That weekend, Neal and Sara had dinner at the Burkes'. El had prepared her famous Cornish hens, Neal brought the wine, and Sara provided a dessert from her favorite bakery. Peter's contribution was keeping the dogs out of the kitchen. In addition to Satchmo, Splash was staying at the townhouse while Henry and Eric were out of the country.

During the meal, Neal and Peter commiserated about being the new guy at work. Peter had started his job as the Section Head for the Organized Crime team at the same time that Neal left the FBI to work at Win-Win. Peter had a few amusing stories to tell, and he liked to think he was getting better at being able to share things with El and at being able to laugh at himself.

But he couldn't beat the tale Neal and Sara told about solving the issues between Henry and Sofia.

"What did they think of your suggestion?" Peter asked, referring to the odd but interesting titles of Chief Innovator and Chief Organizer. Win-Win was different enough that they might actually go for something like that.

"They seemed to like it," Neal said.

Two and a half years of working with him in White Collar had gifted Peter with a radar when it came to Neal. It pinged now, warning him that Neal had left out something significant. "And?" he prompted.

Neal glanced at Sara, who agreed, "They liked the titles."

"And?" Peter repeated.

"They were definitely happier on Friday," Sara added. "Calmer."

Neal nodded. "But we both think there's still something we haven't addressed. Something else that's causing tension between Henry and Sofia."

"So it's likely to bubble up again when Henry returns from vacation," guessed El.

"That's what we think," Neal agreed. "I even wonder if Henry had another motive for tricking us into 'solving' his problem with Sofia. He was waving an obvious problem in front of us to distract us from the deeper problem."

The conversation shifted to Neal and Sara's upcoming wedding, and while the topic was right up El's alley, Peter's attention kept drifting away. Seeing the dogs sniffing at the door gave him an excuse to get away, and he put leashes on both pets. To Peter's surprise and pleasure, Neal offered to join him on the walk.

It was a beautiful fall day. Some would describe it as football weather, but Peter would rather enjoy it at a baseball game. The leaves of the ginkgo trees had turned golden, and there were pumpkins and other Halloween decorations on many of the front stoops.

"You're still wondering what Henry's motive was," Neal remarked.

Peter appreciated getting straight to the point. "Was he trying to hide a deeper issue?"

"It would be unlike him to deny a problem exists," Neal said. "But he might want to handle it behind the scenes. Maybe he wanted us to solve the surface problem first."

"Maybe what he orchestrated last week was a practice run, to give him ideas," Peter suggested.

"A practice run for him, or for the full team?" Neal countered. "Maybe he expects us to tackle the next level when he gets back from vacation."

Peter smiled. "A sports metaphor. I rubbed off on you."

They paused as another dog walker passed by, with all three dogs engaging in a complicated ritual of sniffs.

"I learned a lot from you," Neal acknowledged. "And I'm grateful I can still discuss things with you, even when I'm not at the Bureau anymore."

"The metaphorical door is always open," Peter promised.

"And vice versa. How are things at Organized Crime? Have you planned any boot camps for them yet? Or a Tuesday Tails kind of exercise?"

Peter shook his head. Organized Crime was taking a lot of getting used to. The team members didn't have the sense of humor and fun he'd gotten used to at White Collar. He had to keep reminding himself that White Collar had been unusual, at least from the FBI's perspective. "I don't think they're ready for that."

"Are they giving you any trouble?"

Peter probably shouldn't talk about it, but who else would understand? Maybe Jones and Diana, but he didn't want them to worry he had regrets about leaving White Collar, not while that team was in the process of restructuring around a new leader. "I keep thinking about how things were right after I recruited you. You thought you'd told me everything I needed to know, but you had so many secrets."

"It was annoying," Neal said.

"Yeah, but earning your trust and learning those secrets was worth the time and effort." Peter tugged on the leashes, getting the dogs to wait for the streetlight. "The thing is, in some ways you were very open. You'd admit you had secrets, that there were things you thought I didn't need to know, or that I shouldn't know for my own protection."

"Not that you would accept that."

"Organized Crime has a ton of secrets. Their own ways of doing things. Things they won't talk about to an outsider. But they don't even acknowledge they have secrets. It's like there's a maze a newcomer has to navigate, with no map and no clues. And the longer it takes to navigate it, the more they..." Peter shrugged rather than admit the sense of disdain he was encountering. "I'm pushing back, of course. I'm in charge, and that means I'm setting new rules. If I can't eliminate the maze, at least I can clear the path a bit to make it more straightforward."

"Sounds like you've finally encountered a puzzle you don't like."

"Did I ever tell you about the three-month blues?" Peter asked. When Neal shook his head, Peter continued, "A college friend and I coined the term to describe our experiences when we moved into new jobs at the start of our careers. The first three months of the new job were a misery where we tried to figure out what we were supposed to be doing, topped off with feeling like fools when we finally caught on."

"You're barely a third of the way into the cycle this time."

"You, too," Peter said. "Are you experiencing the same thing at Win-Win?"

"A bit," Neal admitted. "It feels like I have a lot to learn, but it hasn't been as painful as what you're describing."

"Maybe that's because you're part-time," Peter guessed. "You still have big things going on in your life that are familiar, like your studies at Columbia."

Neal nodded. "My first three months working for you were rocky. I felt lost at times in the Bureau, but you recognized it and helped me adapt. Looking back, I don't have any regrets about working for you."

"I'm glad to hear it," Peter said. "No regrets for me, either." But was that true? In terms of recruiting Neal it certainly was. But did he regret leaving White Collar? He told himself to stop asking that. It was all part of the three-month blues. By the end of the year he'd be comfortably settled into his new job.

###

"You asked Henry what was going on," El remarked while refilling Sara's wine glass. "But did you ask Sofia? I mean, she's still here. You could get her side of the story while Henry's on vacation."

"Sofia tends to be a bit more private," Sara said, "but you're right. It might be easier to convince her to open up while he's away."

She decided to try it late Monday afternoon. The office was quiet, with many team members out working cases or heading home early to enjoy one more glorious autumn day before tomorrow's predicted rainstorm. Sofia was in her office, which featured the colors and textures of a Tuscan villa. "Do you have a minute?" Sara asked.

"Of course." Sofia gestured for her to enter. "What's on your mind?"

"That's the question I planned to ask you. Last week we supposedly resolved the issue between you and Henry, but it felt like there's still something causing stress between you."

Sofia bit her lip.

"And you can absolutely tell me it's none of my business, and I'll understand. But... If there's something I can help with, even if that's just offering a friendly ear, I want you to know I'm here for you whenever you're ready."

Sofia looked down at her laptop a moment, and then pushed it aside. "As a matter of fact, there is something, and you're part of it. Or, at least, you're a reminder of it."

"Oh." Sara didn't know what to say. "Um. I'm sorry? I guess."

Sofia almost smiled but looked more nervous than happy. "You stepped in once before, to take the heat off of me."

Sara nodded, remembering when she'd pretended to be involved with Henry.

"It was kind of you to intervene. However, you didn't ask if that was something I wanted."

Now Sara was the one biting her lip.

"I don't know what I would have said if you'd asked me. But later, when he came out, it made me face some assumptions I'd been making. Particularly, that Henry was like me."

"I'm lost," Sara admitted.

"I like being single," Sofia explained. "I'm not interested in getting married or moving in with a partner. And as long as Henry wasn't dating anyone either, it felt like I had someone on my side, someone who understood. We'd known each other forever. We went to high school together and had a lot in common, and I assumed this was something else we had in common."

"Did you ever talk to him about it?"

Sofia shook her head. "No. It didn't feel like we had to. But when Henry came out and began his relationship with Eric, the pressure started building. He was dating and planning a commitment ceremony, and I kept getting nudges and questions about why I haven't moved on."

"Moved on from what?" Sara asked.

"Most of the nudgers imply that I'm hung up on Henry and need to get over him so I can get back to normal. But this is my normal."

"Are you ace?" Sara asked.

"Asexual?" Sofia clarified.

"My aunt Celeste is asexual, so..." Sara paused, chagrined. "And it's none of my business who you want to have sex with, or if you want to have sex at all."

Sofia nodded. "That's what happens when I try to state my truth. I get a barrage of questions rather than acceptance. So many people can't understand a person, especially a woman, who enjoys being single. I'm happily living my authentic life, and yet sometimes I wonder if I need to come out and make a big announcement like Henry did. And maybe that would give me some satisfaction, but mostly it would lead to a lot of questions about my sex life or lack thereof. That could be more annoying than what I'm facing now."

"And how does that lead to stress between you and Henry?"

"Jealousy," Sofia admitted. "When he came out, at least after the shock wore off, he was embraced for who he is. I know he faces homophobes and that's terrible... But still, it feels like I'm in a daily battle sometimes, death by a thousand paper cuts."

"Wouldn't it help to confide in Henry? Let an old friend know what's bothering you? Maybe you can... I don't know... make the culture or policies here more single-friendly? Like when we have events, make it clear it's okay not to bring a plus-one?"

"I'd like that," Sofia said. After a pause she added. "There is one other area of jealousy, and unfortunately you're part of it."

"Oh?"

"I've loved fashion and playing dress-up since I was a child. And growing up, I always assumed I'd have a wedding one day. When I realized that wasn't for me, my biggest regret was that I'd never have a wedding gown."

Sara smiled. "Then this may be your lucky day. The designer who's creating my dress is having so much fun that she said she'd like to collaborate with another designer on a collection of wedding gowns. Both of them prefer to design for real bodies rather than typical models. I could tell them you're interested in modeling for them when they're ready to have a show."

Sofia beamed with delight. "Really?"

"Absolutely. Just keep in mind it could be a while before they start their collaboration." Sara smiled. "In the meantime, if you're ever feeling blue and need a pick-me-up, let me know. I'll bring in my bridal magazines to pore over, or we can even try on gowns together. I'll never turn down an opportunity to go shopping for formal wear."

###

A week later, Henry stopped by the Burkes' home to pick up Splash. "Thanks for taking care of her," he said as the dog tried to lick his face. He finally got the leash attached to her collar and stood up. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble."

"She was an angel," Elizabeth said, which was stretching the truth a bit, but Splash had been fun and mostly well-behaved. The puppy took after Henry in that regard. "Satchmo will miss her," El predicted.

Peter offered to carry Splash's collection of toys and her favorite blanket. Henry could have carried the items himself, but he seemed to recognize that it was an excuse to talk.

"Neal likes working for you," Peter said when they were outside.

"With me," Henry corrected. "I don't think of myself as his boss. I just provide structure. The leadership team offers him cases, and it's up to him to decide which ones he has the time and interest to pursue."

Peter's gut reaction was that what Henry described sounded chaotic. Peter could never manage the Organized Crime team that way. And yet he could see the appeal. The White Collar team, who got along well and were motivated to solve crimes... maybe they could have succeeded with that kind of approach. He could see Henry's car and reminded himself this wasn't the time to discuss management styles.

"Why didn't you tell Neal that you and Sofia needed help?" Peter asked. "Why does it always have to be a game with you?"

"That's what you wanted to talk about?" Henry paused to let Splash sniff a tree. "Didn't he tell you it was a set up? Sofia and I scripted what we wanted them to overhear. My leadership team is still getting used to each other and getting used to my style. I knew Neal wouldn't hesitate to challenge me on the issue. I wanted the team to see I'm okay with being called out, and for them to witness Neal's skills in problem solving. His con artist experiences gave him the ability to think on his feet and react quickly. In less than a day, he established himself as a leader. And everyone had fun while learning to work together. It helped integrate both Neal and Sara into the team."

He always has multiple reasons, Peter thought. Henry was rarely straightforward enough to have a single motivation. "You may have scripted the argument, but the issues were real, and it sounds like they'd been festering for a while. Why didn't you and Sofia work things out on your own?"

They reached the car, and Henry leaned against the trunk. "Haven't you guessed?"

Peter had given it some thought. "The two of you were childhood friends and people pushed you to be more. That history made things awkward enough that you aren't comfortable confiding in each other the way you used to. So you both wanted an intermediary."

"Can you blame us?"

"I can't help noticing that all I'm getting from you is questions. So I'll get down to the root of it. How is your team supposed to trust you're mature enough to lead them if you can't work through a little awkwardness with your business partner? And before you rush to tell me that you've worked through everything with your team's help, I'll point out that Neal and Sara both believe there's still an issue to be resolved between you and Sofia."

"The new job has made you even more direct," Henry noted.

"It has," Peter agreed.

"I wasn't making much progress solving things on my own," Henry said. "And I definitely mean alone, because Sofia was avoiding me. We barely spent enough time together to make business decisions, much less catch up as friends. I needed her to see that we can resolve things, that we can compromise, that working together can be fun again. The plan was for her to experience that, and then to have time while I was away to get up the nerve to take the next step. I don't want to go into the office tomorrow and demand she tell me what the issue is. This will work much better if she takes the initiative and drives the discussion."

Peter smiled. "Sometimes I forget you're capable of that much nuance and subtlety."

"Hopefully it wasn't too subtle," Henry said. "If I played my cards right, the other team leaders have been encouraging Sofia to clear the air with me, and she'll be convinced that I'm ready and willing to listen to whatever she needs to say."

###

Neal and Sara stepped into the Win-Win lobby, already talking about a case Sara wanted to collaborate on. They headed to the lounge area for coffee and noticed Henry and Sofia in one of the huddle rooms. The door was partially closed, but Neal could hear their laughter.

Sofia wiped away a tear, still laughing as she said something. Henry yelled, "Wedding gowns! Oh my god, that prom dress you picked was white!" Then Sofia laughed so hard she leaned against Henry for support.

"Mission accomplished," Sara murmured to Neal. "It's so good to see them being friends again."

"Maybe Henry needs to go on vacation more often," Neal said. "Think of all the progress we made while he was away."

"We could suggest a new title for him: Chief Vacationer."

"Let's wait until after our honeymoon," Neal said. "Just in case we decide we want to claim that title for ourselves."

A/N: Thanks for reading!

The three month blues is a term a college friend and I came up with when we started our careers. The plot thread in this story continues in several more stories in the series. The next one in the series is Silbrith's Set in Amber. You can also see my Table of Contents document for the full list of the Caffrey Conversation series stories in order.

On the Penna Nomen & Silbrith Conversation blog, I've added a post about this story titled "A Throwback Holiday Treat" and a more general post about how our AU differs from canon titled "Caffrey Conversation and the Heroine's Journey."