's face was clearly visible. "Elizabeth?"
She smiled. "Surprise."
"And a pleasant one. What brings you here? Come in."
They sat down at the table, and he asked the question she had almost been expecting. "Did Peter send you?"
"No."
He couldn't hide the disappointment, and she saw it. "Neal, I'm not his spokesperson, but I personally think Peter was a bit quick to judge. Maybe he thinks it too, but now it's too late to admit it."
"And what do you think?"
"I believe in 'innocent until proven guilty'. I think I want to hear your side of the story."
And Neal told it to her, going back to how he got to meet Vincent Adler and Kate. They sat at the dining table for a long time.