John hadn't seen Alex since the incident with Levi two days ago, and for all he knew, he could be dead. The ambulance whisked him away and Washington locked Levi up. That was the end of it. The staff organised for both parties to see Angelica, the psychologist, but John didn't turn up for his appointment. John couldn't focus on anything, burning his hands in the laundry, burying his hand instead of the seeds in gardening and chopping his fingers and not the food in kitchen duty. He was a mess and the bandages littering his hands were proof enough. His one favourite pass time, drawing, he couldn't do while his hands were bundled up so John spent his days over-thinking scenarios and waiting for Alex to return, if he would at all.

Over the last two days nobody had really stepped up to take the role of top dog, probably out of fear of the curse the position might bestow upon them.

John considered it for half a millisecond before completely dissing himself for even thinking of it. Right now all he could really think of was Alex, guilt and worry eating away at him endlessly. And despite the fact that Levi was now locked away in solitary confinement, he still struggled to sleep at night knowing the man who attempted to rape him 3 times was sleeping in the same building as him.

Lafayette and Hercules hung with John, putting up with his sulky sook attitude with sympathetic outlooks. One particular lunch time, however, John was not in the mood to put on a brave face. He stood from his seat, pushing his tray away.
"John- where are you off to?" Lafayette asked as he began to leave.
"I'm going to see Washington," John replied over his shoulder. "Enjoy your lunch," he added, exiting the room.

Hercules and Lafayette shared a suspicious glance, eye brows raised, as they watched John leave, not that John noticed. He was dead-set on seeing Alex. He wasn't going to rest until he knew Alex was safe.

John found Seabury in the hallway and took the opportunity as it came.
"Officer Seabury! Would you be able to get me to the Governor's office? It's urgent." John coaxed.
"Uh... sure John," Seabury replied, not sure if he believed John but rolling with it anyway. He scanned his ID card at least 4 times for different hallways until they reached Washington's office.

A meeting was already taking place inside so Seabury seated John beside the door to wait his turn.
"Thank you so much," he nodded with gratitude.

John sat patiently, the mumbling of Washington's meeting buzzing from the wall behind him. He wasn't sure who he was talking to, but he was intrigued. John pressed his ear up against the wall, taking shallow breaths to listen carefully.

"The prisoners have too much freedom, this needs to cut down starting with not being allowed to leave their cell blocks whenever they please throughout the day," A stern voice lectured, footsteps pacing back and forth. John recognised it, but struggled to place to voice to a face while it was muffled and quiet.
"I know, but we can't just change facility rules based on one inmate, on one incident," Washington sighed from the other side.

"Governor this was not just one incident, Levi Weeks is a possessive sex offender, I'll have you know he has raped 6 other men, advancing on John Laurens three reported times. If I hadn't-" The anonymous voice exclaimed, coming to a stand still from their pacing, but interrupted by Washington.
"Well if it's just Levi and Laurens, I'll have one of them moved to another facility, possibly upstate," Washington muttered.

John's breath hitched in his throat. If he was moved, he wouldn't be with Alex. He wouldn't be with Herc and Laf and he would have to start all over again as the 'fresh meat' at a new prison.

"Is that even debatable? Levi would be moved. Laurens has done nothing to provoke him, if anything he helped you with Hamilton's case. Apply for Weeks to be shipped off upstate, they can deal with his shit." The voice spat with a small laugh. Washington chuckled, concealing it by clearing his voice. John sighed in relief. Levi would be moving away. He wouldn't have to worry about that bastard anymore.

"On another note, I have received a report about an affair between Officer Seabury and Charles Lee, is this true?" Washington asked slowly, curiosity and danger laced through his voice.
"No governor, this was just a petty rumour to try and have Seabury removed from his position as head of correctional staff. I wouldn't worry." The voice confirmed, satisfying Washington.

"Right, well, keep an eye on Mr Laurens, if he knew Alexander was on his death bed we'd have a serious mental case on our hands." Washington sighed under his breath, John caught it.
If he knew Alexander was on his death bed.

John didn't even wait for the meeting to finish. He jumped up and threw open the office door, Washington and Thomas Paine's heads whipping towards him.

"WHERE'S ALEX." John yelled.
"Laurens! That is inappropri-" Washington began to scold before John cut over him.
"Don't lecture me right now George. I need to see Alex." He growled, his knuckles turning white as he squeezed the door handle.

"Seabury!" Washington yelled. Samuel came bounding into the room, identifying the situation with caution. "Laurens, cuff him." Washington ordered. John jumped backwards and scrambled against the wall as Seabury advanced towards him.

"Hey- hey fuck off!" John yelled as Seabury grabbed him by the arm and spun him around against the wall, cuffing his hands behind his back.
John kicked and thrashed under Officer Seabury's hold before Washington approached him, glaring at him with dark eyes.

"Do you want to see Mr Hamilton or not?" He warned menacingly. John slowly relaxed under Seabury's hold, sighing with defeat. Seabury's hand rested on John's shoulder but John shoved his shoulder forward, shaking his hand off aggressively.

He met Paine's eyes, which were brimmed with sympathy. John broke the eye contact and looked over at Washington.
"Take him to the hospital, cuffed, fine to be released once you enter Hamilton's room." Washington sighed.

John's face lit up like a christmas tree and Seabury led him out of Washington's office.
"Thank you, thank you so much," John breathed while he was pushed out of the room.
Washington nodded in approval, the office door closing on him and Paine behind John.

---

Seabury, John and the nurse continued to make their way down the hall of the hospital.
"Now John, it is actually against the law that you're here, and it is actually against the law that I leave you alone in Mr Hamilton's room with him, but if you agree to never bring this encounter up, we can go through with it." Seabury whispered. John met Samuel's eyes with determination and gratitude, nodding his head 'yes' thoroughly.

The nurse left them by Alex's door and Seabury turned to John with a key in hand.
"You have 10 minutes." He ordered, unlocking John's handcuffs.
"Thank you!" John whispered, leaping into the room as soon as his cuffs were off.

He ripped back the curtain and Alex's head tilted towards him in weak surprise. A sad smile slowly graced his features and John dove towards him in the hospital bed.
"John, oh my god, h-how are you here?" Alex croaked while John held him tightly.
"Who the fuck cares," John laughed, diving down and peppering Alex's face with kisses. Alex giggled lightly, hugging John back and gripping his clothes in his fists weakly. John lay in the bed beside Alex with the top half of his body propped up over Alex, careful to avoid the drip attached to Alex's arm.

"Where were you shot?" John asked nervously, his head tilting down and his eyes darting from Alex's thigh to his stomach. He had been clutching both at the scene.
"Bullet just passed through the muscles surrounding my abdomen, but never enter the true abdominal cavity at all." Alex breathed. John sighed with relief.
"They said you were dying," John choked, clutching Alex tighter.
"Uh, yesterday I was slipping in and out of consciousness non-stop," Alex muttered. John looked at him with an expression of pure panic. "Just from blood loss though, I'm fine now, someone anonymous donated blood and I can't thank them enough." Alex added, John relaxing a little.

"When are you coming back?" John asked worriedly, tracing circles in Alex's skin with his fingertips.
"I'll be transferred into the medical ward at King's in about four days," Alex replied slowly, brushing one hand through John's hair. "Hey,"

John looked up at Alex and Alex froze for a moment, almost forgetting what he was going to say at how beautiful John looked right now, his eyes sparkling with lust but also flecks of pain.
"J-john, are you... okay?" Alex asked just above a whisper, his voice one of concern. John nodded his head and a smile danced on his lips.
"Levi is being transferred upstate," John beamed. Alex relaxed a little and pulled John closer, a relieved smile growing on his lips.

Suddenly, guilt began to pool in John's stomach. Alex still didn't know his lag landed him in prison. And if John had just written Alex as innocent, he wouldn't have been shot. It was all his fault Alex had been shot. It was all his fault. Tears began to well in John's eyes and Alex quickly noticed, running his thumbs across John's cheeks to wipe them away.

"John, what's wrong," Alex cooed quietly, pulling John's face closer to his own.
"I- I don't want to t-talk about it, n-not here." John managed to get out, his throat closing up as sobs rose.
"Okay," Alex sighed, moving one hand to John's back and rubbing it soothingly. John collapsed onto Alex's chest and buried his face in his hospital gown, wishing he could find a way to change everything but still keep Alex.

"John," Alex's raspy voice vibrated through John's head. John lifted his head off Alex's chest and glanced up at him. "I love you."

John leaned up and fluttered his eyes closed, pressing his lips against Alex's. Alex's hands cupped John's face as he kissed back. The kiss was slow and passionate, a kiss both boys had been dying to share since the incident.
"I love you too," John said against, Alex's lips, diving back into the kiss. Alex smiled against his lips and held him closer, never wanting this moment to end.