ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you Xelena I LOVE your reviews. Those long ones were interesting. I had to re-read the chapters to follow along with what you said. Thanks I really appreciated it and to tell you the truth I wanted to get this one out so I could thank you.
You may read now.
She woke with a jerk and her attention flew to the pain on her arms. Looking to her shoulders she saw the tiny blood stains through the shirt. 'Crap.' She thought irrelevantly. She cracked a smile at the various forms of her friends on the floor. Changing into something skimpy, to keep cool, but still with sleeves she moved down the stairs. Digging through the supplies left in the grocery bags and glancing into the fridge she grinned. 'I'm no chef but I can cook better than any of them.' She thought confidently. Quietly pulling things out for the large and delicious breakfast.
He'd been watching her for the last few nights. She had not hesitated in telling her friends. And they had all jumped at the chance to 'protect' her. She hadn't slept, she drank plenty of cough-he and what she called soda. They frowned whenever she popped a few white tablets in her mouth but said nothing of it. They let her sleep for no more than a half hour at a time. Not near long enough for him to entrap her in her dreams. She was doing just as she had promised. Fighting him tooth and nail, using every dirty trick that she knew of, or more to the point, could think of and create.
'My cunning mortal, you prove to me at every turn that you are suited to me.' Though he was growing worried over her weakening body. It was one thing when she defied him, but her harming herself in the process was not something he wanted her to do. She was growing pale and her usual charm and wit was practically non-existent.
And when her friends for some reason or another were occupied he wasted no time in appearing at Sarah's side. She had been brushing her hair and took a moment to register his presence. "Go away."
"Go to sleep."
"Nope." She sounded drunk even though he knew she was not. She needed rest badly if she wasn't even standing to argue with him. "Dun wanna." Not wasting the breath to fight her on this he pulled her to her feet and against him. She began to struggle with the strength of a babe. Dragging her to her bed he let himself fall onto it. Sarah at his side, both arms pinning her upper torso to the mattress and one leg pinning her legs he soon forced her not to move. A silence wall was placed around her room and in that way he assured himself that there would be no interruptions this time. "Get off! Help!" She screamed trying to throw him off her. Considering her weakened state, and that he weighed more than she could possibly imagine, she didn't have a prayer in succeeding. Freeing one hand he felt no qualms in casting a spell to force her into a slumber, resting his palm over her eyes he heard her dieing threats and then nothing. Lifting his palm he noted the sudden lack of fight in keeping her pinned. Stroking a few strands of hair off her face he froze when she moved closer to him. Blinking for a moment he learned yet another thing about her, she liked to snuggle.
Really he should have figured it out earlier. She was nearly always resting on the side of her friends. Human contact was something she thrived on, and just being able to touch made her content. What had it been like when she was alone at his castle? Shifting her weight slightly he found himself in the position that he had torn her from when at her party. She, burrowed into his side and using his arm as a pillow. Magicing the blanket to his hand he tucked it in around her. She looked so peaceful in her sleep that if he hadn't known better he would have thought her innocent when awake. But he did know better. She was Sarah; she had her dark secrets, her shadows. And would willingly sacrifice herself for another. She was iron, poison to any Fae, but he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. She was iron by spirit, but also needed the support of others to remind her that she indeed was worth something.
Closing his eyes he bean to push into her mind, he would not bring her to a place of his choice this time. Only see what lay in her dreams. Opening his eyes he saw a stage set up and a trio of women singing. A younger version of the Nicky girl was next to a bald man. Slowly the singing man's voice drifted away and a young girl's took its place.
"So for all of hour of smiles family. This is Bert Nealy saying. Hey! Oval man hey daperdan you both got your style!" Looking to the tiny singer he noted she looked no more than seven.
"Why am I not surprised that you're here?" Turning he saw his Sarah move to his side.
"Why do you dream of this?" He had a split second to wonder if she would answer before she shrugged.
"Fond memory I guess. The fact that I was watching the movie earlier today has nothing to do with it I'm sure."
"A memory then? Where are you then?" He expected her to be in the audience. She pointed to the pint-sized singer and noted that she was the smallest of all the children. She was using the foot of a girl as a voice magnifier.
"I was too young for the lead role but just right for her, not bad. I had solos in two of the songs and I had fun. I met Nicky and Suzette in this production." Her tone was fond and he could tell with only a glance that she was happy on that stage. He eyes shown and she glowed beneath the artificial light. "Of course, this is the before shot of what I was like."
The question of 'before what?' was on the tip of his tongue, but her darkening eyes foretold of memories she chose not to acknowledge. But as her thoughts brushed against the dark memories, the world around them began to blur.
"What's going on?" She tired to grip the wall but it vanished as she touched it.
"You thought of something else, now it's becoming your dream." He exclaimed. Instead her hands flew to her face.
"No!" It was too late. Soon he saw only a slightly older Sarah, standing near her mother and clinging to the elder woman that Sarah would grow to resemble so.
"No mommy! Please don't go!" If the action wouldn't have been pointless he would have harmed the woman when she raised her hand and struck the child. Sarah fell to the floor and she looked to her younger self in pain and understanding.
"Let go of me you brat. I'm not going to take you with me and I am not going to stay in this dump." The words were said with the utmost contempt.
"But mommy." She started, cradling her face with her small hand. "I-I love you." The sound of heartbreak was in her voice and a glance at Sarah told him she had gone cold. She was glaring at the woman that was her mother, but didn't move.
"You don't know what love is!" The woman snapped, gathering her belongings as she spoke. "No one loves you Sarah. I don't and I doubt your father ever did either. You're worthless and you were a mistake." The girl stepped back as if she had received another blow. A moment later and her mother walked out the door. The scene changed again and it showed A Sarah at the age of fourteen.
"It's a waste of money and my time!" Karen shouted as Sarah stormed the woman's heels.
"Your time. When the hell do you ever do anything about it. Daddy pays for it and I get myself there. Don't bullshit me Karen." Sarah received a slap and a thin scrape from Karen's nails left a trail of blood.
"Watch your mouth little girl. I married your father but I would sooner do without you." Karen gave a cruel smile. "Besides, you wouldn't want to upset me. I am with a child after all. And this one will be loved." A low blow. "Go to your room. I'll call you for dinner."
"I won't be coming." Sarah stated, tears in her voice but none in her eyes. "I hope you rot in hell Karen and that you give birth to a goblin." Turning she began to stop up her stairs. Sarah sent a glare to the newly pregnant woman and began to follow herself up to her room. Jareth noted that there was a completely different look to the room from the one he knew. And that there were bars on the window. The young Sarah began to pound away at her pillow. Screaming obscenities and trying not to be too destructive in her rage.
"Make it stop, please." Sarah whispered, looking away. Even he wasn't cruel enough to force her to relive more. A happy dream would stay as was. But nightmares and bad memories were avalanches. Trigger one and the rest would follow. Ending the spell he opened his eyes to meet her room as it was in the present. Beside him Sarah jerked to life.
Took me long enough I know. But to be truthful I just didn't feel like writing. But I do at the moment and I have the time to do it in so PLEASE review. Thanks again to all those who do and yes I read them. The info at the top should make that noticeable.
~BUM~