"That's… That's not…"
"Fair?" He asks, wispy hair caught in the slight breeze let in through the open window. Sarah swallows hard and shakes her head a little.
"That's not completely right. This is a little different."
He pulls out one of the chairs from behind a desk and reclines in it the best he can. It's a spectacularly silly image; the little plastic chairs are designed for six year olds, not almost ageless Goblin Kings. Sarah almost has the urge to laugh.
"How is this different?"
"I'm afraid." She says, not really answering his question. The breeze is refreshing for the blisteringly hot day, but Sarah finds herself shaking.
"Of what?" He stands and moves as if he'll place a hand on her shoulder, but stops halfway over to her, arm outstretched.
"For this child." She corrects, and shudders again. He takes a step closer.
"Explain to me the situation, why you made the wish. If I deem it appropriate, then I will take the child." It sounds almost reasonable to Sarah, but since when has he had any hang-ups in granting her stupid wishes? Why is he going to pass judgment on the one that really matters?
"I think there's something going on at home—he'll come in injured, sometimes, he doesn't have a lunch and he looks about half dead. I went through the appropriate channels and… Nothing's happened. It's only gotten worse." Her throat seems to be almost swelling shut and her voice cracks towards the end. A sticky tear slides down her cheek and she swipes furiously at it.
"I don't want him to be hurt anymore. He used to be a really sweet kid but he's changed drastically—something has to be wrong. He's got all of the signs we're told to look for and… and nothing has been done. You have to take him." She wipes at her eyes more until the skin beneath them is red. Jareth is quiet as he considers her plea, watching her scrub away the tears that fall.
"'Cause damn it, Jareth, if you don't—" She bows her head and puts a hand over her mouth to stifle the sob that escapes.
Almost immediately she is enveloped by the scent of rain and spice and lightning—his scent—and she takes in a quick breath.
"I'll take the child, Sarah. He will have a better home."
She leans into him embrace and clutches at his arms, unable to even say "thank you" properly through her mixture of relief and anxiety.
A/N
Look, soubi, it's Jareth! :D