Unshakable Bond

Author's Note: Okay faithful readers. This is the last chapter. I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Ripper101, I know you wanted me to continue this for a while, but I felt this was a good place to end it. Though I did include more reference to the bond all of them share. Hope you all enjoy.

"Here's to what?"

"How about dreams and self worth."

They all looked at Sam and smiled. They raised their glasses of cider and repeated, "To dreams and self worth.

Sam observed the smiling faces of her family and friends as they spread out, starting individual conversations. It had been a month since she last saw Jareth but, she still held his gift close to her heart. It is amazing how just a few dreams altered her life and those ofthe people around her. Sam and her parents had a long overdue discussion and worked things out. They had promised to be honest and open with each other. Soon after Toby proposed to Nancy, which of course she gladly accepted. Sarah just had her book published and Sam was heading to college in two weeks. There were lots of things to celebrate.

Sam sat down next to Cindy, who was talking with Toby and his bride to be. "So, have you two set a date, yet," her friend asked them, inquisitively.

"Well," Nancy answered, "we decided to hold off on the date till after we get our degrees."

"Won't that be hard to do," she prodded.

"Yeah," Toby answered, "but my little Binky Boo is worth it."

"So are you Cuddle Bunny," Nancy said, as she nuzzled his neck.

"Oh God. Excuse me Cuddle Bunny, Binky Boo, Cindy Lou, I am going to blow chunks."

Sam patted her best friend's shoulder and sauntered off. As she walked she heard Cindy say," So, Toby, are you excited about getting a speaking part in that movie?" Sam could hear her desperation to change the subject even from where she was standing.

Sam went into the living room and spotted her parents talking to Mr. and Mrs. Dunmeyer. Her Dad's old college friends had just arrived that day from Maine, along with their nineteen year old son, Jeff.. Considering she hadn't spoken to him much, all she knew was that he was going into his sophomore year at NYU. He was majoring in psychology, minoring in astronomy, and looked great in jeans. Oh, yes, he was definitely easy on the eyes, He had dark wavy hair, brown eyes, and a warm smile. All this was attached to a lanky, though not skinny, 6'2" frame.

Sam put down the glass she was holding on an in table and approached her Mother. Her eyes searched the room as she said, "Excuse me, Mom, do you know where Sarah is?"

"Yeah, honey, I think she is on the patio."

Sam nodded her head in thanks just before shyly smiling at Jeff who was standing next to his Dad. His eyes caught her's and held them innocently as well as sensually. Sam nearly tripped as she backed up from the intense gaze. She snuck glances at both sets of parents, hoping they hadn't noticed the exchange. The two Mothers looked amused, thankfully, neither Father noticed, who were conversing about the good old days. Sam slowly turned around and walked toward the patio, striving to walk with her Jell-O, like legs.

Sarah looked up at the clear, night sky, wishing her head was that clear. Ever since that fateful night last month, she couldn't get her sister's words out of her head. It's never to late, she had said. She looked down at the photo in her hand, wondering if that statement came from a naïve youth, or a knowledgeable one. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sliding door open. She turned around to find her sister stepping out onto the concrete. Sarah could see right away that her sister was in seventh heaven, her eyes were soft and her skin glowed.

Her cheery mood changed however, as she approached Sarah. She walked toward her slowly, as if coming upon a startled animal. Neither one spoke as Sam leaned her elbows on the railing next to her sister.

"So, you are heading off to college, becoming a real big shot, aren't you," Sarah teased.

"Me, am I the one who just got her tenth book published, oneamong several bestsellers." Sam smiled at her sister when her gaze dropped to Sarah's hand.

Sarah noticed this and tried to conceal the revealing photo.

"Sarah, I didn't realize you still had that picture."

Sarah, handed the picture over to her sister's waiting hand, knowing trying to hide it would be useless. It was a picture of her entire family on her wedding day, a day she had tried many times to forget. Sam and Toby had just been kids at the time, but they sensed the uncertainty in Sarah long before that day had arrived. Sarah had tried to ignore those feelings of doubt but, she found it a challenge, considering her younger siblings kept hounding her. The common question had been, are you sure you want to marry him Sarah? She always answered in the positive, but she had lied not only to them, but to herself.

Sam looked intently at the photograph, noticing that their smiles did not reach their eyes. It was like they had all known what the outcome of that marriage would be.

"I tried, Sam," Sarah said, quietly.

"What?" Sam turned to her sister, the picture forgotten.

Sam was startled to see that Sarah had tears in her eyes. Sam stood in stunned silence as Sarah continued.

"I tried to make it work, Sam. I really did. He was such a wonderful man. He was intelligent, warm, dependable, and so funny. He always knew what to say to make me laugh. The problem was, I loved him, but I wasn't in love with him. I fooled myself into thinking that I could fall in love with him, in time. It only lasted two years, but the funny thing was, it wasn't so obvious that we had problems. I mean we never fought, we seemed content enough, I had my life and he had his. That was the problem Sam," Sarah paused as she wiped fallen tears away from her face.

"We didn't have a life. We had gone down separate paths for so long that we didn't realize we had been over for a long time. It was quite ironic that I had been the uncertain one and Brad left me. I tried, Sam, I really did try."

Sam placed her hand on Sarah's, her eyes full of sympathy.

"Sarah, there is no doubt in my mind that you tried. I wouldn't expect any less of you. You are the kindest person I know. You were just troubled, that seems to be a reoccurring theme in our family," Sam finished, trying to end it on a lighter note.

Sarah chuckled, in spite of her dreary mood. The light of the moon hit Sam's shirt, revealing a top button had come loose. Sarah reached a hand over to fix it when she noticed something shiny around her neck. Not knowing what possessed her she lifted it out from Sam's shirt, who had not tried to stop her.

"The necklace," Sarah said, as if she recognized it.

"How did you know?" Sam looked puzzled to see recognition in Sarah's eyes.

"I don't know, and yet I do. He gave it to you that night, didn't he?"

"Yes, but I don't think it was meant for just me, Sarah. These stars represent us. I think Toby and I are your connection to Jareth. He told me from the moment I met him the bond that the three of youshared was complete. I think I was meant to call him, Sarah. For more than one reason."

The wheels in Sarah's head turned at Sam's last statement. A sudden thought came to her.

"Sam, don't you remember what Mom told you about her pregnancy with you?"

"Well, I do remember her always telling me I was her little miracle, but I don't recall her telling me why."

"Sam, about a year before you were born, the doctor had told her she wouldn't be able to have anymore children. Karen was told she was no longer fertile. When the doctor discovered Karen was pregnant with you, she was perplexed. She had said in the twenty years she had practiced medicine, she hadn't seen anything like it."

Sam slowly drank in what she had been told. All the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place.

"I knew from the moment I held you how special you were. You were meant to be Sam. You are the final link that binds us all." Sarah gulped, knowing she just admitted something she hadn't wanted to. Sam had been right.

"Sarah, promise me that we will always be able to talk like this."

Sarah hugged her sister and whispered, "always."

Sam tucked her necklace back under her shirt. Sensing that Sarah needed some time to meditate, she pulled away and said, "I think I am going to find Cindy. She is probably about ready to strangle herself with her own hair with all that Binky Boo, Cuddle Bunny crap."

Sarah smiled as Sam walked toward the door. "Sarah," she turned toward Sam as she said, "the way forward is sometimes the way back." Sam smiled slightly as she turned and entered the house, leaving Sarah alone.

Once inside, Sam looked around.Spotting her brother, she walked toward him. She was surprised that Nancy wasn'tglued to him.

"Hey, big brother, what's up?"

"I was looking for Sarah."

"Yeah, she's outside, looking at the moon, she needed some alone time, I guess."

"She's okay." Toby stated this oddly as fact, rather than a question.

"She always was," Sam replied.

Toby looked at his sister with a new respect. His little sister was growing up. He put an arm around her shoulder and said, "I love you shrimp."

Sam laughed and said, "Right back at ya, string bean."

Toby and Sam entered the living room. When Toby saw Nancy he squeezed Sam's arm gently and headed over to her, leaving Sam to scan the room. She spotted Cindy talking to Jeff. She found it odd that Cindy wasn't flirting with him the way she did with every other guy. Sam took a deep breath and approached them, noticing a plotting smile on her friend's face.

"Sam, we were just talking about you," Cindy said innocently.

Yeah, I bet you were. Sam smiled as she started to make friends with Jeff Dunmeyer.

Back On the Patio

Sarah gave the moon one last adoring glance. She realized her family was probably missing her so, she turned to go inside. Though, not before she saw a beautiful, barn owl flying in the sky toward that amazing, silver moon. Sarah smiled in wonder as she went into the house to be with the family she loved.

The End

Another Author's Note: I just wanted to thank everyone for reviewing over the past few months. A special thanks to Ripper101 for being there through the long haul. Every review helped me improve my writing, so thanks once again to all of you. I will be posting an epilogue, for those who want a little more info on what happens to everyone. And for those who enjoy a more mysterious ending, can stop here. It's entirely your choice. Until next time.