Chapter 18: Firsts

July 2, 1782

Genevieve sighed as Lafayette took Emmeline from her arms. Her daughter cooed, small fist bumping into the buttons on his jacket as he smiled tiredly at his wife. Kissing her on the cheek, he admired his wife. "You look beautiful."

"I look exhausted." She corrected.

"Why can you not be both?" He quipped, kissing her mouth this time. "I'm surprised that they are so well behaved."

"Me too," she agreed, bringing Georges closer to her when he wanted her attention. Her son cuddled closer to her and she smiled fondly, kissing his forehead. "We have to get to that wedding, though. It must be lucky." Giving her husband a look over, she felt heat rush to her face. "You look absolutely ravishing."

"Merci," he murmured, opening the door for her. Making sure Georges was happy in his arms, Genevieve exited their room. "God, if only they'd let us sleep."

"You're not the one at home with them all the time," she retorted and he winced. It was true. He was in more diplomatic affairs than he could count, travelling too often for what they both liked. Georges nestled closer to her bosom and she sighed, looking down at her son. He was just so precious. A dark tuft of curly hair covered his head while light brown hair dusted her daughter's head. Kissing his sleepy face, Genevieve descended the steps. A carriage was already waiting and the coachman opened the door. Climbing in, she made sure Lafayette was behind her.

Emmeline, being her father's daughter, was already fast asleep in his arms. Georges looked at his sister lazily, reaching a weak hand towards her. Lafayette sat beside his wife, leaning against her as she brought their son closer.

Georges managed to brush his closed fist against his sister's and Genevieve saw in her husband's eyes, the absolute unconditional love glowing in his eyes. Disarmed, she felt her heart and soul completely become mushy.

"I love you," she croaked and he tilted his head to kiss her gently. She closed her eyes, gently kissing back. "And I love our family."

"I know, ma chérie. Every day, I love them more and more. I love you more and more." She pressed their foreheads together and sighed. The emotion inside her was so deeply felt, she couldn't even describe it.* "Let us get to that wedding."

.

"They're beaming,"

"I don't think I've ever seen Burr smile so wide." Lafayette snorted as the priest continued. Genevieve tried to hide her giggles, smothering them by pressing her face into Lafayette's shoulder as his whole body shook trying to stop from laughing. Luckily the priest finished whatever he was saying and Burr kissed his new wife.

Standing, the guests began to applaud. Genevieve and Lafayette laughed freely as Burr escorted Theodosia down the aisle. Beaming, the brunette followed the rest of the guests out to where the reception would be held. Holding onto her husband's hand, the green-eyed woman made sure they caught up with Eliza, Angelica and Alexander.

"Hey,"

"Hey, Genny." Alexander greeted cheerfully. "Nice to see Burr finally happy."

"Yeah. I never saw him smile much," she replied thoughtfully. John and Peggy appeared out of the crowd, smiling as well. "Looks like everyone's here." Baby Philip raised his head curiously, watching the two babies in the couple's arms sleep. He cooed to his mother who murmured back to him.

"Who's the cutest nephew ever?" Peggy gasped, taking Philip out of her sister's arms. John rolled his eyes. Lafayette caught it, a smirk curling his lip.

"What, John?" The freckled man looked at the marquis in confusion. "Do you think you are above babies?"

"No, of course not. It just makes women so mushy gushy," the man waved away the matter but Lafayette didn't drop it as Alexander snorted, Emmeline in his arms. His daughter was awake, upset by the strange man carrying her. However, once Emmeline saw her father, she immediately brightened. Turning back, he saw his wife talking nonsense to Philip. Grinning, he kissed his daughter's forehead. "What is it about them anyway?"

"It's not just women, John," the Caribbean-born man warned. Without warning, Lafayette placed Georges in the skeptic's arms. Gawking, he let Lafayette fix his arms so that the baby's head was supported. Georges woke up, dazed as he stared up at John. His sleepy eyes met John's alert ones. He let out a gurgle and Lafayette watched John's composure completely break.

"Shit."

"Language!" Both fathers immediately snapped and John started.

"Sorry, I mean… shoot." He finished lamely. His gaze didn't leave Georges' face as the baby reached out a closed fist that bumped into John's nose. "Oh… my god."

"Please don't suddenly ask Peggy if you can have babies." Alexander sighed to his best friend. "Laurens."

"Alexander, look at him!" He tried to show him but when cradling a baby, there weren't many angles you could choose from. Alexander rolled his eyes at his sudden idiocy.

"I can see him quite clearly, John." But his words were wasted as John left their group, still holding onto the small Lafayette. He took his daughter from Alexander's hands, the two waiting for the women to catch up.

"Peggy, look how cute he is."

"I know, John."

"Can we keep him?"

"He's not our son!"

"Well, do you want to have a son?"

There was a silence. Eliza looked at John in shock, Genevieve's eyes nearly popped out of her skull, Lafayette's mouth nearly dropped to the floor and Alexander was choking. Meanwhile, Angelica, ever the protective older sister, pinned John with a look that could burn up even George Washington. Peggy herself nearly dropped Philip, her cheeks flaring red. Genevieve, as always, was first to recover. She cleared her throat, closed her husband's mouth and took Georges from John's arms. The movement seemed to snap him out of his daze.

"Peggy, look, I, uh," he stumbled and Peggy blinked at him. "I didn't mean for that to come out." Angelica crossed her arms, biting her tongue to see how her sister would handle this.

"John," Peggy's voice was strong, surprisingly but he kept blabbing. Eliza, finally recovering, took Philip from her sister's arms and walked to Alexander, looping her free arm through his.

"If you don't want children, that's totally fine."

"John."

"If you don't want children with me, I'd understand."

"John."

"God, why did I say that I'm so-"

"John!" Peggy grabbed him and pressed a kiss against his lips. It took a while but John's hands hesitantly rested on her hips. "Honestly, you need to shut up sometimes."

"But-"

"I'd be honored to have your child. A child of a man who knows that having slaves is wrong, who fought for freedom of our country, would grow up to be at least half as great." John was speechless for once as Peggy stroked his cheek. "I think I'm in love with you, John Laurens." His breath hitched and Genevieve smiled secretly as John stared down at the youngest Schuyler sister.

"God, really?" A nod. "'Cause I've known for a long time. Margarita Schuyler, I'm in love with you." And they sealed their confession with a long kiss.

August 26, 1782

There was a sharp, piercing cry that woke Genevieve from her unfit slumber. Sitting up, she groaned when her hand landed on the empty space beside her. Lafayette's gone. Right. The marquis was away at Mount Vernon with Washington. It was a long time affair as well. Three weeks at most.

Soon, another cry joined in and she was forced to get up. They had purchased a new apartment with their funds uptown. It was much bigger and she appreciated it, the view from the windows a sight that couldn't compare. Entering her children's room, she found them sitting up, crying. Scooping both of them up haphazardly, she kissed their foreheads and brought them towards her.

"Sh, momma's here." Yet they still continued to cry. It was not one for hunger but just out of pure need for love. Bringing her children out to the moonlit living area, she stared up at the moon, wondering if Lafayette was staring up at it too or if he was already asleep. Continuing to her bedroom, she laid them down on the large bed before running to their room again and grabbing their crib. "I hate myself," she mumbled as she finally managed to get it through the door.

Dragging it across the floor, she winced when it bumped into other pieces of furniture and she felt sweat begin to bead at her forehead. Once she got it inside, she set it near her bed and placed them both back inside. They were quieter now, curious as to what on Earth their mother was doing.

"Come on, sleep," she sat on the edge of the bed, leaning against the side of the crib. Emmeline and Georges looked at each other before letting out another loud cry. Thinking quickly, she started singing a song under her breath.

"You will come of age with our young nation," The babies quieted. She wiped away their tears, a smile on her face, "we'll bleed and fight for you. We'll make it right for you. If we lay a strong enough foundation, we'll pass it onto you, we'll give the world to you and you'll blow us all away. Someday… someday…" A small lullaby she had caught on when Eliza and Alexander couldn't get their son to sleep. "Yeah, you'll blow us all away…"

Their eyes slowly closed and she sighed, standing up and leaning over to kiss their heads. They let out little warbles at her touch and, now satisfied they were sleeping, Genevieve went back to bed.

December 13, 1782

Lafayette was an absolute wreck.

That was the shortest way to put it.

Genevieve was away at some party with the Schuylers which meant he was left alone with the children. The children who only went to sleep when they woke up when Genevieve sang to them. The children who now slept in their room.

The children of a man with no singing capabilities whatsoever.

Oh, god.

He prayed that tonight was one of the nights the twins would not wake up. After a brief dinner, he put them to bed easily enough, changed and went to bed. He went to sleep. Easy enough - he was exhausted. Taking care of two energetic children with strong vocals and big appetites was harder than it seemed. He understood now why they ran out of food so frequently.

It was all fine until at around midnight, there was one scream. And when there was one scream, sure enough there would be two. Lafayette started, blinking and pushing himself off his stomach from where he slept. Rolling to the edge of the bed, he looked into the crib to find them crying, eyes closed tight.

"Sacré bleu," he mumbled, picking up Georges and holding him close. Sitting him down on the bed, he reached in to grab his daughter, wincing when she accidentally slapped his nose. "Emmeline, how could you?" He gasped in fake offense but the baby kept crying. Hugging his two children close he laid back down and let them rest on his chest, even though it made breathing difficult.

What was that tune that Genevieve would always sing? He tried to remember and unconsciously, the humming began in his chest where his babies' ears were. They raised their heads, Emmeline crawling closer to Lafayette's head as she wrapped her small arms not even all the way around his neck. Smiling, he kept humming as Georges fell onto his side with a startled chirp.

Laughing, Lafayette brought his son to his side, making sure he was comfortable before closing his eyes. His throat vibrated with the constant humming and soon enough, his children were back to sleep. One arm around Emmeline and the other by Georges, he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

.

When Genevieve returned early that morning, exhausted and a bit hungover, she was greeted with the sight of her husband and her children. The picture of them so peacefully asleep made her heart melt and she quickly changed out of her dress and into one of Lafayette's old shirts, sneaking into their cuddle mountain. Lafayette, dozing, opened a eye to cast a lazy glance at her. She kissed him, arms around a tiny Georges.

"Good morning," he whispered just as she closed her eyes, ready to sleep.

"Good night."

April 29, 1783

"Lafayette," there was a hoarse tone to John's voice. The man, now newly married, approached the marquis. They were currently at one of the many parties the Schuylers hosted. His children, with George Washington and his wife, were being watched carefully by their father. But upon the freckled man's voice, he ripped his gaze away.

"John? Are you drunk?"

"Quite possibly."

"Mon dieu," Lafayette muttered, turning to try and find Alexander or Peggy. "Where is Peggy?"

"Somewhere," John waved a hand as Hercules appeared from the crowd. The bulky man sent them a curious look. "Oh, look, it's our favorite spy." Glancing at Lafayette, the tailor sighed.

"Why did we allow him around the booze?"

"He is a newlywed, mon ami, allow him to drink as much as he wants." Lafayette quipped as Genevieve approached Washington out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he watched as she scooped up the twins and approach them.

"Hello, gentlemen," she greeted, a teasing glint in her eyes. Emmeline burrowed closer to her mother at the new men, especially Hercules. Georges reached out for his father and Lafayette picked him up. "It's past their bedtime. I think your daughter is getting tired."

"'Your daughter'?" Hercules echoed, confused.

"Emmeline tends to favour her father."

"As Georges favours you," Lafayette shot back playfully as their son let out a huge yawn. Wrapping chubby arms around his neck, Georges let out a warble.

"Mama," Emmeline mumbled sleepily and Genevieve looked at her daughter in shock. Craning her neck to regard her daughter's half-closed eyes and chubby cheeks, she brought an index finger to stroke the baby's cheek. On reflex, Emmeline wrapped a soft hand around the larger finger.

"Emmeline, did you just-" Hercules, John and Lafayette were just greeting Alexander and the Schuyler sisters, and she glared at them. "Shut up!" They started, staring wide-eyed at her. "She just said her first word." They fell into an almost reverent silence as Genevieve kissed her daughter once again. "Emmeline, who am I?"

"Mama," the baby repeated and Angelica clapped her hands in front of her mouth in delight. Peggy and Eliza gasped as Alexander and John smiled proudly.

Meanwhile, Lafayette's mouth dropped open. Georges raised his head, floofy hair falling over his eyes. They looked at the twin boy to see if he would do the same. He hugged his son close as Georges withdrew his arms from around the Frenchman's neck. As Emmeline kept repeating 'Mama', beaming widely, Georges' face came together in concentration.

"Mon fils, je t'aime." The Frenchman murmured and his son cocked his head in confusion before bouncing up and down in his father's arms and clapping.

"Papa!" He cheered and soon he was chanting it along while his sister giggled, echoing her own first word over and over.

And everyone in their group just absolutely lost it.

A/N: Big notes: JEGGY GOT MARRIED! TWINS SAID THEIR FIRST WORDS! THIS IS THE LAST COMPLETE FLUFF CHAPTER. Anyway, THANK Y'ALL FOR 100 REVIEWS? LIKE HOLY MOLY THANK YOU! GUEST REVIEWS DOWN BELOW! I WANT TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOU GUYS BUT IDK WHAT

Should be the last non-plot chapter for now. Next one is gonna be plot!

REVIEWS:

stranger ways: But if I named Georges Oliver, that means Genevieve named both of her kids. I'd like to think it as they each get to pick a name because why not! EY THANKS ANYWAY!

Guest(1): Haha, a lot of people suspected it.

Guest(2): Woo! Pregnant Genny! Well... she isn't pregnant anymore.

Guest(3): Laf being late is my aesthetic.

Strawberry Cat: Yes! Twins!

* The emotion inside her was so deeply felt, she couldn't even describe it. How I feel writing this fic. I am completely in love with writing this fic and I seriously cannot express how much I love with the Lafayette Fam.