Wait For It | a Hamilton fanfiction | wattys 2017

Chapter 71

This was it. Lin's final show in Hamilton, and this time, Pippa was still going to remain behind. It was weird. The whole day felt like a dream of some kind. Pippa didn't even cry. Last time, she had bawled her eyes out the day before and the entire day of her and Lin's last show.

Everyone was sneaking around the theatre with parting gifts, and it was all so surreal. Pippa couldn't imagine the tour without Lin as Hamilton. It was too weird to think about.

They had one final show circle before the show.

"I just want to say, thank you all so much for this amazing experience. I never would have been able to make this international tour without each and every one of you by my side. I always get the credit for this show, but all of you are truly what gives Hamilton its wings to fly. I know that you will be fantastic without me, and I trust you all. You are some of the best people I have ever met- some of you I knew from the Broadway cast. Pippa. Daveed. Oak. Jazzy, Anthony. Carleigh. Alysha. Thayne. And some of you I just got to know before we left- Brett, Kaitlyn, Lana, Jessa, Araella, Beckett... you are all just as wonderful, just as brilliant. You truly would have belonged in the original cast. I regret that I do not have more time with all of you."

"When I made this show, I never thought it would become the show it has. Most of it is due to your unwavering faith, talent, and strength. All the drama and tragedies that have happened over the course have only made this cast stronger. And I have watched you grow, as people and as actors. I am so proud. Thank you for this experience. It is one that I will never, ever forget."

The cast applauded and Pippa could see the tears in Lin's eyes.

"Curtain in five," the stage manager said, but even he sounded reluctant to announce it.

They all made a huddle.

"I love you all," Lin said.

And then they dispersed to their places.

Pippa was close to crying already, and the show hadn't even begun.

Every time the opening notes to the next song played, Pippa's breath caught a little in her throat. James wasn't onstage- the original tour cast was performing for the last time together. The last show of Lin as Alexander Hamilton.

Pippa's heart was heavy, but every time she saw Lin, she felt a little better knowing that he wasn't gone yet. They still had act one.

The last time kissing Lin in 'Helpless'... the last rewind in 'Satisfied'... the last 'That Would Be Enough'... the ensemble's emotional last 'Yorktown' with Lin as their commander... Lin's final 'Dear Theodosia'...

Lin's last act one. When the last note of 'Non-Stop' sounded, everyone in the cast became a little sadder, just knowing that every song in act one would never be performed with Lin again.

Act two went by quicker than Pippa wanted. She wanted that night to stretch out into infinity, with her friends always by her side. With Lin.

But it was all so quick. They were running out of time together, and everyone knew it.

'Take a Break' with Lana, Lin, and Anthony was sad, but during 'Stay Alive Reprise', Pippa wasn't crying for Philip- she was crying for Lin.

And during 'It's Quiet Uptown', Lana, who never cried, was crying, and Pippa could see Renee crying in the audience, and Pippa felt her composure crumple onstage.

Pippa wasn't emotionally prepared for 'Best of Wives, Best of Women'. She could see the pain in Lin's eyes when he saw her, and when he sang 'best of wives and best of women', his voice broke a little bit.

Pippa watched Lin's final duel, trying to hold herself together for 'Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story', and barely managed to.

But when she was singing, she couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Lin was about to make his final appearance onstage.

And when they sang the final notes of the show, Lac held the note as long as possible. None of them wanted to stop, none of them wanted Alex to cut off the final chord, but when he did, and Pippa had to do her final gasp, it came out like a cry instead.

Pippa led the final bow, already crying, and then Lin stepped forward for his solo bow.

The entire theatre stood and applauded, and then the cast formed the single line for bows. Pippa held tightly to Lin's hand. He squeezed it gently.

They all bowed together, twice, and the Pippa gently pushed Lin to take another bow alone.

Lac raised his baton and Lin looked confused, but then the melody to 'Wait For It' began one final time.

They sang, but changed the lyrics to only be about love. Pippa could see tears in Lin's eyes, and when the final note sounded through the theatre, the audience burst into applause again.

Pippa silenced the crowd again, and then she motioned for the cast to bring forward their gifts. "We already gave you our gifts, but here are some tokens of our love."

Each cast member handed Lin a rose and hugged him, and then they all stepped back. The entire theatre went dark except where Lin stood.

The theatre was silent, and then:

"Alexander Hamilton!" the entire cast sang. Those two words echoed through the theatre and then the spotlight on Lin switched off.

When the lights came back on, Lin and the rest of the cast was gone.

~~~~~~~

hey hey hey! 

i'm back from camp and i'm super happy that abby updated yay! thanks to her for that! and i got third chair in band and fourth in symphony orchestra, so that was good too! 

have a great day!

~darkdisrepair