I am really sorry it has taken me so long to update. I have had absolutely no inspiration and it has been driving me crazy. But I think I have a pretty good chapter for you.

disclaimer: don't own
thanks to my beta Izzo

The house was dark when Sarah got home. Darion dropped her off after they had rehearsed act one for a while. She crept through the house, listening at all the doors. Genny's room was quiet except for the soft sounds of the ocean from a tape player. Cassie's green door couldn't hide the sounds of her TV blaring. Sarah used to tease Cassie about her need to have the television on when she slept, even though she wore an eye mask. When she listened in at Jareth's door, the sounds of a grandfather clock came back to meet her. Its chimes had a sweet, innocent sound to them. This was odd partly because her watch said 1:37 a.m., and partly because although you could only hear it when you were close to his closed door, the sound that resonated from it was so strong and powerful that you had to take a step back to hear it and enjoy it.

Sarah tore herself from the music of the clock and, confident her roommates were asleep began to run a bath. The steam began to fill the room. The bath beads Sarah rarely had time to use were a perfect match. If Sarah wasn't taking care of Caspian, she was running from a play practice to an audition, and if she wasn't doing that, she was working. That didn't really leave time for her. She sank into the perfumed bath, and as the warm, gentle water washed over her tired body, she became relaxed. All thoughts of Jareth, Caspian, the mysterious brother, and her aboveground life floated away into nonexistence. She began to sleep.

"That evil, little bitch thinks she can steal Jareth from me? Well she has another thing coming. Darion is smitten with her as we already know. Jareth is really in love with me, he just doesn't know it yet. I'll give her dreams to keep her company." Siretia's red eyes glowed gold as she started constructing dancing images with her hands. "The child Darion has is one of her weaknesses. Let's hope her dreams don't kill her." Evil laughter swelled until it filled the little space she held.

Sarah was in a cold, dark hallway made of black stone. Her footsteps echoed and her breath froze. She heard a distant crying that sounded familiar. The name of her lost son caught in her throat. The pounding of her heart matched the quickening of her feet. The corridor seemed to stretch forever . . . and then it ended and there smashed on the floor was a baby doll that looked exactly like Caspian. She turned around and a hideous creature with saliva dripping from its large mouth that held eerily long teeth was right in front of her face. The grey hair that covered its body was matted with blood and mud. The thing stalked towards Sarah as her screams bounced off the doorless walls.

"Sarah, open the goddamn door!" Jareth yelled as he pounded on the door.

When Sarah awoke from the tortuous dream, she realized how close she was to death. Her head was almost completely submerged in water. Soap bottles were strewn over the small bathroom. Water covered the floor and the shower curtain had fallen in the tub. Jareth finally sent the door crashing to the floor and what met his eyes was a bewildered Sarah. Genny and Cassie stood in the doorway, still in their nightclothes. Sarah couldn't help but notice that Jareth was only wearing pajama bottoms and his bare chest was quite trim and lean and pale. Sarah was suddenly aware she was in the tub nude. She clutched the shower curtain around her body. "Did I wake you all up?"

"We heard you screaming and throwing things and then you just stopped so we hurried in here to make sure you weren't dead." Genny said smartly.

"I'm sorry, I guess I fell asleep and had a bad nightmare." Jareth's mixed eyes found her green ones and Sarah understood. "If you'll excuse me I think I ought to get dressed now." Her two friends and her something left the room so she could change in peace.

After she changed into her silk pajamas, she checked on her roommates and then snuck off into the room that Jareth was borrowing. When Sarah swung open the deep red door, she gasped at what she saw. The room which had belonged to El, now looked exactly like the bedchambers of a certain goblin king. "What happened in your dream?" Jareth's voice came from the shadows.

"I don't like speaking to shadows, Jareth. Come where I can see you." Sarah demanded.

Happy now Jareth said walking out from behind her. "It is vitally important you tell me everything you can remember from your dream. I need to know who did this to you, so we can figure out why and if they are going to attack again." He was standing right behind her and she was becoming very uncomfortable.

"I was in a long dark hallway, I heard a cry and I started running, and when I got to the end I saw a baby doll that looked like Caspian and his head was smashed. I turned around and this thing was there. It had gray hair and long teeth and was a little bigger then a large gorilla." Sarah said silently weeping.

The king walked to the front of the frightened woman. He leaned down and looked deeply into Sarah's eyes. "You need to be careful. The person who did this to you is extremely dangerous. She was locked into a magicless cell. I don't know how she got out. She has a slight crush on me. And she likes to get her way. I want you to wear this at all times." Jareth held out this beautiful white gold chain that held a red pendent laced with silver. "This will give you protection but only if you wear it at all times. It will also alert me as to when you are in trouble."

"And what will you do when that happens? Steal something else I care about? You know I can't. I don't love you. When will you understand this?" Sarah pleaded.

"Sarah, I don't care if you don't love me. I love you. I am going to protect you. I can't let you die." Jareth said walking away. "You won't stop me from loving you."

"Who is it who likes to torture me anyway?" Sarah quickly said changing the subject.

"Her name is Siretia. My brother had her imprisoned."

"Well, she's out now..."

I hope you enjoyed. If you did please leave a note in the pretty box.