A/N This is my first fanfic so please take it easy on me. The characters may be a little OOC. I'm not in the medical field and the only medical advice I have is called Google so it may not be completely accurate but I did my best.

Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar or it's characters.

Brothers

It's cold. Neal's breath came out in quick white bursts.

Normally his job wasn't that bad even fun at times but chasing an armed killer through central park while running through ankle deep snow in freezing weather wasn't a highlight of his job. He wasn't even sure why he was out here. This was not his forte. He's not any help in gun situations. He hates guns but never the less here he was following right on his partner's heels through the snow after a thief who had already killed two people and probably wouldn't hesitate to kill someone else. The suspect, who's name was Gerald Rafferty, was fast but to look at him you'd never expect it. He was of average height and a little bulky built. He was balding in places and wore thick cumbersome glasses. Everything about him screamed nerd but that wasn't the case. He was a thief, a killer, and apparently a pretty fast runner.

It's really cold. Neal thought again.

Just then Rafferty, in an attempt to lose his pursuers, veered toward the huge frozen lake a few yards away. Peter and Neal followed. As they reached the middle the suspect changed direction again but was unprepared for the slick surface. His feet flew out from under him and he slid a few more feet as his momentum carried him along the slippery ice.

Peter and Neal turned to face Rafferty and unknowingly turned their backs to the end of the lake that had received the most sun that day.

"Freeze" yelled Peter pointing his gun at the suspect's back.

"I don't think he needs someone to tell him to do that" Neal said dryly as he rubbed his hands together.

Peter ignored him and yelled at Rafferty again, "Drop the gun."

Rafferty however was not going to go quietly. He spun on his knees, brought the gun around, and fired off a shot before Peter or Neal knew what was going on.

Peter jerked and fell back into Neal who wrapped his arms around Peter's chest and tried to keep him from falling but he was unprepared for Peter's weight and stumbled backward several feet before the treacherous ice stole his feet from him and he went down. Neal tightened his grip on Peter and positioned him so Neal would cushion his fall. Neal felt himself hit and was a bit surprised it didn't feel like hitting concrete but that thought was gone in a flash as a shocking cold took over with such a force it knocked the breath out of him and it took him only a moment to realize what had happened. They had fallen through the ice and into the water! Neal's lungs were already on fire from lack of air and the stabbing cold. Miraculously he still had a hold of Peter. He held Peter to his chest with one arm and kicked his legs and flailed his free arm as he fought to reach the surface.

Just as he thought he wouldn't make it his head broke the surface and he gasped for breath. As soon as his vision cleared he checked to be sure Peter was breathing then sighed with relief as he saw that the bullet that hit Peter had only grazed his head. A little blood ran down his face but he wouldn't bleed to death anytime soon. He was unconscious but otherwise unhurt. Neal quickly looked around for Rafferty but thankfully he was gone. The last thing Neal needed right now was a crazed thief and killer with a gun near by, he had his hands full as it was.

Neal swam toward the edge of the hole pulling Peter behind him. He was going to try to push Peter out of the water and onto the ice then crawl out himself but when he tried to put weight on the ice it broke under him and he couldn't get out.

Neal had to think of something quick the cold was getting to him. Already he couldn't feel his hands and feet and Peter was getting heavier by the second. Neal knew he couldn't last much longer. Then he saw it a huge chunk of floating ice half the size of the hole. He pulled Peter over to it praying that it wouldn't break. He laid Peter face down on the ice his head and chest resting on the chunk. Neal stretched Peter's arms in front of him and draped them over the ice to keep him from sliding off as they waited for rescue.

Neal continued to tread water. The ice Peter was laying on was enough to hold up the agent but any weight Neal put on it caused it to start to sink. Without Peter's weight and with the aid of both arms Neal was able to swim easier for the moment but that soon passed as the cold seized his muscles and made him lethargic. Neal was getting so tired and his trench coat was working with the water pulling on him and restricting his movements. His breathing was quick and ragged as he struggled to stay afloat.

At one point his head slipped beneath the surface. It happened so suddenly and the shock was so great that before he could stop himself he drew in an involuntary breath filling his lungs with freezing water. Neal felt like he had been stabbed in the chest. He thrashed as a momentary adrenaline surge gave him the strength to break the surface. He coughed and hacked clearing the cold dirty water from his lungs and dragged in ragged wheezing breaths.

He heard a moan and looked to see Peter starting to regain consciousness.

"H-Hang in there P-Peter" Neal stuttered as his body shivered and shook.

Peter opened his eyes and looked at Neal disoriented.

"Neal?" Peter mumbled.

"Y-Yeah it's...ok. Backup is o-on it's w-way. J-Just hang on o-ok?" Neal forced out through his chattering teeth.

Peter nodded but stayed where he was as his brain slowly started clearing.

Neal was beginning to wonder if they were going to get rescued. How far behind could that backup be? Neal thought. He was getting so tired and it was getting harder to make his body cooperate as he couldn't feel his arms and legs. They had only been in the water about five minutes but to Neal it felt like eternity. Just when he thought he couldn't hold on he heard it, sirens. He looked and saw something he never thought he would ever be glad to see; a whole bunch of federal agents. He saw Jones leading a group on foot with cars and ambulances following behind. He found one last ounce of strength as he saw his rescue within his grasp.

"Hey!" he yelled waving an arm over his head. "Hey! Jones!"

The agents caught sight of him and hurried toward them. As the agents got out on the ice and neared them Neal yelled out, "B-Be c-careful. T-The ice."

Jones stopped a few yards away and motioned the others to do the same.

"Neal, is peter ok?" Jones asked taking in the older man still laying on the ice chunk.

"I'm...ok" Peter answered raising his head briefly to look at Jones.

"Y-Yeah a bullet g-grazed his head... H-he was unco-conscious...but I th-think he's ok" Neal replied.

All the agents froze and looked up when they heard Neal's stuttering and labored panting. Jones asked, "Neal are you ok?"

Neal thought of saying he was fine but at the moment he was too cold and tired to lie.

"N-Not really... I c-can't f-feel my arms a-and legs...and it's h-hard to k-keep my h-head up... I'm s-so t-tired." Neal answered honestly.

The other agents looked at each other worriedly the same thought going through everyone's minds: We have to get them out now! They all knew Neal wasn't going to be able to hang on much longer.

"Get me a rope over here!" Jones yelled. They had to get Neal and Peter out of there but they couldn't get any closer without risking someone else going through the ice.

The rope arrived and Jones made a quick loop in it then threw it to Neal. Neal quickly helped Peter wrap the loop around his chest. Jones turned to the other agents. "Here" he said throwing the end of the rope to the nearest agent. "Help me pull" he ordered. The agents lined up behind Jones and began to pull Peter out of the water. Neal managed to help get Peter onto the surrounding ice. Then Jones and the others pulled Peter across the ice to them where they took off the rope and stripped off his trench coat and jacket and replaced them with dry coats and jackets that the other agents had been wearing. Jones took the rope and threw it to Neal who had grabbed hold of the ice chunk after Peter was clear and now laid limply struggling to catch his breath as tremors and shakes ran through his body. The rope landed near him but he didn't move.

"Neal?" Jones asked worriedly.

"J-Just...g-give me a...a m-minute." Neal said.

"No, you need to grab the rope now Neal" Jones commanded. He knew if Neal didn't move now they might not be able to get him out.

Neal slowly moved his hand toward the rope the movement taking a great deal of effort. He managed to wrap his fingers around the loop and pull it to him then he stopped.

"Neal, don't stop. Put the rope around you" Jones ordered trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

Neal slid the rope under one arm and over his head. Then took in a few more shallow breaths then pushed his other arm through the loop so the rope was around his chest and under his arms. Then he went limp the last of his strength gone. He couldn't even help as they pulled him onto the ice and slid him to them. All he could do was shake and convulse as his body desperately tried to warm it's self. When he got to them they ripped off his trench coat and jacket and threw warm jackets and blankets onto the freezing con. The paramedics had already taken Peter to the ambulance and more rushed over to treat Neal.

Neal's vision swam. He could hardly feel his body and every shake and jerk sent a shot of pain through him. His eyes focused long enough to see the paramedics, Jones, and the other agents looking down at him worriedly before he passed out.

)()()(

Jones watched as Neal passed out. He continued shaking and twitching but to a lesser degree. The paramedics called to him and tried to wake him up but to no avail. They quickly moved him to a stretcher and carried him to the waiting ambulance to treat him. Jones followed and saw Peter on a gurney off to the side. He had a pile of heated blankets on him and a bandage on his head but he was still conscious. Jones watched as the paramedics quickly removed Neal's shoes, socks, dress shirt, and undershirt. Then they put heated blankets on him as well. Jones heard the paramedic say Neal should be ok now that they were starting to get his temperature up.

Jones walked over to check on Peter. "How you doing?" he asked.

"I'm ok" Peter answered, "How's Neal?"

"He's unconscious but the paramedics think he's going to be alright." Jones answered.

"Good" Peter sighed.

"Did you get Rafferty?"

"No, there's no sign of him" Jones replied.

Peter gritted his teeth he had wanted to get this guy before and even more now.

"You have a phone I can borrow?" Peter asked Jones as another thought struck him. "I need to call Elizabeth."

Jones pulled his phone out and handed it to Peter.

"Burke Premier Events" Elizabeth said.

"Hey El" Peter tried to keep his voice normal and controlled but must not have succeeded.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Elizabeth asked worriedly.

"El it's ok. Neal and I are fine." he waited for her to calm down.

"What happened?" she asked a little more calmly.

"We were chasing a suspect through central park and he ran out onto the frozen lake. Neal and I chased him and we fell through the ice." he heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone and rushed to reassure his wife. "We're alright the paramedics say we have moderate hypothermia so they're taking us to the hospital to warm us up and keep us for observation but we are ok."

"Ok. Which hospital?" she asked calming down.

Peter asked the paramedic. "Baptist Hospital" he told his wife.

"Ok. I will see you there. I love you."

"I love you too" he said and hung up and handed the phone back to Jones.

"I'll be there as soon as I wrap up here" Jones said.

"Thanks" Peter replied. "Be sure to call Hughes and let him know what happened."

"Right boss" Jones answered then watched as they loaded Peter into the ambulance next to an unconscious Neal before turning back to take care of the situation.

)()()(

They loaded Peter into the ambulance and shut the doors. He looked over at his unconscious friend. Peter knew Neal had saved his life. He had been unconscious and if Neal hadn't kept him afloat he was sure he would be dead. He reached over and grasped Neal's cold hand in his own.

"Thank you" he whispered.

Peter felt a answering squeeze then saw two blue eyes open and look at him.

"It's what friends do" Neal replied.

They stayed that way till they reached the hospital and were pulled apart.