AN: Well, rubydesires said I could do this little author note thing since this story is all about me! She said I had to thank you all for realizing how completely awesome I am and for wanting to know more about me. Okay, this first chapter is how I met Beetlejuice. When we were alive. Yup. So what are you waiting on?! Get to reading about me! Oh! And stay tuned for some fun facts about me after the show!

Emily simply stared at her reflection as her younger sisters, Elizabeth and Estrelda, brushed out her long golden blond hair.

"I still can't believe you're getting married today, sister!" squealed the youngest, Estrelda.

"And after you are married, dear Emily, I can be as well," said Elizabeth.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Elizabeth, you are only thirteen, and you Estreldra are still just eleve. Aren't the both of you just a little young to be acting this way?"

She winced as Elizabeth yanked on a lock of her hair as she started to braid it. "You were thirteen when you became engaged to Lord Benton."

"Yes, I know."

Emily watched Estrelda's reflection tilt her head and met her eldest sister's gaze in the mirror. "You don't seem very happy about this, sister."

The eldest blonde winced again as the younger blonde yanked on another lock. "No," she finally answered. "I don't want to marry him. I don't love him. I don't even like him."

"But he dances."

"Which is the only favorable aspect of his character."

The three girls were silent as Elizabeth finished with Emily's hair. One pair of jade green eyes met two pairs of light blue ones in the mirror.

"Could you two leave me for a moment?" Emily asked.

"Of course, dear sister," Elizabeth said and led their youngest sister out the door.

As soon as Emily heard the click of the door latching shut, she let out a long held breath.

"About bloody time," she muttered, quickly changing into her riding clothes. Brushing off her light cream dress, Emily looked around for her black cloak. Where was it again? Oh, yes, it was in the chest at the end of her bed. Emily hopped over to the chest, opened it, and pulled out her cloak and little travel bag.

After one last glance around her room, Emily opened her window and looked out. Perfect! There wasn't anyone around. She put on her cloak and the ties of bag went between her teeth before she sat on the sill. Turning around, she swung her legs out over the edge. Looking back, she made sure no one was about to open her door. Satisfied, she took the short drop to the crated below her window. Landing on one of the crates in a crouch, Emily kept her hands on it and pushed off.

The blonde stood up straight, brushed off her hands, and flipped her hood up over her hair. She freed the bag from her mouth and held it in her hands.

"What am I going to do with you?" she asked it, turning it over in her hands.

Shrugging, she looped the ties around her hand and held the loose fabric at the top.

Emily then frowned as she looked towards to end of the alley. She had never actually thought this far ahead. Her plan of escape had consisted of "get out of the house and find someplace to lay low".

"Well, I am out of the house, so I might as well start walking."

Emily entered a rundown tavern a few miles from her former home. As she lowered her hood, she glanced around.

Since it was only midmorning, there weren't many people around. That was good. Emily didn't want to be around a lot of people at the moment.

She was about to sit down at an empty table when someone in the corner caught her eye. When she looked at him, he winked and beckoned her over.

Intrigued, and slightly confused, she approached his table, but didn't sit down.

"I am not a whore," she said bluntly.

The man with pale blond hair and oh so green eyes laughed. "I know, sweetheart. You walk like a maiden."

Emily wasn't sure if she should be insulted or not. Sitting in the chair opposite him, she asked, "What do you want with me?"

"I want to know how old you are."

"Why?"

"So I can determine if we should continue this conversation."

Emily paused, debating whether to tell, or simply get up and leave. "Fifteen."

He whistled softly. "Fifteen, and neither wed nor bed. You are an interesting one."

"How do you know I am unwed?"

"Sweetheart, what do you think you do on your wedding night?"

"I knew that! Tonight was to be my wedding night . . ."

"What went wrong, Miss . . ."

"Emily Davenport. And I didn't like him."

"Hm. My name is William."

"I still have no idea what you want with me."

William ran his hand through his hair and looked away. "Well, you look like you have potential. See, one man cons aren't working for me anymore. I need a partner."

"I don't understand."

"Alright," he said, leaning forward and laying his forearms on the table. "You look like the kind of girl who could say thee sky is green and people will believe you. I can use that! Besides, you just ran away from home because you don't want to marry someone. Where are you going to go? Work with me, and I can make you rich."

He makes a valid point, she thought. Plus, she was rather fond of money . . .

Emily held out her hand. "Partners?"

William grinned and shook her hand. "Partners!"

AN: rubydesires back. I apologize for Nightshade. She is so full of herself. "Oi! I am not!" Yes, you are Nights. "So are you!" Mine is simply a front. "No you saying it's a front is a front!" . . . . What? "Ha!" Whatever. Sorry about that little argument, dear readers. Anyway, I would like to thank you for accepting Nights and Derrick so completely. Actually she went through a lot of changes before I thought she could enter the BJverse. Originally, she was his older sister. "Yup. He learned everything from me! From pranking to fashion!" Ahem! As I was saying, I thought he needed someone to learn from. And yes, she originally wore a black and white striped women's suit. I'll draw a couple pictures of her.