Morristown, New Jersey

General Washington stared out the window of his borrowed headquarters, a widower's mansion and the finest home in the area. Standing in the private study of a dead man, Colonel Jacob Ford Jr., he watched the storm clouds roll in; the darkened skies matched his mood. Word was that a fistfight had broken out at the officer's camp and the news had left him seething. The army was beginning to fracture while the whole world watched, and he felt powerless to stop it.

The clouds opened up and a torrent of rain poured over the camp. It seemed to Washington as though even the Heavens were heavy too. Lost in thought he nearly missed the door to the study crack open as Major Tallmadge slip in. Turning from the window he noted the angry bruises peppering the major's face. Tallmadge lowered his eyes upon catching the General's gaze. Washington regarded the injuries with feigned disinterest, while his storm gray eyes flickered briefly with rage. It appeared the rumors were true.

"Major." He greeted with a frosty tone.

Between the mix of pain and exhaustion, a small nod was all Ben could manage. What he had thought was "just a scratch" had begun to throb in the middle of the night making it impossible to sleep. Come morning he had awoke to a crimson stained pillow and nasal passages sticky with congealed blood. He found even the simple act of dressing to be a challenge, as he pulled a fresh shirt over ribs still aching from a well-placed kick. When it came time to putting on his coat his shoulders and forearms, bruised and stiff, had protested greatly. The walk to headquarters had been excruciating.

Washington sat down and opened his notes, when he noticed Ben still standing he raised an open palm gesturing him to sit. Ben eyed the chair with a resigned look. Washington might as well of asked him to have a seat in a torture device. Gradually, he sank into the chair and set about trying to find a position that would allow as little of his body as possible to come into contact with the chair. He suppressed a grimace when his attempts failed, and slowly opened his notes. Washington watched intently but was otherwise silent.

"Will your courier be joining us?" Washington asked when Ben finally settled on rather precarious perch at the far edge of his seat.

To be honest, Ben wasn't sure. He hadn't seen Caleb since they had parted ways last night and Caleb hadn't bothered to stop by his tent this morning, as was his usual ritual. Ben had written it off as Caleb just being Caleb; a man of his own in every way, he was prone to a certain amount of unpredictability. Though it was true that Caleb hadn't been impressed by Washington's latest orders, his parting words hadn't given Ben any cause to believe that he wouldn't show, so he really had no explanation for Caleb's tardiness.

"Well he…" Ben started.

Before Ben had the opportunity to finish the door to the private office swung open and a sopping wet Caleb Brewster strolled in, filling the entire room with his exuding presence. "Morning General." Caleb greeted, his face splitting into a smile so wide the corners of his eyes crinkled. "Major Tall…" His words cut off at the sight of Ben's unusually colorful face, and his mouth dropped open. Ben shook his head, locking eyes with Caleb, he silently pleaded for him to let it be. When Caleb stood frozen in place, still gaping, Ben flicked his eyes towards the table and with a slight nod, invited Caleb to have a seat. Caleb sat down slowly, widening his eyes at Ben who looked away, ignoring the look of concern washing over his friend's face.

Washington watched as the silent exchange unfolded before him. It was obvious to him that Lieutenant Brewster had not been aware of the extent of the injuries that had been sustained during the brawl. Clearly the scuffle had been taken too far. He suppressed a sigh, if only the two knew how much more damage then bruised flesh and egos their little scrap had the propensity to cause. Unfortunately a more pressing matter was at stake, and that was the gathering of intelligence, or the lack thereof. He cleared his throat. Simultaneously, Ben lifted his eyes from his notes while Caleb slowly turned his attention away from staring intently at his best friend.

"I've summoned you both here today to discuss where we are at with the latest intelligence gathering. In our last meeting, Major Tallmadge, I advised you of the dire need of information and yet I have not heard anything since. It appears," he continued, "as though we have reached a standstill. Which leads me to believe either Mr. Cul-per" Washington said, annunciating the new name Abe had chosen for himself, "was not properly briefed on the importance of gathering intelligence in a timely manner or he is simply unable to do so and therefore another source needs to be forged immediately. We simply cannot afford to waste anymore time sitting in the dark."

"Sir, time was impressed upon Woo…I mean Mr. Culper, but we established a protocol from the very beginning, that he was only to signal when it is safe andnot just timely to do so." Caleb said, immediately jumping to Abe's defense. "With respect…Sir."

"I see. Then another source must be cultivated, you are dismissed Lieutenant Brewester. Major Tall…" Washington replied.

"Culper signaled early this morning. I'll leave camp as soon as night falls." Caleb interrupted, cutting Washington off just as he was about to launch into Ben with another lecture on having had sufficient time to seek out new informants.

Now it was Ben's turn to gape. He stared at Caleb, as Caleb gazed triumphantly back at Washington. So that's where he had been this morning, Ben mused. When Caleb caught him looking at him as if he had grown a second head he shrugged nonchalantly, it wasn't his fault that he hadn't had time to notify Ben of the signal before getting summoned by Washington. Ben shot Caleb his best "we will talk about this later look" to which Caleb rolled his eyes at as if to say, "I know." Inwardly, Ben breathed a sigh of relief; this was just the break he needed after he and Washington's last "discussion."

"And were you aware of this Major Tallmadge?" Washington asked, turning his attention to Ben.

"He was. I briefed him as soon as I found out." Caleb advised before Ben could respond.

Washington considered the major and lieutenant intently. Ben, a now forced participant in Caleb's little white lie, did his best to return Washington's regard with poise but the blood from his nose was now draining down the back of his throat and it was beginning to make him nauseous. To make matters worse his head was beginning to throb and his whole body felt like one giant bruise. He prayed the remainder of the meeting would be brief so that he could slip away to his tent and tend to his wounds. Caleb simply stared back at the general and smiled.

"Very well. See to it that Culper's report is delivered to me at once Major." Washington ordered.

"Yes sir." Ben replied.

"You're both dismissed."

Point proven, Caleb bounded up from his chair and happily made his way out the door, whistling as he went. Ben on the other hand rose more slowly, and gingerly set about gathering his notes. It was evident to Washington that the Major was struggling. Against his better judgment, he stood as the Major exited.

"Major Tallmadge." He called after the disappearing form.

Ben's eyes closed and he stopped in his tracks. Fearing another lecture, he slowly made his way back to the study where Washington was waiting in the doorway.

"While I appreciate the defense, I cannot condone your activities last night." Washington stated plainly.

Ben's mouth dropped open, and he briefly considered arguing that it was Bradford whose activities should be in question, but he was far too tired. Clamping his jaw shut he simply nodded.

Washington's expression softened ever so slightly.

"And see to it that your injuries are taken care of." He added.

"Yes sir." Ben stated with the meekly.

"You are dismissed." Washington advised, promptly closing the door behind him.

Ben stood there for a moment, blinking rapidly at the closed door and his mood darkened. How the man could simply turn a blind eye to the blatant disrespect, not to mention the threats to his very leadership was beyond him. Remembering Caleb's suggestion from the night before, he turned slowly and began making his way towards the front of the borrowed headquarters, trying his best to ignore his protesting ribs and aching head. Stepping out from the mansion he found the rain had lifted as a bright sun and Caleb greeted him warmly.

"Aye, Tallboy!" Caleb said with a smile, wrapping his arm around Ben's shoulders.

Ben cried out when Caleb's arms made contact with his bruised shoulders, and he instinctively pulled away, causing Caleb's smile to fade instantly.

"Some scratch you've got there Benny," he commented, glowering as he looked Ben over.

Ben's lips pressed together. He hadn't missed the emphasis on scratch, nor the hint of sarcasm in Caleb's voice but he was too exhausted to argue. He simply nodded, acknowledging that Caleb was upset, before setting off towards his tent. Caleb let out a growl of frustration and jogged after him.

"Come on Ben, is this about pulling the wool over Washington's eyes a little?" He asked when he finally caught up with him.

Ben turned, facing Caleb. "No, but now that you've brought it up, would you mind telling me in the future before you go pulling a stunt like that?" He snarled.

Caleb stepped back a little, raising his hands in a mock surrender. "It was a little white lie Benny. I was just trying to keep you in good with the General." He said with a smirk that told Ben he really wasn't all that sorry.

Ben sighed, knowing he was letting his own frustrations and lack of sleep get the best of him. "I know why you did it Caleb, and I appreciate it. I just…don't like lying to the Commander."

Caleb's expression grew serious. "Are you alright?"

Ben stared hard at Caleb who started to giggle.

"You're such an ass sometimes Brewster." He exclaimed rolling his eyes as he began to walk away.

"Oh, come on now Ben. That was funny!" Caleb cried, grabbing ahold of his shoulder to stop him.

Ben winced, letting out a hiss as he suppressed a scream.

Caleb released his grasp as if he had touched coals, alarm washing over his features.

"Bradford really did a number on ya didn't he?" He asked.

Ben scowled at the mention of Bradford and didn't answer. He hated to admit that the man had even remotely succeeded in his attempt to cause harm last night; though undoubtedly had Caleb not intervened the outcome would have been much worse.

"Tell you what, you get yourself back to your tent and I'll go find Kitchi. His grandfather was some sort of medicine man, I'm sure he's got some potion or something that will get you feeling better in no time." Caleb suggested while steering Ben in the right direction without waiting for a reply.

Ben made his way back to his tent without argument. In truth he was happy to retire to his quarters, his range of motion was rapidly decreasing as the swelling and stiffness increased. With a painful sigh he sat down at the edge of his desk chair and waited. Cradling his aching head in the palms of his hands he nearly nodded off when the sound of tent flaps opening startled him. Without moving he slid his eyes towards the entrance just as Caleb walked in. In his hands he carried steaming cup of tea which he carefully set down on the desk before him, along with bandages, no doubt commandeered from the Medical Station, and a small canister of a dark substance, which he tossed onto Ben's bed.

Ben crinkled his nose as the aroma of the tea struck his nasal passages. "That smells awful."

"Don't it?" Caleb replied with a smile. "He said it's the best cure for a headache though, and it should help ease the pain."

"What is it?"

"Hell if I know." Caleb replied with a shrug.

Ben took a cautious slip and nearly chocked. He couldn't think of anything to compare the horrendous taste of the liquid that was currently assaulting his taste buds. It was a mix between a bad batch of ale, earth, and bitterroot. He set the tea down and pushed it away from him while shaking his head.

"I'm not drinking that."

"Come on, it can't be that bad."

"Then you drink it." Ben replied.

"I'm not the idiot who picked a fight with three commanding officers, only to end up on the loosing end of Bradford's fist, now drink up you." Caleb ordered, placing the mug back in Ben's hand.

Ben stared back at him defiantly while making no motion to drink the potent brew.

"Don't make me force you." Caleb warned.

"I'm letting it cool." He said flatly, setting down the tea with a sigh.

"Right, well in the mean time, lets take a look at those bastards handiwork." Caleb stated, and gently began easing Ben's coat off his shoulders. Ben hissed but didn't pull away, and Caleb did the same with his vest, tie, and shirt. His bare skin now exposed, Ben felt tiny bumps begin to rise as the coolness of spring coiled around him. He resisted the urge to shiver outwardly and looked up to find Caleb standing before him, clearly appalled at what he was seeing. Following Caleb's gaze he looked down at the deep bruising that covered his shoulders and biceps and found that his ribs were also covered in a mix of angry red and purple blotches.

"I thought you said it was just a scratch," Caleb growled ferociously.

"It was last night. The bruises didn't show up until this morning."

Caleb simply shook his head; he was not amused.

"When I get my hands on Bradford…" He started, his eyes igniting with an unbridled anger that Ben knew to be dangerous when left unchecked.

"You'll leave Bradford alone. Washington made it clear that he was not impressed with what happened last night."

"And does Washington know that his precious Bradford did all this?" Caleb hissed through clenched teeth, pointing at Ben's battered body.

"Washington doesn't care who did what, he just wants it to stop, so it ends with us. Besides, it's not like you didn't get a few good hits in yourself. You saw Bradford's lip before he ran off." He reminded Caleb.

"They had you pinned down. That's not even a fair fight!"

"Just leave it alone Caleb."

Caleb said nothing, but Ben was familiar with way his was jaw set. The argument was over for now; though Ben noted that no promises had been made one way or another. He would readdress that later, but right now he was freezing and his tired mind was begging for sleep. Noticing Ben had started to shiver, Caleb sprung into action, mixing up the concoction that Kitchi had given him.

"Drink your tea." He commanded when he noticed Ben watching him tiredly.

Ben took a sip and made a face.

"All of it." Caleb ordered.

Ben quickly downed the remainder of the foul tasting beverage, presuming that if he drank it fast enough he'd be less likely taste it. Caleb offered a small smile when he placed the empty mug triumphantly on the desk before him, but didn't look up from preparing the bandages.

"Good. Now stand up so I can put this salve on you."

Ben cautiously stood, teetering slightly.

"Easy there Tallboy, this will only take a minute." Caleb said, reaching out awkwardly while trying to grab ahold of the only part of Ben's arm that wasn't black and blue. He settled for an elbow and carefully steadied his friend. When Ben was firmly planted on his feet Caleb set about rubbing the putrid poultice over his wounds. Ben winced and moved away as he reached his ribs and Caleb scowled.

"Think a few of these might be broken Benny-boy."

Ben sighed, he had thought as much.

"Not much we can do, but bandage them tight. They'll heal on their own."

Ben nodded, giving his permission to carry on and Caleb finished what he had begun. After the rub was applied, he wrapped Ben's ribcage tightly with the bandages. Despite his best efforts to be gentle Ben still jerked with pain when he reached a certain two ribs, confirming his suspicions. He tied off the bandages and carefully pulled a clean shirt over Ben's head.

Thankful it was over; Ben slowly sat down at the edge of his cot. He was starting to feel a bit woozy and it felt good just to sit down. As his body began to relax his eyes felt as though someone had tied weights to them, and he found himself struggling to keep them open.

"Ye alright there Benny?" Caleb asked with an amused smile.

Ben blinked slowly and deliberately as if trying to clear the sleep from his eyes.

Caleb grinned. "Feeling a bit tired are we?"

Ben nodded.

"Aye, Kitchi warned that that might happen." Caleb told him, still smiling. "Course, it could be the brandy I snuck in there too."

Ben's mouth dropped open slightly as his face took on a lethargic look of surprise and Caleb struggled not to burst out laughing.

"Relax Ben. I didn't put a whole lot in; Kitchi said the tea would knock you out. I just wanted to make extra sure that busy head of yours would shut off so you can get some good sleep."

Ben's mind felt like cotton, warm and fuzzy. He wanted to protest but his thoughts drifted away from him before he could latch on to them. Finally he resigned to the only logical response he could come up with, which was a silent nod. Barely stifling a yawn, he stared blankly ahead, trying to think of what to do next. Caleb solved that dilemma by gently pushing him down on the cot. From there his friend carefully tucked his legs beneath the covers before pulling them up around his chin.

"You rest up, and I'll go make the run. I'll be back before you know it and you can deliver the news to Washington first thing in the morning." Caleb advised.

Ben's eyes were already drooping shut as Caleb made his way towards the entrance of the tent; he smiled when Ben mumbled a sleepy "be safe" to his parting backside.

"See you soon Benny-boy. Sleep well." Caleb replied to his friends sleeping form.

With that Caleb exited the tent, whistling made his way to the shoreline where his boat was waiting. His thoughts turned dark as he passed by Bradford's tent, but he heeded Ben's warning, for now. After all, there was a more important task at hand. As he set sail he was keenly aware that depending on what Abe had to say; by this time tomorrow everything could change. As the pitch black of a moonless night enveloped him he checked the stars and pointed his boat towards the shores of his childhood home. Well, he thought silently to himself his boat easily cut through the current of the river, here's to making history.