Neal Caffrey one shots | White Collar

Just keep holding on

Get ready for a long one!

Trigger warning: this fic includes rape and kidnapping. Please don't read if this is in any way triggering for you!

It was late at night when he first felt it. The feeling that someone was watching him crept up on him when he was walking home. It was busy on the streets in New York, it being a Saturday evening, and many people glanced at him but this feeling, it was different. Someone was purposely watching him and whatever Neal tried to just shake it off as paranoia didn't work.

His friend Mozzie would say "it's not paranoia when they're really out to get you" and Neal couldn't help but think about that. He had a lot of enemies, a lot of people who could try to target him but most of them were in prison. His mind couldn't think clear, not with the constant burning stare in his back.

He'd felt those eyes on him every day, and a week later he decided he should tell his handler about it.

'Peter, can we talk?' he asked, when most of the agents in the office had already gone home. He entered the office of his best friend but stayed lingering in the doorway.

The agent looked up from his computer and his eyes scanned the conman in front of him. He noticed a slight tremor in his voice, the unsteady way he balanced himself, his hands tucked in his pockets in a defensive manner and the unruly look in his eyes. Something was definitely bothering him. 'Of course Neal. What's up?' Peter asked, sitting straighter in his chair.

Neal took a few nervous steps towards the desk, then pulled out a chair. He sat down, his back straight, his hands laid limp in his lap and his ankles crossed. His eyes flickered from Peter's face to the window behind him, as if someone would crash through it at any given moment. Neal felt as if that were the case, the feeling of being watched had intensified to where he never felt alone anymore. He shifted his gaze back to Peter's, blue eyes met the worried brown eyes of his friend.

'Neal?' Peter called, and something seemed to snap in the man opposite him because suddenly he started shaking, his hands trembled and his upper lip twitched. Peter had only ever seen him in this state once, when Keller had threatened Elizabeth. It meant that something was seriously wrong, if it managed to make Neal unable to keep up the facade.

'Neal, talk to me. What's going on?' Peter kept his gaze locked with Neal's, speaking to him as he would with a frightened witness.

'Someone's watching me' Neal spoke after taking several deep breaths. he reminded himself that he was with Peter, that he was safe in the FBI building. They were on the 21st floor, nobody could crash through the window.

Peter sucked in a breath. 'What do you mean?' he asked.

Neal looked up from where he was plucking at his fingernails, bright blue eyes connected with Peter's. 'I got this feeling, like someone was looking at me, about a week ago.' he said. 'At first I thought it was nothing but over the last week it only got worse. Peter I never feel alone anymore. There are always eyes on me and it scares me.' he said, his voice laced with vulnerability.

'Do you know who?' Peter found himself asking. He didn't doubt Neal, he knew he was a good actor but this reaction couldn't be faked, Neal wouldn't fake this.

Neal shook his head, then dropped it hopelessly.

'Alright, I believe you but unless we have real evidence of you being watched I can't do much other than install an agent outside June's.' Peter said after a moment of thought. 'I promise Neal, we'll get to the bottom of this.'

Neal chuckled wryly. 'Don't make promises you can't keep Peter.' he said. He knew Peter meant well and only wanted to protect him but there was only so little they could do.