Jareth kept her in the Above, watching over her as she recovered from what he called a "power flare". He seldom left her side, and when he did, he left Pan to keep watch over her. It took a few days before she regained her equilibrium, after which her lover spent the next several weeks teaching her how to not draw power from the land without meaning to. She still had occasional problems with it, especially when her passions ran high or she got distracted.

When he finally brought her back, they both discovered that on that side of the veil, her features weren't human any longer. She had the face of a fae woman.

Her fiance hasn't explained that, yet. He stated he was still doing research on the matter the last time she'd been there. She knew he'd keep working on it until he had an answer, so she decided she shouldn't worry about it. She had other concerns. Her commencement was rapidly approaching and thanks to Jareth's assistance with her studies, she passed her exams with flying colors.

Her studies, however, were far from over, and she knew it. Once her exams were completed in her world, Jareth took her back to the Underground, where she spent hours pouring over what she'd need to know so she could help him rule his kingdom. Her education would end up being far more abridged than Jareth's had been, and she knew it. So she took every advantage she could get.

She ended up spending a great deal of time with Boann, who had thought that if she was taught entirely by her lover, the necessary studies would be set aside too often.

She needn't have worried.

After spending a weekend in the library with Sarah and Jareth, the former Goblin Queen had decided that it was okay to step back. She'd watched the two work together, sorting correspondence, and when they were focused on their work, nothing could break it. They'd only got distracted once, during a meal break Sarah had to remind Jareth to take. After that weekend, Boann told them she'd be leaving the kingdom for a while, and would return to check in at a later date. When Sarah asked her why, the other queen laughed and stated there was no need at all for her to interfere. She had seen how seriously that both Sarah and Jareth were taking her training, so she didn't think she'd need to worry.

Boann and Nuada came around once a week, instead, checking in with them to make sure that they weren't slacking, and getting to know their future daughter in law better.

When her commencement rolled around, Jareth took her shopping for a dress and found one that pleased them both. It was a simple navy blue dress with a knee length skirt, trimmed in white. She let him spoil her with some simple diamond solitaire earrings as a present for her achievement.

He walked with her to the auditorium, and before she went inside, he drew her close, giving her a lingering kiss, playing with her left hand. She felt him slip her ring off and drew back enough to give him a curious look. He just gave her a broad, mischievous grin and a wink.

"I'll return this to you, later."

She watched him walk away, bemused and suspecting that her lover was planning something, but not having any idea what. He was always planning something, it seemed. Most of the time, it ended up well enough for her, so she didn't object. Her lips curved as she watched him disappear into the crowd, and she headed towards the group of people who had finished their degrees as well.

Tommy was conspicuously absent, but she didn't bother dwelling on him.

She got her robes and mortar board situated, setting her tassel in place. The other, newly minted doctors chatted quietly, waiting for the ceremony to start. They lined up and walked in to accept their certificates when their names were called, and she accepted hers with pride.

Once the final name was called, and the ceremony ended, she and the others stood with their professors for a photograph to commemorate the occasion. Afterwards, she stood there, talking with her teachers, smiling and laughing, feeling happier than she could remember in her life - with one exception. That thought drew a smile to her lips as she remembered Jareth's response to her confession.

"I do hope you're considering the position the school offered you, Dr. Williams," one of the professors said, their voice sincere.

Sarah smiled back at the short professor, biting her lower lip. "I'm still thinking about it. I've been in school for so long, it might be nice to take a bit of a break before I dive in, headfirst."

Besides, she had a feeling that he'd have her hands full with queen training for her new position in the Underground, and that was going to be a long time. She wasn't certain she wanted a job of herding teenagers who had just graduated high school in addition to trying to herd goblins.

"Sarah!"

She turned from the teachers and saw her family heading towards her. Her father and Irene held roses for her, and Toby was grinning from ear to ear, holding Matt and Emily with practiced ease. Mariah stood at his side, looking tired, but smiling at her as well. Her heart stumbled and landed in a heap when she saw Jareth behind them a look of pure mischief in his eyes.

"Congratulations, sweetheart," her father said, giving her a kiss on the forehead as he gave her the rose. Irene wrapped her in a tight hug, giving her kisses on both cheeks and smiling.

"We're so proud of you."

"So, does that mean I have to call you Dr. Williams, now?" Toby asked, grinning at her, and giving her a bit of an elbow to the ribs.

"Technically, you'll be calling her Dr. King," Jareth said, stepping forward, a smug look in his eyes.

Her cheeks flushed red and she looked at him in surprise. He held a bouquet of deep red roses and her heart gave a flutter in her chest. She'd long accepted that he made her stupid heart do things like that. Now that she knew he felt the same about her, she didn't mind so much.

"What?" Irene looked from Jareth to her.

She accepted the roses from him, her cheeks warm. Then, right in front of her teachers and parents and classmates, Jareth dropped to a knee in front of her, and she realized why he needed her ring before the ceremony. She looked down at him in mute surprise, her heart warming as she recognized the consideration that he was giving her family. Tears pricked her eyes and she bit her lip, looking at him in exasperation.

"Dr. Sarah Williams," he said, his voice serious even with the bright mischief in his eyes. "Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

You fraud, she thought, watching as he brought the jewelers box out and flipped it open, showing the ring he'd already given her once. She bit her lower lip, feeling the grin that was pulling on her lips, even as her eyes misted over with tears. She knew she wouldn't be able to give the answer with a straight face, so she buried her face against the roses and nodded, extending her hand to him. He gave her fingers a squeeze and she saw his cheek twitch with restrained laughter.

"Yes," she finally said, keeping her face pressed against the flowers as he slipped the ring over her finger, again. Where it belonged. She'd never admit it, but her finger had felt naked without its weight.

Jareth was getting to his feet when an unwelcome voice broke through her joy.

"Well, well. I guess global warming is real," Tommy sneered from nearby. "Someone finally managed to melt that frigid bitch."

Tommy must not have realized who the people standing near her were, or that her father could hear him as clearly as she could.

Robert Williams's eyes darkened in temper and he turned on his heel and punched Tommy in the face so hard that the young man staggered back, clutching his nose. Sometimes, Sarah forgot that her father was just that - a father, and he wouldn't take someone talking like that about his daughter."

Jareth stood beside her, watching the scene play out with something between delight and dismay. "I don't know if I'm upset that I'm not the one who got to defend your honor or pleased because watching your father punch that pathetic little shitgibbon is extremely satisfying."

"Same," Sarah admitted, holding Jareth's hand and watching as her father straightened.

The older man gave his hand a brief shake, and stood towering over the man, scowling down at him. Tommy just held his cheek, staring at him in stunned rage.

"That's the last time anyone better ever hear you call my daughter a bitch, you pathetic waste of resources," Robert snarled, a furious look on his face. "Because if I ever find out about it, the defamation suit I'll slap you with will make sure you don't ever show your face in public again."

Tommy scrambled to his feet, glaring at Robert with a dark look on his face.

"I'll have my parents sue you for assault!"

Robert whipped out his wallet, pulling out his business card and Sarah released a snort she knew everyone standing in the area heard. She knew what that card said. It was the one he usually handed out at his office, in response to people who threatened to sue him.

Jareth just gave her a perplexed look. Her father side-eyed her as he handed the card to Tommy.

Robert D. Williams | Litigation | (xxx)xxx-xxxx

Tommy looked from the card up to the silver-haired Robert Williams who was still looking down the bridge of his nose at him.

"Do tell your parents that I'll be glad to see them in court," he said, then her father turned to find them all looking at him with wide-eyed surprise. He hesitated for only a moment, and then slipped his arm around Irene's waist. "No one gets to talk about my daughters like that. And if you don't intend to put him in his place, Sarah, I'll be happy to do it for you."

Irene was looking up at Robert, almost star-struck, and then she cleared her throat and blushed a little.

"Daughters, huh?" Sarah said, grinning at Mariah, who gave a smile and hid her face.

"Damn right," Robert said, smiling at Mariah.

"Why don't we go to dinner. We've got much to celebrate, today," Jareth said, and Sarah thought he was celebrating getting to see Tommy get punched in the face as much as everything else. She didn't disagree on that account.

Toby coughed, and leaned over giving his wife a quick kiss. "What do you think? You up for it?"

Sarah lifted a brow, a smile curving her lips as Mariah nodded in agreement.

Jareth slipped an arm around her waist, giving her a deeply satisfied grin as they headed towards the parking lot. "It looks like Toby is finally stepping up a bit."

"You were a good influence on him during Easter weekend," Sarah admitted. "Honestly, it's a relief to see."

As usual, Jareth used whatever talents he typically employed to get them a table at a heavily sought after venue not far from the university. It was fairly packed with new graduates, but the host seemed pleased and surprised to have a new doctor gracing their facility. They ended up at an excellent table, and Jareth told everyone the meal was on him, so they should order whatever they fancied.

Sarah managed to snag the wine menu from her little brother's hand, shooting him a wry smirk. "You're not twenty one, yet, kid. And since your wife can't drink, neither can you."

Jareth gave a rough laugh, while Toby sulked a little. Mariah teased him about it, before the women at the table turned their attention to Sarah's ring. They were as awestruck over it as she still was. The design was breathtaking, and she'd never seen a ring like it.

"So you got her a ruby in her engagement ring?" Toby asked, leaning over to get a better look at it, frowning a bit. "I thought diamonds were traditional."

"First, traditional doesn't suit me or Sarah very well. Second, that isn't a ruby." Jareth leaned back in his chair, grinning and putting an arm around her shoulders. He didn't offer further information, and she hadn't asked, so she just gave him a look of confusion.

Irene, on the other hand, knew gemstones. She nodded in agreement, turning the ring in the light. "Rubies aren't that clear, Toby. They're usually a little milky in color when they're natural. Judging by the lustre and sparkle, I'd say that's a diamond. With an excellent cut and clarity at that."

"You have an excellent eye, Irene," Jareth said, nodding in agreement. His expression was one of pleased approval.

She looked at Jareth in surprise. They hadn't discussed the ring, because Sarah was just happy to have the symbol of what it meant on her finger. "You didn't tell me that."

He grinned at her. From the corner of her eye, she could see Irene and Mariah looking at them in stunned surprise. Robert had crept around to get a better look at the ring, now, too.

"That's a red diamond in the center, love. The surrounding stones are white and pink diamond. It was my grandmothers, and I liked it better than any of the traditional rings. It has character."

She looked at the ring on her finger and her chest got a little tight. "It's absolutely stunning."

He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "It had to be. Anything less, and it wouldn't even be noticeable on your finger. No one would be able to see it and understand what it meant."

Toby made a quiet gagging noise nearby and she aimed her shoe and nailed her little brother right in the shin, all without looking away from her lover. When the young man yelped, mirth filled her lover's eyes and he grinned broadly at her, leaning close. "So cruel, love."

After their lovely dinner, they parted ways with her parents and brother's family. As they walked back to her apartment, she kept toying with the ring on her finger, looking down at it and smiling. They'd walked for some time, before she turned to look up at him.

"Thank you for that. I think them getting to see you propose meant a lot to them," she said, her voice thick with emotions she couldn't even begin to express.

"I had an inkling that it might, Sarah-mine," he said, smiling at her. "Your family loves you. There is no way I could deprive them of the joy of getting to see you married here, by your own laws and customs."

She lifted her eyes, looking up at him and smiling. "This is why it had to be you, I think. I couldn't fall in love with anyone else. You're the only one that loves me so much to consider the feelings of my family, too. You're selfish and you're a bully, but you'd move the world to make me happy."

"Given your expectations, yes, I suspect that's true." He paused for a moment, then he wrapped an arm around her waist, walking through the early summer evening. He let out a gusty sigh, and looked up at the purple-hued sky. "I understand what is happening to you, now. Why when you come to the Underground, you wear the face of fae."

She paused, looking up at him, slipping her arm around his waist. "Am I fae-touched?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that. You were already fae-touched from your first trip to the Labyrinth. At first I wasn't certain if it was because of our relationship, or the length of time you spent there rewriting your dissertation. I tore through my library, trying to find the answers. It isn't from any of that. The land recognizes you as it's queen, and it's changing you accordingly. You're not quite human anymore. You're becoming fae, with every minute you spend in my world."

She walked alongside him, thinking about this for a long moment. Jareth didn't continue, giving her time to absorb all of that. "How will this affect me, here?"

He gave a bit of a nod, squeezing her against his side. "If you decide you're going to stay above, and split your life between here and there, then you'll live a far longer than average life. Not as long as a faerie creature would, here, but longer than most humans ever can dream to live. When you passed on, your soul would cross the veil and join me. If you wished."

She gave him a pinch, and he yelped, looking at her in surprise.

"And what if I want to stay with you?"

Hunger in his eyes that went deeper than she'd ever seen, before. He stopped, looking at her for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was reserved, as if he were doing his best to hide his own feelings so she wouldn't weigh them into her decision.

"If you chose to stay with me in the Underground, you'd eventually cease to be mortal, altogether. I can't lie and say that wouldn't please me. But I can't say that you wouldn't lose everything you've built here, either." Her lover lowered his gaze, not looking at her for a long moment. "I don't wish for you to regret the life we build together. So I will never ask you to make such a choice unless you are completely certain. If that means waiting for you to finish living a mortal life in the Above, then so be it. I can still be with you when you're here. I'll not leave you by choice."

She gave him a shining smile, taking his hands and giving them a squeeze. "You'd miss taking naps on my couch, too, and the peace you get, here."

"As a point in fact, I would," he said with a rough laugh. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head and holding her close. "And we'd both miss getting a good night of rest by grace of being away from the goblin city. When you're officially queen, you'll start feeling the call when a wish happens, even here. Maybe we can take turns on who goes 'on duty', those times."

The tease made her laugh, and she opened her mouth to answer him, but something else caught her attention. Surprise and panic, but it wasn't hers. A cry that was in her head, but not her ears. She sucked in a sharp breath, looking up at her lover, her hands clinging to his sleeves as that punch of emotion almost brought her to her knees.

"Sarah?! What's wrong?!"

"Mariah," she said, taking a steadying breath. She gave herself a moment, lifting her eyes to look at her lover. "Her water broke, she's in labor."

Jareth looked at her in surprise, and swore with quiet precision. The next thing she knew, they were in her apartment and her phone seemed to be blowing up from the frantic ringing. Sarah threw off her graduation robes as she grabbed her phone.

"What's wrong?!" She gasped.

She held the phone, listening to her brother sounding like he was in a complete panic. She made out that it was still before Mariah's due date, and they didn't have their bag for the hospital. They were still at the airport, they didn't have a doctor here, didn't know where to go. Their parents had dropped them off minutes ago, but they couldn't reach them now.

Sarah spent several minutes calming her panicking brother, and then looked at her lover and king, taking a deep breath. "Jareth, I'm going to need you to work some magic."

"Tell your brother you'll meet him at the airport shortly. I'll drive you, and work on getting a hold of your parents before they get too far." He grabbed some keys, and she took a deep breath, nodding her head, and when he took her hand, she gave his a tight squeeze. She relayed the message to her brother, as they headed down the stairs.

Down there, they found a sleek, two door sports car that was familiar. Jareth gave her a grin and a wink, before holding the door open for her. "I'll pick up some necessities for them, as well. You ride with them to the hospital, alright?"

She nodded her head, as they rode to the airport. Jareth created a crystal, and chucked it out the car window as they drove, and she glanced over, seeing a mischief of goblins heading off into the night.

"They aren't going to cause too much trouble, right?" She asked, looking at him.

"They're going to make certain your parents don't get too far. So, I suppose too much is relative in this instance. No one will come to harm, human or goblin. Don't worry your head over that."

She nodded her head, trying to steady herself as Jareth dropped her off at the airport. He blew her a kiss as she hopped out at the terminal, and sped off into the night, to go do what needed done. She headed inside, finding medical staff surrounding Mariah, and she hurried over. "I'm her sister in law, they were here to see me."

Once she was at her brother's side, she gave him a shake. "Get it together, Toby Williams. I know your doctor isn't local, but we've got to get her to a hospital, now. Jareth is trying to reach our parents. He'll get them to the hospital. Just relax, and let's take care of her."

Mariah gave her a grateful look as she calmed her brother down, and the EMTs loaded her into the ambulance. She pushed her brother in after her, and climbed in, too, squeezing herself into a narrow corner, keeping near her sister in law's head, keeping both of the children calm and quiet.

It was cramped, but the medics didn't need to be in the back of the vehicle with them. "It's going to be fine," she said to her brother and sister in law, and hoped that she was right.

Jareth beat them to the hospital, through magical means she suspected. He was on a cell phone, speaking with her parents when they arrived, with an overnight bag thrown over his shoulder, which he handed to Toby as her brother passed him. He gave Mariah a grin and wink.

"So, I guess the tyke decided they couldn't wait."

She gave him a shaky smile. "Don't suppose you've got some magic to delay this in your pockets?"

A laugh escaped him and he shook his head.

"That would be some trick to manage," he said, as the emts wheeled her away. Once Toby and Mariah were out of sight, he scooped up Matt, and gave Sarah an amused look. "So, when did you spill my little secret?"

Sarah and Jareth walked the floor with the littles, trying to calm the stressed and worried children who wanted their mother and didn't understand why they couldn't go to her. Matt clung to Jareth like a baby panda, chewing his fist and whimpering and Emily kept squalling on Sarah's shoulder.

When Irene and Robert arrived, Robert was on the phone with Mariah's parents, letting them know what had happened and that they were at the hospital. He seemed frustrated, and more than once, Sarah heard the parents on the line yelling. Irene explained that they'd told Mariah she shouldn't fly so near her due date, but she and Toby had decided that being at the commencement was important, and it was only for an afternoon. Jareth tapped his shoulder, and leaned close, telling him that if they wanted to fly out, he would arrange flights for them.

They said they did.

The important conversation Jareth and Sarah had been having got pushed to the side for this far more immediate concern. It wasn't the right time to talk about that, and they both knew it, so while they wanted to continue the discussion, they didn't. Jareth stayed close to Sarah, minding the children while Sarah's parents took turns calming Toby and checking on Mariah. When Mariah's parents arrived, Robert and Irene swapped out, letting them spoil their daughter.

Hours went by, with the family group pacing the floor. Eventually, the rest of them started taking turns, swapping out of Mariah's room so that each person could get some rest. Sarah went in after Jareth, and found Mariah dozing, and her lips twisted in a knowing smile.

The dirty cheat had put a sleep spell on her. That was probably for the best, rest would give her more energy for when the really hard work started. Sarah spent the time she was in there to hold her hand and give whatever positive energy she could to the woman, paying careful attention to how she drew the magic inside of her.

Labor was always risky, even when it was a low risk. There was always a chance that things went sideways. So she didn't figure any additional help she could offer would be rejected.

By the time Sebastian Williams joined the family, she'd been in labor for thirteen long hours. He had the look of his mother, with kinky dark brown curls and skin that was tawny brown. Jareth stood next to Sarah, while they viewed the newborn through the nursery window. Her lover was wearing a pleased smile that matched her own, and his arm slipped around her waist.

"I'd almost say it's a pity that she's not wishing him away," Jareth said, his lips near her ear when he spoke. "He'd make an excellent goblin."

She blinked, turning to look up at Jareth in surprise. "What do you mean?"

He gave her a smile, cuddling her close. "Mariah held him and fell in love at first sight. I imagine she's had that happen with all of her children. Unless she becomes so stressed that she breaks, she'll keep him."

"Then I'll pin Toby to the wall before they leave and make sure that doesn't happen," she said, looking at the child through the window, her eyes shining. "Is there anything else we can do for her?"

"I already gave her an open offer from me for free babysitting whenever she needs it," he said with a grin. "Beyond that, I'm not sure what we could do. Let her get a grip on things in her life before we try to turn her world upside down. She's a good mother, and Toby is turning into a fine father."

"A little more of your influence and he'll be better than 'fine'. Maybe we should bring him to your castle for a few hours and see if he can manage the goblins? That's a better trial by fire than any other gauntlet I've ever seen," she teased, and saw mischief and mirth in her lover's eyes.

"Do you want your parents to find out that you're engaged to a fae king," he wondered aloud, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

She blinked, and gave that a serious consideration. Then, she took a deep breath. "Shit. I haven't worried about that since before Easter. I don't know."

"Just let me know when you do," he said, giving her a warm smile and hugging her against his side, watching the small child taking his first blinks in the world. "He has blue eyes, you know? Just like Toby."

She smiled, and looked up at him. "Of course he does. You said he'd make a good goblin."