A/N: Well, I know where this story is going now. It came to me all at once this morning while I was studying my Japanese. No ending yet, but I think we might have ourselves the groundwork for a nice plot. I really wanted to write more in his chapter, but I've started a pace of nice short chapters and I'm not ready to change that now. It just means you'll get more updates, hopefully. As long as I have final exams, I'll need all the distraction I can get :). I'm going to try to keep the updates to once a day at least, no matter how badly I want to write the next chapter right now. Saves me from burning out too fast, and it keeps you coming back for more :) Thank you all who are already following this story, I can't tell you what those e-mail alerts mean to me.

Sarah stared at the party of creatures from the Underworld, dancing and cavorting as if nothing were wrong. "Nothing happened." She had expected glitter, puffs of smoke and most importantly, one wild-haired Goblin King standing before her. Instead, everything was just as it had been. Sarah felt a bit of embarrassed blush start to fill her cheeks.

"Ther might be two reasons fer that, yer majesty," Hoggle knew he didn't have to call her that just yet, but he figured if he started now, maybe she would adjust sooner. He noticed her flash a glare at him for the honorific, regardless. "Tha first possibility is, The Goblin King don't grant just any old wish. Yer gots to be wishin' someone away fer the Goblin King to respond." He looked at Sarah pointedly and she noticed a sly smile begin to play on his wide mouth. "Tha second possibility, is, of course, that Jareth ain't tha Goblin King no more. He's just Jareth." He spat on the ground at the speaking of his enemy and former king's name.

Sarah paused for a moment in her own contemplations to wonder why it was that Hoggle seemed to despise his ruler...strike that, old ruler so very much. It wasn't time to think of that, now, however. She needed Jareth. She needed someone to explain all of this to her. Something told her Hoggle wasn't going to do that. "Hoggle, if I am now the Goblin Queen, then I can do magic as well? Could I summon Jareth here?"

"Oh, sure, you'll learn magic. When we return to the court, the King of the Underground will be there, waitin' to coronate'cha." His features darkened a bit. "But'cha don't want ta be summonin' that creature here, he's best left where he is."

She barely caught the second thing he said. Coronation? King of the Underground? What was she getting herself into. It was all too much. "Coronation? So, I'm not really the Goblin Queen yet?"

"Only in the most official of senses, yer Majesty. In everyone's eyes, yer as good as queen already."

"But I don't know the first thing about being a queen. I don't live in that kind of world. Here, I'm just a girl, I've only just started high school. I can barely take care of myself, and you want me to take care of an entire kingdom?" She began to pace around the room, looking at all of her childhood memorabilia. Sure, she was a little old for some of this stuff, but she was certainly not old enough for what they asked of her. She picked up the doll on her desk. Only now was she noticing just how much it looked like Jareth. "Wait, how can..." she whispered to herself, lost in the realization that a lot of her stuff looked like things she'd seen in the Underground.

"Don't worry, Sarah. There will be all kinds of people around to teach ya what'cha need ter learn. How do ya think Jareth got to where he was? Kingdom fell to 'im just the same way after all." Sarah flipped around to look at the Dwarf in shock. Hoggle realized he probably should have left that part out. It was too much to give away too soon.

Sarah was just about to demand more information from Hoggle when the storm picked up enough fury to drown out the merrymaking. The Goblins all scattered around the room, seeking shelter from the noise. Many of Sarah's precious objects were knocked to the floor and broken as Goblins went to hide in her bookcases and other hiddy holes throughout the room. Ambrosius flew under her bed, knocking it off of its legs momentarily as the noble steed cowered in fear. Hoggle even went to hide behind Sarah as the power in the room went out.

It was one of those peels of thunder that went on for more than just a few seconds and Sarah could hear the sound of chattering Goblin teeth in its wake. For a few moments, that was the only sound that could be heard in the room, until a second crack of thunder announced itself, louder than the last. That was when the torrential downpour began. "I think we should get back ter the Underground. T'ain't safe here."

"You want me to leave Toby with this storm outside? What will my parents think if they get home and I'm gone?" Remembering her brother asleep in the next room, she desperately wanted to go to him and make sure that he was OK. With all the noise from the party and now the storm, she wouldn't have been able to hear him cry and she was feeling pretty bad about that right at the moment.

"Aw, come now Sarah, did'jer think that I'd forgotten about 'im? We'll leave a few Goblin's ter watch over 'im and yer parents'll be none-the-wiser. Anyone who must take up their rightful place in the Undergrounds past life in the Aboveground will be taken care of. Some people will think that yer went to school somewhere else. Others, distant acquaintances, will simply not remember ya." Hoggle didn't want to say the next part, but he knew she would ask.

"And my family?" She did ask, not wanting toknow as much as he didn't want to tell.

"They'll remember ya. Can't be helped. Some memories are too strong ta erase. But they won't ever remember ya bein' gone. There'll always be some reason to excuse yer absence. School far away, marriage, business, it'll be a glamour on them, forever."

That didn't sound so bad to Sarah, but she still couldn't bear the thought of leaving for good. There had to be a way out of this. If she went, just for a while, maybe she could find out enough information to get Jareth back on the throne, or at least someone else besides herself. Someone that would take care of the Goblins. Regardless, she was not ready to go yet. Plus, she suddenly remembered something Hoggle had said earlier that evening. She had some unfinished business to take care of.

"Just one more night, Hoggle. Let me stay here with Toby. Please? I promise, I'll join you all in the Underground in the morning." She looked at him, hoping her eyes were projecting pleading and not the plotting she was currently hatching in her brain.

Hoggle gave his new Queen an exasperated sign, "I suppose. The Goblin Kingdom won't crumble in a night, but the King of the Underground ain't gonna be too happy bout this. He hates ter wait." She swooped Hoggle up in her arms and spun him around in a tight hug.

"Oh thank you, Hoggle. I won't forget this." She gave him one more kiss on the cheek, hoping it would put him in the daze she was expecting. He was looking pretty lovestruck to her, so she pressed her luck. "Oh, and Hoggle, just so I can watch out: You said Jareth was nearby, do you know where he is?"

The dwarf would have done anything for Sarah at the moment, so he thought nothing of her question and simply pointed to her window, "He's outside, in that there tree. Can't stay away from yer, he's bound to his champion." Sarah sat Hoggle down on the floor and smiled at him sadly. She'd hated taking advantage of him, but she knew he'd have likely not told her otherwise.

"Thank you Hoggle, I promise, I'll keep an eye out. Now, you'd better get back to the Underground. I don't want these Goblins to die of fright. You have to take care of them while I'm gone."

Hoggle was full of pride at being put in charge and he gathered the Goblins up together, "Come on ya snivellin' creatures, we gots to go prepare the castle for the new Queen!" The Goblins cheered behind him and they all headed towards the mirror. Hoggle took up the rear, looking back at Sarah one last time, "First thing tomorrer, I'll be back for ya."

She nodded solemnly. She'd have to find a way out of this, she just had no idea what that way was. But maybe...maybe the visitor out in her tree could somehow help.