There is a brief period of twilight of which I am especially fond, little more than a moment, when I see what seems to be color without light, followed by another brief period of light without color. The earlier period, like a dawn of night, calls up such sights as at all other times are hidden, wistful half-formless presences neither of day nor night, that draw up with them similar presences in the mind.

Sarah O'Rourke

Several weeks after Sarah's first traumatic flying experience, she was becoming more at ease with the idea, and had even taken some brief flights around the gardens, with Jareth standing on the ground, keeping a careful eye on her.

Because she was becoming more pregnant, they had decided that it would be wise to curtail any more flying for now. She could transform all she wanted; just no more flying until after the baby was born.

Early one evening, she and Jareth were relaxing on the bed. She had been beginning to get some pregnancy headaches, and Ixonia had given her peppermint oil to rub on her temples and on the back of her neck to help with this. She was being very careful what she ate, which meant forgoing her beloved sushi, but it was worth it. She did not take any medications deemed unnecessary. She didn't even get manicures. She and Jareth were discussing details in preparation for the birth. He was lying crosswise on the bed so that his head was near the baby.

"So no anesthetic?" Jareth asked. Are you sure?"

"Just a local so that when they cut the episiotomy it's not too painful. Women have been having babies for eons without spinal blocks or anesthetic."

"Are you certain? Because I've heard that this experience will be the most painful one of your life."

"Thank you for reminding me of that, my love," Sarah smiled. "I will have you there, Ixonia will be there as midwife and our pediatric surgeon, in case we need her. We've been practicing our breathing exercises. I know that many women do have anesthetic, and there's nothing wrong with that, it's just that, for me, I'd prefer to go this way."

She did not know that Jareth and the surgeon had made secret plans for her to bring anesthetics just in case. They would certainly need them if they needed to do a C-section.

"We're in the homestretch," said Jareth. "About how big is she now?"

Sarah indicated with both hands. "About the size of an eggplant."

This comparison struck Jareth as hilarious. He laughed out loud. "And any movement? Has that changed?"

"Other than the super swimming exercises you're getting her to do with your crystals?"

He nodded. She reached her hand into his thick, silky hair, and begin massaging his scalp. He sighed and snuggled in closer to her.

"She gets the hiccups now and again," said Sarah. "They're adorable, really, unless I'm trying to sleep."

He reached his hand up over his head and laid it gently on her growing belly. "No, nothing right now. Maybe she's sleeping. Think I should try reading to her anyway?"

Sarah nodded, and Jareth reached for the book at his side. He loved Good Night Moon, but had decided to expand his storytelling.

"So, let's try something new. Let's find out what's happening at Pooh Corner." He settled in even closer to Sarah, and began:

"Chapter 1 ...in which we are introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh and some bees, and the stories begin."

"HERE is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it. And then he feels that perhaps there isn't. Anyhow, here he is at the bottom, and ready to be introduced to you. Winnie-the-Pooh."

Sarah leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She had always loved these books, and hearing Jareth's melodic timbre made those memories even sweeter. She knew he was going to be a wonderful father. The baby moved slightly, as if she were sitting up and paying attention. Sarah smiled.

She must have fallen asleep, without realizing, because suddenly she heard Jareth reading the end of the second chapter.

She stretched out her right arm, the one that wasn't stroking Jareth's hair. Resting her elbow on the pillows, she moved her hand around in figure eights, dreamily. Her eyes were half closed, so she didn't think much about it when suddenly she couldn't see her hand.

She wondered at that briefly, then woke a little more and focused her eyes on where her hand should be.

It wasn't there. She didn't feel any different, even scratched her thumb with her index finger nail, but there was no doubt about it. Her hand was gone.

Looking at it more closely, she could still see her wrist and her forearm, although they were quickly disappearing as well.

She had gone from being mildly curious to the beginnings of a state of panic.

"Jareth! Look at this!"

Placing his thumb in the book to hold the page, he glanced up at Sarah. "Look at what?"

"My hand! My wrist - forearm - I can't see them!"

He sat up quickly when he saw that this was true. Kneeling on the bed next to her, he cupped her head in one hand.

"How do you feel? Can you still feel them?" His voice went from soothing to one of alarm.

In front of his eyes, her shoulder began to disappear. Then the right side of her neck, moving up her face. When he glanced down to see if this were affecting the baby, he was horrified to see the right part of her body was gone.

"Love! Are you still there?"

Her voice came clearly from where it had been against the pillow. "Yes, I'm here. I don't feel any different. I just can't – see myself!"

At this point, her body was completely invisible. He reached his hand out to her belly, where the baby was, and could feel it, perfectly.

"What were you doing when this began to happen?" He asked. He was beginning to have an idea.

"Just sort of – daydreaming, I guess."

"Would you say you might have been under a state of self hypnosis?" He asked.

"Maybe." In answering his questions, she was becoming more calm. "I was looking at my hand and just sort of twirling it around when this happened."

"Can you stand?" He asked. He felt the bed clothes move and saw them shift as well. When he next heard her voice she was at the foot of the bed.

"I am here."

"And you can move around as usual?"

"Yes. I can still pick things up, too." And suddenly the water pitcher seemed to rise in the air of its own accord. He heard her giggle.

Jareth bit his lower lip, thinking. Well, the good thing here was that she seemed physically fine. Just invisible. Could this be another one of her growing magical powers? She was proving herself to be incredibly powerful since she became Immortal.

He was looking at the water pitcher as she set it down, continuing to look at that area is if she were still there. Suddenly, something tickled his ear, and without thinking, he brushed it away.

And felt her hand.

Suddenly, he felt himself being shoved back on the bed and could feel her sitting astride him. She was giggling madly.

"Oh, this is going to be fun. I can sneak up on you all the time!" And she kissed him on the mouth.

Pushing aside his own sexy thoughts of all of the possibilities, he spoke the obvious.

"And can you make yourself reappear now? You can't spend your life like this."

He heard her take a deep sigh. "I'm pretty sure I can. Not so sure I want to, right now."

"Well you should."

"Why? This is harmless fun. And you're not my father," she tossed in.

"No, but I am your King. And your King commands that you reappear!" He was trying very hard not to smile.

"Yeah yeah. My King makes lots of commandments. I think he needs to lighten up," said the voice.

"Sarah – " he growled.

He felt her nip his left ear, and then popped back into existence, still on top of him.

"That was incredible. Do you think you could do that again?"

"Pretty sure," she smiled. "Part of it was very much like doing an owl transformation. I almost have to self hypnotize and focus."

Jareth nodded. "That's exactly how it is for me when I transform. But I've never been able to come close to mastering invisibility. This talent could prove very helpful."

"Not to mention fun! Like I said, I think you need to watch your back now." There was laughter in her voice.

"You. Are a very. Naughty girl. Do you know what The Goblin King does to naughty girls?"

Suddenly he flipped her so that she was on her back and he was astride her, holding her wrists over her head to the bed with one hand.

She gave him a wicked smile. "I hope I'm about to find out. Go ahead. Do your worst!"