Hold Me

Chapter 8 - Jefferson Interlude

When Laurens woke up the next day, he was alone. He checked the time and knew Hamilton would be in class. The man never stopped. Laurens sat up and ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to smooth out the mess he knew was there. Just as he stood up, there was a knock at the door. Standing there was the last person he expected to see.

"Are you alone," Jefferson asked checking the hallway for people. 

"Jefferson? What are you doing here?"

"Hamilton isn't here is he? Listen, I just...Forget it," Jefferson looked down. Laurens knew something was defiantly up. Jefferson was acting like a totally different person.

"What is it?" Laurens was the kind of person who would always try to help someone if the needed it, it really seemed like Jefferson needed it. 

"I really need to talk to you." Laurens let Jefferson in and shut the door. He noticed how stressed Jefferson seemed. It was a little bizarre. "I know we're not friends but I think you can help."

--

Hamilton walked back from class noticing that the air was beginning to cool. The weather wasn't cold yet but it certainly wasn't warm. Hamilton had a feeling that if it got cooler he wouldn't like it. Hamilton wasn't sure how cold it would get but surely it wouldn't be anything he couldn't handle.

When he got into his room he found Laurens sitting on the bed with his notebook open but not doing anything. He seemed to be thinking but not in the way that he thinks when he draws. Hamilton knew the difference, he was pretty observant.

"What's up," Hamilton said as he sat on the bed.

Laurens looked up, he didn't notice Hamilton come in. He had been thinking about the advice he'd given to Jefferson. He had tried his best and was just hoping things didn't turn sour. Who knows what Jefferson would do if he thought Laurens purposely gave him bad advice. If things turned out to be okay he would probably know in a few days. He couldn't tell any of this to Hamilton, he might explode. Hamilton and Jefferson were like oil and water.

"Ummm..." Laurens thought of a lie, "Peggy needed some advice."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I don't think I was much help though. I'm not too worried about it."

Laurens was hoping Hamilton would believe him. Hamilton nodded and went to his desk to write some more essays. Laurens was relieved. Hamilton appears to have bought it. 

Hamilton spent the day and most of the night typing away. Laurens had fallen asleep without intention around eleven. It was about seven in the morning when he started to wake up. He could still hear Hamilton typing.

"Did you stay up all night," Laurens mumbled. It wouldn't have been the first time this happened.

"No."

"It's morning."

Hamilton looked up and checked the time, "oh, I guess I did stay up."

Laurens laughed. "Go take a nap."

"But I'm not done," Hamilton whined. 

Laurens squinted as his eyes adjusted to the room. "Is that my hoodie," he asked noticing what Hamilton was wearing.

"Yeah, I got cold," Hamilton wrapped the blanket over his legs. It had gotten pretty chilly in the middle of the night. Hamilton had thought about going over and snuggling against Laurens but he too much work to do. There was always something to do.

--

Jefferson paced around in his dorm. He was still considering the things he had just done. Although Jefferson was never the one to actually do the work, it might have been worth it. This never would have worked if someone else had tried. Burr would have screwed up trying to get in the door and Madison probably would have gotten caught. Those middle school drama classes had finally paid off.

His roommate, James Madison, walked in. "Thomas, good, you're here."

"Well, where else would I be," he tried to hide any sign of having been successful. Madison hadn't been aware that Jefferson had even done anything that day.

"I think we need to have a discussion," Madison said while sitting in one of the chairs.

"What kind of discussion," Jefferson sat across from the man.

"This plan of yours. I'm just not sure how it'll play out. How do you know you won't get caught, it's a pretty tricky thing. Don't you think?"

"I know. I don't think you have anything to worry about, I've got a handle on this," Jefferson smiled and sat back in his chair. Madison still seemed a little stressed.

"You've just seemed almost too excited about all of this. I just don't want this to all fall apart on you. You'd be too upset." Jefferson admired the confidence Madison had in him.

Jefferson leaned forward and kissed his boyfriend. "Madison, it's like I said, I've got a handle on this," he smiled.

"Thomas, you didn't."

"That kid will finally get what's coming to him."