The PROMPT:

Scatterbrained White Collar Crossover prompt

So I had this dream last night, and it was kinda vague as dreams frequently are, so take what you will from this prompt, just thought it might spark some plotbunny inspiration.

The dream itself was basically the opening to a White Collar episode, and it had Neal standing on a rooftop of a tall building, looking out at a stadium or something like it where people were setting up a circus tent, and there was a large billboard with neon lights out in the distance announcing that Haly's Circus was coming to New York. Someone was standing behind Neal asking if he was sure that he could handle this undercover operation.

That's pretty much it for the dream. It seemed like it was suggesting that Neal was Dick Grayson all grown up, which would ask the question of how Dick turned into Neal the conman. Or maybe Neal moonlights as Nightwing, maybe not (and does Bruce know about the Neal persona and just what Dick has gotten himself involved with as an adult?) Feel free to adjust this crossover however you want, anon is happy with anything.

You could even have it be something like Dick and Neal are completely different people, but meet during this undercover operation.

The Notes: This was hard. It was tough to come up with something which still had the dramedy feel of White Collar, since the Neal = Dick direction I wanted to go in made the whole thing overly dramatic in the first few attempts. I think I've got a good balance going right now but I'm playing with the timelines of both White Collar and Batman (but both kind of have messed up timeline in the first place so… *shrugs*). It's also a Young Justice Prompt but... I'm not doing it with Young Justice. It's closer to the Batman comics than the TV show.

The title refers to how long Dick has been keeping the Neal Caffrey cover going.

Seven Years Running...

Can you handle it?

It was dark. But, New York was the city that never sleeps and there were lights everywhere on the ground below and glowing in the windows above the ground. People milled about, unloading trains and trailers marked with bright declarations labelled 'Haly's Circus'.

Far above them, a figure stood upon the ledge of a nearby rooftop and watched as they worked. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine what it was like down there, surrounded by the bustling movement and scents of a circus waiting to begin. The anticipation. The comradery.

But then he opened his eyes and would be on the rooftop again. Distant and unable to join.

Shadows shifted behind him and he heard the soft footfalls of someone who had been waiting for him.

"I saw the billboard," they said. It was visible even now, neon lights proudly announcing that Haly's Circus was coming to New York. "Asking to meet me here, does this mean you accept?"

"Yes," Dick said.

"You'll need to keep this cover going a long time."

"It'll get easier with time."

The figure hesitated for a moment.

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I can handle it," Dick responded. He smiled, a white grin flashing in the darkness.

Teachers

Neal Caffrey had three teachers after his parents. The third was Mozzie, who had been impressed with his skill. The second was Catwoman, who taught him how to steal from corrupt. The first was Batman, who was not at all happy he agreed to this undercover identity. It caused a fight between them when he explained his plan. Batman believed he had no reason to be a thief and that Roy Harper's plan was fundamentally flawed.

Dick thought it was a good plan and, while Roy's initial goal was flawed, it had the potential to pay off in other ways. Besides, he had been Batman for the past year; and he had some choice words to say to Bruce for taking the cape and cowl (and Robin!) away from him, and didn't feel like going back to Nightwing just yet.

This would serve as a distraction while he tried to figure out what it was he wanted to do.

Bonds and Thievery

Stealing already stolen items from criminals was not always the best thing to do, Neal learnt rather quickly. Many of them had ways to 'prove' that the stolen items belonged to them. Others had police under their thumb who they could use to trump up charges against him.

Floating the stolen bonds he had liberated in an attempt to bring out the person who really created them hadn't worked and only brought the attention of the FBI down on him.

Yeah, Mozzie hadn't been happy about that.

Come to think of it. Batman hadn't been happy when he found out either. It took until Neal's arrest and trial for him to find out though.

Prison

Neal Caffrey sighed and kicked his feet up against the wall. His beard itched and he couldn't wait until he could get rid of it. But, it was a means to an end. Escaping the prison was the first step in his new plan.

He heard the footsteps, too light to be a proper guard.

"This is crazy," Roy said when he stopped outside of his cell.

Neal frowned, the effect lost due to beard interference.

"Kate wouldn't break up with me unless something had happened," he explained. "She's our main informant." Kate had been a master grifter, something Neal hadn't learnt until Alder had vanished after executing his Ponzi scheme. He had to admit, she was good.

They had made a great pair, a crime fighter acting as a conman and a conwoman acting like a lover brought over to the criminal side.

"Then wait a few months until you're out," Roy commented. "Escaping will just add more time to your sentence and make the three years you spend rotting in here to clear Neal's record a waste of time."

Neal barked a quiet, "hey! How many criminals have we managed to take down with the information I gathered in here?"

Roy sighed.

"I'm really worried that Jay is going to find out about this and kill me. I mean, Bats told them that you left but I don't think they know what's going on. You've been in jail for years and it's because of my brilliant idea."

"Well, you're still calling it a brilliant idea so it must have served some use," Neal smirked. Again, the effect was diminished by the beard.

"I meant it sarcastically," Roy countered with a scolding frown.

"Be sure to let Bats know then. He'll be overjoyed. I still think it was a good idea."

They stared at each other for a few moments, testing each other's dedication to their position.

"Fine," Roy relented. "But your plan had better involve losing that horrible face-piece."

"Hey!" Neal responded, trying to sound scandalised. He pet the beard he had grown. "It's a nice face-piece. Very prison-chic."

Roy threw his hands in the air and started to walk off.

"You'll want to have heavier footsteps than that!" Neal advised cheerfully. Once Roy was out of sight, he settled back down, going through his plan again with a serious expression. He couldn't afford to mess this up.

Kate

The escape went without a hitch and Neal burst into their old apartment, expecting to see Kate packing but finding nothing but the remains of his meagre possessions.

"Kate!" he called, hoping she was here. He looked around and spotted the bottle sitting on the ground.

He was sitting on the ground, feeling like a failure as Peter Burke came in to pick him up.

The bottle meant goodbye. But it had to be hiding something.

FBI

Roy sat across from Neal in a very professional suit.

"You know, if all my visitors start pretending to be my lawyer, I think they're going to get suspicious," Neal commented.

Roy just shrugged in a very Jason-like way. Neal wondered if he should tell them that they were spending too much time together.

"So, you didn't tell me you were tight with the FBI."

Neal rolled his eyes.

"I'm not 'tight with the FBI'."

Roy smiled and handed him a folder. Neal's eyes widened at the sight of an order for Peter Burke to track him down. At least he knew why Peter had dropped everything to find him after his escape. Other things in the folder included information on tracking anklets and the offer he had made Peter.

"Huh."

"Seems like you're tight with this Agent Burke. So, FBI? What's the story there?" Neal knew that tone. It said, 'what bleeding heart has your attention this time?'.

"Remember how you were complaining about corrupt officials a few months ago? How you believed there were some in the FBI who were practically untouchable?"

"You think you can ferret them out?" Roy questioned sceptically.

Neal smiled.

Roy cocked an eyebrow.

Neal titled his head.

"Sounds like a plan then."

"Yep. I'm going to need your help with this. So I'll call you when I'm out."

"You really think Agent Burke is going to go for this?"

"I think he will. It'll be cool. I'll get to spend four years with the FBI."

Roy still seemed sceptical. He couldn't help it. He had seen the lists of FBI informants that didn't live full lives. Neal Caffrey was not a name he wanted on that list.

"You better call me when you get out," he said in a warning tone, promising payback if Neal went back on his word.

June's

Peter Burke took the deal and Neal found himself sporting a weight around his ankle and $700 a month for a place to stay. Luckily, he managed to find a place.

Mozzie's visit to June's came quicker than he thought. He hadn't even contacted the man yet.

What didn't surprise him was the visit he had a night after. This one had been scheduled. Neal had been sitting at the dining table, typing on his laptop when he heard a thud from the balcony. One of the things he really loved about June's place was the large balcony.

Looking up, he saw who he had expected. Arsenal, in his red outfit with his bow strapped to his back, knocking on the window.

Neal walked over, unlocked the balcony door and let him in.

"Hey man, you're late," he said.

"Brought you a present," Arsenal said, dropping the bag he had carried in onto the ground.

Neal dived for it and opened it in a hurry.

Inside was a new uniform and equipment, including a new state-of-the-line grappling hook.

"Got it from Jay," Roy explained.

"Nice," Neal responded. "Did he ask you why you wanted these things?"

"No. Developed some of this myself and some extra for him and he granted me access to the Bat-specs. I think I know how to make a Batarang now."

Neal laughed at that. He took out the grappling hook and sighed happily.

"It'll be nice to fly again," he commented. Then he deflated a little.

"But, you've got a weight holding you down," Roy remembered.

"That's what I called you," Neal responded. He pulled up his sweatpants and flipped his leg up onto the table. "Think you can get it off?"

Roy looked the anklet over and mused on it.

"It'll be tough but I reckon I could pull it off."

Neal brightened.

"That'd be great!" Two minds working on the problem meant he could have freedom sooner rather than later. Even if they were working against each other, one unknowingly.

"When I get it off, I'm coming flying with you, Dick."

Neal looked up at Roy. The expression on the red-head's face said he knew exactly what he said.

"You know the FBI's watching me, right?" Neal pointed out, trying to remind him that he was undercover.

"So what?" Roy questioned, throwing his arms up into the air. "They'll just think I'm insulting you, if they even know I'm here!"

"It's not a good idea to call me that while I'm undercover."

"Maybe that's the point," Roy responded passionately. "You've been playing this mask of Neal Caffrey for over seven years now." It was much longer than they had intended when they had started this. "You've had identities numbering in the double digits and even spent years in prison. At this point, I'm going to call you whatever I want. And I want to call you by your real name. Someone needs to, Dick Grayson."

Neal smiled. It was a nice gesture but he didn't need his name to remind him of who he was.