-----
During Sarah's senior year, something unexpectedly horrible happened to her. She was walking by a building that renovations were being done on when a gas line that hadn't been properly shut off burst. She heard the noise, and felt something lift her off her feet. Then she was sprawled on the ground, her head spinning.
The next thing Sarah knew, she was staring at the hospital ceiling. Her father and stepmother were there. She was informed of what had happened. Her legs, especially on the backside, had been badly burned, half of it third degree. Her heavy leather coat had protected her upper body for the most part. But there would be weeks of healing, and she would have scars.
It was awful, but it wasn't that awful, considering that she could have been killed. Sarah was upset and depressed, but was resolved not to sulk too heavily about something that she couldn't change. Still, it was hard, especially when all she could do was stay in bed, and any movement brought rivets of pain.
A few days later, when her family was there and had gone to eat dinner in the cafeteria, Toby came back up to her room. He had grown into a bright and sensitive boy, and often displayed a rare maturity and insight for someone his age. He approached her bed, and looked at her worriedly.
"Toby, why aren't you upstairs eating?"
"I ate real fast. I wanted to talk to you," he said sympathetically. He glanced at her legs. "Does it hurt a lot?"
"Sometimes," Sarah answered, lying a bit. "They can't keep me completely medicated. And they said it will get worse as it heals."
Toby looked extremely apologetic. Then his face shifted, and he lowered his voice conspiratorially, as if they weren't the only two in the room. "Have you thought about asking him for help?"
"Him?" she asked, puzzled.
He looked from side to side, before he whispered, "The Goblin King."
Sarah's eyes widened. She didn't even think of denying it. Instead, she stammered, "H-how can you even remember that?"
"I don't know. But I do remember. And I think he'd help you."
There was a silence. Then Sarah said, "I don't know. But can you keep a secret, Toby?"
He nodded. "I haven't ever told anyone else about that, even Mom and Dad (they wouldn't believe me anyway)."
"Good. But Toby," she continued seriously, slowly, "I want you to know, that if I ever disappear or something, that you shouldn't come looking for me, and that I'm happy. And promise me that you will never under any circumstances even try to talk to the Goblin King, much less ask him something."
"I promise, Sarah," he said. "But how would I know if I'm asking him something?"
"I'm not telling you the exact words. Just be careful what you say that begins with 'I wish.' I'm serious, Toby!" she exclaimed, upon seeing his face. "It's better if you don't even think about him. Understand?"
"Okay, I promise."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Good."
After a few more minutes, her father and stepmother came back from eating, bringing her a desert. Soon they went home, leaving Sarah alone with her thoughts.
-----
It hadn't occurred to Sarah to ask Jareth for help. She had never seen him do anything remotely close to healing. The only way she thought he even could would to be leave with him. Which wasn't sounding like such a bad alternative right now. Her legs did hurt, and even once they finally healed, she would be horribly scarred.
It was just after two in the morning, and the nurse had come in and left moments ago. No one would be back in her room for at least two hours. Sarah had made up her mind. She was about to say the words, when she remembered what he had said about asking.
"I wish I could talk to Jareth, right now," she said instead.
"Sarah." She saw him appear automatically beside her bed. He took in his surroundings, and then looked down at her. His eyes seemed different suddenly. "What happened, Sarah?"
"You don't know?"
"I do have more important things to attend to than being a voyeur."
"I know you've watched me before."
"Only sometimes." She gave a faint smile. "Though perhaps I should have been more attentive. This?" he asked, gesturing to her room.
"There was an accident, a fire. My legs are burned."
"And?"
"And I was wondering if maybe you wanted to take me away now? They wouldn't hurt then would they? It hurts so much now...."
"Do you want to come now?"
"No, but if it would only stop the hurting--"
"Sarah, Sarah," he said, reaching out to barely touch her hair. "When will you figure this out? All you need do is but ask."
"Ask?" Then, "I wish you would make my burns stop hurting?" she finished experimentally.
Jareth moved to stand at the end of the bed, and suddenly two crystals appeared in his hands. He twirled them and twisted them, before flinging them into the air, where they exploded and melted in a shower that fell on her legs. It seeped through the bandages, and felt ice cold for a moment, before a pleasant coolness settled.
Then he was back by her bedside, standing with that look of cool satisfaction on his face. "Anything else?"
"Why? Why do you do this?" she asked, looking up.
"You ask questions already answered."
Then he vanished.
-----
The next time Sarah's bandages were changed, the doctor announced that she was healing remarkably, much more nicely than expected. All subsequent inspections were equally encouraging. When the bandages were removed the final time and she was leaving (much more quickly than anticipated), there wasn't a scar anywhere that even suggested she had once been burnt.
Everyone involved was very pleased with the outcome, especially the construction company, who was now only paying a hospital bill, and not damages as well.
Her family was ecstatic, especially Toby. One weekend when she had been visiting home, he had looked at her with a face eager for explanation.
But she gave him none. "I'm serious, Toby," she'd said. "Don't even think about it. It's not something to play around with, or even talk about. You don't know what you're getting yourself into."
He had looked at her with disappointment, but nodded.
Sarah herself wondered what she had gotten into. Jareth had been almost too cooperative. There had to be a reason behind all of it. And she had to find out what it was.
