Title: Spent
Author: angelita26
Rating: PG
Characters and/or Pairing: OT3 – Neal/El/Peter and Jones makes an appearance in the van
Spoilers: None.
Word Count: ~1300
Summary: It's been a long undercover op, and Neal's beyond exhausted.

Notes: Since there seems to be a little bit of a lull in posting this week, I'm cleaning up some of the ficlets I did by either asking for prompts or for designated prompt chats over at wcwu. This is another one for embroiderama, who asked for “Neal got so exhausted on a case that he fainted”. E - I have almost doubled the fic's size - hope you enjoy the additional scene!




It was a quarter 'til three a.m. when Neal slipped into the surveillance van and dropped heavily into the first chair he saw. He'd been undercover for the better part of two days, and he'd just gotten so close to getting the confession that he needed from a beautiful, but deadly black widow serial killer. She'd had a lot to drink – including the drug he'd slipped her to make her a bit more talkative – but had fallen asleep before Neal could seal the deal, so to speak.

“How much did you give her?” Jones asked, spinning his chair to look at the CI.

Neal closed his eyes against the vertigo of watching Jones in the damn chair. He was exhausted and a bit tipsy, which didn't help. “The whole thing.” He pulled the empty vial out of his pocket and tossed it at Jones.

The glass shattered when it fell short and hit the floor between them. Peter looked up at the sound, immediately concerned at the un-Caffrey-like fumble.

“You okay?” he asked, looking closer at the younger man. Neal's suit was wrinkled, his shirt was only half-buttoned, and his tie was missing. His face was pale, and there were little lines around his eyes that Peter had never noticed before. To seal it off, he was hunched over in the chair with his head tilted to the side as if he could fall asleep just like that.

Upon inspection, Neal straightened up and started buttoning the rest of his shirt. “Fine. Been a long couple of days.”

“It has,” Peter agreed. “We got all the audio tonight, but it's not enough to make an arrest. I'm sending you back in. Maybe some pillow talk in the morning is all we need.” He held out two small circular devices. “Plant these in her bedroom, near the bed. We'll be able to hear everything.”

“Kinky, Peter.”

“You know what I mean.”

Neal nodded and moved to stand at the same time that he reached for the bugs. Abruptly, his face drained of all color, and his eyes rolled back before he was even halfway vertical.

“Shit!” Jones exclaimed, reaching for him too late to keep Neal's head from bouncing off the computer table in the tight confines of the van.

“Dammit, Neal!” Peter grabbed his suit jacket off the back of his chair – he'd stripped it off hours ago when the van started to feel stifling – and folded it into a makeshift pillow that he slipped under Neal's head. He took a moment to make sure that there wasn't a bleeding head wound, but all he found was a bump on the side of Neal's head, above his temple.

Jones pulled Neal's legs up onto a chair. “Should I call for the medics?”

“Give him a minute,” Peter replied. He slapped Neal's cheeks lightly and called his name. “Neal? C'mon. Time to wake up.”

It only took a moment for Neal to stir. His head lolled toward Peter, and his eyelids fluttered open. “Wha' happen'd?”

“You passed out,” Jones told him. “Damn near gave Peter a heart attack.”

Neal's eyes didn't leave Peter's even though Peter briefly glared at Jones.

“I think you're done for the night,” Peter said, pressing a hand against Neal's chest when he moved like he was going to sit up. “Stay down a minute. Relax.”

“So tired,” Neal murmured, closing his eyes.

Peter nodded and motioned for Jones to start securing the van so that they could get going. “We'll take you home. Are you ready to sit up?”

Neal didn't respond verbally, but he let Peter and Jones manhandle him into a seat. Peter made sure that he was belted in and then got himself situated. “Jones,” he said quietly to the other agent, “take us to my place. El will want to keep an eye on him. And we'll pick the case up tomorrow afternoon. One more night of wining and dining with Nick Halden should do the trick.”

Jones only nodded and got into the drivers' seat. He didn't comment on Peter's concern or the fact that Peter had referred to his house as home for Neal. It wasn't any of his business, and besides, he couldn't wait to tell Diana that the rumor mill was true. She'd always thought that Peter, Elizabeth, and Neal made a cute trio.

~~!!~~

Peter waved off Jones' offer of help and woke Neal enough to get him out of the van and up the front steps. He leaned heavily against Peter's shoulder and nearly tripped several times on the stairs because he couldn't or wouldn't open his eyes all the way.

Surprisingly, Neal had the presence of mind to kick the door shut after they stumbled through, but Peter wasn't fast enough to grab it before it slammed shut. He sighed and turned toward the sound of Elizabeth's approaching footsteps upstairs.

“Peter? Hon?” El was wearing one of her lightweight summer nightgowns with little flowers. It hugged her curves nicely, and the hem ended at mid-thigh, which Peter usually had time to appreciate.

Tonight, he was more focused on getting his friend up the stairs and into bed. “Sorry we woke you,” he said as he maneuvered Neal in front of him in the narrow space and started pushing him up toward the second floor.

“What's wrong? Is Neal okay?” When they got to the top, she reached out and pulled one of Neal's arms over her shoulders.

“He'll be fine after a few decent hours of sleep. The case is taking longer than we thought it would.”

Elizabeth nodded and squeezed Neal's hand. “Poor thing.”

“Hi, El,” Neal murmured, rolling his head toward the sound of her voice. That caused him to stumble and almost accidentally slam her against the wall.

“Whoa!” Peter pulled him back the other way and steadied him.

Neal whimpered as all the movement caused the room to sway and spin around him. Even with his eyes closed, it was almost too much.

“Just a few more steps,” Peter encouraged softly.

Elizabeth had slipped away from Neal's side to get him glass of water and a t-shirt of Peter's to sleep in with his boxers. They sat him on the bed and quickly, but gently, got him changed into something more comfortable. Neal was completely pliant through the process, which caused Elizabeth to keep shooting Peter worried looks.

“Neal, honey,” Elizabeth said, sitting down beside him so that he could lean against her while Peter got himself ready for bed. “Can you drink some water for me?”

His head fell against her shoulder, and he pressed his face into her neck. “So tired,” he murmured into her warm skin.

“I know, but we should get some fluids in you. Sit up and take slow sips.”

In the end, she helped him lift his head and held the glass for him. Once he'd finished half of it, she tucked him into the center of the bed and turned to her husband. “How did this happen?”

Peter frowned and rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. “I don't know, but I intend to find out. He didn't say anything to us. Just showed up at the van tonight and passed out on the floor.”

She gasped. “But he's okay?”

“He's got a bump,” Peter pointed to his own forehead, “but it seems like he's just reached the end of his reserves. We'll let him sleep a few hours, and then see where things stand.”

“I'll make an appointment for him in the morning with Dr. Larkin.” She shook her head when he started to protest. “If he's feeling better, then I'll cancel, but he should see someone.”

Peter nodded his agreement and pulled her into a hug and kiss. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

The separated long enough to climb into opposite sides of the bed and check on Neal. As they both settled in to get some sleep, Peter reached for Elizabeth's hand, and she clasped his over Neal's chest. He was sleeping comfortably, and they soon dozed off as well.

~Finis

Thank you for reading!



Also posted at AO3