Chapter Seven

Let the Games Begin… and End

Author's note: Just for you Acantha Mardivey, I put up every single chapter I've written so far for this damn story. So, there ya go, chapter eight AND nine shall be up as well. - JUST FOR YOU!

"Her age has made her mind weak," he noticed "she may not understand. She's too… adult. Maybe if I could…"

"Would you?" Piper pleaded "she is a little… upsetting… isn't she?"

"Pick an age," he smiled and a small bubble formed in his hand. Piper thought a moment, not a teenager, she wanted Sarah to be able to go back home, but nothing old either.

"Twenty-one," she nodded and Jareth smirked. Didn't his little Piper have the best ideas? He paused a moment, no, not his. NOT HIS. He let the crystal containing them both fall away and tossed the bubble at Sarah who, out of reaction, caught it. She froze. "How long will she have to stay like that?"

"About three weeks," Jareth smiled but Piper's eyes were not amused. "I don't wish to move the stars," he murmured "not for her, not again." Piper waited a moment and a small innocent smile came across her face.

"I'll play a game with you," she offered.

"It hardly seems worthy," he said rolling his eyes, trying not to jump at the offer to play a game with… her. He winced, what was coming over him? Falling for… a human… AGAIN! What was she anyways? A skinny, unloved piece of nothing tossed aside by her parents and most of her family. Maybe that's why he liked her so, because she needed him. "But," he said slowly watching the girl's smile return "what did you have in mind?"

"Checkers," Piper nodded "it's the only game I know how to play, but I'm alright at it." He eyed her a moment.

"What's at stake?" he asked "three weeks of her frozen to…?"

"If I win I get a boon," Piper grinned "which of course, yes, is speeding up her un-ageing process."

"If I win," Jareth paused "what do you suggest?"

"Me?" Piper seemed baffled "that's not how it works, I'm not thinking up anything for you, your majesty. You must come up with your own reward." Jareth thought a moment, a sly smile slunk onto his face like a hungry rip eating away at cloth.

"A year and a day," he nodded "of your personal service to me."

"Wait, wait, wait…" Piper's eyes gleamed with amusement, "now when you say service, you mean…?"

"Simply you assistance," he grinned.

"In?" she pursued.

"In what?" he asked. Piper sighed at his playful behavior and crossed her arms.

"What sort of personal service do you mean?" she asked "because I'm not understanding here. Last time I checked, I already worked for you… well, I mean, tomorrow I will."

"You'll still work for me," he said "but most workers here only have five hour days. An extra three hours will be added on to you, with no pay, to assist me."

"In what?" Piper smirked.

"Whatever I happen to be doing that day," Jareth shrugged "for one year and a day you shall do as I ask, when I ask, as I ask. When you lose."

"IF," she corrected "IF I lose."

"If," he shrugged "when, same thing." He offered his hand "come, we will start." They had suddenly appeared in the library and there was a table with a very nice checkers set on it. Instead of the typical black and white pieces, one set was crystal, one set was wood. Jareth pulled the seat out of Piper and she gave a dry stare. He made a mental note that when she lost, he'd be sure to make her smile and say thank you when he pulled out a chair for her. "Wood or crystal?"

"Wood," she said without thinking a second thought. He paused a moment and looked at her. Did she trust him so much with his natural element to give him the crystal pieces… or perhaps she wanted him to not have such plane ones. "Go first?"

"You," she mused.

"Ladies first," he reminded her.

"Age before beauty," she murmured and he smirked.

"Alright, alright," he muttered and moved a piece. Two moves later and she was ALREADY besting him. Finally, he made his way to the other side of the board. "King me."

"I can't," she smirked and he frowned.

"Why not?" he asked looking at the pieces she'd taken from him.

"Why," she laughed "your already king." She placed the piece on top of his other like it was nothing. She didn't seemed worried, or afraid or anything, just as if it was any other match. Slowly he made his way back and soon they were locked in a tie. "I don't think we can get the other," she muttered after an hour "truly, when there are only two pieces left on the board, it's very over."

"Then it is a tie," he warned. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat for a moment, he saw she had second thoughts. It was only three weeks, but then think about how angry Sarah would be when she got out. And then think about how she'd drag Piper's little gluteix-maximus all the way back to her father's house. And if she'd agree to the tie, well, at least she'd be bound to stay. Piper extended her hand and gave a 'well I tried my very best' smile. Jareth didn't understand at first, he wasn't sure if she was going to slap him or what but when she waited a moment with her hand extended like that he got the drift. Taking her hand she shook it, though it was odd shaking hands with a woman, it wasn't customary in Underground. "I've never lost before."

"Really?" Piper mused "neither have I." It was a good tie though and in many ways it was better than one losing over the other. Jareth nodded and lead her back to where Sarah stood, frozen. Jareth paused a moment and looked at her frozen, annoyed, figure. Her blackish-brown hair was plagued with star lit strands of gray. Though she was in her late fifties, she didn't look as if she'd aged much. And… something (perhaps her pride) shown in her. Jareth didn't think it was pride though, perhaps that childlike young girl he'd once danced with. Piper watched as years of age slipped away like so many papers in a storm. Sarah blinked and then frowned.

"Wow," she muttered "you two sure did take a long time."

"Believe me," Jareth sighed "I was willing to leave you here. But SOMEONE thought that I needed to be generous and speed it up for you." Sarah looked from Jareth to Piper.

"Wow," she murmured "is anyone else really tired?" With that said, Sarah practically toppled over and Piper grabbed her before she hit the floor.

"Whoa Sarah," she growled, struggling with the body "lay off the fast food next time you feel like passing out." Jareth helped her carry the now young woman to Piper's room and lay her on her bed. Piper's stomach growled and Jareth looked blankly at her.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Sure," she nodded and followed him down the hall "you know, I learned something again."

"Oh really?" he smirked glancing at her "what's that?"

"That life would be a lot easier," she smiled "if we all meet the other halfway." Jareth nodded a little and wondered if she'd try and tie more often. He really wouldn't mind it if she did.

"I suppose," he yawned and Piper looked at him as he struggled to stay awake.

"Are you tired?" she asked, seeming a little worried.

"Just," he yawned again "um… no, it's just," he yawned "I used a lot of magick speeding that up and" yawn "I don't…"

"Come on," she said taking his arm and he tried to stay awake. Piper gave a worried glance "where's your room Jareth?" He just yawned again. Then, slowly he pointed to a door a little ways down the hall. Piper struggled getting him all the way down there but she managed. Opening the door, she helped the sleepy goblin king into the room. He yawned again. She got him in bed, pulling his feet up on the mattress. Piper watched him as he looked at her through a sleepy gaze. She untied his boots and took them off, and set them aside. He yawned again. She pulled the blanket over his body and he started to doze off.

"Piper," he murmured as she started to leave his room, she turned around. "Go eat and" he waved his arm around like 'do whatever'.

"Thank you," she whispered softly which left a smile on the sleeping goblin king's face.