Chapter 5.

The portal opened in the Underground, and deposited the users in the great hall outside the Throne room. Sarah looked as if she felt a weight lifted. "Thank you." She said to the Fae.

He nodded holding the still trembling Toby closer. "Of course, my dear." He looked down at his bundle. "We'd best get these two where they can have a rest, shall we?"

Giles was coming toward them. "Sire, I see you've brought them back safe and sound."

Sarah was about to object when the Fae spoke over her. "Yes, Giles. Sarah and I are going to settle the children in a guestroom. Go back to work, I'll join you directly."

Giles nodded. "Good to see you, Sarah."

"You too, Giles." Sarah turned to the Fae carrying her little brother. "HE doesn't know?"

"No, and you're not going to tell him either." Quinn motioned her to follow him. "For now, it's best they think Jareth has complete control." He led her down a hall toward the guest wing. "I think the rose suite would be best."

"What do you mean, it's best they think…" She was now nearly running to keep up with the taller Fae.

He paused. "Hush!" he looked around. "The walls have ears."

"Meep, get that door." He motioned to the door to the rose suite. When it opened the Fae carried Toby inside and laid him on a chase lounge. "Just sit still for a bit boy." He said to the child. Toby surprised him by holding out his arms and moaning slightly.

The Fae took a seat and allowed the frightened child to cuddle.

Sarah took a seat and watched, she too was rocking a frightened child. "Are we safe to talk now?"

Freeing one hand, he drew a crystal from the air, set it on the table next to his lounge. "Now."

"Why are you out? I thought Jareth was suppose to be the one on the outside." She began to ramble.

Quinn smiled. "I'm out because he needs me to be out right now. He's having a hard time maintaining."

"What did you do to him?" Sarah demanded.

Rolling his eyes, Quinn snickered. "Right, I'm going to do something to the one body? Not hardly, Sarah." He looked down at the boy in his arms. "He does have our eyes!"

"Will you focus?" she was tense. "Why did you come to the house?"

"Sarah, you were in trouble. We need you safe." He said.

"But the others ….how can they not know?" She asked.

"Because I've paid attention from within…I know how to behave with them…"Quinn stated.

Kerry quieted and Sarah laid her on the seat of the chase lounge. "So no one knows it's you, is that what you're telling me, Quinn?"

"Angus knows and so does Talbot the Healer." Quinn continued to hold Toby.

"And what makes you think I'm going to keep your secret?" She folded her arms and tried to look fierce.

Feral eyes watched her. "Two reasons, the first is Jareth, you care about what happens to him. The second is because you know what's best for the Kingdom, and having it branded about that the King is having stability problems would not be in the best interests of our Kingdom."

He was right; Jareth seen as weak was not good for the Kingdom, not in the wake of Elise and the perceived loss of Quinn. "You've a point, I don't like it, but it is there."

Toby had quieted, and Quinn slid out from under the boy, letting him lay on the seat of his chair. He walked over to the girl, "The Kingdom needs you here, Sarah. I am going to have a talk with your father and find out how to fix what Jareth muddled. Now where is your father?" Sarah refused to open her mouth; instead, she turned her back on him. Quinn placed hands on her shoulders and felt the quiver. "I could force it from you." He said suggestively. "That might even be pleasant…for both of us…and you as well." He heard her gasp. "Come on Sarah, tell old Quinnie where to find Daddy." He slid his hands down her arms. "Or do I huff and puff and…."

"At a hospital in Florida…"She said quickly. "My stepmother's father is in intensive care. They don't expect him to make it." She looked over her shoulder toward the face that was so familiar and yet foreign. "It's in a little town called Coral Bay. That's where he called from just before the storm went malevolent."

Quinn nodded. "Stay here with the children. Talk to no one; let no one in here. Understand." He stroked her cheek with a crooked finger.

She shivered then nodded.

"Good girl." He vanished.

Sarah turned and looked at Meep. "Is he as scary as I think he is?"

"More." Meep said with a worried voice. "And he usually gets what he wants, one way or another."

Sarah sat down again. "Oh dear."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Quinn used an orb to pin point the person of Robert Williams. He used the aid of glamour to give himself a mundane appearance; it would not do to cause a scene in the corridor of the hospital. He looked around the halls, and then saw the man pacing in front of an ICU unit. Holding back, he watched the man, there was something about Robert Williams that caught his interest. It seemed to the Fae watching that the man was more then concerned by the situation in the hospital. Something was making the man down right hostile.

Karen left the ICU unit, and placed her head on Robert's shoulder. "He's so weak, so fragile."

Robert closed his eyes, calmed and held his wife in a tender embrace. "I know dear…if there were anything I could do…"

Karen looked up and touched Robert's jaw. "I know, I know." She sniffed. "Did you get a hold of Sarah? Are the kids ok?"

Robert's jaw clenched. "Yes, I talked to Sarah. The kids are waiting out a storm."

Quinn watched, listened, and changed his mind about talking to her father just then. He saw something that needed investigating before he went farther. He left the hospital and returned to the suite of rooms he had left Sarah in. He put a finger to his lips and drew her toward the balcony. "I have no wish to disturb the children. The storm was frightening enough for them." He pulled her hand in to his and led her to the far side of the balcony.

"Did you talk to my father?" She asked quietly, worried about a confentation.

"No." Quinn said somberly. "It was not the right time." He looked down at the girl he had been so set against. "For now, you're stay here must be a secret."

"Well the lines are down, and there's no way I'd be getting visitors…but Quinn." She was trying to make sense of it all. "I can't stay here, the kids can't stay here! And if Toby says anything…"

The Fae looked at her. "I could put them into a dream state until the storm abates and we can return you home." He suggested gently.

Sarah bit her lower lip, "Why are you being so nice? So conciliatory?"

Mischief entered mismatched eyes. "You'd prefer I chased you around the balcony?"

Sarah began to snicker and giggle, the moment of tension had passed. "No, thank you." Her eyes went toward the room. "Alright, do what you have to."

"I won't hurt them." He promised. "I'm just going to deepen the sleeping state. When the storm is over we'll just move them over and let them wake up there."

"How will we know when the storms over?" She watched as he raised an arm and cast a sleep spell. Since becoming a Mystic, she was intrigued by magical castings.

When he had finished Quinn turned his attentions back to the girl. "I'll have Giles monitor the situation. We can watch your house and make sure nothing is disturbed." He took a step and her hand reached out. He looked down at it.

"That was no ordinary storm, was it?" She asked coming to terms with the situation.

"No, it was not." Quinn looked down at the hand; "It was far more."

"You said this was …free pass number three." She reminded him softly.

Mismatched eyes looked into the emerald green ones. "So I did." He placed a hand over one on his arm. "Next time, I charge." He teased. "Stay here with the children. I have to get back or they'll think Jareth is ravaging you."

Sarah had yet to release the grip of her hand. "Quinn, I…"

A soft sigh escaped the lips of the Fae. "You're welcome, Sarah." He patted her hand.

Sarah watched him leave the suite of rooms. Turning she looked over the rail of the balcony. This was not the first time she had confused feelings about Quinn. Meep joined her on the balcony. The Pixie looked at her and whistled low.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Quinn did not return to his office, he went quickly in search of the Healer. "Talbot." He addressed the man, finding him tending to an herb garden. "I need to know about physic storms."

"Sire?"

Quinn held up a hand and began again. "I need to know what can cause a physic storm, and what can calm it."

"Where?" The Healer asked calmly. Seeing the Fae falter, he asked. "Here or above?"

"Above." Quinn said firmly.

"Any number of things can cause such a condition. Not that the world of man would understand it as such." The healer took a seat and motioned the Fae to join him.

"The physic energies in the world of man are in constant flux. They no longer practice the magical arts…and those that do are looked upon as outsiders."

Quinn nodded. "There's a storm and it's centering on the area of Sarah's home."

"Really? How intriguing." The healer said. "Would you say the storm was directed at her home?"

The Fae frowned. "No, I'd say it was directed at her." He stood up and paced. "We are concerned."

"WE?" Mused the healer. "I see."

Quinn frowned. "Yes, I'm concerned about her as well."

"You objected to her, as I recall…her not being a Fae." The healer was not about to let it go.

The dark one looked at the healer with disdain. "I sill would prefer he'd chosen to bond with a Fae…there were certainly enough of them around only too ready to bond with either of us."

"How is it then that, until Sarah, neither of you were interested in bonding with anyone?" The healer smiled. "And now…"

"Now…" Quinn stood up, "Now I have to find out why someone is gathering violent storms around the house containing a seventeen year old vixen and her two siblings! So I can send them back!"

The healer rose to his feet. "I shall see what I can find out for you, my Lord. Would you like me to come to you, or would you like to come here?"

"I'll come to you." Quinn said. "Healer…is there a potion or something you can give Jareth to …calm him…he is …agitated."

The healer shook his head. "I told you…I don't have the skills for what ails thee."

Quinn sighed. "Find out what you can, and report to us."