*hands out box that says "questions for QnA"*

~~×~~

John's POV-

"Jacki! Wake up!" I heard someone say.

I groaned and turned the other way. "Alex, we slept around midnight. It's too early to get up..."

"I'm not Alex." The voice giggled. "It's Mary!"

I opened my eyes and saw my little sister. I smiled. "Mary! I missed ya!"

She pouted as I ruffled her hair. "Hey!"

"Where's Alex?" I asked her, looking around the room.

"Alex went downstairs." She said. "He cook with Dada."

I laughed. "If there's one thing you need to know about Alexander, he can't cook."

She giggled and dragged me out of bed, somehow. For a little girl, she is strong.

"Breakfast!" She grinned before skipping out of the room.

I brushed and tied my hair, which was all tangled up.

Finally, I jogged down the stairs to see Alexander sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Good morning." I smiled, standing beside Alexander. "Mary told me you were cooking?"

"I was cooking." He frowned. "But then I got burnt!"

I chuckled softly, sitting beside him. "Where does it hurt? A kiss would remove the pain." I winked.

Flirt master of the century!

I saw his face turn into a dark crimson before I saw him smirking. "Here." He tapped on his soft pink lips.

I pecked his lips, leaving him a flustered mess.

"You guys are too cute." Henry appeared in front of us, sliding a chair so he could sit down and read a book.

"Henry!" I smiled. "Where are the others?"

"James is upstairs." He said. "And uh...Martha visited a friend."

I nodded, standing up to help Dad finish cooking breakfast.

Soon, James came down carrying Mary.

"What do you guys wanna do today?" Dad asked, slicing a piece of pancake.

"Visit Ma-" Mary started but her mouth was covered by James. I stared at him until he finally put down his hand.

"LeT's go to Martha's coffee shop." Henry added quickly. I raised a brow at him, my suspicion rates getting higher.

"Martha? As in, Martha Mannings?" I asked. Henry nodded.

"Why not you and Alex?" Dad asked. "I have a few things to fix at work, James and Henry have school and Mary will go to daycare."

I nodded and went back to eating my fluffy pancake.

~~×~~

I finished washing the dishes and went over to the living room where everyone else was either reading, watching or playing.

"Let's go?" I asked Alex.

He nodded and both of us went upstairs to change.

"Bye, guys." I waved, my keys dangling. Alex and I closed the front door and headed to walk towards the coffee shop.

"Henry said that it was around 4 blocks away." I said to Alex, sticking my hands in my pockets.

"This is way warmer than New York." Alex happily sighed.

"Yeah, we don't really get snow."

"Thankfully." Alex smiled. "I miss the warm."

"Ah, we're here." I grinned, looking at the the coffee shop.

"Coffee!" Alex chirped and ran into the café.

I laughed, and muttered. "I thought he was gonna drop coffee when we were done with college."

Apparently, that's how Alexander Hamilton works.

I entered the coffee shop, seeing aesthetic decorations. Fairy lights, fake plants, though I wish they were real, were scattered. Hanging on the walls were aesthetic scenes.

The whole place was literally aesthetic.

The place was deserted, except for a few people who were chatting with friends or typing along in their computers.

I joined Alex along the counter.

Behind the bar, the barista was preparing Alex's black coffee.

Brown, curly brown hair.

Check.

Chocolate brown eyes.

Check.

Signature braid...

Check.

"Martha Mannings?" I asked, clearing my throat in hope to get her attention.

"That's me!" She smiled, handing the coffee to Alexander. "Hey...you're John Laurens!"

"Nice to see you again, Martha." I said, shaking her hand.

I sure am meeting a whole lot of childhood friends.

"Who's this?" She asked.

Before I got a chance to say anything, Alexander spoke up.

"Alexander Hamilton." He smiled. "I'm John's boyfriend."

Martha narrowed her eyes. "Boyfriend?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"W-Well, then congratulations!" Martha smiled.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

Alex and Martha stared at me curiously.

"I-I honestly thought you would never say that..." I mumbled.

"What?" Martha asked, stiffiling a laugh.

"I thought you would be angry at me like at some fanfic." I laughed.

"Why? Because I had a crush on you?" She asked, earning a nod. "Laurens, that was years ago."

"Well, it was nice seeing you." I nodded. "Also, can I have 1 cream, 5 sugars?"

Martha proceeded to make my coffee, as me and Alex took a seat near the counter.

"So, how did you know Martha?" Alex asked, sipping his coffee.

"Ah, I think we were classmates." I said. "With Thomas and Sally. She had this huge crush on me, and kept asking me to be her Valentines at February."

"Eh, I kept rejecting her. Didn't take interest in her, nor any of the girls." I shrugged.

"And yeah, you've met George." I said, remembering the time we went ice skating last January.

"Here ya go!" Martha smiled, handing me the coffee. "Free of charge, both of you."

"Thank you, Martha." Alex grinned, getting free coffee.

"Oh, and John," Martha turned back as she was just leaving. "I wish your mother would stay longer."

My eyes widened and I spit my coffee. "Is my mom going to--"

She gasped. "I-I thought you knew. Forget it."

But it was already too late to forget.
So that's where Martha, my sister, went.

That's why everyone was acting unusual.

That's why Dad invited me.

Mom was dying.

I rushed out of the café, still holding my coffee, Alex following. 

"I should've known..." I muttered, walking back to our house -- or mansion.

"John! Slow down!" Alex panted, jogging to keep up my fast and furious pace.

"S-Sorry." I sighed finally slowing down. My eyes were aching to cry. "It's just...why didn't they tell me sooner?"

"They have reasons. Maybe they didn't want to worry you." Alex reassured me. "Now let's go back."

~~×~~

"It's true." My dad sighed from the phone call. "You just graduated, son. We didn't want to take your happiness away."

I stammered, looking up from the floor. "C-Could we visit her?"

"Yes, we'll be there." He said. 

"Okay, thanks, bye." I frowned, as I hang up the call.

~~×~~

"Which hospital are we going to?" Alex asked, as he strapped his seat belt.

"Heimlich." I said, putting my hands on the wheel. I was about to step the gas, but paused.

I sighed sadly, looking at Alex. "How does it feel like?"

"Feel what?" He asked.

"Feel losing someone..." I mumbled.

Alex was rather taken back at the question, but still answered. He looked down to his feet, sadly. "It was hard, losing someone you loved. Losing someone who took care of you for your whole life."

"It was so...sudden. My mother died, singing to me, trying to comfort me as her life slipped out. It was like you scoop up water with your hands, then it trickles down, until it's empty." He frowned.

"James and I managed to cope with it after a few years. She's in a better place now, I guess. No one really knows. But all I know, is that she's with me, along my journey of life." He sadly smiled.

"What did happen to your mom?" He asked worriedly. "I don't wanna push you--"

I sighed. "She was diagnosed with leukemia a few years Mary was born. You know, cancer of the blood?" Alex nodded, showing that he understood.

(I'm not stating facts.)

"Well, they've been giving her the best chemotherapy yet. But her immune system is getting weaker and weaker.
She can't fight it..."

"I'll miss her.." I mumbled, burying my face in my hands. I began sobbing uncontrollably.

It's hard to believe that she was going to die.

"It'll be alright." Alex said, holding my hand gently.

"Th-hank you." I smiled before drying my tears. "The earlier we get there, the better."

I finally started driving, heading towards Heimlich Hospital.

After a few lost turns, we arrived.

I don't like hospitals.

They cure people, alright.
They help people.

But they sometimes also kill people.

They don't help the ones affected by death.
Unless there's some sort of cure that would remove all your sadness.

Here they can wash away your sickness.
But they can't wash away your sorrows.

I shuddered, entering the hospital with Alex.

The scent of hospitals hit my senses.

I felt my stomach turn as we walked towards the Front Desk.

"E-Eleanor Ball Laurens." I said to the woman.

"I'm sorry, sir. Only family members are allo--"

"I'm John Laurens." I said impatiently. "She's my mom."

"Sorry, sir." She gave an 'I-don't-like-my-job' sigh.

She pointed through a door at our left. "Down that door, two lefts, one right, up the stairs by a floor, another right, and second door at the left."

I was startled at the directions, but nodded. I went through the door, turned left twice, right, climbed the stairs, took another right, and finally found my mother's door, Alex behind my heels.

With an exasperated sigh, I knocked on the door. Alex and I panting, the door swung open, revealing Martha.

"John!" She exclaimed, hugging me tightly.

"I - need - air!" I gasped, as the hug tightened.

"Er...right. Sorry." She went inside, motioning for us to follow.

My eyes widened as I saw my mother.

My mother...

I could hardly believe that was her.

She used to be so...colorful and wonderful and happy.

Now she's like a corpse with a few remaining drops of life.

She was tangled in so much IVs. Tubes were attached to her arms.

Her skin was extremely pale.
Her eyes looked...
Lifeless.

Her freckles that matches

She was skinny and...
Her hair.

It already fell off.
She was wearing a wig, but was noticeably lop-sided.

I rushed to her side, taking her hand. "M-Mom? It's me, Jack."

Dad ushered my siblings out, giving me and Alex some time with my mother.

"Jack.." She sadly smiled, looking at me. "I'm so proud of you..."

I sadly chuckled, tears already building up at my eyes.

With just one whisper from me, I broke down.

"Don't leave m-me..."

"You'll do great things, son." She whispered. "Is this Alexander I've been hearing about a lot?"

I nodded meekly, tugging Alex closer to me. "It is..."

"Take care of him..." She smiled, taking Alex's hand in hers. "Thank you..."

"Thank you, as well." Alex sadly smiled.

I could see Alex having a couple of tears as well sliding down his cheek.

"It's time..." My mother sighed.

My eyes widened.
This is fear.
A powerful emotion.

You can never escape it.

"But-" 

"Send them in.."

I hesitantly nodded, letting the rest of my siblings in, followed by the doctor.

He sighed. "It's time."

Each of us took turns saying goodbye.
It was hard.

It was hard saying your last goodbye.

One last time.

Finally, my turn came around.

"Jack," She smiled, on the verge of death. "I'm proud of you so much. You've gotten this far."

I nodded, sniffling.

"Oh and, I'd like Alexander to be my son-in-law." She smirked.

"Of course." I chuckled. "What the hell, Mom, you're..."

Dying.

"I love you, Jack." She smiled.

"No matter what," She continued, her voice barely a whisper.

And her final breath drawn closer.

"I'll be there for you."

And with a soft thud and the loud beeping of the heart monitor, my mother went limp and went to her endless sleep.