"Deadly Dealings"

Ch. 2

"Why, Be-atlejuice, what a pleasant… surprise?" Jacque the skeleton began, as he opened the door only to have the other push past him inside the Roadhouse. "We were sure you had been eaten by ze sandworms." The skeleton was only answered with the slam of a door. "Welcome back?"

"Psh, stupid skeleton…" He looked around the room; it was pretty barren except for a bed, a mirror and dresser, a closet, and an adjoining bathroom. Cracking his knuckles the ghoul said to himself, "Time to spice this place up a bit." Zapping the bed, he turned it in to a coffin, he zapped up a TV and a reclining chair, he then filled the dresser with some clothes and he filled the room with all kinds of beetles and cobwebs.

Walking over to the closet, he looked at it ponderingly. "Hmm, what could I do with this?" He opened it up and a skeleton came out moaning, "Beetlejuice made a deal with the banished prince Dominick!"

"Whoa!" He quickly shoved the skeleton back inside. "A skeleton closet… better keep this closed."

Taking another look around the room, he went up to the mirror and dresser and looked at himself in the mirror. "Hey there, sexy." He chuckled softly to himself. "Hmm, wonder how I'm going to get back to the mortal world… Not like I can simply go down the street and take a left. And another thing, I wonder what Lydia's up to."

No sooner had the words left his lips, he found himself looking at a room in the mirror; and not just anyone's room… it was Lydia's. And sitting in the middle of the floor surrounded by candles was Lydia herself.

She suddenly sighed. "It's no use; I can't get to the Netherworld… I wish Adam and Barbara would take me there. Why do they have to be such sticks in the mud?" She sighed again and began to blow out the candles.

Hmm I wonder if I can talk to her… only one way to find out. "Hey babes, I can take ya to the Netherworld!"

Lydia cried out, nearly falling over. "Beetlejuice—?! I-I thought you were—!"

"Eaten by a sandworm? Psh, don't you wish? Now come on, just say my name and I'll show ya the time of your life." Heheheh just get her to trust me and then she'll be all mine.

Lydia just stared at him skeptically. "Why should I trust you after what you tried to do last time?"

"Aw come on, babes, can't you cut me some slack? I've learned my lesson, really! I promise I won't try anything funny." While he said this, Beetlejuice crossed his fingers behind his back.

Hesitating Lydia continued to stare at the other skeptically. "I don't know…"

"Aw come on, when have I ever gone back on my promises? I mean I know I tried to force ya to marry me, but hey, I did save your friends didn't I?" Beetlejuice waited, staring at the other anxiously.

Sighing Lydia said, "Fine, but this is just so I can go to the Netherworld." She took a deep breath. "Beetlejuice… Beetlejuice… Beetlejuice." As she said his name the third time, she closed her eyes expecting something bad to happen. When nothing did, she slowly opened her eyes to find herself in Beetlejuice's room.

"Welcome to the Netherworld, babes," the ghoul said grinning.

"Wow. I wish I could live here for the rest of my life…"

"Heheheh, if I play my cards right, you could get your wish," Beetlejuice murmured under his breath.

"Huh, what was that?"

"I said, how about I take you on a tour?" He smiled innocently at her.

Lydia stared at him for a moment then said, "Sure."

"And then I turned the guy in to a slug!"

Lydia laughed as she and Beetlejuice walked back toward the Roadhouse. He had showed her around all of the Netherworld and it was just beginning to get dark. "Wow, I've never had this much fun since… ever! Y'know Beetlejuice, you're not such a bad guy."

The other grinned. So far so good. When they reached his room, he closed the door behind him. "You know what would make this day even better?" He asked, chuckling deviously and he slowly approached her.

"What?" Lydia turned around to look at him curiously, causing the ghoul to stop short.

He hesitated, just staring at her. For some reason he couldn't get himself to move. Come on… what's the hold up? Grab her already! But as he thought this, he began to feel guilty. Why? Wasn't this what he wanted? "Um… a beetle!" He suddenly pulled a beetle from his shirt pocket, offering it to her.

She recoiled slightly. "Um… n-no thanks… Well, I'll see you again some time." With that, Lydia chanted the words to get back home.

Beetlejuice groaned, tossing the beetle to the side. "What is wrong with me?? How could I just let her go like that when she was right within my reach?! Maybe I'm coming down with something…"

"Or maybe, you finally have a conscience."

Beetlejuice turned to see Jacque standing in the doorway. "What did you say, bone-head?"

"I think you really like her, Be-atlejuice."

"What? Psh, no way! What are you doing eavesdropping anyway?? Leave me alone!" Beetlejuice slammed the door in the skeleton's face, grinning when he heard the sound of bones clattering to the floor.

He would have to get Lydia next time.

---

"I can't believe you went to the Netherworld with Be—I mean that man!" Barbara cried when Lydia returned.

"You could have gotten hurt!"

Lydia groaned as Barbara and Adam continued to lecture her. "Well, I'm fine. I think Beetlejuice really has changed. The Netherworld is a cool place; a lot better than here."

"Please Lydia; promise us you won't go back. Think about how your parents would feel if anything bad were to happen to you."

Lydia stared at Barbara and then at Adam and sighed. "Fine, I promise I won't go back to the Netherworld." She grinned inwardly as she crossed her fingers behind her back.