Believer // Julie and the Phantoms

24

The Molinas made their way back 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 and Cameron looked at the dahlia a moment and the former said, "Hey, Julie, can we talk to you for a second?"

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

"Okay, we'll wait up."

"Don't ghost me," the twins said as they winked and entered the house.

Ray chuckled and Julie turned back to her father and said, "Just a minute."

"Okay," Ray replied before Julie kissed his cheek. The two linked their pinky fingers and Julie walked towards the garage.

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

---

Julie opened the garage door and slowly walked inside before, letting out a deep sigh and said, "I -- I know I already said this, but, uh, thank you, guys."

"You're welcome," Reggie said softly as Alex groaned.

"Dude!" Luke called.

Julie turned on the light.

The ghosts laid on the ground and coughed.

Julie turned the light on. "Why -- why are you here?" Another jolt hit the ghosts and they let out a pained groan. "I -- I thought - No -- no!" Julie cried as she looked around. "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 he and the other two sat up.

"Point Caleb," Reggie muttered.

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

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

"Yeah, well, I knew she was gonna come out here, but nobody ever listens to me," Alex stated as he stood.

Another jolt hit them.

"You have to save yourselves right now!" Julie cried. "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!"

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

Luke made his way to the teenager. "No music is worth making, Julie, if we're not making it with you." Julie looked at him tearfully. "No regrets."

Julie hugged Luke as she sniffled and said, "I love you guys."

Luke started glowing and Julie stepped back. "How can I feel you?"

"I... I... I don't know. I..." Luke replied as Julie gasped and touched his cheeks. In return, Luke sniffled and touched her cheeks a moment before taking her hands. He turned to his bandmates. "I feel stronger." He turned back to Julie.

Julie said, "Alex, Reggie, come."

The other two walked towards Luke and Julie.

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 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 replied, causing everyone to smile.

Alex said, "You guys think we could try that hug thing one more time?"

Reggie nodded and chuckled before saying, "Yeah."

The four shared another hug.

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

"I like this," Reggie admitted.

Julie nodded and smiled as she said, "Me too. Aww!" Everyone chuckled.

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

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

Things seemed to be looking up. The band was back, the club stamp was gone, and they were finally Caleb-free; as far as they knew.

---

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."