Another time jump! Thank you for the reviews, I'm glad that so many people liked the last chapter so much!

A note: a few of you seemed surprised by him calling her Precious, and I don't want to take credit for it. Actually, it's a very, very popular nickname from him to her in fanfiction because of the line "How you've turned my world you Precious thing" in Within You. I'm not the first one at all to have him call her that.

Three weeks since Sarah's arrival

Sarah got into a regular routine of helping organize the books and then helping Hoggle in the gardens, doing reading and whatever was useful in the castle to earn her keep. She shared at least one meal a day with Jareth and sometimes would accompany him in his walks and whatnot. Their conversations turned from superficial to deep, talking about different ideas and opinions of things. As they spent quite a bit of time together, they got to know each other very well. For Jareth, most of his past relationships with lovers and friends were superficial anyway, so this was a nice change.

Sarah had many questions, but sometimes, Jareth didn't want to answer them. So she told him that if he didn't want to tell her anything, he didn't have to.

On one such day, he admitted to her something that he didn't tell anyone else. He had never said it out loud since that fateful day.

"You're under a curse?" Sarah thought that sounded insane. Then again, she was literally living in a magical land. "And you can't leave your own kingdom?"

"Yes." He said. "It's why I cannot see others of my kind. I am the guardian of the two worlds. Before, humans and magical creatures used to mingle. Now, not so much. Although that was before I became king. Someone else had that unfortunate task and set up all these rules. I can go around my kingdom, but I cannot be seen by my fae or other humanoid subjects, to make it simple for you. They cannot see me either. I have been king for about a hundred years so I don't get that many runners either as humans have moved away from the belief of magic."

"Do you spend time with humans?" She tucked her hand higher on his arm as they walked through the gardens.

"I can't." He said sadly. "Not unless they are runners or are wished away. Even then, they are all sent elsewhere after their time is over. I never get adults actually. The legend has always said that it's children who are taken."

"Yeah, you said before that in the past it wasn't because the children were always unwanted. Sometimes, but usually it's because they're sick or something?"

"Correct." He confirmed.

"You said before, that it was self isolation." She looked at him, a question written on her face.

"Well, I had always isolated myself." He said dryly. "Not physically, but because I was a brat. I deserved what I got. I say self isolation because emotionally, I had always been isolated."

"Who cursed you?" Sarah looked at him with her large, beautiful green eyes. "And how do you break that curse?"

Jareth stopped walking and looked away from her in shame. How could he tell her that it was the most powerful person in the Underground and his own grandmother who cursed him? "I don't want to talk about that."

The pain was evident in his eyes.

Sarah walked in front, squeezing his arm. "Hey, it's okay. You don't have to talk about it. But it seems like it may help if it hurts that much."

"No, I don't want to." He said roughly, pulling his arm away from her.

Sarah shrank away a bit, taking a step back. Her face was bright red in embarrassment.

Jareth shook his head. "I apologize. I never talked about these things out loud."

He couldn't find the right words to express how kind she was to him, and how he appreciated the sincerity of her kindness.

"Really, it's okay." Sarah put her arm back in his, slowly and carefully. He accepted.. "Just know that I'm here for you, okay?"

He gave her a grateful smile. He changed the subject. "As you can see, this is why I am so isolated. But with time, I've been able to learn languages. Instruments. It's just a bit difficult when there's no one to listen to it."

"Do you play piano then?" She lit up.

"Why, yes. It's one of my favorite instruments. I haven't played it in weeks though."

Sarah thought of how she had been taking up the music room. "Oops."

"No fault of your own, Precious." He reassured her. "I just didn't feel like it and had preferred to rest."

"Well," Sarah looked at him hopefully. "I was wondering if you could maybe play for me?"

Jareth couldn't believe it, someone wanted to hear him play? "I never had an audience before."

Sarah took his hand and pulled him gently, beaming. "There's a first time for everything you know!"

Jareth laughed at her enthusiasm, entranced by her smile.

Sarah laid on her stomach on the couch as he played away.

He looked so concentrated, his fingers gliding along the black and white keys. The sun shone on his hair, framing it around him like a glorious crown. His low cut shirt showed his medallion, glimmering.

He may have been playing but he was like a dancer. The way his body moved so gracefully mesmerized her. She could watch him for hours. It was more than just getting the technical rhythms and notes right, he was feeling the emotions of every piece and letting it guide him.

He stopped for a bit and stood up.

"Hey, I was enjoying that." Sarah teased, sitting up.

Jareth shook his head. "Demanding, aren't we?"

She just smiled.

Jareth stretched a bit, wincing as he did so. Sarah went to his side immediately. "You stubborn man, how's your injury?"

Jareth waved it away. "I'm fine, it's just-"

He felt it hurting again.

Sarah had him sit down. "Take your shirt off. Let me see."

He rolled his eyes but did as she told. Otherwise, they would never stop arguing about it.

Sarah tried to look away from his chest. He was gorgeous and it took all she could to not slide her hands on his chest.

She looked at the wound. "Well, it's healing nicely. It may take a bit but -"

She stopped when she realized that something else was coming into focus.

His back.

"Jareth?" She looked at another wound on his back.

Jareth hissed, angry at himself. He hadn't told her about the wound on his back. He often had another cloth covering him or was just laying on the bed where she wouldn't see it.

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" She carefully touched it. "How did I miss it?"

Jareth didn't say anything.

"Jareth?" She walked back front. "Please."

He didn't want to tell her, but he couldn't help it. "My wings - or rather, just one wing - was damaged beyond repair. I cut if off myself."

Sarah looked devastated. She couldn't breathe.

Sarah covered her mouth in horror. "No no no. It's all my fault."

Jareth looked at her. "What?"

Sarah tried to not cry. "That means that you can't fly anymore, can't you?"

He was quiet. "No, I cannot."

"Even if you turn into an owl?"

"Correct."

She leaned against the chair, wiping her tears. "You hurt yourself. You saved me and hurt yourself in the process. And you lost your wings."

He had told her how much he loved to fly when she asked him about it. That it helped to take away his pain and make him feel free even if he was a prisoner.

Jareth reached forward and took her hands. "Shh, don't you talk like that."

It was a testament to his improvement as a person. That he did not place the blame on her.

"But I-" Sarah started to speak but he put a finger on her lips.

"I chose to help you." He reminded her.

"But I ran away." She sniffed.

"And I scared you. With my god awful temper. Which is still god awful." He admitted with a laugh.

Sarah was not amused. "That's like losing an arm or a leg."

He tipped her chin up to look at him.

Everything got quiet. But not deathly quiet. The kind of quiet that was full of something loving. Something kind. Something caring.

He intertwined his fingers with hers. "And for you, Precious, I would do it again to protect you."

The setting was perfect. They were alone in a beautiful room. Two attractive people who cared about one another. The sunlight even seemed to be encouraging them.

Sarah stood up a little taller. Jareth dipped his head just a little lower. Their eyes closing…

"BAWK BAWK BAWK BAWK"

"HEY COME BACK HERE YOU UGLY POULTRY! I WILL GRILL YOU AND EAT YOU!"

"CHICKENS ARE FRIENDS. NOT FOOD!"

Jareth and Sarah pulled apart, Sarah screaming as a chicken landed on her and decided to beat its wings against her.

Hoggle ran into the room with an iron skillet. "AHA NO YOU CAN'T HIDE- oh uhhhh."

He saw Jareth shirtless and Sarah pushing the damned bird from her. He skid to a stop and sputtered unintelligently.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Jareth yelled.

"She DESTROYED my vegetable garden!" Hoggle pointed at the chicken. "Stupid ugly thing!"

Sarah sighed. "And now I have chicken feathers all over me."

"No kill chicken!" Evie saw the poor chicken and took her out. "Keep her safe!"

Hoggle ran out as fast as they could before Jareth could murder them. Meanwhile, Sarah was laughing her head off at the chicken debris all over her.

Jareth couldn't help it. Her laugh was infectious. He laughed with her.

"I'm going to get cleaned up." She plucked a few off. "Umm, I'll see you later? I can check on your back again."

Jareth shook his head. "No, it's just still healing. It will be fine. I promise you."

Sarah nodded. "Okay. I'll see you for dinner tonight then?"

"Sounds wonderful. I shall see you then."

The loss of his wings was to show selflessness. That he had put his life on the line for her, and would do it again. He had been selfish. Had been cruel. But now he would sacrifice for her. Not just because it's the right thing to do, but because he cares so deeply about her.

I'm not done with the mention of his wings! We will see more of it and what happens. Something pivotal happens in the next few chapters!