Life of Lin (Adopted By Hamilton)

In the Heights Opening Night

      "Knock, knock." Chris says knocking on Lin's door.

    "Come in." Lin shouts back.

    Chris opens the door and sees Lin sitting at his desk with Anne dangling by her tail from the bunk bed rail above Lin's head. "Today's a Capuchin day?"

    "Naw, she just shifted for the show."

    Anne jumps down and goes over to CJ, stroking the bulldog's fur before sitting at her feet.

    "You nervous?" Chris asks leaning against the wall.

    "A little. I mean like my parents and Vanessa are out there and this thing has been in my life for nine years. It's like giving your kid to the teacher on the first day of school."

    "I get it. I still get a little nervous before performances, but you know this show inside and out."

    "Thanks man."

    "The best thing is that you get to party with Vanessa after this."

    "True."

    Chris moves to sit on the couch. "Can I ask something?"

    "Sure."

    "Is Vanessa really based on you know Vanessa."

    "Naw, the name comes from one of my sister's friends and well ya know."

    "Yeah."

    The intercom system comes to life. "Places for the top of the show, everyone, places for the top of the show."

    "Thank you places." Chris, Lin,  CJ, and Anne echo.

    As they go to leave Chris looks at Lin and says, "Time to get to work man."

~Time Lapse to after the show~

    Lin just finishes changing into his suit when there's another knock at his door. "Come in." He could already tell it was Vanessa by the way Anne perks up.

    Vanessa comes in, looking stunning in her dress. "Are you ready for the opening night party of your very own musical?"

    "I only worry about having a date." He says a small smirk on his face.

    "I think I know someone." She says reaching up and scratching Anne's head, she had moved to perch on Vanessa's shoulder.

    "And I hear she's not that bad looking either." Archer says from where he's lying in between Lin and Vanessa.

    "I guess it couldn't hurt anything." Lin says moving to wrap his arm around Vanessa's waist and kissing her softly on the lips.

    "Oh, thank you." She says, fluttering her eyelashes.

    "Are my parents out there?"

    "Yes," She says while fixing his bow-tie, "Your dad started crying during Inutil and both of them were crying during Alabanza."

    "I started crying during that."

    "I can tell your eyes are still a little red."

    "Oh, um I don't know how to fix that."

    "Don't worry. They're already pretty faded, and I'm sure there'll be more tears to come anyway."

    "True."

    "Come on, let's go they'll start the party without us." Anne says jumping off Vanessa's shoulder and running to the door.

    As soon as he steps out the doorway Lin is hit by what feels like a brick wall.

    "You did so well mijo." His mom says, while crushing his ribs in a hug.

    "Thank you, mamá, but I can't really breathe." He notices Anne did the smart thing and climbed up onto Vanessa's shoulder, out of reach of his mom's Papillion dæmon.

    "Sorry, sorry." Luz says.

    "You don't want to hurt the star." Luis says, a proud smile on his face.

    Lin blushes, "Papí,no."

    Luis let's out a deep chuckle, and Luz finally let's go of Lin, finally letting him get some oxygen.

    "You look very handsome, Lin." Luis complements.

    "Thank you papí, but Vanessa is the real hero. She got this," He points at the tie, " to you know, a real bow-tie."

    They chuckle as Chris and C.J. come down the hallway, "Are ya'll heading out too?"

    They nod and head to the limo that will be taking them to the party.

~Time Lapse to the party~

    Lin has had fun at the party, the cast and crew has become his extended family during this journey.

    Lin and Vanessa were dancing to one of the last songs of the party, a slow love song; Anne and Archer were laying on the side of the almost abandoned dance floor, with Anne laying on top of the Border Collie. Vanessa was standing on Lin's feet, her heels long ago abandoned.

    "This feels like a dream." Lin says, small tears in his eyes.

    "You've worked so hard on this, and you deserve it." Vanessa says, wiping the tears away.

    "I'm kind of excited to get home though." He holds her closer.

    "Why?" She asks, raising one of her eyebrows.

    " 'Cause we'll get to play Grand Theft Auto."

    Vanessa let's out a laugh and rests her head on Lin's shoulder, the two still swaying to the music. It's in this moment that Lin realizes that he's completely in love with the woman in front of him.