Pain and terror (Hamilton AU) CANCELLED

chapter 1: The beginning

Just so you know, Nevis is my own character that I created specifically for this AU

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It was the day after the election of 1800, and, wanting to distance himself from both the city's prying eyes and Aaron Burr's fury, Alexander Hamilton had decided to go for a walk by himself along the Hudson River. Lost in thought, the US secretary failed to pay attention to where he was putting his feet and stumbled on a tree root. Thrusting his hands out in front of him, Alexander managed to catch himself before he could hit the ground. Getting to his feet, he muttered, "I really should watch where I'm walki-" With a start, Alexander realized that his right hand and sleeve were stained red with blood. But what was strange was... that he wasn't bleeding, this blood wasn't his. Looking down, Alexander saw a small pool of blood on the ground, and, looking forward along the trail, he noticed more dark red splatters. Now moving cautiously, the former revolutionary started to follow the trail of blood. He didn't get very far before the blood splatters seemed to veer to the side. Stopping, Alexander followed the red liquid with his eyes until it came to a stop at a shape hidden in the shadows of the trees. "Wh..." Edging forward, Alexander realized he was looking at a grown man lying unmoving in the grass.

Yet what surprised him was the old Revolutionary war uniform he was wearing.

"Er... Sir? Are you alright?" When no response was given, Alexander placed a hand on the man's shoulder and gently shook him, "Sir?" When there was no answer, Alexander gave up and turned the man over to get a better look at him. What he saw made him gasp with horror, his heart stopping momentarily.

"LAFAYETTE?!"

Stumbling backwards onto the ground, Alexander stared at the Frenchman with wide eyes, his heart hammering against his chest. Breathing hard, the former general rose to his feet and dashed to Lafayette's side. "Laf, wake up!" Grasping his shoulder, Alexander roughly shook the Frenchman in an almost desperate attempt to bring him back into consciousness. "Come on old friend, open your eyes." Abruptly, Alexander stopped shaking Lafayette as a memory from the war burst into his head. Cold water. If one of your men ever falls unconscious, use cold water to help them wake him up. Washington had told him to remember that lesson before he'd given Alexander his first command of soldiers. Thank you, Washington! Straightening himself, Alexander turned away from Lafayette's unmoving, blood- covered body and ran as fast as his legs could carry him back to where he'd left his horse at the beginning of the trail. Horses may not be allowed on the trail, he reflected, but I don't care. I have to help Lafayette. Mounting rapidly, Alexander nudged his horse hard in the side and steered her onto the trail "Come on Nevis! Hurry up girl!" He urged, pressing his heels harder into the pinto's side and goading her into a canter. "Whoa Nev." Nearing where he'd found Lafayette, Alexander pulled back on the reins, stopped Nevis, and tied her rapidly to a tree. Grabbing the cloth he used to clean off the saddle, Hamilton raced to the edge of the Hudson river. Plunging the cloth into the cold water, Alexander stood up and raced back to Lafayette. Kneeling beside the Frenchman, Alexander placed the wet cloth on his forehead then he turned his attention to the blood covering Lafayette's body. Grabbing his shoulders, Alexander carefully dragged Lafayette into the sunlight. Leaning his old friend against a tree trunk, Alexander got a good look at him for the first time. What he saw made his stomach flip over.

Lafayette was covered in wounds, the tears on his uniform revealing what seemed to be numerous deep bite marks from some kind of animal. As if that weren't enough, Alexander could see a particularly bad bite in Lafayette's side which was bleeding heavily. Moving to the former general's side, Alexander took off his cloak and pressed it against the wound on his side in an attempt to soak up at least some of the blood. Almost as if in response to Alexander's efforts to help, Lafayette began to stir, moaning softly and gritting his teeth in pain. "Laf?" Looking up, Alexander saw the Frenchman opening an eye a slit. Almost immediately, Lafayette's eye closed and he went rigid, an agonized moan escaping from his throat. "Lafayette! Relax, it's okay!" As if Alexander's voice did something, Lafayette immediately froze and his eyes flew open, his wild gaze resting on the US Treasurer.

"Alex-"

"Are you o-" Before Alexander could finish his sentence, Lafayette lurched forward and pulled him into a tight hug. Caught off guard, Alexander froze, his eyes wide. Slowly, he let himself relax and rested his hand on Lafayette's back. Much to Alexander's surprise, Lafayette began crying softly, his body shaking. "Hey, hey, it's okay." He murmured, gently rubbing the former revolutionary's back, not caring that Lafayette's blood was staining his clothing.

After a short while, Alexander pulled away from his friend, worry filling his mind as he gazed at the Frenchman. He looked like a mere shell of who he'd been the last time Alexander had seen him; his eyes, once blazing with the fire of revolution were now dull and lifeless. "Laf, I don't know what happened to you or why you're here, but one thing I do know is that you need a doctor," Alexander looked down at his friend's deep wounds, "And fast." Lafayette gritted his teeth and pressed Alexander's cloak harder against his side. Rising to his feet, Alexander walked to the Frenchman's side, "Can you stand?" Lafayette nodded, apparently in too much pain to speak. Bending, Alexander carefully draped Lafayette's free arm around his neck. "Up you go." He slowly stood up before walking slowly in the direction of his horse, Lafayette leaning heavily against him, his face drawn with pain. "Hang in there old friend, you'll be okay. I'm not gonna lose my chance to save someone. Not this time."