Wait For It | a Hamilton fanfiction | wattys 2017

Chapter 181

The entire night, Pippa had trouble sleeping. It was their final day of the tour tomorrow. After the show, everyone would be going their separate ways. It was hard to imagine- they'd come such a long ways from the dysfunctional, chaotic cast that originally left for Portland. Things had changed so much.

When at last it was a sensible time to get up, Pippa decided to get ready and get her stuff packed so she had the rest of the day to just spend time with the cast.

It was really their last day together. Some people were flying back to their homes the next day. It was going to be over that quickly.

Pippa arrived at the theatre many, many hours in advance. She sat on the stage, looking out into the audience, just drinking in the final moments she had in Orlando. This would be her final show as Eliza Schuyler, probably for forever. It was time to move on.

"Hey, Pips," a voice said. Pippa turned to whoever it was as they sat down next to her. It was Lana.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Pippa replied.

"I'm okay. I'm not ready for you to leave," Lana admitted. "I know we'll see each other again, but never as the Schuyler sisters."

"Maybe not, but we'll still be sisters, alright?" Pippa said gently. "And you'll have new sisters to take care of. They're going to need your guidance. I know you're ready for it. It's time to spread your wings."

"Yeah," Lana sighed.

"And you can call me or text me whenever you want, if you want to vent, or if you need advice, or if you just want to talk," Pippa promised. "But you'll be amazing."

"I don't feel ready for this," Lana said. "I don't know why Daveed put me in charge with Oak. I was literally the most awful person at the beginning. I was so horrible to everyone. I don't deserve it."

"Of course you deserve it," Pippa scolded. "You're one of the most talented people I know. You had a lot going on, and we all know how much you care. Besides, he knows how responsible you are. You know what you're doing. You don't need Jazzy and me to tell you what to do."

"I just feel like I should still be the most inexperienced Schuyler Sister. It's weird that I'll be like you and Jazzy were to me."

"That's what happens," Pippa said. "Don't be afraid of it. It'll end up being one of the best things that will ever happen to you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a while, Lana and Pippa parted ways to get ready for the show and visit other people in the cast. Pippa made her rounds to the OBC cast members, wishing them luck for their final show of the first tour.

It was strange signing in on the sheet, too. She wrote 'Pippa' in the final box on the sheet. After that, there were no more boxes, there were no more shows. At the bottom of the sign-in sheet, someone had written 'one last time' in cursive.

Pippa quickly put on her makeup, partially because she wanted to be prepared, but also then she had an excuse to stop herself from crying and messing up her makeup.

There was a weird sort of mood in the Schuyler Sister dressing room as they all got ready, did their hair and double-checked their props.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your forty-five minute call. At the thirty minute call, all cast members should report to the stage."

Jazzy turned to Pippa and Lana. "It's been an honor to be your sister," she said. "Thank you."

They all hugged, and after a minute, just staying in each other's arms, went down to the stage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cast was quiet as they all formed a circle onstage. Everyone, by instinct, turned to Daveed for instruction.

"I'm not the one in charge here anymore," he said, turning to Lana and Oak. "It's all yours."

"Well," Lana said, clearing her throat. "It's hard to know what to say. Saying goodbye is too final, saying 'see you soon' isn't acknowledging what is happening here. This is the last time this exact group of people will be in the same place to accomplish the same goal. Look around at everyone standing on this stage and take a second to realize just what we've done together. It won't ever happen again. This show brought us all together, and for that, I am grateful. Thank you to all of you for this amazing journey."

"I don't have words for this, either. I'm nowhere near as eloquent as Lana. But I can say this- look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now," Oak continued. "Now, I want to ask those who are leaving step forward."

Pippa swallowed and stepped forward with the others.

"A round of applause is in order for the time and heart that these people have put into this show. You all are the reason we're here today."

"Anthony asked if he could give the final words," Lana said after the applause had ended. "Anthony, go ahead."

Anthony stood next to Oak and Lana. "Think of all the places we've performed, all the people we've met, and everything we've accomplished. Think about the many friendships and memories that we've made while we've been doing this. The tour is one thing that we all share. I know I'll carry the lessons I've learned with me forever. We worked hard, through all the struggles and problems and tears. I think that's something to be immensely proud of. And the people in this room. I have no words for how much everyone means to me. I know I'm probably speaking for everyone when I say this. I never would thought it was possible for there to be so much talent and love on one stage, but I was wrong. So, with that in mind. It's hard to part with this show, but we all know that we're leaving it in the best hands possible. The show will go on. This is for what we've accomplished. We did it. We made something amazing, and now is the time to recognize the long road that it took to get here. Thank you. This is for us."

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i think you all should know that i just got a message from anna saying 'hey can you update maybe like five chapters of wfi i keep forgetting to feed the children' but five chapter would take us almost to the end of this thing, and i'm not emotionally prepared for that, so y'all are getting two chapters whoops haha

love you all xxxx and thank you so much for reading this book. i can't believe that it is almost over.