Alright, gang, this is it. Thank you so much for coming along for the ride. It's been a whirlwind. My other story Like You Need it to Survive is still going strong, it's been a good 42,000 words, but we've come to the end of this tale, for now, maybe I'll make a sequel. I do have some other ideas percolating. Let me know what you thought of this one. Thank you for all the support along the way!

Cheers!

-MindAtWork

"Alex, eat. Put down your coffee, eat. Sit for five minutes." John leaned against the wall. Alex was perched on the edge of the stool, kept leaving the room, pacing, getting what he needed, putting it in his bag, returning to the breakfast bar.

"I know. I know." He stuffed a bite of eggs in his mouth and sat more fully on the stool.

"Thank you. No repeat performance of the debate." John's voice was light, but it had an undercurrent of seriousness, remembering that night.

"I know. Polls open in an hour. I need to get going, though."

John nodded and closed the distance between them, hugged his husband tightly, "I love you so much, no matter what happens tonight, okay? We're all watching. Call me if you need anything. I'm proud of you, I'm proud of Washington, I love you forever, you're amazing."

"I love you, too. See you tonight, hopefully we'll be celebrating." There was a mischievous glint in his eyes and John felt butterflies flutter through his stomach, loving that even after years together Alex could still make him giddy.

"Bye, babe, good luck."

"See ya later, querido." Alex pulled his lips back in a goofy nervous grin, eyes wide, and blew out a breath, picked up his travel mug, "here goes."

John cleaned up their breakfast dishes and sat on the sofa, he was nervous, today was the culmination of… everything. So much hard work, so many sleepless nights, so many lonely ones. There was so much riding on the outcome. He tapped his feet nervously and tried to work. The new slogan for his movement set to launch in just three days. He struggled to keep his mind from drifting and he wandered through the apartment looking for something to do. Lafayette called him at eight, checking on how Alexander was that morning, agreed to come over and spend the day with John.

Lafayette had dragged a tired looking Hercules along, who, while Laf and John were scheming and scheduling the next strategic movement they'd make for the cause had fallen asleep - arms crossed over his chest - on the couch. Lafayette's eyes twinkling as he glanced over his shoulder at Hercules snoring softly. The morning gave way to afternoon and John texted Alex, couldn't wait to hear how things were going, his messages were met with brief responses, he was busy. At two Angelica arrived, on time for the plans they'd made to go vote together.

"Good turn out." Angelica stared ahead at the line before them.

"This is it!" John called over his shoulder when it was his turn to vote, he sat behind the screen and bubbled in George Washington's vote bubble dark in pencil, grinning at seeing it on paper.

By seven, the other Schuyler girls had trickled into John and Alex's apartment, Eliza off work, Peggy, from… somewhere. John set out snacks for them to munch on nervously. The ticker tape at the bottom of the television screen said good things 38% reporting so far, Washington leading with 64% of the calculated votes. Lafayette was curled up against Hercules, Peggy sat on the floor in front of Angelica who was braiding her little sister's hair. Eliza responding to work emails on her phone. John fidgeted with a fray on his jeans, eyes glued to the screen.

"Hey! There he is!" Peggy cheered.

On the television, tucked behind George Washington, Alex stood, bottom lip set gently between his teeth, placid expression, Washington leaned back and whispered something in Alexander's ear that earned a laugh from both men, John smiled at the light heartedness of the scene. Alex looked good, eyes bright, posture nervous, but jovial. Looked sharp in his navy suit.

"Up to 49% reporting." Hercules read.

"Still leading." Angelica agreed.

"We got this." John sighed.

At ten o'clock, 81% of the votes were in, Washington leading by 76%, the screen changed to a reporter, "we've just been informed that Charles Lee has made a call to George Washington to give his concession, it seems that we have a winner, New York."

"What?" Lafayette looked between Hercules and John.

John's breath caught, the screen changed back to the live feed, George clapped Alex on the shoulder, kissed Martha, smoothed his lapel. Alexander whispered something to him. John listened to Washington's speech in a daze, could hear Alexander's words, that perfect, impactful cadence that he wrote in being delivered by the convincing orator that was Washington. John wanted to talk to Alex so badly. Couldn't wait for them to celebrate together.

"We won!" Hercules pumped his fist in the air.

"We won?" Lafayette stared in disbelief.

John stood, "we won!"

They all cheered, "we won!"

The rest of the evening devolved into debauchery and drinking. Hercules led a rousing chorus that they all attempted to sing along to, Lafayette had claimed a bottle of wine to himself and was drinking it from the bottle, John had amassed an impressive collection of empty Sam Adams cans, the sisters doing shots in the kitchen. It was almost one am when Alexander got home, he looked exhausted, his tie loose, suit jacket crumpled in his hand, hair down and creased from being confined to a ponytail all day, forehead wrinkled in exhaustion. John pounced on him, drunk and delighted.

"You did it!" John clung to Alexander to help him stay upright, the drinks and the excitement commingling to impair his motor skills..

"We did it!" Alex cheered to the room of friends, and whispered in John's ear, "juntos."

Their friends raised a glass to Alexander, he gave a little mock speech about the significance of what had happened for New York tonight, something about, our children made John's heart leap, hope that things would be okay, certainly they would get better for New York, and better for Alex, and things would be good.