Chapter 2

After Leanna woke, she didn't open her eyes right away. She tried to convince herself that it had all been a dream, that when she opened her eyes, she'd be in her bed, and it would be the morning of her birthday, and she had dreamed everything. She opened her eyes.

There was a moment of panic and claustrophobia when Leanna realized that it was nearly pitch black, and there was some sort of bag or something over head. She felt like she couldn't breath and she started to thrash.

The bag over head was lifted so that she could take a few deep breaths of fresh air and calm herself. A little light seeped through, and Leanna could make out tiny holes in the sack, kind of like burlap. A smooth, calming hand reached in and put a hand on her cheek. Leanna latched on to that hand. It was the only solid thing so far that gave her any comfort.

"It's all right.", said a calming voice next to Leanna, "It's going to be all right.

"Like hell it is.", Leanna snapped. Whoever it was sounded nice and probably didn't deserve the attitude, but Leanna wasn't trusting anyone at the moment.

"Yeah. That damned rat who calls himself Jareth has got us both imprisoned, love.", the voice replied. The voice was a young boy's, maybe Leanna's age. He had that smoothed, British accent that Leanna had always loved to hear.

Leanna hesitated before asking, "Who are you?"

There was a sad sigh. "Three years ago, "the boy started, "Jareth took my baby sister, and I followed him. I made it to the center, and I struck a deal. Jareth would let my sister go, and I'd stay with him. He agreed. Jareth kind of adopted me, and since then, I've been called Jareth. I'm afraid I can't tell you what my real name is, or Jareth would kill me." After he was done, he sighed again, then there was silence.

Leanna thought for a few moments before asking, "Can I call you JJ?"

"What's that stand for?", he asked.

"Jareth Junior."

He laughed. "Very creative." There was a pause. "Yeah, you can call me JJ. JJ.... I kind of like that." He laughed again. Leanna liked his laugh.

"Alright, then. JJ it is. Um, I'm-"

"Leanna. Yeah, I know. The whole kingdom knows, really."

"Kingdom? What kingdom?"

"The Goblin Kingdom. Wait, don't you know who you are?"

"Do I wanna know?"

"Probably not."

"Tell me, then."

"No. It's not my place."

"And I very well don't give a damn. Tell me!"

Leanna heard the sound of a door open and close, then voice steps. A voice that Leanna remembered all too well said, "You're my daughter."

"Get the hell out of my psychosis!", Leanna hissed.

"You are my daughter and the heir to my throne."

"Yeah, and whoever the hell this is next to me is bloody Mary Poppins!" JJ snickered next to her. "Shut up!" He stopped laughing.

Strong hands grabbed Leanna by the shoulders in a painful grip. "Don't argue with me, girl.", Jareth hissed.

Something strong shot out of Leanna. There was a grunt of pain from, Leanna suspected, Jareth, and he let her go. There was a curse, footsteps, and the sound of a door slamming shut.

Leanna sighed. "Well, it's turned out to be one hell of a sixteenth birthday."

"Actually, your birthday was yesterday. You've been unconcious since you got here, almost 24 hours ago.", JJ said.

"What, have you been counting?", Leanna asked and snorted.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I have been. It can get very boring around here."

"Great."

"Don't worry. Jareth won't hurt you, and niether will I. Once Jareth... clears you, I guess you could say, I'll show you around."

"Yeah.... You know what?"

"What?"

"I'm going to make Jareth sorry he took my mother's life away. He's going to be sorry." And even with the bag over head, she could tell that JJ was scared.

Sarah sobbed again as she entered her bedroom. She had not cleaned up the broken crystal pieces yet, and they still served as a grim reminder of what had happened yesterday afternoon. Sarah had called Toby and asked him to come over. She would explain everything to him. He was a young, strong, 17-year-old, and he was a champion fencer. If he agreed to help her, she would need that particular skill.

The doorbell rang, and Sarah, wanting more than ever to get out of her bedroom, bolted downstairs and opened the door.

Toby stood outside. His wavy brown hair was tossled like he'd just gotten out of bed. His jade eyes, which had gradually changed over the years from the blue eyes he'd had at birth, were flecked with gold and they had that bright spark in them like they always did. His usual crooked grin shaped his mouth, and he had his fencing sword at his hip.

Sarah stood aside and he walked inside to the kitchen and sat at the table. Sarah sat across from him.

"So, how's your new apartment?", Sarah asked him. He'd been living in an apartment since their parents died.

"It's cool.", Toby answered after a pause, "But I don't think you asked me over here to talk about my apartment."

Sarah took a deep breath. "Leanna was taken yesterday."

"Yeah, I kind of wondered where that sarcastic voice of hers had gotten to." Toby frowned in concern. "Do you know who took her?"

Sarah nodded, closed her eyes, and whispered, "Her father did."

Toby was silent for a moment. "Her father? Well, who's her father?"

Sarah opened her eyes. "Jareth, the Goblin King. The one who took you when you were just one-year-old."

Toby's eyes widened. "WHAT!?", he roared.

Sarah jumped at his voice. "I told you about that, right?"

"Yeah, but you left out the part where you screwed him!"

"I-I didn't... I don't..." Sarah choked on her words and sobbed.

"Sarah. ", Toby said calmly and took her hand, "Sarah, did he... Did he take advantage of you, Sarah?"

Sarah swallowed her tears. Sarah had had many years to ponder what had happened that night. Sarah had had dreams, but she could never remember them very well, and what she did remember was only flashes of emotions and feelings. And what she felt from those flashes made Sarah wonder if she actually had done it willingly. And enjoyed it. And fallen in lo-

"Sarah?", Toby's voice said, jerking Sarah back into reality.

"What?", Sarah asked, a little drowsily.

"Sarah, did that jerk take advantage of you?"

"The truth?"

Toby rolled his eyes. "No, I want you to lie to me. Of course, the truth!"

"The truth is... I don't know. I just don't remember. It's funny, because I broke the spell he was weaving to make me forget Toby and everything else, but I just don't remember that."

"Sarah, I'll help you get to her... somehow. But if you were willing... Jareth has a right to her. I agree, he shouldn't have come and taken her by force. He could've just asked nicely to talk to her, but still... He has a right to her, Sarah."

Sarah nodded grudgingly. "All right, all right." She sighed. "Now all we have to do is figure out how to get to the Underground."

They soon got their answer.

Okay, so, I hope this is all right. Also, next chapter, or the one after that, I'm not sure yet, we have a lovely father-daughter type moment... *wipes eyes* Anyway, I've been talking a bit to Jareth, and he says he wants to be a good guy... Can't argue with the Goblin King, so I guess he's going to be a good guy later on.

Oh, and hazlgrnLizzy... Thanks, and yeah... it was a pretty nasty trick, wasn't it? hehehehehe