Chapter Eight

I Need All of You

I don't suppose Piper had much luck in finding the kitchen, though she did find the library again. Soon, she found her way back to her room where she heard a great deal of yelling.

"Sarah," Piper sighed coming into her room and Sarah stopped.

"Piper I look like I'm twenty!" she shouted "what'd you let him DO!?" She sighed, this wasn't going as well as she thought it would. Sarah shifted uncomfortably for a moment and then narrowed her gaze. "Piper, you really need to come back…"

"I can't," she murmured but Sarah insisted.

"Your father has been looking all over for you!" she snapped "how grateful are you just to let him worry?"

"Grateful?!" Piper squeaked "grateful for a hungry belly and beatings? Appreciative for being told I was nothing and…and raped? I don't think so!" Sarah shook her head.

"Your being over dramatic," she started. Piper wondered if this was how Sarah felt about Jareth and no one believed her.

"Take me to a doctor," Piper stammered "go and see if I haven't been raped. He raped me Sarah, I don't care HOW much you love grandpa, his son is evil."

"No," she snapped standing to her feet "your wrong!"

"NO!" Piper growled "your wrong Sarah. I suggest you think about it too because I'm just not gonna put up with this shit. You're not my mother and you will not tell me to go back."

"You're coming back," Sarah growled narrowing her eyes.

"Don't you understand that I can't?!" Piper cried and Sarah's face softened. Piper didn't know why, perhaps it was because she'd never been understood either or… something else. Those words, Sarah couldn't believe her ears, Piper was using HER words. Maybe she really didn't understand. Maybe she was being over the top…

"Did you wish yourself away?" Sarah asked after a long time and Piper shook her head. "Then come live with me. You and your brother."

"I wished Daniel away," Piper whispered and Sarah sighed.

"Run it," she said simply and sat back down "run the Labyrinth."

"I'm bound to stay as well," Piper breathed and Sarah gave a confused look. "I'm a slave for a year and a day."

"WHAT?!" she snapped "that's it, I'm going to give that man a piece of my mind. I swear when I'm through with him he's gonna-"

"He's sleeping," Piper yawned "and I kinda own him Sarah…" Sarah shook her head. Jareth was evil, how could anyone, especially someone growing up hearing the story, think he was good? But then, someone could change in thirty-seven years, couldn't they? She didn't know, she'd changed quite a bit. Hell, she'd grown up quiet a bit. Piper sighed. "Just think about it," she muttered and left the room. Sarah lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling, what was she going to do? Her niece was insane, thinking she owned Jareth ANYTHING. A knock came at the door and Sarah sat up, a knock came again, a little louder this time.

"Uh," she paused "come in?" Jareth opened the door and looked in. "Oh," she stifled a smile and Jareth looked around a bit. "Piper went… somewhere, I'm not sure actually." He merely nodded and she felt a little worried, she'd never seen him so quiet.

"You want to bring the girl back," he murmured after a while and Sarah nodded. "I know you feel the girl belongs Aboveground Sarah, but you know she doesn't. She can't survive in that house, she was being-"

"Let her stay with me," Sarah breathed and Jareth's eyes narrowed.

"Now you wish her to stay?" he asked anger rising "why not when she was being abused? You'll save her from me but not from her father. Some family you are."

"I didn't know!" Sarah choked a sob and bit her lip to keep from breaking into fits of sobs. "If I'd known that she was being abused I would've saved her. You know I would."

"And what do I know?" he growled walking away.

"Jareth," her voice almost gave out and he stopped dead and turned around slowly, not really wanting to stay but something in her voice controlled him. "What happened between you and I should not effect Piper's fate. I have good intentions for her-"

"You have no say-" he started.

"Let me finish!" she snapped. Her voice grew kinder and she closed her eyes for a long time. "Do you care about her?" Jareth eyed her for a moment and she opened her eyes questioningly. "Do you?"

"I've given her somewhere to stay have I not?" he asked "I've given her food, a job… a new life."

"But do you care about her?" Sarah asked.

"I don't understand," he started.

"If she was crying would you comfort her?" she asked "if she needed help with something, like… like homework would you gladly help? Do you care about her Jareth? Like family or a friend? Not just someone to work in your castle, someone you actually care about."

"Once again," he spat "I wonder why you suddenly care."

"I do care," she whispered "I love her. I don't want her to… I want her to grow up normal, well, kinda. I want her to have a home." Jareth looked at her blankly.

"Like you never had," he jeered. He wanted to hurt her, he really did. Just because she'd been so careless.

"Yeah," she agreed and this threw him off balance. "Jareth, I was…… I was stupid for wanting to take her back to her father. I didn't know he was hurting her or Daniel. If I'd known earlier I would've taken her from him myself. But I want her to be able to live, and to have a real home and… a family." He's eyes rose up off the floor at her words. "So if your going to take care of her I need to know if your going to be her friend, or her landlord." There was a long silence and Jareth watched her eyes struggle not to shed tears. She hadn't known.

"I can't take care of her alone," he said "she's a young lady and I am not capable of teaching her everything an Abovegrounder needs. And so, one week out of every month, she shall stay with you." Sarah eyed him, making him feel as if he needed to explain himself more and he kept on. "I care about her," he added "I mean, if I didn't I wouldn't have helped you or… just, many things. And I want," he didn't go on for a moment and Sarah waved her hand as in 'go on'. "I want this to be her home for as long as she wishes."

"You changed," Sarah smirked after a long time.

"So have you," he breathed. "I hear you have children."

"How did I know she'd tell you that," she grumbled to herself.

"I hear you named your son, Jareth," he smirked and she sighed putting her hand on her cheek.

"I see you haven't changed, TOO much," she teased and he nodded.

"Of course," he smiled "fae don't normally change to great extents."

"I see you don't age to great extents either," she motioned to him and he gave a wolfish smile. It was nice that she remembered him so. "You never came."

"You never called either," he retorted and she gave a small shrug.

"Did I need too?" she asked and he sat down.

"Well if I remember correctly," he said good naturedly "I don't remember being invited into your home… though every OTHER creature in my Labyrinth was."

"Wait a second," she said holding up her finger "I distinctly remember saying ALL of you." Neither of them said anything and Jareth got up.

"I'd better go find her," he breathed "she's probably lost somewhere in the castle."