Aun Existe Amor (Love Still Exits)

"Mas alla de la violencia

Mas alla de la locura

A pesar de tanto mal que nos separa

Cuando te adormeces junto a mi

Entonces no me quedan dudas

De que aun existe amor

Sé que aun existe amor

Sé que aun existe amor"*

"Aun Existe Amor" By Celine Dion

The dinning hall was heavy with the scents of the delicious and steaming foods littering the table. Leah smiled widely as it came into view and her stomach growled loudly. Jareth and Sarah, who had previously been glaring across the table at one another, looked up and smiled.

"Ah, pet, you're finally here," he gave the barest of nods to his brother. "Here, come sit by me, I don't bite, pet…or at least not unless you're Sarah." He smirked across the table at the now cherry faced brunette.

"Oh, what did he do now Sarah?" Leah asked as Dorian placed her in her seat and hesitantly took the chair next to the volatile Sarah.

"He bit my ear! There are no grounds for someone like him, especially given the relationship we have, to do something as- as-!"

"Erotic?" Leah suggested helpfully.

"NO! 'inappropriate', as that!"

"Pet…I think I've broken her." Jareth whispered, still smirking.

"Naw, she's always like this…especially when she's embarrassed." Sarah glared at him and gripped her wine glass tightly. Dorian fidgeted nervously at her side.

"Er…how did you two become friends anyway?" he finally asked, hoping to relieve the tension that had settled around the table. Leah visibly paled for a moment and Sarah cracked an edgy smile.

"Mmm…that isn't…well Leah…it is kinda a bigger deal for you than for me…you wanna tell them or should I -?"

"No! I'll tell them," Leah cried suddenly, "you don't tell it right so I need to." Jareth looked at his pet, startled at her burst of energy, normally she was so lazy and sloth like. "Well we…er…er met in a group therapy and became friends."

"Therapy?" Dorian questioned, looking at one then the other. Sarah and Leah locked eyes and Sarah sighed, and continued where Leah left off.

"Well I was in therapy because my step-mom thought that I'd become completely delusional after my…last trip here."

"And I was in there…because my step-father decided it would be better for me than my hanging around when he was drunk. So…I was kinda there everyday…like it was child care or something," Leah picked up where Sarah left off.

"In the end we became friends, initially because she believed me about this place, and we ended up working in the same theater company. I was an actress."

"And I was her singing voice-over." Leah smirked wistfully, panic forgotten.

"You just don't like my singing because it's unique!" Sarah shot back.

"Neither does the birds, dogs or small children, f*cking scares them." Sarah's eye twitched, but she didn't argue the point further. Jareth smirked arrogantly.

"I myself happen to be an excellent singer," he puffed himself up and tossed his hair over his shoulder in a royal fashion.

"You also wear sinfully tight pants…do they let you sing in a higher octave or something?" Leah asked, taking a bite out of the piece of meat she'd been carving. Jareth turned slowly, deflating as he glared at the pet.

"F*ck you," he finally hissed.

"Jareth! Language!" Hoggle yelled as he walked in and took his place at the head of the table. Jareth's face soured further, as Leah smiled smugly at her peas. "It's not appropriate for using in front of your guests, let along, in front of the ladies." He continued to chastise.

"Hoggle, my dear old friend, sometimes I wish that I had Bogged you when Sarah gave you that kiss," Hoggle stiffened and shut up, Jareth managed a half-smile in victory before he scowled again.

"Ah, at last, our fearsome and mighty leader has returned to us," Leah remarked, sipping from her wine glass. Jareth clenched his teeth and stared at the table, as if he could set it ablaze in his fury, with the power of his gaze alone.

"Must you antagonize him, Leah?" Dorian asked quickly, hoping to the gods that his brother would pull it together.

"Yes…I must," Leah glanced at Jareth's rigid form. "How else would I become better friends with his highness?" Dorian quirked a brow at Sarah, she shrugged, just as confused. Leah jabbed Jareth lightly with her fork. "Jareth…all friendships, good loving relationships, are based on two things." Jareth snorted and turned away from her. "The first, unsurprisingly, is sarcasm," she paused to the meat she had just popped into her mouth. She swallowed and wiped her mouth daintily.

"And the second?" Jareth asked, giving her a sidelong glance.

"Oh, that's also simple: hatred. Mutual, ground shattering dislike for the other person, everything they stand for, and all the things they hold dear." Sarah rolled her eyes; she'd heard this speech before.

"Why…?" Dorian asked, aghast.

"Because, if you don't hate a friend as much as you're supposed to, you don't know them; if you don't know and hate every fidget, habit, and characteristic of them, how can you make them change or reform into someone better?"

"What about 'love'?" Dorian asked, again he couldn't believe the words coming so calmly out of her mouth.

"Oh there's love, it's fueled by the hate, because, despite every sort coming, that person is very dear to you. Your love is the glue that keeps the sarcasm and hate from tearing you apart, and the hate is the refining fire that purifies but doesn't change the person initially."

"And the sarcasm?" Jareth asked, dark mood suddenly lifted.

"How else would you survive them?"

"Who?"

"Your friends," Leah stuffed a roll into her mouth, apparently thinking that the conversation was over.

"Pet, you both enthrall and annoy me." Leah swallowed loudly.

"Then we are well on the road towards friendship," she gave him a cheerful and lazy smile, and lapsed into silence. Jareth turned back towards Sarah.

"Who would have thought that you, Sarah, were best friends with a philosopher?" Sarah's eye twitched noticeably, and Leah smiled at her nearly empty plate, "Something wrong, precious?"

"No…she," she indicated towards Leah with an accusatory finger, "just thinks that our," she gestured towards him and then herself, "relationship is one of the greatest advocates for her little theory." Sarah spat out quietly.

"Oh…"

"She made it up after she first heard about…this place…and you…and me…" Sarah looked away from him suddenly. Silence reigned over the table, only interrupted by the sound of chewing and slurping from its occupants. The mood was oddly comfortable as a little goblin strode into the room carrying a goblin sized violin on his shoulder.

"Ms, ms, Doddery play for you, mmm?" he tugged gently on the leg of Leah's pants. She stared down at the stunted furry creature in confusion. "Ms want to dance? Doddery play for ms." Leah gave him a brief pain filled smile, and softly stroked his grime coated head.

"I'm sorry Doddery, I can't dance right now…but perhaps his majesty and Ms Sarah would like to."

"No ms, Doddery come, because Dotson ask him to. Doddery not play for anyone but ms."

"I…can't dance Doddery."

"Then…if Doddery plays, ms will sing?" Leah's hand stopped its innocent caress and she looked startled. "Dotson say ms's singing is purdy and Doddery wants to hear." Leah sighed and nodded.

"I'll sing for you, but only if Ms Sarah and his royal highness dance." She glanced beseechingly at the Goblin King, than at Sarah. Jareth's smirk adopted a warm quality as he looked at Sarah and rose gracefully from his seat.

"B-but I'm not dressed to dance," Sarah stuttered, trying to scramble out of her chair and away before she ended up trapped in the arms of the Goblin King, again.

"Nonsense precious," Jareth snapped his fingers and outfit morphed into a pretty white blouse and pale peach colored skirt. "Dance with me," he commanded in a light tone. Doddery and Leah had been whispering together, trying to find a song they both knew, they came to an agreement and the little goblin began to play. Jareth quickly positioned them so that Sarah was forced to hold his shoulder and hand, as he gently held her waist. Leah smiled softly at them and began to quietly sing:

"We were both young when I first saw you/ I close my eyes and the flashback starts/ I'm standing there/ On a balcony in summer air," she sang the words out clearly, ignoring the notion that the song was originally a country song.

"Oh no, not this song," Sarah murmured flushing slightly, her shirt swished as Jareth moved them in a graceful dance.

"Where did one of my goblins even learn a song like this?" Jareth questioned, raising a delicate glittering brow and twirling Sarah, she was quiet for a minute.

"I…think that I like dancing with you like this," she shuddered at the thought of the mask shadowed eyes that had stared at her the last time they had danced. "This is better than the 'peach ball', actually." Jareth looked hurt.

"I worked hard on that one," he pouted slightly.

"Yes, but it was horrible for me…I was young and scared and the weird people in that thing didn't help." She poked him in the chest with the hand that was supposed to be on his shoulder. Leah continued to sing, quietly, because her poor bruised lungs could do little more than half of her usual sound.

"…One would think that you missed dancing with me, precious thing. But that can't be, now, can it?" His cold eyes soften slightly as he pulled her in closer. The continued dancing and Sarah was at a loss for words. She hadn't thought of a comeback by the time he continued, "I know I did," he leaned in and whispered in her ear. Sarah flushed slightly; Dorian watched them nervously as they twirled about. "You've gotten better since last we danced," he kept his mouth by her ear. Sarah shivered slightly, a cold chill rolling down her spine, nonetheless not unpleasantly. She glanced up at Jareth's face and caught a rare blush as it brushed itself across this nose and cheeks.

"I practiced…for…well, the next time we danced," she laughed slightly when his face deepened ever so slightly in shade from pleasure.

"I'm glad…that you're back," he pulled her closer, melding their bodies until it was difficult to tell whose limb belonged to who, he swayed with he slightly. Her cheek was pressed against his heart and his chin rested a top of her head. Leah's song finished and dwindled away, and Sarah stiffened. With the music, her natural catalyst for falling in love, gone she found herself tightly wrapped up in the Goblin King's arms. The simple intimacy of the embrace was too much for her and she blurted out the first thing she thought of.

"Only until Leah's better, then I have to go back. I have a life there Jareth, I just can't stay." He stiffened as well and they mutually pulled apart, as if the embrace had never happened. They both stared at each other on their guard, ready to throw themselves into another epic argument, that ended with both of them feeling frustrated, when Hoggle's voice brought them back.

"Oh Leah, don't fall asleep in your plate," elderly goblin called out.

"Mmmf," Leah murmured, head lolling forward before jerking back with a start. The medicine in her veins appeared to be making her sleepy.

"Let me-!" Dorian began.

"I've got her," Jareth interjected quickly, striding across the room away from impending doom, to the smaller woman's side.

"No, sa'll right, walk Sar-ah back," Leah slurred, like a drowsy child.

"Come here, pet," he pulled her chair out and opened his arms to her. Leah, thinning her lips, with a great amount of effort, just stared at the man's chest.

"No…you goes wit' Sar-ah…Dor…Dorian will take me back…is tired." Jareth gave Leah a soft, fond, grateful smile.

"As you wish, pet," he stood and made his way to where Sarah was still standing. "My lady, might I escort you back to your rooms?" Sarah sighed in defeat and took his pre-offered arm.

"Only for Leah's sake," Jareth smiled slightly wider and they swiftly exited the room. Hoggle excused himself a moment later, it was late and he needed to return home before the labyrinth became too dark.

"Of course, only for the pet," Sarah gave him a half hearted glare. "Stop looking at me like I'm going to drag you into a dark hallway and molest you, precious," he sniffed indignantly. "I'm a gentleman and would never even think of such a thing." Sarah's glare sharpened as he gave her a less than…pious smile.

"Oh course you wouldn't…your majesty." She replied coolly.

"Mmm, it's good to hear you have faith in me again."

"I don't believe you can use 'again' for something that never existed." Sarah quipped. Jareth's smirk slid into a dark scowl and he snarled at her.

"You are hard, beautiful, empty and easy to see through, precious thing!"

"Don't you quote Fitzgerald to me you-you perverted king of a backwater kingdom!"

"Half rate actor!"

"Priggish stalking buffoon!"

"Harridan b*tch!"

"Heartless bastard!" they both paused, panting, and found themselves nose to nose. Jareth, an opportunist, leaned in and planted an angry kiss on her half parted lips.

"Goodnight, Sarah Williams!" he shouted as he pulled away and turned away in a huff.

"Wait! Wait just a minute! You can't do something like that without at least giving me a chance to respond!" He paused and looked back at her, half-amused and half-furious, as she stomped towards him. She stood in front of him a long moment before sucker punching him. "That is for stealing my little brother!" she stomped on his foot, "that is for being an arrogant bastard!" she grabbed his face and pulled him down for a kiss just as angry as the one he had given her. "And that…" he voice lost its edge, "Is for being wonderful to me." Jareth, after the initial shock wore off, adopted an amused expression.

"Oh…my precious thing," he breathed; he took her hand in his and briefly kissed the knuckles. A slightly confused smile flittered across both of their lips and Jareth pulled away, leaving Sarah blushing in the hall.

"Idiots," Leah growled, staring into the crystal Jareth had gifted her. Dorian hovered over her shoulder, watching his brother's complicated and dramatic romance unfold. "At least neither of our relationships will be as screwed up as theirs." She turned slightly towards him and reached out, he jumped away and Leah regarded him, puzzled as she picked an apple up from the tray on the table. She suddenly gave a toothy grin and took a bite out of the piece of fruit. "Have I ever done anything to make you think that I'd tackle you in the halls or sneak into your bed at night?" Dorian started, and then slowly shook his head. "Then stop being a sissy." His eyes narrowed at her, his regal pride wounded.

"Wanna say that again b*tch?" he hissed, Leah raised a slightly disheveled brow at him lazily.

"Sih-sey." She bit out.

"Since we're done playing nice with my brother, would you mind if I excused myself? I have to go puke up everything I just ate because of your face." He growled. Leah ignored him and rolled the crystal back and forth across her knuckles.

"Not at all, I can only just walk back to my room on my own," she barked bitterly. During the afternoon, they had talked and laughed, they had become friendly. "It was a mistake, I'm sorry I did it now, drop it!"

"A 'mistake'? You practically manhandled me!" Leah groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Fine, momentary insanity, that and your girl phobia didn't seem as extreme as you said it was," he scoffed at her.

"That's because you're hardly a woman."

"You want to come over here and say that to my face!?" Leah's temper flared and she gripped the arms of her chair unconsciously. "Or are you a coward, afraid that an invalid will kick your ass?"

"I'm not a coward!" he yelled back and he moved closer to her in defiance. They scowled at one an other for a long moment , before Leah kicked him in the stomach, as hard as her aching body would let her. Dorian fell back and stared up into her defiant eyes in an amazed stupor. "When I'm better I'll kick your ass good and proper, that will just have to do for now."

"Leah-…that-…you- ungh!" Dorian growled back.

"Now, now children, the adult has arrived to settled this thing civilly, what seems to be the problem? Oh, nice acting earlier by the way Leah, really convincing…even I was fooled."

"That's because you're an idiot," Leah shot back, eyes still training their daggers on Dorian.

"B*tch please," Jareth hissed, Leah turned towards him with a quizzical look. He smiled after beat, "I'm trying to work on our friendship."

"Umm, su-u-ure you are," she suddenly looked nervous. "Hey…um, Jareth…could you take me back to my room, this idiot here," she jerked her thumb in Dorian's direction, "thinks that I'm going to push him down and have my way with him or something."

"Well, he'd be lucky. You're quiet a bit prettier and more pleasant than most of the other girls that have tried that on him."

"Thank you Jareth, even you can be nice sometimes."

"Only after snogging the woman I love, which I'm sure you were watching, pet!"

"I was concerned, can't blame me for worrying…glad you ended it all on a happy note though," she gave him a thin smile. "Take me back now."

"Why can't Dorian do it?"

"Mainly because I have him a hug this afternoon…oh yes, he was civil, even friendly at dinner. But god forbid he not hold this against me. Now he thinks I want him babies or something."

"You don't?" Jareth asked skeptically.

"Nope, he is yummy and all, but he acts like a child when it comes to women."

"Oh…well then pet, if Sarah and I don't work out, would you like to have mine?" Leah gave him a disgusted look, Jareth smirked charmingly at her.

"You do know I'm right here, don't you?" Dorian spat next to his brother's ear. Jareth reached up and grabbed his face and shoved him away, eyes still on Leah.

"She hasn't answered yet."

"Oh, god no!" Leah pinched the bridge of her nose again. "I'd never consider having your kids, let alone marry you!"

"Hmm…if you had said 'yes' I would have kept you as a mistress on the side, you are very amusing to me pet. But, since you said 'no', all my harem filled dreams have been shattered." He looked crushed and Leah rolled her eyes.

"Think with your head for once trouser snake." Jareth smirked darkly, "NOW, take me to my room."

"No, I think not. Dorian brought you here, he can take you back or you can stay here tonight." With that being said turned and sauntered out of the room. Leah glanced at the still ticked off Dorian and groaned.

"I guess I'm staying here tonight." She sighed and snuggled back into the uncomfortable chair, and shivered as a draft blew through the room. Dorian made a soft reluctant noise and knelt in front of her, much as his brother had earlier that evening. He hesitantly opened his arms like a hug, unsure of what to expect. "Go away, I'll just sleep here."

"Just get into my goddamn arms Leah, and stop whining. It's unbecoming." Leah groaned and the two glared at each other for a minute. Leah sighed and shook her head, she stretched her own arms out, he flinched away and she pulled back.

"See, you can't even let me touch you now, god, I'm not going to do anything to you. Relax." She reached out again, more tentatively than before and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. Dorian shuddered and she sighed in frustration in his ear. He slowly reached down and picked up her legs under the knee. He lifted her and stood wavering a little on his jelly knees. "Drop me again and I'll kill you." She hissed from where her head was buried in his neck. He felt her breath against his neck and stiffened instinctively. "For the love of all that is holy and light, take me back to my room so that I can sleep!" she cried out, agitated, he looked down and saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"Damn," he murmured.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You found my only weakness…I can't stand to see a woman cry," he sighed dramatically. Leah wiped at her eyes and put on a sarcastic smile.

"I thought that all women were your weakness."

"No, women are a fear…but, they can't sway me like tears can," Leah laughed joylessly.

"I'll remember that next time I need you to carry me." He grimaced and began down the hall towards her bedroom. When they reached the door Leah pulled one of her arms from his neck and turned the latch, she gave the door a shove and it opened. As Dorian approached the bed he tripped over something on the floor and sent them tumbling onto the bed. "F*ck! You're heavy!"

"Get your f*cking elbow out of my eye!" the tow rearranged themselves and Dorian found himself nose to nose with a sneering Leah.

"If I don't heal right, I'm blaming you, f*cking drop me, then fall on me, yeah that really helps." Dorian glared back at her. They were silent for a long moment before Leah spoke and broke the tension. "Get out, I need to change, unless you're helping me, I don't want you here."

"Fine," he spat, "I'll help you," he pulled away and helped her sit up. "I'll show you who the better person is here," Leah gave him an odd look.

"I…was just joking about the helping me undress thing. I can manage on my own." Dorian ignored her and grabbed the night gown, which had been left for her, off of the dresser and tossed it on the bed next to her.

"Like you could this afternoon? F*cking asking a goblin to help you get a f*cking shirt on is not being able to do it on your own" Leah growled a few choice words at him and crossed her arms angrily over her chest.

"…Fine," she held her arms over her head, "Can't get this shirt off on my own anyway." Dorian pinked slightly in the room's half darkness, he, the prince of being afraid of women, was actually undressing one. He reached out slowly and tugged the shirt off, bringing a bandaged and mostly flat chest into view. Leah ignored his sudden nervousness and stuck her feet into his lap. He tentatively untied each shoe and pulled it off, swiftly followed by her socks. Leah tugged the night gown on over her head and Dorian pulled it down for her.

"Er…what about your pants?" he asked, nervously licking his lips, Leah shot him a dirty look.

"I think you've gotten to undress me enough, f*cking pervert. I can get my pants off on my own," she growled, Dorian blushed darker under her suspicious gaze, he was suddenly glad that the darkness hid his coloring from her.

"Er…um…goodnight then," he stood and began to make his way blindly out of the room. He tripped over one of her shoes and fell face first into the carpet. He scrambled up, flushing in embarrassment and hurried towards the door. He walked into the wall beside the door and barked out an explicative as he rubbed his nose. HE finally found the door and went out; he paused as he began to shut the door.

"Goodnight," Leah called, watching him, worriedly, in the darkness.

"Um…you too Leah," she chuckled as he closed the door and began cussing loudly at himself as he walked down the hallway.

"That was an interesting show," Leah flipped around and glared at Jareth, who was sprawled in her window seat.

"What do you want Jareth?!?" she snapped.

"You make my brother…uncomfortable, but in a new way. I just find it amusing that he's so touchy with you."

"Why shouldn't he be? We're friends and I don't think he really considers me a woman…or a threat."

"Maybe he should, pet. You've got him wrapped around your little finger, and the funny thing is that neither of you know it."

"What? What are you talking about?" she cried out, but he just smiled and vanished in a puff of glittering smoke. Leah stared a the place he'd vanished from for a long while after, before shrugging and struggling out of her pants. "Maybe Dorian should have helped…naw," she chuckled and snuggled under her warm covers. Sleepiness embraced her as she pondered the king's parting words. Across the hall, Sarah was dreaming of Jareth…as usual. Somewhere else in the castle, Dorian paced, unsure of what had transpired between him and the mysteriously lazy girl his brother called 'pet'. Jareth, himself, lounged in his throne, grinning into a crystal watching his younger brother's frustrations.

"Mortals…are such interesting creatures," he murmured softly to the familiar darkness around him. "Things just never stop changing when they're around," he chuckled briefly and reclined further into his favorite seat. He sighed and let himself drift into thoughts of him muse.

The castle was quiet, and comfortable. The goblin servants felt that something good was coming around the corner…something wonderful and amazing. Doddery and Dotson nodded silently to one another. Yes, only good things could happen.

AN: I'm so sorry you had to wait so long…I've been busy and just not that motivated to type up this chapter…mostly because of how long it took me to write it. Nevertheless I hope that you enjoyed it. Um, and here's a translation of the beginning lyrics:

Beyond the violence

Beyond the madness

Considering all the madness that won't stop

When you fall asleep next to me

Then I have no doubt

That love still exists

Love still exists

Love still exists.