A/N: I'm back and ready to finish this massive tale. There are only a few chapters left, my lovely readers. The best part? I've already written them and will be posting them as soon as they are edited and ready to go. If you have a moment, please take some time to answer the newest poll question on my profile. Special thanks go to Alltangledup95, angel56335, Avalon-Mist, BadWolf49, BookWorm0001, Coraline Gale Warriner, Grey Kindle, Honoria Granger, Icyheart666, Inugirl294, Justin, Kactus Wrynn, Kinzichi, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, labyrinth lover, , LightShadowSeeker, lisabit, Lovejareth, MichAre1a, Mikado X Goddess, Miss Rune, Operaphantomgrl, pesten26, petitefeeme, Posidena, prettyflour, Rini-D, Riverseithr, scifigeek10, SeverusPrince101, SexyAvalonPriestess, Silvermastermind, SivMeille, Skyeward MusicLover, Starlight Sanctuary, tfstarlight, TheQueen'sknight, TheraSerenity, Tom L Tous, UnicornTamer, Vampiyaa, Velvet, and xAngel-Of-The-Operax for taking the time to review since I last posted. You really do motivate me to keep writing. Please take a moment to review. I really do read each and every one and they fuel my muse.

Disclaimer: I wish I could say I owned this film…Your Majesty?

"NO!"

Oh, well. I tried.


Jareth took in the sight of his beloved, wrapped in his satin sheets. Her beauty could rival the brightest star. Black strands of silken hair tumbled over skin the shade of the sweetest cream. A healthy pink blush adorned her cheeks, giving her a maidenly glow. His eyes wandered down to view the rest of her form. How he wished to see that which was hidden by his bed clothes. Jareth was no stranger to the female of his species. Many a morning he found himself beside one Fae beauty or another. Still, he'd never felt more complete than he did at this moment. If it weren't for their most perplexing situation, he would be happy if she never left his side again.

"What are we going to do? How in the hell did this happen? What did we do?" Sarah's questions sounded off in rapid succession.

Jareth opened his mouth and then quickly closed it again. His breath left in a sigh. There was only one answer he could give. "I don't know."

With eyes flashing fire, Sarah ripped off the bedding and leapt out of bed. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Ignoring her tirade, Jareth thought hard about the night before. They'd come back to his castle and talked about Liam's return. Fagan and Allison had voiced their concern, though they didn't have any ideas that hadn't already been dismissed from his mind as impossible. The resolution had been to wait until the morning and contact his father. None of them could have predicted that the morning would have brought them a problem like this one. After their meal, the five of them had retreated into the sitting room with a cask of ale from the Troll Kingdom. Then, the evening got a little hazy.

"I don't know," he repeated. Looking up, he took in his beloved's appearance. He'd been so engrossed in the problem at hand that he hadn't even noticed Sarah's current attire, or lack thereof. His eyes roamed over her form and they darkened at the sight. Standing in his bed chamber was his very own Venus de Milo. Sarah looked down and he was amused to note that her blush had spread, covering her neck and onto her especially lovely chest.

"Do you mind?"

Jareth grinned wickedly. "Not in the least."

Sarah's bare foot slapped against the stone floor. "Jareth!"

"Very well," he sighed with a put out expression.

Waving his hand, a robe wrapped itself around her. She took the silk collar in her hands and drew it towards her nose. It smelled of spices and magic…of Jareth. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Thank you."

Now that his distraction had been removed, Jareth was ready to get down to business. "What do you last remember?"

"Um, let me think…" Sarah began to pace the room. "We were talking to Fagan and Allie about the whole Liam thing. We finally just said, 'screw it,' and planned to see your dad in the morning. Then we started drinking and those two took off to get in some alone time, but we weren't done. The goblins started to sing and…"

"You got on the table and started dancing," Jareth interjected, his mirth at the memory apparent in his face.

"That was you, I believe," Sarah argued.

"I am sure that was you, Precious."

"Whatever," she scoffed. "After that, I'm drawing a complete blank."

Jareth arose from the bed, quickly covering himself before approaching her. "As am I."

Sarah began to rub her forehead in a desperate attempt to remember. "Why can't we remember?"

"I don't know," he said once again.

"Did we…" she struggled to get the words out.

"You mean, were we intimate?" Jareth asked, taking pity on her.

Sarah nodded furiously.

"I don't think so. I'd like to think I'm a little more memorable than that."

Sarah's relief was visible. She would have been so disappointed if she couldn't even remember her first time. Nothing felt different so she chose to just believe him for the sake of her own sanity. In all honesty, she found it hard to dispute his claim. She had a sneaking suspicion that, if they had been intimate, it would be mind-blowing. Definitely not something you could easily forget.

"Maybe we should tell your dad? He might be able to help us."

"No!" he cried with a little more force than was necessary.

"Why?"

"Because," he hedged.

"Because why?"

"Because I don't want to lose you," he replied, his voice wavering slightly from the force of his emotions.

"Are we going to get in trouble?"

"Not if I can help it," Jareth vowed. Drawing her into his arms, he caressed her back to comfort her.

"What are we going to do?"

"We're going to talk to my father about the Liam thing, but we're not going to tell anyone about what happened last night. After all, nothing happened. Right?"

"Right," she hesitantly agreed. "When are we going to go?"

"There's no time like the present."


Liam wandered the stone corridors of his cousin's castle. He wasn't even sure why he was there. An overwhelming urge to see that puzzling female again drove him forward. Looking around, he hoped that Jareth wouldn't find out that he was there. Especially since he had yet to explore these new feelings. She had captured his attention and he was determined to find out why.

Turning the corner, he could hear a lilting soprano singing a happy tune. Grinning widely, he began moving towards the sound. As he got closer, he realized he could smell a hearty stew cooking. The aroma made him realize that he hadn't eaten anything that day. By the time he reached the unassuming wooden door, he was practically salivating.

" Can't help singing
Of a promise that April is bringing
I am floating along
On the crest of a song
There are bells in my heart
And they're ringing…" *

With caution, he opened the door and peered inside. He realized, at once, that he had found the goblin kitchen. The first thing he noticed was the mess. There were dirty dishes piled on every available surface. His attention was quickly captured by the lone resident of the kitchen. It was the very person for which he was looking. The strange girl was cooking up a storm, all the while singing and dancing around the room. Her black hair was pulled back into a pony tail and she was wearing denim trousers and a cotton shirt. When she turned, he could see it had shiny writing with the word "Bowie" and a man's face. There was something very familiar about it, but Liam brushed it aside. When he got a good look at her flour covered face, he couldn't help it anymore. He chortled, loudly.

Stephanie nearly dropped the bowl in her hands as she let out a shriek. "Jiminy Cricket, you nearly scared the life out of me."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself," Liam apologized, trying desperately to stop laughing. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so relaxed around a female.

"Well, next time, give a girl a little warning," she said, with reproach. Turning, she put down her bowl and wiped her hands on a nearby towel. "Hungry?"

"Famished."

"Good, I was almost finished anyway. I hope you like hobo stew."

"Can't say I've ever had it."

Stephanie grinned and poured them both a bowl of her concoction. "Well, you can be my guinea pig."

Liam took the proffered bowl. They sat down at the wooden kitchen table and Liam took his first bite. "This is really good. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Stephanie replied. Liam could see a soft blush appear on her smooth cheeks. He found it endearing and innocent. A feeling of content washed over him and he found that he wanted to do nothing more than protect the girl before him.

"I'm Liam, by the way. I don't think we've ever been properly introduced."

"The name's Stephanie."

"Stephanie," Liam savored her name upon his lips.

"Yep," she affirmed. "Now, what are you doing here? If you're looking for Jareth or Sarah, they took off this morning. Not sure when they'll be back."

"I wasn't looking for either of them."

"Oh?"

Liam smiled and looked at the lady across from him. "I was looking for you."

"Me? Why?"

"Beats the hell out of me," Liam replied with a shrug. "I just felt like it."

Stephanie laughed. "I guess that's as good a reason as any."

A comfortable silence fell over the strange companions as they cleaned their bowls. Liam looked over his dining partner with a strong sense of curiosity. Who was this peculiar girl? Yes, he could see the resemblance to Sarah. However, that wasn't what drew him to her. The two women were so different. Liam just couldn't put his finger on the source of his attraction. Perhaps it really didn't matter in the end.

The silence was broken by Stephanie. "You know, you should really stop comparing yourself to Jareth."

"I don't compare myself to him."

"Yes, you do," Stephanie insisted. "I know because I used to do the same with Sarah. It's tough being cousins with someone like them. They're the shining stars and we're just not as bright as they are. I'm not saying they're better than us, it's just that they're louder and get more attention."

"I see."

Stephanie frowned and shook her head. "No, I don't think you do. Take Sarah, for instance. She's smart and pretty with a really quick wit. She always thinks of just the right thing to say at just the right time. Me, I always think of what to say after the person's already gone. She can say the most sarcastic things, but people never realize that they've been insulted until long after. I can be really snarky and a lot of my class just thinks I'm a stony bitch."

"It seems we have much in common. Though, most of my peers think I'm a milksop. You know, no backbone."

"I don't see you like that. I see someone who's reserved and careful, but that's not a bad thing. It took me a long time to realize that Sarah's an awesome girl, but she's got her flaws."

Liam lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh?"

"Sarah can be really arrogant and cocky," Stephanie explained. "She's also the most stubborn person you'll ever meet. It takes a lot to get her to change her mind. She'll do whatever it takes to get her way. Most of the time she's really sweet, but don't catch her on a bad day. She can cut you down without a blink. I love my cousin, but I know that she's only human. I mean, no one's perfect, right?"

"I guess so. The way you make her sound, she's a lot like my cousin."

"Exactly! See what I mean. Those two are made for each other.

"I wonder why I never noticed before," he murmured, thoughtfully.

"That's easy. You weren't looking for it. You fell in love with her spirit, but did you really take the time to get to know her?"

"Probably not," Liam admitted.

Stephanie grinned. "Right! Just like Sarah, your cousin has his flaws, too. Jareth's cool and all, but he's not the be all and end all. You should just try to be the best you can be and forget about trying to be better than anyone else."

"You're very wise for your age."

"Well, I have been eighteen for a whole month now. Practically Methuselah."

Liam laughed. "You're a lot prettier than that old man."

"Thanks!" Stephanie suddenly rubbed her stomach. "I think I ate one bowl too many. Want to go for a walk with me? I need to burn some of this off."

"I'd love to."


Raghnall looked up at the knock on his study door. He'd just been going over some important trade agreements that had been filed and was not in the mood for any interruptions. Whoever it was could just go away and leave him alone. He went back to reading the specifications and trying to get a good understanding of what was being requested. A moment later, another knock reverberated into the quiet room. The High King threw down the parchment in frustration.

"Come in," he called, his voice terse.

Jareth walked through the door. "I hope we're not interrupting."

"We?"

Stepping aside, Jareth gave Sarah room to make her appearance. "Hello, Raghnall."

A genuine smile lit up the older man's face. "Hello, my dear. I wasn't expecting you, today."

"Father, we need to speak with you about something," Jareth said.

"Oh?"

Sarah nodded. "We need some advice."

Raghnall indicated that they should sit. Once everyone was situated, Jareth began. "Liam has returned."

"I see."

"We can't keep going on like this," Sarah lamented. "I care about Liam, but I'll never love him the way that I love Jareth. How can I convince him to terminate his courting rights? I can't keep stringing him along like this."

"We've tried talking to him, but he's convinced himself that he's in love with her and that he can make her love him back."

Raghnall frowned, thinking about their plea for his assistance. "The only way to handle this is with honesty and compassion. Sarah, you alone, are going to have to sit down with him and have a serious conversation about the direction of your relationship."

"How should I approach the subject?" Sarah asked.

"Honesty is your friend," Raghnall advised. "Be clear and concise, leaving no questions about your feelings. Don't let him believe that there is still hope for the two of you."

"I guess I'm just going to have to face this head on."

Jareth looked to his lady and sighed. "What can I do?"

"Be there to support Sarah, but she is going to have to do the hard part alone."

"Why?"

Sarah gave a half smile and said, "Because that's the way it's done."

Jareth returned her smile with one of his own. "If that is the way it is done, then that is the way you must do it. But should you need me..."

"I'll call."

In a cloud of glitter, Sarah and Jareth disappeared to face their newest challenge. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. After looking for Liam in his kingdom and in Fagan's, they decided to wait until they next saw him. Not wanting the waste the day, Sarah talked Jareth into teaching her more about her magic. Liam and their troubles were quickly forgotten in favor of incantations and glittery spells.


The Fairy marketplace was one of the wonders of the Underground. Exotic scents of the native perfumes wafted from the booths, soothing the passerbys as they shopped. Cloth of every color and design hung on wooden dowels, enticing the eye. There were even fairy seamstresses ready to turn those bolts into fabulous new costumes in a mere instant. It was here, deep in the market, where one could find the Fairy King and his Lady on this day.

Fagan reveled in this moment as he watched his intended picking out the perfect color amongst the bolts of fabric. He'd long awaited the day he could take his love to market to begin picking out the clothes of her station as his queen. Allison made the perfect queen for him, as she complemented him in almost every way. Where he was dark, she was light. It was almost as if she were the other half of his very soul. He had never felt this way in his long life and he sincerely hoped it would never stop.

"What do you think of this one?" she asked, holding up a turquoise satin piece of cloth.

"It's almost as lovely as you."

"Cute."

Watching her turn back to the seamstress, she began the long discussion of design. Fagan grinned and accepted the fact that they were going to be here for a while. Like many men in both realms, he knew better than to interrupt his lady as she found the perfect outfit, complete with accessories. Sitting down on one of the nearby chairs, he settled in for the long wait.


"Try again," Jareth urged.

"Argh! I'm never going to get this!" Sarah cried.

"Not with that attitude, you're not," Jareth argued. "Now, try again."

Sarah let out an exasperated moan and tried to do what he had been teaching her. 'Be the animal…be the animal…be the animal,' she chanted to herself. Jareth had told her that this was one of the more difficult spells. Every Fae had their own animal form. Jareth, of course, could turn himself into a handsome barn owl. He had informed her that it could take years for her to perfect her form. Most young Fae begin their training as children.

Continuing her chant and trying hard to relax, Sarah felt the first stirrings of a transformation. Her skin began to tingle. It started out as a slight tickle and turned into a full blown pins and needles feeling. The next thing she noticed was a sense of vertigo. The room seemed be going around in a circle while she was standing still. It was as if her perspective of the world had begun to change. Taking a deep breath, she was overwhelmed by the powerful scents she began experiencing. It smelled a lot like roast beef, but the kitchen was in a completely different wing and floor. There was no food anywhere near her, but she'd bet her life that she was smelling the succulent meat.

With her first step, she came to the realization that her transformation was complete. Instead of walking upright, she was down on all fours. What was she? Her bulk felt too big to be a dog and the fur along her skin meant she was still a mammal of some sort. Looking around, she spotted Jareth looking at her in awe. Sarah attempted to speak to him; to ask him what had happened. The sound that left her throat was definitely not human. It sounded like a growl followed by a sharp snort. She looked at him, bewildered.

"Precious, you are such a wonder," he breathed.

Wordlessly, he created a crystal and dropped it to the floor where it transformed into a mirror. Sarah crept to it, noticing the power in her arms and legs as she walked. Steeling herself, she took her first look at her new form. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw in her reflection. Staring back at her was a large, beautiful black bear.

"Kingy"

"Queeny"

"You's gots somethings"

"Something's import…import…"

"Important"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Sarah's five friends took one look at the huge black bear and began to scream in terror. They dropped the scroll they had been holding and began running in circles. Jareth's eyes rolled as they slammed into each other and fell, dazed, to the floor.

"This is Sarah, you imbeciles. She has made her transformation."

"Oooooooooo"

"Now, what is the meaning of this interruption?"

"You's gots somethings"

"Somethings import…import…"

"Yes, yes," Jareth said, impatiently. "Something important, you've said. What is it?"

"Here."

Jareth took the gilt-edged scroll from the small hands of his subject. He waved them away with an absent hand. "You are dismissed."

The goblins gave him one more look before disappearing from the room. Jareth untied the ribbon holding the scroll and unfurled it. As he read the ornate writing, he began to become concerned. It was a command for the couple to come before the council at once.

"Oh, boy."


* Can't Help Singing (Kern/Harburg, 1944)

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