Chapter Fifteen

Lydia drove through the streets of the Neitherworld, her red rimmed eyes scouring each building she passed, racking her memory for the address she needed. The girl had been searching for almost an hour now, and still hadn't been able to find the house she was looking for.

Why couldn't she remember one simple home address? Surely she wasn't that stressed? But with a wistful laugh, the girl noted that, yes indeed, she was that stressed. And by damned, she was going to give Beetlejuice the beating of his life when she found him, for leaving her alone when she was so troubled and upset. What had he been thinking?

"He wasn't thinking," Lydia answered herself. "Beetlejuice never thinks things through when he's angry. . ."

Doomie who had been anxiously following Lydia's commands, letting her control him, finally blew out a honk of protest and after several more moments came to an abrupt stop. Lydia instantly became flustered and tried to gun the engine. When the car continued to resist her attempts, the girl had a major melt down.

"We can't stop here, Doomie! We've got to get to Bea and Gnat's house! I can't find the Neitherworld Castle on my own, and I don't know what Beetlejuice is planning on doing! . . . DOOMIE WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!"

Doomie honked and gestured one of his front wheels towards the nearest house, his eyes growing wider than before. Lydia followed his gaze and instantly began to cry with relief. There, sitting before them, was the Juice residence in all it's glory, at the same address it had always been, waiting for them.

Lydia jumped out of the car and gratefully kissed Doomie's hood as she ran past him. "Thank you, Doomie! Thank you!"

With shaking hands, the girl rapped her knuckles on the door frantically, and nearly collapsed where she stood when the door opened. But to her surprise it wasn't her in-laws that answered the door. Instead it was the face of someone she had only met a handful of hours prior, that smiled down at her and bid her to enter. And without a second thought, Lydia dove into the Neitherworld man's arms, sobbing, as her worry and concern overwhelmed her.

The Neitherworld Palace was silent, which was to be expected, for the hour was late and the majority of the castle occupants were safely tucked into their beds, fast asleep and dreaming of wonderful and beautiful things.

Beetlejuice had appeared within the castle and had silently set about the arduous task of locating the Neitherworld King, which had so far been unsuccessful. But the ghost kept looking. He wouldn't rest until he had taught Mephistopheles a lesson! He would have justice for himself and for Lyds. The King would pay for setting up the Ghost with the Most! He would rue the day, that he messed with the Juice family! Of that much, Beetlejuice was certain. So the poltergeist continued his search and kept his anger on the brink of eruption, knowing full well that he would need it when he finally found the no-good ruler.

After stealthily peeking his head into innumerable amount of rooms, Beetlejuice finally found his target.

It had been nearly 500 years since he had been invited into the Dark Room, but the ghost remembered it perfectly, as he reached for the door handle and turned it with a slight motion of his hand. He had been a new member of the Neitherworld back then, when he had first come here, and he looked on the memory with something akin to animosity. And as one might suspect, Beetlejuice wasn't exactly thrilled to be back.

The room was darker than the darkest night, as the poltergeist entered, and the air was bitter cold and reeked of must.

Beetlejuice snapped his fingers and a small flame flickered into being, letting him see his surroundings with his sharp yellow eyes. And for the first few moments the ghost couldn't see anything, but then after much observation, he spotted a figure in the corner, shrouded in a veil of the darkest of shadows.

"Mephistopheles." Beetlejuice growled, his eyes blazing furiously as the dark figure turned to face him.

"Betelgeuse," Mephistopheles replied solemnly. "I believe congratulations are in order, for your recent nuptials."

"Not from you," the ghost spat back, anger radiating off him like a lighthouse beacon. "Not after all you've done!"

Mephistopheles moved closer, though his shadow shroud stayed fully in place. "Framing you was a necessary evil, Betelgeuse. It wasn't a personal act."

Beetlejuice cackled then, loudly and without a trace of humor. "Wasn't personal? What else would you call framing someone for rape and then forcing their best friend to save 'em!? Cause I'd call THAT personal!"

Mephistopheles shook his head slightly and clasped his hands together in front of his robes. "It was Lydia's choice, and Lydia's choice alone to marry you. I had nothing to do with her decision; though, in the end I got what I wanted. Lydia will stay in the Neitherworld and fulfill her birthright, and I will finally be able to train Vince to take my place as Ruler of the Realms."

Beetlejuice scowled, "Lyds won't become an Enforcer now, slime-ball. Not after everything you've put her through."

Mephistopheles smiled, showing off his pointed teeth in a most frightening way. "Oh, but I think she will, Betelgeuse."

The ghost nearly jumped across the room and attacked the no-good king for his smugness, but for some strange reason he stopped himself.

"And why will Lyds become an Enforcer, Mephistopheles?" Beetlejuice said the king's name like a curse word and made a sick face as it left his mouth.

"Because, my dear Betelgeuse," the king said softly. "She has a conscience."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"She will realize that becoming an Enforcer is the right thing to do. And she will rise to the occasion and be the better person Like she has always done . . . ever since she met you."

Beetlejuice frowned. "Lydia won't work for the man that nearly had her imprisoned, pal. You're crazy to think she will."

"You seem to forget that Lydia is an honorable woman, Betelgeuse." Mephistopheles contradicted. "She won't shun her duties, like you did. She isn't anything like you."

Beetlejuice felt his stomach curl and before he could even blink he had begun to call up his juice. "You messed with the wrong, ghost, Mephistopheles!"

Mephistopheles' smile merely grew larger as he watched the poltergeist get ready to attack him. "By all means, Betelgeuse, do what you must. . . But know that I will do what I must."

Author's Note: I've already started working on the next chapter, so the next update should be soon. (God willing!) I honestly had a blast writing this chapter! And Beetlejuice's past is touched upon more in the next chapter, so stay tuned!

Also, I would personally like to thank doggyjunky for reminding me that it had been 8 months since I had posted for this story and for her sweet review. Thank you dearest! And I would also like to thank my newest friend, ZeeSpiral for an amazing review and her support!

As for the ones of you that had already been reading this story and following it, thank you so much for your love and support! You guys are the reason I write fanfiction! I love you and am blessed to have you in my life! So take the time to pat yourself on the back and eat something sweet and sugary!

~Lyn Harkeran