[Fanfiction] Season Premiere

[aragarna]

Title: Season Premiere
Author: aragarna
Genre, rating: gen, humor, G.
Characters: Neal, Peter, El.
Spoilers: 4x16
Word count: ~1100

Summary: There are not many occasions where Neal can convince Peter to get home on time without (much) discussion. But tonight they have more important to do than extra hours.

__________

Season Premiere

One particular Tuesday night…

Neal lifted his head from his file and looked at the clock at the bottom of his computer screen. His heart made a jump as he realized how late it was already. Dropping his file, he hurried to Peter’s office. He knocked by pure formality but didn’t wait for an answer to let himself in.

“Come on, Peter, we’re gonna be late!”

Peter grumbled a little at the irruption but looked at his watch.

“Damn,” he breathed as he stood up. But then he stopped and seemed a little hesitant. “We should finish reviewing this case first.”

“Oh come on, Peter, pleeeease.” Neal implored, barely able to restrain his impatience. “It’s starting in about one hour, there’s not a minute to lose.”

Peter stood in front of his desk, hands on his hips. Jaw clenched, he looked at Neal with a piercing look, then at the files on his desk. Then back at Neal. The young man was holding his breath.

When Peter finally made his mind, he moved so suddenly that Neal startled. Peter grabbed his jacket and hopped to the door.

“Okay, let’s go,” he said, with a last guilty look at the files.

Neal flashed his best grin at Peter but the agent just rolled his eyes and gesture him to lead the way out as he held the door. But Neal was no fool. He could see the excitement on Peter’s face as they rushed to the elevator. Peter was just as eager as him to go home tonight.

It wasn’t until they reached the parking garage that Peter started having second thoughts, and for a moment Neal nourished the fantasy to be able to strangle his partner’s professional conscience.

“Wait, we should at least have taken the files with us,” Peter was saying, one hand on the door knob of the car, while Neal, already buckled up, was now thinking about his options to hot wire a Ford Taurus 2013 in less than 3 minutes.

“We don’t have time, Peter!”

“But –“

“Come on!”

“I should–“

“Peter!”

“I –“

“Peter, really, do you honestly think you’ll be able to focus on your work just after the show?”

Peter sighed. “I guess, you’re right.” He finally got into the car and started the engine.

“I knew we should have voted for my place, it’s closer.” Neal muttered.

Peter chuckled. “Stop worrying. We’ll be home on time. And El wants to watch the show with us.”

“My couch is big enough for three.”

“Trust me, we’ll be there in less than 45 minutes.”

“Oh I trust you on that, that’s what worries me.”

Peter simply ignored him and drove.

--

“Quarter to!” Peter announced as he parked the car in front of his little brownstone house. “You even have time to go to the bathroom before it starts!”

Five minutes later, Neal, Peter and Elizabeth were all lined-up on the sofa, the big TV screen facing them. In between, on the coffee table stood two glasses of wine, a bottle of beer and a big bowl of pop-corn.

“So, how long do you think he’ll stay in prison?” Peter asked, as the previous show was running its last quarter.

“He won’t do time!” Neal replied, outraged.

“Well, it’s gonna take them some time to clear him…”

“But it’s just wrong. I can’t imagine him in an orange jumpsuit.”

Peter chuckled. “Oh? I thought you’d actually find it funny.”

“He doesn’t deserve it,” Neal muttered.

El leaned on Peter to get closer. “I think Neal has a crush on the FBI agent.”

Neal looked up and found both Peter and El staring at him with matching amused looks.

“Oh, really?” Peter asked.

Neal shrugged. “I don’t have a crush,” he said defensively. “But yeah, I like him.”

“Not that there is anything wrong with having a crush on that dapper FBI agent,” El said softly, and receiving a warm smile from her husband.

“But still,” Peter said, “I always thought you rooted for the smart and charming conman.”

“Ex-conman,” Neal said automatically.

“That remains to be seen,” Peter smirked.

“Who cares,” El countered. “Point is: He is very charming.”

Neal flashed a smile, and Peter frowned.

“I thought you preferred the FBI guy?”

El squeezed Peter’s arm and winked. “Why choose? I love them both, I don’t take side. Anyway, the big question is, what will he do to make it up for his wife. He missed the sushi date after all.”

“That wasn’t his fault!”

“I know, hon, but still, I’m sure he’ll feel guilty. Wouldn’t you?”

Peter shrugged. “Probably.”

“Neal, you’re the romantic one, what would you do?”

Neal opened his mouth but he was drawing a blank. “Ask Peter,” he said finally. “He’s the dedicated husband.”

El turned to her dedicated husband, looking at him expectantly.

Peter blushed a little. “I – huh, I don’t know, I didn’t think about that particular part of the plot. I guess I… Once I’m released from prison, I would sit down with my wife, take her in my arms,” he said as he drew El close and put his arms around her. “I’d tell her how sorry I am, how foolish I was to neglect her and to take so many risks. I’d promise to listen to her, take her concerns into account, and stop going off the book. There would probably be an ellipsis – It’s a familial show. And then I’d take her to that promised sushi date.”

“That’s it?” Neal asked.

“That’s fine by me,” El said as she kissed Peter tenderly, “though I have some reservation about the ‘stop going off the book’ promise.”

“Well, if they went too ‘by the book’ the show would get boring.”

“True,” Elizabeth admitted. “So, how do you think they’ll clear him?”

“I’m sure the little guy has something up his sleeve,” Peter said.

“No no, it’d be better if it was his team,” Neal countered. “And the ‘smart and very charming ex-conman’ has to be front and center in clearing his best friend. After all, he is there because of him, so to me it’d be more powerful if it’d come from him. I’m sure he’d do whatever it’d take. Track his father down, get Calloway out of the picture, break him out. Something.”

“But wouldn’t there be some forensic evidence at the scene, anyway?” El asked. “DNA, a boot print proving there was a third person in the room. Or they could prove the shooter was left-handed.”

“It’s not CSI, hon…”

“Oh come on, they proved that their suspect was lefty in another episode because of the way he makes his knocks!”

“That’s true, but…”

“Sssshh, it’s starting now,” Neal cut off.

“Previously on White Collar…”