A/N: So so so sorry for the delay in updating!!! Life interferes when really don't want it to, plus the story gnome ran off on me, and I had to hunt him down. Now he's back, hopefully there won't be a delay quite this long again. As always, if you saw it in the movie, I don't own it (if I did, I wouldn't have to have a real job)

Reagan woke the next morning to the feel of a slight extra weight on her chest. She opened her eyes to see a little white head with bright blue eyes staring up at her, and screamed. The creature emitted a scream of its own and rolled backwards off her, falling onto the bed. She watched it burrow under the blankets as she tried to collect herself.

What what what what what what what what what—

Where was that coming from? She knew she wasn't saying anything, but it was playing over and over in her head, and it sounded scared. Could it possibly be the thing that was laying on her? Reagan lifted up the blankets and looked at the tiny creature, curled up in a ball.

"Hey there."

It was looking at her, shaking. The poor thing looked terrified.

"I'm sorry I scared you. You can come out now, I'm not going to hurt you."

It looked up at her inquisitively, and she held out her hand. It stretched out it's neck and sniffed, then shoved its head under her hand to be petted.

"It's okay, you can come out."

It very hesitantly uncurled itself and crawled out from under the blankets. Reagan got her first good look at it as it crawled up into her lap, then climbed up her arm onto her shoulder. Its body was covered in tiny scales, except for its wings-it had wings!?- which were feathered.

"You're pretty cure for a lizard."

It snorted in offense at being called a lizard, and Reagan laughed. She scratched it under its chin, and she could hear it purring in contentment.

"Cheeky."

"Reagan! What's wrong?" Jareth burst through her door, and it hissed at him.

"What's wrong? I heard you scream."

"I'm fine. I just had a most interesting wake-up call."

She turned so that he could see the creature on her shoulder, and almost laughed at his expression.

"It hatched. Unbelievable."

"What is it?"

"That, Reagan, is your first dragon."

"No way."

"Of course I'm a dragon. What did you think I was, a flying chicken? Fae."

The last word was spat out as if it was a dirty word, and Reagan laughed.

"What is it?"

"I think I just offended it."

"Is it talking to you?"

"Of course it is. Don't you hear it?"

"Fae king can't hear me. Not a Caller."

Reagan had no idea what it was talking about. A Caller? And why had it called her a Fae. She was no Fae, she was human. A freak, but human. She reached out and scratched the small dragon on its head. It purred at her, and it's mouth fell open in a toothy grin.

"You are too cute."

Jareth looked slightly annoyed, which Reagan thought unfair. If anyone should be annoyed, it was her. She'd had a wake-up call from a dragon, not Jareth.

"Yes, well. I really think you should get dressed, my dear. I'm certain a servant will be here any moment, and once someone else sees your new friend, there will be no more peace."

"Why?"

"Dragons are very rare, Reagan. No one has even seen a hatchling in centuries. Six hundred years ago, someone stole several dragon eggs, which ended all peace with them. It's taken centuries to even minimally repair relations with them. This new hatchling will be tremendous news."

"Are you saying that the egg I found was one of the stolen eggs?"

Jareth nodded, and Reagan looked down at the dragon on her shoulder.

"How long have you been in there?"

"A thousand years."

"Is that possible?"

"Is what possible?"

"It says it was in that egg for a thousand years."

"It is possible. Dragon's choose when they hatch. I believe that a normal gestation is four hundred years. However, because it was stolen, it may have chosen to wait until it was found to hatch."

The dragon looked at her and nodded, as if to emphasize the point.

"This one's not as dumb as he looks."

Reagan choked back a laugh at that. Jareth would appreciate the backhanded compliment/ thinly veiled insult.

"Alright, I'll get dressed."

He continued to stand there, staring at the dragon on her shoulder.

"Jareth?"

He snapped and looked at her.

"What?"

"I'm not getting dressed with you standing there."

"Oh. Right. I'll be in my room then. If you need any help—"

"Jareth, it likes me. And it's the size of a cat. I doubt it's going to eat me or anything."

"Right. Just knock on the door when you're ready."

As soon as Jareth left, Reagan set the dragon on the bed and looked through the wardrobe. She was surprised to see that there were several dresses in there along with her jeans and t-shirts. Either someone thought her wardrobe was deficient, or they thought she might feel less out of place if she dressed like the natives. She chose to believe it was the latter.

She pulled out a dress that was a lovely shade of pale green. It was nowhere near as transparent as the one she wore last night, and the material looked as if it was far more comfortable than her jeans. She slipped out of the nightdress, into the gown, and discovered a complication she had overlooked: it laced up the back. She tried for a few moments to lace it herself, unsuccessfully, and stopped when she heard snorts of laughter in her head. She turned around and mock-glared at the little dragon, who was smiling its toothy grin.

"If you're not going to help, at least keep your mouth shut."

It just laughed harder at her. Unfortunately, an elf mad chose that moment to knock and walk in.

"Oh good. Can you help me with this, I can't get the laces."

When the maid didn't move Reagan turned to see her staring at the dragon, who was eyeing her with obvious disinterest. Without saying a word, the maid turned and ran out.

"At least she didn't scream."

She spoke too soon; she heard a scream down the hallway. Rolling her eyes, Reagan made her way to the shared bathroom to wash her face and take care of her hair. As she completed her morning routine, she noticed the little dragon following her. It never once took its inquisitive blue eyes off her.

When she was finally finished, instead of going back to her room she knocked on Jareth's door. He opened it, looking surprised when he saw what she was wearing.

"Could you lace me up? The maid ran screaming."

"I thought I heard another scream."

He gestured for her to turn around and expertly pulled the laces until the gown fit perfectly. It molded to her body as if tailored for her. Jareth did his best to ignore the way it clung to her, accentuating her curves.

"I imagine half the palace will hear of it within the next ten minutes. We'd better find Saoirse and Haldrin."

When it looked as though they might transport out of the room, the baby dragon ran at them, voicing its objection at being left behind. Reagan quickly scooped it up and it perched in her arms. Jareth took hold of Reagan's shoulders and transported them into an even more opulent sitting room.

"Haldrin!"

A few moments later, both Haldrin and Saoirse walked in, Saoirse looking most put out with her brother. Reagan thought they may have interrupted an amorous encounter for the couple.

"What is the meaning of this, Jareth?"

"It—" he was interrupted by his sister when she saw Reagan.

"It hatched. By the powers"

"Unbelievable. A dragon, here."

Haldrin looked as stunned as his wife. They were both staring at creature in her arms.

"Yes, well, I'm afraid Reagan's maid saw the little thing, and ran off screaming. It will no doubt be all over the palace in record time."

Haldrin reached out to touch the tiny creature, and it bit at him. He quickly pulled his hand back, as Reagan lightly swatted it's snout. It whined and gave her an unmistakable miniature glare.

"What'd I do?"

"Don't be mean."

"Dragon, remember?"

"No reason to be a brat."

Jareth watched the two glaring at each other and bit back a laugh. As he watched, the dragon lost the contest, and gave up, going instead for cuteness as it nuzzled into Reagan's chest.

"I don't believe this. You're worse than Marley."

"I would say this changes things."

Both Jareth and Reagan looked over at Haldrin when he spoke.

"Oberon will have to come immediately. Hopefully this can be handled without bringing Marek into it."

"The sooner the better, Jareth. I would recommend that you keep her with you at all times. Galen is here, and once he finds out, he'll want to take her."

"He's not getting his hands on her."

"Jareth, it may not be wise to start an incident with the Dragons now. The truce is shaky at best."

"You know what they would do with her. A female Caller, without a mate. They would pass her off to someone to use as a breeder."

"Try to see it from their perspective, Jareth. Their numbers are dwindling, they're trying to preserve their race. You cannot blame them for that."

"The girl is under my protection, Haldrin. I will not send her off to become a brood mare to a man like Galen."

"Would someone mind explaining what this is about? What's going on?"

Both men ignored Reagan as they debate with each other. When her repeated requests for an explanation were ignored, she put her fingers in her mouth and gave a loud whistle, startling both of them into silence.

"Finally. Now, will one of you kindly stop ignoring the fact that I'm right here in the room, and explain what this is all about? I don't understand a single thing you're saying, but it apparently has something to do with me and Draco, so I'd appreciate being let in on it."

"Draco? I like it."

"Good. It's the name of a constellation in my world."

Both men glared at her, but she just watched them, waiting for an answer. When neither of them spoke, she raised an eyebrow, her mastery of the gesture putting Jareth to shame.

"Jareth?"

"Have you eaten yet?" Saoirse interrupted them, and Reagan looked over at her.

"Pardon?"

"I'd wager you've not eaten since last night. Let's have some breakfast. This is not a discussion to have on an empty stomach."

"Jareth, explain."

"Saoirse's right. We should eat—"

"Jareth!"

Jareth sighed. There was no easy way to break the news, but he could see that she wouldn't be put off.

"Galen is head of the Dragons, and as soon as he learns of this, he will want to take you and the hatchling to his kingdom. He's rather unscrupulous when it comes to getting what he wants, so I don't plan on letting you out of my sight. A female Caller from such a strong line would be very valuable in their attempts to breed. And Oberon will have to joins us at once because as his daughter, you fall under his protection as well as mine."

Reagan absorbed Jareth's explanation in silence and then did something he never thought to see. She fainted.