Silken Sheets...1
Title: Silken Sheets and Burning Houses
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to Jeff Eastin and USA Network. Everything else is mine.
Summary: Neal is sick.
Warnings: AU (neal is peter and el's troublesome foster son), medical ickiness, language
A/N: Written for ivorysilk, prior to ever watching a single episode of 'White Collar'.
Chapter One
"Neal!" Peter Burke bellowed up the stairs at his foster son, "if you don't get down here this instant I'm not driving you to school!"
"Coming, Peter!" the twelve year old hollered back before racing down the stairs, fully dressed and ready for school.
Peter frowned at the youth's feverish appearance.
"Are you sure you're up to going to school today, Neal?" the FBI agent asked, concerned. With his wife, Elizabeth, out of town with relatives, Peter was on his own if Neal was really as sick as he currently appeared to be.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Neal assured Peter, not quite managing to suppress a shiver as he spoke.
Peter sighed.
"Did you eat breakfast?" he asked, not calling his son on his blatant lie this time.
"I'll get something at school, Peter," Neal replied.
~*~
Mozzie Haversham frowned at his friend as Neal sat down beside him in his assigned desk.
"Something up at home, Moz?" Neal asked, noting his friend's frown.
"When isn't there?" Mozzie replied, "but what's up with you, Neal?"
"What do you mean?" Neal asked, as the teacher, Ms. June, entered the classroom.
"Okay, class," Ms. June said, "let's open our math books to page 45."
Under the cover of 20 students opening their math books to page 45, Mozzie whispered in Neal's ear, "you look terrible today, Neal."
~*~
Meanwhile, in the FBI's New York City Field Office, Peter was working on a suspected art forgery--or rather, he was trying to, but he couldn't focus on the lab report on his desk in front of him.
Had he done the right thing in letting Neal go to school despite the fact that the boy was clearly sick? What would El have done if she had been home?
"Boss?" called a hesitant voice, interrupting Peter's thoughts.
The agent looked up.
"What is it, Berrigan?" he asked.
"Is there something going on at home that's worrying you, Boss?" Diana Berrigan inquired.
Peter opened his mouth to lie and assure Diana that everything was well in the Burke household, but then thought better of it.
"I think Neal might be sick," he admitted.
"Might?" Diana questioned.
Peter nodded.
"He insisted he was fine, so I drove him to school like usual," the agent added, "Now I'm wondering whether I did the right thing in letting him go to school."
"Well, if he's really sick, then the school will send him home," Diana said, "and if he's not sick, then they won't."
"This is Neal we're talking about," Peter reminded her, "he grew up on the streets, parentless."
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Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to Jeff Eastin and USA Network. Everything else is mine.
Summary: Neal is sick.
Warnings: AU (neal is peter and el's troublesome foster son), medical ickiness, language
A/N: Written for ivorysilk, prior to ever watching a single episode of 'White Collar'.
Chapter One
"Neal!" Peter Burke bellowed up the stairs at his foster son, "if you don't get down here this instant I'm not driving you to school!"
"Coming, Peter!" the twelve year old hollered back before racing down the stairs, fully dressed and ready for school.
Peter frowned at the youth's feverish appearance.
"Are you sure you're up to going to school today, Neal?" the FBI agent asked, concerned. With his wife, Elizabeth, out of town with relatives, Peter was on his own if Neal was really as sick as he currently appeared to be.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Neal assured Peter, not quite managing to suppress a shiver as he spoke.
Peter sighed.
"Did you eat breakfast?" he asked, not calling his son on his blatant lie this time.
"I'll get something at school, Peter," Neal replied.
~*~
Mozzie Haversham frowned at his friend as Neal sat down beside him in his assigned desk.
"Something up at home, Moz?" Neal asked, noting his friend's frown.
"When isn't there?" Mozzie replied, "but what's up with you, Neal?"
"What do you mean?" Neal asked, as the teacher, Ms. June, entered the classroom.
"Okay, class," Ms. June said, "let's open our math books to page 45."
Under the cover of 20 students opening their math books to page 45, Mozzie whispered in Neal's ear, "you look terrible today, Neal."
~*~
Meanwhile, in the FBI's New York City Field Office, Peter was working on a suspected art forgery--or rather, he was trying to, but he couldn't focus on the lab report on his desk in front of him.
Had he done the right thing in letting Neal go to school despite the fact that the boy was clearly sick? What would El have done if she had been home?
"Boss?" called a hesitant voice, interrupting Peter's thoughts.
The agent looked up.
"What is it, Berrigan?" he asked.
"Is there something going on at home that's worrying you, Boss?" Diana Berrigan inquired.
Peter opened his mouth to lie and assure Diana that everything was well in the Burke household, but then thought better of it.
"I think Neal might be sick," he admitted.
"Might?" Diana questioned.
Peter nodded.
"He insisted he was fine, so I drove him to school like usual," the agent added, "Now I'm wondering whether I did the right thing in letting him go to school."
"Well, if he's really sick, then the school will send him home," Diana said, "and if he's not sick, then they won't."
"This is Neal we're talking about," Peter reminded her, "he grew up on the streets, parentless."
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