...And Peggy! Eyyyy, get you weren't expecting that, we're you? I've got nothing to say for now, so enjoy the chapter!

Peggy(Margarita) Schuyler/Peggy(Margarita) Skyler

Everything was blurry. She saw outlines of people and buildings zipping past her, almost as if she were running.

There were two figures in front of her. They reminded her of warmth, care, and love, but there was something else- something that made them so familiar.

"Daddy doesn't need to know."

"Like I said, you're free to go."

"People shouting in the square!"

"New ideas in the air!"

Peggy woke up.

She groaned into her pillow when she read her alarm. 2 in the morning, damn, she sulked. A few weeks ago, she'd been having dreams so vivid they almost felt like reality.

The most common ones included two people, girls, whom she's sure she has never met. That said, she also couldn't shake the feeling that she knew them quite well.

The two figures always seemed to be by her side. Although, a lot of times, it felt like she was the one following them. In the few dreams where they don't appear, she is instead accompanied by a noble-looking man.

She always felt safe when he held her hand.

Nowadays, her dreams had included a new figure. It was another man. He moved confidently and spoke arrogantly. One of the female figures she was always with slowly drifted away until she was almost out of sight, and in the man's arms.

There were times when Peggy (or whoever she was in that dream) stretched out her hand, begging the girl to stay, while other times she just smiled, as if she wasn't feeling an all-consuming sense of loneliness.

As Peggy thought about these things, she glanced at her alarm and was surprised at how much time had gone by. She'd spent at least fifteen minutes staring at the ceiling.

The bedroom door opened. Her sister, Eliza, stood by the doorway holding a glass of milk. She scurried inside, gently closing the door behind her.

"...Eliza?" she softly called. She startled a bit, then turned to look at Peggy. "Yes?" she asked, keeping her voice close to a whisper as to not wake up Angelica.

The three of them shared one room. It was silly, yes, given how old they already are, but they weren't in any rush to get their own rooms. They all took comfort in being in each other's presence, and it also offered them silent support when they were feeling down.

However, their dad was starting to suggest taking some other rooms in the house. Peggy was opposed to the idea, but she forced herself to keep quiet. Their dad would be disappointed if she said something so childish.

And as the eldest of the sisters, Angelica agreed that their home was pretty huge compared to the other ones in town. It would be a waste not to maximize the rooms they use.

Peggy was jealous of how smart Angelica is, able to analyze the pros and cons in multiple situations in seconds.

Eliza smiled politely, as always. But there was a glint in her eyes that said she wasn't quite ready to separate either. When she looked at their dad, he immediately understood.

Peggy was envious of how, despite keeping a polite face most of the time, Eliza can still get her point across clearly.

After that, they were given half a year to get ready before getting their own rooms. Eliza, Angelica, and her were all grateful for their dad's generosity.

"Peggy?"

She snapped out of her daydream, smiling apologetically to Eliza. "Sorry, I was just lost in thought," she explained. When she sat up, Eliza sat beside her, putting her glass on the bedside drawer, and scooped her up in a one-armed hug. "It's about moving to different rooms, isn't it?" she asked.

Ah. Eliza was always perceptive when it came to people's feelings.

She nodded meekly. "I understand that there'll be a day when we won't be able to stay together anymore, but I just don't want it to be anytime soon," she admitted. Eliza, ever the compassionate one, listened quietly until she was done.

"I don't have many friends, despite what others might believe." I mean, the Skyler sisters are from one of the richest and most influential families in town, so they must have a lot of friends, she thought sourly.

"Peggy, we'll always find a way to be together. I promise," Eliza assured. Peggy nodded quietly, but she could feel her nerves calming down. She relaxed in her sister's arms. "It's late. We should sleep, unless you want to go to school as a zombie?" Eliza joked.

Peggy cracked a grin, then she remembered something she wanted to ask. "Eliza, what were you doing up so late?"

Eliza froze for a moment, but it could've just been Peggy's imagination, because the next thing she knew her sister was ruffling her hair, telling her not to worry. "Just a few dreams. It's not a big deal," she said, but something in her expression told Peggy that she wasn't sure of it herself.

"Okay," she muttered. She didn't want to make Eliza remember anything bad. Her sister's smile softened when she looked at her. Peggy returned it with a bright smile of her own.

"Hey, a 'sister moment' without me? I'm devastated."

Peggy and Eliza jumped in surprise. Angelica was grinning at them from under her covers. "Do you think your big sister's too old for this? Cuz I'll have you know that there's still a ways to go before I'm a fully-fledged adult," she declared.

Peggy laughed out loud before being shushed by both of her sisters. "Dad's room is nearby, be quiet," Angelica whispered. After a moment of thought, she added, "I know I'm funny- comedy gold, if you ask me- but seriously."

Eliza's eyebrows furrowed. "Isn't dad on a business trip, though?" she asked. So even Angelica can forget things sometimes, Peggy thought, only to realize she said it out loud.

The three of them were silent. Peggy resumed her loud bout of laughter, Eliza following right after. Angelica tried stifling her giggles behind her hand. It was a fruitless endeavor.

It took a while for them to go back to sleep after that.

Eliza was right. She did go to school as a zombie.

Peggy groaned, cursing her sluggish body. Angelica was walking by her side, her movements also slower than usual. "I told you guys to stop laughing," she said. Peggy huffed.

"Like you weren't laughing with us," she mumbled. Angelica gave her a half-hearted glare. They walked in companionable silence. A thought popped into her mind when she remembered Eliza had gone ahead of them.

"Hey, why didn't Eliza go with us?" she asked. Angelica shrugged. "Off to meet some new friends. At least, that's what she told me," she replied. Peggy tilted her head.

"Who are they?"

Her sister hummed to herself. "I think Alexander and John were their names," she said, her face scrunching up as if she were remembering something unpleasant. "Wait... oh. Oh. So that's why she was smirking at me like that. Alexander. God, how didn't I recognize that name?" she grumbled under her breath.

Peggy didn't exactly know what she meant by that, but it sounded like Angelica has already met this "Alexander" person before. "What's he like?" she asked.

Angelica looked at her for a moment before answering, "I barely talked to him, but the impression he gave me was that he was someone with a lot of self-confidence. Oh, I also found out that he has a position in the Student Council. Must be smart, then..." she started muttering to herself.

Peggy shook her head. She just hoped her sister wasn't getting involved with any dangerous people. Alexander sounded nice, at least.

"What about John?"

"From what I've heard from Eliza, he's one of those guys who likes to make friends," was her answer. They both sound like decent people, Peggy concluded. With that, she was satisfied, but she couldn't say the same for Angelica.

She looked like she was worried about something, but at the same time, didn't know what she was worried about. Peggy noted that Eliza also had moments like that. She then realized that she did, too.

What a funny coincidence.

She didn't press any further, because she felt that she was asking too many questions at that point, and also because they arrived at school. When they got to the front of the gate, they waved goodbye to each other and went on their separate ways.

As Peggy rushed to her first class, she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more about Eliza's so-called friends.

She was walking down the hallway, off to her next class, when she bumped into Miranda Reynolds.

"Sorry!" the girl exclaimed, frantically trying to help Peggy up. She waved her hand awkwardly. "Oh, don't worry. I'm fine," she said. The girl seemed to deflate. "I- I see. Sorry for bothering you," she mumbled.

Peggy smiled, hoping it didn't look uncomfortable. "You weren't bothering me," she assured. The other girl stared at her with wide eyes. She nodded slowly, as if she was still processing her words.

"Um, okay. I'll see you later- oh, no, I meant to say bye. Gosh, sorry," she rambled. Peggy tried her best not to look troubled. She didn't want to make the girl more flustered than she already is.

"You don't have to apologize."

The girl opened her mouth to give what Peggy assumed to be another apology. She decided it would be better to cut her off before she even started.

"Goodbye," she said, resisting the urge to sprint down the hallway as fast as possible.

Sorry for leaving you just like that, but I'm going to be seriously late for my next class!

It was lunch, and her sisters were running late. With nothing to do, Peggy sighed and picked at her food.

"Can- can I sit here?"

She jumped at the voice from behind her. She looked at the person who spoke and was surprised to see the girl she bumped into earlier that day. She moved into over.

"Sure," she replied brightly. The girl always looked so spooked, and she wondered what the reason for that was. "What's your name? Mine's Peggy. Peggy Skyler," she introduced herself.

The girl's eyes widened for a second. "S-S-Skyler? I... I'm Miranda Reynolds," she squeaked. She still hadn't sat down. Peggy patted the spot beside her.

"Sit down," she urged. Miranda sat down without a word.

They only talked a few times before her sisters finally arrived at the table. She did find out that Miranda wasn't much of a talker, and preferred quiet places.

"Hey, Sorry we're late," Angelica said. "Who's the new girl?" Peggy introduced Miranda to her elder sisters, and tried not to laugh at the girls's dumbfounded expression.

Eliza smiled an angel's smile when she said, "I'm sure we'll be great friends."

Peggy thought so too.

Lunch ended, and they said their farewells. Peggy promised Miranda she could come to them anytime. Her sisters agreed earnestly.

The day was going great, in her opinion.

She was writing a letter. She didn't know who she was writing it too, but they must've been important if she was telling them about all this.

'I'm sick,' she wrote.

'The doctor estimates I have three years left to live, at most. Dad was beyond mad. I hope you don't worry too much, because I won't be going any time soon. We'll always find a way to be together, after all. I've told Angelica already, if you're wondering.

She was also mad. She and dad are awfully alike. Enough about that, I don't want this to be such a sad letter, after all. How are you? Has Alexander done anything stupid again? Because if he has...

Sorry, I'm sure you don't want to think about that right now. How is Philip? I hear he's graduated from Kings College with exceptional grades. Tell him aunt Peggy said congratulations, will you?

I hope you are doing well, Eliza. We'll meet again soon, okay? I promise.

Yours truly, Peggy Schuyler'

Peggy woke up with a gasp.

When she looked around, she remembered she was still in class. Her classmates were giving her odd looks. She apologized to her her teacher after he scolded her for sleeping in class.

Throughout the rest of the lesson, her mind kept flashing back to her dream. Why did she remember it so much better than the others? Why did it feel so real?

A creeping sense of hopelessness filled her whenever she thought back to that dream.

And just as she thought the day was shaping up to be a good one...

When Peggy and her sisters walked home, she felt like her head was stuck so far up the clouds, that everything around her seemed to disappear and she was left only with her mind.

She tripped, and then heard one of her sisters yell in alarm.

They ended up supporting her as she walked. Honestly, Peggy was glad. Her knees started to feel like jelly not long after. There wasn't much conversation during the trek. That said, her sisters' presence made the unsettling quiet much less uncomfortable.

When they arrived home, she excused herself when Eliza asked if she wanted to eat anything, asked if she was all right, and told her to rest if she felt tired.

She headed straight for their room, collapsing on the first bed she saw.

She could see swirling gowns, vibrant colors, and dancing figures. Then, the world went white.

It faded to reveal busy streets, people talking, and carriages pulled by horses.

"Daddy said to be home by sundown."

"Daddy said not to go downtown."

"It's bad enough daddy wants to go to war."

"It's bad enough there'll be violence on our shore."

"Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!"

"The revolution's happening in New York!"

She groggily opened her eyes. Eliza was shaking her gently. "You wouldn't wake up for a second there," she said, unable to keep the relief and worry out of her voice.

Eliza looked at her, a troubled expression on her face.

Peggy smiled tiredly. "I'm fine. Is it time to ea-"

The door creaked open.

"Eliza! What are you doing here?"

There was a figure by the doorway. It was a woman, and Peggy noticed she was crying. Her shoulders shook as she tried to contain her sobs.

"I'm sorry, Peggy. Alexander- he- he cheated-" she choked up. Peggy was by the woman's side in an instant. "I brought the kids with me. I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do. If I'm bothering you and daddy, I can go back," she said.

Peggy rubbed her back in comforting circles. "You're not bothering anyone," she soothed. The woman looked at her, eyes glistening with tears.

Peggy thought it was sad for such a kind face to look so troubled. "You can stay," she declared.

"Thank you," the crying woman whispered. She wiped away her tears and gave a weak but genuine smile. Peggy couldn't help but be reminded of her sister.

"-eat," she finished lamely. Eliza helped her up just as Angelica entered the room. "What's up?" She asked. When Peggy looked at Angelica, she felt a storm of visions forcing its way to the front of her mind.

She almost fell back, but was able to steady herself before anyone noticed. Both of her sisters glanced at her, concerned. Peggy didn't want to worry them.

She poured all of her energy into the brightest smile she could muster. "So! What are we going to eat?" she chirped. Eliza and Angelica exchanged a look of surprise.

"You're not tired?" Angelica asked, doubt in her voice. Peggy shook her head, smile still in place. "Nope! I'm not even sick, see?" she said, pulling Eliza in front of her and pressing their foreheads together.

Eliza's lips pressed into a line. "She isn't burning up or anything..." she trailed off. Peggy released her, heading towards the dining room with an extra skip to her step.

"Let's eat!" she exclaimed.

Her sisters stared after her before accepting that she wasn't as unwell as they thought, and followed her to the dining room.

It's fine if they don't know, she thought. If I can lessen their worries by being happy, then that's what I'll do.

I've been doing that for a lifetime already, anyway.

When she saw the both of them in the same room, she remembered for just a short moment. She remembered the joyous moments they shared, the hardships they went through together, the fun times they had, especially when sneaking out into the city, and she also remembered how devastated they were when they found out she was sick.

She remembered how they helped each other through it, how they protected each other, and how much they loved each other no matter how rough life got.

She remembered other people too. Her caring father and how he'd hold her with those warm hands of his, and the man whom she confided in, as well as the one her sister loved, Alexander.

She could remember an entire lifetime. It was overwhelming. She almost fell to her knees in that short moment.

She didn't know if they knew yet. For now, though, she'd keep it to herself.

She wondered how Miranda was doing, and if she was willing to meet up again. Maybe she can greet Eliza's friends while she's at it.

But at this moment, she'd stay by her sisters' sides. She wouldn't leave them, not like before.

This chapter went on longer than I originally planned. There are some parts that I'm not that happy about, especially the ending, but hey, baby steps. I'll get better overtime. Do you guys have anything you want to suggest? I'd be happy to hear you out!

As always, don't be afraid to leave a review, they really help me in writing this story. :)

AK_Ulti, signing out~