The Cutest Thing - A White Collar ficlet.
Title: The Cutest Thing
Author: Aragarna
Characters, Genre: Neal, El, Peter, gen & fluff.
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None.
Author's Note: Another big kudo to Ansel who proof-read that story too !!
Summary: Neal rushed to the hospital after he got a call from Peter....
Neal ran through the hospital doors and almost collided with the admissions desk. His appearance was slightly disheveled by Caffrey standards but that didn’t seem to disturb the nurse at the desk. She simply raised an eyebrow at the sight of the huge bunch of flowers Neal had unceremoniously put on the desk. Neal gave her an apologetic smile for the disruption of his sudden entrance, but this wasn’t the time for manners.
“Burke?” He asked, catching his breath.
The nurse sent him a questioning frown.
Neal took a deep breath, and forcing himself to calm down, said more politely: “I’m here to see Elizabeth Burke.”
The nurse nodded and looked at the board behind her. “Room 211, take the elevator to the second floor, second corridor on the left.”
“Thank you!” Neal launched, already on his way to the elevator. The voice of the nurse stopped him in his track.
“Sir! You forgot your flowers,” She said with a wink.
Neal turned back, grabbed the flowers, sent the nurse a contrite smile and rushed to the elevator. He managed to slide through the doors as they closed and pushed frantically on the button to the second floor, oblivious of the side looks from the other people sharing the elevator.
Neal rushed out of the elevator, and made his way through the corridors, looking at the numbers on all the doors he passed by. Neal had always hated hospital. Those endless, impersonal corridors turning again and again like a mischievous labyrinth that would never let you out. Granted, his previous experiences with hospitals had been in totally different circumstances that he preferred not to think about right now.
“Second corridor,” he muttered as he turned left, “208, 209, 210.”
Finally 211. Neal staggered. His heart was pounding in his chest. He was so moved that he was almost shaking.
He knocked on the door, as gently as possible, as if afraid to disturb its occupants. He didn’t get any answer and for a moment, thought he should leave. But that was stupid. Peter had called, he was expecting him. In the end, Neal put his hand on the door handle and turned it slowly, careful not to make any noise. He prudently pushed the door open, just enough to pass his head through the aperture.
Holding his breath, Neal took a look inside.
Elizabeth was in her bed, apparently sleeping. It was unusual for Neal to see her with no make-up, her hair lying messily on the pillow. She looked exhausted - it had been a long night for her. And yet, Neal could see, even in her sleep, the peaceful happiness radiating from her body.
Neal glanced around the room, looking for Peter. His friend was sat in a rocking-chair close to the foot of the bed. Doing his best not to disturb the peacefulness of the room, Neal slid inside the room and closed the door silently behind him. He stood there, fascinated by the vision of his partner. Peter was rocking so gently that the movement was barely perceptible. His lips were moving and Neal caught the whisper of a lullaby. Peter was cradling his newly born daughter, holding her delicately in his strong arms, close to his chest. He was looking at the tiny little baby with the most tender look Neal had ever seen in his eyes. It was something between the loving looks Peter always reserved for El and the affectionate and somewhat paternal looks he greeted Neal with sometimes, but 10 times stronger. This vision of Peter, holding closely his daughter, smiling at her, softly singing as he rocked her delicately, this was the cutest thing Neal had ever seen.
FIN.
Cross-post at fanfiction.net
Author: Aragarna
Characters, Genre: Neal, El, Peter, gen & fluff.
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None.
Author's Note: Another big kudo to Ansel who proof-read that story too !!
Summary: Neal rushed to the hospital after he got a call from Peter....
Neal ran through the hospital doors and almost collided with the admissions desk. His appearance was slightly disheveled by Caffrey standards but that didn’t seem to disturb the nurse at the desk. She simply raised an eyebrow at the sight of the huge bunch of flowers Neal had unceremoniously put on the desk. Neal gave her an apologetic smile for the disruption of his sudden entrance, but this wasn’t the time for manners.
“Burke?” He asked, catching his breath.
The nurse sent him a questioning frown.
Neal took a deep breath, and forcing himself to calm down, said more politely: “I’m here to see Elizabeth Burke.”
The nurse nodded and looked at the board behind her. “Room 211, take the elevator to the second floor, second corridor on the left.”
“Thank you!” Neal launched, already on his way to the elevator. The voice of the nurse stopped him in his track.
“Sir! You forgot your flowers,” She said with a wink.
Neal turned back, grabbed the flowers, sent the nurse a contrite smile and rushed to the elevator. He managed to slide through the doors as they closed and pushed frantically on the button to the second floor, oblivious of the side looks from the other people sharing the elevator.
Neal rushed out of the elevator, and made his way through the corridors, looking at the numbers on all the doors he passed by. Neal had always hated hospital. Those endless, impersonal corridors turning again and again like a mischievous labyrinth that would never let you out. Granted, his previous experiences with hospitals had been in totally different circumstances that he preferred not to think about right now.
“Second corridor,” he muttered as he turned left, “208, 209, 210.”
Finally 211. Neal staggered. His heart was pounding in his chest. He was so moved that he was almost shaking.
He knocked on the door, as gently as possible, as if afraid to disturb its occupants. He didn’t get any answer and for a moment, thought he should leave. But that was stupid. Peter had called, he was expecting him. In the end, Neal put his hand on the door handle and turned it slowly, careful not to make any noise. He prudently pushed the door open, just enough to pass his head through the aperture.
Holding his breath, Neal took a look inside.
Elizabeth was in her bed, apparently sleeping. It was unusual for Neal to see her with no make-up, her hair lying messily on the pillow. She looked exhausted - it had been a long night for her. And yet, Neal could see, even in her sleep, the peaceful happiness radiating from her body.
Neal glanced around the room, looking for Peter. His friend was sat in a rocking-chair close to the foot of the bed. Doing his best not to disturb the peacefulness of the room, Neal slid inside the room and closed the door silently behind him. He stood there, fascinated by the vision of his partner. Peter was rocking so gently that the movement was barely perceptible. His lips were moving and Neal caught the whisper of a lullaby. Peter was cradling his newly born daughter, holding her delicately in his strong arms, close to his chest. He was looking at the tiny little baby with the most tender look Neal had ever seen in his eyes. It was something between the loving looks Peter always reserved for El and the affectionate and somewhat paternal looks he greeted Neal with sometimes, but 10 times stronger. This vision of Peter, holding closely his daughter, smiling at her, softly singing as he rocked her delicately, this was the cutest thing Neal had ever seen.
FIN.
Cross-post at fanfiction.net