Note to the readers: I'm sorry if I took so long with this story, I didn't think it would receive so many reviews, I like it, thank you. I have been so busy with this and that, so when it came to this story, I developed writers block. I'm back to this story now so I may complete it.

Chapter 9: Beetlejuice and Lydia

Lydia has been sick for a couple weeks now, throwing up food while having a fever. Since her absence from school, schoolmates Bertha and Prudence come to her house, not just to drop off assignments, but to check on the strange, dark clad city girl they made as a friend.

"I'm sorry girls, but Lydia's resting at the moment. I will tell her that you stopped by." said Delia.

Prudence gave Delia a large bright colored gift bag. "All the girls from the school, and Miss. Shannon put together a care package for Lydia."

"That was very nice, I'll be sure to send a special 'Thank you' in return." Delia replied, then sent the girls on their way. "Goodbye…and Thank you."

Barbara appeared out of nowhere right behind Delia. "You didn't have to be so cold."

Delia jumped and released a scream from the surprise of Barbara's arrival. "Geez, don't do that !" she spat then cleared her throat. "I wasn't trying to be cold Barb, I know those girls mean well, I'm just worried about Lydia. How is she ?"

"I don't approve of Lydia taking morphine as a pain relief, but she's resting well." Barbara replied.

Delia never liked the doctor's suggestion about the morphine either, in fact, she hated it. "I don't know what else to do. Without some form of pain relief, Lydia will just suffer in pain constantly, and that's something I can't handle."

***Lydia's Bedroom***

Lydia laid deep asleep in a dream…a dream of the Netherworld and Beetlejuice. The Beetlejuice in her dream still wore a vertical striped black and white suit, only he wore a magenta shirt instead of a white shirt, and wore…

"What's up with the stiletto boots ?" The real Beetlejuice appeared, pointing to Lydia's dream version of him.

"I couldn't remember what kind of boot you wore." Lydia replied.

The real Beetle raised a brow. "So not only do a have the vacation shirt, you imaged me with high pointed 'Fuck me boots'…Hmmm…And…" he poked at the dream version's stomach. "I'm not that fat. And…" he pointed to the dream version's chest. "Tits !….Forreal ?…" Then raise a brow to her. "Maybe you're into pre-op transvestites, but the Beetle isn't one."

"What are you doing in my dream anyway ?" Lydia spat. "What I dream is private."

Beetle snorted. "So you want to dream of me as a fat 'fuck me boot' pre-op."

"No, I want this…." Lydia spat, then quickly dreamed of something to spite him. She made the dream version of Beetle and a dream version of his clown rival French kissing.

Beetle frowned heavily. "Oh that's just plain wrong."

"Ok…" Lydia began. "I'll make them do -"

"No, ok, shit…" Beetle stopped her, then looked to her. "I'll leave." then shook his head. "Damn, you're sick. You know that ?" then he floated toward a door. "Before I go, I just want you to know that I didn't come inside your dreams to invade. I just want to know, how you're doing ?"

"I'm still sick, but I don't know why…It must've been the pizza I ate." Lydia replied. "The pizza looked and tasted just like any other pizza, but maybe the Netherworld's food is different."

Beetle remembered about the pizza Lydia told him about, it was the same pizza she ate when captive in the Castle of Prince Vince. "It's not all that different. I'll catch up with you later Babes, you just hang tight, and… no more guy-guy dreams."

Beetle went to the castle of Prince Vince, and saw the beloved prince sitting at his desk, writing yet another sonnet.

"Hey Princerino…" Beetle appeared in front of him. "How's it hangin' ?"

The depressed Prince looked to him. "Ah Beetle, we meet again. Do you not realize that you are banned from my castle, and that your presents before me will have you sentenced to Disintegration ?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Beetle snorted. "I didn't come here this. I came for my friend, Lydia. She's been sick for the past week or so from the pizza your Chef made."

"And what am I to do ?"

"First, let's find a cure."

"Why should I assist in this ?"

"Lydia your friend Dammit, you should help. She was thinking about you, believe it or not."

"I choose. Not. You, are known as a professional liar."

"Look, I know things between you and I are…a little shaky, but Dammit I'm telling the truth, and Lydia could die."

Prince Vince looked to him. "Beetle, I am one who never lived, and will never know the feeling of being in the soles as a living being; but you cannot lead me to believe that Lydia, a living realm girl, will simply die from a stomach ache."

"The stomach was the first trigger," Beetle began. "Lydia has been having fever, and F.Y.I, Prince…living beings can die from fever."

The Prince stood from his desk. "I shall investigate this…pizza incident, and provide a cure, if there is one."

Beetle nodded. "Groovy." then faded away as he left the castle.

***BJ's Roadhouse***

Beetlejuice floated around the roadhouse also in search for a cure. "Dammit, I know I placed that book around here somewhere…"

Jacques walked into the room. As he approached Beetle, a book took a direct hit to his boney arm, which caused it to detach from the joint the shoulder and onto the ground. "Damn you Beetle, watch where you throw things !"

Beetle looked from under the couch. "Hello to you to, Frenchy." he said with a sarcastic tone, then returned to his search. "Have you seen 'The Handbook for the Recently Deceased' ?"

Jacques just shook his head. "You idiot, if it's a book you seek, it's on the bookshelf."

"Oh yeah." Beetle looked from under the couch, then walked to the book shelf. "Ah, here they are…Hmm…1798, That Jacques…1899, That's my first copy… 1905, That's my second copy…1923, That's Ginger…Where is the current one ?…"

Beetle then used his ghostly powers with a snap of his fingers to make a rollerdesk appear from out of nowhere. "Now who do I know has a current copy ?…" He thumbed through the deck. "The Maitland's…but if they see me, it's game over. Hmmm….1945, Scuzzo."

Beetle went to the circus tent and… "Bahahaha !" laughed at Scuzzo who walked into the tent with a long nose.

"Ah, fuck you Beetlejerk." Scuzzo spat.

Beetle couldn't help but laugh. "Considering you now have a dick on ya face…Bahahaha…I guess…I guess…Bahahaha…I just can't finish the…Bahahaha !…Is that what the court did to you for robbing that bank ?"

"What the hell do you want ?"

Beetle calmed his laughter just enough to explain. "I need to look at your copy of 'The Handbook'. There's a cure for my friend written in one of the chapters."

"You mean that breather broad you hang with ?" Scuzzo raised a brow.

"Yeah."

Scuzzo removed a book from his inner suit pocket. The book had dust all over it. "That's Fuzzo's copy."

Beetle raised a brow. "Is it current ?"

"Fuzzo and I died the same year you moron, yeah it's current."

"You act like I know everything about you guys." Beetle snorted.

Scuzzo sat on a chair. "I know you were ole Junebug's assistant, snooping through files, doing your blackmail thing…but you got nothin' on me."

Beetle looked from the open book in his hand. "You did the same thing…only you weren't Juno's assistant."

"I never blackmailed nobody," Scuzzo began with a smile. "I just peeked at your file, like you did mine."

Beetle looked through the book and finally located something he hoped to be a cure. He gave the book back to Scuzzo. "Well it's been fun, but I gotta go. Goodbye penis nose."

Scuzzo snorted as he gave Beetle the finger.

Beetlejuice returned to the castle. "Oh Prince-cer-rio…" he called with a playful voice. "Where are you ?…"

Prince Vince silently appeared from the darkness. "I am here."

The sudden appearance made Beetle squeak a little. "Don't do that !" he spat then spoke. "I may have a secondary cure if yours doesn't work. Did you find out about the Chef ?"

"Yes." Prince Vince soured. "It was yet another plot to poison me. Ever so often I may have a fancy for something…different. If I were to consume my newest dish and become ill, then it would be easier to accuse the food."

"What did you order the last time ?" Beetle asked.

The Prince posed in thought. "I believe it was called 'Fried Chicken'."

***Lydia's Dreamworld***

Beetle showed Prince Vince into Lydia's dream where she was dreaming freely about being in the Netherworld with dream version of Beetlejuice and Prince Vince.

The real Beetle looked to the dream version of himself and shook his head. "I can't believe she made me this fat."

"Beetle, the task at hand please." The real Prince spoke.

Beetle looked to the dream version of the Prince. "Not fair dammit," he frowned. "the dream Prince looks more royal than the real one. Humph…put's him on the high horse."

"Beetle," The real Prince spoke. "being in the dream of a young lady is an invasion."

"Ok, ok…" Beetle snorted. He planted the cure found in 'The Handbook' inside Lydia's dream…it didn't work, it was a cure for headaches, not for fever or stomach ache. "Dammit."

"Stand aside Beetle," Prince Vince spoke then removed a beaker filled dark green liquid from within his cloak. "this will cure Lydia of fever." He poured the liquid into Lydia's dream. The liquid spread through Lydia's body, until her temperature reached normal. "It is finished."

Beetle felt the disruption. "The stomach ache is still here."

"Stomach aches of the living are to be cured like all else," Vince spoke. "with rest and…what was it the Nurse said ?…Ah yes, Pepto-Bismol." He looked to Beetle. "My task is done so I will take my leave. Good day." then he vanished.

***Lydia's Bedroom***

Hours later, Lydia woke from sleep feeling new and refreshed…except from the slight discomfort of stomach cramps. She went inside the bathroom for a moment then walked back out and sat on her bed.

"Hiya." Beetle said, gaining her attention. "What's up ?"

Lydia squeaked when he appeared from out of nowhere, but she was still glad to see him. "Hi Beej." she smiled.

"Feeling better ?"

"Not really." Lydia sulked.

"Stomach still bad huh."

Lydia shook her head. "It's not the stomach, just mother nature at work." she looked to her friend. "Fade out Beej, I don't think you wanna hear this." He faded away as Lydia left to the attack to see Barbara.

"Hi honey," Barbara smiled. "I see you're feeling better."

"Not really." Lydia sulked then looked to the ghostly woman. "Mrs. Maitland, do you have any tampons ?"

***End***