First Burn • Hamilton

Chapter Eleven: It Feels Easier To Just Swim Down

a/n: SO I JUST READ THE MAIN "LAMS" LETTER AND UM.

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Angelica sat in the seat, knees to her chest, silently crying. Alex came down the stairs, tears on his pale cheeks. He went to his sister, who faked a brave face and held her brother, letting him cry. Crying it all out. Alex's hazel eyes opened a tad bit, red all where the white was, Angelica just holding him.

"H-He's dead. I-Isn't he." He said, she let out a shaky breath.

"God forbid. H-how did you know?" She asked, Alex let out a slight sob.

"I-I Heard you this m-morning. I wanted t-to watch the sun rise. I-I couldn't help but listen in." Alex confessed, Angelica held her brother's head, his short but sort of long hair in-between her fingers, holding him close.

"It's fine, it's all okay." She said, the door was beat on the outside, and a small click of the rusted door knob.

A scruffy James walked in, holding his vest from the night before. His eyes grew when he walked in, he quickly waved off the boy he had stayed with putting his clothes on the back of a chair and going to his siblings who looked at each other knowingly.

"W-What happened?" He asked, Angelica took him into the hug. Alex pushed her away, cupping his little brother's face. He was worried, Alex just wanted to focus on something else.

"How was it?" He whispered, James couldn't help his smile.

"Wonderful." He replied, blushing.

"Did he-" "Yes. Yes he did k... kiss me. I stayed with him. He walked me here." He replied. Alex smiled, looking at his brother's plump lips and hugging him briefly. He could love whoever he wanted. It didn't make him any less of a person for it.

"Wonderful." He stated, James nodded, Alex rubbed his temple with his thumb, taking in one last look before going to his sister, who was tear-ridden. The sun was rising indefinitely now.

"Can you two stop looking as if you're about to engulf each other?" She said, Alex furrowed his brow.

"You don't have to be brave, we all have to cry, you know that? Just because you're strong doesn't mean you can't cry too, Angelica." Alex said, Angelica let out a sob, Alex held his sister, letting her cry onto his shoulder into his pajamas. James was confused as ever, but a wave of realization came over him.

"Is it father?" He asked, his siblings shook their heads.

"No, worse." Angelica replied, Alexander nodded.

"Mother?" He asked, gasping, they shook their heads again.

"Worse." Alexander stated, he looked to his brother, flinching at the sight and looking down before looking up at him again.

"Philip might be d-dead." Alex said, James looked at him scared, his might racing to find an answer to how, it eventually made its way out of his mouth.

"How?!" He asked, The siblings in front of him hushed him, pointing up the stairs behind him.

"A duel." Angelica said, taking herself out of her younger brother's arms and going over to James, putting his hands in her own. "Mother and Father just left a good half hour ago."

"W-with who?" He asked, shaking. Alex went over to him, James ready to bounce on top of him like he did when he was younger, or when he had to.

"Mr. George Eacker. Phil's fault." Angelica said briefly.

"No." James said.

"He has father's temper all right." Alex said, Angelica nodded.

Tears came to James's dark muddy eyes. Alexander went right in to hold him, Angelica backing up. James fell into his brother, who had always caught him. The two stayed there, Alexander and Angelica silent, James just crying. The younger children still asleep above them. The time they spent crying to each other that morning was elongated into the hour before the children usually awoke.