Chapter One

Judge Mental gazed coldly at Beetlejuice, his empty sockets transfixed on his every move. Almost as if he expected him to disappear. (This had happened before in the past.)

"Before we start, would you like someone to represent you Beetlejuice?" Judge Mental inquired.

Beetlejuice nodded.

"Who?" Mental asked.

Beetlejuice could only think of one name. "Lydia Deetz."

The Judge sighed heavily. "Call her then."

Beetlejuice closed his eyes and thought of nothing but Lydia. Her small body and delicate hands. Her dark eyes and hair. The way her lips curved when she smiled. And her positive nature. Once he had gathered a mental picture, (no pun intended.) He called her name as loud as his mind could possibly yell. "LYDS!"

Lydia awoke with a start. She had been having a wonderful dream. In the dream she was able to juice people with Beetlejuice. They had gone all over the neitherworld juicing everyone that they encountered. She smiled remembering the dream. But why had she woken up? She couldn't quite remember. She sat up in her bed trying to remember. Then she was reminded by a loud cry within her head. "LYDS!"

BJ was calling her. And he sounded urgent. She quickly flung her covers off and jumped out of bed. What has he done this time? She wondered, as she crossed over to her table that held her crystal ball. She yawned as she started the incantation.

"Though I know I should be wary. Still I venture someplace scary. Ghostly Haunting I turn loose. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!"

The familiar sensation filled her. It was the feeling of excitement and freedom mixed together. A feeling she never felt except when she was with BJ. Or at least on her way to him.

Her nightgown turned into her spider poncho, her hair was pulled up into its usual style. As her hair finished doing itself her room faded from sight. And in its place was the roadhouse. But instead of stopping at the roadhouse the location changed once again. And it was a courtroom filled with angry neitherworlders.

As the world around her came into focus she realized with a shock, that the person on trial was the one and only 'ghost with the most.'

Beetlejuice looked distressed, a frightened look plastered to his face. He looked over to where she stood. Meeting her eyes for a moment.

"Babes." He whispered. Beetlejuice smiled as he said her name; but it was only a ghost of his true smile. He was worried. Lydia felt her stomach drop to her knees. What had he done?

Judge Mental called for silence, and the courtroom slowly complied. The Judge wheezed-coughed and began.

"This is the trial of Beetlejuice. The son of Bea and Nat Juice." The Judge paused for a moment letting out another cough.

"The accused has been charged with murder."

"Whhat!" Beetlejuice screeched. Lydia stood frozen in disbelief.

Judge Mental looked more closely at the piece of paper in his hand. "Oh. . . I'm sorry. That's Grim Gracery. He's on trial tomorrow afternoon. I must've gotten them mixed up." He bent over his desk, looking for Beetlejuice's file. "I know I have it here somewhere." He muttered to himself.

Lydia breathed again. But her stomach still had butterflies. At least I know he didn't commit murder. She thought, with a sigh.

After another minute of searching the Judge held up a folder triumphantly. "Found it." He flipped it open to the page he needed and continued where he had left off.

"Beetlejuice has been accused of juicing and seducing 15 different women in the last week." The Jury murmured in disgust. "How does the accused plea?"

"Not guilty." Beetlejuice huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. "I haven't seduced anybody in about fifty years. The girls aren't worth it. Know what I mean?"

From the crowd a voice rang out, it was a male voice. "We have evidence! You sleaze!" The crowd flew into an up roar once again.

Judge Mental slammed his mallet upon his desk. "That is quite enough." He straightened the file upon his desk. "Now we will hear the facts and decide on Beetlejuice's innocence or more likely his guilt."

Lydia felt a pain in her chest. Had he? Her Beetlejuice really seduced fifteen women within the space of a week? Was he really that kind of guy? She felt resentment. Why would he do something like that? She almost started to cry. She told herself that he hadn't over and over again. But besides her efforts a tiny voice in her mind kept whispering. "Why?" "Why?"

For the next hour witness after witness was called up to the stand, bringing more stories and more evidence. Such as bruises, torn clothing, and bite marks. Beetlejuice looked just as shocked as everyone else to see it all. He continued to deny the charges. To the revulsion of the jury. They wanted him to burn.

Finally the last witness was called up. It was a stunning lady skeleton. Her hair was cropped short, and was a very bright white blonde. Her bones were very soft, delicate looking. She was beautiful, but she was embarrassed. It turned out she was Mental's daughter, Widow.

Once Widow was sworn in, Mental looked at his daughter and coughed again.

"My dear; Please tell the court what you told me. When you arrived home last night."

Widow looked around pitifully tears threatened to spill from her hollowed out eyes. She sniffed and pulled out a pink handkerchief, whipping around her eyes. "Well last night I decided to go for a midnight walk. It was a beautiful night. And I just couldn't resist. I left at about twelve twenty two. I was walking through the neighborhoods minding my own business when he," She pointed at Beetlejuice. "Walked up to me and . . . . and." She burst into tears.

Judge Mental glared down at Beetlejuice. And continued the story for his daughter. "And he grabbed her, and had his way with her." He said painfully, his eyes threatening to water as well.

As he finished Beetlejuice looked from the Judge to Widow. Then back again. "Mental I can see that your daughter was hurt. I feel for her, truly. But I didn't touch her. Someone else must have." He stated gravely.

Mental looked like he was going to explode. "HOW DARE YOU?"

Beetlejuice looked the Mental straight on unblinking. "I didn't touch her! I have done a lot of things, but I would never rape anyone."

Mental shook his head. With pure hatred burning in his eyes. "Fine keep lying if it makes you feel better. But you won't convince anyone else." He turned back to Widow. "You may get down sweetheart."

Widow slowly got off the stand and walked back to her seat. Her eyes never leaving the floor. The Judge turned to the jury. "You have heard all the testaments. It is up to you the jury to find him guilty or innocent." One by one the jury found Beetlejuice guilty. The punishment had been decided by the Judge before the session had even started.

"The poltergeist known as Beetlejuice will be put in a confinement cell; where he will spend 345 years. He will be stripped of his powers and all his belongings."

The Jury nodded in agreement. The Judge was about to pass the sentence to Beetlejuice's disagreement, when Lydia yelled, "Wait!"

All eyes turned to the little human. Lydia didn't know why she hadn't spoken sooner. She had been rooted to the spot. She didn't know what she believed but she knew what she had to do.

"May I speak?" Lydia asked.

Judge Mental nodded slowly. Lydia walked over to stand next to Beetlejuice. As she reached him she turned to look at both Mental and The Jury.

"I know that you are set on your decision. And nothing I can say will change that. So I won't ask you to reduce the sentence. I merely ask you to let me take his place."

Beetlejuice gasped. "No Lyds! I won't let you do it babes!" He gazed earnestly at her begging her with his eyes. She couldn't look at him or she would give in. So she looked only at Mental, waiting for his answer.

Mental spoke slowly as if he had been hit between the eyes with something hard. "You wish to take his place?" Mental asked stupidly. "Yes." Lydia replied.

Mental looked at both Lydia and Beetlejuice. Then a realization hit him. He looked down at his hands for a moment. Before he answered. "I will not condemn one so young, Miss Deetz." He smiled at her kindly. Lydia looked at him defiantly. "But; I can see that you are very attached to your friend. Rapist that he is. So I will give you an alternative." Lydia leaned forward eagerly. Hoping for a miracle.

"You must marry Beetlejuice. So that he will never seduce again."

Beetlejuice eyes fell out of his head and his mouth expanded to the size of a small satellite dish. Lydia looked shocked, but remained calm. She lowered her head in thought.

"Do you know what this implies?" Mental asked. To answer his own question he continued. "You must give up your old life and live here in the Neitherworld in Beetlejuice's home, as his wife. You must be faithful to him till the day you die."

Lydia spoke with a clear voice, that all could hear. "I will marry him."

Beetlejuice recovered his voice and sense. "No babes! Don't give up your life! NOOOOOOOOO!" BJ screamed. But an iron gag appeared over his mouth before he could say more. He struggled against it, trying to get it off. In the end he just stared at Lydia.

Judge Mental turned to Beetlejuice. "I know you care about Miss Deetz, so it will be incentive for you to be faithful to her. Because if you are not. She will go to prison in your place. There is no question about that."

He turned back to Lydia he shook his head in sorrow. He had always liked Lydia. And even though he had thought it up. In his eyes she had chosen a fate worse than death.

"Very well Miss Deetz. You have one day to settle all your affairs in the world of the living. Then the proceeding day you will be married. You may choose your guests. But you must at least have five witnesses. Are your responsibilities clear to you Miss Deetz?"

Lydia nodded in compliance. The Judge hesitated before pounding his miniature mallet on his desk for the last time. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes sir. My mind is made up."

Judge Mental admired this human's courage. She was so firm in her standing. And even though Beetlejuice's crimes had nothing to do with her, she was more than willing to step up and take accountability for him.

"Alright then little lady."

Judge Mental looked around the courtroom, meeting everyone's eyes. Until finally they landed on Beetlejuice's large yellow ones once more. Just looking at him made Mental cross. He looked away in revulsion. "The Wedding will take place on All Hallows Eve. Thank you all for coming. Court adjourned." He spat.

Everyone started to depart their separate ways. It was four in the morning by this time. Judge Mental retrieved his bowler hat, along with his overcoat from under his desk. Widow walked over to him and linked arms with him. They walked towards the doors together arm in arm. Just before the doors closed behind them Mental called back. "Don't forget the rings."

And with that he and Widow left. Leaving Beetlejuice and Lydia alone in the courtroom.