Hello. I'm back. /thanks again to all who reviewed:

Moonjava: Thanks.

Avalon-blackandgreen: You are a sarky one. I like you.

Saphire925: Ok.

It's another short one I'm afraid folks, but I shall endeavour to update fairly soon. Read on.

Chapter 9: Reunited.

"Um..Eliza...what's that?" He pointed at the giant spider which though it appeared to be dead was still large enough to cause Jareth to step back in shock.

"That would be my family."

"I thought you said they were.."

"Do they look alive to you." Anger coloured her voice and he understood.

"This was our home. We're shape shifters. Well I am. He created us to serve him, kill for him but we didn't want to, so he killed us. I don't why he still hasn't killed me, maybe he thinks I'm not much of a threat, but I swear if I ever catch him off guard he's gonna be in barney."

"Why didn't you just eat me?" She smiled at him from her perch.

"I liked the look of you love." He picked her up from the crystal and picked his way carefully over more spider corpses.

"So is giant spider your natural form?"

"Yep, but I can take on many forms."

They continued through the cave the soft green light guiding the way. Soon afterwards they emerged in a wood that looked, slightly more alive than everywhere else they had been.

"Finally, I thought that place would never end."

"Oh stop your complaining." They walked through the trees in a companionable silence until they heard voices in the distance. At first Jareth made to his behind the trees but stopped when he recognised the arguing voices.

"Hey, gimmie dat back. Dats my arm."

"Wat do ya tink your doin' you idiot!!"

"Hey man, relax.."

"Don't you tell me to relax ya big orange fool."

Jareth sighed and shook his head. Fireys could fight as well as they could party. He made his way towards the voices, hoping maybe they had run into Sarah. He placed Eliza on a branch that had a good view of the clearing where the fireys were arguing.

"Just in case they try to squash you."

"I can take 'em." He walked into the clearing but stopped dead at the actual sight.

"That's IT!!!!" Shouted Sarah forcefully, not noticing Jareth who had a rather amused look on his face. She grabbed the head off the nearest firey and turned it to look at her. "You remember the threat I gave you earlier."

"Yeah...."

"Well that's nothing to what I'll do to all of you if you don't shut up and get a move on!!!!"

She threw the head back at the torso with such force that it toppled over. "Pull yourselves together." Jareth laughed "Someone got up on the wrong side of the log."

She marched past him. "I'm not in the mood for you jokes Jar...." She turned with a look of shock on her face, and then did something that surprised both of them. She threw her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tentatively but tightened his hold on her when he felt the warm damp of tears seep through his shirt. She pulled her face back and looked up at him. He smiled softly and ran a thumb over her cheek rubbing away her tears. She flinched slightly as he ran over a bruise on her upper cheek. He frowned and Sarah saw a tumult of emotions in his eyes as he took in her bruised and cut face.

"Aaron?"

It was a simple but charged question. She nodded slowly watching the emotions flashing across his face. He pulled her to him once again and she rested her head on his chest trying to stop crying.

"So, "she choked out. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry" was the only replay she got so she pulled back again and looked at him.

"That was a first." He raised an eyebrow and she elaborated. "The great Goblin King, apologising, for what is lost on me."

"For not protecting you." He said it quietly.

She looked at him oddly. "Don't be stupid, none of this is your fault."

He glanced at her "But.."

"No, none of it." Sarah then surprised Jareth for the second time in five minuets. She tilted her head up and kissed him. It was soft and forgiving and full of love, which was something, Jareth couldn't quite understand, but he stopped trying to as she melted into him. Sarah pulled back and stepped away ignoring the whoops and catcalls coming from the fireys. Jareth frowned slightly like he'd just had his favourite toy taken away.

It was really quite endearing.

"Its just payback for that little stunt you pulled before we got washed away." She turned away with a smirk and started making sure all the fireys had all their limbs. As they headed off Jareth fell into step beside Sarah and held out his hand.

"This is Eliza. She's been a great help."

Sarah smiled down at the spider resting in Jareth's palm. "Hi."

"'Allo darlin'."

End Chap.

Well. Go on. Give me your worst. I can take it.

Slán lads.