Title: White Collar Christmas

Summary: Neal doesn't want to spend the holidays alone.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The following story is for fan entertainment only.

Chapter Six: We Need A Little Christmas

When Neal emerged from the shower, a pair of boxers, a sweatshirt and sweatpants were sitting on the closed toilet lid. He didn't recognize the sweats. He picked them up and realized that they were Peters, they must have been from the gym bag he kept in his car. He got dressed, feeling considerably warmer and more comfortable in Peter's worn out clothes than anything he owned. He could hear Peter in the kitchen and he could smell what he thought was chicken soup. Before leaving the bathroom, he looked at himself in the mirror. He had hoped he would look more confident, more assured, but his face still looked uncertain. He wanted to convince Peter that they were good, that there was nothing more to talk about, but he didn't know if he was going to be able to manage that one.

"Feeling any better?" Peter asked when Neal wandered into the kitchen, Peter's clothes clearly too large for him. They hung off his smaller frame, making him look smaller than he really was. "Clothes are a little big, huh? None of your stuff looked warm enough"

"Thanks. You know, I'll be fine here. You probably want to get back to Elizabeth" Neal said, trying to sound confident.

"I don't think so, Neal. Sit. Eat. We're going to talk" Peter said as he set a bowl of soup on the table.

Neal swallowed. Clearly, Peter wasn't playing any games. Neal sat down, trying to assess Peter and how the conversation was going to go.

Peter sat down across from the younger man. "So, lets start at the beginning. Tell me why, exactly, you lied about June's family not wanting you to stay here"

Neal didn't respond at first. He stared at the soup bowl, stirring the contents around.

"Neal?"

"I didn't want to be alone. June was going out of town and I haven't heard from Moz in a few days. I knew if Elizabeth knew that I was alone, she would invite me over. I'm sorry. I know it was wrong, but I couldn't stay here...alone" Neal said sadly. He put down the spoon and looked up at Peter.

Peter sighed. "Neal...I know it's hard for you sometimes, with Kate not around. I understand that, I do. But you can't lie to me, and I can't have you manipulating El like that"

"I know. I'm sorry, Peter" Neal's voice was uneven.

"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" Peter asked.

"I knew you wouldn't want me around on Christmas. What would you have said if I told you the truth?" Neal asked, the pitch of his voice raising slightly.

"Honestly? If you would have explained to me what you were going through, yeah, I would have wanted you to come over" Peter said honestly.

"Really?" Neal asked meekly.

"I'm not heartless, Neal" Peter smiled reassuringly at the younger man.

"I know" Neal said quietly.

"Now, what do you have to say about ruining my window to sneak out and run around the city half naked?"

"I already told you...I was embarrassed about last night" Neal said, suddenly defensive.

"So instead of talking to me, you climbed out the window?" Peter asked.

"It was a pretty impressive escape" Neal replied, and Peter noted the hint of a smirk on his face.

"Neal" Peter warned, "Is that what you were planning? Escape? Were you going to run?" Peter asked.

"Of course not, Peter. I wouldn't ruin your reputation like that" Neal said, trying to sound lighthearted, but sounding more sarcastic than anything. In reality, he knew Peter would find him, he always did.

"Neal, do you realized how big this is? I was about to call the marshals to find you. I didn't know where you were. Do you know what that means? You might have been going back to jail. I won't always be able to protect you, Neal. You have to do what I tell you, that's the deal. Tell me you understand that!" Peter yelled. He hadn't meant to raise his voice to the younger man, the the severity of the situation was suddenly very apparent and Neal didn't seem to be taking this seriously.

"I said I was sorry! I just wanted to get away. I wasn't thinking! What do you want me to say?" Neal didn't understand why Peter had to keep talking about the whole ordeal. He had already apologized for his earlier antics and his drunken night and Peter had been nice about it, but now he was yelling at him.

"Thats the problem, Neal, you don't think about the consequences! You need to change that behavior or you're going to be behind bars. It's that simple" Peter finished, trying to calm his voice.

"Nothing happened! I wasn't really going to run. I didn't really think it all through, but I wasn't going to run" Neal said honestly.

"How would I have known that? How would I explain that to Hughes? What you did was stupid and dangerous!" Peter yelled.

"Okay! Jeeze, it won't happen again, okay?" Neal promised, hoping to appease the agent.

"Clearly it takes more than talking to get through to you" Peter said as he stood. He pulled Neal up from the chair, but Neal pulled away from him.

"No, Peter!" Neal whined pleadingly as he took a step back from the older man.

"No, Neal? Obviously you're not hearing what I'm saying"

"You don't have to spank me again! I said I was sorry! I'll do what you say!" Neal argued.

"You've had more than enough chances, Neal. You don't get to just say sorry and then turn around and do whatever you want again." Peter said, grabbing Neal by the bicep and pulling him to the couch. Neal tried to pull away from him, but Peter was, after all, a trained FBI agent.

Peter pulled Neal down over his lap. It was harder to subdue the younger man now that he wasn't drunk and uncoordinated, but Peter was stronger and effectively pinned the disobedient con. He waited until Neal stopped struggling before he spoke.

"You will not lie to me. You will do as I tell you. You're going to talk to me when you have a problem, and you will not take risks with your health. Do you understand, Neal?" Peter said deliberately slow. When Neal didn't respond, Peter tugged down the sweatpants, causing Neal to tense up. He swatted Neal sharply.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be, Neal" Peter warned, "Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I get it, so why don't you let me up?" Neal growled. Even though part of him knew he deserved whatever punishment Peter doled out, he was having trouble submitting and letting Peter being in control.

"Not gonna happen" Peter said as he started swatting Neal again. Neal was trying to get away, but Peter held him tight enough that he wasn't making much progress. His arm was tight around the smaller man's waist and his leg kept Neal's from kicking.

"Peter!" Neal whined, sounding uncomfortable and annoyed. Peter's hand hurt more that Neal remembered and each smack stung sharply. Peter ignored Neal and kept landing hard smacks on his boxer clad backside.

"Next time you mess up, this is what is going to happen" Peter lectured. Neal was now breathing heavily, his breath hitching in sync with every smack.

"You're better than that, Neal" Peter said. A small sob escaped Neal, Peter's assertion taking an emotional hit. His backside was burning and the pain was causing any control he had left to slip away. He moaned something Peter couldn't quite understand. Peter stopped smacking Neal and rested his hand on his back. He released his legs and loosened his hold around the slimer man's waist.

"Breathe, Neal" Peter soothed, but Neal was sobbing and still incoherent, "Calm down. We're done"

Neal tried to steady his breathing. It took him a few minutes before he was breathing normally and he tried to get off of Peter's lap. Peter helped him up and settled him on the couch next to him.

"Are we going to have to do this again, Neal?" Peter asked gently. He lifted Neal's chin forcing him took look up.

"No" Neal replied, his voice shaky, "I'm sorry"

"Good. You know I only want whats best for you" Peter said, accepting the sincerity of Neal's apology. Neal nodded.

"Come on, I want you to lay down" Peter pulled Neal off the couch. It was only six-thirty, but Neal looked worn out. Neal allowed Peter to lead him to his bed. Neal climbed in and Peter pulled the blankets up around him. Peter patted his shoulder before returning to the couch. Before he could sit, he cell vibrated in his pocket.

"Hey El" Peter answered.

"Hey hon, I just got here. Come down and help me carry this stuff up" El said. Peter glanced at Neal, who was already fast asleep.

"I'll be right down" Peter said, smiling.