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

Chapter Eighteen: Benny the Handyman

"Not again." Kathleen groaned as she tried to stop the leaking water from the faucet. At the same time, she heard BG crying in his nursery. "Coming! Just a bit!" Kathleen ran over to BG and opened the door.

He just cooed his sweet 3 month old coo and winked.

Kathleen smiled at him. "One second, okay?" She started to run back to the leaking water and realized it was starting to leak at the base of it as well. "Not this again too." She heard BG start crying again and took off to check on him again.

He cried as she held him a few minutes, then she tried to lay him back down.

She ran straight for the water again and saw it was really starting to leak all over the floor. Oh no!She heard BG starting to cry at the same time. She ran and brought him in, at the same time trying to hold him and stop the leak. "I've gotta get the water turned off!" She looked at the pool of water on the floor and knew she had to get help right away. BG on the other hand was starting to cry and was squirming all over.

"Looks like you need a handyman."

Kathleen stopped as she saw someone standing at her opened front door. The skin was tanner, the hair was flat-out black, but it looked almost like..."Mr. Beetleman?"

The man scratched his head. "Naw, I'm Benny." He took out a tool from his side and started to walk over to her sink. Kathleen watched as the man that looked similar to Beetlejuice started to fix her sink.

"There ya go." The man took his thumb and flicked it across the bottom of his nose. "That was easy."

Kathleen looked at the leak. Can't be. Beetlejuice couldn't ever fix anything.

The man held out his hand. "I just moved in next door." He nodded at BG. "He your little brother?"

That's when it hit Kathleen. This wasn't a man, it was..."You're just a boy."

"And you're just a girl," Benny said. He looked at BG. "Your brother's got some freaky white hair."

"He's not my brother," Kathleen said, still looking at the boy in awe.

"Babysitting?" Benny nodded. "I tried that but kids are out of control." He took one of his tools and twirled it around his finger. "Repairs make more money. Speaking of which, you owe me twenty bucks."

Kathleen looked offended as BG started to cry. "I didn't ask you to fix it."

"Yeah sure, and you would have done what?" Benny asked. "Called a plumber which would have cost a lot more money. Meanwhile, water continues to flood your kitchen. So come on, fork it over."

"Benny!"

Kathleen watched as a new woman she had never met appeared at the door.

"You are meeting our new neighbor for the first time and you ask for money?" The woman griped. "My boy has no shame." She looked over at Kathleen and looked back toward Benny. "She's even your age and pretty and you still ask for money? Incorrigible."

Benny just grunted. "Money's money."

His mother corrected him with a look and then smiled toward Kathleen. "Hi, I'm Mrs. Juniper, is your mother here? We just moved in next door."

"Oh." Kathleen shook her hand. "I didn't know they moved out."

"Both houses around you moved out," Mrs. Juniper said. "I didn't know which one to pick really, they were both nice. This is such a beautiful neighborhood, I don't know why anyone would move out of it." She smiled at BG. "Hi there. Where's your mommy?"

Kathleen looked between Benny and his mother. Now she was really in awe. It couldn't be then. Beetlejuice with a mother? And my age? It didn't make any sense. "I'm the only one who lives here." She bounced BG. "This is my son, BG."

"Son?" Mrs. Juniper smiled awkwardly. "Oh. Sorry."

"Fine, I get it all the time," Kathleen said as she shared a look with BG. "I better put BG back down for his nap."

"Doesn't look tired to me," Benny said as he looked at BG. "Yo kid. You tired?"

BG just grinned wide at him. A little wider than a three month old should have been able to grin.

"Well, I better try and get him down then." Kathleen started to fidget. BG was still experimenting with magic, and she couldn't let anyone see him do anything. Whether it was someone who looked similar to BJ or not.

"Come on, Benny, let's get going." Benny's mother smiled politely. "Goodbye dear."

"Hey look at his face." Benny started to laugh. "He's got something down below now, I know it." He wriggled his nose. "Whoah, I can smell it too. Wow, how can something that small have such a bad stench. Even I can't do that after a couple burritos."

"Benny, come on," his mother insisted looking at Kathleen a bit distastefully.

"It'd take like five Chimichanga's for me." Benny rubbed BG's head. "Stinker. You stink. Gimme five." He took BG's little hand and made him give him a five. "Five back." He gave BG's hand a little five. BG laughed at the gesture and attention. "See ya then." He waved at BG. He looked over at Kathleen. "See you too. You still owe me twenty bucks."

"Benny," his mother griped, "knock it off." She smiled politely at Kathleen again. "Good luck with the little one."

"Yeah, see ya Kath." Benny followed his mom out but turned back real quick. "If anything else breaks down, I'll fix it, but no more freebies."

Kathleen just blinked as she watched them leave. He was similar to him. She looked at BG. But he didn't remember me and he has a mother. Is it a secret plot, and if so, why didn't the WDP show up?"I've got to talk to Donny."

Donny's place...

"You brought him way over here? Did he cause any trouble?" Donny asked as he looked at BG in Kathleen's arms.

"I need to know what happened to... 'him'." Kathleen said carefully.

"Oh, Kathleen, I can't tell you what happened to my brother."

"Donny! Is there any way he could have come back?" Kathleen looked at Donny seriously. "I have a new neighbor who looks and acts a lot like 'him'."

Donny scratched his head. "Well, I'll look into it then. I'll check back with you at your house, okay?"

Kathleen nodded and looked at BG. Best not keep him out for too long.

A few minutes later Donny came over to Kathleen's house.

Donny smiled. "He's a lot like him."

"Yeah." Kathleen looked at him, filled with hope.

Donny shrugged his shoulders. "He's a lot like him?"

"He is a lot like him. There's got to be something to that."

"There is. 'His' caseworker gave some recommendations. I don't know all of them, but one of them was supposed to have my brother's descendants to help watch over you two. So you could have a nice friend to help out and connect with." He grinned. "According to Benny, his mother recently landed a great job perfect for her, perfect for a salary, and it was a perfect dream come true. Sounds a bit too perfect, don't you agree?"

Kathleen looked down at BG. "He's a relative."

"A living relative," Donny chuckled. "He didn't seem to want to make friends with me. You could have a friend again though."

"I don't want some relative as a friend." Kathleen looked back down at BG in his teddy bear pajamas he hated so much. "I wanted BJ." She looked at the ground. Green and perfect, just like she had to be. "I wanted it to be BJ."

"Kathleen," Donny sighed. "You know you shouldn't say-"

"What, BJ?" Kathleen grumped. "Whatever. I used to be frightened of what would happen, but every day I push the envelope a bit more and nothing has happened yet."

"Oh." Donny started to whistle.

"They don't even really care anymore, do they? Now that BJ's completely gone and BG's born, there's nothing to worry about to them." She looked at her lacy pink dress. "I bet I could wear black and they wouldn't even care."

"I'm sorry." Donny smiled. "I wanted to tell you, but I wasn't allowed to. They're watching every once in awhile, so don't do anything really rash like change clothes. I suppose a bit more freedom wouldn't hurt though. I'll take the rap if you get caught once too."

"Yippee," Kathleen said sarcastically. "News flash Donny, it doesn't change anything." She looked down at BG. "He still can't keep his magic."

"Too risky for a human being," Donny reminded her. "You will be fine though, especially since you can have a new friend."

"Benny." Kathleen rolled her eyes. "I don't care about BJ's relative. It isn't BJ."

"It's still a friend, someone you are allowed to talk to. Someone who is more like you than your other friends," Donny pointed out.

"No one can replace BJ. Ever," Kathleen said firmly.

"Do you replace friends with others?" Donny asked sadly. "You need a friend. He's not a replacement Kathleen, just another friend. Just like me." He smiled. "He's even around your age. Isn't that wonderful?"

Kathleen looked at the stack of dishes that still needed cleaned. She looked back at Donny one more time. "Are you absolutely sure it's not-"

"Family photo's, a mother, a whole past completely different from you." Donny answered her firmly. "It is not him."

"Is he okay?" Kathleen asked worried. She still remembered seeing and hearing him when no one else could when she gave birth to her son. She still didn't know if it was in her head or not. "Is he safely in the neitherworld?" But she wanted it to be in her head badly. As much as she had wanted to see BJ, she'd rather it was just her imagination. Then she wouldn't be worried about his words. About hell. "Just let me know if he's safe?"

"I don't know, but I am sure he is just fine." Donny smiled. "Have faith. He can take care of himself."

Kathleen looked at her sink. "Benny really isn't him."

"This Benny is similar, but he is definitely his own person," Donny replied.

Kathleen nodded giving into the truth. "Donny? Will I ever be able to see him again?"

"One day."

"Before I pass on?"

"Oh." Donny pulled a penny out of his pocket. "Here, a present for you."

Kathleen accepted the penny, getting the hint. Even Donny, the most hopeful, boring and upbeat ghost didn't really believe there was a way to see each other again.

Two weeks later . . .

"Who's a big boy?" Benny laughed as BG crawled to him. "Look at you, dude." BG gave Benny a high five.

"Suppertime boys." Kathleen smiled as she came out from the kitchen.

Benny grabbed BG and lifted him up high. "Coming."

"I made spaghetti."

"Alright." Benny dug his fork in and started to eat. "This is pretty good."

"Well, thanks Benny. I appreciate you watching BG while I made dinner," Kathleen laughed. "I just can't get anything done when he's ready to crawl away like the wind!"

"Yeah, he is a handful, but I like that." Benny hit BG's little hat playfully. "You gonna go to the movies tonight with us?" BG picked his hat back up to see and chuckled.
Kathleen laughed too as she dug into her spaghetti. She swirled it around on her spoon and took a big bite.

"Could you close that Lid?"

"What?" Kathleen's heart skipped a beat as she heard Benny. "You called me, Lyd?"

"Naw, Kath." Benny closed the lid on the spaghetti pot. "I just said to close the lid. It's gonna get cold."

"Oh. Yeah, of course." Kathleen went back to her spaghetti silently. Why did she always have to do that? I just miss him. She looked over at Benny.Although, I seem to be a bit happier with him around. She smiled at him widely. "Thanks for coming over on short notice and not charging twenty bucks."

At the same time to Beetlejuice...

"994,978 thousand bottles of beer on the wall..." Beetlejuice sang as he continued to hang on for dear life. He didn't even know how much time had already passed.

"Betelgeuusssssss...want to watch ssssssomething?"

Beetlejuice watched as a swirling of orange and yellow started to appear in front of him. "I hope it's the Tongue that Ate Chicago, it's a classic." He watched as the swirls started to change into images. The first thing he made out was a tiny shirt with a happy face. The next thing he made out was a small blue hat, then the baby wearing it. Then he started to make out a silky pink dress with long blonde hair. Familiar hair he'd seen once before. "Lyd? Lydia?! Lydiiiaaa!" He called out to the image, but she couldn't hear him. Next he started to notice a young boy about Lydia's age standing between the two. "Hey. Who the heck is he?"

To Benny and Kathleen again...

"It's fine, I got dinner instead," Benny smiled at Kathleen. "You sure are a mystery."

"What do you mean?" Kathleen asked as she dished up more spaghetti.

"The way you act around the others," Benny pointed out. "The way you dress all-out in pink. The way you try to present yourself. It's not you at all, how come you hide from everyone but me?"

Back to Beetlejuice...

"Who is this guy?" Beetlejuice growled as he watched Benny. "What's he doing with Lyd, and who's that tiny little guy over there?"

"You know who that issssssss..."

"Oh. Oh yeah." Beetlejuice watched BG start to reach toward the floor for some food that fell. "Got my sense of taste I guess." He half smiled.

Back to Benny and Kathleen again...

"I don't." Kathleen tried to hide her face.

"And now you are hiding from me too." Benny moved BG to his high chair and moved closer over to Kathleen. "Kath? Why do you keep pushing me away? I mean sometimes we have the greatest time, and at other times, you just seem to distance yourself. What's up with that?" he frowned. "Do I remind you of someone?"

"Sometimes," Kathleen admitted. "Sometimes you remind me of my best friend. My best friend in the whole wide world and beyond. I can't say much more than that though."

"Oh, I see." Benny nodded. "Something happened to him."

Back to Beetlejuice...

"Uh, yeah, I died." Beetlejuice raised his eyebrow at Benny. "Who is this guy? Why is he getting so cheery with my Lyd?"

Back to Benny and Kathleen ...

"Pretty much," Kathleen said softly. "I can't ever see him again."

"Sorry," Benny said. "I don't mean to be a painful reminder."

"It's not painful," Kathleen corrected him. "I just miss him a lot. A ton in fact."

Beetlejuice...

"Feelings mutual, Babe. Especially now." Beetlejuice looked below him. Oh what he wouldn't give to be out of there and back again.

Benny and Kathleen again...

"Yeah. Uuuhhh. I'm not good at times like these," Benny admitted. "Shoot, I probably shouldn't have said that out loud."

Kathleen chuckled.

"I reminded you of him again, didn't I? That sucks," Benny added, "because I don't want to get in friend mode with you."

Beetlejuice...

"Whoah, whoah, whoah!" Beetlejuice started to yell at the swirling image. "Back off you, that's my Lyd!"

To Benny and Kathleen again...

"I know." Kathleen looked at the table. "It's hard to be friends with someone who's already a mom."

"Not exactly what I meant. Well, no, oh, I don't know what I mean." Benny looked over at BG. "Well, okay. I mean it's nothing big but . . ."

Beetlejuice...

"No way. Nuh uh." Beetlejuice closed his eyes. "She doesn't like guys. No guys. None. She doesn't like dating, she doesn't like dating . . ." He looked angrily at the guy in the image. "She's got a kid for crying out loud you stupid idiot so get away from her!"

"Jealoussssssss?"

"Jealous? No," Beetlejuice answered the eerie voice back. "That's my friend though, he wants my friend, and he can't have her."

"Her friendship is yoursssss, he wantssssssomething elsssseee..."

"Yeah, I know, it's obvious!" Beetlejuice yelled at the image. "Lyd, get the heck away from him." He growled. "I don't like this guy, they shouldn't be friends, and he's trying to get closer and, and . . . I don't like it! I can't stand it! Lyyyyyyd?!"

"Do you know why you can't ssssstand it?"

"Boyfriend equals her leaving," Beetlejuice said logically.

"You can't even ssssseee her anymore. What differencccce does it make?"

"Oh, yeah. I don't know." Beetlejuice watched the image swirling. "She looks happy but . . . I don't know." He closed his eyes. "I can't watch this."

"Betelgeusssssss...you aren't that ssssstupid. You know why . . ."

Back to Benny and Kathleen ...

Kathleen looked away at her interesting food. "A date?"

"Just one. Nothing major," Benny smiled. "Come on, one simple date just to let loose. Let Donny watch BG for tonight instead."

Beetlejuice...

"The kid is called BG? What kind of name is-What?! He wants to get rid of it for a date with her? A date? A freaking date?!" He yelled.,"No, no, no, Lyd, don't fall for that," he whined as he watched the pair. "It's official, I hate this guy. I hate this guy, I hate this guy, I hate this guy!"

"Makesssssense. Many do hate him, for you see..."

Beetlejuice listened up close.

"He isssss you."

"...uhhhh...huh?"

"When wassss the lassst time you felt complete? Why did you grow sssso attached to the human girl? What were you looking for? Asssssk yourssself, why was it only two decades ago that you really started making a name for yourssssself in the Neitherworld?"

"..."

"Your soul has been torn, forced to find sssssatisfaction, any way it could."

"...part of me was reincarnated?" Beetlejuice swayed softly as he watched Lydia and the stranger slightly laughing together. And then, it hit him all at once. He knew why he had changed so much. He knew why he just couldn't stop hanging on to the real world. "...that's me."

"Incomplete and unssssatisfied, trying to fill himself." The sandworm came up from the depths and stared into Beetlejuice's eyes.

"But how?" Beetlejuice tried not to concentrate on the terror in front of his eyes. He needed an answer. "I was alive before."

"A mistake on the part of the neitherworld." The sandworm started to grin an evil, toothy smile. "No, even when you were alive, did you feel any different? Any more ssssssatisfied?"

"No," Beetlejuice admitted. "No different at all, really."

"Betelgeusssss . . .I have the power to make you whole again."

"Why would you care?" Beetlejuice asked suspiciously.

"The WDP want the neitherworld, not me. I have a placccce to rule."

"You mean...y-y-you're the . . ." Beetlejuice gulped.

"They want to keep you separated, but close, to drive you mad. You've already come to me...they will work on your sssplit ssself ssssoon."

"The World Defense Protectors." Beetlejuice growled. "The kid was already born so I'm missing something, aren't I? Some reincarnated self wouldn't just show up accidentally."

"Yes. Watch, but don't watch the obvious."

The obvious was Lydia and his other self trying to get close to her. He watched the kid a bit in the background, but it wasn't something he wanted to do. It's not like he'd ever even get to see it. Heck, he just learned the little guy's name.

While he heard Lydia trying to let down Benny easily, he concentrated on BG. Who was sleeping. At an odd angle. "What?"

"Yeah, sure. No because I remind you of him. You can't lie to me," Benny answered back. He gestured to BG. "He's sleeping again? I thought you had him down for a nap earlier."

"He has a special condition. He just needs more rest," she answered back. "Maybe I should get him down for another nap."

"Sleep." That must be it. "Sleep?"

"Ssssleeeep letsssss the mind wander, doessssn't it?"

"But does it let . . ." Oh no. "Now I get it. It's those lousy no-good double crossing WDP's!" he yelled. "That's why they watched her. That's why they were there at birth. That's why they didn't bother trying to destroy it right away." They were supposed to look like the good guys, completely. "The less supernatural has been around it, less magic it knows, a small spell . . ."

"Ssssoulssss are sssssoooo complicated. Sssssoooo lonely."

"No way." He looked straight at the sandworm. "I'll do anything it takes to make sure this is the only hell."

"That'sssss what I wanted to hear. Go back to where you belong. Go back to your Lydia."

"Those lousy WDP's, I always knew they were scum! They are around my Lydia right now, always watching her." Beetlejuice stared at the image of BG, still sleeping. "No magic at the table, he probably can't even use it anymore. They are making him forget," he said angrily. "No way, I'm gonna get those lousy guys if it's the last thing I do!" They wouldn't bore BG's supernatural soul to death.

"Great. Jusssst one thing. You've been separated for ssssso long, you will not remember anything about your reincarnated ssssssside at firssst."

"Okay, I can deal with that." Beetlejuice looked at the image. "Yikes, that was way too close for the friend area, I have to stop that." He nodded his head. "Yep, yep. We're just friends. We've just always been friends."

"Not interessssssssted in anything more?"

"Nope, friends only. Just friends." Beetlejuice repeated again. "Friends, friends, friends. We're the best of friends, can't mess that up. So when am I going back already?"

The sandworm opened his mouth wide and let out an evil laugh. "Why not now?!"