This is my first ever White Collar story, so don't blame me if it sucks a little :) This is my take on what happens after the amazing Countdown episode.

"He took my wife." The words cut through the Burke house, disrupting the investigation scene. Peter's lost eyes met Neal's hopeless ones as they continued to stare at each other. Finally it was Neal who mustered the first words.

"We'll find her Peter. We'll bring her back." Neal moved toward Peter, as an attempt to reassure him yet his friend stepped back. His cold glare told Neal enough.

"You did this. Keller never would have gone after Elizabeth if the Nazi Plunder hadn't surfaced. This one is on you." Peter's voice shook uncontrollably. The room continued to spin, yet the boiling rage inside him gave him a calmness he did not know he possessed. He watched Neal's posture crumble, his charming, confident eyes turned watery as he looked away.

"Peter, you can't mean that." The words came out as a hoarse whisper. Neal had been reduced to a weak man. No longer did his silver tongue spin this in the other direction. The accusation was pinning him to the ground. There was no escape.

"I did not know that Keller would do this. He-"

"I don't care if you underestimated Keller. You led him to this doorstep. All the lies… All the deceptions have cost me my wife. Don't you understand that you are playing with ball of fire. God damn it Neal!" Peter's shrill words rang out, startling the White Collar division. He looked around, dazedly at his home. A sudden gut-wrenched hatred for the con artist gripped the agent, and he glared at Neal again, his eyes betraying nothing.

"I feel sick when I look at you." As harsh as this confession was, Peter did not feel sorry. Neal had taken a step back, and looked around the room pathetically. Jones and Dianna were staring at him too, as if they were embarrassed to be in the same room as him. Neal turned his back on everyone. Mozzie had deserted him. Elizabeth had been taken because of him. Peter's trust in him was shattered. His entire White Collar division viewed him as a dishonest liar now. There was nothing for Neal here. He knew he needed to fix things- with the only way he knew how.

"I'll bring Elizabeth back to you. " His final words to Peter rang out in the Burke household, and without so much as a glance backward he walked out the door. He heard Peter yell out something yet Neal switched off. His concentration was entirely focused on Elizabeth.

"Time's ticking Neal. What's it going to be? The treasure, or our lovely Elizabeth Burke here?"

"How about you let Elizabeth go. You can have me all to yourself."

Keller's laugh chilled him to the bones.

"Why would I want a lying bastard when I have a lovely woman here, who happens to be an agent's wife. Tell me where the treasure is or I'll blow her brains out!" Keller's steel-like voice quickened Neal's pulse. He shuddered, envisioning Elizabeth at the hands of Keller's insanity.

"You want to beat the infamous Neal Caffrey, once and for all. This is your only shot Keller. You can do whatever you want with me. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Silence stretched on at the other end. Neal held his breath.

"Fair enough mate. I'll make the exchange. New York Frankfort Harbor, a dark blue Arabella Yacht awaits. You have an hour. Don't disappoint me."

"Wait, Elizabeth must be released before you take me."

"No negotiations Caffrey. And if there is so much as a cop within ten metres from you, I will make sure I kill her in front of you." As if to prove his point, a deathly scream was heard in the background. Elizabeth.

"If you so much as touch her I will kill you" Neal snarled.

Keller laughed again.

"We'll see about that. Adios mate."

The line went dead.

Neal was calm now. His eyes scanned June's apartment one last time. Keller wanted his head on a platter. He could confidently say, that he was almost sure he wouldn't get out of this ordeal alive. Keller was famous for his torture techniques. He liked watching the light of his victims' eyes die out. Neal wasn't sure he could hold off the treasure's location forever. Sooner or later, Keller was going to break him. Yet Neal couldn't betray Mozzie. Not after he deserted him and the Nazi Plunder. Even though Mozzie would be long gone by then, Keller had a way of tracking down his prey. He was a cold-blooded murdered.

Caffrey smiled to himself tragically, grabbed a pair of scissors and then cut through the thick plastic of his tracking anklet. He sent out a silent prayer that Peter would find him-alive. The beep sounded, indicating that Peter had been notified. Time started ticking again.