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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 8th 1791

Alexander Hamilton walked through the dark streets of Philadelphia, with street lamps illuminating his path. That morning, he had spoken with a lovely young woman named Maria Reynolds. She told him that her husband had abandoned her and her daughter. She needed money to get transport to New York City where her family was living. At the time she spoke to him, she seemed sincere. He felt compassion for her and felt as though he could help and turn her life around. But as he walked through the silent streets, he began to think of how attractive she was. She did seem smitten while they were speaking and maybe they could pursue romantic interests, he thought. Her husband has abandoned her and she was in need of a manly figure in her life to take care of her. Elizabeth Hamilton, His own wife was quite far away and this wouldn’t be the first time he sought out worldly pleasures before.

But as he continued on he thought about the long term of the situation and shook the temporary infatuation out of his head. This woman was married and that could not change. She was 10 years his junior and he really knew virtually nothing about this woman. But he knew the real reason why he had been seeking her out. Angelica Shuyler Church, his wife’s sister had been flirting with him for quite some time. She was everything her sister was not; she had a mind for politics, quite beautiful, dangerous and lively. Yet, when he failed to get Philip Shuyler in these last few months, she had repudiated him. Yet, he knew pursuing some dark haired woman wasn’t worth giving up on Angelica or Elizabeth for that matter. He settled on it, if she tried to be smitten with him, he would not agree and would give her the money and leave. He should also try to reconnect with Angelica and ask her to resume whatever they had before.

After a few more minutes of walking, he reached Maria’s residence. He knocked on the door and after a few moments of waiting Maria opened it and looked up. “Oh… hello Alexander.” She said as she opened the door.

“Hello, Maria. I have the money you requested to return you and your daughter to New York.” Hamilton replied somewhat hesitantly, not knowing how she would respond. She was quite beautiful, standing their on the front step.

“Well, why don’t you come in and stay awhile?” She said, obviously flirting with him. That one sentence confirmed his worst fears. He knew how attractive she was and how much she wanted him. His immediate reaction would be to go inside, but after thinking it over he could not. He cared too much for his freedom and his relationship for Angelica.

“No I cannot come in. I cannot do this and pursue this with you. You are first and foremost, married and you are also a young girl and I am an old man. This just won’t be able to work.” He told her. Then, he gave her the money and then quickly walked away.

Maria was obviously shocked. “Wait!” She yelled to him as he began to disappear into the darkness. As she tried to chase him, he was already too far away. A few blocks away, Alexander Hamilton was quickly retreating. He had successfully evaded a very harrowing situation. He would make sure that he would never get involved with that woman ever again. Yet, he was in luck. Angelica was staying not too far from here on the northern edge of the city. He decided to hurry there as soon as he could.

He found the small house Angelica was staying in and he walked up the steps, hoping she would be there. Sure enough, before he could even knock on the door Angelica opened up the door and looked disapprovingly at him. Yet, he couldn’t help but see her tenacity and independence which drew him to her.

“Why are you here Alexander? You shouldn’t be here this late, not even at all.” She said shaking her head. After that, she looked up at him with a look he could only contrive as a hopeful gesture, showing he could still redeem himself.

“I wanted to speak with you about why I am receiving such terrible treatment from you. I tried to get your father reelected, but it’s the damn people and their Jacobin tendencies especially that Aaron Burr character.” Hamilton stood there, emoting at her. He was quite unhappy with the recent string of Anti-Federalist victories and Angelica shared his feeling. Her face changed from one expressing discontent to showing empathy, only enhancing her attractiveness.

“Alexander, do you really feel that way about those farmers?” She asked amusingly, showing a playfulness that had been absent ever since her father’s defeat. He smiled and looked at her, now happy she was finally letting him back in.

“They are a blind, massive and shapeless monster, who cannot feed, clothe and show any self-respect whatsoever.” Hamilton retorted, somewhat sarcastically but nonetheless he felt that way. He couldn’t stand when he knew what was right and yet the poor uneducated masses didn’t agree with him.

“Ah yes…” Angelica responded, smirking at him. “Yet, you don’t seem to understand. This is a free nation, where that shapeless monster has the final say in the fate of all of us. But I do not know a man who can match your cunning intellect and natural charisma and you can guide the blind monster and direct it according to your will. It may be much stronger than you but you can outwit it and use the strength to further your own goals.” She said, and Hamilton was quite affected by it. He had fought helplessly against public opinion and watched himself lose, but if he could shape public opinion himself he could achieve wonders. “Now come inside, it is far too late for you to be out there. We can talk more about this over some wine.” She said gesturing him in. He smiled and walked inside, relishing in this victorious moment.


Footnotes: In OTL, that night began a three year affair between Maria Reynolds and Alexander Hamilton, one which eventually would be leaked (By none other than Aaron Burr) to Washington and his colleagues in the highest levels of government. Eventually, he had to make a public admittance of the affair to the entire Nation, destroying his reputation as a political figure and destroyed his chances of advancing up the political Ladder. In TTL, of course this affair is ended before it is started.
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