Prologue

Special Agent Peter Burke leaned up against the driver's side of his Taurus, he could see Neal crossing the parking lot towards him, and he gave a little wave to hurry him along. It was a beautiful sunny spring day, and the brightness of the day was reflected in his partner's blue eyes. It had been three months since Neal had been nearly killed in a plot by the local mob; if Peter closed his eyes he could still see himself sitting in the ambulance watching as Neal's heart had stopped. Peter smiled to himself, glad to see the spring returning to the young man's step. It had been a long road of rehab and physical therapy, and today was his last day; it was no wonder Neal looked so elated. Peter knew these sessions took a lot out of him, although it had been getting better lately.

"Come on, slow poke. We got work to do." Peter called out, when Neal was about half way to him. He planned on stopping off for a celebratory lunch before heading back to the office, the pile of mortgage and insurance fraud cases could wait.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Neal didn't speed up any; the last thing he wanted to do was sit around and read through another mortgage fraud case. What he would give for a good art heist; the cases they had been working lately were enough to put him to sleep.

Peter saw Neal gasp for air, his eyes frantically looking over at Peter, then down. He stumbled forward a few steps, and then Peter heard it. The report of a sniper's rifle. He ran towards Neal, catching him before he could hit the ground, and dragging him back towards the car. Peter eased Neal down to the ground next to the Taurus, squatting beside him to take cover. Neal's eyes were quickly becoming glassy, and a dark red stain was forming on the left side of his abdomen. Peter slipped off is coat, balling it up and pressing it to the wound.

"p…tr.." Neal coughed, a bit of blood appearing on his lower lip.

"It's OK Neal. You're OK." He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and dialed 911. "This is Special Agent Burke. Shots fired at St. Mary's Rehabilitation Center. 35 Medical Drive. I have an agent down."

Author's Note: Soooo... I'm thinking about tying this in to the previous story... tell me what you think... yes, no, are you sick of it yet? ;)