"But Jo-o-ohn," Alex pleaded.

"Oh my God, for last time, we're not getting a dog," John groused.

"But it would be so great! We could take it on walks, play fetch, cuddle with it..." Alex continued to list his various reasons to get a dog, leaning on the back of John's chair.

John rolled his eyes. He loved Alex, he really did, but he had to finish his paper his chemistry class. Both he and Alex were at NYU, John a chemistry major looking to be a professor and Alex going into law. They shared a small apartment in Manhattan, and Alex had been pushing for a dog since they had moved there.

"John, please?" Alex turned and put his head on John's shoulder, brushing aside his curls of hair. "I'll love you forever."

"Alex, our apartment doesn't even allow pets."

"We can hide it in the hall closet! It's fine!"

"No, Alex, we are absolutely not doing that."

"Fine," Alex pouted. "But we're getting one later, okay?"

John turned around, smiling with vague amusement. "Later?"

"Well, yeah." Alex looked at him like he was stupid. "When we live in a cute house in the suburbs with our seven adopted children."

"Seven?"

"And you'll be on the PTA and always getting in fights with Barbara about her chocolate-chip cookie recipe while I have a flourishing career in law. All of our kids will be on the honor roll, obviously, and we'll go on yearly vacations to Disneyland."

John smiled at Alex.

"Oh, don't look at me like that." Alex laughed.

"Like what?" John tilted his head in mock confusion.

"Like I'm the only star in the whole universe. I'm no star, John." Alex closed his eyes.

"Oh, Alex. Don't you get it?" John shook his head. "You've been the only star in my universe for a long time."

"Are you sure that you're fine with us not sharing an apartment?" Eliza asked her older sister.

The two of them had spent the day walking around Boston. Eliza was going to start at the Boston College of Social Work, and since Angelica was going to Harvard, it would have been easy for them to be roommates. But strangely, Eliza didn't want to. She loved her sister more than anything, but she wanted a chance to learn more about herself on her own.

"Of course," Angelica promised. "We can still see each other on weekends. And anyway—" she hesitated.

"Is it the boyfriend?" Eliza asked.

"If you must know," Angelica said, "John suggested that we move in together."

Eliza's squeal echoed across Boston Common. Angelica and John Church were an oddly matched couple, but they worked. "That's awesome! But remind him that if he ever hurts you, I'll murder the shit out of him."

It was funny. Back in Yonkers, no one had ever pointed out how short Madison was. He had been too respected. But here in LA, people just loved making fun of him for it. Most of it was good-natured. Still, there was something very annoying about being known as "the short med student." Madison felt like it was stopping him from being a normal college student. Maybe it was a psychological thing, but he wasn't being invited to as many parties or on as many dates as other men in his class.

Not that he would have accepted. Especially on the dates. But—well, that was a discussion for another time. Madison went through school at UCLA, throwing himself into his work and making friends where he could, but mostly focusing on his studies. After a few weeks of choking on smog, he visited a doctor and was diagnosed with asthma, which was hugely annoying. It was strange. He had always been waiting for college, but now that he was there, it felt strangely disappointing.

Maybe that was why he was so excited to receive a call from Thomas. His voice wasn't sarcastic enough when he picked up, and Thomas seemed to notice.

"Everything okay?"
"I'm diseased."

"What?! You should have told me before we—"

"Oh my God, Thomas. It's just asthma."
"Oh. Well, you gave me a fright."

"Nothing that I said implied that I had an STD."

"Shut your face, my beautiful buttercream frosting on chocolate cake."

Madison didn't say an insult in return, which was a problem, because Thomas once again zeroed in on his mental state. "How are things going for you, Jimmy?"
"Fine."

"Oh. Well, it's too bad you're having so much fun, because I need you back in Yonkers."

The prospect was strangely enticing. Madison hated Thomas most of the time, but, well—talking to him gave Madison a strange feeling. Like he was empty inside, but at the same time finally complete. "Why do you need me in Yonkers?"

"I have a challenge to complete."

"I'm just saying," Mulligan pointed out, "Coach loves to bench me."

"He does not bench you," Mulligan's friend Austin Roe said. "You play way more than I do."

"Yeah, and you barely play! I'm an U of Wisconsin on a football scholarship! Why isn't he using me more? I just feel like I'm useless!"

"You're not useless," Austin insisted. "Why do you care so much, anyway? The more you play, the greater your chance of dying from being tackled."

"Man, if you insult football—"

"Jesus, I'm sorry!"

To: John Ball

From: Henry Laurens

Dear John,

I notice that you have switched to using your mother's surname. I'm sure that she would be proud to have someone like you carrying on her family name. I cannot deny that you have done well for yourself in your final year of high school and your first year of college. It seems as though you will go far.

Make no mistake, I still think that what you are doing with Alexander Hamilton-Ross is unnatural, and if there truly is a hell, it is very likely that you will be going there. I wish that you would end this foolishness. This is not your only chance at happiness.

However, in the event that you do not end the relationship and return to the proverbial fold, I would be interested in meeting with you at some point, simply for some discussion. I do regret the note which we ended our relationship on. After further consideration, I may have gone too far.

Sincerely,

Henry Laurens

"John? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Alex."

"Are you sure? You're crying."

"Alex...um, could I have a hug?"

Alex grabbed John and buried him in a bone-crushing, warm-as-fire hug.

"Theo! I think that she said her first word!"

"Aaron, she's five months old."

"Dosia, honey, say it again."

"Da!" their daughter giggled.

"That's not a word," Theodosia insisted. "She's just babbling. The doctor said that we'd trick ourselves into hearing things, remember."

"Your mom doesn't believe it," Aaron told his daughter. "But don't worry, I do. Now, where were we…"

"Aaron! Stop reading our child The Grapes of Wrath!"

"Eliza!" Mary called from where she was sitting in the living room with her laptop. "Quigley is being an asshole again!"

"Can't you deal with it?" Eliza replied from her place at the windowsill with her book.

"Nope! I'm writing!"

Eliza groaned and got up from her seat. She made her way into the living room and immediately started laughing.

Mary Draper and Eliza had been roommates for around six months, and had gotten a cat together at around the three month mark. The people at the shelter had warned both of them about his asshole tendencies, but had been ignored.

Their cat was a rampaging dick. There was no way around that fact. He knocked over cups while making direct eye contact with the user of it, he tore up drapes, nibbled on cookies, licked the faucet, and was generally a huge pain in the ass.

Now he was dangerously close to eating Mary's lunch.

"Eliza!" Mary screeched.

Eliza cackled.

"Eliza!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Eliza rushed over to scoop Quigley away from Mary's sandwich. She dumped him on the ground then sat next to Mary on the couch.

"So what are you working on now?"

"Give me the large."

Jerry from Pizza Barn shook his head. "You're insane."

"I said, give me the large."

Jefferson glared at Jerry until Jerry sighed, going into the back to get a large slice of pizza. Pizza Barn sold the world's largest slice of pizza, and Jefferson was challenging himself to eat it. He had heard a rumor that Hamilton had eaten it, so Jefferson had used his weekend trip from Columbia University to Yonkers to go to Pizza Barn and eat that damn pizza.

The door jingled. Jefferson turned to see James walk in, and squealed as he glomped his friend. "Jimmy! My lovely five-star taco!"

"Thomas. My dear wet, sandy sock."

"You're here for moral support."

"I can't believe you're doing this."

Barely five seconds, and their rapport was already back. Jefferson grinned at his best friend, a strange feeling in his stomach. For a moment, he wanted to stop giving James the stupid nicknames that James hated and actually have James like him, respect him. But he ignored that.

Jerry brought the pizza, a huge slice the size of Jefferson's torso. Jefferson sat and began to eat.

Two hours later, he was sobbing as he forced himself to swallow the final bites of pizza. But he had done it. He had eaten it all! Madison sipped his Coke, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, Madison?"

"Yes?" Madison sighed.

"Do you like me?"

James went red, and Thomas thought his own face was heating up as well. Finally, James nodded. "Yeah. You're...important to me."

"So."

"So."

John was gay, and he couldn't deny that Maria was gorgeous. Still, she couldn't meet his eyes. "Look. I'm really sorry—"

"It—it doesn't matter."

"No, it does. I can't believe that I broke you and Alex up. I am so sorry! Seriously, I would understand if you hated me—"

"It doesn't matter," John repeated. "Look, we're good now. Though, if you ever hit on him again—"

"Oh my God, no! Of course not!"

"Cool." John smiled at Maria. "By the way, I love your hat."

"Thanks." Maria blushed. "My boyfriend knitted it for me."

Lafayette and Adrienne both stared at the letter. Lafayette hadn't known his uncle Francois Leclerc very well, and now Uncle Francois had died. Adri patted Lafayette on the back. "I'm sorry, honey."

"It's okay."

Lafayette said a quiet prayer for his uncle while Adrienne went through the rest of their mail. When he opened his eyes, Adrienne was holding another letter. "Gilly? This one talks about his will."

"Oh."

"Apparently, there's a clause that gives you the marquiship. And a mansion! Dude!"

"Adrienne, my uncle just died."

"Right. Sorry."

Lafayette looked at the letter. "Wait. We have a coat of arms?"

"Yeah. Apparently."

"And a motto!"

They both looked at the will. Motto of the House of La Fayette: Why not?

The two of them burst out laughing.

"We're horrible people," Lafayette decided.

"And I'm still in high school!" Peggy complained. "Fuck!"

It was amazing to see all of their friends again. They had all come back to Yonkers for their first summer after starting college. Eliza and Alexander ran at each other and buried each other in a hug. Lafayette and Mulligan were involved in a strange ritual that involved punching each other on the shoulders. Adrienne and John quietly chatted with each other.

"Are you sure that you're not concussed?" John fretted over Hercules.

"Yes, mother," Mulligan replied.

"You're sure."

"Alex! Get him off of me!"

"Down, John."

Mulligan gagged. "Fuck! I can't be the only one who was thinking dirty thoughts when you said that!"

Aaron frowned at him. "Not around my child, please."

The Bartow-Burrs had arrived, Dosia already walking. Mulligan went absolutely berserk, running to pick up Dosia, who laughed. They had only met once or twice, and already Mulligan was Dosia's favorite person. The rest of them all hugged, shook hands, and sat down at a table in the diner to order food.

"Thinking about more kids?" Lafayette asked Theodosia.

"Frick you," Aaron and Theodosia said in unison.

They all ordered drinks. Alex got a Sprite, grinning at John. "I never really liked these."

"What?!" John said.

"Hey, guess who became a nobleman in France!" Adrienne said to avert the argument, pointing at Lafayette.

The statement was greeted by silence. "...are you even real?" Theodosia finally asked Lafayette.

Lafayette shrugged, and the conversation moved on.

In a while, Eliza was telling them about Quigley the Asshole Cat.

"This is why we can't get a pet," John told Alex.

Alex snorted. "Um, excuse me, dogs are better than cats, John."

"What?" Eliza said. "Goddammit, Alex, this is why we wouldn't have worked as a couple. Oh my God, you'll never guess who I saw!"

They all blinked at this change of subject. "Who?" John ventured.

"King! George King the Third! He was walking down a street in Boston with like fifty cats!"

"No way," Theodosia deadpanned.

"Yes! It was so weird!"

"Did you punch him?" Alex eagerly asked.

"No. I crossed the street."

"Coward."

"Shut up."

The door jingled, and Madison and Jefferson walked in. They were able to see Jefferson regularly, due to his studying at Columbia, but none of them had seen Madison for a year, and a chorus of shouts greeted the two of them.

"Madison! How was UCLA?" Lafayette asked.

"I'm diseased," Madison flatly answered.

Mulligan looked delightedly between Madison and Jefferson. "You two finally did it?"

"Gah!" yelled Alex, at the same time that Burr and Theodosia glared and said, "Child in the room."

"Sit down," John invited.

The two of them did, which surprised Alex. He had expected Jefferson to object. But then Jefferson began to taunt, "I ate the world's largest slice of pizza."

Blood roared in Alex's ears. "Liar."

"Nope."

Alex turned to John. "John! I have to eat that pizza!"

"We'll discuss it."

They spent a happy night with all of their friends, agreeing to meet up the next day. John and Alex began the walk back to Betsy's house. The night was warm, the stars twinkling overhead.

"I can't believe you never liked Sprite," John mumbled.

"I may not have liked Sprite, but I liked you."

"Yep," John laughed, "that seems about right."

What's this? Over a year later, and we're finally done?

Thanks for sticking with us. It's been an adventure. Love you all.