Fluffy little one shot written as a birthday present for my dear friend TichTich2 :)

Enjoy


The Crystal Rose

Sarah Williams watched as her new found friends disappeared, one by one, through her mirror, each leaving with a promise to come when she called upon them.

After Hoggle had vanished she promptly deflated- collapsing in an exhausted heap on to her bed- not wanting to work on the pile of homework waiting in her backpack.

"Ouch" she yelped as something sharp impaled the skin of her hand.

She sat up and looked about for the offending implement; her heart skipped a beat when she saw what it was- a perfect red rose fashioned from crystal, it was long stemmed with two leaves roughly half way up the stem. Wrapped around the stem, between the leaves and the head was a slither of parchment tied to the emerald glass with a black silk ribbon trimmed with gold.

"Very Phantom of the Opera" Sarah murmured in approval.

She carefully teased the parchment out from its binding. Written in an elegant calligraphic script was the following:

My Dearest Sarah,

You once asked for someone to save you and take you away from 'this horrible place'.

Say your right words and I will be there for you until the world falls down and beyond.

-J.

Sarah smiled, her energy miraculously restored. "I wish the Goblin King was here, right now"

"It is not the Goblin King you wish to speak to my dear" his soft velvety baritone informed her from the window.

"Good evening Your Majesty" she smiled and turned to face him.

He was standing in the moonlight which bathed her bedroom in a watery silver light, dressed simply in a pair of dove grey leather pants, a white poet's shirt and a black leather waist coat, his hands once again covered in black leather gloves. His hair was the same gown-out platinum mullet but it was shot with deeper gold. He looked younger; in his mid-twenties as opposed to the man in his thirties that he had resembled for the past eleven hours.

"My name is Jareth, Sarah"

"I think you know why I called you here" she told him taking a tentative step towards him, the rose held gently in her right hand. "But before we get down to business I want to apologize for rejecting you last time- I just couldn't let you tu…"

Jareth, having crossed the gap between them in two strides, placed his finger on her lips.

"I understand Precious. I should, perhaps, have been more specific. I rarely turn my wished-aways into Goblins; Little Tobias would have been raised as a prince as the chances of producing a blood heir with the woman I love are virtually inexistent"

Sarah opened her mouth to speak but Jareth interrupted.

"Immortality and magic come at the price of low fertility- most of the children in the Underground are adopted wished-aways"

"You'd have to raise him knowing that he isn't your son because I don't want Toby asking certain questions" Sarah told him.

"Questions precious?" hope was bubbling up in Jareth's chest

"Like why his sister is his father's wife" Sarah reached up on tip toes and gently kissed him.

"The boy is a little young to know the difference, my love" Jareth reasoned. "He need not know that you are not his mother"

"What happens when you and I have a child?" Sarah asked. "It wouldn't be fair on him to be usurped by someone who he thinks is his little brother or sister"

"Touché" Jareth nodded, after a moment's consideration. "But as I said in regards to my own fertility…"

"We can cross that bridge when we come to it" Sarah reasoned. "But before we run away together I would like one thing..."

"Name it and it shall be yours precious" Jareth nodded immediately.

"I'd like…" she paused, knowing that he may not like what she had to say. "Some time"

"Time?" he parroted. "I can give you anything your precious heart could possibly desire and you ask for time?"

"Yes" she nodded, refusing to be afraid of him. "I'm fifteen, not old enough to get married; my step mother keeps getting on at me to go on dates- and I want to see a bit more of the world before I return to the Underground with you"

"Dates?" His mismatched eyes lit up as comprehension dawned. "Oh, you wish for me to court you before our marriage?"

She wouldn't have put it quite like that- but yes

"Is that a problem?" she asked.

"No indeed sweet." His leather covered hands found themselves on her hips. "Is five years enough time?"

"Five years" she nodded. "I can do that"

"Five years of mortal courtship" Jareth agreed "But I would like something in return"

"What?" Sarah asked

"For you to come Underground regularly before that time- it will mean that your transformation will be less painful" Jareth replied. "The older a mortal is before they change the harder the change is on them"

"I think I can agree to that" Sarah smiled. "I've never felt more alive than I did in the Undergroun..."

A yawn interrupted her and Jareth chuckled.

"Sleep now precious, it's been a long day for you." he pressed a surprisingly gentle kiss to her lips before continuing. "Remember my love, should you need me..."

"Don't worry" Sarah nodded. "I'll call."