Unequivocal No
Authoress: Wee-Me
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Betel or Juno. Don't sue me, I don't profit from this and it makes me sad.
Part Three: Sadly, No
"So Junebug, what's the damage this time? Community service? Office work?" Betelgeuse called as he blustered his way in to Juno's office.
She didn't answer, didn't seem to hear him, just took a moment to look him over as if she'd never seen him before.
"Who shot your dog Junebug? Is it really that much trouble to see your old pal?"
He knew something was wrong, she should have been reading him the riot act not looking like she'd lost her best friend.
Lost her best friend.
He's her best friend.
Oh.
"Juno, what's going on?" he asked in a quiet voice.
She slid a piece of paper across her desk before looking away to blink tears from her eyes. It was a memo he found upon reading it, once he managed to tear his eyes away from his strong Juno in tears, from somewhere up the hierarchy from Juno.
TO: Juno
SUBJECT: Betelgeuse
Case #: B373L93U53
Despite your eloquent defense of subject the decision stands and sentence will be carried out as planned. You may have ten minutes to say your farewells and settle the estate/any issues before subject is exorcised and removed from this plane.
He had to ask, "Is there nothing you can do?" though he knew the answer before she shook her head.
"I tried," she whispered, choking on tears.
He tried to smile for her, tried to make it all right, but he couldn't quite wrap his mind around the fact that his time was running short. He'd known it could happen. Juno had warned him the first time he left the office (and many times after) and he'd seen troublemakers sent on when he worked the offices, but he believed himself too strong, too lucky, and too different to actually suffer the consequences. He could already feel a grating pull at the edges of his awareness. He didn't want to be pushed into the unknown. Would it be Heaven? Hell? Another level in the bureaucracy? He didn't know and it was maddening. He wanted to scream, throw a tantrum, to cry, to be sick, and to rail at the injustice. But most of all he wanted to get that look off Juno's face.
"S'okay Junebug. I-I'm sure you did your best. Guess it's just my time."
She knew what he was trying to do, he never could keep much from her, but she flashed him a tiny smile before it fell and she sobbed again. Then she was wobbling her way over to him, into his arms, and so small. Has she always been so small? he wondered. They grasped each other and clung tight. She rambled apologies over and over, but there was nothing to forgive- all of his problems were his own fault even if he'd never wanted to admit it. Time was running out so he held her at arm's length and gave her a little shake to get her attention.
"Juno? Juno look at me. It's not your fault. You did more than I coulda asked and you're a better friend than I deserve." He ran his hands up and down her arms. "What else did it say? Estate- yeah, my estate is yours, for what it's worth. Some of my crap should be sellable."
"Betel, I…"
"It's okay."
"No, it isn't. You're supposed to be here. You get in trouble and I deal with it, that's what we do. You're not supposed to get Sent On and you're not supposed to go without a fight."
He hugged her once more before stepping away. The pull had gotten to an unbearable strength, like a new kind of death, and he grimaced.
"Just turn around and forget me, okay? Don't think about me until it's your time to come over. Just be happy and forget me, okay? Don't let this get to you. Do that for me. Please." He nods in a manic way looking on the verge of a panic attack. Then his ability to speak was gone as the pain overtook him and he was thrown violently into the unknown.
As Juno dropped to her knees where he'd just been she denied him his last request. "No Betel, I won't forget."
End: Part Three
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Last of the "no" stories I think. Yes the case number is lame, let's move on. "Beetlejuice" came on as I was typing, made me smile. Yes, I'm very evil, you don't need to tell me, but you can if you want.