Author's Note: You, my duckies, were very lucky that I already had this written. Be thankful it just needed a little bit of tweaking. Unfortunately, you aren't going to be so lucky with the third chapter but that's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Toby sat on his sister's bed, bored out of his mind, as he listened to his parents answer their monarchs' demands (polite demands disguised as questions but still demands) as to why they had never come back to the Court; which then morphed into the two males discussing politics while the females discussed the trials of raising children. Toby scowled. Why did his mother always insist on telling the most embarrassing stories about him that she could think of whenever she and her friends started comparing the trouble their children got into? He would never understand women.

Least of all his sister who seemed to have more on him than his own mother but he had learned long ago to just accept this fact and move on. Besides, he supposed Sarah needed to have one quirk an older sister was supposed to have since after she'd wished him away (a fact she'd been very leery of telling him about but since he remembered the whole experience she didn't have much of a choice) she'd gotten very protective of him. If anyone had picked on him at school, it hadn't been his parents who had come to straighten everything out. Sarah could get downright scary when she was mad.

'But,' Toby mused absently, 'Then she wouldn't be Sarah and I wouldn't love her like I do.'

Toby glanced over at his parents again and groaned softly. Hoggle and Sir Didymus had been moved out of the mirror's frame so there was no way he would be able to speak with them to help try and pass the time. It felt like forever since he'd found out the Goblin King was injured and Sarah had gone to look for him. In reality, it had only been about thirty minutes and Hoggle had informed them, after Sarah had left, that his conversation with Jareth had only been about a half hour before that. So, overall, at the moment, the Goblin King had only been out there for an hour. Granted, it wasn't a very pleasant hour but an hour nonetheless. Toby guessed his sense of time was skewed because he was bored out of his skull.

He sighed as he waited for his sister to call and let them all know she'd found the Goblin King. Toby admitted a little bit of worry at the prospect of the two of them meeting again but, whether for his sister or the Goblin King, he didn't know. He knew that Sarah carried an unhealthy amount of guilt related to her Run; some about wishing him away (though she really couldn't quite bring herself to regret doing it since it had helped her grow up and Toby approved of that thought. Even if it was him she had had to wish away to learn the lessons she'd needed), as well as, with the way she'd treated the Goblin King in the end.

Toby didn't know how she would react to seeing the Goblin King again and he would freely admit that that worried him. Why it had to be Sarah who found him, he had no clue, but that is what the Queen had decreed when he'd asked if they should go help her and that was what Toby had been forced to accept: Sarah having to do this alone. Toby couldn't go against the Queen's orders no matter how much he might want to.

He, unlike his sister, was full-blooded Fae and, as such, was unable to do anything but what his Monarchs ordered. Apparently, Sarah's human blood negated some of the bindings all Fae of the Summer Court were born with. Her beating the Labyrinth hadn't hurt either since it gave her even more freedom from the Court. 'My kingdom as great' and all that. If anything, Sarah was most likely the freest to do as she pleased of anyone of any court who had Fae blood running through their veins and that fact annoyed the Summer Queen no end.

Toby knew Titania would love nothing more than to have Sarah within her power but unless his sister swore any oaths to the Queen any time soon, which Toby highly doubted would ever happen, Titania was unlikely to ever have that pleasure (Toby was also aware of the fact that Titania wasn't really trying all that hard for fear of what her son might do in retaliation. Apparently, Jareth had a temper almost as bad as Sarah's). He was actually really glad about that fact.

Sarah was free spirit that did her best works when she was able to just get away from the modern world and imagine. He wasn't sure how but his sister had, somehow, managed to bring a piece of the magic back with her. It had freed her from all her previous worries connected to the Aboveground and allowed her natural creative spirit to flow freely. Toby firmly believed that Sarah should never be tethered by anyone if they couldn't accept his sister as she was.

That included the Goblin King.

Toby was the only one Sarah had ever told about the final encounter between her and the Goblin King and, quite frankly, if that was the best proposal the Goblin King could make then the guy needed to just stay away from his sister. He wasn't going to let anyone near her who he didn't think could make her happy and leaving a girl crying in frustration over something that might or might not have been a proposal was no way to get on his good side.

He glanced over to the mirror to see if the conversing adults were done yet and groaned again. He was so bored! Toby wanted to be out there helping his sister but, instead, he was stuck in here. So lost in his thoughts, Toby almost missed the telephone ringing. Shooting up out of the bed, the boy dove towards the phone that was sitting on Sarah's nightstand. Toby was a little out of breath as he held the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey Tobes," His sister's voice sounded from the other end.

"Did you find him?"

"Yeah," She sighed wearily, "I found him."

Sarah trudged through the park, making her way to the line of trees on the edge of the clearing near the lake where she used to recite plays to her dog Merlin (now many years gone). She stopped in the middle of the bridge to stare out at the lake.

"I suppose I should be grateful he didn't fall in there," She muttered as she started walking again.

It was a strange thought and, ever the writer, she started mulling it over in her head but she couldn't think of any scenario where the Goblin King could actually fall into the lake and need her help (she didn't acknowledge the twinge that the thought of him needing her help, now or ever, caused her). Eventually, she gave it up as a lost cause and put it out of her mind. She ignored the fact that this was her way of dealing with worry because she couldn't possibly be worried about the Goblin King. He was a powerful Fae. He would be fine.

Yeah and de Nile isn't just a river in Egypt.

Reaching the tree line, she paused for a moment to get her bearings before heading off to the left at a diagonal to where she had been standing. If she had gone right, the trees would have eventually thinned out before hitting the playground but, from what she was able to see, Jareth appeared to be in the denser part of these woods and thus she went left. Sarah debated calling out to him but decided against it. For one, she didn't know if any of his enemies had caught wind of his weakness and decided to come after him, or even if they were the reason he was in this situation for another, and, lastly, she highly doubted he'd regained consciousness yet.

If the first-aid classes she'd taken had taught her anything, it was that, with the extent of his injuries, Jareth had most likely gone into shock very quickly; which would have caused him to pass out. A reaction that was extremely dangerous for humans but, thankfully, the Goblin King wasn't human.

Also, thanks to the teachings of an old woman she'd met while on a book tour in Europe (who just so happened to be a Fae Healer in disguise who had come Above to learn more about Aboveground healing), Sarah had learned a lot about Fae physiology and what was likely to happen should they be badly injured. This was information she'd been happy to learn since she'd worried for years what she would do if any of her family, who were all full-blooded Fae, happened to be injured. Since they were beings of magic, they would be unable to go to a hospital. Sarah, with her mixed blood, could probably get away with it but it wasn't something any of them had ever wanted to risk.

It was information that was going to be a tremendous help to her now since one of the things the woman had told her would happen if a Fae was as injured as Jareth looked to be, was that they would go into a healing sleep while their magic tried to repair the damage. Unfortunately, the Aboveground didn't have any natural magic to help Jareth's so it was likely that, once his reserves ran out, he was going to have to heal the old-fashioned way before attempting to go back Underground. It hadn't looked like he would be able to make the crossing back without it killing him. Sarah hadn't said anything earlier because she hadn't wanted to see the worry in the faces of her friends get any worse (Or get into another argument with his mother. Take your pick).

Sarah paused for a moment as she tried to get a better look around her but her umbrella was in the way so she shifted it so it didn't obstruct her view. Unfortunately, some animal decided that that was the perfect time to jump on the branch above her and she gasped as a deluge of ice water drenched her again. Shivering now, Sarah was just about to keep going when she noticed the goblin standing in front of her. Luminous orange eyes watched her sadly out of a wrinkled face as it turned and pointed in a different direction than the way she had been headed and, taking the hint, she changed her course accordingly.

Every few meters another goblin, of various sizes and features, would appear out of the rain and simply point her in the right direction without saying anything, gazing at her forlornly. Sarah started to feel a little wary as the procession continued. She'd never seen the goblins act like this before and she was starting to get concerned about what she would find once she reached the spot where Jareth was.

This went on for a good ten minutes, at which point Sarah was now very cold, wetter than ever and about out of her mind with worry at the horrible images that had been flitting through her mind's eye (Sometimes she really hated having such a good imagination), before the final goblin directed her to a small break in the trees. Sarah stumbled through only to find herself facing the Goblin King. Or she would, had he been conscious.

Cautiously, happy to see that nothing appeared to have changed since Hoggle had shown him to her in the mirror, Sarah made her way around to where she could see him better before crouching down next to him. She winced as the wounds she hadn't been able to see before became painfully obvious. Sarah sniffed as she tried to hold back the tears that seeing him like this caused. It wasn't right for him to look so broken; as if some child had thrown him aside carelessly, like a doll they were done playing with.

One side of his chest looked flat where the bones had broken. Jareth's breathing sounded raspy and strained and Sarah surmised that the broken ribs were pushing on a lung. One of his legs was bent at an odd angle, something that hadn't been immediately obvious when she was looking through the mirror. His right arm looked even worse up close and Sarah winced at the thought of having to put the bones back where they were supposed to be. She found herself glad that he was unconscious.

Sarah very carefully reached out and shifted the Goblin King, being very cautious so as not to injure him further, until he was lying on his back. She was more thankful now for the lessons from the Healer than she ever had been before because she would have been too afraid to touch him otherwise. The Healer had informed her that Fae bodies were much sturdier than human ones and so shifting him shouldn't hurt him any more than he already was. That didn't mean she wasn't extremely careful, though.

He groaned at the water suddenly hitting him in the face and Sarah quickly laid her umbrella over him so that the rain was blocked. Competently, she began running her hands along his body to try to get a better gauge of what his injuries were and which ones were the most dangerous.

Starting at his head, she found a knot at his hairline on the right with a gash just above his eyebrow, accounting for the blood she'd seen in his hair, but his skull wasn't cracked so he should heal from that pretty quickly. She supposed he should be thankful he had such a thick skull. None of the bones in his face were broken though it was badly bruised and swollen.

Skipping the right arm since it was rather obvious what was wrong with that one, she checked the left and was relieved to find it intact and, aside from the three broken ribs in his right side and the broken left leg, there weren't anymore broken bones. Unfortunately, he had plenty of gashes to make up for the lack of broken bones and Sarah was starting to get worried about how much blood he'd lost.

Realizing he was shivering, from blood loss, shock, or cold she didn't know, Sarah quickly shucked her coat and placed it over him; calling herself ten kinds of stupid for not thinking to grab a blanket. Maybe some of her body heat would help him. Glancing at his face, she was startled to see his eyes open and watching her. Though they were clouded with pain, it was obvious he was alert and knew exactly who she was.

"I didn't know you were a Healer, Precious," He murmured weakly, "I was informed that you were a tale spinner."

"I'm not," Sarah answered briskly as she settled her coat more firmly around him. She didn't know what a 'tale spinner' was but she figured he meant a writer. Sarah also didn't acknowledge the way her heart leapt when he called her by the old pet name he'd used before, "But I've taken multiple advanced first-aid classes and learned a few things from this old woman I met while I was touring in Europe."

Sarah wasn't about to let him know the extent at which she'd had contact, or was connected, with his world. She hadn't given away who she was to her friends and she wasn't about to do it now since he was the reason why she hadn't told Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo. Sarah wasn't sure what his reaction would be but she was afraid he would be angry and she had seen what happened when he lost his temper. Deciding he was as wrapped as he was going to get, she gave him a hard look to make sure he didn't get any ideas about moving.

"I'm not going to comment about how you know what I do for a living right now, since I was informed that you were unable to look in on me but, rest assured, we will discuss it later."

"Of course, Precious," Jareth agreed weakly, "I would by no means suspend any pleasure of yours."

He had gotten most of his information about her from her friends but he was laying injured on the ground and she seemed to be his only hope of getting help at the moment, so he didn't think it would be a good idea to tease her. Besides, his head hurt too much to find much enjoyment in it.

Sarah twitched at the blatant Pride and Prejudice reference, one of her favorite classics, but didn't say anything as she watched him a moment longer to make sure he'd gotten the message before she sighed. The next few days were going to turn out to be rather interesting; she just knew it. Thankfully, she didn't have any pressing deadlines and so would be able to focus on him until he was healed enough to go home. She wasn't sure when she had decided to take him back to her apartment and take over the task of looking out for him, she was sure Karen would be more than happy to do it, but she didn't question it too closely. She wasn't sure she was ready for the answers.

"I guess I'd better call them to let them know I found you," She muttered as she pulled out her phone from one of the pockets on her coat. That caught Jareth's attention and he found himself suddenly leery as to who had sent Sarah to find him, "I don't want your mother breathing down my neck and demanding to know why I didn't call as soon as I found you."

A startled look crossed Jareth's face.

"My mother?!" He said in an alarmed voice. Had she harmed Sarah in some way? If she did then she was going to regret it once he was well again; one way or another, "What did she do? And what is she doing at my castle?"

"She didn't really do anything," Sarah mumbled as she tried to find her parent's number. She was so focused on her phone that she didn't see Jareth relax from where he'd tensed up earlier, "We just had words, your dad was there too, by the way, but from what I could gather, she was just there to be annoying. And no, I don't know what she was doing at your castle. We didn't exactly get that far in the conversation."

Obviously, Sarah and his mother didn't get along and Jareth couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped (He'd always wondered how they would react to each other and now he knew), but he regretted it instantly when his ribs protested. Laying a hand on his chest to keep him still (She pretended not to notice the look he shot her when she touched him or how her inner self had jumped in excitement), Sarah waited for someone to answer the phone and wasn't really surprised when it was Toby's voice that was on the other end. Sarah confirmed that she'd found Jareth before having her brother write down all the supplies she would need to be able to field dress some of Jareth's wounds and making him give it to her dad.

"Sarah," Her brother whined once he'd done as she asked, "Why'd you leave me? I thought you loved me!"

"I do love you squirt," Sarah laughed at his tone, "Why? What's this about?"

"The Queen said I couldn't come help you and so I was stuck here having to listen to their boring conversations," Toby answered.

The way he'd said the word 'queen' let her know that there were a whole lot of other things he would have liked to substitute in but that she was still there and listening.

"Well you know you're supposed to listen to whatever the Summer Queen has to say Tobes," Sarah said in mock seriousness. She ignored Jareth's sudden look of interest in the conversation. A sudden thought crossed her mind, "Oh! Hey! Is dad still there?"

"Yeah," Her brother answered sullenly. It was obvious his sister wasn't even the least bit apologetic about leaving him or sympathetic for him having to deal with the Summer Queen.

"Tell him that we're going to need to take the Goblin King back to my place since it's closer and I don't like the way he's shivering. I want to get him out of the rain and someplace warm as soon as possible."

"He is right here and there's a rather good chance that I might not want anything more to do with you," Jareth muttered; annoyed that she was talking about him like he wasn't even there but Sarah ignored him.

"I'm not going to take the chance that Titania will order Dad or Karen to give her an invitation into the house while I'm there and Jareth's healing but you don't have to tell them that," She continued without acknowledging Jareth but hurriedly added the last part when she heard Toby about to repeat what she'd said. Jareth just chuckled.

"Thank you, Precious," He murmured weakly; the comment giving the lie to his earlier words. Jareth wasn't going to admit it but he was secretly pleased that she was willing to bring him into her home. He had never stopped loving her and he found himself contemplating the challenge of seeing whether he could get her to love him back during his convalescence but first he needed to make sure his mother didn't interrupt while he was recovering, "Much as I care for my mother I would much rather she was not in my vicinity when I can do nothing to avoid her. Though, I do have to wonder how it is that you and your family know my mother."

Sarah shot him an amused smile but ignored the last part before turning her attention back to her brother; mentally beating herself up. It had been too long since she'd had to deal with him and she'd let her guard down. Sarah had slipped up and she knew she wasn't going to get out of telling him who they all were. It was inevitable that he would find out now that his parents knew who and where they were but she'd hoped to be able to hide it from him at least a little bit longer. She winced as she realized that ignoring his inquiry was just going to make him more determined to know.

"Dad says we'll be at the park soon but he wants to know how we'll find you," Toby said.

"Tell him to follow the goblins," Was Sarah's amused reply and Jareth stared at her in confusion, "That's what I had to do."

"Uh-huh, I'll tell him."

Sarah didn't have to wait much longer before her parents and Toby showed up with all the materials she needed along with extra clothes for Jareth. She was thankful they'd gotten there so quickly because she didn't think she could have dodged Jareth's questions for much longer. Unfortunately, from the look of recognition he'd given her parents, Sarah knew that he was starting to put all the pieces together. She glanced at the clothes in Karen's arms to take her mind off the fact that the Goblin King was figuring out she was essentially a lady in his parent's Court before raising her eyebrows at her. Karen shrugged.

"They insisted."

Sarah didn't bother asking who 'they' were. The clothing looked to be one of Jareth's usual outfits but he wasn't getting it until he was clean and healed. There was no way he would be able to stand having anything against his skin for a while anyway.

"Karen could you guys head to my apartment and get everything ready for when we get the Goblin King there?" Sarah asked as she grabbed the bandages and splints from her dad before heading back to where said King lay.

"Sarah, I really think we should take him back to our house," Karen said in a disapproving tone; years of being raised with the most archaic sense of what was proper, and what was not, starting to show, "There's more privacy and-"

"Did you forget that I own the building," Sarah said in exasperation not in the mood to put up with this conversation as she separated the things in her hand out and started eyeing the different injuries to see which one needed her attention first, "I live in the penthouse. There's no one within two floors of me and I have plenty of room. Besides, it'll be better if he doesn't have to deal with the day to day noise that goes on your house."

Jareth couldn't help but feel amused as he listened to them argue back and forth about where it would be best to take him. It was obvious that the time period Karen had been raised in was showing, she being one of the younger Fae. He gathered this was an old argument between the two women but he was still in pain and all he really wanted was to get somewhere where he could get clean; so he decided to remind them that he was still there and conscious. Not to mention that he outranked all of them. Jareth could always bring the topic up later when he was feeling better and watch the fireworks fly then.

"You know," He remarked mildly and inwardly smirked at the various reactions he received from those gathered. Sarah, trying to make it look like she was not running away, discreetly retreated so as to be out of the way of any flying crystals should he get annoyed. She had no desire to visit the Bog today, thank you. Sarah already looked like a drowned cat as it was, "I am still here and I think I should have a say as to where I spend my time as an invalid."

Jareth turned his head to look at where they were all standing a little bit away from him (Hiding his disappointment at Sarah's desertion from his side). Her parents had refused to come any closer, something that hadn't escaped his notice, and they'd made sure that Toby stayed with them. He was actually very grateful they had only come as close as they had since his pride could only take so much of a beating. Jareth was relatively sure that nothing about what happened here would ever pass their lips but that didn't mean he wasn't highly uncomfortable with the situation.

"I would much rather stay with Sarah," He said firmly and that was the end of the matter.

Jareth's patience was at an end. He was ready to get out of this rain and somewhere warm. Now.

An hour later saw a bandaged and moderately clean Jareth being supported into Sarah's apartment by Sarah herself and her father. Karen and the others had come to her apartment while she was taking care of Jareth and set up one of Sarah's guest bedrooms with everything she would need to be able to care for the Goblin King while he was there.

Once they got him on the bed, whatever it was that had been keeping him going gave way and he promptly passed out. Sarah was actually rather surprised he'd managed to stay conscious while she was bandaging his injuries so that they didn't get worse while they moved him; especially when she'd started on his right arm. She still felt a little green from that one.

Sarah stared down at the Goblin King for a moment and an unknown emotion tightened her throat. He looked so vulnerable lying there like that. It wasn't something she'd ever tell him but it was the truth. She had cleaned him as best she could while out in the forest but now that they were back she could do a better job with the bandages and giving him a bath. Taking a shaky breath, Sarah quietly left the room to bid her family goodbye before she took up the task of nurse to the Goblin King.

"There you are," Karen said when she appeared in her living room doorway, "Sarah, I am more than happy to take care of him, especially so you don't have to see him…naked."

Sarah felt her cheeks heating up while her father tried his best to pretend he wasn't highly amused by the conversation. Toby just gave his mother a flat look. This was not something he wanted to hear. Karen looked earnestly at her stepdaughter and Sarah had to remind herself that Karen had come from an entirely different world than the one Sarah herself had been raised in. To her, women were supposed to be chaste until marriage and never see a man in any state of undress. Not that that ever actually happened most of the time; they were Fae after all. There were stories about Fae revels for a reason.

Having spent so many years in the Aboveground had taken care of a lot of those views for the most part but they always seemed to pop up again whenever Sarah was involved. It was a fact that caused her no little amount of grief once she had started dating and Sarah had had to reassure her stepmother constantly that she wasn't experimenting like all the other kids her age seemed to be.

While Sarah had had her fair share of boyfriends, and they had been nice enough, they weren't what she had been looking for so she'd had no interest in doing more than holding their hands or the occasional kiss; a fact that seemed to placate her stepmother every time Sarah had accidentally let slip that she'd had one of them over for dinner. However, that didn't excuse her from constantly harping on the subject. It was something Sarah had been glad to get away from when she'd finally been able to move into her own place for the first time. Sarah also didn't think it would help the situation any if she told her stepmother that her friend with benefits tended to run on triple A batteries.

"It's alright Karen," Sarah managed to get out through clenched teeth. She ignored her father's cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, "You guys have school and work tomorrow so you really need to get home and get to sleep."

"But Sarah," Karen protested, "This is highly improper for a single young lady to be taking care of a single young man in such a way."

"Karen your archaic is showing," Sarah replied; still with clenched teeth. She really wanted to point out everything she knew about Fae parties and the like but she refrained, "I have seen a man's body before-"

"What?!"

Sarah winced as she realized she probably should have been more specific in her statement.

"You said you'd never had sex before!" Karen cried indignantly. Robert and Toby were practically rolling on the floor at this point; caused in part by the look of utter mortification on Sarah's face, "Does this mean you've been lying to me?"

"Karen I took art classes in college!" Sarah almost yelled in a desperate attempt to get Karen to stop talking, "We had anatomy lessons with real humans!"

"Oh."

Karen and Sarah stood awkwardly for a moment before Robert decided to give his daughter a break.

"Come on, Karen," He said; laughter still evident in his voice, "The Goblin King already said he would much rather stay here and you know we can't go against his orders."

He gently steered his wife and son out the door before turning back to Sarah.

"I'll make sure to tell the Queen what has been decided," Robert said quietly to make sure Karen couldn't hear.

"Thank you," Sarah replied emphatically.

Robert laughed softly before giving her a hug and kiss as he left to follow his wife and son.

"I love you," He called over his shoulder just before the door shut and the sounds of them leaving faded.

"I love you, too, Daddy," Sarah said quietly to the empty room.

Glancing around, Sarah took a deep breath before heading back to her guest bedroom and the Goblin King lying in a healing sleep within.

After checking on the Goblin King and making sure he would be alright for a few minutes more, Sarah had changed into a pair of warm sweatpants and a t-shirt. She was thankful to be out of her wet clothes but she ruefully mourned the loss of her silk dress, now stained with mud and blood, as she threw it in the trashcan. It hadn't been a particularly expensive purchase nor of any real memorable value but it had been her go to dress when she couldn't find anything else to wear and had stood her in good stead many times.

Sarah also quickly brushed out her hair as best she could without washing it and using conditioner before putting it up in a horsetail and heading to her kitchen to gather the things she would need to give Jareth a sponge bath. She tried to ignore the affront to his dignity she was about to cause him but he really couldn't do anything for himself at the moment and she could only be thankful that he was unconscious. That fact alone might at least save her from any embarrassing comments and innuendos he might make.

Reaching the room, Sarah set everything down before quickly and efficiently stripping him of the temporary bandages and what remained of his clothing. Setting those in a pile to be disposed of along with her dress, before laying a towel across his hips, blushing as she noted that those tight breeches he liked didn't do him justice at all, and proceeding to clean him so that she could finally see the full extent of his injuries.

Unfortunately, instead of looking better as she cleaned him of the mud and blood, some of them actually looked worse and Sarah realized that she was going to need someone much more experienced and knowledgeable than she. Chewing on her lip, Sarah finally decided the least she could do before calling for help was to get him clean so she finished her task before heading to her phone and hoping the Healer she'd met and befriended was awake. Ruden had decided to come back to the States with Sarah once her book tour had finished so, thankfully, Sarah didn't have to call her from an ocean away.

Sarah waited anxiously as the phone rang. It was likely that Ruden had pulled an all nighter at the local hospital again and while she hated to wake her up, Sarah really needed her help. Relief fluttered in her breast when she heard the other line click and a creaky but clipped British accent sounded from the other end.

"This had better be good, Sarah, because I'm of a mind to take you Underground and ask the Goblin King to throw you in the Bog for me," Ruden grumbled. Sarah gulped at the threat (the healer was known for not bluffing about anything) but then remembered she had the Goblin King right next to her…wearing only a towel.

'Bad Sarah!'

"Yeah well that threat doesn't really hold much weight at the moment for reasons you will soon understand," Sarah replied, "Suffice to say I'm harboring a Fae patient and that his injuries are worse than they first appeared so, naturally, I thought of you."

"Uh-huh," Her friend yawned from the other end, "Give me two minutes."

"Thank you so much!"

"Yeah, yeah but you owe me," Ruden's amused voice said but there was affection in her tone.

The Healer bid her goodbye before hanging up and Sarah let out a sigh of relief. Ruden was coming to help so she wouldn't have to ask Jareth's mother to send a Healer; which would most likely have resulted in a deal that Sarah wouldn't have wanted to make. Sarah was also very thankful she didn't have to worry about whether Ruden might harm the Goblin King because Healers took oaths to help everyone, no matter what Court they were from, and to never kill someone who had been brought to their attentions.

It also helped that not just anyone could be a Healer. One had to be born with the power to be a true Healer but there were minor healing spells that anyone could learn and those, as well as some of the more mundane ways of healing, were what Ruden had taught Sarah (despite the fact that Sarah's magic seemed to be as contrary as a certain Fae monarch). It also helped that Healers tended to be born with a ridiculous amount of compassion for everything so they tended not choose sides in a conflict.

Hearing a knock on her front door, Sarah went to let her friend in, but checked through the peephole to make sure it was actually her, before lowering her wards, set in place by her father and keyed to her when she'd first moved in, that had raised themselves once her family had left. Ruden raised her eyebrows at the wards but made no comment. Since Sarah knew what she was, she hadn't bothered with a Glamour.

Her snow white hair was pulled back from her face with a red scarf; catching the various braids that had colored bits of ribbon, beads, and feathers woven into them. Her purple cat eyes watched Sarah in amusement as she looked down at Sarah from several inches above Sarah's own respectable five foot eight. Ruden's lavender markings stood out around her eyes and her ears were as pointed as ever. Sarah winced at the thought of someone having seen her. Ruden was dressed in a soft pair of brown leather breeches with a pair of ankle high boots and blue linen poet's shirt. Once she had discovered that it was acceptable for women to wear pants in the Aboveground she had immediately shucked her dress for the more comfortable men's clothing.

"So who is this patient I'm supposed to help you with?" Ruden asked as she smiled at Sarah. She sounded almost cheerful now and Sarah noticed the cup of coffee she was holding in one hand with her Healer bag in the other. Despite having come from a race that drank tea like it was going out of style, once the Healer had learned about coffee and all the different ways it could be prepared, she'd instantly become hooked like any good American. Sarah liked to tease her about but only after Ruden had had her first shot of caffeine.

"Well before we go in there," Sarah said uncomfortably and she held up her hand when she saw Ruden's disapproving look, "There's something I need to tell you. It's about who I am."

"Oh Sarah," Ruden said softly; a gentle look crossing her face, "I've known who you were from the moment I first met you. You are the Lady of the Labyrinth, First to ever win the challenge set before them."

"While I do not doubt that fact," Sarah said sourly at the title that had popped up to annoy her every now and then, "That's not what I was talking about."

Briefly, Sarah outlined her heritage and watched as Ruden's eyes widened in surprise.

"I just wanted to give you fair warning," Sarah said tiredly as she ran her hand through her hair. It was almost four in the morning and it was running on well over twenty-four hours since she'd last slept, "Just in case."

Ruden nodded her understanding absently before setting this new information aside and bringing herself back to the task at hand. She could worry about it later.

"Now," She said briskly, "Let's see this patient that you've called me out to look at."

Sarah didn't say anything; just turned and led the Healer to the guest room before opening the door silently and taking a step back. Ruden walked into the room, noticing that this room was as tastefully decorated as the rest of the apartment, if minimal in furnishings with only a bed, nightstand, dresser and mirror, a door leading to a closet, another door leading the connected bathroom, and only a few pictures on the walls. It seemed Sarah had decided that shades of browns and greens were what this room needed and she nodded in approval at the earthy tones. The room she usually stayed in when she stayed at Sarah's apartment was decorated in shades of purple.

"To match your eyes," Sarah once said.

She noted the bed had been stripped of its nicer coverings; leaving only a white, cotton sheet over the mattress. The room was warm so a blanket hadn't been needed to keep the occupant from getting cold; just a towel over his hips but she nodded in approval as she looked over everything Sarah had done. Ruden turned her attention to the person lying on the bed and felt her body freeze in shock. She didn't even notice when Sarah walked into her back.

"Sarah," She said shakily, "Why do you have my king lying injured on your bed?"

It took Sarah a moment before she could answer; not sure if she had heard what she thought she had.

"Your king?" Sarah asked in surprise, "You're Jareth's Healer?"

"Yes," Ruden hissed; ignoring the use of the Goblin King's given name, "How did this happen?"

Sarah started to answer but then realized no one had told her what had happened.

"I don't know," She replied, "Hoggle and Sir Didymus just showed up in my mirror asking for my help, then his mother made her presence known and demanded that I find him and in all the excitement I didn't bother to find out."

"Well it doesn't matter at the moment," The Healer muttered as she walked over to the bed and began studying Jareth, "But I don't have enough of the things I'm going to need for this."

"I'll contact Hoggle and see if he can get you what you need," Sarah said quickly as she made her way over to the mirror sitting on the dresser. She was also going to assuage her curiosity and ask what had happened to the Goblin King. Ruden just nodded her affirmation absently as she flipped into Healer mode; muttering to herself as she expertly checked her monarch over, "Hoggle I need to talk to you."

The mirror rippled in answer to her statement but the face looking back at her wasn't her good friend's. Sarah winced at Titania's scowl. She'd hoped the woman would have gone away by now but that had probably been too much to ask and, from the look on her face, Sarah's father had obviously done as he promised and informed the Summer Monarchs of what had been decided in regards to their son. It was very obvious that Jareth's mother wasn't in the least bit happy about it.

"Your Majesty," Sarah said tightly; catching Ruden's attention. She really was too tired for this, "I need to speak to either Hoggle or Sir Didymus about procuring the necessary medical supplies for the Goblin King."

There. That had come out sounding properly respectful and Sarah hoped she would drop whatever she had to say and just let one of the others come to the mirror. Unfortunately, no such luck.

"I can procure the materials needed just as well as they," Titania said stiffly, "But I demand that you allow me to see my son."

"Majesty, I really do need to get these things as soon as possible and your son is sleeping at the moment," Sarah replied wearily.

"It is of no matter. I will be coming to see him more than just this time so it doesn't matter if he is sleeping now because he will most certainly be awake later," She sniffed with an imperious wave of her hand, "Now I demand that you give me permission to enter so that I may see my son."

Now it was probably that Sarah was just tired, though it was most likely the fact that she was fed up but, whatever the reason, her temper snapped.

"I am not giving you permission now or ever," Sarah hissed, "To enter my home. I have informed everyone involved that it's better if he has as few people coming around as possible and that includes you. He himself has expressed the desire to be left alone while he recuperates and I expect you to respect that. Now step aside so I can talk to Hoggle or Sir Didymus so that I can get the necessary supplies that he needs."

Ruden had watched the whole exchange with wide eyes. She'd never seen anyone talk to her king's mother as Sarah was doing now and she worried what the Queen might do to her. A pull on her sleeve alerted her to the fact that Jareth was attempting to get her attention. Glancing down, she saw that Jareth was watching the whole exchange in amusement but he turned his eyes back to her and then nodded in the direction of the mirror. Ruden took the hint and moved to intercept whatever the Queen might be about to do.

"Your Majesty," She said in a quietly respectful voice, "Please may I speak with one of the king's advisors so that I can get the necessary supplies for your son?"

Titania turned to her but whatever Ruden had been hoping to accomplish, it didn't happen because the Queen only scowled harder.

"I see you've managed to somehow get my son's Healer," She snarled at Sarah who looked ready to give as good as she got.

"As much as you profess to be worried about your son, you seem to be interfering in his recovery quite a lot," Sarah snarled right back.

"Insolent girl-"

She didn't get to finish.

"Mother," Sounded from the bed with all the force of a whip cracking, "You overstep yourself within my kingdom and I will thank you to step out of the way so that my subjects can do their jobs."

Titania stared at her son blankly for a moment before turning on her heel and stalking away. A moment later, Didymus appeared in the frame looking rather harried.

"My king," He cried when he caught sight of Jareth after relaying the supplies Ruden needed to a waiting Goblin, "We were worried but seeing you looking so much better does my old heart good to know that you will make a full recovery."

"Thank you, Didymus," Jareth said as regally as he could while lying injured in bed with nothing covering him but a towel and a few bandages.

"Didymus," Sarah said quickly. Her curiosity at what had happened to the Goblin King getting the better of her as Ruden took the just delivered supplies back to the bed and began the long process of dressing Jareth's wounds, "What exactly happened to Jareth? Did he get attacked or something?"

"Sarah," Jareth said in warning which only peaked her curiosity more.

"Or something," Said Didymus reluctantly but at Sarah's pleading look he continued. He never had been able to deny her anything, "Someone, who we found out was our king's very own mother," Jareth made a strangled sound but was ignored, "was moving the portal that leads back to the Underground so that he could not find it again after our king went to the Above to retrieve a wished away. My king then proceeded to track the portal through the storm but, and I am not entirely sure how this happened though I understand that visibility was very bad during the storm, he flew into a tree while an owl. He then changed back into a Fae so as to inform us what had happened so that we could find help."

Jareth groaned and threw his left arm over his face in embarrassment while Ruden just stared at him in shock at his idiocy. Sarah slowly turned to the Goblin King and gave him the gimlet eye as her temper reached new heights.

"Precious," He said tentatively.

"No," She snarled. Sarah wasn't really angry with him, once she calmed down she would probably only be a little annoyed, but after having just dealt with his mother the residual anger boiled over at the new information, "Not Precious. I have had to deal with your mother, run out in the worst storm I've seen in years to find you, and deal with a host of other things because you were too stupid to find shelter instead of flying around in the rain!"

Sarah stormed out of the room to go to her own bedroom and no one tried to stop her. Sir Didymus didn't say anything else but it turned out he didn't need to as Ruden had plenty she wanted to say. Jareth lay on the bed quietly while his Healer flayed him alive as she called him all kinds of stupid, idiot, and any other unflattering expletive she could think of. Eventually, Ruden ran out of words and she stood, chest heaving, and glaring daggers at her king. Jareth just gave her his trademark arrogant look but it was somewhat spoiled what with him just wearing a towel and bleeding everywhere.

Ruden huffed.

"You've got some serious explaining to do," She growled.

Jareth's look fell away and he suddenly looked much much older. He raised his hand to cover his face as he sighed. Ruden was startled at his reaction but then recalled that Didymus had said he'd answered a wisher and understanding dawned. She glanced up at the fox in the mirror, who nodded sadly, before turning back to her king. Her posture deflated.

"Oh," She said quietly, "I see."

Jareth didn't say anything but Ruden didn't need him to. She'd known Jareth since he'd been born and he'd been like the little brother she'd never had (It had hurt them both tremendously when she'd decided to come to the Above to learn about the advancements the humans had made in the medical world). Because she'd been with him so long, Ruden knew more about the Goblin King than anyone else so she knew that no one hurt more when a child was wished away than her king. She also knew he tended to do stupid things when he was upset so she was no longer surprised at this newest escapade of his. Ruden sighed as she studied Jareth.

"I'll talk to her in the morning," She vowed quietly.

Jareth moved his hand to give her a grateful look and she smiled down at him. Sir Didymus bid them goodnight not too much later and the mirror became just a mirror again. Jareth dropped off not too much longer after that which allowed Ruden to finish up quicker so that she could seek her own bed. She'd been intending to show Sarah what she needed to help whoever her friend had taken in before heading back to her own apartment but, since it was Jareth, it didn't look like that was going to happen. Turning off the light, Ruden headed to the bedroom that had been designated as hers for whenever she stayed over. Soon the whole apartment was silent, all the occupants asleep within.

Thankfully, nothing happened for the rest of the night.