CHAPTER FOUR

They all stood there, staring at Caleb. Julie started to get worried again. She knew what he was capable of and it scared her. She stayed at the back of the group with Nick, who looked more scared than she did and she could certainly understand why. Whilst she had only had to deal with him in this world, Nick had been possessed, as strange as that sounded, and it looked like he remembered some of it, if not all of it. And that made her sad that her friend had been dragged into this because of her. She tightened her arm that was around his waist and he looked over at her. He smiled a little and then turned back to watch Caleb as he stood casually in front of them all.

"And where do you think you are going? I haven't finished my discussion with Julie and now that the boys have arrived, I think that they can help clear things up. So, let's say that we all go back into my office and finish things."

Rose stepped away from the group and came to stand directly in front of Caleb making him stand up a little taller but he kept that smug look on his face.

"I don't think so Caleb, you have no right to do any of this. And you know it."

"Oh Rose, you have no idea what I can do."

"Then I will stop you."

"You don't have to power to do that my little rose petal." Caleb said sarcastically. "You haven't been a ghost long enough to have garnered enough power to pose a threat to me. I've been dead even longer than you were alive, I have all the power here and NOTHING you can do scares me."

Rose was quiet for a moment, turning her head to look at her daughter and her friends before facing Caleb again.

"Maybe not, but I'm not the only one who will fight you. And those boys DO scare you. I don't know why but I know that they do."

Rose looked at him and she saw the slightest flicker in his eyes and she knew that she was right. There was something about these boys that scared him and she had to figure out what it was otherwise her daughter would never be safe and she couldn't move on until she knew that Julie was out of danger, at least from Caleb. She had watched him for the last few months, watching as he tried to coerce the boys to join his club and now she had to make it stop. She had spoken to others about Caleb before she had made the decision to step in.

"Caleb, what happened to you? I've been told that you weren't always like this. Joseph took you in when you died and he helped you navigate this world. He treated you like a son. Is this what he would want you to do?"

"You have no idea what would have made Joseph happy. And you have NO IDEA what Joseph was actually like. By the time I found out what he was really like and what he was doing to me, it was too late. My soul was all but gone and the only way, THE ONLY WAY, for me to get it back was to take from others."

Rose just looked at him and she knew that all of the kids had heard him as well. She told Caleb that he didn't need to keep doing this, that he had the power to stop at any time. Caleb just looked at her with a sinister smile before he glanced at the kids and told her that no one told him what to do and he wouldn't let those kids ruin what he had built. He had earned it and he wasn't going to let it go. Rose knew that he wouldn't be talked down but she had to give it a try.

"Caleb, you have an amazing set up here. I know that you renamed the club when you took over from Joseph. You made it yours. Please, stop now. You have all the power here. You can surely let these boys and my daughter get on with their own life and paths."

Caleb looked down at her and shook his head.

"No, I can't take the risk. Those boys have had 25 years to gather their power. They may not know how to use it now but they will and then they will come for me, just as I did with Joseph and I WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN. And if your daughter is the key to stopping them then I will do whatever I have to do."

"What the hell are you talking about man? We've already told you that we don't want to be part of you club. Why can't you believe us?"

"Because Lucas, I know that you won't be happy spending the rest of your afterlife in that damn garage and you will want to take over what I have made here."

The three boys looked at each other and Reggie raised his eyebrows, shaking his head as Alex shrugged his shoulders. Luke gave a frustrated sigh. He looked over at Caleb and told him again that they had no interest whatsoever in the club or anything that he had. Luke looked at Julie and his smile softened and he knew that he would be happy to be wherever Julie was and he just had to convince Caleb without letting on how truly important Julie was to him.

"Caleb, we won't interfere with what you have going here. "

"I won't take that risk. You either join my band by your own choice or I will find a way to make you. And just to let you know, my patience is running out. You need to make up your mind right now or I will keep Julie and her little friend here forever."

Luke lunged at Caleb then and it was only because Reggie and Alex held him back that he didn't make contact with his smug face. Rose stood between the boys and Caleb and told them all to back off. The boys looked over at her and after a brief moment, Luke took a step back, glaring at Caleb. He told him in no uncertain terms that he would never let him keep Julie, that he would fight him to get her safe. Caleb smiled indulgently at Luke before stepping around Rose and walking towards Julie as if he didn't have a care in the world. Luke could feel his anger rising and he pulled his arms out of the grip of his friends hands and turned to fully face Julie.

Caleb flicked his gaze at Luke for a moment, gauging what the younger man would do but he didn't slow down as he reached for Julie's arm. Julie instinctively took a step back and tripped over a plant that was just behind her and when she started to fall Luke lost him temper. All he knew was that Julie was going to get hurt and it was Caleb's fault. He tried to reach Julie but she hit the ground before he could get to her. Luke turned back to Caleb and let out a low growl of rage and went to push the older ghost away but before he could even lay hands on him, a burst of light erupted from his hands and sent Caleb flying backwards down the hallway. Suddenly everything stopped as they all looked at Luke. He was looking down at his hands, not sure what the hell just happened. Looking at his friends, he could see their shock written all over their faces. He looked down the hallway and he could see how angry he was. Turning back to the others he told them all to run and they didn't wait for him to say it again. They all took off towards the main staircase and down to the front door. Julie kept her arm around Nick but he seemed to have found his second wind or maybe it was adrenaline because he didn't slow down at all.

When they reached the front door, they all came to a sudden stop. With everything that had gone on, everyone had forgotten that the doors were boarded up. Luke looked behind him and saw that Caleb was fast approaching and he looked extremely mad. Turning back to the door, Luke clenched his hands and concentrated before lifting his hands again and throwing them at the door. The next thing he knew, wood was splintering and flying around them. He shook out his hands, not knowing how he was able to do it but just glad that he could.

"Let's go."

They all ran out and they didn't stop until they were several blocks away from the hotel. Both Julie and Nick doubled over when they stopped running and tried to catch their breath. When Julie was able to breathe properly, she stood up and walked over to her mum.

"Mum."

"Hey baby, how have you been?" she said softly as she raised her hand to her daughter's cheek before she realized that she couldn't actually touch her. "I've missed you."

Julie's eyes filled up with tears as she looked at her mum and took her in. "I have missed you so much; I talk to you every day. I found the song that you left for me. It helped me so much mum. I….I…."

"It's ok baby. I understand. I've been watching you and I saw you sing it. It was beautiful baby. I'm so proud of you."

Julie nodded her head and she felt so sad that she couldn't give her mum a hug but she was just happy to be seeing her again.

"Dude, how did you do that?"

Luke turned away from watching Julie and her mother to face his friends. He just shook his head and looked down at his hands. He told them that he had no idea how he had done any of it. He had just wanted to keep Julie and as for the door, he had just wanted everyone to get out safely. Reggie asked him if he thought that all of them had similar powers. Luke shrugged his shoulders and told him that he just didn't know and he didn't know if he'd be able to do it again. Alex clapped him on the shoulder telling him that they all owed him for keeping them safe tonight.

"But we really should get out of here and get Julie home."

"I'll poof home and let them know, see you soon."

With that, Reggie disappeared just as Julie walked over to them.

"Where did Reggie go?"

"He went to tell Flynn and Carlos that you are alright."

Julie just looked at Alex, dumbstruck. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts.

"Wait, what? They can see him? How?"

"They can see us all. We don't know how. Just add it to the list of weird things that have happened today and yet another thing that we don't know how. But for now, let's get home. Your family are freaking out."

Julie nodded her head and put her arm around Nick again as they started to walk. Once Julie got her bearings, she realized where they were and directed everyone to the nearest bus stop. Ten minutes later they were sitting silently at the back of the bus as they made their way home. Nick still held on to Julie's hand, almost as if he couldn't bear to let her go. She didn't really notice as she was too lost in everything that had happened to her. Luke however did notice. It caused a twinge in his heart. He had been right this morning. Despite what Julie had said, well thought, whilst she had been held captive by Caleb, she clearly had feelings for Nick and he was a better choice for her as he was still alive and he would be able to do so much more with her than he could. When they reached the house, Luke separated from the group and headed directly to the garage. Alex watched his friend but when he asked Luke if he wanted any company, Luke shook his head and Alex walked into the house with the rest of the group. Not only did he not want to be around Nick and Julie, he wanted to think about what had happened tonight.

Caleb walked up and down the hallway, trying to not destroy anything that was in his way. He had known that the boys were powerful, he just didn't know how powerful. They hadn't been dead as long as him but their power, especially Luke's, was so much more than his. He had felt them as soon as they had arrived back on earth and he had manipulated events so that Willie brought them to his club. Caleb had to assume that the other two boys would be just as powerful as Luke once they figured out how to access it. He concluded that their powers had grown whilst they had been in the void. Twenty-five years without using their power must have made it stronger. He had to get it from them before they used it to overpower him.