First Burn • Hamilton

Chapter Eighteen: Walking By Her Side, Talking By Her Side

a/n: The book is finished, I hope you like the final chapter! Thanks for reading this far!

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The next day, after breakfast, Eliza went over to the door, where Alexander was buttoning his waistcoat, startled at the sight of Eliza behind him.

"Eliza is with Angelica today, may I join you?" She asked softly, Alexander tried helplessly to hide a grin appearing on his face, and failed succeedingly.

Eliza chuckled, following him out of the door as they walked through the city, Alexander anxiously sparking conversation of the sights he saw on the daily, which shops were well tended, who was who as they walked past. He was like an excited child. Eliza just looked up at the semi-tall buildings for the time and the gravel roads beside the wooden walkways. She faded in and out of focus with Alexander, who kept talking.

"Would you like to see him?" He asked, they had stopped in front of Trinity Church." Eliza looked up at him helplessly. The type of helpless, unreadable. She just nodded, following him into the church cemetery. He lead her to the far back row by an iron rod fence.

"He's... right here. I talk to him every day." He confessed, she looked up at him, expressionless. She looked down at the tombstone of her son, the moloch starting to blend in with the grass at her feet. Fresh flowers laid op by the stone. She did the sign of the cross, starting to pray, as did her husband.

They stood there, alone for a moment, looking at their son as they did when he was born, just in an entirely different setting.

"Do you want to see John?" He asked, she looked at him in question. He lead her to the back with the willow tree, showing her the tree.

"This is his... unofficial grave." He said, she smiled to him, nodding.

"I'm sorry I'm even talking, gosh." He stated, she shook her head, looking at him, giving him a look of consent, it was okay.

"It's quiet uptown. Do you like it uptown?" He asked, as if he didn't have the answer to the question already. She smiled, nodding in sorrow. He held out his arm for her to grab onto, but she just walked to his side, waiting for him to lead them out of the cemetery.

The two walked the city, back and and forth, going home for a dinner, cooking silently together. Then Alexander decided to back outside, sitting on the bench in their garden. Eliza sat beside him, making him look to her with question.

"Can we go to the park?" She asked, he nodded, standing up and taking her hand, she let go once she was upright. He was followed side by side with her as they walked through the city, the sun setting incredible shades of gold and orange around them. The blue upright above them turning to navy, as the night came into view.

They arrived at the park, looking up at the city around them. Their breath was taken in the wind around them, unable to even comprehend the beauty they were seeing. She smiled at him in the dark, he couldn't see her.

"Look around, look around, Eliza." He said, she looked at him, smiling.

"It's beautiful." She stated. He nodded.

"It really is." He said, smiling right back at her.

The next few days they did the same thing, together. Alexander talking more than Eliza by tenfold. Eliza trying a little more on her part, popping into the conversation her husband always seemed to start when she could. She wanted to talk more, she just couldn't and she didn't know why. Maybe it was Philip, maybe it was Angelica, maybe it was herself.

She was alone at home one day, Alexander upstairs, the kids to their rooms. The rain was pounding the outside of the house, Eliza looked out the window. The patterns of the raindrops on the window made her sigh as she cleaned the dish in her hand over the sink. 

She heard rustling upstairs, knowing it was either her sons or her husband, oh Alexander. She thought about him, her mind going to places full of love, her anger was gone now. She just wanted to tell him how much she loved him, really. She wasn't mad anymore, she accepted that he made mistakes, was a bit of a klutz with them, but he meant well.

He had always and only meant well. 

She knew he know how to grieve correctly, she sought advice through that, guidance, to let go of her son's death and move on. She knew a part of her would always be mad at him, a part of her would never let go of her son. The teardrops were mirrors into those parts of herself, but the waves of rain hitting the window were her thoughts of Alexander, wanting to stand in his arms, and let her cry, rather let him hold her.

She snapped out of her trance, the clouds still grey but the rain gone. Alexander bustled down the stairs, his waistcoat was already on, glasses cleaned. He gave one look to Eliza, who stood looking out the window, dish rag in her hand.

"Eliza?" He asked, she turned around, startled at his presence.

"Would you join me?" He asked, she nodded, her mouth tugging upward a bit. He smiled back helplessly, opening the door for her, letting her lead him into the garden.

The roses were bright with their whites and pinks, ivy growing on their vines. Eliza usually tended to the garden, but Alexander did so a deal to take care of the flowers. He wanted to give Eliza a rose, but was too scared to leave her side.

He walked forward, Eliza raising an eyebrow as he plucked a faintly pink rose off its ivy vine, leaving a small bit of the stem at the bottom. He examined it, making sure it was perfect. He turned around on his heel, unable to make eye contact with Eliza. 

Alexander walked up to her, holding the rose to her, blushing. Their eyes suddenly met. Eliza's hands were folded in front of her. He looked down at them, not wanting to grab one. Instead, he raised his hand with the rose within it, tucking the stem right above her ear in her hair, fastening it into place. He made sure that it wouldn't move, silently braiding that side of her hair around the stem. 

Her face was straight while he did this, he looked at her nervously as he did. Her mouth tugged up into a smile when he was done, raising a hand to feel the braid he crafted. He smiled at her, she smiled back, going back to her right side. Both looking on into the yard they had.

They stood in the garden, alone. Alexander by Eliza's side. She slipped her hand into his, sewing their hands together. Alexander looked down, his face red with blush, Eliza looked down at their hands, smiling at the smile on her husband's face.

"It's Quiet Uptown." She said, he gulped in happiness, knowing that she indeed had forgiven him. 

"It is," He said, beaming. He was the sun in the cloudy sky, shining right onto Eliza. "It really is." 

They stood there, hand in hand, while the sun flooded the sky shining on them from above.

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the end