Neal's Dad

By Peppe1951

Summary: My take on how the story played out after the fourth season finale of White Collar. Spoiler: In the Wind. Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

Warning: The story contains non-consent spanking of an adult; if you don't like, don't read.

Chapter 1

Having just learned that his father, James Bennett was the dirty cop he claimed not to be Neal was interrupted by a phone call from Diana.

"He what!" Neal cried as he turned towards his father and asked,

"What did you do, Dad? Diana says that there is a warrant out on us for assaulting Pratt and I didn't lay a hand on him."

"I didn't touch Pratt, just another excuse to make me look bad. I shoved his body guard, not him...it was your misfortune to be with me at the time to get your name on that arrest warrant."

"Diane says that you also killed Pratt. Did you do that out of revenge?"

James said nothing.

"Peter has been arrested for Senator Pratt's murder. Peter said that you shot him but that it was self-defense that Pratt was about to shoot you."

"Yes, I shot him...but I can't go back. They will arrest me no matter what Peter says and I won't go back to prison!" replied James.

"But they have arrested Peter for the killing and he's innocent. You've got to tell what really happened and free Peter!" demanded Neal who grabbed James by the arm.

James pulled away and snapped, "Don't...I would hate to do something I would regret," and walked angrily away leaving Neal to realize that he had lost his father but thanks to his quick thinking he could save his dad...Peter. He looked up at his cellphone and smiled. As soon as he had hung up on Diana he had started recording the conversation between James and himself hoping he could get James to confess and free Peter and he saw that he had. He grabbed the landline and called Diana not wanting to chance erasing James' confession.

"Diana...my dad refused to come in and confess but I got his confession on my phone...will that do to get Peter out until my father can be captured?" Neal asked excitedly not realizing that James had come back and heard his conversation.

"So you would turn your old man in for this FBI agent who you want to call father?" he spat out with a sneer.

Neal turned quickly around and said, "Peter has been more of a father to me than you ever were...he cares and yes I would turn you in to save him."

"You ungrateful whelp," cried James who backhanded Neal with enough force to knock him to the floor. "Well, it's going to be a lost cause because your "dad" will be spending time in prison for my crime. Hand over your phone?"

Neal put his hand to his face before looking up at James, "NO!"

"We will just see if I can convince you to hand it over," he said as he took his belt off and began to beat Neal with it. Neal curled up in a ball and held on tightly to his cell phone hoping that Diana was on her way to save him and arrest his father.

Neal was saved but not by Diana but by June who had heard the commotion and hurried up to see what was wrong. She opened the door to find her adopted son being savagely beaten by the man she only knew as Neal's father and reacted by putting herself between Neal and his father and refusing to move.

"You are going to have to go through me to get to him!" June declared as she glared at James whose hesitation caused him to finally hear the sirens blazing as they got closer and he ran out but before he left he turned and said "I guess this something else that your "dad" was wrong about…a beating doesn't make you obey at all!"

"Come on son, let's get you to your bed so I can check you out," June gently told Neal as he slowly got off the floor and moaned. It was only then that he began to cry out from the pain of the beating. He refused to let his father see his tears but when June put herself between him and his father he could no longer contain them.

A few minutes later Diana and Jones rushed into the apartment to see June taking care of a weeping Neal. "James was beating him when I arrived," explained June, "I don't know why but as soon as he heard the sirens he ran away. It's only been a few minutes," she added.

"Neal, did he get the phone?" Diana asked quickly.

Neal shook his head, "NO! That is why he was beating me; I wouldn't give it to him and he thought that he could beat it from me. Here..." Neal replied as he handed his cell phone over and Diana was able to hear the conversation as was June. Jones had rushed out to put an APB out on James in hope that he was still in the area.

Diana smiled and said, "This should do the trick and June if you can take care of our hero I'll rush this to Peter's lawyer and see if we can get him freed posthaste."

June nodded and watched the young woman hurry off before turning back to Neal just as Mozzie walked in. "What's wrong? I just saw Diana and Jones leave and there are cop cars all over the place?"

"J-James shot Pratt-t but P-Peter was arrested-d because P-Pratt was shot with Peter's gun-n," sobbed Neal.

"Surely they know that Peter wouldn't kill Pratt," Mozzie said cautiously.

"Agent Hughes wouldn't but C-Calloway is another s-story. S-she's the

one that arrested him," Neal replied as he started to get his emotions under control.

"Mozzie stay with him while I get something to ease his sufferings," June asked as she got up but whispered in Mozzie's ear as she was passing, "check him out and see if he is seriously injured...he wouldn't let me look." Mozzie nodded as he moved closer to his friend.

"Why don't you fill me in while I check you out," Mozzie offered as he carefully began to undress Neal.

By the time June had returned Neal was resting comfortably in his bed dressed only in a t-shirt and sleep pants. "He's fine June...its just going to be a few days until he can sit comfortably or lay on his back. No broken skin but he could use some sort of pain killer for now," Mozzie said.

"I brought him a couple of Aleve for pain and some sunburn lotion to ease his soreness. I'll let you put it on," June replied as she handed the lotion over before getting Neal a glass of water to take his Aleve with.

"Here Baby, take these; they will make you feel better," June said as she helped Neal up on his side so he could swallow the pain killers.

"Thanks June for everything," Neal replied after swallowing the tablets and lying back down on his stomach