Disclaimer: See previous chapters

Last Time:

Sarah cocked her head. "That was… kinda weird. I mean they were talking to me and then they were dogs…"

Daederath snorted and Jareth sighed. "Why do they always come here?"

"Why is that any different than your panther friends?" Daederath asked.

Sarah shrugged. "I dunno… dogs are like man's best friend so I wouldn't expect Riley to suddenly be one of us whereas Valdis is a panther not one of us so it's perfectly alright?" She shrugged again. "It's weird."

"Everyone laughs at me cause they think I've a short fuse but it's because of these people that are always here."

"Well I suppose that does make sense," Daederath agreed, linking his arms behind his back.

"I always make sense." He snorted. "Jareth, stop talking to yourself darling. It's breakfast time. Daederath, would you care to join us?" The vampire glanced at the pouting Goblin King then bowed dramatically.

"I would love to."

Sarah grinned as Jareth sighed heavily. "I hate you all."

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Chapter 19 (March 31st)

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Humming to herself, Kira made her way down the hall. The day was looking bright and cheerful; a promise that spring was around the corner. As she turned down another hall she paused, a familiar mortal-turned-fae at the end of the hall. "Sarah?" Kira raised an eyebrow as the brunette turned, a roll of tape in her mouth. "What… no… I'm not sure I want to know what you're doing…"

Sarah pulled the tape from her mouth and stepped aside. A "WANTED" poster hung there, a very strange stick figure of (whom Kira guessed) was Jareth and a dark haired man, a box labeled 'chocolate' on the side, all done in crayon.

Kira's other eyebrow rose. "Erm… what?"

"They stole my chocolate and I want it back!" Sarah cried.

"Uh huh… who precisely?"

"Them."

Kira nodded slowly and backed away, hands up in defense. "I'll let you get back to that then."

"Tell all the females that there is to be a meeting of minds in the library in an hour!!!"

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Standing before the window in the library, Sarah took a deep breath, arms linked behind her back, chin held high. "Members of this league of Justice… a terrible atrocity has been committed." There was a snort behind her but she didn't react, watching out the window. "We must use all of our powers to bring justice back to the world and defeat the evil that was trying to destroy it!" She spun on her heel then sweat dropped.

Kira, Kara, Arcadia and Samra were playing a card game on the floor, Valdis lounging on the couch behind Kira, watching the game. Clarica, Rebecca and Amnita were grinning wickedly using a laser pointer to make Trella, in fox form, go insane trying to follow it around the library, Lucian often getting in her way or running into the wall when he couldn't stop in time. Seiko and Holice sat back and watched, Malandra hanging limply above their heads, out cold.

"Guys!" Sarah whined. "We're supposed to be formulating a plan to defeat Jareth and Daederath."

Arcadia raised a hand. "Can I not be included in the trying to defeat my father?"

"Oh me too," Kira added. "He and I made a pact a few years ago to not go against each other if he helped me terrify Alan. It's not worked as of yet but I cannot break it. Ha! Take that Kara!"

"Can all of us not be included?" Kara asked dryly, setting down several of her own cards, Kira letting out a cry of outrage.

Sarah sighed heavily. "Yes. I will enact my revenge though! Mark my words! I will get my chocolate back!" There was laughter and eye rolling directed at her but she ignored it.

"It amazing that you can be attacked by a dark creature and completely forget about it a week later," Valdis remarked dryly.

"It's happened too many times so I've gotten used to it." She crossed her arms. "Now I have to go attack Jareth. I'll debrief you all later."

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Yawning widely, the king of Goblin City made his way towards his room. He'd gotten very little sleep last night as he and Daederath had stolen all of Sarah's chocolate and hidden it from her, revenge for her hyperness a few days ago. He paused as he heard feet smacking stone nearby and turned to look behind him as Sarah skidded around the corner.

"Jareth!" Sarah shrieked then held up a hand, green flame appearing and transforming into a plastic glove. She blew into it so it puffed with air and tied it off then stepped up next to him. "You have committed a horrible atrocity! I challenge you," she whapped him with the balloon glove, "to a duel!"

He raised an eyebrow then stabbed the balloon, smirking as she shrieked in surprise at the loud popping noise it made. "I accept." He rubbed his hands. "What does this duel entail?"

"Sword fighting!" She led him down the hall and towards the "battle room of doom" as she liked to call it.

"Have you practiced since the last time I watched?" he commented dryly. "If I remember correctly, you and the floor made fantastic friends."

She scoffed. "The ceiling and I made fantastic friends. The floor and I were common acquaintances." He cocked an eyebrow in confusion then rolled his eyes, jotting that down as 'Sarah-isms.' "Here we are!" she chirped as she entered the room and skipped over to where her 'toothpick of doom' hung on the wall.

"You didn't answer my question," he remarked in amusement.

"That's because it's my element of surprise."

"What, that you've practiced so you're decent or that you haven't so I'll be so surprised at how awful you are I will admit defeat immediately?"

She pouted. "Shut up. Jerk."

"Just for you," he said happily, holding his hands out, sword appearing in them. He unsheathed it and tossed the sheath to the side. "Well?" He got into a defensive position, watching her do the same. "Whenever you're read-"

She flew at him and while he had been forcing himself not to be surprised, he was surprised. She was fast and before he knew it, instinct took over and metal clanged loudly between them. She grinned wickedly at him and he felt his lips returning the grin as they jumped apart. He swung his arm around, aiming for her bicep but she quickly blocked it and pushed against it, rolling to that side before he could get another swing in, hopping up and forward. He blocked, blocked, blocked then thrust forward at her ribcage. It was her turn to block-right-left-right-up-left-down-left-right-she spun out of the attack and swung her arm around.

Five minutes later, she was quite a few feet away, panting as her eyes flickered around, trying to figure out the best way to complete her next move. He leapt forward before she could file her thoughts in order. She yelped, stumbling backwards, trying to block each move as his arms moved faster and faster. He jerked his arm up and her sword flew through the air and clattered against the ground to her left. Her eyes followed it. Before he could tap his sword against her neck, she kicked at his head. He dipped backwards, almost falling over as her foot almost collided with his face. She took the advantage and raced over, grabbing her sword and spinning, just in time to deflect the tip of his sword near her neck. She rolled, standing at the same time and jumping backwards, nearly stumbling over herself as he stabbed at her again.

Grinning she swung widely at him. He deflected, pushing the sword further out. She spun, as though in a dance, colliding with his chest and pulled her sword back close so it tapped against the leather at his neck. He stiffened then grinned widely and let out a short laugh, chest heaving, breath moving the hair against her face.

"That is the first time in a long time anyone has beaten me."

"And a mortal no less!" They both stiffened and turned quickly to find nearly everyone watching. Sarah turned purple. Jareth's eyebrow twitched and he sheathed his sword it vanishing back to his room.

"Aw, is the show over?" Alan asked with a grin. Jareth growled, hand fisting and knuckles cracking dangerously. "Yup!" Alan said quickly, pushing at Kira's shoulders, the blond laughing hysterically. "Show's over! Out! Out! Before he kills us all!"

"Except Daederath!" Sarah snapped at the vampire lord who hadn't moved and merely raised an eyebrow. "Me and him… we gots a score to settle." The group quickly hurried out, Jason offering his wishes that he wanted her water gun should she not make it only to be smacked by Kara and shoved out of the room. Sarah stopped up to Daederath, hands on her hips. "You. I want. My chocolate. Back."

"Sarah?" Daederath smirked as he examined his nails casually. "Do you know what humans call me aboveground?"

"Erm… not that that's what I asked but I'd assume they'd call you Daederath?"

"Wrong. I'm known to many as the Count." Her eyes widened and he bowed slightly. "May I reintroduce myself as Count Dracula, king of the vampires."

Sarah just stared at him then twitched and turned on her heel screaming. Daederath chuckled as her scream echoed. Jareth sighed. "You do know I'll get no rest now?"

"Indeed I do."

The screaming began getting louder and they glanced at each other in confusion. The doors flew open and Sarah leapt in front of him, shoving a book in his face. Daederath jumped back to avoid a broken nose then took the book from her hands reading 'Dracula by Bram Stoker'. "That Dracula?!" she shrieked.

He nodded. "Bram was a good friend of mine." He smirked. "Unfortunately he didn't understand how vampires worked and thought up a lot of fantastical ideas."

Sarah blinked. "Like?"

"Well… he wrote about my castle being a disaster, 'crumbling' I believe, located in Transylvania." He scoffed. "As if my castle would ever fall to ruins. And Transylvania? The middle of nowhere? Bah. I'd be located in France or Britain, some place of high standing and grand palaces."

She tried to hide the giggle. "And? What else?"

"The stake thing, putting garlic in that what's-her-name's mouth and beheading her." He rolled his eyes. "Please. The stake and garlic are just overkill. Beheading a vampire might certainly kill them but the garlic? Doesn't work. And the feeding blood to control a person most certainly doesn't work. That's what's hypnotism is for my good lady."

Sarah grinned and held up a hand, a green flame flickering but slowly turning into a piece of garlic. She held it in front of his face and he glared at her, then opened his mouth and moved to bite the hand. She shrieked and leapt back, throwing the garlic at his face. He caught in and threw it back, hitting her in the forehead before she had a chance to recover from the backwards stumble.

Jareth just sat back and grinned as Sarah shrieked again, falling over then leapt to her feet and shouted threats at the vampire who just watched coolly, once in a while announcing "that won't kill me dear Sarah" which would start a whole new string of threats.

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After a half hour of shouting at Daederath, another hour of demanding her chocolate be returned, and a final half hour of threats of make-overs and pink nail polish, Sarah finally found herself playing Sudoku in her room with a half a bar of chocolate in one hand and pen in the other. Only a few boxes were left when someone called for her. She held up a hand, the other darting around the board and filling in the gaps quickly.

With a cry of victory she held the game up and kissed it before turning to her guest. "Ah." She fought to keep the smile up even though she wanted to yell at him deciding it was better he spoke with Jareth or Clarica rather than herself. "Good evening Honou. How are-"

"Where's Clarica?"

"You mean Rica?"

"Where is she?"

Sarah shrugged. "Probably in the kitchen or in her chambers. She usually has-"

"Ice cream right now," he finished and turned on his heel. "Thanks."

Sarah blinked after he disappeared then grinned. "Jareth!" she hissed. He appeared beside her looking bored. "Come on. Entertainment." She dragged him after the phoenix and to the kitchen. He stood outside for a moment then took a deep breath and stepped inside. A spell from Jareth allowed them to see inside without the others knowing they were looking in, the doors looking normal and closed from the inside.

Clarica sat at the island in the middle with a bowl of ice cream and a book, hair undone and falling around her face, a somber brown, eyes of the same color. She glanced up as he entered then inhaled sharply. "Honou!"

"Clarica."

She made a face. "Rica. Please."

He ignored her. "Why did you just leave?"

She flipped the page in her book. "The weeks were up. We had our public argument as it was time to go back."

He shifted uneasily. "I told you that you could stay for another few weeks as a gift for… for playing the role."

"And I said it was a delightful gift," she popped some more ice cream in her mouth then swallowed. "But I had to decline for my duties were to Goblin Castle." He looked away, clearly uneasy and lost.

Jareth frowned in confusion. "What's going on?" he whispered.

"Rica's in love with Honou," Sarah whispered back gleefully. "And I think Honou loves her back."

"Really?… hm…"

"Why's that surprising?" she murmured.

"I've known him for a long time but he's not shown interest to anyone in so long we thought he'd never fall. It's odd to see him so taken with her…"

"It's romantic," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Girls and their-" she slapped a hand over his mouth as Honou started talking again.

"Alex misses you a lot. He wants to see you."

"He can visit anytime he'd like."

"He's not a full fledged shifter. It will take some time."

"Have someone bring him here." She took a bite out of her ice cream again.

Honou stepped up beside her. "I miss you…" She paused, halfway to turning a page. "I miss you a lot."

She scowled and glared at him. "How dare you."

"Wha-"

"How DARE you?!" She flung her book at him and it flew through the doorway into the hall. "I HEARD what you said and you think you can win me back with a few romantic words?? What? Your mother wonder what happened to the colorful blind sore inhabiting your realm?"

He bristled angrily. "What exactly did you hear?"

"That you could never love me because I was of a lower class, a servant, that I was fragile and an idiot!"

He looked lost, frowning in confusion. "I never said that about you."

"I heard you say 'Rica'!"

"Clarica. I never said that-"

"Yes you did!" she shouted. "You were talking with that blue phoenix you're always hanging around with!"

His eyes widened. "Oh… oh! No! Clarica! I wasn't talking about you!"

She crossed her arms angrily and looked away. "That's the oldest trick in the book my lord."

He grabbed her arm. "I wasn't talking about you."

"Let go of me!"

"Not until you believe me! I was talking about that new servant girl, Arica."

Clarica frowned, hand still trying to pry his off of her arm. "I don't believe you…"

"Why? You've seen how she is."

She looked down, eyes watering. "You… you still shouldn't say things like that."

"I know. I'm sorry." He let go of her arm and stepping back uncomfortably. "I… er… I am sorry."

She crossed her arms and looked away. "I… I heard you barbequed your bedroom."

He winced. "Yeah… mother wasn't happy." She snorted but refused to look back at him. "Aiolos and Alanna are disallowing me access to half of my castle until I bring you back," he joked. When she didn't laugh he sighed. "Clarica. Please come back. I am prepared to beg you to come back and you know how prideful a phoenix is."

She looked up slowly. "Your mom-"

"Can take a long walk off a short cliff for all I care."

"The Goblin King won't be happy to lose his best maid."

"He can join my mother then." Sarah grinned at Jareth as he rolled his eyes.

"Hm…"

He brushed his hand against her cheek. "Please come back."

She raised a hand to lay on his. "Are you sure?"

"Please."

She smiled softly. "Then yes. I'd love to come back." She smirked. "Besides, someone forgot to remove my tattoo." He shook his head with a smile and leaned forward to kiss her.

Sarah pulled away, not wanting to intrude and tugged lightly on Jareth's sleeve. He followed after her back towards her room, putting an arm around her shoulders and tugging her into a light hug. She smiled and him and wrapped her arms around him. "Are we as adorable as they are?"

He snorted. "Goblin Kings are not adorable."

"Don't lie!" she chirped happily and reached up to poke his nose. "You're very adorable." He bit halfheartedly at her finger and she retracted it quickly. "That's not nice at all."

"I told you I wasn't nic-" He stopped, gaze going distant before sighing heavily. "I apologize Sarah."

She held up a hand. "Official business. I know." She gave him a quick kiss. "See you later." He nodded and vanished. Smiling after him, she continued towards her rooms.

"Sarah!!!" The brunette turned and blinked not spotting anyone. "Down here ya silly mortal!" She looked down and found Hoggle standing there.

"Oh Hoggle!" she cried and knelt before him, dragging him into a hug. "It's been so long!" She pulled him away to beam at him. "How are you?!"

"Doin' okay. How bout yerself?"

"I'm good."

"I heard you'd been attacked again. Can't you go three months without something tryin' to kill ya?"

"It's an impossible goal to try to attain," she said, rolling her eyes. He chuckled.

"Oh Hooooooogle!!!"

Sarah felt herself violently twitched as Hoggle turned. "Oh Jooanna! There you are! I've been looking for ya!" He pulled the other dwarf into a hug and turned to Sarah. "Sarah! Jooanna and I are getting married!"

"Congratulations," she said weakly, feeling her gut twist into itself. "I'm happy for you both."

"You're invited to the wedding!" Jooanna cooed happily. She began her long speech of exactly what was going where, who was wearing what, how happy they were. Both dwarves turned to each other with a twinkle in their eyes. Sarah swallowed back her horror.

"OhmylookatthetimeIcan'tbelievehowlateitisItotallyforgotIgottagomeetwhat'shisnameohgoodlordI'llbelategottagobye!!!" She tore off down the hallway, eighty-eight point seven-three percent sure they hadn't noticed her hasty retreat. As she skidded around the next hallway, she collided with a familiar neon haired friend of hers.

"Ouch! Sarah. I've got to talk with you. Now."

"Sarah! Where did you go?"

Paling, Sarah grabbed Clarica's wrist. "Okay! Sounds great! Just hurry!"

"What?! Where are we going?! Who's calling you?!"

"Hell itself!" she snapped. "Move it or lose it!" Clarica rolled her eyes and shoved her down the next hallway and into her room. Sarah plastered herself against the door, waiting until the sound of small feet echoed down the hallway and out of hearing range before she relaxed. "Oh goddess… you saved me Rica."

"From what?"

"Hoggle and his wife."

She wrinkled her nose. "Hoggle has a wife?"

"Yes." Sarah shuddered. At Clarica's raised eyebrow she shook her head. "You don't wanna know. Trust me." Clarica just waved a hand and took a seat on her bed. Sarah shifted. "So… how are you?"

Clarica shot her a glare. "You were spying."

"The hell?! How did asking how you were tell you that?!"

"Because I know you Sarah." She bit her lip. "Sarah… Sarah what am I doing?! I have a life here! My friends are here! My job is here! And what about Mira?!"

"Mira's settled in nicely with Evie and Ashley, actually," Sarah replied calmly. "Her and Ashley are nearly sisters already and Evie's practically adopted both of them."

"True…" She gnawed on her lip again and Sarah sighed.

She leaned forward and grabbed her hands. "Rica. Do you love him?"

"I do… I really, really do."

"Then don't worry about the consequences. Go take care of Alex and stay with him."

Clarica smiled brightly and flung her arms around her. "I'll visit as much as I can."

"Good! I'll need someone to startle me awake."

"I've been teaching Mira. She'll take over for me."

Sarah's look dulled. "Yippee…"

Meanwhile, in Jareth's office, after sending the messenger away with a threat to remove his spinal cord if he ever bothered him again, Jason had come to annoy him but after five minutes of the usual 'nachos in my dream were trying to smother me with moldy cheese and demanding I eat their stale scaly bodies of fuzzy greenness!' he quickly informed Jason of the new couple.

"Honou's taken to Clarica," Jareth announced.

Jason looked up sharply, moldy cheese forgotten. "Honou likes someone?"

Jareth sighed inwardly, knowing that even if Honou came to kill him for setting Jason loose upon his relationship, Jareth's sanity was intact for another day. "Yes. Clarica."

"Hm… that's odd…"

"That's what I said."

"I mean he hasn't liked anyone since Rikki died." Jareth hummed his agreement. A slow grin spread over the amber haired man's face. "I suppose this means we get to torment him mercilessly?"

"Yes," Jareth's grin matched Jason's. "Yes we do."

It was a testament to how much Honou liked them that they weren't burned to a crisp when he took Clarica back to his home.

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To all Heal Me, Hurt Me Readers and Reviewers,

(Written nearly two weeks ago...)

Guess what I went to see for like the 9th time last night?! Ah ha haaaa!

So I'm leaving for vacation and I was like 'gotta clean my room, gotta feed my fish, gotta clean my car' then I realized I hadn't updated fanfic yet so I added that and was supposed to do it last night but, well, I kinda went to see Star Trek again. Sorry folks!

So a long, long, long, LONG time ago, in the first part of HMHM, Lady Saffron of the Daggers (I think… forgive me if I was wrong) put in one her reviews that she could imagine Daederath and Jareth stealing Sarah's chocolate and Sarah posting 'WANTED' signs of them around town and that pretty much expanded into Sarah and Jareth dueling so you have her to thank for that awesome scene.

Normally I would, ya know, go and find exactly what she said but the cable guy is here so I can't… wait… OH NOES! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO UPDATE?!?!?!

Kadasa Mori

P.S. I never actually read Dracula so forgive me if anything's wrong. Wikipedia is my source of info.