Ch. 28 A Midnight Understanding

Author's Note: I realize that most of the chapters for this story have been on the longer side (between 6-9k). However, this chapter fell to a nice end at this point, so it is a bit shorter than usual. We are ramping up to full-lemon-mode now, and a fair bit will happen over the next 4 chapters. In order to post more frequently, the next few chapters may be a bit shorter than usual as well (coming in at 3-6k).

As always, please review… when life is busy and the muse is being stroppy, reviews make all the difference in the decision to write daily for several hours.


Rising, Jareth looked around the parlor and frowned, surveying the damage. Books lay scattered on the floor, thrown from the bookcases, ripped pages strewn around the room. Every planter had been knocked over, and at least two vases were now mosaics of broken porcelain. Jareth walked around the room, his keen eyes taking in every item out of place or broken, then stopped behind the sofa. With a frown, he looked from Angel's grandparents still frozen in the doorway, to Angel, passed out next to Sarah, then shook his head. Turning her head to look at him, Sarah's eyes still glistened with tears.

"Now what? Is it over?"

Jareth nodded silently, his gloved fingers tenderly caressing her cheek. "Yes, at least Angel's role in your current situation is over." His pale eyes fell upon Angels' grandparents once more and he sighed, the black tips of his hair fluttering as he shook his head. "I know I promised you that I would not alter time or memories, but I think, given the circumstances, that such alternation would be the most expedient way to ensure that Angel gets what she needs, and so do you."

Sarah looked around at the mess and the faint blood smears still on Angel's neck and nodded mutely. She wrapped her arms around Angel, and watched as Jareth took a step back from the sofa, his hair falling to frame his face in a way that was both menacing and enthralled her. Swallowing against the uncomfortable dry taste in her mouth, her eyes fell to his hands, the slender fingers encased in tight black leather.

Jareth placed his palms together, moving them in a circular motion. Around her she could feel a strange pulling sensation in the air, and gasped seeing shimmering golden currents appear in the air, swirling around Jareth and collecting between his palms. Murmured words flowed from Jareth's lips, his eyes falling shut with the pull of power. Slowly he pulled his palms apart, his will working the magic into a large, glowing gold orb that pulsed gently. His words became louder as he raised the orb, then released it above his head. With each pulse it seemed to grow larger, until it began to engulf everything and everyone in the room. Fascinated by the sight of the pulsing magic rising toward the ceiling, Sarah shivered and held her breath as it slid over her, like warm water gently cradling her.

The magic continued to grow, flowing outward, while Jareth's droning words rolled faster from his lips. In a blinding flash, the power was released. Sarah flinched, hugging Angel to her as her eyes clenched tight against the bright light. With such a large release of magic, she expected to feel dizzy, or pain, but there was only a gentle swirling sensation around her, before it faded.

When she finally opened her eyes, she found herself in her parlor back at the manor, with Angel laying in her arms on the sofa. Hearing the soft creak of leather behind her, her head whipped around, to see Jareth standing by her little fireplace. The weariness in his face made her heart ache. While he looked the part of the powerful Goblin King, standing tall and fierce in his armor, yet his breathing was shallow and he seemed to be leaning heavily on the mantel. Looking at him, she felt an odd sense of exhaustion rush through her, a fatigue that she did not feel as her own, yet it was inside her just the same. Laying Angel down, Sarah rose, circling the sofa until she stood before him. Raising her hand to touch his face, she hesitated, before dropping it until her palm lay upon the embossed breastplate.

"Jareth...are you okay?"

For several seconds he stared blankly over her head, then slowly placed his warm hand over hers. Dropping his gaze, he gave her a wan smile, the exhaustion clearly showing upon his face.

"I'll be fine, Precious. Moving the very stars takes a rather large amount of energy. I just need to rest," he replied, lifting her hand to his mouth and gently kissing her palm. "I have turned time back to Friday evening." Sarah glanced at her clock and saw that it was just eleven at night. "Angel should sleep until mid- morning. Once you have broken your fast, we will sit her down and explain things to her. For now however, I need… sleep."

Seeing him stagger slightly on his feet, Sarah frowned and slipped her arm around his back. "Lean on me. You don't have the energy to get to your room on your own, Jareth," she frowned.

"I'll call my mother, she can help me, Precious. You should stay with Angel," he replied, trying to remove himself from her grasp.

Shaking her head, Sarah tightened her hold on his side, as she pulled his arm over her shoulders and led him into the hall, the parlor door falling shut with a quiet click behind them.

"Don't be stubborn Jareth. You said she'd sleep until mid-morning, she'll be fine long enough for me to help you. After all you did for her...and for me… it's the least I can do," she insisted, her words quiet but firm.

Despite his weariness, Jareth smiled at her stubbornness – a stubbornness he recognized as a match for his own. Deep down, he was grateful for her help, as his energy was rapidly draining and he would have been hard-pressed to return to his own rooms without assistance. 'She has the makings of a great Queen,' he mused, letting her lead him along the hall. Considering her response to seeing him accept punishment an her behalf, and her insistence upon tending to the cuts, as well as her adamant declaration that she would help him to his rooms, it seemed that Sarah's feelings for him were changing – clearly she cared.

Opening the familial link, he felt along the strands, tasting the flickers of her emotions as they floated to the surface – determination and fear being the strongest. The realization that she feared for him made his heart warm within him. Since her punishment the week before and the way she had sobbed for causing him to endure pain, he had hoped that she might be growing to accept the bond … and him. Her desire to help him when he was weak, and the worry he felt from her, made the hope blossom anew. As they reached the entry to the family wing, Jareth made another discovery – the more she grew to care for him, the more he knew that he loved her and wanted nothing more than to cement the bond between them and make her his.

When they neared the door to his rooms, it opened without a touch, swinging wide to admit them. Sarah guided him into the parlor, her arms shaking with her attempt to bear as much of his weight as she could.

"I'll be fine from here, Precious."

Ignoring him, Sarah continued to lead him through the parlor and into his bedroom. The moonlight shining through the balcony windows cast silvery shadows through his bedroom, giving Sarah enough light to see where she was going. With a quiet grunt, she turned him and eased him to sit on the side of the bed.

"You can't sleep in your armor," she muttered, then glared at him when his hand twitched, a faint golden glow emanating from it. "And don't bother trying to create a crystal to send it away. Save your energy, Jareth. You can deal with the armor in the morning."

"And just who are you to give me orders, Sarah?" Jareth asked, arching an eyebrow at her tone, while his lips curled in a smile.

Even in the pale moonlight of the room, he could see the way her cheeks flushed at his words. The words, 'Your mate...now stop being a stubborn ass,' echoed in his mind, making his lips twitch further despite her profanity.

Sarah hesitated for a moment, dipping her head, then set about unfastening the clasps on his shoulders that held the cape to the breastplate. "Well...as you took great pleasure in reminding me last weekend, I'm still bonded to you. So, I just figure that bonded couples would help each other because…well…theycareabouteachother," she mumbled, her words tumbling over each other. Avoiding his gaze she flipped the heavy cape back onto the bed, then tilted her head from one side to the other, her emerald eyes narrowing as she examined his armor. With a nod, she reached out and unfastened the buckles that held his shoulder spaulders on, carefully setting them aside on a chair.

Jareth watched her silently, marveling at the way she sought to take care of him. Through the familial link he felt the gentle warmth of love wash over him, the sensation so surprising that he felt his heart falter in his chest. He had understood that she cared, but this was the first tiem he felt a hint of love from her, love that was directed at him.

Sarah's touch was light as she worked the buckles of the breastplate, then turned and laid it on an armchair with the spaulders. He felt a momentary pang of indecision from her, before she swiftly grabbed his shirt where it was tucked into his breeches. Without a word she pulled it upward, muttering 'Thanks' when Jareth raised his arms to help her pull it free. Dropping the shirt on the pile of armor, she looked at him. Her indecision flowed along the gentle warmth of love once more, while she surveyed him, her lower lip worried between pearlescent teeth. After several long seconds, she nodded as if reaching a decision, then knelt in front of him. The sight of her kneeling between his kneels made Jareth's heart race at the possibilities, while he sought to push away the more intimate hopes, knowing she was not yet ready for such things.

Reaching down, Sarah lifted his right foot and began to tug on his boot, frowning as it proved difficult. The quiet intake of breath of Jareth's mouth opening, made Sarah grumble as she continued to pull on his boot.

"If you're going to tell me to stop, save your breath, Goblin King. I'm going to help you and that is all there is to it."

A quiet chuckle interrupted her frustrated huffing as she struggled to get the boot off his foot. "I wouldn't dream of it, Precious. I was merely going to suggest that if you wrap one hand firmly around the heel of the boot and angle it toward my toes, it should be easier."

Surprisingly enough, instead of ignoring him or arguing as she usually did when he offered advice, Sarah shifted her hold as instructed and gave a firm pull. The boot slid free in an instant, sending her tumbling backward with a startled squeak. Glancing up at Jareth, she felt her face flame at the amused smile on his face. A deep burn of irritation welled within the pit of her stomach only to fizzle out into confusion by the sudden warmth that seemed to rush through her, filling every cell, around them, the scent of cinnamon and vanilla hung heavily in the air. Sniffing, she kneeled up again and grabbed his other boot.

"Do you have scented candles in here? I didn't think they'd be your sort of thing," she commented, keeping her balance this time when the other boot came free.

Tilting his head, Jareth regarded her, wondering at her odd question. "No. Why?"

Sniffing again, Sarah set the boots next to the chair and looked up at him. "I just caught a strong scent of vanilla and cinnamon. Like those cinnamon cookies your mother always bakes for us."

Jareth offered her his hand, smiling when she took it without hesitation. Pulling her up, he sat her next to him on the bed, before speaking.

"Your Fae nature is becoming more pronounced, Sarah. I didn't plan to start teaching you about Fae physiology so soon, much less at this time of night after the amount of magic I expended. However, I want to answer your questions honestly – you are bonded to me and you deserve that respect." Around her the sweet scent of embarrassment flared. "For Fae, smell is a powerful sense and one of the reasons smell is important is that for us, emotions have a scent. Simply put, when we are around others we can smell their emotions. It is something we learn to pick out quite young. Over time, most Fae learn to ignore the scents coming from anyone other than their immediate family members."

"So that cookie smell...is your feelings?" she asked, picking restlessly at the brocade pattern on his bedspread, while avoiding his gaze.

"It is. As a general guide, the worse a smell is, the more negative the emotion that goes with it. Anger, for example smells like ash and brimstone. If a scent is sweet, light or pleasant then the emotion will be more positive. For instance, happiness generally is floral, often roses mixed with vanilla."

"And vanilla and cinnamon...?"

Jareth smiled, his fingertip lightly nudging her chin upward, until her eyes found his once more. Uncertainty and hope rolled through the link in equal measure, sending a flood of warmth through him. "That… is a scent most often associated with intense fondness." A sudden rush of happiness flooded the link, making his bond mark throb pleasantly, as the scent of roses and cinnamon filled his senses.

"You mean…."

"Yes, Sarah. In case you have not yet realized it, I am quite fond of you," he murmured.

Bathed in moonlight from the window, Jareth leaned closer, his hair illuminated until it and his chest seemed to glow with an iridescent sheen. Sarah blinked, the scent of cinnamon and vanilla stronger now, while the odd warmth rushed through her again. As he drew closer, the heat of his body washed over her, eliciting a soft sigh as her eyes fell shut, lost the his unique spicy scent, melding with the scent of his emotion until it seemed to every atom of her being. "Despite all reason, given that you continually defy me and push me away, I am very fond of you, Sarah."

Jareth's lips lightly brushed her forehead, the sensation light flower petals lightly caressing her skin. She felt him breathe deeply, then sit back. Gulping Sarah tried to ignore the sudden warmth that pooled in the pit of her stomach, making it flutter wildly.

"Can you… can you…"

"Smell your emotions?" he finished for her, the low purr in his voice making the heat in her belly drop lower, turning to liquid fire. "I can." Around her various scents rose, tempering the rush of conflicting emotions that roared through the familial link, until he had no choice but to close it, leaving only the bond open. Multiple emotions washed through the bond, with a combination of love, burgeoning desire and embarrassment being the strongest.

"Everything I feel?" she whispered, dropping her gaze to her hands, to resume her restless tracing of the velvet patterns on the bed clothes beneath them.

Tenderly Jareth picked up her hand, cradling it in his own. "Yes. I can sense many of your emotions this way, but we are bonded as well. As such, I can also feel your emotions through the bond, although they are muted, like watching a TV with the sound turned off." Feeling her flinch, Jareth gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Ordinarily, Fae can only feel the strongest emotions of their immediate family, but those who are bonded feel the emotions of their mates. It is a protective measure."

"I...I…" she mumbled, embarrassment taking over the link between them.

"Sarah...love… believe me when I say that nothing you have felt is 'wrong' or a problem. There is no reason for you to be embarrassed by anything you have felt while with me or in this house. Even those things that you may find embarrassing are not a problem for me. Everything you have felt is natural and in many cases understandable." Jareth stroked the palm of her hand gently with his thumb as he talked, watching her reaction, all the while sampling the emotions that rolled rapidly through the bond link. "In those who are bonded, feeling one another's emotions is a way of protecting them, while also making the bond stronger. At times, feeling your emotions has helped me to understand you and assist you in your adjustment, but if my having that knowledge makes you unhappy, I will block them."

The strange warmth that engulfed her faded suddenly at his words, replaced by an icy chill that seemed to seep into her bones. Looking up at him, Sarah realized that the sweet scent had also become faint, replaced with the scent of rain and mountain air, a feeling of sadness settling within her - a sadness she suddenty realized was not hers.

Emerald eyes, wide with wonder, studied Jareth's face, as Sarah squeezed his hand. "The thought of blocking the bond makes you sad?"

Jareth nodded, his pale eyes flickering momentarily. "A bit, Precious. To block the link would cause me pain, but more than that, I have become accustomed to feeling your emotions when they are strong. It is… oddly comforting. After years of being alone, to feel you and Toby as a constant part of me has been, calming," he replied, his pale eyes looking more ethereal in the moonlight from the balcony windows.

Frowning slightly, Sarah's eyes dropped to their joined hands, black leather gloved fingers twined through hers, both attempting to posses the other. "Even when the emotions are bad?"

"Sarah… look at me, Precious." Jareth entreated. Smiling warmly when she raised her head once more, he lightly stroked her cheek. "There are no bad emotions." Jareth could feel her continuing embarrassment despite his words. "Even during l'hrev, there was nothing for you to feel embarrassed by, Sarah. Remember, Fae attitudes toward desire and lust are far different."

"But you...you felt it…you felt my…need," she whispered miserably.

Silently Jareth nodded, longing to pull her into his arms and reassure her. "I did and it allowed me to do what I could to help you through that time. That is one of the ways in which this mutual sensing of emotions is beneficial to bonded couples." Seeing the worry upon her face, he smiled caressing her hand. "If you wish it of me, I will block what I can, Sarah. I do not wish for you to be uncomfortable. Not now when we have finally come to… an understanding."

Eyeing him warily, a despondent frown tugged at her lips, as she whispered, "Have you used that knowledge against me? To manipulate me?"

The intensity in Jareth's expression set the fire in her belly roaring. Reaching up, he cupped her face, gloved fingers sliding into her hair, drawing her closer, until his forehead was pressed to hers. Pale blue eyes bore into pools of green, as he murmured, "Believe me Precious, I will never use your feelings against you. Not even your desire. You are young and while we may be bonded, I will not press you when your desires flare. It is your decision, Sarah. I may be the head of the family and must be obeyed in all other areas, but at this time, unless you fully accept the bond and me as your King and mate, that is one decision I can not...will not… make for you. Do you understand?"

Mutely, Sarah nodded, the scent of vanilla and cinnamon pouring from Jareth once more, filling her until she wasn't sure if it was his emotion or her own. Lifting his head, his lips brushed her forehead, as he sighed.

"Now, I think it is best if you return to your room. Angel will be fine on the sofa for tonight. I'll leave word for Mrs. Brown to let you both sleep as late as you want," he said, releasing her.

Rising, Sarah stood in front of him, her hand gently fluffing his hair back from his face. At her tender touch, Jareth longed to wrap his arms around her waist and bury his face against her, drinking in the scent of her. Fighting down the desire, he stayed still, savoring the hesitantly caring touches she chose to bestow upon him.

"Will you be okay?" she muttered, lost in the feel of his silken hair sliding between her fingers.

"I'll be fine now, Sarah. Go to your rooms and sleep. I shall do the same."

Nibbling her lip, she looked skeptical, her hand falling to her side. "No magic?"

Jareth chuckled and shook his head, the fluffed strands waving with the movement. "No magic." After a moment of hesitation, Sarah started toward the door, his words following her. "Not so much as a crystal until morning. I promise, Sarah love." Smiling he felt the bitter scent of her suspicion change to elation, as the rush of warmth poured through the link.

Sarah paused when she reached his bedroom door. Before he could speak to ask if she was all right, she turned and rushed back toward him, swiftly leaning down and kissing him. The kiss was brief, yet filled with the sweetness of newly born love. Then without a word, she fled from the room, leaving Jareth looking after her, nearly drowning in the warm scents of roses, vanilla and cinnamon.