Work Text:
IIWII Timestamp
6 months later...
“He’s gone,” Peter said matter-of-fact, to his wife, who seemed unsurprised at the news. She merely sighed and took Peter’s coat.
“Well, we knew he was planning something,” Elizabeth admitted. “Gonna go after him?”
Peter shut the front door behind him and ran his hands through his hair. He gazed at the living room, and spoke beneath his breath, “Maybe later.”
“Really?” Elizabeth smiled, snaking a hand around her husband’s shoulders. “You’re okay with getting him back ‘later’?”
Peter shrugged, and unwillingly smiled back, “Ah, he’s going to be hard to find this time anyway. No Kate trail to follow and he’s not blinded by love anymore.”
Elizabeth said nothing as she gazed into her mind’s eye imagining Neal to be flying like a bird from a cage, the wind beneath his feet, a gloriously smug grin growing....
“I’ll get him back tomorrow.”
Elizabeth blinked; Peter had moved without her notice and was now sinking into the couch, pointing the remote to the TV, stretching his arms behind his head and leaning back.
“At least Neal finally got up to his mischief again,” Elizabeth murmured as she took a seat beside him. At Peter’s querying glance, she elaborated. “Remember, Dr. Lehman said in time, when Neal’s personality started coming out again, he’d be closer to good health.”
Peter rolled his eyes. “Dr. Lehman also said Neal would be attached to us and truly content to be with us when those signs came.”
“What makes you think he’s not?” Elizabeth asked, her voice muffled as she snuggled into Peter’s chest.
“What do you mean?” Peter questioned, peering down. “I mean, hon, look. He took off.”
Elizabeth smiled into her husband’s shirt. “He knows you’ll chase him.”
Peter relaxed again, his arm coming down over Elizabeth’s back. They watched the news. Elizabeth wasn’t wrong. Neal had even left him with a warning to make sure he wasn’t walking into a trap this time. Neal’s words floated to him beneath the noise of the television.
Sorry, Peter, got things to do, places to go, people to see, Neal had said as he’d stripped off the anklet, with Peter standing, watching on the other side of a locked door. Finally Neal had stood up, grinned, and waved, moving away. A sudden thought and Neal had looked back, Remember to check if I’m alone next time—I don’t want to have to save you again, Peter.