Interesting story. Um, I have a question. You wrote, Peter & Stephanie were together in college. Since Peter is 15 years older than Neal (Peter was 47 in season 1), how old is Stephanie? I mean, how much older is she than Neal?

This was a wonderful read. I loved your opening at the end for a you for alerting us to this on you for sharing.

Very well written! Sounded like a script at parts. I loved your attention to detail and how well it flowed. Being the 100% slasher I am I did kinda make a frown face at the Neal/Stephanie action... But overall I like the story. I am reading the whole set collectively.

By the way... This is CrimsonRegret and I just wanted to let you know that you are the first to receive a logged in comment and my first author that I have added to my faves! XD

great story and loved the character!

Val, this is fabulous. I was actually planning to save your sequel until later, but your last line has me hooked. I have to go read it now.

I love the Stephanie character and the tie to the Raphael. I'm assuming that if she was an FBI agent and so closely linked to Neal for so many years, she also has a role to play in the Kate mystery (sequels?).

And I agree with everyone else's comments. Both Peter AND Neal? Lucky girl. It just made me feel bad for Elizabeth. I've always thought of her as the one and only for Peter, and this muddies that a bit. It's also interesting to consider what that would mean for Neal's ideal life. He's always looked to Peter and El to find an example of what he wants in life but holds on to this notion of Kate being "the one." Peter's past (and seemingly wonderful) woman would probably shake that up for Neal. Positively, it may open the possibility that there may be someone else out there for him. Negatively, he may be a little disenchanted with Peter and El's relationship.

Great read! Enjoyed the bit about the returned painting and all the Peter back story as well as the introduction of Stephanie. Well done! Write more!

Really great start!

Excellent story! I loved it! I'm a little jealous of Stephanie getting to have had a past with Peter and then some current time with Neal!

Good case and quite the surprise about Stephanie being under deep cover. Ryan sounded like quite the guy, afterall, he was her Neal Caffrey! Wow...that ending was awesome. I loved the last line!

I really liked Stephanie. Wow..so many good things about this story. But mostly about the relationships of past and present. Really, really good. Neal and Stephanie scenes very well written. I liked the two of them together, and I'm pretty happy that Neal got some bedroom time :)

I liked the way you wrote Peter, Neal, El, and Mozzie. True to the characters.

Also, I like the little Sara Ellis part in there and how she was sure that Neal had returned the painting (I thought at first he did too until he and Mozzie are speculating).

Great story! I hope you will write some more! Would love to see a sequel :)

Very good. I enjoyed reading something of Peter's life for a change. We don't know much more about his life prior to the FBI than we do about Neal's past. Good job.

Sooo jealous of Stevie...first Peter and then Neal! How can a girl get THAT lucky twice? Also, big yay! Neal finally got a female version of Peter! 0

ADORE the last line! I truly hope you write more fics :)

I love that the new character you introduced is tied to Peter's past. it's something we rarely get a glimpse of.

I love seeing this background of Peter! Also I love how true you are keeping the characters to the show :) Can't wait to read more!

Loving your first White Collar fic! It's great! It's nice to see some backstory on Peter. I like Stephanie and she seems really interesting. I thought the part where Neal sees Stephanie in the FBI office and wants to leave, but Peter won't let him, was pretty funny. Please post more soon! Can't wait to see what was delivered to Sara Ellis!

Great job!

Great story! Looking forward to seeing more. Love the characters.