Something Sweet

Paitence

"To Alex and John! For beginning the fulfilling task of starting a family."

"Alex and John!"

Everyone drank from their glasses and soon, chatter started up again.

It was a party after all, held at the Washingtons, where Alex and John were celebrating that they had been approved to adopt. It had been a full week of them keeping it a secret, just in case anything changed.

Alex and John were smiling around at everyone, making small talk. That is, until Alex took a sip of his drink and almost choked, because one of his best friends Hercules had slapped him on the back.

"Oh sorry, that was meant to be congratulatory..," Hercules grinned. "Guess the military didn't really toughen you up, huh?"

John and Herc laughed, while Alex regained a 'calm, not dying' demeanor.

"Funny joke." He said coldly before breaking out into a grin and hugging Herc tightly. "Thanks for coming. I know it's been a busy week for you, we really didn't mean to take attention off your big news."

"Oh mon ami, no worries." Laf walked towards the mini group.

Laf, Alex's adopted brother, just got engaged to Hercules last week. They had been dating since college and were really adorable, according to Peggy.

"Well we really do apologize." John stated with a smile.

John and Alex had matured a lot since high school, and hell even college. The military does that to you. Herc and Laf were the same, but..somehow they still had their joke like charm.

"Can you three not cause any trouble while I'm gone?" Alex suddenly asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Depends on where your going and how long you'll be gone," Herc replied. All four of the men laughed.

"I'll be right back, someone I need to talk to is here."

Alex walked to the other side of the backyard that everyone was mingling in, to meet a very uncomfortable looking Aaron Burr.

"Well, if it isn't Aaron Burr?"

"Sir!" Aaron lit up.

"I didn't think that you would make it."

"To be sure." Burr smiled.

"Burr?" Hercules yelled from the other side of the party.

"I came to say congratulations."

Laf, who had randomly decided to do karaoke when Alex walked off, walked up to the pair. "Spit a verse Burr!"

"I see the whole gang is here..," smiled Aaron.

"Ignore them. Heard you got a promotion? How's that going?" Alex asked.

"Oh it's not all that great, but tonight is for you! And your husband, of course."

Alex grinned back at John, who was talking to Angelica. "Yeah. Well thanks for coming. Congrats on your news though, I heard you were expecting! There's food inside if you're hungry," Alex half asked.

"Actually I think it's time for me to head home...But thank you," Burr said. "Congrats again Alexander! Smile more."

Aaron patted Alex on the back as he walked away, leaving the latter with his back to his friends, which is never a good idea.

Hercules ran up behind him and pinched his sides.

"Ow, what the hell?" Alex laughed as he turned.

"How's your boyfriend?" Herc grinned.

"Oh my gosh you are an actual gay child."

"At least I'm "actual"!" Hercules retorted as he took a sip of his drink and ran to go sing with Laf.

Alex scoffed at them, felt a bump, and turned again to face the youngest of his childhood neighbors, otherwise known as the youngest Schuyler, Peggy.

"Oops, sorry- Oh Alex!" She grinned once she noticed who it was.

Peggy was in her last year of college, and Alex hadn't seen her since New Years at her fathers house.

"Pegs!" Alex smiled, having always had a good relationship with her. "You made it!"

"Yeah, sorry I'm late, Maria came over and I lost track of time."

Maria Lewis, shortly a Reynolds when she got married super early to a certain James, was Peggy's new girlfriend. They had been friends for years, and to Alex, it was cute how they blossomed into more. It reminded him of John.

"It's cool, you missed a speech."

"I'm sure that was totally fun, so sorry I missed it," she laughed.

"Come on, it was my dad!"

"And I oop-," Peggy whispered.

The Next Morning

"John? Babe?" Alex groaned, as he rolled onto his side.

John and Alex had gotten home late, watched The Office, and fallen asleep in each other's arms.

John stirred beside Alex, but it was only 7 am, and he was not a morning person.

"Okay, go back to sleep then," Alex rolled his eyes jokingly. "I'll make some breakfast."

Alex heard John snort as he walked out of the room to start making pancakes.

The sun shined into their apartment, through the glass door to the small balcony outside, through the window over their sink, and from inside of Alex's heart.

He felt nothing but joy as he mixed together the pancake batter and poured it into a pan.

Ring, Ring.

Alex practically leaped over an armchair to grab his cellphone, a habit he'd made after getting approved. He was on edge about the selection, praying that they would call with a kid.

"Hello?" He asked into his phone.

"Alex?"

"Eliza? What's up?"

He heard a deep breath from the other line.

"I just wanted to say sorry..for last night. And don't you interrupt me until I'm done! I was very quiet and not once did I congratulate you, or say hello. That was wrong of me and I'm sorry. It's just..it's just that I always imagined that it would be another way. It would be you, and me..you know? I really thought it would be us. So it was hard for me last night. I'm really sorry. Just know that I truly am happy for you and John."

"Liz! You didn't do anything wrong. Nothing. I know you and I had it all planned out. But we were kids. We loved each other, but we didn't know. We didn't know what would happen."

Alex and Eliza talked on the phone for a good five more minutes, and would've talked longer, before the smoke alarm went off.

"What- oh shit! Sorry Liz! Gotta go!"

John came running out of the bedroom with a confused look on his face.

"Alex?"

"It's fine! Call Marcus, tell him it's a false alarm before he sends up a fire team!" Alex yelled to him as he turned off the stove and threw away the burnt flab of batter.