HAPPY NEW YEAR MY LOVES

I am determined for this year to be the year that I get back into my stories. I promise to you all that I'm not abandoning this account, and that I still love reading. I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting for updates and everything. The day after Christmas, my family and I went to see The Greatest Showman, and I fell in love with the story and music. I wanted to do my take on a different version of the hospital scene between Anne and Phillip, and I really hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or scenarios related to The Greatest Showman.

Chapter One

Anne POV

Anne sat beside Phillip on his bed, tears in her eyes as she stared at his lifeless face. She clung to his bandaged hand, pressing a kiss to the exposed skin. She knew her brother and the others were somewhere trying to find Phineas. They had wanted to split up, some staying with Phillip while the others went to find Phineas, but Anne had decided to stay on her own. Her brother had kissed her forehead and left with the others. Anne wasn't sure how long she had been sitting on Phillip's bed, but she knew it was long enough for her to realize how much the man meant to her, and that she possibly was in love with him.

"Phillip!" a woman gasped, and Anne turned to see the same woman from the theater running towards the unconscious man. She recognized her as his mother, and Anne stood, stepping away from the bed. The words of the woman referring to her as "the help" rang through her mind. Phillip's father and a stunning blonde woman walked to his side as well, the young woman sitting beside his bed.

"Who are you?" the young woman asked, sneering slightly when she saw Anne in her old dress, which still was stained with smoke, and her mother's shawl around her shoulders.

"You're that girl he was with at the theater!" Phillip's father said, glaring at her. Anne looked down, wrapping her arms around herself. She looked at Phillip's face, and took a breath.

"I am Anne Wheeler." She said firmly.

"You're one of those circus performers." The young woman said, sniffing haughtily as she lifted her chin. "I am Victoria DuPont, Phillip's future fiancée." Anne felt her heart shatter in her chest as the woman spoke, and she clutched her shawl tightly in her hands. A small spark of hope flared in her chest as she suddenly remembered the conversations between Phillip and the other performers.

"He's never mentioned you to any of us. Not even Phineas." Anne said, straightening. She wouldn't let the rich people push her around. That was one lesson that had been with Anne and her brother since they were children.

"He probably didn't want to make you freaks feel even more out of place, knowing that he has such a beautiful and perfect woman waiting for him to propose." Victoria replied proudly. Anne shook her head slightly in disbelief. She knew, however, through the younger woman's eyes, Anne was a freak as well. It was a joke within the performers that Anne and W.B. were the "normal ones", which always made everyone laugh. Lettie had been the one to start the joke, which Anne had immediately disagreed with, but it had become like siblings teasing one another. Charlie had been the next one to joke about it, and slowly, Anne had begun to laugh about the joke as well. However, looking at the woman with pale skin, perfectly straight blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, Anne knew she looked like a freak in Victoria's eyes. She had caramel-brown skin, dark brown eyes, and curly brown hair that was currently wild and unkempt, as she hadn't paid attention to her own appearance since the fire. Anne watched quietly as Phillip's mother fussed over her unconscious son along with Victoria. She saw Phillip's father speaking with one of the nurses, who glanced at Anne before continuing to talk with Phillip's father. The sudden gasping from Phillip echoed throughout the otherwise quiet hospital, and the attention was immediately on the young man as he coughed heavily, smoke inhalation wreaking havoc on his lungs. His eyes slowly opened, and Phillip blinked a few times before he focused on the two woman by his side.

"You're okay!" his mother cried, leaning down to hug her son tightly. Phillip winced, but only Anne saw. Over his mother's shoulder, Phillip saw the trapeze artist watching him, and Anne smiled sadly.

"Phillip, darling, I thought you'd never wake up!" Victoria simpered, clinging roughly to his hand. Phillip looked at her in confusion.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice rough and quiet.

"You think I wouldn't come to see you? Darling, that smoke must have addled your brain." Victoria said sympathetically. Phillip shifted, sitting up slightly. "Besides, I won't allow for my future fiancé to wake up alone in a hospital.

"Victoria, I stopped courting you two years ago." Phillip said firmly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Besides, I wouldn't have been alone. Anne's here." Victoria looked at Anne degradingly, disgust clear in her eyes.

"You should be waking up to more of your kind, Phillip dearest." The blonde said, and Phillip looked at her in shock.

"Victoria's right, Phillip. After this accident, it is clear you should come home with us. No more of this… circus nonsense." Phillip's father said. "And if I'm correct from hearing what the nurse had to say, that woman is the reason you are here in this hospital." Anne looked down, biting her lip. She remembered what had happened.

Anne removed her pink wig, and ran her fingers through her curly hair. Slipping out of her costume, she pulled on her dress, wrapping her mother's shawl around her shoulders tightly.

"FIRE!" she heard Charlie shout, and Anne's head snapped up, seeing the orange-yellow light coming from the main ring. Anne ran out of the dressing rooms, and saw her path covered in flames. She coughed as the smoke began to fill the building. She turned around, going back into the dressing rooms. Anne ran towards the exit just as a flaming beam fell across it, blocking her way out. Panic began to fill her like the smoke filling the room. She looked around, her eyes burning as she searched for a way out. She saw a window near the back of the room, and picked up one of Charlie's pistols. She shattered the window, and quickly climbed out, jumping to the ground.

"ANNE!" W.B. shouted.

"I'm right here! I'm here!" Anne called, running towards the crowd that stood at the front of the theater. She saw Lettie standing beside Charity and Phineas, Caroline and Helen standing in front of Charity. W.B. pulled her close, hugging her tightly. Anne hugged him back as she watched the museum burn. Suddenly, a realization struck her. Phillip wasn't anywhere. Her eyes widened as she saw Phineas take off his coat before running into the museum.

"Daddy!" Caroline cried as Charity held her tightly. Lettie put a hand on Charity's arm, the crowd watching, hoping. Their hopes were crushed as the building collapsed, and there was no sign of Phineas of Phillip. Anne turned into W.B.'s chest, tears filling her eyes. Her brother wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Look!" Helen exclaimed, and Anne looked up, and she saw Phineas walking out of the museum with Phillip across his shoulders. He placed the young man on the ground, and coughed. Anne clung to W.B.'s hand, leaning against him.

Anne felt guilt fill her. She had been the reason for Phillip's wounds. If she had simply waited to change out of her costume, he wouldn't be injured, and Phineas wouldn't have disappeared.

"This is not Anne's fault. I didn't see her standing with the other performers, so I went to save her. I didn't want her brother to not have a sister. Anne is an exceptional woman, and if I had to do this over again, I would change anything." Phillip replied strongly, glaring at his father. "I've made myself clear, Father. I've chosen where I want to be, and who I want to be. It's up to you if you want to accept that or not."

"Phillip, you would chose that… thing over your family?" Victoria asked in shock, pointing to Anne as she stood. Phillip looked at Anne, and she saw nothing but adoration in his eyes. A small smile appeared on his face, and she smiled back tentatively.

"Yes." He replied, and looked at Victoria. "And she is not a 'thing'. Her name is Anne Wheeler, and she is the most incredible woman I have ever met." Victoria sniffed, and left the hospital room without another word. Phillip's mother looked at him with tears in her eyes as his father took her hand, pulling her from the room.

"When this circus fails, and you lose everything, Phillip, do not think to come crawling back to us." He spat, the couple leaving the room. Phillip shook his head, and looked towards Anne. The two simply stared at each other for a moment, before he lifted a bandaged hand. Anne rushed forward, sitting on his bed and taking his hand.

"Why would you give everything up?" she asked, her voice soft as Phillip rested his head against the pillow.

"If it weren't for Barnum, I wouldn't have met any of you. You all changed my life, and if losing my bigoted parents means having you in my life, then that's something I'm willing to give up." Phillip replied, and tears filled Anne's eyes. Phillip squeezed her hand, and his smile grew. He reached his hand up, and used his thumb to wipe away the tears that had fallen onto her cheek. Anne looked at him, and leaned down, pressing her lips against his. Phillip's hand held her close, his fingers softly running through her hair as Anne stroked his cheek. The kiss was gentle and loving, and Anne finally felt at peace. She pulled back, and smiled down at Phillip, who smiled back. Out of the corner of her eye, Anne saw the nurses watching, but she didn't care. As she looked into Phillip's eyes, Anne lost herself in the calming blue. A new sense of strength filled her, and her smile widened.

"Let's rewrite the stars." She said, and Phillip was still for a moment, before his smile widened as well and he nodded.

"You were meant to be mine." He replied, and Anne leaned down to kiss him once more, an unspoken promise hovering above the two as they embraced. Whatever may happen, Anne and Phillip both knew that nothing could keep them apart, and that they were meant to find each other.

Please R&R and tell me what you think!

I fell in love with Phillip and Anne's whole dynamic throughout the movie, and I loved the way that Zac and Zendaya portrayed them.

Happy New Year again, my friends!

Make this YOUR year, and embrace who you are, and all your differences.

Love,

Enchantress

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down,

Gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out

I am brave, I am bruised

I am who I'm meant to be, this is me

Look out 'cause here I come

And I'm marching on to the beat I drum

I'm not scared to be seen

I make no apologies, this is me