Thank the Lord That I Found Her That Day

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The Lion And His Lioness -- A Hamilton Fanfiction
Chapter 5 - Thank the Lord That I Found Her That Day

So there's going to be Esperanza singing and Washington's gonna join her so here's the key:
Key
BOLD - Esperanza
Italic - Washington
BOLD Italic - Both
Just so you know! Now, on with the story!
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Lafayette
It had been a year after the first confrontation between Esperanza and her father. Well, they're more like yelling matches now. I was just watching with worry as Corbeau walked over to us, glaring towards the direction her father was walking after their most recent confrontation. If Corbeau keeps this up, the General's bound to realize that it's his daughter and not a soldier like the rest of us.

"Jacob! Mon ami, what is the matter?" I asked, snapping her out of her glaring situation towards the General.

"I don't like that General, too stuck up if you ask me." She replied, looking towards where Washington spoke with another General. Washington looked over and a small smirk pulled at his lips before he wiped it off and looked back at the person he was talking to.

"Why do you think that?" Laurens asked, confusion evident in his features, voice, and stance.

"The bigger question is how could you think that of General Washington?!" Alexander asked, outraged.

"Simple, he's too stuck up for my liking," Corbeau stated before looking at the ground with a burdened look on her face. Under her breath, she added, "I don't like this version of Pa."

John, probably hearing what Corbeau had said, looked at her in more confusion before looking back at the others. They either ignored her or saw the burdened look she had adopted on her face and decided to leave it at that as no one dared to speak again. "I'm sure your view will change in time, Wolf." Was all Herc said before heading towards the Alcohol Tent with Laurens and Hamilton.

Noticing I wasn't going, Corbeau looked up at me. "Go. Go and join them. I'll be fine, Laffy. I'm not that little kid that Ma wanted you to protect anymore. I'm joining the Revolution, am I not?" She said before walking away towards one of the hills, still looking down. I watched her go before sighing and heading towards the Alcohol Tent, or the A.T. for short.

Esperanza
Why did I decide to join? This is really stupid of me! I wanted to be with Pa, I wanted to help fight for my country's freedom but I just can't seem to dedicate my life to the cause. Is it because I might never see James again? Or is it because I might not ever see Ma and Pa again? Gods, I'm stupid if that's the reason.

Sighing, I sat down and looked at the fields in front of me. I probably sat there, just looking at the fields, for about an hour or two when I heard someone sit next to me. "I saw you up here by yourself, why?" The person asked. I shrugged, not wanting to talk.

"I'm just scared," I replied honestly. The person grunted in agreement.

"Why are you scared though?"

"I'm scared that I might never get to see my parents again. I joined the Revolution with my Ma's help. My father was already here when I joined, behind his back. He would kill me if he knew I was here." I told him. The person looked out at the fields before turning his attention back to me.

"What calms your nerves?" He asked.

"What?" I asked, finally looking at him. Looking at him, I realized that it was someone I hadn't yet met. He had a sort of buzzcut hairstyle and looked burdened by something.

"What calms you down when you're nervous?" He asked again, looking at the fields.

Looking down, I thought about it for a moment. "Well, back home, Ma would play the piano and I would sing. I taught her a song on the piano and we play it on special celebrations, like Thanks Giving and Birthdays."

"What's the song?"

"It's called Yesterday."

"Sing it for me," he said, looking back at me. I looked down in embarrassment before nodding.

"Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday" I sang.

"Keep going," he encouraged, looking at someone behind us.

"Suddenly
I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
Why she had to go, I don't know
She wouldn't say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday"

"Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Why she had to go, I don't know
She wouldn't say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday" I heard being sung from behind us. I ignored it, thinking it was my mind playing tricks on me.

"Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday."

I quickly looked behind me to see the General leaning against the tree with his arms crossed. My eyes widened comically. Shit, he knows.

Washington
"I thought it was you, kid," I said. The man who was sat next to my daughter quickly got up and left after saluting me. I went over and sat down next to Es. "So, your Mother helped you with this?"

"Y-Yes... She saw how anxious I was after you left and decided that, if I wouldn't settle at home, I would be best suited at the field of battle." She replied. I nodded, both of us looking out at the fields.

"You know, for one whole year, I got worried. My daughter wasn't answering anything. If I'm being honest, I did cry when your mother sent me a letter telling me you had the unfortunate circumstance of falling 'death-threateningly ill'. I had Gilbert there when I read the letter. I did cry, I will admit that." I admitted to her, wiping some tears that fell as I talked.

"I'm sorry, Pa," she apologized, pulling her knees up to her chest. I looked at her before closing my eyes and smiling softly, opening them again after a few moments. I pulled her in for a hug, kissing the top of her head.

"It's alright. I'll blame your mother this time," I teased with a wink causing her to laugh lightly. Mission accomplished. "I feel like promoting you to my right-hand man- err, woman." I corrected myself after thinking about it for a second. She laughed, hugging me as we watched the soldiers below us. Only one thought ran through my mind as we sat on top of the hill, my daughter wrapped in my arms safely. Thank the Lord that I found her that day.

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