Counterpoint

Chapter 7

Jefferson

   The day passes with a slowness that would usually annoy me but I pass the time amusing myself by watching the stubborn Hamilton struggle through a speech when he can barely keep his eyes open. It would seem that two cups of coffee is not enough to keep our resident loud mouth awake and sentient enough to speak with the proper conduct befitting a professional speech. No one else in the room noticed the slips that he would make in his stature nor the fact that his eyes would close for a while as if in thought, but I know that he was simply struggling to reopen his eyes.

   It was a rather interesting spectacle to see. Watching Hamilton fumble through a speech is almost like witnessing the Northern Lights in Monticello, it is likely to never happen again so it is best to witness it when it presents itself. I will admit that it amused me significantly and it amused me even more when Hamilton tried to avoid me for the remainder of the day, especially as the day drew closer and closer to a close. Burr, who apparently lives in the same building as Hamilton, convienent I know, decided to inform me about the status of their building. He had brought it up in casual conversation, but I couldn't help but feel that he was trying to give me a discreet dose of information about Hamilton and his state of homelessness.

   The clock now reads four thirty in the afternoon, the building has been steadily emptying for the past hour. Burr having found a place to stay with a friend from Princeton. I know from the way I can hear Hamilton continue to shuffle through papers in his office that he hasn't done the same. This outcome really shouldn't surprise me, many of Alexander's friends and gone off in their different directions a few years back leaving Hamilton almost completely isolated out here. Almost. 

   My footsteps are the only sounds in the deserted hallway that leads to Hamilton's office. He doesn't even look up at me as I stand in his doorway. He keeps aimlessly shuffling through papers on his desk I am sure in an attempt to wait me out and see if I leave. I cross my arms across my chest and lean against the doorframe of his office as I watch his movements, his eyes remaining determinedly fixed on his papers.

   "Okay Hamiton, time to stop pretending that you don't see me standing here. It's time to go home." He glances up at me with a bored expression, but it just looks exhausted to me. 

   "I don't have to go anywhere with you Jefferson." 

   "Well, unless you wish to sleep underneath your desk you kind of have to." He looks at his desk appraisingly and I can't help but stare at him with a bitter expression.

   "Is it bad if I said I was actually considering it?" He murmurs quietly. I take a deep, slow intake of breath. He is so exhausted that my mention of him sleeping underneath his desk has actually caused him to seriously consider it. He needs to sleep and if he would stop being a stubborn man child and just come with me he could sleep sooner. 

   "It is obvious that you would like to sleep, so why not just come with me and you can sleep in an actual bed. Hmm? Does that sound nice?" I press softly. His expression wavers slightly but it stones over faster than should be possible. The offer of a bed isn't enough to sway you is it? He pushes his papers around into indistinct piles across his desk without lifting his eyes to meet mine. What do I have to say to push him over the edge? I glance out the window behind him and watch as the clouds begin to darken with the promise of more rain. No, it can't be that simple. "It's going to storm again tonight Alex." His hands freeze and he slowly looks back up at me. There is ice in his eyes as he looks at me with a coolness that chills my blood. 

   "Lafayette told you, didn't he?" He asks with a completely awake and cold voice. "What else did he tell you?" 

   "Nothing much."

   "What did he tell you!" He is so angry that it doesn't even sound like a question anymore. Somehow I already know that it isn't. It's a demand. 

   "The only mention he made of you was that you have a fear of thunderstorms which I assume is why you are so exhausted right now." He grips onto his desk tight enough to make his knuckles glow white. "Why you don't want me to know about that really doesn't matter to me right now. I know that you don't have a place to stay tonight, so just come with me." 

   "Why do you care about me having a place to stay?" he asks coolly. 

   "Because I am a decent person Hamilton. I am not going to leave you homeless and afraid." 

   "I'm not afraid." 

   "I wasn't talking about being afraid of being homeless." He bristles slightly as he glares at me. "I am going to ask you, politely, to please leave your office and come back to my home with me."

   "I don't understand you." He mutters as he slowly comes out from around the desk. 

   "You don't have to, just get in the God damn car before I lose my shit, because I swear to God Hamilton if you make me ask you one more time I will fucking drag you there." He glares at me for a moment before sighing and lifting his hands in surrender. Fucking finally! I move out of the way of the door and watch as he passes through. He doesn't say a word to me as we head to the elevator.

   I know that he would rather be anywhere else in the world right now. With anyone else than with me, but his circumstance has severely limited his options and here I am. The elevator opens and we both walk in without saying a word. There is a quiet clap of thunder and I glance over at Hamilton from the corner of my eye and see his hands begin to shake slightly the only sign that he had heard the sound and recognized it for what it was, a battlecry from nature. He slides his hands into his pockets in an attempt to hide the tremor in his hands but what has been seen cannot be unseen.

   The elevator travels swiftly and it seems faster than I have ever remembered moving in the entire time that I have worked here. We have reached the parking lot with such speed that I have to fumble for a moment to reach my keys as Hamilton struggles to keep himself together as another clap of thunder rings through the air. The doors unlock and he wastes no time in climbing into the car and slamming the door behind him. I quickly climb into the car and turn on the radio as soon as possible. He looks over at me confusedly as I turn the station to Broadway and turn up the volume as deafening loud as I can without making myself feel physically uncomfortable.

   He continues to stare at me in confusion as we pull out onto the street. It would appear that he doesn't recognize my action for what it is. An olive branch. I am extending an olive branch. As far as I am concerned as long as Hamilton and I have to share a very specific set of boundaries then we are under the constraints of a temporary and unspoken treaty of peace. The music rom In The Heights spills out from the speakers and I can't help the small smile that appears onto my face at the sound. I can feel Hamilton's eyes on me but I ignore them as I continue to drive. The roar of the thunder a mere murmur compared to the music that is blasting inside of my car. 

   We eventually pull into my garage and I turn off the music and look to my right and he is still looking at me. His expression is blank and his lips are pulled into a thin line as he continues to stare at me as if he is assessing me and reevaluating his prior evaluation.

   "Thank you." He murmurs softly his eyes beginning to droop as he unbuckles his seatbelt. His body sways slightly as he turns back to look at me. "Thank you." There is a faint smile on his face as he begins to lean forward, leaning turned into falling and I shot out an arm holding his body pinned to the seat. His unconscious body leans against my arm and I lean over and lean his seat back slightly so I can have my arm returned to me. He is fast asleep in his seat, his lips slightly parted as he breathes deeply. It would appear that the exhaustion had finally won and now I have the wondrous task of dragging Alex out of the car and somehow carrying him up a flight of steps to the room that I am lending him. My eyes slowly follow the path that I have to take as my mind inputs the strain that will be placed upon me as I carry Alex both into the house and up the stairs. 

   "Shit." I grumble. I look over at Alex's sleeping face. "You are fucking lucky I'm a nice guy." I grumble bitterly as I get out of the car.