Chapter II: Ladies' Night

A/N: This story was inspired by "The Thin White Sleuth…" by Pika-la-Cynique of Girls Next Door fame.

Transcript by Ariane DeVere aka Callie Sullivan.

&%&%&%

Jareth was looking over a case file while Sarah applied her eye make-up in front of the mirror in the living room of 221B before her bachelorette party.

"Why is it called hen night?" Sarah asked.

"Hens are all female just as all stags are male," Jareth said, "You will not be…"

"It will not be a Magic Mike night, Jareth. Molly promised," Sarah said.

Joanna suddenly appeared in the reflection of the mirror. "I have not found anyone who goes by the name of Mike to be particularly magical."

Sarah almost poked her eye out with her mascara. "What are you doing here Joanna? I mean, it's nice to see you, but I thought you were too busy for a social call."

"I am," Joanna said. She turned to her brother. "I will need your wife for a short time. She will be returned before her friends arrive."

"Why?" Jareth asked.

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty blond head about," Joanna said.

"I agree with Sarah. This is not a social call," Jareth said, "What do you want?"

"I have been asked to request Sarah's presence for something of a sensitive nature. Her skills as a nurse are called upon," Joanna said, "I cannot tell you who or what, just that she has been requested."

"No," Jareth said.

"Yes," Sarah said. She finished applying her lipstick. "Jareth, do you really think that your sister would call upon me unless it was of the utmost importance?"

"No," Jareth mumbled.

Sarah turned around and sat on the arm of Jareth's chair. "I am being asked to come as a nurse. Someone is hurt and I have to help them."

Jareth pouted. "I don't like not knowing."

"Sometimes we have to go out on a little faith," Sarah said.

&%&%&%

As Joanna escorted Sarah through the High Court, Sarah said, "I don't like not knowing either. Who needs me? I am good, but I am not that good. My skill set is mainly humans with some goblin and Fae physiology."

"You know how doctors and such take an oath to do harm to none?" Joanna said.

"Yes," Sarah said.

"The healers of the Underground have no such oath. That combined with a desire for you to sympathize with her, she has requested you," Joanna said.

"Titania. Of course," Sarah said, "I really thought she wouldn't want to see me again except for in my coffin."

"She is aware of your growing power," Joanna said.

"Me?" Sarah said, "I am among the more senior nurses at St. Bart's in the magic division. That's it."

"You are married to a man who will soon rule one of the most important points of the Underground and who is also the brother to the Seelie High Queen. You have more power in the Underground than you realize. Jareth honestly can care less what his position is as long as his family and kingdom are safe. You need to see further than him to protect what you two do care about," Joanna said.

With a wave of her hand, double doors to Joanna's left opened. It was a long corridor made of stone lit only by electric lights in converted gas lamps. After walking for several minutes, Joanna waved another door open. It was a plainly furnished, stone-walled room with small windows near the ceiling. Titania was lying on a four poster bed with a healer and his assistant.

"This is really unnecessary," the healer said.

"I am indulging a pregnant woman's whims," Joanna said as she motioned to Titania.

"Titania," Sarah said as she washed her hands in the in the room's sink, "I am not trained for this. I specialize in combat, ER, and general care. I do not have special knowledge about pregnancy. Do you understand?"

Titania glared at the healer. "I understand, Champion."

Sarah came to Titania's bed side. "How far along are you?"

"Five months," Titania said, "Something is wrong."

"She is fine," the healer said.

"What do you mean something is wrong?" Sarah asked.

Titania shrugged. "I feel wrong. I am swelling wrong. I have awful headaches."

"May I please see the blood tests and check-ups, sir?" Sarah said.

"There is no need," the healer said.

"Bullocks," Sarah said, "Give me her medical records now."

&%&%&%

Sometime later, Sarah spoke to the healers out of earshot of Titania. "From what I can gather, she has preeclampsia."

"A what?" the healer said.

"Oh my god. Do you know anything about pregnancy? The only reason I can even remotely guess what is wrong with her is because I watch Call the Midwife," Sarah said.

"Sarah," Joanna said, "Fae rarely have issues in their pregnancy. Probably the only reason Titania is having this is because her grandmother was human."

"What is to be done?" the healer said.

"Bed rest. She will need medical testing and maybe some medicine. She needs someone who has dealt with this before. If she is not treated, she and the baby may very well die," Sarah said.

Sarah could see the healer think over the last part for less than honorable reasons.

"I am sure the Goblin Kingdom will be quite displeased to find out a child has died from a treatable condition," Sarah said.

That made the healer stand up straighter before bowing. "Yes, ma'am."

"I will make arrangements," Joanna said.

Sarah went back to Titania and stood by the edge of the bed. "Ma'am, you are going to need more testing, but we are fairly certain that you just need bed rest."

Titania sighed. "It is not as if I have much else to do. How is your… husband?"

"He is content," Sarah said.

"Have fun keeping him that way," Titania said.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sarah said.

Titania rubbed her forehead from the headache she was having. "Rumpelstiltskin is a child with basic whims that a fool like Joanna can keep under control. Jareth is much like Oberon and has more complex… appetites. The sooner you realize that, the better off you will be."

"Jareth is not like Oberon," Sarah said.

Titania smiled. "It doesn't matter. You chose him long, long ago when you told that story to your brother. You are stuck with what you wished for."

Sarah tried not to wince. "I hope what I have recommended will help you, ma'am. I will continue with twice monthly check-ups. Good evening."

&%&%&%

Sarah sat in the long hallway and focused on not hyperventilating. Joanna knelt down next to Sarah.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" Joanna said.

"I… told a story… my magic is story based and…"

Joanna thought for a moment and said, "Oh. 'But what no one knew is that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl.' That."

"I… it can't be. I thought…"

"Sarah, you did not cast a spell on Jareth," Joanna said.

"How do you know for certain?" Sarah said.

Joanna held up a finger for each point she listed. "First, love spells are temporary. They wear off within a year and a day at their strongest. Second, they take more power than about ninety-seven percent of magic users can conjure. You have rather minor magic, Sarah. Third, and most importantly, do you really think I would have allowed someone to live who cast such a spell on my brother?"

Sarah shook her head. "I just…"

"My brother loves you, Sarah," Joanna said, "He is a bit of a cad, but that part of him has been growing smaller since before you were even born."

"He always needs a new puzzle. He is going to be bored soon," Sarah said.

Joanna laughed. "You may fascinate him, Sarah, but you are not a puzzle to be put aside. You are far too stubborn to accept that fate." Joanna said the next part quietly. "Titania made her choice to look away from Oberon's affairs, but you would never do that. That is part of the reason Jareth chose you. You hold him accountable. And besides, he knows I will deal with him if he ever harms you, Sarah. I quite like you, which very few people can say."

Sarah nodded.

"Titania is trying to chip away at you, Sarah. I know she said she would not kill you, but there are other ways to destroy a person. She has been trying to do the same to me for over three centuries," Joanna said.

&%&%&%

Sarah returned to 221B less than five minutes after she had left. Jareth looked up from his seat and smiled at Sarah. "Precious, how was your trip?"

She went over to Jareth and kissed him. He pulled Sarah down to him so she was straddling him.

"What's wrong?" Jareth asked.

Sarah tangled his hair around her hands. "I don't want to share you."

"I don't want to share you, so that works out quite well," Jareth said.

Sarah rested her head against Jareth's. "I love you. I really do."

"And I you," Jareth said, "Precious, who were you sent to help? Who upset you so?"

"Confidentiality. I can't tell you. Joanna calmed me down. I wasn't hurt. I just… I'm being an insecure, jealous idiot. That's all."

"You are mine and I am yours, Sarah," Jareth said, "Nothing will ever change that. Anyone who thinks or says otherwise is denying the obvious."

&%&%&%

Sarah knocked back a shot of tequila with lime the moment she, Mary, and Molly entered the bar. "You certainly don't waste time," Mary said.

"You don't drink," Molly said.

"I'm making an exception tonight," Sarah said.

"Are things between you and Jareth okay?" Mary said.

"Jareth is wonderful. That's not the problem. I just got a bit shaken up by something someone said," Sarah said, "I know that person is just trying to hurt me and I should ignore it, but it worked."

"Let's get you something a little milder. How does a margarita sound?" Molly said.

"That sounds great," Sarah said.

The women got their drinks and sat at a tall table. "So, what are the plans tonight?" Sarah asked.

"We are going to have drinks, go to a show, and then go out for some late night desserts," Molly said.

"What show?" Sarah asked.

"You know how I said it wouldn't involve naked men? Well, I only told half the truth. There will be a man half-naked at one point," Molly said as she smiled, "I got us tickets to Coriolanus."

"You, Molly, are magnificent," Sarah said.

"Jareth said that about me once," Molly said, "You two think a lot alike."

"How are you two doing, really?" Mary said.

Sarah smiled. "I love him and he loves me. We are dealing with a lot of changes and waiting for others, but I have never been so… joyful. It's ridiculous good, really."

"Sex is good then?" Mary said.

Sarah choked on her drink. "I'm not talking about that."

"Oh, so it's bad," Molly teased.

"No. No. It's fantastic. I mean, that horrible fanfiction I've read talks about 'clever tongue and clever fingers', but oh does it apply to Jareth," Sarah said. She covered her mouth and began to blush. "I am not drinking anything with alcohol ever again."

"I think you should drink more," Mary said.

"We haven't toasted," Molly said to change the subject. She raised her glass, "To happiness."

"To happiness," the other two said.

"So, Mary, what's this I hear about you working full time at the bakery?" Sarah said.

&%&%&%

Later that night, Sarah found Jareth and John cleaning up a scratch on Sherlock's face while the goblins and Hoggle watched and were passing around their bets.

"Before you ask, I'm fine," Sherlock said.

"What happened?" Sarah asked.

Jareth answered, "We were throwing knives and…"

"When did you decide knife throwing was a good idea?" Sarah said.

"We did solve a murder!" Jareth said enthusiastically.

Sarah smiled as she had a thought. My husband, when left with nothing else but his clever mind, decided to be a detective so he could save people. I think that says more about his character than anything Titania could ever say.

&%&%&%

A/N: Because everyone has doubts and I wanted to see different interactions with just the ladies.