Chapter 28

Notes:

Two chapters to go! Let me know what you think about this one ♡♡

PS. I rewrote the first three chapters - they're not really different, I only changed some details cause I wasn't really satisfied with them (just in case you wanna check).

Enjoy! ♡

***

Some days later, Alexander got eventually informed about the results of the thirty-seventh ballot in a very unconventional way. He was wandering around the park nearby, keeping an eye on the Congress Hall but already confident on the outcome. He'd been writing his letters in the past days; in particular, he'd written a very hot-blooded note to Delaware's Rep. James Bayard, arguing his choices with his usual skilful dialectics.

As to Burr these things are admitted and indeed cannot be denied, that he is a man of extreme and irregular ambition – that he is selfish to a degree which excludes all social affections & that he is decidedly profligate. But it is said, 1st. that he is artful & dexterous to accomplish his ends – 2nd. that he holds no pernicious theories, but is a mere matter of fact man [...]. The truth is that Burr is a man of a very subtle imagination, and a mind of this make is rarely free from ingenious whimsies. Yet I admit that he has no fixed theory and that his peculiar notions will easily give way to his interest. Besides that, really the force of Mr Burrs understanding is much overrated. He is far more cunning than wise, far more dexterous than able. In my opinion he is inferior in real ability to Jefferson.

Bayard had been persuaded by his letter and he'd agreed to cast a blank ballot for Delaware and to convince Maryland and Vermont to change their vote for Jefferson. Thomas's victory was a certainty.

It was starting to get late, the sky was already dark and Alexander was looking at a small group of children – god, he missed his family – who were being called back home by their mothers after having played hide-and-seek among the trees for the whole afternoon. Without any warning, a fist collided with Alexander cheekbone and he fell on the ground, instinctively raising both hands to his face as the pain grew stronger, only to feel another pang as something hit his stomach. He instantly curled up to protect his belly and face. Before he had the time to catch his breath, he received another kick – this time in the back. Crying in pain, he finally looked up to find himself face to face – or, better to say, face to feet – with Aaron Burr.

"You fucking little bastard!" He swore, completely out of himself, without stopping his assault. "I'll kill you right here, you useless piece of shit!"

Alexander didn't have the time to react or stand up, cause Burr had taken him by surprise and was now relentless in his fury. No one was around to help him, and Burr seemed determined to be true to his word and kill him like that.

Then, as unexpected as they arrived, Burr's blows suddenly stopped. A moment of complete stillness followed, and Alexander hesitantly moved his bloody fingers from his face to see what was happening. He almost got an stroke on the spot when he saw Burr with his hands raised above his head – his knuckles stained with Alexander's blood – and, on the opposite side, Thomas with his arm stretched in front of him and his pistol pointed at Burr.

"Thomas, no," he tried to whisper, but nothing came out from his mouth and he coughed in pain.

"Go. Away." Thomas's voice came out as a low growl, his dark eyes seemed to turn completely black out of fury.

No one moved for a time that seemed to last forever. In the end, Burr turned his back to them and stepped away without a word. Thomas slowly released the trigger and put the pistol back, hiding it under his long coat.

"Thank you, Mr President," Alexander tried to joke but he couldn't smile without feeling pain. He let go a moan as he tried to stand up.

"Don't move." Thomas knelt down and started to delicately touch his body to be sure that nothing was broken, before trying to lift him up in his arms.

"No, Thomas, I'll walk!" Alexander protested. "What if someone sees us – it's too dangerous."

Thomas didn't say anything but let him go, checking on him from a distance. They never went home together – couldn't risk to raise suspects – and so Alexander walked in first, followed by Thomas after some minutes. He usually waited more, but that night he didn't give a shit about other people's suspects.

Thomas put the kettle on, poured the hot water into a bucket and went to the bedroom without a word. Alexander laid on the couch on one side, trying not to apply too much pressure on his left-side ribs. He was pretty sure he'd heard something crack when Burr had almost stepped on him. When Thomas came back and gently lifted him into his arms, Alexander tried to say something, but his mind went blank and he felt suddenly very tired; a sob escaped from his lips as Thomas's hand slightly pressed on the side of his chest while he was put to bed.

"Thomas, I –

"Shh. I'll take care of you, love." Thomas's voice was still rough, but the loving tone he used every time he talked to Alex was there. "Tu es la chose la plus précieuse que j'ai, je prendrai toujours soin de toi."

He carefully stripped him of his stained clothes and pressed the hot cloth on his skin with the softest touch ever, cleaning the blood away and warming his whole body. Halfway through this process Alexander fell asleep and was breathing heavily when Thomas tuck him in with a sigh and went back to the kitchen, carrying a bucket of reddish water.

Alexander was violently shivering, his whole body shaken by painful fits. Thomas was next to him and tried to calm him down, caressing his face in a desperate way.

"Please, don't die," Thomas heard himself say, sobbing on Alexander's feverish body – he wanted to go find a doctor, but his body wouldn't move. "Please, please, Alexander, don't leave me alone, we've just found each other again, please –

But as soon as he finished talking, his boyfriend's face turned into Martha's disappointed one.

"You couldn't save me and you won't be able to protect him, Thomas."

"No!" Thomas cried, plugging his ears with his hands.

"Did you really believe love was enough?" Martha's face became very pale, resembling a ghost. "If it was enough, why did I die?"

The ghost turned into Alexander again, but now he was covered in blood and his hands were pressed above his hip; a painful expression twisted his beautiful face.

"If love was enough," he panted, "why did you left me?"

"I'm here now, love," Thomas sobbed, trying to hold him without success – Alex's body was evanescent, a shadow, nevermore to be held.

"If our love was enough," he was slowly fading away before Thomas's helpless gaze, "why didn't you stopped me?"

"Stop you from doing what?" he cried. "Alexander! Alexander wait –

"Thomas, wake up!" Alexander weakly shook him out of his nightmare. Thomas started and sat on the bed, breathing deeply and shaking; his eyes were still filled with the horrible image of Alex dying.

"Alexander!" he hugged him tight, loosening his grip as soon as Alex moaned out of pain. "I'm sorry, love – does it hurt you if I hold you this way? Please, can we stay like this just some more?"

"Yes," he whispered, finding a comfortable position to lay without feel any pain – well, most of the pain.

"I love you," Thomas muttered, his face hidden in Alex's neck.

"I love you, my little fluffy limpet," Alexander joked, caressing Thomas's hair. "What happened?"

"This happened." Thomas gestured at him. "I can't protect you – what if something bad happens and I lose you, and –

"Woah, Thomas, calm down for a minute." Alexander pressed his lips on Thomas's and looked him in the eyes. "I'm okay, I'm not dying for a couple of kicks – shit I'm healthy enough not to die for at least another couple of years... 'm joking!" He added at once, after receiving a horror-struck glance from Thomas.

"What if I hadn't been there tonight?" Thomas shivered at the thought. "Burr could have killed you."

"He wouldn't have done it, he's not that stupid."

"I don't know why you're always underestimating him: he's dangerous, and he's not the only one who would like to shoot a bullet at you!" Thomas was sobbing by now, the nightmare still vivid in his mind.

"Shh – Thomas, shh." Alexander lulled him into his arms for a while, humming a lullaby to calm him.

Thomas focused on Alex's heartbeat – the most precious sound on Earth – and slowly relaxed, closing his eyes and letting the buzz of Alexander's chest lull him into sleep again.

Alexander woke up as if someone had stabbed him in the chest. Thomas was sleeping with his head pressed on the probably-broken rib and Alex shifted on the side to free himself, trying not to wake him up.

"Where are you goin'?" Jefferson didn't even open his eyes, taking Alexander's arm hostage.

"I'm starving." Alex's stomach quickly supported his statement by grumbling in that very moment. "Anyway, I think you're late, Mr President, the sun's already risen."

Alexander hadn't even finished the sentence yet that Thomas was already running in the kitchen, only half dressed.

"Shit, what time is it?"

"Can I just say that I love the sight?" Alexander teased, peeping from the bedroom's door.

"Alexander!"

"It's 9 a.m.!" He snorted. "Kill-joy!" And went to make breakfast.

Thomas rushed into the bedroom again. When he reemerged, Alexander placed a mugful of coffee into his hands and then combed Thomas's puffy hair while the latter ate a couple of biscuits – thank god he always baked for a whole army – and drank his coffee. He grabbed his coat and headed to the door.

"Jefferson?"

Thomas turned around, surprised to hear Alexander call him like that, only to find himself pressed against the door by the shorter man. Alexander grabbed a handful of his hair and kissed him with the same passion he put in everything he did. Thomas almost forgot that he was late and deepened the kiss, tasting the bittersweet flavour of Alexander plus coffee. They parted and Alexander rested his forehead on Thomas's for a moment.

"I didn't have the chance to tell you – congratulation on your victory." Alexander grinned broadly. "I can't believe I've just kissed the president of the United States."

"Yeah, you're such a lucky guy – you know how many people would kill to be in your place?" Thomas joked. "Anyway, I'm not President yet."

"You'll be in a couple of weeks."

"I'll be late."

"All right, I'll let you go if you promise to play for me tonight."

"I don't have my violin here."

"Then stop at your place and fetch it before coming home," he purred. "Please?"

"Okay, okay, you win." Thomas gave him another quick kiss and opened the door. "See you tonight, love."

"I love you."

***

The weather was perfect in Washington DC the day when Thomas walked into the crowded Capitol's Senate Chamber, his step steady and his face relaxed, offering smiles to everyone. Alexander, however, knew best – Thomas's natural smile was a wide grin that lightened all his features at once, while the one he'd put on today was the mask he used to protect himself from the outside world every time he was extremely nervous; it was the same smile he'd given Alexander every time they'd met before really knowing each other.

"Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all republicans: we are all federalists." Thomas's eyes glanced towards Hamilton for a millisecond. "If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union, or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated, where reason is left free to combat it."

Alexander felt a hand squeezing his shoulder and turned to look at James Madison, who swiped the mist from his eyes with his handkerchief and smiled friendly at him. Alexander returned the smile and moved his gaze back to Thomas, who was now placing his left hand on the Bible and raising the other one to take his oath.

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Thomas smiled at the cheering crowd and straightened his rust-coloured plain coat, then shook John Marshall's hand and walked towards Madison, who almost hugged him out of enthusiasm.

"Mr President," Hamilton addressed him with his usual daring face. "Nice speech. We'll see how long it'll last, though."

"Mr Hamilton," Thomas's face was hostile as ever. "With you out of the picture, it won't be a problem to have a proper government."

"Is that so? Well, we'll talk about it later at ho –

"Thomas, why don't we go celebrate?" Madison abruptly interrupted Alexander before he spilled out their secrets to anyone who was listening. "Mr Hamilton, good day."

Alexander cast a thankful glance at Madison for saving him and, regretting the fact that he was not invited to join the celebrations – did he really have to fall in love with his arch-enemy? – turned to talk with Mr Marshall.

Among the merry crowd of people who chatted while trying to take a better look at the new President or steal a handshake from him, there was only one person who was neither smiling nor trying to move closer to Jefferson. Leaning on the wall, in the corner from where he'd been watching the inauguration, Burr was now morosely scanning the room; his arms crossed on his chest and a threatening look on his sullen face. He didn't follow Jefferson and Madison to join the celebrations – there was nothing to celebrate for him – but stayed in the room, focusing his gaze and thoughts on the man who'd ruined his career and was now happily blabbering with everyone as if nothing had happened between them in the past months. That arrogant, immigrant, orphan, bastard, whoreson who'd endorsed his enemy only to prevent him from winning. Burr's jaw tensed and he closed his eyes with a sole thought on his mind: he would take his revenge on Alexander Hamilton.

***

Notes:

Letter from Alexander Hamilton to James Bayard: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-25-02-0169

Thomas Jefferson's inaugural address: https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/march-4-1801-first-inaugural-address

I want to thank everyone who read the story so far and everyone who left a comment, it really means a lot to me! As always, if you like the story please vote for your favourite chapters! ;)