Niffers: You read my mind.

Jenny: It's all part of being evil, and you'll find I haven't changed a bit.

Redaura: enjoy! I know it took me forever but I finally updated. Thanks…for being you!

Addie: aw, I had no idea you were reading this. I'm flattered, truly. I hope you enjoy.

TopazQueen: Yes I've updated, but I doubt you'll thank me. Enjoy though and I'll get right on the next part.

Disclaimer: don't own nuthin'

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A shaking hand put the knife back in the box, and then she straightened. Sarah took two steps towards the kitchen before changing her mind, going back to the box, and taking the knife out again. She still had a couple of nights alone in the house. She wanted it with her. This time she did go to the kitchen, setting the knife down to make herself a strong cup of tea. The greatest cure for shock, or so she had heard.

Lying on the counter the blade winked in the waning sunlight and she looked at it. What if he came back? Would she have the guts to use it if she had to? She sincerely hoped she wouldn't have to find out.

You could call Jareth whispered the voice in her head. Get him to take you away early.

She pushed the thought aside immediately. It wasn't that she had anymore to do. She'd given her notice and, even though she was suppose to work the rest of the week she'd figured something's just were not that important, and she'd told her family she was going. Not all of it of course but the, 'I met a man and we're moving in together' part. Her father wanted to met 'this man' as he had put it but the thought of Karen meeting Jareth in all his glory, tights and glitter and all, made her laugh so hard she'd had to excuse herself and spend ten minutes in the bathroom so as not to offended anyone. It was just a case of she wanted these last few days in her home, simply because it was her home. The last time she would have true aloneness, and part of her wanted that.

And if Kirk came back, and she really needed to, well she could call him then. Couldn't she?

She picked up her tea and the knife and went to her room. Putting her cup on the windowsill and the knife on the bed she went to the mirror that still stood in one corner of the room. She was leaving it here along with the rest of her furniture and a few of the boxes. She'd told her family to do what they liked with it. They had asked her why she wasn't doing anything with it herself, and she had told them it was because she would be too far away. Toby had cried until she'd reassured him that she would visit and that he could call her. She'd have to talk to Jareth about that one.

An ugly bruise was already starting to show on one side of her face and she touched it gingerly, and winced. He'd hit her a lot harder than she'd realised at the time. She was sure there would be bruising where he'd grabbed her as well. Of course the easiest way to find out would be to take that shower she'd been about to have. It might make her feel better. Maybe the water and soap could take away the sensation of touch and drown out the sound of what he'd said to her.

~*~

Kara had run out of the castle faster than she'd even realised she was capable of. One guard had attempted to stop her and she'd thrown him so hard against the wall he still hadn't regained consciousness. Her feet were still bare but she hardly noticed as she flew over the hardened ground. Nothing registered, not even where she was anymore. She didn't realise until she reached the outskirts of a village and stopped. One of the human settlements in the kingdom. She looked at it confused. The nearest human settlement to the castle was five miles away. She didn't think she had been running that long. Frowning, she moved quietly round the edge and away, disappearing into the forest. She could smell fresh water and she knew there was a lake near by and instinctively she headed for it.

She had slowed to a walk now, wandering over the dirt path of the forest, worn by the feet of many who had passed this way. Every so often a stone would press into the sole of her foot and she had come back to herself enough to wince every time this happened. She moved on to the path and then, having realised she was wandering in an unknown forest in only her dressing gown, she moved into the cover of the trees. The grass was cool, slightly wet and kinder to her bare feet. She looked at her surrounding, noticing for the first time how clearly she was able to see even though the sun had long since set. She could see every texture of the forest and she starred dumbstruck at the truck of a tree for and immeasurable period of time, simply marvelling at the grooves and lines in the bark.

Not only that but the night was filled with sounds too. Sounds she'd never noticed before and she wondered how she had gotten this far in life without ever having heard those sounds. Small creatures moved in the forest, insects in the air, and birds. She could hear and owl flap its wings overheard, and transfixed she followed the sound.

She had been so intent of the beat of wings, carrying through the still night air that when her foot splashed into the chilled water of the lake she gave a yelp, and lost her balance, sending her back to land on the grass behind her, her feet and part of the dressing gown still submerged in water.

She might have gotten up, if she hadn't caught sight of the stars first.

~*~

Sarah lay in bed, the covers pulled up over her head. Just like when she had been a child she was seeking safety in the rule that if you were under the blanket then the bad things couldn't get you.

It wasn't working.

She'd attempted sleep but every small sound, from a passing car to the cry of a cat had startled her awake and after a time she had just given up on sleep. Her fingers travelled under the pillow and touched the handle of the knife once, only somewhat reassured by its presence.

She had been living on her own for a good few years now, and yet she had never been so afraid as she was tonight. All night, as soon as day had started to descend into night, she had been torturing herself with thought of how easy it would be for a determined individual to get inside even after she was all locked in. when she really thought about, her home wasn't that secure. She'd kept the knife close all day and Jareth's name kept dancing on the edge of her tongue. After all it would be so simple to call him, admit she was sacred and let him look after her.

Unfortunately she'd always been the stubborn type.

She closed her eyes again and breathed deeply. Then she began counting backwards from one hundred. An old trick she'd been told could help you sleep.

She made it to fifty-seven before she was sure she had heard a noise downstairs.

Her eyes flew open, and her heart was in her throat again. She lay perfectly still, barely daring to breathe, while the rational part of her brain tried to tell her it was nothing, that she was just worked up. The primitive part of her brain on the other hand was saying, run, run, run!

There was the sound again. Sounded like it was at the foot of the stairs.

The house settling, said the rational part.

Since when has this house ever made that noise, said the primitive part. Sometimes the primitive part is smarter than the rational.

Even so, Sarah got out of bed, drawing the knife with her and holding it close to her chest. She padded silently across the room, moving slowly and cautiously in the dark. Her door swung inwards easily and she peeked out in to the hallway.

She couldn't see anything.

She took another cautious step outside and crept towards the head of the stairs. She felt like an intruder in her own home. A few more steps brought her to the head of the starirs and she peered down. She didn't get time to make sense of the dark shapes though because something tackled her around the waist and she fell heavily to the floor, a weight pinning her legs to the ground. She dropped the knife as she fell, and her hand groped blindly trying to retrieve it.

A hand bunched in the material of her nightdress and the sound of silk ripping was like the sound of a wound being made.

"Jareth!" she screamed.