Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar or any of the characters.

Note: Spin off of the episode 01x10 "Vital Signs". This is before the finale. AU. Oh, and expect short chapters as well. I wanted to do another short-chaptered fic like my SM "Am I Getting Through?". Enjoy!

One of a Kind

Chapter One:

"Your kidney is still failing, Doctor Powell. The signs aren't improving. I've managed to get a judge to sign a court order allowing your relocation to a better facility." Dr. Wayne Powell's lawyer, James Howe, frowned, "Hopefully the medical facilities will be better than here." At the trial, the judge had been lenient and allowed Powell to be kept in a small prison with a decent medical facility given his situation. No one could have expected his health to deteriorate so rapidly.

"Thank you." The doctor's voice was raspy. It was evident that he lost weight, noticeable even in his baggy orange jumpsuit.

The lawyer, a friend from college, smiled weakly. He prayed his smile conveyed the hope he wished to inspire for his longtime friend. The chances he knew were slim to nothing. The chances of finding a match, after so long, made his heart sink as he realized he had a front row seat to watching his friend waste away. "Hey, it's okay. If I'm lucky, the judge will even take a look into the appeal. With your condition, your good behavior, and your service record, this judge will be lenient." Powell nodded but didn't look too hopeful. "Oh, by the way, a nurse asked me to give this to you." He slid a piece of paper over to the incarcerated man.

"What is it?"

Howe shrugged. "She said something about the results about the patient they thought had escaped and was rummaging around in your office."

The doctor's eyes got wider as he read the information. His staff, bless them, were smart enough to get a blood sample and start a medical chart for the escaped patient—now identified Neal Caffery—in order to match him to any of the patients listed in his database. There were no hits of course, considering Caffery wasn't in their system as a patient.

"Good news I hope?"

The doctor looked up and squashed his emotions, carefully masking his face. His friend and lawyer couldn't know. It would simply be too risky. "The only good news will be if I manage to get out of this sentence early… and before I die."

Howe looked down at his watch, noting the time. "Ok, well I'm going to meet the judge in her chambers and duke it out with the FBI's DA. I'll let you know how things work out."

Powell nodded his affirmation. He stood slowly, waiting for the guard to come and assist him back to his cell.

"Be gentle with him, alright?" Howe added, slipping the guard a twenty. "It doesn't look like he's doing to well."

"All the guards are nice to him. He's one of the few who isn't a pain in the ass." The guard assisted Powell up to his feet, keeping a steady guiding hand on him.

Howe nodded, waved to his client and friend, and took his leave.

Powell still held the nurse's results in his hands. He folded the paper and slipped it into his pocket.

He would never have imagined the news today would bring. A spark of hope rekindled in his chest. Neal Caffery was a 99.99% match.

TBC