The rally was off to a great start. The PA system working flawlessly as Angelica gave her speech. John was shining in his element. Just after noon, he took the cue from Angelica and mounted the stage. He stood up there and recited the names of each unarmed black person that had been shot. Alexander beamed at him, so proud to see what he had worked so hard for paying off. Someone in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he took his eyes off of John.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." He muttered to himself. He looked at the intruder and back to John, and then tried to find Lafayette in the crowd to calm him down, knowing that he would be able to talk him down. His friend was nowhere to be found, the crowd too thick.

The intruder set a milk crate down, climbed up on it and then began to shout as loud as possible, competing with John's amplified voice.

"This 'movement' is not the solution to the problem. How can you be so dense as to think that this is a solution. Of course Black Lives Matter, don't All Lives Matter, what about the white lives that are taken? Where are their demonstrations? What awareness is being raised for them? Vote Charles Lee for Governor, for All Lives."

"Don't make a scene, Alexander, don't make a scene." Alex repeated the mantra, bouncing on the balls of his toes trying to let off his pent up energy as the counter-protester continued to spew.

"And, look up there, look at who leads you, he isn't even black. You hate white people so much, yet you let one lead you?" the ranting continued. John hadn't noticed the counter protester yet.

"He's Puerto Rican, you ignorant shit, but that's fine, don't make a scene, Alexander, just don't make a scene."

"What could he know about this? You really let him lead you? Why, because he doesn't remind you to see black on black violence as the issue that it really is?"

Lafayette had noticed what was happening and moved through the crowd in search of Alexander, hopeful that he could stop him from whatever idiotic thing he was about to do. Seabury wouldn't let up on John, and as he insulted him, insulted everything that he'd worked for the mantra stopped working. Alexander closed the distance between Seabury and himself.

"Listen here, asshole. You don't get it, maybe it's easy for you to sit up there and tell us what it's like on the ground from your pedestal, you don't know shit. Let me speak unequivocally, you may not know it yet, but there's a revolution coming, steeping right here in this park and you have the honour of witnessing it, and goddammit if that man up there isn't going to lead us to it. And George Washington too, so you go and tell Lee that we all see him for who he really is. A coward who would shit his pants if he had to do something like what that man up there is doing." Alexander shouted into the intruder's face.

Lafayette was only feet away and couldn't decide how to intervene, he watched nervously, hoping that Alex wouldn't punch anyone.

"Do you see this? Do you see what these radicals are doing? Angry, 'people of colour,' shouting in my face? I am only here to heard, isn't that what you people want too? Why should my opinion be any less valuable? Are you going to hit me now, too?"

Lafayette took the opportunity and stepped in, he put a hand out in front of Seabury and pressed his fingertips into Alex's chest, "gentlemen, let us go our separate ways. Samuel, I encourage that you find a more appropriate venue to be heard in and leave us to ours. Alexander, let's go."

"And. And you smell like a dog! Mangy ass!" Alexander pushed forward, but Lafayette's hand remained in place.

"Alex, we're done here." Lafayette said firmly.

"But Laf, he started this."

"Very well," Seabury nodded and stepped down from the crate, he sneered over his shoulder at the two.

Alexander made a face once he'd turned around and opened his mouth to hurl another insult, Lafayette grabbed him by the back of his hoodie, choking the words before they could leave his throat.

"Think of John." He whispered into Alexander's ear.

Alex tugged away from Lafayette and rubbed his neck.

"You were about to be the next youtube sensation," Lafayette told him, "didn't you say that Washington has already been laying into you for being too outspoken."

"Yes."

"Are those two men that you want to be mad at you?"

"No."

"Okay, John's just finished, let's go congratulate him."

They made their way to the stage and John ran to Alexander, sweeping him into a hug. Alexander kissed him and laughed.

"You did it!"

"Thank you, I couldn't have done any of this without you."

They held each other for another moment and then broke away, Lafayette and John embraced and Lafayette kissed John's cheek, affirming that he was amazing. Alexander greeted Angelica. She was beautiful and carried the badass look well. Her long hair pulled back into a ponytail to fully show off her "The Future is Female" shirt under a leather jacket.

"Thanks for your help, Angelica."

"Of course. I think it went well. I'd do anything for John, he's an inspiration."

She started to wrap up the cords and break down the equipment.

"Are you going to tell him?" Lafayette interrupted, "or shall I?"

"Tell me what?" John asked, suddenly nervous.

"Seabury came." Alexander told him.

"That bastard!" Angelica grumbled in spite of herself, "sorry."

"Alex, you didn't do anything did you?"

"Well, not at first, but he started talking about you, and I just, well, I didn't hit him, I didn't, but I did maybe say things back to him, and I only engaged, I didn't even say half of what I wanted to, but see, I would have, but Lafayette stopped me, so you shouldn't be too mad. I just couldn't have him say those things about you." Alexander was rambling.

"Thank you, Lafayette." John sighed.

"Of course, it really was not that bad, Alexander was far more restrained than I have seen him in the past."

"You dummy, I love you. You've gotta stop this though, it's not going to get us anywhere."

"Now what?" Lafayette asked, now responsible for holding something for Angelica.

"We go drink!" John cheered, "Angelica, you coming?"

"I can't, got a show tonight, you should come if you're free, it's down in the village."

"Have a good show." John wished her luck and left Lafayette to help her as he pulled Alexander

with him to go home, he stuck a hand in the back pocket of Alex's jeans and held him tighter, the chill of spring in New York made his skin prickle.

"Are you mad?" Alex asked once they were out of the park.

"No, I'm not mad. I wish you wouldn't compromise yourself like that though, but your spirit is why I love you most. And, how could I not love someone so quick to defend my honour?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Do you think there's any food left in the house?"

"Not with Herc there alone all day."

Alexander laughed at this and smiled up at John as they walked back to their apartment.