Jace walked into the Richard Rodgers, wearing a tuxedo and a gold ribbon on his lapel. He showed his ticket to the ushers at the door and sat down in the fifth row from the front. The lights dimmed

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Hamilton on Broadway. Thank you for coming. We must remind you of the emergency exits on your left and your right on either side of the theatre. No video or audio recording is permitted within this theatre. If you notice any suspicious behavior, please notify the staff on your floor immediately. Thank you," the announcements said. "This show is performed in memory of Lucas Meyer, Noelle Meyer, Graham Porter, Amelia Rachel, Victoria Smythe, Cara Drew, Quinn Lightner, Duncan Spade, Tristan Patterson, Jay Finnegan, Isabelle Stewart, Hunter Armstrong, Lillian Armstrong, Grant Reese, Bethany Olivo, Anthony Bracken, Derrick Pace, Kitty Dunst, Fred Allison and Danielle Patton."

Jace bowed his head and closed his eyes, thinking of everyone who had died in the theatre. It was strange to think that people had lost their lives in the very same place where Jace was sitting. The theatre was silent for about a minute.

Then, the stage lights turned on and Leslie Odom Jr stepped out to begin the first Hamilton show since the shooting.

Jace watched as the rest of the cast joined him onstage. The energy level was palpable and Jace could almost sense the determination of the cast. He immediately sought to find Kasey, and he saw her about halfway through the first song. He'd never seen her onstage before, but she moved with such grace and emotion that he couldn't help but be mesmerized.

Everyone in the cast was eye-catching. Lin, Leslie, Anthony, Pippa, Renee, Carleigh, all the cast members that Jace had heard Kasey talk about were just as amazing as he thought they would be. He could not believe how fantastic Hamilton was and just how much heart the cast had.

Before he knew it, it was intermission. Jace stood to stretch and someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around.

"What's your name?" it was an older woman, who had a regal air about her.

"Jace Reynolds," Jace said, somewhat confused.

"Who are you here to see?" the woman asked.

"Um, my friend, Kasey Winslow. She's in ensemble, but I also really wanted to see the show in general. I've heard great things about it," Jace replied.

"But why are you here?"

Jace frowned. "I'm here because it's important to be here. Actors on Broadway support each other, and this is their first show in a month. Recovering that quickly from something like the shooting takes a lot of strength. I admire them all."

"And what do you think of the show?"

"I think it's a beautiful masterpiece. Lin Manuel-Miranda did a wonderful job. He deserves all the praise in the world. It's mind blowing," Jace told the woman.

"I'll tell my son you said that," the woman said, and walked away. "He'll be very happy to hear that the audience members are appreciating his work."

Jace processed what she'd said about five minutes after she left. She had been Lin's mother. He hadn't recognized her at all, and he almost wanted to go searching for her again.

He'd just spoken to Lin Manuel Miranda's mother.

The house lights flickered and Jace sat back in his seat, flipping through the program. He skimmed through Kasey's bio as he waited.

"'Kasey Winslow, ensemble, has appeared in the West End's Wicked, but this is her Broadway debut. Additional roles include Flounder in The Little Mermaid, Rizzo in Grease, and Little Red in Into the Woods. She'd like to thank Wendy and Paul Shaffer, Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Lin Manuel-Miranda, and most of all, Carleigh Bettiol for their outstanding support over the past three years. This is for her family, and everyone else rooting for her in the UK.'"

The lights dimmed and the orchestra started to tune.

The cast must be going through a lot, Jace mused. They were about to reach 'It's Quiet Uptown', which, one month later, had been when the shooting occurred.

But if they were afraid, they didn't show it. 'Stay Alive Reprise' broke Jace's heart. He'd listened to the Hamilton cast album before, but he had never known about Eliza's agonizing scream at the end of the song. It was heart-wrenching.

When the opening bars of 'It's Quiet Uptown' the audience hushed, and Jace could hear sniffles all around. His heart was pounding. He knew nothing would happen, but exactly one month before, someone else was sitting in his seat watching the same show. And that person never got to see what happened next, because a group of four extremists opened fire on the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

~~~~~~~

The cast had been emotional the entire day, but most of them had kept it in check. Kasey hadn't cried over the shooting at all. She hadn't actually cried in a long time. She'd learned to channel her emotions into whatever she did- and that's what she had done for the entire first act.

Renee, who almost never cried during the show, cried while she sang 'It's Quiet Uptown'. Pippa had barely been able to hold her composure for days before the re-opening. She hadn't been sleeping well, according to Jazzy, and she was jumpy.

The ensemble worked hard to honor Javier, who didn't want to risk re-injuring himself for the re-opening. He was in the audience, and Kasey wanted to do well for him.

Part of Kasey half-expected the gunshots to start in 'It's Quiet Uptown', even though she knew there was extra security checks at the door. She guessed that she would always be unconsciously listening for the shots, even if it would never happen again.

Some things could change lives in an instant. Most left a lasting remark on those it left behind, and Kasey knew that the shooting would always be a dark spot in Hamilton's history.

But before she knew it, the opening bars of 'Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story' were playing, and Kasey prepared herself to make her final appearance of the night.

"Let me tell you what I wish I'd known when I was young and dreamed of glory. You have no control- who lives, who dies, who tells your story."

Kasey closed her eyes and took a deep breath onstage, to let herself live in the moment. The entire cast was there, even if Javier wasn't performing. The swings had been backstage, slaping high-fives and getting props ready. Even though they hadn't gone onstage, they'd been supporting the actors who were. They'd given hugs after 'It's Quiet Uptown', jammed during 'Schuyler Sisters', and been just as much of a part of the cast.

If anything, the shooting had brought them all closer together.

She'd only had her eyes closed for a second or two, but when she opened them, she finally could register the full theatre. She noticed what she hadn't noticed before- the ribbons on the suits of some people in the audience, the flowers on the box seats, and Jace sitting in the theatre. She noticed the tears streaming down Pippa's face for the entirety of 'Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story'.

And when the final moment of the show occurred, she registered the cheering, the applause, and the standing ovation.

They all did the first bow, and then Pippa stepped back for Lin to take his solo bow.

Lin did so to screams from the audience and thunderous applause. Lin put a hand over his heart and stepped back. He was crying, and Pippa was crying, and everyone was crying. Kasey was the only dry-eyed cast member except for Daveed, but she was close.

Closer than she'd been to crying in a long time.

After their bows as a cast had finished, Lin embraced Pippa for a long while. The rest of the cast was hugging, too. Jazzy threw her arms around Kasey.

"I love you, Kase," she said. "You're adorable and I'm glad you're one of my cast mates."

"I love you too, Jazzy," Kasey mumbled into Jazzy's neck.

Lin stepped forward and Jazzy and Kasey broke apart. "Thank you all so much for your support tonight. This past month has been extremely emotional for everyone in this cast and those involved in the shooting in this theatre. We've received so much love from the fans and from our friends and family, and one of the reasons why we're reopening is because of our love for everyone who encouraged us. I would personally like to congratulate and thank everyone standing onstage. It is because of you all and your efforts that Hamilton returned to Broadway. You guys, my cast members, are why I decided to reopen. I would not have done it if I didn't know that you could handle it. So thank you."

"I just have to say that we will not be giving in to the hate that surrounds us. The shooting taught us to rely on each other and have faith in ourselves, the cast, the fans, and everyone around us. Thank you."

The theatre burst into applause, cheering and whooping. Kasey scanned over the entire audience. They all looked so supportive. It was an amazing feeling to be back onstage and to hear the audience cheering for them.

The cheers were what had made the show continue. The audience and the fans had been Lin's true reason for continuing the show. That, and he wanted to send a positive message to the world, instead of giving in to something so negative.