White Collar Drabble: And They Meet in Present

[sheenianni]

Title: And They Meet in Present
Author’s Name: sheenianni
Fandom: White Collar
Spoilers: None
Characters/Pairings: Peter, Kate, Neal/Kate
Spoilers: None
Word Count: Exactly 300
Beta Credit: embroiderama
Notes: Written for thewhitecollar100 community, for the prompt Collapse.
Summary: They sit around the bed, united in understanding. AU, (hopefully) first part in a series.

As time ticks on and as minutes turn to hours, Peter wonders how things could have been different.

If he had stopped Neal eight months ago.

If Neal had trusted him more.

If he had believed in Neal’s instincts.

And if he hadn’t been too wrapped up in his own hurt feelings to appreciate the danger that Neal’s opponent really posed.

However, the past doesn’t matter right now, nor does the future. Sitting on the chair next to Neal’s bed, watching all the machines around them, Peter wills Neal’s chest to fall and rise again – and he knows that the time to beat himself up over their mistakes will come later. As for the future – well, the future is a moot point if Neal doesn’t make it.

Peter glances at the dark-haired woman on the other side of the bed. Physically she’s fine, except for a few half-healed bruises and scrapes. Mentally… The circles under her eyes mirror Peter’s own. Peter knows her fate is another that is yet to be decided – though right now, that’s probably the last thing she cares about.

A month ago, he wouldn’t have believed that.

“Neal is strong,” he states in what he thinks is a soothing voice.

Kate nods. “I know.”

“I’m sure he’ll be okay. Why don’t you – ”

“Don’t try to con a con, Peter.”

“Kate – ”

But the words die on Peter’s lips. Maybe, there isn’t a right thing to say.

Peter’s influence has kept Kate out of handcuffs, at least for now. He doesn’t know if he’ll be able to do the same for Neal, once he wakes up.

If he wakes up.

When his and Kate’s eyes meet the next time, there is understanding born of shared fear, hope and despair.

Together, they wait.

And the clock ticks.

---End

Comments

[leesa_perrie]

This is really good and leaves me wanting more!

[sheenianni.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) There should be more coming - hopefully inspiration will hit me soon.

[calis-1st.livejournal.com]

Wonderful start - I look forward to more.

[sheenianni.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it :) I hope to write more sometime soon.

[florastuart.livejournal.com]

Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaate! Oh, this is lovely! I love the shared concern and the very tentative truce, here. Looking forward to more!

[sheenianni.livejournal.com]

So happy you liked it :)

I didn't like Kate that much until I read some of your fics, and especially "Penelope Weaving" (which I now consider basically canon as far as Kate goes, because it showes one of the very few options that plausibly explain Season 1 and Kate's motives).

Thank you for your review :)

[sapphire2309]

Kate concerned for Neal doesn't exactly ring true, but you make it work by making her slightly distant :) Lovely.

[sheenianni.livejournal.com]

Well the thing is that we know next to nothing about Kate's motives. The only person in the series who might be able to give us a more or less unbiased opinion is Mozzie, and he never really makes his opinion clear. Meanwhile, Kate's own actions could be interpreted all the way from uber-evil manipulative bitch to a strong woman who genuinely loved Neal (as seen in a number of fics by florastuart or veleda_k). Here I obviously went with the second option.
Thanks for the comment :)

[ladygray99]

Very interesting. I look forward to seeing what's next.

[sheenianni.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it :) Thank you for your review!