AN: If you get the reference, I will love you for all eternity. Ha, I'm watching Beetlejuice right now. I love this movie. I've seen it so many times. Don't think I've seen it 167 times, though. So, thanks to AceLions, Morbid Crow, and Calm-Waters for their reviews! Love you lots! Okay, Calm-Waters asked a couple questions, and I answered them in this chapter. So we're all on the same page she asked if Kitty was fat and why BJ glared at her. Yup. That's answered.

Japanese in this one:

~Hai. hi (but sharper. If you're musically inclined think staccato. If not, umm, think snapping your fingers?)

Yes.

~Hai, genki desu. hi, gan key des (the u is "silent")

Yes, I'm fine.

~Hai, soo desu. hi, so des

Yes, that's right.

~Nihongo o hanashimasu ka. (oh, boy, this is long) Knee hone go oh ha na she mas ka

You speak japanese?

~Chotto cho toe

A little

~soo desu ka. so des ka

Is that so?

~Kawaii ka wa e

Cute

And now, without further delay, I give you Chapter 3: Tell me what you know, tell me what you've gone and done now. Wow, long chapter title.

The first place Beetlejuice took me to was the Freaky Eye-Scream Shoppe. I wasn't too sure about this place. The name didn't really suggest it was "breather friendly".

But there I was, sitting at a booth, waiting for my ghost friend. He insisted on picking something out for me. I only hoped it was something my living system could handle. I was rather fond of my current state of existence, and I didn't want to die from a creamy, cold dessert. I had already gone through my suicidal stage, and now I was too damn selfish to die.

While I waited, I stared out the window. That was just what I did. I liked people watching, and sometimes it was hilarious the stuff they did when they didn't think anyone was watching. Tinted windows were the best, 'cause then all they can see are their reflections.

However, my people watching quickly changed to daydreaming.

Lost in my own little world of action, adventure, and romance, I hadn't noticed Beetlejuice had slid into the booth across from me. He was watching me, my eyes unfocused as I imagined my character, Raven, fight alongside Ronan Dex against the Wraith.

"Kitty."

Raven round house kicked the Wraith soldier in the face!

"Kitty cat."

She drew her gun and emptied the clip into another soldier.

"Kitty!"

My head snapped around to look at Beetlejuice. My mind was out of the Pegasus Galaxy and back in the Neitherworld.

"Hai?" I asked, innocently.

"You okay?" he asked me slowly.

"Hai, genki desu."

"English, please."

"Yup, I'm fine."

He looked at me, amusement in his crazy green eyes. "I know you're fine. I was askin' if you're okay."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I am okay. Better?"

He smirked. "Yeah, that's better. Alright, eat up. Only got ya for a few hours, remember?"

That was when I noticed there was a bowl in front of me. The contents looked like regular ice cream. Examining it from all angles, it still looked like ice cream. But I had never seen dark red ice cream before.

"What is it?"

"Devil's Delight."

Devil. That explained the color, but it didn't give me any clues as to the flavor.

"C'mon, Kitty. You'll like it!"

"Kowai, you've only known me for three days. How do you know what I like?" Then I smirked. "Unless you've been stalking me," I joked.

He shrugged. "Ain't my fault yer house has so many reflective surfaces."

I blinked a few times. His response had put me off guard. I had been playing, and he answered seriously.

"Huh," was all I managed before curiosity got the better of me. I picked up the spoon, and scooped a little bit out of the bowl. After another look (it still looked like ice cream), I flipped the spoon over and put it in my mouth. Where it stayed.

Holy freakin' crap. It was the sweetest thing I had ever had. If this didn't make me hyper, there was no hope for any food doing it. After the initial sugar shock, I realized it was spicy, too. And there was some cinnamon.

"Well?"

I guess I hadn't moved.

I took out the spoon, and looked down at the bowl.

"Where have you been all my life, you uber delicious thing? Move aside Super Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, you have been replaced."

"See? Told ya. It was either that, or Bat-chip Chunk. Thought you'd like the spicy one better."

I couldn't say anything back, 'cause my mouth was full of delightfully delicious Devil's Delight.

After a moment, he said "Can I ask ya somthin'?"

"Sure."

"I've seen plenty of broads, but none of 'em had stretch marks as bad as yours. And you ain't exactly on the heavy side."

Hm, that was a nice way of saying I wasn't fat. I rather liked it. Oh, right, question.

"I don't know if you saw, but I don't have any on my belly."

"No, I didn't. Ya kinda put a shirt on."

"Yes, well, the only places I have them are my sides, and my . . . ass."

"Why'd you hesitate?"

"Didn't know which word I wanted to use. Anyway, I didn't always have my child-bearin' hips, and I was pretty much born without an ass. I used to be tiny. And then fuckin' puberty hit. When my body filled out with these lovely curves, my skin couldn't keep up. Thus, the marks."

He didn't say anything, so I went back to my ice cream.

"Can I ask you somethin' else?"

"Of course," I said around the spoon.

"Why don't ya want me touchin' you?"

That one I wasn't expecting. I finished off the ice cream before I looked at him. He was absolutely serious, no hint of humor in his face. I guess I had hurt him, when I wouldn't let him take my hands.

I was very much aware of the chill of my fingers.

"It's not . . ." How do I explain this? They way I did to everyone else?

"Kowai," I started again, "it's not the touching I have a problem with. In fact, I need physical contact." Crap, this was failing. Might was well do this the same way I did for everybody else.

I reached across the table, and rested my fingers on the back of Beetlejuice's hand.

It felt ever so slightly warm.

Fuckin' great. My hand was colder than a dead guy's.

He looked down at our hands, and placed his other hand on top of mine. Then he looked up at me with a smirk.

"Sure you're alive, Kitty?"

I made my slightly annoyed sigh, and tried to pull my hand free, but his had tightened around mine. I tugged a few more times, but he had me trapped!

"Whatever. Can I ask you a question?"

"Ask away, kitten."

"Earlier, when I asked if there was another way? You got all angry. Why?"

Beetlejuice looked down, and loosened his grip so he could trace little circles on the back of my hand. Okay, that was awkward, but I didn't move, afraid I'd hurt him again.

"I knew this girl. For a long time before and after, she was the only one to use that method to get here. I fucked up, and now she's gone. End of story"

What the hell was I to say to that?! I'm sorry?

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. There wasn't much else I could do. I wasn't any good at the comforting thing. I gave hugs. But there kinda was a table in the way.

He looked at me, surprised. "Why ya apologizin'? Ya didn't do anythin'."

"Still, that kinda sucks."

"Yeah, but you had nothin' ta do with it, so don't apologize. Got any more questions?"

"Not at the moment. Do you?"

"Nope. C'mon, there's two other people I want ya ta meet."

He stood up, and I suddenly wished I hadn't told him about the "needing physical contact" thing, 'cause he didn't let go of my hand as he led me back out to the street.

~*~*~*~*~*

I was a mall rat, so when I found out the Neitherworld had a mall . . . well, I did a happy dance right then and there.

I predicted I'd spend a lot of time at the Shocking Mall.

Unfortunately, I only got to look 'cause Beetlejuice was a ghost with a mission. Whenever I got distracted by something in a store window, he'd tug my arm, and I'd have to go back to his side, or I'd lose my arm.

We went into a store, but I didn't get to see the name because I was too busy looking at a window full of shiny objects.

I looked around at my new surroundings. Dark gold, red, and black drapes hung along the wall, and full length mirrors stood between each drape. Racks of totally awesome clothes covered the floor. Everything was lit with a soft golden glow.

This place beat California Hollister by a long shot.

"Hey, Beetle, who's yer friend?"

I turned my head to look at the source of the thick texan accent. There was a guy with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and his skin was really tan. He had on a black button down shirt, black chaps over red pants, black cowboy boots, black belt with a gold bull skull buckle, and a red bandana around his neck. I knew I shouldn't, but I guessed his age to be mid-twenties? Maybe? I don't know. I sucked at that stuff.

Wow, he was as tall as my daddy. That meant Beetlejuice was shorter than my daddy. But he was still taller than me, and that's all that mattered.

"Derrick, this is Kitty. Kitty, this is Derrick Blackthorn."

I bowed slightly. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Blackthorn."

He grinned. "Now, Miss Kitty, you can call me Derrick. No need to be all formal."

"So, Derrick, is Nights here?"

"Yeah, she's in the back." Then he yelled over his shoulder "Doll!"

"What?!"

Derrick didn't answer her, and I leaned to the side so I could see past him. I blinked a few times when I saw a woman who could very well be Beetlejuice's sister. They looked so much alike. When she caught sight of me, she grinned, and I smiled back.

Weaving between racks, she made her way over to us.

"Who's this, B?" she asked when she was standing next to Derrick.

"I'm Kitty," I said. Yeah, I could have told her my real name, but "Kitty" seemed as much my name as my birth name.

"'Allo, Kitty! I'm Nights," she said, holding out her hand. Whoa, she had red nails just like Beetlejuice.

I shook her hand, since that was the polite thing to do. Her eyebrows shot up, a question in her dark green eyes, but she didn't say anything. Then she grinned again, and released my hand.

"You've got eyes the same color as mine!"

Next thing I know, Beetlejuice has my chin in his hand, and his face was close to mine as he looked at my eyes.

"They were blue twenty minutes ago."

I shrugged. "They change color. Sometimes they're blue-grey, other times they're dark green."

"Huh," was all he said, and he let me go. Well, my face, at least. He still had my hand.

"So, B," Nights said. "You've got a new breather friend. This calls for a drink!"

"The usual bar?"

"Yeah, where else would we go?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" The three of them looked at me. "Ummm, I'm still just nineteen."

Derrick smirked. "That ain't gonna stop these two. Nights took me to a bar on my seventeenth birthday. Let me guess, this is yer first time in the Neitherworld?"

"Hai, soo desu."

Nights looked at me, curious now. "Nihongo o hanashimasu ka."

"Chotto."

"Ah, soo desu ka."

Beetlejuice glared at the two of us. "English!"

I smirked. "Poor, Kowai. Okay, I said 'Yes, that's right.' Then Nights said 'You speak Japanese?' Then I said 'A little." Then she said 'Oh, is that so?'"

Before he could say anything else, Nights asked "You call him 'Kowai'?"

"Yup. It seems to fit him. And it can easily be mistaken for 'kawaii'."

"Nights," Beetlejuice said. "She won't tell me what it means."

"Then I'm not gonna tell you!"

"I hate you. I hate you both."

I gave him my best puppy dog face.

He glanced at me, glanced away, but eventually back at me. Haha, I had him now! No one can resist my puppy dog face. Unless they're not looking at me. But he was.

"Fine," he growled. "I don't hate you."

"Woot!"

~*~*~*~*~*

Derrick was right. Me being under twenty-one didn't stop them.

Nights had a strawberry daiquiri, Kowai had straight up whiskey, and Derrick had a strawberry dream #2. Me? I had a virgin piña colada.

The three of them were talking, but I wasn't listening. I was watching the mini stage where some ghost dude was badly singing "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" by Culture Club. Yes, sir, I do want to hurt you.

Then I heard Beetlejuice say "Seriously, best blow job ever."

I blinked and look at him, eyes wide. He downed his shot and grinned at Nights.

"Now, she's listenin'."

I stuck my tongue out at him. He stuck his out at me, and I cocked my head to the side. It was striped. Light blue and green. Uh, this guy just got weirder and weirder.

Deciding to change the topic, I asked "Can anyone go up there and sing?"

"Why do ya wanna do that?"

"That last guy couldn't sing."

"So?"

"I can." I was feeling bold, for some strange reason. I never sang in front of people.

Beetlejuice poured a small amount of whiskey in his shot glass and slid it in front of me. "Ya can if ya drink that."

"No problem," I said with a shrug. I picked up the glass, and tossed it down like a pro. I even held back the cough as the the liquor burned down my throat.

They stared at me, shocked. Probably didn't expect me to do it.

"What? I've had whiskey before. Of course, the first time I chased it with Coke."

They still stared.

"Well, mates, I'm gonna go sing." I took another sip of my drink, and stood up. Skipping up to the stage (they guy had just left), I thought of what song to use. When I got there, I picked up the microphone and flipped through the song book.

Hm, might as well sing what seemed to be my theme song for the last year or so.

Incompatible, it don't matter though

'cause someone's bound to hear my cry

Speak out if you do

You're not easy to find

Is it possible Mr. Loveable

Is already in my life?

Right in front of me

Or maybe you're in disguise

Who doesn't long for someone to hold

Who knows how to love you without being told

Somebody tell me why I'm on my own

If there's a soulmate for everyone

Here we are again, circles never end

How do I find the perfect fit

There's enough for everyone

But I'm still waiting in line

Who doesn't long for someone to hold

Who knows how to love you without being told

Somebody tell me why I'm on my own

If there's a soulmate for everyone

If there's a soulmate for everyone

Most relationships seem so transitory

They're all good but not the permanent one

Who doesn't long for someone to hold

Who knows how to love you without being told

Somebody tell me why I'm on my own

If there's a soulmate for everyone

Who doesn't long for someone to hold

Who knows how to love you without being told

Somebody tell me why I'm on my own

If there's a soulmate for everyone

If there's a soulmate for everyone

When I finished, I looked at my audience. I was feeling quite so bold, now that I was up here. All the Neitherworldians were simply watching me. As I started to make my way off the stage I heard Beetlejuice's voice.

"Kitty, get back up there!"

I walked backwards back to the center.

"Sing somethin' else."

"Any requests?" I hope no one noticed I couldn't pronounce that word right. Requrests. Somehow I managed to put in an extra r.

"Somethin' not so depressin'."

I flipped through the song book again. I only knew half the songs, and of the half I did know, most of them I wasn't comfortable enough to sing.

But I could do this one. Next I sang "Can't Stop Lovin' You" by Van Halen.

I got some applause with that one.

Grinning, I looked at Beetlejuice. "Any other requests, Mr. Juice?" I asked in my Southern Bell accent. It was one of the few accents I could do.

"Well, Miss Kitty, I think I do." He used a british accent. That was totally awesome!

"And what might that be?"

"Somethin' . . . unexpected."

Oh, could do unexpected. I had seen the perfect song when I was looking for the non-depressing one.

"It's slightly depressing," I warned him

"That's fine," he said with a shrug.

Then I sang "Coin-Operated Boy" by The Dresden Dolls. Who would expect me to sing something about a sex toy?

There was silence again when I finished, even the bartenders were staring at me.

Guess no one expected that.

I skipped back to our table, and ginned at Beetlejuice.

He grinned back. "I must say, I was not expectin' that."

Then he pulled a (lit) cigarette out of his pocket and took a drag. Before he could take another one, I reached over and yoinked it. That's right, I yoinked it. I was careful when I place the cancer stick between my lips. I didn't want to breath it in. Just 'cause I could see clearly now, and I (probably) didn't have any stretch marks, I wasn't going to risk my lungs. I had enough problems with those. I didn't need to add to it with smoking. But I still thought it looked damn awesome!

He yoinked it right back.

Aw, man, now I didn't look sexy anymore.

AN: So the song Kitty sings is "Soulmate" by Natasha Bedingfield. I think I'll finish Music Boxes (just two more chapters for that one) before I do the next chapter for this. I hope you liked it! Oh, and Bat-chip Chunk was Calm-Waters' idea. :D