Crying potential: Moderately Low

(Those of you that this is for let me know if I need to change this level)

Julie was beginning to go insane, the guys had been late for every single rehearsal this week. Which is honestly kind of impressive since they can teleport, but still it was driving her insane. Why could they not be on time? She understood if every now and then one of them was late, but all three of them? Every day?

Julie sat in the studio, tapping her foot as she played random notes on the piano waiting for them to show up. Honestly all she wanted to do was play some music and get out of her head. Her birthday was in a few days, and it was her first one without her mom; she literally wanted to think about anything else.

Finally after thirty minutes of only her piano to keep her company Julie gave up and decided to go to her room realizing the guys weren't going to show up. As annoyed as she was she was also worried, were they caught up in something? Were they mad at her? Did she do something wrong?

She had no clue.

Sighing she got up from her piano and walked into the house, passing by her father,

"Hey sweetheart, no practice tonight?" Ray asked confused since he knew they were supposed to practice tonight.

"I guess not, the guys haven't shown up yet. I'll be in my room."

"I'm sure they just got distracted, but have fun."

Julie continued through her house and up to her room where she promptly flopped onto her bed. Without music she had nothing left distracting her from the thoughts inside her head.

With nothing to hold those thoughts back, her tears began to flow. Lost in thought and covered in tears, she laid there for what seemed like forever until suddenly she was no longer alone.

The guys flashed into the studio realizing they were an entire hour late, but looked around to realize Julie wasn't there.

"I can't believe we are an hour late." Alex said.

"I know, but it was going so well, and we lost track of time, and honestly I think we were absolutely nailing it!" Reggie said.

"Yea, but we're late, and we've been late every single day this week..." Luke trailed off looking at the empty piano seat.

"Maybe, she had something else to do?" Reggie stretched.

Luke shook his head,

"I'll go check the house."

Reggie and Alex stayed put knowing Luke would be the most likely to come out of this alive and be the only one who might be able to get through to her and distract her from their tardiness.

Luke decided to walk over, giving himself time to figure out what he was going to say, because he couldn't actually tell her what they were doing.

Walking into the kitchen he found Ray,

"She's upset." Ray admitted.

"I know, we got caught up..." Luke trailed off. Ray knew what they were doing, and he didn't want Julie to accidentally over hear.

"I understand, but all she sees is you guys being late and ditching her, which I know you guys aren't but she doesn't."

Luke sighed.

"She's in her room." Ray gestured up the stairs.

Luke nodded and started his way up to Julie's room when he heard Ray speak once more.

"Luke." Ray got his attention, he turned to see a sincere look upon his face, "She's taking it all really hard right now. Not just the band. I can't seem to get through to her, maybe you will have better luck."

Luke nodded once again, and took a deep breath steeling himself for what was to come. He hated seeing Julie upset, and right now she was upset about a lot.

He reached his hand through her door and knocked gently, but he received no reply. So he stuck his ear in and her her nearly silent sobs, so he walked through her door.

"Julie," He started.

"Leave me alone Luke." She spoke without look at him, continuing to face the other direction hoping he wouldn't notice the tears streaming down her face.

"Julie, I'm sorry we were late and have been late everyday this week. We just got caught up in some stuff, we've been trying to catch up on the times and- we just got distracted." Luke lied.

"Luke, I really don't want to talk to you right now, or anyone for that matter."

Luke sighed once more, he walked over to her bed quietly and sat behind her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Luke-" Julie started but was cut off.

"Nope, just be quiet a minute. Sit up" He told her pulling her into a sitting position, which wasn't easy because she just let her body fall slack to fight against him, and he pulled her into his chest. "Look you can be mad at us in a minute, but it's clear you are upset about something else so just cry it out. I am right here, and I won't leave. You can be mad at me again in a minute, but just let me make you feel a little better first."

Julie gave in. His arms around her were so comforting she didn't want to lose it. She just wanted to stay in his safe arms forever, and let them shield her from the pains that reality brought her. She didn't care that she was mad at him because he wasn't at practice, because he was here now. She may have needed him at practice to distract her from reality, but she really needed him now to get her through reality.

So she gave in, and buried her head into his chest, while he laid his head on her, and she cried. She just let all of the tears flow out of her.

He spoke softly to her every now and then, but feigned innocence when it came to what she was upset about. She didn't know that they knew her birthday was in a few days. He figured there was a reason she hadn't told him. The guys only knew because Ray told them, which lead to their reason for being late and not around recently, but Luke was quickly realizing he hadn't been around enough if Julie had been holding this much back. He hadn't noticed how bad it had gotten because he was so busy with the surprise. So held her tight and comforted her.

They stayed like that for who knows how long, but eventually Julie ran out of tears.

"You don't have to tell me about it, but know I am here for you." Luke told her softly.

"Maybe you are right now, but the last few days, I have barely seen you. You've been late to practice and then disappear for the rest of the day. Luke, what's going on?" Julie asked, her tone wasn't cold or harsh, but was desperate. Her world was falling down around her and her anchor kept disappearing.

"Julie..." Luke trailed off, "I know I haven't been around much the past few days, but I swear if you need me just tell me. I will be there in a flash, literally. I never want you to think anything else. I am here for you. I may have been distracted the past few days, but I swear I am here for you."

"Luke, what have you guys been up to?"

"I- I- I can't tell you. Not yet."

"The last time you guys disappeared you guys were stamped-"

"No, Julie, this is nothing like with Caleb. This is good, I just-"

"Can't tell me. Yea that's so helpful."

"Look I'm sorry Julie-"

"No Luke, you said I could be mad at you again in a few minutes, and those few minutes are over. You are lying to me right now."

"I know, but-"

"No, no buts you are lying and you are admitting to lying.

"I will tell you, just not today okay? Look I will not leave at all tomorrow. The whole day just you and me."

"Luke-"

"Please, let me make it up to you. Let me distract you from whatever it is that has you so upset. I may not be able to tell you yet, but I can do this." Luke pleaded.

"Fine, but I want to know soon."

"Ok, now do you want to go play some music or write a song or watch a movie?" Luke listed off

"No I just want to lay right here." Julie laid her head back onto his chest, despite her annoyance, her need for Luke right now out weighed it.

So they just stayed there for an hour, Luke leaned against her headboard and Julie leaned against his chest; their fingers intertwined on one hand while Luke's free hand ran through Julie's hair and shoulder.

Julie sighed after a while, her mind at least slightly at ease with Luke holding her close. She was no longer thinking at a mile a minute spiraling into a chasm of depressing thoughts, but her mind was still trying to figure out what Luke was hiding from her. Eventually she fell asleep from the steady, comforting beat coming from her boyfriends heart, and the consistent up and down from his breathing slowly rocking her to sleep.

Ray found them like that later when he came to check up on them.

"She doing any better?" Ray asks softly trying not to wake his peacefully sleeping daughter.

"I don't know, she doesn't want to talk about it, even if I know I can't give it away. She is still mad about the secret, but she's pushing it aside for the moment." That last part scared them both, Julie could hold a grudge, so for her to admit she needed Luke more than she needed to hold her grudge... Well let's just say it was a tell sign as to how bad it must be inside her head.

"You're good in here tonight Luke. She needs you."

"Thanks, can you let the guys know I won't be there tomorrow?" Luke asks.

Ray nodded before leaving them alone once more.

"Dude it's been hours, are we sure Julie didn't just kill him? You know for his second death?" Reggie questioned.

"No dude, she probably just needed a really long hug from Luke."

"Maybe we should just tell her what we are doing. I mean if she is this upset..." Reggie trailed off.

"I've thought about it man, but I think the surprise will be worth it."

"I'm going to talk to Ray." Reggie announced after a moment of silence before flashing into the kitchen.

"Hey Reggie." Ray greeted.

"Hey Ray."

"What can I do for you?" Ray asked.

"What can we do to help Julie? I know she will really like our surprise, but at the same time we are hurting her further with the secrecy-"

"Reggie, that trick you boys have up your sleeve, it will be the best thing for her. Trust me. I think that will help her more than any hug."

"Yeah, but I want to help her feel better now. I don't like seeing her upset."

"I don't either. Luke is staying with her upstairs right now, but that's about all we can do for her for now.

Reggie sighed

The next morning Julie woke up feeling warm and safe, her eyes fluttered open to find her boyfriend holding her close, his head resting one hers. She smiled letting her eyes fall closed once more; focusing on his heartbeat. For a moment the world felt at peace, but then suddenly reality came crashing back. Julie reopened hey ryes and craned her neck upwards to look at her sleeping boyfriends face. He looked at ease. She wished she could feel that way again, but once the thoughts had come crashing back into her mind they were hard to push out again. She didn't know how long she had spent staring at his face when his eyes began to flutter open.

"Good morning." He mumbled, his morning voice gravely and rough from it's lack of use.

"Good morning." She replied.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in days."

"I'm glad." Luke paused, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Just know I'm here when you're ready."

"I know, but I'm-"

"Just not ready, I get it, but talking to me might help. Or just come write with me. You can put you feelings and thoughts into lyrics. We can even stick to metaphors and euphemisms so you don't have to reveal too much."

"Speaking of revealing, when are you going to tell me what you and the guys are hiding?"

"Soon, just not yet."

"When though?"

"It's not just my secret."

"Fine, I will let it go for a little bit. How about we just go jam?"

"Sounds good." Luke said as she sat up and began to get up.

"I'll get changed then meet you in the studio."

Luke nodded and flashed into the studio.

"How's Julie?" Reggie rushed out as soon as Luke flashed in.

"She's... ok." Luke said vaguely.

"Is she still upset about us missing practice?"

"More so the fact we are keeping a secret, but she is more so just upset about it being her first birthday without her mom. Thought she won't talk about it or admit it."

"So what are we doing about today?" Alex asked.

"I definitely won't be at practice. I promised I would hang out with Julie all day to make up for not being around recently, especially since tomorrow is her birthday and we won't be around for most of the day, and I can basically guarantee that's when it will be the worst..." Luke trails off thinking back to his own birthday this year, but at least he could go see his mom even if she couldn't see him. Julie- Julie didn't have that privilege.

"Hey man, it will be worth it in the end." Alex assured him throwing a hand over his shoulder.

"I know, but it doesn't change how much hurt she is going to have to deal with until then."

Eventually Julie made her way down there and they jammed out for a little bit before Luke and Julie went off to watch a few movies together, practically duplicating their position from that morning as they sat on the couch watching Tangled.

When the movie reached the credits Ray called out that dinner was ready and everyone congregated to the dining room table.

Dinner was mostly uneventful other than Luke occasionally putting his hand on Julie's knee and squeezing gently to keep reminding her he was here for her. She would squeeze back when she felt the comfort from it, but if she didn't reciprocate the squeeze he would squeeze again a few seconds later. Making sure she knew he was there for her and not allowing herself to fall into the deep recessions of her mind.

Ray nodded to Luke when dinner ended and gestured his head up the stairs silently giving him permission to stay with Julie again tonight.

He laid down with her after they had each changed into sleep clothes, wrapping his arms around her as she laid her head on his chest, Julie released a wave of tension feeling safe. She quickly fell asleep, Luke's proximity not allowing the darkness to take over her mind while she was conscious.

Though as Julie slept her mind seemed to forget about the protective arms she was wrapped in, and let the shadows take over her dreams.

Luke woke up to Julie's cries as she jerked around in her sleep.

"Julie- Julie, Hey Julie" He shook her gently trying to wake her up, when suddenly her eyes flew open and she jerked up, Luke making himself quickly revert to his ghostly intangibleness self to stop her from slamming into him.

"Luke?" she asked softly.

"I'm right here." He comforted becoming tangible once more. "It's ok, it was just a nightmare, you're awake now. Do you want to talk about it?"

Luke leaned against the headboard and pulled Julie close, she laid her head on his chest, her favorite place to lay since it let her hear his beating heart.

"I just dreamed of the days when my mom was alive. I don't really remember anything specific, it was more so just a series of emotions." Julie explained slowly after a moment of silence.

"I'm right here Jules, do you want to tell me what kind of emotions?"

"Emptiness. Loneliness. Lost. Grief. Sadness. I just felt like I relived all of my grief and then some. Every negative emotion I ever felt, and I was just kind of trapped in it."

"I don't want you to ever feel alone again Jules. I am always here for you." He knew he had said that a lot today, but he wanted to make sure it stuck in her head. "Just breath, and go back to sleep if you think you can and if you can't I'll just lay here with you."

She nodded silently against his chest.

He did take note of the fact she didn't tell him why this was all coming back up again. She still hadn't told him about her birthday being today, but that would make the surprise that much more surprising. He thought to himself as he glanced over at the time, it was five fifty nine.

He looked down at Julie and smiled. He could tell she was still awake, but she was dozing in and out. They would hold small conversations about nothing every now and then, but mostly she stayed lost in thought. She would always be safe in his arms. He would protect her forever. He just wished she didn't have to deal with so much pain.

He sat there watching over her as she slept on and off for hours, until noon came and Alex flashed in.

"Hey dude, we need to go get everything set up and do a last minute rehearsal since we had to cancel yesterday." Alex whispered seeing Julie was still asleep. She didn't usually sleep this late so Alex knew something was up.

"Ok, give me a minute and I'll meet you in the studio." Luke nodded. Ray had already come in earlier to check on Julie since she hadn't come out of her room yet. Ray decided to just let her sleep after hearing about last night.

Luke slowly shifted out from under her and moved the pillows into his place. He grabbed a sticky note and left a quick note letting her know he had to go take care of something but would see her later. Then flashed out, unbeknownst to him the sticky note fell off the side table and went under her bed.

Julie woke up a little while later only to realize Luke was no longer beneath her head and in his place was merely a pillow and his lingering scent.

He had left.

She knew he didn't have to stay, but she had really hoped he would. Every other time she had half way woken up he was there, but now he was gone. Normally she would be just fine, but today of all days she really needed him. He didn't know that though, because she hadn't told him what today was.

Julie knew it was her own fault, but it didn't make the emptiness she felt surrounded by lessen any.

So she got out of her bed and opened the box that held a bunch of her moms old clothes and pulled out the Sunset Curve shirt, tying the side into a knot to make it fit a little better seeing as it was a big shirt. If she couldn't have him near, then she might as well have something close. She paired it with some jeans and converse before heading down to the kitchen to grab something to eat seeing as it was almost one in the afternoon.

"Hey dad." She greeted finding him at the dinner table looking at his phone.

"Hey sweetheart, Trevor invited us over for a little get together tonight." He told her.

"What for?" She played dumb, and Ray knew it.

"Sweetheart, I know you know." He gave her a glum smile. Trevor and Carrie had gotten a lot closer to them in the recent months since the Orpheum and learning the secret behind the holograms. Julie and Carrie had mostly made up and were now pretty good friends again.

"I just don't really feel like celebrating. It's the first year without her. I didn't even tell the guys." She admitted.

"Then how about it's just a get together. Now a birthday get together."

"Whatever dad, sure, who all is going?"

"It will just be you, me, Carlos, the guys, Flynn, and Trevor and Carrie."

"Good luck getting the guys there, I barely see them right now."

"I'm sure they have their reasons Julie. How about you and I go get ice cream?" Ray suggested to take her mind off of the guys so they could carry out their plan. They always went and got ice cream on her birthday, it was a father daughter tradition.

"Sounds good." She smiled.

Carlos came rushing in at the words of 'ice cream', and soon the Molina family headed out.

Eventually it was five o'clock and time to go to Trevor's. Julie still hadn't see the guys.

They drove up to the security gates and Trevor immediately buzzed them in.

Trevor opened the door to the house as they got out of the car.

"I see you wore the right shirt for the occasion." Trevor commented seeing Julie's shirt. She looked down confused.

Trevor smiled and guided them to his home studio, where a mini stage had been set up with some speaker.

Julie looked confused as Trevor walked up onto it and grabbed his guitar when suddenly the guys poofed in with their instruments in hand and began playing.

Julies eyes widened as she recognized the song they were playing. They were playing her favorite Trevor Wilson song, rather Luke song, that she and her mom used to sing at the top of their lungs all the time.

Luke smiled at her as he saw the recognition flash in her eyes.

Julie stood frozen as she finally got to hear the songs that meant so much to her be sung by the person who wrote them, her boyfriend.

When the song finished, the guys all shouted happy birthday.

"Guys! Is this what you've been up to?" She asked tears streaming down her face.

"We wanted to do something special, and there are still a few more songs ready for you if your want to hear them?" Luke teased. Julie nodded her head not sure what else to say. They started playing "Long Weekend" then "Crooked Teeth", Luke had told her a while back who it was about making her the only other person to know, then they kept playing the songs that had introduced her to rock, the songs that Luke had written. Finally she was able to hear the songs with Luke's voice.

As they finished their mini concert the guys wrapped her into a group hug.

"Told you you wore the right shirt." Trevor commented from outside the group hug.

"I guess I did." Julie smiled, "Thank you guys so much, you have no idea how much this means to me."

"We thought it was the best present we could give you, even if you didn't tell us your birthday was today." Luke told her with a smirk.

"And I got mad at you guys!"

"Nah, you just didn't have all of the information because we made sure you didn't." Reggie informed her with a smile.

"So did you like it Julie?" Alex asked her with a knowing smirk.

Julie's smile gave everything away.

They eventually transitioned to dinner upstairs followed by cake and then some presents, though nothing could top the concert.

"Flynn, why did you get me a white sheet?"

"I figured you could use it to dress as a ghost, you should blend in with the rest of your band." Flynn said with a straight face before busting out laughing, "No actually I could not figure out for the life of me what to get you, and I knew I couldn't top the guys present so I went for a laugh."

The night went on with a series of laughs, though a slight saddness kept pulling at Julie's heart, so when she thought no one was paying attention she slipped out.

She walked out onto the patio and let the cool breeze hit her as she took a deep breath.

"You okay Jules?" Luke asked from behind her.

"Yea, I just..."

"Needed away from the happiness a minute?"

"Yea."

"Come see." Luke opened his arms wide inviting her into a hug which she gladly accepted.

"It's my first birthday without her." She cried into his chest, "I keep expecting to turn and see her behind me, but then remember she won't be there and she never will be again."

"I know Jules, but she is watching, she just can't be seen. Plus she will always be here, in your heart." He spoke softly into her ear holding her tight.

"Hearing you sing those songs tonight... I really loved it."

"I thought you might."

"I loved hearing you sing the songs I grew up on, but it also made me feel closer to her. Hearing those songs, I could practically feel her next to me singing at the top of her lungs with me."

"I'm glad."

"I'm sorry I got mad at you."

"No sorry needed, we did miss practice. A lot. From your perspective we kept ditching you."

"But you weren't you were doing all of this, for me. When I woke up this morning I was upset when you weren't there. I hoped that I would at lease have you with me today, but when you weren't..."

"I'm sorry I had to leave."

"No, don't apologize, you did nothing wrong, as far as I knew you didn't even know what today was. I never told you."

"I love you Jules."

"I love you too."

"Oh, I almost forgot, we recorded the songs, so now you can play them whenever you want."

Luke held her tight until Julie felt ready to reenter the house and rejoin the Guitar hero tournament, it was getting intense.

"No fair you actually play the guitar!"

Luke and Julie laughed hearing Alex yell at Reggie in the house.

"And, you dominate at the drum version!" Reggie yelled back.

They may be a bizarre bunch but Julie wouldn't trade them for anything.

Hope you guys enjoyed! Please leave requests or song ideas! Also did I make yall cry? I have to ask in every chapter now since you guys seem to cry in even the happiest of chapters.

ALSO ONLY A FEW MORE CHAPTERS TIL YALL ARE CAUGHT UP WITH WATTPAD