A/N: Back again! This chapter was really difficult for me to write, so I don't know if I'm entirely pleased. That's also why it's shorter than the last few have been. Sorry about that.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing, nothing, tra la la!

Hoggle shifted uncomfortably under Sarah's piercing gaze. He suddenly understood how someone could call her emerald eyes cruel. It was as if she was scraping the truth from his very soul.

"I can't tell ya." he muttered nervously. "I ain't supposed ta."

"Why not?" she tilted her head slightly, curiously, and Hoggle was unexpectedly struck by how Jareth-like the movement was. It worried him.

"I--I just can't." he wished she would just understand and drop it. But Sarah was far too stubborn for that.

"Will you be in trouble?" there was a dangerous glint in her eye that reminded him again of the Goblin King. He shook his head slightly to clear it.

"You won't?" she sounded genuinely surprised. He realized she had taken his movement as an answer.

"I will." he grumbled, knowing she wouldn't rest until she got it out of him. "He'll be furious."

"So what?" now Sarah jutted her chin out obstinately, a gesture that was all her own. "Who care what he thinks?"

"Sarah," he sighed. "You forget that I'm a coward. He scares me."

"Well, he doesn't scare me!" she lied boldly. "Should I just call him hear now and ask him?" She cocked her head again and Hoggle repressed a shudder. He was sure she would do it, if pushed far enough.

"No!" he yelped. "I'll tell ya. I's never met anyone with as strong a will as ya." he added under his breath.

For my will is as strong as yours… Sarah forced her thoughts back to the present. "Tell me." she said. Hoggle understood that it was more command than suggestion and sighed in defeat.

"He sent me."

Sarah looked confused. "Who?"

"He did. The Goblin King."

Sarah's confused expression froze in place. "Oh, did he?" she said stiffly. "And why, exactly would he do that?"

"Uh…well…" Hoggle stammered.

"If this has anything to do with Toby…" she said threateningly.

"It ain't got nothing ta do with Toby!" argued Hoggle, uncertain why he was defending the man he hated.

"Why then?" she hissed coldly.

"He heard ya." Hoggle blurted.

"What?" snapped Sarah, sharper than she had meant to be with her friend.

"Ya called me, and he heard ya."

"I--he--but--you--it--what?" she blinked. "But I was calling you."

"I guess he can hear when ya do that."

"Why?"

Hoggle shrugged. Sarah didn't understand. If Jareth had always been able to hear her calling Hoggle, why didn't he prevent Hoggle from coming to see her the very first time? And why would he actually go so far as to send Hoggle when the dwarf couldn't do it himself and would have never known she needed him? Stalking her through the mirrors was one thing, something she expected, but compassion? She began, unconsciously, to pace the room. A nervous habit, her father had alwaty said.

"Sarah?" Hoggle's voice was almost as concerned as the gruff little fellow could manage.

"Yes?" she said evenly, still tracing her path. He opened his mouth, decided against it, and closed his mouth. Sarah continued crossing the room, back and forth in measured steps.

They both remained silent for a moment. It vaguely registered in Sarah's mind the camera was following her, instead of maintaining its usual stationary state. But the idea that Jareth was capable of kindness was seriously battering her ego, which distracted her. She almost felt sympathy for him, and then she remembered…

"If that's so," she snarled, skidding to a halt. "Why does Toby recognize him? Why is my baby brother seeing goblins in his bedroom?"

And, of course, Hoggle had no answer to that.

"I want to talk to him." she said rashly. "Now."

"Sarah--"

"You don't understand." she said angrily. "I almost lost my brother once. That was enough. I will not let it happen again."

"But, Sarah--" Hoggle tried to protest, but it was too late.

"Jareth!"

"Sarah!"

"Damn it, Jareth!"

"Stop!" Hoggle moaned.

"JARETH! I KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME, WHEREVER YOU ARE, SO SHOW YOURSELF ALREADY!"

The camera light blinked frantically and the door burst open. Sarah turned, half expecting to see the handsome leather-clad blonde. But it was Sebastian and his the young orderly.

"God, not you again!" cried Sebastian. "Do you ever stop with the crazy?"

"If you so much as touch me…" Sarah backed away, letting the sentence hang.

"Oh, shut up."

"Sebastian…"

"Daniel, she's a nut job, so don't talk to me about freakin' morals. Just help me."

They came at her from opposite directions, backing her into the corner.

"Miss Williams, you already know it doesn't hurt." Daniel said soothingly. He clearly didn't want to fight her. "Can't you just let us do our job?"

"When hell freezes over." she retorted.

"C'mere!" Sebastian reached for her and Sarah did the first thing that crossed her mind: she screamed. Loudly.

"Oh, for God's sake! Shut UP!" Sebastian's hand clamped over her mouth and she reacted instinctively again, biting down with all her strength. "Ow!" he jerked his hand back, stunned. It was bleeding. "You bitch!" Suddenly, he slapped her, hard, across the face and she staggered.

"Sebastian!" cried the dismayed Daniel.

"Shut the hell up and stab her." the big orderly growled, grabbing Sarah's upper arms and jerking her roughly towards the bed.

Daniel's eyebrows rose disapprovingly, but he appeared to be too scared to do anything about it. Sarah felt the needle prick her arm and, for the second time in her life, felt the sensation of sinking beneath black waters into complete and blissful unconsciousness.

A/N: Yeah, I dunno. I have a great idea for the next chapter, though, so it'll be better. R&R!!