Author's Note: Still not quite done, but it's another chapter. Enjoy!
* * *
The hour passed. Sarah had changed back into the clothes she had arrived in, and stood in the throne room fidgeting. Jareth was nowhere to be seen. Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo had come by to bid her farewell, but the group was gone now. Jareth's reflection had not yet appeared, either. She was almost glad; the relative peace was good for trying to sort out her conflicting emotions.
Conflicting was an understatement. They were waging an all out war, with no cease fire in sight. Part of her wanted nothing more than to stay in the Underground, with Jareth, for the rest of her days. The rest of her demanded to go home to her family and her life. She had been accepted to a good college for next year, and had a bright future.
But Sarah was also in love with Jareth. Though she did not know why, she did have to admit the truth. And he, apparently, loved her back. That complicated matters considerably.
In the hall outside, Jareth was having a similar dilemma. He loved Sarah and wanted her to stay with him, but he also didn't want to keep her from her life Aboveground. He was torn.
In the mirror, Jareth's reflection was grumbling over both of their idiocy. He changed into his diaper, donned his bow, collected his arrows, and appeared in the throne room just as Jareth entered. Neither noticed him, at first.
"Sarah."
"Jareth."
"Are you ready to go home?"
"No."
"Ah. Excellent. Do you want to stay here, then?"
"Maybe."
"I see. Would you like some time to think it over?"
"That might help."
"How about another hour?"
"Peachy." She cringed the moment the word was out of her mouth, but did not take it back. Jareth nodded curtly and turned to go. Sarah did the same. Jareth's reflection decided that this was the appropriate moment to step in.
"You're both daft fools, you know," he remarked. They simultaneously spun on their heels and glared at the mirror.
"You!"
"See, you're perfect for each other. You're even speaking together." He vanished right before one of Jareth's crystals made contact with and shattered the mirror. The reflection reappeared in another one.
"Honestly. I've gone through all this trouble, and now you won't even cooperate the tiniest little bit. Don't you think you owe me that for all I've done? Honestly, Jareth, I've been dressing you since we were both in diapers."
"Haven't made that much progress, have you?" Jareth remarked dryly. Sarah stifled a snicker. The reflection went on as though he hadn't heard.
"And I'm not even doing this for myself!" The reflection of the woman appeared in another mirror momentarily.
"Not entirely, anyway," she remarked.
"Who are you?" Jareth and Sarah demanded.
"Oh, hush, you. A better decorated castle will make them happier, too," the reflection retorted.
"Are you insulting my taste?" The Goblin King questioned testily.
"I'm a friend," the woman replied.
"Your decorating taste? Certainly I am. Granted, your taste in women isn't bad, though mine is better," the reflection responded.
"Are you a reflection too?" Sarah asked.
"I ought to break all the mirrors in the bloody castle..." Jareth began.
"A reflection of something, anyway," the woman agreed.
"Do you really want seven years of bad luck, Jareth?" the reflection inquired, twiddling an arrow between his fingers.
"And you know him?" Sarah jerked a thumb toward the reflection.
"If it means getting some peace around here," The Goblin King retorted.
"Know would be one word for it, yes. He's lovable, certainly, but he *is* at least in part Jareth. I'm sure you understand," the woman told Sarah.
"At least you finally admitted that you're in love with one another," the reflection pointed out. That stopped the conversation dead.
* * *
The hour passed. Sarah had changed back into the clothes she had arrived in, and stood in the throne room fidgeting. Jareth was nowhere to be seen. Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo had come by to bid her farewell, but the group was gone now. Jareth's reflection had not yet appeared, either. She was almost glad; the relative peace was good for trying to sort out her conflicting emotions.
Conflicting was an understatement. They were waging an all out war, with no cease fire in sight. Part of her wanted nothing more than to stay in the Underground, with Jareth, for the rest of her days. The rest of her demanded to go home to her family and her life. She had been accepted to a good college for next year, and had a bright future.
But Sarah was also in love with Jareth. Though she did not know why, she did have to admit the truth. And he, apparently, loved her back. That complicated matters considerably.
In the hall outside, Jareth was having a similar dilemma. He loved Sarah and wanted her to stay with him, but he also didn't want to keep her from her life Aboveground. He was torn.
In the mirror, Jareth's reflection was grumbling over both of their idiocy. He changed into his diaper, donned his bow, collected his arrows, and appeared in the throne room just as Jareth entered. Neither noticed him, at first.
"Sarah."
"Jareth."
"Are you ready to go home?"
"No."
"Ah. Excellent. Do you want to stay here, then?"
"Maybe."
"I see. Would you like some time to think it over?"
"That might help."
"How about another hour?"
"Peachy." She cringed the moment the word was out of her mouth, but did not take it back. Jareth nodded curtly and turned to go. Sarah did the same. Jareth's reflection decided that this was the appropriate moment to step in.
"You're both daft fools, you know," he remarked. They simultaneously spun on their heels and glared at the mirror.
"You!"
"See, you're perfect for each other. You're even speaking together." He vanished right before one of Jareth's crystals made contact with and shattered the mirror. The reflection reappeared in another one.
"Honestly. I've gone through all this trouble, and now you won't even cooperate the tiniest little bit. Don't you think you owe me that for all I've done? Honestly, Jareth, I've been dressing you since we were both in diapers."
"Haven't made that much progress, have you?" Jareth remarked dryly. Sarah stifled a snicker. The reflection went on as though he hadn't heard.
"And I'm not even doing this for myself!" The reflection of the woman appeared in another mirror momentarily.
"Not entirely, anyway," she remarked.
"Who are you?" Jareth and Sarah demanded.
"Oh, hush, you. A better decorated castle will make them happier, too," the reflection retorted.
"Are you insulting my taste?" The Goblin King questioned testily.
"I'm a friend," the woman replied.
"Your decorating taste? Certainly I am. Granted, your taste in women isn't bad, though mine is better," the reflection responded.
"Are you a reflection too?" Sarah asked.
"I ought to break all the mirrors in the bloody castle..." Jareth began.
"A reflection of something, anyway," the woman agreed.
"Do you really want seven years of bad luck, Jareth?" the reflection inquired, twiddling an arrow between his fingers.
"And you know him?" Sarah jerked a thumb toward the reflection.
"If it means getting some peace around here," The Goblin King retorted.
"Know would be one word for it, yes. He's lovable, certainly, but he *is* at least in part Jareth. I'm sure you understand," the woman told Sarah.
"At least you finally admitted that you're in love with one another," the reflection pointed out. That stopped the conversation dead.