A/N: I know, it's been years, I decided to pull the sequel into this story and just make it one long one. I finally wrote the last chapter just so I could wrap this up for yall. Thank you to everyone that has read this or has been waiting for it to be finished. I reread it all and I personally just want to crawl under my desk and die from how my writing was. But all that means is that I have seen growth in myself and my ability to weave mental getaways for myself and others. Enjoy this last chapter. Let me know how you feel about it. Also, let me know if you would like for me to write you all a spicy scene for giggles. Again, love you all, and thank you for coming on this journey with Kaye and me as we both got over past trauma.
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Jareth sat unmoving in his bed, his hand resting on Kaye's forehead as she lay unresponsive next to him.
Daisy sighed as she cleaned up the supplies she had been using to see to the pair. It had been a week of nothing, no movement, no words, no signs of life other than their breathing. Draco let out a whine as he put his head up to bump Kaye's fingers with his nose.
"I know boy. She'll come back, they both will." She said, looking at them with sadness. "They have to."
/././.
She was lost. After running away from Sarah she had been walking through a desert. No trees, no clouds, no wind, just the same sick yellow-tinted light. At first, she called and called for Jareth, for Chase or Chance. Every name of every person she had met passed her lips but to no avail.
Her life has been nonstop for the past few weeks. She was trying so hard to figure out what was real and what tricks were played on her mind. The cold and owl in the storm showed her that everything that had happened with Jareth had been real. She just didn't know if the thing with Sarah had been.
But now, she didn't know. She couldn't tell if this was in her head or if she was in a different place or ground as they seemed to call them. Kaye let out a frustrated yell as she started kicking the sand at her feet.
"I. Just. Want. To. Be. Happy. I. Want. Jareth. To. Be. Happy." She screamed as she kicked before lifting her head to the sky and letting out a scream from her heart.
"Let it out, baby." A female voice said from behind her. Kaye let out a scream of fear and surprise as she turned around quickly.
"Where did you come from?" Kate asked, looking around to still see nothing but desert.
The woman gestured in front of them and started walking. Kaye looked at the woman's hair that was braided down her back, unable to help but notice that it matched her own. She quickly moved after her, still glancing around to be sure other people weren't around.
"I'm glad to hear you letting out your inner voice."
"Um... thank you? ... uh. If you don't mind, who are you and do you know where we are?" Kaye asked, her brow furrowed as she studied the woman's face thinking she looked familiar.
"Who I am is not important. And currently, we are in your mind. Well, part of it."
"My mind?"
"Yes, this is where your inner peace should be. Where your magic can grow and shape and recharge."
"But... it's so..."
"Empty? Yes, I see."
"I have to be honest ma'am. I'm lost here."
"Your inner peace reflects what you feel you deserve. You've been beaten down and trampled on for so long that you gave up. But with finding your mate and people that care for you.-" The woman kneeled down and moved sand with her hand, small blades of grass popping up, "-you're starting to care again. To see your worth."
Kaye kneeled down as well and ran her fingertips over the grass, smiling as she felt a thrum of power.
"You're locked in here against your will, but it's been a good learning moment for you. You need to care for yourself so your magic can grow. SO your elfin blood can florish. Eternity is a long time is your magic is dead."
Kaye looked up at her, her eyes wide.
"Eternity?"
"If you so choose. If you stay Underground and bond with the fae male, you must embrace your elf blood. In doing so you take on our immortality."
"That's a huge decision to make out of the blue," Kaye told her honestly, causing the woman to laugh.
"Oh, you are correct on that."
Kaye felt her face flush as she moved more of the sand to find small clovers.
"But you already know how you feel for your mate and you've now experienced what it would be like to go back to the Aboveground, to go with your human side and stay in this place for your inner peace. To lose your magic and all those you've grown to care for."
Kaye bit her lip as she listened to the logic the woman was laying. They stayed that way, moving sand to expose small plants as they went. It felt like they had been there for days as Kaye pondered the answer to which side she wished to be on.
"How do I get back to him?" Kaye finally asked as she revealed a small sapling in the sand. The woman looked up at her with a large smile before taking her hand gently in her own.
"That's all you needed my daughter."
Kaye's eyes widened at this before she heard thunder rumbling in the distance as a blissful wind stirred her hair.
"I'm your..."
"Shh, I'm sorry we had to leave you, but we were exposed and had no choice. I'm glad I was able to see how you've grown and to help you."
"Kaye?" Jareth's voice carried to her, causing her to look over her shoulder in his direction.
"Go, my baby. Go be happy."
Kaye turned to see the woman was now gone, a set of moon-shaped pendants left in her hand.
"Kaye?!"
She quickly stood, careful not to trample the plants before running toward his voice.
"Jareth!" She yelled, her feet slipping on the sand, her heart feeling as though it was going to burst from her chest.
"Kaye!"
She suddenly found herself in his arms, her body being crushed into his as he placed kisses on her hair and all over her face as she cried and laughed, clinging to him for dear life.
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let you go. I'm so sorry, it's all my fault." Jareth repeated over and over as he kissed her.
"It was my idea. You did nothing wrong." Kaye told him, lifting her face to kiss his lips to stop his apologies.
"I'll never let you be in such danger again." He vowed, taking her face in his hands.
"You can't guarantee that nor do I want to be shielded at all times. I want to be with you, to stand next to you, to be your equal. if you'll have me."
Jareth studied her face as she spoke. She had come to her own and was growing stronger and more confidant, and as she did, so grew his love with her. As he thought this Kaye's face lit up into the most beautiful smile.
"Are you feeling my emotions little elf?"
Kaye laughed as she nodded, a blush on her face.
"Can't help it, your emotions are so strong."
"Well give me a chance to show them to you. To say them to you. Come home with me."
Kaye nodded, too overwhelmed to speak.
The couple had awoken the next moment, causing Daisy quite the fright. Everyone rushed to see their friend who had been gone for weeks as well as their king. The goblins rushing to throw a party to welcome them back. After quite a long time of everyone coming in to see them, Daisy finally put her foot down. Telling them that they needed to eat and bathe and have some time to themselves and kicked everyone out.
"Jareth," Kaye said softly as she picked at the piece of bread in her hands. They were currently sitting at the window sill looking over the labyrinth. Her back pressed against his chest.
"Mmm." He acknowledged her as he ate a strawberry from the tray next to them.
"When I was in my inner peace. I think I met my mom. My real one. She helped me come to terms with a lot."
"Oh?" He asked, curious but not sure how much she wished to reveal to him about it.
"Yeah, she gave me two moon pendants, they feel like the pendant you gave me." She told him, pulling the necklaces from a pocket in her sleeping gown.
"I believe you are right. I've seen elves wear things similar to this." Jareth told her softly.
"And Chase had said I have to give you one to be considered seriously as your correct?"
"Not to me but to other fea yes."
"But... would you... um... would you like the match? I want you to have it. If you want-" Kaye stopped rambling as Jareth took both from her, placing one about her neck causing the pendants to clink together. She watched as he placed the second one about his neck, the moon fitting perfectly into his crescent-shaped one.
Jareth leaned down so his lips brushed softly against her ear.
"And when you're back to full health I can show you how to complete the mate bond." He whispered, causing her to burn a bright red as his laughter filled the room.
