WC: By Choice - Part 2.2

[bella_harvest]

White Collar -- Fanfiction

Disclaimer: 
All recognizable characters are property of Jeff Eastin and USA Network. 
No copyright infringement intended.

Title:  By Choice - Part 2.2

• Rating:  PG-13 
• Category:  Hurt/Comfort, Drama
• Spoilers:  None

Author's notes:

Comments

[micheleeeex]

I love this!!

[bella_harvest]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed.

[swanpride]

Ohgod! That..that was great! I wish they would make a similiar episode...

Poor Peter...but really, he can't change Neal.

[bella_harvest]

Perhaps Peter and Neal are changing each other in ways they are not quite willing to admit? For the sake of the tension the show needs to be engaging, I hope that at their cores the two remain who they are, no matter how much the other is trying to pull them into the opposite direction.
Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm happy you liked it.
B

[swanpride]

Well, I'm slightly optimistic for the next season...Neal in 2.5 was too honest for my taste. I like him the best when he runs circles around everyone.

[bella_harvest]

Couldn't agree more. Neal was much too comfortable on the "good side" for much of S2.5. I came very close to giving up on the show for that reason. But then Countermeasures and Radar offered a hint that there's still a darker, eternally tempted con man behind that smile. Keeping my fingers crossed for some good Peter/Neal confrontations next season.

[leonie_alastair]

Great story! Nicely plotted caper with some very real feeling interaction between Peter and Neal. I enjoyed reading this.

[bella_harvest]

Thank you so much. There's always a bit of hand-waving involved when you're trying to come up with a caper, but that never stopped them on the show either. B

[kriadydragon]

I liked this, and that's saying something as I'm not a fan of "Neal goes back to criminal ways (even if it's temporary)." But the reason why is because, most of the time - at least with most of the fic I've read dealing with this trope, which really aren't that many - he seems to go back for the sake of going back. Your story he goes back for Mozzie, for a friend, and that I can totally see him doing.

And that ending; Oh, clever, clever Moz ;)

[bella_harvest]

Well, in my eyes Neal is really a criminal at heart. He hasn't committed the laundry list of felonies because he was in need or had unselfish motives. He likes cheating people and stealing from them. I'm really happy with the S3 premiere because the show is finally showing us a very unlikable side of Neal, who doesn't stop at attacking Peter at his weakest point (Elizabeth) and who looks like a total jerk when he gives him the "Hey! We're on the same team." speech. As a successful conman, he needs to have a good degree of disregard for his victims' feelings, but at the same time I believe Neal is someone who actually likes people and cares about them. In my opinion, that represents one of the most fascinating conflicts in Neal's character, and I'm curious to see how that is picked apart on the show. I think working with Peter has at least initiated some thought process in which Neal questions his life choices, but he won't be reformed any time soon - at least I hope not

[nefhiriel]

I have been enjoying all of your stories so much! I love "your" Neal and Peter, especially in the Shirts & Skins AU. I also really admire your grasp/portrayal of Kate's personality (which, I confess, half the time seems to completely evade my understanding--probably because I'm so busy feeling sorry for Neal, and frustrated with her for disappointing him). I love the tension you keep between Neal and Peter, but always leaving room for the friendship, at the same time. I also love the way you always keep Neal capable, even when he's injured. He gets himself out of the messes he gets himself into (even if he's doing a face-plant the moment he's evaded arrest XD). But I also like the way he instinctively comes to Peter for help, even early on

[bella_harvest]

Thanks for all the compliments! I'm glad people are enjoying my guilty pleasure of writing this stuff. Maybe they'll actually give us a really good h/c ep on the show this season -- then I won't have to overcompensate in the fic world any longer ;)

[nefhiriel]

Maybe they'll actually give us a really good h/c ep on the show this season -- then I won't have to overcompensate in the fic world any longer ;)

LOL. While h/c in the show would be lovely, if it were to happen you mustn't let that stop you from "overcompensating" in the fic world! Because reading h/c is my guilty pleasure. ;D

By the way...have you ever thought about cross posting your stories to whitecollarfic? I don't recall seeing them there--and they totally deserve to be shared!

[bella_harvest]

I must say, the happier I am with what's happening "on screen" the less inspired I am to write. So far season 3 has left me pretty happy and, subsequently, "creatively disinclined".

I haven't linked into any of the LJ communities yet. It's a combination of not knowing how, rarely reading them anymore, and actually being perfectly content with just writing for myself or a couple of friends.