A/N: Written in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Nations who use human names (they're surrounded by humans during the war, so it's safer). AmeCan if you squint (or if you know my ships, haha). Mostly about brother helping brother during a time of great need. (See notes for historical information.)
Many Happy Returns, a North American Brothers fic
by crashedtimemachine
Epilogue: Four score and seven years ago...
Epilogue, November 19, 1863
Dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation…"
I'm standing on the stage beside Alfred as President Lincoln begins to speak.
"...conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
Alfred laces his fingers in mine where no one else can see it, and he squeezes my hand a bit. I expect him to let go, but he doesn't. Neither do I.
"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure."
Alfred's balancing with a crutch under his opposite arm, and he grunts softly as he shifts to take the pressure off his foot. I glance at him, and there's a tear beading at the corner of his eye. It slips over the brim and slides down his cheek.
"We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this."
Alfred must feel my eyes on him because he smiles faintly without looking and tilts his head a little closer.
The tears are flowing steadily now, and I'm sure he's remembering Major General Reynolds and all the others who were lost on both sides of the field.
Alfred's bottom lip is trembling, and I squeeze his hand tighter because...well, because that's what brothers do.
The President clears his throat and begins again: "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
The crowd erupts in a spattering of chatter and polite clapping as the President steps back. Many of them haven't understood the enormity of what has been said and won't for years, but we do. In the time it takes to climb down from the platform and circle around the back, Alfred's tears have transformed into sobs and he's clutching my coat in his fist as he cries into my shoulder where no one can see.
Alfred's only here because he insisted, despite orders to remain in bed and take his rest as he could. We both know that tomorrow we'll take up the fight once more. So for now, we pause in the shadows of the stage, and I hold Alfred's shaking shoulders.
I kiss his head and whisper soothing nothings beside his ear.
And I promise that I'll always, always remain by his side.
..
Historical notes: The Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous speeches in the history of America, and still holds true, even today, with its many famous quotes, particularly "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." and "...that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." (I left the original punctuation in place in Lincoln's words, so my apologies if it's got odd hyphenation.)
Wikipedia: "Gettysburg Address" and "Consecration of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg"
