For Once We're At Peace

Chapter 4

Esperanza was nervous. Sure, she had been to the graves of her friends and family many times before, but it felt different this time. It felt like an eternity since she had been back there. Now that she thought about it, Esper started to wonder whether or not Old Oak Hill was still like it used to be and if it was, would she be able to contact them and just apologise for not trying harder, especially with her Alexi.

"Hey, Lin?" Esper murmured as they grew closer to the graveyard where her godsister and husband, as well as one of her war friends and her son, were laid to rest at the end of their lives. Lin hummed, turning to look at the girl as Chris drove. "Do you have any idea if the hill that Alex, Laurens, Mulligan, Lafayette and I called Old Oak Hill is still standing? Or does it have a building on it now?"

"I'm not sure," he replied as he turned back to the road in front of them. Esper nodded, leaning back as she watched buildings upon buildings zoom past them. As she watched the buildings pass by, her mind couldn't help but compare it to old NYC, her old home. I wonder what Albany is like now, she thought as they pulled up to Trinity Church.

"You ready?" Renee asked as they hopped out of Chris' car. Esper looked at the entrance to the graveyard attached to the church, the beige bricks starting to show their age as the colouration was starting to gradually darken. The black metal gates that were open, allowing visitors in and out of the graveyard, seemed different now, more... menacing than they did back when she had to bury her eldest son, and her husband only three years later.

Taking a deep breath, Esper turned back to Renee and nodded. "I'm ready," she replied as Oak took her hand in his, squeezing it as to give Esper the comfort she needed. Esper gave him a brief smile before looking back at the intimidating gates as Chris and Jon lead the way in, Renee and Oak sticking close to Esper as they entered.

With a start, the first thing Esper's eyes laid on was her darling husband's grave. My Alexi... she thought, tears springing to her eyes as memories of the auburnette's beautiful violet-blue eyes flashed before her, the tender smile he had given her on his death bed. The Hamilton family's personal doctor, Dr. David Hosack, had told Esperanza that Alexander was the only one who was calm, and wasn't grief stricken about his death nor was he panicking. It put Esperanza's mind at ease, knowing her husband wasn't worrying about death for, what Esper was sure was, the first time in his life.

"Ms. Esperanza!" exclaimed the man himself, David Hosack, pulling her close to him in a gentle hug. "How are you?" David pulled back, watching as a gentle smile appeared on Esperanza's face. Oak stayed close to Esperanza; her hand clutched in his as a way to give her support. David caught the two holding hands, a sense of protection immediately over taking him. What did this man want to do to Esperanza? He thought, glaring suspiciously of the hands.

"You okay?" Esperanza asked, looking at Oak who nodded, ruffling her hair as Esper glared playfully. "I'm gonna go to Lin. I'll see you later, Oak. David." Oak nodded, giving her hand a final squeeze before letting go and watching her make her way over to where Lin was looking at Angelica Schuyler Church's grave with Renee, Pippa, and Jasmine.

"What?" Oak asked, noticing how the man that had hugged Esper glaring at him.

"What do you plan to do to Ms. Esperanza?" he asked, seeming very suspicious of Oak and his intentions with Esperanza.

"Dude, she's my niece," Oak exclaimed, eyes wide as he did so. "Why on earth would I have any intentions on doing something with my niece? Besides, I know she's devoted to Alexander and Alexander only." With that, Oak left the man in the dust, shaking his head in disbelief. Esperanza was his niece, who on earth would get with their niece?

"You okay?" Daveed asked, looking over at Oak as he came over to where he was looking at Hercules Mulligan's grave.

"Not really, no," he replied, shaking his head as he watched the doctor leave. "That guy that just left asked me what I wanted to do to Esperanza. Like, dude, she's my niece! Not only that, but I know how devoted she is to Alexander and Alexander only."

"Jeez, sounds like he's a bit of a dick," Daveed murmured before the duo headed over to where Esper was, crouching down beside a blank space with a little plaque beside it. "Hey, Esper, you alright?" Esper nodded, standing up again as Oak took the girl's hand in his once more, giving it a comforting squeeze to which Esper squeezed back.

"Do you want to see Alexander's grave, or do you wish to see his grave another time?" murmured Daveed, rapping his arm around the girl's waist, kissing the top of her head.

"I need to do this," Esperanza replied, looking over to the grave of her late husband, Alexander James Hamilton. Daveed and Oak nodded, releasing their hold on her and watching as she made her way over to the grave, kneeling down and placing her hand on the step. As she glanced to the side as to try to compose herself, she swore she saw Hercules Mulligan smiling encouragingly at her. I need to do this, she reminded herself as she turned her attention back to the grave before her.

To the memory of Alexander Hamilton. The corporation of Trinity Church has erected this monument in testimony of their respect for the patriot of incorruptible integrity. The soldier of approved valour. The statesman of consummate wisdom; whose talents and virtues will be admired by grateful posterity. Long after this marble shall have mouldered into dust. He died July 12th, 1804. Aged 57.

My Alexi, Esper thought as a tear trickled down her cheek. I hope you're happy. One day we'll be together, my love, one day. Placing her hand on the inscription of her husband's grave, she felt her heart skip a beat as a shock went through her, but it didn't hurt. Instead, it merely felt like a pin prick. I love you, Alexander Jams Hamilton, forever and always.

Esperanza stood, hands folding in front of her as Jonathon's arm wrapped his arm around her. "I'm sure he's watching over you, as is everyone else you left your mark on, Esper," he murmured as the girl nodded, allowing him to guide her towards the exit of Trinity Church, bowing her head to Angelica and Eliza's grave as she passed them. After exiting the graveyard, the group got into the 3 cars that they had brought with them and headed back to the theatre where they separated and headed home.

After visiting the graveyard where some of her friends and family members were buried the previous day, Esperanza didn't feel up to doing much. She felt emotionally drained from the whole experience. It had been a good 200 years since she had last visited her husband's grave, and even then she struggled with the idea of him not being beside her when visiting their children or grandchildren, or great-grandchildren, or great-great-grandchildren, or great-great-great-grandchildren. It hurt, it really did, but she knew that time would heal the old wound. Or so she thought. Clearly time doesn't heal all wounds, or else the wound her son and husband's deaths left upon her wouldn't be as raw and deep as it was now. I need to get up, thought the girl as her eyes started to drift close once more. Esper, don't fall asleep. You need to go to the theatre, we're rehearsing today!

Begrudgingly getting out of the comfortable bed, she got changed and started her journey to the Richard Rodgers theatre West of 46th Street. Upon arrival, she noticed how quiet it was. Am I the first one here? As she journeyed on further into the corridors of the theatre she loved, she noticed how the silence was... ominous, as if the Lord had some kind of punishment in mind for someone within the theatre walls.

"Hello?" she called, receiving no reply. Goodness, this is scary. "Jasmine? Jon? Thayne? Sasha? Carleigh? Hello! Is anyone here?" Still nothing. There was a rehearsal on today, wasn't there? Esper was sure there was one on today, Lin had mentioned one being scheduled for today. Or was it tomorrow?

"Esper?" a voice asked, causing the girl to whip around to look behind her, where the voice had come from. "You okay?" Standing behind her was the lovely Seth Stewart, one of the ensemble members.

"I'm good, just got here earlier than planned and it creeped me out how silent it was," she explained, smiling at the man before her. Seth nodded, the two of them heading into the break room where Daveed, Oak, and Leslie were sat. "Good morning, gentlemen."

"Morning, lovely lady," Leslie replied, chuckling when she playfully glared at him. Just as Esper was done pouring herself a coffee, Lin rushed in, looking extremely panicked and concerned at the same time. "Lin?"

"Have any of you checked the news?" They all glanced at each other, shaking their heads before looking back at Lin. The Puerto Rican man pulled out his phone, showing it to the five people in the room.

"Shit."