Platonic/Parental Neal x Peter [Oneshot collection]

2

Prompt:"Screams from across the hall"

"So why exactly is Neal staying the night when he has got a perfectly good apartment at the end of the city?" Elizabeth asks as she gets into bed, watching her husband get out of his suit to follow her soon,

"He seemed shaken up by something, I offered him to eat dinner with us, hoping to find out what is wrong" Peter tells her, "And as you witnessed, he didn't seem to be really eager about leaving so i offered him to stay"

"Do you know what has got to him like this?"

"I honestly have no idea, we worked this case like every other case but then again i didn't always have my eyes on him so he may have been exposed to something I was not or has seen a detail i haven't. I am sure tomorrow it will be fine" With a soft smile he gets into bed next to her, kissing her before laying down as she picks up her book, ready to read herself to sleep.

They get ripped out of sleep fairly quickly, Elizabeth had only driven off into a light sleep when there was a loud cry coming from the hallway, causing Peter to start fumbling for his nightstand drawer, trying to find his gun, "To the bathroom, to the bathroom" He whispers panicking as he gets a grip on his weapon, using his other hand to shake his wife awake, "Go, go, quick"

"Neal" She exclaims worried, covering her mouth afterwards, it would have probably been smarter to stay silent,

"I will get to him, go to the bathroom, lock the door. Loud sobs fill the hallway while Peter slowly approaches their bedroom door, waiting until he hears the lock protecting his wife now before facing whatever is happening out there. Whoever is out there with Neal.

Quietly he walks down the hall, gun in his hand, ready to defend himself and his family. Careful he checks the guest bathroom, followed by the little storage room before getting to the guest room. Neals room for the night.

There are still cries coming from the other side, but quieter now, more like whimpers as he slowly opens the door before with a quick movement checking the room for any signs of an intruder, of a threat, but nothing. Only Neal laying in the middle of the bed, cramped up as he cries, the blankets pushed aside.

"Neal, jesus christ" Quickly he places the gun down, realizing what is happening.

He had known this for some time, has known the nightmares. At least about it. It seems like it's the only moment where his brilliant mind stops comprehending the things he has seen, the things he has done, the things that have happened. The only time his perfect little facade crumbles. Sarah had told him about it once, never did Neal, refusing to even speak a word about it. Telling him it's nothing and that he ever since he was a child has been an intensive dreamer.

"Neal, wake up!" Worried Peter reaches for his head, stroking his hair back as Neal cries,

"Awake" He brings out between sobs, "Sorry" Desperate he turns his head to gain more physical contact, his nose pressing against Peters palm as he looks up, "I am sorry, I am sorry"

"It's alright, it's alright, it was just a dream you are okay"

"I am sorry" He sobs again, hitching for air as he looks up to his handler. Tears smearing the inside of Peter's palm as more are running down his cheek, dropping onto the sheets. From the looks of it, he must have been crying for quite a while now.

Quickly he sits down on the bed, providing Neal the opportunity to come closer and he does, pressing his face into his shoulder as he sobs, his hands holding onto the side of Peter's shirt, worrying Peter that he might pass out if he keeps going like this.

"What happened?" ELizabeth exclaims as she enters the room, seeing them like this,

"Nightmare" Peter answers quick, his hand moving up and down Neals back in order to soothe him and with patience and a lot of calming words he can eventually hear the sobs turning into whimpers, which turn into sniffles after some time, his breathing regaining a healthy rhythm before Peter dares to speak, "Let me get you a glass of water"