Invited or not but all the inhabitants of the Neitherworld seemed to gather for the wedding ceremony of their ruler. Ghouls of all forms and sizes, texture and adore. Lydia has never seen such a variety of ghosts even after participating in all kinds of public activities in the world of the dead. They were not squeezed into mush only because Doomie was flying above the endless mass. Not that the air was completely empty. Who said that ghouls could not fly?

"For crying out loud, why didn't he rent out Collander-Seum or something?" Beetlejuice complained, steering through the crowded air.

"I suppose, Prince Vince was too wrapped up with his fiancée to care about such trivial things," Lydia supplied the explanation, but received only a snort in response.

They have gotten seats in the center of the hall and Lydia understood what Kevin meant by killing with anticipation. At least half of the crowd was watching Beetlejuice half of the time. They wanted to know when to run so not to fall victims to his prank. And there surely will be one, because that's why he was present at all?

Lydia couldn't help but wonder when Beetlejuice started using psychological pressure in his pranks. Those were the big guns already, who knew how much he could evolve? But at that moment she really didn't want to worry herself with that, because Beetlejuice was indeed sitting quietly with no intention to ruin the ceremony. Speaking of ceremonies – it was a very beautiful one, in its own gross way. Lydia didn't know how time worked in the Neitherworld, so she was not surprised that the groom was not a boy anymore. The corpse bride, on the other hand, indeed looked like a clay statue. Her skin was dark blue and she had a figure to die for. A myth about Galatea resurfaced in Lydia's memory. That could actually be Galatea for all she knew. All and all the pair looked very good together.

"Are all weddings this long?" Kevin weaned when they took their place in the queue to give presents to the newlyweds. Which was far from short, it could take an eternity or two to reach the royal family.

"When Beetlejuice is going to get married, you can organize everything to be very short," Lydia said to somehow calm down the overzealous boy. She felt as Beetlejuice bristled beside her. "So there is a M-word now? I always wondered when this will happen. I mean there are the L-word and the N-word and nothing in between. Poor alphabet. But now it is all set," she outright teased the Ghost with the Most. "I wonder what will be the next letter."

"Are you alright, BJ?" Kevin asked, watching as Beetlejuice's face turned redder and redder until smoke blew out of his ears. His friend was surely acting strange.

"What is it, BJ? Can't take a joke?" Lydia continued with her teasing war. She had almost forgotten how fun it could be to just joke around without restrain, not thinking what others' opinions will be the next morning. Beetlejuice wasn't taking it well, however. Well, she had never teased him about his 'insecurities', simply considered them a part of him.

Beetlejuice's reaction, whichever it might be, was postponed by them reaching their destination.

"It is… good to see you here, Beetlejuice," Prince greeted hesitantly. Even he was cautious of the Best Prankster of the Neitherworld. "And who is this lovely lady with you?"

"Can't recognize your old flame in front of your newly acquired wife?" Beetlejuice snarled, his mood obviously far from turning back to normal or anything far from gloomy.

"It is Lydia," Lydia supplied the name, seeing as the prince just couldn't find it in his mind. She was not hurt per se, but she found it strange that he could forget the only alive friend he had. Even wanted to make her his princess. Even ghosts seem to move on.

"I am so sorry, dear Lydia! How could I forget such a charming person?! You just must come to the reception in the Hotel Hello. Here is the invitation." Vince practically foisted the piece of paper into Lydia's hands. And then his Highness remembered that she was not alone. Now that was a question of diplomacy on a very high level. If he ignores Lydia's companions, it would be rude towards his guests in general, but if he officially lets Beetlejuice to come to the reception all the blame for the mayhem he will cause there, and he definitely will, will fall on the head of Prince Vince and neither his counselors nor his people will be happy about it. "You can bring you friends too."

"We will be delighted, Your Highness," Lydia thanked with a curtsy. "Say thank you," she hissed, hitting Beetlejuice over his head. He only grunted something inarticulate.

Prince Vince eyed two boxes that joined the pile of presents. "Hopefully, there is no stink-bomb in those."

"It is in the striped one. But you must've guessed already. We won't stall the others seeking your attention." With that said Lydia pulled both Beetlejuice and Kevin out of the main hall. She hoped that Beetlejuice would not start anything while they were in public, but that was certainly in vain.

Beetlejuice blew up when they were half way through. "What in blasted Hell was that?! Are you my frigging mother?! You are ruining my reputation, woman!"

"You are doing it yourself, shouting about it for everyone to hear. Shut it until we are clear of the crowd," Lydia snapped, not only adding 'I am going to spank you, you naughty boy'.

They finally reached Doomie who parked himself after the trio took their seats. Lydia started to open the back door, but was junked back by a grip of a cold hand on her forearm.

"You have no right," Beetlejuice uttered in a dangerously low whisper, pressing her to the door with his body (and he had more than six feet in him so he was no feather), "to talk to me like that. Not even my mother talks to me like that."

"Like what?" Lydia asked, not in the least bit intimidated. The green rounds in his eyes did concern her slightly, however.

"Like I am three hundred years old."

"What can I do if you act like one? But if you want I can call for your mother, I am sure she is around here somewhere. She will definitely agree with me."

Beetlejuice pushed a bit more but then disappeared and reappeared behind the wheel. "Get in," he barked, "or we will get into another crowd. I don't know for you, Lydia, but mister Nice Guy ends here, so you are on your own the moment we reach the gate. It's showtime!"

…………………

Beetlejuice kept his word – he and Kevin left her at the entrance to the hotel campus and disappeared into the night. Lydia didn't want to imagine how the poor guests would suffer. She knew that Doomie's trunk had a whole arsenal for practical pranks. But despite everything she knew that was his nature, Beetlejuice's very existence was directed to cause havoc and play tricks on others. She only hoped that with the downward mood she created, his jokes wouldn't be mean.

'But what happened by the car? BJ did throw tantrums and went into hysterics, but he has never been so angry, he was ready to throttle me right then and there, even in Kevin's presence. I am even afraid to think what example he sets for the boy. And I am certain the thought didn't even cross his mind.'

After settling in her room, Lydia went outside where the reception was held. Even if she couldn't eat anything, she was quite eager to find and chat with Ginger or Jacques or even Beetlejuice's parents. Lydia saw neither Beetlejuice nor Kevin on the lawn, but she thought their presence would be announced by any form of apocalypses they had planned. Beetlejuice and Kevin – riders of the Apocalypses. If only she had her camera, they could make a spectacular picture!

Several hours later Lydia was finally neared by the newlyweds. She once again noticed the serious change in Prince Vince. He was not all goofy and skipping, but there was a small but constant smile on his thin lips. As if he knew a secret nobody else knew. Lydia knew that secret all too well. She hoped that it would be known to her again someday.

"Lydia, let me introduce you to Melancholia," Prince Vince greeted her. The woman beside him stretched out her blue hand and Lydia shook it by the fingers not forgetting to do a curtsy. "There is no need for such formality, Lydia. We are old friends."

"Vince told me a lot about you while we were driven here," came a voice of Melancholia unusually deep for her petite figure. "I am new around here, but I am already knowledgeable of Beetlejuice and his… lifestyle. Can you tell me, how you, such a levelheaded and good-mannered person, become not only close to him but inseparable friends with him?"

"Frankly speaking, it is still a mystery to me. But he is not all bad, he can be very sensitive and caring. But I'll speak no more, I was already accused today of ruining his reputation."

"But now you are preserving it. It is a pity he doesn't treasure a friend like you."

"You don't know him well enough to accuse him of such things," Lydia said defensively. "You have no idea what happened between us."

"Yes, we don't, but we all remember a quake five years ago. We thought we'd become food for Sandworms," Prince Vince explained his wife's statement.

They left to mingle with other guests after some more small talk, but Lydia couldn't put aside the information she had just received. Five years ago Beetlejuice blocked her out and caused a huge quake of the whole Neitherworld (did he even possess such power?) and then possibly died. But why? Was he angry? Jealous? Devastated? Whatever the cause, she will not stop until she finds the answer.

The evening progressed slowly into dancing and still Lydia hasn't noticed any abnormality among the guests. She was quite popular by the male part (as far as you could distinguish the gender among the Neitherworld habitants) of the guests and was not sitting at all. But quite soon her hands, not to mention the dress had become slimy and dirty and outright filthy, which didn't made her happy in the least. Changing partner to partner Lydia couldn't help but think about Beetlejuice, he was the one who could really cut the rug.

Lydia finally fell onto one of the chairs and started a hunt for a napkin to somehow wipe away the grime.

"That won't help, you know."

Lydia almost fell from the chair out of surprise to hear a normal human speech. "What are you doing here, Kevin? Shouldn't you be off… somewhere?"

Kevin tilted down to whisper very softly into Lydia's era, "We booby-trapped the whole hotel. They won't know what hit them. And nobody won't be able to prove anything."

Lydia had to admit that was a very smart move. The only downside was that she didn't know where the traps were, so she could be walking right into them. A not so little revenge on Beetlejuice's part, she could bet on it.

"But since we are here," Kevin continued in a normal voice, "I came to ask you to dance."

"Beej taught you?"

"He can dance?!"

"You've missed a lot, kid, not seeing that master on the floor. But since he is not here, how can I deny such a fine gentleman like you?" Lydia asked playfully and gave the boy her hand.

To put it frankly Kevin knew very few things about dancing, but did his best and Lydia's feet did not suffer. Much.

"I am really sorry. I was not good at all," Kevin apologized upon their return to the table Lydia previously occupied.

"No need, Kevin. Everyone must take first steps in something or other. With practice you will definitely learn, especially if you ask Beetlejuice to teach you. I think he is the best there is."

"Is he now?" came a drawl from behind her.

Lydia turned to answer and her jaw dropped. She blinked once, twice, but still couldn't come to her senses. At that moment she could only recall the episode when Beetlebones left Beetlejuice's body; how dignified the skeleton was and the words of the doctor: the insides and the outsides make up one's personality. Beetlejuice had a whole dozen of them, but never one of a sophisticated gentleman resurfaced. Lydia looked him over once again. Nothing actually changed, maybe the posture was a bit straighter and hair a bit more tamed, but the most striking difference was the gloves. Spotless snow white gloves.

"My memory is incomplete, but I believe that was our dance."

Lydia finally snapped out of her trance, hearing the starting notes of a tango. It was their dance from the very beginning, since she was twelve. She couldn't forget the experience even after the years without practice. She felt as two slits formed along her tight skirt and grime evaporated from her hands and dress. Oh yes, she was ready.

The dance was exhilarating. Lydia didn't remember the last time they danced like that. Her seventeenth birthday? Despite their earlier argument, they moved in harmony of a perfect couple. The only thing she was missing was the chill of his touch that always sent shivers all over her skin, and not unpleasant ones.

"That was fantastic!" Kevin cried upon their return, jumping up and down all giddy with excitement and awe. "Why haven't you ever told me you could dance, BJ?! You are so going to show me some cool moves!"

"Grow up first, Kev," Beetlejuice said with a shrug.

"But I will never grow up!"

"You will. In a century or two."

"But that is so far away!"

Lydia threw a confused glance at Beetlejuice. He said it as he was absolutely certain about it. But didn't Kevin say previously that those who died a child staid a child in the afterlife?

"And your bed time is quite near so off to your room," Beetlejuice ordered in quite a parental voice, which shocked Lydia to the bone. "It is better to go up with us," he stated, now addressing her. "If you know what I mean."

"Yes, of course," she agreed right away, knowing that even stepping on any stair could be a death sentence for her.

"I can do it myself."

"You can't, Kev, and you won't."

Before Lydia could inquire what they were arguing about, she was grabbed by the waist, levitated towards her balcony and left there alone once again.

"What is it with Beetlejuice and disappearing acts? He was always into theatrics, but he at least waited to hear the applause. Well, it's time to go to bed."

Lydia entered the room, which was surprisingly decent, clean sheets and everything. She remembered her parents spend a weekend here and there was some trouble, only Lydia couldn't remember of what sort. Beetlejuice's presence equaled trouble wherever he went, that was what made their friendship so exiting.

She discarded the dress and got under the covers. The moment she closed her eyes she heard a distant groan, then another, then a wail and a cry of indignation. The guests had found themselves some striped surprises. It was going to be a long night. In addition to all kinds of sounds coming from every corner of the building Lydia felt a horrible stench just outside her window, which made getting to asleep completely impossible. She put on a bathrobe and went to investigate.

"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, totally flabbergasted to discover Beetlejuice on the other end of the store long balcony with something that looked like a cigar.

"Don't remember."

"The boy has TB and you smoke?!"

"He is not here right now, isn't he? On the other hand, he would've smoked himself to die faster if he could."

"You monster! Don't you have any regard for life at all?! Don't you care in the least bit about his future?!" Lydia yelled joining Ginger and Jacques in their disgust for her now former friend. Using an innocent boy like that! As if he was some toy! Could it be that she herself was only for his amusement? Lydia didn't want to believe that, but she did believe her ears and eyes.

"I've been dead for more than half a millennia, why should I care about life? And Kevin will have a marvelous future. Here. The future he agreed upon three years ago," Beetlejuice stated with such authority that Lydia shivered from head to toe. She could blame the wind, but she knew better. "I don't see why you should care. You will forget it all in a month when you return tomorrow to your friends, dates and whatever you do."

"I don't want to leave," Lydia proclaimed with force enough to convince not only herself but him too.

"Huh?"

"I want in. I want to be able to visit the Neitherworld again. Maybe only once a month but still."

"Till when? Till you try everything to bring Kevin back with you and cure him? He already belongs here, there is no life for him in the world of the living."

Okay, that was a motive too, but she also wanted to know the truth behind Beetlejuice's actions five years ago and the current ones would be good too. And still… with everything in between Lydia Deetz was part of the Neitherworld. She felt it with her very skin. Part of her still belonged here.

"Is it the truth? That those who die here, stay here?"

"Yes."

Lydia tilted her head slightly to the left, full of doubt. Whatever the matter, Beetlejuice had never answered monosyllably. She watched as he puffed out rings of smoke as it was the most natural thing in the afterlife. And then she noticed it – his shoulders were unnaturally tense. "You are lying."

"How should you know?"

"I know you, Beej." 'Even if it really troubles me to discover you can lie to me now.' "I know every wrinkle on your suit."

"Hah! I add new ones regularly," he disagreed quite proud of himself.

"I believe you on this one, but what is the real story behind Kevin's marvelous future?"

Beetlejuice threw a sideway glance which spoke of pure irritation. Lydia looked back with pure determination. She was no child anymore, he couldn't just brush her off. "It goes as he says, it isn't just that simple. That's all," Beetlejuice finally said, putting out the cigar by rubbing it on the balcony railing.

Lydia was not that surprised by such answer. Life told her two things – nothing happens without a reason and nothing comes free. She wondered how those two laws applied to the afterlife. "So?"

"So?"

"Will you tell me how it works?"

"Why should I?"

'Dammit, you are making it as difficult as possible!' "I told you, I don't want to leave!" For a moment she felt quite silly, shouting to him over at least fifteen meters. "I really missed you! Missed all of you! I came to apologize but you always disappear and I can't say anything!" Lydia took several deep breaths. Shouting like that in the cold started to take its strain on her. When she didn't hear anything in return Lydia took several steps forward to see his reaction, if he had one, because it turned quite dark outside. To help her, or simply because he wanted to, Beetlejuice lit up another cigar, the fire lightening his face for a split second. His expression was astonishingly impassive, as if saying, 'Well, go on with it.'

Lydia was totally abashed, but continued with her prepared speech that seemed to tear up at the seams with every next word. "I wanted to apologize for what happened five years ago. I should've spent more time with you, because you are my best friend and I had no right to push you away like that. My mind was clouded with anxiety for the future ahead of me and there was, whom was I dating back then?" Lydia asked herself, having no recollection of the guy.

"Henry."

"Yes, Henry. Turned to be a real arse, but that's beside the point. I really should've made some time for you. And I am really sorry. As for today, I just fooled around, I am sorry that it happened to be on your expense." Silence was the response. "Do you forgive me?" she asked, hoping that she didn't sound too desperate.

"I do. If it matters to you that much."

Lydia's knees gave out and only grabbing onto the railing saved her from the fall. She didn't expect hugs and kisses, but a green toothy smile full of bugs would've been more than welcome instead of the deadpan voice in which Beetlejuice 'accepted' her apology. "What is wrong with you?" she breathed out unable to control her tongue or even thoughts for that matter.

"Nothing at all. What gave you the idea?" And then he vanished into the night.

……………….

The next morning Lydia woke up with a headache. Her sleep was light and troubled. Curses and damnations were befalling Beetlejuice the whole night from the wandering guests and it didn't make her sleep any deeper. Somewhere near dawn she heard or maybe dreamed about a commotion beside her balcony door and a threat, 'If I even see you in a ten mile radius of her, I'll personally rip your batty wings out.'

Doomie seemed to have a wonderful night because he was honking and beeping in all possible ways greeting its passengers.

"Rough night?" Kevin asked Lydia with the similar enthusiasm.

"You can say so," Lydia replied in a raspy voice, falling ungracefully onto the back seat.

"Well, I counted the whole night – 1837 victims! A new record! But I am not entirely sure, I seem to doze off a couple of times. Pity BJ wasn't there. Otherwise the figure could be even bigger."

"Then where was he?"

"No idea. He was out of the room the whole night. Maybe visited some ghoul he picked up at the party."

"What?!" That little piece of information made Lydia's mind wide awake.

"Well, you know."

"And does he do that often?"

"Sometimes."

Lydia's thoughts run a mile per second. She remembered Beetlejuice's fruitless attempts to pick up one ghoul or another, and now it seemed that they were not so fruitless anymore. She was so astonished by the whole thing that didn't know how to react to it. The obvious response would be, 'And why should I care?' The same question she asked Beetlejuice when she started dating. And she didn't care on any level that was similar to jealousy, but pure curiosity didn't leave her.

Before Lydia could ask for details, Beetlejuice popped up above Doomie and floated down onto the passenger's seat. "You drive, Kev," he grunted, hitting the dashboard with his forehead.

"Rough night?" Kevin asked again, but this time teasingly.

"Was up all night. Now shut up and drive." Beetlejuice was already snoring a moment later.

The trip back to the Road House was a quiet one. Lydia marveled at Kevin's obedience to Beetlejuice's order. He hadn't uttered a sound the whole way even when Beetlejuice's snores became as loud as volcano eruptions and it would've been impossible to wake him up with some small talk. She wanted to question Kevin upon reaching the house, but glancing at the clock in the garage understood that she had to go back already.

"So when will you come next time, miss Lydia?"

"I don't know, Kevin. Beetlejuice is quite reluctant to renew my ability to come here."

"Why could that be? Hey, BJ! Wake up!" Kevin shouted into the ear of his best friend who was still soundly asleep sucking on his right thumb. When shouting had no effect Kevin shook him, quite unceremoniously in fact.

"Don't even bother if you don't have a dozen of fat beetles," Beetlejuice mumbled still asleep.

"Why don't you want miss Lydia to come again?!" Kevin shouted again.

Fortunately for the boy, that grabbed the poltergeist's attention. "Why does it matter?" he croaked, unclasping one eyelid.

"Because I want her to come, why else would it matter?"

Beetlejuice got out of the car releasing a string of mutterings which Lydia recognized as some very strong curses. "And why would you want that?"

"Why not? The more the merrier, isn't it, BJ?"

Beetlejuice let out a long breath. To Lydia it sounded very close to defeat, making her rejoice inside. So an hour later, Lydia found herself on the curve of the white road that led to a small door in midair.

"I don't want to force you, BJ. If you really don't want me to come, I won't."

"It isn't about you anymore," Beetlejuice grunted, shambling behind her. "Kevin wants you here."

"He has you wrapped around his small finger," Lydia remarked with a chuckle. "You do a lot of things just because he asks you."

"He is my friend," Beetlejuice stated as if it explained everything.

To Lydia it did. "You did a lot of things for me too."

"I did?"

"You don't remember?"

"Not in particular," he said with a frown, as if trying to find a memory, but he just shrugged it off as unimportant the next moment. "You won't be able to call my name, only open the door."

Lydia blinked at the rapid topic change, but dismissed the strange amnesia as an unimportant topic at the moment. "Why?"

"Because I can't be in two places at the same time. Only Kevin can summon me, even if he lives here and doesn't do it."

"Okay. So how will I do it? And is it possible in New York?"

"On any place on the planet. Open your mouth."

"Excuse me?!"

"You need my juice to be able to open the portal."

"But there was nothing like this the first time."

"Well, now things are different," Beetlejuice hissed, clearly getting impatient.

Lydia threw glance back at the Road House. Kevin was running around on the lawn, he stopped from time to time and did a somersault in the air. Lydia noticed something weird about how he did it. He stayed in the air for far too long for it to be an ordinary acrobatic trick, as if the boy was floating… "Does Kevin have your juice too?" she drawled, having an unsettling feeling at her stomach.

"Yes, but for other reasons."

"But why-"

"Listen, woman, do you want to come here again or not?!"

"Yes, but-"

"No buts!"

And then something really strange happened: Beetlejuice grabbed her head and smashed his lips to hers. Before Lydia could register what was going on, something slimy and greasy entered her mouth.

"Now swallow it," Beetlejuice ordered, covering her mouth with his hand.

Lydia's head was spinning wildly, because of the substance in her mouth, the kiss (if that action could be called that) or the general feeling that she was going to be sick. Somehow she moved her throat muscles and the alien lump went down.

"What in the Hell…" Lydia rasped out between rapid breaths.

"I asked you to open you month, but no! Why all women talk so much?" Beetlejuice questioned the sky, turned on his heels and marched towards the house.

Lydia stepped through the small door into her old bedroom that had already changed to normal. Not normal, ordinary. She stumbled towards her bed still dazed by the happenings of the last minutes. Only when she gathered her senses somewhat another abnormality registered in her mind – Beetlejuice's lips were not deadly cold, she still could feel her lips burning.