Disclaimer: Tim Burton (who I am secretly stalking), Nelvana, and Geffen Entertainment own the rights to Beetlejuice, all related characters and content, and my heart. Please don't sue me. Thank you.

"Look, I have something I need to say and if I don't say it all at once I won't say it at all. So just shut up and listen to me ok?"

Beetlejuice looked up from the beetle he was stalking and blinked. His hand shot out and caught his prey. Crunching on his fresh snack, he floated over to the couch and sat down next to Lydia.

"Shoot."

"Ok. Here goes." She took a breath. "I sold the house."

His jaw dropped, half-chewed beetle parts falling onto his tie, and he stared at her in shock.

"No…BJ…don't say anything please. Just let me get this out. Apart from you it's been entirely too empty since dad and Delia moved back to New York, and to be completely honest it's way too big for me anyway. So I sold it, and I'm taking a trip around the world with the money I got for it. Apparently it's prime real estate so I got more than enough to get an apartment back in the city and take this trip. And I need this trip, BJ. I need to get away for a while, go and find myself. It's been crazy this past year, and I just need to get away from this house…from this town…from all of it."

"From me." Beetlejuice suddenly became very interested in a piece of grime on his boot. Lydia was hurt.

"No! Not from you! Well…I mean not JUST from you. Oh…I'm not saying this right at all. I told you not to interrupt me!"

Like most anyone who knows they're hurting a person they truly care about, Lydia sought solace in anger. Beetlejuice just stared at the floor. She took a deep breath and tried again.

"Look…Beej…you know I care about you. You're my best friend. But if I don't do this…If I don't give myself a break…I'm going to crash and burn. I can't run myself ragged like this anymore. So…so I've got to go. I've got to be by myself for a while. For Christ's sake, we've seen each other every day since I was twelve!" She winced as she realized what she had just said. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean it that way…"

Lydia trailed off. Beetlejuice looked like he was going to say something, but then he thought better of it. She made to put her arms around him, aching for some kind of sign from him that he understood and wasn't angry. Instead, he jumped up from the couch and stood just out of her reach.

"Yeah, well…ok then. See ya around babes. Just say those magic words and I'll be out of your hair."

Lydia's hand shot automatically to her hair, expecting to feel BJ crawling around in there considering what he had just said. But no puff of magic ensued, and he continued to stand before her staring at the floor.

She stared at him for a moment, trying to think of what to say. She was hurt at his lack of emotion, and she was frustrated with herself that she hadn't explained properly. As the silence and sense of space between them grew she gave in to her anger and shouted his name.

"BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE!"