TRUST ME

A/N: Hey there! I'm back!There it goes...my second "White Collar" fan fic! First, and most important, I want to thank Rainey13 for her amazing help with this one. Again. This may sound like a little bit lame, since I've said it before, but the truth is: She made sure that the story makes sense and helped me more than once so that I could portray the characters correctly. (I'm sorry for all the wrong spellings and grammar, though. And this time there was so much more to read!). You did a fantastic job! Thank you very much. I owe you one (or two).

Chapter 1

The ringing of his cell phone jolted Neal awake. He had been busy working hard on a new mortgage fraud case. At least he pretended to do so. Shuffling papers around and drawing some sketches. In reality he was bored. Really bored. And tired. Peter had him picked up at June's at 7 am sharp and had told him about the plans for today. Neal really had hoped for an interesting day to come. The weather forecast said something about a sunny day. It would be a nice change since it had been raining since Friday. Not that he didn't like the rain. There were several things he loved to do when it was raining outside. Going to museums, reading a good book and enjoying an excellent wine in the meantime. But there were other things also that he didn't like to do in the pouring rain. Such as stepping out of a surveillance truck in order to buy food and coffee. Or simply to use a restroom. Also it had been a very long and exhausting weekend and they came home last night, or better said this morning with just a couple of hours left before they had to be back in the office again. On the way to the bureau Neal had learned that Peter was going to a trial while he was supposed to work at files. Which hadn't sounded very interesting. Looking at the caller ID, Neal grinned. "Peter! How's it going?"

"We're taking a break right now. The jury is still deliberating."

"Uh-uh. Thrilling." Neal leaned back in the chair. "So this means it still could take a while. The wheels of justice are grinding slowly. Really slowly. It's quarter past eleven."

"Won't be much longer, don't worry. I'll be back soon."

"Yeah, that's what you told me this morning. And now I'm stuck at the bureau, doing paperwork."

"That's how it works, Neal. Bureaucracy thrives on paperwork."

Sighing, Neal closed his eyes. "That's how it works for FBI-Agents. I'm not an…"

"Stop it. You'll do what you've been told."

"The weather is just too good to spend most of it in a boring FBI office," he tried again. "Can't I just work outside?"Although he knew Peter couldn't see him, he flashed a cheeky grin.

"You just want to hang around."

"Oh c'mon Peter!" Neal pouted. "We worked the whole last weekend! Can't you show at least a little bit of...," he looked around at the office, making sure the others were out of earshot, "…appreciation?"

"Appreciation? You want appreciation? What for? For giving me headaches? You almost ruined the case."

"Yeah, but I'd like to point out that the important word here is 'almost'. I had to change the speech a little bit. And it worked out. So what?" His frustration was audible in his voice. "I did a good job. I mean…I couldn't go with: 'Oh, I can't answer that, because my partner says I have to stick to the plan. Speaking of- did I already mention that my partner is with the FBI?'" Neal waited for a few seconds, but Peter didn't reply and apparently enjoyed this banter way too much. It wouldn't be easy to convince him. But Neal knew better and added, "It was obviously a mistake to think you would appreciate it," he mumbled disappointed and let out a deep sigh.

There was silence at the other end of the line for a moment. "Alright. You can take a break and go outside."

Immediately Neal's head went up. He was beaming. "So you are giving me the rest for the day off?"

"Of course not!"

Great. So much for working overtime and getting a day off. Hope dies last, Neal thought. It would have been nice to go at a nearby café. It was almost as Peter had read his mind, because he could hear his reply soon after.

"Don't let Hughes know that you just hung out at a café. If he asks, you were meeting an informant, okay?"

That felt creepy, but Neal wouldn't let his chance slip. "Just call me when you're finished in court and I'll be there," he nodded and tried not to sound too cheerfully. "I'll even buy you a coffee after you're done." His boyish grin appeared on his face. "Maybe even a sandwich." But surely not one with deviled ham.

"Oh, I'm flattered."

Peter grinned and looked around. He stood alone at one of the hallways of the courthouse. It didn't surprise him that Neal had tried to escape from the bureau - and that he finally succeeded. But he didn't mind. He had seen the tiredness on the face of the former con man this morning when he had picked him up and replayed the conversation in his mind.

"What's this trial all about?" Neal had wanted to know after he had been informed that Peter was expected to show up at the courthouse today.

"Remember the surveillance we did while on the Taylor case? Two, no three months ago?" he had started to explain.

Neal had frowned and cut in, sounding confused. "Yes, but…I don't get it. The case is still open. We weren't able to arrest any of them. Yet."

"That's right. But the hearing isn't about the Taylor case. If you hadn't interrupted me I would have mentioned that," he had told his partner and waited for a moment.

Holding his hands up in defeat, Neal had replied, "Go ahead. I'm all ears."

If Neal thought that he had done this on purpose, so Peter was able to lecture him, then Neal had been right. He had continued, "Okay, while you were inside the building, something came up. I noticed something unusual just across the street and a few moments later I knew the guy had been robbing the bank. Called the police, took notes and pictures. You'll know what I mean. It was out of my responsibility and I'm with the FBI not the police. So after I'd made the call, the police showed up a few minutes later. End of story."

Neal had looked at his partner with his head tilted to the left side. He had slowly raised his hand like a child in class who wanted to know something. "Uh, even at the risk of getting one of those nasty looks from you once more, but - what the hell is the trial about?"

Peter had enjoyed their conversation. "The police caught the robber and since I was one of the eye-witnesses, they talked to me. I gave them all I got - my notes and the photos as well as my statement. I really thought that would be it. But then, about 4 weeks ago I received a call from the police officer in charge and was asked to repeat my statement in court. And that's what I'll be doing today."

Neal had closed his eyes and shook his head and obviously had fought the urge to roll with his eyes. "Geez, couldn't you just say…I don't know…," he had shrugged his shoulders, "…maybe something like 'I need to be in court to testify because I'm an eye-witness'?"

Laughing, Peter had said, "But that wouldn't have been so funny."

"Oh yeah, I've already noticed that," Neal had mumbled and looked at the FBI building in front of them, trying hard to suppress a yawn. The lack of sleep had been clearly shown in his face.

Coming back to the present, Peter stretched his back a bit while he slowly walked down the aisle. "So, everything okay in the office?"

"Sure. Why are you asking, Peter?"

"Just out of curiosity?"

"I'm guarded by Diana. What I'm supposed to do? Anything other than the paperwork I mean."

"And then why do I have this odd feeling that there's something going on otherwise?" Peter stood at a large window and looked outside, watching the people on the street down below. This conversation was a welcomed distraction and so he enjoyed talking to Neal.

"Yeah well, you got me. We're throwing a party right now. People, quit dancing around. Oh, and someone has to tell Hughes that the beer has run out. I vote for Jones."

Chuckling, Peter shook his head while he listened to Neal. Somehow he admired his friend for his ability to act childish and still get away with it. Thinking about the last weekend and how much Neal really had applied himself into the case he realized that his co-worker deserved a break and he gave in. Neal had done a good job but nevertheless Peter hoped that the younger man would get the hint. He really hoped that Neal would realize that he needed to stay out of trouble. That he needed to learn to play by the rules. "Just make sure you're back in time, okay?" As soon as he had said those words, he could have sworn that Neal's face brightened up, although he couldn't see him.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Thanks Peter."

The bailiff approached him and spoke quietly to him. Peter nodded and then turned his attention to Neal again. "I've been notified that the jury has reached a verdict."

"See you later."

Peter hung up the phone and followed the bailiff back to the courtroom because he wanted to be there for the announcement.

TBC…