Fic: More Than a Partner & Less Than a Confidant
More Than a Partner
Summary: After ' More Than a Poker Game' and 'Less Than a Scale,' June needs to know more about Xavier and can think of only one person.
Spoilers: Season 2ish of White Collar, X-Men First Class
June trusted Neal, she really did, but Neal was a conman. He used information like a weapon and he thought of himself first. Neal was a live and let live type, but something stopped June from telling him about April’s mutation. Neal wouldn’t maliciously reveal April’s mutation but he would say something, endangering her, to get himself out of a tough spot. June had no doubt that Neal would try to mitigate the damages after the fact, but it was too much of a risk to April. June had survived by listening to her gut. Whoever had coined the phrase ‘honor among thieves’ had been a starry-eyed romantic that didn’t live in the real world. She wouldn’t tell Neal. June didn’t want to hire a private investigator; they were an unknown that could potentially bring danger to Xavier’s school and then to April.
June could only see one solution, the only lawman June could trust. So she knocked on the Burke’s door promptly at eleven on a Saturday morning. Of course, she had made an appointment first. Peter opened the door at the first knock. Elizabeth was not anywhere to be found but her presence was felt in the beautiful coffee service and tasty appetizers on the dining room table. Peter was an impatient if proper host, yet another thing for which to thank Elizabeth.
Peter waited for her to take two sips of coffee before blurting out, “What did Neal do?”
June was taken back momentarily but could see why he would assume this meeting was about his CI. “It’s not about Neal.”
Peter showed his blazing intellect with his next word. “April.”
“Yes.”
“You figured out the problem.”
“April is a mutant.”
Peter reacted like the professional he was; he thought about it and filed April’s actions into mutant behavior and decided that it fit. “Is it affecting her health?” His reaction revealed the depth of his caring.
“Not too much, but she will need a trustworthy doctor.”
“Do you need me to find one?” Peter looked intrigued by the challenge.
“There’s one associated with the school that came to recruit April.”
Peter raised an eyebrow.
“Two mutants came by the house to introduce themselves and to pitch their school, Xavier’s School for Gift Children. They drew April out of her secrecy -she had been planning to run away- and for that, I will forever be grateful but… the school’s founder is a telepath.”
June knew that Peter had absorbed all the implications, but he was waiting for June to voice her concerns. Definitely a man trained by his wife; he knew that half of solving a woman’s problem was letting her explain it. “April wants to go to the school, but I have some reservations. I would like a suspicious eye come with us on her visit, someone who can do background checks without drawing attention to the school. Xavier mentioned that several of his students have had brushes with the law because they were runaways.”
Peter brushed aside the minor offenses with a wave of his hand. That didn’t concern him. He could ignore that. With his every gesture, Peter was proving that he was worthy of June’s trust. Peter asked if he could confide June’s secret to Elizabeth. June decided that as a lawman’s wife, Elizabeth had plenty of practice keeping secrets.
“Can Elle come with us?” Peter asked.
June was surprised.
Peter looked a little abashed. “I don’t get to spend a lot of time with my wife as it is,” honest as always. “And Elle has great insights. Not to mention that when we go as a group, April would probably be more comfortable with Elle than me. We’re also going to have to, at the very least, have dinner together and get to know each other enough that we’d know if someone is in our heads planting ideas.”
“Agreed.” June had been about to ask Peter over for dinner for that very reason. “Tomorrow night?” she suggested. “Neal will be out.”
“What is Neal,” he started. “Nevermind. I don’t want to know. I’ll see if Elle is free.”
“Everyone would prefer if April is transferred before the new semester,” June explained the time limit.
Peter nodded. “I’ll be there tomorrow even if Elle can’t. Can I bring anything?”
“Just yourself, my cook will take care of everything else.”
“It’s a plan.”
*wc*xmen*
Less Than a Confidant
Summary: Dinner with the Burkes to discuss Xavier.
Dinner with Peter and Elizabeth was as pleasant as expected. April would have preferred if June had picked Neal and didn’t understand the choice. The teen was slowly warming up to the lawman and his wife. Together, the four of them wrote out a list of questions concerning the school. Elle, with her elegant handwriting, copied it so that they’ll be able to refer back to it when they returned from their campus tour. For now, both copies of the list of questions were put into a safe of which Neal was unaware. Elle started telling stories of her time at college. Then Peter told a story of Neal that had them all laughing as the man in question walked in the door. It made for a beautiful excuse with Neal pouting about being excluded.
The timing was too good to be a coincidence. Peter had known.
Peter was some sort of mutant, completely under the radar and perhaps uniquely qualified for the task ahead. Suddenly, the inexplicable childlessness was explained. Oh, a New York working couple had many reasons to delay or abstain from children, but the x-gene had to be a contributing factor.
June caught Peter’s eye and raised her glass in a discrete toast. Peter inclined his head in wry amusement. He hadn’t volunteered the information, but rather had chosen to expose it to June than risk Neal hearing April’s secret. He wasn’t worried about June knowing, not that she could prove her suspicions.
Yes, June had picked the perfect lawman for the task.
*wc*xmen*
Summary: After ' More Than a Poker Game' and 'Less Than a Scale,' June needs to know more about Xavier and can think of only one person.
Spoilers: Season 2ish of White Collar, X-Men First Class
June trusted Neal, she really did, but Neal was a conman. He used information like a weapon and he thought of himself first. Neal was a live and let live type, but something stopped June from telling him about April’s mutation. Neal wouldn’t maliciously reveal April’s mutation but he would say something, endangering her, to get himself out of a tough spot. June had no doubt that Neal would try to mitigate the damages after the fact, but it was too much of a risk to April. June had survived by listening to her gut. Whoever had coined the phrase ‘honor among thieves’ had been a starry-eyed romantic that didn’t live in the real world. She wouldn’t tell Neal. June didn’t want to hire a private investigator; they were an unknown that could potentially bring danger to Xavier’s school and then to April.
June could only see one solution, the only lawman June could trust. So she knocked on the Burke’s door promptly at eleven on a Saturday morning. Of course, she had made an appointment first. Peter opened the door at the first knock. Elizabeth was not anywhere to be found but her presence was felt in the beautiful coffee service and tasty appetizers on the dining room table. Peter was an impatient if proper host, yet another thing for which to thank Elizabeth.
Peter waited for her to take two sips of coffee before blurting out, “What did Neal do?”
June was taken back momentarily but could see why he would assume this meeting was about his CI. “It’s not about Neal.”
Peter showed his blazing intellect with his next word. “April.”
“Yes.”
“You figured out the problem.”
“April is a mutant.”
Peter reacted like the professional he was; he thought about it and filed April’s actions into mutant behavior and decided that it fit. “Is it affecting her health?” His reaction revealed the depth of his caring.
“Not too much, but she will need a trustworthy doctor.”
“Do you need me to find one?” Peter looked intrigued by the challenge.
“There’s one associated with the school that came to recruit April.”
Peter raised an eyebrow.
“Two mutants came by the house to introduce themselves and to pitch their school, Xavier’s School for Gift Children. They drew April out of her secrecy -she had been planning to run away- and for that, I will forever be grateful but… the school’s founder is a telepath.”
June knew that Peter had absorbed all the implications, but he was waiting for June to voice her concerns. Definitely a man trained by his wife; he knew that half of solving a woman’s problem was letting her explain it. “April wants to go to the school, but I have some reservations. I would like a suspicious eye come with us on her visit, someone who can do background checks without drawing attention to the school. Xavier mentioned that several of his students have had brushes with the law because they were runaways.”
Peter brushed aside the minor offenses with a wave of his hand. That didn’t concern him. He could ignore that. With his every gesture, Peter was proving that he was worthy of June’s trust. Peter asked if he could confide June’s secret to Elizabeth. June decided that as a lawman’s wife, Elizabeth had plenty of practice keeping secrets.
“Can Elle come with us?” Peter asked.
June was surprised.
Peter looked a little abashed. “I don’t get to spend a lot of time with my wife as it is,” honest as always. “And Elle has great insights. Not to mention that when we go as a group, April would probably be more comfortable with Elle than me. We’re also going to have to, at the very least, have dinner together and get to know each other enough that we’d know if someone is in our heads planting ideas.”
“Agreed.” June had been about to ask Peter over for dinner for that very reason. “Tomorrow night?” she suggested. “Neal will be out.”
“What is Neal,” he started. “Nevermind. I don’t want to know. I’ll see if Elle is free.”
“Everyone would prefer if April is transferred before the new semester,” June explained the time limit.
Peter nodded. “I’ll be there tomorrow even if Elle can’t. Can I bring anything?”
“Just yourself, my cook will take care of everything else.”
“It’s a plan.”
*wc*xmen*
Less Than a Confidant
Summary: Dinner with the Burkes to discuss Xavier.
Dinner with Peter and Elizabeth was as pleasant as expected. April would have preferred if June had picked Neal and didn’t understand the choice. The teen was slowly warming up to the lawman and his wife. Together, the four of them wrote out a list of questions concerning the school. Elle, with her elegant handwriting, copied it so that they’ll be able to refer back to it when they returned from their campus tour. For now, both copies of the list of questions were put into a safe of which Neal was unaware. Elle started telling stories of her time at college. Then Peter told a story of Neal that had them all laughing as the man in question walked in the door. It made for a beautiful excuse with Neal pouting about being excluded.
The timing was too good to be a coincidence. Peter had known.
Peter was some sort of mutant, completely under the radar and perhaps uniquely qualified for the task ahead. Suddenly, the inexplicable childlessness was explained. Oh, a New York working couple had many reasons to delay or abstain from children, but the x-gene had to be a contributing factor.
June caught Peter’s eye and raised her glass in a discrete toast. Peter inclined his head in wry amusement. He hadn’t volunteered the information, but rather had chosen to expose it to June than risk Neal hearing April’s secret. He wasn’t worried about June knowing, not that she could prove her suspicions.
Yes, June had picked the perfect lawman for the task.
*wc*xmen*