A/N: H-hello…[tap, tap, tap]. Is this thing on? Um…is anyone still there? If you are still reading this massive fic, you are too awesome for words. I'm so sorry I left this story for so long. I had a bit of writer's block, but things seem to be turning up. I worked all week on this installment and, even though it's on the shorter side, I hope you do enjoy it. Many thanks to addictedtocsi777, BrowneyedShamer, Kactus Wrynn, LittleMargarita, GambinoWho, Operaphantomgrl, scifigeek10, VampireMafiaQueen, AvrenLuna13, childishmistake, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, MoonPrincess623, Her Royal Goddess, RubyDracoGirl, ShadowHeartofFaith, scbeauty2525, darktwistedsoul, Lauralithia2, not bitter just twisted, notwritten, sandy162, VampChick76, NarutoCrazy001, introspectivesubwaystations, sakurastar14, TheraSerenity, xAngel-Of-The-Operax, EternallyArtemis, darksidhe42,krazychicka, Alltangledup95, Kagura. CeliaEquus, Kiruya, lonely 27, gunitatsuhiko, RachCar, and SexyAvalonPriestess for their awesome (and very motivational) reviews of the last chapter. Remember, reviews make me happy and happy people update faster.
Disclaimer: I got to see this awesome movie at the theater a few weeks ago. At that time, I bought a large popcorn, soda, and some Sour Patch Kids. Unfortunately, the rights were not for sale. Oh, well. Better luck next time.
The morning of April 17 started out like any other. Allie always seemed to be the first to wake. Of course, she was more of a morning person than Sarah. This morning, she was already eating a hearty breakfast in their room when Sarah finally decided to join the land of the living. Sitting up in bed, she stretched languorously before putting her feet on the floor. A knock at the door gave her the incentive to stand and wrap a robe around herself. Padding to the floor in bare feet, Sarah opened the door to see Jareth standing in the hall.
"Good morning," she said with a sleepy smile.
"Hello, my precious thing," he replied. "Tsk, tsk. Just getting up on this glorious morning?"
"You can shut up anytime," Sarah snapped, belying her words with a grin.
"My, my, aren't we feisty first thing in the morning?" Jareth teased. "Have I told you how much I love you when you show that fiery temper?"
"Not today," Sarah mused, putting her arms around his neck. His hands found their way to her hips and pulled her close. Their lips touched for a moment before the sound of a throat clearing behind them put a damper on any further action.
"Why don't you finish getting dressed, precious, and I'll wait for you with Fagan," Jareth suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Sarah said, giving him a quick kiss.
"I'll miss you," Jareth sighed.
"I'll miss you, more," Sarah replied.
"And I'm going to gag!" Allie cried. Jareth chuckled as he went out in search of his brother.
Sarah closed the door and turned to see Allie hiding a giggle behind her hand. With all the maturity of a five-year-old, Sarah stuck out her tongue before gathering her clothes and disappearing into the bathroom. One hot steamy shower later, Sarah emerged fresh and energized. Allie was still at the table, lost inside her own head. A soft, wistful smile adorned her face. Sarah stood in the doorway watching her friend for a moment before joining her for breakfast.
"Underground to Allie," she called, waving a hand in front of the pretty blonde's face.
"Huh," replied Allie.
"Where did you go, Space Cadet?" Sarah asked.
"Just thinking," Allie sighed.
"I could see that," Sarah remarked. "What about?"
"Life," Allie stated. Sarah raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. Allie mused on how eerily similar to the Goblin King was her friend. "You and Jareth; Fagan and Me; You and Liam."
"What a soap opera my life has turned out to be," Sarah offered.
"One with a very eccentric writer," Allie added. They shared a laugh at her observation. "Have you found Liam?"
"No one has seen him in over a week," Sarah replied. "Jareth and I spoke with Catrin, but he won't respond to her summons. I'm really worried about him."
"It's not like him to stay out of touch with you," Allie agreed.
"Especially today of all days," Sarah furthered. "I hope he's ok."
"Me, too," Allie replied.
The two friends continued to eat in silence. Allie finished her coffee as Sarah picked at the items on her plate. She was nervous about the day's events. If her body rejected the potion, she could be dead by the end of the day. Looking to Allie, she could tell that her friend was experiencing similar thoughts. Pushing her plate away, she finished her coffee in three gulps. Standing, she walked over to the pretty blond. Sarah began to massage Allie's tense shoulders.
"Would you look at us? What a pair of scaredy cats we are," Sarah remarked.
"How about we finish getting ready together?" Allie suggested.
"You do my hair and I'll do yours?" Sarah asked.
"Sounds good to me," Allie replied.
They wasted no time in comforting the other as they put the finishing touches on their looks for the day. Taking one last look in the mirror, they admired themselves as Mortals for the last time. When they gazed in this mirror next, they would be Fae. Sarah wondered if she would look different. Pronouncing themselves ready, the two women walked out of the room together. They traversed the stone halls until they came to the Throne Room. Inside, they found the two men waiting patiently…well, as patiently as these two particular brothers could be.
"Hello, ladies," Fagan greeted them as they walked into the room.
"Shall we?" Jareth asked, offering his arm to his beloved.
"Let's do it," Sarah replied.
Slipping her small hand in the crook of his arm, she allowed him to transport them to the small cottage of the local healer. Sarah felt as if she had stepped into the pages of one of the old tales. The thatched roof sat like a hat atop the stone building. The only spot of color came from the door, which was painted a cheery red. On the breeze, wafted the smell of exotic herbs. The dwelling was so small, even the two women had to duck to cross the threshold. They came upon a diminutive man who looked to be older than the High King. His head barely cleared Allison's chest. He had shoulder length white hair and a beard to match. His blue eyes held a twinkle that belied his gnarled appearance. A smile decorated his face and Sarah couldn't help but like him.
"Greetings!" exclaimed the little man.
"Healer Fychan," replied Fagan, with a grin.
"Staying out of trouble, my boy?" Fychan teased.
"You wound me," Fagan gasped in mock affront.
"Ha!" laughed Fychan. "Trouble is your middle name, young pup." At the sound of Jareth's laughter, he turned and snorted. "Oh Great Mother, what sin have I committed to deserve such penance."
"Must have been something particularly wicked," Jareth replied with a particularly mischievous gleam in his eye. "Do tell!"
"Ah, but didn't your father ever tell you not to kiss and tell," Fychan quipped. Sarah and Allie giggled at the game being played before them. "And who are these two lovely ladies?"
"Stop flirting, Fychan," Fagan warned. "These two ladies are taken. This is the Lady Alison, who I am presently courting."
Jareth put his arm around Sarah's waist. "This is Lady Sarah and we are also courting."
"Lady Sarah?" Fychan asked, his brow wrinkling. "Not The Sarah, the Champion of the Labyrinth."
"Aye," Jareth affirmed.
"My lady, I am honored to make your acquaintance," he breathed. A look of awe covered his visage.
"It's nice to meet you, too," Sarah replied, blushing fiercely.
After recovering from his initial surprise, the healer was all business. "Now, what can I do for you on this lovely day?"
"We've come seeking your assistance," Fagan replied.
"I gathered that," Fychan said, dryly. "Let me guess. These two lovely ladies need to become Fae."
Jareth stepped forward and addressed the healer. "They have received the court's consent and a blessing from the Gods. You should have received a scroll to those points."
Fychan began rummaging through the piles of paperwork littered around the room. Muttering to himself about his lack of organization, he began tossing scrolls in the air. The visitors soon found themselves ducking debris as the healer continued his frenzied search. After a few minutes of this, he gave a little cheer. He returned to the group holding a scroll, still bearing the royal seal, over his head. With a flourish, he popped the seal and read the contents. Jareth and Fagan impatiently waited for him to finish, tapping their toes on the hardwood floors.
"Everything seems to be in order," he proclaimed. "What a happy day! We shall do this one at a time. Lady Alison, please follow me."
Fagan followed his Lady and the healer into another room. A door closed, leaving the Goblin King alone with his Champion. Jareth and Sarah were left to stare at the door and wait for news. Sarah worried her thumbnail and wondered what it would be like to be Fae. She hoped that Allie would be alright. If her body rejected the potion, she could die. The thought of living without her best friend had Sarah pacing before the closed door. Jareth watched Sarah for a moment before approaching her and pulling her into his embrace. He stroked her hair in a comforting gesture, wishing that this was over and that the women were already Fae. One thing he knew, now that he had her, Jareth could never let her go again.
A few moments after it closed, the door sprang open. Fagan, his face a mask of worry, walked back into the room. In his arms was an unconscious Allie. She looked to be sleeping peacefully and Sarah sincerely hoped that was the case. Fychan followed the Fairy King, looking quite a bit more relaxed than Fagan. That was hardly reassuring to Jareth.
Placing his arm around her protectively, Jareth pulled his beloved closer to his side. Sarah tried to give him an encouraging smile. She attempted to bring him comfort as the healer looked pointedly at them. Taking a deep breath, she urged him to follow as the healer gestured them into the room. The tiny room was a cluttered as the other room. There were vials and potions along the walls. In the center was a large cauldron with spicy scented steam flowing over the top. She breathed deeply and felt herself begin to relax.
Noting Jareth's nervous state, the healer stated, "Don't worry about Lady Allison. If her body were to reject the potion, she'd be dead already. The transformation from Human to Fae is a difficult one and requires much of the body's energy. She will remain asleep for several hours to several days."
"Oh," Sarah replied.
"Now take this vial," he said, handing her a sealed container. "Once you open it, try to drink it right away. Once it begins to react with the air, it could lose its potency."
Sarah looked at the vessel she'd been given. The green glass was topped with a large cork. Inside, the contents looked the consistency of sludge. Her nose wrinkled and she gulped. Without another thought, she uncorked it. The vial smelled worse than the bog and Sarah wasn't sure she was going to be able to choke it down. 'Here goes nothing,' she thought morosely. Plugging her nose with two fingers, she tipped the vial to her lips and swallowed the tart liquid within.
"Tastes like cherry," she announced just before passing out into the Goblin King's arms.
It was almost two weeks later before the girls finally awoke from their slumber. After a few days, Fagan finally sent Jareth home to tend to his own kingdom. Even he was unable to keep an around the clock vigil on the women. He still had his own kingdom to run. It was a good thing that Sarah's five Goblin friends never seemed to tire as they watched their friend, and future queen, sleep away the days. Still, Fagan made sure that he had a Fairy also watching, just in case. She was just a tiny thing, but she'd been given the task of getting along with the Goblins and coming to get him should either of the two women awaken.
"Queenie sleeping."
"She's purty."
"Maybe needs kiss."
"Kingy kiss."
"Kingy not here."
"I kiss."
"You no prince."
"Kingy not either."
"No, Kingy King."
"That better than prince."
BogDip ignored his friends and decided to carry through with his suggestion. He knew how these things worked. Until the future Queenie was kissed, she'd sleep forever. He was getting tired of watching her sleep. Climbing upon the bed, he slowly approached the sleeping woman. The other members of Sarah's entourage watched with bated breath. BogDip looked down at the face of his future Queenie. She certainly was prettier to look at than most of the livestock in the Throne Room, including his prize chicken Gert. He moved his face closer and closer, until he was almost touching Sarah. Just as he was about to plant one on her, her eyes opened and Sarah emitted a sharp scream. BogDip, scared by the sudden noise, fell off of the bed and into the other members of the entourage.
"Queenie scream like banshee!"
"Make loud noise."
"Ahhhhhhhh!"
"Me scared."
"Let's go. Bog safer."
The five Goblins disappeared back to the Goblin Kingdom. Sarah sat up and tried to will her heart to begin beating once more. A small movement caught her eye and she turned to see the Fairy flit out of the room as fast as her wings could carry her. Shaking her head, she looked towards the other bed. Allie's blond curls were the only thing visible in the bed. The bed covers were pulled up over her nose and she was snoring softly. Vaguely, Sarah wondered how long she had been asleep. Other than Allie, she seemed to be alone now.
With an elusive sense of disappointment, Sarah stretched and pushed the blankets to the side. She stretched her muscles and yawned widely. Bringing her arms out in front of her to stretch again, she suddenly froze. The skin of her arms was practically luminescent, like other Fae women with whom she'd come into contact. She brought her hands up to her face and felt the changes created by the healer's potion. Wandering over her features slowly, her hands stopped again when they came to her ears. Her fingers danced over the new points at the top of each ear. Waiting no longer, she stood and ran to the mirror.
"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed as she got her first glimpse of the new Sarah.
Everything about her was still the same…yet, different. Her eyebrows were sloped upward and Fae markings were lightly dusted under them. Jareth had told her that once she began to manipulate her features with magic, she'd be able to change the color to match her outfit. Her hair was longer and had a little more shine to it. Looking into her own eyes, she could see that they were the same color of jade. However, they sparkled. That was the only word she could think of to describe it. It was as if she had been a little more fine-tuned. All her best features were enhanced and those few things that she found unattractive were subdued.
"Not bad," she giggled, looking over her figure.
"What's not bad?" came a groggy voice from behind her.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Sarah screamed, placing her hand over her heart. "Don't do that!"
"Do what?" Allie asked. "I live here."
Sarah turned from the mirror and faced the changed Allie. She, too, had undergone the transformation and looked all the better for it. Grinning widely, she pulled her friend to her feet and hurried her over to the mirror so she could see for herself. Allie gasped as she took in her altered appearance. Like Sarah, she could see that things had been improved upon, but not to the point where she couldn't recognize herself. Overwhelmed with joy, she grabbed Sarah and pulled her into a tight embrace. The two women began to jump up and down, giggling madly. It was then that the door opened, frightening them both into screaming.
"Don't do that!" Allie shouted to a bewildered Fagan.
"Do what?" he asked. "I live here, don't I?"
Sarah couldn't help it. She began to laugh heartily at the familiar exchange. Soon, Allie joined her. Fagan looked on helplessly, wondering if he should call for the healer. Perhaps, the potion had caused them both to go mad. After calming herself, Sarah tried to explain. Allie changed the subject by asking Fagan what he thought of her new figure. Thinking it would be better to show her, the Fairy King pulled her close and began to kiss her madly. It wasn't until Sarah loudly cleared her throat…for the third time…that the couple finally pulled apart. She was about to suggest that they get a room when the door was flung open once again.
"Where is it?" Jareth cried, running into the room.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" screamed Fagan. Allie looked at her fiancé as if he had grown another head. Who knew the seductive Fairy King screamed like a girl when frightened?
"What in the hell is going on here?" Jareth asked, ignoring his brother's outburst. "My Goblins told me there was a banshee in the castle."
"I'd be the banshee," Sarah admitted.
Jareth turned to his beloved and froze. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever witnessed in his entire life. "Sarah," he breathed.
"Why don't we let these two catch up, while we…"Allie said, trailing off to whisper in Fagan's ear.
"Now, that sounds like a plan," agreed Fagan. The two said their hasty goodbyes as they transported themselves to the elaborate personal chambers of the Fairy King.
"Oh, precious," Jareth said, still trying to restart his brain.
"Like what you see?" Sarah asked. She did a little twirl for him, showing off her new body.
Jareth pulled her close, showing her exactly how he felt about the changes to her body. Sarah gasped and put her arms around his neck. "How I wish I could better demonstrate my appreciation for your transformation." His moist breath left a warm trail down her neck, causing her to shiver.
"Speaking of which, have you found Liam?" Sarah asked, pulling away to look at her handsome suitor.
"No," Jareth sighed. "He hasn't been seen anywhere in almost a month. I'm really becoming concerned. It isn't like him to just disappear and he would never miss you taking the final step to become Fae."
"I wonder where he could be," Sarah replied.
Far away, at the outreaches of his mother's Kingdom, a withdrawn Liam sat upon the rocks. Staring into the churning water, he slowly began to lose track of the days as they passed. No matter how long he'd been there, he still hadn't decided what to do about the situation between Jareth and Sarah. A large part of him clambered for him to fight for her. He tried to come up with a plan, while tamping down another, smaller, part. This one was pleading for him to just let her go. There were plenty of other fish in the sea. Why did he want Sarah? Was he really in love with her?
Perhaps his mother was right. Sarah did seem to be a much better match for Jareth. The distance was beginning to clear his addled mind. Sure, she was a pretty girl, but, in reality, he'd seen prettier. Been with prettier, in fact. He smiled as he thought about some of his past relationships. Still, none of them had ever made him feel alive like Sarah did. Her vibrancy made his very heart beat faster. She could make the sky bluer and the grass greener. It was quite the conundrum.
"I'm going to have to do something," Liam mused. "Should I fight for her? Should I let her go? What is the right answer? Maybe I should just ask Sarah."
Just as he was about to take himself up on that suggestion, a voice startled him back into reality. "Did you know talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity?"
Liam looked up and sighed with relief. Finally! Just the person to help him figure out what to do. Without a word, he embraced the newcomer and awaited their advice. Things were sure to look up, now.
