Disclaimer: I don't own it. I make no profit from it.
A/N: Thank you everyone for taking the time to read and review! I am so far pleased with the progress of this story. I took some time out to drench myself in the genius of another musician gone too soon. Now I am ready to dig in and get back to work. I have tried to respond to each review individually through pm, if I missed you, I am sorry. I must give a shout out to Jetredgirl, if you haven't read The Goblin King of Rock 'N Roll, I highly recommend it, oh, who am I kidding? I recommend all of her stories .
Sarah stood for a moment outside interview room A1, trying to gather her thoughts and brace herself for what she was sure was going to be a strange encounter. The Goblin King, Jareth, had something to do with all of this. That made the situation murky at best. Her memories of him were a jumbled mess of teenage hormones, angst and misinformation. Hoggle and started to tell her something but never got to finish. Jareth himself had asked her to protect the children. He had also asked her to be his champion, again. What was that all about? Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and studied the occupants.
Seated at the table was a lawyer she recognized from the public defender's office, Kevin Hartwell. A nice enough guy, however, Sarah had found his performances in the past to lack any real passion for his clients, doing the minimum required by his office. He was marking time, paying his dues and getting court time under his belt to, hopefully, obtain a more lucrative position. He had also been after her for the past six months to go out on a date with him. She hadn't decided if that could be used to her advantage or not. A plan was formulating and it was going to require fast talking and fancy footwork. If all went well, she would be leaving the precinct with the children and their parents. With Detectives Cooper and McKinney non the wiser. She only hoped she could pull this off.
Seated next to Kevin, was a man and woman who looked like they had been through hell and knew they weren't finished yet. The man, although long and thin, looked like he had a wiry strength that even the dirt and grime that coated him couldn't hide. The woman who sat next to him, though no less filthy, had an underlying grace and beauty that seemed to envelope her like a cloak. Again, Sarah saw clouds around them in varying shades and hues. Kevin was sporting varying shades of red and green, vibrant and almost over powering. The couple in the same blues, pinks and lavenders that surrounded Liam and Siobhan, with a slight shading of the same golden hue that surrounded Susan and Mac. Their colors were muted though, the exhaustion and strain evident in their faces and posture.
"Kevin." Sarah said, drawing his attention to her entrance to the room. "I need to speak with them about the children."
Kevin murmured something to the couple and turned to look at Sarah. He had a look of worry and concern on his face that she had never seen before. Could it be that these tow had gotten to him? Did he maybe intend to do more than just skate by on this case? Sarah couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not. Trust Kevin to develop a conscious just when I need don't need him to, she thought.
"Sarah,", he greeted her. Walking over to shake her hand. "This one is a mess. They swear they weren't buying drugs, only trying to find a safe place to sleep for the night." He looked over to the couple huddled together at the table and shook his head. A look of pity on his handsome face. Troubled blue eyes looked into Sarah's, almost pleading with her to take it easy on them. It was well known in the court system how defensive Sarah could get when children were involved. He had seen her make grown men cry on more than one occasion.
"They think Detective Cooper has it in for them. I can't say that I think they're wrong. Coop seems to have huge bone to pick with these people. I had to practically threaten a civil suit to get him to leave so I could talk to them." Kevin ran fingers through already mussed hair, suggesting that he had done it frequently while speaking with his clients.
"Where do their ID's say they're from?" Sarah asked lowly, keeping a cautious eye on the two-way mirror. It wouldn't have surprised her to know that the speaker had been left on so that any conversation in the room would be overheard.
"Well, that's a problem," he sighed. "They don't have any. No driver's license, no passport, nothing, nada, zip." He looked back at Sarah and noticed the intent way she was watching the glass.
"Is there something I need to know, Sarah? Maybe something that would help them?"
Sarah looked back at Kevin and gave him a smile. Turning toward the table, she asked over her shoulder, "Do you have a pad and pen? I left my briefcase in the other room."
"Sure." He said, joining her at the table. Reaching into his briefcase he set a fresh legal pad and pen in front of her.
"Sit down Kevin, we have a lot to go over and not much time to do it." Sarah gestured toward the seat next to her. With them sitting that way, across from the other couple, the camera was effectively blocked.
Looking at the man and woman, Sarah said, "My name is Sarah Williams, do you know who I am?"
Knowledge and hope briefly flared in their eyes as Sarah hastily scribbled a note on the pad.
Say, yes you are the attorney for our children, Only that.
Looking confused, the woman complied. "Yes, you are the attorney for our children."
Sarah heard the singing lilt of Ireland in her voice and something else too. Maybe her power had to do with her voice but was drained by stress and exhaustion.
"Now, I know the children's names are Liam and Siobhan, can I have your names, for the record?" Sarah hastily scribbled another note.
First names only, do not offer more than you're asked.
Clearing his throat, the man said, "I am called Conall and my wife is Fiona."
Sarah sat busily writing on her legal pad, when she was finished she nudged Kevin so he would look down.
Don't be obvious about reading this. I need you to leave the room, talk to NO ONE, especially not Detective Cooper or Detective McKinney, go around the corner to the bodega, call my boss and tell him I need him down here, asap. Something is fishy, I want to work with you to make this right. Help me on this and I help you. 4 lives, maybe more, are at stake here.
Kevin nodded almost imperceptibly and a smile ghosted over his lips. "Well, you two have had a rough night. Do you need anything? A sandwich, perhaps?" He asked, looking at the two, he mouthed, "Trust us"
Fiona smiled brilliantly and replied "A sandwich and some tea would be lovely, Kevin. Don't you think so, Bradaigh?" She turned a loving and patient look on her husband who sat there looking dumbfounded at the other three.
"Aye." He said cautiously.
"Great!" Kevin beamed. Squeezing Sarah lightly on the shoulder he said, "I trust you to keep it neutral with my clients while I'm gone. I'll be back quickly." With that he hurried out the door. Hoping that whatever Sarah had up her sleeve they could pull off.
Sarah sat back in her chair and turned the legal pad over so the notes she had written wouldn't show.
With a quick look at the camera in the corner, she noticed the red light was still on. Whoever wanted to keep an eye on these two didn't care that their lawyer was gone. She sat thinking of a way that she could communicate to them that she meant them no harm and that she was going to move heaven and earth to help them and get them to a safe place. It gave her a start to realize that she considered, under Jareth's watchful eye, was the safest place for them.
"So, visitors from another land huh?" Sarah began. When Conall looked startled, she continued. "I've always wanted to see Ireland myself. Beautiful emerald green hills, rolling as far as the eye can see."
When Conall made a non-committal grunt, she continued. "I've always been fascinated with the Hill of Tara." That got a reaction out of him, Fiona just looked on, calmly serene. She got a good feeling from Sarah and she somehow knew that everything was going to work out. How that was going to happen, she had no idea, she just knew that it would.
"All of the stories of the High Kings, the fairies and pixies, elves. Why, I bet you could stand there and actually see another realm. One where goblins and other creatures were just waiting to show you a fantastical land, full of magic, and mystery. Where if you say your right words, anything would be possible." Sarah watched them as she talked, noticing the small glimmer of hope flare in Conall's eye and Fiona start to smile.
"Indeed." Fiona said softly. "What a fantastic place it is. Where a champion might right wrongs and restore balance. I hope you get to see Tara someday soon Sarah. You seem like the kind of woman that magic would love to embrace with open arms."
"All this talk of Ireland and Tara has made me homesick." Conall said, sighing heavily. "I am hopeful that one day we will return and take our children there. So they can learn the ancient stories and customs. Hopefully taking their rightful place.
While they were talking, Sarah studied their eyes. She was curious about the lack of a larger pupil. Liam and Siobhan had it, Jareth had it. The Goblin King had said that the children were not his, she wondered then, why one of their parents didn't have the peculiar trait.
As Sarah was pondering this, the door opened and she felt the malevolence and anger flow in. Turning, she saw Detective Cooper and two uniformed officers enter the room.
"Play time is over, Counselor," he snarled. "These two need to be booked and sent to holding." As he walked toward the table, Sarah saw the red and black cloud around him deepen and grow, she almost felt suffocated by it.
"Detective Cooper, I haven't finished here yet. I will be speaking with you shortly as I have yet to see your report on these two and the charges filed against them." Sarah said sharply.
Detective Cooper turned to fix her with a glare. He stared hard at her, "You don't need to see those, they are not your concern." He said in a soft monotone. Sarah felt a prickle along the back of her neck and a sharp stab of pain in her temple.
"I most certainly do." She replied. Noting the look of surprise on his face. Oh yes, she thought, something is definitely off about Detective Cooper.
Refusing to back down, Detective Cooper took another step towards her. Staring her down, when Sarah didn't back down, he shook his head and turned to the two uniforms who had entered the room with him. "Ms. Williams is obstructing justice. I want her arrested and held at another precinct until we can figure out her involvement in this." He said softly, watching the look of horror on Sarah's face as the two officers started moving toward her.
He's doing something to them! She thought. Oh what do I do now? Oh, Hoggle, Jareth, anybody, please! I need you.
Sarah was becoming increasingly distraught. She didn't know how she would get them out of this. Then, she heard a voice in her ear.
Help will always be given to you, Champion. You need only wish for it.
Suddenly, calmness and clarity overcame Sarah. I wish I had magic of my own to get us out of this.
Sarah felt a white hot pain in her bicep, she almost cried out but bit it back. Then a tingle radiated towards the end of her fingers. Her eyes followed a white light that flowed from her forearm, down to her palm, on to the end of her fingertips, where much to her surprise a crystal formed.
She turned and looked at Conall and Fiona, eyes wide with shock. "Throw it!" Fiona shouted.
Sarah threw the crystal at the officers and Detective Cooper. To her shock and surprise, they froze in place. "Run!" She shouted at Conall and Fiona.
The three of them ran out the door. "To the left," Sarah said. "That's where they're holding the children." Running down the hall, Sarah stopped at the door and turned to look at them. "Carefully now, I don't want to do that again if I can avoid it."
They walked into the room and the children ran to their parents.
"We must move quickly, my darlings." Fiona said to them. They gave a nod of understanding and fled out the door.
"Sarah, what is going on?" Susan demanded.
"I'll explain it all to you soon, Susan." Sarah said hurriedly. "Just trust me, I know what I'm doing."
"What should I say to my office? The police?" She asked.
"As little as possible." Sarah replied, grabbing her briefcase and running out the door.
Sarah led them all down the stairs as quickly as possible without drawing attention. As the neared the front of the precinct, instinctively they all slowed and watched for any sign that they were being pursued. She almost let out a sigh of relief until she heard shouts behind her. Moving more quickly they were steps away from the door and freedom. She saw Kevin coming up the front steps.
"Sarah, I…" Kevin started.
"No time, Kevin. If you want in on this, I suggest you RUN!" Sarah shouted as they barreled out the door.
Kevin took one look at the officers behind her, pulling their guns and turned and fled with them.
"How far do expect to make it?" Kevin asked, running down the sidewalk beside her.
"This far." She replied, opening up her hand, another crystal appeared, gathering everyone in a tight circle, she thought hard where she wanted to end up and threw the crystal down. In a blink they were gone. When Sarah opened her eyes she muttered, "Oh, hell, this isn't where I wanted to be." Looking around, they stood in front of the castle in central park. "I said Jareth's castle."