Trey had left that afternoon and for the next month Sarah felt relatively safe. As her due date rapidly approached, though, she couldn't shake the feeling of imminent disaster. Tori and Beth constantly assured her that everything was ready, the room had been sterilized and prepared with all the things Tori would need. She had even gotten a couple of the local men to watch the door for her. Everything seemed to be prepped and ready to go except Sarah.

She woke up that morning with a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. Gritting her teeth, she waited patiently for it to pass when it occurred to her that it might actually be a contraction. That theory was confirmed when her water broke, soaking the bed. As calmly as possible she tottered out to the kitchen where Tori was drinking a cup of tea. Looking up, the expression on Sarah's face told her all she needed to know: it was time. As gently, but as hurriedly as possible, she guided Sarah out to the bookstore, rushing her into the back room and signaling to Beth behind the counter. Beth, in turn, calmly called the two men who had agreed to watch the door and then ran into the back. They both waited to speak until they were safely in the room, knowing that uninvited callers might be listening in.

"Now Sarah, you realize it might take awhile. We have to wait for you to dilate –" she trailed off as she checked and saw that Sarah was dilating at an incredibly fast rate. "Alright, I guess it won't be a long wait after all. You and this baby seem to be in an awful hurry" she smiled. Sarah simply nodded and focused on breathing until the contraction ended.

"Omigod, honey, you're going to be a mom" Beth grinned as she wiped the sweat from Sarah's brow. "Just think, by the end of the day you can drink again."

"Ha, that's what got me in trouble in the first place, OH!" she finished with a wail as another contraction started, this one much worse than the first. Beth, who had been her Lamaze coach, held her hand and did the breathing exercises with her. Tori, meanwhile, checked her dilation again before pulling the sheet back over her. "Unbelievable. At this rate you'll be ready in another 20 minutes or so."

"20 minutes! You expect me to wait another 20 minutes?!" Sarah yelled through her clenched jaw.

Tori chuckled, "You know Margaret was in labor with Beth for 10 hours."

Sarah's flushed face paled visibly. "Oh dear Lord" she whispered.

"Yes, that's what she said"

Twenty minutes passed by much sooner than Sarah expected, though, and the next thing she knew Tori was sitting in front of her spread legs and telling her to push while Beth held her hand and whispered encouragement.

"It's time Sarah, push!"

* * *

"It's time" Azreal announced to the others. Forming a circle they transported themselves right outside the door to Tori's. Trey led the way through the house and across the garden to the door of the bookstore. They barged in and rushed towards the back room, only to be buffeted by a barrier outside the door. Together, they focused their power and directed it towards the barrier. It did not fall immediately, but it weakened perceptibly. The glow around the edges was dim and the door rattled slightly when they focused their power on it.

* * *

"Once more Sarah, come on!" Tori yelled.

Sarah was exhausted. 'This is it' she thought. 'I have no more energy to give this child'. Then with one final groan and the last of her strength she pushed one more time. The agony of labor was quickly forgotten, however, when she heard a voice screaming: her daughter. Laughing and crying at the same time, she watched as Beth cut the umbilical cord, allowing Tori to clean her baby before handing her to Sarah. The two women stood on either side of her, their hands resting on her shoulder.

"You did it" Beth said in awe, but the moment was broken when five men burst into the room. Trey stepped forward as Sarah instinctively shielded her child away from them.

"Give me the child" he demanded. Tori and Beth had stepped in front of her protectively and Tori was muttering something under her breath. Trey, recognizing the spell, lashed out to hit her, and was thrown backwards.

"Bitch" he yelled, "Don't think that your pathetic protection spells will work against all of us." Trying to appeal to Sarah, he turned to face her. "Sarah, look, I am a reasonable man. I don't want to see you hurt, but my associates are not as forgiving. Give us the child and you can come to, but I warn you, fight us and there is nothing I can do. Are you willing to take the responsibility for the lives of your friends?"

Sarah didn't flinch, didn't think twice, she simple smiled sweetly at him and said, "I wish Jareth were here right now."

The men backed away slightly and glanced around in nervous anticipation. When nothing happened, though, they grew bolder.

"See?" Trey crowed, "I told you! He doesn't care and he's not coming!"

At that moment Briant dropped to the ground in a puddle of his own blood. His head hung at an odd angle since his throat had just been cut. He had been standing in the back and so no one noticed immediately until Jareth's voice answered, "Nonsense, I simply prefer the element of surprise."