It was the next morning by the time Eliza made it to Valley Forge. She dismounted her horse and walked up to the guard on duty,
"Password," one of them demanded,
"Rochambeau,"
"Incorrect,"
"What no!" Eliza cried, "That has to be the password! That used to be the password," Eliza took a deep breath, trying to quash the rising panic inside of her, "Look, I need to see General Washington, it's a matter of great importance,"
"I'm sorry ma'am but we can't let you do that without the password,"
"Please!" Eliza cried, "Just tell him Eliza Schuyler wants to talk to him. Please, he'll see me I promise. It's a matter of life and death!"
The second guard narrowed his eyes as her, "I'm sorry Ma'am but the General is in a top-secret meeting and cannot be disturbed,"
"Ok fine, Hamilton then, let me see Hamilton, or Mulligan even, or Lafayette or Laurens, any of them will do! Please! Please just let me through!"
Eliza tried to push past the guards, but one of them grabbed her arm and wrenched it behind her back, "I will arrest you for trespassing if you do not leave right now,"
"Pitcher! What are you doing?"
Eliza and the guard both turned their head to see Alex approaching them. Alex froze in his tracks the moment he saw Eliza's face,
"Eliza," he breathed,
"You know this woman?" Pitcher asked,
Alex nodded, "Let her up,"
Pitcher released Eliza's arm and she slowly stood back up,
"What are you doing here?" Alex asked, his hand reaching out as if to touch Eliza's cheek,
"I need to see Washington, his life is in danger,"
Alex nodded before turning back to Pitcher, "Let her through,"
"But Sir, she doesn't know the password,"
"I'll vouch for her, she can be my responsibility while she's here, anything she does is on me,"
Pitcher stared at the two of them for a second before stepping aside.
Alex offered Eliza his hand and the two of them marched into camp,
"Pitcher said the General was in a top-secret meeting," Eliza said,
"I'm sure his life is more important than whatever it is he's in a meeting about," Alex said as they reached HQ. Without breaking his stride, Alex pushed open the entrance to the tent and stormed inside,
"Hamilton! What is the meaning of this‽" Washington cried, before noticing Eliza, "Miss Schuyler, what are you doing here?"
The other three occupants of the room had all turned to look at the intruders in shock,
"You need to hear her out, sir," Alex said, "She has some important information,"
Washington pursed his lips and sighed, "Dismissed," he said to everyone else in the tent. The other soldiers filed out leaving just Eliza, Alex and Washington.
Washington sat down at his desk and Eliza took a step forward, "Sir, I know I shouldn't have come back here, and you have every right to arrest me, but I had to warn you, the British are planning an ambush, tomorrow while you're on your way to meet with Congress; they're planning to kidnap you,"
"And how do you know this?"
"A British solider told me,"
"A British solider told you‽" Alex cried,
Eliza shrugged, "He was trying to impress me,"
They both turned back to Washington who suddenly looked very weary,
"I believe her," Alex offered,
Washington sighed, "So do I," he ran his hand over his face and stood up, "Hamilton, go take Schuyler to get a change of clothes, she won't be able to do much dressed like that,"
"Sir?"
"Then the two of you are to report straight back here, are we clear?"
"Yes sir," Alex and Eliza both replied with a salute,
"Good, dismissed."
-x-
Alex and Eliza left HQ, arm in arm, and made their way over to John and Alex's tent.
Eliza glanced around camp, taking it in for the first time since she's arrived. It felt good to be back, even if it was only temporary, it felt as if she'd never left.
"You can borrow some of my clothes," Alex explained, as he led the two of them inside the tent.
The moment they were inside, away from prying eyes, Eliza threw her arms around Alex, "Thank you!" she said,
"For what?"
"For believing me,"
Alex pulled away and looked Eliza in the eye, "Of course I believed you,"
Eliza smiled at him, "Still, thank you,"
Alex returned the smile just before pulling her into another hug, "It is so good to see you," he said, his voice slightly muffled by Eliza's hair, "I've missed you so much,"
"I've missed you too," Eliza replied quietly,
The two of them parted and smiled at each other, staring for just a few seconds, before Alex took a step back, "Come on, let's find you some clothes," he said, and turned to rummage around in a trunk at the end of his cot.
-x-
Half an hour later two of them walked back into HQ with Eliza dressed in one of Alex's spare uniforms and her hair tied back in a ponytail.
Washington looked up as they walked in, "Hamilton, Schuyler, good of you to join us," he said, causing the three other occupants of the tent to spin around to look at them,
"What's she doing here?" John asked,
"Schuyler has brought us some critical information and will therefore be helping us with this mission," Washington explained.
Eliza took a deep breath and Alex squeezed her hand. She took a step forward to address the others, "I am truly sorry," she said, "I did what I had to do to protect my family, and I'm sorry that that meant lying to you, but, while I may have been lying about who I was, I did genuinely consider all of you my friends,"
Herc smiled at her, "Ah hell, it's good to have you back. It wasn't the same without you,"
"Oui," Laf agreed, "Alex has been pinning after you ever since you left,"
Alex blushed, "I have not!"
Washington cleared his throat, "Schuyler, if you would please talk everyone through what you know."