This Is The Greatest Show (P.T. Barnum x OC!LilyBennet)

Surprise Trip to the Queen

After Anne, W.D., and Lily got done with their performance, they were walking backstage where we met up with them. "Hey, hey, nobody's buying acts back here! Get out front!" I said as I didn't like to be harsh, but I have to be to keep this place in shape. "W.D., Anne, Lily, I want to introduce my newest hire, Phillip Carlyle." I said as I grabbed Phillip since he was too busy gawking at everyone. "It's a pleasure to meet ya." W.D. said and shook hands with him.

"Pleasure." Phillip said as he looked at Anne. "What is your act, Mr. Carlyle?" She asked and fixed the sleeve of her uniform. "I-I don't have an act." He said as Lily took down her hair, placing the hair tie on her wrist. She actually had on some shorts and tank top since I allowed her to use that as her uniform instead of giving her one. "Everyone's got an act." Anne said with a sassy smile and walked away. "Sorry, she can be like that with new people. Lily Bennet." Lily said and held her hand out with a sweet smile.

"Nice to meet you." Phillip said with a smile back as he seemed amazed with her blue and green eyes. "Were you born like this?" He asked curiously and gestured to her spotted skin and mixed eye colors. "Sadly yes, but you grow into it." She said with a beautiful laugh, causing him to laugh with her. She looked at me with a gorgeous toothy smile as I looked at her with a far off look. "Mr. Barnum!" Someone called out. "Yeah?" I called back and looked to see O'Mally heading over quickly.

"You better come see this." He said as I started walking with Lily following curiously. Another thing I love about her. For the past few months (Yes, I jumped a head a bit since the movie is a bit fast on things) she's been a curious cat. "Phillip, keep up." I said as we looked out the doors to an angry mob, so I moved Lily to slightly behind me. "Bit of a nasty element." O'Mally said as Lily peeked her head around. "There always is, isn't there? Nothing draws a crowd like a crowd." I said as we looked at their torches and signs. "GO HOME YOU SPOTTED FREAK!" Someone shouted upon seeing Lily as Phillip looked at her while she looked down in sadness.

"Don't listen to them, Lily. You aren't a freak." He said as I felt my blood boil. I hated how 'freak' always came into play to describe Lily and the others. That is why I use 'unique' to describe them because they are unique. "Thank you, Mr. Carlyle. Phin, if you don't mind. I'd like to take the rest of the night off." She said softly as I closed the doors with O'Mally. I looked at her sadly and ran a hand through her hair then rested it on her cheek. "Of course." I said with a soft smile as she hugged me tightly. I hugged her back protectively and held a gentle hand on the back of her head. She pulled away after a while then smiled a little at Phillip and walked to her dressing room.

~~~~~^_^~~~~~

Next morning we were all in the main room of the building as I read the newspaper article that Mr. Benum wrote. "Shame of the city. The protest of Mr. Barnum's reputation as a provator of the offensive and indecent." I read out as Lily stood next to me. "Offensive and indecent. Mr. Benum, I'm blushing." Lettie said sarcastically as she brushed her beard while Lily let out a quiet giggle at her comment. (I know it's Mr. Bennet, but I changed his last name since Lily's last name is Bennet.) "No, I'm blushing." Penelope said as she made Lily and Lettie laugh a bit as she wore a fake beard.

Penny is the little girl that Lily and I met the night we watched the ballet. Apparently, her mother disowned her last night for being too flexible by bending her body like a pretzel so she came running to the circus where she thought she would belong. She ended up running into Lily, literally, and told her what happened. Lily, of course, wanted to take her in so I allowed Penny to live with me and Lily. She makes a great motherly figure to her. I looked at the paper a bit in disappointment that this is what the critic thinks and what he is trying to make others think the same thing. Lily must've seen my look and placed a gentle hand on my back.

"Why do you care what Benum thinks?" She asked as I looked at him. "He's a prig!" Lettie pointed out. "And a snob." Charles said, adding on. "Yeah, well, all the snobs in New York read him. He does their thinking for them." I said as I rolled my eyes. "What happened to thriving off contriverce?" Anne asked as she had a blanket wrapped around herself. "Yeah, well, hey you got any thoughts on this?" I asked Phillip, standing up as he walked in. "Phillip!" Penny said happily and ran over to hug him. "As a matter of fact I do." He said and handed me a letter as he hugged Penny back.

"Master of the household in command of the Queen, to invite Mister Phineas T. Barnum and his theatrical troop to the reception at...Buckingham Palace?" I asked in surprise and shock. "THE Queen Victoria? Is this real?" Lily asked with just as much surprise as me. "Yeah. I pulled a few strings." Phillip said with a smile as he laid a hand on the back of Penny's head. "You want society to accept you, you may as well start at the very, very top." He said, picking up Penny and placing her on a chair then put his top hat on her.

"Are we all invited?" Anne asked as Lily and the rest of the gang looked in sadness. "I guess I'll just have to tell the Queen that either all of us go or none of us will." Phillip said and looked at Anne as Lily wrapped her arms around my left one. Anne started to smile then let out a giggle as everyone else started cheering. I kissed Lily's head excitedly as she blushed a precious pink color then moved and hugged Lettie happily. "Queen of England. Can't get much better than that." Charles said with a bright smile as the group laughed happily.