Final Chapter for Things Always Get Worse! Thanking very muchly all who supported me and reviewed; there weren't as many as I'd hoped, but those who did are wonderful persons!!

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The return had been teary, but very happy. Darian had taken them to Sarah's parents' house, but of course it had been ten years since Corey had been there. Luckily Toby had been there, and taken them to see Sarah. Tears and hugs all round. Finally they sat curled up on her half-sister's couch in her house, and Corey told the whole story. The children had fallen asleep by the end, and Sarah gazed at them both with a face of mixed emotions.

"They are... his children?" She whispered. Corey nodded.

"And you..." the older woman's look said everything.

"I wasn't as strong as you, Sarah. I gave in, to save our mother, and then to save little Sarah," she whispered. Her sister smiled in spite of her misgivings, obviously pleased her niece was named after her.

"You said Darian had magic?"

"Yes, he brought us back. I knew there'd be another way out," she added, smiling triumphantly to herself. Thrice the victor. She had won.

"There's always another way out," Sarah shared her smile, and together they put the children to bed. Corey slept with her son and daughter, an arm around both in case the Goblin King tried to take them away in the night. But apparently he didn't know they were gone, for by morning there had been no sign, no crystals or anguished roars. Corey almost wished he would find out, so she could flout her victory.

The next morning, Sarah left them in the house while she went off to work.

"I'm a lawyer," she had smiled. "I get to complain 'it's not fair' all day,"

During the day something changed. She heard the expected roar as Jareth faded into view. Corey thrust Sarah and Darian behind her, holding onto their hands just in case. But the King merely stood there glowering.

"I found another way out," she told him finally, earning another fierce glare.

"How...?" seemed all he could say. Corey pulled Darian gently in front of her.

"He has magic," she said simply. Again the King was at a loss for words, trading stare for stare with the boy he had been cheated of.

"And now, I suggest you leave and never come back. I have defeated you three times, and three times claims all. We never want to see you again," she told him coldly. The beaten man looked at her once in anguish.

"Very well, if that's the way you want it," he sighed.

"It is," she confirmed, and waited steely until he finally faded out before collapsing into a three-way hug.

They were finally free!

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Finished. I agree, it wasn't all that good. I have no idea about my next fic, so I think I'll take a break for awhile until I think of something. You might not hear from me for awhile, so here's a message:

Merry meet and merry part, until we merry meet again!

Goddess Bless and Sweet Sunshine to you,

Seul Loup