He'd been able to answer so confidently, back during the party. Yes, he wanted to go back. No question.

"I don't know," Neal says, hating how often he's been using those words lately. "They won't believe me if I say I didn't run. If I tell them I was kidnapped they'll want to know by who. No matter what I do, no matter what I say or what I can get them to believe, the system will probably have me back behind bars. I don't want that."

He finally looks up at Malcolm again. "I want to believe maybe Peter could find a way around it. But even if he can, how long is it going to be before what I saw comes true? I want to go back, part of me does, part of me always will. But I don't... want the life I'd have if I did."