#dont call her cass! - her friends call her Casey!

[deadtiredghost]

we deserved more of 2018 Casey

[willofhounds]

Whispers of who I was who I used to be ch10

A/N thanks for your reviews and support.

Fangtasia21: thanks for your review my friend. That he is.

AziAchillesJackson: thanks for your review my friend. I'm so glad you like it. Oh the choas that ensues.

white tiger freak: thanks for your review my friend. If it was Jason I think he would have shot more than once.

Boxfin: thanks for your review my friend.

Peter's POV

He was awakened out of a dead sleep by his phone. It was too early to be anything good. Worry filled him as he checked number. It was June.

He answered his brow furrowing, "June what's wrong?"

"Peter! Shots have been fired upstairs!"

That had Peter sitting straight up and moving out of the bed. His movements woke Elizabeth. Her blue green eyes held worry.

He ordered, "June listen to me. You need to get to cover. I will be there in a few moments. Do not come out of cover until an FBI agent comes to get you."

Elizabeth asked softly, "Peter, what is happening?"

He mouthed, "Shots, fired. Neal."

A hand went up to her mouth. She understood he had to leave. He had to get to Neal's.

As soon as he hung up with June his next call was to Diana and Jones. They weren't far from Neal's. The moment the words shots fired left his mouth they were up and moving.

It took too long for his peace of mind for Peter to get suited up. Jones would make the call to the SWAT team. It would take too long for them to mobilize. Peter, Diana, and Jones would enter alone.

The drive to Neal's apartment was filled with nervousness and anxiety. Was Neal okay? Would he arrived to a homicide?

When he arrived Jones and Diana were already there. Their weapons were drawn and Peter did the same.

The first step was to clear the downstairs. They didnt need any susprirses. June was hiding in the backroom and silently they ordered her outside.

Once she was safe they silently made their way upstairs. There were the familiar voice of Mozzie and Neal heard at the top of the stairs.

"Outside Larkin. You and I need to have a talk."

Cassandra Cain snarled back, "I think not! Who the hell are you?!"

"Cass," that was Neal tried to diffuse the situation.

"Shut it, Larkin!"

"Quiet, Grayson!"

Peter nodded to them and held up three fingers. Two. One. They kicked in the door.

What they found surprised him. Cain was standing in the kitchen. Mozzie was kneeling down next to Neal. There was a wet towel over the back of Caffery's neck.

An unfamiliar brown haired man was on the other side of Neal. When Peter, Diana, and Jones came through all heads turned in their direction. He caught the twitch of the unknown's hand. It was as if he was reaching for a weapon.

Jones ordered, "Hands in the air!"

Not a single person complied. Neal barley twitched at the order. Something was wrong. He knew Neal well enough that the other would have at least looked at him.

Cassandra Cain raised her hands behind her a gun was on the counter. She stepped away from it and Diana moved to secure the weapon.

She stated nodding to the unknown man, "I took the weapon from that man. He was the one who shot at your CI."

Peter noticed that her green eyes held worry for Neal. He felt worry for his friend but he needed to finish securing the room.

To the brown haired man he ordered, "On your feet."

Hazel eyes met Peter's light green. They were focused on Peter's service weapon. Slowly the man gained his feet.

Peter nodded to Jones who went straight to the man. A quick pat down found no other weapons. Holstering his weapon Peter went to check on Neal.

Mozzie shifted to allow Peter to kneel down. Neal was shaking and pale. It looked like he would be sick at any moment. His hands shook slightly but the way they were clenched said a lot.

Mozzie admitted, "I'm not sure what's wrong with him, Suit. He saw Casey and it went downhill from there."

"Casey?"

Mozzie nodded towards the unknown brown haired man. Casey growled, "John Casey, NSA."

Neal sighed, "He is here about Kramer."

That's when things began to fall into place for Peter. The fake CIA badge must have put an alert out. CIA would have sent someone to investigate.

This person didnt seem like an investigator. No, John Casey seemed more like someone you sent to handle a problem. Which explained the gunshots.

Peter went to help Neal up only to notice a hole in his jacket just above Neal's heart. It was the same size of a nine millimeter bullet.

Peter moved his jacket back trying to find any injury. The jacket felt heavier in his hands though.

Kevlar was his first thought. How Neal got ahold of it and put it in his jacket was the question. He would have noticed if the quality of the jackets changed. Neal was very particular about what he wore.

"I learned my lesson from the first time I met, Casey," Neal answered his unasked question.

They had a history but it didn't seem as if his friend was inclined to expand on it. Neal was more subdued than he was used to.

When Peter finally caught Neal's eyes he saw only exhaustion and pain. Then the blue eyes rolled into the back of his head and Neal tumbled forward. On instinct Peter caught the dark haired man.

"Boss, he clear," came Diana's assessment.

Mozzie helped Peter bring Neal over to his bed. It didn't seem to have been slept in. Things weren't adding up.

Neal wouldn't have just left another's house at this time. He would have stayed and commuted to the office from wherever he was at.

Peter was sure that the jacket he was wearing was the same one from yesterday. What happened to the point where Neal wouldn't at least change clothes?

Keller's POV

He stood outside of the house that Bryce stayed in. His asset had not checked in last night or this morning. It wasn't like Bryce to not check in. When he did miss a check in he always caught the next one. Something had happened.

A little ways away from house stood the owner June Ellington. Even from his position across the street he could see that she was shaken.

Slowly he walked over to her and inquired, "What's happened here? A friend of mine lives up there."

June's dark eyes met his as she replied, "Someone shot a gun up there. I dont know if anyone is hurt or not. Are you one of Neal's friends?"

Shots fired? Bryce would have called him if he was conscious. A quick scan of the area showed three FBI vehicles. One he noted was Peter Burke's. That would explain it.

No ambulance however meant no one was injured. No coroner meant no one was dead. The FBI didn't know much about him so he couldn't go up there. Not until they came down at least.

Playing the part of a concerned friend was no difficult task. He was concerned about Bryce. That man got into more trouble than any other agent.

That was why Matthew insisted that Bryce have jackets lined with kevlar. If he was shot they would protect him. It was likely why there wasn't a coroner there.

His eyes widened with shock when the door opened and John Casey walked out. It was no wonder shots were fired in the apartment.

Casey and Bryce had turmoilous relationship. It seemed that everytime they met Casey shot Bryce. Every single time.

Casey's hazel eyes met him. Then there was a short nod of acknowledgement. They knew each other from a handful of missions that they worked together on. That had been before Bryce. Before the Intersect project.

Matthew wasn't stupid. He knew more than most agents about what happened in that project. Even as Bryce's handler he wasn't allowed the full knowledge. Not until Bryce deigned him with an answer.

Peter Burke was the next out. Upon seeing Matthew he left his agents to deal with Casey and made his way over. It seemed the agent remembered him.

June inquired worriedly, "How is Neal? Is anyone hurt?"

Burke answered truthfully, "Neal is upstairs sleeping. It does not appear that he slept in his bed last night. It seems that he had the foresight to have someone put kevlar into his jacket. While I approve I wish he had trust me with the information."

Burke's light green eyes met Matthew's hazel eyes. Burke said coolly, "You're the one that Neal stayed with. Matt?"

Matthew stuck his hand out as he replied, "Matthew Keller. I'm one of Neal's friends."

Burke sighed, "He hasn't spoken of you before. The first time I heard of you was when I showed up at your apartment."

Matthew sighed tiredly, "That was his choice. I was concerned when he didn't call me. It seems I was right to be concerned."

"He passed out and is sleeping off the night's excitement. Does Mozzie know you?"

Matthew nodded. He and Mozzie knew of each other. Mozzie tolerated him for Neal without knowing why.

Matthew's cover was that he was an art thief and arms dealer. Keller was well known throughout the criminal underworld. If Burke dug into his past he wouldn't be surprised. The main issue would be the arms dealer background. Neal didn't do guns but Bryce Larkin did.

Burke ordered, "Go. I'll be up in a moment."

Matthew didn't need to he told twice. He needed to check on Bryce before this went any further.