Jareth stared down at the woman sitting in front of him. He knew that face, but last he saw it she was younger. He knew that Adella came to the aboveground to learn and experience the life of a human, though he never understood the interest she had. Over the last few years, his friend started sharing a fascination with the human world and convinced Amir to let her go. Jareth just couldn't understand why sitting in front of the location Adella told him to meet her was Sarah.
A yelp startled Jareth out of his memory. Sarah had jumped to her feet and quickly turned around, covering her face with her hands. Jareth could hear her mumbling something and leaned in to try to hear her better.
"He's not here, he's not here. It's all in my head." She was repeating over and over again to herself.
"Sarah?"
She quickly turned around and yelled at him. "No! Go away!"
Sarah then pushed past him and started to walk down the street. As she passed Jareth heard her whisper "It's just the stress. I didn't sleep and with what happened…yes that's all. Nothing else."
Concerned, Jareth watched her for a second before stepping up to try and open the door. When it didn't open, he knocked.
"She's not there." He heard Sarah say. He looked back over at her. She was a few feet away but had turned around and was looking at him again.
"Then where is she?"
Sarah had tears running down her face again. "The hospital morgue. She's dead." He watched as Sarah turned and continued to walk away.
Jareth didn't want to believe what she said. He turned back to the door and knocked again. When there was no answer, Jareth glanced back at the retreating Sarah before he turned into his owl form and flew off looking for the hospital. When he finally found it, it wasn't that hard to convince the staff, using a little of his Fae magic, that he was there to identify and take Adella's body.
He looked down at her in shock to see that she was really dead. He asked to be left alone with her for a minute, and the person left the room. He produced a crystal and used it to transport Adella's body and himself back Underground. They arrived in the healers quarters at the Castle of the Fae court. When the healer finished his exam, he told Jareth that her death was due to being crushed.
Needing to know what happened, Jareth decided he needed to go find Sarah and ask her, since she was the one who told him that Adella was dead. But before he could leave his brother Amir walked into the room.
"I thought I felt your presence...Adella? What happened?" Amir walked over to the table where Adella's body was lying.
"I'm not sure. It happened while she was still Aboveground. I'm actually getting ready to head back. Adella, she knew Sarah…"
"Sarah? I haven't heard you speak that name in, what, ten years? You can't mean the one who ran your labyrinth?"
"The very same. She was the one who told me about Adella. I need to go back and find out what happened."
"Jareth no. You should stay here. You should be the one to tell her brother and be here as we start her mourning. She was to be your wife after all."
"I will be here for the mourning. But I can't. Not yet. I need to know what happened."
Amir sighed before looking out the window. "There is still most of the day Aboveground for the solstice. I can't stop you from going. But please be back before it ends, I don't want you to be trapped."
Jareth nodded before working on heading back Above to go find Sarah. He flew to the house he's been to before and landed on a tree branch outside her old room. As luck would have it, Sarah was sitting on the bed, holding a small bottle of some form.
He let out an owl screech, and watched as Sarah jumped and dropped the bottle on the floor before turning to look at him out the window. "Why are you here?" she whispered. He took that as an invitation and flew into her room before shifting back.
"I need you to tell me what happened to Adella." Jareth answered back as he sat down next to Sarah.
Sarah quickly jumped up and moved to the otherside of the room. "I don't have to tell you anything. You're not even real. Something I just made up long ago to handle the stress of my parents divorce, my dad remarrying, and having a new brother. And you showing up now is probably because my best friend just 're not real, so just go away!" She then ran from the room.
Jareth sighed before seeing her running out through the window of her room. He quickly flew after her and followed her to the park. He saw her sit down by a stream and cautiously he approached her. When she didn't get up or scream at him again, he sat down next to her.
"I am very real Sarah, but choose what you want to believe. But something happened to my friend and from my understanding your friend as well. Please, just tell me."
"If I tell you, will you stop following me and leave me alone?" she whispered, not looking at him. When he didn't respond, she took a breath, "She was hit by a car early this morning. She was walking me home, when this car swerved and ran into her." Jareth turned and watched the sunrise with Sarah, both sitting in silence as they let sink in that Adella was really gone.
"Sarah?!" someone yelled, causing both to turn and see a woman running over towards them. "Thank goodness, Sarah, you scared me. When I got up this morning and you were gone…I know you are an adult now but don't run off like that."
"I'm sorry Irene, I needed some air." Sarah said and she stood up, Jareth following suit.
Irene turned and looked at Jareth. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met?"
"No ma'am. My name is Jareth. I'm a…a friend of Sarah's."
Sarah stood in shock. Did Irene just speak to Jareth?
"Jareth? Sarah's never mentioned you before, you must be a new friend then. Sarah? Are you alright?" Irene placed a hand on Sarah's shoulders, bringing her out of her state of shock.
"Yes? No? I don't know. I think I might need to sit down for a few more minutes."
"You go ahead dear. Having a friend with you, I feel a little better about you. Take some more time. Why don't you bring your friend with you when you are ready and I will fix you up with some breakfast if you are up to eating." Irene gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze before turning back to Jareth. "It's nice meeting you, I do hope you stop by later. It's nice to know Sarah has another friend right now."
Sarah turned to Jareth after Irene walked away and just stared at him. Jareth crossed his arms, "It's rude to stare, Sarah."
"You're real?"
"I said I was."
