AN: This was originally two chapters but I've merged them because I think they should stay together. Since I've merged chapters before, I'm actually only two chapters ahead in my writing... which is making me nervous. lol
Hoping to write some more this weekend and end the whole thing before my bday on the 29th. Wish me luck!
As for the musical... I WAS OVER THE MOON. Be warned, if you are going to see it, keep in mind that it is a complete AU. It follows the movie loosely and lots of liberties were taken with characterizations. I still loved it. Saw it as one massive fan fiction lol. The film is still my favorite. Again, I had lots of fun, got some autographs and pictures that I will post very soon.
Now, on with the story!
The bright sunny day was tolerable enough for Central Park to be packed full of residents and tourists alike. It was as if everyone just decided to skip work, relax, and chow down on fattening food truck grub. After getting their hot dogs, Lydia led Betelgeuse to a nearby favorite spot of hers. An old gnarly tree that had inspired Spooky in the animated series was the regular haunting spot of a little old, frumpy Puerto Rican woman who only went by the name of Paula.
"Did my Lydia finally find herself a husband?" Paula greeted happily. "He's a little short for my taste, pero guapo."
"Why is everyone raggin' on my height? Five-nine is not short," Betelgeuse complained.
Paula gasped long and loud as she placed her hands on her chest. "You found a brujo! Oh, I'm SO HAPPY FOR YOU!" She shrieked as she ran up to Betelgeuse, walked a circle around him, and inspected him thoroughly. "That hot dog isn't going to help that panza, hijo. How's your cholesterol?"
Betelgeuse patted his paunch with a smile and winked at the old ghost. "Healthy as a dead man can be, abuela."
"A smart ass," Paula wagged a finger at him. "I can see the loco in your eyes. I guess that means he's good in the sack?" Paula snickered as Lydia blushed.
Betelgeuse threw an arm over Lydia's shoulders and gave her a playful shake. "Go ahead, babe, make the old broad jealous," he announced with pride
Lydia shook her head slowly. "This is the man I told you about, Paula. Betelgeuse."
Paula's smile faded, and she looked at the blonde man with new eyes. "But I thought… he was dead?"
"Not anymore," Betelgeuse chirped.
"So… it worked," Paula breathed. Another moment went by before she ran to Betelgeuse, pulled him down to eye level, and searched his eyes.
"Take it easy, lady!" He exclaimed as he held his hotdog tight.
When she released him, she looked somber. "You've suffered greatly," she noted sadly as she kept eye contact.
Eyes hardening, Betelgeuse tensed. "I'm fine," he replied curtly.
"A dear friend of mine was taken too." She looked at him with hope. "Her name is Regina Campos. Did you ever meet her… there? Black hair, she had mole-"
"No," Betelgeuse cut her off flatly as he started to feel queasy.
Paula cast her eyes down. It was clear she wanted to cry, and Betelgeuse couldn't stand the sight of any woman crying, let alone a fragile looking senior citizen.
"Look, uh, it's a big place, and there isn't, like, a meet n' greet kinda thing down there, 'kay?" He muttered uncomfortably, placing his free hand in his pocket, and shuffled his feet.
Paula nodded. "Could I please describe her to you? Maybe you saw her?"
The blonde man shut his eyes hard and was about to protest when he felt Lydia grab onto his arm. She gave him a gentle squeeze. He barely glanced at her, but he knew she was hoping he'd do the old woman a favor.
"Fine," he bit out, even though he instantly regretted it.
After a thorough description of Regina was given, the former damned soul sat down on the ground with his back against the tree and very reluctantly closed his eyes. Although his memory was murky and full of holes, Betelgeuse concentrated on the vast amount of information he had gathered in the lower levels that were tucked away in the dark recesses of his mind.
In a moment, he was there. The second circle. The tortured faces of his fellow inmates flooded his mind until he found who he thought matched Regina's description best. She was practically bald and covered in sores. His photographic memory allowed him to notice a dark mole under her jawline.
"Betelgeuse!" He heard the angels voice.
The wind was so strong. Leonard and the other demons were plucking souls from the herd. His body was on fire.
"Betelgeuse! BETELGEUSE!"
He heard it more than he felt it. A loud smack woke him from his paralyzing memories. Betelgeuse snapped his eyes open, cheek ablaze, only to find he was enveloped in a vanilla scented curtain of dark hair. Lydia rubbed at his reddened cheek and kissed his temple with fervor. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Lydia pulled back, eyes filled with tears as she continued rubbing the injury she had caused. "Are you okay? Please say something!"
"You're stepping on my wiener," he muttered tiredly. His angel furrowed her brow in confusion, then looked down to find she was crushing his hotdog with her shoe.
"Brujo," called out a regretful Paula as she approached cautiously. "Perdona me," she apologized sadly.
"She's there," he replied as he waved off her apology. "I've seen'er. Mole, right here," he pointed to his jawline.
Paula clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. "Do you think she is ok-"
"No. No one is okay," he interjected gravelly. "I'm workin' on it. Just sit tight, abuela. I'll figure it out." Betelgeuse attempted a smug smirk. "I'm the Ghost with Most. Or haven't cha heard?"
It did not take long for Paula to see the confidence and conviction behind the haunted eyes of the man before her. If he had come back and not been broken, maybe Regina and all the others would come home intact as well. The old woman smiled at the couple as Lydia helped Betelgeuse to stand. They were quite a pair. Yin and yang. Perfect complements to one another if she ever saw one.
"Thank you," Paula said sincerely. "I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of your day together. Please keep in touch." She did not wait for them to say their farewells and faded from view.
At her disappearance, Lydia latched onto her lover and buried her face in his chest. She felt awful. "I'm so sorry-"
"Hate ta say this, babe, but I'm low on cash. Spot me for another dog, and I'll pay ya back when I get paid?" He gave Lydia a guilty smile and pulled away from her.
She raised her eyes to meet his with a frown. "Get paid?" Lydia was momentarily deflected.
"Oh, yeah, forgot ta mention," he said proudly as he thumbed to himself. "This guy, right here? Got the job. I start tomorrow. Wanted ta keep the honeymoon goin' but I, uh…" Betelgeuse sighed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, "I gotta start right away."
"What job," Lydia asked, wide-eyed with concern. "If it has anything to do with getting those souls back or getting Bart, count me in."
"You've done yer part already." Betelgeuse started walking in the direction of the food truck. Lydia chased after him and pulled him forcefully to a stop as she rounded on him.
"That's why you won't tell me. You don't want me involved. Well, guess what? I'm involved, and I want my fucking revenge too. You can't take that from me. I'd never take it from you."
Betelgeuse gnawed on the inside of his cheek before retorting. "You've spent seventeen years wasting your life to get me out-"
"I didn't waste anything!" She defended.
"Haven't cha?" He raised an eyebrow in challenge.
Lydia's face hardened as she met his challenge. "No."
It was a lie she really believed, and it made him feel all the more shitty. When he got a look at her bare office and the hurt in her eyes as she confessed that she gave up on her passion, he had been suddenly flooded with guilt. He knew at that moment that she had indeed been living and breathing just to get him back. In the past, the camera had always been nearby, and he'd even made jokes about it being surgically attached to her. Betelgeuse had every intention of repaying his debt to his lover with interest. First, he needed to make sure that she stayed out of harm's way. So, he punched below the belt to get his point across. "Yeah, because ya always wanted ta be a loner, hotshot producer, and a single mom at forty, right?"
"Thirty-eight," she growled. "And what I wanted, was you. If I had to do it all over again, I would," she said with conviction as she stomped up to him, chin raised with purpose.
He wanted to throw her down to the ground and take her right then and there, but a quick glance down the hill kept him in check. "Well, here I am. Why don't cha just focus on makin' up for lost time? Quit your fuckin' job, be what you always wanted ta be, and let me handle the problems from now on… startin' with gettin' rid of that stalker-shithead that's got you and yer kid hostage." A dangerous smile cracked his features as he sidestepped his scorpion and gave her a peck on the cheek. Lydia turned around and was rooted to the ground when her eyes landed on Dave who was hand in hand with Bianca, waiting in line to order a hot dog.
"Oh, fuck," she croaked as she watched Betelgeuse practically skip toward them. Run, Lydia. Run off into the sunset and never return , her inner voice pleaded.
Betelgeuse took a few moments to assess his nemesis and couldn't help but chuckle as he counted off the features that resembled his own. They did not look exactly alike, but he was sure they could be mistaken for brothers if he just mimicked the shithead's melancholy slouch, scowl, and borrowed Adam's clothing. The longer he stared at Dave, the longer the poisonous thoughts pranced around in his mind. The man before him had touched his Lydia. The man before him had dared taken his Lydia into his bed. The man before him had given his Lydia something that he never could. All of that, especially the latter, was unacceptable. Glancing at father and daughters clasped hands, Betelgeuse felt the slithering snake of jealousy. Expertly pushing those thoughts aside, he decided it was time to swoop in.
Dave was growing impatient as he waited in line to order their hotdogs. The millennials in front kept asking questions about vegan substitutions, and his right eyelid was beginning to twitch with frustration. As the younger generation finally moved aside, Dave was thrust forward violently as a man threw a strong arm around his shoulder and shook him hard while also bringing his mouth real close to the side of Dave's face. "Hey there, hermano!" The man grated into his ear. "Listen, pal - cute kid ya got there, by the way - I was wondering' if you can do a hungry guy a favor and spare a couple bucks for a scrumptious wienerwurst," he finished enthusiastically.
Dave was sure he was about to get mugged, but after a second thought, he realized it was broad daylight, and they were surrounded by people. Thinking the man might be on drugs or just plain crazy, he decided to be cautious. "Uh, I don't have any cash…" Dave reasoned.
"Ah! What a shame, I mean, who does nowadays? Amma right? I think it's a travesty. Nothin' like carrying yer hard-earned loot - I mean - money in yer pockets. Know what I mean?" Betelgeuse shook Dave hard again and chuckled merrily.
Bianca stared at the spectacle in shock. The man was frightening, but the look on Dave's face was priceless, and she didn't know whether to laugh or run away screaming. Then the man made eye contact with her, grinned wickedly, and winked. Had Bianca not seen that exact grin only hours before, she would have never dared to even guess that it could be her favorite poltergeist.
No. Way , Bianca thought as she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. In response, he crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her. Nooooo. Waaaay.
"Got somethin' on ma face, Bibs?" He sneered.
"NO WAY!" Bianca screeched.
"Bianca!" Dave scolded, afraid her screaming would instigate the man further. Then Dave froze. Bibs… Ever so slowly, Dave finally turned his face to the man who was now tightening his grip on him further to a painful degree. "Who are you?" He questioned the blonde, wild-haired man with a menacing glint in his blue eyes. He knew it was him. Beej. Beetlejuice. The man in the damning photos on Lydia's phone.
"Really? You the only one who doesn't know?" He provoked with a smile. "Or are ya too chicken to say it out loud?"
A staring contest commenced between the pair of dull green and bright blue eyes. A clearing of someone's throat broke the tension.
"Uh, you guys going to order something?" The food truck employee asked.
Betelgeuse released Dave and smiled at the employee. "Sure! I'll have what she's havin'," he pointed to Bianca who was still open-mouthed and reeling at the recent revelation. "Take cards?" He asked sweetly as he pulled out his wallet and offered Delia's credit card over.
Still seething in his mind to react to anything the aggravating philanderer was doing, Dave clenched his fists and ground his teeth. He had come here to catch them, corner Lydia, mark his territory, and bring her home. How had the tables been turned? Dave looked down at Bianca who seemed just as surprised so, he wasn't sure what to think. Maybe this Beetlejuice simply recognized them from afar. Dave turned around and scanned the area as he ordered his food and finally found a wide-eyed Lydia half-hiding behind a large gnarly tree in the distance. Glowering in her direction, he continued to fume within. It was apparent now that Lydia had just been playing house the entire time to keep on his good side.
"HEY, BABE!" Betelgeuse shouted at Lydia as he picked up their dogs and waved her over. "COME ON DOWN!" With a bounce in his step, he nudged Bianca forward and handed her a dog. "That picnic table over there looks good ta me. Whaddya think, kid?"
Bianca said nothing as they approached the table and sat down, still dumbfounded from the events unraveling. Dave pulled her down to sit next to him, and Betelgeuse plopped down straight across from them. Lydia took her time getting to the table and watched her poor daughter look from one silent man to the other as if she was watching a tennis match. Knowing how observant her little Bibi was, she dreaded the innocent questions undoubtedly present in her mind.
"Hi," Lydia announced herself, then stiffly sat down next to Betelgeuse, facing Bianca. An awkward silence commenced, and Betelgeuse was the only one chowing down on his hot dog with gusto.
Dave continued to assess the oaf before him. Not a very observant man himself but the resemblance was just too obvious for it to escape him. Still, he could tell that they were complete opposites only by the way Betelgeuse moved freely, without a care in the world. Considering himself to be a very intelligent man, Dave always presented himself like a smart man should, with poise, reservedness, and manners. Everything the fool sitting in front of him contradicted. So, naturally, Dave pegged Betelgeuse as an idiot.
"So, you're Beetlejuice?" Dave questioned as he sent a quick glare in Lydia's direction. The rude adulterer nodded his head while he open mouth chewed. Bianca gasped at the confirmation. "Well, you don't have to hide behind your character anymore," he challenged, "what's your real name?" He questioned dryly, aptly keeping his emotions in check.
Betelgeuse worked on swallowing as he smugly pulled out his wallet and tossed Dave his ID. Lydia's eyes bugged out as it landed with a slap on the table. Before Dave could take it, Bianca nabbed it for herself and read aloud.
"Be-tel-ge-use Horeson." Bianca looked up from her mother to Betelgeuse. "Like the star?" She had always thought that it was her mother's favorite star because of her best friend's name, but she did not know that's how it was spelled. There was a small feeling of betrayal, but one look at her poor mother's anxious face and the betrayal turned to guilt. It was her plotting that was a much bigger slight than her mother's failure to correct the spelling of her idol's name.
"Thas right." He smirked as he took another large bite, finishing his hot dog. WIthout warning, Betelgeuse grabbed Dave's hotdog as well. "Gonna eat that," he questioned right before taking an enormous bite. "I'm just famished," he muffled through his chewing.
Dave wanted to snatch the ID out of his daughter's hands but knew that would give away too much. Instead, he placed his hands in his lap and gripped onto his legs. This made no sense to him. Betelgeuse was his real name. Did Lydia purposefully seek him out? Did he seek her out because of the show? Was he even an actor in the show? He needed more information but knew it had to be done tactfully. "Do you know your surname is derived from 'son of a whore'?" Dave smirked.
Betelgeuse chuckled at the man's bluntness. "Yeah, I do, Davy. 'S why I picked it."
"What's a whore?" Bianca questioned.
"What do you mean, 'picked it'?" Dave questioned, ignoring the child.
"Orphan," Lydia finally blurted out but then cleared her throat and shifted her eyes, not knowing what else to say.
"Well, I mean, I'm sure the caretakers called me somethin', but there was no paperwork, then the place burned down, yadah, yadah, yadah, then ran away ta the circus and named maself!" His tone was chipper enough, but his eyes shone with something close to craze.
The story was preposterous, and Dave scoffed in disbelief. "You ran away to the circus?" Dave asked dubiously.
"Cliche, right?" Betelgeuse chuckled again. "It was good gig though."
Bianca was giddy from the new information. "Were you a-"
"I was not a clown!" He pointed a finger at Bianca, interrupting what he knew was coming.
"So, is that where you've been for seventeen years… the circus?" Dave pried, wondering if he finally hit the nail on the head and correctly guessed that this cretin before him was the reason he had never been able to win Lydia's heart. It's what made the most sense, after all. Dedicating her life, working herself to the bone to create a hit animated series and live show… just to win him ... back.
Lydia was growing nervous. She still hadn't filled in Betelgeuse on the lies she had told Dave about him, and the circus had nothing to do with it.
"Nah," Betelgeuse waved it off. "I was in prison."
Lydia wanted to faint, but the gods did not grant her that mercy.
Proud but also disgusted to be right, a wicked closed mouth smile unwittingly stretched over Dave's face. Slowly, Dave turned his gaze to his pathetic girlfriend. Was she ever his girlfriend? He wanted to vomit. The thought that he had loved this woman more than anything was sickening to him now. The shameless affair wasn't even that big a deal until the very moment the dunce had confirmed his suspicions. Always thinking that his sweetheart was this strong, immobile woman, Dave now saw Lydia for the pitying creature she really was. A fragile, weakling that spent her life fighting to gain a worthless, fool's favor. He'd wasted his time. Years of time. Dave couldn't help the venom that dripped from his words. "So, Lydia, your fiancé up and disappears on you and you just… crawl back to him?"
Bianca's mouth dropped open before she started to sputter. "F-f-f-f-f-!"
"It wasn't his fault!" Lydia defended, losing the last shred of control over her erratic emotions.
"Oh right! I forgot," he scoffed as he snapped his attention back to his enemy. "Lydia said you were detained outside of the country because of her. That you were fighting for a woman's right to live."
Betelgeuse burst out laughing as Lydia shrunk in her seat.
"That's what I thought," Dave looked pointedly at Lydia.
"I did not lie…" Lydia replied venomously.
Once Betelgeuse regained some semblance of composure, he tried to save his silly lover. "That's what makes it hilarious! But, babe," he placed an arm around her shoulders and looked into her eyes, "wasn't your fault."
"So… am I to gather that it was Lydia's life you were trying to save," Dave asked with mock boredom.
"Saved, pal. But she helped," Betelgeuse gave Lydia a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
Lydia paled as Betelgeuse snickered.
Realizing that he had handed control over to his nemesis, Dave finally put up his neutral mask. It had been difficult, but he was proud of himself for being able to accomplish it under the circumstances. He needed to regain the upper hand.
Lydia cleared her throat. "Uh, Beej?"
"Yes, Lyds?" He asked innocently.
Dave waited for Lydia's outburst at the nickname.
"Could you get Bianca a cone while I chat with Dave?"
Dave boiled in his seat as Lydia didn't even flinch from the use of the name she had forbidden him to call her. Apparently, her rage that she directed at him for calling her that was because the nickname was reserved for one alone.
"Sure thing, babe. Yo, kid! Let's hit it." Betelgeuse stood up and barely waited for Bianca to catch up.
Lydia sighed and buried her head in her hands. When she looked up at Dave again, it was with pity. "Why are you here?"
"Bianca found your phone. Thought it would be a nice gesture to bring it to you. Since we're trying to work things out. Are we still trying to work things out?"
Lydia shook her head. "Work things out? Even after all this? Are really that in denial or what?"
"So you've given up on us being a family?"
Lydia placed her fingers to her temples. "Dave. You never had a chance. I mean, for fuck's sake, you forced us-"
"I didn't force anyone to do anything."
"You're blackmailing me, Dave! So, yes, you forced us to live with you. You're basically threatening to take my daughter away from me and ruin my career!"
"I never said that. See what I mean? You just want to blame me for everything. I'm not blackmailing you. I'm a concerned father. You wouldn't be concerned if I had a psychotic breakdown and started hearing voices? Knowing you, you would have taken Bibi away from me in a heartbeat. But I didn't do that."
"Well, I'm fine now. The doctor lowered my dosage. And when we get our review, everything is going to come out fine. And then, Bianca and I are going back home. Do you understand?"
"We'll see. Because it seems to me you've done nothing to take away the stressors in your life that caused the breakdown to begin with - if it even was a breakdown and not full-blown schizophrenia. And now, you have a new stressor. That guy… he's not good for you, and he's definitely not good for Bianca." He threatened, his cheek twitching with fury.
"You don't even know him."
Dave shrugged. "You're blind if you don't see that."
Lydia looked over Dave's shoulders and blinked twice at the scene she had just noticed. A slow smile crept on her face that made Dave look back in that direction. Betelgeuse and Bianca were surrounded by people. Through the break in the small crowd that had gathered Lydia and Dave watched the duo challenge each other with dance moves. They were hilariously spectacular, and the crowd cheered and laughed, some even threw money at their feet.
"I don't know, Dave, I think he's just what Bianca needs right now."
Dave whirled around to face Lydia with pure hatred in his eyes that Lydia had never seen before.
"She is my daughter!" He hissed. "I don't want that filthy con artist near her!" He stood up from his seat and Lydia lurched to standing to face him.
"You. Do. Not. Get a say in that. You. Don't have custody," her tone was dangerously calm.
"Yet," Dave warned.
It didn't feel like faith, all those years that Lydia spent working herself to death to bring back Betelgeuse, but that's what it had been. She placed her faith in an abstract system created from the aether, believing her plan would work. It had worked. Now, Lydia put her faith in her other dealings with the aetherial forces from almost six years prior. Lydia looked to Betelgeuse and Bianca again, time slowed for her as she watched their matching choreography and smiles. Her mind latched onto the only thing that might be able to save her from Dave forever.
"I don't think she's your daughter, Dave," Lydia pronounced quietly.
"How dare you?" He breathed.
With a hooded gaze, Lydia said her next words. "I was seeing someone else while we were together. So, if you really want to try and fight for custody, you'll have to prove you're her biological father."
"Liar-"
"Nope. Not this time."
"Mommy!" Bianca ran up to the picnic table and threw down a bunch of coins and dollar bills. "I made twelve dollars and twenty-five cents!"
"Correction!" Betelgeuse meandered his way to them. " We ... made twelve dollars and twenty-five cents. I expect half as my performer fee and an extra twenty percent as your manager fee."
"That's not fair!" She whined.
"Fifteen percent."
"No!"
"I'm not goin' any lower than ten, kid!"
"Half or NOTHING!" She blared as she stomped her foot on the ground.
"DEAL!" He bellowed back and stomped his own foot angrily.
Bianca and Betelgeuse shook hands firmly and seriously.
"Let's go, Bianca," Dave grabbed Bianca by the arm and pulled her away from Betelgeuse's grasp.
"Ow!" Bianca cried more from surprise than the pain.
It was instant. The serpent that had been asleep for almost two decades awoke within him and rose to the surface as crimson filled his eyes. Betelgeuse felt… deadly, and it felt good. His hand shot out of its own accord and wrapped a death grip around Dave's arm as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Let go. Of the kid. Now."
"Bianca," Lydia called calmly. "Come here."
Eyes as big as saucers and panting with fear, Bianca twisted out of Dave's grasp and ran to her mother's side. Betelgeuse let Dave yank his arm back.
"We'll talk about this when you get home, Lydia." Dave pointed at her.
"No, Dave," Lydia corrected. "Bianca and I will be staying with my mother for a while. I'll be sending someone to get our things from your apartment."
"You can't do this!" He yelled as he took a step in Lydia's direction.
"You heard 'er," Betelgeuse warned and blocked his path. "Now get. Or I'll have to show ya a thing or two I learned in prison," he sneered with malice.
"You'll be hearing from my lawyer," Dave spat at Lydia as he turned around and stalked out of the park.
Betelgeuse's proud smile faded the moment he laid eyes on Lydia who was holding a crying Bianca in her arms. Shit. Lydia murmured consoling words into her daughter's ear and stroked her hair gently as Bianca buried her face deeper and deeper into her neck and sobbed. He felt thoroughly wretched.
"Would you like to go home and see how your room is turning out? I'm sure auntie Pru and Bertha would love to see you. What do you think?" Bianca sobbed harder but nodded her head. "B, can you hail a cab for us?" Lydia didn't look up to meet his gaze.
"Yeah, sure," he replied softly and sulked away.
Betelgeuse waited patiently as Lydia and Bianca approached the cab, hand in hand. The gnawing sense of guilt that he was not used to feeling was making him feel nauseous, and he was desperately trying to think of a way to fix the situation before he was forced to say goodbye. Knowing that he would see them again later in the evening did nothing to quell his anxiety. His gut wrenched when the girls got in the cab without a word or a glance his way. Betelgeuse fought down a sob that was building up within his chest to speak. "So, uh, see ya later?" He asked with uncertainty.
Lydia snapped her head up with a furrowed brow. "You're not coming?"
Before Betelgeuse could even sigh with relief, he clamored into the cab in a frenzy. Slamming the door shut with his right hand, he latched onto Lydia's hand with his left and squeezed it for reassurance. Lydia squeezed back but also gave her telling sigh that things were far from okay.
"Lyds…"
"Later, please," she breathed quietly.
All he wanted to do was make things right as soon as possible, but he did not want to upset either of them further so, he reluctantly kept his mouth shut and suffered silently.
Home was Bertha's old three-story, gothic revival style house. It had a steeply pitched roof with decorated bargeboard and cross gables, arched gothic windows, and doors with arched panels, and a first-floor porch. Lydia breathed a sigh of relief. Being home was just what the doctor ordered. Bianca was smiling from ear to ear as she ran into Bertha's arms.
"Oh, I've missed you, little one!" Bertha cried as she levitated Bianca and twirled her in the air.
"I've missed you too!" Bianca giggled as she floated gently to the floor.
Bertha gave Lydia and Betelgeuse a hug at the same time. "I'm so happy to see you guys together, you have no idea!"
"Uh, yeah, okay," Betelgeuse muttered uncomfortably.
"Can I see my room?!" Bianca was already running up the stairs.
"Hey! It's not done yet!" Bertha called after her and floated through the ceiling to meet her on the second floor, leaving Lydia and Betelgeuse alone.
Itching to feel Lydia in his arms to quell his unease, Betelgeuse tugged on her sleeve gently, hoping she would come to him the rest of the way. When she did not, he ran his fingers through his hair and bit down on his lip. "Lyds, please talk ta me. I'm dyin' here," he begged.
Lydia turned to him and was shocked to find him so agitated. "What's wrong?" She questioned as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
Betelgeuse was confused but was quick to trap her in his arms. "Yer not mad?"
Lydia sighed again. "Mad? No…" she replied sadly. "Maybe a bit… worried. With a hint of disappointment. But honestly, I didn't expect you to stay out of it for too long. I thought I had a bit more time, though, before the shit would hit the fan… but I forget… you work quick."
"I just wanted-"
"I know," she whispered and rubbed his back consolingly. "But involving Bianca, going behind my back…"
Betelgeuse did not wait for Lydia to finish that sentence as he threw himself at her feet and wrapped his arms around her legs. "I know, I know. I fucked up bad. I'll never do that again. I swear. I'm sorry. I'm so fuckin' sorry."
"Please come back up here," she asked gently as she ran her fingers through his hair.
"I don't deserve ya, Lyd's, but I gotta try. Ya gotta let me try. I can't-I can't even think about bein' without cha-"
Lydia dropped to the floor and held her lovers face. "Betelgeuse. I'm a goddamn hypocrite. Okay? I shouldn't have kept you out of it because you are part of it. Just like you can't keep me out of your plans to get those souls back. I'm part of it. Whether you like it or not. Bart will come after me one day."
"No. No, I won't let that happen," he denied, shaking his head quickly.
" We won't let that happen," she corrected.
Betelgeuse shot up to standing and paced furiously. "You don't understand. If you die… and he… I can't… I'm not the same anymore… I won't survive it. I won't. I'll lose the last shreds of my fuckin' sanity. I'm not strong enough-"
"Of course you are!"
"I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN, LYDIA!" He blared as he wrapped his arms around his aching middle.
She ran to him, pulled him into Prudence's office, and shut the door. Once Lydia was sure that they were somewhat soundproofed, she turned on Betelgeuse, grabbed him by his shirt, and shook him hard. "You listen to me!" she grated. "I don't want you to think that the worst will happen, okay? We are going to find Bart and end his sorry ass, together. But, if-" Betelgeuse started shaking his head again. Lydia only shook him more violently. "IF! The worst were to happen, you are going to make sure that you find him and destroy that motherfucker before you even think about trying to get me out-"
"No."
"BECAUSE! You told me you were all in. You told me you wanted me no matter what. So, guess what? I come bearing baggage. Understand? You will get rid of Bart before he goes after Bianca or so help me, Betelgeuse, I will bust outta hell myself and show you what a real demon looks like when I KICK-YOUR-FUCKING-ASS!"
The scorpion effectively stunned the deadman into silence. She was panting, and her voice was hoarse, but at least he was calm now and listening. Lydia changed her tone slightly to drive her point home. A confident, calm string of words came forth. "You're not the same. You are not as strong. You are greater and stronger, and I believe in you because… you… are… Betelgeuse. And I'm fucking Lydia Deetz. We're together now and hell…" she laughed mirthlessly. "Hell's got nothing on us. Now tell me we're going to find that little bitch, Bartholomew and set the juice loose."
Of all the bullshit Lydia had ever spewed to get what she wanted out of someone, this was her masterpiece. She wasn't even sure what had come out of her mouth, but it all felt right, and it seemed to have worked because now, the terrifying glint was back in his eyes.
"We're gonna find Bartholomew and feed him to demon spawn one little agonizing piece atta time." Trembling with a mixture of fury and sick joy, Betelgeuse grabbed Lydia by the back of the head and plundered her welcoming mouth. When he pulled away for them to gasp for air, he hissed into her ear. "Now ride me like the crazy witch you are. Fuck me right into the ground, you perfect fuckin' goddess of sex n' death-"
Lydia tackled Betelgeuse to the floor, and they became a wild, tangled mess of limbs when the door flew open.
"Oh shit, Lydia!" Prudence cried. "I-I-I-"
"Get the fuck out, Prune!" "Shut the fucking door!" They yelled over each other.
"Gah! Okay!" Prudence ran out, forgetting to close the door, then ran back, fumbled with the knob, and finally slammed the door shut.
It never took long before Bianca would grow bored of a task and that is precisely what she was now, bored. Bertha and Prudence were rambling on and on about every little inconsequential thing and had even blocked her path when she wanted to find her mother and Betelgeuse. I guess they really did miss me , she thought as her two aunts hovered over her, trying to keep her entertained. Footsteps coming up the stairs finally silenced the chatterboxes, and they seemed very relieved as Lydia leaned on Bianca's door frame to her room.
"What do you think, Bibi? Like how things are coming along so far?" Her mother asked.
"Oh, yeah," Bianca smiled as she looked around once more.
She was especially happy with the fake tree that was being installed to look like it had grown through the floor and into her ceiling. Everything else had plastic over it, but she could tell that her room was going to be the dark wonderland she had always wanted.
"Where's Betelgeuse?" She asked her mom.
"I think he's raiding the fridge," Lydia smirked.
"He eats. He breathes. People can see him. I don't get it." Bianca shook her head, bewildered.
"Oh, it's the magic necklace!" Bertha explained. "It's known as… hmm. Can't remember."
Bianca darted passed her guardians and down the stairs to the kitchen. The three women exchanged an awkward smirk.
"Lydia," Bertha uttered with guilt, "I haven't had a chance to apologize for-"
"You're forgiven," she interrupted seriously. "It was a shitty thing to do, but... I understand why... and I don't want to dwell on it anymore." Her shoulders slumped as she glanced toward the doorway. "I want to live in the now because... I don't know what's gonna happen." She looked back at the sad looking women in the room. "And I need my friends."
Bertha ran to Lydia and wrapped her arms around her. When she pulled away, she smirked at her evilly. "So... sore yet?"
"Jesus, Bertha," Prudence scoffed as she blushed.
"I'm gonna need a vagina transplant," Lydia said seriously.
Prudence's blush deepened as her friends shared a deep, good-hearted laugh.
Betelgeuse was disgusted by the lack of edible food in the fridge. The doors and shelves were lined with protein shakes, energy drinks, and bottled coffee. "Cold coffee. Unbelievable. Prune is gonna give herself a fuckin' heart attack," he muttered as he slammed the fridge door shut and nearly jumped out of his skin when the tiny Bianca was revealed. "FFFFffff-kid! Geeze!"
"Let me see your necklace!" She chimed excitedly.
"Eh?"
"Your magic necklace! Lemme see!" she started jumping up and down. "Please-please-please-please-"
"Okay! Relax!" He barked and crouched down when she finally stopped. Betelgeuse tugged on his collar, but her little hands were already fishing out his leather cord. Personal space now invaded by the child, Betelgeuse almost laughed at her complete lack of manners.
Bianca pulled on the necklace and found a black and gold ring on it. When she touched the ring, she knew it had no physical body. It was a ghost ring, but she recognized it as she remembered seeing its physical twin in her mother's jewelry box. She had found it one day in a small velvet pouch with another pretty ring. Bianca decided to save her questions about their engagement for later.
Betelgeuse observed her as she gently handled his wedding band.
The braided leather choker was tight around his neck so, Bianca's fingers grazed against his stubbled neck. Still holding Odin's Noose, she looked up to ask Betelgeuse a question but was momentarily stunned by his penetrating stare. After looking deeply into his eyes, she raised her other hand and poked his cheek. He raised an eyebrow questioningly but let her explore some more. She poked and prodded at his every facial feature and even separated his lips to look in his mouth.
"Ya quite finished there, doc?" He deadpanned.
"Your teeth are kinda crooked and really yellow," she observed. "Have you gone to a dentist?" She asked matter of factly.
Why-you-little- Quite suddenly, Bianca dove into Betelgeuse's arms and placed her head on his chest, knocking him off his feet and onto his ass. "Watch it!" He exclaimed with a hint of annoyance. Not even close to being ready to hug the little invader, he left his arms at his side and rolled his eyes. Then he realized she wasn't hugging him. Bianca's arms were on his shoulders, and the bottom of her head was pressed against his chest. She was listening for his heart.
When Bianca was finally satisfied with her inspection, she emerged with a bright smile and tugged lightly on the cord giving him life. "It's Frankentwine! Just like the episode where you save Spooky!" She laughed loudly. "That's awesome!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Frankentwine… right," he grumbled and pushed himself up to standing. He was greeted by Lydia, Bertha and Prudence by the stairs, watching their little moment with smiles on their faces. "Women," he muttered as he exited the kitchen with a frown.
Bianca was hot on his heels.
"Are you really afraid of sandworms? And, do you really eat beetles? You don't smell too bad for someone who hates taking baths. What's your favorite color? Mine is blue. How did you die? Did you really work in a circus? What did you do? What's your favorite number? Mine is two. Because I was born on October second. Oh! When were you born?-"
"LYDIA!" Betelgeuse shrieked.
A burst of feminine laughter rang through the house at his expense.
It was dark by the time they finally arrived in Winter River. Bianca had fallen asleep in the cab between Betelgeuse and Lydia and was drooling on his sleeve. He did not mind at all, because for once, the silence he usually hated was a blissful godsend. The kid could drive anyone nuts. Never really giving himself the opportunity to contemplate in silence, Betelgeuse's thoughts were frantic in his mind during the entire hour-long ride.
Lydia had not really forgiven him, that fact did not escape him. The look on Bianca's face when her father had been driven away was also irking him. The child's eagerness to get Dave out of the picture had matched his own, or so he thought, and it was the reason Betelgeuse decided it was the perfect time to step in. If the kid was on his side, then Lydia would surely forgive his intrusion. Now, looking at Lydia's tiny daughter, Betelgeuse realized that he should have taken a four-year-old's words with a grain of salt. Too late now , he thought begrudgingly. Still, he had gotten what he wanted. Lydia was coming home to him, and he should be dancing a jig with happiness, but instead, he felt heavy with worry. Consequences were not something he liked thinking about. He preferred to do as he felt and deal with the effects of his actions at a later point in time, if at all. One more glance at Bianca's innocent face told him that his old, tried-and-true behavior may no longer be acceptable.
Betelgeuse chanced a look in Lydia's direction and found her looking somberly out the window. No, his lack of concern for consequences was definitely unacceptable now. His shortcomings were quickly bombarding him in the much too quiet ride. Greedily, he had cornered Lydia into giving him what he needed, his every whim and desire, he had just taken it, even when she had told him that she wasn't ready. To top it all off, he had given nothing back. Take, take, take while knowing that she blamed herself for what had happened to him. It was unbearable and it could not continue. Not if he wanted to keep her. She would leave him someday if he kept it up. Collar itching from the sudden stifling heat in the cab, Betelgeuse was growing anxious again.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Three fuckin' days, Betel. Three fuckin' days, after seventeen years and you've done jack shit to worship that woman. Just fuckin' waltzed back into her life and immediately demanded she gives you everything. And now the kid. Shit! We're about to be under one fuckin' roof, and you have no fuckin' idea what you're doin'.
Betelgeuse did not realize that his breath was coming in shallow spurts until he felt a hand squeeze his knee. Snapping his gaze up, he found Lydia furrowing her brow at him questioningly. More guilt washed over him at the thought of her having to worry about him and her daughter. Feeling the sting in his eyes from threatening, stupid tears, he looked out of his window and took some calming breaths just as the cab arrived home.
When Lydia made a move to carry Bianca, Betelgeuse stilled her hand. He had to show her he was willing to make this all work. Now. "I got 'er," he whispered. Lydia's smile did not reach her eyes as she nodded and exited the cab. Opening the door first, he tried to keep his movements gentle as not to wake the sleeping child. It surprised him how light Bianca was as he climbed out of the cab and made his way up to the house. She really was such a tiny, fragile thing. This is so fuckin' weird.
Head resting on his shoulder, Bianca jostled awake and was momentarily disoriented. Horrified at the thought that she had fallen asleep in Dave's arms, she shot up only to be greeted by the face of the person she both loved and feared. To escape his sideways gaze, Bianca put her head down again and feigned sleep. She listened to the murmuring of her grandmother and honorary grandparents greeting them. The climb up another flight of stairs and a turn to the right told Bianca that they were putting her to bed in her mother's old room.
Betelgeuse placed Bianca, who still had her eyes closed, on the unmade bed he had been sleeping in and sat on the edge next to her. Lydia was still downstairs filling everyone in, and he did not want to hear the rehash of his interference. For certain, he did not want to see the unsure, disapproving stares from everyone.
"You look sad," Bianca said softly, startling Betelgeuse slightly.
"Hmph. I'm alright," he dismissed, but then caught the hurt in her eyes. After a moment, Betelgeuse frowned and focussed on his moral compass, Lydia. She would want him to apologize to Bianca. So, he tried. "Listen, kid, I… er… feel kinda crappy about what happened today. You know, with your pops. I'm sure you'll see 'em soon. He's not gone forever, okay?"
Bianca's eyes widened with worry. "He's not? What are we gonna do?"
"Well, I dunno. I mean, yer mom will prolly need to set up days where he can pick ya up and stuff-"
Bianca shot up to sitting and latched onto Betelgeuse's arm. "No! I don't wanna see him! Please don't let her! You don't understand. He's a liar! He doesn't love me! He hates me! And I hate him!"
Betelgeuse was thoroughly confused. "But you cried when he left," he outraged, "what was that about?"
The child let go of his arm to scratch her head, apparently confused at her behavior as well. Frowning, she thought deeply on why she had cried so much. "Everyone was so mad. And it was my fault." She felt her lip quiver at the realization.
"No, it was mine, kid. So, don't ya worry about that," he muttered uncomfortably.
"Can everyone just stop blaming themselves already?" Lydia quipped from the doorway.
Betelgeuse and Bianca whipped their heads to Lydia like deer caught in headlights.
"I know I've done enough of that myself and I'm tired of it," she continued as she walked to the bed, threw her arms wide, and let herself fall face first onto the bed dramatically.
Bianca burst into a fit of giggles at her mother's silliness and then laughed openly when she saw Betelgeuse's stunned face. Lydia emerged with a toothy grin then crawled to Bianca and attacked her with kisses. The sound of his lover's genuine laughter was enough to make Betelgeuse's heart burst, and he couldn't help a crooked smile as he watched the two of them. It wasn't long before he felt like an intruder and stood up to leave.
"Where are you going?!" Lydia lurched at him and yanked him forcefully to the bed.
"Gah!" He landed hard, making the girls bounce. Suddenly, he was whacked with a pillow to the face. Flailing his arms in a frenzy, he turned over and got on all fours with a dangerous glint in his eye. Both Bianca and Lydia were frozen, each with a pillow in hand. "Who did that?" He growled.
Each comically pointed at the other. Betelgeuse launched at them and attacked them both with their own pillows until they begged for mercy through fits of laughter.
In the hallway, Delia and the Maitlands watched the spectacle with bewildered smiles.
"He doesn't just steal cars and credit cards, people," Delia announced good-naturedly, "he steals hearts too."