After a few days, perhaps a week, the gang had set sail for New York, although as - For some - Once again, new men. Hamilton was the most quiet on the trip home. It was unusual, and rather unnerving. Nobody enjoyed this new attitude of Alexander's, and because of this they all promised to get his hopes back up and restore his confidence. "Check it out, boys," said Jefferson, breaking the ice and pointing ahead. The men did so, their faces lighting up and small sighs of relief and gratitude leaving their lips. Madison searched for Jefferson, clung to him, and looked his happiest. Thomas grinned, hugged back, and laughed victoriously with him. John nudged Alexander and whispered to him, "Hey, Alex. Ever notice how close James and Thomas are?"
Alexander blinked and whispered back, "Ssssure, I suppose. But that's only because they're best friends, isn't it?"
"Nah. You and Herc are good buddies but you ain't half as touchy as /they/ are."
Hamilton refuses to admit it, but a smile spread as he rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't tell me you're suggesting that they could potentially like one another."
"They could! You don't know that!"
That's when Thomas spoke up. "You know we can hear you, right?"
The two friends froze but ended up laughing, Thomas and James as red as tomatoes and not finding this funny at all. Well, thought Thomas, at least Alex is smiling and laughing again. One more day of him being the strong silent type and I would've lost my mind. It appears everything was normal again. Everyone had greeted them warmly and with open arms. Everything had managed to stay on track and stay working. Everything was normal.
Everything, except for one thing:
The Schuyler sisters were missing, and they had been missing since Washington was assassinated.
Alexander returned home right away, knocked on the door, and was tackled by an excited and overjoyed Phillip. Alexander was laughing with Phillip, who was kissing his father's face and making it clear he wasn't letting go anytime soon. "Daddy!! Daddy!! You're home, you're home!!"
"Ohhh, my son! I've missed you so much! Were you a good boy for mommy?"
Phillip's jubilant expression promptly vanished, leaving Hamilton to panic.
".... Mommy's.... Not here, daddy...."
Alexander felt the ground beneath him turn into dust. Phillip even began to cry a little. All he wanted for his son was to avoid living the life as an orphan, and he failed. While he and the others sheltered at Virginia, Phillip walked the streets of New York as an orphan. His wife.... Not here....? Gone....?
Dead....?
"The mean king," said Phillip suddenly, snapping Hamilton out of his thoughts, "took her away from me.... And said that he wouldn't give her back until you, Aaron, Tom, Jamie, Uncle John, Uncle Herc, and Uncle Laffy came back to fight...."
Ready to say something in between the lines of, "I'll get her back, son," or, "She'll be okay," Phillip beat him to it.
"Daddy....? You won't do it, right....? You won't fight the mean king....?"
".... Ph-.... Phillip, I /need/ to. Elizabeth is my wife, your /mother/, I really need to. In fact, you stay with your aunties Angie and---"
"They're not here, either."
".... Pardon....?"
"The mean king took them away, too.... Mommy.... Auntie Angie.... Auntie Peggy.... All of them...."
Phillip buried his face in his father's neck and began to weep, the fear of what King George could do to them eating away at him. He had to save them - He had to! But.... Who would look after Phillip? What if he died....? What if Eliza and the others were already dead, too....?
What if King George really is just too strong....?
What if---?
"Don't worry, Phillip," said a familiar and confident voice. Alexander turned around to face Thomas, using his only hand to hold his cane. Phillip didn't ask how he lost his arm.
"We'll get your mother back."
Phillip's eyes widened as he immediately looked at Thomas, a bright and cheerful grin spreading instantly. "You will?!" Thomas nodded.
"Yes, we will. Hamilton? May I speak with you?"
Alexander felt his dry throat force down an imaginary wad of gum as he put Phillip down and walked to Thomas, glaring at him as he mumbled, "You may. We need to talk."
---
"Thomas, are you insane?!"
"I'm not insane, just---"
"Not. Insane? Not. INSANE?!"
"Hamilton, just calm down and---"
Alexander gripped the collar of Thomas' shirt and yanked him down to eye-to-eye level, his eyes on fire with rage. "WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A BATTALION AND YOU'RE GOING TO PROMISE MY SON WE'LL SAVE HIS MOTHER WHEN WE CAN'T EVEN SAVE OURSELVES?!" Thomas, unaffected by the outburst, sighed and simply placed his hands over Hamilton's wrists.
"Maybe if you let me speak, Alexander, you'd realise I actually have a plan."
"NONE OF YOUR IDEAS HAVE BEEN GOOD! NONE OF THEM!"
"I haven't even /suggested/ an idea the entire time we sailed from New York to Virginia! You don't know that!"
"Don't make me bring up the cabinet meetings, Jefferson. Your ideas were shit then and they're probably still shit now!"
"SAYS THE ONE WHO TOLD ME TO HELP AND LOOK AT WHERE I AM NOW!"
Silence filled the room. Alexander loosened his grasp on Thomas as he realised what he had said.
".... A-Alex, I.... I didn't mean it."
"No, no. It's.... It's fine, Thomas, it's fine...."
"No, it's not /fine/. I told you to help - I /forced/ you to help, knowing damn well you don't have the slightest experience in war - And caused your blindness, /Madison's/ blindness."
"Alexander, enough. James and I are blind because of /our/ actions, not /your/ commands."
"Thomas, even if you didn't listen to me, I could've saved Washington and---!"
"Alexander, /ENOUGH/!" boomed Jefferson. Hamilton jumped at that and widened his eyes. I don't think he's ever heard the other yell before, and if he has he certainly doesn't remember it. Thomas sighed and put his weight on his cane, saying nothing as he recomposed himself.
".... It's not.... Your fault, okay? King George attacked us and it came as a surprise to everyone. We didn't know, and if we did we would've stopped it. Please believe that...."
Hamilton said nothing. He crossed his arms and looked away, his expression softening. Thomas sighed again and placed his hand on the shorter male's shoulder, causing Alexander to look up at him.
".... I just don't want you doing anything else stupid, dammit.... If we lose someone else---"
"Alex, listen; we won't, alright? We'll be fine. Now just - Hang out with Phillip while you still can. We're leaving to London tomorrow by dawn."
"What-? Thomas, you have no experience in war whatsoever!"
Thomas huffed and let go of him, walking away from him with a somber expression.
"Then I guess I'm going to do something stupid and learn."
