[IC] Stranger Beetles

[Metronome]

Adam and Barbara looked at each other, and with some kind of married couple telepathy, they knew what to do. This girl had clearly been kidnapped, probably abused, and most definitely couldn't be left out here. Barbara just about broke down herself when the girl hugged her and started crying.

"Oh, baby, whoever hurt you isn't going to hurt you anymore," She bent down to meet Lydia's eyes. "We'll be sure of that, okay, hun?" She looked at the girl's arm. "Sweetie, if your arm is broken, we have to take you to the hospital..." Not only that, but there was a plethora of other things she probably needed to be tested for.

Adam, upon seeing the girl's distress, came up with an idea. "Well...maybe we don't have to." Barbara looked back at him, confused. "Dr. Whitman," Adam explained, remembering the doctor friend that he just so happened to work on carpentry projects with. "We can meet him at his practice. It would probably be less stressful for her, anyway."

Barbara nodded. "Would that be okay, sweetie?" She asked, turning back to face Lydia.

"No! Hell no! No doctors! Fuck fuck fuck!" Beetlejuice paced back and forth behind her. He knew she would need some kind of medical care. He knew he couldn't risk her getting hurt even worse. "Fine. But if they try to call the cops, or CPS, I'm wrecking their phones."

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia sniffed before nodding in reply. "But no cops or CPS. I see any sign of them and I'll run away again." She said, making it a promise and a threat. She tried not to react to Beetlejuice as he freaked out behind her but she needed the help.

"He can't tell anyone that he saw me. Not a soul. If they find out about it, they'll find him, then you. I don't know what they'll do to you if they found out you helped me." She added, not wanting to be morbid but she had to let them know how serious this situation was.

[Metronome]

Both Maitlands desperately wanted to know who "they" was. The mafia? Human traffickers? The Cartel? All three? What were they getting themselves into? They shared another look, and then their minds were made up. It didn't matter. This little girl needed them, and they couldn't just leave her here.

"Ok, sweetie," Barbara said. "No one but Dr. Whitman. Adam, can you give him a call?" She turned to her husband, who was dialing the doctor up now. Then, back to Lydia. "Do you need help getting in the backseat, hun?"

Beetlejuice was suddenly already in the car, sitting with his arms crossed, a deep frown on his face. This wasn't exactly how he pictures their great escape: sitting in the back of a minivan owned by two adorably sexy labradoodles. But, he supposed, the important thing was they were still free, even if they should be halfway to Guatemala by now.

Once Lydia was inside and buckled up, thanks to the help of Barbara, the van was rolling again.

"What's your name, hun?" Barbara asked, peering around to the back seat. "I'm Barbara, and this is my husband, Adam." Adam gave an adorable little wave.

"God, these are the two whitest people I've ever met," Beetlejuice muttered.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia would have hit him had he been corporeal and had they been alone. "Delia. My name is Delia." She replied, giving them her mother's name. She hated lying to them, but it was to keep her and Beej safe from Grey Man.

"I'm sorry for breaking down back there, it's just...after everything that's happened to me I don't want to go back." She said before a loud growl came from the backseat. She was about to yell at Beetlejuice when she realized that it was her stomach. The last thing she had was that granola bar and who knows how many hours that had been.

"Do you mind if we get some food? They refused to feed me if w-I did something wrong." She said, almost slipping up on the pronouns.

[Metronome]

BJ tilted his head when Lydia gave them a fake name. Smart kid. He couldn't help but feel another pang of pride. He'd raised her right. Well...as right as an inter-dimensional demon could.

"Don't worry about it, Delia," Adam said. "If you need to talk about it with us, we're open ears, okay, hun? We aren't going to get mad or judge you for it."

Beetlejuice jumped a little when he heard her stomach. Was it time for her to eat again already? He couldn't get to the snacks in his pocket unless he was summoned...

At the news of the poor child being starved, Barbara threatened to start crying again. But she held it together. "Of course, Delia. What would you like?"

"I think the McDonald's is the only place open this time of night," Adam said. Barbara turned back to Lydia.

"Is that okay for you, hun?"

[Beetlejuice96]

"I...uh...sure." Lydia replied, admittedly confused. The fuck is McDonald's? She thought to herself, giving Beetlejuice a quick confused look that clearly expressed her inner thoughts. She just hoped they didn't have that nasty shirt they called food.

Upon arriving, Lydia looked at the golden arches perched on top of the sign that proudly proclaimed the fast food restaurant. She felt overwhelmed upon seeing the different types of food they offered, knowing that the two softies couldn't have too much money. "I...I don't know what I want." She admitted after a line had formed behind the car.

"Could you guys pick something for me? Maybe double for later?" She asked, hating how fish out of water she felt right now. She figured when they weren't looking she could somehow sneak some to Beetlejuice.

[Metronome]

"Hey, don't look at me kid, I eat bugs for fun." Beetlejuice shrugged. "Although...I did haunt a McDonald's once. The roaches there tasted great!"

Barbara could tell that the girl was nervous. She ordered a 20 piece nugget meal, figuring that they would keep well and, honestly, who didn't like chicken nuggets? When they picked the food up at the window, Adam passed it back to Lydia.

"Eat as much as you want, Delia. If you get hungry later, we can just buy more."

With that, they were headed to meet the doctor.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia took the bag before opening it only to get smacked in the face with the scent of actual food. Not that crap they had been giving her in the past. Actual food. Her mouth watered as she took out a box and opened it to see the chicken nuggets inside. Huh, so that's what they looked like.

She picked one up,observing it for a moment before taking a bite out of it. She regretted it two seconds later, letting out a yelp as the fresh out of the fryer nugget burned her mouth. "Fucking shit!" She exclaimed, cursing for the first time in front of the two cinnamon rolls.

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice just about jumped out of his skin when Lydia suddenly shouted next to him. The car gave a jerk, as Adam, still jumpy, was clearly also startled. Barbara's mouth hung open for 2.5 seconds before she recovered.

"Delia, please watch your language, hun," She said in that sweet, mom voice. "Adam and I don't like cursing."

"Oh my god," Beetlejuice groaned. "Could they get any more lame? Fuck is a verb, not a 'curse word'."

Well, it was easy to see where she got it from.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Sorry. It's just it was really hot and I wasn't expecting that. I also apologize because I have no filter. I...unfortunately picked it up from my captors." She said. It wasn't far from the truth, some of the guards and even Grey Man had dropped a few curses here and there.

"I could say it in another language if it bothers you. I know some Russian, Japanese, German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Romanian." She said before realizing what was just spoken. Her face clearly read, "Shit."

[Metronome]

"Lyds, you can't say that shit," Beetlejuice scolded. "What if they figure us out? What if those government fucks put out a bounty on us, and these losers are greedy enough to turn us in for cold, hard cash?" Okay, maybe he was being dramatic, but still.

Luckily, Barbara seemed to think that it was just a weird joke. She let it slide. "It's okay hun. Just try to be more mindful of it."

They arrived at the doctor's office. Only one car sat in the parking lot, and a light was on inside. Adam helped Lydia out of the van, and Beetlejuice floated after them inside.

Dr. Whitman was an older gentlemen. He had kind eyes and white hair. Currently, he was wearing a wrinkled button up shirt and sweat pants, having left the house at short notice.

"You must be the young lady Adam called me about," He said, smiling at Lydia. "Let me take a look at that arm, and I'll ask you a few questions."

The Maitlands opted to wait in the lobby, but Beetlejuice wasn't about to leave Lydia alone with some stranger, let alone a doctor. He followed them into the exam room. Dr. Whitman busied himself setting up the X-ray machine, and carefully began asking questions.

"Miss Delia, was it?" He asked. "I need to know what tests to run. These people that took you, did they touch you anywhere that made you uncomfortable?"

"Well, this is some awkward shit," Beetlejuice commented from where he was floating near the ceiling, arms crossed. "He thinks those assholes diddled you, kid. Just tell him no and save yourself from having to be swabbed." BJ's bluntness was astounding, but also completely true.

Dr. Whitman took a few x-rays of Lydia's arm, and was waiting on the results.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia was a little unsure about this guy but what other choice did she have? She gave Barbara and Adam one last look before following the doctor into the other room. She blushed darkly as Beetlejuice explained what the doctor meant by the question. "No. Just...ew." She said, making a face. She might just be thirteen but she knew exactly what Beetlejuice was talking about. Just the fact that the doctor even thought or implied that made her want to bathe in hand sanitizer.

"So, can you fix it? It's not broken, right?" She asked, starting to get anxious and a little claustrophobic.

[Metronome]

The doctor left his questionnaire at that and dropped it. He looked at the x-rays and came back.

"Well, the good news is it isn't broken, it's just dislocated. We can get it set right and you'll be in a sling for a little while, but you should be fine. I'll get your arm numbed up and we'll get it taken care of."

Beetlejuice couldn't help but bristle at the sight of the doctor coming back with a needle. It took some self restraint not to freak out and demand that Lydia run for her life. Once her arm was numb, Dr. Whitman popped her shoulder right back in and gave her a sling to wear her arm in.

"Just be mindful of it for the next few days," He instructed as he showed her and Maitlands out. Beetlejuice followed them.

"Dang. I really wanted to sign a cast," He said. Although he seemed much happier now that he knew she didn't have any broken bones. Once back in the car, the Maitlands sat in the parking lot, unsure of where to go next.

"Are you sure you don't have an address, hun? Any family nearby we can take you to?" Barbara looked both sad and concerned.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia whimpered softly at the sight of the needle but when she didn't suddenly just plop over unconscious, she was surprised. Most syringes didn't have a numbing agent, just sedatives. She didn't even flinch when her shoulder was popped back in, smiling a little. Maybe other humans weren't that bad.

She chuckled a little at Beetlejuice's comment with a smirk that said maybe next time. She looked over at Barbara when she asked about somewhere she could go, tears starting to form again. Damn it, why was she so emotional tonight? "No. I don't even live here. My parents died years ago and I have no one else left alive." She replied sadly, just wanting to curl into a ball of self comfort.

[Metronome]

Barbara needed to love and protect this child, pronto. "Oh hun...would it be okay if you came home with us tonight? We have a spare bedroom you could sleep in, and we could get this figured out in the morning."

BJ was looking at Lydia with a soft frown, wishing he could hug her right now. He was actually grateful to hear Babara's offer. This was probably their best shot at getting a roof over their head any time soon, even if only temporary.

"Better go with the labradoodles," He said, "I'll keep an eye on, ya, don't worry."

[Beetlejuice96]

"Is it an actual bed with sheets, blankets and a pillow?" Lydia asked, never having those luxuries at the facility. She had to keep from chuckling at Beetlejuice's comment about the couple being labradoodles...but yeah, they were just adorable softies.

"Maybe even a shower and some actual clothes?" She asked, noticing how disheveled she looked right now. She could practically hear the song In The Arms of an Angel playing right now. That or she'd been with Beej too long and his insanity was rubbing off on her.

[Metronome]

The Maitlands were both horrified at the implication that there was any other kind of bed besides one with fresh, clean sheets, blankets, and pillows. "Of course, sweetie," Barbara said. Adam was already driving them home. "And I'm sure we can find you something to wear once you get cleaned up."

They arrived at the house shortly, and the Maitlands led Lydia inside.

"Oh...my...god. Is this a house or did we just walk into a Pottery Barn?" Beetlejuice commented loudly behind her. The house was neatly manicured with bright whites and grays, crisp and clean. It looked like the exact opposite of somewhere a gross demon would be found.

Barbara set her stuff down and beckoned Lydia to follow her to the guest bedroom. "Here you are, Delia. The guest bathroom is right up the hall, and if you need anything at all, just let us know, okay? I'm going to get you some of my clothes to change into. They'll probably be a little big, but maybe we can go to the store tomorrow and find you something, okay?" It was clear that having a child to take care of was Barbara's true meaning in life. She was so excited she was gushing.

BJ poked his head into the room. "Holy shit, this is the guest bedroom?" It featured a queen sized bed, and was decked out in the latest in basic white people decor. "What do these people do for a living?"

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia didn't reply as she looked around the guest room, gently touching the blankets on the bed as if they'd disintegrate soon as she touched it. This had to be a dream. She pinched herself just to be sure. No. Not dreaming.

"Thank you." Lydia said softly before Barbara left her alone. She headed to the bathroom before closing the door and carefully removing the sling. She blinked once she caught sight of her reflection. An African American girl stared back at her; hair messed up complete with some bits of dirt and some dead leaves. She was thin, not enough to be considered anorexic but definitely malnourished as the torn, grimy gown hung on her frame like a child playing dressup with their mother's dress.

"God, I look pathetic." She said before looking over at Beetlejuice. "You'll be okay waiting outside, right?"

[Metronome]

"I wouldn't use the word pathetic," Beetlejuice said, his image popping up in the mirror. "Pitiful, maybe. But nothing about you is "pathetic", kid."

Barbara poked her head in the door. "Here you go, hun. These are the best I could find." She set down a t-shirt, a pair of draw string shorts, and an entire pack of cheap, unopened underwear that she meant to return to the store, but never got around to. She smiled at Lydia warmly. "Let us know if you need anything!" And with that, she was off to google how to take care of ethnic hair.

Beetlejuice looked back at her. "Wow...they really are going the extra mile, aren't they? I wonder what's wrong with them." His lack of faith in humanity wasn't exactly surprising. "Well, in the meantime, I'll be snooping around. Maybe I can find where they keep their grown up toys at." With that, he grinned wickedly and flew out of the mirror, phasing through the door and cackling down the hall.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia rolled her eyes as Beetlejuice disappeared to snoop around. "Fucking pervert." She muttered before getting into the shower. She let the hot water drench her, washing away dirt and grime she had along with blood from the scrapes she got from dodging the car. She sighed softly, feeling relaxed as she changed into the clothes Barbara had given her. They were a little big but definitely better than that lame medical gown. Maybe she could convince them to burn it since it was evidence.

She walked out of the bathroom, towel drying her hair as she walked down the hallway. She stopped upon seeing a room Barbara hadn't mentioned to her. Being curious, she opened the small crack in the door wider, seeing a nursery. It had a soft, Robin's egg blue painted walls with white trim, an antique looking rocking chair with a matching changing table and crib. Suddenly getting the feeling she wasn't alone, she turned around to see Barbara in the doorway.

"I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-" She tried to explain, panic sinking in at the thought of being told off.