I'm Home

Bedtime

"So you convinced Lex that schools not too bad here?" asked Lydia, grabbing Victoria's toothbrush and putting toothpaste on it "Open up sweetie" 

"Yeah" said Barbara, leaning on the bathroom counter and smiling as Lydia brushed her daughters teeth "She seems fine with it now"

"She does" said Lydia, she laughed as Victoria wriggled her head out the way "I would've talked to her, but my highschool experience was not the best"

"You had fun didn't you?" asked Barbara, reaching out a hesitant hand and stroking Victoria's hair 

"Once I became friends with Liam" said Lydia "Before then I had no friends- Tori" she took the toothbrush out of her daughters mouth and looked at her "Sweetheart, if you want this over with quickly, you gotta stay still and not just bite down on the brush" 

"Mama" said Victoria in a muffled voice because of the toothpaste 

"Can I please brush them again?" Victoria shook her head and backed into Barbara's leg. Lydia smiled "What if Barb holds you? Then can I?" Victoria nodded and looked up at Barbara. The ghost leant down and picked the 3 year old up and put her on her hip. "Good girl" said Lydia. 

"Mum!" called Alex, knocking on the door "Can I come in?"

"Sure" said Lydia as Victoria spat in the sink before looking back at Barbara. Alex walked in and saw the three females in there

"Wow, who forgot to invite me to the bathroom party?" she joked, grabbing her toothbrush 

"Want us to leave you to it?" asked Barbara, picking up Victoria

"No, stay" said Alex, starting to brush her teeth.

"Hey Barb, you can braid" said Lydia, looking at Barbara, who was stroking Victoria's back gently 

"Yeah" said Barbara slowly 

"Want to do Tori's hair?" asked Lydia, taking two hair ties off her wrist "She loves it when she has wavy hair"

"Sure" said Barbara, she set Victoria on the counter and gently brushed her fingers through her hair "So, dutch or french?"

"French" said Victoria. Barbara nodded and gently started braiding the girls light brown hair. Alex spat her toothpaste out and looked at Barbara with a smile. It looked so natural for her. This whole thing just looked and felt so natural. 

Lydia was watching everything with a smile. Alex tried to take her hair out of its ponytail but the hair-tie got caught. "Mum? A little help?" Lydia laughed and gently helped her daughter, before grabbing a hairbrush and brushing the knots out of her hair. Two minutes went by and the two sisters had beautiful hair styles. Alex had her dark curtain of hair hanging by her shoulders, and Victoria had to beautiful braids. 

"Right, we'll go say goodnight to the others downstairs and then off to bed you two" said Lydia. Alex opened her mouth to protest "Uh- no. Your brother has to go to bed too, don't worry" Alex smiled and happily walked out of the bathroom. Victoria climbed back into Barbara's arms and sleepily clung onto the ghost as they walked downstairs.

"MUM!" yelled Will, running up to his mother excitedly "Mum! Guess what?"

"What?" laughed Lydia 

"I won!" Will jumped up and down "I beat grandpa, grandma, Beej and Adam!" 

"Good job!" said Lydia, offering him a high-five. "Thats actually quite an achievement" Will grinned proudly "Now, quickly say goodnight and then up to bed mister" Will gave each family member a quick goodbye and sprinted off upstairs "Brush your teeth!" yelled Lydia only to get no response. 

"Night Vicky" said Delia, gently kissing the sleepy child on the forehead and smiling at Barbara, who smiled back "I see you're the chosen one tonight"

"Apparently" laughed Barbara

"Who did her hair?" asked Charles, also kissing Victoria goodnight "Its really good"

"Barb" said Lydia, going over to Adam and Beetlejuice and helping them pack up the game. 

"Tori won't shut up about her hair tomorrow" said Alex, hugging her grandfather tightly "Glad I'm going to school"

"Oh that reminds me" said Delia, reaching into her pocket and bringing out a necklace with a blue stone pendant "Here, I saw them and thought of you. I know you aren't the biggest fan of crystals or whatever, but this is your birthstone, an Aquamarine, and I thought it just needed to be owned by a beautiful young lady like you"

"Wow, grandma" Alex took the necklace and examined it. It was a simple gold chain with the small stone in the centre "I love it" 

"Really?" asked Delia 

"Of course" said Alex, clutching it tightly in her hand and hugging her grandmother "Thank you"

"You're welcome" said Delia. 

"Right, bed" said Lydia 

"But Adam and Beej" said Alex 

"Will come and see you" said Lydia "Bed now"

"Come on" said Barbara, she turned to look at Charles and Delia "Don't leave without saying goodbye, I'll be down soon" she waved goodbye and ushered Alex off upstairs, still firmly holding a now sleeping Victoria. 

Adam watched her leave with a sigh. Lydia went over to him "Whats wrong? Miss her already?"

"No" laughed Adam "It's just I always imagined Barb doing that with our kids, and now that'll never happen and it just hurts a little seeing her interact with children like that. But I also love it because I know it makes her happy and it helps you" 

"Thanks Adam" said Lydia, she put her arms around the male ghost and hugged him tightly. Adam hugged her back and looked at Charles, Delia and Beetlejuice. Lydia pulled away from the hug and looked at the adults. "So, you all got beat by Will, huh?"

"He's good" said Charles "Like, extremely good"

"I knew I never stood a chance with these 2" said Delia, gesturing to her husband and Adam "But Will surprised me"

"I'm proud of him" said Adam

"In celebration I'm gonna dye his hair green" announced Beetlejuice 

"No" said Lydia

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"Lydia" Barbara walked downstairs again "They're all in bed, but you two gotta be more quiet"

"Sorry mum" they both mumbled. Barbara laughed and looked at everyone. 

"So, we'd best be off" said Delia, she approached Barbara and hugged her goodbye "It was amazing to see you guys again, we promise we'll drop round soon"

"Tell the kids we say good luck with school" said Charles, hugging Lydia tightly "we'll see you soon sweetheart, remember to sleep"

"Thanks for coming around" said Lydia, giving Delia a kiss on the cheek "Message me when you get home please"

"Of course sweetie" said Charles, he and Delia quickly said goodbye to the Maitlands and Beetlejuice and walked out the door. Lydia turned to look at her three dead pals. 

"So, I'm heading up to bed, although I will check in on the kids on my way up" she went around and locked all the doors "You guys staying or no?"

"We'll head up too" said Barbara, taking Adam's hand "Beej?"

"Can I hang with you two for a bit?" he asked

"Sure" said Barbara. Lydia smiled and walked towards the stairs. "We'll get the lights Lyd, just go to bed."

"Thanks guys" she said "Goodnight!"

"Night" they called back and watched as she headed upstairs. Adam and Beetlejuice climbed the stairs together, talking about the game they'd just played and Barbara flicked the lights off, the bottom story of the house turning black. Then she ran up the stairs to catch up with her two boys, wondering what she was going to do tomorrow while everyone was out.