"Excuse me, I'm looking for Mr. Miranda?" a woman in a blue blouse and gray pencil skirt says.
"Uh, that's me." Lin says, walking into the middle of an aisle so the woman can see him. "Lin-Manuel Miranda at your service."
"My name is Chelsea Marx, I'm from Child Protective Services." she explains. "Where is Genesis James?"
"She's on the stage." Oak says, seeing the nervous look on Gen's face. He motions her over, and she hops off the stage and walks over to them.
"I'm G-Genesis." she mumbles, and Ms. Marx smiles slightly.
"You don't need to be so nervous, Genesis." she tells her. "I'm here to make sure you get put in the best possible situation."
"My wife and I are trying to adopt her." Lin tells her.
"I've been told." she states. "If I think you're the best option for her, then you can." He sighs at this.
"We can all go talk in my dressing room." he says. "Follow me." He leads Ms. Marx and Gen through the theater and to his dressing room, and he pulls out his computer chair for her. "Sit, please."
"Thank you." she says, taking a seat, and him and Gen sit down across from her on the couch. "Now, Genesis, can you tell me a bit about your father?" Lin sees her visibly tense at the thought.
"He's an abusive drunk. He basically kept me prisoner for 6 years."
"What's the significance of 6 years?"
"It's the amount of time since my mom died. He started drinking right after it happened."
"How did she die?"
"Cancer."
"And your dad was never the same afterwards?"
"Never."
"The night you met Mr. Miranda, where were you and your father going?"
"Home. He had went to pick up some stuff from the store for a trip he was going on with his friends, and he had taken me with him."
"What were you going to do once you got home?" Ms. Marx asks, and Gen shifts uncomfortably, something Lin is very curious about.
"Well... Dad was gonna go to bed." she replies.
"And you?" Ms. Marx asks curiously. "What were you gonna do?"
"I... I don't wanna say." Ms. Marx tilts her head in confusion.
"Why not?"
"I just don't want to."
"Do you want me to leave?" Lin asks.
"You don't have to, I just..." Gen sighs. "I was gonna take the fast way out."
"What does that mean, Genesis?" Ms. Marx asks, but Lin doesn't need to ask.
"Gen, were you gonna try to kill yourself when you got home that night?" he asks her, and she looks down to avoid his eyes. That's the only answer he needs.
"I didn't see an end." she explains. "It had been six years since I had any kind of freedom, I just wanted it to be over."
"Do you still want to kill yourself?" Ms. Marx asks her, and she shakes her head.
"Not since I met Lin." she replies, still avoiding his eyes, which are now welling with tears.
"Why is that?"
"He just... I haven't felt safe in a very long time, and Lin changed that."
"How?"
"I dunno... He's not gonna hurt me, and he treats me like a normal person."
"What do you mean?"
"He doesn't treat me like I'm a freak because of my nightmares, my panic attacks, my social anxiety, my eating problems, none of it. He cares about me, and he wants to help me move past all that."
Ms. Marx smiles.
"Genesis, what would be your ideal situation that involves Lin?" she asks.
This could seal the deal. Gen thinks to herself. I need to be honest, even if it scares me.
"My ideal situation?" she repeats, and Ms. Marx nods. "Meeting him earlier in my life would be nice, but... My totally ideal situation would be if he were my dad already."
Lin stares at her with wide eyes. The effect he's had on her in the past two days has been monumental, and he didn't even realize it until now. Ms. Marx grins when she hears this, and she turns to Lin.
"Mr. Miranda, I think the best possible thing I could do for Genesis is to make sure that you get to adopt her. I'll tell my superiors of my decision and contact you with a court date." she stands and so does he.
"Thank you so much." he says eagerly, shaking her hand.
"We'll be in touch." she says.
"Let me walk you out." he says, and they leave the room.
Oh my god. Lin's gonna adopt me. I won't have to go back with my father. I won't have to stay in that tiny basement any more. I don't have to sleep with one eye open anymore. I don't need to be afraid of my dad busting in to hurt me anymore. I don't need to stay quiet every time he's drunk. I'm not gonna be a prisoner anymore. I'm safe.
Lin walks back into his dressing room. He's nearly knocked over by an attack hug from Genesis. He holds her in a tight as she buries her face in his shoulder and cries.
"Are you okay?" he asks her, and she laughs a bit through her tears.
"I couldn't be better." she replies. "I'm so happy right now." He grins.
"Good." he says. "You know, Genesis Miranda's got a nice ring to it." She laughs.
"That's music to my ears, Lin."
"Mine too." he says. Gen looks up at him and sees a huge grin on his face, which she mirrors.
"GUYS THEY'RE HUGGING THIS IS A GOOD SIGN!"
They both look and see Jazzy standing by the doorway, jumping up and down excitedly. The other cast members join her in the hallway.
"Well?" Oak asks.
"What happened?" Pippa asks eagerly. Lin and Gen look at each other, and grin. The cast realizes what this means, and they all shout and cheer excitedly.
"GEN'S GONNA BE A MIRANDA!" Daveed screams.
"JUST CALL ME UNCLE CHRIS!" Chris screams, and she starts cracking up.
"Gen, we're going out to dinner tonight after our show, do you want me to do your makeup?" Jazzy offers, and she smiles.
"That would rock, Jazz, I'd love that." she replies, and Jazzy grins.
"Great! I'll come find you after I change." she says. "I have an adorable outfit you can borrow until Renee, Pippa and I take you shopping tomorrow."
"We're going shopping tomorrow?" she asks.
"Of course!" Renee replies.
"You don't have to." she explains.
"We know we don't have to, but we want to!" Pippa says.
"You need some nice clothes, sweetie!" Jazzy adds, and she grins.
"I appreciate it, guys." she says.
"Gen, you okay with steaks for dinner tonight?" Lin asks her. "We're going somewhere with some really great steak."
"Jeez, I haven't had steak in years." she replies.
"Well, that settles it then!" Leslie says.
"Tonight, we dine like kings!" Anthony cheers.
"Excuse me, some of dine like kings every night." Groff says in his King George British accent, which makes Gen laugh.
"That's really good!" she exclaims, and he grins.