Finding things that are lost

A\N: A new Neal/Alex oneshot in a very long while. I love this couple so much and wished they would have ended up together. I felt like Alex knew the real Neal and was the only woman who showed up for him even when he didn't need her. She was there for Neal in a way Kate or Sara never were. I'm on a White Collar kick at the minute so expect more oneshots in the future. I hope you Angels enjoy this one.

Summary: Alexandra Hunter is good at finding things that are lost, especially one Neal Caffery.

He's used to being alone, it's nothing new for him, his entire childhood he was alone even when he was with Ellen and his Mother. Then he found Mozzie, then Alex, then Kate, then Peter and Elizabeth, then Diana, Jones, then Harvard Crew, then Sara after being alone for four years.

Loneliness is nothing new to Neal Caffery.

Now a year after faking his death, he's in Paris and he's utterly alone. He often thinks of the life he left behind, a life that he misses more than anything, a life he knows he can never go back to.

He thinks of Peter, the man who was more like a father to him than James ever was and Elizabeth, the mamabear who wouldn't hesitate in scolding him if it warranted it but who hadn't said no when he needed a hug and their baby boy.

He thinks of tough as nails Diana and little Theo.

He thinks of Jones, a friend when he didn't have to be.

He thinks of June, a caring woman who was waiting for him to come home from prison.

He thinks of Sara, the girl who opened up his closed off heart after Kate died and who was eagerly awaiting his arrival in London after his anklet was off him.

He thinks of Mozzie, his oldest friend, the one who taught him all he knew.

He thinks of Alex, most of all, He thinks of the Alex who helped him escape the Palace in Copenhagen.

He thinks of Alex who came and visited him in prison after Kate was killed and sat with him for hours and regaled him with tales from their past in an effort to take his mind off of missing Kate too much.

He thinks of Alex who came to Kate's funeral, despite not liking her, and held him in her arms as he sobbed when Kate's coffin was lowered into the ground as rain fell down on them.

He thinks of Alex that kept his secrets, never telling them to anyone.

He thinks of Alex that sent him Christmas and birthday presents despite him not celebrating either of them.

He thinks of Alex who would kill anyone who even thought about looking at him the wrong way.

He thinks about Alex he loved long before, and long after, Kate.

He thinks about her now as he sits in a cafe that overlooks The Seine, drinking his morning coffee alone. He's been living as Scott Wolf for the past year, a young man who has lost everything he's ever loved. Which is very true. He has lost everything he's ever loved, beginning with Peter and ending with Alex.

After paying for the coffee, Neal stands up and leaves the cafe, walking along The Seine, ignoring the people that pass him. It's easier to blend in here, in Paris because no one knows him, knows what he's done, In Paris, he can start fresh, be someone new. But he doesn't want to be someone new anymore, he wants to be Neal Caffery again, with Alex at his side, He sighs as he shakes his head, ridding it of the memories of Alex and New York, of his old life, a life he choose to leave in order to protect his newfound family, a newfound family who are moving on without him, like he'd want them to if he were really dead which he is to them.

He wonders about them, about Peter and Elizabeth and their baby, he wonders about Diana and Theo, he wonders about Jones, he wonders about June, he wonders about Mozzie, he wonders about Sara in London, he wonders about Alex most of all, he wonders about she found him again after he became lost when Kate was killed. He wonders what she's doing right now, wonders where she is in the world.

The wind blowing through his hair brings him out of his thoughts of Alex and the rest of the people in his life he had to leave behind when he faked his death.

His life this past year has been full of loneliness but he's used to it.

Loneliness is nothing new to Neal Caffery. 

It's been a year, a whole year, 365 days since she found out that the love of her life, Neal Caffery, was killed by Matthew Keller. After hearing of his death, Alex flew from Italy to New York and stayed there with June for three weeks and left a week after his funeral and hasn't gone back since.

It was their city.

It can't be hers without him. 

She can't: New York reminds her of Neal, of her and Neal, she can't go back ever again. On occasion she'll receive a phone call or a text or an email from Mozzie or Peter updating her on everyone Neal left behind but she can't find it in her to care about anyone or anything that happens in New York, not anymore.

She finds herself in Paris, the only city she and Neal didn't visit together, though they had spoken about it when his anklet was off, before he went to London to be with Sara, something that had smashed her heart to bits.

She walks along The Seine, the wind whipping through her brown hair, she looks out at the water, thinking of Neal and how he'd most likely be drawing this if would have had the chance to be here with her right now. It's gotten easier to think about him without it sending her into floods of tears or sending a knife through her heart. 

Alex looks around and sees something she shouldn't:

A lone man passing her, a man with black hair and blue eyes.

Eyes she spent hours staring into.

Neal.

"E... excuse me." She alerts him to her.

Their eyes meet and suddenly Alex is launching herself at him, sobs shaking her entire body.

His arms come around her, holding her.

Then hears his voice for the first time in a year, in 365 days since she found out the love of her life was dead, killed by Mathew Keller.

"Alex."

Neal can't believe it.

Alex is here, in Paris, in his arms.

"Alex." He says in a whisper.

He can't believe she's here in Paris.

But then again, he was just thinking about her and he knows that Alexandra Hunter is good at finding things that are lost, especially him.

He pulls away from Alex and kisses her deeply on the bridge overlooking The Seine in Paris, a year after his 'death.'

A\N: This is all the WC oneshot's I have for right now seeing as I have a lot more stories that I need to get done and it's 5 minutes to 12 in the UK. Have a good week, Angels.