This is an AU where Alexander left for a different reason.

Haytham was fighting back tears in the library, after Hedwig once again broke another priceless antique that belonged to Judas and blamed Haytham for it. It was a baroque porcelain robins egg blue vase. Even though he was told to stay away, Hedwig had to see it. Of course Judas believed him, and tore into Haytham once again. Alexander was stroking the young boy's back trying to soothe him. He was well aware of Hedwig's ability to pass on the blame. "Haytham, please. Don't take it personally. Hedwig is just a dolt, and didn't mean you any harm." He chuckled, but was taken by surprise when his hand was crisply smacked away

Haytham stared him straight in the face. "What the bloody Hell do you know about Hedwig?! He's my brother. I KNOW HIM MORE THAN ANYBODY DAMN HIS SOUL!" He ripped off his jabot and revealed his dark branching veins. "You always want to make excuses for Hedwig. You just needed somebody to take care of? To be your little surrogate brother. To make you feel like you were doing some good!" He pointed to his neck. "Did Hedwig tell you about my neck? How he made he look like this? If you knew, you would NEVER look at him the same way again." Alexander looked confused. "What do you mean?" He asked worried about what he meant. Haytham decided it was time for the ultimate revenge. It was time to take away the one person that loved Hedwig unconditionally. Time to burn the heart out of his so called "brother" He smirked pulling a book off one of the shelves.

Hedwig was sitting in the dining room, laughing as he enjoyed a rich apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top. He had ice cream on his face wiping it away with a napkin. He heard footsteps coming in. "Hmm oh, Alex. Taste this. Ice cream on apple pie! I love this." Alexander didn't smile. It snapped Hedwig to alertness. He face look twisted in emotional pain. "Hedwig. I need to ask you something very important. I pray to God that I'm wrong." Pierre dropped his fork confused. Hedwig stared in heart stopping dread at his book in Alexander's hand. "What is it, Alexander?" He asked scared.

"Did you murder Haytham?"

Hedwig looked like his whole world came crashing down. "I...." Alexander was starting to shake. "Tell me now, Hedwig....now." Hedwig felt himself breaking Alexander's heart. His voice came out in a whisper. "I had no choice.... I had to do it." His voice came out in a whisper unable to ease his caretaker's pain. "Hedwig..." The man made a face, Hedwig never seen before. "He was sick . I did it for his benefit so he wouldn't be humiliated." Alexander trembled dropping the book, as he was processing this information. "Yes... I killed Haytham," He said in a faint whisper.

It was too much and Alexander turned toward the doors. Hedwig started hyperventilating as he stood up and tried to chase after him. "Alex!" He grabbed his cane going as fast as he could. He walked out toward the stables as inky black tears streamed down Hedwig's face. "Alexander, I didn't do it for money, or pleasure. You-you have to believe me." Pierre followed trying to make sure Hedwig didn't fall over at his desperate speed. "I-I-I should've told you you the day we met. I-I know that, but-but you know now, so can we please talk about it?" Judas stopped trimming the hedges seeing Hedwig in distress.

Alexander pulled Penelope out toward the trail. Hedwig was panicking. "Alex, stop!" Alexander turned to him. "Hedwig, I really tried hard to help you with everything, and it's only given me turmoil. Now, it hurts just looking at you. I have to go." He mounted Penelope and grabbed her reigns. "Alex please-please no." Heinrich stopped fixing a fountain. He finally started wailing, and clutched Alexander's leg. "LOOK I SCREWED UP, OKAY?! I want to make it better, please let me make it better, tell me how to make it better." His arms trembled looking like a child about to lose his parents. "Please." He said smearing black tears on his stocking. "I love you."

Alexander took one last look at his face as he shook tears streaming down his face as well. "...go Penelope." She galloped as Alexander wept clenching his jaw. Hedwig frantically chased after him. "NO, ALEX! ALEX PLEASE! COME BACK! COME BACK!" When he couldn't run any further his leg gave out and he fell to the gravel covered ground. For the first time since he met Alexander, the Brit wasn't there to help him up. He watched as Alexander shrank in the distance fading from view. He laid there crying having lost his one true caretaker. He turned his head toward the door, seeing his brother stand there emotionless. Haytham merely tied the jabbot around his neck, and turned toward the door walking in giving one last angry scowl at Hedwig. Hedwig's lip merely trembled, as he was left there. He did all he could. He curled up on the ground crying, as Heinrich, Judas, and Pierre walked up to his aid.