"Get him on my back-"

"I can't believe-"

"...how the fuck…"

Alex felt himself drift between sleep and consciousness during their travel. He distantly knew he had been lifted, and he was now draped over someone's back. The group spoke constantly during their walk back, but Alex couldn't piece together their voices. He knew them, but he didn't remember them.

While they gathered closer to their destination, Alex could hear noises growing in the distance. Voices, snow crunching, people laughing, and music playing. Was he dead?

There's no way someone actually found him. There's no way there's a camp full of people, alive and healthy. That's not possible anymore.

"Someone get Dad! Tell him it's Alexander Hamilton!" A distinct voice yelled beside him. Alex felt a hand pressed against his back. He cracked open an eye, but could only see the white sky. The same voice asked, "Alex, can you hear me?"

He groaned and blinked. They must've taken that as a good sign, as Alex heard multiple sighs of relief. He was carried inside a tent. The white sky turned into a blue plastic ceiling. Several hands held onto him as he was laid down onto a cot. The light was darker inside the tent, and Alex's head had finally stopped swimming enough to see who was above him.

The first face he saw had tan skin and freckles, with curly brown hair. Alex squinted at him, his mind not believing what it saw. "...Phil?"

The face laughed, and then Alex realized he was much too old to be his son. He grabbed Alex's hand and said with a wide grin, "No, honey, it's John."

"My family's alive." Alex whispered, clinging onto John's hand. "John, they're out there."

"I know." John whispered back, still smiling. He glanced up at whoever was behind him and said, "They're definitely with Maria."

Another person knelt down beside him, placing a big hand on his shoulder. Alex's gaze slowly slid over to him. Short hair and a square jaw. Alex smiled, "Hercules."

"My man." Herc said, squeezing his shoulder. "I thought you were dead inside Jackson's circle of hell."

"You saw that." Alex scoffed, not wanting to remember being chased by zombies for entertainment. Someone laid a thick blanket over top of him and another person had placed a hot pad under his feet.

"Saw it? I saved you from it!" Herc laughed, shaking his head. Alex tried hard to focus on his words. "I was there undercover, right? And Jackson starts blabbing about how he caught Philip Hamilton. And I'm thinking to myself, 'it better not be my Philip Hamilton.' So when you come out there? Looking all scrawny and terrified? I had to put a stop to it."

John rolled his eyes and said, "I'm pretty sure we have Maria to thank for that. She's the one with the kick-ass lady army."

"Well, yeah, but they wouldn't have helped if I didn't ask." Herc said, crossing his arms.

Alex was starting to get a headache. "What?"

"Long story." John sighed.

Before Alex could respond, the door to the tent opened suddenly. The small crowd of people moved out of the way as the sound of boots quickly approached.

"Where is he?" Alex heard before he laid eyes on George Washington.

Alex weakly sat up, his chest exploding in excitement and warmth at the sight of his father figure. "Dad-"

Instantly, Washington dropped down and hugged Alex, pulling his small form close to his chest. Alex shuddered against him, his emotions toppling over into quiet sobs. Washington's hand stayed firmly pressed into his hair, steady and comforting.

"You're safe now." Washington said, "It's alright now."

Alex gathered his breath, then leaned back and asked him, "Is my family here?"
"No." Washington said, looking over to Hercules. "But we know how to get to them. We've made allies in the south through Hercules' efforts in Jackson's colosseum. We believe your family is with them."

Alex laid back down, snuggling under the covers. His body was quickly thawing, and he felt himself getting more clear-headed by the second. Someone stepped forward and handed him a bowl. Alex gladly accepted it, sipping the hot water within. It had some kinds of leaves within it, but he didn't know the plant.

"So…" A voice from Alex's left said, "Who is this guy? Whoever he is, he's cute."

Alex turned and looked at him. He choked on the water he was drinking, recognizing the facial features. He coughed, covering his mouth and looking away.

That guy looked just like Thomas.

Wait.

"THOMAS!" Alex shouted in realization. He reached randomly, his eyes darting to his friends; before his hand landed on Washington's arm and he said, "I-I have a friend- I have to go get him- he's sick-"

Alex tried to stand up, but Washington and Herc pushed him back down. Alex felt frantic, tears forming in his eyes once more. He tried to push against them, only earning more people holding him down.

"Please- he'll die without me- I have to-"

"Alexander!" Washington spoke over him, his voice firm but loud, "We will send people to go retrieve your friend, you are in no shape to do it yourself."

"Please-" Alex begged, the fight draining out of him. He leaned against Washington's arm, crying quietly, "Please, save him…"

Herc spoke next, "Where is he in relation to where we found you?"

Alex thought, focusing as hard as he could. He felt like this question should be easy for him, but his brain was too exhausted to think. "East. He's- he's in a house, in the back room. He's so cold, he needs help- I have to go get him!"

"Alex, he'll be okay." John said, taking his hand. "I'll go get him and bring him back. Herc and I will take a team. And we'll find him, just like how we found you."

Alex let himself be relaxed by John's words. His friend, his son's godfather, would not let him down. He forced himself to lay back into the bed. Washington gave orders to some of the people in the tent, assigning them to go with John and Herc to retrieve Thomas.

A woman made sure Alex kept drinking the water from his bowl. Soon, everyone filed out until it was just Alex, Washington, and the Thomas-lookalike.

"Lafayette, this is my son." Washington said, which earned a laugh from the other man. Alex watched as Washington playfully pushed him. Alex didn't think Washington did playful. Washington turned to him and said, "Alex, this is my other son."

"Our dear father has collected a lot of children during these trying times, no?" Lafayette said with a wink.

Alex blinked slowly, staring at Lafayette's face. It wasn't just that he looked like Thomas, Lafayette had a very familiar face. Eventually he asked, "Do I know you from somewhere?"
Lafayette frowned slightly, assessing his face, before his expression lit up with recognition. "New Years Eve! In Brooklyn! You ruined my bedsheets!"

Alex's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. His face burst into flames and he couldn't help but laugh in embarrassment. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"Ah, the world is small sometimes." Lafayette said, still grinning. He stared at Alex's face for a moment too long, and Alex felt himself doing the same. How different would his life had turned out if he stayed with Lafayette all day? Would they have gotten together romantically? Alex was sure he would be happy with him; he seemed to know how to treat a guy.

But Alex didn't let the fantasy last long; he was happy with Eliza. And thinking about Lafayette's body only reminded him of Thomas. And then he grew too worried about Thomas' safety to daydream.

"What happened on New Years?" Washington asked.

Alex blushed and Lafayette snickered. He responded, "Nothing a father should know about."

Washington sighed and shook his head, clearly interpreting the response correctly. Alex spoke up then, changing the subject. "Where's Mom?"

There was a long pause, and Lafayette shifted on his feet awkwardly.

"I'm sorry." Washington said. It was all he had to say. Alex felt a weight inside of him sink deep into his gut. He sat back, staring down at the water in his bowl.

"How'd… how'd she go?" He asked.

Washington swallowed heavily, then responded in a shaky voice. "She was bit. In New York. Before we could get out of the city."

"I'm so sorry." Alex whispered, placing a hand on Washington's shoulder. "She would be proud of you. How you've helped these people."

Washington looked up, blinking away tears. He was quiet for a moment, then he said, "I know. She would've done better. She always said I was too harsh on folks. 'Be nicer, Georgie'."

Alex laughed lightly, feeling his throat close up. "She always was the good cop to your bad cop."

"I know it's only been a couple of months." Washington said, sitting back on his heels. "But it feels like it's been years since I've seen her."

"I know what you mean." Alex said, imagining his own wife's smiling face. God, he missed her. He couldn't wait to hug her, to hold her close and know she's safe. His heart ached for George, knowing that fantasy could never come true for him.

Someone poked their head into the tent and said, "Sir? The ration troup is back."

Washington wiped his face and stood up. He told Alex, "I have to check in with them. You stay here and rest, Alexander. I don't want to see you out of this tent."

"Yes, sir." Alex saluted, smiling when Washington seemed amused.

He left them alone, and Alex awkwardly sipped his water. Lafayette was still staring at him.

"What?" He asked.

"Why did you leave with no goodbye?" Lafayette asked, resting his chin on his arms.

Alex shrugged, glancing away, "I was embarrassed that my period started and I bled all over your stuff."

"Your period? So I did nothing wrong?" He asked, seeming relieved, "I thought I had hurt you!"

Alex chuckled, shaking his head, "No, nothing like that. You were perfect."

"Thank God!" Lafayette grinned, "I would hate to be the bad night you talk about at parties."

"This is so weird." Alex said with a laugh. "You look just like my crush, and I didn't realize it at first. Because, like, my memory of you wasn't that great - I was drunk, sorry. But looking at you now, it's like…"

Lafayette wiggled his shoulders and smirked at him, "It sounds like you have a type, mon cher."

"He speaks French, too." Alex said softly. He stared out at the door of the tent, chewing his lip. He wanted to be out there, searching for Thomas. He shouldn't have left him behind. As soon as the others had found him, he should've told them to go get Thomas. Alex sighed and mumbled, "I hope he's safe."

"Tell me about him." Lafayette said, scooching closer to Alex. "It will help distract you while we wait."

Alex took another drink of his water. He tried to think of the best way to describe Thomas. "He's stubborn. And can be selfish, but with good reason. He's also thoughtful and protective. Sweeter than I thought he could be."

It was quiet for a moment while Alex tried to think of more adjectives. He smiled and said, "He's got the most amazing laugh. His voice - fuck - his voice makes me weak. He can sing, and he should've been an actor. He's captivating."

Lafayette smiled at him as he spoke. Alex went on and on, gushing about Thomas in ways he couldn't before. He told Laf stories from their travels, pinpointing each moment when he fell deeper in love.

"He's so understanding of trauma, and he helped me through so many panic attacks." Alex shook his head, wrapping an arm around his waist. "He just holds you, and you know it'll be alright. And he's such a good kisser."

Alex doesn't think he's spoken this many words in weeks. He lets all of his thoughts fall straight out of his mouth, with no filter. He doesn't care. He wants to talk about Thomas; Thomas' eyes, Thomas' hair, Thomas' hands.

"...and there was this baby, and he was so attached to her," Alex explained, "And she was our kid, and he loved her so much. And I did everything I could to protect her, but she was taken from us. I still wish I could've stopped that. Thomas didn't deserve to lose a daughter twice."

Lafayette piped up then, after being mostly silent for hours. "His name is Thomas?"

"Yeah." Alex said, a little breathless from talking so much.

"Thomas what?"

Before Alex could respond, there were shouts from outside the tent. Lafayette jumped up, pulling a knife out of his pocket. He stuck his head out the tent and looked around. Alex held his breath until Lafayette crawled back over to him and said, "They are back."

It wasn't long until John and Herc came into the tent. They were carrying Thomas on a stretcher, his body laying still and limp. Alex tried to get up, but Lafayette held him down. They set the stretcher on the ground next to Alex. He reached across to grab Thomas' cold hand.

Alex started pulling his blankets off himself and pushing them onto Thomas.

"Alex, don't, we have more blankets." John said, but Alex didn't stop. He put the heating pad on top of Thomas' chest and fussed with him until more blankets arrived. He continued to refuse the blankets until Thomas was completely cocooned in warmth. Only then did he let Herc drop a throw blanket over his shoulders.

Lafayette crawled closer, staring at Thomas' face. He was whispering in French, tears welling in his eyes. With a shaky hand he touched Thomas' cheek, then burst into sobs. He placed his head on Thomas' chest, holding him close.

Alex watched them, but his focus was admittedly, mostly on the rise and fall of Thomas' chest. He was still alive. He was still alive.

"Laf? What is it, babe?" John asked, rubbing Lafayette's back. He and Herc shared a worried look.

Lafayette smiled up at them, still holding onto Thomas. "He's my cousin."

A jolt of shock ran through Alex, he stared at Lafayette. "He's your cousin?"
"Oui." Laf said, staring back down at Thomas. "We grew up together; he's my best friend."

"He talked about you so much." Alex said. "He never mentioned any of his siblings, but he always spoke about Gilbert."

"That's me." Laf said with a laugh, "Gil and Tom."

John and Herc relaxed slightly, as Lafayette gathered his breathing. He never took his eyes off Thomas, even as they started talking about other things. Alex was with him, staring at Thomas' face and holding his hand, praying for him to wake up soon.

"So then, when the Jeep ran out of gas, we had to walk for miles." Herc was saying, "We must've walked all the way across the state."
"I know that feeling." Alex muttered. They all shared a small laugh of sore feet.

"I had to eat meat." John confessed, shame in his voice. "I held out for as long as I could."

Herc scowled, telling Alex, "He was starving himself."
"I'm glad you're safe now." Alex told him, keeping the couple from bickering.

Herc smiled and kissed John. "Me too."

"What were you doing at Jackson's?" Alex asked. "Thomas and I were captured."

Laf looked up to him, "That monster had you guys?"
"He threw me in the ring against zombies." Alex nodded, still amazed that he survived that one. "Thomas was going to be dessert."

Hercules responded, "We have been at war with Jackson's men since we settled in this woods. They come in and steal, kidnap, and worse."

"We were hoping to just get some information on how to dismantle them." John said, taking Herc's hand. "But then Herc met Maria Reynolds. She was leading some undercover mission with all the women there."

Herc blew a low whistle, "We didn't stand a chance against Jackson. But Maria? She was able to kick ass with just the signal to her crew."

"Yeah, it was like suddenly, everything fell to shit." Alex said, "We thought it was Thomas' friend Adrienne who called the shots."

"It was a group effort." Herc said with a shrug.

"Adrienne?" Lafayette said, staring at Alex. "Adrienne de Noailles?"

"Uh- I don't know. She was pretty?" Alex said, confused. Then he remembered that Thomas said Adrienne and Gilbert were friends. "Yes! Yes! Thomas said she was his cousins' girlfriend or something."

Lafayette sat back, staring up at the ceiling. He let out a breathy laugh. "My god. Tom and Adri. Merci."

Alex watched as the man crumbled with emotion, tears falling from his eyes. John wrapped an arm around Lafayette and pulled him close, letting the man lean on him. Even as he cried, he smiled and whispered, "Thank god, thank god…"

Alex sighed, watching Thomas and wrapping his blanket closer to himself. He zoned out while John and Herc made idle conversation; still discussing their own travels. It sounded like they had to deal with much of the same stuff as Alex. Hunger, fear, pain.

But they had each other the entire time. While Alex was missing his wife and trying to figure out Thomas; Herc and John always had their husband by their side. Alex almost felt jealous, but then he glanced at Thomas' sleeping form, and he knew that he wasn't alone during this either.

"Herc killed a guy." John piped up at one point.

"Multiple guys." Herc nodded, a conflicted expression on his face. "Jackson's guys."
Alex offered a half-smirk. "They don't count as guys. They were pigs."

When Alex looked back at Thomas, his eyes were open. Alex almost thought he imagined it, but Lafayette reacted as well. They both were on their knees in an instant, hovering over Thomas. Thomas frowned, like he had trouble focusing on them.

Alex touched his cheek, then brushed back his hair. He said in a quiet voice, "Thomas, you're safe now. We got you somewhere safe."

"Tom, can you hear me?" Lafayette asked. "Comment tu te sens?"

"Vertige." Thomas grumbled.

Herc said from behind them, "Oh no, another one who speaks Laf's weird code."

"It's French." Alex told him.

"Suspicious." Herc crossed his arms, an amused smile on his lips. John nudged him with a shush.

"Gil?" Thomas asked, still staring at Lafayette. "Am I dead?"

Lafayette laughed, shaking his head, "Not yet. You still have someone here who needs you."

Thomas' gaze slid to Alex. He wasted no time leaning down and kissing Thomas. John laughed and Herc cheered as they kissed. Alex didn't care; both he and Thomas were safe, he needed to celebrate that.

Alex pulled away a fraction of an inch, their breaths still intermingling. They whispered at the same time, "I love you."

Alex let out an embarrassed giggle and hid his face in Thomas' neck. He felt Thomas wrap an arm around him, and he couldn't be happier. Hercules stood up and offered to get food for them. John went with him, sending Alex a wink as they left.

"Do I not understand the definition of 'crush', exactly?" Lafayette asked, squinting at them.

"What do you mean?" Thomas asked.

Alex interrupted and said, "How do you feel? Are you okay?"

Thomas glanced at Lafayette again, before he responded with. "Warm. Whatever this heating pad is, it's amazing."
"That's beans in a sock, I believe." Lafayette said, gesturing at the lump under the blanket.

"I like bean socks." Thomas said sleepily. "My body doesn't hurt as much. I feel like I'm thawing. I'm- I'm still tired."

"You can sleep." Alex said, "I'll stay beside you."
Thomas smiled, squeezing his hand. "Thank you. I should wait until after I eat, if they're going to bring back food."

Alex nodded, "Good idea. My rabbit didn't last long."
"That feels like forever ago." Thomas shook his head, groaning as he did. He glanced between Alex and Lafayette and said, "Al, this is my cousin."

"I know." Alex said, grinning. He glanced at Laf, who winked at him. He shook his head, trying to ignore the thoughts of their late night session. He could so easily pretend that he had sex with Thomas instead; the images were already altering in his mind. He felt himself flush at the thought of Thomas in Lafayette's place. "We've, uh, already met."

"Huh?"

"Little Alexander here is very flexible, did you know?" Lafayette said with a cheeky grin. Alex watched as Thomas squinted at his cousin, then looked to Alex. He couldn't make eye contact, too embarrassed by his thoughts.

He did not want to have sex with Thomas. Okay, he did, but he didn't need to be thinking about it right now!

Thomas asked slowly, like he was trying to piece it together, "Have you two, like… ?"

"I wrecked this twink, yes." Lafayette said, nodding.

"LAF!" Alex hid his face in his hands. He peered at Thomas through his fingers, watching for his reaction. Thomas groaned, closing his eyes.

He said through clenched teeth. "Gilbert!"

"It was years ago, I cannot be blamed!" Lafayette said, shrugging. He looked to Alex, who wouldn't do the same. "It was consensual and enjoyable for everyone, right?"
Alex eventually nodded, and said, "Yeah. It was really good."

"Stop." Thomas said, shaking his head, "No more. You're grounded, and you're grounded. Everyone has to shut up now."

Lafayette laughed and said, "I missed you."

Thomas flipped Lafayette off. After a moment, he glanced at Alex. He felt like time slowed. Thomas' eyes were half-lidded, and his lips parted. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Thomas' expression was longing. Alex squeezed his hand. Thomas squeezed back.

Alex felt his heart flutter in his chest. Now that he wasn't currently in the middle of dying, Alex had a second to examine his emotions.

He wanted Thomas. He wanted to hold him, and kiss him, and keep him safe. He wanted Thomas to know that he was special and important to him. He almost had that - almost - but it wasn't enough. Whatever they were doing; this closeness for the sake of survival, it wasn't close enough.

Alex wished they were alone, then he could confess to Thomas all of his thoughts. Maybe they could have a conversation about who they were to each other. Because to Alex, Thomas was the world.

Would Thomas feel the same? Would he leave Alex once he finds someone better? And what about Eliza?

Alex felt his smile drop, his heart tripping in his chest. Oh shit. What about Eliza?

A sudden panic spread through Alex's veins as he stared into Thomas' eyes. He struggled to breathe as he came to the realization: his days with Thomas were numbered.

Tell me what you think!