This one's based off a review from a very kind anonymous reviewer (from all the way back in February, if you want to know how behind I am). I had also gotten a few requests to do a chapter from Luke's point of view so I tried it out in this chapter, let me know if you like it! Finally, I've seen a couple questions and comments about my update schedule. I'm still updating every Monday and it's generally between seven pm and midnight east coast time in the US because I upload after I finish work for the day (thanks to whoever did the UK time conversion in the comments!).

The Birthday

I was pacing in the studio frantically, like Alex on the freakin' runway. Tomorrow was Julie's birthday and I couldn't think of a single thing for her. It's not like I was exactly carrying around a wad of cash, since being a ghost didn't really allow for that kind of thing, and even if I did I knew she wasn't really into material stuff.

Reggie and Alex had tried to help. We had spent hours brainstorming what to do. They had suggested writing a song for her (been there, done that), or throwing a surprise party (also done), and then they had run out of ideas.

And then. It was like a freakin' lightbulb went off over my head. Of course. Julie always kept one photo of her mom on her dresser, and it was from when she had performed one of a very few acoustic gigs for a live audience, before she had Julie and Carlos. It was at the Teragram Ballroom, and I know it held a special place in Julie's heart. She'd gone there a few times for concerts with her mom and every time she had gotten the story of the gig that night, and how it was her mom's biggest crowd. She had recited it to me once, remembering it word for word.

And so, with a little bit of wrangling and the help of Alex, Reggie, Carlos, and Flynn, the next night I led Julie blindfolded down the back alley to the stage door entrance.

"Luke, what on earth. Where are you taking me? Please don't murder me so I'll become a ghost with you."

"Julie Julie Julie, you think I'd do that on your birthday? No way. Be prepared for an epic surprise."

I could almost hear her roll her eyes under the blindfold. But then we were in the dressing room and I took off the blindfold. She gasped, shocked by the sight of hundreds of dahlias filling the room.

"Luke, what is this?" she whispered happily to me, staring wide eyed at all the flowers.

"Just the beginning," I said, winking at her. I was already starting to feel like a romantic genius, and I was bouncing up and down on my toes in excitement for what was coming next. We had brought dresses for her that she'd worn to previous shows, but she looked so cute in what she was already wearing I didn't want to wait for her to change. I just took her hand and tugged on it gently to lead her out of the dressing room and towards the stage.

It wasn't until we were on the steps leading up to backstage and Reggie handed me my acoustic guitar that she recognized where we are. "Luke oh my god," she whispered, and I could see the tears pooling in her eyes.

"No tears tonight Jules, just smiles and celebrating, okay?" I whispered, wiping away the first tear that fell. She sniffed and nodded at me, before following me up on stage.

On stage, we'd placed two stools. The audience was full of her family and friends, everyone who loved her, and they applauded wildly when we came into view. I gestured for her to sit on one of the stools, and then I spoke into the microphone. "Thanks everyone for coming out to celebrate our girl here's birthday! Let's give her the loudest rendition of happy birthday that's ever been heard!"

I sat on the second stool and started strumming my guitar to the tune of Happy Birthday. The whole crowd got really into it and Julie was overwhelmed and hid behind her hands, but I could tell she was smiling. When the song was over, Alex wheeled an enormous cake on stage, shaped like a microphone with dahlias drawn on it. Reggie had baked it himself, staying up all night to perfect the icing.

Julie gasped, and drew me, Alex, and Reggie into a huge hug on stage. "Happy birthday Julie," Reggie whispered.

The crowd was small enough that it was possible to slice and hand out pieces of cake for everyone there. People were digging into their plates with plastic forks and grinning, but I had one more surprise up my sleeve. I put my slice of cake down on my stool and spoke into the microphone. "I've got just one more thing for you Julie," I said, and smiled softly at her.

I started strumming, and then sang "It's not simple to say that most days I don't recognize me…"

I saw Julie's eyes widen as I kept singing one of her favorite songs. I knew she had listened to it on repeat after her mother had died and it was one of the only songs she could stand to hear during the year where she had abandoned her love of music.

I couldn't stop staring at her while I sang, couldn't tear my eyes away from hers. I could tell she felt the same. I held out my hand to her and she came to join me at the microphone, singing harmony with me. Her voice was a little shaky, but beautiful as always.

When we finished there was a ton of clapping and she had an enormous smile on her face when she thanked all her friends and family. I nodded my head towards off stage and she started heading off. "We'll be back in a minute everyone, and then the dancing starts!" I announced into the microphone.

I ran after Julie, who had already made it to the dressing room. I stopped just three strides away from her, almost afraid to move closer. We stood in silence for a moment, surrounded by the dahlias of every color, just staring at each other. "Luke…" she whispered, and it felt like she was almost pleading with me. Singing with her had been magical, like always, and I knew she felt it, too. The connection was there, like a real live wire we were both managing to cling to for dear life.

My fight or flight response has always tilted towards fight, and tonight was no different. With the joy and adrenaline and emotion all pulsing through me I took the three steps forward and pulled her into my arms, bending down and kissing her hard, without thought. Thankfully she responded with just as much enthusiasm and before I knew it, she had pushed me back against the door, closing it in the process. My hands were around her waist, and hers were in my hair. My lips slid down her jaw and neck, making her emit a breathless laugh. She tugged my hair slightly and I groaned, and then our lips and tongues reconnected and neither of us made noise for a few more minutes.

Finally, we broke apart, but I continued holding her in my arms.

"We'd better get back, it is my party after all," she said, sounding less than excited by the prospect of leaving the dressing room.

I nodded, knowing she was right, but I kissed her deeply one more time and whispered, "Happy birthday Julie," in her ear before we headed back to the party.

As always, let me know if you have ideas and I'll try and make them happen... someday haha.