I'm Home

Talks

In Alex's bedroom:
Barbara slowly climbed the steps up to the first floor of the house. She looked around and realised just how different the house was from when they were alive. The wallpaper had gone and was replaced with paint, which admittedly looked better. But it still was a little strange to walk through the familiar halls and not see a certain panting hanging somewhere and instead seeing a small shelf holding a crystal (Lydia was hopefully going to take them down). 

She stopped infront of what was Charles old office, and years ago what had been her and Adam's upstairs living room. It was a small cozy room that had a whole wall that was bookshelf's. When they'd lived there they'd had to chairs infront of the fire place and a massive pile of blankets. But when the Deetz moved in Charles had put a couch and chairs infront of the fire and a desk in the fair corner instead of the cabinet where Barbara kept her grandmothers precious china. 

"Alex?" she gently knocked on the door, hoping to not scare the young girl any more. "Alex its Barbara, can I come in?"

"I guess" came the 11 year olds reply. Barbara smiled and pushed the door open. Alex was sitting on her bed, which was on the far side of the room, and was reading a book. Barbara gently shut the door behind her and looked over at her niece. 

"What are you reading?" asked Barbara, walking over and standing a little way away from the bed.

"Oh its mums book" said Alex, putting the bookmark in and passing the book to the ghost. "Its about her when she was younger and when she moved into this house" 

"Oh she was telling us about this" said Barbara, flicking through the books pages "Have you read it before?"

"No" said Alex, taking the book back and putting it on the floor next to her "Mum said it was a little too old for me. But I think since I live in this house I should be allowed to read about it" she looked at Barbara with a scared and curious expression "So... you're really a... y'know... ghost?"

"Unfortunately" said Barbara, fiddling with one of the strings on her dress

"And you're my aunt?" asked Alex after a few moments of silence 

"Yes" said Barbara, smiling a little

"So you know my dad?" asked Alex

"Very well" said Barbara

"What was he like?" asked the young girl in an almost pleading tone, begging for more information on her father. Barbara stared off at the bookshelves in thought "Oh and you can sit down if you want"

"Thank you" said Barbara, she sat down at the end of Alex's bed and looked at her niece, who was smiling "So what do you want to know?"

In the attic:
"You live up here?" asked Will, looking around the spacious attic. Adam nodded and set Victoria down on a beanbag "Thats so cool. Its awesome up here"

"Its not too bad" said Adam. He looked around and smiled "Want me to show you two something special? Only Barb and I know about this. Can I trust you with the secret?"

"Yes" said Will and Victoria, rushing over to Adam and looking at him "What is it?"

"Well, there's a secret room"

"No way" breathed Will "Where?"

"Its over in the far end of the attic, where the roof gets smaller and the light doesn't shine" they all walked there together 

"That sounded like an adventure book" said Will, he spotted the door in the far corner "found it!"

"Go on in" said Adam. Will opened the door and went in. Adam reached his hand in and flipped the light switch on. The room was larger than expected, but still relatively small. There were books, a box, a pile of blankets and bean bags there. 

"This place is awesome" said Will, flopping onto the blankets "what'd you guys use it for?"

"It was Barb's sulking place" said Adam, closing the door "First time she went up here I couldn't find her for hours and hours. Scared me to death" 

"Can we redecorate?" asked Will, looking around "Definitely needs some posters, maybe a TV with a gaming console attached, some movies too"

"No" exclaimed Victoria "Fairy cave!"

"No" groaned Will "No more stupid fairy caves"

"They aren't stupid" said Victoria, stomping her foot and putting her hands on her hips, pouting at her older brother

"They are"

"Are not"

"Are too"

"Lets discuss this reasonably" said Adam

In the kitchen:
"Do you think he's dead Beej?" asked Lydia. Then her head snapped up and she looked at Beetlejuice "Has he died?"

"No" said Beetlejuice firmly, reaching a hand out and placing it on Lydia's arm "Lyd, I promise he hasn't died"

"How do you know that?" asked Lydia 

"Lyd, I freaking run the netherworld, I think I'd know if your husband was dead" Lydia sniffed and Beetlejuice softened "C'mere Lyd" he opened his arms wide and Lydia flew into them, hugging the demon tightly. 

"I forgot how squishy you are" she mumbled into his neck. Beetlejuice laughed and hugged her tighter. 

"That better?" asked Beetlejuice after a solid 5 minutes of hugging. Lydia nodded and pulled away. Beetlejuice looked at his best friend in wonder. She'd changed from the 15 year old he'd tried to marry. She looked much more stressed, more stressed and tired than he'd ever seen her. "Lyd, want me to hang around more?"

"What do you mean?" asked Lydia

"You look absolutely exhausted" said Beetlejuice "Not to be mean or anything though, just being honest"

"It'd alright Beej" sighed Lydia "Yeh, I know I look dead on my feet... it's because I am." she ran a hand through her hair "Having Liam gone for this long has hit me hard. The most he's been gone is 6 months, but now with it being 9 months... it's taken a toll on me"

"Aww Scarecrow" Beetlejuice gripped one of her hands 

"Dad and Delia have helped me a lot, as well as Barb's mum Jill and her sisters. They took the kids when I had stuff to do. But I feel bad relying on others to help me. It makes me feel weak and venerable" 

"Well, I promise I'll be around here more" said Beetlejuice "I'll help you through whatever gets thrown our-way"

"You're the best" said Lydia, hugging Beetlejuice tightly again. 

By the end of the day the whole house hold was doing better. Beetlejuice had let Lydia take a well deserved nap and sat by her to make sure she was ok. Barbara and Alex had grown close and were happily cooking dinner together for everyone that evening. Adam had managed to settle the debate between the 2 siblings, by saying the room was going to be contributed to by everyone in the house (and by everyone he meant him and Barbara just splitting the space evenly). Meaning there could be a section with fairy lights and toys, but also a section with posters and a game. 

Dinner that evening was quite an event, but it was the most fun any of them had had for years. Barbara and Alex had made a wonderful dish of spaghetti and meat balls and chocolate chip cookies for desert, which was enjoyed by everyone. 

The family grew closer over the next few days, but then Monday came and they had to tackle their next big challenge. School.