"Jareth, you and I both know that she would be safer here while we teach her the ways of the Court. We, and yes, I mean you and I, could protect her here. There's a good chance that the assassins have found out about her already and may be on their way here."

"Dris, we both know also that no one enters my kingdom without my knowledge. I would know if they were here." Jareth and Dristeria had been arguing this point for hours.

Jareth had forgotten the effect that Sara had on him. If he had remembered, he would have conceded his sister's point. If he had looked into one of his crystals to find people who didn't belong, he might have seen the five people who were sneaking up on the castle even as he argued with Dris.


"Sara, Jareth and I have come to the decision that we will transport you to Court after we teach you the way to act. We believe it will be much easier to protect you this way."

"Lady Dristeria, tell me something." The two young women were seated on Sara's bed and talking. "How does Jareth feel about me?"

"Sara, dear girl, do I really need to tell you? Can't you feel it when he looks at you? He's so wild about you that he was in tears after you left. For the first time in his life, he cried over someone. He had never allowed someone to get that close before." Dris had tears in her own eyes remembering how distant her brother became after Sara had defeated the Labyrinth.

***FLASHBACK***

Sara hadn't even been gone four hours when Jareth's rage kicked in. He tore apart every room in the castle. He broke down in tears in the Escher room. Dris had felt his emotions from their parents home and came to him immediately. She had held her older brother tightly while he sobbed brokenly because the one person in the whole universe that he loved didn't return the feeling.

"Dris, what can I do to prove to her how much I love her?" he had sobbed as he lay with his head in her lap.

"You just have to give her some space for now. She'll come back. She'll realize that you love her and she loves you." Dris was scared. She had never seen Jareth like this before.

It took time but over the next couple of days, he calmed down and then spiraled down into a deep depression.

"This is worse than when he was crying in my lap, Mother. He won't talk to anyone. I don't think he's eaten anything in days. We have to do something."

"Until the child returns his love, I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. However, I may be able to remind her of her feelings for him. Through her dreams." Jareth's mother gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead and sent her off to watch over her brother.

*** END FLASHBACK***


"So that's where those dreams came from!" Sara was amazed that Jareth had loved her so much that he spiraled so deeply away from those who loved him.

"He loves you, Sara. Don't turn your back on him again. I don't know if he would survive."

"I was hoping he lov- - cared for me somehow. I felt so alone up there. I always felt like I didn't belong. And after everything here, I -- I -- I thought maybe I didn't even belong here." Sara had started crying. "When he sent me back, I thought maybe he hated me for having defeated the Labyrinth. I wanted to call him so many times. I was terrified that he would either not answer or answer me only to laugh at my pathetic excuse for a life."

"Never. Sara, he could never laugh at you. With you yes. Never at you."

Suddenly, the window shattered into the room as a body crashed through it into Sara's room. The creature ran at Sara, screaming.

"Jareth! Jareth!" Sara screamed, backing away. "Dris, help me!" The manlike creature was screaming and swinging a sword at Sara. He seemed to be trying to slice her open.

Dris made a gesture and the creature flew against the wall. She ran over to stand near Sara.

Suddenly, the creature had jumped at Sara, knocking her down. He was sitting on her chest when Jareth burst through the door. "Sara!" The anguish in his voice was clear. His Sara was in danger. The creature's claws swiped at Sara's chest. Jareth gestured and the creature was gone.

Sara didn't move for a long moment. Jareth knelt beside her. He saw blood oozing through her shirt. "You're hurt." He put his fingers to the cut on her chest. Dris walked over and watched as Jareth conjured up a towel.

"Jareth, we need to get her out of here. There could be others coming if not here already."

"Where can we take her, Dris?" Jareth wanted to kill something. He was furious that someone was already trying to take her away from him when he had just gotten her back.

"Your quarters are protected. You have many spells that hide your location. She could stay there. At least for a few days."

"She needs to be brought to the Court. They are the only ones who can protect her."

"Mother and Father could. Why don't we go to them?"

Jareth was thoughtful. "That might work. But if we do, we have to tell them the truth."

"True. But if they know the truth, they'll also establish more protection around their kingdom."

Sara lay still on the floor while Jareth and Dris tried to figure out what to do. She was still trying to catch her breath. Her chest really hurt from the slash. She started crying again.

Jareth turned around with her first sniffle. "Sara, love." He knelt beside her. "Don't cry. We'll take care of you and protect you."

He picked her up and carried her to his room. "I would have transported you but that isn't a good thing to do when one is injured."

"Don't leave me, Jareth!" Sara whimpered. She nestled her face against his chest and held on tightly. "Don't leave me!"

The terror in her voice pulled at Jareth's heart. He never wanted to see her this scared ever again. "I won't leave you, sweet. I promised."



A/N: Sorry it took so long to post this. Thank you all for such wonderful reviews. I love every one of them.

Hopefully, I can get the next chapter up soon. Please keep the reviews coming.

Thanks everyone!!!