"Are you okay?"

"Who cares about me?"

"I care about you."

"It doesn't matter, alright? I'm fine."

"You're lying."

"So? This was never a decision that I would be making. We all knew that. Let's just keep going. Where is this place, anyway?"

"Stop trying to change the subject. It's okay to be upset. It's okay to want to talk about how you feel."

"Can we just drop it?"

"Not until you tell me that you're not okay and you tell me what's going on."

"I don't need your help."

"I know you don't need it, dumbass! But it'll help you, it'll make you feel better. You're important, Alexander. You're important to me and I don't want you to think for a second that you and your feelings don't matter."

I stood in a shocked silence. "That's the first time I think I've ever heard you swear."

Eliza crossed her arms and continued walking, following the others, who were steadily getting ahead of us. "Yeah, well. Sometimes it's necessary. Now, tell me what's wrong."

"Maybe later. I still need time to sort it out for myself." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "I don't know how I'm feeling, Eliza. I wish emotions came with an instruction manual."

"Is that a human thing?"

"What, instruction manuals? Yes. And they're very helpful."

Eliza nudged me gently with her shoulder and smoothed down the front of her overcoat. "It's going to be alright Alexander. Everything always works out in the end."

Of course I didn't believe it, but it was hard not to smile at her undying optimism. I guess it isn't just a human thing then. "Alright. We can talk about it later tonight if you really want to know so bad."

She laughed. "Sounds good. Are you excited?"

"I guess I am a little bit," I said, and it wasn't exactly a lie. I think I had the basis of what Thomas had planned, but he was unpredictable and amazing so I could be completely wrong. "What about you?"

"I can't wait. I've only seen two of these demonstrations before, and they were both so memorable and fun. I think it's going to be great."

I nodded, staring at the white carpet underneath my feet as we kept walking down the hallway, which was only getting longer with every step I took. Eliza kept talking, and though part of me was listening to her and her eternal optimism, another part wouldn't stop thinking about what had happened hours earlier.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fucking fair. This was it, this was the end of us. I might never see him again after today. We'll leave, go home to a castle that'll feel just a bit too big, and he'll stay here, and I will never see him again. And he'll forget about me, and I'm so afraid I'll forget about him after a while.

He will walk right out of my life, and there will be nothing I can do to stop him leaving.

"Alexander?"

"Hmm?" I asked, jumping back to the present when she said my name.

Her voice was soft, far too soft. I didn't need her to treat me like a child. "You're crying again. Are you sure you're alright? You can go lay down for the rest of the day if you want."

"And miss out on Thomas's performance? Doubt it," I said as brightly as I could, but Eliza wasn't convinced.

Eventually, we caught up with the others, who were standing in front of a great wooden door talking to James. I was having a little bit of trouble hearing their voices above the crowd gathered waiting outside the door.

"So how long is this thing supposed to last, anyway?" Hercules asked.

"Well, they're usually about two hours long."

Lafayette deflated, but he didn't say anything as he clasped his hands behind his back. "There you two are. Where'd you go?"

I didn't have an answer apart from the truth, so I shrugged and looked away. "Has anybody seen Thomas since this morning?"

"I saw Angelica talking to him," Philip said. "I didn't catch what they were talking about though."

"Right, well," James said, changing the subject quickly. "They're about to let us in soon, so I better be going. I hope you guys have fun, and hopefully I'll catch up with you later."

I watched him as he left, and I didn't like the suspicions that were slowly drifting into my mind after he had quickly fled the question. "Should we go in?" I asked, still distracted.

"I guess so."

Eliza brushed her shoulder against my arm as she passed to catch up with Philip and Peggy, and I found it slightly comforting. The door opened, and a servant led our group to a row of seats closer to the front. My eyes strained in the dim lighting, but I was able to make out a stage standing in against the wall. I smiled to myself and glanced around, noticing how similar to a theater this was. I wonder if it was always like that, or if it was something Thomas had done. It didn't really fit in with the rest of the Capital.

I didn't mind it though; it brought me closer to Earth.

A silence filled the room as everyone got seated. Anticipation hung over every head as thick as smoke as we waited for anything to happen. I don't know why my stomach was twisted into a knot, as I didn't have any reason to be so nervous.

I surveyed the stage, wondering where he was standing and what exactly he had planned. I couldn't wait much longer for the show to begin, to see Thomas again after what had happened this morning.

It wasn't long before a figure stepped onto stage. James waited until the last of the whispers had died out before announcing some pre-prepared speech about how honored both of them were that Thomas was given this chance and other similar shit that I know Thomas didn't really think.

But I have to hand it to James, he is better at this than I could ever be.

"And without further ado, I present to you your new lord." James stepped off the stage, and the lights spread through the theater dimmed.

A pressing silence overtook the theatre. I waited patiently, but nothing happened for the longest time. I leaned over to Eliza and opened my mouth to speak, but a single spotlight flashed on, pointing directly at the middle of the stage. A piano sat there, alone and untouched. Murmuring rose, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eliza frown.

"What's that thing?" she asked.

"Just watch."

Suddenly, a figure stepped onto the stage. I smiled at Thomas without realizing I was doing so. His eyes swept over the audience, but landed where I was sitting. Could he see me, or had he just known where I was based on pure intuition? His chest rose and fell in a sigh of relief, and he stepped forward to the piano.

I could feel the impatience radiating off of the crowd, but they were rewarded as Thomas sat down and set his fingers on the ivory keys. A second more passed, and he began to play.

The prettiest notes hit the air, and the second I grabbed onto them, I was taken far away from the theatre. A breath escaped my mouth, but I wasn't afraid. I could feel Thomas's mind all around me, constantly there anywhere you looked.

When my eyes peeled open, I was sitting in a very familiar room. I almost laughed as I took in the sights of the library, and that's when the song turned from a collection of a few notes into a symphony. Other instruments joined the piano, each prettier than the last. Part of me recognized the song being played, but for the life of me, I couldn't place it.

I gazed out at the open wall, admiring the way the stars shimmered, brighter than I had ever seen them before. Was this how Thomas saw them? Beings full of experience and love? I could hear their hushed whispering mingled with the song, and my heart leaped into my chest.

And eventually, I heard singing. It was faint and distant, but it was Thomas. I held onto his voice as tightly as I dared, fearing that if I ever let go, I'd never hear it again.

But most importantly, I felt at peace. I felt acceptance. I felt love. Is this what the library meant for him? A place he could go where he knew everything would be alright? Was it because of me?

I was vaguely aware of something warm and sticky trailing down my face. They must have been tears. Was I crying? I couldn't tell.

Each note that split the air was a drug, pulling me closer and pushing me away at the same time. I stared up at the stars as I listened, wanting to stay in the moment for the rest of time.

Eventually, the song ended, and I was thrown back into my seat in the theatre. I opened my eyes to see Thomas stand up from the piano. He dropped into a bow, then disappeared. The single light, which seemed far dimmer when compared to the light of the stars, disappeared all at once, plunging the theatre into darkness.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, unable to contain my smile.