Unequivocal No

Authoress: Wee-Me

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Betel, Lydia, or the Post Its brand (though I do own a few pads of said product). Don't sue me, I don't profit save for the occasional stroke to my ego.

Part Two: Tough Luck Shorty

It took him over a year to get back, he couldn't be sure exactly how long, but over a year at least. He's come as fast as he could though and that had to count for something. He'd brushed his hair back with an impatient hand and slapped the worst of the dust from the long wait in the office before gathering his energy to make the necessary jumps. It had taken over a year, but all that quiet time had made him realize that Lydia was the girl for him. She was the only living woman in most of his of afterlife that had held his interest for more than a few hours and that was saying something- he'd seem a lot of women in his time.

He wasn't supposed to go where he'd been sent away from and wasn't technically supposed to be able to get there, but since when had he let something stupid like that stop him? So he'd gathered up all his energy and set to kicking down metaphysical barriers like his version of a knight in shining armor. He awoke, dazed a bit, in Lydia's room. In his miniature form. Crap.

"Oh, eww, what is that smell?" cried a voice from the bed.

Okay, that isn't good, but it can get better he reassured himself. He hopped over to her nightstand, absently noticing that he and the Post It notes on the table were about the same height.

"Hiya Babes," he squeaked. "How ya been?"

She groaned again and threw her hand over her eyes. "It's too late for this to be one of my nightmares about Him. Plus I'm pretty sure I'm awake. And it's too early in life for me to have dementia, at least I think. So either He's really here or Delia's been painting with the windows closed again and I'm having a really weird hallucination."

Without uncovering her eyes she reached out to jab him with her other hand. He was pretty happy with the fact that she hadn't just smashed him flat, but that was the only good thing he could see.

"Seven A.M. on a Monday morning and invaded by insane poltergeists. Some days I don't see the point in getting out of bed. Time to call Juno."

She drew a breath and he sprung over to her pillow. "Wait! I just wanna talk. And I bet Juno's already on her way, burnin' the soles off her sensible shoes. She's like that when I'm involved."

She uncovered one eye. "What do we have to talk about exactly? How you tried to kill my dad? Or maybe how you voided our deal when you tried to off the people I asked you to save? Ooh, or how about where you played me and …"

He cut her off with a desperate flail of his tiny arms. "Whoa Babes, hold up! I came here to tell you somethin', not to drag up the past for you or upset you!"

Her glare clearly screamed "bull" but her mouth, such a pretty mouth when it wasn't turned down in scorn, just said "Talk then. Make it fast."

He toed at the ground, her pillow case, and rubbed the fine hairs on the back of his neck. "Okay. I'm just gonna say it." He blew out a deep breath. "Babes. Lydia. I… Have I mentioned that I like your hair? It's nice long. Not that it wasn't before, but… Ah-ah-ah, no need to swear. And leave my mother out of this, she was a saint. Now, what I'm tryin' to say is that I, um, I, I, IloveyoubabesthereIsaidit." He smiled up at her like a little boy with a crush. He could see her working out what he'd said and filtering it for meaning. That close he could see all the tiny micro-expressions flit over her face before it settled on incredulous.

"You love me? Love me?! Are you out of your mind? Wait, don't answer that, I already know you are. What were you thinking coming here to like to me like that? I cannot believe you. You conned me once, it won't happen again, so try to sell it somewhere else." She was practically seething by the end of her outburst, angry probably as much at her younger self for falling for his tricks as she was at the situation, and not a little insulted. Her mouth had set itself in a hard line and her eyes were cold.

"But I'm telling the truth. Can't you just give me a chance?" He put all his hope and his heart into his eyes, trying to make her see he meant what he said. He could see that she wanted to believe, saw the flickers of hope and yearning before the mistrust and something bitter (experience or self-doubt he'll never know) settled in to stay.

"No, no. I'm not going to fall for any of your lines. You don't want me, you just want someone alive and apparently you think I'm dumb enough to fall for your crap twice! I asked Juno to be easy on you because you mostly helped me, so I figure we're square. Thanks even, but…" She breathed hard through her teeth, letting it hiss out in short gasping whistles. It was the pain it was causing her that bothered him most and he was almost glad when Juno took him away before the tears could fall.

End: Part Two

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Second drabble in the "no" theme. Crushing Betel was so much fun I almost felt bad. Almost. Yes, I'm so mean. I'm going to go let loose an evil laugh, you review.