Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. Thanks to those who invented and keep White Collar so much fun.

~ Thanks to everyone whose come along for the story. Hope you've enjoyed it!~

Neal looked sharply at the girl. "Amber, you have to be very brave. I know how to get us out."

"How do you know my name? Do you know my Daddy? They want to hurt him!"

"Yes, I know him. Now, I'm going to pick you up and lift you through the window. I'll follow you. Hold on tight and don't move until I get there. We're on the second floor." He pried at the latch above his head and shoved the window up.

"Okay." The little girl cringed, uncomfortable, as he picked her up and she climbed through. "Oh."

He pulled herself after, working his way onto the narrow ridge. Amber held onto a drain pipe. WHAM! The door shook even harder and a screech informed Caffrey the bed was starting to move under the kidnappers combined weight. Taking the small girl's hand he inched his way along working his way along the ledge, shifted carefully around a corner.. Shrieek! He worked his way further over, finally found an open window. He climbed into a rundown room, heard a tv in the next and made his way to the next room, Amber quiet at his side. A crash next door, yells, and a much closer banging.

Amber looked scared. "Their coming in!" Her small palm was sweaty in his.

Neal hauled her to the next room, quickly spotted another window, this one over a fire escape. He helped the child out after him. Glancing up he was just in time to see a head pop out and turn back with a cry. Amber gasped. He nudged her on, and she rushed down the ladder. Sirens rang in the distance as enemy followed them out of the window. Amber froze at the end, staring. It was still too high for her to jump down. He moved over her, jumped down and held his arms up. She hesitated, shaking her head.

"Amber, hurry!" Neal cried urgently beneath her.

She looked up, saw her kidnappers following, squealed and jumped. He caught her easily. He ran, not taking time to sort out whether the pounding of feet behind him and yells to stop were friend or foe.

Peter's swore silently. They'd followed the gray sweatshirt man straight back to the apartment and rounded up a slew of people. They found evidence a child had been held, ropes untied and a damaged video camera. But no Neal and no Amber. And every one of the the bad guys immediately lawyered up. All of the escapees - minus Neal - were accounted for.

"The good news is there's no blood." Diana said. "And we have a witness that says they saw someone come out the window."

"With a kid?"

She smiled grimly and shook her head. "Can't be sure."

Neal picked the lock, shoved the door open.

"Can we just go in?" Amber asked.

"Yeah, they won't mind."

"When can I go home?"

"Soon. We'll call from inside."

A big yellow labrador met them at the door, and Amber ducked behind him.

"It's okay. It's just Satchmo. Hey Satch." He rubbed the dog's head and went in. Neal collapsed on the couch. Introduced to the dog, the little girl put her arms around him and spoke in his ear. He watched her for a moment, trying to decide which was more urgent, the need for a shower, or the need for a nap. He couldn't do either until Amber had someone with her, but once help arrived he'd be hauled back to jail. And he couldn't just leave her alone. He sighed. Being friends with a fed was a double edged sword. He knew Peter would help him. He'd also chase him to the ends of the earth if he ran. Peter Burke was nothing if not consistent on the his sense of duty.

Satchmo pulled loose and headed for the door again. Amber and Neal both jumped as the front door opened, but only Neal relaxed when Elizabeth came in. "Hey Satchmo..." She looked surprised, but not overly, to see Neal on the couch. He had surprised her before. "Neal, what are you doing here...and whose this?" She gave Amber a friendly smile.

Amber ducked back next to Neal. "This is Amber Daskin. I need to call Peter, can you ahh, stay with her?"

The child looked at him uncertainly.

"It's okay, Amber, she's a friend."

"Do you want something to eat?" Elizabeth offered her a hand, raised her brows at Neal and lead the child into the kitchen while Neal picked up the phone.

"Neal! Where are you?" Peter sighed, closing his eyes as he listened. "And Amber? Yeah, we got them. Five. That's all you saw? ...Good. Stay there. I mean it, stay there, so we can work this out."

He nodded. Disconnecting the number, he redialed. "Yeah. Get Amber Daskin's parent's and meet me at my house...yes, I did say my house." Peter shook his head and ran back to his car. He'd feel better if he got to Neal before anyone else.

He got there just as they were pulling up. As he opened the door and a man and woman shoved in past him. "Amber?" cried

"Daddy," Amber yelled, diving away from petting the dog and leaping into her relieved father's arms. Elizabeth watched, smiling. Peter glanced at the child, being crushed by her parents. "El, where's Neal?"

Her lips tightened and her lips turned down doubtfully. "He's upstairs. He asked if he could take a shower. Said he felt filthy...it wasn't easy, getting to her. He had this...look on his face..haunted."

Peter wondered what Neal had told her and what she'd figured out for herself. He took the stairs two at a time. "Neal?"

The bathroom door was open. Neal was sitting on the floor in Peter's bathrobe. He was flushed and pink, even scratched and Peter realized he'd washed himself almost raw. The mouth wash was totally empty and it was a new bottle yesterday. He had his arms around his knees, face pressed against them.

"Neal..." Peter studied the young man, recognizing he was having one of his rare, vulnerable moments.

The young man glanced up. "They here?"

"Yeah. You couldn't pry them off the kid. Are you okay?"

Neal looked away uncomfortable. "I feel like I'll never get clean. I've never felt slimy after a con before."

"It's bad stuff." Peter shook his head, knowing it was an understatement. "Scared the heck out of me when I found out you were with them. Figured they'd threatened you..."

"They were going to hurt her...and record it...send it to him...they wanted me to..." Neal fell silent. "Well, what else could I do, when I found they had a kid? I had a chance to find her."

Peter kneeled beside him. "Hey...that was some con you pulled."

"Tried to pull. I finally found a con I couldn't handle. Even when lives were at stake. I'd have to become one of them, that's why I didn't wait for you..."

"You got her out. I'm proud of you, kid."

Neal looked up, startled. His eyes came back from whatever dark place he'd been seeing. "Even though I broke out? Am I in more trouble?"

"Aren't you always? But we cleared you right before you disappeared. I think I can convinced them this was all an undercover thing to rescue the girl. Even if it was unauthorized and we had no forewarning. I'm sure we can work it out."

Neal wondered about Peter's faith in the system, but decided to accept it. He sighed with relief, leaning his head back against the door. "I'm tired. And I want to go home." He opened his eyes wearily. "Can I? Please tell me I don't have to spend more time in prison while the paperwork is sorted out." He shivered.

Peter smiled. "I'm already working on it. It may take a few hours, even pushing it. But you won't have to go all the way back to the prison."

Neal got dressed, albeit reluctantly. He'd gone from orange jumpsuit,to jeans and a t-shirt and now he had to borrow Peter's clothes. It was hardly his style. But he couldn't bear to wear what the kidnappers had given him. Who knew who had worn them last, or what they had done? He slowly went down the stairs, wincing and then plastering on his best carefree look when he saw Daskin, US marshals and other law enforcement officers talking to Peter. He was still afraid someone would grab him, slap on the cuffs and charge him with who knew what.

"Neal!" The five year old waved.

The mom glanced up at him. Captain Daskin glanced up, away, came back for a longer look. Uncertainly, Neal stared back and shrugged.

"Come on, we need to let the doctor check you out, honey." The woman turned and looked at Neal. "Thank you for saving her." She reached out and gripped his hand. Her eyes were glistening. He just nodded. She elbowed Daskin. He muttered something, hung back. She left, with Amber waving a goodbye to Neal.

He waited until the others were out the door, eyes following his wife and child. "Caffrey...thank you." He almost choked on it, and Neal recognized the effort. Daskin couldn't so easily reconcile his usual 'all criminals are scum' attitude with the former convicts actions. He glanced at Burke questioningly.

"He's in the clear. Just paperwork. He's not going back." Peter smiled, but silently to himself added "I hope." Caffrey had a real habit of jumping in where angels feared to tread.

Daskin sighed as he walked out the door. He paused and looked back. "I won't forget this. I mean, I don't mean I'd let you get away with anything. But...I'm glad it's not an issue. "

Neal smiled faintly, "Me too."

"And...if you need any help clearing this up with the DA and the warden, I'll be sure they know...you took care of her. You got her out."

Neal nodded. "I appreciate that."

Daskin left and Neal stood in the door, watching the car pull away.

His smile faded as Peter said, "We do need to go and deal with the paperwork, Neal."

Neal looked at him, pleadingly. "Now? But..." He looked down at the borrowed outfit, nose wrinkling.

"Why don't you call Mozzie and get him to bring you some clothes?" Elizabeth spoke up suddenly. "That way, you can stay with Peter and not with the marshals while the paperwork is going through."

Peter looked at her, surprised.

Neal stared at Peter. "You said I wouldn't have to go back..."

"I said you wouldn't have to go to prison. The local jail in isolation or even handcuffed in the conference room, maybe..." He paused, recognizing the shadow crossing Neal's face. It was amazing how their relationship could shift between close trusting friends to cop and con in a moment. He sighed. "El is right. I don't want you to go back. You can stay with me in the office until it's sorted out."

Neal relaxed a little, then remembered how this mess had started. "Who was it anyway? Who took the Matisse?"

"Guy named Harry Samlin. It looks like he scouted for awhile, then made his move while you were there on purpose. Apparently he knew you would be interested in the exhibit that weekend. He bragged to a friend he could pull off a job so good they'd blame the ..., well, you for it."

Neal made a face. "Oh, him! They thought I did a job that third rate...that's...wait, blame the what? What did he really say Peter?"

Peter hesitated. He'd knew he'd regret telling him. But Neal was staring at him and finally he relented. "The great Neal Caffrey."

Neal grinned then frowned. "Insulted and complimented on the same job. Nice to know I'm a standard, but to be mistaken for a third rate thief..."

"I think he was being sarcastic."

"I think he was being jealous. I sto...well, hypothetically, he might think I did beat him to the punch once. He found out after he tried it and did time for it anyway."

"You let him go down for it? Something he didn't do?"

Neal huffed. "I said I hypothetically I might have beaten him to the punch. He thought I did. And I didn't say he didn't do anything. He flattened a security guard. Broke his jaw."

Peter rolled his eyes at this. It was the closest he was going to get to a confession. It was just as well, it would put him in an awkward position. "Go on, call Mozzie. Get him to bring you your antique clothes."

"They're Devore. Classic Rat Pack."

"Classic cartoon."

"Vintage." Neal grinned, grabbing the phone off the table. "Now your mustache, that was classic cartoon..."

Peter glared at him, glanced at El, who had a hand over her mouth stifling a giggle. "Right. Just when I got used to peace and quiet..." But he knew, even as he said it, that life would never feel normal again without Neal Caffrey around.

******The END*******