Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

*******

Everyone knew that the Burkes were expecting.

If Elizabeth's change in habits and Peter's absent smiles hadn't been enough, then the telltale bump that was growing on Elizabeth's front was a dead giveaway!

Smiling as he stood knocking on the door of their townhouse, Neal had a feeling that the couple was getting ready to make some kind of an announcement. Why else would they invite him over for dinner but with the additional note that he would be staying for dessert as it was something special?

Considering that Neal had heard stories of a recent trend where parents were using cakes for gender reveals, it was his theory that the Burkes had chosen to share the special occasion with him. If so, that was a tribute to how much they valued his friendship. No one else had been invited to his knowledge.

Peter opened the door with a beaming grin spanning his face, something that had been a regular occurrence of late. He welcomed Neal in and took the bottle of juice from him. He was ready to make a comment, but then he noticed that the beverage was non-alcoholic. "I see you've come prepared."

"It's not like it's a secret and this way Elizabeth can enjoy it as well." Neal returned his beaming grin. He was overjoyed for his friends!

"We wanted to keep it secret for the first trimester, but that was an utter failure!" Elizabeth laughed as she came to greet him at the door. She knew that Peter had shared the secret with Neal as he was unable to keep the secret in that long while Mozzie had deduced it from her.

Leaning over to make it easier for her, Neal gave her a hug before they moved further into the house.

Satchmo came with a wagging tail eager for pets and some attention as he walked across the room.

Since it was a well-practiced routine, it didn't take them long to be seated around the table and eating. They conversed about their days, work, and recent events until the meal had passed.

When it came time for the dessert to be served, Peter insisted on handling the work so that Elizabeth could remain seated.

"I need you to do whatever it takes to keep Peter safe." She directed Neal while rubbing her hand along the top of her protruding belly. "We need him now more than ever."

"You are my family, and I promise to do anything in my power to protect you all!" Neal vowed. He'd taken on the intelligence community, the military, and the enemy when he'd protected Chuck from being recruited by anyone and everyone their senior year. Protecting Peter should be easier than that, even with their operation against the Panthers in progress.

Returning unaware of the conversation that had progressed in his absence, Peter came in carrying a small cake covered in white frosting. "Here we go, the gender reveal!" He cheered as he put the cake down on the table in between them all.

Standing at the head, he was directed to take the cut so that Elizabeth could watch for the color without the distraction of cutting.

Neal merely sat back to observe while wondering which bib he would need to give them.

Slicing the blade through the cake, Peter then slowly lifted it back up before seeing the blue coloring. Then he more rapidly cut the other side before lifting a piece out for Elizabeth. It was a two-layered cake with both layers dyed blue and surrounded by white frosting.

While Peter finished serving the pieces, there was quiet around the table. The parents were reflecting on what it meant while Neal was debating on when to pull out the bib that was tucked away in the right pocket of his jacket.

Once they were settled with their pieces, the conversation resumed.

"We're expecting twins," Elizabeth cooed as she ran her hand over her bulging belly. After so long of wanting a child, two was a miraculous blessing.

"They're both boys, so we'll have double trouble tearing around here in a few years." Although Peter's words could be taken as apprehensive, his beaming grin showed just how happy he truly was.

Beaming, Neal couldn't help but be happy for his friends as he congratulated them. "Have you chosen names?"

"Neal and Bryce," Peter watched him with a smile, "after you."

Flabbergasted, Neal didn't know what to think. After him? "How did you know?"

Caught off guard, Peter and Elizabeth changed looks before Peter questioned. "How did we know what?"

"That my legal name is Bryce, Bryce Larkin?" Neal was confused and worried. If they'd somehow stumbled upon his history as an agent, then that could put them in danger!

Frowning and putting his hands together, Peter went into FBI mode despite being seated at the table. "Really? I thought you grew up as Danny Brooks and ran away to become Neal Caffrey. Where does this Bryce Larkin fit in?"

Opening his eyes wide, Neal suddenly realized his mistake. They hadn't known, they had named one of their boys Neal after him, and Bryce was merely a coincidence. He'd revealed his name to them! "Why did you pick Bryce?"

Not to be deterred, Peter pushed, "Neal, you know I will look it up so you'd better explain if you don't want an official investigation."

Mentally lecturing himself, Neal didn't appreciate Peter's tenacity. It was helpful in a case, but not when it was directed at him. Sighing, he held up his hand for Peter to give him a moment. "I will tell you, but there is something that I need to do first."

Huffing, Peter let him go up to the bathroom, but his stern expression indicated that he'd demand answers when he returned.

Pulling out his phone as soon as he was alone, Neal dialed a familiar number that he hadn't called in a while.

When she picked up, he dove in. "I accidentally just revealed that my legal name is Bryce Larkin to the archeologist of the FBI, Peter is demanding answers now."

There was a sigh on the other end. Clearly, the general didn't expect him to be such an idiot as to blow his own cover on accident. "What kind of damage control are we looking at?"

"I'm thinking of a confidentiality form for each of them, Elizabeth was there too, and the barest of the bare minimum information; that I'm an agent on a loan assignment as an alternate version of myself. That way, Peter won't feel the need to investigate because he knows that it is official, but neither of them will know enough to put them in danger."

She was silent for a few moments, but then there was a slow acceptance as she agreed. "I will have a courier provide a contract within the hour." Then she abruptly hung up on him which was typical behavior for her.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Neal just needed to figure out how to share his information without eliciting more curiosity than he could divert.

Going back downstairs, he found Peter watching him expectantly while Elizabeth was seated comfortably waiting for the explanation. They'd finished their pieces while he was upstairs and had moved to the living room where it was more comfortable for her to sit while Peter was now standing. His hands were on his hips and his frown remained firmly in place.

Neal left his piece on the table as he joined them. He might retrieve it after the initial reveal or it might be taken home with him for later. His focus was on his friends and the coming conversation. "Alright, the confidentiality contracts will be here within an hour or so, but I still can't tell you everything."

That had their attention!

"What?" Peter's voice raised an octave in shock.

Elizabeth looked at him skeptically; she wanted to know if he was pulling their legs.

Pulling out his phone again, Neal laid it on the coffee table in between them. He dialed a different number that linked to a verification system. Then he provided his name, his voice, and his code word for the system to verify his identity.

Peter had heard of this system so he was watching with eagle eyes as Neal did each step.

"Identity confirmed, Agent in charge, officer, Bryce Larkin." The system's automated voice confirmed his identity for them to hear.

Sitting down and leaning back in his seat, Peter stared at him in bewilderment... "You're an agent?"

"Yes, I was recruited my junior year at university. It's a long story and I cannot tell you anything of it for your safety and that of the twins. But since I slipped, I felt it best to give you the official minimum to keep you from looking any further."

"What are you doing in the FBI then?" Elizabeth asked while Peter was still too busy processing what they'd learned.

"I'm on a loan assignment. You know my history until I turned eighteen and this is for the protection of my family. My character is a variation of what might have been, had I run away and ended up on the streets instead of leaving Wit-Sec and going to university." Neal was glad to share at least that much, that he'd been honest with them as far as he could be under the circumstances.

Reevaluating what he knew, Peter didn't seem happy, but he wasn't looking unhappy either. "So, I take it anything you did concerning the CIA is off-limits?"

"Most definitely! And don't look up my name at university either, you'd find my roommate. He's the director special agent in charge of all operations and his family tends to be worse magnets for danger than me or mine." Neal warned with everything he could throw at Peter in voice and manner. There was no way he wanted to risk him looking into any of that!

"Are you upset to tell us?" Elizabeth asked as she watched the exchange with a concerned expression. Her hand was absently rubbing her belly as if to soothe herself and the twins inside.

"Not entirely. I'm glad that you know that things aren't always as they seem with me. My work has the support of one or more agencies and I only pretend to run about as a criminal. However, despite my extensive training, I've dealt with so much public corruption that I've technically been killed in action by my own people twice. It's extremely dangerous to get too close to who and what I really grew up to be. Since I'm believed to be dead to all but a few bosses who oversee my work, it should reduce the risk, but I still don't want to take any risk with your safety if I can help it." He closed his eyes at the very thought of things going wrong and putting anyone of the Burkes at risk. They were far too dear to him for that!

A silence descended upon them. Neither of the Burkes spoke.

When Neal opened his eyes and saw the pained expressions they were wearing, he felt bad for souring such a special evening. "I'm sorry; I think I should go before I make this any worse for you."

He got up rapidly and moved for the door, but Peter was just as quick.

Catching his arm, Peter refused to let go. "No, don't. Neal..." his voice caught in a choke that cut him off.

Clearing his throat a few times to regain his voice, Peter was finally able to continue. "I'm sorry, Neal. It sounds like I've been angry with you for things that you haven't done on more occasions than I thought." He pulled Neal into a hug and held him tightly. "But I think I'm angrier to learn what you've been through. An agent shouldn't have to worry about those guarding his back, and I wish I could've done something to help you through those situations."

Speaking into his friend's shoulder as he still wasn't letting go, Neal let Peter comfort himself while allowing the embrace to settle him as well. "I was allegedly in prison as far as you were concerned at the time, so there's no way you could've even suspected anything. As for getting involved, I'm glad you didn't, both times were full of death and destruction and there is no way I want you anywhere near a situation like that."

Shuddering, Peter was further upset by his description. "Please, Neal. Don't, don't you ever disappear on us!"

Hearing the underlying desperation, Neal took a deep breath while trying to determine what to do. He couldn't make any promises, especially knowing what the Panthers did to those who crossed them. "I will do what I can, Peter." It was the best he could give.

Peter's hold was almost crushing as he pushed Neal back by his arms. There could very well be bruising from the force of his grip. "What are you not saying? Something is going on in that head of yours and you're going to share it right now!"

Closing his eyes again, Neal couldn't look at his friend and say what needed to be said. "No, Peter, I won't. I've made a promise to keep you safe, and I will not break that. You can't take risks to protect me either; you have a wife and two little boys who will be needing you. When whatever comes happens, I need you to let me handle it. Besides, I have more training and backing than you do so I'm better equipped to get through safely, especially if I'm not worried about protecting you."

"Neal," there was pleading to his voice; Neal was asking a tall order of the man.

Sighing, Neal opened his eyes and regretted it when he saw the mixture of anger, hurt, and fear in his friend's eyes. "Peter, I know that what I'm asking of you is impossible, but what you ask of me in return is as well. I cannot risk you or your safety, and that is non-negotiable! I'm a black op combat-trained weapons expert with a command specializing in super soldiers, I'm not joking when I say that I'm far more capable of handling dangerous situations than you. However, I know the surest way to crumble everything would be for you to leap into danger in some fool-hearty idea of protecting me. That... that would kill me in a way that a bullet never could. So, please, I'm telling you to drop this, for everyone's safety!"

Peter pulled him into the hug again and held onto him tightly; as if he knew that this was a precursor to saying goodbye. He ducked his face into Neal's shoulder and clung to him.

Feeling something of dampness, Neal knew that Peter was getting uncharacteristically emotional. These weren't tears of joy as he should be experiencing as he looked forward to his sons, these were tears of sorrow, the fear of losing his friend.

"I'm sorry," Neal repeated," this is supposed to be a celebration and I've completely spoiled it."

As Peter finally pulled back and let him go, Neal found Elizabeth joining him. She was holding the piece of cake he'd left on the table, but it was wrapped to go.

Handing him the cake, she gave him her own hug and whispered in his ear, "Take care of yourself too! Peter, me, you're our best friend, and we don't want to lose you. You mentioned that his death would kill you in a way that a bullet couldn't, but yours would do the same to him. Don't do that to us." Then she released him giving him permission to go.

Nodding to them, Neal left with his piece of cake in hand. He'd never given them the bib so he'd need to rework his baby gift.

As he left, he passed the agent arriving with the confidentiality forms. They'd be signed and all would be officially resolved, but he still couldn't help but feel like he'd ruined what was supposed to be one of the best times of their lives.

Chapter Text

*******

They never spoke of that evening since it was such an emotional event. Besides, it was best not to bring up Neal's secret for the safety of all involved.

Things progressed through the Pink Panther case and the day came when Neal needed to fake his death for the safety of everyone, especially Peter and his family. Which was why he'd been unable to make any promises to them, he'd known even then that it would likely be his best means of keeping them safe.

He knew he was dealing a low blow to Peter and Elizabeth. They'd grieve for him, but they needed to put on their best performance to sell it to the Panthers so that they'd leave everyone else alone. Only their lives being at stake was sufficient motivation for him to hurt them so deeply.

*******

Standing in the distance and watching his own funeral once he'd performed his role in the coffin, Bryce watched as the mourners paid their last respects before he was allegedly lowered into the ground.

The FBI team had come and many of them were somber as they watched the proceedings.

June was soaking her handkerchief while leaning on Mozzie who kept sadly gazing at the mound of dirt that was shrinking into the hole.

Then there was the Burkes. They were leaning against each other as if to hold each other up in their grief.

It was too much, and Neal worried that it might put the twins at risk if Elizabeth got too upset. So, he decided to follow through with his backup plan for letting them know that he was alive.

Leaving the graveyard, he went to their townhouse and delivered a brightly wrapped package to their front porch. To reveal a little more of his true personality, he used Star Wars paper and two bright blue bows. It was his baby gift for the twins, for his little namesakes, and for their parents, his friends.

Disappearing, he knew that the Burkes might not be ready to open it immediately, but that when they were, they'd find a card nestled neatly amongst the little onesies and bibs with a phone number on it. It was a direct line to a burner phone that he was keeping especially for them.

*******

It had been a few months since his funeral when Bryce found his burner phone ringing.

Fortunately, he was at a safe house in between missions so he was able to pick up the phone and answer. "I'm sorry I couldn't hand it to you in person, but the Panthers tend to kill all connected to whoever crosses them before finishing with their enemy when they're so demoralized as to wish to die. I couldn't risk them coming after you, so it was best to disappear." He explained knowing it was likely Peter on the other end of the line.

A sigh confirmed his belief and caused him to smile, Peter was there.

"I wish you'd told me, but I also remember you telling me that you wouldn't. Why is it always the dramatics with you?" There was a frustrated huff. "Leaping out of buildings and bouncing off of awnings, shark attacks, and so on."

Imagining his friend shaking his head, Neal knew that Peter appreciated his dramatics despite his frustration. "I needed to keep the job interesting for both of us and you know you loved the chase."

The tease brought out a more talkative side of Peter and his friend began unleashing all of his pent-up conversations, the things that he'd wished Neal had been present for in recent months.

All too soon, Bryce needed to go as his work required him to make an appointment. "I'm glad you finally opened the gift and I'm sorry to have hurt you so much for you to take this long. It was for the best that I misled you, but my work requires me to go now. I'll call when I can, and if I miss a call, I'll get back to you."

"The twins are due soon and I hope they'll get to meet their uncle, Bryce," Peter said before saying goodbye and ending the call.

Grinning, Bryce liked the idea of being an uncle to the two little boys bearing his names. It was enough to cheer him through the long hours alone in between his fieldwork.

*******

After receiving the call that the twins had arrived, Bryce put in for personal time a few weeks out and arranged a flight to New York. He ensured that he arrived at just such a point in the evening that there were several flights entering the city to hide him through the airport while the lighting was poor enough outside to prevent him from being recognized.

He went to a safe house and bided his time despite the initial flurry of visitors having subsided leaving Peter and Elizabeth alone for the night after they'd settled in at home. Their families and friends had paid their respects to the new little ones and it was finally safe for Bryce to approach them without risking someone showing up.

Walking up the steps, he realized that he'd missed the old familiarity of seeing his friends. Then he knocked on the door which caused Satchmo to bark followed by the twins beginning to cry.

When a ragged Peter opened the door with a screaming baby on his shoulder, Bryce was chagrined to have caused such a ruckus.

"Bryce!" Peter explained before ushering him inside. "I'm sorry it's so loud, but it's about time to settle the twins down for bed as soon as we can get them quieted." He stood swaying and patting the upset infant on the back to calm him.

Elizabeth was sitting on the couch with the other twin as she tried to calm him as well. "Bryce, we didn't know you were coming." She was surprised but distracted from making much conversation.

"Hey Satchmo," Bryce petted the dog and calmed him down before letting him out to the backyard.

With his excited barking and noise gone, the twins were settling down in response to their parent's efforts.

"Thanks, we've got our hands full when the twins get going so Satchmo sometimes feels neglected. Now that he's a big brother to two infants, he's feeling some sibling rivalry." Elizabeth explained as she got up to meet him.

"I know how to handle him, but don't ask me to share any tips with the twins, I know nothing of infants." Bryce smiled as he hugged the parents in their turn.

"Which is which? I know what their first names were to be, but nothing else." Bryce initiated the conversation knowing that the Burkes would likely talk about their little ones happily.

"This is baby Neal," Elizabeth stated as she turned the infant in her arms for inspection. "We gave him my dad's first name, Robert. However, he looks a lot like his daddy." She then cooed at the baby which caused him to smile a little before yawning sleepily.

Reaching out to catch the tiny fist that was swinging around as the infant moved. Bryce observed the baby and noticed that he had downy brown hair while his eyes were darker indicating that they'd be brown when he got older. There was something in his expression like he was a solemn little fellow happily observing his surroundings. "I see, he not only has Peter's brown features but there is something in his expression, something that reminds me of a certain FBI agent studiously perusing case files."

Grinning at Peter, Bryce enjoyed teasing him while holding his little name-sake's hand until the infant squirmed pulling his hand away and starting to get fussy. It was clearly time for little Neal to be tucked into bed.

Elizabeth excused herself and took the first little one up to bed.

Peter promised to follow along shortly, but he wanted to introduce their second son to his honorary uncle. "This is little Bryce Alexander Burke. As you can tell, he's taken after Elizabeth since he's got her dark hair and blue eyes." He grinned to hold up his second son for inspection.

Bryce looked over his little namesake and although the little guy wasn't very old yet, there was something to his expression as well, only, this one was more mischievous. "I think he's the one that will keep you on your toes. He looks like he's just waiting to get into trouble. I can imagine him coming up with the plan and Neal figuring out how to make it happen." He laughed as he imagined the trouble the duo could get into.

"Don't give them any ideas based on Neal or Bryce, they'll find enough themselves. However, if you want to teach them things about how to get out of trouble as precautions, then we'll talk." Peter warned.

"You got a deal," Bryce promised since he knew that it was a good idea to ensure the kids could handle situations if trouble should find them.

"Here, why don't you hold him for a minute?" Peter showed Bryce how to hold his arms before carefully transitioning the infant to him. "He's fairly calm and even-tempered, but we'd better not risk keeping him up much longer. We're right about at their bedtime."

Glad for the opportunity to hold one of the little guys for a few minutes, Bryce looked into those bright little blue eyes that were looking back at him. "Hey, little buddy. How about you leave giving your old man gray hairs to the professionals... I've been doing it for years so I think he'd appreciate a break from you."

Baby Bryce just cooed and wiggled in his arms.

"I don't think he agrees, I think he'd rather have the fun of getting into trouble, especially since he knows that his dad will always be there for him." Bryce grinned over at Peter who rolled his eyes in response.

"What part of not giving him ideas do you not understand?" Peter had his hand on his hips again as he shook his head.

"Oh, I don't know, but I don't think he needs me to inspire him. He looks like he's got plenty of ideas already brewing in that little head of his. I think he'll be finding things as soon as he learns how to crawl... so you'd better look out when he starts to walk." Bryce continued to tease by insinuating things that the infant in his arms could get up to in time.

"Alright, I think little Bryce has had enough. He should be joining Neal and heading off to bed." Peter directed him to follow as he turned and headed up the stairs.

Still holding baby Bryce, Bryce followed Peter carefully. He felt a strange sense of paranoia that he'd slip and fall down the stairs if he wasn't oh so careful on each step. It wasn't because he was clumsy or anything, just that he felt the weight of the responsibility of carrying his best friend's baby up the stairs for the first time.

Reaching the nursery safely, Bryce looked around at double everything. There were two cribs, two dressers, and two changing tables.

"They go through a lot of laundry and will be growing out of clothes every few months so we've got a stock supply," Elizabeth commented in a whisper as she laid baby Neal down in his crib. The infant had fallen asleep and was ready to go for a few hours.

Working under their instructions, Bryce helped them get baby Bryce ready for bed and tucked him into his own crib across from his brother.

When the task was done, they went back downstairs and settled in the Living room.

Chapter Text

*******

Bryce knew that he wasn't going to be staying much longer; the tired parents looked like they could go to sleep standing up if they were given pillows. However, he also knew that they hadn't seen him in several months and they were eager to see him for a little bit.

"Will you be around for a while, or are you passing through?" Peter asked with a yawn.

"Not long, a couple of days at most. Then I need to disappear again. My work has been busy and I don't want to risk anyone taking notice of my being around. The Panthers are still a threat and then there are any of my other enemies that might catch onto me still being alive." Bryce didn't want to go down that trail as the conversation always took an upsetting turn for his friends.

"We're glad you managed to stop by anyway. The boys, we want them to know you, and not just through whatever stories we may tell." Elizabeth spoke before a yawn caused her to pause. "Even if you can't physically stop by, we want you to keep in touch. That still stands."

"Agreed," Peter lifted his hand to add his vote to the conversation.

Smiling, Bryce looked at Peter. "Do you even know what you're voting on?"

The man had his eyes closed again as he struggled with the battle between wanting to see his friend and being too tired to stay awake.

"I know what I'm voting on, and we want you to remain in our lives as much as you can." Peter managed to get the whole sentence out before a yawn split his face.

Chuckling, Bryce couldn't help but be amused. "Well, no matter how much I'm able to remain in your lives, I think I should go for this evening. If I don't, you might fall asleep where you are."

They fought him at first, but then they both decided that he was right.

"Come on, give me some hugs goodnight, and then go get some sleep. I took time off so unless a major emergency comes up, I will be here for a few days. Let me know when it's safe to visit, my bosses won't let me share anything with the team so I need to keep avoiding them." Bryce made arrangements on when he would be seeing them next so that they would relax and get some sleep.

Giving Elizabeth a hug, she leaned into him sleepily before going to settle Satchmo for the night and start locking up.

Peter wasn't so easy to say goodnight to. The man was his best friend, someone he hadn't seen in months.

Wrapping his arms around Bryce, Peter leaned against him and held on tight. "I've missed you. You're my best friend too... other than Elizabeth, of course."

Ducking his head into Peter's shoulder, Bryce returned the embrace just as tightly. "You have no idea. At least you've had the distraction of Elizabeth, the twins, and your work. There are other people in your life. I'm dead to everyone but my bosses and you guys, there is no one else."

"I'm sorry about that. I wish things were different, but I'm glad that we can still be a part of your life." His voice was drifting as if he was falling asleep where he stood.

A snore in Bryce's ear confirmed that Peter was indeed asleep leaning against him.

Grinning as he supported his friend, Bryce tried to figure out what to do with the man. Should he carry him the short distance to the couch or the long distance up to his own bed?

Coming back through on her way upstairs, Elizabeth almost walked past before she heard a snore and realized the conundrum Bryce was in. "Is he asleep standing up?"

"He appears to be. I'm just not sure if I should shift him to the couch or up to your room. The first is easier, but he should sleep better in the second. Which do you think?" Bryce threw the question at Elizabeth.

Gauging him, Elizabeth didn't look certain. "Could you carry Peter upstairs?"

"Challenge accepted," Bryce smiled as her expression shifted to uncertainty. "I've carried full-grown men further than that and through things like explosions; a simple set of stairs is nothing by comparison."

Shifting to holding Peter's hand, he moved his arm to the other shoulder so that Peter's arms were together.

There was a snuffle followed by a snore so he knew that Peter was sleeping right along through this.

With Peter's arms in position, Bryce held onto his hands as he ducked down. This lowered Peter until he was lying across his shoulders. Shifting him slightly, Bryce moved until he had him positioned just right. With Peter's arms in one hand and his legs in the other, Bryce was holding him in a fireman's carry.

Standing back up with his friend firmly held, Bryce raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth before turning for the stairs and slowly ascending them.

When he got upstairs, he carefully shifted Peter through the hallway since it wasn't the most spacious area to navigate. Making the transition safely without banging Peter's head on anything, Bryce entered the bedroom. Letting go of Peter's legs, he pulled the bedding back. Then he gently lowered him down onto the bed with his head resting on the pillow.

An abrasive snore tore through the room as Peter's mouth fell open and his head tilted towards Bryce's ear.

Leaning against his friend, Bryce couldn't help but laugh which caused Peter to snort and jerk awake.

"Aww, and here I thought I'd pull this off without waking you up." Bryce was still laughing as he watched his friend's bleary expression as he tried to understand why he was no longer downstairs.

"What, what's so funny?" Peter asked as he leaned up rubbing his eyes.

"I managed to carry you all the way up here without waking you up, so you snored obnoxiously loud in my ear after I got you settled on your bed." Bryce was still grinning as his friend as he teased him.

"Sorry," Peter said as he tried to keep his eyes open. "Wait, you carried me up here?"

"He did," Elizabeth confirmed as she came in after them. "I think he was trying to prove to me that he could but maybe he just wanted to ensure that you got a good night's sleep."

"No one has carried me anywhere since I was a kid." Peter was still stuck on that.

Laughing again as he sat on the foot of the bed, Bryce patted Peter's ankle nearest him. "Peter, I hauled you up here in a fireman's carry because you fell asleep on my shoulder downstairs. You have a set of twins and an entire FBI division to run so it's not surprising that you're running on fumes. The couch would work; we all know I've slept on it. But, it's not as restful as being in your own bed with your wife. So, I suggest you give me a minute to let myself out, but then you need to change and curl up under those covers so that you two can get some sleep before my namesakes decide to call for your attention."

Yawning, Peter was too tired to carry on the conversation any longer. "Thanks, buddy." He leaned forward far enough to pat Bryce's arm before shifting towards getting up.

"You're welcome. Have a good night," Bryce got up and left their room before shutting the door behind himself.

Slipping down the stairs, he couldn't help a sentimental look around the shadowed space before letting himself out the front door.

Chapter Text

*******

Bryce wasn't pleased to receive an assignment to help rescue agent Burke, his friend agent Peter Burke.

Grabbing his gear, he caught a flight and headed to New York.

He was entering Brooklyn when he got a phone call that sent his phone ringing shrilly.

"Elizabeth," Bryce didn't get another word in edgewise as she desperately filled him in on what she knew of Peter's situation for the entire rest of his ride.

Walking up to the townhouse, Bryce flashed his badge to the agent watching the front porch. Clearly, this one was new as he didn't recognize them and he didn't care enough to bother checking their name to see if Peter had told him about them. His concerns lay elsewhere.

Opening the door, he walked into the house only to be greeted by the double sound of Elizabeth's tearful voice over his phone and across the room where she was standing next to a familiar figure.

"I'm the one assigned to handle this, El, and I promise you that I'll bring Peter home safely," Bryce stated for Elizabeth to hear.

Hanging up on him as she turned, Elizabeth threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. She was getting rather frazzled and it was a relief to hope it would be resolved soon.

"Neal?" Jones questioned. He'd turned at his voice, but he was too surprised to see him alive and well to speak easily.

"Later, right now, I'm the one assigned to retrieve Peter. I just wanted to stop by and make sure El's holding up." Bryce knew he'd have to provide answers, but there were other priorities to attend to in the meantime.

Having heard him, Elizabeth stepped back and wiped her eyes as she tried to regain some control of herself.

"Hey, I need you to hold it together for a little while longer. Those namesakes of mine need their mother. Can you do that for me?" Bryce knew that she couldn't do it long term, so he only asked her to hold on for a little while, a short length of time she could probably manage.

Nodding, sniffing, and taking a breath for the effort, Elizabeth agreed. "I can, but only if you bring Peter back to me."

"I promised that I will, and I never go back on a promise." Bryce leaned forward to hug her. "Trust me, El. I'm going to go Black Ops on the idiots responsible for this!"

He was turning for the door when El threw in her last comment. "Take care of yourself; we'll want to see you later."

"You know I will," Bryce tossed the words over his shoulder as he reached the door. He wanted to linger, to enjoy spending time with his friends and little namesakes, but to do that, he needed to bring his other friend home first.

Heading back out, he caught a cab ride from agent Winters.

"So, where are we off to?" Mozzie asked as they took off.

"Headquarters for gear and then off to rescue Peter." It was a short list of destinations, but until Peter was safe, that was all Bryce was worried about.

"He'll be alright," Mozzie was between certain and trying to be encouraging.

There wasn't much conversation between them. Like the others, they had conversations to be had, but they would wait.

Once Peter was rescued, Bryce would have to have so many conversations... it wasn't something he was looking forward to. However, if he could have his friends in his life, it would be worth it.

His trip through the local headquarters to pick up his gear didn't take long, but it did surprise him to find the general personally there to oversee the situation.

"I am aware that this will be exposing your continued existence to your former coworkers. We are looking to expand possible taskforce operations with the FBI to improve interagency relations, and I'd like you to handle the work here in New York." She was straight and to the point before disappearing into her work.

Not paying it much mind, Bryce needed to go to work on the rescue so he gathered his gear and caught Mozzie for a ride to check out the location and plan his entrance.

Fortunately, it wasn't a large facility or overly staffed. It was just the risk of encountering an Intersect that required the CIA's involvement to ensure that everything went smoothly.

Infiltrating the facility, Bryce snuck in after dark wearing a black tactical shirt and pants, gloves, and a mask over his head. To ensure that it remained quiet so that no one discovered his presence, he started tranquilizing anyone that he came upon. This was only a few of the outer guards patrolling the hallways, but still, he didn't need noise or shouting to endanger Peter.

Reaching the inner section, he checked the heat sources of the room to confirm that one person was sitting in a chair and two moving around them. Whatever they were doing, it didn't bode well for Peter.

Preparing himself, Bryce barged into the room and easily tranquilized one opponent, but the second dodged his shot and moved into action. Figuring that this one was the Intersect, Bryce focused on defending himself as the man landed into him with a series of kicks and punches.

Directing all of his focus on it, Bryce managed to defend himself despite taking a few hits. Then he pulled out his phone because he was prepared for the possibility. Pushing it in the guy's face and pushing the button to initiate the program, Bryce then stood back and watched as the guy froze before falling backward straight as a board.

Sighing as he stepped over him, Bryce then went to crouch next to Peter before pulling the blindfold off of his face.

"Hey, you could have called and asked for a visit. This whole dramatic plan to get abducted to force me to visit wasn't necessary." Bryce tried to joke with him to lighten the mood. Peter needed to feel safe and he'd soon be recovering in a hospital.

Chuckling briefly before groaning in pain, Peter appreciated the effort, but not the pain he got in response.

"Don't exert yourself, buddy. This is going to hurt for a while." Bryce cautioned him as he moved to remove the binds that were holding him into the seat.

"Uhh, I hope there are some pain meds in my future... the sooner the better," Peter grunted in discomfort as feeling returned to his limbs.

"There will be. Mozzie is waiting outside with backup and an ambulance has been on standby waiting for me to get you out. You'll be with Elizabeth within a few hours. Once the doctors are done fixing you up and getting you settled in a room. Although it will be at least a few days, you'll also be home with the twins soon." Bryce encouraged him to think of his family since he'd have been worried about them.

"I will happily sit on the couch with El and the boys... and you'd better hang around for a bit too." Peter sighed lightly despite his pain. "Do the team know that you're not dead?"

"You'll like this. For one, my boss is having me work relations between the FBI and the CIA. This will bring me to the city more. Then, Jones is the one keeping El company, so, yeah, he recognized me. I'm going to have some serious explaining to do with everyone." Bryce finished his checkover of removing the binds and rubbing Peter's limbs to help him recover his circulation.

"Hey, suit." Mozzie walked in leading the backup and support personnel. "June will watch the boys so that Elizabeth can come to see you this evening. Bryce will ride with you; I've got things around here."

"Thanks, Mozz." Peter glanced at him before he started moving to get up.

"Whoa, you're hurt, Peter. Are you sure you should be getting up and walking?" Bryce moved and put his arm around Peter while pulling his arm across his shoulders to keep the man from falling.

"I don't need to be transferred on a buckboard. I'm not hurt that badly." Peter was certain as he moved to walk, but his unsteady gait had the others disagreeing with him.

Refusing to let go, Bryce kept his hold on Peter. "Fine, if you're certain, you can at least try, but I will carry you if you even begin to fall!"

Starting to laugh, Peter stopped only to begin coughing as his injuries prevented the action.

"That's it," Bryce ducked down while Peter was distracted and slid him over his shoulders gently before holding onto his arms and legs. Straightening, he repeated the fireman carry that he'd used to transport Peter off to bed once before.

Struggling to complain, Peter did not appreciate it, but the coughing hadn't stopped so he wasn't having an easy time voicing his displeasure.

When he got out to the response team, Bryce approached the ambulance before slowly lowering Peter to the ground as the paramedics approached to take over.

"You get checked out too," Peter had managed to calm his coughing down enough. "You took some solid hits by the guy in there."

Grinning, Bryce wasn't worried, "I'm fine, Peter. You're the one who's been held prisoner, it looks like you took more of a beating than I did, and I really don't like that cough of yours. Buddy, I promised El that I'd make sure I got you through this safely for her and the twins. You're getting checked out, and I'll be checked out later." He held his hands up to pacify Peter so that he'd stop arguing with him and allow himself to be checked out.

Standing by as the paramedics checked Peter over, Bryce watched as they did their work before loading Peter up despite his protests.

Climbing in beside his friend, Bryce sat forward and grinned. "Come on, Peter. You'd insist upon this if it were me or any other member of your team. Let me watch out for you. Now, sit back and let them do their job."

Finally giving in, Peter quieted and relaxed for the rest of the trip to the hospital before he was carted off to the back where the staff would check him over.

Chapter Text

*******

Separated, Bryce was taken aside by the paramedics who checked him over before giving him general advice on what to watch for.

When they'd finished, he was sent to the front waiting area. Taking a seat and pulling out his phone, he first dialed Elizabeth since he knew Jones would be standing by.

"Hey, El." He told her that June would watch the twins and what hospital Jones should bring her to. Then he jumped into the updates on Peter's condition before she could work herself into a panic. "Peter's alright. He's been roughed up and it was cool and damp where he was being held so he seems to have developed a cough. After being checked out and likely held for a little observation, he should be home and holding down the couch within a few days."

Breathing out a sigh of relief on a sob, El was barely holding it together.

Coaching her, Bryce had her keep breathing with him until she was able to calm down enough to focus on what she needed to do to get the twins ready for an overnight stay while she focused on Peter at the hospital.

Disconnecting the call, he promised to see her when she arrived, and he'd call in the meanwhile if anything came up.

It was a time of waiting.

His own bruises were making themselves known, but he ignored them since he still had other priorities. Besides, he'd be somewhere and able to ice them… eventually.

After a while, Jones and Elizabeth came in.

Elizabeth was looking highly disturbed so Neal stood up to meet her as she rushed into his arms fighting her tears.

"It's alright, El. Based on what I saw, they're doing some X-rays and scans to make sure there is nothing deeper than the superficial bruising and obvious side effects of his environment. That takes time, especially if there are other patients also being processed ahead of him. However, he had no serious injury that I could see and he even tried walking out under his own power." He hugged her close and gently stroked the back of her shoulders in a comforting fashion.

"Tried?" She pulled back and looked at him in fear.

Smirking slightly, he grinned at her. "Then he started coughing and I decided to pick him up and carry him again. He complained vehemently between coughing. I'm not sure which is better, his snoring in my ears which is obnoxious, or his complaints that he can walk on his own. However, I have to admit, that both are hilarious!"

Chuckling a little despite herself, Elizabeth was clearly remembering that incident where he'd picked Peter up and carried him.

"What?" Jones couldn't wait any longer and chose that as his point to question.

Continuing to grin, Bryce directed them to move over to the seats where he made sure Elizabeth had some tissues and a wastebasket before he settled in to tell his story.

"Back when Peter and Elizabeth told me that they were naming the boys Neal and Bryce after me, I thought they'd figured out that Bryce is my legal name so I asked about that. They had no idea, only Neal was being named after me, and I blew my own cover. After talking to my boss, I confirmed my information for Peter and they signed confidentially forms. They made me do what I could to reach out if anything happened, so I dropped them a baby gift with my number for a burner phone after faking my death. We've been in touch off and on since. One time I managed to slip through after the twins were born and both parents were exhausted. Peter went to hug me goodnight only to fall asleep on my shoulder standing up since he was so tired. To ensure that he got a good night's sleep, I picked him up in the fireman carry and hauled him to his room. He snored in my ear and then woke up to me laughing." Bryce gave Jones the basic run down.

It wasn't as amusing to hear about it, but it was still enough to make Jones grin while Elizabeth was still amused at the memory.

"You picked Peter up and carried him up the stairs, down that narrow hall, and into his room? You didn't bang him on the head did you?" Jones was still skeptical.

"I asked him if he even could manage to carry Peter up the stairs so he took it as a challenge and did it to prove it to me," Elizabeth stated before laughing again. "The expression on Peter's face when he woke up… he was so confused!" She leaned into a tissue over her face as she couldn't help but cry between the laughter and the recent stress.

Reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder, Bryce was grinning at Jones. "It's too bad I didn't have a camera though, his bleary-eye surprise when he realized that I'd carried him was amusing. This time there wasn't as much surprise, he knows I can, but he didn't appreciate the lift. However, if it were me, we all know he'd do something of the same thing."

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't appreciate it, but I do. Thanks, Bryce, for everything." Elizabeth glanced over at him as she calmed down again. She was looking better for the humor and the atmosphere was more relaxed.

"Don't worry, El. Not only am I not going anywhere, but I'll be around more often now. My boss is aware that this assignment would blow my cover with the team so people will know that I'm not dead. She also informed me that she's assigning me to work in New York on smoothing relations between the FBI and the CIA. Who knows, I might even end up working with the team if any cases cross over." He smiled at her and then at Jones.

Moving to hug him, Elizabeth was thrilled. "That's great news! When will that start?"

"I've not been given the official information on that, probably because I'll have to deal with people's initial reactions and Peter's recovery here first, but I'll let you know." He hugged her back before transitioning the discussion.

There was some catching up to do with Elizabeth since the last time they'd talked and he found enough conversation with Jones to keep things from getting awkward until they found a new ground to interact on.

Finally, they were addressed by a doctor who came out and told them about Peter's condition.

As Bryce suspected, Peter wasn't badly injured. He had some bruising and minor injuries that would leave him tender and sore. They were giving him some antibiotics to help him fight the cough since he had a mild case of pneumonia. After a brief stay for observation, he'd be allowed to go home within a day or two if his condition didn't worsen.

"Can I see him?" Elizabeth was standing front and center as she received the information.

Bryce stood behind and to the side with Jones listening to how their friend was doing from her other side.

"Yes, we're setting him up with a room and once that's done you can sit with him. A nurse will be along to let you know." The doctor answered the last few questions before returning to his work.

A little more waiting and they were taken to Peter's room.

Standing in the hallway outside, Bryce stood with Jones as Elizabeth went inside to spend some time alone with Peter.

"So, you're really an agent, huh? Do you go by Neal or Bryce?" Jones transitioned the conversation since they were alone.

"Yeah, I was recruited my junior year at university and one of my big assignments was to play Caffrey as an alternate version of myself to go after Pratt and the rest of the corruption in the DC precinct. When that was done, the Panthers kept me on the job, but between protecting everyone from their revenge and my bosses wanting me pulled, I faked my death. However, you could call me Neal or Bryce. One is my birth name and the other is my legal name." Bryce leaned against the wall across the hall where he could see Peter's door.

"And things like the treasure?" Jones didn't go into the list, just hinted at his sketchy history.

Shrugging, Bryce glanced over at him. "The CIA and NSA along with the Marshalls and the FBI were behind my operation. Sometimes what one agency wanted conflicted with another, and I usually got caught in the middle. Mozz is something too and he tried to help where he could, and it's up to him what he wants to share, but Peter knows now since he took over the scene when we left."

Coming out, Elizabeth let them know that Peter wanted to see them. She looked much more relaxed having seen that Peter really wasn't as badly hurt as she feared.

Walking into the room, Bryce was glad to see Peter sitting up and awake as he looked back at him.

"Hey, Bryce, Jones." His voice was rough and he had the typical hospital setup aiding in his recovery.

Stepping forward, Jones had a brief conversation with Peter before he bid them goodnight. "I'll go take care of the FBI side of things. Take care, Peter. See you around, Bryce." Then he walked out and went back to work despite the late hour.

"He's not in the van, so I think he prefers being you," Bryce said as he stood watching the door swing closed on the silent hinge that made sure it was soft to avoid disturbing patients.

"The van isn't so bad, and I've heard that the CIA does use them from time to time." Peter ignored his remark. "What's this about you working with us again?"

Grinning, Neal pulled up a seat beside Elizabeth as she rejoined them and propped his feet up on the side of Peter's bed. "Well, I don't know the details yet, but it sounds like I'll be sticking around a lot more in the future. You might get sick of me."

Peter briefly considered complaining about his feet up on his bed, but then he changed his mind as he focused on the comment. "Doubtful… Well, at least, as long as I get my time with Elizabeth and you don't pull too many shenanigans."

Dissolving into a conversation, Bryce enjoyed the camaraderie as he talked to his friends about the future with the hope that they'd see each other more often and more easily.

Based on what Beckman had told him, there was no longer the stigmatism against him keeping his continued existence from these friends anyway, and being able to set up shop in New York as his primary work would allow him to resume something of his old life.

It wouldn't be the same though.

He was an agent instead of a con, there was no anklet or radius, and he wasn't directly working in the office with Peter unless he caught a case that crossed over with the CIA. Then there were the twins who meant that Peter and Elizabeth couldn't go out as easily, they weren't going to be as open to things like subtle interrogations with potential suspects, and time spent together would typically involve the twins in some fashion or another.

However, it was worth it. He'd missed these people, the city, and the feeling of having a life.

"What?" Peter asked looking at him.

"I'm just grateful. Thanks to the two of you, I've had a connection to hold on to; friends, family, and people out there who care about me. Now, I'm getting another shot at having a life. I'll have you guys and the rest of the people from here that I've missed. Only, this time, there won't be all the lies and pretense that I'm a con." Bryce shared a mutual smile with them. "I appreciate that you've always been there for me, and I look forward to watching you raise those boys for a long time to come."

Elizabeth reached over and took his hand, but Peter was too far away so he just conveyed his agreement verbally, "We're all grateful that you've always had our back and we look forward to having you around for a long time to come too."

Mutually agreeing, they said, "For a long time to come." Then they laughed before dissolving into the conversation.

This was only the beginning of this new phase in their old friendship.