Threats and Promises

By: CI

Edited By: my buddy

Inspired by: Connor and Lee

Author's note: the next few chapters I wrote last night for all of you guys since you're all really great. Dedications are given for those with wonderful reviews and those that stuff trash in my contribution box shall be dipped head first into the Bog! Also, Connor and Lee (two male intelligent goblins of mine) would like to know if anyone needs a muse out there. They've been looking for a new home (I'm afraid I've bit off a little more than I can chew with this adopting Jareth's unwanted goblin thing). So if anyone would like to take one of them home, review me please. Hope you all like.

Oh, and also, this chapter is dedicated to Divine Dark Angle because she has been reviewing ALL of my stories (your great girl) so without farther ado, chapter ten.

Chapter Ten

"It's fairly simple," he smirked holding me above the water by three inches "I will ask you a question and you shall answer."

"How does this get me back on the land?" I growled sarcastically.

"Just answer the questions," he smiled "and with each answer I will take a step towards land. With each unanswered question, I'll go back into deeper water." I was sure I wasn't going to like this game, knowing how Jareth played, I was quiet worried. I agreed nonetheless and gave a short nod. "Why did you leave the first time?" he asked bluntly.

"Oh," I lowered my eyes "perhaps this isn't the best thing to-" he took a step deeper. "Wait a second! Let me finish!"

"That's not how it works," he teased "if your not going to answer then-"

"If you want to talk about that," I explained "I'll gladly explain anything you want to know. You don't need to force me into it." He paused a moment and walked back to shore.

"Alright then," he breathed setting me down on solid ground "explain to me then."

"I didn't have a choice-" I started but his anger quickly rose.

"I gave you a choice!" he growled (oh great, here we go) "you refused." I closed my eyes for a long moment, my brows pushing together furiously. I didn't feel up to arguing, I was still tired from that damn dart. I took in a deep breath and tried to keep my temper under control.

"It wasn't a choice," I breathed. He started to say something but I looked up at him. My vision blurred, my eyes stung and I ordered myself not to cry. "Its not that I wanted to leave," I explained "but I was fifteen years old, you can't tell me that you actually thought I'd understand…"

"Of course I did!" he snapped "you weren't stupid Sarah, naive maybe, but not stupid."

"I left because I thought you were trying to trick me," I admitted "I didn't think that your words were true until much later." His eyes narrowed, his voice dripped with venom. How could he not understand? "I wanted to stay," I breathed "I really did…"

"Then why didn't you?" he snapped "why did you throw it all away? Why Sarah? Hum?"

"Because I couldn't," I paused "I couldn't leave Toby here. He didn't belong, and, I thought if I did you'd turn him into a goblin."

"So you'd give up your dreams?" he blurted "everything you've ever wanted?" I shyly nodded, I took great pride in giving everything up for Toby, and it had made us amazingly close to one another.

"That's what happens when you love someone," I said quietly "you'll do anything for them." I paused for a long time. "I would've done anything to get him back if I failed Jareth, don't think it was just you."

"Would you have died?" he asked "would you have stayed in his place?" I nodded quickly; I would've done anything to save Toby. Sure, he was bratty at times but then, so was I. Jareth seemed to ponder this a moment and shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"I just don't see how…" he muttered "humans aren't selfless creatures." He looked up, "especially you."

"Aw thanks," I muttered "but just because a race seems a certain way, doesn't make them all like that. I mean, its not just Toby, if it was anyone I care around I'd probably do anything."

"Yet you don't worry about yourself," he added.

"I've taken care of myself since I was twelve," I said sitting down under a nearby blossoming tree "and I continue to do so. I figure I can take care of myself." He sat next to me, bending his knees slightly and looked over gently. His eyes shown anguish, despair, and this deep blackened hurt that you could almost feel just by looking at him. I took in a quiet gasp, had I hurt him so badly? I must have if everything he'd said was true. I thought of it a moment and it dawned upon me that I'd hurt him more than ever possible. He would've done anything for me, anything at just the drop of a hat if I had stayed.

"Don't pity me," he growled and I was taken aback at how quickly he'd gotten angry. "Oh, poor Jareth, can't even live without people constantly making him into a joke. Well I DON'T CARE!! I don't need your help!" He got up off the ground and stormed away from me into the thick and luscious wooded area. My eyes burnt with tears but I forced them back. Why'd he have to be so damn difficult?

"FINE!" I screamed back and walked towards the way he'd gone. I heard a yelp and a great deal of cursing. Walking into the clearing I saw Jareth hanging upside-down by his foot, much like Ludo when I first found him. "Are you going to listen to me now?" I sighed and he just blinked. "Jareth," I sighed as I tried to find where the rope had been tied off "I don't, nor do I ever pity you. And," I muffled my sigh as I noticed it was tied off on the third branch of the tree "your not a joke."

"Just get me down," he growled. I stopped and walked directly over to him, and though he was hanging from his foot, he looked royally pissed.

"Would you like to say something?" I asked "because it seems as if your trying to lead up to something but you just keep avoiding it." He blinked. "Go on," I insisted "you want to scream at me, go ahead." His eyes shot a warning glance as if to say 'don't tell me that, you know I will'.

"I offered you everything," he said calmly "I would have done absolutely anything if you simply asked me to and you spat in my face." I figured that was King talk for 'you ripped my heart out, tore it into tiny pieces, sewed it back together and shoved it in a blender about a jillion times'.

"You got a knife?" I asked and he shook his head. With a sigh I started climbing the tree. "I'm sorry," I said bluntly. He muttered a 'yeah' and I looked back at him. "What do you want me to say?! I don't know what words could fix something like that. I made a mistake, it was MY fault, I'm sorry." I unhooked the rope and Jareth went falling to the ground. Unfortunately for me, something on the rope hooked onto my leg and pulled me down after it. I fell about two stories down when I realized that I may die.

Author's note:

Acantha Mardivey: thank you. Yep, ALMOST kissed. I'm sorry bout the cliffie, I updated for ya.

Morrigana: thank you thank you ::takes a deep bow:: Wow… he had mood swings? COOL! -

Silver Fang: no I didn't, I forget who the author was, it's my favorite poem I just changed the names in it.

Nikki-dee: ta da! I won't don't worry.

Rosakara13: thanx -

Shahrezad1: Thanks, I like to be kinda original but I'm a sucker for romance and can't seem to get off of J/S. Well, there's always room for chaos (kinda like there's always room for ice cream). Ah. Well actually, the whole artist thing I came up with since I figured, Jareth needs some talent, I mean he can't just look good in tights and toss crystal balls around, how dull would that be?

Hippie99: ALRIGHT… alright. Calm down. I'll give you a hint for this next one, its about to get very VERY odd.

Gradolphin: - thanks much. Um, maybe I wasn't going for fluffy but HEY, every story needs a texture, right? Why not fluffy? ::laughs:: as for the humor, well, I like making people laugh (maybe that's why I act oddly) so I'm so glad you liked it.

Silver Ash: Really? Your FAVORITE chapter? Wow… And I'm sorry how I cut it off but you're your writing at four in the morning your not really thinking about where your going to end it you're your thinking about finishing it (well mind you) so you can go to bed (or in my case write another chapter ::shrugs::) I know, I know my spelling and/or grammar is bad and truth is I haven't let my editor do her job so don't blame her or anything. Glad you liked the poem, and thanx.

LadyAniviel: great minds think a like I suppose. Very glad you like it.

Amanda: Thank you, thank you. Aw, you deserve a man like that! Well… like he is right now. You may change your mind of him later but… ::snickers:: I'm not giving it : Sorry!! Everyone I'm sorry!! I've got a bad habit of leaving cliffies. So glad you like it though!!

Avalon-blackandgreen: ummm, secret? ::looks at goblins and whispered 'is there a secret?':: aw damn… I forgot what it was…. ::bangs head against the wall: it'll come to me… hold on… BANG…..BANG……BANG… OH YEAH!!! Nope, no secret. -

SemchouAri: Thanx, glad you liked it. Glad you thought it twas funny as well, I like making people laugh and/or smile. -

Divine Dark Angel: ::clears throat:: ma'am, I must say, you've probably reviewed every single one of my stories… and all of them have been good. WOW!! I'm not sure how to respond to all of it actually but thank you SO much. - I see you've got goblins as well. Ah, all cool people gots the goblins, ::winks::