Chapter Text
“Alright, nerds! Who’s ready for our first official movie night in way too long?!” Flynn asks as they flop down with the rest of their friends after passing around bowls of popcorn.
The band and their closest friends are sprawled out over their sectional that they specifically bought for their apartment because of how well it fits all of them. They’ve got their usual spots claimed, Julie and Luke have taken the corner, halfway on top of each other. Flynn is lying between Julie’s legs and the back of the couch along the chaise. Carrie is leaned up against Reggie with her legs tucked up beside her. Even though they fit with everyone else (or use the pull out), Alex and Willie have taken their places on the floor. Alex is right in front of Carrie so that she can rake her fingers through his hair. Willie is lying with their head in Alex’s lap with their legs and feet propped up and over the side of the couch just shy of being in Flynn’s face.
Everyone impatiently motions for Flynn to start the movie. They’ve been waiting for this for months. Their first major tour has been exhausting and while they loved it, they are so happy to be home and given a chance to catch their breaths with the people they love most.
Just as the opening credits start, the screen turns to static and then shifts to the colour bars that were all too familiar to the boys in a past life.
“What the hell?!” Carrie shrieks while Alex groans.
And before they’ve even had a chance to start questioning further, the screen shifts again.
It goes dark and then pans over a night sky filled with stars with gentle whimsical music. Rolling text that reads, “Do not be alarmed. This is a special presentation of beloved Netflix Original, Julie and the Phantoms. All questions will be answered in time. Sit back and enjoy a peek into your past.” A rock guitar riff plays and the Julie and the Phantoms logo takes over the center of the screen.
“Again, I say WHAT THE HELL?” Alex looks only a moment away from panic.
“Breathe, Hotdog.” Willie assures him, after sitting up to start gently rubbing their boyfriend’s back.
Once Alex seems sufficiently calmed, Willie continues, “we’ve been through a lot of weird shit. Let’s see how this plays out? Could be fun!” They wiggle their eyebrows playfully.
They all look at each other with equally shocked faces and give slight nods. They’re doing this. Willie returns to their spot laying on Alex.
The screen goes black with white text that reads, “Hollywood 1995.”
“Oh, we’re going WAY back!” Julie notes, “This is exciting, we’ve never been able to see Sunset Curve in its glory!”
Unfortunately between the dying and the lack of supportive adults in their lives (the first ones), they still don’t know if any recordings of their sets ever survived. They certainly haven’t come across any, which given the power of the internet may be more of a good thing than otherwise.
Luke sits up a bit straighter and leans forward. He loves being able to watch their performances; they always play from the heart and leave it all on stage but there is something about being able to play it back and fine tune what he can. He imagines it’s how athletes feel when they watch tape.
The scene opens to the illuminated sign of The Orpheum at night and the opening guitar of Now or Never starts to play. The scene transitions to Alex counting the band off with his drumsticks, and then shifts so the entire band can be seen while they play.
“Fuck, those lights were so hot. I am so grateful for LEDs,” Alex notes immediately, apparently coming to terms with the idea of watching themselves relatively quickly.
“Is that… Dad?” Carrie asks. She knows about Sunset Curve and all that has happened with the band but it’s always weird actually seeing him with the boys.
The song continues on screen and when the camera focuses on Alex, Willie groans softly. “You’re so fucking hot when you’re playing,” they tell Alex, a hint of a blush on their cheeks.
“Only when I’m playing?” Alex teases them back and leans down to kiss them.
“Get a room!” Luke yells from where he’s watching in between Julie and Reggie.
Alex sticks his tongue out at his friend and returns to watching the screen.
"Uhhh, I'm with Willie. What the fuck?" Julie says. "The Sunset Curve vibes are… yeah." She blushes and bites her lip while Luke looks at her in disbelief and everyone else chuckles.
They all compose themselves and jam out with the band onscreen as the song continues.
Alex sings his first solo line, “We ain’t searching for tomorrow.”
Willie can’t contain themselves. “I love it when you sing too,” they mumble.
“Well thank goodness for friends who push me out of my comfort zone then, hey?” Alex replies with a smile. He loves singing now that he's gotten comfortable with it, even if it took a while for them to convince him to try. They’ve all got great voices and it doesn’t make sense to hide any of their talent.
Reggie sings, “We’re the revolution that’s been singing in the rain,” and brushes his hair back out of his face.
“Shit, Reggie. You sure sold that sexy persona of yours when it was just the boys, hey?” Flynn teases to laughter from Luke and Carrie.
“Hey! I still sell it, thank you very much!” he retorts while everyone lovingly rolls their eyes at him.
“Mkay, Reg,” Julie laughs at him, leaning over Luke to pat him on the shoulder.
"NOBODY, and I mean nobody, make a comment about my Dad's hotness," Carrie pleads. "Please!"
She's answered with snickers from her friends. Willie considers pushing that button but even he knows there's a line with Carrie not worth crossing.
They jam out some more and then on-screen Luke is spinning his guitar and times his strumming with the pyrotechnics. “Damn,” Julie pipes up again.
“Need some water, Jules?” Flynn asks with a smirk.
“I uh… I’ll be ok.” She responds as the barely receded blush rises back up her face.
“If it’s any consolation, we die soon,” Reggie chimes in helpfully.
Alex groans at him while Willie yells, “Hey, no spoilers!” which elicits giggling from Julie who had burrowed her face into Luke’s shoulder.
They enjoy the rest of the song and as the boys are bowing, Flynn realizes something.
“These are the clothes y’all died in? And you sweat how many gallons in that performance?” they ask with a grimace. “I’m guessing ghost-boys don’t stink the same way as real boys.”
The girls cringe at the thought, though Julie is well used to the post-performance sweat of her boys. Even if it’s not under 90s era lighting. Celebratory group hugs wait for no woman.
And that’s when they notice the woman cheering for them from the floor.
“MOM!” Julie shouts. Between discovering Rose’s Sunset Curve t-shirt and the amount of time that the boys have spent with the Molinas (not to mention the re-introduction of Bobby/Trevor to their lives), they’ve pieced together that Julie’s mom was who they had talked to that night. Julie didn’t expect to be able to see this little piece of her though and she’s cherishing the moment.
“Thank you, we’re Sunset Curve,” Reggie says from the stage.
“Tell your friends!” they all chime in, noticing that the standard line is missing this time but enjoying it anyway.
“Too bad we wasted that on the soundcheck, that was the tightest we’ve ever played.” Bobby comments.
“Well wait until tonight, man, when this place gets packed with record execs.” Luke exclaims excitedly.
They all laugh.
“Alex, you were smoking,” Reggie compliments their drummer.
“Oh no. I was just warming up. You guys were the ones on fire.” he replies.
“Could you just own your awesomeness for once?” counters Reggie.
“Yeah, Lex! Own your awesomeness for once!” Carrie smirks at him, knowing that he’s gotten a lot better in the self-confidence department over the last few years and that it never hurts to hear that you’re admired and appreciated. Especially him.
“All right, I was killing it,” Alex concedes and the boys chuckle.
“OK, well, I’m thinking we fuel up before the show. I’m thinking street dogs,” Luke suggests to which Luke and Reggie agree.
The boys go green. “Oh no…” Reggie squeaks from between Luke and Carrie.
“I guess we knew this was probably coming,” Alex pipes up. “Hopefully they didn’t show much. And that we have a minute to prepare for what we’re about to see.”
Alex smirks from his spot on the floor. “Speaking of what we’re about to see,” he says, knowing what’s about to come. They’d joked and talked about but never SEEN the flirting before and Alex couldn’t wait to see how this went down. He was gearing up for some relentless teasing.
Bobby opts out of going for street dogs with his friends and walks toward Rose, “Vegetarian, I could never hurt an animal.”
“Bullshit,” coughs Reggie while the others laugh. He may not have been a vegetarian in this moment, but Bobby never touched meat again after losing his best friends to hot dog. That doesn’t mean they don’t mock him for it any time it comes up.
“Of course he started it. Of COURSE,” Carrie sighs.
Rose ignores Bobby’s line and compliments the band, “You guys are really good.”
“Thank you,” Luke replies.
“I see a lot of bands. Been in a couple myself. I was really feeling it,” she continues.
“Oh mami,” Julie says softly. She almost can’t believe that she was going to give up music, this gift that her mother had bestowed upon her, until the boys had quite literally fallen into her life. Especially with being reminded of how passionate her mom had been about it. It was nearly enough to rival Luke.
Luke squeezes her a bit tighter for a moment.
“That’s what we do this for,” Luke explains. “I’m Luke, by the way.”
“Hi, I’m Reggie.”
“Alex.”
“Bobby.”
“Nice meeting you guys,” she starts. Luke gives Bobby a wet willy. “I’m Rose.”
“Don’t even think about it!” Alex warns before Luke has the opportunity to free his hands to mimic the action. Luke pouts while Julie giggles at the exchange.
“Oh, uh… here’s our demo. And a t-shirt. Size beautiful,” Reggie smirks at her while handing her the items.
Everyone groans and Julie hides her face in her hands. “I don’t know whether I’m more excited and sad to be able to see another piece of Mom or embarrassed that y’all are my family.”
“Both. It’s definitely both,” Flynn says, patting her best friend’s knee. “I’d say you chose them but I don’t know that that’s entirely true.”
“You’re stuck with us now, anyway!” Reggie exclaims, draping himself over Luke to wrap Julie into a hug and plant a sloppy kiss to her cheek.
“And loving every minute,” she replies dryly while wiping her face with her sleeve.
“It’s so weird seeing you three with Dad. I kind of love it but my heart hurts for him. I’m glad he has you back. Ish,” Carrie comments as the boys on screen head out of the venue.
“Imagine how he feels!” Reggie adds, wrapping an arm around her. “I’m glad we get to have him back too.”
Rose thanks Reggie for the t-shirt and Alex comments on the poor quality of them before Bobby reminds them that they were headed for food. Luke exposes Bobby’s lie about being a vegetarian and they head outside.
Luke, Reggie, and Alex burst through the doors of the venue.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Luke exclaims.
“The smell of Sunset Boulevard?” questions Alex.
“No,” chuckles Luke. “It’s what that girl said in there tonight. About our music, all right? It’s like an energy. It connects us with people. They can feel us when we play. Y’know, I want that connection with everybody.”
“Ah, a classic Luke music speech! 0 days without incident,” laughs Alex. They may have considered making one of those workplace incident signs for just such occasions but ultimately decided to have mercy on their passionate guitarist. That doesn’t mean they don’t mock him relentlessly for it.
Reggie hands out some t-shirts to people waiting in line who scream his name as he walks away.
They all giggle at Reggie’s apparent popularity with their female fans while his ears turn pink. Although his charisma followed him into death and beyond, he holds a much different vibe as bassist of Julie and the Phantoms than he apparently did as bassist of Sunset Curve. And they love all of those sides of him just the same. Carrie nudges him gently with her shoulder and gives him a small smile and he rests his head on hers.
The boys are adding toppings to their hotdogs from the back of the car. Alex drops some pickle juice and apologizes to the vendor.
“No problem. It’ll help with the rust.”
Alex looks concerned, “”That can’t… OK. What?” and walks away.
Julie and Flynn gag while Carrie shakes her head and says, “I’ll never get over how you thought that eating hot dogs out of a car was a good idea.”
The boys settle in on an old couch in the alley.
“Ohmygod, I don’t know whether I’m more shocked at your choices - including sitting on… THAT - or that somebody had the foresight to set up seating for a hot dog cart? Can I even call it a cart? I just…” Flynn questioned with a look of severe distaste on her face.
“This is awesome, you guys. We’re playing the Orpheum! I can’t even count how many bands have played here and then ended up being huge. We’re gonna be legends. Eat up, boys. ‘Cause after tonight, everything changes,” Luke makes it through another speech.
“Foreshadowiiiiing!” sings Flynn.
The boys dig into their hotdogs when Alex pauses. “That’s a new flavour,” he says.
“Nobody ever listens to me,” Alex mumbles as he shrinks down and crosses his arms.
“Aw, Hotdog. It’s cute that you think you have the brain cell considering how easily you follow your friends into peril,” Willie chides, giving him a sweet kiss before dropping their head back into Alex’s lap and pulling their boyfriend’s hand down to play with their hair.
“What they said!” the girls and Flynn laugh while Alex just shakes his head.
“Chill, man. Street dogs haven’t killed us yet,” Reggie replies and they all dig in.
“Famous last words, Reggie. Famous last words,” Julie rolls her eyes at him and gives him a soft smile.
An ambulance drives down the alley with lights flashing and sirens blaring. The camera pans up to black on the night sky.
The scene opens in a school where class is letting out. Text across the bottom of the screen reads , "Los Angeles, 2020”
“Oh and what have we here?!” Luke sits up, watching excitedly. He’s pretty sure he’s about to catch their first sight of Julie.
A girl with a ball cap pulled low over her face navigates through the crowded hallway.
“Oh man, Julie.” Willie says sadly, reaching up to give her hand a squeeze. She returns it and sends a small smile his way.
Julie stops at and opens her locker while Flynn walks up.
“Hey, underacheiver,” Flynn echos their on-screen counter part.
“Hey, disappointment,” Julie does the same while they both giggle.
Flynn asks Julie about her plans for music class and is disappointed when they realize that there aren’t any.
Carrie’s voice can be heard off screen, “See you at the rally.”
“What is she handing out?”
The camera pans to show Carrie handing out flyers. She brings one to Flynn and Julie at the lockers and they engage in unfriendly banter before she walks away and Flynn crumples the flyer in their hand.
Flynn looks over at Carrie, an apologetic look on their face.
Carrie returns it and says, “I was so horrible. I’m so glad that we’ve moved beyond all of everything but it’s so embarrassing to see now.”
Alex reaches for her hand and laces their fingers, “Well, we love you now and that’s what counts!”
“Aw, love you too, Lex,” she replies.
Nick is leaning against a pillar and Julie is looking at him while biting her lip with a smile.
“Nick? Still? You know they’re gonna get married and have a bunch of unholy babies.”
Carrie starts laughing. “Plot twist!” she exclaims.
Flynn continues mocking Julie’s crush on Nick.
“BAHAHAHAHA!” laughs Flynn, “if only I knew what crushing Julie ACTUALLY looked like.”
Julie hides her reddening face in Luke’s shoulder while he pulls her closer and kisses the top of her head.
“And only one of them has to be a demon to make a demon baby.”
“Demon!”
“We were both kind of terrible,” Flynn says, looking at Carrie.
“Yeah,” Carrie acquiesces.
The girls giggle into the lockers and Flynn comments on seeing Julie’s smile again.
The scene shifts to a music room where Nick is playing guitar.
“I mean… I can see it,” Reggie says as Nick finishes his performance, “hot guitarists are hot.” They’d all gotten to know Nick (well, a deeply traumatized version of him) during and after his possession but he couldn’t experience music in quite the same way again after getting free and opted instead to commit more deeply to lacrosse and his teammates. After that, they just kind of drifted apart.
Nick finishes his performance and the class applauds him. Ms. Harrison introduces Julie as the final performance.
“Julie! Julie! Julie!” the boys cheer. Julie hides her face in Luke’s shoulder and Flynn sends them a not-so-subtle glare and clears her throat.
“Right. We’re sorry. We know this was really hard for you AND we’re really happy that we get to play with you now! We just got excited” Alex smiles at Julie and she returns it.
Julie walks to the piano and lays out her sheet music, sitting on the bench. Ms. Harrison encourages her gently and Julie pauses over the keys before standing up and apologizes for not being able to play. Carrie comments on it while Flynn defends her and follows Julie from the room.
Flynn reaches up to grab Julie’s hand while Reggie stretches over Luke to wrap her in a tight hug. If there are tears in her eyes, nobody says a word.
The camera pans over LA and the Hollywood sign before showing the Molina home. The next scene opens with Julie at the kitchen table doing homework when Ray comes down the stairs.
“RAAAAAAYYYY!!!!!” everyone cheers as soon as he’s visible on screen.
“Oh good, you’re home! I was about to go watch your brother’s game,” Ray greets Julie. “I’ve had photo shoots all day. Didn’t even get a chance to eat.”
“Okay, so… how much of Ray’s… y’know what? Dude’s as much of a himbo as everyone thinks we are! It’s been years and he still forgets everything,” Alex mumbles.
“Yeah well, he did also adopt 4 ghost boys so…” Flynn responds, trailing off. “Though to be fair, he was pretty absent minded in the before times too. It just wasn’t so obvious then.”
“And I help now!” Reggie pipes up.
“Yeah, Reg. You help now,” Julie smiles at him, thinking about what these boys have brought into her Dad and brother’s lives.
Ray continues talking with Julie, telling her about his conversation with the Realtor and asking if she can start cleaning out the studio.
“Can you imagine how different things would have been if you’d moved?” Luke shudders. “I’m really glad you didn’t!”
Julie looks away while Ray continues, about to explain that if she’s not ready they can figure something else out.
“No. It’s alright. Maybe I’ll try tonight,” she interrupts.
“You look so sad,” Willie notes from the floor. “I can’t imagine what that must have been like.”
“It was hard. Still is but we’ve all been through a lot, even if it’s not the same. I think that’s what makes us us. We hold each other through it.” Julie replies. “I love you guys.”
“We love you too, Jules!” Willie answers.
Ray reminds her about the loft and that the old instruments up there need a new home.
“I’ll never not be confused about how your parents decided to keep everything for all that time. But I’m really glad they did,” Alex says.
“Yada yada, Bobby Trevor, yada yada Rose, yada yada musicians and magic, yada yada something” Flynn jokes. They still haven’t pieced together all of the story, they’re still obviously missing a huge chunk of it without Rose, but they’ve gotten enough that they don’t question much any more.
Ray gathers himself to leave for Carlos’ game, looking absently for his keys.
“Under the mail,” his daughter reminds him.
“Oh, Ray!” Reggie chides lovingly.
It’s dark and Julie is walking down the stairs toward the studio.
“Ohhhhh studio time! This is when you meet the boys, isn’t it?” Willie asks.
“Yeah, we’ll see if it’s as chaotic as I remember,” Julie responds.
Julie opens the studio doors and sighs as she walks in to turn on the lights. She walks around the space slowly and reaches out for the drape cloth over the grand piano, sliding it onto the floor.
Flynn reaches for Julie’s hand and gives her a tight squeeze.
Julie moves sheet music from the bench to the top of the piano and sits down, inhaling deeply.
“I’m so sorry, Mom. That I haven’t been in here.”
She moves to the ladder leading up to a loft and climbs it. The space is filled with various instruments and a Sunset Curve CD laying on the floor.
“So convenient and not at all suspicious, perfectly laid out CD I see,” Carrie says.
Julie places the CD in the stereo and plays the disc, moving to the couch to sit down and listen to it, bobbing her head to the song.
“I don’t know whether to make fun of your not-quite dancing or to be so ecstatic that you were feeling music again,” Flynn thinks aloud.
“Both, probably both,” Julie replies.
The song is interrupted by screaming.
“And that would have been so weird.” Flynn comments.
“It was. It really, really was. But nothing compared to what came next.” Julie replies.
Three boys fall into the space with a flash, gasping for breath.
“Ouch!” Willie says, “Good thing you’re ghosts, I guess?”
“Whoa! How did we get back here?” Luke asks.
Julie and then the boys start screaming while she runs from the studio.
“Y’all are truly a delight,” comments Carrie drily.
Julie runs across the yard to where Ray and Carlos are returning from the baseball game.
“Dad!” she yells as she reaches them.
“Whoa, whoa! Hey! Whoa, slow down! You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” he grabs her arms to stop her.
“I have!”
“Cool” Carlos exclaims.
“Oh, Carlos,” Reggie gushes, “best little dude ever!”
“Not cool!” she replies. “Run!” she runs into the house and up the stairs to her room.
“Ouch, Julie. You don’t think we’re cool?!” Luke asks, putting a hand over his heart dramatically.
“No,” she replies simply and Flynn, Willie, and Carrie laugh.
She enters her room and ducks behind an ottoman.
Alex chuckles, “Like the ottoman is going to protect you from the big scary ghosts!” he teases.
“Shut up.”
She texts Flynn 911! and impatiently exclaims, “Come on, Flynn! 911 means 911! Why aren’t you answering me?”
“Still can’t believe you never answered me,” Julie scoffs at Flynn.
“Hey! We’ve been over this. And also, what could I have even done if I had? AND GHOSTS?! Not to be like that but I don’t think that would have gone over well.”
“It didn’t,” Julie admits, remembering all too well how that explanation has gone over with not only Flynn, but nearly everyone.
Ray and Julie try to talk about what just happens when she gets frustrated at him mentioning her old therapist and asks him to drop it, to which he agrees. They shake fingers and he leaves her room.
“Awww, good dad Ray,” Reggie gushes.
Julie turns back toward the window and creeps toward it slowly.
“Remind me to never ask you to join me in any espionage ventures.” Carrie jokes.
“Why are you… spying?” Julie responds, confused.
“Reasons and things.”
“I’ll join you!” Willie chimes in.
“Deal!” agrees Carrie cheerily.
“God, you’re such chaotic gays,” Flynn snarks at their friends.
“And you… aren’t?” Carrie asks with a hint of teasing in her voice.
“I’m perfect,” Flynn replies with a smug look.
Alex shushes them dramatically knowing full well that every single one of them mostly qualifies as both chaotic and gay and once this conversation starts, there’s no telling where it winds up.
Julie grabs a decorated cross from the wall and heads back into the studio, holding it out in front of her.
Flynn cackles, “How’d that cross work out for you, Jules?”
Everyone chuckles while Julie sends her friend a glare.
Julie circles the studio, still holding the cross.
“All jokes aside, this would have been really freaky,” Willie comments. “Where’d you guys even go?”
“We were… around,” Luke replies. They hadn’t really gone far and truth be told, this whole meeting was kind of a blur for all of them.
She seems to be alone in the studio.
“I know I saw something. I’m not crazy.”
“Well, we’re all a little crazy,” Luke says in time with himself on screen.
“That’s… don’t do that. It’s creepy,” Julie chastises him.
“Hey! Why can you do it but I can’t?” Luke mocks outrage, sitting up.
“It’s the rules,” Julie replies.
“Says who?”
“Me.” she giggles again while he rolls his eyes and puts his arm back around her.
“Ohmygod please stop screaming,” Alex pleads.
“Oh my god, ALEX!” Flynn laughs.
A dog howls in the distance while Julie starts interrogating the boys.
Flynn is in hysterics, choking on their words, “and… the… DOG!”
Willie, Julie, and Reggie join their laughter while the others just look at Flynn with disbelief.
“I mean, it is kind of funny,” Julie asserts. “I imagine it’s going to get worse before it gets better, too. It feels good to laugh about.”
Luke enters the studio, refuting the claims that the studio is Julie’s mom’s. He skirts the piano, trying to avoid Julie and the cross still held out in her hands.
“Honestly, Julie is such a badass,” Carrie says. “I don’t think many of us would have gone back out there.”
“It’s true. And watching Luke scared of her never gets old,” Willie agrees.
“WAIT, wait, wait!” Flynn interrupts. “Did anyone else notice that Julie and Luke MATCH?”
“I’m sorry, what?” asks Alex.
“Look! Julie’s sweater is the same colour as the Rush logo. And her t-shirt trim matches his hoodie. Coinkydink?” they respond. “I guess we’ll see.”
“Weird…” he trails off.
Luke is excited to see that his couch is still there but starts to realize how many other things about the space are different.
“You know, it’s almost impressive that it took you this long to realize how much had changed. Especially considering Julie had been inside for a while,” Carrie says.
“Be nice to me!” Luke pouts.
“Never! But also, I was talking about all three of you.”
“Hey!” Alex mocks offense. “Stuff was weird and you CANNOT say you handled any of this any better than the rest of us!”
“Let me have my fun,” she teases back.
Luke returns to the boys after asking Julie for some time.
“Guys, what is going on? How did she get her stuff in here so fast?”
“And you also just make it sooo easy!” Carrie comments with a giggle.
The boys glare at her
Reggie proposes that Julie may be a witch while Alex tries to be the voice of reason.
Carrie continues giggling through the entire exchange on screen.
Alex stops the boys’ speculation. “She’s just scared. Ok? Let someone with a softer touch handle this,” he interjects.
Flynn joins in with Carrie’s laughter. “Softer touch? Really? This from the ‘please stop screaming!’ guy?
Alex approaches Julie and slowly asks her why she’s in their studio.
Flynn and Carrie are howling with laughter while the boys pout.
Julie responds by shoving the cross through Alex’s chest.
Flynn is gasping for breath and Carrie has tears running down her cheeks. Willie joins in on the laughter.
“Well, as long as you’re having fun I guess,” Julie can’t help the little laugh that escapes with her words.
Alex turns to the boys, “Clearly she doesn’t get it.”
He returns to face her and explains, “Ok, look. We’re ghosts, all right? We’re just three ghosts and we’re really happy to be home. So, thank you for the flowers. They really brighten up the room.”
“Alex!” Carrie just manages to squeak out. “Chill!” And she falls back into laughter.
Julie processes what she’s just been told while Luke chimes in, “We’re actually in a band called Sunset Curve.”
“Tell your friends,” Reggie adds.
“OH MY GOD. LUKE!” Flynn cries.
Julie giggles.
Luke continues, “Last night was supposed to be a really big night for us. It was gonna change our lives.”
“I’m uh… I’m pretty sure it did,” Alex says.
Everyone except the boys are laughing while on-screen Julie pulls out her phone.
Luke points at her phone asking what it is and what she’s doing.
“This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me!” Flynn manages between fits of laughter.
“Haha, laugh at the dead guys,” Alex comments sarcastically. They’ve been through this enough times over the last few years - joking about being out of touch with the time they were dropped into and something about himbos. It’s all par for the course for Sunset Curve at this point. Throw their questionable responses to being confronted with their deaths and meeting a (terrified) living girl who can see them? This was bound to happen, really. It’s all in good fun, teasing and banter are how they all show their love for one another.
“Thanks, I will!” Flynn giggles in response.
Julie explains that it’s her phone and chastises herself, “No! Stop talking to them. They aren’t real. There’s no such thing as cute ghosts.”
Reggie catches it and replies, “Oh, think we’re cute?”
Reggie winks at Julie who rolls her eyes in response.
She ignores his teasing and turns back to her phone and then Alex asks who she’s calling.
“I’m Googling Sunset Swerve,” she answers.
“Sunset Curve!” everyone shouts together. Another battle and ongoing joke from the past few years.
Julie details what she’s learning about their band and explaining that it’s been twenty five years since they died.
Reggie is the first to react, “What? No. No, no, no. Th-th-that’s impossible. After we floated out of the ambulance, all we did was go to that weird, dark room where Alex cried. Alex tries to counter Reggie’s claims while Luke explains that it feels like only an hour had passed. Julie shows them the article as proof that the time had passed and explains that it’s now 2020.
“So this is the future?” Reggie asks in disbelief.
Alex is grappling with this new information, “What. So… So, it has been 25 years. I have been crying for 25 years? How is that possible?”
“Awwww, Alex!” Willie gushes while reaching up to kiss their boyfriend on his reddening cheeks.
Reggie responds to Alex’s mounting panic. “Well, you’re a very emotional person,” he says.
“I am not!” Alex denies immediately.
Alex has his face in his hands, pretty sure he knows what’s coming.
Willie sits up and rubs Alex’s back with a smirk. “We know, Hotdog, we know.” Luke snickers from his spot on the couch.
“As if either of you,” Carrie says, pointing between Luke and Reggie, “are any better.”
“We love our soft boys,” Julie adds. They all know full well who the most emotional of the lot are (hint: it’s not her or Alex. Or Carrie. Or Flynn. Or Willie. And probably not Reggie either.).
Carlos enters the studio, asking Julie about her ghost friend.
“CARLOS!!!” Reggie exclaims excitedly, taking his role as honorary Molina and big brother very seriously.
After some back and forth between the siblings, Carlos tells Julie that it’s time to eat and heads back into the house. Julie and the boys realize that Carlos couldn’t see them and she starts walking away before turning back to the boys.
“Look, I’m very sorry for what happened to you guys, but you have to leave,” she tells them.
“Ouch, Julie!” Willie laughs
“Good to know they were horrible listeners from the get-go,” Carrie joins in.
Julie laughs too, “I guess this is one of the times we can be grateful for that.”
As Julie is leaving, Luke stops her and asks for her name and then the boys introduce themselves.
“Ba-da!” he finishes with a flourish.
Willie and Carrie giggle while Alex face palms.
She’s unimpressed and simply responds with an, “OK?” before walking away.
“Cold as ice!” chuckles Carrie.
“Julie seems nice,” Reggie smiles at his friends and Alex groans in exasperation at his friend.
“Oh dear, sweet Reggie,” Flynn comments.
Back in the house, Carlos is finishing setting the table with a place for his mom. Ray sets a bowl of spaghetti down and the family joins hands while Carlos says grace.
Everyone laughs at Carlos and then cringes as Ray dishes up the spaghetti.
“Thank goodness for Tia and Reggie,” Julie says. Once Reggie and Ray were introduced, the offerings from the Molina kitchen were greatly diversified, much to everyone’s appreciation.
“Perks of childhood trauma,” Reggie replies with a flip of his hand and a grin. He’d been cooking for years and took joy in ensuring it tasted better than was simply necessary for survival.
The others affectionately roll their eyes at him. Reggie had managed to grasp the intricacies of dark humour quite quickly once given (nearly) free reign of the internet.
Tia greets the family as she enters through the back and they quickly remove the additional place setting from the table. She puts the food that she’s brought over into the fridge and then stands beside Julie at the table.
“Oh… I see things here are going better,” she comments, rubbing the empty spot at the table.
“I’m so glad Tia stopped giving you grief over setting a place for your Mom and started letting y’all grieve how you needed to,” Flynn looks to Julie and reaches for her hand.
Julie squeezes her friend’s hand and agrees.
Ray and Tia talk about getting the house ready to sell and how she believes that it’s going to be an important step in moving on. As she’s speaking, the boys phase through the door.
“Oh my god, NO!” Flynn cries and the boys have the decency to look at least mildly ashamed.
Tia is still speaking when Julie notices the boys, causing her to shout. Her family is surprised and she tries to cover for herself.
“That’s me. Ripping off the Band-Aid.”
Carlos chuckles at her while her aunt grabs her chin, “There’s my brave girl.”
Suddenly Luke is in front of her, “Hey Julie, I really like what you guys did with the place.”
“You shouldn’t be here!” she responds, frustrated at their intrusion.
Tia assumes that Julie is speaking to her and explains that she’s just here to help and Julie is again trying to cover for herself, explaining that she thought her aunt should be at pilates. Tia gives Julie a hug and Julie directs a harsh glare at the boys who apologize and leave.
“Ooooh, if looks could kill,” Carrie jokes. “Re-kill? Eh. Doesn’t matter. You’d all be dead many times over.”
Tia comments on Julie no longer being in the music program which is met with a surprised expression from Ray who quickly recovers and explains that they had just been talking about it.
“TIA!” Flynn shouts. “What the hell?”
“She was just looking out for me,” Julie defends her aunt. “In the best way she knew how, anyway.”
“I know but still!” Flynn replies. Luckily it didn’t take too much longer for Tia to back off, especially once the ghost boys were brought into the equation and gave her a much bigger “problem” to work on. She was instrumental in getting everything sorted out for them as it became necessary.
After Tia leaves, Carlos tries to offer a distraction but is dismissed by Ray who turns his attention to Julie.
“Good brother Carlos!” chirps Reggie. “Love that little dude.”
“We know, Reg,” Julie chuckles.
Ray and Julie talk about the music program, her mom, and her connection to music.
“Good Dad Ray!” Reggie claims again to slight laughter from around him. “I’ve always loved how he listens to you. Us.”
“Me too, Reg. We’re lucky to have him.” Julie reaches over Luke for Reggie’s hand and gives a soft squeeze.
“Yeah, we are,” he squeezes back.
Rock music starts playing, causing Julie to get up from the table. She claims that she left it playing when she came in and heads outside.
“Oh no,” Flynn groans to massive grins from Luke and Reggie. They start bobbing their heads and playing air instruments to the music.
Julie enters the studio, stomping her slipper-clad feet in front of the boys who continue playing.
“Oooooh, scary Julie!” Carrie teases with a giggle, drawing chuckles from Willie and Flynn and an eyeroll from Julie.
The boys finally stop playing and Julie explains that the neighbourhood can hear them.
“Wait. People can hear us play?” Luke asks in disbelief.
“Yes! And so did my dad and brother,” she responds.
“Y’know. Cuz they’re not part of the neighbourhood,” Flynn smirks at Julie.
“Shut up!” She retorts.
Alex gets up from behind his drumkit, processing what they’d just learned.
“W-W-Wait. Wait. So only you can see us, but everyone can hear us?” he asks.
“Best day ever!” Luke cheers.
“Yeah, if we ignore the “just died and came back as ghosts 25 years later and don’t have a home” parts,” Alex replies.
“We got a home!” Luke exclaims.
“Again! Spoilers!” jokes Willie with a grin and Flynn smacks them with a laugh.
Luke cuts off Alex’s spiral, “Who cares, man? People can hear us play!”
“We might be dead, but our music isn’t,” Reggie says.
“Sometimes you’re just as bad as he is,” Alex comments to Reggie, pointing at Luke.
“Hey!” Reggie and Luke feign offense.
Ray enters the studio while the boys celebrate and then notices the instruments.
“Wait. Is this the junk that was in the loft?”
“Junk?” Luke asks, again in time with his on-screen self.
“Stop doing that!” Julie chastises him. “It’s weird.”
“How am I supposed to remember what I said then? I barely remember what I said this morning.”
“Ugh, fine. But it’s still weird.”
Ray is checking out the instruments, beating the drums and spinning the cymbals. He makes a comment about selling them.
“What? Yo, stop touching my drums. Tell him to stop touching my drums!” Alex exclaims.
“You really don’t like people touching your drums, eh Hotdog?” Willie asks.
“They’re like… a part of me. I don’t like it.” Alex replies. “I still can’t believe he was going to sell all of it.”
“Well, Mom was gone and I wasn’t playing so I guess it made sense to him?” Julie says. “And we were working on moving.”
“Kay, but Luke being all offended through this? The best!” Flynn remarks, mocking with a chef’s kiss.
“Hey!” Luke protests, kicking them gently.
Ray misinterprets a comment that Julie mistakenly makes toward Reggie and she’s again found floundering trying to cover for herself.
“I truly cannot believe you kept them hidden for so long. Your lying and hiding skills leave something to be desired,” Carrie comments.
“Benefit of the doubt goes a long way, apparently,” Julie replies. “I can’t believe it either.”
Ray leaves and Luke celebrates being heard and enjoyed.
Julie chastises them, “why can’t you guys just be normal ghosts? Hang out in an old mansion. I hear Pasadena’s nice,” and she huffs out the door.
“I think she’s warming up to us,” Alex notes.
“God, you three are something else.” laughs Flynn.
Luke poofs in front of Julie as she is walking back to the house, startling her.
“Aah! Stop that. I’m serious.” she chides.
He apologizes and she asks what he wants.
“I know this is all completely insane, but you do know how rad this is?” he starts.
“Oh, here we go again!” Flynn says.
“People… Actual people can hear us play.”
“Yeah, it’s just I’ve had a really, really awful day. I gotta go.”
“Well, I’m sorry you had a bad day, but three guys just found out that they had a bad 25 years, and then they found out that the one thing they lived for in the first place they can still do. That’s pretty rad.”
“You’re right. It’s just…”
“Your bad day. Yeah. I know. Look, I’m sorry we came into your life,”
“No, you’re not,” Alex says.
“No, I’m not.” Luke replies softly.
Luke continues his speech to Julie and appeals to her as a musician.
“Clearly your mom was into music.”
“Was, she passed away.”
Luke pulls Julie tight while Flynn squeezes her hand.
The boys apologize for her loss and she asks them if they’ve seen her. They haven’t and she apologizes for getting upset with them, complimenting their music. Reggie asks if she plays.
“No. No, I don’t play.”
“LIES!” Flynn yells.
“That was my mom’s stuff in there.”
“No way. She’s an amazing songwriter,” Luke exclaims.
“Yeah, she was,” Julie agrees with her on-screen self.
“Wait, how would you know?” Julie asks.
“There’s a song on the piano. If it’s hers…Your mom was really talented.”
Julie nods in agreement and turns away slowly. The four of them stand in silence for a moment.
“Awkwaaard,” Reggie says and everyone laughs.
Julie breaks the silence, turning back to the boys. “I guess… if you need a place to stay, you can stay in there,” she offers, gesturing to the studio.
“Heart of gold,” Willie smiles at Julie. She smiles back at him.
Julie finishes her conversation with the boys and heads back to her room. She’s typing out a message to Flynn, trying to explain her evening. She answers herself aloud, “you’d say I’m crazy,” deleting the message and putting her phone aside and looking out the window.
“That might be another reason I got away with the lies for so long,” Julie says, “the truth wasn’t all that believable anyway.”
“It’s true,” Carrie replies.
The boys poof onto the marquee of the Orpheum sign but Reggie seems to be missing his shirt.
“Ow ow, Reggie!” Willie wolf whistles at Reggie.
He blushes while everyone laughs. “At least it didn’t take too long to get that figured out,”
“Yeah, the possibility of disaster is pretty high,” Willie agrees. They’ve seen a lot of ghostly mishaps in their time.
Luke is excited about the benefits of ghosthood while Reggie laments his missing shirt. It poofs in and Alex asks why they were brought back to the Orpheum. Luke enthuses about their second chance to make it as musicians as they poof down to the street.
“Truly only you could come to terms with dying so easily if it meant you got more time with music,” Alex says.
As the boys walk down the street, Alex bumps into a tall man in a top hat.
“Oh ew. Ick. Creepy foreshadowing. I don’t like it. Even though we lived it.” Flynn shudders and everyone joins them. “I’m so glad he’s gone,” they add and everyone nods and hums in affirmation.
The next morning, Julie makes her way back to the studio.
“Guys? Guys.” she asks when she’s met with an empty space.
“Aw, you missed us!” Reggie teases.
“Sure, we’ll go with that,” Julie rolls her eyes with a smirk.
Julie makes her way to the piano and spreads the sheet music out.
“AHHHHH!!!! It’s happening!” Flynn cheers. Julie and Luke shush them.
Julie starts to play “Wake Up.” Part way through the song, Ray can be seen listening to Julie play from outside.
“RAY!!!” Reggie exclaims to shushes from Luke.
“Dude, are you crying?” Reggie asks him.
“No!” Luke tries through tears as Julie leans her head on his shoulder.
“I’m the emotional one,” mutters Alex.
“Would you all shut up?” Flynn cries, trying to watch and listen to the monumental moment.
Julie continues to play and her confidence builds as the song does.
“Get up, get out
Relight that spark
You know the rest by heart!”
“Bad ass!” Carrie can’t help but cheer.
Carlos comes outside to listen to Julie’s playing.
“Don’t you dare!” Flynn interrupts Reggie before he has a chance to say anything and he pouts.
“You’re going to find your way
Ohhhhhhh”
“You’re amazing,” Luke whispers to Julie, gently kissing the top of her head. He’s still got a face full of tears, though almost everyone has wet eyes at this point.
The song is nearing its end and the camera pans behind Julie where the boys are standing in awe while Julie finishes playing.
“That’s… creepy. But also sweet.” Flynn comments when they see the boys.
“How were we to know she was there and playing?” Alex asks.
“I don’t know. Luke’s music sense? Something.” Flynn answers.
“Well, I’m not mad about it. And once we were there, we were frozen. Voice of an angel,” Reggie adds unapologetically.
“I love you guys,” Julie says softly.
“Love you too. Jules,” Reggie replies, reaching for her.