─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

stasie was sat in her and julie's assigned dressing room. the girl had put on her red, flowy dress and softly curled her brown hair.

after applying lip gloss to her lips, she perched on the small couch, reading a magazine while julie sat at the mirror, perfecting her lipgloss.

"hey, julie, anastasia." the man hired to help them, rob, said from behind the door, "i've got your roadie."

"come in." julie called out.

the door opened and rob stood there, beside him was flynn in a leopard jacket.

"flynn!" stasie sprang up and ran into her arms.

"hi, babe." flynn grinned, "how you feeling?"

"much better."

"holograms are good to go, boss." flynn said as rob followed behind her.

"best roadie ever." julie and stasie said with a grateful look.

"i'll be back in a few minutes to walk you to the stage." the blond man told them.

"thanks, rob." julie smiled at him.

as rob left the room, flynn held up her laminated card, "you see this backstage pass? i had sushi with brandon urie!"

"so lucky." stasie fell back into the seat.

"good for you." julie nodded, "i threw up in the car on the way over here."

"and i had to witness it." stasie raised her hand.

"and you two still look amazing." flynn complimented them.

the two girls chuckled at her words.

"i made friends with the tech crew." flynn continued, "you're gonna love what we have planned." she began looking around, "the guys are here, right?"

"nope." stasie shook her head.

"i haven't seen them." julie sighed.

"wait. you don't think they changed their mind and took caleb's offer, do you?" flynn suggested.

stasie shook her head, "they would never."

"she's right, that's the last thing that they wanted." julie added.

flynn sighed and stood behind julie, "you're gonna kill it... we should get some snacks."

the two girls stood up and made their way over to the couch stasie was sat on. they say on either side of her and flynn placed a bowl of cheese balls on her lap.

"my favourite."

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

the trio sat together, flicking through magazines and eating the snacks - just trying to waste some time before the performance began.

however, the boys had not arrived yet and the show was starting very soon.

"hey, julie, it's time." rob yelled from behind the door.

"just a second." julie said back to him, before walking back over to the girls. "something's wrong. the boys were getting those jolts pretty bad as we were leaving."

"and they wouldn't stand you up again." stasie chimed in, her face covered in panic.

julie sighed, "they must have run out of time."

"i'm so sorry, guys." flynn frowned.

"they didn't cross over." julie shook her head, "they're gone."

stasie's face fell, she shut her eyes and shook her head in denial, "no."

"and we didn't even get to say goodbye." julie concluded.

flynn pulled stasie to her feet and the three girls enveloped themselves into a hug.

"hey, julie, you're on." rob shouted out again.

julie pulled away and began sprinting over to the door.

"wait!"

flynn and stasie shared a look before running after her. on their way, they bumped into rob, who was waiting outside the door.

"what are you doing, jules?" flynn voiced.

"where is she going?" rob questioned.

"where do any of us really go?" flynn shrugged as she and stasie made their way up the stairs.

"sorry, rob." stasie sighed.

"we've got a problem." rob spoke in to his earpiece as he followed the pair up the stairs.

once they reached the top, flynn stopped them from going any further.

"she's out there." flynn pointed to the exit door, "go talk to her."

"me? where are you guys going?" the jackson girl asked.

"i need to take care of things on the stage." rob explained.

"i'll help." flynn nodded, "you can do this."

stasie nodded, took a deep breath and pushed open the door. she found julie in the middle of the street, silently sobbing too herself.

the brunette staggered over to her and pulled her into an embrace, "everything's going to be okay." she reassured her, "you're going to get through it."

julie began sniffling as her friend softly spoke to her. a lady with a bag of flowers stopped by the two. she pulled out two dahlias and handed them each one.

"thank you." stasie gave her a court nod.

the lady patted their shoulders and walked off. as she left, julie held the flower close to her and sighed.

"stasie... i need you to do something for me." julie took a deep breath.

the girl already knew where this was going, "no way. i can't."

"you know all the songs and all the chords." julie begged, "please."

"no, jules... i'm sorry."

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

the duo marched up the stairs and julie pushed the door open. they passed rob and flynn, who both looked panicked.

"signs." julie panted while displaying the dahlias they were gifted.

"wait. where are you going?" flynn yelled to the two as they moved over to the stage, "she's going on stage. t-they both are.

"hold on." rob spoke to his co-worker through the earpiece, "julie just walked onto the stage, and anastasia is with her.

"that's my girls!" flynn cheered for them.

"welcome to live at the orpheum." the announcer spoke, "now give it up for julie and the phantoms."

the crowd began cheering and whistling, which made stasie even more nervous. julie moved over to the piano as stasie picked up a bass guitar and a microphone.

"hi. i'm julie. and this is stasie." she gestured to the nervous girl on stage with her, "um... tonight, i'd like to dedicate this song to my mom, who's been there with me every time i've played. and thank her for... not giving up on me."

julie gave the girl a look, motioning to the microphone in front of her.

"oh, uh... we'd also like to dedicate tonight's performance to... three special friends... w-who have changed our lives completely."

"who have brought music back to me." julie added.

"and made me feel more steady." stasie finished, "it was their dream to play here."

"and this is for them." julie spoke, "this song is for anyone who's lost their way. step into your greatness."

"don't give up."

"stand tall." the two said in unison.

"thank you."

the audience began cheering again as the two quickly prepared themselves.

"♪ don't blink. no, i don't want to miss it ♪" julie stated, "♪ one thing and it's back to the beginning ♪"

"♪ cause everything is rushing in fast ♪" stasie started, "♪ keep going on, never look back ♪"

♪ and it's one, two, three, four times ♪

stasie made sure to play carefully, not wanting to mess up. her eyes were glued to the floor, not wanting to look up to see how many people were there.

♪ i'm going out of my mind, whatever happens... even if i'm the last standing. ♪

♪ i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪

♪ whatever happens... even if i'm the last standing ♪

♪ i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪

the drums started to play, and when stasie looked over, alex was sat on his set. a smile grew on her face, knowing he was still here. the audience started to praise when they saw the new addition on stage.

stasie heard a whooshing noise and in a second, reggie was stood beside her. his guitar in his hands and a smile on his face. she let out a sigh of relief and continued to play.

♪ cause everything is rushing in fast ♪

♪ keep holding on, never look back ♪

♪ and it's one, two- ♪

luke began flickering, unable to completely make his way to the stage. the audience gasped as the two girls glanced over.

♪ three, four times ♪

♪ that i'll try for one more night, light a fire in my eyes ♪

"♪ i'm going out of my mind ♪" luke chorused, finally able to appear permanently. "♪ whatever happens... even if i'm the last standing. i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪"

julie pulled the mic from the stand and jumped up. stasie beamed and gently placed the bass guitar she was using on the piano, allowing reggie to lead.

♪ whatever happens... even when everything's down ♪

♪ i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪

the girl's began prancing around together, as they sang into their microphones with bright grins on their faces.

♪ i'mma stand tall ♪

♪ like i'm glowing in the dark. i keep on going when it's all falling apart ♪

the girls and reggie moved forward on the platform, closer to the audience. they yelled as the trio approached them, their arms out as they came close.

♪ yeah, i know it with all my heart ♪

"♪ ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪" stasie had the mic in between her and reggie as they harmonised into it.

♪ never look back ♪

alex stood up from his drums and began singing, "♪ whatever happens... even if i'm the last standing. i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪"

"♪ whatever happens... even if i'm the last standing ♪" reggie echoed after, "♪ i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪"

♪ stand tall ♪

♪ stand tall ♪

♪ whatever happens... even if i'm the last standing ♪

♪ i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪

stasie turned round, to see their background as colour changing fireworks. she smiled and ultimately turned to the crowd. she could see her mum cheering as loud as she could, julie's family singing along. even carter and nick swaying to the music.

♪ whatever happens... even if i'm the last standing ♪

♪ i'mma stand tall, i'mma stand tall ♪

the music had faded and the five were stood in the front centre. the audience were cheering as they bowed. as the boys vanished, julie threw her arms around her best friend.

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

after getting home and talking with her mum, stasie found herself back at the molina's. she walked over to julie who was waiting for her at the studio doors.

"ready?" julie quizzed.

"ready."

the two pushed the doors open and entered the dark, isolated room.

"i know we already said this but, uh..." julie trailed off, "thank you, guys."

"it means so much." stasie added.

"you're welcome." reggie spoke back, his voice strained.

"reggie?" stasie frowned.

alex groaned while luke sighed, "dude."

julie turned the lights on and all three boys were spread out across the floor.

"why-why are you here?" julie quizzed, "i thought-"

she was cut off by a jolt surging through them, making the mm groan and cough out in pain.

"no... this can't be happening." stasie frowned.

"i thought you crossed over." julie stated, "why didn't you cross over?"

"i guess playing the orpheum wasn't our unfinished business." alex shrugged.

"point caleb." reggie hummed.

"we wanted you two to think
that we crossed over, so we pretended to." luke admitted, "we just... we had nowhere else to go."

"we didn't know you'd come back over and we thought julie'd go straight to bed." reggie explained.

"yeah, well, i knew stas was coming back and that they were gonna come out here, but nobody ever listens to-"

the three ghosts jolted again which made stasie and julie stress out even more.

"you have to save yourselves right now." she begged, "go join caleb's club."

"please. it's better than not existing at all."

the boys didn't move.

"please, just go. go! poof out! do something! please. do it for us."

"please."

"we're not going back there." reggie shook his head while stasie moved next to him.

luke walked over to her, "no music is worth making, julie, if we're not making it with you two. no regrets."

the two pulled each other into an embrace without thinking, "i love you guys."

luke began glowing yellow and julie looked shocked.

"how can i feel you?"

"i-i-i don't know." luke spoke honestly, "i feel stronger."

"wait, stas... try it on me." reggie suggested with a teary face.

the girl looked sceptical before slowly placing her arms around him. just like his friend, reggie slowly began glowing bright yellow.

he gasped at the girl's touch and pulled her in tighter, "woah. i don't feel as weak anymore."

"guys, guys..." julie ushered them, "come."

stasie and reggie pulled away from each other and moved over to the others. they all came into a group hug and now they were all glowing.

"alex?"

"yeah, me neither." the blonde nodded, "not that, you know, i was ever that weak."

they all chuckled. the phantoms held their wrists out and could observe the covington stamp floating away.

"what...what do you think that means?"

luke sniffled, "i think the band's back."

"you guys think we could try that hug thing one more time?" alex suggested.

"yeah."

they smiled and brought themselves back into the embrace.

"i like this." reggie breathed out.

"me too."

"hugs are good."

"we played the orpheum! whooo!"

"yeah, we did!" alex cheered.

⎯ ❃ neens speaks!

well, i guess this is the end - for now at least as i am still hoping for a season two. thank you for reading this book. i love you guys.

since the show was unfortunately canceled, i was never able to develop stasie's personal mental health issues and explain how much the boys helped her :(

gif is my bby crying xo