End of May // Luke Patterson

24

The Molinas made their way home. They were in a conga line chanting Stand Tall.

"You and your Phantoms were unbelievable tonight," Ray complimented. "You know, I'd like to thank them for bringing music back into your life."

Julie smiled before saying, "I already did. But I didn't thank you, Papi." She gave Carlos her dahlia and hugged her father.

Carlos looked at the dahlia a moment then said, "Hey, Julie, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah. Yeah, uh, just give me a minute." She was going to the garage.

"Okay, I'll wait up. Don't ghost me." He winked.

---

The garage was dark; almost pitch black. Julie opened the door.

Julie took a moment before saying, "I... I know I already said this, but, uh... Thank you, guys."

"You're welcome," Reggie and Ruth said.

"Dude! Ruthie!" Luke protested.

Julie turned on the lights. She saw the ghosts on the floor, barely able to lift themselves from the ground.

Ruth cuddled into into Luke and he hugged her as best as he was able.

Julie asked, "Why... Why are you here? I thought-"

Another jolt hit the ghosts.

Julie looked around and said, "No -- no! I thought you guys crossed over! Why didn't you cross over?"

"I guess playing the Orpheum wasn't our unfinished business," Alex replied as the four attempted to sit up.

"Point Caleb," Reggie and Ruth muttered.

"We wanted you to think we crossed over, so we pretended to," Luke told Julie. "We just -- we had nowhere where to go."

"We thought you'd go straight to bed," Reggie said.

"Yeah, well, Ruthie and I knew she was gonna come out here, but nobody ever listens to me, and only occasionally listens to her," Alex argued as he stood.

Yet another jolt hit the ghosts and Luke held Ruth a little tighter.

Julie cried as she said, "You have to save yourselves! Go join Caleb's club. Please! It's better than not existing at all. Please just go. Go! Poof out! Do something! Please! Do it for me!"

"No," Luke and Ruth argued. "No, we can't go back there."

Ruth stumbled as she stood and walked over to Julie.

Luke smiled sadly as he took Ruth's hand and said, "No music is worth making, Julie, if we're not making it with you." Julie looked between him and Ruth tearfully. "No regrets."

Reggie shook his head. "We're not going back there."

"Please don't make us go back there," Ruth whispered. "I beg you."

"You don't have to, Ruthie." Julie cried as she said, "I love you guys." She threw her arms around Ruth and the blonde hugged back.

Julie, still hugging Ruth, asked, "How can I feel you?"

"I... I... I don't know," Ruth replied as Julie gasped.

Ruth turned to her twin and bandmates and said, "I feel stronger." She turned back to Julie.

Julie looked between the ghosts before saying, "Alex, Reggie, come."

The boys joined the girls and the group hugged each other and Reggie said, "Whoa... I... I... I don't feel as weak anymore."

They pulled away from the hug as Luke and Ruth chuckled.

"Yeah, me neither," Alex agreed. "Not that, you know, I was ever weak." The group chuckled.

The ghosts held their wrists up, watching as Caleb's stamp disappeared.

"What do you think that means?" Julie wondered.

"I think the band's back!" Luke and Ruth replied, causing everyone to smile.

"Can we do the hug thing again?" Ruth asked softly.

Alex nodded. "Yeah, you guys think we can try that hug thing one more time?"

Reggie nodded and chuckled before saying, "Yeah."

The five shared another hug.

"Hugs are good," Alex and Ruth commented as they pulled away.

"I like this," Reggie admitted.

Ruth nodded and smiled as she and Julie said, "Me too."

"Aww!" Julie said, causing everyone to chuckle.

The five hugged and jumped in a circle. As they did so, Julie exclaimed, "We played the Orpheum! Whoo!"

"Yeah, we did!" Luke and Ruth cried, causing the group to giggle.

Things seemed to be looking up. The ghosts had no club stamp, the band was back, and Caleb was gone; or so they thought.

---

The next day, Nick, flowers in hand, made his way to Julie's and rang the doorbell.

A whoosh sounded and Caleb said, "How sweet. The broken-hearted teenager fighting for his girl."

"Do I know you?" Nick asked.

"You will."

Nick gasped and a purple smoke entered his mouth as Caleb possessed him. Wind howled and bones cracked.

"I have a fight too," Nick/Caleb said.

Julie opened the door and smiled. "Hi, Nick!" He handed her the flowers with a devious smile.

Julie sighed and said, "Thanks."