I hate my computer. I really fcking hate my computer. I had this thing all typed and printed so I could retype it at my aunt's house, and then stupid Open Office crashes. And now the file on the hard drive disappeared. So whenever I click on an Open Office word document, it's all "Oh noses! Computer can't seem to find Open Office on the hard drive! Fiddle sticks for you!" So, I re-did it the best I could.

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Darius did indeed go back Aboveground. He went because he was told to. He went because he wanted to. He went because he wanted nothing more than to violate what was precious to his rival. He checked his watch for the time. It was well after two in the afternoon, so he figured it was time to see her. He could already tell how the girl's emotions worked. If she couldn't find comfort in one thing, she would find it in something else.

He briskly walked up the steps to the hospital and entered it's gift shop. Daniel walked to the counter, where he paid $5.33 for a small bouquet of flowers. He walked up the stairs, for he had no longer "needed" the wheelchair he was once in, even though he never really needed it in the first place. It had been a ruse, but no one knew that.

He waltzed up to Sarah's door in no time and rapped on the door. He heard Sarah's cough and then a feeble "Come in!"

Her face looked at ease when he first saw her, but her eyebrows knitted as he walked closer.

"I thought the colors might cheer you up," he said, brandishing the flowers, "How are you?"

"Okay," she replied, rubbing her forehead. "Been better, but okay." Daniel nodded as if he understood everything.

"Do they know what caused it?" he asked, acting as innocent as possible.

Sarah shook her head. "Of course not. They said that it was some sort of allergic reaction to the medication they put me on. But it couldn't be that and they know it. It's just some cheap way of saying 'Sarah, we don't know what the hell happened to you. Our PhD's aren't helping at all!'" She laughed bitterly. Daniel tried to laugh along with her.

"Do you know what really happened?"

Sarah thought of telling him the truth. But the truth was what had got her sent to the funny farm in the first place. So she did the next best thing: "I have no idea, actually," she lied. Daniel tried nodding without looking too disappointed. He was supposed to be the one she spoke the truth to, no matter how much he was keeping from her. He inched closer to her until they were nose to nose. Sarah's face scrunched together and she bit her bottom lip. She tried hard not to wince, but found it near impossible. As Daniel drew nearer, it began to feel as if there was a large leather band around her forehead, being pulled tighter and tighter until she felt her skull might burst. But Daniel didn't seem to see Sarah's pain, and pressed his forehead against hers, trying to be affectionate.

"Daniel-" He cut her off.

"Shh," he said, pressing a finger to her lips. His flesh on hers made her mouth feel red hot, burning. She yelped at the contact, and he quickly pulled back. "What? What's wrong?" His eyes flamed in anger. He wondered if Jareth had told her what he had done.

"It…It hurt," Daniel stared at her in apprehension.

"What did?"

"You," she responded. Her bottom lip quivered, and she tried to hold back the saline that was welling p in her eyes, "You did. You're touch. Just you being near me. It hurt."

"How is that possible?" Daniel muttered under his breath. He looked back at Sarah and tried not to notice her flinch under his gaze. "I'll go now. You need to heal. Maybe I'll check on you later." Before Sarah acknowledged him, he left the small room. Once out in the hallway, he turned each corner to make sure no one was following him, and then disappeared.

………………..

"How dare you?!" Darius screeched. "Don't you want her to be happy?! You're not doing anything but getting your own sick kicks at seeing her miserable."

Jareth laughed.
Have you ever thought that it wasn't me who did this, but you?" Darius stared after him like he was crazy.

"Impossible! I would never make her this…afflicted! I could never cause her pain!"

"Out of curiosity," Jareth leaned forward in his throne, staring at his son. "Did you do anything to differ me from anyone else? Have you made sure it only worked on me? Have you done anything, oh, I don't know, specific?" He scratched behind his ear with a gloved hand and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"What? Of course I-" Darius stopped his rage for a moment and scratched his chin in thought. "Shit!" he cursed. "It was an easy mistake. Anyone could have made it." Jareth laughed.

"But it wasn't just anyone, Darius, it was you. Do you know what you have to do now?"

Darius had long since lost the cool and calm demeanor he had just a few days ago. "But I don't want to!"

"You don't wish to see whom you claim to love again?" Jareth chose his words carefully.

Darius grunted angrily. "Fine, I'll reverse it. But only so I can see her again. I'll find a way to prevent you from being with her, Father, what with all the books in here," he smiled cockily once again.

"There's that stubborn son I remember," Jareth drawled under his breath.

He studied his son's expression. Darius's facial appearance made him look either in deep concentration, or absolute pain. He was muttering some sort of incantation in monotone. After about five minutes, he re-opened his eyes and sighed.

"I think I'll go see her now." Darius smiled at Jareth thinking nothing of his father's odd grin.

"Are you positive what you've done has been called off once and for all?"

"Yes."

"Then you won't be going to see her," Jareth's smirk widened.

Darius laughed, but was a little unnerved by his father's calm air. "Of course I am, Father. And there's nothing you can do about it!" Darius beamed back at his father, as arrogant as ever.

Jareth's chortle stopped Darius from moving towards the door. "My only son saying there's nothing I can do to stop him? I certainly think not," he exclaimed. "What of that ball you wanted to attend some decades back? I stopped you from going to that. And you had motivation then! I can stop you from seeing Sarah as well," his laughter turned dark,
"but it won't require any form of locking spells. One thing you still need to work on, after all these years, is how you plan things. You are still nothing more than a self centered child." His father's cackle was the last thing to echo in Darius's ears before he vanished from the castle and into the deepest oubliette that could be found.

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There. Another chapter. It's short. It's not my best work. But it's a chapter. Five reviews (at least) gets you a better one. So hit the button or you'll be stuck with Darius.