Yes, a new story. Don't worry, I'm going to finish "Finding What's Lost". I was simply on a trip and typed this out while traveling. I didn't have internet access, so I couldn't write a chapter of the latter since I like to reread what I've already written to get in the zone, if you will, haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

Just to warn you, I'm a big fan of Peter and Neal's familial relationship, so this will deal with that.

Oh, and this has no real spoilers for the series finale. In this, just know Neal is back in New York and Peter knows he faked his death. I haven't gone into how, because that's not what the story is about. I might get into it later. We'll see. So, without further ado...

Testing Bonds

Neal opened his eyes and sighed as the alarm on his cellphone shrilled throughout the room so loudly he thought it was possible to wake every employee in June's home. Groaning, he reached out a hand and rolled his finger against the screen to the right to turn it off. Sitting up, he stretched and swung his feet to the floor.

Falling into his normal routine, he almost went straight to his closet to grab a Devore suit, but he paused when he remembered where he was going that day.

He wasn't going to the White Collar Division of the FBI. Instead, he was going to Organized Crimes, and it wouldn't be under the supervision of Peter Burke. Instead, he would be partnering up with Jerry Williamson, the Bureau's new Golden Boy. Why they felt the need to expose their new up-and-comer to the infamous Neal Caffrey, he didn't know.

He supposed it could be on the request of Peter. Things had been strained between them recently and truthfully, he had no one to blame but himself. He had deceived Peter-he had pretended to be dead for over a year and he knew that had hurt his friend tremendously. He also knew that kind of betrayal would take a really long time to get over, if ever.

Standing, he stretched and went straight to the closet. He would still dress the same; he would still do all he could to help the Bureau even if it was no longer under the supervision of Peter Burke. He understood the distance. He truly did and besides, he knew he deserved the pain this distance caused.

=)=)=)

Once again, instincts took over as Neal stepped onto the elevator in FBI Headquarters. He wanted to punch for the White Collar floor, but instead, he had to go higher...the higher the floor, the more important they considered the division. The old Neal Caffrey, before working for the White Collar Division, would have been flattered, but at this moment, he realized how much he didn't want to do this, BUT to avoid prison time, he had to reinstate his old agreement with the FBI, to work for them until his sentence was carried out.

That was one reason why he ran. He knew then, just as he knew now, the FBI was never going to let him go. They saw him as a tool to solve their toughest cases and they would use any means they had to keep him in their services. Mozzie had warned him and he had known it, too. For a time, it hadn't mattered, as long as he was working for Peter, but then he saw how much he had been affecting Peter's life. He knew he couldn't keep doing that to him, so he had decided to go. He wished he could have made Peter understand that when he returned to New York...

As the elevator dinged and opened up on the Organized Crime floor, Neal shook his head to get those thoughts out of his mind. He couldn't think about Peter at work or he'd never get anything done.

Walking into the office wasn't drastically different from walking into the White Collar Division. FBI agents and their desks were cluttered on the main floor while the supervisory agents had their own offices on a second floor with clear glass windows looking down at the bullpen as well as the buildings outside the office. If he just walked to his desk and kept his head down, he wouldn't even realize he was anywhere new, especially when they gave him cases that veered into White Collar territory. The department loved it when they didn't have to give a case up to Peter now that he was here. No doubt Peter hated it, but evidently the annoyance wasn't enough to request getting him back in White Collar where he belonged.

Flopping down into his seat, he smiled at his neighbor, Agent Bierce, who raised an eyebrow at his abruptness. "Long morning already," he mumbled to explain his actions.

"Tell me about it," Bierce whispered back. "Jerry's already been on the warpath this morning."

Neal cringed at the news. He knew if Agent Williamson was having a bad day, he would, too, soon enough. Almost as if the senior agent was reading his mind, he stepped outside his office and gave him the double finger point.

"Looks like I'm about to get my share of yelling," he said to Bierce as he stood.

The agent nodded and said, "Probably. Good luck in there."

Neal didn't look back. He simply replied, "Yeah, thanks."

=)=)=)

Neal walked into Jerry Williamson's office and stood at the door. He didn't dare do what he used to do in Peter's office: there, he would have walked in and taken a seat without asking for permission. He might have even thrown his feet up on the desk to get a reaction out of Peter. Even though he liked Jerry so far, they weren't at that level of comfort yet.

"At least he's not like Agent Kramer," he thought gratefully. He had known with much certainty if he had gone with him to D.C. several years back, he would have hated working with him. They had nothing in common and he was a little too rigid. He was a little too concerned with his own solved-case rate instead of the whole department's. Williamson, on the other hand, seemed to care for the people that worked under him, and he treated him decently. That's why he wasn't completely miserable.

"Good morning, Neal," Williamson said as he motioned with his hand for Neal to walk farther inside. "Have a seat."

Neal did as instructed. "Good morning, Agent Williamson," he greeted but was immediately cut off from saying anything further when the agent tsked him.

"We're not in a meeting. We're in private. You can call me Jerry. How many times do I have to remind you?"

Neal shrugged and replied, "I'm sorry. It's habit."

Williamson shook his head and reasoned, "I've heard you call Agent Burke "Peter" more often that not."

"Well, that's different," Neal explained. "He and I have had a rapport for years and..." He closed his mouth. He didn't want to say what was on the tip of his tongue, but Williamson didn't give him much choice.

"And?"

"Peter and I became friends. I considered him my friend before I even started working for him."

Williamson eyed him for several moments, but Neal steeled his reaction and didn't let the scrutiny bother him outwardly. Finally, the agent asked a serious question: "How long will it take for us to have that kind of relationship? How long will it take you to trust me?"

Neal blinked roughly. He hadn't expected a question quite like that and he knew Williamson wanted an answer now. "Uh," he stuttered before he calmed himself. "I don't know. It's nothing I set out to do. It just sort of happens."

Williamson stood up and walked around his desk to sit on it directly in front of his CI. "I want to be friends, Neal," Williamson stated confidently. "I want the rapport that you and Agent Burke had. I think we could be an incredible team if you'd give us a chance."

Neal felt a shiver run down his back even though he was unsure why it had occurred. Now, it was his turn to study Agent Williamson. His words seemed genuine, but he was still hesitant. To show this, he questioned, "Why? You don't even know me?"

Williamson smiled and answered, "Oh, I know you, Neal. I've studied you from afar and close up for a while. I know you on paper and in person. I'll admit I want to get to know you more, but from what I do know now, I can assure you that we could accomplish great things together."

It was definitely a sales pitch. Unfortunately for Williamson, it was a little creepier than the agent probably intended it to be. But, he knew it was in FBI agents' nature to study people, to find out all that they can about any individual they come into contact with on the job. Heck, Peter had put surveillance on Elizabeth before he had even asked her out on a single date. Was this so different?

Shrugging reluctantly, Neal stated, "You may think you know me, but I know nothing about you besides your track record with the FBI and that you're my handler."

Williamson was quick with a reply. "We can change all that. Why don't you join me and the guys for lunch today? We've all been wondering why you don't tag along."

Neal glanced behind his shoulder to the bullpen briefly. "I didn't think you'd want a convict tagging along." He looked back at Williamson to see him smirking.

"Oh, we don't mind, trust me."

Debating for only a moment, Neal agreed.

=)=)=)

Several hours later, Neal joined Agents Williamson, Bierce, McRae, and Lowes in the elevator. "Where are we going?" Neal asked as soon as the doors shut.

Everyone looked at Williamson and he immediately smiled. "I was thinking about Italian. Michael's?"

"Sounds good, Boss," Bierce answered just as the elevator stopped one floor later. The doors opened to reveal Agents Burke and Jones. Instinctively, all the agents in the elevator looked at Neal at the same time that Peter and Jones did.

Neal was about to take the opportunity to exchange pleasantries with his old co-workers, but Williamson immediately smiled and exclaimed, "Well, look who's here. Agent Burke. Long time, no see."

Peter looked a little reluctant to enter the elevator, but at Williamson's words, he did. "Hi, Jerry. Yes, it's been a while." Then, his eyes drifted to the person standing beside him. "Neal."

"Peter."

Before anyone could say anything else, Williamson started speaking again. "So, where are you two going to lunch today?"

Jones shrugged and answered, "We were thinking about the deli around the corner. What about you guys?"

Without hesitation, Williamson exclaimed, "Us, too!"

Neal immediately looked at Williamson and then Bierce. Bierce smirked at him and rolled his eyes. There had just been a change in plans at where they were eating. The only question was why.

=)=)=)

Luckily, Williamson didn't insist on sitting with Peter and Jones. They sat across the restaurant, but the two agents were still in their line of sight.

Neal stared at Peter's back for a moment before turning his attention to his handler. "So, why here?" he asked before taking a sip of water.

The agent didn't look abashed at all. In fact, Neal could tell Williamson was aware that everyone knew he had changed their lunch plans just so they could follow Peter and Jones. He shrugged nonchalantly and answered, "I wanted your old boss to know you are getting along just fine in our division."

At that, Neal felt a tinge of hope. "Oh, has Peter been asking how I'm doing?"

"Not at all," Williamson said, "but it's only natural for him to wonder."

A sudden feeling of resentment hit Neal and he was surprised to realize this emotion was directed towards Peter. Peter hadn't been asking about him and he had not turned around to look at him here, not even once. Neal felt himself pouting and he knew his mask had slipped when Williamson put an arm around him and pulled him playfully to his side.

"Come on, Neal. Let's show them how well we get along. Let's show them that we're a team."

Neal looked at Williamson, surprised, but then smiled. With a quick glance at Peter, he asked himself, "Why not?"