Work Text:
1.
The New York Yacht Club, October 20th, 2009:
Neal hadn't crossed the line from being charming to acting flirty, but this distinguished elder gentleman was clearly of a different opinion ("I'm the vice-commodore, you realise?" - "Astonishing; I had you pegged as the rear-commodore"), so it was rather excellent timing when Peter came, saw, and emerged victorious by glowering and dragging Neal back to his undercover post for Project Anthracite.
2.
Javits Center, December 15th, 2009
Elizabeth was pretty busy, at once directing the caterers, conjuring up an NYU emeritus of her acquaintance as the substitute speaker for the fifth panel, and telling the two repairmen in Brazilian Portuguese to fix the chandelier at a perfect ninety-degree angle. But turned out she still wasn't too busy to dig her fingers into Neal's arm hard enough to make him - well, yelp when he was just about to take Kaleesha up on her challenge to - temporarily, purely temporarily - nick the Van Buren diadem (which was dazzling but also a one-way trip back to prison).
3.
Brooklyn Museum, April 8th, 2010
Long after the Ball, there was as much exhilaration as Pommery running through Neal's veins, making it easy to smile brightly, so brightly as to blind Diane Delano and slip the FBI-issue bug into her golden purse. It would've been even easier to go further, and in his other life pre-prison, Neal might have. But in this one, Peter's eyes caught his from across the room where he was standing under the archway: In this one, Neal bowed and begged his leave and was all the better for it.
4.
Downtown Skyport, June 9th, 2010
Neal believed in self-control only to the extent as this generally allowed better control over people, places, and situations, so contrary to what Hughes said about him, he did lose it when Kate boarded the plane. She hadn't been cruel (she never had been), but she also hadn't been truthful for years, and Neal couldn't even take comfort in saving her from the FBI because he knew that Kate had left on her own and Peter stepped back just far enough to allow for this, for Neal on his knees on the concrete of the skyport until he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Elizabeth - Elizabeth who gently cupped her small, strong hand around the nape of his neck and made him stand up.
5.
The Burke Residence, October 30th, 2010
Outside, it's raining, but here, in their bed and in-between them, Neal is warm and safe (if not dry).