Laying on that bed, unsatisfied and dying, Peggy reflected on all that had happened since she got that letter saying her John had left this world. She had followed what he said, about finding new love.
There was one lowly day when she had been reading all the letters from the people who wanted the last chance at the Schuyler name, each one repeating the same false praises. None of them could compare to her John. She had been skimming each letter, finding nothing remotely interesting, until a particular name caught her eye; Stephan Van Rensselaer.
Peggy knew him well, as he was her cousin on her mother's side. Although she hated the idea of making someone other than John, Stephan was a good man with riches who she genuinely liked. Sure, he wasnt someone who would actually ask for her opinion or respect her as someone who could make a difference in the world, but he wasn't condescending, and he listened to her.
So, every day Peggy would write a letter to Stephan. However her heart wasn't totally into it, every word making her ache for John. When she announced to her parents of Stephan courting her, they immediantly invited him to the house, hoping she would be married off quick. Their attitude hurt, but Peggy was fine.
It hurt when her parents said they had been waiting for years for Peggy to find someone, but it was fine.
It hurt when Stephan announced to her parents that he was her first true love, but it was fine.
It hurt when Peggy and Catherine were directed out of the room so that the men could talk, but it was fine.
It hurt when Peggy heard for father say that Angelica and Eliza were so much more promising as woman and that this was brave door Stephan to suffer through, but it was fine.
It hurt when Stephan said that he would prefer Angelica, but someone had to make the sacrifice and he would be the person to suffer through it willingly, but it was fine.
Most of all, it hurt when Stephan proposed to Peggy and she had to take happiness that she should be feeling, but it was fine.
It was all fine. Stephan would provide her with the riches needed to make a difference and she'd make John proud. At any cost she would shape this nation into something beautiful. For John Laurens.
The first day Stephan got physical with the ways he hurt her, Peggy dreamt of John. He told her that it wasn't worth it to stay with Stephan if he would hurt her. John said her safety was most important and that's what he fought for above all.
Stephan said not to trust what your dreams said.
“Peggy!” Alexander's voice broke through her thoughts. His hand way on the small of her back and she was hunched over now. It took a moment for Peggy to realize she was violently coughing. Her condition had gotten terrible over this Winter, and no matter what her children said, she knew death was knocking down her door. It was lucky her practical brother was here to send her off. “Are you okay?”
Once Peggy stopped her coughing fit she smiled at Alexander feebly. He slowly helped get to lay down again, clutching her hand like a lifeline. “Well, other than the fact I could die any moment, I'm doing pretty alright.” Usually her morbid holes could get a laugh out of Alexander, but being on you deathbed really made everything more serious.
The only thing in place of her joke was silence. Alexander grasping her hand as if him letting her go would cause her death.
Peggy remembered the day she read The Reynolds Pamphlet clear. She had been so angry that Alexander would cheat on such an amazing woman who only wanted the best for the world. In that moment she had wanted to match to the Hamilton residence and scream at her brother. How could he take Eliza for granted like that? How could he do those things with a woman who wasnt his wife? How could he push Eliza to the side when Peggy hadn't even gotten a chance to be with who she loved?
In her anger, Peggy had gathered a bag of essentials, put on clothes she could travel and in prepared to go straight to her sisters home, any means necessary. Stephan had stopped her, saying that “It was fine.”, “A good woman shouldn't tell at a man.”,”Wouldn't you rather stay here with me?”. He looked so sad and heartbroken, and so she stayed. She was here to make him happy, wasnt she?
All of the time spent with Stephan and he refused to be here as she layed down to die…
Peggy rubbed Alexander's hand with her thing, needed reassurance that someone cared. Her head was light, so much so that it couldn't be normal. Her body felt light, lighter than normal. Trying to ground herself, Peggy held a fistful of her pale yellow shirt in her palm. Nothing changed.
Why was everything so bright and blurry.
Tears raced down the youngest Schuyler’s face, not hearing Alexander's pleas to stay with him. Something warm, like a hand caressed her cheek. She just wanted to be with John again.
The world went white, Peggy's last thought being of her John Laurens.
And that's a wrap, folks! I hope you enjoyed let be be a Part of the Narrative as much as I enjoyed writing it! It is my first Hamilton fanfiction, so I hope I did the characters justice. If you want more of my writing, a Hamilton watches Hamilton Fanfiction had been posted on my profile. I'm sure what most of you are wanting is the sequel, though. I will be posting a book that acts a sequel soon.
Edit: It's been posted!
YOU ARE READING
Let Me Be a Part of the Narrative
Fanfiction""Excuse me, miss?" Looking up, Peggy saw something she definitely did not expect. A boy, standing right in front of her. Wild curly hair pulled into a ponytail, freckles all over his face, smart eyes, he was absolutely gorgeous. "Y-yes, sir?" Si...
