Sarah woke with a deep feeling of loss. She was lying in her own bed, but it had been moved to Cormac's room. Sensing there was someone else with her, she sat up cautiously. Jareth lay awake beside her on top of the covers, looking concerned and very tired.

'Have you been up all night?' she asked him, brushing the hair out of his eyes. He smiled ruefully.

'I had to,' he replied. 'I've called a meeting of the Six, and they should be here any moment.'

Sarah frowned.

'The Six?'

'They are the six most powerful Fae in the Underground. We each rule a kingdom here, and -'

'Hold on. We?'

Jareth smiled again, and sat up to face her.

'Yes, I'm one of the Six.'

'Why have you called them?'

'Because Emelan proved to me last night, it's going to take more than just one of us to get rid of her,' he said, a little regretfully.

Sarah sat up fully and took his hands in hers.

'If you're going to be planning a war, you need some sleep. You can't expect to make any sense if you're barely awake on your feet.'

Gently, Jareth ran his fingers through her hair. To think this man once scared me, she thought, marvelling at how relaxed she was in his presence. Without thinking, he leant forward and brushed her lips with his. Sarah gently disentangled herself, knowing if she let this happen they'd both regret it, and led him through the door, across the corridor into his own room. As she turned to leave she heard him plaintively ask her,

'Tuck me in?'

Laughing, she did so, leaving him asleep before his head touched the pillow.

***

Later that morning, birds started circling in, some in flocks, some alone. Sarah watched them arrive, knowing who they were, and that she should greet them, but too worried about her son to care.

Hoggle had returned from his bedroom and was sitting with her, teaching her how to play Labyrinth chess, which involved a lot of cheating when the other wasn't looking. Sarah discovered that the power she had used to hit Jareth could be used to do almost anything, winning her all the games they played. Hoggle was more than a little put out by that, and so they spent the remainder of the morning experimenting with her power.

After lunch, Jareth called for her to join him and his guests, who all turned out to be family. His mother, Aquaria, had run to her the moment she entered the room and had hovered over her, generally being a comfort all afternoon. His cousins were a little more restrained, and limited their welcomes to a handshake until Jareth had told them who she was.

'You have a son?' Thaus had bellowed and caught Sarah up in a huge bear hug, lifting her clear off the floor. The other's reactions were similar, though a little quieter. Iamon had been very gentle, having already spoken to Jareth about Cormac. He gave her a very soft embrace, asking quietly,

'How are you coping?'

Sarah smiled gratefully up at him.

'I'll survive,' she whispered, as Rill pulled Aquaria off her and sat between them, preparing to explain what they were talking about.

'I still think we should attack her first,' a raven-haired man, identified as Coel, had incited. Iamon had thrown up his hands and leant across the table.

'Fine! You tell us where she is, and we'll attack her!'

This had gone on for hours before Aquaria had finally stepped in, unable to take any more of their bickering.

'Boys, please! Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere,' she told them. At her glance they all sat down around the table, and got down to actually making plans. Halfway through the proceedings, Sarah excused herself and returned to her vigil by Cormac's side.

***

After the evening meal, talk turned to more congenial things. Thaus threw an arm around Jareth and demanded,

'So, when's the wedding? Kien'll want to come, you know!'

Coel silenced his brother with an icy glare, seeing Jareth's face harden. Aquaria sat beside her son, squeezing his arm supportively.

'She is a lovely girl. So much power for a mortal!'

Iamon had chimed in with,

'Can she sing?'

Jareth laughed, answering his cousin's query.

'Yes, she can. I thought you might have noticed that, 'Mon. And before you ask, I've checked. She is the Heartsong.'

They all whooped with joy, even Aquaria. Then Rill gave them each a glass of wine.

'To toast the birth of Jareth's son.'

Jareth's face clouded over, and Thaus pushed his youngest brother aside, scowling at his insensitivity. He fixed his face in a beatific smile, making them all snort derisively.

'And,' he said, 'the discovery of the Heartsong! My Kien has to come to the wedding, J. She wouldn't miss this for the world!''

Jareth raised one eyebrow, sardonically.

'Who says there's going to be a wedding?'

Aquaria looked at him sharply.

'Why? What happened?'

Sighing Jareth told them all about his misadventure into her life on her eighteenth birthday. When he was done, Coel nodded thoughtfully.

'Well,' he said, 'it's definitely a novel way to court someone.'

Thaus laughed, and clapped his cousin on the shoulder.

'Anyone can see that she's smitten with you, you rakishly handsome devil!'

'Why don't you get up there and ask her?' Rill added.

There was a silence as Aquaria quickly worked something out.

'She does know, doesn't she? About being the Heartsong?'

He looked down at his feet.

'Jareth?'

' . . . No.'

'What!'

Jareth moved hastily to defend himself.

'Look, I only found out last night for sure, and my mind was on other things. She was hardly in a fit state to be told that she had quite possibly the greatest reserve of power in the Underground!'

'That doesn't matter, she deserves to know, Jareth,' Rill admonished quietly.

'You don't know Sarah the way I do. If she thinks that she could have stopped Em in any way, she will blame herself and probably do something permanent!'

Aquaria gasped.

'Is that why the three champions are taking it in turns to watch her?' Iamon asked, his amber eyes troubled.

'Yes,' Jareth replied, feeling tempted to bury his face in his hands. Coel shook his shoulder gently.

'You have to tell her, J.'

'Yeah,' Iamon added, 'you never know, she might take it better than you think.'

Coel took up again.

'And if she doesn't, she has got those three twits looking after her,' he assured Jareth, his words harsh, but his tone fond. Ludo and the others had gotten him out of so many scrapes in his youth, how could he not be fond of them?

There was a quiet sigh from Thaus and they turned to look at him. He was gazing mournfully at his empty glass. He looked up at them reproachfully.

'What happened to that toast?' he demanded.

All grief was lost in laughter as they toasted Sarah and her little boy.