Lafayette checked the time on their phone. Almost 9am. They hadn't slept at all. The last time they didn't sleep was during the US election, when Donald Trump won. They remembered that night well.
Everyone had gathered at the Washingtons' house. Philip Schuyler, the father of the Schuyler sisters, was up for re-election in New York. He, his wife Catherine and their daughters Angelica, Eliza and Peggy-who was dating Lafayette-had come to watch the election results. Maria had come with Angelica and Alex and John had come with Eliza. Hercules came with Sally because their relationship was both disgustingly sweet and moving at a very fast pace.
Martha-who taught Women's Studies and ran the university's cooking club-had cooked a variety of fancy finger foods for the party, since it wasn't just those who were coming. Everyone was there to support Philip Schuyler, but also the kids, who'd all voted for the president for the first time. Well, those who could. When the results started coming in in favour of Trump, that was when Philip lost it, despite having kept his seat. He was screaming angrily down his phone-probably to his campaign team.
John Laurens... Well, Laurens was very upset. But relieved that his own senator father Henry Laurens didn't endorse Trump. Mainly because Henry was worried that because Trump was friendly with Vladimir Putin that Meant that Trump was 'in bed with communists' and he wouldn't have that.
Then the results of the election came through. Trump won. Hercules was quiet and calm. Almost as if he wanted to murder Donald Trump. Aaron was in shock. He simply held Theodosia close to him and Theodosia gripped tightly to his hand. John Jay was cursing about how this would affect his Black Lives Matter club.
Lafayette was inconsolable. So much so that George had to spend all night calming the French teenager down, that they were not going to get deported just because they are French. Alex had worried the most, particularly with him being Latino.
Then because George hugged Alex everything changed. The atmosphere completely changed from fraught to loving. Caring. And instead of focusing on what they could lose, they focused on what they had. They had love. Friendship. Family. Philip Schuyler had kept his job. They were all together. And nothing could break them apart.
Lafayette smiled briefly at the bittersweet memory before the events of yesterday came back to them. Alex was shot and he's in critical condition. They stood up and draped their comforter around their shoulders and made their way downstairs.
Martha was cooking in the kitchen and noticed when Lafayette entered. They looked like they hadn't slept all night. Their eyes looked tired, bloodshot and full of worry, not even accounting for the dark circles. He looked pale and unwell and they'd probably spent most of their time that night tossing and turning on the pillow because something looked off about their Afro.
"Lafayette!" Martha dropped what she was doing and rushed over to them. She pulled them into a deep embrace. "Sweetie, you look terrible."
"I-Alex Hamilton. Is he dead, Martha?" Lafayette asked.
Martha hadn't been expecting that question. "I uh-well, I don't think so. But I can't-I can't say for sure."
Lafayette didn't respond. They simply took a deep breath and then shrugged.
"Did you want me to call Philip Schuyler?"
Lafayette completely ignored the question. "Where's George?"
"He's gone for a walk." Martha responded. "I understand that the accident is weighing heavily on your minds. It's on my mind too. Alexander is a great kid and a credit to the Mulligans."
"He's my friend." Lafayette said.
"I know." Martha rubbed Lafayette's back soothingly under their comforter. "I know. Come on. Have some breakfast."
"I'm not hungry."
"Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette Washington, you should be taking care of yourself." Martha shook her head.
"You never use my full name."
"I'm your mother. I'll use your full name when I want." Martha guided Lafayette to the table and sat them down in a chair.
Although Lafayette hadn't been officially adopted into the Washington family, on their 18th birthday, George pulled some strings and had Lafayette's name changed to add 'Washington' at the end. Mostly they just went by Lafayette Washington now. But filling out official forms was still an absolute nightmare.
As Martha set a home cooked breakfast in front of Lafayette, George entered through the back door, looking just as haggard as Lafayette.
"Hello, George, I've made breakfast." Martha offered George a plate, but he refused it and carried on walking.
"He isn't hungry, Martha." Lafayette said. "Neither am I."
"Lafayette, you have to eat something." Martha argued.
"I'm going to the hospital." Lafayette stood up from their chair.
"Please sit back down and eat, sweetie, Alexander Hamilton can wait."
"He's a year older than me. And he's so close to death." Lafayette wrapped their comforter closer around them. "I never thought of death as something that could happen to a young person." They paused. "I've heard about it. But because it didn't affect me... I never thought about it."
Martha nodded. "That's what this is about."
"What?"
"This isn't about Alexander. Well, it is. But this is a bit of a 'I'm too young to die' situation, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?" Lafayette asked.
"You're very worried about Alexander, who isn't that much older than you, dying." Martha explained. "Thinking about it is making you think 'well, if he can die, then I can die' and it's only natural, you're both still only teenagers after all."
Lafayette nodded. "I'm going to the hospital." They said before walking back out of the kitchen.
Martha leaned against the kitchen island with a sigh.
After his very unfruitful talk with Aaron-which had ended with him slamming the door in his face-William was on his way to Theodosia's dorm. Maybe she could talk some sense into him. That was when he bumped into James Madison, carrying a shopping bag.
"Hey, James." He greeted.
"Hey, William." James greeted in return.
"Where's Jefferson? I thought you two were joined at the dick and asshole."
"That wasn't a very clever gay joke, William. And besides, I'm demisexual, not gay, and Thomas is pansexual, again not gay, so that makes that so-called 'joke' not only bad, but immature." James said.
"It's not my joke. It's not even a joke. It's what people are saying about you."
"Yeah, the Trump voters."
William shrugged. "So how is he?"
James sighed. "Upset." He replied. "He's been fighting tears all morning, thinking about Alexander Hamilton. Honestly, it's been a shock for me too. I still can't believe it happened."
"You seen the comments about this by Trump voters? Not generalizing here, but the racist homophobe ones-they're a disgusting group of people." William shook his head. "No better than the Klan."
"Pretty sure some of them are in the Klan." James said. "What have they done now?"
"Basically said that Alex deserved to be shot because he's an immigrant. And congratulating Aaron for being the one to do it."
"Wow." James' eyes widened. "Wow. That's horrible."
"I know." William said. "If Aaron's seeing this, it's no wonder he's gone off the rails. Then again, if the KKK found out he was black then they'd be spewing their vitriol right back at him. And God help us if the Westboro Baptist Church found out that Alex is bisexual and polyamorous."
James rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, 'God loves accidental shootings in historical re-enactments and hates fags', right?"
"Probably." William said.
"We need to protect Eliza and John if Alex's name gets released."
"Hercules Mulligan's girlfriend is doing a minor in computer science."
"How do you know that?"
"I know everything." William said, a serious look on his face.
"If you know everything, then you can tell me where Aaron is." William turned around. Theodosia.
"Okay. Well, I should get this to Thomas." James said. "So I'll see you later?"
"Sure, bye James!" William said anxiously.
"Bye James! Say hi to Jefferson for me!" Theodosia said politely.
James waved to the two and carried on to his and Thomas' dorm.
William again turned to face Theodosia, who's happy demeanor had been replaced with a scowl and folded arms.
"Theo?"
"Don't you 'Theo' me. Where's Aaron?" She asked.
"Drinking himself to death in his dorm room. I was hoping you could help with that."
Over at the hospital, John was pacing the halls of the hospital. He was irritable from not having slept and from worrying about the life of his boyfriend. He froze when he reached the ER waiting room. It couldn't be? But it was. Aaron Burr. He felt the anger rise within him, taking over every part of his body.
"You!" He shouted.
"John?" Aaron frowned. "What?"
"You shot Alex! You bastard!" John lunged towards Aaron, being stopped only by Hercules grabbing onto his hoodie.
"John! Get a grip!" Hercules shouted.
Everyone in the ER was now looking at the three students.
"He shot Alex! Alex is intensive care because of him!" John howled. "He's just sitting there like he doesn't care!"
"You're being unreasonable!"
"I'm the unreasonable one?!" John stopped pulling against Hercules. "No! This isn't fair!"
"John, go to Eliza."
"But-"
"Now." Hercules warned.
John walked away, but continued to listen in on the conversation.
"What are you doing here, Aaron?" Hercules asked.
"Come for treatment of alcohol poisoning." Aaron replied.
"Why?"
"Because I shot Alex." Aaron said quietly.
Hercules realized what Aaron meant and sat down next to him. He wrapped his arm around Aaron and the two of them sat there.
John stormed off, back to the family room with an expression of disgust on his face.
"What's up, John?" Sally asked. She first noticed him coming back. "You look really angry."
"Aaron's here and your stupid boyfriend's acting all friendly to him." John said. "He shot Alex. We shouldn't be friendly. We should hate him."
"Well, we don't know the story here, John." Sally said. "I doubt that Aaron would pick up a gun and shoot Alex out of malice."
"But that's what happened!" John stamped his foot.
"Come on. Stop that. You're starting to sound and act like that pompous Samuel Seabury." Sally rolled her eyes.
"But he shot Alex." John argued-poorly. "We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Aaron aiming a gun at Alex and pulling the trigger."
"John." Sally said quietly. "You know it was in a historical re-enactment. So you know that's not how it happened."
"I can't believe it!" John huffed. "You're on his side!"
"John-"
"Just get lost! You see Alex and then you'll know how I feel!" John practically ran out of the room, leaving Sally and Hercules' parents alone again.
A/N: So I had to include the election night in somehow. And it ended with the message that love trumps hate. Aww. But in all seriousness, I'm pretty concerned about what this means for the UK and the US and the world. Buckle in folks, it's gonna be a rough four years.
Meanwhile, John hates Aaron and is acting irrationally about it.