WC Re-Write II
Effie watched as Enigma wge out of the business skirt the thief had donned for the meeting, waiting until her sister was out of sight before grabbing Neal’s wrist. “I need to talk to you, privately,” she said, looking up at her sister’s boyfriend.
Neal furrowed his brow. “Okay, what do you need to talk to me about?” he asked. He knew it must be pretty serious from the way she was acting.
--
I really want to see what your cock tastes like… Effie shook her head violently at the thought before looking around them. “Keep an eye on her...she’s been hanging out with some...odd people lately. Odd and scary.”
--
“Odd and scary how?” he asked. “Do you know any names?”
--
“Odd and scary like I’m pretty sure they’d kill me slowly if they knew I was FBI and Woody is the only name I know.”
--
“Alright, do you want me to talk to her about it?” he asked.
--
“Yes, dear lord yes, and keep me from getting killed by creepy and creepier!” Effie said, clinging to him.
--
“I won’t let you get killed,” he said.
--
“Promise?” she asked, looking up at him, using her best, most adorable pout, resting her chin on his chest.
--
“I promise. I’m not going to lose someone else I care about,” he said.
--
“Yay!” she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek.
Behind them, Enigma cleared her throat. “Shall I leave you two alone?” she said, arching an eyebrow, glaring at Effie.
--
Neal looked at her. “No, it’s fine. We were just talking,” he said.
--
“Uh huh...talking,” she said, before pushing Effie away from Neal. “Scram, midget.”
Effie scurried off, eager to change from her tiny shirt and cut-offs before Peter saw her. Enigma watched her go before wrapping her arms around Neal’s neck, kissing him possessively.
--
He kissed her back and then pulled back. “Who is Woody?” he asked.
--
“Mm, you in a bit,” she said with a smirk before narrowing her eyes. “Where did you learn that name, Neal?”
--
“Does it matter where I learned it?” he asked.
--
“Yes, because YOU shouldn’t know it...but he’s a friend.”
--
“A friend? Like we’re friends?” he asked. --
“Mm, no one’s like you, Neal and no, I haven’t fucked him. I’m sure he and his little friend want to, but I don’t mix business and pleasure unless their name is Neal.”
Or she was trying to con the person.
--
“So, what is the business that you have with them?” he asked. “I think you should tell me what you’re involved in.”
-- “And how do I know that if I do, you won’t run upstairs and tell Peter all about it and Misters Woodford and Keller?”
--
“Keller?” he asked instantly. “What is their first name?”
--
“Matthew, I think, I wasn’t really paying attention, he’s a little rat of a man and he was talking to my boobs, not me.”
--
“You are doing business with Matthew Keller?!” he asked.
--
“Yes, I am, now why are you spazzing worse than Effie?”
--
“I know Matthew Keller. I know what he is capable of, and you need to stay away from him.”
--
“And just what is he capable of that I’m not?” she asked, arching an eyebrow at Neal, wondering if he really thought she was too weak to take care of herself.
-- “He is dangerous, Enigma. You need to stay away from him,” he said.
--
“Unfortunately I don’t get a choice in the matter, I have to work with him if I want to keep my job. However, if he grabs my ass again, I’m not making promises I won’t come home with his hand in a pickle jar.”
--
“What business do you have with him?” he asked.
--
“Well, besides him getting me out of a jam a bit ago, we do bad evil things in return for lots and lots of money.”
--
“Neal shook his head. “I really don’t like this,” he said.
--
“Mmm, and why not, afraid you might lose me?” she asked, nuzzling his neck before sighing. “Look, I don’t think you’re ready, but if you want to keep an eye on things AND won’t go ratting it to Peter…” She held up a white business card, nothing on it but an address in pink. “Tonight, 10pm.”
--
He took the business card from her. “Okay, I’ll be there,’ he said. “And yes, you know I’ve lost Kate. I don’t want to lose more people I care about.”
--
“Relax, kitten, I’m all yours,” she said, turning on her heel, all but skipping off.
Later that night, Enigma was sitting in the rafters of a warehouse, keeping far out of Keller’s grabby mitts, humming as she hung upside down, her long pigtails swinging as she listened to Woodford go over the latest heist plans, wondering if Neal would really show.
--
Neal walked into the warehouse and glanced around for Enigma. His hands were in his pockets as he looked around. He still wasn't sure what she was doing with Keller and Woodford.
--
Enigma flipped down from the rafters, grinning at him as she pressed her leather clad body up against his. Her hands slid down his hip and thigh, before she was soon kneeling in front of him, doing something to his anklet.
“Now that is a sight to treasure,” Keller said and E turned, glaring at him.
“One you’ll never get another view of,” she said, standing, Neal’s anklet in her hand, hidden.
“Some day, Enigma, you’ll change your tune.”
“Ew.”
--
Neal furrowed his brow at Enigma. “What are you doing?” he asked.
He scowled at Keller. “What have you got her involved in, Keller?” he asked.
--
“Right now, I”m fondling your thigh,” Enigma said from where her hand was in his pocket, giving him back his anklet to return to his leg later.
“I haven’t gotten her into anything, she seems to have gotten us into something.”
“Gentlemen! You still have a test to pass, Mr. Caffrey,”
--
He looked at the anklet. “You know Peter is going to know this is off, right?” he asked, waiting for the light to turn red.
He furrowed his brow again. “What test?”
--
“You realize I hacked it three hours ago and it says you’re in bed?”
“Your initiation test of course,” Woodford said. “One does not simply walk into the Pink Panthers.”
--
“You cracked my anklet? Mozzie hasn’t even been able to do that,” he said.
“The Pink Panthers? You are part of the Pink Panthers?”
--
“Why do both of those comments make me feel like you think less of me?” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “Hi, best around, remember? I brought Gotham to it’s knees regularly.”
“You were only the best because of your father,” Keller muttered and earned himself a staff to the head.
--
“Nothing personal against you. I just would have thought that the best of the best wouldn’t include Matthew Keller, so you’ll have to forigve my confusion.”
-- “Mmm, you’ll make it up later.”
“He has his uses,” Woodford said with a shrug. “Now, about your test…”
(skipping because I don’t care and we all know Neal rocks)
Enigma threw her arms around Neal’s neck the others counted out the score, nuzzling his chin. “Knew you still had it in you…”
--
“So I’m one of the Pink Panthers now?” he asked.
--
“Yup, yup,” she said, but looked to Woodford to confirm.
The man nodded, standing. “You, Neal Caffrey, are most assuredly one of us.” He turned to Enigma. “You however, are not.”
“Wait...what?!”
“You have done what I required of you, you got Caffrey here, I have no more use for you.”
--
“What exactly do you need me for?” he asked.
--
“What do you think I would need you for, Mr. Caffrey?”
“No, let’s get back to why I’m being fired, I’m so not being fired!”
--
“You need my help stealing something,” he said.
--
“Very good, several things in fact,” Woodford said before looking at Enigma. “Why are you still here?”
“Because I’m still a pink panther, or else!”
“Or else what?”
--
Neal looked at her. “It might be best if you left.”
--
“Excuse me?” she asked, turning on him, hurt and anger in her eyes. “Fuck you, Caffrey,” she snapped, storming out of the building, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Hours later, Enigma was still raging, Effie wincing as another dish hit the wall, scooting out of range. She wiggled out cellphone, texting Damon to see if she could come over until Enigma calmed.
--
Damon said it was okay for Effie to call over and Neal went to see Enigma. He knocked on the door to her place.
--
Effie answered, nearly bowling Neal over. “HIBYE!” she yelled, dashing down the stairs.
Enigma growled, throwing a priceless Ming vase at a window, shattering both. “Fucking sexist pigs!”
--
“Hello to you, too,” Neal said, stepping inside.
“I said you should go because these are the kid of men who will shoot first and ask questions later.”
--
“And who do you think I am, Neal? That is what I do,” She growled, throwing another plate, this timing aiming towards Neal, but not directly at him.
--
He moved slightly to avoid the plate. “I think you are someone that I am in love with and I don’t want getting hurt.”
--
“Wait...what?” she said, stopping herself before throwing another plate at him.
--
“I love you,” he said.
--
“No, you love Kate.”
--
“Kate is dead. I need to move on with my life.”
--
“And are you still going to pursue her killers?”
His cell phone jingled, indicating a text. You alive? Do Damon and I need to save you? -Cuter E
--
“I haven’t gotten anywhere. Finding them won’t bring her back.”
He looked at his phone. I’m fine. No need to worry.
--
“So...no more looking?”
Promise? I can totes punch her! And then run, because she would totes punch back…
--
“No more looking,” he said.
Promise. No punching her.
--
“Good,” she said, beaming. “By the way, Keller did it.” With that, she headed into the kitchen to pour them both a glass of wine.
Aww, but it would be fun...fine, fine, guess Damon and I will just have to have hot sex to make up for no violence.
--
He stopped. “Keller killed Kate?”
I’ve got to go.
--
“Ye-up,” she said, lying. Granted, she did use Keller for things...mostly to lure Kate out, but she was the one who had all the fun.
Mean!
--
“I am going to… he can’t get away with this,” he said.
--
“I thought you weren’t going to do anything about it?”
--
“I said I would stop looking for who did it. But if I know who did it…. I can’t just let him get away with it.”
--
“And what if he had help, would you also chase them?”
--
“Why are you so interested in this?” he asked.
--
“Because...I love you, duh,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m pretty sure it’s been obvious…”
--
Neal took a step back from her. “You?”
--
“Me what? Me in love with you, yes. I’ve been in love with you for years, obvs.”
--
“You work with Keller. Did you have something to do with Kate’s death?”
--
“A, you think I would do that to you? And B, I UNWILLINGLY worked with Keller stealing things, not killing people.”
--
“Then tell me why you are so interested? If you had nothing to do with it, why do you care so much if I go after who did?”
--
“Maybe because I don't want to see you get hurt, moron.”
--
“You should have told me about Keller sooner,” he said.
--
“I was protecting my job, I thought we were a team and I try not to betray my team.”
--
"Your team is more important than me?"
--
“No, my bank account is more important than you.” she said, huffing. “Besides, did you miss the part where you just now confessed to love me, you were so obsessed with Kate that I was NOT going to add to that and let it consume you until you were nothing more than that obsession. I’ve seen what obsession does to people, Neal, my father was obsessed to the point of mass murder!”
--
He stepped closer to her. "You think I should let it go and just move on, don't you?"
--
“Honestly, yes. I don’t want you to become one of them, Neal, the men I grew up with...they were people who couldn’t see the small things, the little details anymore, they were so consumed by the big picture, by their vengeance. If you become that...you will lose everything you are.”
--
He slid his arms around her. "I don't want to lose who I am," he said. He lowered his head to kiss her softly.
--
“I don’t want you to either,” she said, wrapping her arms around him, kissing him deeply. “Tell me you love me again…”