Running Out of Time

Chapter 6 - Best Friends Stick Together

Peggy sat on one end of the couch with Hamilton sitting on the other side. "Do you want to talk about it," she asked too quietly for her sisters in the kitchen but loud enough for Hamilton to make out. This may have only been the fifth day of having Hamilton around but she had been getting pretty good at talking with him when there were others around.

"What's there to talk about? The fact that I became something out of a horror movie or the fact that Laurens was about to fricking marry me? I'm not sure where to start really, they're both such good talking points," he looked at her with his arms crossed. Hamilton wasn't exactly having what most would call fun. He was pretty worked up over everything, she didn't blame him, there was quite a bit going on.

"So, I'll take that as a no then," she continued to file her nails. Peggy was pretty good at acting casual, the only trouble was that, most of the time, one of her sisters were in earshot so she couldn't comfort him. Now that they were definitely far enough away for it to be alright. 

"I have no idea what happened to me. You were all just playing around and I wasn't doing anything but then I just zoned out. I have no idea what was going on, I don't even remember anything. I mean, there was someone talking to me but I couldn't tell you who it was. It was strange, they were talking to me but at the same time it didn't seem like they were. Then, on the other hand, Laurens is great, he's super great. Man, he's the best," Hamilton continued talking as Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan walked into the house, he didn't even notice they came in. "Oh gosh, how am I supposed to respond to that sort of thing now? It's been awhile since I've been married or anything, you now. Do I pretend I don't know? I mean, that's probably the best, right? Obviously it's the best, what kind of question is that?"

Eliza had made the call to bring everyone together again for what would turn out to be a wine a gossip. She was usually the one who organized these little get-togethers. It wouldn't matter if they had all been together the week before, the day before, or even hours before, they would still get together. Most of the time, they were pretty fun. It didn't take very long for things to get started, it never did. They had been doing these things for lifetimes now, they could probably attend blindfolded and still have just as good a time. There was a reason these things were so popular, they were a blast.

Peggy was doing her best to stay on top of the conversation although it was, at times, difficult to keep track between the actual conversation and Hamilton. His topics were usually very different from the actual things they were talking about. She couldn't help but notice the occasional times he would mention Laurens or Eliza and they would almost respond but end up looking around the room casually. Of course, it was possible that he could have been getting through to them, it also could have been the wine. She didn't know which one it was but she could pretend it was the first option for Hamilton's sake.

Peggy, as usual, had made her own decision to go look for snacks. "Alexander, I  don't see why you're still worried about Laurens," she was quiet and standing in the part of the kitchen that was hidden from the living room. Conveniently enough, it was also the area where Peggy hid all of her best snacks.

"I am worried about it Peggy because I'm still not a person and we still don't know if I will be a person who could say yes," Hamilton made a hand gesture that was meant to say he was explaining something very obvious. She brushed it off, this was something he did all the time, it was probably second nature to him.

Peggy placed one of her hands on the counter, "I don't think you need to think about it right now. I think we should put our focus somewhere else."

"Like where," Hamilton popped up and sat on the counter next to her. He moved around a lot when he was nervous or anxious, it was a habit he could never quit. 

"Maybe you could focus really hard on yourself and that could help us figure out where you are," Peggy couldn't deny that she was making this up as she went. Somehow it still appeared to possibly be working, it did seem to her that Hamilton was actually considering this odd option. She had no idea if it would work but at this point almost anything was worth a shot for them. They had been on such a wild ride these past few days that both of them could hardly tell what was either a stupid or impossible plan. So far, stupid or impossible things were seeming to work out in their favour.   

"I guess so," Hamilton shrugged. As he moved to push himself off the counter, his hand touched Peggy's. As expected, his hand went through her's since he was still in his ghost like state. There was something new that happened as he walked away from her, her hand became stuck inside of his. It was bizarre and almost as if they were both sharing the same hand. Luckily, it was her left hand, this was good considering that she was usually right handed.

"Hamilton," Peggy was about to point out the obvious. A few seconds of silence ticked by. It appeared to be that they could both control the hand. She was a little more freaked out over this than he was, it was understandable, it was her hand after all. "Could you, maybe, I don't know, get out of my hand," she still managed to keep her voice down despite the mild panic.

"I ummm," Hamilton tried to pull away but it only pulled his arm with it, "I don't think I can." Hamilton looked almost as concerned as she did. It was nothing against Peggy but she was not his first choice of people he would like to be connected to. If they couldn't get unstuck then there would be a few issues. At some point Peggy would have to pee or shower and he would be stuck to her. There was also the fact that she had change clothes and do general, everyday things. He wasn't sure what he was to do. Out of all the things they had gotten into, this was quite possibly one of the stranger situations.

Just at that exact moment, Lafayette entered the kitchen. He stepped out of view of the living room and assessed the failed attempt of Peggy trying to hide any of the stress. "Peggy, you don't seem to be the most okay, is something wrong?"

"Something wrong? No," she extended a little chuckle, "there's nothing wrong Laf, don't worry about it."

"I'm not convinced. You do look awful stressed, tell me, is it the ghost?"

Peggy was almost blown away by how casually he said it, she wanted to think he was joking. "Ghost?"

"Hamilton, he's right there."