Well, wasn’t yours a soul-searching story... for all the characters I love most : Neal, Peter, Mozzie, Diana and Hughes!
All of them had to face their feelings, their conscience, their sense of truth and justice... with all the consequent struggling!
Thank you for writing it: it has been a pleasure to read it!

I really enjoyed this story. Strangely, what I liked the most about was that Mozzie was forced to sacrifice a little bit for Neal. Okay, more than a little. It's just that, as much as I like Mozzie's character, he really is a horrible influence on Neal in a lot of ways. Not that Neal couldn't say no; as Dianna pointed out, he's not exactly a teenager who has to be guarded from peer pressure (except that he has the maturity and probably the moral development of one, sometimes, so it's hard not to think of it like that). Their relationship *is* sort of like that of a couple of trouble-making kids, though, where one of them comes up with the idea, convinces the accomplice, and the accomplice ends up being the one who gets in trouble when he gets caught. It's not that both Neal and Mozzie aren't guilty; it's that, when both of them do something bad, only Neal ends up in trouble for it. It's somewhat of a pattern with them, and it made me dislike Mozzie a little bit after season 3. It's not that he can't be a good, loyal friend, though; it's that he truly doesn't understand why someone would want to go straight, and I think you showed a good balance between those two parts of him, here. I'm glad that Neal was able to (begin) to reconcile with his friends, here. Great story!

Wow! Absolute masterpiece! Loved. Really amazing, totally splendid, heartbreaking and in the end truly beautiful.

I liked your conclusion of this story. It was good that Mozzie did this, and it may have worked well enough to get Neal to realize what he really wants to do with his life. Good story!

A little bit late for Neal to realize how much he wants to stay in New York, isn't it? I hope Mozzie has a plan.

This is very interesting. I'm watching season 3 at the moment, and I'll have to stop myself from yelling at Neal (otherwise I'll get funny looks from my husband). It seemed so stupid of him to risk everything, when it's so clear that he doesn't even want to leave New York. Mozzie didn't give him much of a choice, but still ... I'm curious where this is going. Oh, and I loved how you wrote Peter (and Diana) in this chapter.

Cool story. The first one I've read where Mozzie take responsibility for the art theft.

I too would be very sad if Mozzie had to leave the show but I did enjoy this story. You had me with Peter breaking down in front of Diana. Well done.

I'm not often interested in AU fics that wander away from canon, rather than making a clean break of it, but I really enjoyed this one, and found it a believable direction for the story to have gone in. I'd have really missed Mozzie if the show had done something like this, but it was a fun idea to explore. I especially love the moment when Diana finds Peter crying, it was very heart wrenching.

the end.

It's simply great.

Finally Peter and Neal are friend again, more than friend and partner, they are family each other.

Thanks for this story, it's amazing, and i'll miss it.

Good ending. It was nice to see Peter and Neal working on another case and slowing repairing their friendship. I'm glad Neal hasn't forgotten Mozzie and we can hope that, somehow, in the future they will reconnect.

Thanks for sharing this story.

Let's do this together - breath a sigh of relief!

One...Two...Three...

SIGH!

It's posted. You had the staggering task of creating this story, involving Diana smacking Neal! It was strenuous at times yet the best of times. I'm so glad to have gotten acquainted with you! You are talented. May it be with Chemistry, juggling a busy life, or creating majestic storylines and realistic character traits, you are meritorious. I'm so thankful to know you!

Hooray!

Loved this story and you ended it perfectly

Nicely done!

I am sorry I was late finding this story - so I fear I'll burden you with an overlong review. I really like your handle on all the characters and the scenes in these chapters have been great. Some examples:

Chapter 1 - the Peter - Diana scene is even more powerful than the Peter - Neal one, if that is possible. This is one of the few realistic setups that I could see Peter would break down over Neal's lies. Peter and Diana have a very special bond and their intensity comes over very well. As does Neal's terrible anguish when he realizes 'the gig is up.'

Chapter 2 - Neal lifting Diana's phone - oh, living dangerously! Plus the Peter - Elizabeth conversation is wonderfully done.

Chapter 3 - Neal confesses and Mozzie finds out. Oh boy.

Chapter 4 Some of these lines are classic Mozzie; 'look him in the eye and lie' - and the one that sums up everything - 'Is it the Suit or do you want out of the life?' If they had done that in the series several episodes before they did, it would have been much better. I like your timeline a lot more.

Chapter 5 - At last, Peter gets the truth from Moz. And poor Hughes who has a complete mess on his hands.

Chapter 6 Another great Mozzie chapter. Love the line he might 'share some non existent affection for the Suit' - but Satchmo is not to be trusted 'cause he lives with a fed.' The world according to Moz. g

Chapter 7 - love the line about Neal being a dichotomy - so true.

Chapter 8 - Another great Peter and Diana scene - thank you! Plus a very powerful scene with Peter and Hughes, who must be thinking all of this is his very worst nightmare come true. He will lose Neal and probably Peter. Pass the advil...

Now we come to Neal's second confession - sort of?

As you can tell by this review, I am completely enjoying this story. I look forward to seeing how it all ends.