Disclaimer: I do not own Beetlejuice or related characters, he belongs to Tim Burton. I do not own Beetlegeuse. I don't own Betelgeuse? I don't own any of the weird spellings for his name.

Betelgeuse?

Written By: Melanie Ray

Living World/Lydia's Room...

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help more," Donny said as he sat on her bed next to her while she cried. "Maybe he'll understand better after talking to this Hillman?"

"Hillman's a bar, Donny," Lydia said with a harsh choke. She tried to rub the tear out of her eyes. "Dad hardly ever drinks. I didn't even know he could. He's doing it because of me. This, it just tore his heart out. He's so ashamed of it. I don't know why he'd ever speak to me again."

"Your mother is probably right, Lydia. Your father will come around. Give him time." Donny smiled at her. "It'll be okay."

"Yeah? Sure. Sure, life's been fair lately," Lydia mumbled. She buried her head in her pillow deeply, filling it's wet surface with even more tears.

Donny sighed and looked at the ground. Lydia didn't need him, she needed his brother. Beetlejuice would be able to say something to cheer her up. He had tried to cheer her up with gifts and giving her compliments and telling her it would be alright.

But what she needed the most, he couldn't give her. She needed to laugh. To smile and be happy.

She needed Beetlejuice.

Two hundred years. Donny closed his eyes. Two hundred years of practice. They won't be happy with me if I do it. She's just sinking away though. I can't make her happy. I think...I think she actually makes me depressed now.

Well, two hundred years down the drain. But, he'd make her happy. That's what he really wanted, was to make others happy. Especially Lydia. She was family now.

He looked over on the other side of the bed. She had gone to sleep, a few guilty tears on her cheek. You stay safe, Lydia. He quietly got up and went over to her closet. He couldn't go to the neitherworld for a straight visit, he'd be caught. He knew she probably had a ouija board somewhere. The WDP had acted like a treacherous demon when they interrupted the duo's message the first time, but from ghost to ghost it would be harder to pick up.

Neitherworld/BJ'S Roadhouse...

Beetlejuice?

"Huh?" Beetlejuice looked around him as he realized he recognized that voice. "No, No, No!" He quickly went to the door and started to board it up. Not him. Not him.

Beetlejuice? I'm using a living world ouija board. I need to talk to you badly.

"Living World?" Beetlejuice stared up at the air. "What are you doing there?"

It's about your friend, Lydia. She's not happy. I don't seem to help much.

"Help much? You? You're with Lyd?" Beetlejuice jumped up and down in jealousy. "Why are you with Lydia? I should be with her!"

You're right. I don't have long Beetlejuice, I can't explain. Just tell them that you're alive.

"...what?" Beetlejuice scratched his head.

They'll be monitoring this brother. I can't take long. Don't say anything else, just be firm. If you know you're alive, even the WDP can't keep you down.

"What are you saying?" Beetlejuice whined. "I'm not alive. I've been dead over six centuries."

I don't have time. If you have to, squeal on me. They know the truth, they have to let you go. If they don't, other 'entities' will get involved. Just remember your real name. B-E-T-E-L-G-E-U-S-E. Now, I've got to go. Good luck brother. And I love you.

"Ewww, I hate the L word," Beetlejuice grumbled. "Donny? Leaves right in the middle of a conversation." Some leaves went by Beetlejuice's face. "I'm alive?" He started to go outside. But I'm dead. I've been dead, I've lived here for forever. How can the ghost with the most . . . not be a ghost? He looked at his hand and took his pinkie on and off. On and off. I've always had afterlife powers since I can remember. If I was alive, I wouldn't have them. Beetlejuice shoved his hands in his pockets. Don't say anything else, just be firm. Ha. That really helps, Donny. Beetlejuice kicked a rock in the middle of the road. It would get me back to Lydia though. But if he's wrong, I could get in big trouble. Big Trouble! I-I could be sentenced to the sandworm pit. An eternity of sandworms, no way I couldn't take it!

But then, a single image popped into his mind. A smiling Lydia.

"Sandworms!" His brain said as it popped the top of his head off.

"But, but Lydia?"

"Sandworms!" His brain yelled again. "Stop and think."

"Oh, who am I kidding? I gotta be with Lyds!" Beetlejuice yelled. He ran faster than his brain, following behind him. He couldn't think about what he was doing, he had to just do it. For Lydia. "You better be right, Donny!"

Neitherworld/File Bureau...

"JUUUNNOOOOO!"

Juno groaned as she put out her cigarette. Every day he came to heckle her. "Not now, I'm busy." Beetlejuice ran into the room anyhow. "Go away. You're just going to wear your magic out again," Juno shouted at him.

"Don't have to." Beetlejuice gave a slight grin. Donny better have been right. He was his brother though and he did care about him. He had run out of options long ago, he had to take the risk, whether his brain liked it or not. "I know I'm alive."

Juno was completely shocked. "How did you find out?!"

Beetlejuice grinned, the bluff had worked. Somehow, Donny had been right. "I know I'm alive, so you can't keep me from the living world. If you do, we'll have 'other' players brought into this life and death game."

Juno slowly sat deeper in her chair. It was over. As long as Beetlejuice didn't know the truth, he couldn't bring any case against them. But if he did know they couldn't keep them there, it was in the rulebook. "It's not a good idea."

"I'll be the judge of that." Beetlejuice turned his outfit into a striped judge's wardrobe. He held a gavel in his hand and slammed it on her desk. "Now that's it, You've got no choice, Ha! I told you I'd get back to her, no matter what, didn't I?"

Juno groaned slowly. "How did you find out?"

Beetlejuice tapped his head. "I don't know. I just know that I know . . . you know?"

Juno glared at Beetlejuice. "It's dangerous. You don't know how dangerous everything really is."

"Well hey then, here's an idea." Beetlejuice smiled at her and then shouted, "Why not just tell me already?!"

Juno rubbed her head. She rubbed it for awhile. What was she supposed to do? The WDP did not want him back. He was not even supposed to know. But if he knew he was alive, he'd have to go back, so should she tell him about the dangers? Would he take it seriously? She leaned back further in her chair. "I need to talk to the WDP. Until then, you know that you don't belong." She brought out his file. "Even I can't keep you here once you know. Now, they are not going to be happy about this."

"Well, I'm not here to please them."

"Listen to me! In no way, shape or form should she visit the Neitherworld ever again!"

"But I'll be alive, I can't take her back." He groaned. "That's right. I won't have any more powers, will I?"

"I can't discuss anything with you," Juno said. "Can you at least be considerate enough until I can speak to a-"

"I'll say it," Beetlejuice grinned. No way was he letting this chance get away from him.

Juno had no choice. If he cried out 'unjust death' it would be out of her hands, and into hands she did not want to deal with. "Fine. But do not touch Lydia Deetz. Ever."

Beetlejuice just touched his own hand. "What do you mean? Like on the hand? Why?"

"No, the hand is fine. Just, don't overly touch her." Juno looked at his file. Maybe I don't have to let him go yet? There is one loophole. "If you know you're alive, then what is your name?"

Beetlejuice grinned at her as he remembered what Donny said. "B-E-T-E-L-G-E-U-S-E."

"Close," Juno smiled. "That's what it has been translated to. It is even on your file, but what is your original first name?"

"What?" Donny hadn't told Beetlejuice anything about that.

Juno started to put his file away. "The way you were named has changed. What was it before? If you do not know, then you do not go. One of the loopholes, remember?"

"B-E-E-T-L-E-J-U-I-C-E?" Beetlejuice spelled with little hope. That would be too easy.

"No. Enjoy the neitherworld." Juno went back to her papers.

What? Another spelling? There's Juice and there's Geuse. There's no other thing I've been called. "Aah, I'm too close!" He couldn't give up, not now.

"Not close enough. Good day," Juno said gruffly as she went to filling out more paperwork.

Beetlejuice stood up. All for nothing. Maybe my weird dream was right after all. Maybe I have to remember somehow . . . wait. My dream? He looked down at his side as he remembered the strange name that was on the sword. Was that it? 'Bedalgeuze? Well, it's close, and it's my last shot. "Hey Juno, I want another guess."

"Take as many as you like," Juno said gruffly. He'd never guess it, it was too old of a name and Beetlejuice wasn't that well educated.

"B-E-D-A-L-G-E-U-Z-E," Beetlejuice spelled out. "Well?"

Juno dropped her pen as her concentration on her paperwork went out the door. She looked angrily at him. "How did you know?!"

Beetlejuice just snorted at her. "Yeah, right. Like I'm telling you?"

Juno just growled at him. "Do not get physically close to her. Do you understand?"

"Sure, yeah, whatever," Beetlejuice said happily, knowing he won.

"Geez, the thought of you roaming around out there is chilling." Juno couldn't help but shiver as she got out his file. There was nothing else she could do and he knew it.

Beetlejuice rubbed his hands excitedly. I'll be with Lyds again! But, I'll also be human? No more juicing.
"No more Ghost with the Most. I'd be the human with . . .a tan? A fan?"

"That's a shame." Juno faked a smile. "Perhaps you'd rather take some time to think about this?"

Beetlejuice pointed at her. He loved fun and games, but this thing had gone too far. "I want the truth. Are you still investigating, or are you planning to never let me see her again. Well?" Juno's face said it all. "Then I'll do it!" Beetlejuice announced.

Juno groaned but she took a large red stamp and hit it hard on his file. When she lifted it the word ALIVE was marked in red. "Fine, but don't think suicide is an option if you change your mind. You'll start out just like everyone else. Haunting for years." Juno glared at Beetlejuice a bit longer. She wanted to let him know just how bad of an idea it was, but she had no choice. WDP or not, her hands were tied. She could not tell him more without their permission, but she couldn't let Beetlejuice stay any longer.

To do so, would result in more than just the loss of her job.

Living World/Lydia's Room...

Lydia turned around on her back on the bed. She felt her tummy again. Oh no. It's that strange craving again.

"Lydia?"

Lydia turned around and saw Donny.

"I'm sorry, I had to. I wanted you to be happy. And my brother. 'Cause I love you two." Donny smiled wide.

Lydia didn't know what he meant by that.

"I borrowed a board you had stashed away. Way in the back." Donny smiled again. "He'll be here real soon."

"He'll? He? Him?" Lydia was suddenly not craving beetles anymore. Her stomach started to feel really nervous. "But . . ."

Telling her parents was one thing. But to tell him?