Chapter Text
From the moment the bullet pierced him, precisely between the ribs, Aaron knew he had made a mistake in dueling Hamilton. Guilt tore him to shreds as he dropped his own gun, smoking, to the ground and ran forward, being forcibly held back by Alexander's second, Nathaniel Pendleton.
" You've done quite enough, Burr!"
He was shoved backward and away as Nathaniel took his seat next to Hamilton, the doctor trying to tend the fatal wound. They all knew Hamilton wasn't going to make it. That much was obvious.
Aaron looked at his second, biting his lip and hurriedly picking up his discarded gun, handing it to his friend before briskly leaving the area of the slaughter.
He was at a bar when news of Hamilton's death reached the town.
He was in his house when news reached his daughter.
He was in the courthouse when news reached his boss, and he was promptly fired, his political pursuits poisoned.
He was the villain in this story.
---
" I hope you're satisfied," Angelica bit out as he passed her on the street.
Aaron merely kept walking, staring ahead of him, emotionless.
" You could at least reply to her, you know."
He froze, his blood chilling, running to ice.
That voice.
Aaron whipped around but saw no one there.
" I must be hearing things..."
The voice didn't cease, in fact, it laughed bitterly.
" Yeah, blame it on your fleeting sanity."
That was Hamilton's voice.
Aaron opened his eyes and jumped. Alexander was standing in front of him, stained with blood that ran down his dress shirt.
" You're dead..."
" Bingo. Someone get the man a prize. Not only is he a, haha, killer shot, but he's also the brainiest. He did graduate early, after all."
Aaron ran from the voice, not stopping until he reached his house, slamming the door shut and sliding down it, shaking.
" And here he wallows in barely concealed grief. It's kinda sad, really. A man reduced to a husk. But you never really stood for anything to begin with, did you?"
He curled in on himself.
" Why are you doing this?!"
" Oh? Do you not know?"
Alexander knelt, smiling softly, eye twitching.
" No, I don't."
" Well, Burr, this is my purgatory. There's just so much to do. I left things undone, but the one thing that keeps me here the most, the most pressing matter, is your own demise."
Aaron balked.
" W-What?"
" You heard me. I am not a vengeful man, but I am also not one who takes kindly to being shot. I left so much behind."
" And you crave revenge."
" Hah, yes, and no."
Aaron lifted himself from the floor.
" Explain?"
" I'd rather see you be your own undoing. It's already in motion. Those who stand for nothing fall for anything, after all," Alexander said cheekily.
Brushing himself off, Burr brushed past Hamilton's ghost, careful not to bump the supernatural being.
" Already in motion?"
" You're repeating me like an infant."
" No, I'm not. I'm just wondering how you already know so much."
" I can see things you can't, Burr."
Alexander walked after Burr, following him carefully throughout the house.
" Why not go see your dear Eliza?"
" She, while a priority, is not the thing keeping me trapped here, so she will not be able to see me."
" Only I can see you?"
" Sadly."
Aaron thought over the new revelation.
" Your goal is to drive me mad, to the absolute brink of insanity..."
" Ding ding ding, we have a glorious winner~!"
Aaron stared into Alexander's white eyes.
"...Why...?"
Alexander grinned, breaking out into laughter.
" You really have to ask that?"
Alexander snapped and Burr was suddenly on his knees, craning his neck to look at Alexander.
" I'm just putting you through what life plans for you."
Aaron looked terrified.