Chapter Text
Ray faintly hears Julie practicing a new song from the kitchen. And wow, he hadn’t thought that Julie would ever sing so freely again. Of course, he’d hoped, but with Rose passing and then Julie’s diagnosis, he thought she might never get to sing like she is now.
He normally wouldn’t do this but he wants to see her practice. Making the decision Ray gets up and heads to the studio. Nothing could’ve prepared him for what he was walking into.
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Opening the studio doors he sees Julie first, then her bandmates behind her. But there’s something off about the scene laid out before him. Ray looks around the room and sees no projectors. Okay, what the hell is he seeing here? His daughter’s supposed hologram bandmates are visible without any type of projector.
It takes a minute but Julie finally sees him and stops singing, “Dad!” She says surprised. “What uh, what are you doing here.” The boys seem to notice what is happening and stop playing as well. Disappearing a moment later.
Ray shakes his head in even more surprise, “Mija, what’s going on? How can your bandmates appear without any projection equipment? And when they stopped playing, they disappeared!”
Julie stammers and sways on her feet for a moment. Ray surges forward to steady her, but it seems her guitarist beat him to it. Her guitarist who is suddenly visible again has both his hands on Julie’s shoulders who still looks like she might pass out. The guitarist guides her to the couch and helps her sit down. Once she’s settled he slides his hand down her arm and squeezes her hand. Once he lets go he disappears again.
Julie looks at her dad and says. “Ghosts. They’re ghosts.”
Ray puts his hands on his hips, “Mija, I’m going to need you to be a little more specific than that.”
Julie starts to play with her hands, a nervous tic she’d picked up from her mom. “Uh, do you remember the day I got kicked out of the music program? When you asked me to clean out the studio. Well I uh, I found a CD from a band called Sunset Curve, so I played it. Then uh, the boys appeared.” She takes a deep breath and holds out her hands. “Boys?”
Suddenly not only is her guitarist visible but so is her drummer and bassist. “Julie, I, I don’t know what to say.” Ray pauses, “Well, actually, I do have another question. How can you touch them?”
Julie shrugs and lets go of the boys and they disappear again, “We’re not sure. It happened after we performed at the Orpheum.” Julie sighs, “Obviously there’s more to the story than that but uh, those are the basics.”
Ray nods and looks at Julie. “We will be talking about this, and some new ground rules but for now, I want you to get some rest. I can only imagine how you’re feeling, I mean you just had a presyncope episode.”
Julie nods, “I’m not in trouble right?”
Ray shakes his head, “Of course not mija.”
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They don’t actually get to talk about it until that weekend. Flynn is there and so is Carlos. Ray assumes the boys are also there but he can’t see them. They’re in the studio gathered in an almost circle sitting in any open seat there is. Ray starts first, “So I want the whole story, now.”
Julie nods, “Okay so like I said, the day I got kicked out of the music program and you asked me to come start clearing out the studio, I found a CD, played it, and then suddenly the boys are here in front of me.” She holds her hands out, “Boys? Do you want to tell my dad what you told me?”
Suddenly Julie’s guitarist, drummer, and bassist are visible. Her drummer raises his hand, “I’m Alex.”
Her bassist raises his hand next, “I’m Reggie, good to finally be able to introduce myself to you Ray.”
Then finally the guitarist introduces himself, “I’m Luke, It’s nice to finally meet you Mr. Molina.”
Julie looks to Luke and smiles softly, “Can you please tell him what you told me when we first met now?”
Luke nods, “So basically, we were supposed to play the Orpheum in 1995. Then we ate some bad hotdogs and then died. Then we were in a black room for what seemed like only a couple of hours. Then we were here.”
Ray looks to Julie, “That still doesn’t explain what’s going on.”
Alex speaks up, “We’re ghosts sir.”
Ray looks at Julie sharply, “Ghosts? Then how the hell can they touch you? How can I see them when they’re touching you? How can I see them when they’re playing music with you?” he looks between Luke and Julie, “Also, are you and Luke together?”
Julie immediately lets go of Luke’s hand making both him and Reggie disappear. “We don’t know and no definitely not.”
Julie looks offended and whispers thinking Ray can’t hear her. “We’ll talk about that when my dad isn’t in the studio.”
Ray sighs knowing he’s definitely going to have a conversation with his daughter about her relationship with Luke. “Okay, is there anything else I need to know?”
Julie retakes Luke’s hand and they all look at each other. “Uh, probably yeah.”
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Ray lays in bed that night feeling really thankful for the boys, they brought music back into his daughter’s life. He definitely thinks there’s something going on between Julie and Luke but he knows he’ll come to her when she’s ready.