Chapter two! Let me just say, the support I've received from you all is actually what keeps me going. Thanks especially to I AM A PHILIP for their incredibly sweet review! And seriously what did I do to deserve you guys?

The whole ride to New York Alexander had been unable to sit still, fidgeting excitedly in his seat. Finally, after several days of traveling, they were entering the city. Citizens crowded on the streets to eagerly wave as the coach passed. Washington calmly lifted his hand in response, while Alex ducked his head slightly, unsure of how the public would react.

A young boy standing next to his father on the sidewalk tugged on his parent's sleeve, pointing to Alexander. He waved enthusiastically. Alex could just catch the boy's voice over the shouting crowd.

"Hi mister Washington! Hi mister Washington's son!"

Alex smiled and waved back at the boy.

The crowds didn't abate until they came to a halt outside a house that, Alexander assumed, was Number 3 Cherry Street. And even then the poor coachman had to shoo the people out of the way just so they could make it to the door. Once they were safely inside, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. "Wow."

His father smiled slightly. "You might have to get used to that." He shuddered. "I'm not sure I ever will though."

Stepping away from the door and further into their home for the next four years, Alexander looked around curiously. Washington waved a hand at him. "Go off and explore, son. Tell me what the rest of the place is like. Please try not to blow anything up, or get yourself killed."

The coachman, who had been watching the crowds from one of the windows, turned. "He has a history of that?" He eyed Alexander suspiciously. "Funny, you don't really look all that threatening."

Washington chuckled. "Alex has never blown anything up. But I know that accidents tend to happen. Right, son?" He gave Alexander a stern look.

Raising his hands in a gesture of innocence, Alex nodded. Then he turned and raced off to explore the house.

It was lovely. The interior was beautifully decorated, and the rooms had windows that overlooked the streets. There was a small office with two desks pushed up against the walls, and a room set up like a library with books filling every shelf. There were three bedrooms, Alexander's favorite being the one at the back of the house.

There was a bed in one corner of the room, and a wardrobe. But what he really liked was the small alcove built into the window. Sunlight filtered in and made the room look peaceful and homey.

When he emerged into the hallway, he almost bumped into his father, who had just come out of the neighboring room. "Alex, did you find one you liked?"

"Yes, this one is nice." He showed his father the room. Washington nodded. "Did you see the library already?"


Gilbert had had a hard time sitting still after he received the news that his two friends were coming up to New York to join him and Hercules in the city. Rebecca entered his room one afternoon to find him bouncing excitedly on his bed. It was the only vent he could find for his energy since it had begun to rain a few moments before, therefore confining him to the house.

"Hello Maman! I am so excited I just cannot bear it! Alexandre and John will be coming to New York any day now! Well, sometime before Monsieur Washington is inaugurated as the first president, so actually more like any moment! This is so exciting, I haven't seen them in person since Yorktown, but we have written! Though that is not really the same, you know?" He rambled on and on, until Rebecca stopped him.

"Gil, that's actually why I came up here to talk to you. A messenger just came by the house, with a note for you. It's from a certain Hamilton-Washington." Her eyes sparkled.

He ripped open the letter with such enthusiasm that he nearly tore the paper. Gilbert scanned the message quickly. "He is here! They just arrived in the city. Can I go see him? Please?"

Rebecca glanced out the window. "Ask your father. If he says yes, then I'm fine with it as long as you wear a coat. We can't have you falling ill." Gil was out of the room before she finished her sentence.

Mr. Miller was sitting in the parlour reading the newspaper. He was very fond of the newspaper, which covered everything from politics to shipping notices to new products in the local markets. When Gil came in he was deeply absorbed in an article about the upcoming presidential inauguration.

"Papa! Alex has arrived in New York! Can I go see him? It's been so long!" Gilbert begged. Mr. Miller set down his newspaper and looked up.

"Did you ask your mother?"

"Yes! And she told me to ask you, and she said that if you were fine with it she was fine with it, so can I please go visit Alexander?" Gilbert tried to keep his foot from frantically tapping. The fact of the matter was that when you haven't seen someone dear to you for a very long time, once you finally have the chance to be reunited there is almost no keeping you from them. Mr. Miller knew this, and he understood.

"Alright, alright. Don't stay out too long; your mother wants us to eat earlier tonight. And wear a coat!" He called as Gil darted out into the hall to grab his boots. And of course his coat.

As he ran through the streets of the city, heading for the address Alex had given him, Number 3 Cherry Street, he wondered briefly if things would be any different. A year is a long time to go without seeing someone and a lot can change in that time. But as he darted up to the handsome brick house, he put the thoughts out of his mind.

Gil rapped sharply on the door, and stood patiently waiting. A young man opened it, a young man dressed in a hunter green waistcoat, his dark hair hanging loose about his shoulders.

Alexander.

His friend's eyes widened and he took a step forward, stammering, "Gilbert? Gil? Is it- is it really you?" He stepped forward and embraced the other boy tightly.

"Alex, oh my god, Alex, you're finally here, it's been forever." Gilbert murmured as the two hugged on the front step. "We must go and tell Hercules, he will be ecstatic, and of course John's due to arrive with Mr. Laurens any day now."

Alexander stepped back and gestured to the entryway. "Come inside, Gil, let's stop standing out in the rain." The door thudded shut behind them, and Gilbert took in his new surroundings. The house was beautiful, and it was warm, which was lovely after running through the rain.

They headed further into the home, going up a staircase and down a hall. Alex opened a door and led Gil into what he assumed was his bedroom. It was the complete opposite of Gil's. The major, glaring difference was that it was relatively neat. Even though the desk was overflowing with paper and the bookshelves were practically groaning under the weight placed on them, the bed was made and the curtains were open. That was one similarity. Gilbert liked to leave the windows open to allow as much light in as possible. Though he tended to just leave the room how it was when he woke up.

"Dad likes it when I'm at least a little organized." Alexander explained. As if summoned by the sound of his name, Washington appeared in the doorway.

"Hello there, son. Hello Gilbert. How have you been?"

"Just fine, sir! Congratulations on the new position!" Gil chirped.

Washington laughed softly. "Thank you, Gil. And please just call me Mr. Washington. You're Alex's friend and 'sir' feels odd now that the war is over."

"Ok Mr. Washington." Gilbert tried the name out. Alexander turned to his father. "Hey Dad, can Gil and I go see Hercules?"

Mr. Washington nodded. "Be back before dark. Stay safe boys. Have fun."

Gilbert turned to his friend. "Hercules is going to be so excited! We must go." And with that, he grabbed Alexander by the wrist and pulled him out of the room, down the steps, and through the front door.


Hercules hadn't been expecting a knock on the door. It was raining out, so that usually meant not many people came into the shop. They had other things to worry about, like staying dry. But when a frantic knock was pounded out onto the wooden door, he shoved it open, wondering who it was. Clients didn't typically knock.

He was greeted with the elated grins of two of his closest friends. One, whom he saw as often as he could, and the other, whom he hadn't seen in a year because Virginia is far from New York.

"Alex! Is that you? Man, it's been so long I missed you so much!" Hercules hugged his friend tightly. "You're still small though."

"Herc… can't breath… I missed you too… good to see you again." Alexander gasped. Hercules let his small friend go and stood back from the door, letting both boys inside. Matthew walked out of the back room carrying a stack of fabric in his arms. He hadn't yet noticed the three boys. Depositing his bundle on a table, he called over his shoulder, "Hercules, shut the door please, we don't want any water to get near the cloth."

"Hi Matthew." Alex called out. "You look well."

Matthew spun around, caught sight of Alexander, and grinned. "Alex! Long time no see. I heard from Hercules that you were coming up to New York but I didn't know that it would be today! Well actually, that makes sense, you'd want to be here in time for the inauguration, which is in a week." he amended. "By the way, tell your dad congratulations for me."

"Will do, Matthew." Alex promised. Hercules led his friends upstairs to the flat above the shop where he and Matthew lived when they weren't working. It had a nice view of the street below, and one could see the people going about their daily lives.

The three boys sat on the bed and caught each other up on their lives. Hercules and Gilbert told Alex all about the happenings in New York, and in turn he described what was going on down in Virginia.

"I missed you guys so much." Alexander said, smiling as he lunged forward to hug his friends again. "When John gets here it'll be just like old times. Except we won't be at war."

Hercules stood and picked up the letter from John that was sitting on a shelf next to the other correspondence the boys had kept. "Actually, he says here that he and Mr. Laurens will be in the city on the twenty-fourth, and today's the twenty-third, so he should be here tomorrow."

"WHAT?" Gil and Alex both shouted simultaneously.


John was ready to go to New York. He and his dad had been traveling for days in a carriage up from South Carolina. It was nearly impossible for him to sit still for such a long time, but he managed.

New York was much the same as John had remembered it. Loud, crowded, and very interesting. Strains of different languages could be heard from the streets, along with the everyday noise of the city. Ships in the harbor flew their flags proudly, and their crews scurried about tying and untying ropes, doing what they had to do to get the vessels ready for the sea.

His father picked a boarding house that was near the heart of the city. While he spoke with the owner about their lodging, John took the opportunity to look around. The place was nice. It wasn't too crowded and it was clean.

Their rooms faced a large bustling square. Henry Laurens immediately began unpacking their things, inspecting the space, and scowling at the noise coming from the square.

"Hey Dad-" John didn't even finish his sentence when Henry said, "Yes, yes. You can go out and find your friends. I'm sure they'll be just as overjoyed to see you as you are to see them."

So that was how John ended up wandering the streets of New York City, which is not something you should do alone when you are unfamiliar with the place.

He was on the verge of asking one of the strangers on the street for directions when he heard someone call his name.

"John! John, over here!"

There, standing outside a tailor's shop, were his three friends. Alexander, still short, dressed in dark green with his hair loose about his shoulders. Gilbert, looking even taller in his dark violet gold-trimmed waistcoat, hair still pulled up in a puff atop his head. Hercules dressed in navy with his blue bandanna still secured about his head.

After at least three minutes of passionate hugging, the newly reunited four boys were walking the streets of New York City, pointing out various locations as they passed. Gil's home, Hercules and Matthew's shop, the street where Alex and Washington were staying, and other points of interest. (Read: places to get themselves into more adventures.)

"We're back in business, boys." John remarked.

New York City will never be ready for the Revolutionary Set.

Ok first I'm sorry this was so late! I'm so so sorry! I promise I haven't and never will abandoned this story! Your patience will be greatly appreciated seeing as I have band for a lot of the summer. Anyways, what did I do to deserve you all? ~RedCoatsRedder