As I said: It's epilogue time...

I also want to take the opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who have stuck with me on this journey that turned out to be far longer than I had ever expected. Thanks for your many, lovely, wonderful and amazing reviews. Thanks for following my story. Thanks for following me as a writer - I don't know what I've done to make so many of you want to keep track of my ramblings ;-)

Some of you have expressed an interest in more stories from my hand. Well... as soon as an interesting plot bunny jumps by, I'll make sure to play with it for a while. And I will of course share with you, right here!

Until then I advise you all to check out the amazing give away on White Collar Closure's website. We also have a new campaign for more White Collar coming up. Even though the previous one with birthday cards for Neal was a big success, we've decided not to rest on the laurels. Next target is USA Network!

Anyway - on to what this is all about!

WARNINGS: One curse word - and the end coming up.

EPILOGUE

Neal and Mozzie were both relaxing on the rooftop terrace of June's mansion – each savoring a glass of... water!? in their hands. Much to Mozzie's disappointment Neal had said no – and meant it - on the wine. Mozzie was still on heavy duty painkillers, and Neal himself wasn't completely off his either, though he was down to only taking something when his sore muscles ached and the remains of his concussion bothered him too much for him to even think clearly. It happened once in a while, but it would be a matter of days, he figured, before it would be over.

It had been a week since their ordeal begun, and they'd been back in New York for a couple of days. To Neal, though, it felt like everything had happened ages ago. He was already settling back into the old routine.

A knocking on the door disturbed their peaceful afternoon.

"Neal?"

It was Peter, letting himself in as he had done every day since they came back. Neal turned his head and winced a bit – okay, that movement was still off limits, but Peter didn't need to know that.

"Out here!", he called towards to the apartment in the most casual voice he could muster.

A few seconds later Peter stepped out on the terrace, and behind him followed a smiling Elizabeth with a basket full of something that Neal quickly interpreted as homemade goodies.

She sat the basket down on the table and started dishing out some of the delicious food she'd brought along, while Peter pulled a chair out and faced Neal and Mozzie. Peter frowned when he saw their glasses.

"What?", Mozzie asked. "Do I have a stick growing out of my ear or something?"

Peter chuckled in response.

"You're drinking water!", he stated and continued.

"You're actually staying away from the wine, following doctor's orders? I'm impressed!", Peter admitted with a smile on his face.

Mozzie kept quiet, unwilling to give Peter the satisfaction of being right, and admitting that he was drinking something as ordinary as water.

They all chatted about this and that and everything in between while enjoying Elizabeth's cooking, but finally Peter realized he had to bring up the subject of last week's experiences.

"So...", he started. "I've heard from the prosecutor's office."

Neal and Mozzie both perked up.

"And?", Neal asked.

"Well", Peter continued. "I'm happy to say that all parties involved in your kidnapping, and what followed during those two days, have been charged. Colonel Turner, your father"...

"Don't call him that!", Neal interrupted in a stern voice.

"Sorry", Peter quickly replied, before he continued.

"James Bennet and Rachel are facing really long sentences, maybe even life. But..."

"But what, Suit?", Mozzie asked curiously, but Neal pretty much knew what was coming.

"But they want both of you to take the stand", Peter finished.

He looked from Neal to Mozzie and back again. Neal was staring intently at his water glass, and Mozzie was shaking his head slowly.

"No... No-no-no", Mozzie begun. "We're not going in there. They'll brainwash..."

"Mozzie!", Neal interrupted.

It seemed like that was what he was doing most during this conversation.

"Don't...", Neal said and held up his hand to signal Mozzie to keep quiet.

"I'm ready!", he said and looked directly at Peter.

"Look, I understand if you don't ever want to see any of them again, Neal, but I really...", Peter clearly hadn't heard Neal's response.

"I'm ready, Peter! I'll do it – just name the time and the place, and I'll be there!", Neal said.

"You're sure?", Mozzie asked doubting his own ears.

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm sure", Neal nodded.

"I want closure. And the best way to get that is to face those sick assholes – pardon my French", Neal hurriedly added and looked apologetic at Elizabeth.

"Apology accepted", Peter said, waving Neal's cursing away with a gesture of his hands while silently communicating with his wife. Elizabeth just shrugged. Neal clearly had something he needed to finish.

The rest of the evening was joyful. June joined them at one point, and they even convinced her that they should listen to the recording she made (with professional help and managing from Mozzie, he argued) for the case against the owners of The Cotton Club. They laughed at the memories of Diana acting as cigar girl, and Neal fell quiet when he thought of the key from Ellen's medallion which had been the reason Mozzie had driven him around town in his cab at the time. The key that had set most of this whole mess ashore.

They had enjoyed each others' company for hours – for the first time since Mozzie and Neal had been released from the hospitals.

When everyone had left Neal's apartment that night, he was lying on his bed ready to go to sleep. His mind was going over the conversation with Peter, what the prosecutor would expect, how the trials would go, and how he would feel when facing the man who was half the reason that Neal was even walking this earth.

He sighed deeply.

If he had known as a kid how much running away would have meant for his life, Neal was pretty sure he would've run away much sooner. He shook his head. That was in the past. His thoughts moved on...

NEVER! Never ever would he let anyone else decide who he could or should love.

Nevermore would he consider James Bennet his father.

And no-one... No-one in the entire universe could ever convince Neal Caffrey that family was defined by blood.

He'd told himself before that family aren't people who show up on your doorstep after 30 years. Well... Then it was mostly a way to comfort himself, to avoid getting hurt once again. Neal snickered. See how much good that did him!

But now he knew. He knew that family are the ones that are there when you need them. And he had his family right here. They had all been with him tonight, making him laugh, making him feel better when he became melancholic. Those were the people he loved. They were the people he trusted – and always would.

Neal smiled and rolled over on his side.

He didn't need to run anymore. He trusted Peter to know that he wouldn't run. Because he had his family here.

June, Peter, Elizabeth, Mozzie... And of course his distant cousins, Diana and Jones. Neal giggled to himself.

His family.

Always!

Fin!