A/N: For those who haven't noticed, this fic is going to be fluffy...in a dark way. *evil grin* I'm sorry about the OOCness! It's unavoidable! We'll see what I can do. Please guys, REVIEW! If you subscribe, REVIEW! It's a little AU here and there! [Sept 2024: Minor updates/edits continue on this little fic.]

"Lyddie. Oh, Lyddie. Rise and shine, pumpkin." A soft voice whispered close to her. Lydia's eyes tightened, stirring from her sleep.

Lydia groaned and slowly opened her eyes. She was greeted by smiling faces. She sighed and pushed herself up, supporting her weight back on her arms. She stared at them through one eye, keeping the other closed against the slight brightness in her room.

"Hey, guys. What's going on?" She asked, her voice low and hoarse with sleep. She brought a hand up to scratch her eye, letting out a loud yawn.

Barbara grimaced now, worry instantly etching through her soft features. "Lydia, are you alright? You look like you didn't get any sleep."

"Yeah, I just..." Lydia trailed off. As her sleepiness started to wear off, memories of last night started to flood her mind. "I had a lot of bizarre dreams last night, and there was a lot of tossing and turning. I'm fine." She mumbled. Her memories were fuzzy, but anxiety began creeping into the pit of her stomach. Could they have been dreams? In any case, they'd be more nightmares than dreams if he was in them.

"Oh. I'm sorry, sweetie." Barbara said with a lopsided smile, trying to convey sympathy for the young woman.

"You know what, Barb? I think it's best if we come back later. I think Lydia could use some more sleep." Adam chimed in finally. Lydia turned to him, seeing that he had the same concerned expression on his pale face.

"No, no, it's fine. I'm up now. What's going on?" She asked, leaning forward to sit up straighter so she could give them her full attention.

"We have something we want to show you." Adam said, his smile returning slowly. Lydia could see excitement twinkling in his eyes.

"What is it?" Lydia asked curiously.

"It's a surprise! Barbara and I have been working on it for a while, just for you!" Adam answered with a grin.

"We finished it late last night, and he's been driving me nuts with wanting to show you already. It took some convincing to get him to wait until morning." Barbara said, roling her eyes, but a teasing smile played at her lips. "So, go on, get up and get dressed so we can show you. Find us in the attic when you're done, okay?" Barbara said with a warm smile, turning to grab her husband's arm and start pulling him toward the door.

"Okay." Lydia said with a giggle. It was always so nice to see the Maitlands so excited about something. Lydia knew it must have been awful to be confined to one area for the rest of your existence. It was like getting a life sentence without doing any wrong. Well, a death sentence. So, whenever the Maitlands asked for anything from the outside world, Lydia would be quick to go get it for them since it was the only way she could truly lend them a hand. For the past few weeks, they'd been asking her for random supplies. Scraps of different colored fabrics, string, needles. She assumed they were trying to fix things up in the attic, or maybe Adam was revamping the model of Winter River.

Curiosity got her moving out of bed. Excitement got her to her closet, where she began pushing and pulling through different shades of blacks and purples and reds. She figured a long-sleeved, V-neck, black dress would be fine for the occasion. She brought it to her bed, laying it out flat. She eyed it for a moment, deciding sheer black tights would tie it all together with her knee-high boots. She fetched the articles of clothing, then moved on to the bathroom to take care of her morning ritual. Back in her room, she shut the door to change out of her nightgown. Only...

"No. He wouldn't." Lydia shook her head, trying to shake the thought out of her mind. But even with her hands on the hem of the silk nightgown, she still hesitated. "Would he?" She whispered to herself. She gasped when she felt a strange coolness run over the backs of her hands.

"You sick pervert! Get out before I-"

What, Lydia? Kill me? Came his grotesque, smug voice.

"I can think of worser fates for you." Lydia snapped.

It's cute that you think you can hurt me. He said in a teasing tone. He wasn't worried in the least, and that made Lydia's jaw muscles clench with annoyance.

"This is a new low for you, Bee-" She stopped herself before she could utter the word. "BJ." She corrected.

BJ? Don't mind if I do. He said with a sadistic purr that made Lydia's skin crawl. Did he ever pull this kind of crap with her all those years ago? Was she just too young and innocent to understand the connotations of his jokes. If they were a joke at all.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lydia grumbled, shaking her head. "Can you just please go away? I have things to do and places to be, and I don't need you to watch me change." She barked. She started to feel a little silly with her eyes darting everywhere even though she knew she wouldn't be able to see him.

It never seemed to be a problem when you didn't know I was lurkin' around.

"You are despicable." She growled through her teeth. Her stomach twisted and her face morphed with repulsion. She didn't want to believe that this creep had been watching her change and do-

"Just how much have you seen, Beetlejuice?" She demanded. She was so furious; she didn't notice she'd said his name. She was solely focused on knowing what he knew.

A real man doesn't peep and tell. He joked with a cackle. If Lydia could see him, she'd have him by the neck. She needed to know what he'd seen, how long he'd been spying on her. And why? God, why was he even spying on her like such a creep?

You seem perplexed. He commented after a beat of silence.

"Ugh! Why are you still here? Get lost!" Lydia wailed, throwing her head back and shutting her eyes. He clearly had no intention of answering her question, and she didn't have time to waste on this bug. Instead, she tried convincing herself that he was only bluffing, and that he hadn't actually been watching her every night since who knows when. Yeah, he was probably just trying to freak her out, and she wouldn't let him see that it was working.

You can relax, babes. You've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Though I have no complaints here either. He grumbled at the end, and she could imagine him wiggling his stupid eyebrows.

Lydia couldn't help but feel embarrassed, angry, and offended. "Get. Out. Now!" She yelled angrily, her face growing hot with emotion. "Get out, get out, get out!"

What! I was only fucking with you! You look great! He said almost defensively.

"Beetlejuice, so help me God, if you don't get the fuck out of my room, get the fuck out of my house, and get the fuck out of my life, I-" She said with pure venom in her voice, but she shut her mouth when she heard her name being called. Someone was coming up the stairs, and fast. Along with the thundering footsteps coming toward her room, she heard a soft hissing sound, which she assumed was him finally leaving her alone.

"Lydia? Who on earth are you talking to?" Came Delia's voice from the other side of the door. She knocked on it after, when Lydia didn't immediately reply.

"Uh, no one. I was just... Singing." She lied. She started to realize that she was lying often these last few days, all to hide the fact that he was back. She didn't want her family to worry, much less over him. He had no power anymore, no matter how much he wanted to believe that he did.

"Well, I made breakfast. Come downstairs and eat. And hurry, before it gets colder." She said, her voice fading as she walked away from the door.

"Colder." Lydia muttered under her breath. She knew that meant that Delia had already had her fill of the food, and she was now offering whatever was left over so it wouldn't go to waste. On the bright side, Delia was terrible at measuring portions, so there was always a decent amount of food left over for her.

Jaw still clenched tightly, Lydia yanked her nightgown off in one swift movement, pulling on the dress just as quickly. The veins in her neck pulsated annoyingly hard, her anger still coursing through her veins. She needed to get out of this room and get him out of her mind.

"He talks about me like I'm nothing more than the used-up chicks at his whore house." She muttered to herself as she pulled her tights on. "I'm not even dead. That has to be worth something, right?" She said as she sat down at the foot of her bed. "He probably prefers them dead and falling apart, anyway." She grumbled bitterly. Then it dawned on her. Why does she even care? "I need to get out of here." She said urgently, rushing out of the room before she even got done with her ponytail.

Breakfast consisted of overcooked eggs, salty bacon, and slightly burnt French toast. Lydia washed down every bite with orange juice, watching Delia fuss with the dishes. The loud clattering and banging weren't pleasant, but it beat talking to a dead guy. Well, that dead guy.

"Where's dad?" Lydia asked with some bacon in her mouth.

"Oh, Charles didn't feel very well this morning and went to the doctors." Delia said casually, her back turned to Lydia as she worked. "He did look a little pale."

"What was he feeling, exactly?" Lydia asked. She wanted it to seem like it was out of concern, which it very well could have been, but she also felt a nagging suspicion swirling inside her.

"Well, he said something about feeling anxious and a little sick to the stomach. It all started last night, he said." Delia said over her shoulder.

"And that sent him to the hospital?" Lydia asked dubiously.

"Well, he wouldn't stop throwing up, so yeah." She chirped with a shrug.

Lydia nearly choked on her food. She put her fork down, making a ding sound against the plate. "That sounds like more than just a little sick." She said almost accusingly. How could she be so calm about this, and why hadn't anyone told her? Did he drive himself to the doctor? How bad was it? And what caused it? "Aren't you the least bit concerned?" She asked.

"Oh, no. It's probably just a bug or something. It'll be gone in a couple of days." She said, waving her hand dismissively, sending soap suds flying.

"Okay." Lydia relented. There was no point in arguing with her. She finished off her breakfast and slid off the stool, gathering the plates and cups to set them beside the sink. Delia barely acknowledged her but took the dirty dishes anyway. "Thanks. I'll be up in the attic if you need me." She said, but she knew she wouldn't.

Lydia trudged up the stairs, her head swimming with thoughts. She was barely paying attention when she opened the door, only bringing her eyes up when she heard sharp gasps.

"Scaring ghosts, how ironic." Lydia said with a pathetic chuckle.

"Not scare, startle." Adam defended.

Lydia noticed him tucking something behind his back just as Barbara rushed over to stand beside him, offering additional cover.

"So, are you ready?" Barbara asked with a beaming smile on her face.

Lydia wanted to return the smile with just as much enthusiasm, but the truth was that her mind was somewhere else. She bit her bottom lip nervously. Did they know that her father was sick? Had they seen him before he left? Should she bother telling them she had a hunch that it was somehow Beetlejuice's doing? She had no proof of that. For all she knew, he could have food poisoning from Delia's cooking. But what if it was him? She'd need to figure out why he did it. To get back at her for not summoning him? Is this what he would resort to in order to force her to marry him again? The thought sent new anger rushing through her body. If he wanted to play hardball, she knew how to make it to the afterlife, and though she'd rather stay clear of that until her natural death, she would go there to beat his ass if he thought he could play with her family like this just to get his freedom.

"Oh, Lyddie?" Barbara called, waving her hand in front of the girl's face. Her smile had faltered for a moment but came back when Lydia looked at her. "I asked if you're ready to see your surprise."

"Um, actually, I think there's something I need to tell you guys first." She mumbled, walking toward the couch that was just past them. Adam turned in time to her walking, keeping whatever he had hidden behind his back out of her view. Lydia plopped down on the old couch, creating an explosion of dust which she fanned away with her hand.

Adam and Barbara gave each other a look of concern before turning their attention to Lydia. They waited quietly for her to speak.

"I think he's back. And not only is he back, but he's back up to his usual tricks. He wants out, and he still thinks I'm going to be the one to do that." Lydia explained, her voice disheartened. She buried her head into her hands and sighed. "Of course, I told him no. There's no way. But Delia just told me that dad is out sick. I can't help but think that he has something to do with it. What do you guys think?" She asked, looking up through her lashes at her ghost friends.

Adam's jaw clenched and he glared at the floorboards. "I had a feeling he was back. I kept catching wind of an awful aura, and I know it isn't Delia. It's different. It's powerful." He stated.

"Oh, Adam. I wanted so much for you to be wrong." Barbara whispered, her hand covering her mouth that was twisted into a deep frown. "What can we do? Should we go after him before he strikes?" She asked, panic clear in her voice.

"What if there's a trap?" Adam asked. He brought an arm out to wrap around her waist in attempt to calm his wife. "We could be taking the bait."

"And if we do nothing? Who knows what he's capable of. We already know he's desperate, and he's powerful. Not exactly a great mix." Barbara said.

"And he must have some new tricks up his sleeves. He knows we know how to handle him if he comes back with the same moves. He may be crazy, but he's not dumb." Lydia added.

"Oh, I don't like this, Adam." Barbara whined, turning to hug him, burying her face into his neck for comfort.

"I don't like this either, honey. But we don't know his angle yet. If he's as desperate as we think, he'll slip up. And when he does, that's when we'll take action." He said.

"What other angle could he have?" Barbara asked. "He wouldn't come back to Lydia for any other reason. He wants her to marry him."

Lydia frowned, "And we have nothing to make a deal over. He'll play dirty this time. He'll make things happen, forcing me to give in."

Adam shook his head, waving a placating hand between them. "Now, ladies, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Try to stay positive. Lydia, all you need to do is stay strong. Don't say his name. Let him come, let him try, but don't say it. He'll give up eventually. He has to."

"I'm not so sure about that." Barbara mumbled.

"Let's just wait it out. There's nothing else we can do right now." Adam insisted, trying to keep his voice level.

Lydia sighed. "Adam is right. All he said was that he needed me to marry him. No scams, no plans, no deals. I don't know what he's trying here yet. But I'll figure it out. And when I do, we'll get rid of this pest once and for all." She said with determination. "Now, enough about him. What did you want to show me?" Lydia said, standing to her feet and dusting her dress off.

"Oh. I'm not so sure now is the best time anymore." Adam muttered, shifting on his feet awkwardly.

"Come on, Adam. You should know life is too short to be waiting around for the right moment." Lydia said with a small smile, earning a pointed look from the man.

Adam sighed, bringing forth a blur of black that was pushed into her arms. Lydia grabbed whatever it was, pulling it away so she could look at it. Her breath caught in her throat, and tears stung her eyes immediately. In her hand was a gorgeous black dress. It was a slit dress with long, flowy, lacy sleeves with intricate designs. It had a plunging neckline with ribbons crisscrossing on either side. It was covered in hundreds of little red rhinestones, creating perfect patterns for roses. She could tell that it would sweep the floor, but that only added to the elegance it held.

"What do you think? I know it's not perfect, but we didn't have much time." Adam said sheepishly.

Barbara patted his shoulder, "Once we noticed you weren't focusing on Halloween, we figured we could make you a new costume. One more fitting to who you are today." She said. "Though, now I understand why you were so distracted."

"I love it, guys. It's very beautiful. I'll try it on tonight." Lydia said, smiling at them brightly. It was such a sweet gesture, it pulled at her heart strings. She pulled them both into a tight hug, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She whispered. It was a pleasant distraction from all of her thoughts regarding her stalker as Adam and Barbara went into detail of how they put together the dress using new and old supplies they had put away in the attic. For a while, Beetlejuice was the last thing on her mind as they fussed over her favorite holiday.

A/N: I just finished fixing the Alan/Adam mix up! Please forgive me!

Thank you so much to braygirl that oh-so-politely made my little screw up known to me! *heart*

Reviews of course =)