Together In Paris

A Personal Apology

Mozzie had been waiting for twenty minutes when Caffery arrived. Kate and Neal Burke had decided that the Eiffel Tower restaurant wasn't really their scene, and had gone to Disneyland instead. Theo had called them childish, but went instead of having to deal with him mum deciding which way to tell Jones she didn't actually want to marry him, despite the engagement ring.

-

Neal leaned on the railings around the edge of the Eiffel tower. Mozzie didn't even flinch. For a moment, they both surveyed the city below, in silence.

"There are only two places we can live happy. Home, and in Paris," Neal said, finally.

"Ernest Hemingway," Mozzie said.

Neal smiled. He turned his head towards Mozzie, who refused to meet his eye.

"It's good to see you Moz."

"I thought you were dead," Mozzie said, bluntly.

"A great con man can con one of his own," Neal said.

Mozzie turned his head to meet Neal's eye. There was not a flicker of amusement on his face. Neal bowed his head.

"I had to go. The panthers were going to come after me otherwise, and if they came after me they'd come after you too, then we'd be in danger!" Neal said.

"Don't, Neal."

Mozzie looked away from Neal and back to Paris. Neal copied.

"What happened to if you run, I run?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough. You had years to let me know you were alive. Years. I mourned for you. Every day. Every goddamn day Neal! And you're fine?!" Mozzie demanded.

"What was I supposed to do, send a letter saying "hey guess what, not dead"? The panthers could have been watching. I wanted to protect you!" Neal argued back.

"By making me feel responsible for your death?!" Mozzie demanded.

Neal's face fell, and guilt came creeping in. "What?"

"I left you! You told me to go, and I was stupid enough to do it! I've gone over it again and again in my head, and I thought if I had just stayed... Just a minute or two more... I watched the suits mourn. El too. I was the one who had to tell June that you had... You don't deserve to have someone as amazing as Neal Burke, bare your name," Mozzie spat.

He turned around to walk away. Neal placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Mozzie-"

"It's Theodore. I quit the game when you did. I didn't want to cause another friends death," Mozzie snapped, quietly.

Neal sighed. His hand slid off of Mozzies shoulder, and fell to his side.

"There is no apology for what I did. I thought of you, every day. I thought of sending you letters. Phoning. Morse code. Hell I even considered getting someone to steal Estelle for me! But every time I tried to think of what to say... I can't think of the words now and I've had ages to prepare," he sighed.

Mozzie turned to glare at him. "You could have done anything. A hint. A clue. A forgery. I would have found it. I would have worked it out. But radio silence? That's cruel and heartless!"

Neal hung his head. Mozzie hesitated for a moment, then huffed and began to leave.

"Moz, please don't go," Neal begged quietly.

"What have I got to stay for? Not a friend, that's for sure." Mozzie spat.

"Elizabeth won't talk to me. Not for anything more than a few short yelling sessions. June's ashamed of me. Diana's angrier than ever. Peter's taking sides. I haven't even met Neal yet. Not properly. Tell me about him," Neal lied.

"You don't deserve to know him," Mozzie spat.

"I know. I really don't. But please... I really want to."

Mozzie considered this for a moment. Then he shook his head.

"Then find someone else to tell you. I'm going home," he spat.

Neal was getting desperate. He grabbed mozzies shoulder. "Wait! Let me show you something before you go. Please!"

Mozzie heaved a sigh. He turned around and faced Neal again.

"Show me what?"

Neal fumbled for his wallet. He pulled it open hurriedly, and held it open to Mozzie. A momentary flash of Neal and his FBI badge came back to Mozzie. But this wasn't a badge. It was a picture.

There were two identical boys with brown eyes that flared green, and messy blonde hair that curled around the edges, kneeling top of a picnic table. On the bench in front of them, was a beautiful little girl with huge blue eyes and jet black hair. All three of them smiled like sunshine. Mozzie took the wallet to stare at the picture. They were only about seven, and they were wearing fancy clothes. The boys were in waistcoats and the girl was in a bridesmaid dress. One of the boys had a rose behind his ear like a builders pencil and the girl had flowers woven into her hair.

"This better not be another Con Neal," Mozzie warned.

"It's not Mozzie, I swear," Neal promised.

"Well then... Who are they? What are their names?" Mozzie asked.

Neal gave a small sigh of relief.

"Her names Emily. I suggested Kate, but Sara wanted to name her after her sister," he explained.

"And not after your ex, what an extraordinary woman," Mozzie huffed sarcastically.

Neal smiled. He leaned over and pointed to the boy on the left. "That's Peter. He's the oldest."

"You named your first born after the suit?"

"I named his brother Mozart."

Mozzie froze. He wasn't sure whether he was delighted or still furious. He couldn't help being a little proud that two children in the world were named after him. A suit, and a conman too. That very fact was enough to make him smile.

"How old are they?" Mozzie asked.

"They'll be fifteen in two weeks," Neal said.

"Old enough to start training their wine palate."

"Mozzie we're in France. They started drinking wine with their babybels."

Mozzie gave a snort.

"You die and you get to have a family. That's fair," he said, sarcastically.

"They're your family too, Uncle Mozzie. So am I. So is June and Neal and Theo -"

"Teddy," Mozzie interrupted.

"Teddy, and Diana and Jones even Peter and Elizabeth. You have a family Mozzie. A huge family that spreads across two continents. You're the lucky one," Neal said.

Mozzie didn't look convinced.

"I guess I'll have to bring a bottle on my next visit then," he said, finally.

"Come back to our house and meet them. Sara would love to see you again Moz. The kids would love to meet the star of their bedtime stories," Neal insisted.

Mozzie fought his smile back. "You told them stories about me?"

"I told them stories about everyone. Uncle Mozzie is a family favourite," Neal explained.

Mozzie was losing the fight against his smile. "I do like that name... Alright, I will come to meet your children. But then I'm leaving!"