The War is Over But We're Just Beginning: A Lams Fanfiction

16 The World Turned Upside Down

The one thing that Alexander will always remember is the sheer joy on his comrades's faces when the young British soldier waved the long-awaited white flag.

While Mulligan and Lafayette tried hard to contain their smiles, they are struggling. Alexander lays a hand on both their shoulders and grins at them.

"We won." He whispers.

Alexander's brain is imploding with thoughts and feelings, the loudest being about his son.

(My son will be born in a free country)

As they negotiate the terms of surrender, Alexander sees George Washington's lips turn up in a smile. The proud expression is brief, but no one can deny that it was there.

As everything whirls around him, Alexander murmurs a prayer. The last time he had ever been this religious was when he saw a hurricane in the distance while standing on a short stump in his home country. His prayer then had been out of fear, this one being out of joy and relief and gratitude.

After his brief spiritual moment, his mind goes back to Laurens. His young love interest had gone to South Carolina a few days prior to the victory to pursue his dreams to build an all-black battalion. Surely the redcoats in the South will have received word that the war is over soon.

With the war over, what will they do? Surely all military activities won't just be canceled for the rest of this country's life?

(You should spend some more time with Laurens)

Alexander cringes at his thoughts. On the battlefield, of all places! He reprimands himself to shut up and just go through the motions of winning a war. The surrender ceremony, which British General Cornwallis did not attend (Mulligan and Lafayette had a good laugh over that) was brief, but meaningful.

Alexander witnesses the birth of America with one name engraved in his mind.

John Laurens.

But with the happiness that the name brought to mind, the worst is yet to come.