Chapter Text
Julie couldn’t sleep.
It wasn’t all that surprising to her, given the events of the day. It wasn’t every day she took down an evil ghost intent on stealing her soul and destroying her band and best friends. But she definitely thought she would be exhausted from discovering she possessed a supernatural ability to love and break curses put on her by said evil ghost.
When her and the boys had exited the Hollywood Ghost Club, the euphoria they had felt overcame them. Reggie and Luke had whooped loudly and grabbed each other in a huge hug. Alex had bent over and braced his hands on his knees, breathing in and out slowly. Julie wanted to comfort him, but she was in the middle of a busy street in downtown LA and her legs were shaking so badly she was worried they would give out on her. She pulled out her airpods and placed them in her ears as Luke and Reggie turned to her.
“How did you do that?” Reggie demanded gleefully. “I mean, did you see how terrified Caleb was? And how cool was your whole ‘you’re gonna leave my family alone or else’ speech? You’re like a hero from an action movie!”
Before Julie could answer any of his questions, Alex stood up and blew out a huge breath.
“As big of a fan of Badass Julie I am, promise me you will never go after an evil ghost by yourself again huh? I didn’t think ghosts could have heart attacks until I heard ‘Julie’s with Caleb and needs help’.”
“Oh, you should probably call Flynn before she sends out a search party.” Reggie added, “She was pretty worried.”
As if summoned, Juile’s phone rang shrilly and she winced at the volume in her ears. Sure enough ‘ Flynn the Great’ flashed on her phone, along with the selfie they had taken before Julie’s garage party. She swiped the answer button on her phone.
“Hey Flynn-”
“HEY? That’s all you give me is HEY?! You send me a 911 text that you are with some psycho evil ghost who tried to steal your bandmates who I then had to hope were in the studio so I could tell them to rescue you and all I get is HEY?!”
Julie winced. Partly because Flynn was right and partly at the sheer volume of the call. The boys winced and Reggie gave her a sympathetic look.
“I’m sorry Flynn, I didn’t have time to call you or explain more.”
“Are you okay? You still have your soul right? Are the guys okay? You have a gig in three days and it would really suck if we have to reschedule so we can rescue the himbos again…”
Julie giggled.
“We’re all fine. I’ll um…” Julie glanced at the boys and saw them looking at her intently, waiting for her response.
She was suddenly hit by a wave of exhaustion. She wanted nothing more than to go home, curl up under her blankets, and sleep for the next three days.
“Flynn, is it okay if I call you later? I’m waiting for the bus and it’s...not a great time…”
Flynn paused and Julie prepared to explain everything. It wasn’t fair to leave Flynn hanging like she was. But she also didn’t want to have to go into details about evil ghosts and sudden superpowers over the phone and around other bus riders.
Flynn sighed gently in her ear.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Jules. Call me when you can or I’ll hunt you down…”
A rush of love filled Julie and she quietly said goodbye to her best friend as the bus pulled up. She jumped on, seeing the boys follow her to the empty back seats.
By the time they had arrived home, the weariness had settled in Julie’s bones and Alex had to basically carry her in the house. Her dad was out at one of Carlos’ games, so they were easily able to get her up to her room.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked quietly. It was the first he’d spoken since they had left the club and he perched himself on the edge of her bed, eyes scanning her intently. Julie smiled sleepily up at him.
“I am, I promise. I guess discovering and using supernatural powers will really take a lot out of you.” she mumbled.
“So...how did you discover these supernatural powers?” Alex asked, sitting gently on her other side. Reggie placed himself at her feet and rested a hand on her leg.
“It was something my mom used to say to me. She told me that love was the most powerful feeling in the world and that sharing love would be my greatest power. And I remembered the night of the Orpheum, how all I could think about was how much I loved you guys and how much I wish I could save you and then…” Julie yawned lightly.
“And then the magical group hug to end all band circles.” Reggie finished proudly. Luke rolled his eyes fondly and Julie giggled.
“Yup. You know the rest.”
“So that explains how you saved us. But how were you able to fend Caleb off? He was going to stamp you and then it was like he was burned. I don’t understand.” Alex was thoroughly confused.
“I do.” Reggie said, his eyes watery. He rubbed Julie’s ankle comfortingly.
“It was our love for Julie that protected her. Like hers did the night of the Orpheum. It made her glow.”
The silence between the four of them stretched long. It wasn’t a new revelation that the band loved each other, but more of a realization of how deeply that love ran. Tears prickled in Julie’s eyes as she realized how grateful she was for these three ghosts that had dropped into her life and changed it irrevocably.
“I love you guys,” she whispered, the lump in her throat making it hard to talk any louder.
“We love you too, Julie.” Reggie murmured. The three boys simultaneously crawled into the circle of Julie’s embrace and cuddled close on her bed. Reggie rested his head on her knees and hugged her legs tightly while Alex pulled her into his chest and pressed her face into the junction of his shoulder. Luke curled into her back and tentatively rested his arm along hers. When she pulled him decisively closer, she felt him smile into her hair and decided to ignore the fluttering in her stomach for the time being.
She knew they would have to talk about what Caleb had revealed at some point. But the feeling of contentment that spread through her body at the feeling of being surrounded by three of the most important people in her life kept her from disrupting the moment.
They laid like that for hours, not speaking. Julie thought she would drift off eventually as the events of the day caught up to her, but her eyes refused to close. She felt Luke combing gently through her curls, twisting them though his fingers. Reggie would squeeze her legs gently every once in a while and Alex gently tapped a beat against her arm with his fingers. It was soothing, these little quirks from the boys. It wasn’t until her dad knocked gently on the door and informed her that dinner was ready that she extracted herself from the band and made her way downstairs. Carlos filled the usual dinner chatter and Julie excused herself as soon as the dishes were done to go upstairs and call Flynn back.
Her best friend was understandably astounded when she finished telling her what had happened. Julie had omitted the part where she had almost given into Caleb’s promises on her own volition. She hadn’t fully come to terms with that idea herself and she knew Flynn would absolutely freak out on her.
“Well damn girl. Are we completely sure you aren’t living in a supernatural movie? First three ghosts literally drop into your life, then you’re basically kidnapped by another evil ghost who wants to steal your soul, now you’re telling me you discovered some sort of super power that saved you from the crazy ghost man?”
“You’re telling me.” Julie had groaned.
Now, after telling Flynn goodbye almost two hours ago, Julie still couldn’t fall asleep. She knew she couldn’t just forget about Caleb’s promises and the reasons she had almost given in.
“I can’t lose anyone else that I love!”
“You won’t!”
“Yes I will! You’ll all cross over and I’ll just keep losing people I love.”
“No you won’t Julie. I know you. Even if one day we do cross over, we will always be with you. I will always be with you, right here. Right beside you. I couldn’t leave you even if I tried!”
Julie shook herself out of the memory and was out of bed before she knew what she was doing. Her monster slippers were on her feet and she blindly reached for a sweater before creeping out of her room. It was late enough that her dad’s light was off and the house was silent, so she avoided any creaky stairs and only opened the back door wide enough to slip through it.
Her steps became more determined. She knew what she needed to say. She’d been dancing around this for too long and Caleb had taken advantage of it.
She reached the studio doors and threw them open, preparing to shoo Reggie and Alex away when the scene in front of her stopped her in her tracks.
There were four ghosts in her studio.
Reggie and Luke were loosely grouped around Alex and the other dark haired boy. He had his hands braced on Alex’s shoulders and Alex had his on his waist. The boy’s long tresses were wild around his head, his dark eyes snapping to meet hers as she entered the studio.
“Julie?” he asked. Alex turned and Julie could tell by the look on his face exactly who he was.
“Hey Willie.” she smiled.
“You can see him?” Alex demanded. Julie nodded and Alex looked on the verge of a breakdown before Willie grabbed his hand.
“I had a feeling this might happen.” Willie said. Julie would have been more concerned if she didn’t catch the hint of a smile on his face.
“What do you mean? What happened?” she asked.
“You, Julie Molina, are the most powerful lifer I have ever met.” he laughed. He gestured for Julie to sit on the couch, where Reggie and Luke followed almost immediately. They sat beside her as Willie took the chair and pulled Alex to sit on the arm beside him.
“I wasn’t there when Caleb tried to trick you. But I definitely felt it when you broke my stamp,”
“Wait, WHAT?” Alex squawked. Willie chuckled, ever the picture of ease.
“I felt some kind of sting on my wrist that I haven’t felt since Caleb stamped me. Then I looked at it and it was like it floated off my arm and disappeared. And I felt...stronger. Like my soul had just been reconnected. When I went back to the club, I realized that I couldn’t get back in. You can only be allowed inside if you’re a part of the club or you're invited. And that’s when I knew I was free.”
“Wait, so you mean to say that Julie was able to save you just like she saved us?” Luke asked.
“It’s the only explanation I can think of since my stamp came off.” Willie shrugged.
“You did tell Caleb to leave Willie alone. Y’know, when you were being a badass and all…” Reggie interjected.
“You did?” Willie asked, suddenly soft. Julie nodded.
“You’re family, Willie. I wasn’t about to tick the evil scheming ghost off with my super cool powers and leave you to clean up the mess.”
He turned and met Julie’s gaze. The laid back attitude she somehow knew was his default setting suddenly melted into somber remorse.
“Julie, I want to apologize to you.”
Julie was taken aback.
“For what?” she asked incredulously.
“For getting the boys into that mess at the club. I honestly...I thought it was a great place. It was the first place I knew where I felt like I belonged. Caleb...I swear I never thought he could be capable of what he did. I knew he was difficult sometimes but he always offered me the freedom to do what I wanted. And when I met these really cool ghosts who could be seen by a lifer, I thought they would be happy at the club and could really learn to love it there, like I did. So I invited them to Caleb’s party
“And then Caleb stamped them--I swear to you I didn’t know he would!--and then I kept checking on them to see if I could maybe find a time to tell them what happened. I told them they would be able to cross over if they figured out what their unfinished business was. I know it wouldn’t make up for what I did, but then at least they wouldn’t be trapped somewhere they never wanted to stay. They never wanted to stay at Caleb’s club, they only wanted to be in a band with you. And I almost took that away from them. I will never forgive myself from almost taking them from you.”
Julie, after all the emotion and turmoil of the day, felt the tears brimming and Willie looked like he wanted to poof away. Julie stood and reached out for him, hoping with everything in her that what she was thinking would work. She was only mildly surprised when her hand went right through his and she sighed.
“Alex, can you please hug him for me?” she whined jokingly. Willie and Alex’s faces lit up before the blonde pulled him up and into his arms. Julie and the other two boys watched with excited expressions as Willie pulled Alex as close as he could.
Julie hadn’t been lying when she’d called Willie family. Despite what he had done initially under Caleb’s control, he had risked everything to help save her boys. He had sacrificed his own happiness with Alex in order to keep them from being trapped like he was. The least she could do was try and save him too.
She suddenly felt pressure on her hand and she turned to see Luke linking his pinkie finger with hers. When she met his gaze, he nodded to the couple still embracing and mouthed ‘thank you’. Julie nodded, smiling.
No question.
When Alex and Willie finally pulled away, Willie looked around and whistled.
“This place is dope! Can’t wait to hear what you guys are working on next.”
“We have a gig coming up in a few days! You should hear the new stuff Luke and Julie have been working on!” Reggie squealed eagerly. He suddenly gasped.
“Does this mean we have our own roadie now?” he asked, wide eyed. Luke snorted and Julie laughed. Alex just shook his head and muttered an “okay Reg”.
“Hey Willie! Let's go to the beach and moon the lifers down there!” Reggie suggested, jumping up from his spot on the couch. Alex rolled his eyes until Willie cackled and slung an arm around the bassist’s shoulder.
“I’ve always wanted to go for a midnight swim…” he crowed. He turned to Alex and raised an eyebrow.
“Y’comin, hot dog?” he asked mischievously. Alex couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face as he glanced over at Luke and Julie.
“I’ll pass on this one, guys. Just stay out of trouble please? I’ve already dealt with enough supernatural today.” she warned.
“Same here.” Luke said simply. The boys nodded before poofing out and Julie and Luke were alone.
Julie felt her heart stumble in her chest. What she had been banking on less than an hour ago was suddenly in her grasp. The determination she had felt earlier, before finding Willie, had evaporated.
Her and Luke had never been awkward around each other. From the moment he had stood in front of her and told her “we’re all a little crazy”, they had been two kindred souls. She’d found out he’d been the one who had written her favorite songs that had informed her love of music. They had both lost their mothers in different ways and found comfort in music. Even her mom, an enigma she never imagined, had somehow been connected to her boys as evidenced by the love and care that went into the bedazzled Sunset Curve t-shirt Julie had folded in the bottom of her drawer.
Everything in her life had somehow pointed her towards Luke. She couldn’t ignore the signs. They had always been there.
“Julie…”
Julie’s head snapped up to see Luke standing at the piano. He was leaning against the side of it, fiddling nervously with his rings.
“What happened today? Why were you at that club?” he asked quietly. Julie knew he wasn’t angry with her. She had felt his fear and later relief when he had pulled her from her trance.
“Nick called me. He said that he was in trouble and no one was picking up. He said he needed me and told me to go to the club. Caleb used him to trick me into coming.” Julie felt her ire burn when she remembered the lie. Poor Nick. She would have to call him in the morning and check on him.
“Oh.” Luke said simply.
Julie mentally quirked an eyebrow. Luke was many things, but he was not frugal with his words. When he was really fired up, he could go for hours until someone--usually Alex--shut him up by blasting Julie’s Spotify on the loudest volume. And even then he could sometimes talk over it and critique the music, much to his bandmate’s chagrin.
“Are you okay?” she asked, standing up and moving towards him. As she reached a hand out to place it on his arm, he abruptly jumped away from her. Julie watched, her arm still raised, as Luke began to pace the studio.
“How could I be okay, Julie? Do you understand how terrified I was? Caleb was this close to stealing your soul! What could have happened if we hadn’t gotten there in time? He would have taken you and we would have lost you. I would have lost you!”
“I’m sorry, Luke. I never would have gone if I knew what he was planning. He was putting some kind of spell on me and I tried to fight it as hard as I could.”
“But what about after?” Luke demanded. “You said it was the only way you could keep from losing us. You were well aware of what he could do and you let him try again. How could you even think that was an option?”
“Luke,” Julie murmured, moving closer to him. “I have never been more sorry in my life. I know it was wrong of me to even think about taking his deal. I never would have considered it before tonight.”
“So why did you?” he asked. There it was. The hurt and dread that had been just under the surface all night. Julie sighed.
“Because I don’t know if I’m strong enough to lose someone again.” she replied. Luke looked ready to interrupt but Julie held her hand up to stop him.
“I know you are about to say something wonderful and sweet about how brave I am and how you would never leave me. But the reality is, Luke, someday there will be a day that you three will cross over. Maybe it’s next week, maybe three months, or maybe it’ll be in ten years. And I will still be here. I won’t be able to follow you, no matter how much I want to. I will still have to live my life.
“So yeah, when Caleb offered me the opportunity to keep you three forever I thought about it. I’m not proud of it, but I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to not only save myself the pain of losing three of my best friends, but I wanted to hold onto the magic we make as a band.”
“You are not selfish.” Luke protested vehemently, darting over to stand in front of Julie. Julie smiled.
“All that and that’s what you take from it?” she teased. Luke grinned.
“Reggie called me the ‘number one Julie Molina stan’ or ‘fan’ or whatever he said. Just trying to live up to the title.” Julie giggled and Luke’s face melted into an expression of such softness that it made her heart flutter. She continued, aware of the electricity between them.
“And then you sang ‘Finally Free’ and I knew you were right. You will always be a part of me, no matter what happens. And I knew there was no deal that Caleb could come up with that would change that.”
Luke smiled softly at her, reaching out to push a wayward curl out of her face.
“What I said was true, y’know,” he murmured. “I will always find a way back to you, Julie.”
It was as powerful as if he had said the words he really meant. Julie could feel her heart expanding and bursting at the seams.
She knew. She knew that her feelings for Luke Patterson had grown and shifted and bloomed. It was undeniable. She found herself, like many times before, wishing she could run up to her mother and ask her the question that had burned itself into her mind day after day since that night on the porch.
Is this what love feels like? Is this what all the songs are about?
She felt the whisper of an answer.
Yes.
Julie smiled and grabbed Luke’s hand.
“C’mere. I want to play you something…” she said. He let himself be pulled over to the piano, where Julie sat down and shifted so there was room beside her. He gently took his spot, gazing at her.
“Whatcha got for me, boss?” he teased. Julie grinned and shook her head, before placing her hands on the keys and beginning to play a gentle melody.
“I was alone so long
I didn't even know that I was lonely.
Out in the cold so long
I didn't even know that I was cold.
Turned my collar to the wind
This is how it's always been.
All I've ever known is how to hold my own.
All I've ever known is how to hold my own.
But now I wanna hold you, too.”
Julie glanced over to take in Luke’s expression of awe and adoration that made the butterflies in her stomach flutter. He wordlessly turned in his seat so his legs hung off the back of the bench and his guitar landed in his lap. Tenderly, letting her lead, he began to strum the melody with her as her voice swelled with the music.
“You take me in your arms
And suddenly there's sunlight all around me.
Everything bright and warm
And shining like it never did before.
And for a moment I forget
Just how dark and cold it gets.
All I've ever known is how to hold my own.
All I've ever known is how to hold my own.
But now I wanna hold you,
Now I wanna hold you
Hold you close.
I don't ever wanna have to let you go.
Now I wanna hold you, hold you tight
I don't wanna go back to the lonely life.”
Julie let her falsetto carry the last note, closing her eyes. She had never felt this vulnerable, even when she had stood in front of the entire Orpheum audience and prepared to sing without the boys. But if the last year had taught her anything, she needed to open her heart. She couldn’t hide it away anymore.
Luke’s gentle, tenor rasp took over and she opened her eyes to see him gazing at her with a multitude of emotions in his eyes. She continued to play, never moving her gaze from his.
“I don't know how or why
Or who am I that I should get to hold you?
But when I saw you all alone against
The skies, it’s like I'd known you all along
I knew you before we met
And I don't even know you yet.
All I know is you’re someone I have always known.”
Julie felt the truth of his words wash over her. It was exactly what she had been thinking before she’d gone to the studio. Their connection was undeniable, even before they were even aware of it. Fate had pushed them together, two halves of a whole waiting for the other.
Julie joined him, her falsetto floating above his melody.
“All I know is you're someone I have always known.
And I don't even know you
Now I wanna hold you,
Hold you close.
I don't ever wanna have to let you go.”
“Suddenly the sunlight: bright and warm…” Julie began, inching closer to him.
“Suddenly I'm holding the world in my arms.” Luke finished. His guitar vanished from his hands at the same time Julie’s fingers left the keys and then their lips finally met.
Julie had always wondered what the big deal about first kisses was. When her and Carrie and Flynn would have their sleepovers back in elementary school, they would spend hours upon hours talking about what their first kisses would be like and how important it was to find the right guy. Julie had always balked at the idea that there would be a first kiss that could be that perfect.
Elementary school Julie had obviously never kissed Luke Patterson.
His lips were soft and gentle against hers, all of his burning passion he felt on a daily basis smouldering into a golden flame intent on her. One of his hands came up to cradle her face and Julie shivered at the feeling of his calluses caressing her cheeks while the other threaded through her hair. Julie let her own mould to his face and stroke the soft wisps of hair at his temples.
It felt as if her heart would beat out of her chest. This felt like the beginning of something incredible and of coming home all at the same time. When she had reached for his hand on her porch all those weeks ago, she had never imagined she would ever gain the opportunity to kiss him.
All too soon, Luke gently pulled away and rested his head against her forehead. He had his eyes closed and a beaming smile split across his face.
“I’m crazy about you, Julie Molina,” he whispered. Julie leaned forward and pecked his lips briefly, causing him to open his eyes.
“ Te adoro Luke Patterson.” she murmured. He gently tugged her into his arms and she leaned against his chest, pulling his arms closer around her.
“I know you’re scared of what’s going to happen, Jules.” Luke said softly. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t too. But I don’t want to waste a moment of my second chance. You brought us back here and I believe I was always meant to know you. I will not let that slip through my fingers.” He pressed a light kiss to her forehead and it stole Julie’s breath away.
“I’ve always known we were connected somehow. I thought it might have been my mom. Maybe…” Julie trailed off.
“Maybe…” Luke prodded.
“...maybe it was something bigger than all of us.”
Luke hugged her closer.
“You mean like fate?” he asked. Julie shrugged.
“I don’t know, and frankly, I’m too content to care.” Luke chuckled and Julie reached up to kiss him again. It was slowly becoming her favorite pastime.
When they broke apart once again, Julie grinned.
“I have more…” she whispered. Luke beamed and gently pulled her up so she was tucked under his arm with all the range to play.
“Say that you'll hold me forever.
Say that the wind won't change on us.
Say that we'll stay with each other.
And it will always be like this.”
Luke squeezed her tenderly.
“I'm gonna hold you forever
The wind will never change on us
Long as we stay with each other…”
Their voices melded together perfectly, as if the universe itself had decided it. And maybe it had. But for the time being, they were just Luke and Julie.
“Then it will always be like this…”