A/N-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Summer is almost over and I won't be able to devote my entire day to fan fiction *sob* Thant means the chapters will either be way shorter or be long just take longer to get up. Send me a review which you would rather. I'm also sorry this took a little wile longer than I wanted.

Ch 10
Learning to be a Good Hostess, Even to People Who Want You Dead.

I felt wiped out.

I could feel the rain as it fell and the erratic breathing of whoever was caring me. My vision was coming it and out. I was still crying.

"I'm sorry Marissa, I'm so sorry." was all I could say, I was mumbling it to whoever was caring me. Then everything when black again.

~*~

I felt warm arms hold me as I hear the rustling of skirts and clicks of somebody's boots.

"What happened? Casey? what's wrong with her?" I hear a smooth voice say frantically

Jareth.

"I found her unresponsive out in one of the more dangerous part of the labyrinth." I hear another smooth voice say. I couldn't tell who this was.

"Case?" I hear a femmine voce say as I was still being carried down the hallway.

Marissa.

"She's very cold, what happened to her?" That was Jareth again, I could feel his hand on my forehead. It was gloveless.

"We got into a fight and she ran off and I knew she would come back when she was done fuming, when the rain started I figured she was already back. I'm so sorry." Marissa said, her voice was shaking, she was trying not to cry. I hear somebody say something about bring me into the king's bedroom.

I was placed gently on what must have been my bed. I still couldn't see anything but I was shivering, I could tell I was slipping back under.

"Go, everybody! Marissa you may stay. Light a fire and get it to blaze, close the doors to the balcony. I'll have to run a hot bath. After that leave."

That was the last thing I hear before I slipped back under.

~*~

"Oh Casey, I'm so sorry…Please wake up. Do it for me, I didn't mean what I said. I was just envious, please? everybody is so worried…Jareth hasn't left your since you were brought back…" I heard Marissa mumble.

A cold hand took mine.

"Please…"

Then I fell back under sleeps spell.

~*~

"Jareth, its been two days…I'm not sure if she is going to be okay…you may want to bring her aboveground if she doesn't wake soon." I heard a voice say, it was deep but smooth.

"I know, I know. I think I'll put her in the hot bath again." I knew that was Jareth. I felt him lean down and press his lips gently to mine, he placed his gloveless hand on my forehead.

"What do you think happened?"

"From what I've looked into, it seemed that she ran into the part of the labyrinth with the fungus that have powers to make your emotions spike and Casey must have been rather tired because she passed out, the rain and the fast winds made her temperature drop dangerously low. For some reason it was like her tolerance against the strong magic just…evaporated. God, I'm so worried about her…" Jareth said.

"I'd give her another day, tomorrow you will want to bring her aboveground."

~*~

My eyes opened and I could finally see my surroundings. I looked around, I was in a very hot bathtub, it was a roman bath. The steam felt great on my skin, I stretched and then found somebody was behind me.

It was Jareth…and he was asleep.

He was wearing a pair of his tights but no shirt. I was wearing one of his poet shirts.

"Jareth?" I croaked, my voice raw.

He woke up immediately.

"Casey?" He said groggily, I smiled weakly, he pulled me into a tight hug.

"Oh, Darling! Thank god your okay, I was so worried. I was going to have to bring you aboveground to a hospital," He smiled, I tried to move but as soon as I did I winced.

"You've been knocked out for quite some time. About two and a half days, I've been trying to shock your system by putting you in very hot water and then very cold water, to try and shock your system." He smiled. I started to get feeling back in my body and I began to shiver.

"Am I in the cold water?"

"Yes. I suppose we should get you out and dry you off. Can you stand? If not I'll carry you." Jareth said as I looked at him.

I put my legs on the bottom of the tub as Jareth stood, my legs were like rubber.

"Currently I am trying to stand." I laughed.

Jareth smiled and picked me bridal style. I wrapped my arm around his neck. I lent up and kissed him softly.

"Thank you. For everything."

~*~

We walked from the bath to our room, we were both dripping wet and I was only wearing Jareth's poet shirt. Though it was black, it was cool out and didn't hide much. It was also very short. I blushed as we walked by King Mitrik and his Wife, Queen Katreena. As we walked into my room, three people in the room stood.

Marissa, High Queen Niamh, and High King Azriel.

Marissa got up and rushed over to me as Jareth placed me on the bed. She hugged me tightly.

"Casey, I am so, so, so, sorry! I didn't mean anything I said, I was just envious of you happiness. You have always had nothing go wrong in your life and my has just been one thing after another…" She said as she started to cry. I hugged her back

"Marissa, I forgive you. Relax, I love you, you're my best friend, you're the sister I never had. I can't live without you. I would never stay mad as you." I said as I tilted her head up and smiled.

It was then that I relised that I had barely anything on and my, hopefully, soon to be in-laws were in the very same room.

"Marissa, do me a favor and get Jareth's black robe off screen and bring it over here." I whispered, she nodded and ran off. She handed me the robe and I covered myself up. Then I turned to High Queen Niamh and High King Azriel.

"Niamh, Azriel…I didn't know you were here…I'm so sorry about all the confusion." I said sheepishly. Niamh rushed over and gave me a hug.

"Oh Sweetheart, I'm just glad your okay. Jareth has been worried sick. We all have." She said sweetly.

"Thank you, Jareth who found me?" I ask turning to him.

"I did." I hear he same smooth voce I hear all those times I was in and out. Azriel stepped forward.

"You did?" I asked confused

"I was walking in the labyrinth and I found you. I was worried you were dead until I heard you mumbling about Lady Duran." He said as he came over and gave me a hug, Jareth's eyes almost fell out of his head, Niamh gasped.

"Lady King, Casey I would be delighted to call you my daughter in law. I give you and Jareth all the luck in the world. Please Call me father." He said smiling

"Tha-Thank you Sir…I mean father." I smiled and looked to Jareth as Azriel stepped away and put his arm around Niamh. I hug Jareth tightly, as if I let go everything was going to come crashing down. He pressed his lips to mine gently, I deepened the kiss. Somebody cleared their throat and we pulled away.

I was blushing and Jareth was smirking.

"Come Jareth, I think its time we let Casey rest, grab some dry clothes too." Azriel said with a smile.

They left, father and son, looking happy and laughing.

"I've never seen him so happy," I hear Niamh whisper "He always secretly wanted a daughter, they are finally going to get along because of this."

"Wow, I feel special," I said as I invited both Marisa and Niamh to join me on the bed. "I think we need a girls night in!"

"I agree, I say cake and Absinthe for all!"

"Absinthe, We can't drink that. Its alcoholic." Marissa said

"No, no. Not that kind, it's this sliver liquid that will change its taste and look depending on what you would like. I just happened to have the same name as the drink commonly know as 'The Green Fairy'. The aboveground alcoholic version was made to try and recreate the drink my a man who went to the underground. Don't worry." Niamh said smiling

"Oh so that's the name, yeah we've both had that. I couldn't remember the name." I said as my little goblin maid came in.

"Tilly, I would like all the tea time cakes you can get and take the largest pitcher we own and fill it with Absinthe, the underground version." I said and she bowed and scurried off to get our food and drinks.

As we waited for Tilly to get back Niamh got up and when into the bathroom and grabbed me a big fluffy towel and my nightgown.

"I guess its my motherly tenancies but I insist before we have our little girls night in you have to dry off and change into this." She said smiling

"Oh alright. Thank you Niamh." I said as I stripped and threw on the nightgown.

"Call me mother, If your calling my husband Father. I've always wanted a daughter, I'll just have to spoil you just as much." Niamh said smiling.

~*~

There was a knock at the door.

The three of us ladies had finished almost all the tea time cakes and sent Tilly for more. We also finished two pitchers of the underground version of Absinthe.

"Come in." I said as I tried to breath, Marissa was telling Niamh about one of the times Marissa was over my house and we were watching a movie.

"We were watching 'The Silence of the Lambs.'. It's this aboveground movie where this FBI woman is trying to find a serial killer and she is using the help of a convicted killer who just happens to be a cannibal AND a Doctor, anyway I had never seen it and Casey said that I had to before I left for Florida, so she found it on but it was late like eleven at night. So were watching it right and the cannibal , Hannibal Lecter, he is attacking this cop, blood is flying, and its right as he is beating this cop with his baton thing and the power goes out. Its also thundering and lighting out." Marissa laughed

I started to crack up

"Yeah and you jumped about two feet in the air and grabbed onto me. You were like 'Did you see that?! I think somebody is in the house…' I rolled my eyes and was like 'Yeah Marissa, Hannibal the Cannibal Lecter is in my house and is going to try and eat you, but don't worry he only eats the rude so as long as we treat him nicely we will live.' I never laughed as much as I did that night." I laughed as Queen Katreena and Queen Carmine came in.

"Hey Ladies, would you like to join us for our little ladies night?" I said as I slid over and made room on the bed.

"We would love to, Pass the Absinthe," Carmine said as the both slid on the bed. "By the way Casey, I would love to speak with your tailor. I positively have to have my dress for tomorrow's ball done my him. All of your dresses are simply divine." This made me blush.

"Well, the truth is I designed them myself, I just had the tailor bring them to life." I smiled

"Then, would you mind designing it? Only if your done with yours." Carmine said

"it would be an honor." I smiled

Till late into the evening the five of us sat and laughed and shared our journeys. It was only when Jareth came in saying he wanted so go to bed that then everybody left. By the end of our girls night I could walk just as well as I could before the storm.

"Hi honey." I said as Jareth slipped into bed.

"Hello darling. What would you like to do tonight? Would you like to sleep, would you like to chat, or would you like me to ravage you senseless?" He said with a smirk

"Well that was rather blunt." I said with an eye brow raised.

"Yes, well I would like you to chooses quickly. I'm afraid I will not be able to stay up as late as we have before." He said as he gave me a peck on the lips.

"Hm…I think I would like you to ravage me senseless." I said with a smirk

"You are my queen and I will do as you wish."

~*~

*knock-knock-knock*

I woke up with a groan.

I looked around. Jareth was still asleep, his arms wrapped around my waist. I slipped from his grasp, picked up my nightgown an pulled it on. I padded to the door as quietly as I could and opened it enough to slip out. A small goblin maid stood with her head bowed.

"Nan is sorry to wake you, Your Majesty, but the Kings and Queens of the land are requesting the kings and your presence at breakfast." She said

I looked into the bedroom and looked at Jareth, he was wipe out.

"Tell them that I will be there as soon as I can." I said as she scurried off.

I slipped back in and went to my closet. I had an entire section hidden devoted to my modern clothes from the above ground. I felt like wearing one of the dresses I bought with Jareth that time we went aboveground. I was going to shock Queen Adrienne today. After I took a quick bath I dressed and headed down to the great hall.

~*~

"I'm so sorry I was late, I slept in." I said as I walked into the great hall. The seats at the head of the table and the foot of the table were empty, King Azriel was on the head of the table's right and Niamh was on his right. Everybody else filled in the other seats, Marissa was on my right hand. I sat at the foot of the table. It was not until I sat that I noticed everybody was giving me a strange look. Marissa lent over and whispered

"What are you wearing? I thought you wore Victorian era clothes hear?" I looked at her, she was wearing the sea foam green dress I let her borrow the first day she was here.

I looked at my outfit. I was wearing a black waitress dress that snapped up the front, it had a small pocket with a blue scull and cross bone on it, the bottom was pleated and it also had a bright metallic blue trim. I had black and blue knee-high crew socks on with black ballet flats with studded ascents.

"We do, but I went shopping with Jareth remember and this was one of the outfits Jareth bought. I would like to have one day where I can wear something normal for a change." I said

"If I may be so bold to say, Lady Casey. What in the name of all things holy are you wearing?" I knew that was Princess Marlys

"Marlys! I'm so sorry Lady King, she has not learned to control herself yet." Queen Adrienne said, I knew that it was just for the good of the people sitting around her.

"It's no trouble at all. I realize that this is not what is custom to wear in the Underground, this is something similar to what I would wear normally if I was aboveground." I said to everybody, just so they didn't think I was crazy. "I was getting sick of the bustle. You can never sit normally."

~*~

Queen Carmine followed me outside after I grabbed my sketchbook from the bedroom, Jareth was still sleeping. We talked quietly as we sat on my favorite bench. It was the one by one of the many fruit tree, the peach one to be exact. Ironic right?

"I would like the dress to be inspired by the Victorian era, but look modern. I look best with a sweetheart neckline, and I would like a chocolate color gown. I hope that is not too much to ask for, I would hate for me to be a hassle." She said with a smile.

"Oh no, not at all! I would love for my design to be showcased by such a beautiful woman. I'm delighted to give you something like this, an outfit is very important to a woman." I said smiling as I sketched.

"I'm delighted I will be one of the only other women who will be wearing one of your deigns, besides yourself and Lady Duran of course." She said smiling

"Well, I am so happy your so impressed by my design . What do you think?" I said as I showed her the design.

I drew a gown that was floor length with a sweetheart neckline. It was accented with Victorian style lace. It was very modern but with a touch of old.

"Oh, I love it! Really, it is just perfect." She said with a clap.

"Really? Great! I'll bring it to the tailor and he will have it done for tonight's ball." I smiled.

"Thank you so much." Carmine said as we wandered into the castle. I was going to drop off the sketch for my dress and Queen Carmine's dress.

"It was my pleasure but if you excuse me, I have to see a man about a dress and find my fiancé." I said as I walked away.

I walked into my room too grab my sketch to find Jareth still sleeping, I looked to the clock above the mantel, it was almost twelve. I giggled as I ripped both of the sketches out of my book and went to find myself a pair of jeans. I changed into a pair of destroyed flair jeans with my Labyrinth tee. It had the little blue worm on it and it said 'No, I said 'ello but that's close enough.' I pulled on my black converse and stopped to give Jareth a kiss, which he didn't wake up, and ran out the door.

~*~ Queen Carmine's Dress is in my profile! ~*~

"So? How was your day?" I asked Marissa as we met in the gardens for light sandwiches and Absinthe.

"Eh, kinda boring. I just lounged in the gardens and the library. I wrote a bit of a story but that's it. Oh Case, you should see my room it is positively beautiful. It is like my dream room, I have a balcony that faces the sunrise. I really must thank Jareth next time I see Mr. Pants, Magic Pants. By the way, where is he? I haven't seen him all day." Marissa said as she sipped her drink.

"Well, Jareth is still asleep. You know how he never slept the entire time I was sick, he is currently now catching up with his sleep." I said laughing.

"Wow, I though he got some sleep…he really must love you. I hope I meet a guy like that tonight. I hope he is warlock…I hear the have more magic than any race here in the underground. " she said with awe

"Yeah, well I am happy with my tights wearing, overly glittered, David Bowie look alike Goblin King. You know we could take you to our court when we get married. You can life in the High Kingdom, from what queen Niamh has said it is even more beautiful than the goblin kingdom. The library is massive and the gardens even more spectacular than the ones here. I would still be able to see all of the Labyrinth luckily. The Labyrinth apparently tangles around all of the kingdom. It is one of the main ways to get from kingdom to kingdom." I said smiling

"I would love to go to High Court with you. Maybe my husband and I can live at High Court. Let's just hope it is nothing like the court in 'The Other Boleyn Girl' that would be really bad for you my dear." She laughed as a pair of hands came and placed them in front of my eyes.

"Guess who?" I knew it was Jareth

"Um…Johnny Depp?," I said sarcastically as he pulled his hands away "Good afternoon Jareth. Did you sleep well?" I asked as he conjured up a chair and sat with us.

He wore the same outfit he did in the 'Dance, Magic, Dance' scene.

"Very well, but I wished you cold have woke me up. I wanted to be the one who told everybody about our official engagement." He said as I conjured a crystal and absentmindedly juggle it.

"Well, I was going to wake you up but you haven't slept very well. Oh and did you talk to the tailor about you dress Jacket for tonight? I told you what colors my dress is, and it doesn't match your old coat." I said as I sipped my drink.

"What color is it going to be again?"

"Hunter green. And the ascents will be black, so it will be the black tights. No green or black streaks in you hair okay?" I said with a glance at him saying 'No protests or no valentine evenings for a month.'

"Fine." Jareth said before pouting and letting a smirk poke out.

"Oh my god, Casey I just relised why you picked those colors…they are SLYTHRIN colors!" Marissa groaned, I just laughed.

"Took you long enough to figure it out." I smiled, Jareth just looked perplexed.

"Am I missing something?" He said

"Yeah, but its okay. Even if we told you all about it you still wouldn't get it." I laughed.

~*~

"Casey are you wearing the black gloves?" Marissa asked

Queen Niamh, Queen Carmine, Queen Katreena, Marissa, and I were all getting ready in my room.

"Yeah, why?" I asked as I piled all of my blond hair in a pile of curls on the top of my head, my hair looked like Elizabeth Swann's in the first Pirates movie.

"Crap, I was going to wear them." She said as she came over to me, I looked at her dress.

She wore a more modern dress, it was an ocean blue and was flowy with flower ascents. It as very beautiful and soft. She wore her hair down in soft beachy waves she had on black, strappy heels. The black lace gloves I was going to wear were not going to match at all and I told her that.

"Right, right." She said ringing her hands, I could tell she was nervous. I took her hands and made her look at me.

"Marissa, you will be fine. You look beautiful. Tonight will be the time of your life." I said with a smile.

"Thanks." She said with a half smile. Then the door to my room opened and the men strutted in, all of them dressed to match their wives. King Romulus wore a wine colored dress jacket that matched his wife's gown. King Mitrik wore a silver dress jacket to match his wife's silver gown. King Lucius wore black to match Queen Carmine's chocolate dress. High King Azriel wore a soft blue that matched Queen Niamh's dress.

Jareth was best dressed out of all of them. He wore a hunter green dress jacket that was identical to his blue one but the jewels and fabric were just a different color. He had his black tights tucked into his boots and he walked over to me and bowed.

"My dear," He said smirking "You look absolutely radiant."

I blushed and looked at my dress, it was a bustled dress the was hunter green and black. It had intricate lace work in the front, the sleeves, the skirt and the bustle. It was beautiful. I wore black ballet flats and the black lave gloves. I grabbed a black lace fan before walking over to Jareth. I curtsied

"Why thank you my king." I smiled. Jareth took my arm and lead me out of the room, Marissa on out heels.

"How easy was the gown to get on?" Jareth asked

"Not to bad, I've had worse. There are a few layers and a hoop skirt but that's about it. Oh and a sexy corset. Why?" I said with a wink

"I want to know how long it may take me to take it all off you, I don't want to waist any time tonight, I want to spend it all with you." He said with a wink and I hit him with my fan

"Jareth! We can't slip away like a couple of teenager! We have to make sure nobody gets a bad impression of us, we are going to be leaders of the entire underground." I said looking at him as we waited to be announced. We turned to Marissa, she looked like she was about to hurl up her lunch. We both walked over to her.

"Marissa, I have to say you will enjoy the party. You also look beautiful," Jareth said, she smiled. "Also I was wondering, since it is custom in the underground for a girls father to present her at her coming of age ball to escort her into the ball, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of presenting you at the ball?" Jareth said looking at her.

Marissa looked at me and I nodded.

"Thank you, Jareth. I would enjoy that." She said and we both smiled.

"Well, I have to head in. I'll tell the announcer guy that your escorting her in." I said as I rushed of to warn the guy.

"Queen Casey King, Queen of the Goblin Kingdom." he yelled, I lent to him and whispered

"I'm not queen yet!" before I walked of to the long table at the end of the hall where the kings and queen's of each land sat.

I sat to the right of Queen Niamh, and Jareth would sit on king Azriel's right. Queen Niamh wore a beautiful light blue floor length dress that was clinging beautiful to her soft curves. The top was ¾ sleeves and was an intricate beaded lace. It had a short train. She looked at me and smiled before leaning over to whisper in my ear,

"Where is Jareth?" but before I had time to answer the announcer guy did it for me.

"King Jareth Bannatyne, King of the Goblin Kingdom and Lady Marissa Duran of the Aboveground."

I looked around the room, there were a few couples but there were mostly very, very, attractive single men. Jareth and Marissa walked in and sat down at out table, Marissa was on my right and Jareth sat with his father. The two of them started to talk before they laughed very loudly. I smiled, know they were finally getting along because we were getting married. When mostly everybody was done eating, I looked over to Jareth and we bother stood. He came and took my hand. We walked to the front of the table.

"Lady Casey and I must make an announcement." Jareth said getting everybody's attention. Jareth looked at me and I nodded

"As you may know, a few days prior to today I became very ill. I had run off into a dangerous part of the labyrinth and as it rained I got colder and colder. I became hypothermic and I would have almost died. It was very lucky that High King Azriel found me or I would most likely not be here. He brought me back to the castle and Jareth did all he could to try and wake me up. When I finally did, I was graced with the best possible news a fiancé could here." I looked at Jareth and he came up and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"We are going to be wed a week from today." He said and everybody clapped, well everybody but Queen Adrienne and Princess Marlys. They looked like they had both eaten one too many sour patch kids. I smiled and Jareth grabbed my chin and pressed his lips to mine in one searing kiss. People cat called and whistled, when Jareth finally pulled away my legs felt like mush.

"Let the Ball begin!" Jared exclaimed happily, and with a wave of his hand the room, including the food and tables and chairs disappeared and the room looked like somebody had thrown strings of pearls and jewels over everything. But the walls of the room were a deep red. And all the ascents were the same deep red.

It was beautiful.

"Oh Jareth, it is beautiful…is this what our wedding is going t look like?" I asked, he hadn't told me anything about the wedding and I was getting very, very curious.

"Nope, and I won't tell you what it will look like till were dancing that very night." He said smiling as he took my hand and we began to blend in with the other dancers, the song was beautiful but it was not the song I was logging to here the entire time I've been here.

"Please? I'll treat you to a bath together in the roman bath by candle light, with roses in the water and chocolates on the edge of the bath." I said smiling.

"No, though that does sound spectacular. Maybe we can have a bath like that when were go on our honeymoon. Speaking of which, have you decided where you want to go yet?" Jareth said smiling as he pulled me closer to him, spinning around and putting the other dancers to shame.

"I like the sounds of Germany but I want to go to Florence, Italy too." I said while pondering which would be a better time.

"Well lets go to both, we can stay aboveground for a month. Marissa can stay with mother and father. Mother loves you both, she said your both like the daughters she didn't have." Jareth said smiling as the song started to hit its climax

"I would love to but I don't know…we cant talk about it tonight in the bath." I said with a wink

"Tonight?"

"Yes, tonight." I said as the song ended. I looked to find Marissa and I saw her with a boy who looked about our age. He had chocolate brown hair, a good smile, and a small nose compared to her other boyfriends. He wore a pair of slightly tight pants with a dress coat that was not covered in jewels like Jareth's. She seemed to be smitten with him, but just in case she was faking it I walked over with Jareth's hand in mine.

"Hey Marissa, what do you think of the ball? Jareth can really plan them," I asked before looking at the boy. "Oh and who is this?" the guy bowed low before saying

"Lord Maximilian Hanisworth, your majesty."

"Oh no, I'm not queen yet, but I will be. So where are you from?" I asked as he looked

at me.

"I am from King Mitrik and Queen Katreena's land. I am next in line for the throne. You see, my father was King Mitrik's brother and when my father died he said that Mitrik was to run the country till I came of age and found a wife." He said with a smiled

"Really? Royalty? Wow." I said looking at Marissa with a smirk, she blushed and looked away. The music changed and both Maximilian and Marissa locked eyes

"Excuses us but I belive that I promised Lady Duran a dance." Maximilian said smiling before Marissa took his arm and the flowed into the circle of dancers. I looked at them and, surprisingly, I was envious. I wanted a boy who looked my age, not my fathers age. Jareth, as if sensing my mood took my chin and made me look into his eyes before he pressed his lips to mine and I forgot all about what was wrong.

~*~

A/N- Yeah, I know slow going till the wedding but I wanted to add this, it will all come together in the end. Anywho I have to say that my friend Marissa hated the name Maximilian but she was a sport! So the pictures of my dress, Marissa's dress, Queen Carmine's dress, Queen Niamh's dress, and a picture of Maximilian Hanisworth are all in my profile, go check them out.

Ps- Marissa, I know this isn't the dress you approved of but I though it was so much better when I found it. I'm sorry, please forgive me!