A.N.: Back again. Whew! I'm really trying to keep this updated as often as possible. Again, thanks for all the great reviews. This chapter should answer most of the questions left in the last one; if not, let me know. Theme song, "Touched" by VAST.
"What do you mean, you don't know? You point out all these problems and don't offer any solutions?" Jareth exploded.
"Well, excuse me, I'm sorry that I can't fix this mess you two are in, but I'm doing the best I can for being an objective third party. I mean, there's a potentially dangerous man who's set his sights on your girlfriend and you can't do anything about it. What do you want me to say?" Tori retorted sharply.
"Stop it! Both of you! Jareth, Tori's only trying to help, and she's right, this is OUR problem. One that I think I have a solution to." Sarah interjected. When they both settled down she continued, "As far as we know, Trey doesn't know you've contacted me, which means I can act like nothing's really changed. I'll just tell him I'm not interested in his offer and leave it at that. As Tori pointed out, he doesn't have any power over me…" she trailed off when she saw the expression that crossed Jareth's face. 'Great, Sarah, of all the things to say' she mentally berated herself. Aloud she asked, "Tori, could you excuse us?"
Tori, also picking up on the tension in the room, quickly stood up to leave. "You two probably have enough to catch up on without me getting in your way…. Although I would suggest you stay in here. It's protected against potentially spying eyes, if you know what I mean."
As soon as she left Sarah turned to Jareth, who had silently withdrawn his arm from her shoulders. "Jareth, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to phrase it like that…"
He didn't say anything for a minute, before saying, "I know, but Tori's right. Regardless of what you just said, we still have quite a few things to discuss. First off, what offer are you talking about?"
She sighed. This wasn't going to be an easy reunion. She quickly explained how Trey had approached her, the offer he had made to teach their child magic, and the crystal he had shown her. Then she mentioned the discovery of her own magic. He seemed to understand; at least, he didn't look angry anymore. Of course, she realized that would change when she told him about that evening….
"And then on the pier, right before I called you, he, um…. He kissed me." She sat back and waited for his reaction. However, there was nothing to wait for. Jareth's face had become an unreadable mask.
"And how did you feel about it?" he asked finally.
"Horrible." she admitted. "It felt wrong, completely wrong. Then when he touched the baby, she kicked me so hard I –"
"You let him touch our child!"
"Well, it wasn't like I gave him an invitation! It just happened, and it was over so quickly I didn't even have a chance to stop him! Why are you accusing me, I didn't ask for this and you were gone! I didn't think you wanted anything to do with us!" The frustration from the last 7 months was apparent in her voice and Jareth immediately softened.
"I'm sorry, you're right" he said, enfolding her in his arms. She began to cry, very softly, and with nothing else to do Jareth just pulled her in his lap and rocked her gently.
"You don't understand how hard this has been" she whispered, her head buried in his shoulders.
"I know, I know" he murmured into her hair. "It's going to be alright, love." He took her hand from her lap and placed it over her belly, covering it with his own free hand. The same warm sensation flowed through them, calming her. Eventually she looked up at him.
"I know what we have to do" she told him. He grinned back at her
"It seems Trey was right about one thing, you certainly are a resilient girl. What do you suggest we do?"
"Very simple, actually. I'm going to ask Trey to leave. Tori's a midwife, and so I can deliver the baby here, with her and Beth to protect me. Then once the baby's born I call you, we go home, problem solved."
"As much as I'd like to think it could be that simple, I hardly think a simple refusal is going to turn this man away. He's probably not working alone, either."
Sarah's self-assured smile vanished. "Well then what do we do?"
"That's the thing. The tattoo I left has a protection spell weaved into it, and I can sense a protection spell around this room. However, this is earth magic, and against the force of more than one Fae I doubt it would last very long." He said as he glanced around the room appraisingly.
"What the hell would they want us for anyway?"
"I'm not sure, but I do know that our child will be the first of its kind, and therefore potentially very powerful. There has never been a being with both Earth and Fae magic to my knowledge, and the wrong training could make her very dangerous."
"Then how did this happen? Do you… I mean, you don't…" she trailed off, uncertain how to ask her question, or even if she wanted an answer.
"Don't what?" he prodded.
"You don't have any other children then?" she asked quickly, not meeting his gaze. Much to her surprise, he began laughing.
"Oh, Sarah, is that what you were worried about? No, this will be my first child as well. Fae don't have many children, maybe one out of two hundred couples have ever been able to breed at all. Where do you think all your legends about Fae snatching human children came from?"
"I don't know, I just… I realized that you were going to be a good father and then I worried that maybe it was because you'd had practice."
He stopped laughing and looked at her, slightly amazed at her confession. "You think I'm going to be a good father?" he asked. The expression on his face along with the innocence of his question confirmed it for her. "Of course" she answered. He grinned and then grew serious. Kissing her forehead he whispered, "I'm going to be a good husband, too."
