Eliza made her way to HQ the next morning feeling completely on edge. She'd barely slept after the ball; she'd been too worried that Hamilton wouldn't keep his word and would tell everyone her secret. However, she still made her way to her desk and sat down as calmly as possible. Alex glanced up as she walked past but that was the only reaction she got.
She kept trying to relax as the day went on but every time somebody so much as moved, she expected them to walk over to her and to pull her aside and accuse her of being Eliza. However, but nothing happened. John seemed to be trying very hard not to fall asleep at his desk all day and at lunch Laf and Herc just seemed to want to talk about all the girls at the ball. It would appear that Alex had actually kept his word and hadn't told anyone. Despite the fact she seemed to be in the clear, Eliza still felt very tense and by the end of the day she needed to let off some steam.
After dinner, she made her way to the shooting range they'd used during training. The extra training she's been doing had fallen off since her appointment to Washington's team and now felt like the perfect time to start it up again. She collected a musket, and some ammunition then loaded the gun. She raised the gun and took a shot at the target like in training. She took a deep breath and fired, but she only managed to hit the very edge of the target. Eliza scowled in frustration and quickly loaded the gun again. She once again aimed at the target and fired. This time the bullet lodged itself in the very top of the target, no closer to the centre than the previous shot.
"You're doing to wrong,"
Eliza spun around to see Alex standing there, smiling smugly at her, "Thanks," she said, somewhat sarcastically before pausing and frowning, "Hang on, why are you even here, it's still a little early for you to be out of HQ isn't it?"
Alex shrugged, "Washington threw me out. Said something about how I can't spend all my time working, I had to go have fun sometimes. I tried to argue that I went out last night, but he wasn't having it. And anyway, what are you doing here? It doesn't seem like you to be taking your frustrations out on a target, badly too, I might add,"
Eliza sighed, "What would you have me do?" She asked.
Alex looked thoughtful for a second before walking over to her. He gently put his hands on her hips and spun her around. He took a step back and looked at her feet before slightly adjusting her stance. "Ok, now raise the gun and turn to the target,"
Eliza moved to pivot so that she was fully facing the target,
"No, just twist with your hips, keep your feet where they are,"
Eliza tried again, this time just swivelling her hips. She raised the gun to her shoulder and glanced at Alex who nodded at her. Eliza lined up her shot and fired again. This time it landed just below the one at the top of the target.
Alex frowned, "You move as you fire and it's throwing off your aim. Look," Alex moved so that he was standing directly behind Eliza and carefully placed his hands on Eliza's arms. Eliza stared at Alex over her shoulder; she could feel his presence right behind her. The two of them were breathing as one and Eliza could feel herself getting lost in him as he worked. Alex used his grip on Eliza's arm to urge her to raise the gun. The prompt drew Eliza back to the present. She turned her head back to the target and raised the musket to her shoulder. Alex wrapped his arms around Eliza and placed his hands over hers.
"Ok, fire,"
As Eliza pulled the trigger, she could feel Alex's body keeping her in place. She turned back to look at Alex, only to find that his face was right next to hers. To Eliza's disappointed, Alex let go of her and took a step back, "Not bad," Alex said, nodding at the target.
Eliza turned to look at the target to see that the bullet had hit much closer to the centre than any of her other shots. She still hadn't hit the centre circle of the target though. "Have you got any more tips?" Eliza asked, surprising herself with how weak her voice sounded,
"A few," Alex smiled at her, "I could teach you if you want,"
"Really?"
"Yeah, we could come back here after dinner and I could give you some pointers,"
Eliza smiled at Alex, "That would be great,"
Alex grinned back at her, "Great, I'll meet you back here tomorrow evening then," Alex turned to leave,
"Wait! Alex!"
Alex stopped and turned back to Eliza,
"Look, about last night,"
Alex raised an eyebrow, it was immediately obvious that he'd been under the impression that they were just never going to mention what had happened the previous night ever again,
"I just wanted to say thank you, you know, for not telling anyone,"
Alex smiled at her, "Of course."
-x-
The next evening Eliza made her way back to the shooting ranger. She hoped that Alex would show up and that he hadn't changed his mind. Eliza needn't have worried though as Alex was already waiting for her when she arrived.
"Have you been here long?"
"No. Washington was very shocked when I left not long after you guys,"
"I bet," Eliza laughed,
"I did have enough time to get these out before you got here though," Alex picked two muskets up off the ground and passed one to Eliza, "So, show me what you remember from yesterday,"
Eliza turned her back on Alex and tried to place her feet in the same formation Alex had placed her in the day before. She then raised her gun to her shoulder,
"Good," Alex said, before she could fire. He paced around so that he was standing in front of her, just off to the side of where the gun was pointing, "Shift your left foot slightly, yes, like that. Ok, now fire, remember to try and keep yourself in place,"
Eliza squeezed the trigger, trying her best to stay in position. The bullet lodged itself two thirds of the way down the target.
"Hmm, you're still moving when you fire," Alex observed, "And in a real battle I won't be there to hold you still,"
"I was trying to keep still,"
"You were better," Alex said, "But you still need a bit of improvement, Ok, go again,"
Eliza lifted the gun and fired. She was so focused on the target that she didn't notice Alex walk over to her until he touched her arms, "You're very tense," he said, "Try and relax, it'll make it easier for your body to absorb the shot and you won't move as much,"
Alex took a step back and Eliza rose the gun again. She took a deep breath and willed her muscles to relax. After a few seconds she pulled the trigger. It hit the target about halfway down, a little off to the left.
"Not bad," Alex smiled, before frowning slightly, "Can you do it again, I want to see something,"
Eliza nodded and shot at the target again,
"Yeah, Ok, you need to work on your breathing"
"What do you mean?"
"So…" Alex picked up the second gun and stepped up next to Eliza, "You need to make sure you fire at the right moment. Like this," Alex raised her gun to his shoulder and aimed at the target. "In, out, in, fire!" Alex pulled the trigger and the bullet lodged itself just off the centre of the target, "You want to fire as you breath out,"
Eliza nodded and raised her gun once more. She carefully lined up her shot and took a few deep calming breaths, in, out, in, out. Eliza pulled the trigger. To her surprise she hit the very edge of the inner most circle of the target. Alex cheered and Eliza turned to grin at him,
"In a few weeks you'll be a master shot," he exclaimed,
"I don't know about that,"
"I do," Alex smiled, "If we come back here each evening and practise, you'll be hitting the centre in no time,"
"You'll continue teaching me?" Eliza asked,
"Of course," Alex said softly, "This was fun,"
"So same time tomorrow?"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."