Disclaimer: Beetlejuice and Co belong to Geffen. Alas that he did not choose to make further use of them.

Chapter 2: Social Invitation of the Century

Lydia wasn't alone for long. As soon as she turned the corner, he materialized back into view. Overcome with fierce joy, she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. He tottered a bit, and then hesitantly returned her embrace, but she was already pulling away. "That was amazing! B, you are—"

"Ghost with the Most. Yeah, we've been here already." But she could see by the pale pink flush in his grey cheek that he was pleased. She turned to look at him more carefully, but he shied away from her gaze. "Geez, Lyds, it hasn't been that long."

But she had managed to get a look at him—a good look, and it wasn't what she had expected. He was gaunter, but less dusty. His clothes seemed more recent, like at least within the century, and certainly more subdued than the striped suit she had last seen him in. And his face, still fey and dangerous, with the dramatically upswept eyebrows and brilliant green eyes, was somehow more delicate than she remembered. "You look… different."

"So do you." His voice was curiously gruff.

"Well, it's been five years. I actually aged." She tried a smile, and was pleased to find it genuine.

He waved her comment off, very blasé. "Drop in the eternity bucket." There was silence between them for a tense moment, and Lydia felt that she was forgetting something important. She had called, and he had come. Why? The last time she saw him he had been eaten by a sandworm, after having terrorized her family and her friends. She didn't know if it was more strange that he had come, or that she had wanted him to. Had thought of him at all. One thing was certain, though—she did not want him to leave just yet.

"Would you…um, do you… drink coffee?"

He stopped in the street, an amazed look on his face, right in the path of an oncoming car. Lydia threw out her hand, and caught a glimpse of the terrified driver as the car passed right through him, brakes squealing. As if nothing had happened, his brow crinkled in consideration. "Are you asking if I want to stay and chat?"

She gaped at him, completely at a loss. The driver of the car, an older woman, climbed out of her car and rushed back to where Lydia was standing, alone. "Oh my God! Did I hit someone? I thought I hit someone!" Her panicked voice subsided into confusion. Lydia shrugged helplessly.

"I didn't see anyone," she said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. The woman looked around her feet, and even under the car, but then shrugged.

"I better stop driving at night. Eyes playing tricks!" And she shuffled back to her car, got in, and drove off. Lydia heard Beetlejuice snort in ill-contained hilarity, but he didn't reappear. She shook her head, waited for the piled up traffic to pass, and then headed in the direction of her dorm.

"So do you?" She felt a bit of an idiot talking to herself, but it was far down on the list of odd things, even for today.

"You want me to stay?" The disbelief was evident even in his disembodied voice.

"B, you just got me out of a tight corner back there. I owe you…" And as she said it, she wished that she could swallow her words. But it was too late. She felt rather than saw him smile, a toothy chill creeping across her shoulder blades.

"That's true. So yes, I'd be thrilled to throw back a couple with ya, Lyds. Talk terms, all that."

"I'm not going to marry you," she muttered.

"You haven't sent me back. That's a good start, where I come from." She felt that tingle again, and was absurdly glad she couldn't see his face.

Lydia paused again, safely on the lawn, overcome with curiosity. "Where do you come from?"

But he didn't answer, and she felt well and truly alone this time. She shook her head. "What am I getting myself into?" A dark chuckled drifted across the grass, and she turned back again and walked the rest of the way to her dorm in silence.