Stay With Me | Hamilphan AU

Chapitre Un

Dressing as a pregnant woman was one thing Daniel James Howell never expected to be doing in his life.  Crossing the Atlantic Ocean to New York to escape his parents and a future he didn't want however, was one thing he thought he'd be doing. He'd heard of Marquis De Lafayette's escapade to New York in 1776 to join the revolution, and always saw it as a heroic act, and had decided that if he ever needed to go to America, he'd do it that way. He could never dream of the position he'd be in now. He'd seen things that could change a man; death, war, blood, and tears. He'd fought alongside Lafayette during the last few years of The French Revolution, he'd become friends with Lafayette, and he'd graduated from college in 2 years. The things he'd seen during the Revolution had made him rethink his life.

He didn't want to be married off to a suitable woman, to inherit his father's business, to build a powerful family. He wanted to make his own path. His parents would never be able to accept him for who he was, so he needed to get away.

And the one person who helped him was Laf. Laf was practically a father figure, the one person who he'd told about his secret. He was the one who'd got him on the boat to America, the one who'd arranged for him to stay with Alexander Hamilton and his family. He already missed Laf as he stood on the deck of the boat, watching the shape of his home country disappear into the horizon.

The boat journey was rough and demanding. It took 3 weeks to reach New York, and he wasn't built for sea travel. He'd constantly have to get up and throw up over the railings, and he could barely sleep because of it. You could not believe how happy he was when they reached New York and he could put his feet on solid ground (which also seemed to be rocking). He was so relieved that he barely noticed any sights in New York.

A woman rushed up to him, in a blue dress. She had dark brown hair, and was walking beside a girl in a white dress. "You must be Daniel?" The woman asked. He was amazed she'd recognised him. Then again, it wouldn't be hard to not notice the only "pregnant woman" on the ship.

He nodded, "Please, call me Dan, but you must be Eliza? Eliza Schuyler Hamilton?" He asked. She smiled, and nodded back.

"It's so good to see you! Laf has said so much about you! I know you were expecting Alex to collect you, but he's at work, and lord forgive you if you interrupt him at work. The last few nights he's been sleeping in the spare room; we've had an argument," she sighed. "This is my daughter Angie."

"'ello." Dan smiled, his posh voice dripping with a French accent. The warm August sun covered him in warmth as they walked through the streets of Lower New York. "It's much warmer 'ere than France."

"Yeah, but you'll get used to it, just like you'll get used to the time difference," Eliza shrugged, turning into a path leading up to a house. Dan could tell they were in the posher end of Downtown New York just from looking at the house. It was big and clearly looked after.

"My other children are currently in classes with their Governess and nanny, but if you'd like to meet them now, I can get them, if you'd like?" Eliza asked, showing him into the house.

"No, no. Education is so... important. It can wait, don't worry." Dan shook his head, and Eliza smiled. Truth be told, Dan didn't want to meet a bunch of children dressed as a pregnant woman. He whipped off the wig he was wearing, realising he was safe in the house.

"Angie, dear, would you show Dan up to his room, please?" Angie nodded, and lead Dan through the hallway and up the stairs. It was relatively dark, despite it being such a bright day.

"My older brother, Philip, is at college at the moment, but he'll be back for dinner. He doesn't have to share his room, the lucky thing, " Angie sighed, gesturing to the room closest to the stairs. "This is my room. It won't be mine for much longer. In a year or so, I'll have to share with Eliza, my baby sister. She sleeps in the nursery, but that's that room there," She pointed to a pretty looking room. "The other rooms are up the top." She led me up another flight of stairs, where 4 more rooms sat. She pointed to the only room with an open door, "this is Mother's room. And this next door, is Alex and James's room." She paused outside the last two rooms, "This one is John and Will's room. So this one-"