"Ashley! Wake up!"

Ashley jolted awake. Her first thought was:

"Why is my bed so small?"

Then she realized she was in a plane seat, next to an exuberant Erin who was shaking her awake.

"Ashley! Come on! Up!"

"I'm up, you bitch," Ashley growled. Erin stopped.

"What's that for," she asked. Ashley sat up in her seat.

"For waking me up so roughly," she explained, and stood up.

"I'm getting ready," she said, and walked over to the minuscule bathroom. She looked at herself in the small mirror.

She had taken off her headband before she fell asleep, and her red hair was a mess. She smiled, she'd have to fix it later.

She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and untangled her messy hair.

She walked out of the bathroom and trudged back to her seat.

"Still mad at me," Erin asked.

Ashley shook her head. "I was just really tired. My nightmares gave me erratic sleep patterns. What time is it?"

Erin check her phone. "It updated all ready. It's 2:17. Well, in London time."

After a moment, Ashley grabbed her phone. She went to the clock app.

"It's only 9:17 back in NY," Ashley said, "I should've been up by now."

Erin nodded. "But flying over seas messes up sleeping. You've been out since we first took off."

That long with no nightmares? This was a miracle.

"Well, we'll be there soon enough. I can wait!"

Erin nodded. "Neither can I."

Ashley dug her hand into the backpack Erin brought.

Inside were some snacks, along with their phone chargers, Ashley's new headphones, and the envelope with Toby's letter.

She pulled out the envelope and reread the letter.

SiX Premium Card. What was that?

Ashley tipped the envelope over, and a flat card fell out.

She picked it up. It was a card with the purple poster of SiX decorating the front. Ashley flipped it around, and a message in gold writing was written on the back.

Congratulations, first place winner! With this card, you'll be able to access any show in SiX!

Ashley smiled to herself and put the card back in the envelope.

Ashley noticed her camera, and that is was on, but not recording. She slipped the strap on her neck, waiting in anticipation.

What felt like forever later, the pilot announced the plane's landing.

Ashley squeezed Erin's hand. They were almost there.

Soon the plane touched the English ground, and everyone exited it.

Ashley started her camera. "Hey, there, everyone. Ashley here. Erin and I just departed the plane!"

She pointed the camera to Erin, who smiled and nodded.

"Once we get our bags, we'll change into something else and we'll wait at the front. Ashley got another email saying Jaye'J and Natalie will meet us there."

They left and entered the airport. Ashley converted her money, the money her mother gave to her after her death, into British Pounds.

They found their bags and went to the nearest bathroom. Ashley entered a stall and changed into a white crop top with a black jacket and her favorite black leggings. She walked out of the stall right when Erin did. She wore a purple shirt with jeans and her favorite sweater.

"You ready," Erin asked, opening her ponytail. Ashley nodded. After applying a bit of makeup, they both walked out of the bathroom and up to the front of the airport.

Ashley and Erin both smiled so wide, their excitement about to blow.

"Ashley!"

Ashley turned around at the sound of a voice calling to her. She gasped.

"E, look! It's Natalie!"

***

"Once we get there, be on the lookout. We know how she looks like, so finding her should be easy."

Jaye'J was going over the plan with Natalie, who was driving.

"Jaye'J, I know we'll see her and know. It's not that big a deal."

"But so many things could happen," Jaye'J exclaimed, "She could get lost, or her plane left without her, or -"

"Or maybe she's coming and she's just as nervous as we are," Natalie said.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Natalie felt incredibly nervous, but tried to play it cool. Everything Jaye'J said was what the rational side of Natalie's brain was saying. But she tried to play it cool; Ashley will most definitely come.

They arrived at the airport. They walked in. Jaye'J kept checking her phone, trying to pinpoint when Ashley would arrive.

"By now she should be collecting her luggage," she said. Natalie nodded.

"So we'll wait."

They did. Natalie kept checking for a redhead that matched the picture Ashley posted on the website.

She then laid eyes on a red haired individual, a girl, talking to a tall blonde female. Natalie looked a little closer. The girl wore a necklace. An emerald, exactly the one Courtney gave Ashley. It had to be her.

"Ashley!"

She watched as the girl turned around, spotted her, and turned to her companion.

"That's her," Natalie called.

***
Ashley and Erin raced over to the blonde woman.

"Natalie!"

Ashley watched as the woman opened her arms.

Ashley ran in for a hug. She was met with warm arms and a faint scent of hairspray.

"Hello, darling," Natalie exclaimed. "I can't believe you're actually here."

Ashley laughed. "Me either!"

Erin gave Jaye'J a smile. "I'm Erin, Ashley's girlfriend."

"And best friend since diapers. But who's counting?"

Everyone laughed. Ashley and Erin got their luggage and put them in the trunk of Natalie's car.

"Here, we call it a boot," Jaye'J told her.

Natalie drove them to the Arts Theater. Ashley opened her camera.

"We're here with Jaye'J Richard-Noel, and Natalie Paris! Queens, tell the audience who you play."

Ashley turned the camera to Jaye'J, who was sitting in the back with Erin.

"I play Catherine of Aragon," she said.

"And Natalie?"

Ashley turned to her. "Jane Seymour."

Ashley refocused the camera to her. "Erin and I are with two West End legends. I just can't believe it!"

"You should believe it," Natalie said, "We're headed to the Arts Theatre, where all of the Queens and alternates are waiting for you!"

Ashley gasped. "I cannot believe it!!"

"Well, you have to," Jaye'J told her, "Everybody is ready to see you."

They drove off, and reach the theatre.

"I've never felt so excited in my entire life," Ashley said to Natalie, who laughed.

"Trust me, it'll pass."

They walked inside and after a while, found a door Natalie opened.

"Guys, we're here!"

After a moment, Ashley found herself in a giant hug.

"You're here! Ashley, I can't believe you're actually here!"

She felt someone squeeze her and let her go. She looked up at the woman, and recognized her immediately.

"Mille!"

Ashley gave Millie a massive hug.

"I knew you'd remember me," Millie told her, "Did you get my gift?"

Ashley nodded. "I loved it. Thanks, Millie."

Millie smiled. Then soon a number of women emerged.

"Ashley!"

She found herself in hug after hug, constantly being squeezed. Until someone gave her a hug and ruffled her hair. Ashley turned to the blonde woman who had done it.

"Vicki," she asked. The woman laughed.

"You remember my letter," she said. Ashley laughed.

"All right, now that everyone got to squeeze Ashley," Natalie said, "Let's introduce ourselves."

Millie nodded. "But can we do it on the stage?"

Natalie nodded and Ashley followed all of them to a door marked STAGE. Someone opened it, and Ashley gasped.

It was big, with more lights than Ashley ever thought. It had three stair like platforms, the last two stretching out, with instruments on too. The lights were off, but Ashley loved it.

"This is the stage," she asked. Natalie nodded.

Ashley watched as all the women sat in the stairs or on the floor. She moistened her lips.

"Hey, everyone. I'm Ashley. And that's Erin," Ashley said, pointing to Erin, who waved awkwardly.

"You guys know me, so I just want to say thank you."

"For what," Jaye'J asked.

"For giving me this amazing opportunity," Ashley told all of them, "I am more than grateful I'm here, and I can't wait to get to know every single one of you."

Everyone went "Aw!"

Ashley smiled and sat at the top stair. "Now, introductions. One at a time, please."

Everyone laughed. "Well," Natalie said. "Who do you remember?"

Ashley looked around. "I remeber Jaye'J, and Natalie. I just met Millie, and.."

She spotted the pink hair. "Aimie," she said, pointing at her. Aimie grinned.

"And Lexi," Ashley said, pointing to the woman directly below her.

"And Maiya." Maiya waved. She was sitting next to a keyboard.

"Then there's Vicki," Ashley nudged Vickie, who sat next to her.

"That means me and Grace," said a woman with extremely curly hair. She stood up.

"Hi Ashley, I'm Courtney Stapleton," she said, "I'm an alternate on SiX, the Queens I play are Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Parr. I gave you that emerald you're wearing. Did you like it?"

Ashley laughed. "Like it? Courtney, I loved it. I loved all of your gifts."

Everyone smiled to themselves. Another woman stood up.

"Ashley, I'm Grace Mouat. I play Jane Seymour and Katherine Howard. I gave you the journal."

Ashley smiled. "And I thank you, Grace."

She turned to Vicki. "Does that mean you play Anne Boleyn and Anna of Cleves?"

Vicki nodded. "Now you know who we are and who we play!"

Ashley grinned. "I just can't wait to get started!"

Millie perked up. "We have a show at six p.m tonight. You could watch our rehearsals, and you could use that Premium Card -"

"You do have the Premium Card, right," Aimie asked. Ashley walked up to Erin and pulled out the envelope with the card.

"Right here," Ashley told them and sat back down.

"As I was saying," Millie continued, "Use the Premium Card to get access to tonight's show! You could see us perform!"

Ashley looked down at the purple and gold card and back up to the Queens.

"Let's do it!"

A crazy amount of cheering.

"Hold on," Natalie said, "Ashley, we need to show you you're new house."

A pause. "New house? Not flat?"

Natalie nodded. "We all worked together and bought a house for the two of you. We filled it up, but left most of it blank."

Erin laughed. "At least we have a place to stay!"

Ashley turned to the others. "Thank you! Thank you all so much."

"It's nothing, really," Maiya said.

"Just one question," Lexi said, and pointed to Erin.

"Would you like to be a part of SiX?"

Erin froze. "Um. Yeah. Not a performer, duh, but like a stagehand, or a musician."

"Well then," Grace said, clapping her hands, "You could work with the Ladies in Waiting. That's the band of SiX."

"Cool," Erin exclaimed, "What instruments?"

"Not a lot," Vicki said, "A guitar, a bass, the keys, and the drums."

Erin grinned. "I can play all of them!"

"Then it's settled," Courtney exclaimed, "Ashley will be an alternate, and Erin will be a lady in waiting!"

"Perfect," Ashley said with a smile.

"So, how far is the house?"

"About a two minute walk," Aimie said. "But since we need to get to know you better, we're all carpooling. Your stuff needs to be taken too."

"Oh, great! Let's do this!"

They all piled into a massive van and they placed the luggage on top of it, roping it down. It was a loud and very short car ride, but eventually they arrived at a two-story house.

It was painted blue with a lovely white trim. The windows in the front made Ashley feel nostalgic. There was a lawn with several potted plants, and a large backyard. The house felt so quaint, Ashley couldn't believe it was hers.

"This is ours," Erin asked. Everyone nodded.

"Come on inside," Millie said. Natalie handed them both a key.

"We printed the first one, so both of you could come in."

Ashley took her key and opened the front door. The house smelled of paint and wood.

The walls were painted a deep purple, with white along the top. The front of the house was wide and spacious, with carpets littering the floor. There was a door on the left, which led to the kitchen.

After a while, and the wide living room met their eyes. It was massive, and decorated with couches and armchairs, with a long flat carpet and walls painted dark purple.

A window near the edge brought in sunlight, in a corner devoted to reading.

"Wow," Ashley said softly.

"That's not even half of it," Courtney told her, "Head upstairs."

Ashley did as she told her, and found four doors in the hallway.

"One's a bathroom," Grace explained, "Two are rooms, and one's a guest room."

Ashley walked over to one of the doors. There was a sign with her name on it on the front.

"This one's mine," she asked. Everyone nodded. She opened the door.

Once she was inside, she needed to blink. Everything was amazing.

The main theme was purple and white. There was a white queen size bed with purple covers, and white pillows.

The carpet was a fluffy white, and the walls were purple as well. A large wardrobe stood in the corner, and a desk, white, stood by it. A small empty bookshelf stood by the bed, already filled with several books.

But Ashley's favorite thing was on the desk. It was a picture of the Queens and alternates, and said Welcome Home, Ashley! on the corner. She smiled.

"This is amazing," she said to the Queens. "It's beautiful!"

"She loves it," Vicki cried. Everyone cheered, and Erin snuck off into her room.

Ashley followed her and found a similar color palette in it, purple and white.

A white bed, purple walls. Flat desk with carpet, less fluffy than Ashley's, but still massive.

"Wow," Erin said in awe. Ashley laughed.

"You like it, I take it?"

She nodded.

Everyone went to the living room. Ashley noticed it was able to fit all of them inside.

"Well," Ashley said, "I still can't believe I'm here."

"We can't either, darling," Natalie said, giving her a hug.

"It's just so unbelievable," Millie said.

"She's right," Aimie said, "It's so crazy."

"Well," Lexi said, " Now that you are here, we have a lot of work to do."

"Like getting you into shape," Maiya said with a straight face. Ashley looked down at her body. She looked fine, what did they mean by that?

"She means get you into dancing condition," Jaye'J clarified.

"Oh!"

"And we start tomorrow," Courtney told her.

"You'll be training with Grace," Vicki added. Ashley turned to her.

"Why Grace?"

"I'm the Dance Captain," Grace said, "I make sure everyone's up to date with dancing if the original choreographer isn't there."

"That makes sense," Ashley said.

"Alright, then," Natalie said, "Let's all go back to the theatre. Ashley, weren't you making a video?"

"Oh!"