A/N: Frankly, I wasn't too happy with the last chapter update, but I'm not going to go back and change it. I just really don't do that with my stories. Call it laziness or stubbornness, but I just don't go back unless it really, really, really, really bothers me. I managed to type up this new update though and I'm mildly happy with it. So here it is. Thanks for the continued support to those who have stuck around and to the new readers that have come along and stuck around. Enjoy!

OOOOOOOOO

Mai stayed in the Goblin King's arms throughout the night, not sleeping while he held her in his bed. She could feel his naked chest rising and falling against her back with each slow breath that he took, but didn't know if he was asleep or not. She slid her hand over his and threaded her fingers through his as morning dawned, the sun casting its early light through the balcony doors. Jareth's fingers squeezed hers and he pressed his lips against the nape of her neck.

"You didn't sleep," he guessed quietly, lifting his head slightly from the pillows.

"I couldn't," Mai whispered, shaking her head. "I just kept thinking about how empty our lives are going to be without Mali in them. I've always thought that she was going to live forever. She's always seemed so…young to me, even though I know she's been around since your father has been young."

Jareth leaned slightly over her. "Mali has been around since my grandfather's time, Mai. She was his Healer's apprentice at one point before she became my Healer and advisor." His thumb rubbed over the back of her hand. "I've never been without her in my life, but she wouldn't want us to dwell on her absence."

Mai rolled over to look at him. "But it's so raw, Jareth. And it hurts. She meant so much to me. She was like a second mother. A better mother than my own mother was to me." She frowned. "And I know that that hurts you, knowing how much you cared for my mother when you knew her."

"I know how your mother treated you when you were younger, Mai. I cannot deny that she was not the perfect mother, but I can also not deny the fact that Mali wouldn't want you to linger on this. It is the way of the Fae. We mourn the loss of our loved ones when they pass and they do not pass as often as humans do because of our long lives, but then we celebrate their lives and move on. It is what they would want us to do. It is what we should do, for Mali."

Mai stared up at him and frowned. "I don't know how to be like that, Jareth. I still feel like a human, not like the Fae that my grandfather changed me into."

Jareth touched her face with the tips of his fingers and brushed back her hair. "I know and that's why I love you so much."

The Elf Princess accepted the tender kiss that he pressed to her lips, but pushed him back before he could take it any deeper. She sat up in the bed and turned her face towards the balcony doors where the early morning sunlight was creeping into the room. A sigh passed through her lips and she cast off the silken blankets that had covered her body throughout the night. Turning her back on Jareth, she threw her legs over the side of the bed and rose from the bed, pulling down the silky nightgown that had ridden up to her hips. Jareth looked lazily up at her from the bed, his body perfectly undressed and uncovered by the blankets.

"What are you going to do today?" he asked.

"I'm going to go down into the City," she told him, turning to face him. "There has to be something down there for me to work on and fix. I need the distraction, Jareth." She moved beyond his reach. "And I don't need you to be the distraction right now."

Jareth frowned at her.

"Please don't give me that look. You know that I hate that look on your face." Mai knelt next to the bed and reached out, touching his face with her fingertips. "I just need to get out of the castle and do something other than stay in bed all day, even with you."

Jareth turned his face and kissed her palm. Mai closed her eyes at the feeling of his lips against her skin and felt a surge of heat flood through her body. She opened her eyes to find him smirking playfully at her, her hand still held in his.

"Jareth, please. I just need to get out of the castle for a little while. And since I don't have Viper to ride anymore, the City and its people are the only distraction that I have right now."

"Besides me and my family."

Mai nodded slowly.

"Very well," Jareth said, but he didn't release her hand. "Go help your future people. I have plans to make for our wedding. I will come for you when it is time for lunch."

Mai made to pull away and rise to her feet, but Jareth pulled her close to him and pressed his lips against hers. Mai melted against him and felt her body prickle with heat as it rested against his naked one. She tapped her fingers against his chest and parted from him, letting her breath out in a small sigh. Jareth smirked wickedly up at her, flashing his sharp canines.

"See you at lunch," Mai whispered, backing towards their connected bathroom. "And not a moment before then, Goblin King. I'm warning you. No funny business."

Jareth laughed and stretched out on the bed, his naked body gleaming under the sun's early rays. Mai tilted her head to the side, staring before shaking her head and disappearing into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her and leaned back against it.

I really can't stay with him like that, she told herself, shaking her head again. Not while I'm still thinking about Mali and her death. No matter how much my body wants to be close to his. And no matter how yummy he looks like that.

She shook her head and moved away from the door towards one of the large mirrors over the sink. Her reflection stared back at her, revealing her tangled mess of hair and slightly red eyes. Mai tried hard to see what attracted Jareth so much to her and couldn't see it this morning. She reached for her brush and attacked her hair until it was tamed and sparkled under the filtered light. Turning her back on the mirror, she walked through the door that connected to her room and over to her wardrobe, opening the dark wood doors. She quickly rifled through the clothes there and stripped out of her nightgown before shimmying into her clothes.

"I just need a distraction," she told herself, tossing her nightgown into a basket. "A good long, sweaty distraction. That is not Jareth or Michael or any of Jareth's family." Her eyes saddened. "Or anything that could possibly remind me of Mali right now." She shook her head. "It's not what Mali would have wanted me to do. To think so much about her. She wanted us to be happy. She wanted us to think about our future together. And that's what I'm going to. Help my future people and think about what Jareth and I are going to build together. For Mali."

Mai turned on her heel and marched out of her room, holding her head high. Avery and Taryn poked their heads out of Avery's room as Mai approached and Taryn quickly pushed the vampire blood guard out of the room before hurrying out herself. Mai smiled at them, but said nothing as she continued on her way, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

"Aren't you going to go eat breakfast with the Goblin King?" Taryn asked, falling into step next to Mai as Avery followed behind them.

"I'm not really hungry," Mai told her lady-in-waiting, glancing over at her. "But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't go eat something." She pointed down at Taryn's still flat stomach. "Especially with a little one on the way."

Taryn shook her head and tucked some of her blonde hair behind a delicately pointed ear. "I don't need to eat something right now. Not if you're not going to be there, Mai."

Mai turned and started walking backwards, looking at Avery as she did so. "Tell your wife to go eat something, Avery," she ordered. "Drag her if you have to. I'll be all right in the City on my own for a little while if you take her down to breakfast."

Avery shook his head and crossed his arms. "She won't listen to me or eat a single bite if you're not there. And I'm not going to force her."

Taryn stuck her tongue out at Mai.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Why is everyone being so damn difficult?"

"Because we can be and because we love you," Taryn answered, pulling her tongue back into her mouth. "So, we're not eating until you do, Mai."

Mai let out a small frustrated sound before reaching out and grabbing hold of Taryn's wrist. Taryn made a strangled yelp as Mai yanked her down another hall.

"Fine!" Mai exclaimed, ignoring Avery as he hurried after them. "We'll go eat something quick since you both are going to make a big deal about this. But then we're all going to go down into the City and I'm going to do what I intended to do."

Taryn cast a happy glance over her shoulder at her husband. "I told you that it would work."

"You just said that you'd get her down to breakfast," Avery said, keeping close to Mai's heels. "I actually want to see her eat more than a few pieces of fruit."

Mai shook her head. "I really can't believe that you two came up with some kind of plan to get me to go eat something. What? Did you actually did you think that I would starve myself?"

"Sarah said that you didn't eat for two whole weeks when you left the Underground after what happened between you and Jareth years ago," Avery explained and Mai paused in her stride to look back at him. "Don't give me that look, Princess. You know that I had to learn more about you when I took up the role as your blood guard."

"Sarah should have kept her mouth shut," Mai muttered, resuming her quick pace towards the dining hall. "I don't go spouting all of her secrets. Like how she's afraid of spiders or doesn't like clowns. And has a secret pair of socks that she has to wear to every audition that she goes to for good luck."

"Really?" Taryn asked. "Wow."

"Sarah was just concerned about you," Avery cut across his wife. "We knew that it was likely that you would not want to eat again if you were upset from what Sarah told me and we know you are upset about the Healer's death. We do not want you to make yourself sick, Mai. Not after everything that has happened to you."

Mai shook her head. "I'm not upset."

"You were crying all night," Taryn pointed out.

"And you didn't sleep at all," Avery added. "I could sense it through our blood bond."

"I am fine. Or I am going to be fine." Mai shook her head. "Really. Jareth wouldn't let me starve. So, you shouldn't worry about that."

"It's my job to worry about you."

"Worry more about your wife. She's pregnant with your babies." Mai smirked when she heard Taryn gasp. "That's right. I said babies. You're having more than one. I just saw it. So there. You're eating more now."

Avery crossed his arms and was suddenly in front of the two women. "I'm going to worry about both of you for different reasons, Mai, and to different degrees," he stated, purple eyes flashing. "I am bound to both of you for different reasons, but that doesn't give me any reason to not worry about you and your health. Even if you marry the Goblin King, I will remain your blood guard and I will be there to protect you. Health and all. So, if you do not sleep and you do not eat, that concerns me."

"And me too," Taryn added, raising her hand. "You're my friend and my princess. And someday, my queen. I need to know that you are taking care of yourself and getting yourself worked into a fit over the passing of someone you loved, doesn't do anyone any good. I know that you loved Mali. But we can't let you starve yourself and we can't let you go without sleep. You have to promise us that you will eat and that you try to sleep tonight and the next night and all the nights that follow."

"And what if I can't sleep?" Mai asked, crossing her arms as she looked at the two people standing in front of her. "What if I can't get over Mali's death as quickly as everyone else seems to be able to down here in the Underground? I was raised in the Aboveground where we can mourn a loved one's death for weeks or months or even years at a time. I don't think like the Fae that I was forcibly created. I think like the human-Fae Halfling that I was born. How can you expect me to sleep if I slip into one of my waking nightmares of Mali? Hmm?"

Avery and Taryn exchanged a look.

"We can have Jareth give you something to make you sleep," Avery said simply, looking at her once more.

"Or he can hold you in his arms," Taryn said over the blood guard. "I know how the person you love can always make you feel safe and at ease when they hold you in their arms at night."

Then why didn't it work last night? Mai wondered, ignoring the look that Avery sent Taryn's way.

"What?" Taryn asked, raising an eyebrow at Avery. "It's much safer than having Jareth put a spell on her all the time. And it's more romantic that way too." She frowned. "Of course, he might try to do more than just hold her and then she definitely wouldn't get any sleep for a while. But then they'd both be super exhausted and sleep for hours afterwards, so my point still stands."

"We just want to make sure that nothing happens to you," Avery said, shaking his head. "You've been through enough Hell with the triplets, the accident, your grandfather, and the Ritual. Nothing else needs to happen to you if we can help it."

"We're not going to let it happen," Taryn stated firmly.

"You guys can't stop everything from happening," Mai said, holding a hand out. "Bad things happen. It's called life. It's what makes life, life."

"I think life has it out for you then, Mai. Because it's already done so much to you. Can't you just let us keep it from doing anything bad to you a while longer?" Taryn asked, putting her hands together in front of her chest. "We really do care about you. I mean, I haven't known you for very long. And he's only known you as long as he's been stalking you."

"I have not been stalking her," Avery muttered.

Mai frowned at him. "You kind of were when you were watching me for all of those weeks before making your presence known and before becoming my friend and blood guard. But I forgive you for that, Avery." She held her hand up to silence him. "We digress. I guess I can accept the fact that you two will not let me have a moment of peace unless you are on my back, making sure that I have food in my belly and sleep for at least six hours –"

"Eight hours," Taryn corrected.

"Every night," Mai continued, glancing at Taryn. "And I know that everyone else is probably going to be watching me like a hawk too. I'm never going to have a moment to myself again, am I?"
"Of course you are," Taryn said, even as Avery shook his head. "We aren't that cruel. You get to have time to yourself and have your moments with Jareth. We just want to make sure that you're taken care of. Jareth can take care of you when we're not there. But we're going to pick up the slack. Okay?"
"Fine. It's not like I have a choice." Mai put a hand to the side of her head and closed her eyes as something dark passed through her mind. "Crap."

"Mai?" Avery asked, pressing closer to her.

Mai thrust her hand out and warded him back. "I'm okay, Avery. It's probably just a migraine coming on. From hunger or something."

Taryn wrapped her hand back around Mai's. "Then we're definitely getting food into you. And then we can do whatever you were planning to do in the City. Okay? Okay."

Mai let herself be pulled in the direction of the dining hall by her lady-in-waiting with Avery in tow. She frowned as the darkness passed over her mind once more.

Mali, what is going on in your absence?

OOOOOOOOO

Jareth walked through the Goblin City just before lunch. He'd already completed a third of the plans for the wedding that he intended to have with Mai. There was no date yet for it, but he knew that he would have to settle that with Mai soon. If his father would ask, he would have to confirm it with Mai before a trace of deceit could unravel everything that he had worked so hard to build for them.

And I will never lose her again, Jareth swore to himself, looking at all of the buildings that Mai had helped rebuild in the Goblin City, the buildings that he had once destroyed in his anger. I will have her as my wife someday soon and we will be together for the rest of time. For the rest of my life at least. I wonder what our children will be called and how many we will have. I think I will name one Jareth. I hope he has my eyes. And our daughters have hers.

The Goblin children were dancing around Mai as she stood amongst the last of the ruins of the City. Her clothes were dirty and her shirt clung to her back with sweat. She raised her hands and the stones of the building lifted, piling themselves up in the shape of a building. Taryn stood next to her, holding what looked like a blueprint in her hands. The blood guard vampire stood off to the side, out of the bright sun, watching the scene from a distance as Jareth was. Jareth tilted his head to the side and watched as Mai lowered her hands and looked at the blueprint in her lady-in-waiting's hands before muttering something under her breath.

Her magic is growing every day, he thought, watching as she snapped her fingers and the building sealed itself and became as perfect as the buildings around it. Soon her powers might be somewhere near mine. Close, but never quite there.

OOOOOOOOO

"Well," Mai sighed, wiping the back of her hand across her forehead. "I guess that's the last of them." She looked down at the Goblin children around her. "What do you guys think?"

The children stopped dancing around her and looked at the building. "Knock it down! Knock it down!" they cackled.

"Ha-ha, no." Mai made a small yelp when hands closed over her hips and pulled her back against a hard body and lips pressed against the curve of her neck. "Jareth! Don't do that!"

Jareth ignored her and kissed her neck in a trail up to her jaw before resting his cheek against hers. "Have you finished taking care of the City, Mai dear?"

"Yes, but I wish that you would stop doing that," Mai hissed, bumping her hip back against his groin, earning a smirk. "I'm hot, dirty, sweaty, and tired."

"It's never stopped me before," Jareth reminded her, turning her around in his arms so that she faced him. He smirked down at her. "I've made love to you in worse conditions. You were covered completely in paint once and I didn't care."

Mai poked him in the chest. "I ruined your clothes and your bedsheets."

"Both easily replaceable or cleaned."

"Not happening." Mai placed her hand over his lips, not caring about how dirty her hand was. "I need a shower before lunch and then a nap afterwards. Those two," she gestured at Taryn and Avery with her eyes. "Seem to think that I need to get more food and sleep than I think that I do myself."

Taryn stuck her tongue out at Mai from behind Jareth's back.

Jareth frowned from behind Mai's hand. "You didn't sleep last night," he reminded her, his voice slightly muffled.

"They already know that," Mai told him, lowering her hand. "Hence why they want the nap. You could join me if you'd like, but I don't know if I could trust you to keep your hands off."

Jareth lifted her left hand and showed her the ring that he had slipped on it. "I think that you don't have to worry about that, Mai."

Mai glanced at the ring. "Now, I know that I can't trust you. It just gives you more of a reason not to keep your hands to yourself."

Jareth put a look of mock hurt on his face. "Oh, that wounds me. Kiss it to make it better."

"I already told you no." Mai tried to shove him away, but Jareth held her firm. "I need a shower first. Alone. By myself. Solo." She poked him in the chest again. "I'll use my magic if I have to, Goblin King."

Jareth smirked at her. "Are you sure about that, Mai?"

Mai was about to say something to him when she heard the sound of chains rattling in her head. She pressed her hand to the side of her head and flinched. She shook her head as she saw images flash before her eyes and reached towards Jareth with one hand, gripping at the collar of his shirt. She could see his lips moving, but she couldn't hear him.

"J-Jareth?" she whispered, clutching at him as her legs grew weak.

OOOOOOOOO

Jareth had been about to probe Mai further about her decision to have a solo shower when she had gone silent and clutched at her head. His brow furrowed and he put his hands on her hips, drawing her to him.

"Mai," he said, watching her shake her head. "Are you all right?"

Mai looked at him through dim eyes like she couldn't see him or understand him and reached for him. Her hands gripped at the collar of his shirt and tugged weakly at it. Jareth tightened his grip on her when he felt her legs buckle underneath of her.

"J-Jareth?" she whispered with her hand still pressed to the side of her head.

"Mai!" Jareth exclaimed when the princess slumped in his arms, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

"Princess!" Taryn and Avery cried out, rushing forward.

Jareth tapped the side of Mai's face, trying to rouse the girl from her unconscious state, but she wouldn't wake up. He cursed under his breath and looked up to see Taryn with her hand pressed over her mouth and tears swimming in her eyes. Avery's hands were clenched into fists and his face was grim.

"Was she experiencing anything before I came here?" Jareth demanded, lifting his unconscious fiancée into his arms bridal style. "Anything at all?"

Taryn glanced over at Avery and lowered her hand. "Her migraine back at the castle, Avery," she whispered. "Before breakfast. She said it was nothing. What if it was something?"

Jareth glared at the blood guard. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"She didn't want me to. I would have told you if I had thought it meant something, Jareth." Avery folded his arms over his chest. "I care about her too, you know."

You couldn't possibly care about her as much as I do, Jareth thought, sending the vampire one last death glare before looking at the nearest Goblin. "Fetch the Healer. I will be in the Princess' room, awaiting her presence. Go. Now!"

The Goblin squeaked and tore off towards the castle, disappearing through one of the secret shortcuts. Jareth disappeared in a swirl of glitter, reappearing in Mai's room. He walked over to her bed and carefully deposited her on the bed, arranging her head on the pillows. He sat on the edge and brushed the back of his gloved hand against her cheek.

"What has happened to you, Mai?" he asked of her before he heard something crack.

Jareth turned his attention to the vanity that Mai used to sit at and saw a dark shadow pass in the mirror. The mirror shattered and the glass exploded into the room. Jareth lifted a hand and the glass dissolved into dust before it could touch Mai or himself.

Something dangerous is trying to get to you, Jareth thought bitterly, looking down at his unconscious bride. And without Mali, I do not know what to do right now. Mai, where do we go from here? What have we gotten ourselves into now?

OOOOOOOOO

A/N: I'm thinking that Mali's daughter is going to be introduced in the next chapter. I have to come up with her name though. And then I have to figure out where to go from there. I have a vague idea of where I intended to go with this story when I first came up with the idea all of those years ago, but it might have changed a few times. I don't know anymore. We'll see what happens. Leave a comment or two in the little box. Thanks again. -Scarlet