Beetlejuice doesn't belong to me. If you want to split hairs, I don't know exactly who he belongs to… Tim Burton, The Geffen Film Company, whoever wrote the myriad of scripts… (Probably not that last.) It's all legal techno-babble to me, and I don't know much about that stuff. I do know enough not to claim he's mine, or try to make money off him, or I'm screwed. Which sucks. I mean, who wouldn't want to make a living doing what they love? But I guess I should just be grateful I can do it at all… Where would I be, if I couldn't? …Probably doing it anyway, but if anyone asks, I'll deny it. You'll vouch for me, right?

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Starting a new title, on a previously existing AU, always leaves me trying to do as well as I did before. I mean, people seemed to like, 'Lydia was Early?' I wish I could just say screw that this time, and just have fun… But I probably will worry myself to pieces with every new chapter. In fact, let's see… Yup, doing it already. It just seems off to me, like, too sudden. Twelve, then she's almost sixteen…

Not that writing Beetlejuice is ever really not fun… It's pretty much impossible… Isn't it?

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Lydia didn't honestly know what she was doing anymore… Okay, technically she was getting ready for a date, but whenever that answer popped into her head, which was about every thirty seconds, her heart promptly dropped into her guts, where it was then thoroughly squeezed half to death by them.

She had three outfits lain out on her bed, and for the last half hour, had been hovering over them uncertainly, lifting one or the other, only to change her mind, and put it right back. Between this, she paced. She was going to need another shower before she was done. Unconsciously, her left hand twisted the ring she still wore around her neck, all these years later. She wished briefly he were there, to yell at, or something. But no, she hadn't seen him in almost three days…

And what the hell was up with that, anyway? She cast a frustrated glance at her mirror, tugged her hair, which immediately left her wondering whether she was really going to leave that the way it was… But she quickly pushed the thought away, and focused on being angry with the poltergeist. He was probably with some new ghoul… He went through them like cans of beetles, and never had as much time for her, when the relationship was new.

Of course, eventually that would wear off, he'd start getting bored with the chick, and hang around her more often, until said ghoul just sort of… stopped being an issue.

Despite this, it was starting to piss her off more and more lately. She knew she was more important to him than getting laid by whatever latest conquest he'd scored, he'd proven it well enough before, but she just had less patience for his disappearing these days. And she really, really wanted to talk to him just then. She'd made a really big decision, without consulting her best friend, since he was no where around…

And now she wasn't sure she'd made the right one. Her desperate gaze landed on Loki, who had been watching her fall apart since she'd gotten home from school, and noted to the cat in frustration, "You may look like him, but you're sure as hell no Beetle- Urg!" She clamped her own hand over her mouth, bit her fingers firmly, and looked over the array of clothes again.

Black. Hell, she couldn't go wrong with black. She grabbed the other two outfits off her bed, relieved to have made a decision, no matter how randomly, and shoved them back into her wardrobe, slamming the door. Then, well aware how little time she had left to get ready, she ripped her shirt off, reaching for the outfit she'd chosen…

"Hey babes, let me tell you, I've had a hell of a-" It just sort of came out of nowhere, and she turned before she could stop herself, staring at the poltergeist sitting in his usual spot, at about the same instant he saw her, and his words died to nothing. They stayed that way, for about an instant, before he yelled, "What the hell!" And Lydia spun, furious, grabbing for something to cover up with.

What the hell indeed? What had she been thinking, getting dressed in here? Knowing he could pop in at any time, and- "Argh!" She made a sound of fury, her bare back facing him, certain even the skin there was colored bright red. "Don't you ever knock?" Of course, since when had she ever asked him to knock…?

"Where the hell did those come from?" He demanded, sounding nothing so much as simply shocked to all hell.

"What?" Lydia glowered at him over her shoulder, still holding the black blouse against the front of her, and most decidedly not turning around. She couldn't decide if she wanted to risk pulling it away, long enough to put it on… This guy could be anywhere in a second, if he put his head to it. "What are you talking about?"

"Those… Those!" He roared, giving her a brief moment to wince, and hope to god no one heard him. He made a gesture at his chest, before throwing his arms up, yanking his hair and rubbing his eyes at the same time. "Since when did you get a pair of knockers!"

Lydia, if it was at all possible, proceeded to turn an even darker shade of crimson. No way a guy with his head constantly in the gutter, hadn't noticed when she shot from pretty much nothing, to a size B? "Shit…" She hissed, summoning her courage, and yanking the blouse away, only to immediately wrap it around herself properly. "I'm almost sixteen, Beej… When did you think I was going to get them?"

"Sixteen?" This if anything, seemed to astonish him more, and as she quickly fumbled the buttons into place, and turned to face him again, determined not to act all flustered and awkward over this. His lips were pursed into a frown, as if secretly he doubted her, while his eyes remained locked roughly at chest level. "You sure?"

"If you ever gave a damn about birthdays or holidays, you'd know." She muttered, squaring off against him, now angrier than before, this time for reasons she wasn't entirely sure of. "Shit Beej, did you really think I was still twelve?"

Beetlejuice seemed to have no answer to that, still just staring, with such intensity that he could have caught her blouse on fire. She wasn't even entirely certain he'd heard her, which he seemed to confirm a moment later, licking his lips and muttering, "Lemme see 'em again, babes… Make sure I'm not hallucinating, or something."

"You can see them just fine where they are." Lydia growled, making him open his mouth to protest it, only to belatedly realize that she sounded upset.

His eyes flicked up to hers, taking in the color flooding her face, the angry set to her lips, and the flashing of her eyes. "What the hell's wrong with you?" He grunted, as if in his opinion, she were being completely unreasonable. "You got some nice ones, I just wanted another look… How the hell did I not notice them before?"

Lydia took a deep breath, which had the unplanned effect of returning his eyes right back to her swelling chest, and let it out with a slow sigh. "My god, Beej… It's been three and a half years! Are you really that big of an idiot?"

"'Parently." He muttered, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket, placing it between his lips, but not yet lighting up. Or taking his eyes from her. "You know, I'm realizing Lyds… You're about the same age your moms was, when I met her." She couldn't really tell if there was something more significant to this or not, but his eyes had a thoughtful sort of look, as he leaned back against her mirror.

Abruptly he changed the subject, pulling the cigarette back out of his mouth, and tucking it back in his pocket. He leaned forward a little, bracing his elbows on his knees, and gave her a long, searching look. "You going somewhere?" He asked, suddenly taking in the fact that she had her hair up, which she rarely did, and was wearing make-up she didn't usually bother with.

Lydia blinked, the last traces of her anger leaving her, as she remembered what had been bothering her before. "Yeah," She muttered under her breath, not sounding completely happy about it, "I'm getting ready for a date." She drew her hand over her mouth, and considered briefly on how to finish getting dressed.

"With that prince brat?" There was just a little more of a frown to his tone than before, as if he suddenly took this as a personal slight. "Don't sound much like you wanna… Why don't you just stay home with me?" He waggled his eyebrows at her with a grin. "We'll think of something to do…"

She smiled, apparently now she'd have to deal with his raunchy comments towards her, as well as just in aside when he brought up his personal life. That ought to be fun… But then his first words hit her, and her smile vanished. "No, not with him." She said quietly, pointedly not looking at the poltergeist now.

There was a small moment of silence, and then, with a snort of amusement, he noted, "Cheating on the prince of the neitherworld? I gotta tell you babes, that's crazy even for you… But if you're gonna do it with anyone…"

Lydia cut him off before he could go any further with that suggestion. "We broke up." She told him bluntly, finally deciding to pull her jeans on under her skirt, then remove said uniform. She didn't look at him as she dressed, but was careful to avoid giving him any more 'peeks.'

"Why the hell'd he break up with you now?" He demanded, once again sounding annoyed… But like he was annoyed for her this time, rather than with her. "You two been an item about as long as you and me… And look at you! You're fucking hot now!"

"Which you only noticed about two minutes ago." Lydia noted dryly, suitably dressed now, to face him again. "It can't be that impressive." She paused then, her more mischievous nature getting the better of her, as her lips curled in a small smile. "I really got some nice ones?" She prompted, belatedly flattered.

He grinned slowly, folding his fingers together, and gave her his most lecherous look. "Like I said, lemme see 'em again, babes… I'll give you a detailed description of just how fucking good they look."

Lydia rolled her eyes, but couldn't quite contain her smile, as she pushed him off her dresser, claiming her mirror for herself. "Anyway, he didn't break up with me," She noted, as he never quite hit the floor, but proceeded to hover, circling her slowly, eyes now taking in every inch of what he'd apparently missed, "I kind of-"

And here of course she stopped, because this was what was still eating her up inside. "I told him we should see other people." She said finally. God, she swore he'd positively crumbled in front of her. He hadn't even seen it coming. She felt like such an ass…

Beetlejuice was quiet, just sort of staring at her for an extended moment, before noting matter-of-factly, "You gotta be fucking kidding me, Lyds. I mean," His voice rose a little, "Do you even remember who we're talking about here? Richest, most powerful guy in the neitherworld… Ain't gonna find another one of those! Why the hell would you-?"

"Because he never fucking kissed me!" Lydia snapped, spinning back on the poltergeist with fire in her eyes. Her outburst stunned the poltergeist into silence. "How the hell long am I supposed to put up with slow dances and hand-holding and sweet talk? I'm almost sixteen years old, Beej, and I've got to be the only one at my school that's never been kissed!"

Beetlejuice's jaw was hanging as he considered her, and then, as if just to double check, his eyes dropped to her chest again, then lifted back to her face. He started to say something, paused, reconsidered, and tried again. "You ever tried kissing him, babes? 'Cause I gotta tell you, if the royal heir ain't into chicks, that whole family's gonna go through hell, trying to get a kid out of him."

Lydia frowned, feeling irked, and more stubborn than usual. "I'm not supposed to kiss him," She informed him, sounding childish, and well aware of it, "He's supposed to kiss me, and I'm supposed to let him! That's how it works!"

This sounded of course, not only childish, but also rather irrational, considering the girl's usual lack of hesitation in… well, anything she felt like. Beetlejuice's eyebrows twitched, as he considered her with something of a dubious set to his mouth. "This from the girl who asks the prince of the neitherworld to go steady, after one date?" He mused, trying not to see too much humor in this, for the sake of not getting hit with something.

If he expected this to catch her off guard though, it only worked for a moment, and then she countered, just as stubbornly as before, "I didn't ask him! He asked me!"

Now his lips couldn't help but curve. "That's not what I heard…" He taunted her, with a snicker.

Starting to answer, Lydia then paused, with no explanation whatsoever, and smiled. "Heard… Or read?" She teased him right back, instantly making him wary. When she pulled a turnaround like that, she was up to something… And while he didn't mind her little schemes, hell, usually he was a part of them, he didn't like being caught off guard by them himself. Which again, happened more often than he liked.

"Little of both…" He muttered, deciding the safest way to pursue any further conversation with her, was to change the subject. "So who exactly is it you're going out with, then?" He couldn't help but be just a little unsettled that so much had happened without him… Even with him right there. Like her growing up.

Her amused mood seemed to pass, and an irritated look flickered across her face. "You know, I can't even remember his damn name. He asked me out, after I told Bertha and Prudence we'd broken up, and I said yes. He's not even my type." A pause, then, almost angrily, "But I bet you money he'll kiss me."

There was no way in hell Beetlejuice was taking that bet. In fact, he'd bet money that the guy wasn't going to be satisfied with just a kiss… He was about to tell her too, when slowly, before his eyes, she slumped a little, her gaze clouding. "Shit, what am I thinking… I don't even know his name, and he's gonna be my first kiss?" She sat on her bed a little heavily, and broodingly, looked off at nothing at all. "The whole point was for it to mean something."

Okay, now this was just a little bit too much teen drama for him… Beetlejuice pointedly looked at the ceiling, scratched his wild hair, and again, wondered how the hell he'd not noticed this sooner. But she hadn't act like this, just the last time he'd seen her! He couldn't have been gone for more than a few days! He should say something… Hell if he knew what.

"So forget the little prick." He grumbled at last, not eager with the idea of sharing her with someone else, now that the prince was out of the picture. He'd never liked the knobby kneed royal taking so much of her time anyway… And for reason he really didn't want to think of, he liked it even less now. "You and me'll go raise hell somewhere… Have a blast or two." He did his best to grin at her…

Only to pause at the calculating set to her eyes, as she considered him with a long, deliberate stare. Then she stood, smoothly, and out of the blue, demanded, "Kiss me, Beej."

Which again, had the effect of making his jaw drop, just a little this time, a nonsensical sound emerging, before he managed in an uncertain voice, "Come again, babes?"

Lydia shook her head, lips set into a twisted little smirk, clearly recognizing the irony in her request. "Come on, Beej. In twenty years, you're the only guy I'm gonna remember from when I was this age. You're pretty much one of the only friends I got, and the only one of them I can ask to kiss me. And I told you, I want my first kiss to mean something… Whenever. Now, if possible."

Her eyes flashed, and she crossed her arms, as she dared him to accept her demands. "So get the hell over here, and kiss me, all right?"

Beetlejuice cleared his throat, considered the girl briefly as if she were still just twelve, then dropped his eyes, pointedly reminding himself she wasn't. A bit of a wisp of a girl, if anything prettier than her mom had been at her age, just subtly curvy… And he had to admit, now that he'd noticed them, his fingers kind of itched to grab those curves.

"Not the way you're supposed to do it, babes," He noted at last, though his own face split in a decidedly wicked grin, "But hell, I been propositioned worse! C'mere…" He crossed the distance to her, twisted one arm about her waist, slipped his hand around the back of her throat with the other, and tipped her whole body to within a foot of the floor, giving a little cackle. "Just remember Lyds, once you get a taste…"

There was a brief, albeit actually very brief moment, where he hesitated, only to see her soft pink lips curled in amusement, her eyes still daring him to do it… And he shrugged, pulled in closer, and gave her the best kiss he knew how to give. And he knew that the best kiss he knew how to give would be damn good.

His lips against hers, pressing softly at first, then more firmly, fifteen seconds, thirty… A nibble on her lower lip, while his cool tongue flicked the top one, begging entrance to the soft, warm recesses of her mouth, which she surrendered with a little gasp of surprise.

He was really just trying to take her breath away, he wasn't expecting his own undead heart to lurch, or his stomach to twist with an odd flutter. Didn't expect her hands in his hair, or the little moan of pleasure that followed his expert kissing, if only because it was his Lyds, who never let on any kind of vulnerability. Sure as hell didn't expect how good her warm, supple body felt against his…

And sure as hell didn't try to break the kiss, until Lydia pulled away breathlessly, eyes wide and dark, looking at him with something of an unguarded surprise. "Wow." Was all she said, softly, meeting the green gaze of the poltergeist who still held her about a foot and a half from the floor. "So that's a kiss, huh?"

"Nah babes," He denied smugly, hoping she wouldn't notice just how physically he'd responded to the feel of her that close, "That's a kiss from the ghost with the most! Don't expect some teen-boy breather to be able to do that for you…"

"Hmm…" Her eyes lidded in a sultry way, the dark make-up around her eyes only enhancing their own smoky brown color, she didn't ask to be let up yet, and in fact, looked like she might be about to ask for another.

Before he could take advantage of the situation though, she sighed suddenly, put one hand on his chest, and pushed him away, pulling them both up to a standing position once more. "Okay, that was damn good," She agreed, looking a little more collected, "Now get your hand off my ass, will you?"

Beetlejuice blinked in surprise, not really having noticed how far his hand had wandered. But now that he did, he wasn't about to waste it, giving said ass a little squeeze, with a leer. "That really asking my opinion babes? 'Cause hell… I kinda like it where it is."

Lydia shoved him back, giving him a little scowl. He knew her well enough though, to know she didn't mean it. "You're just a little too comfortable with this," She noted dryly, "Considering an hour ago, you thought I was still a kid. Or doesn't that bother you as much as you've always let on?" He started to protest, a little irritated by how quickly she got over his sexiness, only to be cut off by her, adding, "And I'll just pretend that was something you had in your pocket, by the way. 'Kay?"

This left him dumbfounded, and finally he adjusted his cufflinks, looking anywhere but at her, a frown tracing his lips. "'Preciate that, babes." He agreed sourly, suddenly all his hastily formed plans of spending the rest of the night together pretty much evaporating before his eyes, as she grabbed her coat, turned her back on him, and clearly still planned to go on her aforementioned 'date.' Just like nothing had happened. "Don't have too much fun, you hear?"

She turned, gave him one of those sly grins he'd always found cute on her, somewhat less so at the moment, and teased slowly, "Don't do anything you wouldn't do, you mean?"

"Hell with that…" Beetlejuice muttered, starting towards her again, only for her to laugh. "What? What's so fucking funny?" He demanded, tipping his chin up, and giving her his most intimidating scowl. "You think some boy's worth…"

"If I even let him kiss me," She interrupted, still looking amused, "I'll be surprised at myself. So I don't want to find out you've been following me around like some new claim of yours… Because you know I'll see you. And one kiss does not make me yours." She added, way too humorously for his taste.

Why not? He scratched his chin slowly, wondering if he was losing his touch, or this was just Lyds being ever-stubborn-Lyds. A kiss from him usually got a broad halfway to bed… And he was already in her fucking room.

"Yeah, whatever." He muttered, determined not to go full sulk in front of her. "Go on, get laid for all I care. Just don't come running to me when he's a lousy-" He fumbled over this last word, despite himself, still adjusting in little ways to his newest insight into the girl. "Doesn't matter if I go with you or not, I'm just gonna find out anyway." He added, menacingly.

A little giggle escaped Lydia, not the effect he'd been trying for, which he thought was just about the last insult he could take… Before she said something he really was not expecting. "Oh really? Beej, do you honestly think I put anything in my diary I don't want you to read?"

This, when little else could, not only caught him off guard, but completely drew his mind away from the previous subject. "You knew?" He muttered, wondering why exactly she found this so funny, instead of blowing her stack at him. "For how long?"

Lydia rolled her eyes, grabbing her keys from beside the door, and tucking her ring under her blouse. "Please… I only started keeping a diary after I met you. Why do you think I did it?"

If what she was saying was true, this had to be the longest running scam she'd pulled on him… He was, against his will, a little impressed. "So why not just tell me what's going on in that pretty little head?" He growled, trying to pretend annoyance, when in fact it was all he could do not to grin right along with her. "Instead of making me sneak to find out?"

"Because it was more fun." She informed him matter-of-factly, taking his moment of distraction to drop a kiss on his cheek. Before he could curse himself for not noticing in time to take advantage of the situation, she added, "After all, I knew you couldn't call me on anything you weren't supposed to be reading in the first place…"

And of course, that was the true evil genius of it, after all. "So all the times you cracked about me…?" He mused, considering all the little jibes and teases she'd left between the red pages all these years. Damn, the girl was a downright brat, wasn't she? He couldn't help but feel a little relieved, knowing now she didn't mean any of it.

"That was my guilty little pleasure," She agreed, batting her eyes at him with faux innocence, "Knowing you'd read it, and couldn't do a damn thing about it. And I knew you weren't gonna get too mad," She added, almost as an aside, "Don't forget, I am your doorman… It's not like you can find just anyone else to let you in and out."

Beetlejuice groaned, no, he never had gotten mad over it, but not for that. Just because she'd never said anything about him a tenth as bad as everyone else had always said. He'd figured it was just part of knowing him. "You're a real sneak, you know that?" He praised her grudgingly, giving her a twisted smirk. "I'm definitely having a good effect on you. Damn, three years…"

"Please… What makes you think I wasn't already like this?" She started to say something else, then paused at a loud honk drifting up from outside, and made a face. Beetlejuice almost laughed, real classy guy she was dating… But then she caught his eye again, noting smugly, "Think about that!" And left him alone in her room.

Of course the minute she was gone, her little joke was the last thing he was thinking about… He moved to the window, his features frustrated, and more than a little pissed off. He watched her emerge from the front door a minute later, hop into the side of the brown sedan, and then, without a how-do-you-do, pull from sight down the long drive.

He might not be able to follow her, but damned if he wasn't going to drive himself crazy until she got back, thinking of just what that little punk was up to… And how he couldn't do shit about it.

…And how the hell had he missed this?

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