I want to apologize for the delay, sometimes life sucks. I will try to update my stories faster. I want to thank everyone for the kind reviews and for the alerts. I am glad you are enjoying this story.

/

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Neal and Ted were playing cards again.

"Wonder what's taking Steve so long." Ted said, tossing his cards onto the table. "I could really use a beer right now."

Before Neal could reply, the door burst open.

"FBI!" Peter shouted as him, Jones, and Diana entered the shack. All three had their guns drawn.

Ted raised his hands up, looking at the three agents in fear. Neal gave a charming smile, which vanished when Peter glared at him.

"There's another…" Neal started, but Peter raised his hand.

"Already got him, that's how we knew where you where."

"What?" Ted looked at Neal in shock, as Jones cuffed him. "You tricked us?"

"Yeah, it was very easy."

Jones and Diana lead Steve and Hanks out to the car, leaving Peter and Neal alone.

"You hurt?" Peter asked.

"No." Neal answered. Although he was seriously considering faking an injury, but knew that it would only postpone the inevitable.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Peter hissed.

"I was just trying to speed the case alone, you know, help out." Neal said.

"Hey Boss." Jones said, as he re-entered the shack. "We're ready to go."

"You and Diana take them on in, Neal and I will take Hanks car."

"Sure thing."

Peter waited until he heard the car leaving, and then grabbed Neal's elbow and lead him over to a corner. Then he turned Neal around so he was facing the corner.

"You can not be serious." Neal said, looking at the corner in surprise. "Peter, I am not a kid." He turned to face the older man. "I am not standing in the corner."

"You're not a kid." Peter said. "Okay, then please explain why you behaved like one."

"I was trying to wrap the case up." Neal said, getting angry.

"By disobeying a direct order, putting yourself in danger, and almost destroying the case?"

"Look Peter…"

"No you look." Peter said, once again turning Neal to face the corner. "I have had it with your lack of respect for the proper procedures and your inability to follow orders. I am way too pissed at you to discuss this rationally, so just stand there and shut up." Then Peter stormed out of the shack, leaving Neal staring at the corner.

Several thoughts raced through Neal's mind as stood there, the main one being that he might have finally screwed up enough to make Peter reconsider their partnership. He knew Peter wouldn't send him back to prison over it, no matter how often he threatened too. But what if he asked Hughes to partner Neal up with someone else?

The more he thought about it, the less he blamed Peter if he did. He had behaved like a child. He had been bored and decided to do something about it, regardless of the consequences. Regardless of being told no.

He could have been killed, or jeopardized the case. Or worse, he could have jeopardized the other's position and put them in danger.

Neal and Peter were so different, but he valued their relationship, valued their friendship. What if it all ended here? What if Peter walked away from him in disgust like so many before him? Like his own Father.

No. Peter was not like his Father, not even close. Peter knew Neal was flawed, knew he wasn't perfect. Peter tried to improve him, tried to teach him a sense of right and wrong. But Peter would never give up on him. Would he?

"Damnit Neal." He mumbled. "Why don't you ever think before you do something that stupid?"

"That's a great question." Peter's voice said from behind him. Neal had been so caught up in his thoughts, that he had not heard the older man re-enter the shack. "Come here."

Neal slowly turned around and faced the older man, who didn't look as angry before. But he still looked upset. Peter nodded towards the table and chairs and both men sat down. Neal swallowed the lump in his throat and softly asked the one question that was bothering him.

"Peter, what are going to do with me?"

"What?" Peter looked at the younger man and saw fear in his blue eyes, he had never seen fear like that in there before. Not even when Neal was looking down the gun of a known killer. Peter felt like ha had been sucker punched. Was Neal scared of him? Scared of being spanked? That didn't make any sense. He knew Neal hated it when he spanked him, but also knew that Neal accepted it. "What's going on in that brilliant mind of yours, Neal?" He asked softly.

"I know I screwed up." Neal said, looking into Peter's eyes. "I wouldn't blame you if you….." He stopped talking, he couldn't finish the sentence.

"If I what?" When he didn't get an answer, when Neal just looked down at the scarred surface of the table, Peter became a little worried about him. He knew something was really brothering him. "Neal, you wouldn't blame me if I what?"

"Gave up." Neal sighed, once again looking up and into his eyes.

"On you?"

"Yeah."

"Neal, I will never give up on you." Peter said. "I may want to shoot you half of the time, and you are the reason I found a grey hair on my pillow this morning. But we are friends." Then he smiled and added, "More then friends actually, more then partners. We're family."

"You mean that?" Neal asked with a real smile, not the fake one he had grown accustomed to donning when the need a raised.

"Yes I do. And family doesn't walk away." Peter said, and then noticed the smile vanish from Neal's face. "Who walked away from you?" He knew that Neal was raised by his single Mom until he was fourteen and she died in a car crash. But that was about all he knew of the man's childhood. "Your Dad?" He asked when Neal didn't answer.

"He said I was too much trouble." Neal shrugged, trying to give the impression that it didn't bother him.

"How old were you?"

"Seven."

"I am not walking away, and I am not giving up on you." Peter said firmly. "I promise."

"I believe you." The real smile was back on the younger man's face. He really did believe and trust Peter. The smile faded once more as Neal asked. "How much trouble am I in?"

"A whole hell of a lot." Peter said, his voice taking on a stern tone. "What you did is inexcusable."

"I know."

"But not unforgivable." Peter said.

The older man stood up and started to remove his belt. "You know the drill."

"Here?" Neal asked, his eyes wide.

"Here."

"But the car ride back…"

"Will reinforce the lesson."

Neal swallowed hard, but slowly stood up and leaned over. He placed his hands on the table, but then he stood back up and asked in a small voice. "Do I lower them?"

"Fraid so, Neal. This isn't the first time we've been through you following orders."

Neal nodded, and lowered his pants, then his boxer shorts. Then the man bent back over the table.

Peter raised his arm back, and then slammed the belt onto Neal's unprotected butt. The younger man winched, but remained silent. The next two were delivered and had Neal breathing harder, but he still didn't make a sound.

"I don't expect you to be an obedient sidekick who does everything I want you to do without question, just to please me." Peter said, bringing the strip of leather down hard again. "But in the field, I do expect you to follow orders." Again the belt landed hard, this time causing Neal to gasp in pain and had his eyes watering. "There is a reason I was the one calling the shots, I have the experience to get the job done without unnecessary incidents." The belt landed again and Neal started crying softly.

"Neal you are great at your job. Since you joined our side, we have helped put away a lot of criminals. Criminals who hurt innocent people. You should be very proud about that, I know I am proud of you for it. But there is a right and a wrong way of getting the job done.

Peter placed a hand on the younger man's back and rubbed small circles in it for a moment, and then he kept his hand still and applied a slight pressure. "The last five are going to be quick." He said, and then brought the belt down five more times rapidity. Neal started crying harder after the first and was sobbing by the time the last lick landed.

Peter stepped a few feet back and allowed Neal to cry. The younger man slowly stood up and pulled his boxers and pants back up, hissing in pain as the material made contact with his blazing butt.

Peter wrapped an arm around Neal's shoulder and led him out of the shack. "You can lay down in the back seat for awhile."

"Thanks." Neal said, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiping his wet eyes.

/

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

What do you think? I will have another story up by tomorrow. Maybe tonight.