"Grief is the last act of love we can give to those we loved. Where there is deep grief there was great love."

~☠️~🌹~☠️~

"I think he's practicing his model strut." Reggie whispered towards Luke as they continued to watch Alex walk back and forth, Luke just nodded leaning his head towards his friend. "He's so nervous, he's almost making me nervous." 

Alex rolled his eyes before turning to the two who were still sitting on the couch. "Ok, look, you guys know I don't handle change well." His brain working on overdrive and not really thinking of what his mouth was saying. "All right? Losing Emily and Bobby? That was a change. Death? Another change, and then we became ghosts." Not noticing the slight wince that came from Luke. "All right? Another change. And now we can be seen whenever we play with Julie. Big freaking change!" 

"Yeah, but bro it was a good change." Luke admitted, avoiding the pain his friend had caused. "With Julie, we can play on stage again and be the band we never got to be. Come on, I mean you gotta be down for that." 

"Yeah, I mean, who wouldn't be? I just wanna figure out why us."

"Forget why man, I say we invite Julie to join Sunset Curve." Luke announced, causing the other two to feel good knowing the Luke might be accepting his niece's talents. 

Reggie, outright showed his excitement to the news. "Yeah, totally. I mean, like think about it with a new lead singer, this band would be legendary." 

Luke smiled, before briefly slapping his friends arm. "Hey! I'm our lead singer." 

"Dude, that girl has the voice of an angel and she can make us visible. Without her, we're just like elevator music." This caused Luke to feel a little hurt at his friend words. "You don't gotta be so mean about it. And we're on the runway again." Luke said pointing out his friend who was once again walking back and forth." 

"Ok, I'm sorry, all right? I just gotta go clear my head." Alex said, not showing the boys that everything was really affecting him. Not only the ghosting but what Reggie had showed his yesterday was still taking a toll on the blonde as he still didn't know if he believed Reggie's assumptions. 

Not realizing what he was doing, Alex headed towards the door and went to reach for the handle, only to watch as his hand fazed through it, attempting to do it once again, only to get the same results.

"Dude, you're a ghost." Reggie finally pointed out getting tired of Alex's mood. "Just poof out." 

Alex turned to his friends, angrily. "Don't tell me how to ghost!" Before ultimately poofing out of the garage, leaving the other two behind awkwardly. 

Luke sat back down on the couch, his head in his hands as he realized that Alex was somewhat right about the change getting to them. "Hey Reg, I gotta do something real quick. You ok being here by yourself for a sec?"

Turning towards his friend, Reggie could tell that whatever Luke need to do was pretty important to him, so giving him a nod the brunette was gone leaving Reggie alone, as he pulled out the photo once again. 

"I really wish that Alex wasn't right sometime." He whispered, as he continued to stare at the photo.

~☠️~🌹~☠️~

Inside the Molina household, Emily was still going through all the information she had printed out last night still trying to decide what school would be ok for her little star. When she heard the door close and the stamping feet coming towards her did Emily finally allow herself to relax a little as her daughter shouted. "Mom!" 

Letting out a fake ahh, causing the older woman to laugh at her daughters antics. "Good, you're home." 

Julie now seeing all the papers covering the table, turned to her mom. "What's all this?" 

"Ah, just you know, some stuff on other schools with music programs and some private lessons stuff." Emily smiled, before trying to organize the mess a little. "I know it looks like a mess, but your mom's got this." 

"Well, luckily for you, I got back in at my school." Julie smirked causally walking away, causing her mom to turn her way. "Wait, wait, what? You're not joking me now?" 

Julie giggled before nodding her head. "I went down, I put on a show with some ghosts... getters, go-getters, and Principle Lessa let me back in." 

No longer able to contain her excitement and scrunching up the papers in her hand, she haphazardly threw them up in the air while shouting. "Yes! Yes!" Grabbing her daughter and pulling her into a hug. "You're awesome, I am so happy for you. You are the best!" 

Seeing the mess, Emily start to pick up the papers, Julie also joining her mother even though she told her she could do it herself. Picking up one letter though caught her attention as she held it closed to her face. "The Australian school of Music? That's halfway around the world." 

"I was gonna bring you home for Christmas." Emily said trying to justify why she was looking into the school, as Julie just rolled her eyes before slapping her mom with the paper and walking away. "Hey, you rock. The best." She said happily before once again throwing the papers up in the air. 

~☠️~🌹~☠️~

Meanwhile, Alex was still talking to the other ghost he accidentally met, the two of them sitting on a city bench as he went over everything that happened to him and his friends. "I mean, it's just so random, you know, that we disappear for 25 years and then Julie plays our CD, and then bam! We're back." 

"It's kind of funny, right? You thought when you died you'd get all these answers, and now you just have more question." Willie, said a smile adorning his face as he stared at the blonde, before the two started laughing at the man who sat down near them in a puppy costume. "So, who's this, um Julie?" 

"Oh, she's the girl that discovered us. Did I mention she can see us? You understand my whole freaking out thing?" Still not admitting the one thing he really wanted to say to his new friend.

"A lifer can see you?" 

"Yeah, man. No, it gets crazier, all right?" Alex admitted, "This morning we're playing music with her, we become visible to her entire school." Willie could feel his eyes grow bigger only knowing one ghost who has the power to do that. "Whoa, I've never heard of the happening before. Maybe this Julie's connected to your unfinished business." 

Even though he had no clue what the term for unfinished business means for a ghost, hearing the Julie might be connected only made him start to believe that Reggie could be right. Briefly clearing his throat, Alex looked back at Willie. "I would completely agree if I had any clue what you're talking about." 

"Right, unfinished business, it's why people become ghost when they die. There's still something they need to accomplish, and once they complete it they can cross over." 

"Ok, so how do we figure out what our unfinished business is?" 

Willie just shrugged. "I don't know. You know, some ghosts never do." Gesturing to himself as an example. "I still haven't, but you know I'm not too worried about it because being a ghost lets me do my favorite thing, skate anywhere I want without getting busted." He smiled happily, causing Alex to feel his dead heart beat faster. "I mean, bro, when I'm not skating here or the beach, I'm skating Justin Bieber's empty pool." 

"Wow!" Alex smiled, "Who's that?" Causing Willie to laugh at how uneducated the blonde was to todays society. "You seriously have so much to catch up on, bro. Dang!" Willie finished before placing his helmet back on his head and getting ready to skate around some more. "All right. I'll catch you later, hotdog." 

"I really don't like that nickname." Alex said, but before Willie could hop on his board he spoke up again. "Hey, do all ghost have similar unfinished business when they die as a group?"

Willie turned back around, staring at the blonde. "Not that I've heard of before, why?"

Alex could himself clam up a little as he was still unsure of all the cards he currently was given at the moment. "Well, you know that girl Julie I talked about?"

"Yeah the lifer who can see you guys and help you guys appear. Yeah, what about her?" Taking off the helmet one more time, once again giving the blond his whole attention. "Well, my friend yesterday found a photo with my other band mate and his younger sister who was close to us and well now he believes that Julie's mom might be his sister."

Nodding his head, Willie could start picturing the blondes conflict. "So, you wondering if your friends unfinished business could have to do with him finding his sister?"

"I think, but it just sounds crazy right?" 

"Not really, but I could see what your worrying about because if she isn't then your just allowing your band mate to hit a dead end of pain knowing that he still has no clue where his sister might be." 

"Exactly." Alex felt his shoulders grow lighter knowing someone could understand his dilemma and see his side of the story. "I want Julie to feel happy knowing that her uncle is there for her, but she had lost her father and to find out that Luke was never really her uncle could maybe hurt her even more." 

"Well, all I can say is follow what you think might be the best solution right now." Willie smiled finally getting ready to the leave the blonde. "Just remember everyone gets hurt at one point in their life you just got to know if your helping or hurting them more, hotdog."

That being said Willie left Alex on the bench to debate what his next change might be that causes him too once again to do the runway walk.

~☠️~🌹~☠️~

Emily had just finished throwing away the last of the papers, when her phone started to ringing and once again not looking she answered it without a second thought. 

"Hello, this is Emily speaking who is it?" 

"Before you hang u-"

Once hearing the voice, Emily hung her phone up not caring about the voice on the other end only for it to once again ring. Not bothering to answer it she allowed him to go straight to voicemail, but the same shrill continued for the next few minutes. 

Giving up Emily answered the phone, against her better judgment. "What do you wanted Bobby?"

"I wanted to ask if you could stop by the house this week."

"And why in the world would I come over to your house Robert?" 

What he said next made Emily come close to dropping her phone. "I found some of the guys stuff along with something of Marcel's that I thought you deserved to see." 

"Just text me the time and I'll be over." She said before hanging up not allowing Bobby to say anything else, as she broke down in her room happy that he children were off doing their own thing at the moment. Her hands going toward the two biggest things that were close to her heart as she flashed back to the moments the broke both families. 

~☠️~🌹~☠️~

"Here lies Marcel Molina a cherished son, beloved husband and a adored father who sadly passed away..." Was all Emily could hear before she was once again left in her head the pain of once again losing someone that she loved was killing her. 

She didn't know how long she became to deaf to the world but she slowly watched everyone leave the site after giving their final farewells to the closed coffin. The only people that were left was her parents, Maya with her wife, and both of her children who were holding onto her like a life line. 

"Kids why don't you guys say your farewells, ok?" Emily whispered knowing that her daughter was to lost in her own thoughts to say anything. Laying her hands gently on both Julie and Carlos's shoulders she walked them over to their father. 

"Hi daddy." Julie's voice breaking as she grabbed her little brothers hand. "I hope your in a better place knowing that you will and always will be loved. I'm gonna miss you daddy, w-why did you have to leave us." Her daughter now fully breaking down as she walked away towards her aunt who happily grabbed her niece as she stared at her brothers coffin. 

Carlos trying to be brave walked over to his father coffin and gently laid a photo of the whole Molina family when they went on vacation. "I wanted to give you this that way you can have something to remind you of us. I wanted to also promise you dad that I'll be the man of the house and protect mommy and Julie." Placing his hand on the coffin, Carlos whispered. "Love you dad." Before he walked over to his grandma and grandpa who hugged the young boy. 

"Mom, can I have a moment by myself please?" Emily whispered, getting a nod before the group left the broken woman alone. "Hey Marc" She smiled, tears still streaming down her face. "I always thought that we would be doing this when the kids were older and we had grandkids to share our stories with, but life had different plans I guess."

"Hopefully while your there you can say hi to the boys for me and tell Luke all about his niece and nephew. You know he would have loved you seeing as you were a fan of theirs and everything, but also because you allowed his niece to experience the true meaning of music. I just hope she won't give up on it because your gone, otherwise I have no idea what I would do living with no music again." No longer able to hold herself up, Emily fell to the wet ground struggling to breathe. "I don't know if I can do this alone Marcel, I'm scared that I might hurt them more rather than help them. You were always better with Julie, while I took care of Los and now I'm scared that I might hurt her without you there. I just can't do it." She whispered.

It was almost like someone heard her prayers, as the wind blew the photo that Carlos has sat down towards her landing near her legs. With gentle hands Emily picked it up seeing the smiling face of her children and loving husband, them reminding her of what she gained. A loving father who was able to show their children so much passion, and showing that now it was her time to shine for her daughter and son. 

"I love you Marc." Was the last thing she said, kissing her fingers and gently laying it on the coffin with the photo placed back where it was, before joining her family.

Hope you liked the update, and be ready for some more Emily moments in the next episode of Julie and the Phantoms.

-Mech-x4fan