Chapter Six

The Story

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Except Becka, Sam, Leah and Kate (though Kate is based on one of my bestest friends) BUT I STILL OWN IT! Lol.

Leah laid face down on her bed. It was soft and overly comfortable. She let out a sigh. She was doing alright, considering everything that had happened. She sighed again and turned over, looking up at her ceiling. Soon she fell into a deep sleep. But she soon dreamt of what had happened, so long ago.

Jareth slumped in his chair, feeling remarkably impatient. He sighed. But he wouldn't let himself go back to Leah's room, nor would he spy on her. He desperately wanted for her to wake up so he could explain what had happened to her better. But she slept still.

"Sir?" a voice asked from the door. Jareth smirked; this would add an interesting effect. Having Sarah's old companions with Leah would possibly make Leah more comfortable.

"Yes," he said smoothly "come in Hogwart."

"Hoggle," he mumbled and rolled his eyes "what did ya want?"

"Sarah's daughter is here," Jareth said quickly "and I think it'd be good if she was accompanied by Sarah's companions."

"Ah," Hoggle said, letting the idea dawn on him "I see. So you called me to get Ludo and Sir Didymus."

"Right," Jareth said and Hoggle turned to leave "and Hoggle,"

"Yeah I know," Hoggle mumbled "if she kisses me-"he didn't bother finishing the rest. Jareth wasn't sure why he had such a problem with Sarah or Leah kissing anyone. He supposed that it was because of his great care of them, though Sarah would never know that he cared for her.

He was sure he'd change that with Leah. She was already pushing him to treat her more like a friend, and not a house guest. He was glad though, but then, still worried about her motives. AND the fact that she had wanted to mutilate herself earlier. A scream came from down the hall and Jareth sat up in alarm. Something was wrong.

Breathing heavily, Leah wiped tears from her face and tried to calm herself. For the last three years, she had had a problem with what people liked to call, Night Terrors. It was this thing were you'd have such awful nightmares that you'd wake up randomly, screaming at the top of your lungs and crying.

Jareth came into the room, looking very much disturbed. He looked around the room slowly and then back to Leah.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Leah breathed "I'm sorry, I had a nightmare." Jareth nodded, he knew that mortals had these things called nightmares. They were dreams, only not so pleasant. But, he hadn't known that they woke up crying and screaming like they'd found someone murdered. Perhaps this was a different kind.

"Now that you're awake," Jareth said, trying to keep his cold tone intact "I've been meaning to explain your mother's situation."

"Alright," Leah said quickly making her bed, though Jareth still thought it looked messy. "Start."

"In here?" Jareth asked, looking for something to sit on.

"Yeah," Leah said "I like it in here."

"That's good," Jareth said, growing tired of standing there.

"You can sit down ya know," Leah said seeing that Jareth was acting a little finicky. She moved back a bit to leave a space for him to sit on her bed. He eyed it cautiously. "I'm not going to attack you," Leah joked "sit."

Jareth sat quickly and Leah tried not to notice how tight his pants were. It took almost all her concentration to just hear what he said, let alone keep eye contact. But she did a relatively good job, considering that Jareth looked like, well, Jareth.

"Now," Jareth said, noticing that Leah had a hard time paying attention. She was looking at him, but he could tell she wasn't paying an ounce of attention to a word he was saying. He stopped talking for a moment and waited.

Leah's eyes quickly unglazed and she looked at Jareth, hoping to God that he hadn't asked her something.

"Can you tell me what I just said?" Jareth asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You said 'now'," Leah said giving a fake smile "and then I take it you've noticed my lovely habit of daydreaming."

"Is that what you're doing," he asked a Leah laughed quietly to herself.

"I'm afraid so," Leah said, trying to look at least a little bit sorry "but I did catch something about my mom not beating you so you were gonna take my uncle Toby away."

"Yes," Jareth said, wondering what she had been daydreaming about "and she begged for me not to take him. So I made her a deal."

"Being the nice guy you are," Leah said almost sarcastically.

"So there you are," Jareth said "they choose you to come back with me. Because like I said before, I needed a child, or a wife and since your mother wouldn't provide."

"If you want to be technical," Leah said "I'm not a child."

"I am one thousand two hundred and ninety-seven years older than you," Jareth teased "to me, anyone is a child."

"Damn," Leah said "you really are old."

"Only as old as you act," Jareth said. There was a long silence and Leah smirked at the idea of him acting as old as he was.

"You'd be one very mature twenty-three year old," Leah mumbled and Jareth laughed.

"And your amazingly intelligent for a sixteen year old," Jareth pointed out.

"No," Leah said "I'm just weird."

"I'm weird," Jareth said laying back, putting his hands behind his head.

"No your not," Leah said and he gave her a funny look.

"How am I not weird?" he asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged "I just don't think you are."

"Well neither are you," Jareth said closing his eyes.

"Your one of those smart asses aren't you?" Leah asked and Jareth laughed out loud.

"You perplex me," he said when he stopped laughing.

"How so?" Leah asked.

"First you show respect, then you want to be friends and now you ask the most random question on the face of the earth," he said "that's a little perplexing don't you think?"

"You don't get me," Leah said "do you?"

"Of course," Jareth lied "I understand everything. Mortals do not confuse me." There was a long pause.

"You're very easy to read Jareth," Leah said finally.

"What?!" Jareth asked sitting up "what do you mean easy to read?"

"I mean," Leah said yawning "you act like your some terrifying, evil, cruel Goblin King. But, well, your not."

"I don't act," Jareth said, lying again. He knew she was right, but what right did she have to accuse him of it?

"Alright," Leah said, not wishing to argue with him. He watched her for a moment and she glanced his way. "Mom told me about you," Leah said finally.

"Did she now?" Jareth asked, resuming his cruel and mysterious act.

"Yeah," Leah sighed "sounded like fun to me. But then, I was like, seven when she told me the story. That's what the carvings on my door are from, right?"

"Yes," he said "I thought you may like it."

"I do!" Leah said a little too energetically "it's beautiful." Leah yawned again and Jareth took his leave. She had had a long and eventful day. He needed to remember to keep sharp objects away from her, and to keep an eye on those nightmares.

He conjured a crystal and looked into it, she was sleeping soundly. He nodded off a few times while watching her. He wanted to be sure she was protected, and save, and happy.

He knew he should have told her when she had brought it up, but he wasn't sure how'd she'd take it. He hadn't lied exactly. Yes, he DID need either a child or a wife. And he never really said she was the child. He nodded off again.

She'd be the perfect one for him. She was a complete mystery to him. But, she understood him. She was beautiful and intelligent. Jareth yawned. She'd love him. She'd learn to love him. Or maybe, maybe she already had a fondness of him. He already was planning how he'd win her heart.

Jareth smiled. Deep down he was one of those sappy old romantics. He loved that look people gave when their romantic dream came true. He had done that for Sarah in the ballroom. She had looked at him, so earnestly. She WANTED him to play hard to get. She wanted to leave him heartbroken. That's what she did.

Leah smiled, she was protected, safe, and for once, happy. She knew she should have pressured him more about this child thing. But, she wasn't sure how to approach it. She hadn't avoided it completely. Yes, she had asked him about her mother. And, she hadn't gotten much of a response.

He was SO handsome though. Almost the whole conversation she was thinking about him. She was a complete mystery to him. And she understood him. He was handsome and smart. Leah rubbed her eyes and turned over. And he had that look. That damn look that she couldn't quiet put her finger on. In it you could see affection. But then also his cockiness, taunting her to dare and try to win him.

Leah smiled. Deep down she wanted that same experience her mother had had in the ballroom. She loved the way it sounded when her mother told it. Even more when Jareth did. But then, her mother had left him in the Labyrinth in the end to lick his wounds and mend his broken heart. Leah promised herself she wouldn't do that. No matter what.

Then, with a slight sigh and in a joking manor she promised herself that she'd stop thinking about Jareth and get some sleep. That's what she did.