John Laurens died on August 17, 1782. He was killed in a gunfight with a group of British soldiers in the Battle of the Combahee River in South Carolina. At his death Alexander Hamilton (among others) received a letter informing him of his friend's death.

His wife Eliza had been the one to tell him the terrible news and was the first one to see his devastation. Alexander had locked himself in his study for weeks, Eliza brought him his meals and he emerged only for sleep, going to bed at midnight, and leaving before dawn.

But there was one person close to John Laurens who had not received a letter. Her name was Margarita Schuyler. That was because nobody knew they were close, they had planned for John to ask her father to marry her when he got back, but that wasn't going to happen.

Perhaps the worst thing about his death was that she didn't find out about it for three weeks. That was one of the downsides of keeping their relationship a secret, nobody would know to tell her if something happened.

By the third week of not hearing from him Peggy began to suspect, she had never gone more than two weeks without a letter from him. By the first month she was frantic, not that she could tell anyone. It was Eliza who told her, over tea at the Hamilton's house.

"I'm worried about Alexander, ever since he got the letter about John's death he's barely come out of that study."

At her sister's words Peggy froze, eyes widening and face going pale. Luckily, Eliza was too busy worrying about her husband to notice her sister's distress. Calm down Peggy, maybe it's a different John, don't let Eliza realize you know him. Peggy took a deep breath and spoke.

"Wait, John as in John Laurens?"

"Yes, he and Alexander were best friends. Did you know him?"

"We met."

With those two small words Peggy was transported back to when they had met. Back to 1780, a winters ball. Back to a revel with some rebels on a hot night. Back to when she had fallen in love.


Flashback to 1780, a Winters Ball

Peggy ran after her sisters, tripping in a not very graceful way. Eliza and Angelica hurried into the crowded room in a rustle of silken skirts, Peggy hurrying behind.

Within the minute Angelica was dancing with a tall, handsome man in the center of the dance floor, dazzling the room. Eliza and Peggy stood in the sidelines watching their sister. Then Eliza saw him, five young men came swaggering in as if they owned the place, and made a beeline to the bar.

Seconds later, Angelica appeared at their side and began talking to the man Eliza had been watching. The younger Schuyler Sisters gazed at Angelica and the handsome young man, both of them laughing and talking animatedly. Then Angelica turned and saw Eliza's face, the older girl looked back at her new friend and seemed to excuse herself before hurrying over to them.

All three sisters knew Eliza's sweet and gentle nature couldn't compare with Angelica's wit and beauty. Sure, Eliza was pretty, with shoulder length dark hair and blue eyes. Even Peggy was pretty enough, with long, curly brown hair and green eyes that sparkled with the recklessness of a younger daughter. But Angelica was stunning.

The eldest Schuyler Sister was the kind of girl who could catch the eye of a whole room without trying, make whole battalions fall in love with her. Long, slightly curly, raven black hair that cascaded down her back, and deep, dark eyes that reflected the young woman's intelligence and strength of will. It also didn't hurt that her father was rich.

"Angie, who was that boy you were talking to a minute ago?"

"His name is Alexander Hamilton, he's... unusual. Intelligent, brave, ambitious and handsome of course. Unfortunately he's also poor, Daddy wouldn't approve Eliza."

"Too bad. But Angie, you can have any boy you want. Promise me one thing."

"Anything you want Betsy."

"This one's mine. Can you introduce us?"

"Sure, give me a moment."

Eliza turned back to the bar to watch her new crush, so Peggy was the only one to see the look on Angie's face. The older girl bit her lip and gave a tiny but decisive nod. Peggy knew that look, it was the look Angelica always wore when she gave something up for her sisters, this time was different though, resignation mixed with a deep sadness that she had never seen before. Before Peggy could say anything her sister was making her way across the room though.

Her younger sisters watched as she grabbed Hamilton's arm and began dragging him toward them. As they drew closer Peggy could just make out their words.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I'm about to change your life."

"Then by all means, lead the way."

Peggy stepped away, she would fade out of the picture to them anyway, and she didn't like when that happened. Eliza smiled, and her teal dress just barely brushed the floor as she stepped forward.

"Elizabeth Schuyler, thank you, for all your service."

Hamilton smiled, stepping away from Angelica and toward Eliza. Gently, took her hand and bent to kiss it. Eliza swooned, practically fainting.

"If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it."

Now Angelica spoke, and Peggy saw tears glittering in the corner of her eyes, Eliza and Alexander were too lost in each other's eyes to notice anything was amiss, didn't even notice the hitch in her voice.

"I'll leave you to it."

With that she pulled Peggy away, and Alexander twirled their sister onto the dance floor. Now that they were alone, Peggy could talk to her.

"Are you okay Angie? I saw how you were looking at him."

"I'm fine Peggy, thank you for asking."

But Peggy wasn't so sure, the dark-haired girl's eyes were too bright, and she turned away too fast. Quietly, the younger girl put an arm around her sister and steered her toward a table, sitting down beside her.

"Ange, it's me, I know that for some reason he meant a lot to you. Eliza might have been too preoccupied to notice, but I wasn't"

"Peggy, I think I might love him. I don't know. I've never been in love and I don't know what it feels like. But I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Peggy looked thoughtful for a moment then opened her mouth to speak.

"Excuse me, may I have the honor of a dance?"

Angelica looked at the tall young Frenchman, then back at Peggy. The younger girl nodded encouragingly and her sister nodded and took his outstretched arm, the two twirling onto the dance floor.

Moments later, both sisters were regretting the decision.

"Not the best dancer, is he? Apparently he used to get bullied about it as a kid back in France. I gotta give him credit though, he's trying."

Peggy turned toward the voice, and found that a young man was standing beside her, drink in hand. He smiled, eyes warm in a freckled face framed in long, curly brown hair. He nodded toward Angelica and her companion as the two moved across the dance floor, Angelica wiping every few moments as he stepped on her feet, and then so apologized profusely that she couldn't get mad.

"Lieutenant colonel John Laurens at your service."

"Peggy, Peggy Schuyler. And yes, Schuyler as in the rich family from Albany."

"Um... Okay?"

Peggy blushed, she had had a few people come to dance with her, all of them for the same reason. This boy, John Laurens, seemed different though. Quickly grasping for any subject to get her out of the awkward silence she seized upon his uniform.

"So you're in the Continental Army then?"

"Yes, one of Washington's aide de camps. My dad decided that he would get me the most nonviolent job in the army to try and get me to leave, so he pulled a few strings and got me this job." He seemed relieved too.

"So you know the guy dancing with my sister?"

"Your sister? Oh... yeah, Marquis de Lafayette, plus a whole bunch of other names that would take at least ten minutes to list."

"Marquis de Lafayette? You mean the major general who has made a name for himself as a brilliant strategist? And is apparently a terrible dancer?"

He laughed at that and nodded. She smiled shyly and brushed a strand of hair from her face, then grinned, Eliza and Angelica were both busy, maybe it was time for her to be just a little bit reckless too. Just reckless enough to dance with someone she knew absolutely nothing about, even if she didn't know the size of his and his families coffers.

"Do you want to dance?"

"I thought the guy was supposed to ask that."

"Well, I've never been great at following rules."

"Let's go."

The new couple twirled gracefully across the dance floor in a swirl of yellow silk. Angelica glared at her as her sister as the younger girl danced with a handsome young man who was an infinitely better dancer than her partner, as good as his manners where.

Eliza, occupied as she was, glanced over and smiled at her sisters and smiled. Eventually it got late and they had to leave, rather reluctantly.

The three sisters stepped into the carriage and headed home, Angelica rubbing her feet where they had been danced on. The evening wasn't too bad for all of them though, the two younger girls were still glowing with the memory of what had happened. Peggy rested her chin on her hand and thought back to earlier.


"And if she would let me, where might I address any letters to?"

"That depends, who do you want to send letters to?"

Peggy grinned slyly, she didn't get many boys going after her just for her, and not money. Actually, this was the first. And Peggy was going to milk it for all it was worth, he would have to work for it.

"To a Ms. Margarita Schuyler."

"Margarita?"

"Peggy?"

"Much better."

She gave him the address. Then she heard her sisters calling her, glancing at the clock, she realized it was getting very late. The other two girls pulled her away and back to their carriage.

This is an idea that hit me a few days ago, I've never seen anything like this before, review to tell me what you think. Thanks for reading!