Chapter 21. Santa Baby

Sunday the twenty second of December, Jeremy, Linda and Sarah drove from the city out to the Williams house in quiet suburbs of Pennsylvania. Sarah was still marveling over the fact that her father had invited Jeremy and Linda both to stay at the family abode for the holidays. She watched out the window as the city faded and the countryside changed to the soft rolling hillsides she'd grown up with. All too soon the car would pass the park, her park, and they would be home. Sarah was not entirely sure she was ready for that, for home. Jeremy and Linda had kept up banter of conversation, but Sarah had chosen not to join in. Instead she read over the notes for the next batch of voice-overs she was going to record.

Karen, with a wool shawl over her shoulders, was standing on the porch waving as they drove into the drive. She called a warning for them to be careful as the path was slippery and she didn't want any of them to fall. But her eyes were on Sarah, and she looked worried. Something was wrong.

Linda told Sarah to go up to the house; she and Jeremy would unload the car. Sarah walked up the path carefully, a path she'd used time and again, and when she got to the porch she halted. Something about the way Karen was looking at her drew a shiver, it was so familiar.

Karen looked at her and said. "Well, come on," her voice sounded slightly exasperated for an instant, she reached a hand down to draw Sarah up toward the house.

Sarah staved off the memory, she would not fall prey to it, not now. Karen pulled her into her arms for a warm hug, the tone of her voice so different from just a moment ago Sarah thought. A fearful thought passed her mind, what if it had not been real? What if that tone and the exasperation had been a trick of her mind?

Karen pulled back and tipped her stepdaughter's face up ward. "You look tired, are you getting enough sleep?"

"I don't know." Sarah admitted. "The last few days have been hectic." Ushering the girl into the house, Karen helped her out of her coat and motioned her to go into the parlor. Sarah stood looking at the tree. "Wow, Dad didn't lie, it's a huge tree."

Karen nodded, "He and Toby went to the tree farm and cut it themselves." She said proudly.

Sarah remembered going to the tree farm, cutting the tree… bringing it home to decorate. She sighed, feeling a bit left out.

Linda had removed her coat and boots and had tiptoed into the parlor. "Oh Karen, now that's a tree!"

Karen graced her with a smile. "I was just telling Sarah that Robert and Toby picked it out at the tree farm and cut it themselves."

Jeremy looked about; "Where are they? Robert and Toby… I thought they'd be here."

Sarah took a seat in a firm chair while Karen told Jeremy that the boys had run an errand for her. She looked up at the tree, and wished she could have seen Toby helping her dad cut the monster down.

Karen drew Linda aside, "Hormones?" she asked quietly. Linda nodded, and Karen gave the girl sitting on the chair a sympathetic glance.

Jeremy had taken their belonging up to their rooms. Karen had made up the guest room for Linda and Jeremy, and Sarah was in her old room. By the time he returned to the parlor, Karen was serving hot mulled cider to Linda and Sarah. The scent of hot spices and apples filled the air. Sarah listened to the conversation, taking part only when asked a direct question. She watched as Jeremy added the gifts they'd brought with them to the pile under the huge tree. Sarah wondered if the entire holiday was going to be like this, and prayed it wouldn't be.

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Nicole watched as Jareth sulked and brooded be in a temper and feeling sorry for him-self. She had kept a distance from him for the last few days, but decided it was time for a confrontation. "You brought this on yourself you know." Jareth looked at her, his mouth dropped open to protest. She continued. "You never think things through! You act impulsively. Now you're paying for it."

Jareth, brooding moved out of the throne room and went to where he felt he could feel sorry for himself without interruptions. He went to the Bog of Stench.

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Sarah awoke from a bad dream; she sat up to find herself in her old bedroom. For a moment she could not remember how she'd gotten there. It was still dark out and she crept to the window to look out. The tree just outside her window was bare and covered in a new casing of snow. She looked up at the now clearing sky and the blanket of stars. "It's Christmas Eve," she said aloud in a soft voice. "It's Christmas Eve."

Her door opened slightly, she turned and saw her little brother standing in the door frame. She waved him in and he came to her side, looking out the window as well. He cuddled into her side. "Sarah?" He looked up at her.

She shook her head, not really willing to speak right now. Her hands settled on his shoulders and she began to hum the notes of some long forgotten tune.

Karen when the sun rose was in the kitchen preparing the breakfast for the extended family. She seemed to take it all in stride, a house full of guests, the holiday and everything that encompassed it.

Robert was seated at the table when Sarah and Toby came down the stairs, reading his paper and making notes on a legal pad. He looked up as his children entered the warm hearth of the kitchen. "Good morning moppets." He greeted them.

Sarah looked around, "Mom and Jeremy?" she asked.

"Sledding," Karen said lightly. "They left at first morning's light."

Laughing Sarah took her seat, "I don't believe it!"

Karen looked at the girl and pursed her lips. "Just because we're not kids anymore doesn't mean we don't know how to have fun you know." She scolded in a teasing tone.

Toby grumbled some threat toward anyone who did anything to his precious sled. Robert looked at him and he quieted down. Sarah closed her eyes; the smells in the kitchen were the same ones she's grown up with. If she tired really hard, she could almost pretend it was years ago, and she was still a child. The little passenger in her tummy took exception to that train of thought and began to move violently to remind her that times had indeed changed. Half way through the breakfast, Linda and Jeremy showed up crowing about the hills and the snow. Sarah sighed; it would be awhile before she'd go sledding again. She pressed a hand to the bump, giving it comfort.

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The sun in the Underground was beginning to set, the sounds of Goblins going home drifted up to the castle. Jareth stood at his window in the throne room, feeling alone. He listened to the sounds of husbands greeting wives and children, and smiled sadly. Raising the orb that was now his constant companion he gazed sadly into it. Not to see the girl as she was this moment… but to remember her as she had been, the moment he realized he was in love with her. Within the orb was the image of himself in the blue frockcoat, and Sarah in the pearl white gown, dancing within a crystal ballroom.

"Feeling pretty sorry for yourself?" a voice asked.

Jareth turned prepared to demand who had the audacity to interrupt him. He looked at the being standing across from him at the far end of the throne room near the entryway. The one standing there was no Goblin. Nor was he a Fae, well not exactly. There was a strong magic attached to the being, magic that Jareth understood. "Yes, I suppose I am." He said as he lowered the crystal.

The bearded being nodded, and swept into the throne room gracefully considering his size. He was a well rounded, and his red garments that were trimmed in white fur only made him look bigger. His black boots were highly polished and one could have seen themselves had they looked closely. His long robe like coat was open and his hood was down. His eyes danced with merriment, as he took a seat in the Goblin King's throne. "Although this is not the kind of throne I'm use to, I'm here and we'd best make the best of it." He suggested.

"I can see that you are here but why?" Jareth approached.

"Why to ask you what you want for Christmas of course." The old man snickered. When the Goblin King frowned, the old man sighed. "I see, you've not been a very good boy, have you Jareth?"

Unsettled by the use of his name, the Goblin King shook his head.

"It's not very nice, this trick you've played on the girl." Kris said to the lad. "However, you being you, and her being her…" He shrugged. "I met her, you know."

"Did you?" Jareth smiled softly. "I'd have loved to have seen that."

The man in red smiled softly. "She struggles to believe."

Worry covered the face of the Fae, "I don't believe that!" He growled. "Hers is the strongest spirit of belief!"

"She's alone… and it's hard, my boy." The elder spoke gently, kindly and with understanding.

"I'm alone as well!" Jareth snapped suddenly. "She's supposed to suffer…. But it seems to me I'm doing all the suffering here!"

Kris Kringle raised his brow, "I see."

Jareth held up a hand, "I know what you're trying to do," he warned. "You're trying to make me think of how I'm treating her…well just stop."

The elder shook his head. "I came here to warn you," He stood up and pointed a gloved finger in the face of the Goblin King. "She needs to know she's not been abandoned… and if she does not get that she will fall prey to things you'd rather not think of, boy." He growled at the Fae. "Think of someone other than yourself for once."

Jareth watched as the being swept out of the throne room as swiftly as he'd swept in. He raised the orb, saw the girl sitting dejectedly and took his lower lip into his teeth. "Sarah." He whispered.

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Kris was stepping into his sled, a few Goblins stood about staring at the strange sight. He looked at the Fae woman who was just beyond in a circle of trees. "Nicole?"

She moved forward; "Yes, sir."

He smiled at the child of the High Queen. "I tried."

"I pray you got though to him." She looked toward the castle. "In his own twisted way, he really does love the girl, you know."

"I know." Kris nodded. "I left him something; perhaps it will melt his heart… then again, being Fae who knows." He held out a hand to the girl. "Blessings child."

"And to you," she said. "You'd best be on your way…Santa has a lot of stops in the Above."

A crack of his whip and his team of reindeer were set to go. "I'll keep my eyes open… and try to help them."

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Sarah sat quietly as her father read the Night before Christmas to Toby. Linda and Jeremy sat on the floor listening with the same awe Sarah saw on Toby's little cherub face. Karen had finished in the kitchen, and was in her favorite chair knitting while she listened to Robert speaking. Feeling restless the girl left the comfort of the chair and wondered into the foyer, where Roberts's words were echoing.

The doorbell rang; Sarah blinked and motioned to Karen that she'd answer it. Opening the door she found a delivery man from FedEx with a few bundles in his hand. He shoved a roster at the girl for her to sign and then muttered something that sounded vaguely like a Christmas greeting. He turned and waddled off to the truck on the curb and drove off. Sarah looked at the antique clock that Karen prized and had sitting in the hall… it was nearly eight o'clock. She speculated they were the last stop on the man's long run.

She came into the parlor just as her father ended the story and was telling Toby it was time for bed. Having kissed him goodnight, she then placed the bundles under the tree. "I'll bet one of those is that box you were expecting from Aunt Rose," she said to Karen; "More divinity for us to fatten up on."

Karen stretched, "I hope not!"

Linda laughed, "I remember Aunt Rose!" Her voice was filled with unspoken tales of the elderly aunt who could never remember what Robert's wife's name was.

Sarah sighed, "I'm going up… tomorrow is going to be a very long day."

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The sounds of music awoke Sarah; she looked over sleepily at her dresser. A small crystal music box stood there, its little princess in its center spinning slowly about. Sarah smiled and closed her eyes, then sat up abruptly. She'd put that music box away, long ago… on a night she had spent years trying to forget. Sarah threw back the covers, slipped out of the bed and walked toward the vanity. As she approached the music ceased. She backed away, but something else had caught her attention, another sound; Sleigh-bells.

Pulling on her robe, she crept on bare feet down to the landing and peered over the edge of the rail toward the parlor. She could hear the bells clearly, and moved down the rest of the stairs carefully. She stood beside the door frame watching the man eating a cookie. He paused, titled his head and smiled.

"Join me, Sarah." He said quietly. Sarah hesitated, but he had turned and was looking directly at her, extending a hand with a cookie in it. "Your stepmother is a very good baker."

Sarah entered the room, accepted the gingerbread cookie that was held out to her. "Thank you." She said quietly.

He looked down at the girl. "I see Toby is getting his train." He pointed to the large box her father had stuck under the tree after the boy had gone up to bed. "He'll be pleased."

"Yes, I suppose he will." She nibbled the cookie.

The man dressed in red smiled at her. "I see something under there for you as well."

Sarah looked down at the bundles that she'd placed under the tree; one small package had been addressed to the theater and then readdressed to her parent's home. "Odd, I didn't notice that one." She bent down and picked the package up, before stealing a look at the old man. "Do you think I could open it now?"

"I see no harm." He sipped the cup of cooled off coco left by Toby. "Go ahead, open it."

Her fingers shook as she pulled the package open. Inside was a little box, tied with a blue ribbon. She opened it and found a pair of delicate earrings that matched the little ring she wore and had worn since the opening night of the play. "He did remember." She felt the tears slide down her face, when she looked up, the old man was gone… only the scent of evergreen remained. Sarah sat down on the floor of the parlor, looking at the tree and its dimmed lights. "He remembered." She repeated clutching the precious box to her heart. "Oh baby, your daddy didn't forget me."

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Karen was surprised to find Sarah asleep under the tree when she came down the stairs just before six. She smiled; the girl seemed so peaceful and happy. She decided to allow Sarah to stay where she was. An hour later Toby came running down the stairs and complained that Sarah was under the tree and he could not open gifts with her laying on top of them.

Sarah joined Karen in the kitchen as her step mother put the finishing touches on the Turkey that was going into the oven. Karen poured her a cup of coffee and told her to enjoy it. Sarah felt rested for the first time in days. She began to think of how she'd been when she arrived and felt bad. "Karen, I'm sorry if I've been out of sorts."

"Don't think about it," Karen said in an assuring manner. "I remember the hormonal swings."

Sarah smiled. "That's what Linda says."

"Do I hear my name being taken in vain?" Linda entered the room and smiled as Karen handed her a mug of coffee. "Robert and Jeremy are corralling the tyke…. He wants to dig into the pile of gifts." She warned Karen.

"Oh I had hoped I'd get some food in him." Karen moaned woefully.

Sarah looked at her mother and her step mother, standing side by side, both in robes and looking like something out of a fashion magazine, she began to giggle.

Karen shrugged, "Linda, would you help me take the goodie tray into the parlor, we'll just munch as we open." She pointed to a tray of hot rolls she'd pulled out of the oven moments before. Toby was clamoring to open a gift, just one! Robert placed his hands over his ears, and Jeremy was trying to reason with the boy before his mother entered, shot him one look and he settled. Both men stared at the woman.

Two hours later, as they sat watching Toby play with his train while Uncle Jeremy and Daddy set it up, the door bell rang.

Karen blinked, "Who could that be?"

Sarah who was seated closest to the door offered to answer it. Opening the door revealed a man in a uniform holding a box. "Deliver for master Toby Williams." He said handing the box to Sarah.

Toby hearing his name had come running out to the foyer. "For me?" He was jumping up and down.

Sarah felt the box move and she was startled. "Good God!" she said motioning him to be seated. "Be careful, it's alive."

Toby sat down and opened the lid of the box, l little head looked up with big dark eyes. Toby squealed, as he dipped his hands into the box to lift out the little puppy who could have been Merlin's baby brother.

Robert turned to Karen, she shook her head. He looked at Linda who was franticly shaking her head. Jeremy looked at Robert with the "I didn't do it" look on his face. Robert then looked over at Sarah and mouthed. 'Did you?' Sarah shook her head no. She looked in the box for a card or something. It was empty; the only thing that had been in the box was the puppy. Sarah noticed it already had a collar and she looked at the little heart shaped tag on the collar.

"The tag says Juniper." Sarah said "There's no papers or anything, not even a breeders mark."

Toby sat on the floor hugging the squirming mass of black and white hair. "I love you Juniper!"

Sarah looked inside the lid of the box and found an envelope, opening it she found the dogs breeding papers. "It says Juniper out of Poppet, sired by…" she paused, not sure she was reading the right words. "Ambrosius." An urge to rip the dog from her brothers arms and hurl it out the door overwhelmed her, perhaps she would have had she not looked down at that moment to see the bond form between boy and dog. Her icy heart melted, and even she could not hold back the smile. She handed her father the legal papers on the dog. "It does not say who sent it." She had a hunch who had.

Dinner was over and Toby sat under the tree listening to the adults reminisces over past Christmases, and go over the family album. He looked content as he lay down with the puppy in his arms. He looked at a box almost hidden in a fold of the tree skirt and reached for it. "Who's this one for?" He asked as he pulled it out from its hiding place.

Robert took it into his hands and read the tag, "It's for Sarah." He extended his hand to her. "Careful, it's a bit heavy." He warned.

Sarah looked at the package; she knew it was not among the things they'd brought from the city. She looked at her father, but he was watching Toby again with a contented look. Linda and Karen both urged her to open the box. She almost didn't want to; the ribbon and wrapping were so perfect. As she tugged on the ribbon, she noted that there were no pieces of tape to hold the wrapping paper. Only the way it was folded, she wondered who in the world would be able to do something so artistic.

"Now that's funny," Linda said distractedly. "I remember my mother talking about wrapping gifts before they used tape to keep the paper on; Never thought I'd actually see a package wrapped that way." Sarah's fingers froze, and she felt the breath catch in her throat. Linda nudged her. "Come on, we all want to see what's in there."

Sarah closed her eyes, praying there'd be no explosion or something dangerous popping out. She heard both Karen and Linda gasp and she opened her eyes. Within the box was a perfect crystal sphere with an ornament top. Lifting it out of the box she could see the tell tale swirls of glitter in its heart.

"That's beautiful," Karen said in admiration. "Why don't you hang it on the tree?"

"It's too heavy," Sarah said dropping it back into the box, hoping it would shatter.

"Nonsense," her father said leaning back in his chair, he looked at the clock, and reminded the family that the carolers would be there soon. "Karen get the hot chocolate going, you know they'll be cold when they get through…."

Sarah wrapped up the orb, and carried the box up to her room when no one was looking. She buried it in the closet under some old clothes in the back. "Go to hell," she growled. She calmed herself and walked down to the foyer just in time to answer the door to the carolers. They filed in and sang their songs, and finished with an old English hymm. Sarah moved to the kitchen to get the cart with the hot chocolate, and was surprised to hear the oohhhhs and ahhhhhhhs as they were looking at the Williams family tree.

Karen smiled at her, "I'm so glad you changed your mind." She called to her stepdaughter.

"Changed my mind? About what?" She asked as she rolled the cart in to serve. Her eyes darted to the tree and the group of people staring at the crystal orb that seemed to glow. "Oh no," she moaned, but thankfully no one heard her. She looked at the swirls and could swear they were moving.

When the carolers had left, and Toby had been told no the dog could not sleep with him. Sarah offered to get out Merlin's old bed and set it up in the laundry room for Juniper. Everyone had gone to bed, and the puppy was cuddling a warm bottle of water Sarah had covered with a towel. She looked at the orb, plucked it from the tree and stalked to the front door, intent on being rid of it. As she pulled back her arm a voice filled her ears.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!"

Turning her head she looked at the orb and came to face to face with….Jareth.