Falling Through Time: Basking in Firelight: Book 2

Place Your Bets

----

Warnings: Shock. Complete and utter shock. Unless you predicted it, then great amounts of satisfaction.

----

"Cards guys. Really. You should just go with the cards," Burr said, following Hamilton and Jefferson down the hallways as they made their way to their room.

"Dear Lord, give it up, Burr. We're not using the cards," Jefferson groaned.

"We've never used a pre-written speech before and we've done just fine," Hamilton pointed out.

"Sounds like a great time to start," Burr pressed.

"You don't even know what we've got planned," Jefferson commented.

"Which scares me even more. I hate not knowing what you two are up to, there's always a mess for me to clean up afterward."

Hamilton laughed, "I promise we won't make a mess."

"That's what you always say," Burr mumbled.

"Tell you what," Jefferson grinned as he opened the bedroom door, ushered Hamilton inside and stood in the doorway, "If you go make out with Madison right now, I'll read whatever cards you want as long as they're reasonable. Oh, and you gotta have proof."

"Jeffer-"

Jefferson closed the door in Burr's face.

"Think he'll do it?" Hamilton asked.

"Absolutely not."

***

"Here's your speech, memorize it before you're on stage please?" Burr said, handing a stack of cards to an astonished Jefferson. Burr then turned on his heel and walked off, leaving Jefferson standing in shock in the doorway.

"He did it," he said to himself.

"Did what?" Hamilton asked from inside the room.

Jefferson closed the door with a stack of cards in hand, "He actually did it."

Hamilton eyed the cards, "Holy shit. I was wrong. You're a great matchmaker."

"I was wrong. He actually went through with. Picture and everything."

"I guess that means we're going with the cards."

"You know what," Jefferson began, "I bet Burr told him what the deal was and Madison did it just to spite me."

"That does sound like him."

"Goddamnit, and I was so looking forward to what we had planned."

"Next time, Thomas, next time."

***

As Jefferson and Hamilton were working, Jefferson suddenly looked up, "Hey Hamilton,"

"Yes?" Hamilton replied without looking up.

"You wanna dance with me?"

Now Hamilton to looked up, raising an eyebrow, "Dance with you?"

"Yeah."

"We're working."

"So let's take a break," Jefferson said.

"There's no music."

Jefferson reached over and pushed a button and music instantly filled the room. Jefferson stood from his chair and walked over to Hamilton's desk. "How about now?" he asked, holding out his hand.

"I can't believe you had that all set up," Hamilton huffed, taking Jefferson's hand.

"Well, you blew off my last offer," Jefferson said, pulling Hamilton to him and sweeping him across the room.

"You deserved it."

Jefferson scoffed, "It was still the most perfect opportunity wasted."

"You shouldn't have been such a sensitive moron."

"You shouldn't have been such an insensitive prick."

"Asshole."

"Bastard."

***

Jefferson buttoned up his magenta dress shirt and tied a white tie around his neck. "Hamilton! Are you ready?" He called, throwing on a gray vest that matched his pants.

"One moment!" Hamilton emerged wearing a black suit paired with an emerald green shirt. "Damn this thing," Hamilton seethed, trying to tie his tie.

"You're helpless," Jefferson laughed, walking over and tying it for him. "You memorized your part of the speech, right?"

"Of course I did, I'm me," Hamilton said, "Did you?"

"Of course. Are you ready then?"

"Yep. Let's go speak to a nation."

Hamilton and Jefferson met up with Burr, Madison, Peggy, and Monroe downstairs and they all walked to the car together. "Did you memorize the speech?" Burr asked as they climbed into the cars.

"What speech?" Jefferson asked. Burr just stared at him blankly. "Oh! That speech! I decided to wing it after all."

"I swear to God, Jefferson-"

"Oh relax, Burr, of course, I memorized the speech."

"Oh thank God, I was about to strangle you."

***

By the time they arrived, massive crowds were already gathered to hear the presidents address the nation. It was a normal thing for Hamilton and Jefferson, they were used to it by now. As soon as they were in sight, the crowd began to cheer uproariously, individual words being lost in flood to where all it was was noise. A sea of never-ending noise. Jefferson immediately starting waving to everyone and flashing charming smiles.

"Kiss ass," Hamilton muttered.

"Just because they love me more doesn't mean you get to call me names," Jefferson tutted as they walked along.

"I can call you whatever I want," Hamilton said back.

"Aw, don't be jealous, Darlin', my love makes up for it."

"Shut the fuck up or I'll deck you in the face in front of everyone."

"It'd make great publicity. I can almost see the headline, 'Lover Presidents Fighting, Is This the End of the Founding Relationship?'"

"I swear to God, Thomas."

They mounted the steps onto the stage and faced the crowd waving happily. All the vice presidents went off to the side and someone handed Hamilton and Jefferson headsets so the crowd could actually hear them.

Everyone knew by now, going into their fifth year with them as presidents, that their speeches aren't very formal.

"Hello, everyone! Bonjour!" Jefferson greeted, "Now if we could all just quiet down a bit that'd be fantastic." The crowd slowly went quiet. "Thank you."

"Now if we can just have a moment of silence for those who have been lost to battle," Hamilton said, a hush falling over the crowd.

After a minute or so, Hamilton continued, "We had something planned for you, but sadly, it got canceled last minute due to a lost bet," Hamilton informed the audience.

"So we'll be sticking to the cards," Jefferson laughed and the crowd grumbled. They'd come to enjoy Hamilton's and Jefferson's unpredictability. Burr stood in the background, head in hand, shaking it softly.

"Well, there's no point in that," another voice cut in through the speakers, "Cause nothing about this speech is going to go according to plan."

Jefferson and Hamilton whirled around and stood dumbfounded when none other than John Laurens walked out onto the stage, took a bow, and smiled, "Greetings from the other side."

----