A/N: So this is the last chapter. I know this is a short story but I was just testing the waters, I tend to write short stories at first before I know what to do. Someone mentioned that they would have loved to see more of a back story, so I will try and do a story with these characters of more plot and story, but right now I just wanted to see if I could get the characters right. I'm hoping that I have done what I wanted with this story, a huge thank you to everyone who has read this story and reviewed.

I hope I did a good job.

Thank you to SameHere, I couldn't have done this without you!

Part 5

Peter had fallen into an easy routine, one that he had gotten used to and was starting to like. It had been almost a week since Neal had gotten hurt. Though Neal was still in a lot of pain, he was starting to get better. Peter found that when he went to help him out of bed, Neal was leaning on him less and less, when Peter went to help push Neal's cushions up, it was already done. Neal was becoming okay again, and that was a good thing, except Peter was starting to feel useless around him. He had fallen into a routine where he was the one to help Neal, and now that Neal didn't need any help he didn't know what he was there for.

Peter sighed as he set the table in the kitchen for breakfast. Since Neal could sit up without being in constant pain now, they had moved from eating breakfast in the living room to in the kitchen, though Neal still had a cushion against his back to help support him. Slowly, Peter looked up when he heard footsteps in the hall. They were slow, and every so often there was a grunt of pain. Waiting for Neal to come in the room was the hardest thing Peter had ever had to do. All his instincts screamed for him to rush to Neal's side, to put an arm around him and help him, but he bit his lip and waited for Neal to come in. He knew that Neal had to do this alone. Neal needed to realise that he was getting better. Peter needed to realise that too.

"Good morning," Neal's voice was tired, the walk from the bedroom to the kitchen had worn him out. He collapsed more than sat down, wincing as his aching body hit the wooden chair frame.

"Good morning." Peter replied softly, though the wincing and the groaning wasn't anything new, it made Peter smile; Neal wasn't in as much pain as he had been before. Neal was getting better. "You slept longer than normal."

"I didn't wake up in the middle of the night either." Neal smiled, "Guess that's a good sign right?"

"Right." Peter said quietly, his smile not reaching his eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Neal asked, picking up on Peter's mood.

"Yeah, everything is fine." Peter said, he shook his head trying to wipe the thoughts from his head. He had no idea why he was feeling like this. Neal was getting better and everything was going to be okay. Why was his brain confusing everything.

"Do you want to watch a movie after breakfast then?" Neal asked, he could smell the breakfast Peter had started to make and it reminded him how hungry he was.

"Sounds good." Peter smiled, he stood up and continued making breakfast, the menial task busying his brain and thankfully, stopping the nagging thoughts going on in his head.

It wasn't until after they had eaten breakfast, and watched an action movie – the plot escaping Peter, all he was aware of was the fact that even the explosions weren't loud enough to startle him from his thoughts – that Neal brought Peter's mood up again. During the film Neal had noticed a lot of changes in his friend, he was quiet, solemn even, his normal banter about what was going onscreen and what would happen in real life wasn't there. Neal knew that something was bothering him and he was determined to find out what it was. But what left Neal's mouth had nothing to do with how Peter was feeling, but it was something that had been nagging Neal for a while.

"How come you and Elizabeth don't have children?" Neal knew that he had worded it wrong. There could be millions of reasons why they didn't have children, most of them horrible and upsetting to think about. It was also none of his business, though he knew that Peter would never be mad at him for asking something like that, he didn't like the idea of hurting his friend. Peter didn't look hurt; he looked confused and almost amused that Neal would ask him something like that.

"That's a bit out of the blue." Peter said, a smile toying on his lips. Neal rolled his eyes. Peter could tell that Neal was uncomfortable asking the question. Peter was actually enjoying it. Neal didn't know what else to say, so he just shrugged and waited for Peter to continue talking. "We've spoken about it, we both want children; one day. Just not yet. With my job it wouldn't be fair to her, and she's not in the right place of her life yet. One day we both know we'd make good parents, but just not yet."

"I think you'd make a good dad." Neal said after letting Peter's words wash over him. "Sometimes I hope my dad was like you." Neal had no idea why he was saying things like this, a part of him wanted to believe that it was the painkillers; they were still in his system and still making his brain fuzzy. But the deeper part of himself knew that he was saying it because it was true and he was desperate for Peter to know. "But then sometimes I hope he isn't, because I could never imagine someone like you leaving a child alone."

"You don't talk about him." Peter said, keeping his voice soft, comforting.

"I don't know a lot about him, to talk about." Neal admitted. "He died when I was two."

"Oh Neal, I'm so sorry." Peter whispered, he wondered how he didn't know that. What else didn't he know about Neal? Right now he knew that he didn't like how sad he looked, he wished he could do something to take the hurt and the pain away. He wanted to take Neal in his arms and hold him, but physical comfort had never really been their thing. Instead, he placed a firm hand on his arm, gave a soft squeeze and hoped it conveyed what he wanted it to; 'I'm here for you, no matter what.' The look in Neal's eyes told him that it was enough, and that he was grateful.

"It's going to be weird not having you here." Peter said, a feeling of relief washed over him, as though a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

"It's been nice." Neal said in return. "I'm getting better, but...I don't know, it's been nice." Neal repeated not able to find the words. "It's good having a guy I can talk to, I mean Mozzie is great and all, but this just feels...nice."

"Nice." Peter nodded.

"It wasn't how I thought it would be." Neal added, Peter raised an eyebrow. What did Neal mean? Before he had a chance to ask him, Neal started to talk again. "I hate showing people how weak I am, I was scared that you would think less of me." Peter's heart felt heavy as Neal said that. He would never ever think less of Neal for being hurt, he certainly didn't think that he was weak.

"Neal, you got hurt. That doesn't make you weak, it was something that was beyond your control." Peter said, hoping his words struck hard with Neal. He needed him to believe it.

"And nothing has changed?" Neal asks, that was what he was worried about, things changing. For him and Peter not to be him and Peter anymore.

"Nothing has changed," Peter promised.

They didn't say anything else, they just settled back into the sofa and watched another film, neither paying attention both just thinking about what had been said between them, though nothing had really changed, they both knew their friendship was stronger, they both just wished it hadn't taken Neal getting hurt to get them there.