Ok so this one might be a little confusing, it's loosely based off of All For One in the Alex and Eliza series. Anne and Colin are servants of the Hamilton's. John is Eliza's younger brother. Anne and John are engaged currently. Eliza is pregnant with Philip, and is very ill. Alexander is still practicing law, and he ended up cheating on Eliza with one of his clients *cough cough Maria*. John find out about it and that's basically all you need to knowwwwww. Also don't expect fluff. This is kind of depressing

"That bastard!" John stormed into his sister's townhome. Anne, who had just checked on Eliza, shushed him. John ran a hand through his hair and collapsed into a chair.

"What's wrong?" Anne frowned. He was in such a state of rage that Anne was afraid he would explode at her. Fortunately, he didn't.

"It's Alexander." John didn't look up at his fiancé.

"Is he okay?" Anne gasped. She knew Eliza was ill, a blow like that could potentially kill her.

"Mentally? I don't think so." He grumbled. "Whatever you do, don't tell Eliza. It will crush her."

"What is it?" Anne whispered. John took her hands into his, shaking madly.

"I found Alexander doing something unsavory with a woman at his office." He snarled. His fiancé gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"But Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton love each other very much!" Her lip quivered.

"It seems that my parents misplaced our trust in Alexander." John spat.

"What do we do?" Anne's voice was barely audible.

"Eliza cannot know." John declared, moving to close a nearby window. "How...how is she doing, by the way?" He asked tentatively behind his shoulder. His sister was slowly losing an already lost battle for her life, it was just a matter of if the baby would survive.

"She's not doing any better. Although she hasn't seemed to be getting worse." Anne shook her head. "Never mind that, does Alexander know that you know?"

"No. And we shall keep it that way." He said firmly, placing a hand on his Anne's cheek.

"Should-" Anne was cut off by Colin rushingly entering the townhome. Anne and John gazed at the younger boy. There was fire in his brown eyes, and his expression was unreadable.

"That ass!" He fumed, throwing his head into his hands.

"Alexander?" Anne asked.

"Alexander!" He repeated. "I will murder him. Murder him!"

"I would assume you know?" John told his friend. Colin nodded angrily.

"I have known Miss Eliza since I was but a mere boy. I was there the day they said their I do's. I thought he loved her!" He ranted in disgust.

The clock chimed 6. Nobody dared look up at the clock. They all knew one thing, Alexander would be home soon.

"Does Alexander know that you know?" John asked Colin. Colin shrugged.

"I don't know. I saw what he was doing and ran out before I punched the man."

"I think I might vomit." Anne announced, tears streamed down her face. "Eliza doesn't deserve that."

"Me too. The fact that Alexander had the audacity to stoop that low disgusts me. Especially when his wife is pregnant and on the brink of death!" Colin spat. John agreed angrily.

The trio sat in silence for a good 20 minutes, processing everything and contemplating what to do. They could hear Eliza's deep and gruff breaths from her bedroom a few feet away from where the threesome was. It hurt them to think that one of them would have to tell Eliza that her husband was committing adultery behind her back. There was a knock at the door, but nobody made any movement towards the door to unlock it. They all knew who stood outside.

Alexander knocked on the door a few more times with no avail. He finally got tired of waiting and just let himself in after 5 minutes. Alex burst out through the door and gazed at the somber looks the others had. Immediately, his mind thought of the worst.

"Is Eliza okay?" He asked, concerned for his wife and the baby. John glared at him while Anne shook harder than ever and rushed out of the house. Anne had shook with fear and disgust, but Colin was shaking for a different reason. He shook with pure rage and agony. He stood calmly and pushed his chair.

"I will go check on Anne." He whispered, his voice even but not matching his eyes--which burned with anger. He turned swiftly and left Alexander and John on their own before he swung at anyone.

"I should go with him." Alexander said, worried for his wife. John held out his arm to stop him.

"No." He told him firmly. "You have no right to see her."

"She's my wife." Alex fired at his brother-in-law.

"You weren't thinking about that an hour ago, were you?" John asked quietly. Alexander quickly paled, his fiery expression turned into as if he had just been slapped in the face.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," John stared icily into Alexander's eyes. "When you made love to that harlot. Were you thinking of her and your child then? What did it matter, nobody would know! You didn't care! Obviously, if you cared, you wouldn't have been sleeping with that whore at work and you would've been here, taking care of your wife!"

Alexander looked at John with a maintained composure. "She seduced me. It wasn't anything, it certainly wasn't love."

"Then why'd you do it?" John's voice began to rise. "WHY DID YOU SLEEP WITH HER?"

"Sleep with who?" Eliza's voice came from the bedroom doorway. Both heads whipped towards her. She wore a silk nightgown and cradled her swollen belly with her hands. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she had dark circles around her eyes. Eliza leaned against the doorway in an effort to stand straight.

"Sister, it's nothing. You need to go back to bed." John said, tearing away from Alexander and attempting guiding her back to her bed. Eliza stayed firmly planted in the ground.

"Answer my question. Who slept with who?" She ordered. John stepped away and leaned against the wall.

"I'll let your husband answer it." He seethed.

"Alexander?" Eliza frowned. She turned towards her husband, her eyes dazed and confused.

"I-" He was cut off by Anne and Colin entering the apartment, Anne paler than ever. She looked back and forth between Alexander and Eliza before gently guiding Eliza back into her bedroom, closing the door and locking it. Colin, who was a good 3 inches in taller than Alexander, stomped over to him. Alexander's eyes widened as Colin stood over him, looking as if he were to strike him. His response surprised both Alexander and John.

"Why did you do it?" He asked Alexander simply. All Alex could do was stutter. Colin began to raise his voice.

"Why was Eliza not good enough for you?" His voice cracked and his hands on Alexander's shoulders. "WHY DID YOU DO IT?"

"Sh-she reminded me of my mother." Alexander's head fell in shame. "Her story, her background, her looks, everything.. She reminded me of her. She made me vulnerable, and I was seduced by the charmer. It wasn't love."

John sat there in disbelief and disgust before letting out a cold chuckle. He licked the front of his teeth.

"Yeah.. How long has this been going on for?" He looked up at Alex and met his eyes.

"What?"

"You heard me." He stood up straight, folding his arms. "How long have you been sleeping with her?"

"This is the first time." Alexander replied, not quite meeting John's eye.

"Sure, and Washington isn't the president." Colin chimed in. "Your brother-in-law asked you a question."

"And I answered." Alexander shot at both men.

"Not honestly." John pointed out.

"Listen.." Alexander lowered his voice to a whisper, making it to where Anne couldn't hear them anymore. She sighed and turned to Eliza, who sat on her bed with her arms crossed.

"What are they fighting about?" Eliza asked, although she didn't seem as calm and cool as she did earlier.

"I can't answer that. Get in the bed, Miss Eliza." Anne told the elder woman, not meeting her eyes.

"Do you know what Alexander did?" She pleaded as she got under the covers weakly. Her tired eyes begged for honesty, and Anne couldn't blame her. She wanted to know what her husband was up to. Anne didn't say anything.

Eliza let out shaky, low breath.

"Anne, please answer me."

"I said enough, Eliza." Anne said, tears streaming down her face. Eliza broke into a fit of harsh coughs, and Anne rushed to get Eliza a cold towel for her forehead. When Anne came back, Eliza looked weaker than she had before. She placed the towel on her forehead and walked back to the corner.

"I just need confirmation." She whispered. "That my husband slept with another woman." Anne began to cry.
"Oh Eliza! It's true. All of it. He's been making love to some harlot in his office during the day for God knows how long. That's why he's been staying later. I'm so sorry!" Anne cried. She looked at Eliza's reaction, which was a distant, cold look. She readjusted herself on the bed, tears rolling down her face. Anne rushed over, but Eliza stopped her.

"Don't come closer to me. How long have you known?" Her voice cold and firm.

"About thirty minutes, ma'am. It's why Colin and I were outside, I threw up." Anne told her honestly. Eliza broke down.

"How? How did I fail at being a good wife?" She berated herself. "Is there something wrong with me? Why was I so foolish."

"You never failed at being a good wife. Nothing is wrong with you." Anne reassured her firmly. "It was your husband's fault for being so rash and making foolish choices."

"But why did he do it?" She cried, tears flowing down her face. Anne had no time to comfort her, for Eliza put a hand to her stomach and moaned in pain. Anne rushed over to her future sister-in-law to help her.

"I need to deliver this baby now." She told Anne, her bony, clammy hand slipping into Anne's soft, delicate one. "Before I die." Anne nodded, knowing Eliza didn't have much time left.

"Ok." She said softly before grabbing towels and frantically placing them around her. Eliza began to use what little strength she had to push her baby out of her womb. Anne would excitedly point out to the tired Eliza how far the child was along, eliciting a smile from the poor woman. Eliza would occasionally moan or scream in pain, but the men's arguing drowned it out. By the time the baby was halfway out Eliza started to get tired, pushing with less force. She began coughing more and her tears became more evident as it was obvious that she was in tremendous pain. Anne locked eyes with her and grasped for her hand.

"You're a strong woman, Eliza. You can do this." She told Eliza, who began to push a bit harder. She let out another scream and cough. It was around this time that Colin, Alexander, and John realized that she was giving birth. Alexander rushed to the door in an attempt to unlock it to be with his wife, but Colin and John held him back. No matter how hard he tried to push through their blockade, he couldn't break through.

"Please....just let me be with my wife." He pleaded, tears streaming down his face. He hung his head in shame, but looked up as he heard the cries of his newborn child fill the house.

"It's a boy." Anne softly told Eliza, snipping the umbilical cord off of him. Eliza fell back onto the bed in defeat. Anne began to clean him with a towel and cold water. She looked back at Eliza, who was on her deathbed and walked over with her child in her arms.

"What shall his name be?" She asked, dipping him so Eliza could touch him.

"Philip." She told the girl weakly. "Hi Philip, you won't ever get to know me, but just know that mama loves you. He looks so much like his father." Both girls (and the author) began to cry uncontrollably. Anne wiped the tears from Eliza's face and Eliza inhaled slowly, savoring her last breaths.

"Anne, thank you so much for everything. I hope that you and my brother share eternal happiness together. To my little Philip, just know that I will love you until the ends of the earth, and that you will grow to be an incredible young man. I look forward to the day I watch you graduate from up above. Anne, tell Colin thank you for being my "adopted brother" and best friend. I've known him since he was a boy and I was a teen, he's always been there for me. Tell my brothers and sisters that I will miss them so, and I relish being able to see them in a more peaceful life. Finally Anne, tell Alexander that I forgive him. I love him so much, and I do not wish for my anger to blind my love for him. Dry your tears and do not mourn, for I am in a better place now." Eliza told Anne in one breath.

Anne nodded, tears flying crazily. Eliza seemed satisfied, and her eyes dulled. Her chest stopped heaving as her body began to shut down slowly. Her soft hand went limp, and all that could be heard were Anne and Philip's cries. Anne sat there crying for what seemed to be hours, cradling Eliza and her son together. When her tears ran out, she shakily stood and swaddled Philip. Opening the door, she looked to the men who sat in the parlor. Each one of them stood up eagerly, all having one common question: How is Eliza?

"It's a boy." Anne let out a small breath. "Eliza's dead." The men stopped drawing nearer to the baby.

Colin fell back into his chair in shock. Anne broke down crying again and collapsed to the floor, holding Philip in her arms. John covered his face with his hands and began to sob, while Alexander sat there, motionless. He drew a shaky breath and walked to see his now dead wife in their bedroom. He broke down in tears at the sight of her. Her blue lips and pale skin, she was thin and weak, her brunette hair was in a messy ponytail, and her eyes weren't full of light. He collapsed at her side and took her limp hand into his.

"Betsey, I'm so sorry." He cried. "I made an unjustifiable mistake in your hour of need, and I have no excuse for it. I should have been by your side, but I wasn't. I wasn't there to see the birth of Philip and I wasn't there to see you draw your last breaths. I will take care of Philip, and I will never forgive myself for not always being there for you." He closed her empty eyes and sobbed by her bed, hoping that his prayer reached her in Heaven.

It did.