Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters and plot

Authors note: Thank again to everyone who has read my story and taken to time to review and follow it. Would love t see a few more reviews as I really am a slut for them. Also, if your review is particualy interesting you may just get a personal message from his royal Highness, King Jareth, thank you for your comment. Enjoy this next chapter and please review.

Dressed in her serving clothes, Karen stood outside the door of her step-daughter's room. Life had changed so much in the last three years that she sometimes thought it was a dream only to find there was no waking up from this reality.

After being shown what Sarah had done six years ago in the Goblin Kingdom, the older woman now understood what had changed the then teenager's behaviour. Instead of being moody and unreasonably, Sarah had become helpful, understanding and polite. At first, Karen had been rather unsure of her but had been looking for an opportunity to build a relationship with the young woman.

They had become very close in the years that followed and Sarah had confided many things to Karen, especially how angry she really was at her mother for leaving. Karen had comforted her as best she could and told her, that no matter what, she would be there for Sarah if she ever needed to talk.

Smiling at the memories of girly nights watching chick flicks and eating chocolate covered fruit, Karen was again struck at how thankful she was when she had listened to Sarah when she said they had to go on the run. The events that led up to that particular argument, still made the older woman wince as Robert had accused Sarah of taking drugs and had threatened to send her to a rehab. But even with that threat, Sarah had still insisted and Karen had had to take charge or have Sarah and Robert at each other's throats for goodness knew how long.

Karen had taken into account that Sarah had been having very restless and disturbing dreams for months before she had started to insist that they leave. In her family, 'The Sight' was seen as a blessing and a curse as Karen's Aunt had had it and her life was never easy. After a quick phone call to her 'all-seeing Aunt', Karen had taken over and told Robert that if he didn't come with them, then they would leave him behind. This had had the right effect as her loving husband would never abandon his family or allow them to fend for themselves.

The relief and distress Karen had felt when the Aboveground was attacked, had shocked her to her core, even with the warning from her Aunt, it was still difficult to accept. However, together as a family they had survived and mostly thanks to Sarah and her stubborn nature.

'I hope Jareth knows what he's getting himself into,' the older woman thought with a smile. The looks those two had been giving each other was enough to set the room alight let alone anyone else in that room. 'I wonder how long it will take before I start waking Sarah in Jareth's room.'

Opening the door quietly, Karen was surprised to find the bed empty and no Sarah in sight.

'Don't tell me she's in with Jareth already,' she thought with shock.

Hearing quiet splashing sounds come from the bathroom, the older woman signed in relief and lightly knocked on the door.

"Sarah?" Karen called through the door calmly. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," came a reply that didn't sound quite right.

"Are you sure?" Karen asked, concern colouring her voice.

"I'm just tired."

"Can I come in?" Now she was worried.

"Of course."

Walking in calmly, Karen's eyes fell on the form of her step-daughter who was currently sitting in a tub of clouded water and staring at her own toes that were peeking out of the water. Picking up the stool, the older woman placed it next to the tub and looked at the young woman. Seeing the dark circles under Sarah's eyes gave Karen a sense of deja-vu.

"Hey Daydreamer," Karen said, using an old nickname, "what's wrong? You look like you've had a rough night."

Looking up at the use of her old nickname, Sarah smiled and seemed to relax at the sight her.

"You could say that."

"What to talk about it? You know you can tell me anything, I wont judge," the older woman said kindly while picking up a wash cloth.

"I had two dreams last night," Sarah replied quietly as her step-mother began washing her shoulders.

"Normal dreams or not-normal dreams?"

"Not-normal."

"Okay." Now Karen was worried. "Do you want to tell me what happened in these dreams?"

"The first one involved Jareth and has left me rather...confused and...aroused," Sarah responded, blushing brightly and shifting in the tub with embarrassment.

"No surprise there," Karen commented with a wink. "And the second?"

"More running through the Labyrinth but instead of trying to reach Jareth, I'm running with another goal in mind." Sarah stared at her toes again as she tried to put her dream into words. "As I ran, I kept getting flashes of a..um..seal?"

"Seal?"

"Yeah, it's in part of the Labyrinth I've never been in, set into the stone ground. It is shaped like a sun and the phases of the moon around it's edges along with a dragon and phoenix flying around each other in like a ying-yang style in the centre."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, it's covered in blood." Sarah's answer chilled Karen to the bone.

"I think you should tell Jareth this, he may know what your dream is about," Karen advised, calmly, not wanting her step-daughter to know of her worries. "Now tell me about the first dream."

Sarah couldn't keep herself from blushing again as memories of what dream-Jareth had done to her dreamself. Taking a deep breath, the young Fae woman told Karen what the dream had involved without going into too much detail.

"It sounds to me," Karen said with a smile when Sarah had finished, "that the sexual tension between you too is affecting your dreams."

"Normally I would agree, but this dream was also like the second and the ones I had about the war," Sarah stated as she stepped from the tub. "Which makes me think it's going to happen, which leads me to ask; what do you know about bondage?"
"Well, if done right, it can make sexual play all that more intense, for both parties. How did you feel in the dream?" Karen asked while drying Sarah's hair.

"Helpless but not afraid and there was a level of trust that I never thought I would feel with a man, especially after my first time," Sarah bowed her head as memories of that very uncomfortable night returned.

"Sarah, we've been through this," Karen said strenly but with concern. "That boy wouldn't know how to please a woman even with an instruction manual!" Her comment made Sarah smile. "Jareth, on the other hand, has goodness how many years experience and looks at you like you're the last woman in both worlds."

Sarah was too shocked to respond. She knew that she and Jareth had been sharing heating looks for a while now, but she didn't think she saw anything that intense.

"I will give you this piece of advice though," Karen continued. "Always communicate, especially if bondage comes into it. If he does something you're not comfortable with, say so but also tell him what pleases you and what you are open to. You might find, as you explore your desires, that there is more to your sexuality than you first thought."

"Okay Karen," Sarah replied when she found her voice again, "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."

"Anytime, Honey, you know that."

During their conversation, Karen had helped Sarah dress in skin tight black breeches, knee high boots with a long sleeved sky blue blouse and mini corset. She also styled Sarah's long locks into a simple fishtail braid that complemented the young woman's features.

Once ready for the day, Karen escourted Sarah to the Dining room for breakfast, neither of them aware of the dangers that were being told in Sarah's dreams.