Disclaimer: I do not own Beetlejuice, the movie or the cartoon, or the books...

*The Frighteners is a great movie.

…

"Wow." Lydia looked down at her outfit. She wore her red poncho and a warm full-body leotard. Touching her hair she noticed that her pink & purple scrunchie had stayed in place. "What happened to my dress?"

"Don't worry, Babes. Cause ya got some o'my Juice ya just have'ta think about what ya want ta wear and…" Snapping his fingers Beetlejuice switched his clothes with hers. "…ya can change just like me."

Lydia looked down at the form-fitting striped suit she now wore and winced at the sight of Beetlejuice in her black leotard, which thankfully, the red poncho (mostly) covered. While completely disturbing to look at, it was strange how the fabrics stretched to fit their differences in body type.

"So I can use your Juice?" She looked down at the striped pants. "Hmm…" Lydia snapped her fingers and nothing happened.

"Within reason, Babes." He smiled at her. "The power ya get comes from my name, so it only works when ya say it."

"No fair…" Lydia frowned.

Seeing her saddened face damped his mood. "Hey, what were ya thinkin' of changin' anyways, Lyds?"

She looked up at him, her smile itching to return at the sight of him in her outfit, and decided to tell him. "I wanted to turn the pants into a skirt and turn the shirt magenta."

"Magenta?" He repeated cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's the color you made the horse when you scared Priscilla." She didn't notice him flinch at the mention of her "incident" on the bridge.

"Well, guess that's easy enough ta do…" 'Not that I'm feelin' guilty or anythin'.' He cracked his knuckles and shot a bolt of yellow lightning at Lydia.

The girl didn't even scream as the pants merged together then shrunk to make a knee length skirt. A small dot of magenta formed on the white button-down, right where her heart would be and spread like blood coloring the entire garment. Spinning in a circle Lydia enjoyed watching the color spread out to the cuffs. She thoroughly enjoyed the new look.

"Thanks, BJ!" Lydia toed the pavement on the Neitherworldian road and looking at her own Beatle boots as the question formed in her mind. "Hey, BJ?" Beetlejuice turned to look at her. "How come you stopped wearing your combat boots?"

"Uh, I don't know…" Beetle shrugged. "…weren't that comfortable and these fit my style, ya know, they'ree called Beatle-boots, Babes." He felt thrown off guard with her question. 'Damn kid pays to much attention to detail.' "Well, that's enough fun fer now!" Zapping them both, their outfits once again switched.

"Oh, my…" Looking towards Beetlejuice it took all of Lydia's breath to hold back the laughter.

"O'shut it, Lyds…" Beetle grumbled. When he zapped their clothes he forgot that Lydia was wearing a skirt, and he tried his best not to look embarrassed and wondered how in six centuries he'd never felt this sheepish. Quickly he changed the black & white striped skirt into a pair of pants.

"No, WAIT!" Lydia stopped him from changing the magenta shirt. "I-I think it looks good on you."

Not used to compliments, a foreign feeling of heat rushed to his face. "If ya say so..." Beetle shrugged off his jitters. "Anyway, let's get goin'…"

"To where?" Lydia asked.

"Why only to the one place in the entire Neitherworld worth visiting!" His hand slid around to her back and he began to walk them forward. Seeing no harm in the contact Lydia let him lead her to their destination. Feeling oddly secure, she allowed her eyes to wander and took in the strange sights.

They'd only been walking five minutes before a familiar view caught her attention. Stopping next to a mailbox that'd previously tried to eat her hand Lydia let a large smile grace her features. Moving to stand in front of her and with a wave of his hand, a well-practiced form of peacock-ish flourish & grandeur that could have only been picked up by him, Beetlejuice bowed to Lydia an addressed the run-down building behind him.

"So this dirt-hole is The Roadhouse."

"I couldn't tell…" Lydia snickered at him pointing at the rather large neon sign that had his initials on it.

"Babes, nobody likes a spoilsport." He paused to grin at her; his teeth practically the definition of rot. "Well, 'cept fer me, I love anythin' that's gone rotten!" Throwing his head back Beetlejuice let out a loud long bark of laughter that sent Lydia on edge. "What ya say, Babes? Want me ta scare ya up a tour?"

Feeling a little uneasy, Lydia practiced her new rule when dealing with the poltergeist: If he's acting scary, perverse, or creepy – try to make the situation funny. Walking past him nonchalantly, Lydia did her best to act as if he hadn't thrown her off her game. As if to prove the grungy dead man was rubbing off on her she did something she'd never done before.

"Sure, BJ. But do you think that sign is large enough?" A smile formed on her face. "Or do you think you'll get business from space?" Winking at him she shot her nose to the sky and walked up to the front of the house.

Mouth ajar and thoroughly befuddled Beetle stood in still for a full five minutes. Not too many people could get the drop on him, especially when it came to dialogue. Realization dawned on him that Lydia had flat out insulted him, but for the death of him, Beetlejuice couldn't work up any anger at the girl. Strutting up to the door he puffed out his chest and stuck his tongue out. "I'll have ya know the sign fer my business, an attracts all sorts of customers - it hasta be BIG - were practically standin' on Saturn!" Beetle sneered.

"Sure, B, whatever you say…" Lydia rolled her eyes and watched curiously as Beetlejuice knocked on the door to his house. "Don't you have the keys?"

Stopping mid-knock Beetle turned around to look at her. Fishing around in one of his pockets, his arm disappearing up to his elbow, he pulled out a set of keys and tossed them to Lydia. "Yep, fergot ta give those back…" He gave her a crooked smile and knocked a third time.

"Who's there?" The door knocker, sounding bored, slowly asked.

"Roach."

"Roach-who?"

"Roach ya a letter, didn't ya get it? Wahahahahahahahaha…"

"Mphm… very funny." Replied the annoyed Knocker.

"Wow, BJ. Where do you get your material?" She said sarcastically.

"Ha! You think you could do better, Babes?" Beetle leaned over & smirked.

"…Yeah, yes, I think I could." His grin widened. "As a matter of fact, I know I can.

"Well then go on." He moved aside so she could knock on the door.

"You'll see…" Gulping down her nerves Lydia knocked on the door three times.

"Who's there?"

"Claire."

"Claire-who?"

"Claire the way, I'm coming through!"

"Eh-ha, not bad Lyds."

"Please, no more, one bad joke is enough for the day…" The Knocker moaned.

"Yesh, shut your trap! Come on Lyds…" He made a snobby sounding voice. "…let us go where we will be wel-combed." A large comb suddenly appeared behind them and started towards the pair. Both gave a shriek of fright and pushed into the house, quickly they shut and barricaded the door.

"Does that happen often?"

"Whut? Giant flying combs that try ta decapitate you?"

"Ye- No, I meant the random punning."

"Ha-ha… Gee, sometimes I slip on my words…" Beetlejuice went to take a step forward and promptly stepped on a W and as he stated began to slip on the word, WORDS. Lydia couldn't help but laugh at this and offered to help him from the floor.

"Are you alright, Beetlejuice?"

A shiver ran up his spine at the sound of his name. Granted, a lot of good it did when she said it in the Neitherworld, the kid would send herself back to the Realworld. "Yeah, I'm fine, Babes." He dusted himself off. 'Juice has been out-of-whack since I broke the contract with ol'Astaroth.' He thought annoyed.

"So this is your house?"

"Yep."

"Do you own it?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"I don't know Lyds, geez, what do I look like? An answering machine?" Beetle's face fell and tried to cover his mouth, but it was too late. He turned into an answering machine complete with a telephone. Lydia giggled at the sight and picked up the receiver.

"Do you really want me to answer that one, BJ?" She laughed, and in a poof of smoke the receiver disappeared and once again, Beetlejuice stood before her dusting off his stripped sleeves.

"Heh, gotta say, Babes, ya can be funny when ya want to." Shrugging he floated over to his rotting wood couch and sat down. "Make yourself at home!"

…

Five hours later…

…

"I can't fathom why you want Out."

"Really? Do explain, Babes."

Lydia stretched back on the wooden couch, which was surprisingly soft due to its termite infestation, and cocked her head in his direction. They'd been watching re-runs of one of Beetlejuice's favorite TV show: That Darn Werewolf. The reason being that the Neitherworld on Halloween tended to be empty with most of the ghouls enjoying large festivities or leaving for the Realworld since the Veil had been lowered. There wasn't much to do on the "Holiday" that wouldn't put Lydia's life in danger, and Beetlejuice had enough mortal-scares to keep him on his toes and, hopefully, unattached to a desk for the next eon.

"Well, I've never seen anything like this." Lydia gestured to the television.

"Of course ya haven't, ya ain't dead yet." He rolled his eyes. "Been watching these same ruddy re-runs fer the past fifty years…"

"Don't they ever come up with something new?"

"Sort-of…" He replied and began to scratch behind his ear, disturbing a roach, and then proceeded to pick it out an eat it. A loud crunch later and he went on… "Thing is, ya Breathers make somethin', then we dead folk make it better. The ideas aren't new, but the execution is. Understand, Babes?"

"I, uh, think so…" Lydia looked curiously at the TV than at the blinking numbers on the VCR. "…is that time right?" She asked in wonder.

Beetlejuice squinted at the red numbers, then down at one of the watches on his wrist. "Yep, it's five o'clock somewhere." He eyed Lydia's thoughtful expression.

"You know BJ, it is Halloween."

Beetle's eyes narrowed at her. "So, what'cha gettin' at, Lyds?" Later on, Beetlejuice would find out that when Lydia got that particular smile on her face he knew they'd be in for a mountain full of fun & trouble.

"I've got an idea!" Grabbing hold of his hand, Lydia quickly said her own name three times before Beetlejuice could stop her. For Lydia, new to the experience, the jerk between the Neitherworld and the Realworld felt like a tingling buzz combined with the vertigo of a rollercoaster ride all rolled up into one.

Puzzled, Beetlejuice couldn't explain the trip between the worlds. He'd done it a good number of times and not one had left him feeling like a ball of sunshine afterward. However, this experience had been pleasant, unlike the usual feeling of having his soul ripped apart. Safely in the Realworld, he let go of Lydia's hand and marveled at the young girl. Somehow she'd already managed to figure out how to use his Juice.

"Nice costume, Babes." He said with an edge to his voice.

Lydia did a twirl in the red wedding gown. "What? You don't like it?" She smirked at him. "I think it was one of your designs…"

"Thought we weren't supposed ta bring up the weddin'?"

"I'm not; I'm only wearing my Halloween costume." She stuck her tongue out at him, trying to push his buttons. "You made it, don't you like it?"

Beetlejuice scowled. 'Can't trick a trickster, Babes…' He said in his mind and took in the sight of the girl who was once again in a newer looking version of the disastrous red tulle wedding dress. Beetle had to admit that it did look good on the girl, but he could only see her as the little thirteen-year-old girl he tried to ...kill.

"Nah, Lyds." He pointed a finger at her. "Ya should try something a little more original…" A bolt of yellow lightning later and Lydia was dressed in a rather odd costume. The design was familiar but she couldn't put her finger on it, though the stripes were a dead give-away. Lydia looked down at the "suit" she wore. It was like some kind of light & dark purple striped snake. Looking around the "mouth" that acted like a hoodie, she noticed the row of yellow teeth.

"So… what am I?" Lydia asked confused.

"A baby Sandworm." Beetle deadpanned as he stepped back to admire his work. In his mind it was one of the scariest Halloween costumes in the Neitherworld, he was sure she'd like it.

"Deadly-Voo…"

"Yeah, got the deadly part right, Lyds." He laughed a little uneasily; slightly out of character for him. "Only thin' in the universe that can put the *frighteners in me."

Lydia looked down at her costume again as a brief shot of guilt struck her at the memory of Beetlejuice getting eaten on their wedding day. He'd deserved it at the time, don't get her wrong, but it may have been too harsh a punishment. Feeling like a heel for the wedding dress stunt she sighed in frustration.

"Hey BJ?"

"Yeah, Babes?"

"Thanks."

"For whut?" He stuck his finger up his nose, paying Lydia no-mind.

"Thanks for being so nice to me." That got his attention. "I mean, you could have been all revengeful an evil with me, but you're turning out to be pretty cool to hang with."

"Geez, Babes…" He flicked the booger into his suit pocket. "Ya want ta hang with me?" He grabbed hold of his black tie and pulled it, trying to actually hang himself.

"Beej..."

"Ya see me as a cool guy?" Frost started to cover his face & clothes.

"Seriously..."

The frost melted off of him but he had one more pun lined up. "Ya really think I'm pretty?" He bat a set of suddenly overly-long eyelashes at her.

"Yep!" Walking up to him she gave him a cheeky smile and began to skip on ahead. Lydia gestured for Beetlejuice to follow and all he could do was walk blindly behind her.

Slow to the draw for once, he let the simple, honest compliment shake him to his core.