Forever Mine (Lippa, Janthony, Adopted by Lippa)

Chapter 34

(A/N this chapter is based on a real event. Get well soon Thayne)

~Thomas Kail POV~

(ooh fancy a new point of view)

Our main cast is back in the show tonight! The understudies and swings did a wonderful job while they were gone. We have done a recap rehearsal today for the cast, just to get them back into the groove. They did perfect. Tony Smith (A/N completely made up dude because idk exactly who goes there), who stands next to Thayne in Yorktown, is sick tonight, so Henry Johnson (A/N another made up dude) is swung on for him. This is Henry's first time on, but he knows the part. I'm watching the show with a couple of people who are auditioning for ensemble roles tonight, which is a nice break for me. We are in the second row, so I can see the cast's faces really well. I have an earpiece in so I can relay anything backstage to the cast and crew. It's kind of like an assessment of improvement. The show is about to start and the new recruits and I are ready. Alex gets out of the pit and gives the curtain speech. The beginning beats play and I get ready to see this masterpiece again. Not to brag or anything, but it's amazing.

~time skip to right after Guns and Ships~

Wow. I mean, I directed this thing, but every time I watch it, it gets better. The cast gets better. Daveed can rap! Like, really. History Has It's Eyes On You is finishing, and next comes Yorktown. Yorktown is my personal favorite number, but it has the most intense choreography. I lean over to the recruits.

"Hey, pay close attention to this next number. This is the most intense dance in the show, and it takes a lot of watching and practice to learn." I tell them.

"Now I'm kinda scared." One recruit, Rebecca Doug, laughs. The song starts and we turn our attention back to the stage. I look mainly at Henry, to assess his stage performance and presence. Thayne dances with perfection next to Henry, and my eyes naturally turn towards Thayne. Thayne is an amazing dancer and he has such a good stage presence he just draws the eyes if everyone in the room. Henry is doing well, so I look at Lin and watch him sing and interact with Anthony, Daveed, and Oak. It's phenomenal. My eyes look to the dancing and the ensemble again. Then it happens. Henry's musket prop whacks Thayne in the ear, with incredible force. I watch as Thayne falters, his dancing falling out of sync from the rest, and his ear getting steadily redder. He manages to keep acting and singing, and rebounds his dancing until he is pretty much up to par again. Henry never stopped moving, but his stage presence lessened a little. I start to notice Thayne's face twisting up. He glances offstage really quick, as if contemplating running off. I see the tiniest bit of red on his shoulder, underneath where he was whacked. His feet and mouth keep moving with everyone else, but his face is scrunched up. The only one on stage who seems to have noticed is Henry. More red drips onto Thayne's shoulder, making a small splotch of blood on his shoulder. His face contorts and reddens. I can tell that he's been hurt badly. Yorktown just hit the slower part, where they tend to the wounded and count their dead. It's almost over. Carleigh, who is on the other side of Thayne, notices the red spot while turning. She manages to keep it unnoticeable by the other people, but I'm the director, so I can see her face change. Rebecca leans over to me and asks me a question.

"Why is there red on that guy's shoulder?" She asks. I don't know exactly how to respond, but judging by Thayne's face, I need to say something through the earpiece to the crew and cast. The song is going to be over in about a minute. I quick get up and run out so I can talk to people without disturbing anyone in he audience. I am kind of frantic about it, for Thayne's sake. I get out to the lobby, and there is a few people coming from the bathrooms and other things like that. I press the mic button on the earpiece and start to talk.