Here is Chapter 7. Thank you to those who are leaving me reviews. Keep 'em coming!

Disclaimers: They still are in Chapter one

Soothing the Pain

Jareth and Samantha spent a great deal of time together over the next few days. He continued to show her sights in his Kingdom that few had ever seen. She began to feel guilty for starting to enjoy herself in his presence and wondered what was going on Aboveground.

They were walking along a pond north of the castle. "What day is it aboveground?" she asked as they walked along side each other.

"It's the same day that you left." He answered simply.

"How can that be? Unless time is different here in the Underground."

'It is different. Time passes more quickly here."

"But I've been here for days. At least a day or even two must have passed back home. Josh must be livid because he hasn't heard from me. Oh and what about my dog?" A wave of guilt swept over her.

"King is sleeping soundly at the foot of your bed and believes that you are still outside seeing Josh off." She gave him a look of helplessness. "Here, see for yourself." He pulled a crystal sphere from thin air and offered it to her. She took it carefully, showing him that she still didn't trust him.

Peering into the crystal she saw that Jareth spoke the truth. Her husky, King was lying at the foot of her bed. Everything was as she had left it. "I still don't understand how." She told him, handing the sphere back to him. "Time would have passed by now. It should have."

"Not everything is as it seems."

"Oh not the riddles. I'd like a straight answer. Is that so difficult?" One of his brows rose as he detected irritation in her voice. It had been the first time in days that she had appeared annoyed at him.

"I've re-altered time. Are you happy now?" He was surprised at the annoyance in his own voice.

"What did you go and do that for?"

"I did it for you! Who else would I have done it for?" He exploded. His eyes were full of fire and sudden anger. *Unappreciative of everything I do for her! * She lowered her eyes to the ground away from his stare. He noticed that she had been doing this a lot more lately. The anger faded from his eyes and he sighed heavily. "It was meant to be a present, so that you would not have to worry about what was happening aboveground."

"Your presents always come with a price Jareth. What is it this time?"

He pulled back from her. "Can I do anything right in your eyes? It takes an incredible amount of my power to do something like freeze time so I'm the one paying the price. You should be a little more appreciative. I don't do this for just anyone."

"Well why me?" She had been demanding more and more answers about her reason for being with him and he was finding it more and more difficult to avoid her questions. He was trying to think of what to tell her when she noticed something. "Jareth, why is it that everywhere else in the Labyrinth is dead or dying and this pond is brimming with new life?" He sighed, relieved at her distraction.

"The Labyrinth has seasons like the aboveground so things wilt and die and then they bloom again. This place is slightly different. It responds to my moods and changes accordingly."

She glanced around watching birds sing in the trees. Everything was green here. The grass was tall and flowers bloomed in the long blades. She suddenly felt very uneasy about being here. "Jareth, I'm tired. I'd like to return to the castle."

"very well." He picked a sphere from the air again and tossed it to the ground between them and moments later they were back at the castle.

"I'm going to get some sleep. Let me know when it's dinnertime." He nodded and watched her go, feeling as if she were running away from him.

Jareth knew that something was definitely wrong with Samantha as time passed. She seemed with drawn and always tired. It was he who should have been feeling this way, not her. He had felt energetic despite the amount of magic it took for him to freeze time aboveground. Being in her presence had rejuvenated him, but now, while not in her presence he began to feel the effects and strains of using so much of his power. She was dismissing him again and he was afraid that he was losing her.

Samantha was laying on her bed staring out the window when she heard a soft knock at the door. *Maybe if I don't answer they will think that I'm sleeping and will leave me alone. * A few moments later there was another soft knock. "Milady, dinner is served and his majesty wishes you to dine with him." Came a small voice. Samantha got up from the bed with a sigh and walked to the door unlocking it and finally opening the door. A little goblin stood at the door, acting very nervous. *He could be someone's little boy that they never saw again. * She realized horribly. "Please Milady, the King is waiting."

"Tell me, what is your name?"

'Mma ma my name?" She nodded. "I am Grackith."

"Tell me Grackith, are you happy living here?"

"I do not live in the castle, milady. My mother does. She works in the kitchen and I visit and help out to make extra money for my family. The King is very generous and I only serve him once and a great while."

"The King is generous?" she echoed.

"Yes. That is what I said. He is generous. If it were not for his majesty many of us would starve. We are not good hunters. We can not run fast. His majesty provides many of us with food or money to buy food." He cocked his head at her, confused by her line of questioning.

"Thank you Grackith. Please tell the king that I will be down shortly." The little goblin nodded and scurried away down the hall. "Strange. I would never have thought Jareth to be charitable to his subjects. Perhaps I'm not giving him the fair chance that I promised him. I'm trying to pass judgement on him too quickly as he feared I would." She stepped back into her room to brush her hair and change her clothes.

Jareth paced in front of the giant fireplace in the dining hall. *Where is she? Is she trying to stand me up? Sometimes I wonder why I even bother! * His pacing came to a halt when he heard foot fall. His breath caught in his throat when he looked up. * Gods, that's why I bother… * She had chosen to dress up, just slightly, but enough to have him overwhelmed with her beauty. The night was warm and she had chosen to wear a simple cotton sleeveless dress. It was blue with a white flower print and it fell to her ankles. Her hair was pulled half up with a blue ribbon that matched the dress. At the sight of her, his anger and exhaustion faded away.

"Something smells good." She commented as she walked to the table.

"Can you guess what it is?" He had moved to stand in front of her and he watched as she closed her eyes trying to figure out what it is she could smell.

"I'd say chicken pie but-"

"Excellent sense of smell. That's exactly what it is."

"Really?"

"Really. I believe it's a favorite dish of yours?"

"Yes. My aunt used to make it. My aunt and I never got along very well but I can't dismiss the fact that she is an excellent cook. I miss her meals." She added sadly.

"Ah yes, you don't like to cook."

"not one of my favorite things to do." She said with a grin.

Dinner was spent in relative silence as Samantha silently enjoyed the chicken pie and vegetables that tasted so much like her aunts. After dinner she and Jareth went up to the north tower to talk quietly and gaze our the windows. Even the moon in the Labyrinth looked different. It was a beautiful cerulean blue and it cast it's light as far as the eye could see. Samantha leaned over the window-sill as Jaretb leaned against the stone wall beside. She had been very quiet since they had come to gaze over his kingdom and he worried that perhaps she was feeling uncomfortable in his presence.

"Jareth." His name was said in such a faint whisper he thought for a moment that he had imagined her saying it. When he looked down at her to see her staring at him he knew that she had indeed called him. He nodded at her. She moved out of the windowsill and leaned her back against the cool stone wall to face him. "How is that you came to rule the Labyrinth? Have you always lived here?"

He smiled, knowing very well that she would ask about him at some point. The skin on his face appeared even paler then normal. The flesh beneath his eyes glittered in the light. His blond hair fell softly, framing his handsome face. He didn't look like an evil Goblin King as he stood here before her. Her breath caught in her throat when his eyes locked with hers, a sincere smile on his face that was meant only for her. * I'm falling, I'm falling fast… *

He broke eye contact with her and he took a seat in the windowsill crossing his legs at his ankles and crossing his arms over his chest. Sam could only watch him. He was mesmerizing and his good looks were dangerous to her sanity. "I didn't always live here. I grew up in London, that's where the accent came from." He winked at her. She smiled and he continued. "I was born in the 1300's." He watched her eyes widen with surprise. "Well how old did you think I was?" he asked flashing her a deadly smile.

"I don't know. Not that old. You only look to be in your thirties."

"You're relying on your senses and not your wits. You should know by now that not everything is as it seems in this place."

"Yeah I know."

"I'm immortal Samantha, so I don't age. I came here when I was 30 and once I became the King of the Labyrinth and was handed its powers, I stopped aging. Biologically at least. Although when I see and feel certain things I feel as if I'm 30 again." His mismatched eyes briefly flitted over her features.

She tore her eyes away from him, glancing nervously out the window and then gave him a quick, short glance. "So you can't die then."

"Not by the hand of a mortal. I can die if beheaded by someone of magic."

"SO there are more creatures of magic in this place?"

"not in my kingdom, but in surrounding Kingdoms. Which reminds me, Every 50 years the rulers of the neighboring Kingdom of Gelfon have a large ball. I usually don't attend these things. Everyone just dances and talks about politics and what they've been doing for the past 50 years. And I must tell you, not much changes in that amount of time. I also don't go because I usually don't have anyone to go with and I detest going alone. I went to one of these balls about 150 years ago and I didn't enjoy having women I didn't know following me around and flaunting themselves at me."

She chuckled. "What's the matter? I thought you liked being the center of attention?"

"Only when it suits me. I must admit, women make me uncomfortable. I'm always surrounded by goblins and children trying to save their babes. I must be out of touch with adults."

"So you suddenly feel the need to attend this ball? And with me no less?"

He grinned devilishly at her and slid across the windowsill. Standing he moved closer to her, his eyes filled with amusement. "I would like to know if anything important has happened. Something must have happened in 150 years. Even if it was Prince Flanagan tripping down the stairs again."

"Oh so I'm just a tag-a-long for this event?" he saw her eyes sparkling with laughter and he couldn't resist the urge to tease her.

"Well maybe, just maybe I'd ask you to dance just once with me. I don't want to hear it from you later that you were bored." He smiled and didn't realize that he had moved closer to her and their faces were now mere inches apart.

"Only one dance? Maybe you should go by yourself then. You'll be no fun at all" She couldn't help but grin at him. He moved closer still and she was so caught up staring at how gorgeous he was close up in the moonlight, that she didn't notice. Nor did she notice that his hand was inching up the wall, closer and closer to her face.

"Well if you put it that way. Maybe I'll do as I planned and dance with you the entire night, until your feet hurt and I'll have to carry you home." The smile faded slowly from his face and she watched as his eyes filled with desire and passion. He was moving closer and closer to her. Suddenly she panicked. He saw it in her eyes just as he was about to kiss her and he instantly pulled back from her, as if he had touched something hot. She looked unnerved and he cursed at himself.

"Forgive me. Seducing you was not my intention." He peered down at the floor afraid to see how she was looking at him.

"It's ok." Her voice was so painfully soft he had to strain just to hear it. "I said it's ok Jareth." They remained in silence a few more moments. "Why." Her voice cracked and she licked her lips trying to start over. He afforded a glance at her, seeing that she was acting very nervous. * God, I'm a fool.. * he thought to himself. "Why are you so obsessed with not seducing me?" She realized that sounded like an incredibly stupid question and he could take it the wrong way. She watched him lean against the wall, his hands clasped behind him.

"Because that's what HE did to you. I saw the results, and I refuse to see you hurt again."

She swallowed. "umm, just how much do you know about me and Mark?" He gave her a quick glance before returning his eyes to the floor. "You've obviously kept a tab on me over the years…"

"I never meant to." He turned from her resting his hands on the windowsill as he stared out over his kingdom. "I haven't watched your every move, if that's what you think." The arrogance was back in his voice. His mask was firmly in place.

"Well, you seem to know about everything that has happened lately, so if feels like you have."

'I haven't. I was curious one day to know what you'd been up to. It had been 3 years since you had defeated me. I saw that you were happy with that man and I left you alone."

"If that's only one time that you looked in on me, then how do you know about other things in my life? How did you know about the fight?"

He glanced at her quickly, his mask of arrogance had dissolved and he looked incredibly vulnerable in the moonlight. "I didn't say that was the only time. Their were brief others. I don't know how it happened…but I suddenly felt pain and despair. They were not my own feelings and at first I didn't know whom they belonged to. Just so you know, I've never sensed anything like that before. I rarely deal with mortals unless they wish away their children." He sighed and then continued. "I used my magic to concentrate very hard on where these feelings were coming from. They wouldn't leave me alone. I could even feel them in my sleep. I finally decided to look in on you, seeing that you were the last Above grounder that I had looked in on. That is when I saw HIM hurting you."

"So you watched him beat me? You just watched and didn't feel the need to intervene?" Her voice was suddenly cold and full of raw anger.

"Do you really believe I'm that heartless?"

"Well I didn't see you show up? You weren't there at the house and I never saw a white owl."

"I was there. I just didn't want you to see me. I didn't want you to know that I was there. After all you didn't call me."

"So what did you do?"

"You don't remember how he got that awful scar right above his eyes?"

"He lost his balance and fell over. He hit the corner of the coffee table, so what?."

"How do you think he lost his balance?" Jareth's mismatched eyes brimmed with satisfaction.

"You did something to him, didn't you?"

"Yes I tripped the bastard. I had meant for him to hit his eye on the corner of the table, perhaps then he would have learned his lesson."

"My god, if you hadn't tripped him…"

"There is no doubt in my mind that he would have violated you in a manner I dare not think about. I know what he did to you after your friend died. I looked in on you from time to time before this fight."

"You knew about Laura?"

"How do you think you ended up with her husky?"

"What did you do?

"Her mother was going to send the dog to the pound. She couldn't bear to look at him after her daughter's death. I merely whispered your name into her ear, nothing more."

"So you knew about what Mark did after Laura's car accident?"

"Of course I did. I checked to make sure that things were all right and I stayed too long watching."

"You were there?"

"Not in the house, but in the oak tree."

"You were an owl."

"Yes. I thought that you had found an honorable young man who deserved you, but it appears I thought wrong. Instead of being there for you in your time of need, he seduced you when your guard was down and we both know what happened after that. And before you even think it or ask it, I did not watch. I left for the Labyrinth right away. I knew what he planned to do to you and I hated him for even thinking about it, but I had no right to interfere."

Sam slid to the ground, shocked by what she was hearing.

"This must be an ear full for you."

"That's an understatement."

"Believe me talking about your ex-boyfriend was not my intention tonight."

She stood, tears suddenly in her eyes. "What were your intentions for tonight?"

"I wanted to ask you to the ball, nothing more." He whispered. Tears began to stream down her face. She was confused and hurting from thinking about Mark. And Jareth had been watching her, protecting her. She never would have thought that to happen in a million years. She began to sob and in an instant Jareth had her in his arms. She rested her head beneath his chin and gripped the fabric of his shirt as she sobbed ugly wrenching sobs. He ran his gloved hands up and down her arms, through her hair and rocked her gently. "It's all right." He whispered. "I won't ever let him hurt you again."