Darklady: I know . . . I know . . . I'm horrible . . . I bet you all thought I had completely given up . . . but the lives of my beta and myself have just been a bit hecktic . . . but it should be getting better soon. Semester is almost over . . . yays . . .

Anyway . . . finally chapter 2 please don't forget to reveiw and tell me what ya think!!!

Chapter 2

Jareth managed to control himself until Sarah had severed the connection. Now, left with no one but the walls to see his true reaction, he created and promptly threw a crystal at the wall. The shattered remnants of it fell to the ground as he roared his anger out to the empty room.

She was his! He'd waited centuries for her and now, when she was so close, there was the chance of losing her to a mortal? He paced about his chamber, hands clutched behind his back, skin straining against the knuckles. He'd done this to himself, he thought bitterly, encouraging her to date as he had.

A sudden disembodied laughter in the room caused his irritation to rise. "I'm in no mood for your teasing Eireach." The vampiric looking Fae appeared in the room as if from the very shadows, his eyes alight with amusement and his arms crossed with smug confidence. Jareth allowed his mind to focus for a brief moment on how Eireach always knew when to show up. "I wouldn't look so smug if I were you." Jareth said, glaring at his lifelong friend.

"Or you'll what? You and I are too evenly matched to cause any real damage to one another." Eireach chuckled as he pointed out the painfully obvious. "At best we'll destroy your castle and I don't know as I'd be in a mood to share mine after the fight," Eireach said loftily as he made a show of checking his nails. Only the smirk on his lips showed that he was joking. Jareth scowled off the teasing and Eireach shook his head. "Jareth if you don't want her seeing anyone so close to her coming of age, then why don't you just tell her that?"

"Damned if I know! I don't bloody know!" Jareth said plopping himself down into the closest armchair. He brought his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, suddenly he had a headache.

"If you expect Sarah to read your mind, you should know that it won't happen until after you're properly bound." Jareth groaned at Eireach's helpful jest.

"Damn it, I'm going to have to watch another man touch my Sarah." Eireach rolled his eyes.

"Oh would you stop your bloody whining, it's not like she's found the love of her life in a mortal. If she had she would've told you that she was leaving, instead of just missing a dinner date." Jareth looked up at Eireach slightly amused.

"Just how long were you listening?"

"Long enough." Eireach said, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his legs. "Let me ask a question and get a straight honest answer. Do you know Sarah at all?" Jareth sat a bit taller in his seat, a bit outraged by the question.

"What are you getting at?"

Eireach shook his head, standing up and brushing off his clothes, "Just remember your own words, nothing is what it seems." Before Jareth could ask what he meant Eireach was gone, the copper glitter on the floor and Jareth's puzzled face being the only signs that he was ever there.

"Well isn't that bloody perfect . . . and you should know it's rude to just pop in and out of places!" Deep laughter filled the room. "Oh shut up!"

Sarah stomped her way back up to her front steps, her date following close behind. The entire date had been a big mistake. She'd been forced to sit through a stupid slasher flick, the newest ostentatiously scary horror movie proving to be just as stupid as the ones before it. The girl beside her had jumped at a particularly gory scene and drenched Sarah in sticky grape soda. On top of being sticky and wet, Alan wouldn't keep his hands to himself.

"I was just trying to help." He'd said as she slapped his hand away from her breast.

"I'm going to bed Alan." She said turning to glare at him as she stopped at the door. "I think you'll understand when I say that I don't want to do this again."

"Oh come on Sar, this kind of stuff happens all the time." He stepped up beside her, his extra ten inches causing him to tower over her. "Let me help you to bed, I'll show you a good time." He whispered as he grabbed her around the waist.

"I'm going to tell you once Alan, let go." Her voice was a low warning that she knew she was wasting on him.

"Oh come on baby. You might enjoy it." He lowered his face towards hers.

"Oh I know I will Alan." The blast of power hit him square in the chest, sending him head over heels to the bottom of the steps. An owl swooped down to attack the boy as Sarah closed herself safely in her apartment. She didn't even look back as she heard Alan yelling for help, didn't even bother with the guilt that she should have felt. Later she would tell Jareth that he wasn't allowed to attack men just because they were being men.

"Sarah is that you?" Gabby yelled from her place on the couch.

"Yeah it's me."

"Sarah!" Linda yelled excitedly.

"Are you going to give me my props?" Gabby asked a moment before Sarah came into view.

Sarah frowned as she walked into the living room, seeing her roommate and her mother sitting on the couch each with a cup of tea in their hand. Their excited faces had turned to horror as the gazed at the mess that Sarah had become. Gabby's jaw dropped but it was only a matter of moments before she was laughing her pretty little head off and Linda was joining her.

Honestly she didn't need a mirror to know that she was a mess. Her hair which had been pulled up into a simple French braid was lose and unraveling. Her makeup had run from the liquid that had been dumped on her, as well as the large purple stain on a shirt that would most likely be going straight to the garbage. "You really need to stop laughing, because I'm totally NOT in the mood for it."

"What the hell happened?" Linda asked, finally managing to pass words through her lips without chuckling.

"We went to see a movie. He asked me what movie I wanted to see and when he didn't agree with it so he decided and we watched the new slasher movie. The girl next to me threw her hands over her face to cover her eyes and forgot that she had an extra large soda in her hand at the time, and then Alan decided that he was going to try and help clean me off. When I left the theater he followed me home and tried to force himself on me." She paused and glared at Gabby. "So, yeah…props to Gabby."

"Sarah, it really couldn't have been that bad." Linda said standing to coo over her growling daughter. Neither of them seemed to be laughing anymore.

"I'd really rather not talk about it. What I gave you was the highpoints, that's all you really need to know." Sarah said sitting down in the place her mother had just vacated.

"Well…I guess this means that you're not going to start dating again…" Gabby asked quietly, taking a sip from her drink that she ended up choking on from the look Sarah gave her. Then she was laughing again.

"Well if you two don't have any more bright ideas about what I should do with my life, I'm going to take a shower and head to bed." Sarah stamped her way to her room, Gabby's laughing only quieted when she shut the door. Opening up her window she waited for Jareth to fly in. The spell that she had cast on her 17th birthday was still in place, when physically around each other Jareth had to be in his animal form.

At the moment the fact that he was an owl was the only thing saving him from a swift kick in the balls. Even then…she wondered how to smack an owl in it's twigs and berries.

He'd been following her through the entire date, even managing to find a way into the theater. Though she would admit to being grateful for the watchful eyes and the eventual rescue, she just couldn't believe that he had followed her without saying anything. He'd even been trying to hide himself.

When he finally flew in Sarah was wrapped in a towel ready for a much needed shower. "You come with me." She said pointing to the bird as she walked to her bathroom. When she had first moved in with Gabby, she hadn't been all together pleased with having an adjoining bathroom. However, it had quickly become a blessing. At the moment with her bedroom door locked and the bathroom door locked, she could be absolutely sure that no one was going to be getting in without her wanting them too.

As she stepped under the hot spray, she heard Jareth's impatient hoot. "Give me one bloody reason not to lock you up until your 21st birthday!" Growling, Sarah shampooed her hair, unable to enjoy the process of getting clean.

"Don't you dare use that tone with me, Jareth. Besides, we both know that you wouldn't be able to lock me up anywhere. What the hell were you doing tonight?" A coo from her companion was her answer. Thankfully he was intelligent enough to keep far away from the shower curtain.

"Watching." He said simply.

"Watching what?" Sarah growled back. "Do you honestly think that I wanted anything to do with Alan?" Another coo followed by some clicking sounds was her answer.

"Sarah you agreed to go on a date with him, perhaps you no longer want to be with me but are not yet willing to admit it. Do you want another man Sarah?"

"You know what, I'm done. That has got to be the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard you say. For your information, Goblin King, I didn't even want to go on the stupid date. Gabby agreed to it for me and if I remember correctly you were all for it when I told you before the stupid outing. 'I want you to have a normal life'. As far as I'm concerned, Your HIGHNESS, you can just go back to your castle until you can figure out something intelligent to say. Like an apology!"

Jareth had transported himself to the Underground as soon as possible. "I'm a fool." He said, as he appeared in Eireach's study. He'd been cursed with a Fae mind and destined was to join with a mortal who, though she held Fae qualities, would never be able to fully understand or except the way his mind worked. With Sarah, that would be a rough and bumpy ride.

"I've proven that fact many times over, my friend. Surely, by now, it isn't so much of a surprise." Eireach looked up from his papers and frowned at Jareth's miserable expression. "You upset her again, didn't you?"

"Am I that predictable?" Jareth asked, his tone just as miserable as his expression.

"No. You're in the early stages of your relationship with your mortal chosen. If she's anything like my wife, which I know she is, then you're in for many arguments that you just can't win." Jareth frowned at his friend's words.

"Are we always to be in the wrong then?"

"No. Of course not." Eireach paused. "Do you remember what our fathers told us about women? What they would always tell us after our mother's had left from an argument? 'They are always right, even when they are wrong. They're right.'" Jareth nodded with a frown.

"Yes, I remember." He sighed and Eireach chuckled.

"You followed her on the date…didn't you?" Eireach asked, the smirk spreading further as the idiocy of the move set in.

"Yes." Jareth closed his eyes against Eireach's highly amused face. "I attacked the bastard as well."

Eireach sighed quietly and gestured outwards with one hand, "Jareth…you can't go beating up-"

"He was going to try and rape her." Jareth said plainly, cutting Eireach off. His voice was eerily calm to the dark truth.

Eireach was the only person Jareth had told about Sarah's past. His own parents were unaware of his Chosen's tortured past. At his words, he felt Eireach's own anger grow as his magic tickled the room. Even without ever really meeting each other's Chosen, they were aggressively protective of the two. "Will he scar?"

"Most definitely. I was not at all careful about how long or deep my talons went only where," he said with an air of dark satisfaction.

Eireach grunted his approval, "What has Lady Sarah so upset then?"

"I told her that I was angry that she wanted to be with other men." Jareth opened his eyes and met the intense green gaze of the man he considered his brother. "When in all honesty she hadn't even agreed to the silly date, Gabby had. She had been waiting for me to say something against her going and I hadn't said a word."

Eireach stood and moved to the door of his study. "I did tell you to talk with her. Come brother, we shall share a drink while we discuss ways for you to fix this mess."

"What of your wife?" Jareth asked as he stood to follow Eireach out the door.

"She is in the Aboveground, trying to figure out what she is going to write her next story on. She won't be back here until late, besides she will merely boot you out if she wishes to return earlier." The delight in his friend's eyes told Jareth that Eireach wouldn't complain if his wife did just that. Jareth would bet his kingdom that it was because of the 'activities' Eireach's wife came up with.

But that was another conversation entirely.

It had been two days since Sarah had told Jareth to stay away until he could apologize, and he'd finally left a note on her pillow telling her to meet him in her dreams. It was because of his note that she had gone into her first class smiling, it was because of being asked to stay after that it had so quickly disappeared. "Miss Williams, would you be able to tell me where you came up with the idea for this story?" Her professor asked gently. Sarah shrugged.

"It's a story that I made up to tell my little brother on nights that he has trouble sleeping." She frowned. "Why? IS there something wrong?" The professor laughed.

"Nothing at all, it was merely a question from an intrigued old man." He smiled. "Miss Williams, relax. You're not in any kind of trouble, quite the opposite in fact. This is a brilliantly written piece, a wonderful short story that could easily be made into an amazing novel." Sarah felt excitement bubble up inside her.

"Really?" The professor laughed again.

"I was actually wondering…you see I know of a fantasy writer that has been looking for someone to co-write a few books with her. You did say you were working on your degree to become a writer, did you not?" Sarah couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips as she nodded.

"Well then, would you mind if I sent this paper to her?"

"If I may ask sir, who would you be sending it to?"

The professor laughed at himself and ran a hand over balding salt and pepper hair, "You'll have to forgive me child, I am getting rather old. Not all here you know. F.G. Rose. Have you heard of her?"

Sarah felt her stomach drop, heard of her? F.G. Rose was the Fae world's version of J.K. Rowling. The woman was brilliant and clever as hell. Her books having a wonderful amount of research making the characters complex and intriguing, while at the same time they seemed as though they could live right next door. "You…know her sir?"

"Yes, she took a course one summer and though I haven't seen much of her since we have kept in contact and still maintain our friendship." I nodded, it fit. The picture on the back of all her novels showed a middle aged woman, with knowing eyes and a playful temperament. There was no doubt in her mind that this absent minded professor and the southern bell were friends. "Do you mind if I send this to her? I don't want to send it if you've got something against another person besides myself reading it." Sarah squealed and hugged the older gentleman with delight.

"Oh thank you sir." She pulled back, biting her lip as a wave of self-consciousness crashed over her. "Are you sure she'd even want to read it though, I mean it was only meant to be a short story and I'm afraid…." The older man waved off her needless concern.

"It is a wonderfully written piece, much like the one that F.G. handed in for her first writing assignment." He told her with a smile that caused Sarah's worry to lessen. "Now, could I please have your email address so that she may get in contact with you once she's read your paper?"

Sarah had run home as quickly as possible, her feet seeming to hover above the ground as she ran past the other students and professors on campus. Each person she passed taking notice of the bright smile on the usually schooled face. "GABBY . . . TOBY!!!" She yelled as she opened and closed the door to her apartment.

"Hey sis, what's up?" Toby asked from his place on the floor. Gabby was on the floor with him, evidently getting her ass kicked in a game of candy poker…again. "Call ya."

"Full house, squirt, ladies over aces." Toby shook his head in mock sympathy to the woman that he considered his sister and Gabby tossed her cards down. They scattered over the candy pile between them as Gabby's brilliant green eyes blazed with frustration. "OH MY GOD! You've got to be friggin kidding me, that's the best hand I've had all night!"

"Sadly, Gabs, it's not better than a royal flush…in hearts." Toby said, showing his cards. Gabby's left eye twitched slightly as she gazed at the family of hearts before her.

"I just don't get it…I don't." Gabby groaned, rubbing her temples as if trying to fight off a headache. "I can understand getting my butt kicked by Sarah, but the rug rat?" Gabby turned to Sarah and she knew the trouble her friend had to keep from cussing around Toby. "This kid has been bluffing the whole night…." She turned back to the boy in question. "And STILL he wins! Explain…someone tell me how I'm getting my fanny handed to me by a 6 year old?"

Sarah shrugged and moved to her brother to kiss his forehead, "Our father is a lawyer Gabs. How do you think he paid his way through school?"

Gabby's jaw dropped, "Oh you two suck, you really do…you know that?" She huffed once she had managed to find her voice. The siblings laughed as Gabby stood, stretching as she glared at them. "Alright brat what were you so pleased about when you came in?"

"Oh GODS, I almost forgot. You're never going to guess what my professor is doing with the story I wrote." Sarah paused, waiting for them to at least try.

"If we're never going to guess Sarah, then why don't you just tell us?" Toby said, sounding far too much like Jareth.

"I agree with the rug rat, just tell us Sarah." Gabby said, cleaning up the various candy wrappers and cups of juice that littered the room. "Hey rug rat this is your mess too, help clean up."

"He's sending it to F.G. Rose…." Sarah stopped as Gabby dropped everything in her hands and swayed on her feet. Instantly Sarah was at her side, helping her to a chair.

"Well…that certainly wasn't the reaction I was expecting." She said, a bit annoyed.

"Dear Gods above, are you serious?" Gabby asked frowning.

"Gabby this is my dream…you could be the littlest bit happy for me." Sarah frowned, more hurt than angry.

Gabby laughed and held Sarah's hands, "Idiot…if I wasn't happy for you I would have said so, you should know that by now. I'm just a bit shocked, even a fantasy retard like me knows that she's…she's amazing." Gabby shook her head. "One of the biggest names in the business. I mean isn't there talk about turning one of her books into a movie?" Sarah nodded as Toby wrapped himself around her middle.

"How does your professor know F.G. Rose?" She asked.

"Apparently she took a summer course with him once, though I forgot to ask when." Sarah shrugged and stood back up with Toby so she could spin with him, his legs flying out as she spun faster.

When they stopped, both giggling and swaying slightly, Gabby declared that they would be calling Robert and Linda because they were going out to celebrate. With a pleased grin, Sarah agreed. Tonight was definitely a night for celebrating.

Jareth frowned as he realized that Sarah was calling him again and it was still far too early for her to be going to sleep. Creating a crystal, he felt his heart pound and his pants become a bit uncomfortable. She was wearing a simple red cocktail dress, the neckline cut just low enough to show a modest but tempting amount of cleavage. The dress was cut an inch or so below her knee, showing off her long shapely legs. The Goblin King gulped, trying his best to ignore the instinct that screamed for him to claim her.

"Hey Jareth." She said, sweetly as she continued to get ready. She was completely either completely unaware of the effect she had on him…or completely naïve of how wonderful she looked. With Sarah, either could be true. He cleared his throat before he answered, not wanting to make her uncomfortable with the husky tone he knew it would have.

"And where exactly are you going looking so majestic my love?" He frowned. "Not another date I hope." She laughed.

"No Jareth, I'm not going on anymore dates until you can take me. No we're going out to celebrate my story being sent to F.G. Rose. I've told you about her haven't I?" Jareth nodded, his features turning up into a pleased smile.

"Yes, you have. My, that is reason to celebrate. But forgive me love, why call to tell me now? Why not wait until we meet tonight?"

"I just wanted to be sure that I told you what was going on tonight. Just in case I'm a little later than usual. I didn't want you to think I was still angry." He smirked into the crystal.

"Is that your way of saying that you have forgiven me?" Sarah shook her head.

"Not on your life buddy, you still have to come out with a formal apology." She turned and faced the mirror, giving Jareth a delicious view of the low back of the dress. Damn it, he wasn't even allowed to touch his Chosen and just looking was torture.

"Very well Sarah, I will see you tonight. Then you will be able to properly tell me everything that has happened with your story." Sarah nodded and with a smile and a wave, she popped his crystal.

He smiled as he realized that so many things were going to be falling into place for Sarah and himself. The story was only the first step to their lives becoming a bit less complicated or perhaps it was a bit more. He sent a crystal to Eireach, they would have to talk once he'd gotten out of his meetings with the High King. Oh yes, their lives were about to get quite interesting. He smirked as a thought came to mind. He could only hope that the Young Queen and Sarah would find it as amusing as he did.

Though somehow, he highly doubted that would be the case.