Shattered Mirrors

Chapter 11: Mistakes Make Good Excuses

It had been roughly two weeks since her sister's party. School had let out for the summer and she had aced all her finals. Not that that was a surprise. Now she was sitting at home, on the couch, watching a DVD. Honestly, she wanted to read the book, but hadn't been able to find it at any of the nearby bookstores, so she had ordered it. Still, it would be a while before she read it. For now she had the DVD though.

Phantom of the Opera. It made her cry, she couldn't explain why. Maybe it was because she felt bad for the phantom. Maybe because...he reminded her of a certain poltergeist. A poltergeist that had been missing more and more lately.

Of course, nothing had changed after that kiss. Awkwardness had ensued and they didn't speak of it. They both knew though. He disgusted her, and she wouldn't admit it. She loved his personality, she loved him.

"What is this...?" Beej asked, startling Aya enough that she fell off the couch.

"Dammit Beej! Don't sneak up on me like that!" She said in an annoyed tone. "It's...Phantom of the Opera. It's a pretty good movie, but the ending is both happy and sad." She said softly.

The current scene was between Christine and Raoul, singing about their love for each other while Erik, the Phantom watched on. It was a scene that absolutely sickened Aya...and literally made her nauseous.

Honestly, she had been feeling nauseous for a while. Maybe she was getting a stomach virus. She wasn't worried about it.

"Say you love me" "You know I do"

Okay, that was all Aya could take. She was running to the downstairs bathroom and vomiting into the toilet.

"Ick, that's a bit gross even for me, toots." Beej called, meaning her puking her guts up. "Of course, not as gross as that scene. I can see why it'd sicken you. Lucky I have an iron stomach." As he said that, he fell to the ground, by the weight of his own stomach. Of course, Aya was too busy to notice or laugh.

What was wrong with her? It didn't matter.

She cleaned up, brushing her teeth a few times and then mouthwash. Her hygiene had always been really good, and she preferred to keep it that way.

"Aya...are you okay?" That voice wasn't Beej's. Oh...no. No, say it isn't so. No, no. Mother of devils, no! Great, just what Aya wanted.

Alice.

"Go away, I don't want any." Aya said grouchily.

"Hey hot stuff." Beej said, making kissy faces towards Aya's sister who couldn't see him nor pay attention to him.

Aya thought she might gag again.

"I haven't heard from you in weeks, darling! Oh, are you okay...you don't look so good. A bit green around the edges and just what are you watching? If you were into operas then I'd take you to one. No need to watch this." Alice said, flicking off the tv.

"I'm not giving any money for any charity, I'm not buying anything. I'm not going to read to orphans. Go away!" She mumbled.

"Aya, darling. Can't I be worried about you?" Alice asked.

"You can worry about me all you want sweetie." Beej said, becoming a ventriloquist suddenly, and speaking through Aya, using her voice.

Aya thought she might die.

"Alice, I'm not in the mood to talk to you." Aya said, glaring at Beej, if only looks could kill the dead...again.

"Oh my heart!" Beej said theatrically, falling down in a dramatic heap.

"What's the matter? Should I call a doctor to come here and make sure you're okay? Oh where did I put that dratted cell phone." Alice fretted, reminding Aya of a chicken with its head cut off.

A rather bloody image that sent Aya to the bathroom again, vomiting all over.

"Aya?" Both Beej and Alice spoke at the same time.

"Aya...are you pregnant?" Alice asked, sounding shocked and scandalized and intrigued all at once. "Is it even Thomas'? Oh...my goodness, do mom and dad know?" She was more interested in this thought then Aya was.

But...Aya was shocked. She couldn't...be...could...she? No, no. Who would be the dad? And...no. She had stopped birth control after she broke up with Leslie. And...she hadn't slept with anyone, right?

Oh. Fuck.

Somehow they made it to the bed, collapsing on it and collapsing into each other. Another round already. Aya moaning as she was on top of him. His hands on her breasts. Her eyes shut in pleasure, although she never noticed how he didn't take his eyes off of her, the way his groans were when she would press close to him, or her lips would be on him. All of this was about sex for her, right? Nothing else. She didn't need to notice who her partner was. All she needed to know was that she was pleased, and that he was pleased. Past that...it didn't matter.

She felt him release into her for the second time that night. "Oh, Leslie." It was soft, and under her breath, and she was straddling him...so her mouth was nowhere near him. She was hoping he hadn't heard her accidental moan. He didn't act like he did, simply pulled her down for a deep, almost possessive kiss. She thought nothing of it.

Beej! It looked like she wasn't the only one who had realized this, because Beej looked frozen, shocked, appalled...and someone sick himself.

"Alice, why don't you go pick up a...a test for me, and could you go get me some nice warm soup, yeah, from that little sandwich restaurant, you know?" Aya was lying as fast as she could.

She couldn't be. It wasn't possible. No.

"I'll be back in an hour darling, try not to be too sick." Alice said and with a wave had swished out the door.

"Do you...think..." Beej started, but couldn't form the question.

"I haven't slept with anyone else..." She pointed out. The zombie things hadn't existed. Leslie had been a while back. More than two weeks, symptoms would've shown up sooner. Her and Ryan had done nothing other than one kiss.

"So...that night...at the hotel...?" He gulped. He hadn't thought it would be possible...to, you know.

"I..um, yeah...I think so." She mumbled, looking down.

Honestly, she already knew once her sister had asked. Aya didn't get colds often, and when she did it wasn't anything that led to vomiting.

"I'm sorry." He said. But, it was both their faults right. She had let him and he had taken advantage. And she was so young. Or at least, for his thoughts she was too young to deal with that. He was dead, so he was no help on this area.

Aya didn't hear him. What was she going to do? She didn't want to get rid of it. Even if she had a horrible childhood, and had no particular warmth towards children...it was probably the only chance Beej would have to have a son, and she wouldn't kill that. Besides, now that she knew about ghosts...what happened to the souls of babies that were taken in the womb? She wouldn't give it up for adoption, because of her own abuse in the past.

Soon enough Alice was back, with a pregnancy test and a bowl of soup, although she wasn't offended when Aya refused the soup and took the test. Alice was too interested in the result.

Positive.

Now, Alice knew those tests weren't foolproof, but she had bought the most accurate test there was over the counter, and Aya was vomiting.

"Um, I think you probably want some time to be alone...I'll stop by tomorrow to make sure you're eating properly and taking care of yourself."

* * *

Beej had disappeared. It wasn't the first time, but...Aya couldn't find him, he didn't answer. She was alone, alone with the grief over the news. She laid in bed, not moving much. She didn't know what to do. She didn't have friends, so she couldn't call them and ask what to do.

* * *

Another week and Beetlejuice was still nowhere to be seen. Aya was getting worried. Had he abandoned her? It would serve her right. It was her mistake after all. He didn't have any real ties to her that she knew of. He didn't love her, he just put up with her. So...he had all rights to split.

Alice had to force Aya to eat, although Aya was good about everything else.

"Alice I'm going to get fat eventually. Let me enjoy the way I am now." She said.

* * *

Another week. Two weeks since the news. And yes, she was. And no, Beetlejuice still wasn't present. Aya felt...alone. It was an aching feeling at the bottom of her chest. It was summer so she had nothing to do but bother herself.

She was tired of being alone other than her sister. Her sister didn't even come that often now that she was sure Aya was eating okay.

* * *

Aya came down with a cold another week later. She didn't tell her sister, who had stopped coming altogether, on vacation in some tropical place while Aya was sneezing and coughing and not wanting to move.

She curled under a mound of blankets in bed, feeling horrible, feeling cold and shivering.

The sound of thunder had her scrambling under her blankets, clinging to the bed. She didn't like this at all. The power went out with the storm, causing her to fall into a crying, shivering mess on her bed. "I hate you! I take back everything nice I've ever said. I fucking hate you. You become my friend, you let me sleep with you, you let me sing to you. You let me kiss you. And then you fucking disappear. I hope you're having fun wherever the hell you are!" She was crying and talking to herself, but meaning the words to him.

"Gosh...that's a bit harsh." Beej said softly.

Aya jumped at the voice, quivering. "Oh go away. You're a figment of my imagination. That would explain this. I slept with a random guy at the beach, you're just...some random thing my lonely mind created." She said, feeling hurt and alone and wanting to forget about her only friend.

"You aren't that creative, toots." Beetlejuice pointed out.

Aya peeked out of the covers and he stood there, well...floated anyways. She threw herself at him in a kind of annoyed happiness to have him back as she cried into the ghost's suit.

Beej was taken aback. She had never shown this much willingness to touch him when he was like this. And he didn't know how to react to the touch, or how to comfort her. He patted her head slowly.

"Um, I'm sorry...?" He mumbled. What was he supposed to say?

"You disappeared!" She whined softly.

"I thought you'd want me too after you found out your...uh, news..." He mumbled.

"No, I didn't." She said as she let go, wiping her eyes, quivering like a child.

* * *

"I l-l-l-l – " He couldn't say it, or force himself to say it, but he wanted to when he heard the news. She was keeping it!

"I just...I dunno, even if things will be hard. I couldn't get rid of this thing, especially after realizing ghosts exist." Aya had told him.

And he was so...very happy. Ghosts aren't supposed to get happy endings. But he was hoping. She had said it already, so...it wasn't like he'd be rebutted now.

"I...l-lo-lov-love you." He stammered it out almost incoherently.

Aya looked up at him in shock. She didn't press it or ask him to repeat it. He had said it. She could almost kiss him, but checked herself, still not over her squeamish nature towards the ectoplasmic being.

Why did he love her? He didn't know. Her anger, her emotionless days, her past, the way she hated and loved him with equal intensity, the fact she was keeping the baby, the danger which she had gotten herself in. Her honey colored hair. Her honey colored eyes. The bright clothes, the beautiful voice. The loud screams. The way she knew certain things before he said them. It all.

He loved her. He was in love.

It wasn't something he particularly liked. He wasn't any fonder to her, he treated her like he had before. He still joked about other girls. But...the Neitherworld whores he used to go see were now history. He was frustrated because he couldn't sleep with her, and took that frustration out by pranking with more ferocity then ever before.

But, the thing he loved right now...was he would have a son. He was dead, yet...he'd actually have a relation. Something...that might love him for him, that might look up to him.

He didn't disappear this time, and Aya was glad for it.

A/N: I know, a lot of this is vague. I might go back and add in details later, unless it sounds good like this. But...what do you guys think? Votes on what the baby looks like? Any ideas on what you want to see or what I could do for the next chapter? Something?! What do you mean you don't have anything? Well, start thinking cause its bad enough I'm drawing a blank.