Chapter 7.

Robert had tried several times to get though, only to find the lines down. He cursed under his breath. He would just have to trust the storm had prevented the girl from leaving the house. He looked at Karen, cried out and asleep on the bed of the motel room. They had been with her father at the last moments, now the shell was on its way to be cremated. They would be delayed yet another day in getting home. Each day Robert was not at the house was one in which he could not be sure of control.

He remembered a time when he had not worried about control. When his life seemed peaceful and orderly. He missed sitting at his table and reading his morning paper. Little things in life gave him a sense of order, a sense of harmony. Now his world was in disruption and his peace shattered. He did not want to blame the girl, with his heart and soul he did not want to blame his little princess.

He thought about the graduation again, and shuddered when he conjured up the image of that man…the one who called himself J. G. King…King indeed. Robert looked out the window, at the night.

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It was midnight when the telephone rang next to her parents' bed. Sarah rolled over, picked it up and whispered. "Hello?"

"Sarah, its…Daddy...are you alright?" Came the worried voice.

Sarah sat up, the digital dial of the clock was flashing. "Hi," she said in a sleepy voice. "Yeah, we're alright, Daddy. The power must have come back on just a little bit ago. We had no telephone lines either for a while there. You missed quite the storm." She crossed her legs and cleared her throat. "How's Karen's dad?"

"He passed." Robert said sadly.

"Oh, poor Karen." Sarah moaned. "I'm so sorry."

"He's not suffering." Robert said calmly. "Sarah, we'll have to be here at least one more day. Do you think you can handle things there?"

"Sure Daddy!" she said easily. "Piece of cake." She giggled thinking of how often she used that phrase and how many times it had gotten her in hot water. "Seriously, you and Karen do what you need to, and I'll take care of things here."

"That's my little princess." Her father said in a manner he had not used in some time. "I'm sorry the call is so late, dear."

"It's okay, Daddy." She answered.

"I'll call tomorrow when we have more information on what's going to happen next." Robert said. "Good night, Sarah."

"Night, Daddy." She hung up her receiver, yawned and called out. "Meep?"

The Pixie appeared, "Yes?"

She looked at the little body floating in air, "Everything calm again?"

"Yes, ma'am." Meep looked at the flashing dial. "Want me to set the clocks?"

Sarah shook her head. "Not tonight." She curled up again on the bed. "Night Meep."

"Good night, Sarah." The Pixie vanished into the darkness.

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Quinn sat cross-legged on the King's bed. He held the crystal orb at eye level, watching mush as Jareth would. The girl gave him the same pleasant warmth that she gave to his other half. He lowered the orb and drank in the darkness. 'Jareth, I want to talk to you.' He thought.

'No,' came the answer.

"You are just being stubborn!" Quinn said aloud. "You have to discuss this nonsense some time!" There was no answer, no snappy retort or quip. Quinn shook the head. "This is getting serious! You've somehow managed to muck up the free passage of the girl." Again no answer. "Look, I know you're in there!"

'I've nothing to say.' Came the weak answer.

"Brother, I'm worried." Quinn moaned. "Perhaps we should take Talbot up on the offer to see Fae Healer."

'No, not yet.' The voice inside said. 'Not yet.'

"Jareth, I do not know how much longer I can cover…" Quinn warned. "So far Giles has not noticed, or has chosen not to notice…Anne, she's going to be harder to fool."

'Do what needs be done.' The voice said with a total lack of emotion.

"They want you." Quinn felt the pain of being alone. "They want you."

'You are me.' Was all he heard.

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Anne greeted the other riders, "Good morning." She ran over to her Red Dragon. "Good morning, sleepy."

The red dragon yawned. "Morning, Lady Anne."

Giles snickered, knowing two years ago no one gave them much of a chance of every becoming close. "Anne."

The girl with red hair blinked. "Giles when are you going to get Celestia to join us?"

The Archer mounted his dragon. "Never. She is terrified of heights."

The King strolled into the Wyrn. "Morning." He looked around. "Where to today?"

"The sea coast!" Anne suggested. "I've not seen Tarsi in ages!"

Ryan mounted and laughed. "I hear Klaws has another young one."

The King nodded, "He's starting his own dynasty."

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Sarah looked at the gray skies, and sighed. "Meep, we're house bound again. It looks like it could storm, and the yard is a mess from last night." She walked to the garage to get Merlin for a morning walk. She looked around and frowned. "Oh no, we left him sleeping in the rose suite…" She went up to the bedroom and called into the vanity. "Hoggle…Hoggle…I need you." The mirror did not change; not even a ripple. "That's odd." Sarah tried again.

Meep heard the girl and came to her side. "Something wrong?"

"I can't get though." She said worriedly. "I've always been able to use this mirror to get though…we left Merlin." She pointed to the mirror. "Over there." Her voice was quiet, but tense.

Meep slapped his brow, "The dog! I knew we forgot something!"

Sarah sighed, "Meep is your brother still outside?" When the Pixie nodded, she sighed again. "Look, I know it's asking a lot, but would you mind finding the King and letting him know we need the dog back here? I mean how do I explain to my Dad I lost the dog?"

Meep giggled, "I'll go tell the King."

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After the ride, and breakfast everyone went off to his or her separate duties. The King wandered down to the Rose suite, wanting to just sit and reflect on the short visit of Sarah and the children. Jareth refused to speak, and Quinn was almost glad. He entered the room and was nearly flattened by the bounding hairy beast. "What are you doing here?" Quinn asked. "Did we forget you, old boy?" He knelt down and buried his face in the mane-like hair on the beast.

Merlin gazed at the Fae with wide eyes.

Quinn stood up and called the beast to his side, "Come on, it's home for you old boy." The dog pranced and followed.

Anne laughed seeing them coming toward the great hall. "What's he doing here?"

"Left behind in all the rush to get the babes home." The King quipped.

Ryan, standing near the portal knelt to greet the beast. "Hello Merlin…who's a good old boy?"

Giles and Celestia were in the hall as well. "Oh good lord, she left the dog?"

The Fae nodded, "I'm taking it back to her now."

Meep appeared. "We're missing a dog…have you seen…oh there he is!" He came face to face with the Fae. "Hello.

The Fae smiled back. "Hello."

Anne looked at Ryan and shrugged, Giles had said Jareth was acting strange.

The Fae opened the portal, "Care to come too, Meep?"

The Pixie followed the Fae and the dog.

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Sarah was clearing the morning dishes; her siblings were watching a movie in the family room. She looked up to see the portal open and brace herself as the dog came flying at her. "Merlin! Down, come on, down."

The Fae pulled the beast back, "Sit!" he ordered, instantly the dog obeyed. "Now if we could just get you to do that." He teased the girl.

"Ha, ha, very funny." She said picking herself off the floor. She brushed herself off. "Come on, out side you." She opened the door for the beast. "You'd better check to make sure he didn't leave you any…presents back in the rose suite." Sarah warned watching the dog bound though the mud and puddles in the yard.

The Fae looked over her shoulder. "I will."

Sarah stiffened. "Do you have to do that?"

"No, I don't have to do that…I like to do that." The voice at her ear said. "He said you were jumpy." He teased as he slid one hand to her waist.

"What do you think you're doing?" she looked down at the hand, and felt a little bit of a panic come over her…and a sense of something dangerous and exciting.

"Nothing…yet." He teased again.

"Nothing…ever!" She said back.

The Fae snickered. "Not ever?" he was hinting and she shivered.

"I…oh…stop it, Quinn!" she turned and looked at him. "Unless you're here to collect payment…"

"Damn," He teased. "I knew I should have charged interest!"

Gathering her senses she pointed her hand away from her. "Go home!"

The Fae laughed, "We will go when we are ready." He stepped back, "And we just so happen to be ready." He walked back to his portal. "See you …baby."

"Do Not call me baby!" she screamed. "I'm not your Baby!"

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Solea poured a cup of mead for her husband. "I'm sending for the scrolls you requested." She told him. "Oberon has seen to it we will have food when we need it. I can watch the Scrying Pool, while you read the old scrolls…What do you hope to find?"

"I don't know." He admitted sipping the wine. "Perhaps something to give us a glimmer of light on this situation!" He stretched his legs. "There are times I wonder why I volunteered for this position."

His wife smiled past his complaint. "You love it and you know it. Jareth and Quinn are your favorite subjects! With exception for Sarah."

The Bard turned lazily and gazed with passion at his wife. "You read me almost too well, my sweet."

"Wait until we've been wed a century!" she teased.

"Eternity will not be long enough." He raised her hand in his to his lips. "All men should have so helpful and loving a wife."

"All women should have so…talented a husband." She growled back huskily.

"Wicked girl." He gathered he close.