Fic: White Collar "Eve of Battle"
Title: Eve of Battle
Author: chayaasi
Rating: g
Genre and/or Pairing: gen
Spoilers: vaguely details end of season finale “Out of the Box”
Warnings: none
Summary: All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing. ~Edmund Burke
Neal has worn himself out screaming. Peter is still all adrenaline and nerves, dealing with the aftermath after what seemed like hours spent holding Neal back from the charred remains of the plane as the latter screamed, kicked and generally despaired until emergency services arrived and sedated him. At that time, he wished it would all stop, but now…what is that old Chinese curse again? Something about interesting times and getting what you wanted?
Peter takes a deep breath; the silence scares him less than the blank look simply because the only time Neal can be considered impassive is if he were dead. Or had given up.
He was never good at comfort, but backing out when he’d already done so much for Neal seems like an affront to himself. So, he sits next to the makeshift bed and sifts a hand through Neal’s soot covered hair.
“We’ll get him, Neal.” He says softly, but resolutely because his next words are to be etched in stone. “I promise.”
Neal flicks tired, bloodshot eyes at him. “What’s the point?” He asks, exhaustion lacing every syllable. “It won’t bring her back, and who knows who’ll be next? Jones and Lauren? Or Elizabeth?”
He sounds genuinely terrified, and Peter is reminded that Neal is still a kid. That fact is probably what Fowler took advantage of as well, and Peter is suddenly glad that the fucker had been wearing a vest in the OPR garage; a couple bullets to the heart would have been too merciful a death.
“I mean, how can you win?” Neal continues, his voice hoarse and cracking with each word. “It’s not like these guys will come out and face you; they’d rather hide behind guns and bombs. How can you deal with these…cowards?”
Neal quivers almost imperceptibly, but the conviction in his tone is enough for Peter to feel relieved that Neal hasn’t surrendered yet. Sure, his traumatized mind and body were probably chorusing the benefits of it, but damned if his spirit was singing along.
“We’re going to deal by getting back up.” Peter replies decisively. “By not letting them ruin our lives within one week and not face a single consequence. It isn’t going to be easy, but in my opinion, all that the bad guys need to win is for the good guys do nothing.”
“Actually, that’s Edmund Burke.” Neal smirks tiredly at Peter’s look. “But close enough.”
“Well, you are a good guy, Neal, so you’d better be back at work when I am.” Peter holds the blue gaze in his own, challenging him to say something to the contrary because Neal looks like he wants to argue.
Then, the smoldering façade melts, not into acceptance, but into a look of new purpose.
“I will, Peter.” Neal says simply and Peter smiles back, prouder of him than he’s been of anyone lately.
=========**==========
Notes: Yes, it's sad that I only finished watching the episode ten minutes ago and started writing fic, but this just came to me. I was a little shocked by the ending, which got me to thinking how Neal hates firearms and explodey things. And this might be why. Incidentally, I loved Peter in this episode; both the Fowler scenes were to die for!
Author: chayaasi
Rating: g
Genre and/or Pairing: gen
Spoilers: vaguely details end of season finale “Out of the Box”
Warnings: none
Summary: All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing. ~Edmund Burke
Neal has worn himself out screaming. Peter is still all adrenaline and nerves, dealing with the aftermath after what seemed like hours spent holding Neal back from the charred remains of the plane as the latter screamed, kicked and generally despaired until emergency services arrived and sedated him. At that time, he wished it would all stop, but now…what is that old Chinese curse again? Something about interesting times and getting what you wanted?
Peter takes a deep breath; the silence scares him less than the blank look simply because the only time Neal can be considered impassive is if he were dead. Or had given up.
He was never good at comfort, but backing out when he’d already done so much for Neal seems like an affront to himself. So, he sits next to the makeshift bed and sifts a hand through Neal’s soot covered hair.
“We’ll get him, Neal.” He says softly, but resolutely because his next words are to be etched in stone. “I promise.”
Neal flicks tired, bloodshot eyes at him. “What’s the point?” He asks, exhaustion lacing every syllable. “It won’t bring her back, and who knows who’ll be next? Jones and Lauren? Or Elizabeth?”
He sounds genuinely terrified, and Peter is reminded that Neal is still a kid. That fact is probably what Fowler took advantage of as well, and Peter is suddenly glad that the fucker had been wearing a vest in the OPR garage; a couple bullets to the heart would have been too merciful a death.
“I mean, how can you win?” Neal continues, his voice hoarse and cracking with each word. “It’s not like these guys will come out and face you; they’d rather hide behind guns and bombs. How can you deal with these…cowards?”
Neal quivers almost imperceptibly, but the conviction in his tone is enough for Peter to feel relieved that Neal hasn’t surrendered yet. Sure, his traumatized mind and body were probably chorusing the benefits of it, but damned if his spirit was singing along.
“We’re going to deal by getting back up.” Peter replies decisively. “By not letting them ruin our lives within one week and not face a single consequence. It isn’t going to be easy, but in my opinion, all that the bad guys need to win is for the good guys do nothing.”
“Actually, that’s Edmund Burke.” Neal smirks tiredly at Peter’s look. “But close enough.”
“Well, you are a good guy, Neal, so you’d better be back at work when I am.” Peter holds the blue gaze in his own, challenging him to say something to the contrary because Neal looks like he wants to argue.
Then, the smoldering façade melts, not into acceptance, but into a look of new purpose.
“I will, Peter.” Neal says simply and Peter smiles back, prouder of him than he’s been of anyone lately.
=========**==========
Notes: Yes, it's sad that I only finished watching the episode ten minutes ago and started writing fic, but this just came to me. I was a little shocked by the ending, which got me to thinking how Neal hates firearms and explodey things. And this might be why. Incidentally, I loved Peter in this episode; both the Fowler scenes were to die for!