A/N: Hi everyone! Yes, I'm still alive! I know it's been way too long since I updated, but my husband was complaining that I spend too much time writing and not enough with him. Upon the realization that I was neglecting my real life Goblin King, I had to take some time off. But now I'm back! listens carefully for scant applause Here's a nice long chapter for you. I believe we only have two more to go before it's over. I hope you all enjoy it, and remember to review!
Disclaimer: Despite my best efforts, I still don't own them.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Giles asked Sarah as they watched Buffy gather up weapons and distribute them among the Scoobies. Buffy had offered Jareth the use of one of her swords, but he had declined, preferring to retrieve his own sword from his castle. They were making their finishing preparations while they waited for him to return from the Underground.
"Which part?" Sarah replied, "Putting myself in mortal danger or marrying Jareth?"
"Well, either one I suppose." He answered.
"If this plan is the only way to get rid of Bothvar, then I don't guess I have much of a choice." Sarah said. "Besides, I always wanted to be an actress, this is my chance. Which reminds me," she added, pulling the Polaroid of Jareth from her jeans pocket, "Could you hold on to this for me? If this plan's going to work, Bothvar has to be able to get close to me."
Giles hesitated, not really wanting to take the young woman's only defense, but finally nodded and tucked the photo into his coat pocket with his own. "What about the rest of it, Sarah." He asked. "Did you accept Jareth's proposal because it was necessary to defeat Bothis?"
Sarah didn't answer, but gestured towards the Slayer. "What was Buffy's reaction when she learned she was the Slayer?" She asked.
Giles regarded her curiously. "How much to you know about Slayers?" he asked. "I was under the impression that this was all new to you."
Sarah smiled. "Willow filled me in a bit. 'One girl in all the world,' or something like that."
Giles nodded, removing his glasses and cleaning them perfunctorily. "Well, I wasn't there." He began, "I wasn't her first Watcher, you see. But from what I understand, she had a very difficult time coming to terms with it."
Sarah laughed. "I can only imagine." She said. "But I bet it wasn't pretty. Still, she eventually did accept it."
Giles regarded her curiously, wondering where the topic was leading. "She did, when she realized she had no choice. She not only accepted it, but embraced it."
"Willow says she's one of the greatest Slayers that ever lived." Sarah said.
"Well, Willow is a bit dramatic," Giles chuckled, returning his glasses to his face. "But she has lived longer and accomplished more than any other Slayer on record."
Sarah nodded, and then seemed to change the subject again. "Two years ago, when I defeated the Labyrinth, I wasn't as naïve as everyone seems to believe. I was young, but not too young to understand what Jareth was offering me, or what he was trying to tell me. But I was afraid. Not of him, so much, but of the part of me that wanted so badly to accept what he wanted to give. I didn't want to admit that that part of me even existed. So I ignored it, I refused him, I went back to my ordinary life and tried to forget. But I never could.
"When I couldn't forget it…him…I tried to ignore my feelings. Then I tried to deny them. When that didn't work anymore, I just got angry. Then today Buffy made me realize what I had been trying so hard to ignore. I don't belong to this world, and not just because of what Jareth did. I never belonged here. I knew that when I was a child, long before I ever met the Goblin King. What I didn't know until now was why."
"And know you know?" Giles asked her.
"I don't belong here, because I belong with him." Sarah answered, a far away look on her face. "Now that I've stopped fighting it, I can feel the truth of it. Jareth is my destiny, and I can not only accept it now, but also embrace it, just as Buffy embraced hers."
"Is that what this is?" Giles asked, "Destiny?"
"What would you call it?" Sarah countered.
"I thought it was love." He told her.
Sarah smiled. "Sometimes they're the same thing." She said, and gestured towards Buffy, who appeared to be trying to choose between a large double edged axe and a simple sword. "What happened to Buffy's first Watcher?" she asked.
"He was killed." Giles said simply, "And I took his place."
"I see." Sarah said, her face serious, "Then I suppose you know a thing or two about destiny yourself."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"Déjà vu." Willow whispered, taking in her surroundings. Jareth had transported them to the same spot in the woods that they had entered earlier. It was still dark, but in the distance they could see a light in the clearing and knew that Bothis was waiting for them there.
"Does everyone understand the plan?" Buffy asked.
"Stick together, let him see all of us so he thinks we're giving up." Xander said. "Simple enough."
The Slayer glanced over at the soon to be Goblin Queen and found her staring at the ground, her lips moving silently. "Sarah?" she asked, concern in her voice, "Are you okay."
Sarah glanced up and smiled. "Just going over my lines." She said.
Buffy nodded, and looked at the rest of them again. She realized that she had taken charge of the situation, and was grateful that Jareth was allowing it…for now. But one look at his face told her that he was ready to take over at a moments notice. Not just his face, really, but his whole appearance. He had not just retrieved his sword during his visit to the Underground, but had donned an impossibly ornate silver armored breastplate and armored boots. He wore tight black pants of a shimmering material she had never seen before, and a thick black cloak was draped over his broad shoulders. He looked very kingly and almost frightening. Most of all, he made Buffy feel woefully underdressed in her white tank top and khakis.
She realized he was watching her expectantly, so continued rallying the troops. "Right." She said, gathering her thoughts once again. "We're just here for support. Once we have Mom Cordelia will get her to safety. The rest of us stick close and be ready to jump in if all hell breaks loose. Everyone got it?" She didn't wait for a response, but turned and began walking towards the clearing. "Right, then let's go kick this guy's ass."
As they made their way into the clearing, Joyce came into view. She was sitting on the ground, seemingly unharmed and with all of her clothing mercifully in tact. Buffy heaved a sigh of relief. She knew better than to try to get to her, however, as she could barely see the shimmering field of magic that separated them.
Bothis was no where to be seen, but suddenly the clearing was filled with the sound of his unearthly laughter. "Well, dear cousin, it seems as though you have brought a small army."
"We want no tricks, Bothvar." Jareth said. "Give this woman back to her family, and you may have me to do with as you wish."
The shadows at the center of the clearing drew together and began to coalesce into the shape of a man. When they were done there was no shadowy figure before them but Bothvar as he had been a thousand years ago, his dark eyes blazing with soulless fury, his black hair flowing in the wind like anger made manifest. He looked for all the world as though he lived and breathed the same air as the rest of them. It was only the emptiness of his eyes that gave him away. Even still, Jareth's heart ached as memories of happier times clawed their way through his mind.
Bothvar strode toward the nearly invisible barrier that separated him from the Goblin King, a wicked smile playing across his lips. "Oh, Jareth, so predictably noble. I wonder of you would be so brave if you knew just how painful my wishes could be." He looked out at the Scoobies who stood a few feet away, and then back at Jareth. "Don't you think you're all rather well armed for a hostage exchange?" he asked.
"We came to get my mother back." Buffy said, stepping forward and staring into those soulless dark eyes unflinchingly, "And we will take her one way or another."
Bothvar laughed again. "You're mother has been quite entertaining company." He said. "I may just decide to keep her."
Buffy made as though to lunge against the barrier, but Jareth stopped her with one outstretched arm. He turned his face towards her and his look was calming and alarming simultaneously. She had a feeling it was a look that only he could pull off. Turning back to Bothvar he said "We had a deal, cousin. My life for the mortal's."
For the first time Bothvar looked a bit uncomfortable. It was obvious he hadn't expected Jareth to give himself up, and he wasn't sure how to proceed. He was visibly relieved when Sarah stepped forward and grabbed Jareth's arm, spinning him around to face her.
"You can't do this!" she yelled. "Don't you know he's going to kill you?"
Jareth stared at her coolly, his emotions a barely concealed shadow behind his eyes. "More than likely." He answered her.
Sarah clenched her fists at her sides, and anger snapped in her eyes. "And you care so little about me that you would just let him take you from me? Damn it, Jareth, I've only just found you! I can't lose you now!" Tears were streaming down her face, and her fingernails dug painfully into the soft flesh of her palms.
Jareth's expression softened, his own eyes glistening at the power in her words. He made to put his arms around her, but she pushed him away. "I don't want your comfort. I want you tell me you won't do this." She growled.
"I have to do this, love. It's the only way to save Joyce."
Sarah stared at him in disbelief. Defiantly she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Then do it alone, because I'm not staying to watch you die." She said tersely. Before he could stop her she turned and ran into the forest. Bothvar began laughing again, knowing that he had just gained the upper hand. With a flash of light he disappeared, and the barrier fell.
Buffy wasted no time running to her mother's side, the rest of the Scoobies in line behind her. Giles knelt and put an arm around her, helping her to her feet. "I'm fine," Joyce protested, "I can stand up on my own."
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Xander asked.
"No, no. He just talked. A lot. He really hates your goblin friend." She said. "It was sad, really. I felt a little sorry for him."
Buffy groaned. "Mother, you have got to stop sympathizing with the Big Bad." She chided. "I mean for heaven's sake, you invited Spike in for coffee!"
Joyce nodded. "And he was the perfect gentleman." She replied.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, William the Bloody was the perfect gentleman. Mom, he could have had you as a snack, or worse!"
"But he didn't" Joyce retorted, and would have said more in her defense had Jareth not cut her off.
"Ladies, as fascinating as this discussion is, perhaps there is a better time and place for it?" The Goblin King said, an almost amused scowl on his face.
"Sorry, Jareth." Buffy said, smiling sheepishly. "Thanks for saving my mom, now let's rescue your fiancé."
"Fiancé?" Joyce said pouting. "Oh! What did I miss?"
"I'll fill you in all the details." Cordelia smiled, locking her arm with the older woman. "Just as soon as we get home." She turned to look at Jareth. "Okay, we're ready for lift off." She said.
"This will likely be unpleasant." Jareth said. "If anyone else wishes to leave, I won't think less of you for it." He glanced around at the faces before him, most of them battle hardened beyond their years, and knew there would be no takers. "Very well then." He summoned a crystal and tossed it to Cordelia, who caught it with her free hand, and she and Joyce disappeared.
Shortly afterward they were once more surrounded by unearthly laughter, and Bothvar reappeared, an honestly frightened looking Sarah grasped roughly in his arms. Jareth had not really been amazed at how well she had done her lines during their 'argument.' After all, this was not the first time he had seen her deliver her lines with such conviction. He had been amazed, though not really surprised, by her bravery as she ran into the woods, knowing that Bothvar would follow her. But it was obvious that her resolve was beginning to fail her as she was once again at the mercy of a creature that had already tortured her and nearly killed her. The fear in her eyes made Jareth sick, and he wanted more than anything to take that fear away. But he knew it was too soon, and he forced himself to be strong, willing her to be strong as well.
Even so, it was almost all he could do to control himself as Bothvar nuzzled his face into Sarah's neck, his hands roaming her body. Sarah shuddered against his touch, her face contorted in revulsion. "It seems I have captured a much better prize, cousin." Bothvar sneered, and laughed as Jareth finally lost control and lunged towards him, only to be thwarted by the field that once again separated them. "Isn't it funny how things come full circle?" Bothvar chuckled. Once again I have the woman you love at my mercy, and once again all you can do is watch as I drain the life from her." With that he spun Sarah around roughly and raised his hand. It began to glow as though a fire burned within it, and Sarah's eyes widened in horror. She tried to pull away from him, but he held her firmly with his left arm, as he slowly lowered his right toward her.
Jareth closed his eyes, knowing the time had come. He willed the power inside her to awaken, and waited to feel the connection spark between them. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes and looked at Sarah. There was nothing but fear in her eyes, and he knew it hadn't worked.
Buffy grabbed Jareth's arm. "Do something." She hissed.
"I'm trying." He said, "It's not working!"
"What do you mean it's not working? He's going to kill her Jareth!"
Realization dawned on him, and he was almost over come with dread. "The Labyrinth." He moaned.
Buffy looked at him, confused. "What?"
He turned to her, his face pale. "The Labyrinth. It's the source of our power. Gods, how could I have been so stupid! It won't work because we're too far away from the Labyrinth!" Buffy stared at him in disbelief, but was startled back to reality by the sound of Sarah screaming.
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