Okay. Still don't own anything Beetlejuice related. I'm saving my creativity for the moment for my writing, so that's as fancy as I'll make that. Don't sue, and I'll be a fan forever. Probably will anyway.

That being said... Hey, I might have gone a little further than before, with this chapter. But I don't think I necessarily went too far. I actually think it turned out pretty damn good. And that's relatively rare for me. Anyway, hope you enjoy it... This whole thing has been fun. Probably too much fun. But hey, as long as I'm not alone in my slightly twisted enjoyment of it... Then I'll manage, somehow. :)

Ah, it's probably not as bad as I'm making it out to be, anyway...

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The first hour had passed well enough. Turning over ideas, flipping through books to hold up theories… So for once, she didn't mind the company. Then though, he started staring at her more, with a weird little half smile. Touching her arm. Scooting closer, until their hips touched.

Lydia was on edge, tapping her pencil nervously, wishing he'd just get the hint as she moved away from him again, again. She didn't like him like that. She didn't really like him at all. He was just her partner for this damned project. But it was beginning to become clear, that he did like her… And wasn't too swift about the meaning of the word 'no.'

She wished her parents were there. For once. She even considered called for Beetlejuice to chaperone… And quickly banished the idea. Beetlejuice didn't like sharing her, with anybody. He'd proven that before. She didn't see any point in upsetting him over this oily little jerk…

Then, as she'd been getting up for a glass of water, she turned to find him right behind her, so close that he practically pressed her back into the sink. He was grinning nervously again, but there was nothing hesitant in his the way his hands moved. He caught her by the arm with one, and with the other, snagged the hem of her pants, trying to slip his fingers through. "Come on, you know you want to kiss me…" He murmured, trying to sound smooth as he sought for her lips with his own.

Lydia stomped on his foot, hard, and spun away to the side, grabbing the first thing her hand landed on, to use as a weapon. It just happened to be a steak knife. "That is it!" She hissed, her voice shaking with anger. "Get the hell out of my house!"

He laughed a little, clearly not believing she was serious. "Stop acting like such a fucking virgin…" He taunted, advancing on her again. This time she swung out with the knife, barely grazing his upper arm. Fury and shock spread across his features, like he was the one wronged here. "Hey, what the hell?" He stared at the droplets of red that swelled up. "All I wanted was a fucking kiss! Bitch!"

Stomping back to the table, even he seemed to be able to take this hint, sweeping his stuff into his bag, before turning to glare at her with bitter eyes. "Everyone says you're just a little freak, but no… I decide to give you a chance! Damn slut!"

She just watched him, furious, as he stormed out her front door, and then raced to lock it, the knife finally falling limply from her hand. If she'd thought she couldn't handle it, she would have called for him. She would. But she wasn't helpless. And that guy? He was just an idiot that couldn't take a hint. Well, now he'd taken it, hadn't he? Not that there wouldn't be hell waiting for her at school on Monday…

Lydia started gathering up her own books and papers, wondering if she could patch the assignment together on her own. Too much of her grade rode on this… She'd give some excuse to the teacher. Maybe tell him the truth. He at least, seemed like an honestly nice guy…

She hadn't once, over the last hour and a half, noticed his face gazing down from the light reflected off her clock. She didn't even know he could do that. So certainly she didn't notice the look of cold danger in his gaze. Or when his reflection faded, as he began moving through the gateways more quickly than he ever had before.

He had them memorized. If he had good reason, he could bypass every portal in a matter of minutes. The only problem with that is that invariably, someone would get tipped off, and reset all the locks and coordinates, making it that much harder to pass through the next time. He wasn't supposed to be able to do it at all. There were rules against that sort of thing. But what did he give a damn about rules?

Beetlejuice was quickly standing in the cold night air, breathing it in deeply through his nose, like a hound on the trail of blood. He hadn't liked the guy's spending time with his Lyds at all. He really hadn't liked it when he'd started making the moves on her. He'd already been planning what to do to the kid then. And if Lyds had actually responded to the little sleaze? Hell, he couldn't even think of that. But not knowing when to back off, when she repeatedly told him no?

Oh, for that one, the kid was going to pay. He crackled his knuckles, turning his gaze through the various layers of shadows, each with their own secrets to tell. Traces of heat, from passing bodies. Each as individual as a fingerprint… and there. There was his prey.

The guy was still furious, still acting like he'd been the one wronged. Beetlejuice fell into step behind him, listening to all the little vile names he dared to call his Lyds. Watched as he kicked things, and brooded over the specks of blood on his arm, like it was such a big deal. And most of all, waited, as he drew further and further from where what was going to happen to him, could ever be tied back to his babes.

And then, at last, the idiot seemed to realize that he wasn't alone. Never mind that Beetlejuice had been walking five steps behind for little over a mile now. He turned, and the little fool had the gall to sneer, shifting his arms in a way that was supposed to be menacing, like this was a fight he thought he could win. Beetlejuice just smiled. He was already feeling better. He was feeling better, because he was about to hurt this kid like nobody's business…

Of course, the boy's confidence didn't last long. If there had been any of it left in fact, it would probably have faded by the time Beetlejuice had him strung up in the park, some three miles away, having dragged him there by the ropes he'd placed around the guy's ankles. He was already somewhat the worse for wear. Certainly he would have screamed by now, it he could.

Beetlejuice had just looped the rope over a high tree branch, drawn on it hard, and left the guy, he couldn't remember his name, spinning freely in midair. His arms were tied as well, and weighted by a heavy stone, one he couldn't seem to lift, in the position he was in. The poltergeist took his time, removing his outer layers of clothing, whistling to himself. His table of instruments to the side.

"She's really too much for you to handle, you know." He mused suddenly, reaching for his first blade. "I mean, look at yourself. You're pathetic. You can't even handle a few drops of blood." And as if there were some sort of irony to the words, he started to carve their initials into the flesh of his stomach, over and over. B&L. B&L. B&L. The guy's face turned very red from his efforts to scream.

At first Beetlejuice's hand was just a bit more hurried than usual, as he outlined her many good qualities aloud to his victim, praising her as he saw her, and beaming quite happily as he reflected on her. Then he gave the kid a good spin, and with his more delicate tools, began carving her features into the guy's back. He was silent for this part of it, as he tried to do her justice.

It was only when he realized that his prey was no longer trying to scream at all, that he stepped back, and took a look at his work. It was actually quite good, save for the constant flow of blood, obscuring his more delicate details. He gave the guy a kick to the head, using his energy to snap him back to consciousness. The kid moaned, tried to move, and couldn't.

"Now," Beetlejuice murmured, in the same silky tone the kid had tried to use on Lydia, "What have we learned here?" He came down to a squat, meeting his gaze as he turned him round and round on his bindings. "I'd say that it was to listen when a girl tells you no, but… Hell, to be honest, I don't really give a damn. So for tonight, the lesson is this…" And holding out his current blade, he ran it slowly down his cheek. "Stay the hell away, from my girl."

Then he laughed, standing, as the young man's body heaved, desperation flashing in his eyes, as he tried to lift his arms to defend himself. There was a solid, sickening pop, and he suddenly tried to scream more than ever, as he now had to support the stone's weight on a dislocated shoulder. Beetlejuice shook his head, smiling. "I don't think he's learned his lesson just yet, then…" He mused to himself…

Only to be interrupted by the tickle of someone saying like name, like warm caresses down his spine. Lydia. "Ah…" He looked at his prey in disappointment, aware that he had only a moment before she called him again, and then a third time. With a shrug, he healed the kid's outer wounds. Let him try to convince anyone of that… He left his dislocated shoulder. And he left him upside down in the tree.

Beetlejuice…

He smiled, supposed he was satisfied, and gave the kid an extra hard swing. He enjoyed the sounds of his muffled screams, now that he had replaced his usual gag, with a more traditional one. "Just give me a reason to come after you again," He taunted the kid softly, giving him one more push before she could say his name again, "Please. I want you to."

And then she was saying his name a final time, and he had only enough opportunity left to clean his clothes, with a flick of thought. Then he was standing there in her room, giving her an amused glance, hands in his pockets. Looking nothing like the sort of creature who could have done what he'd just done. "I thought you were going to call me after you finished your project?" He scolded, swinging up in her bright red easy chair. "I figured you'd be done hours ago."

Lydia made a face, still clearly upset. He wished he could tell her she didn't have to be anymore. But that would be crossing a line, he'd decided long ago never to cross. "I had to finish it myself," She muttered, flopping on the edge of her bed with a sigh, "Stupid jerk kept trying to put his hands on me… Tried to kiss me!" She shook her head, disgusted. "I sent him packing."

"That's my babes." He murmured, pleased. No need to tell her he'd seen the whole thing. She felt good, having solved the problem herself. And hey, he could live with that. "Why the hell would he think he deserves to kiss you, anyway?" She shook her head, not having an answer to that. She still looked angry. He tried to think of something else to say. Offering comfort wasn't really his thing…

"Hey," He said finally, managing a trace of seriousness to his tone, "When you are ready to get kissed Lyds, I'll be the one kissing you. You know that, right?"

Lydia looked up in surprise, and a moment later, an embarrassed smile crossed her lips. She didn't seem upset by the idea though. "Why the hell would you want to kiss me, B?" She laughed, as if the idea were ridiculous. "I'm just…"

"My best friend?" He was smiling again, as abruptly, she stopped laughing, blushing more. "Who else would I kiss, babes?" He was really pleased when she didn't deny it a second time. Hell, she was… What, fifteen? Going on sixteen, he was pretty sure. A kiss was no longer as out of the question as it once had been. And when she did kiss someone? Yeah, he was going to make sure it was him.

But a shadow of something had crossed her gaze, and as she considered him now, there was something serious to her features that hadn't been there before. "You hurt him, didn't you?" She asked suddenly, surprising him.

Beetlejuice's mind flew for an appropriate response, caught off guard. "'Course not, babes." He drawled, giving her his most earnest smile. "You know me…"

"I do know you." She agreed, maybe a bit too quickly. This was followed by a brief pause, as he wasn't sure this time how to answer. "I know you're not a nice guy, B." And now, for the first time, his smile faltered a little. She paused, before adding, "Really, not a nice guy." And here, it started to fall completely.

But then Lydia smiled again, as brightly as before, and not giving him a chance to really lose hope, she informed him matter-of-factly. "And I don't care, B. You're nice to me. That's all that matters." His grin flew back to his usual place, as her eyes grew softer, her smile more fond. "You're everything to me, B. You're my whole world. Okay?"

As if it might not be… "Sure, babes." He agreed confidently. With another thought, he reached around in his pocket, and started fishing around for the ring he'd procured, shortly after the incident with the prince, well over a year before. With a sense of triumph, he held up the slender gleaming thing, adding, "Then you know you're going to marry me someday, right?" And with a flick, he tossed the little thing to her.

The way he'd thrown it, it wouldn't have been possible for her to miss catching it, but the way she caught it, there was no way she was going to miss. "Who else would I marry?" She quipped, without hesitation. She admired the ring for a moment, a tiny elegant 'B' on the front, then without another word, slipped it over her ring finger. It tightened there, hard, and she gave a little gasp, before her eyes flicked to him with a frown. "It's too tight, B. It hurts."

With a flick of his fingers, he loosened its hold, by half, and grinned innocently. "Just making sure it doesn't slip off, babes." He assured her, making her smile.

"Making sure I don't take it off, you mean…" She muttered, amused. But she rose from her bed, and moved towards him, catching his by the arm as he watched in amusement. She couldn't have lifted him to his feet alone, but he went along with it, wondering where she was going with this.

"Doesn't matter," She murmured, leaning into his arms, in a much more timid hug than she usually gave him, "I'm never taking it off." Then, with a small smile, she glanced up at him, adding, "You don't mind a hug, do you? I mean, if we're getting married someday…"

"Babes, from you?" He chuckled. "You could hit me over the head with a steel bat, I'd probably still think you were the best." Then, in a moment of daring, he dropped a light kiss to the top of her head, taking in her delicately sweet scent. She wasn't a kid anymore… But she was. He still had some waiting to do.

But ever since he'd almost lost her, so long ago, he'd started realizing that he could no longer imagine his afterlife without her… Hell, call it love. He didn't know. He just knew he'd do anything not to lose it. And if she honestly didn't care how bad he was…? Well, that had been his last real obstacle towards keeping her forever.

She giggled, squirming under his softness of his lips, and then, before he could stop her, tipped her head back suddenly, and caught his mouth with hers, before he could draw away. He tensed, for just one moment. It was warm. It felt good. The fact of the matter was, she might still be a kid, but she was old enough to know what she was doing, as far as kissing was concerned.

Thinking this, he kissed her back. It wasn't really a conscious decision though. And it was just an innocent little kiss, just lips, nothing more. But this time, she was old enough for him to enjoy it.

When she finally broke it, and she'd been just about driving him crazy with how long she held it, she immediately tucked her head into his coat. Embarrassed, he was sure. Blushing, most likely. Still the same little goth girl, in so many ways… "B?" She whispered after a moment, her voice thicker with emotion than he'd ever heard before. "Promise we'll be together forever?"

Well, hell, that's what the ring meant, wasn't it? "Yeah, babes. Forever." He muttered. He'd forgotten the jerk that had tried to kiss her. Forgot for a moment, the kind of monster he himself was, and usually had no problem with. He was everything in her eyes. Hell, she was everything in his. And forever? Well, forever was just one day at a time, after all… And he didn't want to spend a single one, without her.

Forever, yeah. Why not? No problem, babes. I'm all yours… Forever.

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