To The Revolution

20

Hamilton calmly stood up and walked over to Jefferson. I was a little surprised by his lack of hostility, but I should have known better. He slammed his hands down on the desk in front of Jefferson, and angry look on his face.

"You must be out of your Goddamn mind if you think the president is gonna bring the nation to the brink of meddling in the middle of a military mess, a game of chess, where France is queen and kingless!" He ranted, pacing around the center of the room. I was speechless, and just stared at him in awe. To my further amazement, he continued. "We signed a treaty with a king whose head is now in a basket, would you like to take it out and ask it?"

He mimicked lifting a head by the hair and stared the imaginary figure dead in the eyes.

"Should we honor our treaty King Louis' head?" He put his hand down and threw his arms out dramatically. "Uh, do whatever you want, I'm super dead!"

I stood abruptly from my seat, glaring at him. Washington gave me a warning look, and I forced myself to sit back down. What the hell, Alexander?

Well, that was... Unexpected. You are really ticked about this, huh?

"Oh, I'm gonna have a few words with him when this is over." I muttered.

"Enough, enough!" Washington stood and walked to the center of the room. He glances at me again, as though unsure that I wouldn't punch Hamilton in the face right there. "Hamilton is right."

"Mr. President-" Jefferson and I began at the same time. Hamilton smirked victoriously at me, and Jefferson seemed shocked that I spoke up.

"We're too fragile to start another fight." Washington continued, ignoring my outburst.

"But sir, do we not fight for freedom?" Jefferson shot back.

"Sure, when the French figure out who's gonna lead 'em." Washington responded calmly.

Huh, I didn't think about that, but it's a very valid point.

"The people are leading-" Jefferson defended.

"The people are rioting, there's a difference!" The president cut him off. "Frankly, it's a little disquieting you would let your ideals blind you to reality. Hamilton-"

"Sir." The secretary of treasury instantly answered. For just a second, I saw the young, ambitious man that was begging to go out on that field. The person who would do anything to prove himself. The person who would rush to aid anyone that needed help. The person I made friends with. It reminded me of why I continued trying to help him despite his actions toward me.

"Draft a statement of neutrality." Washington ordered, snapping me out of it. I watched as Jefferson went to chat quietly with Hamilton for a minute before Washington called for Hamilton.

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"What was that?" I asked, walking alongside Hamilton. I glared at him. "You said you would help with the French Revolution, not make things worse!"

"We don't have the funds." He answered, clearly trying not to snap at me. "There was no way we could help."

"So much for loyalty." I muttered sourly.

"You justed wanted to do it for Lafayette." He pointed out. I remembered the one letter I got from him in the last six years, and cringed.

"No, I didn't. I wanted to do it for his homeland." I told him. He stared in disbelief.

"You should have backed me up. If you know so much, you must have known that there's nothing we can do." He decided. I glared at him.

"We should have help our allies!" I replied stubbornly. He was growing more agitated by the second. "They helped us, we should have helped them!"

"We're already in debt, we can't make that worse!" He argued, his tone increasing in volume. "I don't see what's so hard to understand! I would have vouched for them if we were in a better position!"

"No you wouldn't! You're a liar!" I snapped. He seemed to completely lose it.

"Well, if you love France so much, maybe you should just move there!" He yelled. I stopped in my tracks at the hauntingly familiar line.

"And if you love the french so much, maybe you should go to France and stay there!" He shot back. He gestured to Lafayette, who looked both hurt and confused. "Be sure to take that with you."

I closed my eyes, sighed, opened them, and walked away. Was it really that horrible to defend the best friend I have here? I went to the spot where I left my stuff, and collected it. A boat should be leaving for France tomorrow, if I'm correct. I can easily sneak on. If nobody wants me around here, I guess I'll try for someplace where I know I have a chance of people caring.

The next day, I hesitated as I approached the docks. I wasn't supposed to be here. I was banned from this place long ago. But I had to get away from everything.

"Eve!" A painfully familiar voice yelled. I glanced back at Hamilton rushing toward me, but kept my composure. I noticed Mulligan walking slowly behind him. "What are you doing?"

"Taking your advice, dumbass." I replied coldly. Hamilton seemed surprised by my tone, but sighed.

"Let's talk about this." He said in an almost begging tone. I figured I could get a chance to say goodbye this way, so I followed Hamilton and Mulligan to an outdoor table.

"What's going on?" Mulligan questioned, looking genuinely confused. Without hesitation, I explained the happenings of the last few years, with Hamilton occasionally putting in commentary. By the end of the explanation, he seemed to be in deep thought.

"Well... She is literally doing exactly what you said." He told Hamilton. Then he looked at me with an equally bothered expression. "But isn't packing up and leaving the country a bit overboard?"

"I didn't mean it!" Hamilton attempted to defend himself.

"Then you shouldn't have said it." I growled at him.

"I was angry, okay?" He tried again.

"You're always angry!" I snapped, standing from my seat. Both men looked startled. "My life is ruined here. I have nowhere to go, no job, no money-"

"I've paid you, and so has Burr!" Hamilton argued.

"Where do you think all the toys, clothes, and food your family has comes from?" I asked him. He seemed to realize instantly, and looked taken aback. "I've gone hungry countless nights for your children, and I'm repaid with aggression and being banned from your home! I tried to see the good, happy side of you I knew during the war, but it seems that that's all gone! I have nothing here! No family, no home, nothing! The closest person I have to family is across the ocean!"

I turn around, panting and barely holding back tears. I take a few steps forward, but pause.

"I'm done." I muttered before walking away.

"Well, you kinda had that coming." Mulligan told Hamilton as I left. Blocking out any noise, I focused on the task at hand. Getting onto a ship.

After a long few weeks on a ship, I stepped out onto dry land. Not homeland, by any means. But it would have to do.

France already seemed better. Although the air of the city I landed in was tense, it was a much more welcoming aura. I asked around for a long time, and eventually found my way to a humble little house on the outskirts of the city. Luckily, I had just enough information to know which city I was going to.

I got close to the house, and heard the happy screaming of children. I reluctantly knocked, and there was some shuffling around and yelling for the kids to quiet down before the door opened with a creak. I saw Lafayette, looking tired, but happy overall. When he saw me, his grin was instantly replaced by a confused look.

"Eve?" He asked.