Okay, I know you guys r going, 'she updated again? In one week? Yeah, its just that I'm sick with the flu, watching Bridget Jones's Diary 3 times in a row (that actually implicates the story late on- BLUE SOUP!) and playing knowledge adventure games that I got from maccas- they're actually pretty good. I have third grade- a testament to my dad who actually remembered (originally) which grade I was in (at the time, I was in year 4, so he got me that game for my birthday, then we realised that it was way too hard for me, so mum exchanged it.).

I haven't done one of these for a while, but I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT RAMONA AND FENRIR AND JOLUNGUS AND FORTUNA AND THE HEALER CHICK!

Elenea Galad- Glad you enjoyed it

Queen of the Damned Lily- I'm glad YOU like it, too

Calendae- hopefully I will

LODOWN- I think our good old j will take good care of her.

SlilverWing02- Nah, I won't. sigh, I hate comedy when I'm doing it. Sopies, that's what I'm good at, got an a, best mark in the class.

Lady of the Labyrinth- hello me. Yes it is cool I can do that. IM NUTS!

LabyLvrPhx- yeah, its spring here now- who gets sick when its spring and there are freaking thunderstorms every other night? I ask you? I also gave it to my bf, so I feel like the worstest friend in the galaxy.

Obsessor of inuyasha- um, yeah. Congrats, I could understand that review!

TwinTiger- oooh, a newie. U were attracted by all them snazzy reviews, huh? I guess I got tired with sarah being an incomprehensible little brat and Jareth just lying back and taking it. I LIKE JARETH THE REBEL!

Bobmcbobbob1- easy;

girl meets boy,

girl befriends boy coz he is new kid,

boy turns out to be jerk- but jerk with good fashion sense and really funny reflexes (when I pulled his hair out, he made the funniest noises, soon all my friends were doing it!) and also was a wimp (when he got beaten up –my cousin helped- he was really scared),

girl tells boy to go screw himself,

boy doesn't get message

And then he just keeps on being all kiss-arsey

Mordy Rahl- ? um, with the aardvark thing… actually I did! His mum is a huge bitch! I hate her! she can die! Thanx, my mate and I r going to a huge Halloween festival tonight on the gold coast! Go us!

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Chapter 25

'It's nice that you care'

Sarah opened the shop door and went in to wait at the shiny counter. Before too long, a pretty little dwarf came up to her and stood up on a stepladder behind the counter.

'Yes? How may I help you?' asked the dwarf, presumably Fortuna.

'I'm here to see Fortuna about some work,' said Sarah boldly.

'Well you have come to the right place, my Lady,' said the dwarf. 'I am Fortuna. And what kind of work are you interested in?'

Sarah shifted her armful of material and pushed it onto the counter. 'I need some curtains and bedding made from this material and the lady in the stall down the street recommended you.'

Fortuna laughed. 'That Porche, she dolls me up so. But I am reputed to be the best, no matter what I do. So, where are the measurements?'

Sarah blinked. 'I knew there was something I'd forgotten! The measurements! That is, I forgot to take them,' she added sheepishly. 'But I can just get my friend…' Sarah looked around for Hoggle but he seemed to have disappeared.

'Do you mean that dwarf outside?' asked Fortuna helpfully.

Sarah looked out the window and saw that Hoggle standing outside facing the street. She turned back to Fortuna. 'I'll be right back,' she said and she went outside. 'What are you doing out here Hoggle?'

Hoggle rocked on the balls of his feet, still staring at the cobblestones of the street. 'That Fortuna…she's a lovely gal.' Hoggle sighed dreamily. 'Very pretty. Funny. Smart.'

'Uh, huh. Stop now before you hurt yourself. You like her!' she teased and poked Hoggle in the chest.

'Do not!' said Hoggle, swatting at her with the reel of material he was still holding. 'And don't poke me!'

'Yeah you do!' said Sarah. 'How did you meet her?'

'We met at the F.S.S., the Fairy Spraying Society. She comes to the meetings on the weekends', said Hoggle.

'Okay, this is what we're going to do: I'm going to go up to the castle and get the measurements for my curtains and all that and you are going to go in, put my material on the counter and talk to that interesting lady inside. No buts!' said Sarah, holding up her hand just as Hoggle was about to protest. She pushed Hoggle into the shop. 'Be brave!' she whispered to him and she slipped out the door and made her frequently-getting-lost-and-needing-to-ask-for-directions way up to the castle.

Hoggle swallowed nervously. 'Hello.'

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It had only taken about fifteen minute for Jareth, Ramona and Legolas to organise a search party comprising mostly of the goblin army, a few fey, a dozen dryads and three drunken dwarves. A few dryads were already searching the markets discreetly to save the entire band going down into the city and freaking the townspeople out. Everyone was unanimous on that respect; the suspected abduction of Sarah Williams was to remain within the castle walls.

Jareth was stalking around the throne room, which was where he had set the search party up. He couldn't keep still so he strode about the room, yelling at anyone that

'WE SHOULDN'T BE WASTING TIME! WE SHOULD BE OUT THERE ARLREADY!'

Legolas went over to him. 'We just need to wait a bit longer. We need to study the magical fields around your kingdom's boundaries to see if she's gone beyond your borders-'

'I DON'T CARE! WE SHOULD ALREADY BE OUT THERE!' roared Jareth, cutting him off.

Ramona's patience snapped. She went over to Jareth and slapped him hard across the face. 'Calm down! She's fine! Get a hold of yourself, Muddy-Daks!'

Jareth's face was bright red and had an imprint of Ramona's hand on it, but he wasn't angry. He'd gone beyond angry. 'I told you not to call me that', he said in a low voice.

Ramona gave him a hug to boost his spirits. 'Sarah is perfectly okay, I know she is.'

'Then why can't I see her in my crystals? Where is she?' he asked weakly.

'Hey Jareth.'

Jareth broke away from Ramona and turned around to see that Sarah was in the doorway and was just about to walk down the corridor. She apparently hadn't noticed that everyone in the room was staring at her.

Jareth ran after her and caught her arm. 'Sarah?'

'Hi. I was going to ask you to help me with something but you were… sort of… busy.' Busy is right, hugging Ramona, with her better hair and prettier face and ability to wear dresses with slits, thought Sarah icily. Jealous? No way!

Jareth looked shocked. That's a very strange thing to say if you've just been kidnapped. 'Where have you been?' he asked in a voice harsher than he had meant.

Sarah cringed away from him a bit.

Jareth quickly saw his mistake and rushed to mend his tone. 'I couldn't see you in my crystals. I was worried.'

'I'm okay,' said Sarah carefully.

'Are you sure?' Jareth pressed. 'You haven't spoken to anybody, you don't feel nauseous, you haven't-'

'Jareth, I'm fine! The worst thing that happened to me today was getting lost on the way back from the drapery. I wasn't kidnapped or anything', soothed Sarah, then her brow furrowed. 'But if I'm alright, then why didn't I show up on your crystal?'

'I don't know. The only ways for you not to be shown to me are if you were shielded from me or…' Jareth looked uncomfortable.

'Or what?'

'Dead.'

Sarah's eyebrows rose considerably. 'Oh. Well, I'm not dead, unless being dead is just like being alive, because I don't feel any different to how I felt this morning. I've only been shopping.'

Jareth ran a hand through his hair. This doesn't make sense, he thought, if Sarah's all right, then… is my magic faulty? No, it can't be. 'So what were you going to ask me about?'

'I was going to ask you to help me take the measurements in my room', said Sarah.

That's normal enough. 'Is that all? What else did you buy?'

'I bought this amulet thingy.' Sarah fished her new trinket from under her bodice.

Jareth took it in his gloved hand, making Sarah stagger forward a step as she was still wearing it. 'What's this?'

'It's a protection amulet. The gem is rare and powerful. And it's in an owl claw, which reminded me of you.'

Jareth looked at her and the corner of his mouth tweaked into a smile. He looked down at the amulet again. 'At least I'll know you'll be safe while you're wearing this if even I can't track you.'

Sarah put the amulet back under her dress. 'So you were planning a search party for me? Is that why half the town is in the throne room?'

'Yes.'

'And now you have a lot of explaining to do?'

Jareth groaned. 'Yes.'

'Well, it looks to me like all this mess would have been avoided if you weren't trying to spy on me', said Sarah sagely.

'I… uh, just wanted to make sure you were alright,' said Jareth guiltily.

Sarah smiled warmly. 'It's nice that you care.'

Jareth felt a tiny blush on his cheeks. He conjured his riding crop and twirled it in his fingers. 'Which measurements do you need?'

'My curtains and my bedspread.'

'Done.' Jareth waved his free hand and a parchment with tidy writing on it appeared. He gave it to Sarah and she checked the numbers. Nothing was missed.

'Thankyou', she said. She took the list and disappeared down the hall.

Jareth looked after her, then took in a deep breath and prepared to enter the throne room. He ready did have a lot of explaining to do.

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