Setting the Stage

Chuck was bored and sitting reclined in his office chair behind the Nerd Herd desk. As he gently swayed back and forth, he was watching the rest of the employees go about their business.

Morgan was actually working with a customer, Lester was standing behind him assisting Hannah, and the rest of the employees were working or lounging as usual.

As a former employee and computer tech herself, Hannah knew how to fix her computer, but it was getting the program needed that was an issue. In an effort to ramp up sales, Buymore Corporate had gotten a deal to make them the only distributer for the product. As a result, Hannah was forced to return to the Buymore. Refusing to work with Chuck, she accepted Lester for the simple sale.

Wishing there was something to occupy his thoughts, but finding nothing of interest, Chuck let his mind wander where it willed.

With a sigh, Peter discovered that his phone wasn't working and, being on a traveling case in Burbank, he decided to get it fixed as soon as possible since he would be needing it. The errand wasn't going to be pleasant though. He had been ordered to bring Neal along with him so the enforced radius and trust issues made everything awkward between them.

Neal was either trying to get back onto Peter's good side, or he was quietly waiting and watching to see how things played out.

Meanwhile, Peter was trying to figure out how he felt as he had been having misgivings about his partnership with Neal. After all, he had evidence proving that Neal was lying about the treasure and his actions had, in part, caused Elizabeth to be abducted by Keller who put her in life threatening danger. Giving Neal his due, he did take the risks to save Elizabeth, and despite having the treasure, he was still around.

What made their situation even more awkward was the fact that Neal had to remain within less than a dozen yards of his location at all times… which was very uncomfortable for both of them considering the circumstances.

Looking to get the situation over with as soon as possible, Peter decided to ask one of the local FBI agents where he should go to get his phone fixed. "Oh, that's easy. Go to the Buymore over on Burbank Boulevard and take it to the Nerd Herd desk. However, ask for Chuck and only work with him if you want the job done right. He is the best fix it guy in the city, but the challenge is getting him. The guy is often not available… no one ever seems to know anything except that 'He is on an install.' Whatever that means." That was the resounding consensus of the entire office, 'Take it to Chuck at the Buymore.'

It looked like this 'Chuck' was going to be the best solution so Peter decided he would begin the battle of hauling Neal to the Buymore. He didn't tell Neal where they were going, simply ordered him to follow him to the car. This wasn't entirely normal, but of late, it was a common occurrence.

As they drove through the city streets, Peter worked on coming up with his argument. I need to get my phone fixed and you have to remain within your radius to my location. So, yes, you have to come along with me. Cowboy up and stop complaining, this isn't my definition of fun either. The same argument seemed to summarize what Peter was thinking, so it seemed to be the winner.

When they arrived at the Buymore, Peter got out of the car and turned to Neal. He was opening his mouth and about to give Neal his spiel about why they were there, but to his utter surprise, Neal was simply climbing out of the car and looking around quietly. Before he could ask Neal what he was doing by not complaining, Neal spoke.

"Peter, can you tell me why this city feels so familiar? I have never done anything particular here, and I certainly haven't been to a random Buymore. Why do I feel like this place is special… like there is some huge piece of my life tied into that building?" Neal sounded hesitant and looked something between confused and concerned. It was like he was a small child asking his dad why he felt a sense of déjà vu, but feeling like an idiot for feeling like he had been somewhere that he knew he had never been.

Choking on his words, Peter couldn't come up with anything to say to that. Instead, he simply stared at Neal for a few moments and tried to comprehend where in the world that had come from! Neal sincerely looked lost and forlorn in a way that Peter had never imagined his friend being. For a moment, he wondered if Neal was trying to pull another con, then he thought that maybe Neal really met it, and then he thought that maybe Neal didn't have a clue what was going on so he decided to ask him. The person he once claimed was the only person in his life that he could trust. That stopped Peter in his mental tracks. Neal trusted him enough to show when he didn't have a clue and relied on him to help him find the way… and not just in solving a case, but with something that seemed to have an unknown emotional hold on Neal. "I don't know Neal. I only know the things that you have told me, the few things about your past that I can prove, and my conjecture to fill in the holes. There are huge portions of your past that I know nothing about."

Neal flinched and turned away with a look that said he wished he had never asked.

That look made Peter's heart slump in his chest and an ache fill it like lead. "I didn't mean it like that Neal. Still, it is a fact. You asked me why this place seems familiar, but I don't know enough about your past to tell you the answer. Perhaps something will connect while you're here and you'll find the answer from the place itself."

With a silent nod of acquiescence, Neal quietly followed Peter into the building.

It didn't take long after they entered the store before Peter and Neal were accosted by a short angry man with a beard. While the man reamed Neal out about something to do with Stanford, Chuck, and betrayals of the lowest form… Peter could only think what is this bearded gnome talking about? While he watched, Neal got a look that said he had no idea what was going on and wished someone would explain.

Before Peter could try to get a handle on the situation, two more people approached and joined in on the accusations. This time there was something about 'Why would you say he cheated,' 'How did you set him up,' and more questions about these unknown incidents from 'Stanford.' The one that really got Peter's attentions was when they all looked at Neal and asked "I thought you were dead, how did you fake that?"

Deciding it was time to interject, Peter broke in with, "Okay, that's enough everybody. Neal, can you explain what they are talking about?"

Neal simply shook his head with a wide eyed 'deer caught in the headlights' expression.

Gently but firmly, Peter directed the group to move with him. "Where is this Chuck and let's see if he can help set this situation straight?"

…I would choose… Chuck was startled out of his inner monologue by the ruckus in front of him.

As he looked up, he squeaked "Bryce!" and jolted back in his seat before he felt his mind disconnect with the familiar feeling of a flash. Seriously, Bryce Larkin has been hanging out as Neal Caffrey and a White Collar criminal? Regaining his control, he looked up again. "What is going on?"

He was hit with a blast of noise as all of the people started to talk at once. "He is dead, what is he doing here?" "Tell him he isn't welcome after what he did!" "What is all of this about?" "Will someone please explain what is going on?" With Bryce sounding so forlorn and confused, it was enough to make a mix of Chuck's inner Carmichael blend with his past experience as Bryce's best friend (who used his couch experience to help others) to step up and take command.

"Quiet!" Chuck shouted above the noise.

As the entire store suddenly got quiet and everybody looked to Chuck, he calmly waived the rest of the store to return to their work and directed that it was a private matter.

Looking at Bryce a little closer, he couldn't help but notice the open confusion. This isn't him hiding his cover, he genuinely doesn't know what is going on! "Bryce, you were dead, and now you're not. What did they do to you this time? They seem to have made you forget everything!" Sighing at the slack jawed expressions and turning around, he asked Lester to watch the desk as he had a situation to handle that would be best taken care of in the back.

Lester started to complain before Chuck shot him a look that gave him no other choice. Hannah seemed to be rather shocked for a moment, but then she returned her focus to Lester in an effort to get back to her new job.

Turning back to the group in front of him, Chuck continued to be in a commanding mode. "Agent Burke, if you and Neal would follow me, we can hopefully get this settled quickly. The rest of you might as well come too. She isn't going to like this, but a certain amount of things are kind of blown anyway."

It was a seriously upset procession that followed Chuck into the back. Once they were out behind the store, he indicated that the group should find places to sit along the loading docks.

"First of all, hello Peter. My name is Chuck and I am an old friend of Neal's… even though he doesn't seem to remember that right now." Holding his hands up again to postpone the series of comments, Chuck continued. "There are a lot of questions going around here and I can't answer them all. Some I know the answers to but I can't share them, while others I don't know the answers to share them." Walking over to Neal he began to focus on him. "What is the first thing that you can remember going back into your life?"

Surprised, Neal responded with the first thing that came to mind. "Growing up in wit-sec with my mom and surrogate aunt."

Again Chuck felt his mind disconnect with a flash. So Neal is his real name, but Caffrey is his mother's maiden name. Wit-sec? …Oh, his father is a dirty cop… Neal had always wanted to be a cop? I guess that explains why he suddenly changed his plans from building a company with me to being an agent. He was returning to his roots, but putting his own stamp on the person he became instead of relying on being 'his father's son.' When the images cleared and his mind had thought through the implications of what he had just learned, Chuck looked at Neal with a new expression. It wasn't pity, no, more of understanding. He now knew where he came from and his real history. "Okay, do you remember how you came to be Neal Caffrey?"

Neal was as confused as the others by this point, but he still answered. "I was eighteen when I found out that my father had betrayed me, my closest family had lied to me about everything, and the very reasons for my goals in life were based off of the history created for me by my family and the Marshals. It was devastating, so I ran away. Living on the streets I learned the skills of how to con and take care of myself. Eventually I found the adrenaline exhilarating and became the world renowned con that was arrested by Agent Burke here. As for the name, it is a mix of my real name and my mother's maiden name. It is as close as I am willing to go to my real name."

Peter stared at Neal like he was seeing him for the first time.

Really, they all were learning something about Bryce/Neal that they never expected. The information was received with a mixture of reactions. Morgan and the Woodcombs didn't believe it, Peter stored it away as something to discuss later, and Chuck shook his head knowing that it was wrong. Neal was created as a cover after Bryce was recruited into the CIA, the story he was just told was the cover based in the truth of Bryce's… Neal's (?)... childhood.

Deciding to proceed with figuring out what he could, Chuck continued to question him. "What does the name Bartowski mean to you?"

Shrugging, Neal answered. "Nothing. Should it?"

Sighing, Chuck asked them if they could wait for a few minutes as he needed to step inside and make a phone call for a moment to better direct what he thought might be going on.

Hurrying away, Chuck hoped that the General would have an answer for him. Still, he feared that this was another situation where Bryce was revived by the enemy with no one knowing what was going on. What else they may have done to him was what scared him more than anything.

After the General promised that she had no idea Bryce was alive, she demanded that Chuck confirm his identity and investigate into what had happened.

Taking a side trip down into Castle, Chuck retrieved some equipment to confirm Bryce's identity.

In the hope of getting answers, the group decided to let him go and waited with growing impatience to learn what was going on.

As they waited, the group was glaring at Neal, looking at the ground in confusion, or looking to the door with the hope that Chuck would hurry back.

Time passed way too slowly, but eventually Chuck returned with a bag full of supplies.

Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing, leaving kudos, following, and choosing to favorite :D

As I mentioned last week, I will post some extra chapters at random points on either Tuesday or Thursday depending on the flow of the story and/or my schedule.