Hello everyone, this is a sequel to my previous story White Collar: One Night of Passion, as always please feel free to comment and give me any feedback on
grammar, spelling and actual content of the story. New characters in this chapter are Peter Burke (Tim DeKay), a special agent for the FBI in charge of white-collar crimes, and Sara Ellis (Hilarie Burton), an insurance investigator with Sterling Bosch who had past dealings with Neal and is in an on-and-off again relationship with him. Alright, having said that - let's get on with the story:
It's been a year since Elizabeth Burke's sinful encounter with Neal Caffrey, and it was a year filled with new and exciting occurrences for her and Peter. Most important of them had to be Elizabeth giving birth to their son which they named Neal, after their good friend and possible father to the child. That's right, even though she certainly had reasons to doubt who was the one to actually impregnate her, especially since she gave birth roughly nine months after that lusty adventurous night with Neal, she couldn't bring herself to tell the truth to her husband and therefore couldn't find a way to confirm her doubts. At least her secret would be safe, because after that night Neal went into hiding somewhere in Central America so she will never have to face him or consequences of her actions again.
Or so she thought, since a month ago Peter finally learned where Neal was hiding and went there to bring him to justice, racing with the bounty hunter who had the same idea. But instead of arresting him and sending him back to prison like he initially intended to, Peter's big heart find the strength to forgive Neal for everything he did and work out a deal with FBI that meant Neal will be returning to his role as a consultant, and even worse back into their lives. Yes, Elizabeth loved how forgiving and caring her husband tended to be, but it made her life so much more complicated from time to time, and this was definitely one of those occasions.
And just to make things worse, Peter has decided to officially patch things up between Neal and him and as a sign of renewed friendship invited both Neal and his current girlfriend Sara Ellis to dinner at their own family residence. She had successfully avoided meeting Neal for these past couple of weeks since he returned, but there was no way around it now when he was coming to her own home. And the worst part was that her husband will be there the whole time, so Elizabeth had to put on her bravest facade and pretend this was just an ordinary evening for her, even though she had a feeling her heart will literally burst out of her chest once she comes face to face with her charming young lover again, after all this time.
Suddenly, she was startled out of her thoughts by a knock on the door, one that felt like thumping on her brain.
"Can you get that, honey?", Peter called out from the bedroom, still getting ready for dinner.
"Sure", she replied, her own voice sounding like a stranger's to Elizabeth as she went and opened the door.
"Elizabeth, hi!", Sara's beaming smile welcomed her on the other side, the stylish young woman greeting her with a hug that Elizabeth returned a bit hesitantly, "Such a long time since we last saw each other, how are you?"
"I'm... I'm fine, we're fine", she replied as she untangled herself from the lingering embrace, "and how you've been?"
"Oh, you know, same old with this guy right here, never a dull moment", Sara smiled sweetly pointing at Neal, who took a step forward and extended his hand. Elizabeth tried her best to keep her composure as she accepted the handshake, but felt her eyes and face betray her as Neal leaned in and softly kissed the offered hand, giving her one of his trademark smug looks as he smiled charmingly from below. Immediately she remembered Sara was standing right next to him and could without a doubt notice the blush on her cheeks and panic in her big blue eyes, but as she glanced at the younger woman she only saw curious smile on her lips and something that resembled Neal's assuredness in her own green eyes. Before she had the chance to say something though, Elizabeth heard her husband's voice behind her:
"Neal, Sara, welcome!", Peter called out to their guests as he approached with a big smile, carrying their son in his arms, "And this is Neal... Neal Junior, if you wish."
Elizabeth felt like something cold cut right through her at those words, but tried her best not to let anyone know as she stood by her husband's side and smiled as first Sara, then Neal took a couple of moments to familiarize themselves with the baby, him giving her a knowing look as he introduced himself as 'uncle Neal' to the toddler. But what made her almost cry out in shock was when Sara said in a seemingly innocuous manner:
"He has your eyes, Neal, don't you think so?"
He didn't seem a bit disturbed at that remark as he just laughed it off wholeheartedly, as Peter noticed none the wiser:
"He kinda does, doesn't he?"