Author's Note: I wanted to take some time to thank all of you who took the time to read, leave kind words and reviews. I'm a bit sad that this story is coming to an end, but I have an idea for an AU story that I'm going to soon start writing. I thought about splitting it up in two chapters, but decided to just go for it with this one. (Over 7,200 words!)
If anyone is interested, the Givenchy dress chosen by Jareth can be viewed here: Givenchy-Long-Sleeve-Ruched-Jersey-Gown-Burgundy-Ready-to-Wear/prod118670348_cat367111_ ?icid=&searchType=EndecaDrivenCat&rte=% %253FitemId%253Dcat367111%2526pageSize%253D120%2526Nao%253D0%2526refinements%253D&eItemId=prod118670348&cmCat=product
Thanks again everyone. I did take a few creative liberties, but I hope you enjoy the conclusion. (I'm thinking of a single chapter sequel for this story too, but I want to focus on my AU story next.)
He could hear himself breathing in and out in slow motion. The sky was gray again. He could see the leaves dance in the wind, feel the breeze against his skin, but he couldn't hear anything. Again, he was running. The dream, yet again, didn't change.
Then, out of nowhere, he spoke into the void that was his dream, "When will the stream be weary of flowing under my eye? When will the wind be weary of blowing over the sky? When will the clouds be aweary of fleeting? When will the heart be aweary of beating? And nature die? Never, oh! never, nothing will die?"
Still life in motion, he continued forward, letting the dream take him wherever it wanted to. Jareth smiled when he saw Sarah's back facing him. She was no more than ten feet away, but she only stood still. Jareth felt himself move closer and closer, but he could never reach her.
He heard Sarah's voice as he desperately reached out to her, "The world was never made; it will change, but it will not fade. So let the wind range; for even and morn ever will be through eternity. Nothing was born; nothing will die. All things will change."
Jareth shot up from his bed. He never remembered his heart beating at the pace that it was now. Turning his head, he sighed in relief as he saw Sarah's back facing him. The steady rise and fall of her torso brought so much comfort to him in that moment. He didn't want to wonder what the dreams were trying to tell him, or even if there really was a message in them. He knew enough to know better. Was it a sign or a warning? He didn't want to think about such things.
Scooting towards Sarah, Jareth kissed the part of her shoulder blade that wasn't covered by the cotton shirt she wore to bed the night before. Resting his head on her back, he didn't care how his body contorted. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling the need to be closer to her.
"Bad dream?" Sarah asked him, her head turned towards him on the pillow.
"No." Jareth replied.
Sarah now turned her body towards him.
"I know when you're not telling me the truth."
"You are so beautiful." Jareth said as he smiled.
"As are you, but you're changing the subject." Sarah responded, rubbing her hand through his hair.
"I couldn't reach you. I can never reach you." Jareth didn't know the despair made its way to his features.
"I'm here." Sarah whispered.
"It's just a stupid dream."
"I'm not going anywhere." Sarah said before pulling Jareth in for a kiss. "You think I'd easily give up all those magic tricks your tongue can do?"
"You are so naughty!" Jareth said as moved to get out of the bed.
"I've never heard you protest such a thing. I want to go for a run, but I think I need to prepare for the fundraiser." Sarah said as she followed Jareth out of the bed.
"Remind me about this fundraiser." Jareth said as he searched for something to wear.
"Every year the school hosts a fancy fundraiser. The kids play a few pieces, alcoholic beverages flow, people network, and hopefully patrons write out fat checks to the school. I'm making it a goal this year to not wear black."
"That doesn't sound so bad, especially the part about the wardrobe."
"Yeah, but instructors have to dress up and pretend like it's the highlight of our year. I always hated those things."
"What's so horrible about them?"
"I always feel uncomfortable, and I never have anything interesting to say. At least I don't think I do. Plus, I don't like pretending to care for certain parents and politicians for the sake of a huge donation. It's tiring and stressful."
"So it's not just about your discontent with small talk?" Jareth asked as he walked into the bathroom.
"That, and well, I've always been alone."
"Well, you won't be alone this time." Jareth spoke nonchalantly.
Sarah stopped moving and stared at Jareth, almost in an epiphany.
"Say that again, please."
"You won't be alone this time." Jareth said, staring into Sarah's eyes.
Hours later while Sarah was at work, Jareth took the liberty of searching for a dress that would be perfect for her. Jareth understood that humans didn't really care what men wore to such things as long as they were properly attired, but he delighted in the thought of treating her to such a luxury. He wanted it to be a surprise and sneakily peeked her dress size by searching her closet.
Walking into Bergdorf Goodman, Jareth wandered around and it didn't take long for a young woman to approach him. Her eyes focused on his; he could immediately tell that she was attracted to him.
"May I help you sir?" The saleswoman asked, hope in her smile.
"Yes, I'm looking for evening attire."
"A man as impeccably dressed as yourself needs no help in that department."
The woman was laying it on thick.
"Oh, it's not for me. It's for my..." Jareth didn't know what to call Sarah.
Sure, she was his girlfriend, but saying that world made it sound a bit juvenile. "Significant other" made it sound so old, so he went with his gut instinct.
"It's for my soon to be fiance." Jareth said. He couldn't help but smile when such words were said aloud.
"Oh." The woman said, disappointment on her face before adding, "Well, any particular designer you're looking for?"
"I'm open to anything that's not black." Jareth said, allowing the saleswoman to lead him towards the women's section.
Jareth went into the store expecting to pick something out in a matter of minutes, but seeing all of the dresses forced him to reevaluate the idea. Many of the dresses he was able to quickly brush aside: too short, too "loud" color or print wise, too poofy, and some were just plain hideous. Jareth wondered why humans felt the need to shell out thousands for hideous clothing.
Lynn, the saleswoman, helped him narrow the dress options down. There was an Alexander McQueen dress that was so perfectly Sarah, but it was black. Lynn tried to push a yellow Gucci gown in his favor, but Jareth quickly brushed it aside. There was an immaculate white Jenny Packham three-quarter sleeved dress that Jareth leaned towards for a while, but it was almost too reminiscent of a wedding dress to him. Plus, given the nature of the fundraiser, he imagined a child causing some sort of accident in which alcohol would ruin the gown. He also had to take her scar into consideration while looking. Jareth was not sure if Sarah would be comfortable having it out there for the world to see. Better to be safe than sorry.
Jareth aimlessly scanned the dresses in front of him. He knew that he would know as soon as he saw it. Growing frustrated, Jareth was considering the McQueen, but then he saw it. A burgundy jersey dress that was perfectly draped and ruched. He never saw Sarah wear such a color, but as he touched the fabric he could picture her sliding herself into the dress. He could also see himself sliding it off of her. It wasn't flashy, nor did it reveal too much skin. Simple. Refined. Subtle. Sophisticated. It was perfect. It was everything that composed Sarah.
"I see you've found the Givenchy." Lynn said.
"This is it." Jareth said, as he continued to run his fingers over the fabric.
"Your soon to be fiance is a very lucky lady." Lynn said as she grabbed the dress to prep it for the sale.
"No, I'm the lucky one." Jareth said as he followed the saleswoman.
The evening of the fundraiser, Jareth surprised Sarah with the gown. At first, Jareth feared that Sarah hated it because of the way she stared at it. There was a look of horror on her face, especially when she saw the tag of the designer.
"You hate it." Jareth said, paralyzed with fear.
"No. It's gorgeous." Sarah said as she unconsciously reached her hand out to touch the burgundy fabric.
"But?"
"This is Givenchy. This dress is probably worth more than I make in a month, maybe two."
"And?"
"You got this for me?" Sarah asked, still in disbelief.
"Yes. Why do you not think you are worthy of it?"
"It's just that I've never had anything so nice given to me."
"Here, put it on." Jareth said as he removed the dress from the hanger. "I'll help you with the zipper."
"You want me to wear this tonight?"
"Of course! You will look absolutely stunning."
"What if I spill something on it?" Sarah asked, as she removed her clothing to try the dress on.
"They're called dry cleaners Sarah. I learned about that my first month here." Jareth said with humor as he zipped the dress up.
Running his fingers over her shoulders to smooth the fabric out, he backed away to get a better view of Sarah in the dress.
"You will be the envy of everyone." Jareth said, knowing that he made the right decision on the Givenchy versus the McQueen.
"You even picked something with longer sleeves." Sarah acknowledged, the weight of it all hitting her. "I don't know how to thank you for this."
"You don't have to. I remember you telling me once that I didn't think I was worthy of your love. I know a dress should not be put in the same category as one's heart, but how is this any different? Let me spoil you."
Sarah considered his words as Jareth moved to change into his outfit for the evening.
"What if I wear this only once?" Sarah asked. "Would you not consider it a waste of money?"
"Darling, you could wear that to Joe Coffee and still make it work out just fine."
Sarah smiled at the thought of it. Walking towards her date, Sarah picked a piece of lint off of the back of his suit jacket. Turning him around to face her, she fixed his tie which was slightly crooked. Jareth loved being the focus of her detailed attentions.
"How shall I introduce you to my friends and coworkers? Should I say, 'Here is my date, Jareth, the Goblin King' or shall we stick to your borrowed name?"
"You call me whatever you want: 'Jareth', 'Seth', 'arsehole', or 'lover' if you're brave."
"Wow, you think highly of yourself." Sarah said, smoothing over his jacket.
"As long as the world knows I'm yours, then I don't care." Jareth said before kissing Sarah.
"We should probably go. I'm sure you're waiting for the moment you can take this fancy thing off of me." Sarah said as she stepped away to grab a black clutch bag.
"You know me too well, Sarah." Jareth said as the two walked out of his suite.
The fundraiser wasn't as dull as Jareth initially thought it would be. He was proud to have Sarah on his arm, and while the two never had to admit that they were a couple, Jareth was sure that everyone in the room knew that he was enchanted with only her. The two did separate from one another every now and again when Sarah had to socialize with potential donors and parents, but it was worth it when he saw the fruit of her labor on the stage.
He saw her interact with some of her young students. They were clearly fond of her, and Jareth smiled when he saw Sarah bend down to compliment a student around Toby's age on his nice suit. He didn't miss how she softly patted his head once she stood up. She was good with children, and they loved her too.
Later on that evening as the two watched the showcase, Jareth allowed himself the fantasy of wondering what instrument their child would one day play. He smiled at the thought of her teaching a son or daughter the cello. They would one day form their own trio; he was set in that idea.
"Jareth, you there?" Sarah asked.
"I'm sorry."
"You were having a bit of a space adventure."
Jareth looked around and noticed that people were exiting the makeshift concert room.
"I was lost in thought."
"Care to share?"
Jareth could have easily told the truth, but he wanted to save such a confession for another time. Instead, he offered Sarah his arm and she gladly took it as the two walked out of the room.
A while later the two returned to Jareth's suite. Sarah was quick to remove her shoes and walked towards the bathroom. Jareth decided to pour himself a drink before sitting in his suede chair. Looking at the skyline, hearing the wild noises that was New York City, he heard Sarah approaching him. Even with her make up and shoes removed, she was still the most beautiful creature.
"What's captured your attention?" Sarah asked as she placed herself in his lap.
"Right now, you." Jareth said.
"Touche!" She said as she grabbed his glass and took a small sip of his drink before making a face that revealed her regret in such a decision.
"I don't get what it is with males and scotch, and please don't tell me it's a refined taste." Sarah said as she placed the tumbler on the side of the chair and curled into Jareth.
"You look so wonderful tonight."
"I'm exhausted. Give yourself some credit, you were pretty dashing yourself."
Jareth began to run circles with his fingers across Sarah's back. He never got tired of the slight moans she released when he did such a thing.
"Yes, but all eyes were on you."
"Well, given how much you paid for this dress... I feel like I have to be extra careful with it. One wrong move and I'll ruin it." Sarah said as she ran her fingers over the fabric.
Jareth followed suit and soon, he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers.
Sarah shifted herself slightly.
"Am I bothering you, sitting like this?" Sarah asked.
"I'm not one to turn you away on account of me being a little uncomfortable, not that I am."
"Well, eventually some body part will fall asleep." Sarah said.
The two were silent for a few minutes, and Jareth wondered if Sarah fell asleep.
"Sarah?"
"Yes?"
"Nothing."
Sarah lifted her head.
"What? If you're uncomfortable, I'll move."
"No, it's not that."
"What is it?" She was genuinely curious now.
He wanted to tell her about his so-called space adventure, but he forgot his words when he saw her green eyes focused in on his.
"It's nothing."
"Am I going to have win it from you?" Sarah asked before kissing his lips.
It didn't take long for her lips to move to his neck, their fingers still entwined together.
"That's not fair. You know you are my weakness." Jareth responded as he leaned his neck back against the chair, giving Sarah more room to wander her lips over.
Meeting his lips with hers, he didn't want to seem so aggressive with his lust, but she brought that out in him. Sarah shifted her position to get more comfortable, and Jareth aided in making sure her legs hung off of the side of the chair. Keeping his lips on hers, he removed his hand from hers as he impatiently sought out the bottom of her dress.
"Lie back." Jareth whispered against her lips.
Sarah complied, her hair draped off of the other side of the chair. He continued to move his hand up her dress, watching her reactions to his touch.
"Spread your legs for me."
She easily acquiesced to his touch.
Jareth kept his eyes on Sarah as he began to pleasure her. He used her reactions to determine whether he should slow down or speed up the movement of his finger inside of her. She gripped his tie, trying to keep still at the same time. Her eyes were now closed, but her soft moans grew louder by the second.
"That's it." Jareth whispered. "I can't put into words how I love doing this to you. I love pleasuring you. I think it's what I now live for."
Sarah tried to raise her hips, but quickly gave up. Jareth could feel her release was close, so he slowly picked up the speed. Sarah's head was now hanging off of the chair, her neck still swan-like.
"Come for me Sarah; shatter for me." Jareth spoke, and seconds later he felt it around his finger.
Sarah didn't move, her head still sprawled out over the arm of the chair. Every few seconds her body appeared to twitch, but Jareth knew it best to wait for her to come down at her own pace. Jareth softly ran his hand up and down her thighs, reminding her that he was still present in their moment.
"How are you?" Jareth asked.
"I'm fantastic." Sarah responded before lifting her head and pulling him in for a kiss. "Let's go to bed."
Moments later as Jareth moved inside of her, he was deliberately slow and precise. Her hands held his face, and he knew that something was different about this coupling. There was an unexplainable desperation, but he was quick to brush such foolish thoughts aside. Maybe he was letting the dreams mess with him, but he was desperate to hold on to her.
When her hand traced his lips, he enveloped a finger in his mouth and gently sucked on it. He needed to be closer and moved his lips to hers, whispering words into her lips: "My life." "My love." "The air that I breathe." "My queen."
Finding a suitable rhythm, Jareth looked down at Sarah who looked a bit concerned.
"Hey." Sarah whispered before adding, "I'm here. I'm here."
Moving his head to her neck, he felt Sarah wrap her arms around his back, matching his rhythm. He heard her proclaim her love to him, as if it was a Tennyson poem. He couldn't stand being separated from her lips, and gently crushed his to hers, but not before hearing her say,
"Yes, I'll marry you. I think I was made for you Jareth."
As they continued to move in unison, Jareth picked up the speed slightly, fueled on by her words. How did she always know the right thing to say? It didn't take long for him to come inside of her. Catching his breath, he dragged his lips across her collarbone before resting his head against it. It took him a few seconds to process her words, but he linked his fingers with hers nonetheless.
"I think I was created for you too." Jareth said as he closed his eyes. It was all he could say. He didn't have the energy to leap with joy, but his heart did.
He fell asleep to the rise and fall of her chest, a content smile on his face. If there was another word for bliss, he wished to create it.
The next morning Jareth woke up to the sound of Sarah in the kitchen preparing breakfast. The smell of coffee brought a smile to his face, and he decided that resistance was futile when it came to having a lie in. Stretching his limbs, Jareth moved his neck from side to side as he sat up in bed. The sun wasn't even out.
"Good, you're awake. I thought I was going to have to write you a note." Sarah said as she walked into the room, dressed in workout attire.
"The sun's to even out, and you're going for a run?" Jareth asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
"What better time! I won't have to fight for sidewalk space." She jokingly added before adding, "Want to come with me?"
"You know running is not my forte." Jareth admitted.
"Yes, but I'll go easy on you. I'll stay within a half a mile from you; I promise! Come on, you know you want to." Sarah said as she reached her arm out to him.
"Can I at least have some coffee first? Plus, don't you think we need to discuss something?" Jareth asked as he took his beloved's hand.
"You won't last twenty minutes if you're running on an empty stomach. I made some toast and scrambled some eggs. Let's eat, and yes, I'm being obtuse with you for a reason. I propose, pun intended, we talk about my particular response later today. Let's just continue to live like we normally do. There will time for such discussions later."
Jareth smiled, knowing that her answer wasn't just something spoken out of lust. She was right, they did have time.
An hour later, the two were slowly jogging side by side. The sun was just starting to truly reveal itself to New York City. So far, Jareth kept at a steady pace. Sarah told him that he had to build his endurance slowly, and he had to remind himself that he was a beginner compared to her. Breathing in and breathing out. The pavement helped in his count, and he could tell that Sarah was growing a bit antsy.
After a few minutes, Jareth was ready to slow down.
"Go ahead." Jareth said. "I'll catch up with you."
"No, I won't leave you." Sarah said, concern on her face.
"It's fine. I'll catch up with you. Just stay within that range you promised."
"Are you sure?" Sarah asked.
"It's good. You know, if you want to show your future spouse some mercy and take a break, I won't hold it over your head."
Sarah jogged ahead of him, her spirit jovial and gleeful, she shouted, "NEVER!" as the distance grew between them. Gods, he loved that woman. For the next few minutes he continued to run at a slow pace. Needing something focus on besides the pain in his muscles, he looked up and had a brief moment of deja vu. For a moment it appeared as if he was running in his dream. Closing his eyes and opening them again, he saw the sidewalk ahead of him. He felt confused, disoriented even.
Suddenly, there was pain. Jareth stopped immediately and clutched his back. Cursing under his breath, he wondered where it came from, but there was a feeling of doom in the pit of his stomach. No, something wasn't right. Jareth knew it. Was it something in the Underground?
He ran ahead, knowing that something was wrong, at a speed he didn't think was possible given his lack of experience with running. He felt it in his bones. He didn't know he could run as fast as he did until he saw a small crowd of no more than three swarming around something. Then he saw her.
"SARAH!" Jareth cried as he got closer to the three people.
"I'm so sorry! She just came out of nowhere!" The distraught cab driver spoke to the second person on the scene. The third person appeared to be talking to Sarah.
"SARAH!" Jareth repeated as he pushed everyone else out of the way. He didn't realize how rough he was with the strangers.
"An ambulance has been called." Person three, a woman, stated.
"Who are you?" Person two asked.
"She's my fiancé!" Jareth said, grabbing Sarah's hand.
Her eyes were open and searched for his, but her body was contorted in an uncomfortable fashion. He didn't know much about medicine in the Aboveground, but he knew enough to understand that moving her could do more harm than good. How was she still conscious?
"Jareth." Sarah whispered calmly.
"I'm here."
"I wasn't careful. I wasn't paying attention."
"It's alright, darling. We're going to get you help. You're going to be fine." Jareth said as he gripped her hand tighter.
"I've got you. I've got your hand. Just breathe, I'm here."
"Do you?"
Then her calm demeanor suddenly changed to one of slight panic.
"I can't feel you." Sarah said. "I can't feel anything."
"It's okay. We're going to get you all healed up."
Jareth tried to remain calm as he heard the ambulance approaching, but he knew what potentially awaited her. He couldn't admit it out loud, but he could tell by the look in her eyes that she knew it too. If only they were in the Underground. There were so many if onlys. She was alive. She was alive, and that was all that truly mattered, but deep down he knew that the Underground could fix her. It wouldn't happen in one day, but it would happen. He could have the finest healers at her beck and call as soon as they stepped foot in his castle. If only.
As Sarah was placed in the ambulance, Jareth quickly forgot about the three others left on the sidewalk. As he climbed into the ambulance, his hand still holding on to hers, he knew that hope would only go so far. Sarah told the EMT what happened, but he was lost in his own world. He could use his magic if needed be. Yes, he could if he really needed to, but it would only go so far. Something like this needed more expertise. As the EMT continued to check on Sarah, he overheard talk about injuries to her organs. Sarah moved her eyes to his.
"I should have stayed with you. I shouldn't have stayed behind." Jareth regretfully said.
"Don't do that. It won't do us any good. I'm confident the doctors will do everything they can. I'm alive."
Jareth didn't know what to think of her optimism and lack of panic. Maybe she didn't feel the gravity of the situation just yet? Maybe it was shock? Maybe it was just denial?
"There are possibilities..."
A look of resignation was on her face. Jareth's eyes began to well up. He should be happy, relieved even. They could return to the Underground, heal her, and continue on with their lives. Maybe they could one day return to the Aboveground, but Jareth couldn't afford to make such promises. He already left behind a kingdom for her, what kind of king would do it again? Plus, how would he explain such an absence to her family? Seth Carrington couldn't just whisk their daughter away to England for treatment? Still, he clutched her hand knowing she couldn't feel the reassurance in his touch and cast a brief spell on the EMT worker so that he wouldn't remember anything that flowed from their mouths for the next few minutes.
"I can't stand the thought of you one day resenting me for it." He whispered.
There was a brief pause.
"You realize what it really means? What you'd really be giving up? I don't think I could leave my kingdom again Sarah unless I chose to leave that world and become mortal like you. Others in the Underground wouldn't allow it a second time around." Jareth continued.
"Maybe I'm not meant for this world anymore. Maybe I never was." Sarah whispered the last line.
"I can't make that decision for you love. No one can. Shouldn't we at least wait for the doctors, but I'm afraid..."
"Time isn't my friend. It's only forever, right?" Sarah said as she smiled as she closed her eyes.
She seemed to be in a meditative state. It was now that he realized that time really wasn't on their side. He now noticed a little bit of blood on her top - human blood, her life force. She was giving him permission to take her to the Underground. They could leave all of this behind, New York City in all of its infinite beauty and wonder.
But what of her family? Or could they one day return once she was recuperated? How would such things be explained? Would he reveal the truth to her family? She was locked up, drugged, and tortured because of a lie. Months ago he would have easily held that satisfaction over their heads, but he couldn't find it in him to do such a thing. Was it better for her world and family to think that she died? What about Seth Carrington? Could two people randomly be killed in such a scenario? The longer they stayed in the Aboveground, the more likely her injuries would be permanent. He needed to be swift and quick with his decision making.
He didn't know what to do and it made him feel insecure. Being a king, after all, was about making such spur of the moment decisions, and here he was torn. Should selfishness win, or was it selfish to leave her to such a fate?
"I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do." Jareth pleaded.
"I trust you." Sarah said, her eyes still closed.
"I love you." Jareth responded, his tears now falling on her arm. He knew she couldn't feel them.
What if she were to recover given time? What if she never did? Their future hinged on him, and was a decision he couldn't take lightly. Draping his torso over hers, he summoned his magic and willed the two of them back to the Underground. He would think of something later. Right now his top priority was getting Sarah the care he immediately needed.
Feeling his feet firmly in the Underground, Jareth held Sarah's limp body in his arms. The trip to knocked her out. He immediately undid the stasis spell and felt his kingdom come alive again as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
"HEALERS!" Jareth screamed at the top of his lungs. He could feel the echo of his voice reverberate throughout the kingdom.
It didn't take long for one, two, three, four, five of them to scurry towards them.
"She has a spinal cord injury that needs to be healed. I don't care what you have to do, or how you have to do it. She must be healed! This is your future queen. She will be healed! Am I understood?"
"Yes sir." was repeated by each one.
He watched as they, through magic, moved her body to the healing rooms. He was quick to follow, the everyday concerns of his oh so familiar kingdom coming back to him. He would stay by her side, watch her, help her heal, just as he stood by her for the past few months. If he could be patient up above, then it would be nothing in his kingdom. He wasn't completely confident that she would be completely healed, but he had to hope for the best. He knew then that he would have to live on it.
The next day Jareth waited for Sarah to wake up. The Underground's healers worked extensively on her, and while the most severe aspects of her spinal injury was fixed, it would take time for her to get back on her feet. Spells and magic could aide in muscle atrophy, but she wouldn't be able to just get out of bed in two days. She would need patience; they both would.
"Am I dead?" Sarah asked.
Jareth didn't realize she opened her eyes.
"No, you're in the Underground."
Sarah was slightly thrown off with Jareth's appearance. He forgot that he transformed back to his "normal" self upon re-entering the Underground.
"How do you feel?" Jareth asked, noticing her move her eyes around the room. Her neck had a little bit of mobility, but there wasn't much.
"Like I got run over by a car." Sarah laughed, but it quickly turned into a wince. "That was a bit too soon." She added.
"You've got your humor, that's a positive."
"How long have I been here?"
"About 72 hours."
Suddenly, she realized the implication of it all.
"My family!"
"All has been taken care of."
"What do you mean?"
"Your family, colleagues, the whole of the world believe that we died together in a tragic car accident. I was able to work wonders with my magic, but all we need is for those who know you to believe it is fact."
"A funeral?"
"Closed casket due to the damage, with my remains being sent home to England. I'm sorry, but your parents were 'persuaded' into such a decision. Your school is planning a memorial for you. I didn't have anything to do with that. You are so loved by so many in the Aboveground, I'm sorry to cause to that pain for all of them. You are so loved down here. I don't expect you to acclimate to this new world so quickly,"
"Jareth stop." Sarah said. "I made my choice. I have to accept the consequences of it."
"I don't want you to blame me. Mortal doctors could have healed you properly."
"Mortal doctors could have also limited me. Their own brand of magic is limited compared to what happened here. I can wiggle my toes, you know. I'm not naive about how this will be an uphill battle. Don't you see what you've given me? You saw me on that street. At least here I have a chance, and I'm sure we'll find a way to let my family know that I'm okay. You will find a way."
Jareth didn't realize that tears were falling until a healer walked in to check on Sarah.
"If you tell your friend Hogworth about these tears, I'll deny it." Jareth said, trying to crack a joke.
"Sir, it's time to check on Miss Sarah's spine."
Jareth didn't realize a healer had walked in. Wiping his face, trying to look stoic, he fell back into the persona his subjects were used to.
"Well then, do you work." He said.
There were good days. There were bad days. There were days Sarah took three steps forward, but the next day would be four steps back. Jareth could sense her frustration. The pain was still there; Sarah insisted on not getting full "dosages" to relieve the pain. It was a reminder, she mentioned, that nothing should come so easy. According to the healers, she would eventually be able to walk again, but her running days were over. Help would be needed, but Jareth would spare no expense.
The healers would poke and prod, and Jareth felt like she was being submitted to the torture she once went through. Trials and tribulations took on a new meaning for him as he watched her limbs slowly gain their use again. There were days she wanted to give up, but he was there to remind her that magic wasn't always an immediate fix. He wiped the sweat off her brow and they carried on.
It would take four weeks before she felt comfortable enough to walk, with some assistance. She was apprehensive, but relieved to know that things were only getting better. Jareth saw her sigh of relief as one foot moved in front of the other one. Her spine still felt a little off, but she appeared to grow more confident with each stride.
"You're walking." Jareth said, standing in the corner of the healing room.
"I'm walking." Sarah confirmed, the weight of it finally hitting her as she held on to a healer.
Jareth quickly made his way to her to make sure she didn't fall.
"I'm good. I'm good." She said as she leaned into his chest.
Jareth ran a hand back and forth across her shoulders.
"I never thought twenty steps could be so exhausting." Sarah spoke.
"There are so many more steps in our future. The longer you're here, the more the magic will aide in your healing. It has already had an effect. Welcome home my love." He whispered into her hair, feeling like he could release the metaphorical breath he didn't know he even had been holding in.
The memorial service for Sarah Williams was held seven weeks after her "funeral" in order to give Joe Gonzalez time to organize and arrange a proper tribute to his friend and mentor. He insisted on paying for and arranging the memorial which would include the group she played with along with her colleagues and students. On the day she "died," Joe shared a picture of Sarah playing the cello on social media. He even went as far as to set up a scholarship fund in her name for cellists.
There was mention of Seth Carrington, but there wasn't much to say about the mysterious Mr. Carrington. If there was nothing to prove his existence, then people would focus on Sarah instead. Someone did, however, display a picture of the two of them at the fundraiser that was taken unbeknownst to them. Sarah's family insisted that the photo be put on display since Seth was such an important part of their daughter's life. Sarah's parents were there, along with Toby. Sarah had admitted to Jareth that she wasn't so worried about her parents moving on, but it was Toby she worried about.
Gonzalez also arranged for a tribute pop up show in Central Park, and even Dr. Corley showed up. Some of Sarah's favorite pieces were played, and there wasn't the somber, depressing tone that was almost expected for such an event.
"Mr. and Mrs. Williams?" Dr. Corley asked.
"Yes." Mr. Williams said.
"I'm Dr. Corley. I worked with Sarah. I'm sorry I couldn't attend the funeral. I was attending a conference in Dallas when I heard the news."
"Thank you for being there for our Sarah."
It was then that Dr. Corley noticed Toby.
"You must be Toby. It's nice to meet you."
Toby turned his head away from Dr. Corley.
"I'm sorry about that. He's been a bit lost since Sarah died." Mrs. Williams said.
"I understand. If you every need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'll leave you to your peace."
Dr. Corley moved towards the back of the crowd as the music started again. She focused her attention on Toby, worry in her features.
Toby held his mother's hand as he listened to his stepsister's favorite pieces. Then, as if a voice told him to do it, Toby turned his head towards a red maple tree. He smiled at what he saw, somehow knowing that everything was going to be just fine.
Dr. Corley noticed this too and followed his direction. She noticed two barn owls observing the scene in front of them. Then it appeared as if they were staring at Toby.
Aren't barn owls nocturnal? Dr. Corley wondered.
She turned her focus back to the memorial, brushing aside the oddity, even though it clearly captured Toby's attention.
Later that night as she she sat in her office, she couldn't get the owls out of her mind. Digging through Sarah's file, she found old recordings of sessions she had at the hospital along with a few sketches. Some of the sessions were under hypnosis. Corley never listened to them because she didn't want them to cloud her approach to Sarah's treatment. Yielding to the temptation, she listened to a few tapes with no expectations.
"Where are you dancing?" The doctor asked.
"Ballroom. There are masked figures everywhere, but I know he's looking for me."
"Does he find you?"
"We find each other." Sarah drowsily said.
"What happens next?"
"We dance."
Dr. Corley jotted down a few notes, but she didn't know why she was bothering with the task. It's not like any of it could change the past. Popping in another tape, she listened for close to twenty minutes when she heard,
"And what stands out for you?" A male doctor asked.
"There's a barn owl."
Corley dropped her pen from the shock and turned up the volume.
"It's always been there. Watching me. Following me." A drowsy Sarah spoke.
"Why an owl?"
"It has always been there. For years. It's him."
Dr. Corley paused the tape and leaned back into her chair. Toby's reaction. Seth Carrington's sudden appearance and disappearance. She couldn't shake the image of the two, not one, barn owls that appeared to be carefully watching everything that happened at the memorial.
"There's no way. That can't be possible." Dr. Corley spoke to herself, all the while knowing that her instincts spoke otherwise.
Digging through the sketches that she wasn't paying attention to minutes earlier, she found a sketch of the supposed king that was mentioned numerous times on the tape. Feeling her stomach drop, she thoroughly searched for the day's newspaper, desperately flipping the pages until he found the article about the memorial. The photo that no one knew was taken was used in the article, and Dr. Corley brought her hand to her mouth when she compared the drawing to the photo of Seth Carrington. Yes, there were a few differences, but one didn't need a PhD to put two and two together.
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but then again, Toby seemed to clearly understand what the rest of the world didn't. He knew it then just as she realize it now: everything was going to just fine.