A/N: One of my lovely followers a while back, asked me to include this song from The Phantom of the Opera in the Mixtape. I considered for a while how I could incorporate it, and then it hit me – what would life be like in Storybrooke, if they had a prolonged quiet moment? So, my personal head cannon is that Henry, as the author and a lover of stories, becomes the student director of Storybrooke High's portrayal of Phantom of the Opera. The soundtrack has been playing on a loop for nearly three months in Emma and Killian's home. Just a fun, fluffy, Post-Underworld fic that I hope you guys enjoy!
Emma was a fair weather fan of musical theater. Some shows were a hit for her, like Mama Mia or Rent or Hamilton. For whatever reason, something from the stories or the music would spark in her and she'd find herself enjoying it even if she never lost herself in them. Others fell flat or were ruined by things that she knew to be true that the rest of the world didn't (like how no one in Storybrooke could manage to connect to Wicked since they knew the sister in person, and she was kind of a witch). That being said, sometimes she found herself craving a bit of the theater, even if she almost always opted for a movie or TV.
Henry, on the other hand, had never met a musical he didn't like, and as the years had passed, and things had started to quiet down, Henry found himself elected the student director of the winter musical. Excited to lead and to finally have an outlet worthy of his creativity, Henry threw himself into drama headfirst.
Now, as a senior, Henry grappled with some big questions, like which story the school could afford that would have enough intrigue and enough hope, enough heart and enough soul, enough beauty and enough darkness, to satisfy everyone. Henry was all about well-rounded depictions and pushing the teenagers of Storybrooke out of their comfort zones. After toying around with a number of ideas, he'd landed on a classic - The Phantom of the Opera.
"So the man stalks around an old theater where people perform operas and the like, donning a cape and a mask and singing his feelings and his threats?" Killian had asked a few months back.
"Yeah, pretty much. But trust me, we could have done a lot worse. If we had to listen to 'Tradition' from Fiddler on the Roof for three months, you and I would have never survived." Little did she know, that even with a great show, there would still be problematic effects, like how after seeing the movie three times and hearing the soundtrack nearly a hundred, Emma knew every word of every song, and almost every line from every character.
Killian was in even worse shape, because Henry, smart and precocious and determined as he was, had snuffed out that Killian could sing, and insisted that his stepfather help with the rehearsals. So, while Emma got to defend the town at the sheriff's station, Killian was bringing baby Liam and his twin sister Leia to the high school three days a week to help with feedback and tips for the puberty-stricken teens. Every night Killian came home, fatigued from the constant bombardment of the story and the songs, but every night he also reminded her that this was nothing compared to what they'd faced in the past.
"I can handle voice cracking and naïve actors who haven't ever actually felt love, Emma. We took on the bloody lord of the Underworld and made it through. Surely, one more week of this is nothing." But as the show descended into its tech week, the second hand symptoms of the theater clutched at Emma and Killian alike. Through the day, Emma would find herself humming to 'Angel of Music' or 'The Music of the Night,' driving her father, and anyone else around crazy.
"None of us are every going to be able to watch this show again," her mother said one night at a family dinner, after Henry had excused himself up to his room and put the cast album on once more. "Which is such a shame because it has so much passion."
"We've reached the point where I dream about the bloody show," Killian confessed and Emma nodded, like it was the most natural thing in the world. As she held Leia on her lap, even her daughter's soft murmurs seemed to hark to the story. There was no escaping it.
"Last night I dreamed Liam and Hope were older, and they got sucked into another world where the play was true, and because they spent so much of their formative years listening to this, they knew everything before it was happening. They were like little Phantom prophets." Everyone laughed, but it was completely true. At nearly two years old, and barely speaking, her son and daughter were hearing this all on a loop, and seemed to love it. They never cried, never fussed, just played around as the show went on around them. It would have been hilarious, if it weren't so strange.
"I think you all need to prepare yourself for the chance that the theater train won't end with Henry." Regina's words were fair, and more than likely hinted at what would come to be.
"That'll be up to them, but forgive me if I try my damndest to get them interested in sailing or music or even that blasted soccer game every child in this town carries on about." Killian's tone was sincere, but underneath, Emma knew without a doubt that even if they were destined for a solid sixteen years of more plays like this, she and Killian would still feel like the luckiest people on earth.
The days came and went, and finally, opening night was upon them. Henry was a bundle of nerves, and Emma and Regina had both been struck by how little he wanted from either of them in preparation. Killian though, was feeling the demand, and had made himself available to Henry all through the week and early into the premiere night. It wasn't until she'd found her seats, with her parents, Regina, and Belle that Emma saw her husband again. Having left Liam and Leia at home, they were strapped in for a night of more Phantom.
"Did you see the programs?" Belle asked thoughtfully and Emma immediately flipped through the pages. There on the second sheet of paper read 'A special thanks to Killian Jones for his tireless work. And to our families, all of whom are likely tired of Phantom already. That any of you came at all is proof enough that you love us.' Emma couldn't stop the happy tears from forming.
"He certainly has a way with words," Killian said as he took Emma's hand in his. She heard the pride in Killian's voice, and she leaned over to kiss him lightly on the cheek just as the lights dimmed, and the curtains came up.
The entire audience sat there captivated throughout the show. Henry had done a wonderful job, and the kids were so much better than Emma had expected. Killian had kept it a secret just how much they'd managed to accomplish and it made it all the sweeter. But still, Emma caught herself mumbling the words of some of the songs underneath her breath, almost like she couldn't help it. Sensing this, Killian tightened his hold on her during one song in particular. During 'All I Ask of You,' Emma and Killian mouthed the words to each other from Raoul and Christine, as the song was strangely perfect for the two of them, if airing on the dramatic side.
(Raoul)
No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you
Let me be your freedom
Let daylight dry your tears
I'm here, with you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you
(Christine)
Say you'll love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summer time
Say you need me with you now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you
[Raoul]
Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe, no one will find you
Your fears are far behind you
[Christine]
All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me
To hold me and to hide me
[Raoul]
Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Christine, that's all I ask of you
[Christine]
Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
[Both]
Share each day with me, each night, each morning
[Christine]
Say you love me
[Raoul]
You know I do
[Both]
Love me, that's all I ask of you.
[Both]
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Love me, that's all I ask of you
"You two are so weird." Granny grumbled to them from the row just behind after witnessing that display and Killian's only response was to put his arm around Emma possessively.
They enjoyed the rest of the show without any other outbursts, and when the curtain went down, and the crowd rose in their seats for a standing ovation, Emma couldn't help the happy tears streaming down her face. The kids did their bows and Henry got his flowers and his moment in the spotlight, and all those months of borderline torture became so worth it in an instant. She couldn't recall the last time she saw her son this happy, and she hoped it lasted as long as it possibly could.
"Wow, you guys really thought I was going to mess this up." Henry said as he finally made his way to the family and found both his Moms and his grandmother at a loss for words. Emma pulled him in for a big hug and laughed at his joke.
"I think we're all just shocked that after all this time, we survived one final night of this," David replied.
"Tell me about it. I'm swearing this show off for the foreseeable future." Henry's words were greeted by a disbelieving laugh smothered by a cough from Killian.
"I give you six months, a year tops." Henry shrugged and gave his stepfather a hug. "Thanks for all the help, Killian. You know, they'll probably ask you to take over for me when I graduate." Killian shook his head with a ferocity that had them all laughing again except for Mary Margaret who had turned red.
"No way you guys actually thought you'd convince him to do this again, Mom," Emma chastised. Her mother mumbled that one could dream, and the laughter continued.
Later that night, after Henry was home from his celebration with the cast and Emma and Killian had put the little ones to bed, Emma had a small moment of sadness that their time with the story had come to an end. It lasted about thirty seconds, until she heard Killian humming along to one of the songs as he brushed his teeth. Only then did Emma realize that it would never be over, and that might actually be a good thing.
Post-Note: As I said before, this is just a fun little fluff piece shouting out to a show I love with some fun post-big bad life head cannons. I really hope that someday, far from now, when OUAT ends, that they give all these characters the normalish sense of home most of them have been craving, but until then, and just in case they don't, expect more fics like this in the CS Mixtape to come. Thanks again for reading, and as always, let me know if there's a song you love that you think works with Captain Swan, and I will do my best to get it in here!