I think my last chapter was a bit rushed, but I had little sister stresses to deal with and I wanted to get that finished and submitted. This chapter should be better…I hope! Im adding a bit more background about her family and I have decided a new twist to the story! If its rubbish or makes no sense Ill re-write it but right now Im just trying out some new stuff.

Don't own any characters from the original story, I only own the storyline!

Enjoy!

XD

xx

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Sarah and Jareth appeared in front of the house that used to be her home, but it looked nothing like she remembered. The paint from the door was peeling and has graffiti all over it, there were windows smashed and the rails of the porch were all broken. It was a wreck, but there were lights on inside so there must still be people there. Jareth looked confused, as though he had got the wrong place. It was nothing like he remembered either.

"Shall we go then?" Sarah asked quietly. Even though they were across the road, she felt as though they could hear her from there.

"Yeah." He was still transfixed with the wreckage so Sarah grabbed his hand to stop him from falling over as he walked.

They walked up the front path and Sarah could hear raised voices from inside. That was something she had been used to, having argued many times with her stepmother about looking after Toby so much. But as she got closer, it wasn't her stepmother and her father arguing as she had expected; it was Toby and her stepmother. Toby sounded like he was crying. She stepped to the door and knocked after noticing the doorbell had been ripped off and the door was locked.

"Fuck off!" Came the shouted reply. It was sharp and made Sarah jump back in shock. Jareth stepped forward and used his magic to open the door. What they found on the other side made them both sick.

Toby was cowering in the corner, while her stepmother stood with her hand raised to him, her face contorted in a mixture of rage and amusement. Sarah looked down at Toby and saw his face and arms covered in bruises, and couldn't bare to think where else they would be.

Sarah's first reaction was to close her eyes and pretend it wasn't real. She did, and it didn't work. She acted on her instinct and after pushing past her stepmother she grabbed Toby and ran out of the house, not saying anything as she passed Jareth. She ran down the road to the familiar park at the end and sat down on the bench. Despite the fact that Toby was now 9, she could cradle him in her arms like a baby and he was limp in her arms. Fresh tears washed down her cheeks as she thought about what he must have been going through to make him like this.

She heard someone behind her and jumped up, thinking it might be her stepmother coming to take Toby back. Jareth had followed her, and saw the tears that were still spilling down her cheeks. It broke his heart to see her this upset, and to see Toby like this. He had been so lively when he was a baby, yet now he was a shadow of his former self. All Jareth wanted to do was protect them both. He sat down and pulled Sarah to sit next to him. She collapsed into his arms and a fresh wave of tears broke free.

"How could I have left him? If I had been here this wouldn't have happened!" She sobbed, pulling Toby closer to her.

"Sarah don't do this to yourself." Jareth whispered to the top of her head. He could feel her shaking and he had the strongest urge to go back into the house and hurt that horrible woman for hurting Toby and Sarah. But being the Gentleman he was, he would never hit a woman, no matter how evil she may be. She would what was coming to her eventually. Everything we do comes back to haunt us, and he would make sure this did. She deserved to live in agony for this.

"But its true! I could have stopped it. And if it was always meant to happen I could have gotten him out sooner. This is all my fault, I should have been there for him and I wasn't!"

"Sarah! There is no way this is your fault! She is an evil twisted woman, it is her fault not yours!" He didn't want to raise in her fragile state, but he had to get through to her. She would blame herself for this, just as she had done about Carl. None of it was her fault, he just had to make her see that.

"Sarah?" Toby said weakly, his voice a silent croak.

"Toby Im so sorry. Im so sorry I left you here." Sarah sobbed in reply.

He looked up at his sister and then snuggled closer into her. "I missed you Sarah." He closed his eyes and for a moment Sarah panicked until she realised he was falling asleep. She laughed in relief and pulled him closer, never wanting to let him go ever again.

"Its getting late, we should head back." He put his arms around Sarah and Toby, and transported them to his castle. He didn't want Sarah to struggle getting Toby to bed so he picked them both up and took them to her room. She didn't let Toby go as Jareth placed them both on the bed and pulled the covers over them.

Sarah closed her eyes and pulled Toby closer, placing a kiss on his forehead. She opened her eyes again and saw Jareth about to leave the room. "Thank you. Im sorry if Im a pain in the ass, keeping you busy."

He stopped at the door and turned to look at Sarah. She was curled around Toby, protecting him. "Your not a pain in the ass Sarah. And I like being busy. Get some rest and I'll see you in the morning." He stayed where he was long enough to be certain that she was asleep, then left.

--

Sarah woke the next morning and at first she was unsure where she was. She looked to the side of her and all she could see was a bundle of bones and hair. She poked it, not realising it was her brother. Her stirred from sleep and turned around to look at Sarah.

"Toby!" She screamed, throwing her arms around him once more. Toby cowered at her touch and Sarah felt her heart break. "Im not gonna hurt you Toby. And Im not gonna let anyone hurt you ever again. Ok? Your safe with me Toby."

"Sarah why didn't you come back?" He whispered.

"I…I went to London. To try and be a actress. Im sorry Toby. I should have told you."

"Mommy said you died." He whispered again, and Sarah flinched as she heard him call that woman Mommy. "She said you died, but Daddy said you weren't dead, and then Daddy was dead."

"What? Dad's dead? When?"

"I cant remember. He was there one morning when I went to school, and when I got back Mommy said he was dead."

Sarah was speechless. Maybe her Dad want dead? Maybe that was her way of saying he had gone away? But surely, if he had gone away he would have taken Toby with him? Her thoughts were broken as she heard Toby's stomach grumble. "Lets go get some breakfast."

Toby looked up at her as she got out of bed. His eyes were wide. "Am I allowed?"

Sarah's heart skipped a beat. The evil woman hadn't been feeding him? Well that was obvious! "Of course you are Toby. You can eat whenever you want, you just let me know and I'll get you something. Come on, Jareth will be waiting."

Toby jumped off the bed and wobbled slightly. "Who's Jareth?"

"You don't remember him? Well you will. Come on." She held her hand out and felt a shiver up her spine as the skeletal hand of her brother gripped hers back.

When they arrived in the main hall, Sarah was surprised to see it was Goblin free. Jareth was sat at the head of the table and he couldn't hide the shudder that went though him as he saw Toby. Last night, he had been curled up so much that Jareth hadn't seen the full extent of what had happened to him. But now he was standing, every bone that shouldn't have been was visible. His clothes hung off him and were tattier than the things the Goblins wore.

Sarah sat next to Toby and piled a plate up with food. He looked at it unsurely, looking at Sarah and then at Jareth, as if he had to make sure it was alright to eat. Jareth nodded at the boy and watched as he shovelled the food into his mouth, grabbing more as he finished each plateful. Sarah didn't eat much, she was too shocked by Toby's appearance and the fact that he was eating like he hadn't eaten anything in weeks. He probably hadn't.

They all ate in silence, finding nothing to say now everything Sarah felt revolved around Toby. He looked happier already, and soon he would start looking a lot healthier. Only then could Sarah relax for her stay at the castle.

Toby spent the rest of the day sleeping as Sarah rushed around the room, making sure he was safe. She knew she was being paranoid but there was nothing else she could think of to do.

Jareth opened the door quietly and saw Sarah asleep in the chair next to the bed. Toby was asleep, curled up in a ball and Jareth wondered for a moment if it was for comfort or protection. He walked across the room and pulled a blanket off the bed and draped it across Sarah. He leant down to press a gently kiss on her forehead, but stopped as he saw her eyes shoot open. She looked so lost, and sad. He took her arms gently and pulled her up to stand. He then sat down on the chair and pulled her to sit on his lap. She did, and curled up against him with her head against his shoulder. He took the blanket and tucked it around them, his arms going around her as he did. He started sifting his hand through her hair, calming her to sleep. He knew that she had not slept well the night before, waking many times to check on Toby, to make sure he was still there and he was ok. He heard her breathing slow down, and looked at her. She was asleep. They stayed there for a few minutes longer so Jareth could make sure she was sleeping soundly, and she would not wake if he moved her. Once he knew she wouldn't wake, he lifted her gently and placed her on the bed next to Toby. He pressed a kiss onto her forehead, lingering for longer than he probably should. He tucked the covers under Toby's chin to make sure he wasn't cold then turned to leave to room. She stopped at the door and looked back at his sleeping guests.

"Goodnight my love. Sweet dreams."

--

This chapter was actually harder to write than I thought it would be! Yes I know, a lot of explanation and not a lot of speaking, but that's just the way this chapter seemed to work. Sorry if it seems a bit off from the story but it just fit that Sarah would want Toby there if she went to see him. I hadn't planned for Toby to have been abused, I just thought that it might be a way that Sarah could take him there without anyone arguing about it.

Let me know what you think. I don't mind criticism, really! If you don't like this and you have any suggestions for how I can improve it, let me know, it wont improve unless you let me know!

R&R!

Love you all!

xx