Falling Through Time: Basking in Firelight: Book 2

Ghostly Love

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Warnings: None

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Hamiton miraculously woke up before everyone in the house and snuck back to his own room after telling Jefferson where he was going so he didn't wake up and think Hamilton disappeared. It was a problem they both shared.

Laurens burst into his room an hour later yelling that it was time to get up. Jefferson made breakfast for everyone, something the rest of the squad was ecstatic about since they'd been living on army food. Hamilton bet that Jefferson was going to pack up as many food items as he could and take over the kitchens back at HQ so he didn't have to eat any more oatmeal mush.

They rolled into camp several hours later. Hamilton hooked up a horse trailer and brought the horses with them knowing Jefferson would never leave Monticello without them. Washington was waiting for them when they pulled in, once everyone was finished saying their hellos, Washington pulled Hamilton aside, Hamilton followed Washington far out of the rebel camp without so much as a backward glance at Jefferson. Jefferson stared after them, watching them go, plastering a smile on his face when someone clapped him on the shoulder and started talking happily.

When Washington deemed that they walked far enough, he turned to Hamilton, laid a hand on his shoulder and took a deep breath, "I was younger than you are now," he began, "when I was given my first command. I led my men in straight into a massacre. I witnessed their deaths first hand."

"Sir-"

"I made every mistake. I felt the shame rise in me and even now I lie awake knowing history has its eyes on me."

"Sir-"

"Let me tell you what I wished I'd known when I was young and dreamed of glory. You have no control who lives, who dies, who tells your story."

"Sir-"

"I know that we can win. I know that greatness lies in you, but remember from here on in, history has its eyes on you."

"Sir," Hamilton finally broke into laughter, Washington stared at him, "I know, sir, you've told me all this before. Plus, it's not my first command, you know that. I've been leading my entire state since the last war."

Washington looked at him closely, that piercing stare drilling into Hamilton's soul. "When did I tell you that before?" he asked. Hamilton opened his mouth, paused, and then shut it again. Washington's stare was unwavering, Hamilton shifted uncomfortably. The answer was 1781, but he couldn't tell Washington that, he'd think Hamilton was crazy and take away his command. "I asked you a question, Alex."

"Umm, I can't remember exactly..."

"How long ago did I tell you that?" Washington asked carefully.

Hamilton's head snapped up and met Washington's gaze. "Sir, do you remember that time when you told me to never leave my candles burning overnight, but I fell asleep at my desk and the candles were still burning and they burned over half of the correspondence on my desk?"

"And you had to rewrite everything within the hour? Yes, I do. That was the first war you and I ever fought in."

"You wouldn't let me live it down."

"If I recall correctly, it was Lafayette that was laughing at you," Washington said.

"This isn't the same war though, sir, it's a completely different enemy, a completely different situation."

"There are more parallels than you might think," Washington said, "It's all just worded slightly different." Hamilton nodded. "Well, if you know everything I'm going to say, report to General Lafayette for further instructions."

"Lafayette is a general now?" Hamilton exclaimed.

Washington chuckled, "Yes, as so is everyone else in your favorite squad.  Burr will be reassigned to his birth state now that you're back and I'll have to think of somewhere for Madison to be transferred to."

"Leave him with Jefferson, they work well together."

Washington nodded and dismissed Hamilton who raced back to camp to congratulate all his friends. Burr was commanding the New Jersey regiment, Mulligan was assigned to Maine even though he's from New York, Jefferson had Virginia obviously, Hamilton still had New York, Madison ended getting reassigned to West Virginia, Lafayette was in charge of all the volunteer forces from the western states and any other random places people showed up from, and Laurens had South Carolina.

Laurens.

Hamilton's heart sank. It was like seeing a ghost. He never realized it before because he didn't have his memories when they first met, but Laurens was alive and if history was to repeat itself again, he was to die in South Carolina after the Battle of Yorktown or whatever the last major battle of this war would be. Hamilton stood just outside his circle of friends, watching Laurens as he laughed, the way the sun looked upon his skin. The way the wind moved his curly hair ever so slightly. And his freckles, those freckles had melted Hamilton's heart. Laurens and he used to be so close, lovers. Hamilton remembered. Why did he have to remember all that now? Why couldn't he just remember to save him and not how much Hamilton loved him.

Jefferson was watching Hamilton, not that Hamilton realized. His focus was centered on Laurens. Hamilton didn't talk often about Laurens back in their past life, but he said enough for Jefferson to piece together what they had been to each other. How close they had been. Hamilton hadn't remembered Laurens when they first met, but now he was probably running through all his old memories of him, all the time they spent together, the nights they laid entangled together-stop. Jefferson, stop. This isn't fair to Hamilton. 

Hamilton loved Laurens, probably still does. But what did that mean for Hamilton and Jefferson? 

Jefferson could tell by the way Hamilton was looking at Laurens that he was memorizing everything about him, every tiny detail. Jefferson's blood turned to ice in his veins. 

Someone was talking to him, Madison, Jefferson tried his best to focus on what Madison was saying to him but it was all just going right over his head. He couldn't stop thinking. Laurens was alive, Hamilton could save him.

But what did that mean for Jefferson?

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