Happy New Year and thanks for all your continued support and reviews. I had hope to get thischapter out before Christmas, but unfortunately I was so busy I didn't get a chance to work on it until now.

Jareth thought it was strange that Sarah was calling him a little after 11:00 pm on Christmas Eve. Surely, she was occupied with her family for the holiday. Perhaps she had missed him. He smiled at the thought, but a shiver of foreboding ran through him as he stepped into the storeroom so he could hear her. "Hello, Sarah. Did you miss-"

"Jareth, I need your help!" she cut him off, her voice was hoarse and she sounded out of breath.

"Are you alright?" he asked in alarm.

"No," she sobbed. "Please, Jareth, can you-"

He transported instantly to her almost without thought, with his glass of wine still in his hand. Sarah was right in front of him crumpled on the sidewalk. She was still attempting to talk to him on her phone.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" He slipped his own phone back into his jacket pocket and crouched down next to her. His eyes scanned over her searching for injuries, but he saw none. "Were you attacked?" He looked around but the the street was empty. He thought was probably a couple of blocks from her building. Any sane person would be warmly at home on this freezing night, especially on Christmas Eve.

"No." She focused on the wine glass still in his hand. "I'm sorry to take you away from your party."

A flash of irritation shot through him at her stubborn stoicism. "Don't be stupid, Sarah." He rolled his eyes and set his glass down on the icy sidewalk. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"I slipped on some ice and I think I broke my leg."

He reached out and gently felt along her flannel clad legs. The right was okay. But when he touched the other one, she moaned in pain despite her gritted teeth. He let his hand linger there for a moment and closed his eyes as he used his magic to take stock of the damage. "The left is definitely broken, but it's a clean break." He looked her over again searching for any other injuries. She looked positively ill and she was dressed in what appeared to be her pajamas under her coat. "What were you doing wandering the streets at this hour in your nightclothes?"

"Do you ever stop being the Fashion Police?" she growled. "I have the flu, okay? I went to the pharmacy to get more medicine and I didn't feel like getting fully kitted out for that."

"Why didn't you call me then? " he asked, his irritation rising again. Stubborn woman. When would she learn she could rely on his help. "I would have made sure you had what you needed.

Sarah coughed and wheezed. "Can we discuss that when I'm at the hospital?"

"Hospital? Don't be ridiculous. I can heal your leg myself."

"You can do that?"

"Of course. I'm going to pick you up. I'll try not to jar you too much, but it may hurt." He told her and she nodded in response. "Put your arms around my neck if you're not too weak."

"I'm not too weak, you ancient jackass," she bit out wrapping her arms around his neck, one hand still clutching her pharmacy bag. He rolled his eyes again, but didn't otherwise comment on her lack of gratitude for his concern and assistance. He put an arm under her knees and the other around her back before rising to his feet, doing his best not to jostle her. Her face was presses against his neck and he could feel how feverish her skin was, even in this cold. "I'm going to transport us now."

The next instant they were in his living room. He gently laid her down on the sofa. "How do you feel? Dizzy?"

"A little."

"Take a couple of deep breaths. It will pass in a a few moments."

"I'm too congested to breathe."

He tugged the bag from her grasp and inspected the contents. He went to the kitchen and got her a glass of water. She swallowed down the pills he handed her and then lay back heavily on the cushions. He took off his gloves and stroked the hair from her clammy forehead. "I'm going to put you a to sleep for a bit so I can set and heal your leg. Is that alright, Sarah?"

She nodded before closing her eyes.

When Sarah woke up, she still fell like absolute shit, but there was no longer any pain in her leg. Jareth was nowhere to be seen, but she did see a plume of smoke and followed it to it's source. Jareth was lying in the floor between the sofa and the coffee table with his eyes closed. She smiled slightly as she took in his festive attire for the first time. He was wearing a green velvet dinner jacket, with a sprig of holly in the button hole. He'd obviously popped out in the middle of the club's Christmas celebration. Karl and the rest of the staff were probably wondering where he had disappeared to.

"Jareth?"

He opened his eyes and lifted his head slightly to look at her, but it fell back to the floor. His hand shook as he removed the cigarette from his mouth. "How do you feel?" he asked, his voice was strangely breathless.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern. He didn't look entirely well himself.

He nodded tightly and brought the cigarette back to his lips. "I will be shortly. My magic is somewhat dampened Aboveground. Transporting several times and healing the bone has drained me a bit."

Sarah started coughing.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." Jareth sluggishly pushed himself up and stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray on the coffee table. He leaned heavily against the couch. "I'll take care of your illness when I've rested a little."

"You could have just taken me to the hospital," she said, feeling guilty that he had expended so much of himself to help her.

"What and miss a chance to have you in my debt?" He turned his head toward her, managing one of his mischievous smirks.

"Conniving fae. I should have known better than to call you," she replied falling easily into their usual banter, but even his smirk looked weak and that worried her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I just need to eat and rest. You do too. What can I have sent up for you?" He pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and started scrolling for his contacts.

"Nothing." She sat up and it set off another bought of coughing. "I'll just go home now that I can walk." She just wanted to collapse into her bed and and sleep until she was well again. "Call me cab, will you?"

"No, You will stay in the guest room until I'm able to heal your illness."

"I'm not staying in your guest room," she protested automatically, his imperious tone irritating her.

"Would you rather stay in my bed?" A teasing glint lit his eyes. "Unfortunately I won't be up for much at the moment." Apparently, he wasn't too exhausted to flirt though.

"No, I have to go home. I can't call any of my neighbors on Christmas to take care of Frank."

"I'll send someone for him."

"Who? Do you have servants?" She looked around the room. It certainly seemed expensively furnished, but wasn't ostentatious or overly large. Actually it was must more modest than she expected from him and didn't seem like the kind of place that required servants. He had been a king. Was he that used to be waited on hand and foot?

"No, I'll call the concierge. He can send a member of his staff."

"Concierge? Where in the world do you live?"

"The Waldorf Astoria."

"Of course, you do. Take the King out of his palace, but can't take the palace out of the king. Should've figured you wouldn't have a normal apartment."

"There are other people that have apartments here. It's hardly unusual."

"I should still go," pushing herself up into a sitting position. "You don't have to heal me. I'll be fine in a couple of days."

"Sarah," he said softly, reaching out and laying a hand on her arm. "While I greatly admire your strength and self reliance, just once let someone help you. Let me take care of you."

She huffed,"Oh, alright. I guess." She knew he was right. She was just being hard-headed.

The soup was really good, but even so she had to force herself to eat it. She really had no appetite. All she wanted to do was to go to sleep.

She looked across the table to Jareth who appeared to be ravenous in his hunger. He was plowing steadily through the large array of food laid out before him. Now halfway through his meal, his color had improved a bit and his movements seemed steadier.

He looked up from his plate and caught her, bleary gaze on him. "Would you like something else?"

"No, I'm going to lay back on the couch."

"Nonsense." He pushed back from the table and stood. "Let me show you to the guest room so you can rest comfortably."

He led her to an elegantly furnished bedroom. He gestured to a door on the left. "The bathroom is through there. A hot bath may make you feel better. I'll bring Frank to you when he gets here. Call me if you need anything." He moved toward the door.

"Jareth, thank you for coming for me. I don't know what I would have done without your help."

He smiled. "Anytime."

Sarah had a long hot soak and had nearly fallen asleep in the tub. When she went into the bedroom, a pair of purple silk pajamas with black velvet robe was laid out on the bed. On the floor was a pair of matching shearling lined slippers. She immediately stuck her feet in them. They were a little big, but they were warm. She was thankful he had provided her something to sleep in. Her pajamas were dirty and damp from where she fallen in the ice and snow. The soft silk felt divine on her skin. She doubted Jareth would have anything so practical as flannel pajamas. Actually, she was surprised he had pajamas at all. He didn't seem the type, sensuous fae that he was.

She also saw that her medicine was laid out on the nightstand with a pitcher of water and a glass. She took a dose of dose of cough medicine before she got into bed.

Just as she was about to drift off, she heard a familiar inquisitive meow in the hall and called, "In here, Frank."

The cat ran through the open door and jumped up on the bed. He rubbed his face against hers, a loud purr rumbling through his body. Once he had enough petting, he nosed his way under the covers and curled up beside her.