Slipping Into The Future

Chapter 18

If there is one word Lin could use to describe the feeling of jumping through a portal, it would simply be; cold. He wonders if it is because of the fact the opposite side of the portal tends to be in cold weather, but he also cannot shake off the icy sensation tickling his skin as they fall through. It feels like gravity ceases to exist for a moment before yanking them to the cold-hard ground on the opposite side.

Lin is surprised that he doesn't knock out when he lands — he's just painfully aware of every single organ and bone finally settling after falling through space-time itself. He rolls over and shields his eyes from the rain pelting his face, watching the blue portal shrivel and vanish behind their pathetic pile on the yard of this random house. He wonders whose house this could be, but knowing Hamilton, it is probably linked to him somehow.

"We just went from dry cold to wet cold!" Anthony groans as he sits up, rubbing his head.

"Hamilton?" Pippa calls out worriedly as she crawls over to his limp frame lying on the grass. "Hamilton, please wake up!"

Daveed rolls over and smacks Hamilton's shoulder, causing him to startle and wake. He sits up slowly, moaning and rubbing his stiff muscles as he does so.

"Your nose is bleeding again," Jon states with a firm frown.

Hamilton nods and wipes his nose with his sleeve before standing up. He helps Pippa and Daveed stand up while the others make their way to their feet on their own.

"Where are we?" Lin asks with a violent shiver, his teeth clattering as he folds his arms over his damp coat.

Hamilton opens his mouth to respond but pauses, staring up at the house before them with awe. "I've done it," Hamilton whispers breathlessly. He quickly strides down the path and the others jolt and follows hastily. He reaches for the door handle and opens it. Lin can hear him gasp as they all enter the house. The home is warmer than outside and appears to be very elegant; well, to Lin, at least. The staircase along the left wall of the foyer leads to a dark upper level, and the room to their right glows orange.

A little girl peeks her head from the room at the sound of Jon closing the front door and she halts in her step, staring wide-eyed at Hamilton. Her hair is strawberry blonde and her eyes are a deep blue, just like—

"Father?" The girl says breathily.

"Angie," Hamilton says with a wobbling voice. He drops to his knees as she sprints towards him, locking her arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder. Hamilton sniffles, his shoulders shaking as he holds onto her tightly.

Lin and the others say nothing as they watch the scene play out.

Another kid pops into the room, a young boy with dark hair. "Pops?" He turns into the room he came from with a wide grin. "Pops came home!"

Lin cannot prepare himself for the wave of children suddenly pouring into the room. Three boys scurry into the foyer and tackle Hamilton, causing him to fall over. He laughs, tears streaming down his cheeks as he holds onto his children joyously. Lin sniffles and quickly wipes a tear that managed to escape.

"We missed you, father!" One boy cries out.

"I tried to be brave like you said, daddy." The smallest boy says meekly.

"I am proud of you, son," Hamilton says with such tenderness that it speeds up Lin's heartbeat. "I am sorry I was gone for too long. If I had a choice in the matter I would have stayed."

"Mama has been worried about you, pop!" The first boy from before cries out. "Where have you been?"

And, as if she has been called in on cue, a woman walks in with a baby in her arms. Lin tries to stand tall and smile politely at the sight of her. Lin knows this woman from the painting he has seen of her; Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton.