Healing - JATP Fanfic (Luke x OC)

Chapter 23

"Today's the day." Caleb whispers in Nick's body with a sneaky grin on his face. A long time after he created the pamphlet, he finally figured out the formula to determine when lifers would finally become ghosts. So, he figured out what day she was dying, although the constant clock in her head isn't something he is aware of. Anyone who doesn't experience it for themselves doesn't know about it. He's not an expert in all things ghost, but he knows so much that it's pretty close to expert-level.

"Brielle is finally going to be mine." Nick's spirit and Willie are in the kitchen, so he's not going to summon them any closer to him, especially since it still could be a few hours until she finally becomes a ghost.

"You know, she's going to be a lovely dancer in my club." A plan starts to form in Caleb's head of how he plans to get Brielle to come. There are special words she can say that won't allow him to do any of this, but he's praying she doesn't even know they exist.

Just outside of the Molina's studio, Brielle is near-hyperventilating, nervous to see her friends one last time. After taking one breath of courage, she walks into the studio, looking at the seven people she considers not just friends, but her family. Alexis, with her witty comebacks like a fun uncle; Julie, with her amazing storytelling like a grandmother; Flynn, with her extreme organization like a mom to all of them; Alex, with his shyness like the youngest kid in the family; Reggie, with his craziness like that middle kid that craves attention; Carlos, with his mastermind brain kind of like an older child; and lastly, Luke, with his ability to make everyone do things they would have never dared to do like a loving father. She saw them as a family.

00:03:13

"Guys, I am so thankful all of you are in my life. I wouldn't trade any of this for the world." Or for no more pain. The first hug comes from Luke, who has had red-rimmed eyes for the last two days after Brielle let him go. As much as she didn't want to break up with him, dating a ghost is impossible.

Well, if Willie ever figures out what his unfinished business is and actually completes it. He thinks he's figured it out, but has yet to actually go through with it because he wants to see if there's any way to stop Brielle from dying a second time and actually becoming a ghost.

"I'm going to miss you." He whispers in her ear as Julie and Reggie join in on the group hug.

"We are all going to miss you, Brielle." Julie agrees as Carlos, Flynn, Lex, and Alex are the final ones to join in on the hug. They take thirty seconds to just embrace the fact that this is the last time any of them will ever hold her again before they start letting go one by one, peeling away from the dying girl.

00:01:30

"I have a song I wrote for all of you." Brielle sits at the piano, taking a deep breath and setting the tips of her fingers on the keys.

"I guess I don't know how to say
How to say goodbye
When it will shatter my heart
To see you cry

Oh I know, I know I've got secrets
But this time, I don't think I can do this

Every time I see your face
I wonder how I got to this place
In my lifetime
Every time I wonder how
I got so lucky with this love
In my lifetime

But goodbyes last a lifetime, too
And goodbye is what I have to say to you"

00:00:00

That's it. She's gone. Forever. No way to undo the curse she's been put under.

At Nick's house, Caleb feels a twinge that reminds him what time it is. Time to recruit Brielle into his club. Nick and Willie are in the kitchen just chilling when Nick's body is suddenly pulled into his room.

"Good news. Brielle just died. I won't be needing your body anymore." Caleb says, stepping out of Nick's body.

"Wait, she's gone?" Nick stands in front of his lifeless body as Caleb stretches out, thankful to be out of Nick's body.

"Yeah. She's mine now." Nick poofs away to Julie's studio, where Brielle is watching from the sidelines as her friends cry.

"I'm so sorry you never figured out what your unfinished business is." Nick gives the young girl a hug that she didn't know she needed. "Just promise me one thing."

"What?" Brielle lets go of her friend and looks him dead in the eye.

"Don't let Caleb get to you." Brielle nods, hoping she can do the same thing. "He is a bad person with even worse motives."

"I promise." And with that, Nick heads home to where his body still lays in his bed.

"Willie?" Nick calls out, hoping to say one last goodbye to his best ghost friend.

"Nick?" Willie asks, and before Nick can realize what's going on, Willie has wrapped his arms around Nick, which is soon reciprocated by the spirit. It lasts more than a minute, but neither one can bear to let go of the other.

"If I don't ever see you again, just know that I'll miss you." Nick says, placing a kiss on Willie's cheek which creates a phantom blush, and Nick finally reconnects with his body,

"Wow, does that feel weird to actually be in my body again." He starts wiggling his fingers, and it's not like the feeling he would get when he was a spirit, he can feel a lot of the muscles twitching to even just wiggle his toes. Standing up is another thing that feels really odd, although he regains full motor function in just a couple minutes.

"Willie?" Nick looks around the room but doesn't see a trace of the ghost. "I will miss you for the rest of time." That's when he sees a note magically appear in the middle of the air, floating to the floor softly.

Nick,

I figured you wouldn't be able to see me anymore, so I decided to write this note to you. I'm not exactly sure when Brielle will become a ghost again, since she refuses to tell anyone when her time is up. I have enjoyed the last three months with you and even though there's probably no way for you to ever see me again, I'm okay with that. Live your best life, find someone you love, and never lose hope.

Every day I've been with you, you were curious to learn everything you could about ghosts, so now I just want to ask you to continue to stay curious and learn everything you can about everything.

Also, share Brielle's story with people. I think she would have wanted this story to change someone's life and it's amazing to read how much she went through.

Best of luck in life,

William

It only takes that note for Nick to start crying watching as his tears don't disappear like they used to. They're staining his jeans darker and it reminds him he's got a long life left to live. But, that life won't include Willie by his side.

"Oh Brielle, how good to see you finally in the afterlife." Caleb says, approaching the girl in the studio, which is now devoid of people since they're all having dinner and mourning their loss. Everyone wishes there was a way to get her back, but as far as everyone's aware, she's in the ghost world for good. For the rest of time.

"What do you want, Caleb?" Brielle spits at the horrible ghost.

"Oh, I am just here to offer a spot at my club." Caleb extends a hand towards the young girl.

"No." Brielle stares him dead in the eyes. "I will never go to your club, and don't ever stamp me." Caleb stares at her with darkness in his eyes, but since he can't do anything, he has to stay away from her.

"You'll regret that once your boyfriend and the rest of his band is a part of it, too." She said the magic words, and now, she gets to be free instead of tied to the horrible place called the "Hollywood Ghost Club".

Author's Note: THAT SONG MADE ME CRY!! (It's mine, by the way, please don't steal!) I put off writing this chapter for as long as I could. I knew I had to kill off Brielle, but I didn't actually want to write it. I was almost in tears just thinking about it. I did not enjoy writing any of this chapter, even though it had to be done. But, vote and comment if it made you cry or mad or just feel emotions in general. I'll see you guys in a few days.

Loves,

mistyrider921

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