Finally, Alex came from the ICU and was moved to an ordinary ward. And that was the day that Alex's friends finally all got to visit him. Angelica insisted that Peggy went first. Peggy sat by Alex's side as he slept off the drugs he was currently on. Nurses had put Alex on his side to prevent pressure sores. He looked kind of cute sleeping on his side, in a childlike way.

Peggy stroked his hair and smiled. It seemed his hair had got a bit longer since he randomly cut it about a month back. But all Peggy could think about now was how she was finally able to see her best friend after sixteen days of being unable to and being worried about him. She hardly slept and put on a good ten pounds through overeating. But Alex was okay now. Even if he was still being tube fed.

"Peggy." Alex whispered. His eyes were closed. But he was awake.

"Alex!" Peggy wiped away tears. "I missed you."

"Tell Aaron it was... My... Fault." Alex muttered under his breath.

Peggy was left confused. "Alex? What's your fault?"

"Shooting." Alex replied.

"No, Alex, it was an accident." Peggy took his hand. "And you're drugged up. You don't know what you're saying."

"Not an accident." Alex opened his eyes and they met Peggy's.

That was the moment that Peggy realised Alex was being totally serious. The shooting wasn't an accident. But did Alex intend to get shot? Or worse, to shoot Aaron? Even worse still, did someone tamper with the guns because Alex found out a horrible secret or... They didn't like Alex-and Alex knew? Peggy had to know. She stood up.

"Alex. What do you mean it wasn't an accident?" Peggy spoke clearly.

"Not an accident... Peggy." Alex squeezed her hand.

"Alex, please tell me what you mean." Peggy put her hand on Alex's shoulder, but got no response. "Alex? Alex!" She shouted in worry. What if he'd fallen into another coma?

"Miss Schuyler." A nurse said as she walked into the room. "What's happened?"

"Alex was telling me something and he stopped responding." Peggy said. "He just woke up from a coma." She was wringing her hands in panic as the nurse looked over Alex's medical equipment.

"Alex?" The nurse asked delicately. She pinched his forearm.

Alex grunted in pain and his eyelids flickered.

The nurse nodded and looked to Peggy. "Miss Schuyler, my advice to you is to leave."

"Oh god-"

"He's sleeping." The nurse smiled, to let her know there was nothing to worry about.

Peggy nodded and let out a sigh. "Yeah. That's good to know." She said. She began to make her way out of the room, but turned back to look at Alex. He was fine. She had to keep assuring herself that he was fine.

Later that day, George and Martha brought Lafayette along to visit Alex in the hospital. As soon as Lafayette walked into Alex's hospital room, their eyes widened and a big grin spread across their face when they saw Alex propped up on pillows in his bed. He still had IVs sticking from his hands and his eye bags seemed droopier than ever-that feeding tube from his nose didn't do much for him, but Alex was alive. And awake.

"Alex! Mon ami! You're okay!" Lafayette almost shouted.

"Laf." Alex gave a small smile.

George and Martha appeared at the doorway as their child gave Alex a delicate hug, taking care not to aggravate his wounds.

"Professor Washington, Sir." Alex greeted. "Professor Washington, Ma'am."

"Alexander." George smiled. "It's good to see you."

"These two were so worried about you." Martha let out a slight chuckle.

"I'm alive." Alex said. "You were wrong, Sir."

"Wrong about what, Alex?" George asked curiously.

"When you said dying is easy and living is harder." Alex reached for his water. Lafayette handed it to him and helped him take a sip.

"What about it?" George asked.

"No offense, Sir. Dying is hard." Alex flashed a weak smile.

"Yes." George chuckled. "So I see. I take that back, Son."

"'M not your son." Alex mumbled weakly.

"Of course you're not." George smiled.

"How are you feeling, Alexander?" Martha asked.

"Like shit." Alex replied.

"Well you're doing great, Alexander, you're alive and fighting." George said. "I'm proud that you're my student.

Alex simply nodded.

"It's okay Alex. We can just sit here if you want." Lafayette offered.

"That would be nice." Alex said.

The three members of the Washington family all sat down around Alex, who found their presence comforting. Nobody said anything else until they were ushered out by a nurse, who came to check Alex over. George promised they'd visit tomorrow.

Half an hour later, Alex was still lying propped up on pillows, this time fiddling with his bed controls-even though he couldn't grip it probably due to muscle wastage. So he was just poking the buttons as best he could.

There was a knock on his door and Alex's eyes drifted upwards towards it. Thomas Jefferson walked in. Alex sighed.

"Ham-Alex." Jefferson paled. "You look..."

"Like I've been shot."

"Yeah." Jefferson nodded.

"So I hear you saved my life." Alex said weakly.

"I hate you. But I couldn't let you die." Jefferson said. "Especially since I've had first aid training."

"Thanks Je-Thomas." Alex said.

"No problem, Alex." Thomas said. "But you owe me one."

"I'll never walk again, Thomas." Alex said.

"Doesn't matter, Alex. You still owe me one." Jefferson said. "I uh... I'm glad you're alive." He turned back to the door.

"Thomas." Jefferson turned back. "I didn't know you cared so much about me."

"Don't get too used to it, Alexander." Jefferson walked out the door with a loud laugh. He was genuinely happy.

Alex smiled to himself as he rested his head back on the pillow.

The next morning, Angelica visited and she brought Maria. Both of them fussed over Alex, trying to help him eat his mushy baby food because the doctors were trying to wean him off the feeding tube.

"Here comes the airplane!" Angelica made 'nyoom' noises as she brought the spoon of mushy... Something to Alex's lips.

"Angelica. You're only a year older than me." Alex said.

"I know." Angelica shrugged. "I just want you to eat so they can get that damn feeding tube from your nostril-it's freaking me out."

"It's my life support."

"You were on a lot worse than that." Maria fiddled with her phone and opened the Hamilsquad group chat. "Hercules put a photo up." She showed Alex the photo.

Alex tried to grab the phone and Maria helped him. His eyes widened when he saw himself looking literally like death warmed over. The amount of tubes sticking from him freaked him out. All the medical tape freaked him out-particularly the tape on his eyelids. The grey skin-he looked like Roger from American Dad. And that was just his face. He didn't want to know what the rest of him looked like.

Eliza walked into the room. "Angie, Dad wants you."

"Eliza, I don't know if I can leave Alex. He's looking at that photo..." Angelica said hesitantly.

Eliza took a few steps closer into the room and then to Alex's bed. "Look at where you are. Look at where you've started. The fact that you're alive is a miracle."

"I know." Alex reached out for her, but forgot the IV was there, leading to him getting sharp pain in his arm.

Eliza took his hand and stroked it gently.

Angelica nodded. "I see Alex is in good hands. With my sister and my girlfriend." She stood up from Alex's bed and walked over to the door. "I'll be back soon." She left the room.

"Alex. Eliza's right. It's a miracle that you're lying there in that hospital bed right now." Maria said. "You came so close to dying. You lost so much blood. We were all so worried about you."

"I'm sorry." Alex whispered.

"Sorry for what?" Eliza asked.

"This."

"Alex, don't be sorry. It was an accident." Maria brushed Alex's hair from his face with her fingers. "Just an accident."

Angelica popped her head back through the door. "Eliza, we gotta go. Remember that ball Dad wanted us to go to?"

"Yeah?" Eliza raised an eyebrow.

"It's tonight."

"Shit." Maria mumbled. "We've been so busy worrying about Alex that we forgot."

"Go to your ball." Alex patted Maria on the leg. "Have fun. I'm okay."

"I don't feel right leaving you." Eliza said.

"I'll be fine." Alex said. "Fine."

Eliza kissed Alex on the cheek. "If you're sure." She whispered to him.

"I'm sure." Alex whispered back.

Eliza smiled at him before she followed her sister out of the room.

Maria was the last to leave. She and Alex made eye contact and she smiled at him before she too left Alex's hospital room.

Alex was left alone until the Washingtons showed up again. And then came Thomas Jefferson-again. And James Madison was with him this time. John cried and cried and hugged him, feeling horrible for not protecting him better. After that, a visit from Hercules and Sally. Then a brief one from Hugh and Sarah-checking in on their foster son. Theodosia with a nice hand knitted blanket. And finally, Aaron, right at the end of visiting hours.

"Hey, Alex." Aaron averted eye contact. He still felt horrible that he'd shot Alex.

"Aaron." Alex greeted.

"I'm sorry, Alex, I never meant for this to happen, I shot you-I feel terrible, I-"

Alex interrupted him. "Aaron, I forgive you."

"You what?" Aaron was surprised.

"This is my fault anyway." Alex said.

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked.

"I... I did this." Alex replied.

A/N: Is that it? Mystery solved?

Not so fast. There's still two more chapters to come. And I won't be updating for a few days so enjoy the cliffhanger.