Disclaimer: I own nothing from Labyrinth

Chapter 36: Fever

When Sarah awoke it was dark, as soon as she noticed this she immediately attempted to sit up but was restrained by Jareth who was laying beside her in the darkness.

"Hush my love, go back to sleep. You have a fever Sarah, but you have already been given something for it. Now try to get some more rest."

Sarah let Jareth's soothing voice and the coolness of his hands upon her fevered body lull her back into slumber.

When she was asleep once more Jareth sighed and looked at her features in the darkness. Her face was beaded in sweat and tendrils of her dark hair were plastered to her forehead and cheeks. She was pale, but her face was lit up by the redness of her cheeks.

Jareth turned from her to reach for the cloth he was soaking in cold water beside the bed, and after wringing it out slightly he wiped her face with it before folding it and resting on her forehead hoping to alleviate some of the heat her body was consumed with. When he was sure she once asleep once more he stood and paced the room, muttering to himself as he went.

"She shouldn't be ill…there's no cause that I can think of. I hope Lilah gets here soon…I hope she knows something about this. Oh Sarah I wish I could help you. I just wish I knew what was wrong with you my love, I want to take the pain away…"

He continued in this way for some time until he heard voices in the hall outside the room he had been sharing with Sarah for the past few months. He paused to listen and soon recognized his sister's voice among the commotion. Jareth glanced at Sarah one more time and after assuring himself she would be fine along for a moment he vanished from the room appearing in the midst of several goblins and his sister Lilah.

"What is going on out here?" he asked, his voice booming over the others surrounding him.

The goblins all paused in what they were doing, one or two of them falling over they had been so startled.

"Get out, all of you," he snarled at the goblins staring at him. They stood there a moment longer before they all scurried off to different sections of the castle, very far away from their sovereign

"Jareth, thank the gods. I was trying to find them, but those goblins, useless creatures that they are seemed to be having a problem understanding me. Now, where is she?"

The goblin king led his sister into the door they were nearest too and Lilah rolled her eyes after realizing just how close she had been to finding them. When they entered Jareth created a crystal and after throwing it into the air it disappeared leaving behind a soft glow of light, quite like candle light.

"Jareth will you tell me what's happened already, all I know is what your message said, that Sarah is ill and you haven been unable to heal her. Now I know you are a capable healer, so why can't you aid her?"

Jareth turned to look at his sibling and closed his eyes in despair. "I don't know my sister. I've tried drawing the cause out of her body, and I have searched for a cause within her but have found nothing. Her temperature is rising and I am truly worried. Lilah, I don't know what to do to help her."

Lilah put a comforting arm around her brother for a moment before drawing away. "You said she has a high fever, does she have any other symptoms?"

Jareth looked thoughtful before replying. "She has been tired a lot lately. She's been retiring earlier and waking later than is usual for her. This afternoon she told me she felt tired so she went to take a nap. I was sure something more was wrong and when I came to check on her a few hours later she was deeply asleep and drenched in sweat with a fever that was still rising. The fever seems to have leveled out for now, but it's much too high for her body to handle. She has woken, but only once and only briefly."

"Anything else Jareth? I need to know."

"Well her appetite has been slightly less than normal. Other than that she complained of a headache a day or two ago but she only mentioned it once and then let the matter rest."

Lilah rubbed her temples for a moment before speaking again. "Jareth do you mind if I take a look?"

"Of course not."

She made her way over to the bed and looked at the young woman lying there. Sarah was lying almost perfectly still, except for the shallow rise and fall of her chest with each breath she took. Lilah lay the back of her hand against Sarah's forehead and quickly drew it back. "Gods Jareth, you weren't kidding about her burning up. That's just not right, she is much too hot. We need to try to cool her down. Fill a bath with ice and cold water. We'll submerge her body and it will hopefully break her fever. If not, I don't know what to do. I'll send a message home and have someone look for illnesses that can occur here with these symptoms, particularly if there any that attack mortals who reside here. As much as I doubt there will be anything since mortals never stay here very long, we can still try."

Lilah entered the bathroom and checked the bath while Jareth lifted Sarah into his arms and carried her in. When he was standing beside both the bath and Lilah he looked between them until Lilah nodded her head at him. He resigned himself to doing this to his beloved; after all, it could save her life. He quickly lowered his arms into the freezing water and Sarah barely stirred.

"Lilah?"

"Jareth that is not normal. She should be thrashing about, the temperature difference between her body and the water is so vast that she should have woken with the shock and attempted to get out." She pressed her hand to Sarah's forehead once more, and looked to her brother worriedly. "Jareth, it's barely made a difference."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you touching any of her skin under the water?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm not."

"Well try and move so that you are and tell me what you feel?"

Jareth moved one hand out from underneath her and touched her arm which was hanging, lifeless, in the icy water. "It's still hot. I can feel the heat emanating from her body even under the water."

"I've sent word to my home brother. Leave her in there a little longer, hopefully it will force her temperature down at least a few degrees. All we can do other than that right now, is wait I'm afraid. I'm going to retire to my usually rooms Jareth. If you need me just call. Oh and don't leave her there too long, even if her temperature doesn't lessen it is dangerous to leave her in there for too long a time. Goodnight brother, try to get some rest yourself."

She left the bathroom and Jareth heard the bedroom door close behind her.

xxx

After a time Jareth removed her from the tub and had her instantly in dry clothing, as well as drying himself off. He then lay her on the bed and after a moment he sat down beside her. Jareth then pulled her into his arms and rested her against his chest. He fell asleep like this and Sarah still did not stir.

xxx

AN: Thanks for the reviews, I'll update when I can. Leave me a pressie on ya way out please.