s2309 | Fic: Soft

Title: Soft
Characters (Pairings): Elizabeth Burke (Peter/Elizabeth/Neal).
Rating: PG
Word Count: 211
Spoilers: None.
Disclaimer: White Collar is Jeff Eastin's brainchild. Not mine.
Summary: Comfortable old age.
Author's Note: Written for Challenge #1 - Weekly Quick Fic 1, and the prompts Water and Sea Green, over at

writerverse. The P/E/N came out of nowhere.
It's been a while since I threw a tiny fic out there. It's been a while since I threw a fic out there. Sorry.

Elizabeth settles onto the couch and picks up a book. She has time. Not much, but enough for a book, and love, and Cornish game hens. Enough for evening after evening of the same rhythm. Enough.

Peter's not home yet, but that's okay. It's only just six o'clock, and he needs the exercise he's getting, walking Judith.

They adopted Judith a long time after Satchmo died. She's almost as old as they are, and she's a comfortable, calm presence, her eyes still and cool as water, lying next to them on the couch or in bed, the third being that they've always somehow needed between them, around them, somewhere. Satchmo, Neal, Judith.

Neal drops by from time to time. He's free and fast as ever, dashing from place to place, leaving behind himself a spray of sea foam green kicked up by his exquisite Italian leather shoes. He never did learn how to slow down. He stays a while, though, and that's enough.

The door opens, and she sits up. Peter and Judith, of course, and Neal, a pleasant surprise, all three rain soaked and dripping water onto the floor. That's okay too. They'll wipe it up later.

She smiles softly to herself and watches her loves settle into their home.