5 years later (1985-age 5)

I was watching Lin play in the yard with a few other boys. I quickly learned that he can see me, but only he can see me. Perhaps this was a similar case for Philip?

I walked up to Lin after the boys left. "Hey champ."

He smiled. "Alex!" He tried hugging me, but since I'm a ghost, he was just hugging air. Well, more like he was hugging himself almost. "Oops."

I chuckled, bending down to his level. "It's alright. Hey, can I try something?" He nodded. "Can you go get me some paper and a pen?"

"Okay!" He said, running off inside. I followed him, watching him grab a notebook and his sisters pen, and run under the dining room table. I chuckled as he settled down.

"Hold the pen, okay?" He nodded, holding the pen above the paper, as if he was about to write something. "Um, write your name."

He complied, messily writing his name.

LiN-mANUAL

I touched his hand after he was done, watching as it fused with his hand. I tried guiding it to the paper, and to my surprise, it actually followed my lead. I swiftly, but delicately, wrote his name.

Lin-Manual

"Woah." He muttered in utter amazement as I finished, my hand unfusing with his. "What happened?"

"I think....I think I possessed your hand." I explained.

"What does Poe-said mean?" He asked.

I chuckled. "Possessed. It means I took over a part of your body."

"Cool!" He exclaimed. "Can you posses my whole body?"

I shrugged. "Probably, but I won't."

"Why not?"
"Because that'd be abuse to your body, and I don't want to use you, even if you're supposedly my reincarnate."

He nodded absentmindedly, walking upstairs into his bedroom.

3 years later (1988-age 8)

Lin sighed, halfway finished with his homework. "I hate math."

I chuckled. "It wasn't my strong suit either."

"Well, What was your strong suit?"
"What's yours?"
"Reading and writing."
"Bingo."

From the past 8 years, I had gotten better with 20th century lingo.

"Well, wasn't writing kinda important back then?" He asked. "I mean, you had to write everything."

"So do you." I rebutted.

"Yeah, but In the future, I can just write on a phone or something."

I chuckled. "You could do that now."

"I don't have a death wish." He giggled. "And you're avoiding the question!"

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Yes, writing was extremely important back then, but I'd usually go above and beyond."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, quoting friends, family, enemies, and hell, even strangers, I'd write like I was running out of time." I smiled fondly at the memory. Lin just stared at me.

"You never told me who you were." He said. "In life, I mean."

"I already told you, I was just a stupid man that made mistakes." I rebutted. In all honesty, I didn't want him to know who I was. I didn't want him to find out about the affair. About my idiotic tendencies. About the duel that killed me in the end. He'd hate me.

"Just give me a last name?" He pleaded. "Or people you knew?"

I sighed, giving in. "Fine. I knew Jefferson and Washington. Happy?"

He smiled. "Very." He got up and ran out of his room.

"Hey, where're we going?" I asked, following him.

"To the library."

"Alexander Hamilton?" He asked, reading a book. "You were a founding father?" I nodded. "How come you didn't want me to know?"

I sighed. "Because I wasn't exactly....perfect."

"Well, duh." He giggled. "Nobody's perfect, dummy."

I chuckled. "I know, but I didn't want you to learn about my mistakes. Not yet, at least."

"Why not?"
"Because a few of my mistakes shouldn't be known by an eight year old."

He giggled. "Luckily for you, all of our history books just kinda graze over the ugly parts. Don't wanna think that our founding fathers were people, now would we?"

I laughed. "Fair enough."

"Are you alright?" The librarian asked, walking towards us...well, Lin. "I thought I heard you talking to someone." She then looked around to find another person that wasn't there.

"Oh, no, sorry ma'am!" Lin apologized. "I'm just talking to myself."

She nodded slightly, obviously not believing him, before walking off.

6 years later (1994-age 14)

I watched as Lin absentmindedly doodled in his notebook as his teacher lulled about god knows what. I was even getting bored.

"God, does this guy ever shut up?" A girl muttered, laying her head on the desk, to which the teacher got on to her. She sighed, then started watching Lin doodle. "You suck at drawing."

"Wow, thanks." He retorted. "Like you could do any better."

She swiftly took the pencil from him, and drew a figure dancing. It looked like it would've taken the average person a week, but she took mere minutes to draw it.

"Isn't Vanessa so talented?" A familiar voice said. I looked behind the girl, Vanessa, to see Aaron. "Reminds me of a certain loud mouthed bother."

"Why're you here?" I snapped. Lin and Vanessas heads popped up, watching us.

"Who are you talking to?" Lin muttered.

"A friend." I explained.

"And murderer." Aaron added.

Vanessa looked at Lin, wide eyed. "You're Alexander Hamilton's reincarnate!?" He nodded. "Lucky!"

"Ouch." Aaron muttered. "Not even my reincarnate wants me."

"Shut the fuck up, Aaron." I snapped.

"Alex!" Lin snapped loudly. The rest of the class got silent, looking at him snapping at no one. He blushed in embarrassment. "Y-you know, my friend, Alex." He chuckled awkwardly, trying to pass it off as a conversation with Vanessa.

"Oh yeah....Alex...." She replied. "I can't believe he did that....thing..."

Everyone eventually went back to whatever they were doing, so which Lin sighed.

"Smooth." Aaron commented. "They definitely bought that."

"Ugh, if I wasn't a ghost, I would punch you right in the face." I groaned. I paused for a moment before trying to punch Aaron, quickly finding out I could.

"OW, FUCK!" Aaron yelped, holding his nose. "Shit, that hurt."

"How, you're dead!?" Vanessa whispered. Aaron just shrugged as class dismissed.

"What's your name, anyway?" Lin asked. "And how'd you know that I'm Hamilton's reincarnate?"

She smiled. "I'm Vanessa Nadal. And I knew because I actually read the history books, and I know that the only person my ghost, Aaron Burr, killed was, in fact, Alexander Hamilton."

"Snooty much?" I asked. "Wait, shit, are y'all going to be enemies?"

"I hope not." Lin replied.

4 years later (1998-age 18)

"I can't believe you're eighteen already." I said as Lin drove home. "It's kinda bittersweet, honestly."

"How so?" He asked.

"Well, my son died at nineteen." I explained. "You kinda remind me of him, actually."

"What was he like?"

"Well, he was kind. Smart. Wrote a lot, which, you know, isn't quite shocking. He had girls falling at his feet too, which isn't surprising. I mean, he was my son."

Lin chuckled. "Alright Casanova. C'mon, let's go. We're gonna be late."

I nodded as he stopped the car and we got out.

3 years later (2001-age 21)

"The big 2-1!" I exclaimed as we entered the bar. "Time to get wasted!"

Lin chuckled, shaking his head. "Dude, you're insane."

"I know I am, and frankly, I don't give a shit." I laughed.

"Dude, are you drunk or something!?"
"Nah, I'm a ghost, remember? Can't get drunk, unfortunately."
"Then why are you acting like you're wasted?"
"Because I can."

Lin rolled his eyes, laughing. "Dumbass."

"Agreed." I heard a voice say. I look around to see America's favorite fighting Frenchman.

"Lafayette!" I exclaimed, hugging my friend. "Why're you here?"

"My reincarnates here." He waved me off. "Tell me, mon ami, how are things?"

"Good. Great, actually." I explained, smiling. "My reincarnate, Lin, is actually turning twenty-one today."

"Oh, tell him I said congratulations." He said. "Unfortunately, I have to get back to my reincarnate. Trying to avoid thirsty girls, ya know?"

I laughed. "Alright. Until next time, friend."

He waved as he ran off to a man trying (and failing) to get away from a group of girls by standing on a table.

"Just wait until that table breaks." Lin commented. "He'll be swarmed by, what, twenty girls?"

I snickered. "Ya know, he reminds me of a particular dick head."

"Who?"
"Thotmas Jeffershit."
"Who?"
"Are you really that stupid?"

Lin shook his head, chuckling. "Nah, just wanted to fuck with ya."

I tried (and failed) to playfully punch his arm, chuckling. "Ya dick."

"Well, I am your reincarnate." He retorted. I feigned mock offense.

"You really are a dick!" I laughed. I then noticed the bar patrons glaring our (well, Lin's) way. Right, I'm dead. They can't see me, not unless I've interacted with their reincarnates. "Hey, I'm gonna go, aight? I just....wanna walk."

"Okay, I'm gonna join yo-"

"No!" I stopped him. "You enjoy yourself. It's not like I'm gonna get mugged or anything. I'm dead, remember? I'll be back in a little while, okay?" He nodded. "I'll see ya in a bit, Lin."

I walked out of the bar, taking in the cold New York air. It's been a while, and....my god, how everything has changed. How did this happen? Not even 300 years has passed!

I sighed, walking down the sidewalk. Where I'm walking, I don't know. I just.....need to get out. I tried remembering these streets. God, it's been so long.

I blinked, and suddenly, I was back home. No, I was a stranger in a strange land. I looked over someone's shoulder, reading the daily news.

1776

I smiled, soon finding a younger me, confused on the streets, trying to find a certain Aaron Burr.

Is this a memory? It has to be.....right?

As soon as it came, it left, with the wind. My memories. Those precious things just.....gone.

No, they're not gone. Not really. They just....passed. Yes, passed. Almost like a short and bittersweet dream. You know what I mean?

I sighed, walking back to the bar.

Back to my reincarnate.

I may have lost my old life, but I'm not losing my new life.

I'm going to try to make him make good choices, and not end up like a fuck up, like I did.

I can't promise anything yet, but I'm going to try.

For his sake.

1733 words

A lot longer than last chapter. Some familiar faces this chapter, and a bittersweet memory! Just wait until next chapter, which won't be as long, But it'll include In The Heights, and Lin being an awkward young adult flirting, as well as Alex meeting another familiar face.

Anyways, it's 12:07am, and I'm tired, so good night you beautiful freaks ✌️