A Music Box (A Philidosia Story)

Chapter 8

/author's note: all of my hammie fans who know and obsess over dates of things know what happens when Philip is 15..../

Theo woke up in the morning and heard lots of chatter coming from outside. She threw in her clothes quickly and went out to see what the commotion was. She noticed her dad wasn't home, which was strange, he didn't like to leave her home alone.

As she stepped outside, she saw papers. Lots of papers, all written by Alexander Hamilton. "Well I know his works get a lot of attention but this is a bit much..." she thought out loud.

She picked one up and skimmed over it. In big bold letters at the top it said: The Reynolds Pamphlet. She skipped to the bottom of the first page. "My real crime is an amorous connection with his wife, for a considerable time-"

"No." she said. She was furious. How could he do this to his family? To his reputation?

"Philip."

She took off running. At first she ran to the Hamilton's house. She was halfway there when she realized there was no way he was home. She considered going at least for Eliza and the other children, but Eliza had lots of people who would come for her. Heck, Angelica was probably on her way from England right now! Philip needed her.

She ran too the place she figured he must be, and that was the field they always played at. She ran harder then she'd run in a long time, until finally she reached the field. Sure enough, there was Pip, sitting on the grass, hands digging into the ground.

"I... Pip..." she started. He was staring out in the distance, tearful eyes. She didn't know what to do, so she sat down with him and put an arm around him. She knew him quite well, but she wasn't sure what to do in this situation. This wasn't exactly something that happened everyday.

She started to feel him tremble, and he dug his head into her chest. She pulled him in closer. She leaned in and whispered in his ear: "Its fine. Go ahead."

Pretty much on queue, Theo felt a tear fall and hit her hand. She pulled him even closer, and soon she started to cry too.

"I... I-I don't understand why!" he said through whimpers and sniffles, "Is mom not enough? Are... are w-we-e not enou-gh?"

Theo put a hand on his cheek and rubbed his tears away, though they kept coming. "Pip! Of course you're enough!" she stared to fall apart as well. "Of c-course you're more than enough! You and your mom and siblings, all w-wonderful, Pip."

He leaned in closer as they both started crying even harder. They put they foreheads together, still wrapped in each other's embrace. As Philip started to pull himself together a bit, Theo started to harmonize the tune from the music box.

By the end of the tune, Philip had calmed down a bit and was taking deep breathes. When he finally steadied his breathing a bit, he felt Theo take one of his hands, and he took her other hand, so they were holding both hands. Their foreheads still pressed together, they simply sat on the grass and listened to each other breathe.

Until Pip felt Theo's forehead leave his own. He felt a bit empty and cold when the warmth of her face left his.

Until he felt her lips touch his forehead.

She had kissed his forehead. They both felt butterflies, and just for a moment, it was them and only them, nothing could drive each other apart, and just for a few seconds, they were safe in each other's company.

But it soon ended when Theo put her forehead back on Pip's, and problems and sorrow existed again. It took all of each of their strength to not kiss right then and there, to stay in that safe feeling together for longer.

"Theo?"

"Pip?"

"Thanks for being here."

"I will always be here for you Pip."

/2nd author's note: ngl i felt some emotions writing this/