sholio | White Collar fic: Shelter on a Foreign Shore

Entry tags:

fanfic:whitecollar

White Collar fic: Shelter on a Foreign Shore

Due to length, this story is posted only on AO3 and DW (... it would've been at least 6 LJ posts, and no one wants that *g*). If neither of those reading options works for you, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Feel free to comment wherever you like, including on this LJ post; I have no preference. :)

Title: Shelter on a Foreign Shore
Fandom: White Collar
Word Count: ~65,000
Rating/pairing: PG, gen (canon pairings in the background)
Summary: AU. Peter, after being disabled on the job, buys a farm with El in upstate New York and raises horses. But retirement isn't suiting Peter so well, which means it's probably just as well when an injured forger turns up on their doorstep with trouble behind him.
Notes: This was written for

attackfish in the fall 2011

collarcorner fic exchange, for the requests "realistic disability" and "what-if AU". This story contains spoilers for everything revealed about the characters' backstories up to 3x10, and oblique spoilers for various other events from the first & second seasons. Thank you so much to

xparrot for being a fantastic beta/sounding board/shoulder to cry on; if it's still a mess after all her hard work, I have no one but myself to blame!

On AO3: http://archiveofourown.org/works/271080
On DW: Part One | Part Two

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Um, I read you summary and I already know that I'm going to love your story - without having read a single word of the story.

How do you do this to me?! You are evil! ;) :D

And then I read that there are Spoilers up to 3x10 in it. Damn it! To read or not to read is the question I'll be pondering overnight...

Well, the only season three spoiler is for the existence of a minor character from Peter's past who appears in season three. If that doesn't bother you, then you're good to go. :) (It's a totally AU timeline, so there are no direct spoilers for anything that happens in the series past season one.)

And thank you! :)

May I bother you again and ask how much of Season 1?

Over here we just discovered that Peter knows Kate and seemingly has met her from time to time... (and I know some more things like Kate dying and Neal going to prison again but not how it came to that...)

I so hate being so behind on everything. :(

And you're welcome! But I think I'm going to thank you for this fic a lot... :)

Edited 2011-10-31 19:45 (UTC)

... hmmm. The big plot things that are spoiled in this story are a) Kate's death and b) a great deal of the backstory surrounding the music box and how Neal & Kate met (I don't know if you've even encountered the music box yet in the part of the show you've seen?). Because it's AU, nothing happens quite the same way as in canon, but if you read this you'll find out things about Neal & Kate's past that weren't revealed 'til season two.

Well, I know that there is a music box but the how/why/what/when - no, that (and the music box) didn't come up yet.

Hm, read it now and be spoiled for some things or wait over a year to read an awesome fic which is AU (and has a disabled!Peter raising horses and taking in an injured Neal - talk about pushing buttons). Decisions, decisions... *scratches head* *sighs* I'll sleep over it...

Thank you for answering my questions! :)

Edited 2011-10-31 20:03 (UTC)

I am VERY interested in this. Will take a while to read in bits but will send to Beth who is a Peter fan :D

Sorry to put you in such a dilemma! It will definitely spoil you for a whole lot of backstory stuff. On the other hand, I watched the series completely out of order (therefore being hugely spoiled for early episodes) and, even though I'm usually a massive spoilerphobe, I still enjoyed it just fine ... so there is that too. :)

Hey, no! Absolutely not you fault! :)

I'm weird about the Spoiler stuff. I discovered the show via fanfic and honestly didn't believe that we ever get to see it over here - so I read fic with major Spoilers in it (Kate's death for example). But as soon as it was announced that "White Collar" will be shown here - *meep* there are Spoilers, I won't touch this fic with a ten foot pole... *grins* As I said, I'm weird.

But the premise of your fic...

*ARGH* I hate me! ;) And I know me. I guess, I'll be reading your fic tomorrow if nothing else comes up... :D

Also, I'm so glad to talk with someone about WC and being able to show off my WC icons. :D Thank you!

Thank you! :) I hope both you and Beth enjoy it when you get a chance to read it. :D (I must admit that I am awfully tempted by your H50 fic despite not watching the show, too ...)

Oh dear, I didn't mean to lead you down a wayward path. *facepalm* Like I said, I'm a spoilerphobe myself, so I totally understand about preferring to watch without knowing what's coming. I really hope I don't tempt you into ruining your enjoyment of the show!

*grins* My own experience with WC was a bit similar, though! I had watched the first episode and didn't really like it, so I ended up being completely unconcerned about spoilers; I read other people's episode reaction posts (didn't remember much of it later, though), and watched a couple of random episodes from later in the series, even read a bit of fic. Then I watched some episodes in season three and I don't know why, but it just grabbed me. I went back and watched some of the episodes that sounded the best to me from reading the episode descriptions, and before I knew it, I was utterly hooked. :D This is completely different from how I watch most shows, because usually I like to be totally unspoiled and have no idea where it's going.

Hee! Well, I do watch some WC, so I know the chracters somewhat. I adore your writing so I will try to read this soon.

As far as my H50 fic, maybe reading the AU once it is done might be fun since in a weird way, you don't need to know the show to understand it? :D

As I said above: Not your fault! Yes, you are seriously tempting me with your fic but after all - the decision to read it or not is mine. You are not pointing a gun at me and force me to read it. If I don't have enought willpower to resist it - my own fault! :) And since I'm already spoiled for some (major and minor) things in Season 1 and 2 due to fic... I think, it would be something completely different if your fic was exclusively dealing with events in Season 3 because I'm pretty much Spoiler free for Season 3...

To be honest: If I hadn't already read fics (and watched the Season 1 gagreel) - I don't think I would be watching the show. The german dub (and their trying desperately to be funny and so on) is sometimes so painful to hear - it would have put me off the show. But so, I already know the characters and the friendship between the characters and can push the dub away and concentrate on the plot, the characters and the friendship and then the show is so much fun (even in german) and just makes me happy... And Neal? Pushes so many buttons of me. His friendship with Peter and El? Pushes so many buttons of me. Clinton being protective of Peter? Pushes so many buttons of me. Mozzie being such an awesome friend for Neal? Pushes so many buttons of me...

Normally I'm a total spoilerphobe too and I get really cranky when I get (inadvertely) spoiled for something but sometimes I just can't resist when someone does a picspam or post a behind the scene vid or something...

(OMG, I just thought I had lost my comment because of stupid maximum word count!)

This fanfiction had just everything of everything (and I mean that in the best possible way, obviously.) I laughed, I squeed and it was so gripping I literally could not stop reading until I had finished. (Which, given the length of the fanfiction, proofed problematic when I needed to go to the bathroom.)
I don't even know where to start. With you, this is kind of a given, but let me say it either way: the character voices are so spot on that it could as easily have been an AU episode (or, well, more like double episode) – I could see everything happening before my eyes.
Peter being suspicious of everything when it comes to Neal was just exactly the Peter I know – and obviously often being right about it, too. But in that regard, what was really ingenious was his line of thought after Neal ran – where he shortly thinks Neal might as well have planned it all since he himself never actually saw Fowler. Because that could have been a typical Caffrey plan to pull off, so Peter is justified in making that assumption. But El can talk him down with he voice of reason because of course, she is right too: Neal wouldn't endanger anyone (including horses).
But like I said, Peter is justified in his mistrust – a scene I really liked was at the beginning when Neal stole the money (which was also a very Neal thing to do because, well, he did have to watch out for himself and he was planning to give it back, after all, which means for Neal it probably wouldn't even really register as a crime), but especially the scene where he gives the money back because it stands for so much more. Because maybe he doesn't have to run just yet. And in that context it's also a typical Neal Caffrey spur-of-the-moment-I-just-realized-something-which-changes-the-original-plan kind of thing to do, instead of putting it back himself, giving it to Peter, and when Peter gets angry, he's insisting in his honest way that he didn't do anything wrong, he didn't take any of the money, Peter can make sure – these are just so much the characters from the show that I want to take them and squish them!
tbc...

And of course Neal is having trust issues of his own. When he thought El had called the cops and then he has to tell her about Fowler and is so sure that Peter won't believe him over an FBI agent and thinks he has to run again – my heart!
Another thing that was just perfect throughout the whole story: Peter's always on to Neal, just like in the show, and just like in the show, Neal always tries to get away with half-truths, anyway. That was so much fun seeing Neal, for example, trying to act like he has never been to the mill before, but in doing so, revealing exactly that to Peter - which we as readers only find out later, of course – I had such a huge grin on my face! And then he pieces together that Neal hid the music box there because with Neal "the truth is usually in what he doesn't say." - yes, that exactly!
And obviously it also works the same way the other way around, when Neal knows Diana must have told him something he didn't share with Neal (and Mozzie's point of view in this context, of course is also just so Mozzie: He's a fed, ergo he's hiding stuff. *g*). Oh, speaking of Mozzie: love him in this fanfiction so much! I can imagine he's not the easiest character to write, but he was simply our Mozzie down to – everything! And while I'm praising your portrayal of the characters: same goes for Alex. I also loved the role she played in the fanfiction. It already started with her first appearance – because obviously, I thought it was Fowler first and I was already on the edge of my seat. And then – Alex! Yay!
Neal, Mozzie and Alex planning the con – that was such a scene where I just couldn't stop laughing. Mozzie only having plans that work in the "civilized world" – genius!
Oh my God, I've got something else I just have to say (sorry, I'm babbling): The way you handled the whole Kate backstory – I'm repeating myself, but: just perfect! I love it when the reader gets to find out what happened along with the story, and that's what was done here, first when Neal decides that he won't tell Peter the whole truth, then later on in these really short flashbacks, where we only get to know what it was that Adler had said to him at the end with Neal's breakdown – which is another of my favorite scenes (yeah, I know, this whole fanfiction basically consists of favorite scenes for me ...). But I'm jumping straight to the big finale, when I actually wanted to say that I love how the whole lead-up was handled: how Neal is dealing with what happened to him. Which is not really dealing with it at all, but pretending it didn't happen to him, it's just a movie (so heartbreaking!). But the scene that really broke my heart was at the showdown, where Neal nearly left Peter (but of course couldn't in the end): Peter screaming for him and being so relieved when Neal answered: "Oh, thank God. I thought they shot you." - and Neal's guilt ridden thoughts did the rest: "no, just climbing out and leaving you behind, that's all."
Kudos also on working the canon details in such a wonderful, wonderful AU (and of course changing them enough that they fit in here perfectly and can still surprise us a little, too).

Oh wow, your comment is THE BEST. :D :D :D It put a smile of pure delight on my face as I read through it all - thank you so much for taking the time to write up all your reactions; this is just - the most wonderful comment, absolutely. *huge smiles* I am completely thrilled that you enjoyed it so much, and I really enjoyed reading your reactions! I absolutely love writing Peter and Neal's push-pull, trust/distrust/trust-deep-down relationship, in AUs or in canon fic, and I'm glad that my flights of fancy are fun for other people to read, as well. :)

AGH, I got maybe a third or half of the way into this and it's awesome and you're an amazing writer and I love the premise and the details and where you were going with everything. But I...do not deal well with high-tension in things, and this fic is too tense for me. *sigh*

Don't feel bad! Everyone has things they don't enjoy reading, and you shouldn't force yourself. *pats*

Well, if my comment put a smile on your face then I'd say we're even because I had a huge smile on mine when I was reading through the fanfiction, too. It was so much fun having such a long fanfiction to read as there are not nearly enough epic WC fanfictions out there.
Their "trust/distrust/trust-deep-down relationship" (great word for it! *g*) is also a huge part of why I love the show and you just bring it across so well!

Thank you for writing this! It's so worth being spoiled for some things!

For whatever reason I got it in my head that Peter sits in a wheelchair so there was a bit adjusting and brain rearanging at the begining of the story necessary on my part. *rolls eyes about herself* You made Peter's disability very believable - the depression, the bitterness, the phantom aches, the forgetting that he can't do certain things with his right hand anymore, the not using the "pretty" arm because it would mean to "lie" about his disability - great!

The characters - as always you have their voices so clearly in your fic as if I'm watching an episode. I love this so much about your fics!

The plot was awesome and I love how you managed to weave canon details into this AU. I love that we get the trust/not trust vibe from Peter and Neal, the friendship between the characters and everything else!

Mozzie - I love him and his paranoid self in the show and here he was perfect!

Elizabeth - as always great!

Diana - I love that you brought her into this story and made her the saftey net of Peter! =)

Peter - *hugs him* Still Peter but still changed by his injury and due to the loss of his job. The guilt of loosing three of his men, the dealing with his injury, finding something with what he'll be happy again, a purpose - so perfectly written!

Neal - just, Neal. With his smiles and his plans and being so vulnerable and looking for someone to trust - perfect!

I love the idea of Peter raising horses. The thought of Peter (and Neal) sitting on a horse? *melts* I love that Peter is caring for rescue horses. :D

Some things that made me laugh out loud:

"I can see that civilian life hasn't done anything for your sense of self-preservation." *grins* Diana, you are so right!

Mozzie had at least managed not to fall off. The picture of Mozzie on a horse? *rofl* *wipes tears*

"Can you get a switchblade attachment?" I so could see the faces of Neal and Peter when Neal said this! Priceless!

"Bad dog," Peter said. "Stop consorting with felons." *pets Satchmo* He knows that Neal is a good guy! :)

Chantilly, one of the boarding horses, had a genius talent for undoing latches and getting into things; he'd had to buy a more secure latch to keep her in, and the rest of the horses along with her. So far, she didn't seem to have figured out the new one. I once knew such a horse too - you don't want to know how often he broke out of his box! Looking back, he should have been named Neal. ;) :D

And this one pushes all my buttons:
Right now, he looked sleepy and vulnerable and barely old enough to vote. ♥

Thank you very much for this awesome fic! =)

Edited 2011-11-01 10:36 (UTC)

Thank you so much! If you're going to spoil yourself, I'm glad you had fun doing it. :D

Peter + horses = WIN for me, and Peter + Neal + horses is even better. :D I'm glad the characters came through as their regular, canonical, lovable selves, even under these changed circumstances. Thank you! Reading your feedback made me delighted and happy. ♥ ♥

I once knew such a horse too - you don't want to know how often he broke out of his box! Looking back, he should have been named Neal. ;)

I think if Peter ever gets another escape artist horse, he probably will ... *g*

But that makes me rather delighted to hear. I don't have a lot of experiences with horses (at least not since I was a little kid) but I grew up around farm animals and I had fun writing the animal "characters" as well.

Thank you again!

I did actually watch the Halloween episode (I wanted to watch *something* Halloween-themed, and didn't have any spooky movies on hand), and enjoyed it, so now I know more than I did before! \o/

You are very welcome! :)

You know what's funny regarding "my" escape artist horse and in the context of the show/your fic? The horse was called "Picasso". :D

The last time I had something to do with horses - that's about 15 years or more ago. So my horsemanship is a bit outdated. But I still remember the pleasure of riding one and getting it to do what you wanted and just having fun being with one. Thank you for reminding me of that! :)

Damn you, woman. I mean, really: I was up until one last night, reading, and I've been sneaking this fic at work all day just to FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. Great story.

*grins* Thank you! Glad to be a bad influence. :D And I'm delighted that you enjoyed it!

I have no words to describe how much I loved this! Can't take a breath until I read the whole story. It has great, tight, suspensful plot and also a lot of character-oriented stuff - best mix ever:) Retelling of two-season-ark in AU, but completely plausible way - I don't even know how you do it. :)

And of course the characters! Still totally and completely themselves even in different setting. Peter-Neal-El friendship is my favorite thing in canon, so I was delighted to read all of their interactions. And of course Neal goes straight to Peter when he is alone and scared -aww:) And Peter is so protective of Neal even if can't trust him. And in some aspects El still got Neal better than Peter:) I could clearly see them all and hear their voices - same as Moz, Alex, Diana, even Fowler. Your Adler was a lot creepier than canon, BTW:)

Oh, and also - horses! And kids playing detectives! And physical and emotional h/c that pushed all my buttons! And so many beautiful little details, I can't even start!

Also I think you handled such complicated theme as disability extremelly well.

In conclusion - one of the best White Collar fics I ever read. Thank you for fantastic ride!

\o/ Thank you so much - I'm so happy that you liked it! :D Trying to fit the entire season 1 & 2 storyline into a few days was hard - I spent so much time staring at my plot, trying to squeeze in all the little details and nods to canon, that I'm very glad to hear it went together okay! Thank you so much for the wonderful long comment. :)

I was just surfing form LJ to LJ when I wound up here. Your summary intrigued me, but then I saw the length and almost decided to save this fic for some other time. Then I figured, oh well, I can always start reading it now, and finish the rest of it later if I run out of time.

Yeah. A good three hours later, and I've ended up skipping my lecture because there was no way I could stop reading this once I'd started.

Totally worth it, though. I have a bit of a thing for AUs, and this may just be the best AU fic I've read in ever. You did an amazing job blending pretty much all the bits of backstory we've gotten in over two seasons into a single, wonderful fic. :D A very exciting one, too, with thrilling action sequences and all.

Your characterisation was absolutely spot-on, and I just loved the kids. Your Adler freaked me out a little bit more than in canon, but I do think you pretty much nailed his personality as well -- just that the creepiness wasn't shown as openly on the show.

I loved this, and will be coming back to read this again. Awesome job! :D

*glows* Thank you so much! I'm absolutely delighted and very psyched that you liked it so much! It was a whole lot more work than I'd realized I was getting myself into to get all the season one/two canon to fit into my AU timeline, and I'm so glad that it worked, and that the results were a) coherent and b) enjoyable. *g* And I'm also glad you liked the kids! In short, thank you very much!

OMG!

I love it!!!

I like AU))) It's always interesting. But I LOVE

AU like this (the same ark under different circumstance)
Really good and fascinating story. Characters... You know, you're a master

'cause I love them. All of them!
But Neal! Neal is my favorite!!!
Thank you so much

Thank *you* for the lovely review! :) I'm so glad that you enjoyed it, and your little emoticons are delightful! :D

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White Collar fic: Shelter on a Foreign Shore

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