So, this has been in the works for a long while, but with my tendency to slow up/stop updates after a certain point where the muse becomes uncooperative, I figured I'd try finish it before I posted. It sort of worked – frankly, I'm amazed I lasted this long. Patience is not my strong suit. The newest few episodes sort of scuppered some of my ideas, but I reckon I managed to work around them ;)

Hope you enjoy…

Title: You Stole My Smile, But I Gave You My Heart
Disclaimer: The only thing that's mine is the only 'real' non-canon thing in this. lol not to give the game away or anything.
Summary: Alex returns with a gift for Neal. The problem is, he's not entirely sure what to do with it. Needless to say, it pretty much turns his world upside down.

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"Every story can have a perfect ending. You just have to wait for it."
Marisa Draper

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Chapter One

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"We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance."
Harrison Ford

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The letter is waiting for him on his bedside table when he returns later that night.

He recognizes her handwriting instantly, in that one scrawl of black ink that addresses the contents to him, and him alone.

He flips the envelope over and smiles when he sees her seal: a faint outline of the lipstick creases of her mouth. He inhales her perfume like she's standing next to him, pressing the kiss to his skin and imprinting herself on him forever.

Neal, it reads, I hope this finds you well.

It's already more formal than he's used to; their notes to one another usually quick and to the point, even coded, playful and light. There's a seriousness to this, and it has his mind whirring and his gut churning already.

My circumstances have changed, and you're the only one I can trust with this.

If she's got herself in trouble, he's only too happy – well ok, maybe not happy, per se… actually, no, he is happy to help her out – for one, it livens up those monotonous days at the office a bit.

He's to meet her in the park, the exact location of which has him frowning a touch, tomorrow, just after noon. There's nothing like fair warning between two old friends.

He rolls his eyes; wondering if she's really in trouble at all, or if she's just enjoying playing on this vibe of mystery. He'll use Mozzie as a consult; when the man actually bothers to turn up.

Don't hate me, Neal. I was only doing what was best for all of us.

Now that, that has him worried.

P.S. don't worry about your little government leash, it's one of the reasons I'm doing this.

Needless to say, he doesn't get much sleep that night.

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"Do you know anything about this?" he asks his partner; the man has been oddly compliant with his requests all morning, and frankly, it's more than a little suspicious.

"Do I know anything about what?" Peter responds, casting him a look that lasts far longer than it should when he's at the wheel of a car.

"Eyes on the road, Peter," he rebukes automatically.

His partner heaves a sigh, but does as he's told, which makes Neal smile despite himself.

"This," he says, holding up the letter for emphasis. "Do you know what this is about?"

Peter bats his hands away, scolding, "One minute you're telling me to plant my eyes straight ahead, next minute you're waving sheets of paper in front of me."

Neal just rolls his eyes; the deflection is feeble at best.

"How you had the Bureau chasing you for six years is beyond me," his partner grumbles. "Memory like a sieve."

"You've spoken to her, haven't you?" he says instead.

"Who?" Peter prompts, casting him an actual glance at this point, time appropriate.

"Alex," he practically sighs; honestly it's like talking to a child. And Peter calls him the juvenile in their partnership.

"Your Alex?" is the reply, and Peter lifts an eyebrow, briefly looking across at him again.

"She told you not to say anything, didn't she?" Neal surmises at that.

He rolls his eyes and slouches down in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and tipping the rim of his fedora down over his eyes.

"Wake me when we get there," he instructs his partner.

"You know the petulant child act is getting pretty old," Peter tells him.

"Whatever, Dad," Neal responds, mildly peeved at the whole affair.

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He spots her instantly, and his eyes remain trained on her form as he and Peter walk along the path towards her.

"Alex," he says on approach.

She turns at his voice and after a beat her lips lift into a smile. "Neal. You came."

"Your letter was decidedly cryptic," he replies easily, taking a seat next to her on the park bench. "You know how curious I get when you tease me by withholding the details."

Alex lifts her shoulder in a half-hearted attempt at a shrug. "Needs must," is all she says to that.

And then she turns to Peter and nods her head in acknowledgement.

"I see you brought the cavalry," she remarks with a light smirk. "Afternoon Agent Burke."

"Ms. Hunter," his partner responds in kind.

"I'm fairly certain you're a little more acquainted than that," Neal comments, and glances between the two of them.

The expression that flickers across Alex's face does not go unnoticed; and her gaze is trained on his partner still, which only serves to further intensify Neal's desire to know what the Hell is going on.

"So, you do know what this is all about," he says then, and swivels round to fit Peter with a look.

For his part, the other man remains silent.

"Come on then," Neal prompts, looking between the pair once more. "Out with it."

"I think I'll give you two a minute," Peter tells them, and Neal's brow furrows.

"Why?" he asks, still in high-spirits, because obviously she can't be in that much trouble if she's not even really bothering with the cloak and dagger routine.

His partner just nods and gives him a look that says trust me, and then he claps Neal on the shoulder and turns to walk a few steps in the direction they just came.

"Neal, I – " Alex starts, and then cuts herself off.

He continues to watch her and she takes a breath in, straightens up and nods.

"Alright," she says, although it seems like it's more like he's psyching herself up than agreeing to do as he's asking of her.

She gulps, and his eyes drift down to watch the bobble in her throat, and now he really wants to know, because honestly there's quite a few pieces here and it's more annoying than not that he's been unable to put them together thus far.

"The little one," Alex says, pointing across the grass to the smallest child in the group gathered together near the jungle gym. "With the messy brown hair and the green and gray dress covered in dirt."

She rolls her eyes a little and releases a small laugh wrapped in a sigh.

"With the ridiculous accessory on her head," she adds, fondness arching her words.

And then she turns to meet his eyes, and doesn't move an inch.

"Her name's Camille," Alex tells him. "She's six years old, and she's your daughter."

Well, damn.

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TBC…

A/N: I realise there's quite a few fics out there with this subject/plot whatever, but I'm hoping you'll give mine a try anyway, jus 'cos ;)

Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think – it really means a lot! :)
Steph
xxx