The smell of bacon and eggs roused Eliza the next morning. Yawning, she rose, taking a moment to appreciate the view of the city from Thomas's room. She wondered how the two could afford such a lush apartment, but it was really none of her business. She wandered into the living room, and Thomas looked up from his newspaper, smiling at her as she sat down at the table.
"How did you sleep?"
"Very well. Thank you very much." James came over, putting a plate down in front of her, and she smiled gratefully. Once everyone had a plate, Eliza dug in. She felt lighter, freer this morning. Her heart still ached from her discovery the day before, but as Madison and Thomas made dry quips back and forth, she couldn't help but smile. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had breakfast with company.
"Lizzy?"
Eliza blinked, snapped from her stupor. Her face got hot. "Yes?"
"We were just asking, do you know what you're going to do about Hamilton?"
She didn't. Sighing, she rested her chin on one hand. "No. I don't want to talk to him right now, but before all this we had plans to go to Italy and parts of Europe for the beginning of summer. We're supposed to leave in a few days."
"What were you planning to do?"
"We were going to wine and dine all across Italy, visit the Colosseum, take walks in the moonlight..." She paused, fork halfway to her mouth. "We were going to stop in Paris for a few nights... Go to the Eiffel tower and look at the city..." She gently put her fork down, and Thomas and James shared a glance. "Excuse me." she murmured, getting up and escaping to the bedroom.
James gave Thomas a halfhearted glare, and Thomas shook his head.
"I was just curious. I'll go check on her."
Thomas knocked gently on the door before pushing it open. Eliza was sitting on the bed, phone held loosely in her hand. Thomas took a seat beside her, saying nothing.
The house phone rang, making them both jump. Eliza looked at Thomas, and his heart broke at the sight of her grief.
"Is there something wrong with me?" She asked. No tears ran down her face, but her voice was weak. "I did everything I could to support him, even when I didn't understand what he was fighting for. I played house for him, doted on him... And for what? For him to fuck my sister? Where did I mess up?"
"You didn't. He did." Thomas put a hand on her shoulder. "You gave up a lot for him, and he didn't appreciate you like he should have. That was his fault, not yours."
Eliza laughed humorlessly. "My father told me is was a bad idea. Even when he agreed to give me a little money to live off of every month, he told me Alexander would never be satisfied... I don't think he knew his own daughter would cause a betrayal." She flopped back on the bed. "I should've gone to school from the beginning, like Daddy said, and moved in after. Now I'm stuck with plane tickets to a trip I don't even want to take, I have to find a new place to live, I have to admit to my father that he was right..." Eliza pushed the heels of her hand into her eyes.
Thomas lay beside her. "You could always stay here with us."
Eliza turned to look at him. "What?"
"I'm sorry if that sounds too forward, but by the sound of it, you really don't want to go back to your father's, or be stuck with Hamilton. You could stay here instead. James won't mind, and I sure don't. Plus, can you imagine the look on Hamilton's face if he found out you were staying here? He hates me almost as much as he loves you."
Eliza smacked him, her snort turning into a full out laugh as Thomas writhed in mock pain. When she was done, tears poured down her face. Sniffling, she sat up.
"Seriously, Thomas, why are you helping me? We've barely spoken, and James only knows me through our one English course."
Thomas put his hands behind his head, smirking. "Well, I suppose it would be nice to have a woman around to cook and clean -ow!" He rubbed his shoulder, chuckling at Eliza's frown. "I'm kidding! Honestly? I'm doing it for James. He talks about you a lot, and he told me about the time you bought him lunch because he forgot his wallet, and how you sometimes bring him some of whatever you baked at home. You've always seemed sweet when I saw you out with Hamilton, and it breaks my heart to see a lady treated that way."
She could barely believe it. Someone talked about her? People talked about Angelica all of the time, even Peggy, but her? Eliza hummed quietly, thinking.
"This doesn't have to be permanent. Just until you find someplace else you want to be."
"Where would I sleep? This is a two bedroom apartment."
"James and I will room together and you can take his room. Simple."
"The great Thomas Jefferson is willing to share? I would've never guessed."
Jefferson threw his head back, laughing. Eliza threw her arms around him.
"Thank you, Thomas. You're very kind."
Thomas hugged her tight. "I try my best." He patted her on the shoulder. "James, I know you've been eavesdropping. You better not snore."
"You know good and well I don't snore!" James came into the room. He wore a nervous facial expression, which made both Eliza and Thomas nervous.
"James?"
"Lee ratted you out to Hamilton. He's on his way over here to get Eliza back."
Both men looked at her. She pursed her lips. "Let him come. I have something I want to say to him."
Thomas and James shared a look, but a loud banging on the door alerts them to Hamilton's arrival.
Eliza stood up, storming to the door. Throwing it open, she didn't think twice before slapping Alexander across the face.
"You have some nerve coming over here after what you did. What do you want?"
"I'm here to take you away from these scoundrels. I may have made mistakes, but you don't deserved to be punished by staying here. Eliza-"
"My name is Elizabeth. And you forfeited all right to control me when you stuck your dick in my sister. Go home, Alexander. I'm staying here."
"But Eliza-"
"Elizabeth!"
"Elizabeth!" He wailed, tears forming in his eyes. The softer part of her wants to hug him - even when he's destroyed her, she wants to help him. She resisted, tensing as she felt one of the other men come up behind her.
"Is there a problem here?" Leave it to Jefferson to play the hero. Eliza could practically see the red in Hamilton's eyes as he glares at Jefferson.
"How dare you keep my girlfriend hostage here you no good son of a fucking-"
"Language, Alexander! There's a lady present. And for your information, I didn't keep her hostage. I saved her from Lee attempting to force himself upon her."
Hamilton blanched, and Thomas smirked. It was obvious Lee had left that part out. Tired of being talked about like she wasn't there, Eliza straightened, pointing a finger at Alexander.
"Leave, Alexander. There is nothing you can say that will make me forgive you, and you being here just makes me despise you even more." She leaned back against Thomas, glaring at Alexander. "I will be by to collect my things soon. I'm moving in with Thomas and James until I can figure something else out."
The horror on Alexander's face is almost laughable. "But Eliza-!"
The second slap is almost as hard as the first. "Don't call me that ever again! My name is Elizabeth to you, you no good, cheating, lying, son of a bitch!" stepping back, she slams the door -and drops to her knees.
"Elizabeth!"
She was hyperventilating, struggling not to cry again. Thomas gathered her in his arms, and she gasped out, "Lizzy. Call me Lizzy. Elizabeth is his punishment."
He nodded, pulling her closer to him. "Lizzy. Lizzy. I'm sorry." He curled around her on the ground, and she pressed her face into his chest, trying to steady her breathing.
"When does it stop hurting?" she sniffed, and Thomas rubbed her back.
"I don't know, ma chere. I don't know."
