Time's Up

what'd we miss?

NYC, 1789

CAT'S POV

"Well then, I'd better get going. Stay out here, I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

"You can do this, Cat."

"Thanks, Laurens."

With those words I walked up the path to the front door, a determined expression on my face. I was almost knocked off my feet by the two children playing tag on the lawn, but I sidestepped the mini-stampede with a slight smile and continued to the front door of the Hamiltons' house.

I paused in front of the door for a moment, taking a deep breath and mentally preparing myself. Before I even had the chance to knock, however, the door opened.

Eliza blinked twice.

I blinked back.

"Christopher!" she exclaimed, stepping aside so I could enter and closing the door again behind me, "you're alive!"

"It would appear to be so," I chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of my neck.

"But-- the letter... and your friends were here two years ago, convinced you were dead-- do they know? Have you found them? Is that why you're here?"

"I've found them-- before the time jump even, don't worry," I reassured her quickly, "I just hadn't gotten around to letting you and Alexander know yet, that's why I'm here now."

Eliza smiled broadly.

"That's fantastic! I'm sure Alexander will be overjoyed-- a visit from a time-jumper is just what he needs to get his mind off things."

The slightest of frowns polluted her expression, a worried sigh escaping her lips.

"I worry for him sometimes," she spoke softly, "he's drowning in his work-- he has been ever since the war. I think perhaps I'll take him with uptown sometime-- maybe I can get Angelica to come as well-- just so he gets a break from it all."

She shook her head sharply.

"But that's not something I need to burden you with," she continued, "speaking of time-jumpers-- how are the others? Is Janet still spending all her time with that blondie?"

My face contorted into a semi-grimace.

"The others are... fine, I suppose. Same as always. But Janet... she and Steve are going through a bit of a rough patch, it would seem. I'm not sure, I still haven't figured out exactly what's going on there-- when I do, I'll let you know."

Eliza nodded slowly.

"I suppose I'll hear it sooner or later," she smiled softly, "but I reckon you're eager to get on to Alexander-- he's upstairs in his office. Just follow the sound of a quill scratching on paper and Alex muttering to himself, it's impossible to miss."

I chuckled softly, moving towards the stairs.

"Now, what was I doing before I...?" Eliza trailed off in confusion, trying to remember what she'd been about to do before I showed up on her doorstep.

"You were on your way outside, I believe," I filled in helpfully, "at least, you opened the door before I'd even knocked, so I assumed so."

"I was going to check on the children," Eliza remembered, "they're playing out front-- you probably saw them as you entered."

"Your children?" I asked curiously, "has it been that long?"

Eliza nodded with a wistful smile.