CRASH!

Barbara glanced nervously over towards the stairs leading up to the attic of the house. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" She asked. "Adam? Lydia? Did you guys hear that?"

"Yeah," came Adam's response.

"We did," Lydia continued. "I think that crashing noise came from the attic of the house."

Barbara stood up and began to make her way over to the stairs leading up to the attic. "I'm going to investigate," she said with a sigh. "See what that crash was."

"No, Barbara, honey." Adam rested a hand on of his wife's shoulder. "How bout we have dinner first then we'll go upstairs to check out the source of the crash."

"Oh...alright." Barbara sighed.

The first thing that Lydia and the Maitlands saw upon entering the attic of the house was Betelgeuse laying in a heap on the floor. They just stared in shock at him and he looked back towards them, sporting what looked like a clear slight smile on his face.

"About time you guys showed up." Betelgeuse sighed in relief. "I didn't want to wait ages."

"B-Betelgeuse?!" Was all Lydia could say. Barbara and Adam both became protective, standing in front of the teenage girl.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Barbara growled out in pure rage, her teeth grit. "I HAD THE SANDWORM THAT I WAS RIDING THROUGH THE HOUSE DEVOUR YOU WHOLE!"

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hold on! Hold on!" Betelgeuse held up a shaky hand. "I have my reasons. A Sandworm showing up and devouring me whole will not get rid of me indefinitely. I'm already dead. If you guys really wanted to rid yourselves of me, then you would have exorcised me, wouldn't you have?"

"I wouldn't hesitate to try," Barbara spat, crossing her arms.

Betelgeuse just laughed and rolled his eyes. "Even if you did, I can stop my own exorcism."

"What?!" Lydia asked confusedly, scratching her head.

"That doesn't even make sense," Barbara said, her rage fading. "How can a ghost stop their own exorcism? Can ghosts even stop exorcisms?"

"Well," Betelgeuse spoke up. "I managed to stop the exorcism you guys were going through, didn't I?"

"You did," came Adam's response. "But that doesn't excuse everything you did afterwards. I think you can see why both Babs and I had to get rid of you in the first place, Betelgeuse!"

"I," Betelgeuse tried to say.

"Get out of the house, Betelgeuse!" Barbara spat.

"B-but..."

"NOW!" Adam growled. Lydia rushed to stand in front of Betelgeuse, holding her arms out in front of him.

"Hold it," she shouted. "Leave him alone."

The Maitlands just stopped and stood there, staring in complete and utter confusion at their surrogate daughter, wondering why she would stand up for and stop the two of them from forcing an enemy out of the house.

"Lydia?!" Adam asked in a hushed but upset voice. "Why are you standing up for Betelgeuse? He's... he's not a good person."

Lydia looked to Betelgeuse and smiled warmly at him before turning and focusing her attention back towards Adam and Barbara.

"I think that he is a good person," the teen said quietly. "I think that he deserves a second chance. Be nice. Give him another chance. I think he needs it.

The Maitlands turned to look at one another before looking back towards Lydia, considering what she'd said for a few short minutes. Finally, Barbara, followed by a nervous Adam, stepped towards Lydia and Betelgeuse, both of the ghosts letting out sighs.

"Alright," Barbara finally said with a warm smile. "We'll give him another chance."

Adam eyed Betelgeuse suspiciously. "Don't try anything."

"I promise I won't," Betelgeuse said happily, hugging both ghosts and Lydia. "Thanks, guys.

"You're welcome," Barbara squeaked.