A/N: Final chapter. I hope you'll like it. I have plenty of story ideas in my head and some time to start writing too. Thank you for reading and leaving reviews.

Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar, I do own typos and other horrible mistakes.

When agent Bremen promises something, even if it's not in words but just in his head alone, he keeps that promise. He talks to Hughes about Neal's position as a CI for the bureau. Much to his surprise he doesn't even have to convince Hughes, the older man is way ahead of him. Douglas Bremen's surprised reaction doesn't even come close to the look of pure shock on Neal's face when he gets the good news.

"How?" is the mere whisper that escapes Neal's mouth.

"Doesn't matter. What matters is that you can spend your last months as a CI without the constant danger."

"How does this work? I just give you advice? No more undercover work at all?"

Neal fires these questions without thinking because he's curious, but also because he needs the agent's words to be true.

"Basically, yes."

"What's the catch?"

It's probably not a fair question, but he can't help himself. If there's something he's learned in the past it's that being suspicious can be a safe thing to be.

Bremen shakes his head. "No catch."

Neal stares at the older man in reply. He wants to thank him but the words won't leave his mouth yet.

"Now get off my desk. Use a chair."

The ex-con didn't even realize he was sitting on the man's desk in the first place. At least Douglas Bremen doesn't treat him like some vulnerable person. Neal grabs his crutches and gets up but doesn't go anywhere near a chair.

"Thank you," he says.

He's about to go back to his own desk when the agent stops him.

"You're getting rid of that thing tomorrow right?"

Neal throws a quick subconscious glance at the cast on his leg. "Yeah, finally."

"When do you start physical therapy?"

"Next week. Can I go?"

He doesn't mean to sound disrespectful, especially after all Bremen's done for him, but after three surgeries he doesn't feel like talking about it at all or remembering how it happened. It's enough that PT will remind him for weeks to come.

"I'm sorry," he adds before the older man can reply.

"No, I understand. You can go. Just know that you can talk to me if you need it."

"I know," Neal says before nodding his head and leaving the room.

The smell of Italian food welcomes him the moment he enters the house and he can't help smiling because it makes his life seem normal. Before he does anything else, he makes his way to the small crib near the couch. Neal just stands there and watches little Anne sleep, unaware of the world around her. She's named after Peter's mother and looks a lot like Elizabeth.

When he hears Elle coming out of the kitchen he looks up.

"Need any help?" he whispers.

She shakes her head in reply.

Looking down again, Neal sees the baby's open eyes.

"Look who's awake." It's as if he has the little girl's attention now.

"You just keep an eye on her," Elle tells him before heading back to the kitchen. He likes children, he even considered having a baby with Kate. Neal blocks that thought the moment it enters his head. Kate is gone forever.

He watches Anne for what feels like an eternity and while she doesn't stare at Neal the whole time, she manages to warm his heart every time she does look at him. He ends up sitting down in a chair next to the crib. Placing his hand on the girl's belly is something he does without thinking, as if it's a natural thing to do and for some reason he can't stop himself from tickling her. She giggles in response, exactly what Neal was hoping for. Neal hears Elle coming out of the kitchen but he can't remove his hand from the girl's belly, the contact makes him feel safe.

Not much later he feels Elizabeth's hand on his shoulder. "Dinner's ready, Neal."

He nods his head in reply and gives her a smile.

Epilogue: eight years later

Anne's sick of being told her dad died in an accident. What does that even mean? All she knows is that she wants to understand. Both her mom and Neal keep hiding the details. She turns nine soon and it's about time she learns what happened all those years ago.

She waits. She waits until Neal comes home, he may not be her real dad, but she wants him in on the conversation she wants to start. He raised her like a dad and loves her like a dad. It's the need to know that pains her every single day. Why is everything such a big secret? Her daddy didn't die in an accident. She knows that much.

Neal comes home from work a few minutes before seven pm and while she knows she has to go to bed in two hours and that the conversation she wants to have might take forever, she moves forward with her plan. As soon as they're sitting at the dinner table she drops the bomb.

"Dad didn't die in an accident."

She can see that Neal is happy he swallowed the food in his mouth before she made her statement. Anne also sees the uncomfortable look on both her mom and Neal's face.

"Please tell me," she adds. She doesn't want to sound like she's begging but somewhere deep down she knows she is.

"Honey," Elizabeth manages to say, but her daughter interrupts her and looks at Neal.

"You were there."

Neal knows she's referring to the fact that he still walks with a limp even after all those years. They told her he was near the accident when it happened. They told her a few years ago and they'd hoped she wouldn't bring it up, at least not right now. She's only eight years old.

Neal eyes Elle and when she nods her head he starts talking. He knows he doesn't have to explain every little detail and it's just better if he doesn't. One of the facts he vows to leave out, at least for now, is that her dad killed the perpetrator's brother during the arrest.

"Your dad arrested a bad man once and that man's brother…" Neal stopped for a moment, not sure how to continue. There's no right way of saying this, he figured.

"That man… placed a bomb in your dad's car."

The look Anne gives him breaks his heart. Elizabeth responds by grabbing her daughter's hand and pulling her into an embrace with her other hand.

"What… what about you?"

Why are you not dead? Neal's been asking himself that question for years. He can't blame her for wondering.

"I was throwing away our coffee cups," he admits.

Anne gives him a nod, but doesn't say anything. All three of them don't say anything for a long time.

Elizabeth's the first to speak again. "You can stay home tomorrow." Making her go to school would be a horrible thing to do.

"I want to go to bed."

"Sure, honey." Elizabeth kisses her daughter and watches her leave the room.

"You okay?" she asks Neal.

The ex-con just looks at her for a moment before replying.

"I'm not sure. Are you?" he throws the question back.

"I'm not sure either."

"We knew this was going to happen."

"I guess this is a good thing," Elle says.

Neal nods. "We'll be okay."

Elizabeth grabs Neal's hand now.

"I know."

The end

A/N: Let me know what you think. I love reviews.