The Story Of Caffrey

Prologue - A Memory

'Neal can you hear me?' Peters voice sounds through the little bud in my ear. He's been on his toes this last week and it makes me wonder either he knows me and Mozzie are up to something.

Of course with Peter, he's always worried that me and Moz are up to something but this week has been different. He's constantly checking up on me, asking all these questions and he does this staring thing, where I will catch him staring at me all the time yet whenever I call him out on it he denies it all.

'Neal?!'

"Yes Peter, I can hear you, now relax before you blow this whole case"

I take in a deep breath just before openeing the door to the art studio.

This is our case, a forgery has been sold for 3 millions and two months before that another forgery was sold for 3,5 millions. Now the fbi wants to see if it's just a coincidence that both paintings were sold by the Age of Art studio or if the salesman is the one pulling the strings.

"Wow" I can't help it, it slips out before I can even blink, not that I'd want to blink. These paintings are beautiful, actually they're perfect.

'Neal?'

It's.. I can't even find a word to describe them. It's like they're telling a story, a story I am immediately caught in.

Whoever painted these has been through alot, and based on the dark collors I'm guessing most of it has been painful.

However there are a few bright ones and the light in them gives me faith that maybe life wasn't always this rough on the artist.

'Neal?!'

There's one painting that draws me in, it's stunning but that's not what so special about it. It's the way the artist has painted every single emotion into it, the way they've let the brushstrokes tell their story.

"Beautiful" I catch myself just as my fingers are about to touch the painting.

"Yes, it's quite the sight, is it not?" I hadn't even noticed the man coming up behind me, focus Neal!

"Yes it truly is, who's the artist?"

'Neal, stay focused!' Peter sounds through the bud.

"That's the best part, you see this artist is new and oh so young, a bright future ahead I'm sure! Her name i.."

"Excuse me Mr Hyrem, there's a man claiming he needs to speak with you" a petite woman with red hair comes up and interupts us.

'That's our man, Neal'

"If you excuse me sir, there seems to be a problem" Mr Hyrem apologize before leaving with the redhead.

'Do not let him get away, stay on him Neal!'

"Relax, I can't be too on him or he will know something's up"

'Don't loose him Neal'

"Have I ever failed you Peter? Actually... don't answer that"

As there's currently nothing I can do for the case I decide to take a look around. If the paintings in this room is this good I can't imagine what the others must look like.

I was right. The rest are just as amazing. I can't help but feel sad though, as I look at all these paintings and how each one gets darker and darker. Whatever this artist went through it doesn't seem like she ever caught a break.

Through it all I can't shake the other painting, the one in the first room. There's something that feels familiar with it, but I can't put my finger on it.

'Neal, can you see him?'

Looking around I spot him "yes, he's talking to a man, seems like they're arguing"

'Get closer'

"Alright on my wa.."

'Neal?'

I'm frozen.

Everything around me dissapears, all I can see is the painting infront of me. It's a painting of two children, a boy and a girl. The boy is holding out a flower made out of paper.

Tears forms in my eyes, threatening to spill over..

'Neal?!'

... as I know the words the boy speaks. A promise...

'Neal what's happening?'

... of a future...

'Neal talk to us!'

... a promise of...

'NEAL!'

... forever.

"As long as this flower holds I will always be here... forever" the words comes out in a whisper and I nearly choke on them.

'What? Neal what's going on?'

"Danny?" A voice full of suprise is all I hear before two arms wrap around me, holding me tight and I can't help but breath in the familiar scent of home.

"Al" It comes out choked and I strugle now more than ever to hold in the tears.

I fail.

A tear slips and slides slowly down my cheek as I hold her even tighter.

'Who's Al?'

I loose myself in the one person who's ever truly known me.

'Neal?!'

We don't speak, just holding eachother as everything around us dissapears.

'Neal'

I can't believe she's truly here!

'Neal?'

Am I dreaming?

'Neal!'

Another breath of air that smells like her, I decide that it doesn't matter if I'm dreaming, as long as I get to hold her I don't care how much it will hurt once she's gone again.

'Damit Neal, Mr Hyrem just left! What happened?'

All too soon she pulls away, the look in her eyes tells so many stories and I feel myself crumble infront of her.

'I'm coming in!'

Shit, Peter is coming!

"I have to go" the reluctance is evident in my voice and she smiles at me

"I'll see you Danny"

I stand there, just looking into her eyes, trying to memorize everything about her when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Neal?"

I barley even blinked yet when my eyes open she's gone, no trace of her ever even being here.

"What happened Neal?" Peter sounds worried and based on the look he's giving me and my surroundings, all that worry is focused on me.

"Neal, who's Al?"