"Come on (Y/N)! We're going to be late! And you know what Mother is going to say: 'It will be horrid if we show up after sundown.'" Elenor said with a giggle, as she mocked her Mother's southern accent.

"I'll be right there." (Y/N) called into the hallway. She watched her younger cousin, Martha, run down the hall with a light green dress on, copying her older sisters style of walking.

(Y/N) chuckled at the sight as she poked her head back into her bedroom to finish dressing herself. She pulled on a blue dress made of ivory and silk that was lightly fitted over her curves. It wasn't as big as Elenor's, but they were just visiting the Hamilton's. She thought it wasn't a big deal, but her Aunt and Uncle thought otherwise.

"You haven't seen them in ten years!" Her Aunt Martha would cry. "I think they like not seeing me. I remind them of my Father anyway!" She would yell back, making her Aunt quiet. Just when (Y/N) was about to walk away, her Aunt would always throw in the same comment. "But you are still writing to that Philip boy!"

It was true. She still wrote to him often, but mostly in a friendly kind of way. There was never a comma after 'dearest', and never a 'love Philip' at the end; always a 'Yours truly, Philip' written.

(Y/N) shocked herself back into realization as she finished dressing; she admired herself in the mirror. She did look nice, and maybe even approachable. A knock came from the door, and (Y/N) turned around quickly to find little baby James toddling over to her in a onesie. She scooped him up and smiled.

"How'd you get out of your crib again?"

——————————————————

The carriage ride was long and boring. Tension during the ride was present, for everyone knew that (Y/N) was John's only daughter, and she reminded everyone of him. She looked out the window and admired the sun setting against the cotton candy colored sky.

"(Y/N)?" Uncle David said while breaking the silence, and also breaking her thoughts causing her to turn her head and look at him on the bench across from her riding backwards. "You do know that you are...." He paused as he looked at her and tapped his foot on the carriage floor nervously. "You are John Laurens' child, and you also know that Mr. Hamilton had a close relationship with him as a young lad. Last time we didn't affirm this information to you, so things got a.... a little messy."

"Really messy." Aunt Martha corrected him, making (Y/N) role her eyes at her. "Look

(Y/N), I love you so much. But sometimes, you need to know when to back out of something. You remember last time when you met Hercules Mulligan. That poor man almost fainted when he saw yo-" "Okay, I get it Aunt Martha." She interrupted, remembering when she met Hercules. He was so distraught when he met her that he almost fainted out of grief.

"It's been ten years Aunt Martha. I'm not a child! I'll stay in the background if you want, but I'm not going to let my Father's past ruin my future anymore!" (Y/N) yelled, causing the whole carriage to go quiet.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, we are here." Arthur said, pulling the carriage to stop in front of the wooden house (Y/N) remembered. It didn't change at all, except for the fresh coating of paint on the hickory door.

(Y/N) didn't budge until everyone else got out of the carriage, leaving just her and Elenor in it. "Did you hear the news?" Elenor said, breaking the silence between them. "What is it?" (Y/N) asked with wide eyes, curious of the new gossip.

"Alexander Hamilton had an affair. Well, it's quite old news. But I don't think anyone mentioned it to you. Did Philip say anything in his letters addressing it?" (Y/N)'s heart sank. Part of it having pity, but the other part being about Philip. "No, he didn't say anything."

Elenor's eyes looked to the ground. "Oh...." was the only word she said before walking out of the carriage, leaving (Y/N) alone.

She knew what Elenor was thinking: why wouldn't Philip tell her friend about the affair. The thought left (Y/N) throat dry with anger. "Miss. Laurens? Are you alright?" A voice said, making her jump. She turned and saw Author standing at the door, waiting for her to come out.

"Sorry. I just..... have some things on my mind."

——————————————————

Silence. That's all there was in the Hamilton's living room. Eliza and Alexander on a couch, separated by their children sitting between them. Eliza held her head down, while Alex held his high, making his children repeat his action.

The Ramsay's sat on another couch across from them. But instead of being uncomfortably separated, they all huddled together, as if they didn't want to be apart.

(Y/N) didn't dare to make eye contact with anyone. Not even Philip, who seemed distraught by the action. He really wanted to extend the friendship between them, maybe more than letters. But with the reaction he was reviving made it seem impossible.

Philip really admired the girl since day one. He didn't expect a girl as beautiful as she to walk in through the door and say that she was the one keeping a distant relationship with him after all this time. His cheeks lit up when he first saw her in the doorway, as well as something else. His heart beat fast when she was in front of him. But why did it matter now? She seemed mad at him.

"Why don't I take the little ones upstairs? Me and Angelica can surly take care of them, along with maybe Elenor..." Philip hesitated with (Y/N)'s name, which made her feel even more angry. "...and (Y/N)" He said at last. "That would be a wonderful idea!" Eliza exclaimed, as she sat up from her seat. "We just got a brand new rocking horse from the carpenter down the road. It needs some breaking into, why don't you guys help?" She said to the children with a smile, making all their eyes light up.

Each one of them ran up the staircase, leaving the older ones to follow along. "Hey (Y/N)." Philip said, trying to make small talk to her. She didn't budge, leaving him to ponder on his next action.

Philip pushed (Y/N) into a small closet and locked the door with him inside as well, kicking the key under the door crack. "Philip! What is wrong with you?" She shouted, pushing him aside to get to the door. It was locked.

"Elenor!" She yelled, hoping for help from her cousin. Philip clasped his hand over her mouth to prevent her from speaking.

"(Y/N)?" A voice said while coming closer to the door. (Y/N) tried to scream Elenor's name against Philip's hand, but was unsuccessful.

Elenor shrugged her shoulders and walked off in the opposite direction after hearing no reply. "Probably making out with Philip or something." She mumbled as she hastily followed the children into the playroom while closing the door behind her.

(Y/N) licked Philip's hand, causing him to pull it away quickly in disgust. "What is wrong with you! Get me out of here!"

"Can't do that." He replied slyly.

"Why not?" (Y/N) said while crossing her arms against her chest. "Because I lost the key."

(Y/N) slapped him hard across the face, making him tumble back into the wall. She turned around and got ready to break down the door.

"Wait, please. I just want to talk." Philip begged while grabbing her wrist with one hand, and holding his injured cheek with the other. "Why would I want to talk with you? You just locked me in here!" (Y/N) yelled while yanking her wrist out of his hand.

"Please."

(Y/N) looked into his eyes and saw guilt. She couldn't resist it; those puppy dog eyes. She let out a sigh and relaxed her body.

"Fine, let's talk."

——————————————————

"That's why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to worry about me, you know. That was also when I heard you made Hercules faint." Philip paused and chuckled. "I thought you didn't really want to know about my problems."

(Y/N) rolled her head back and rested it against the wall. She was sitting down on the wooden floor of the closet across from Philip, who was also sitting down. The only way each of them could see each other was by the dim light portraying from the door cracks. They have both been sitting in the closet for about an hour, just talking.

"I'm sorry..... I shouldn't have done this. Now where stuck here." Philip said finally as he scooted closer to (Y/N). She noticed, but didn't move. She let him get so close that she could feel his body heat against her.

Just then, a whining sound was heard from the other side of the door. It was a baby cooing little sounds. (Y/N) got to her knees and looked out the cracks of the door to see a blurred image of baby James playing with a key. He threw it onto the floor, allowing it to fly under the crack of the door.

(Y/N) picked it up excitedly and unlocked the door. She turned to Philip, but saw pain in his eyes, as if he didn't want the moment to end.

"Come on Philip." She said happily as she opened the door, revealing baby James toddling away from them.

Philip got up and let out a sigh. (Y/N) was about to walk out of the closet until a hand grabbed her wrist. She was slammed against the wall, knocking the breath out of her. The closet door closed once again, leaving their surroundings dark. "Philip, what are you do-" She was interrupted by Philip's lips consuming hers.

Before (Y/N) could withdraw her mind from its far places, his arms were around her, as sure and hard as steel. She felt the rush of helplessness, the sinking yielding, the surging tide of warmth that left her limp. He bent back her head across his arm and kissed her, softly at first, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made her cling to him as the only solid thing in a dizzy swaying world. His insistent mouth was parting her shaking lips, sending wild tremors along her nerves, evoking from her sensations she had never known she was capable of feeling. And before a swimming giddiness spun her round and round, she knew that she was kissing him back.

Philip pulled away quickly, realizing what he'd just done. "I'm.... I'm so sorry. I lost control of myself. Are you oka-" (Y/N) jumped back onto him, letting her lips graze his. He chuckled against her lips, feeling content about her action.

They stood like that, still in each others arms. Both afraid to move, for if they did, they felt that they would be only able to connect again through letters and rolling dice at the days.

"Time to go!" A voice echoed downstairs, making both of them jump (it was Martha's.)

"Promise me you'll write a letter. This time with a comma after 'dearest.'" Philip whispered with a smile, letting his hand brush against (Y/N)'s cheek. "I think you better go."

(Y/N) sighed before mumbling one last sentence:

"Do I have to go?"

——————————————————