Chapter 10

He could feel it. The light tugging on his spine that was always present when some poor sap said his name. Except he could tell this was no ordinary sap. That extra feeling, of dread and cigarette smoke. He was in for a chewing out from Juno again.

She was taking her sweet time though. The feeling of dread increased. Something was wrong.

He slid through the floor. He could only think of one course of action, no matter how stupid it seemed. Although . . . Stupid's never stopped me before, he thought dismissively.

Lydia was drifting about the living room looking mournful. Normally he would have made a joke about the dead being in the living room, but he was running out of time. With a snap of his fingers, he restored his name in her mind.

She whirled around, her mouth open accusingly. "Bee--!" however, was all she was able to get out before he waved his arms at her entreatingly. Something in his manner was so different -- was that fear in his eyes?-- that she obeyed the silent entreaty and closed her mouth.

"Juno's calling me in, babe. Normally I wouldn't risk my get-out-of-jail-free card like this, but something's different this time." He offered her a crooked smile. "I don't like the idea of burning all my bridges I guess."

"Why do you think this one's so different?" Lydia asked cautiously.

"I--" was all he managed before he disappeared in a pillar of furious looking flame with a pained yelp.

--

After he had tumbled aimlessly in the abyss between the living and after-world for what felt like ages, Beetlejuice landed on a chair directly in front of Juno herself. He frantically beat at his sleeves, trying to put them out.

Juno was mad. Her cigarette smoke, normally escaping only from her throat and mouth, seemed to be pumping out of every cavity in her head, especially her ears.

"Beetlejuice, you are in so much trouble," she told him clearly and slowly, punctuating each word with a jab at his charred vest.

He paused in his attempts to save his favorite suit, the wary feeling evolving into dread. Juno had never used his full name before. Never. The stigma, the fear attached to it had always been too much for her. For her to say it now, and to seem so absolutely comfortable in doing so . . .

"This isn't like the hooey with your name," she said, her voice still remarkably calm. "It isn't like being confined to your grave. This is BIG STUFF," two more pokes at his chest, which spurred his attempts to extinguish himself again. "You've revealed the existence of the afterlife to YET ANOTHER breather. You broke nearly all the rules with your stunt with the ouija board. You've performed illegal mirror travel, which, by the way, how in holy hell did you get that thing? and you've become an obsessed stalker in regards to one Lydia Carmichael."

"Carmichael?" Beetlejuice sputtered.

"Pay attention!" Juno roared, her composure shattering. "I can't help you this time!!"

The office fell silent except for her heavy breathing. Beetlejuice forgot about his flaming pants yet again.

"You can't help me this time?" he asked blankly. Denial was settling around him like a large blanket, stifling his inner, panicked voice. Why would she need to help me? What's going on?

"No. I have no say in it this time. They're pulling me out because of personal bias. Everything you've ever done- they're dredging it ALL back up and lumping it along with this new case. B-, they're going for an exorcism."

He wrapped his denial blanket around himself even more tightly, but he could not stop the strain of panicked thoughts. The entire council combined, all together could quite conceivably contain enough power to get rid of him permanently. It wouldn't happen though. He wouldn't let it. The leash around his neck that was his name was not so tight, he was not so powerless that he couldn't prevent this.

Juno was still talking. "--Don't think they'll get it though."

Beetlejuice collapsed bonelessly in his seat, relief pooling in every muscle. He giggled girlishly. No worries! If it was unlikely, then he could worm his way around it so that it was impossible! He'd faced greater odds!

Juno looked at him wearily. "Don't start celebrating yet, B." The sight of her nemesis' naked fear had jolted her, washed all the resentment away. She was not glad of the news she had to tell him. Any of it. She thought she could relish it, her archenemy getting his at last, but she enjoyed their pseudo-war too much to claim she was glad it was over. "I saw some of the alternative punishments they had laid out."

"So?" he asked, still giggling. Stupid man. "More restrictions? I can handle it!"

"They are the kind of punishments designed to make you wish you had been exorcised instead." she clarified. She practically swallowed her cigarette, her need for the nicotine was so great.

He still looked clueless.

"Everlasting torment," she elaborated further.

Beetlejuice looked long and hard at Juno, looking for any sign of exaggeration. Maybe an outright lie? Maybe she was getting revenge for all the grief he had given her, and his punishment wouldn't be that bad? No. Her face was stone-cold serious.

That unnerving sensation came back, dripping down his spine, clenching his stomach, and lifting his hair on end. A dull numbness spread through his limbs, making them feel as heavy as lead, stunning his brain so he couldn't even begin to come up with a snappy comeback, or a plan.

Fear. For the first time in his entire afterlife, not counting earlier in this office, he was afraid. Not nervous, or anxious. Bone aching, brain paralyzing fear.

Surprisingly, Juno was making an attempt at what could be mistaken as trying to reassure him.

"It-it's not certain. They're still deliberating." she offered. He looked up slowly, unencouraged. The fear was hardening on his face into something more recognizable, something that looked more like it belonged there. Anger.

"What about Lydia?" he asked coldly, his hands in his pockets, boots back up on her desk.

Juno glared pointedly, but seeing what little difference it made, she said reluctantly, "At the very least, you will never be allowed to see her again. He bolted out of his chair. "Why?!" he hissed, his eyes flickering from glowing green to deep red.

"She is none of your concern anymore," she said stonily.

"Juney!" he yelled, the red bleeding away in his frustration.

"You'll be taken to a holding cell while your punishment is decided. You shall not have access to your powers, you shall not be allowed to leave." Before Beetlejuice could protest, she leaned forward and stamped his outstretched hand, flicking away an errant beetle. He retreated, glaring at the ink seeping into his skin. 1010011010

"What the hell is this?" he spat.

"It's a cell block number. I say your name three times, this is the only place you're going to go."

"Don't."

"Beetlejuice."

"Juney! You said it once earlier already. Think! You don't have to do this!"

"Beetlejuice!" she cried as he reached for her.

And then he was gone.

Juno sat for a moment, shaken.

"You have no idea the things I have to do, B. You have no idea at all," she muttered, lighting another cigarette.

Far, far away from everything anybody ever cared about, a maniac stormed the walls of his cells, shrieking and howling, feeling the loss of his powers like acid ground into his veins.

But there was nobody to hear his cries and threats except for other maniacs, for his prison didn't need any guards.

--