AN-- I still own nothing. To all who have asked that Jareth and Sarah duet All I Ask of you- under the new rules, I can't do that, but I will consider writing a chapter with that that you can ask for via email. Sorry.

In the days that followed, those around Sarah could not help but notice she had undergone yet another transition. In some people, mood swings and shifts were normative. In Sarah, it was troubling. Her deep gloom was replaced by a distant joy. An inner radiance lit her, but it kept her at arm's length as well.

That distance did not prevent her from giving her best on stage. Knowing that she would soon be gone from this life, from this world, Sarah poured her all into every nuance of her performance. However, an astute and faithful listener would have discerned this subtle difference in her singing:

When the show opened, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again had been the most soulful aria Miss Williams performed. While no one could speak against how she performed that or any of the other songs, there was more passion to Think of Me than any of the others after Emile's one time performance. Sarah did not really need help saying goodbye, but she did hope that when she was remembered, it would be fondly. Jareth could have, at great cost, erased all traces of her life, but tampering with the continuum of life was a risky endeavor. Trying to tamper with the way fate's tapestry of the past had been woven was just shy of dark magic, something Sarah would never ask of her love.

So, when the papers predicted Sarah Williams would walk away with a Tony award, she merely smiled or laughed it off, saying that surely they could find someone more worthy than she. Later, Jareth would tease her, "I had no idea you were so modest, love."

"One of us has to be," she countered with a smile to soften the words. "Now, I need you to witness my will."

"I did promise to do whatever you asked," his highness bowed.

"No, it's a document tying up things after - after I'm considered dead. It has to be witnessed by two people."

"In your world, I'm not a legal person," he reminded her.

"Darn it. "

"Is a will like a suicide note?" Jareth rhetorically wondered aloud.

"No.."

"Then, just get anyone to witness it--death does not keep to an appointment schedule, at least not one that humankind is able to read. Therefore, it will just seem a logical move, standard procedure," he shrugged. "Though something so mundane and down to earth from you, Miss Dreamer, might seem a bit out of character. "

"Ha. Fine. I'll take care of it tomorrow."

That and other so called mundane items were ticked off on the how to die properly list until there was nothing left but to do it.

Well, there was one other thing. Sarah needed to spend one last day with her family. She'd never see them again, after all.

"Karen," she started to say as the day drew to a close. "I- I'm sorry I was a brat when you and Dad first got married. "

"I know. It wasn't just your fault we didn't get along...and it is natural for an only child to resent a new baby or a child of divorce to want her parents to get back together. Toby and I ruined that for you," Karen smiled understandingly.

"I was still wrong," Sarah insisted with a sigh. "But, it all worked out..." Her words trailed off ambiguously. If it hadn't been for her rage at the whole situation, would she have ever wished Jareth into her life?

"Yes, it did," her stepmother agreed. Sarah was not going to miss the nasal perkiness to her voice. "Sarah, are you seeing someone?" She went on, cocking her head to the side, like Merlin used to when he was puzzled.

"Uh- why do you ask?" Sarah felt herself blushing.

"You are--you just seem-- you've got a radiance-- and you're blushing now," Karen crowed, pleased. "I've always said you should date more."

"Well, ah- "

"Why didn't you bring him over?" she demanded.

"He's out of town, today," Sarah exhaled. That was not a lie. Not exactly. Not being in this world was surely not in town either.

"What's that play you're in about anyhow?" Toby demanded.

"It's kind of scary, Toby," Karen warned. She really didn't want her seven year old hearing a story that was so--sensual.

"Mooom!" he whined. "C'mon. I mean- it can't be scarier than goblins."

"Goblins?" Mrs. Williams asked, one eye brow raised. "Toby, I do think you're too old for goblins." She missed the consternation that flooded Sarah's face.

Toby didn't. He looked at his sister, insisting, "Tell her, Sarah. I saw the goblins and didn't get scared at all. Even though they were jumping all 'round me, an' makin' funny noises."

"I'm sure his majesty will be so flattered by your opinion of his singing," popped out dryly before Sarah had a chance to think.

"Sarah?" Karen asked uncertainly. By this time, Robert had finished cleaning the grill he'd messed up earlier and joined his wife in giving his oldest the "hairy eyeball".

"I - ah- told Toby a story- once-- about Goblins---and the king of them-- sang...I guess... ah- he took it literally," Sarah blushed. Covering, she went on hastily, "Say, slugger, hope that when you're in high school your memory is still this great. It'll really help when you have to memorize the kings of France and England at the same time in proper order, and they all have the same names, but they're married to different queens and-- you have to remember the queens too."

"I'd rather remember the goblin king," Toby insisted. "He was gonna make me a prince, and then I wouldn't hafta go to school."

"Yeah, you would," Sarah smiled. "Princes must have excellent vocabulary and ennunciation skills--and yours need work, kid."

"Nuncia- what?" the boy frowned.

"It means you have to pronounce things right," Robert chuckled. "You would not have to go to school, but you would since you didn't say have to properly."

"Huhn.I'd just drop the teacher in the bog, headfirst," Toby refused to be defeated.

"The bog?" Karen asked.

"Of 'ternal stink," Toby rambled on proudly. "Stick one foot in and you smell bad forever and ever. "

"Hey, Toby, don't let all the royal secrets out of the bag," Sarah teased to hide her unease. She had no idea that her brother remembered all that. "Or you might be the one in the bog or in an oubliette."

"Aw, Sar, you couldn't ever forget me," the boy crowed.

"No, not ever," she agreed softly, blinking away a tear.

"Don't go getting leaky, sis," he shook his head. "I'm gonna go watch Power Punchers- wanna come?"

"Uh- not now, we want to talk to Sarah," Karen said tightly. "And you have homework to do. Just Tivo the show, you can watch it afterwards."

When the boy had scampered away, Karen scolded, "Sarah, really. You shouldn't be telling him such - such stories. Bog of eternal stink?"

"Stench," the queen to be muttered under her breath, unheard. Louder, she defiantly added, "Bet not many seven year olds know what an oubliette is."

"As if they need to," Karen snorted. "I don't want you telling him stories about goblins and all that anymore."

No danger of that. With the mist of sentiment banished by Karen's acerbic words and Robert's silent support of them, Sarah's resolve that had melted a bit revived. "I promise, I won't tell him about goblins, their king, or bogs ever again."

If they caught the seriousness of her tone, neither Robert or Karen indicated it, merely nodded in contentment that she was obeying.

"I've got to go," Sarah sighed. "Say goodbye to Toby, please." Rising, she tossed off a wave, then forced herself past the hurt to give each parent one last hug. She'd give her mother a call when she got home, she decided as she turned to the gate.

"Sarah, you can go tell him yourself," Robert offered uncertainly, picking up a bit on her mood.

"No- I- I'm late," she bit out, not able to see her brother and say those two words without crying.

For the last time, Sarah walked away from her childhood home.