White Collar Fic - Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

[elrhiarhodan]

Title: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree
Author: elrhiarhodan
Fandom: White Collar
Rating: NC-17
Characters/Pairings: Peter Burke, Neal Caffrey, Elizabeth Burke, Peter/Neal, Peter/Elizabeth
Word Count: ~4000
Spoilers: Most of Season 5, Specifically 5.09, No Good Deed
Warnings/Enticements/Triggers: None
Beta Credit: theatregirl7299
Summary: Peter struggles with what Neal has done, with what he has said, and how they can move forward.

Author’s Note: The title refers to a legal metaphor: that evidence – no matter how strong – cannot be used if any part of the means to obtain it were illegal in the first place.

__________________

Peter doesn’t know why he thought things would be any different. Neal is a criminal. He’s always been a criminal and he always will be a criminal and nothing he – Peter – can say or do is going to change that.

He can accept it and work within those limitations, or he can reject it and live with the consequences. Peter doesn’t know which choice is worse. One is a compromise that will stain his soul; the other will cost him half his heart.