[For context-Alexander is dreaming, and it's the evening before his duel with Burr]

I looked around the familiar, yet unusual place before me. It was a bar....why is it so familiar? The lighting was warm, like if there was a sunset shining through the window, instead of a black void. Yet, while the lighting was warm and lively, the bar itself was not. It was cold, empty aside from me and one other person who I couldn't make out.

Then it hit me.

"Alexander, it's a pleasure to see you again." I heard his voice say. The patrons voice. The voice of my best friend. "Face to face, that is."

"Jack..." I breathed. "Is that really you?"

He turned his head so that I could see his face. His familiar freckled face. His green eyes were cold and dead, and I dont think it's because he is dead.

"Alexander, can I ask you something?" He said, standing up, walking towards me. "What satisfaction did cheating on Eliza give you? What satisfaction did killing Philip, your own flesh and blood that you were so proud that f, give you? What satisfaction did betraying everyone you know and love, including yourself, give you? Or, are you still not satisfied?"

I didn't answer.

"Ah, so now you're silent?" John laughed. "Alexander "Non-Stop" Hamilton, speechless! And all it took was the ghost of his best friend yelling at him for his idiotic mistakes that he decided to make, because, and I quote, 'The only one that could stop me is in the ground'."

I felt tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. "Laurens..."

"No, listen Hamilton." He spat. "My death does not give you a reason to hurt everyone you love! My death isn't an excuse for cheating on Eliza! My death isn't an excuse for publishing your affair in explicit detail. My death isn't an excuse for anything, Hamilton! Sure, grieve all you want, for however long you want, but the way you're grieving isn't appropriate! You're about to kill yourself as soon as dawn hits! Why!? Why are you doing this!?"

It was Laurens' turn to cry. "Why are you hurting everyone? Why can't you be satisfied?"

I sighed a shaky breath. "You're right. I have no excuse for the things I did. Call it grief, stupidity...call it whatever the hell you want."

I let my words hang in the air for a moment, before I continued. "But do I regret everything?  Not particularly, no."

John opened his mouth to remark before I stopped him.

"Let me finish." I sighed. "Do I regret leaving the Caribbean? No. Do I regret joining the revolution? Hell no! Do I regret meeting and marrying Eliza? Definitely not! Do I regret having Philip? Absolutely not!" I stopped for a moment, taking a breath. "But...I do regret abandoning the only person who could've became a closer friend, rather than my worst enemy. I do regret cheating on Eliza, and publishing the affair afterwards, ruining not only my reputation, but also destroying Eliza and Maria's lives. I do regret giving Philip my gun, and sending that angel of a boy to a duel that I knew deep down inside that he wasn't going to come back. I regret fighting with everyone, including myself. And I definitely regret the fact that once dawn hits, I'm going to duel Burr, and most likely never return home."

I choked on my tears.  "I may not act like it Jack, but I am human. I have feelings! I can regret! I just.....I don't have a filter, which is going to be my downfall, which is evident by this duel."

Neither of us spoke for a few minutes, letting my words hang in the air. The tears won't stop falling, no matter how much I try to stop them.

Suddenly, I hear laugher, and suddenly, the bar was full. It was lively with patrons. The atmosphere was as warm as the lighting, making me smile.

"Yo..." John smiled a sad smile, tears falling down his face. "I'm John Laurens, in the place to be. Two pints of Sam Adams, but I'm workin' on three."

I chuckled. "Those redcoats dont want it with me!"

"Because I will pop chick-a-pop these cops till I'm free!" We sang together, laughing.

I missed this. Our interactions like this, before everything went to shit. Joking, light-hearted flirting, drinking.....just small things like that make my heart churn.

"I will see you on the other side, Alexander." He said finally. "Your mother and brother are dying to see you." He chuckled a bit at the pun.

I smiled, seeing as dawn was breaking soon. I felt myself fading from this realm, indicating that I'm waking up. I looked back to Laurens, smiling.

"I shall see you on the other side, my dear Laurens."

And with that, I was gone.

820 words

I've had this one-shot in my head for a couple of months now, so here it is.