The Greatest Girl // discontinued

4 - First Show??

I follow Barnum as we find Lettie standing at the door which leads to the side entrance where we see a bunch of angry and drunk protesters.

"Oh dear god," I say softly.

"Hey, it'll be okay, I'll talk to them, you make sure everyone stays safe and don't get spotted," Barnum says walking outside.

I grab Lettie's arm as she moves slightly to go after Barnum. Lettie looks at me and I shake my head as I lead her back to backstage and tell everyone what's happening.

"Okay guys, so Lettie alerted Barnum and I to some protestors outside and Barnum has gone to deal with them but has ordered for us to stay here so we don't get hurt, meaning everyone needs to stay calm and just keep getting ready, Barnum will return soon," I explain as I stand on a box so I can be seen and heard.

I jump off the box and walk towards Lettie and Anne.

"Girls I'm going to wait by the side door in case Barnum needs help, Lettie you're in charge, Anne can you come with me and alert WD what's happening." I say softly.

Anne and Lettie nod as Anne goes to talk to her brother.

"Hey, stay safe, you're incredible, I'm sure Barnum has already told you," Lettie says stopping me and giving me a massive hug.

"Thanks Lettie, Barnum has definitely told me," I say smiling as Anne returns.

Lettie and I exchange smiles as Anne and I rush over to the side door, with it cracked open the tiniest amount so we can hear what's happening without being seen.

"Gentlemen, I am telling you for the last time to leave before I get the police involved," I hear Barnum warn.

"What? So you're gonna get your precious police involved because you're weak and scared?" A protestor mocks.

"I'm not weak nor scared," Barnum says through gritted teeth.

"Sure you are!"

I hear Barnum grunt in frustration.

"I swear to god if he does something stupid," I whisper to Anne.

Anne replies with a soft giggle which makes me smile.

"You're so weak you can't fight us. Your threats don't scare us!" Another protestor yells.

"I WILL call the police!" Barnum threatens as he pulls his phone out.

(This is set in like 2015 or something around then)

"Go on! Do it! You'll pussy out!"

I hear the dial of the police phone number and angry footsteps. I start to panic and open the door further to see what's happening and see Barnum doing an avoidance tango with the protestors as he calls the police.

Punches get thrown but no one has been hit yet which is lucky. Anne grabs my arm to stop me from running at the protestors, I look back at Anne with pain striking my eyes.

"Where's your little side kick? The famous bitch? You're only using her for fame and money! Once you get that you'll abandon her just like the last one!" A protestor shouts.

At this point I'm heartbroken, he must be talking about Phillip Carlyle, the rich man who became ringmaster but got used by Barnum for fame and money.

I rip my arm out of Anne's grasps and rush out that side door to confront Barnum.

"Barnum is that true?! That you'll use me for my fame and wealth and then throw me to the side and abandon me?" I say through tears.

"Here's the bitch!"

"No! I swear it isn't! I would never do that to you!" Barnum says hanging up the phone on the police call that was never going to work and approaching me.

Barnum reaches me and places his hands on my waist and rests his forehead against mine.

"I would never abandon you," Barnum says.

"I bet that's what you said to Phillip, you probably said you'd be by his side forever but you abandoned him once you grew off his fame," I say pushing Barnum away.

I walk around Barnum and through the protestors and get to the last guy of the the group when he trips me and punches me in the face multiple times before him and his gang leave laughing. Leaving Barnum picking me up and taking me to the nearest hospital with Anne following quickly behind once she heard the commotion.

PT Barnum's POV

She was behind the door with Anne the whole time. I should've been more careful. Admittedly I did abandon Phillip but I didn't want to, it was forced upon me. But Jane needs to trust that I won't abandon her, not when I love her as much as I do and now she is lying on the hospital bed, bruises, cuts and unconscious with Anne and I by her side.

"It's my fault she's in this mess, if I had left those protestors alone maybe she'd be awake and we would be preparing for our show tonight," I say softly.

I feel a hand touch my shoulder and look up at Anne touching my shoulder to comfort me.

"It wasn't your fault, you were a bit of a jerk, but you didn't know what she was going to do nor that she was going to be knocked unconscious and beat up by a couple of drunks," Anne says softly.

"Yeah but she thinks I'll abandon her, but I love the girl," I say.

"We all know you do and she knows that as well, it was the heat of the moment that made her think you would abandon her, she's stressed, you're stressed we all are," Anne explains.

I sigh in acceptance because I know what she's saying is true. I just wish I could've stopped it.

My head is in my hands and I'm devastated.

"Hey, we need to go, the show must go on and we need a ringmaster. We will visit after the show okay?" Anne says standing up.

"Okay," I say following Anne, looking back on Jane's unconscious broken body as she just lies there.

Anne drags me out the hospital doors and go the circus where the rest of the performers are preparing.

~~~~~~~

A/N

Spoilers??
I seem to live off drama in this story (warning for the next couple parts) so I'm sorry about this for the future :)

But really I try not to make everything drama filled but oh well.

- 🌑