• Still Waiting For It • Reader X Aaron Burr

Chapter 19: Rose's Thorn

                              Burr's POV

I rushed outside, I heard my friend's footsteps behind me, echoing down the corridor.

"(Y/N)! Rose!" I screamed.

As I stepped outside, my fears had been confirmed: they were gone. Lafayette noticed something I didn't, however.

"Burr, there's a gold button. It has the king's crest on it."

    "Dammit.. The British have her.."

           (Y/N)'s POV, Four days later

    I woke up on the granite floor. A wet feeling on my forehead. I reached my quivering hand up to it. When I pulled my hand down, my blood stained my fingers.

"Oh, my God.. Oh, my God."

I heard screams echo across the corridor. Redcoats marched along the halls, bayonets in arms.

    I felt sick. The room was spinning about me. I sat down on the stone floor.

    I heard a weak voice from across my cell. "(Y/N)?.."

    "Rose!" I ran over to her. She was a coughing mess, blood running down from her mouth. She had a black eye, several cuts on her chest, face, and arms, a twisted leg, and a rapidly bleeding wound on her chest.

    "Hang on, I can help you!" I ripped off a bit of my dress and applied pressure to her knife wound. The white material quickly turned red.

    She grabbed my wrist. "(Y/N), don't be dumb. I'm not going to make it."

    I felt tears forming in my eyes. "Don't say that, Rose! You'll be fine!"

    She grabbed my hand as I began to sob. "Listen to me." Her voice grew weaker. "Lure a soldier in here, get a weapon, disguise in the British uniform. Forget about me."

    "Rose, don't talk like that! I'm getting you out of here."

    "Even if I didn't have the stab wound, my leg is broken. I can't walk. Just listen to me and get out of here alive. Do this for me, (Y/N). Be strong."

    I nodded solemnly. "I'm going to miss you, Rose. I wish I could be half the woman you are."

     She smiled weakly and looked up. "Tell Gilbert I love him."

                                        •

    It was slower as quicker as I thought it was. Rose's eyes lost their light and became glassy. I shut them quickly. She always had this fire in her eyes that I envied, that flame is gone.

    Her body was still warm. I pretended that she was alive, just sleeping. Denial is a lie. A sweet, blissful lie you wish to be true. She should've had a longer life, full of love and happiness. I promise, Rose. I promise that I will get out of here and live for you.

                                      •

    I scanned the wall and found a nail. It looked like I could pry it out with enough force. I began yanking on it. It wouldn't be easy, I used all of my strength. With a large yank, the nail came free but I was sent flying backwards. The freed nail made a clang on the floor.

    "What's going on here?" A soldier entered my cell. I hid the nail behind my back and spoke rapid French. He sighed.

    "Goddamn, I have one of those foreign ladies."

    I quickly covered his mouth and stabbed his neck. He died instantly. I began removing the uniform and putting it on out of view from the soldiers. Soon, I looked like a proper man of the king's army. I tied my hair back with a black ribbon. (If you have short hair, you left your hair the way it is.)

    I marched out with bayonet in hand, ready to get the hell out of here. After I got towards the assumed exit, I heard a familiar crying from one of the cells.

    I cleared my throat, trying to sound as manly as possible and faced the cell. "Elizabeth Hamilton, come with me."

    Eliza looked up at me, her eyes swollen from crying. Her mouth hung open and she nodded.

    I opened her cell using the key on my uniform, grabbed her hands, and escorted her towards the exit.

    She whispered to me. "(Y/N), is that you?"

    "Yeah. We're getting out of here."

    I heard shots ring out. Guns were being fired.

    I ran into one of the storage areas with Liz as shots were exchanged in the halls. Liz was breathing heavily, shaking. I wrapped my arms around her.

"Hey, you're okay."

Eliza began crying. "I don't even know where I am! I just want Alex.."

"I know you do but you need to keep quiet. If we get caught, it's unlikely you'll see him again."

Eliza looked down and nodded.

Shots were fired for the next half hour. I think everyone was too locked in combat to check rooms yet. Just as sudden as the shots started, they stopped.

I put a hand on my sister's shoulder. "Stay here."

I stepped out to investigate. Bodies littered the floor. Continental soldiers and Brits. I walked, searching for any signs of life.

Someone strong pinned me against the wall. "You're going to tell me where you're keeping all of the women, Brit."

I looked up at the man, his jaw dropped.

"(Y/N)!"

"Aaron!"

•

Quick note: I want to announce that this story officially qualifies for the Wattys! I'm not going to enter them though because:
1. I am not sure how the story is going to specifically end yet
2. If I enter the Wattys, I want it to be a completely original story

Have a wonderful life, my friends!

~ Em