Andrea's POV
I was finished packing up at the theatre, and I was starting to walk home, when I got a phone call from Samantha.
"Hey Sam."
"Is this Andrea Macasaet?" Someone who was not Sam asked.
"Yes, who's this?"
"This is Christy Altomare. Samantha told me to call you. Angie's in the hospital."
"What?! Which hospital?!"
"I don't exactly know, but it's the closet children's hospital to Times Square." Christy sounded worried.
"Oh I think that's Bailey Children's Hospital. I'll be there soon." I turned and ran toward the nearest subway station. "Why's Angie in the hospital, and where's Sam?!"
"Angie was shot by somebody named Mark I think," Christy said.
Mark?!
"Angie kept whispering Mark over and over when she saw him, so I went to comfort her, but then she was shot. And audience member called 911, so they were here relatively quickly. But Angie was shot in the arm. Samantha was coming to pick up Angie when she saw her on the stretcher, so she rode in the ambulance with her while I got out of my costume. Now Samantha's in the ER with Angie while they're prepping for emergency surgery to remove the bullet. Angie's also in a coma."
I was already on a train in the right direction. "I'll be there soon. Have you told Matt yet? Angie's foster father?"
"Samantha called him before she went into the surgery room."
"I'm calling some other people, but I'll be there soon. Thank you Christy. You're in Anastasia right?"
"Yes I am. Angie's on the second floor." Then Christy hung up.
I called the cast, gave them details, then called Janelle, who I'd contacted when it was Angie's birthday.
"Andrea Macasaet is calling me for the second time!" I heard her whisper before asking, "Yes?"
"Angie's in the hospital."
"I'll be there in five minutes. Bailey?"
"Yes it's Bailey." At this point I was in an elevator.
"Okay. See you soon." Then Janelle hung up.
I found a woman pacing back and forth in a waiting room. Samantha's phone was on a table near her.
"Christy Altomare?"
"Andrea Macasaet?"
"Is Angie okay?!" I ran towards her.
"I don't know yet!" Christy paced and looked a wreck.
Then Matt came running. "Where's Angie?!"
"She's in that room." Christy pointed. "Samantha hasn't come out yet."
Then Janelle truly arrived in five minutes. "Where's Angie? What happened!?" She cried.
I filled her in on the situation. She was holding a backpack full of stuff.
"What's that?"
"It's all of her favorite things. Gummy bears, pringles, her favorite book The Big Book of Broadway, I keep a copy at my house. And Lulu." She pulled a pink bear out of the bag. "It's our shared stuffed animal we keep at my house because of her father. We named it after Lulu form Waitress because she loved Waitress so much until she found Six." She put Lulu back. "Oh yeah, and a bag of only pineapple gummy bears for when she finishes the other ones because the pineapple ones are her favorite."
"You know her really well." I noted.
Janelle blushed. "Sure."
Then everyone else came barreling in. "Where's Angie?!" They all yelled at the same time.
The situation was filled in.
There was a lot of pacing and sitting down, and Janelle kept tapping her foot.
After two hours, an exhausted Sam, with her hair messy and puffy eyes came out of the surgery room.
"She's stable for now." She announced.
"For now?" Janelle asked.
"Angie's in a coma, and hasn't woken up. But the operation went well, the bullet was removed, and she was stitched up. She'll have to wear a cast for a little bit, but she doesn't have a concussion."
"Can we see her?" I asked.
Samantha nodded. We all crowded into a different room. Angel's arm was covered in bandages, and she was in a coma, but she looked okay. Except she was hooked up to an IV and five other machines.
Janelle set her backpack down on a chair and approached the bed. Then she turned away. "I can't." She started crying again.
Matt and Sam went first. Sam stroked her hair and Matt said, "Wake up Songbird. You can do it."
"Angie please wake up." Christy said.
"Angie you'll be okay, you'll be okay." Mallory whispered to herself.
"I can't wait until you wake up so we can play Uno backstage and mouth along to the show while it's onstage." Nicole told Angie.
"You're going to bounce right back." Courtney added. Anna didn't say anything, but nodded.
Adrianna, Abby, and Brittany all said something sweet, but quietly because they were all crying.
Then Janelle got up. "You're my best friend Angie. I need you. I never even told you about how much I like you, how you're the best person in my life. Please wake up." She cried hard. After a bit, she opened her mouth again.
"I don't want to start a riot. I don't want to blaze a trail. I don't want to be a symbol, or a cautionary tale. I don't want to be a scapegoat, for people to oppose. What I want is simple, as far as wanting goes. I just want to dance with you, let the whole world melt away and dance with you. Who cares what other people say. And when we're through, no one can convince us we were wrong. All is takes is you and me, and a song." She paused. And as she was about to sing Alyssa's part, we heard a quiet.
"I don't need a big production, streamers hanging in the air. I don't need to spend the night with confetti in my hair." Angie's eyes popped open. Janelle sobbed.
"You're awake!" She hugged her.
"Hey Janelle."
"You almost die and you say hey!"
"Is this better?" Angie asks. She kisses Janelle quickly.
Janelle nods. "That's better Angie."
"Thanks Ellie."
"You're awake!" Mallory yells, gently moving Janelle aside to hug Angie.
"I've been awake since Janelle started singing, but I wanted the dramatic effect." Angie stuck her tongue out and laughed. "Wait Christy you're here!"
Christy nodded. "I've been here since the beginning. I was worried Angie."
"Thanks Christy."
Angie's POV
"Thanks Christy."
Everybody hugged me. Eventually people started leaving. Adrianna, Anna, Brittany, Abby, Courtney, and Nicole all have me a kiss on the forehead before saying they'll come back tomorrow.
Mallory stayed a little longer, long enough to watch Into the Woods with me, before promising to watch Hamilton with me tomorrow.
Christy had smiled and told me to take care of myself, and left Sam her phone number.
Matt told me that he had to go stay with Dale, but Sam would stay with me tonight. He kissed me hair and left.
Andrea eventually had to go because of Taco. She vowed that she'd bring her laptop so we could watch Austin and Ally with me tomorrow.
Janelle was the last to leave. She kissed me again. "Don't die on me when I'm gone Ange."
"No promises Ellie."
"See you tomorrow." Before she left she pulled a familiar pink bear out of the backpack on the floor.
"Lulu!" I cried, strangling her.
"Adios Ange." Janelle left.
Samantha reentered the room with a blanket for the couch. "You okay Songbird?"
"Will I be able to intern at Hamilton on Monday?" I asked.
"As long as you can sing without damaging your arm, you should be fine. But when you get checked out tomorrow you have to take it easy."
I nodded. "It's Hamilton! I have to be better."
Samantha laughed. "That's my girl."
"I'm tired Mom."
"Go to sleep Songbird." She started singing I See Stars.
I drifted off.
I woke up early in the morning. Samantha was up, making calls.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"I'm calling in to miss the matinee. I'll be performing in the evening show though."
I asked for my phone. Samantha handed me my Playbill tote bag. Luckily it was unharmed.
"It's safe!" I cried as I hugged the bag. It was probably stupid but this had the signatures of the casts of Waitress and Anastasia, so it was becoming more and more valuable with each signature. I dug around for my phone. I was still plugged into the portable charger Anna had gifted me. I saw texts from Janelle, saying she's be at the hospital as soon as they'd let her in.
I sent a text to the Group 2 IS THE BEST group chat, that had been named by Marco.
Angie Dickinson-Hey guys I was shot. In the hospital. I'm fine.
(Yes my name is Angie from The Prom's name.)
It was six thirty, so I didn't expect a reply. I traced the signatures on my bag while I just took a breather. Samantha was finally sleeping.
When I reached Kimiko's name, I paused. She'd written a little message, like a lot of the actors had. "Hey Angie, if you ever need me, just give me a call." Then she put her phone number.
It was six forty in the morning. Kimiko would probably be heading to rehearsals in a half hour. I sighed, and dialed her number.
"Who is this?" Kimiko's voice asked.
"Kimiko? It's Angie."
"Angie! How are you?"
"I'm in the hospital. I was shot yesterday at Anastasia."
"Oh my gosh Angie! Are you okay?!" Kimiko choked out.
"I'm okay now, obviously. It was just in my left arm. I'll be good to go on Monday. I just wanted to hear a friendly voice."
"Well, never hesitate to give me a call. I'm here for you."
"Thank you Kimiko."
"It's nothing Angie."
We talked for ten more minutes before she had to hang up and finish getting ready.
I saved her number in my contacts. Then I started getting replies to the group chat.
Marco Polo-OMG u okay Ange?
Bia-Angie which hospital?!
Kathy-Angie! What happened?
Izzy-R u serious? R u at Bailey?
Livia Olivia-Start answering or I'm gonna assume ur dead! R u okay Angie?!
Sara-Angie!
Calebby-Holy
Izzy-No cursing Caleb
Calebby-HOLY MUSICAL THEATRE!
Angie Dickinson-I'm fine, I'm at Bailey, a guy shot me in my left arm, I'm not dead, I don't know how to respond to Sara, no cursing Caleb
Livia Olivia-Angie! When are visiting hours open?
Angie Dickinson-I dunno. Google it. Gtg, nurse lady
A nurse walked in. "Oh you're awake. How are you feeling hon?"
"Just a little tired. Didn't I have an IV?"
"We took it out a little while after you fell asleep last night. And that's good. Nothing hurts?"
I shook my head. "No, I don't even have a headache."
The nurse smiled. "That's great. There's a young lady in the waiting room, she said she's waiting for you. Should I let her in?"
I nodded. "Yeah that's fine."
A second later Janelle burst in. "Hey Angie."
"Sam's asleep." I pointed out.
So instead she sat on the bed, and we talked for a little while until Matt came in. He kissed my forehead.
"How are you Angie?"
"I'm okay, thanks Dad."
He smiled. "Sam texted me. I brought you some clothes and your laptop." He handed me a bag. I discarded the clothing to the floor beside the backpack and my tote bag, and opened my laptop.
Janelle and I watched a bootleg of Les Mis while Matt went to get food.
The door opened. "Hey Angie?"
"Hi Mama."
Andrea smiled and stepped all the way in. "You feeling better?"
I nodded. "Are you missing the matinee?"
She shook her head. "I'll miss the evening show instead so I can watch you at Sam's apartment."
I sighed. "I'm capable of taking care of myself."
Janelle shook her head and squeezed my hand. "No you aren't Ange. At least not with that." She gestures to my arm.
Suddenly I started hyperventilating. "Where's Mark?" I whispered.
Andrea was at a loss. Samantha woke up.
"Songbird are you okay?" She asked.
"Where's Mark?" I repeated.
"He's in jail. I saw him arrested. You're safe." Sam kissed my forehead. "You should sleep more." She started singing I See Stars again, and I drifted off.