There are moments where the words don't reach"

The Unimaginable

Hamilton:An American Musical

"I know that this all appears to be happening rather fast, but please understand that transitions like this are never easy for anyone involved. Especially for the children. Some take it worse than others, and Alexander being as he is…"

"How he is?" George said swallowing back the lump in his throat. His voice holding anger despite the overwhelming grief curling in his chest.

"He is a flight risk General Washington; a fact I know you are well aware of." Mr. Jay said his voice flat and indifferent.

"Last month was," George began once again rising to Alexander's defense despite the fact Jay was not rising to his bait.

"This has nothing to do with December." Jay shook his head and looked up at George eyes his gaze unemotional. Jay was what Alexander considered the worse type of social worker, the kind that saw numbers and policies before the children he was meant to protect. When George first met him he had attempted to reserve judgment but with each subsequent meeting the man's cold indifference set George on edge.

"I apologize sir, I know last few months have been difficult, for you. I understand. But please be rational,"

"Have you ever lost a child Mr. Jay," George asked as he sat behind his desk staring anywhere but the pasty pale face of the man who sat across from him.

"No, General Washington. I can't say I have had the misfortune." Mr. Jay said as his face fell, as the man spoke George heard the sound of the hounds greeting his son at the edge of the green.

"Excuse me, sir." He said stopping the social worker mid-sentence, knowing he had to get out of the situation before his temper resulted in him losing control. Jay offered only a raised eyebrow so George motioned to the closed door in explanation.

George walked into the main foyer of the house and opened the heavy wood door lowering his gaze to where Alexander stood staring stoically at the car parked in front of the porch. Though Alexander had not been in that car more than twice he still recognized it and could infer what its presence meant.

It meant his social worker was here for a visit.

And, more often than not, it meant that Alexander was moving yet again.

As Alexander looked up and caught the gaze of his foster father the man's recent promises about never letting him go replayed themselves in his head and felt like a smack in the face.

He had thought on it a lot, on how much he wanted to be here. Of how he wanted a family that would never let him go. A home he was always welcome in even when he messed up. Having a family with the General and Doctor Martha and Gilbert and the rest of them. But those dreams were too far a reach, and the world was not in the business of granting Alexander anything but turmoil.

He was stupid for believing this place could possibly be different.

He felt his blood boil in self righteousness. Who was the General to promise for ever only to toss him out like trash a week later? Who was he to make Alexander feel safe only to pull out the rug the second he had the advantage.

He snapped his gaze up to the front porch ready to explode when he caught sight of the grief reflected in the General's gaze. At the sight of the man's placid expression, red rimmed eyes, untucked shirt wrinkled where he had tugged it from his trousers, and undone tie the fight drained from Alexander just as quickly as it had rushed in.

"General," Alexander said his voice holding on to false bravado as he tried to put on a front, as if the sight of his social worker's car did not phase him.

"Come inside." George's breathed, his voice had lost its strength and now just sounded dejected. Alexander's eyes became wet, his breathing hitched visibly as George heard the heavy footsteps of Mr. Jay stepping into the doorway behind him. His eyes darted to the barn trail his body tense and ready to run with a moment notice.

"Why?"

"Come inside Alexander." George said forcing strength behind the words as he spoke. Alexander's gaze snapped back to him and with hunched shoulders the teenager slowly obeyed. George fought the urge to toss his arms over Alexander's shoulder as he walked into the house. To offer the boy physical comfort where his words failed. Yet, even as the teen eyed George he felt the grief coiling in his chest increase ten fold. Mr. Jay led them both back into the office. George standing against the door as Mr. Jay and Alexander took a seat on the couch that sat near the bookshelf on the far side of the room. A newer addition to his study, added only after Alexander ended up spending long nights in the room buried in one old law book or the next until he slumped over in sleep. The memory was fresh and George felt bile rising in his throat. The wound of losing Jack was still gaping and now Mr. Jay and the previously absent and still nameless cousin were taking a scalpel and scraping the inside of it with little to no care.

"I have great news Al," Mr. Jay said finally breaking the weighted silence with false positivity.

"Is J.J coming?" Alexander guessed lighting up for the briefest of seconds. Eyes snapping to George with the type of childish excitement that Alexander's life had brutally stripped away from him all too quickly.A

"No, not exactly, your brother is still…"Mr. Jay said too quickly the word incarcerated laying on the tip of his tongue before he re-assessed and offered the word "indisposed" in its place. The wonder that had taken over Alexander's gaze so quickly moments before dissipated just as suddenly.

"But your mother's cousin, Peter Levine, called the office earlier this week. He saw your name in the article." Jay paused and Alexander jolted upward.

"Nothing in that article was true. Jefferson and Madison were," Alexander began defending himself for hundredth time against the slander that had somehow made its way onto the school website about Alexanders past and status as an immigrant within the country.

" He called the office having traced you back here. He is living in New York and he would like you to move in with him permanently like your mother had requested before her death." Jay said and Alexander stiffed eyes tracking back to where the General stood. His eyes wide waiting for an interjection, a promise that this new placement was an option and not an order.

"Mum never mentioned him." Alexander argued turning his eyes back to Mr. Jay when it became clear that the General was not going to speak up. When it was clear Alexander would have to fight this particular battle himself.

"He has her will Al. As well as evidence that he has tried to step in to take care of you on previous occasions."

"It is Alexander, not Al." The teen growled.

"Al.."

"If you have a letter from my mother let me see it."

" That not the way this works."

"I have a right."

"Not here,"

"I don't even know him."

"I am sure that with time…."

"You can't make me go!" Alexander said his breaths now erratic and his pulse pounding against his ears.

"Yes Al, we can." Jay said reaching out to place a hand on Alexander's shoulder. The boy shot up and took a step closer to George eyes searching as he spoke again.

"MY NAME IS ALEXANDER!"

"Son," George finally spoke up standing straighter, it was a reaction to Alexander's tone and not any help in the current setting.

"I am not your son." Alexander whispered voice harsh and biting. The fight drained from his shoulders. It was a knee jerk response to the general's habit of referring to Alexander by the word son.

"Son," George whispered.

"I am not your son." He said louder looking up at George with a guarded expression. George closed his eyes and focused on the picture of Laurence that hung above his desk blinking away the tears that had built up behind his eyes. Wondering once again what advice his older brother would give to him at this moment. "I am not your son and you are not my father." Alexander's voice was stinging. "A father wouldn't let this happen."

"Alexander, It is not their choice." Mr. Jay began but he was cut off by a sob ripping itself from Alexander's chest with the force of a scream.

"You promised." Alexander wept surging forward and slamming his fists into George's chest weakly. "You said that I could stay. That I could have a home here and we could possibly be a family. You said that you didn't care about the article. You said that no one could ever make to go." His pleas were all accentuated by a pound to the chest as the tears fell from his eyes. "You promised," He hiccuped resting both of his fists on George's chest and clutching at the white button up the man wore." I hate you" He sobbed punching once again. This time the punch was stronger and George reacted accordingly, "you…. You…." George's arms came to wrap around the boys shoulders and crush him to his chest. Trying to pull him into a hug and provide physical comfort where his words failed him. Alexander pushed back when he felt the pressure and his eyes rose to look at George's face.

"NO!" His foot stomped against the wooden floor echoing throughout the office. "I HATE YOU!" Alexander repeated. "DO YOU HEAR ME I SAID I HATE YOU!" He said before another sob broke through and he pushed his way past George and to the staircase. He took the stairs two at a time then darted down the second floor hall his loud sounds of his footfalls echoing in the sustained silence. It was not until George heard the slamming of a door did he break from his stupor.

"General Washington," Jay spoke first stepping toward the staircase as if to follow Alexander up.

"You've done your damage. Now get off of my property." George said.

"I will be 'round to pick up Al at six thirty Sunday morning." Mr. Jay said with a nod as George flinched.

"That soon, isn't there normally a process."

"Like I said, the transition is difficult itself. We find it goes easier when the ties are severed cleanly and quickly." Mr. Jay twisted on the other side of the door turning to face George for the last time.

"I am sorry General Washington, but this is a happy occasion. It is always our hope to place children with their biological family. This is Alexander's best case scenario. He deserves the chance to be with his real family…." Mr. Jay began his sepal for the hundredth time since the meeting started as George shut the door in his face.