Hi all, thanks for reviews and sorry for the late update - have been away on business travel.
"I told ye she wouldn't run away, yer Majesty!" It was Hoggle and his voice was harsher than she had ever heard before.
"What was I supposed to think?" Jareth snapped and something – probably a crystal ball – splintered against the floor. "I go out there, find the knight and the dog perfectly safe and sound, despite her story of their imminent death at Cederick's hands, and when I come back she has vanished without a trace? I'm still not convinced she wasn't running."
Sarah opened her eyes and blinked against the light, before she raised herself slowly up on her elbows, noticing how much better she felt.
"Sarah!" Hoggle was at her side immediately and gave her a big hug. "Yer awake!"
She smiled weakly, taking in her surroundings. She was back in her own room and her own bed at the castle, and Jareth was standing rigidly by the window, staring out of it with his back towards her, now clad in his normal casual wear.
"I'm fine, Hoggle," she said and wished desperately that he would go away, so she could talk to Jareth privately and explain everything.
"Hoggle, I could really use some tea," she tried and innocently met his eyes. "If it is not too much to ask, could you go make me some, please?"
The dwarf jumped to his feet. "Of course, me girl, of course, should've thought of that meself! The cinnamon one?"
"Oh, yes, please." Sarah watched him disappear out of the door, and as soon as she was sure he was gone, she threw the covers aside and stood up. Jareth turned his head to look at her with a none-too-pleased expression on her face. She stepped towards him tentatively, but as soon as she got close, he spun away again.
"Thank you for healing me… again," she said in a soft voice and he nodded stiffly, but didn't reply. Sarah hesitated, vividly remembering his possessive angry kiss and his arms around her, and the crazy way her body had responded, and suddenly she felt a bit queasy inside. Then she remembered the book and his sacrifice, and it became even more important for her to get on good terms with him again. Determinedly, she went to sit in the window sill close to him and drew a deep breath.
"Jareth, I did not run away," she started and then in short sentences described what had happened – not her reading the book, but starting where the little goblin had asked her for help. When she got to the part where Cederick started grabbing her, her voice faltered a little, and she could see his hands clenching in anger.
"He did what?!" he hissed and whirled his head towards her, his eyes glittering dangerously.
"I was really afraid," she whispered, "but he said he wanted his women… alive and kicking, and I pretended to be so weak from the head wound that I wouldn't be… a good sport."
"So he didn't touch you?" Jareth pressed, and she shook her head.
"Not like that, at least. But he would have, if I hadn't escaped." She continued hurriedly with the rest of her story, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he listened to the far-fetched way she had gotten rid of the talisman.
"That must be the first time in the history of the Labyrinth that those pesky fairies have ever done anything useful."
"I'm so happy you found me when you did," she confessed and impulsively reached out to place her hand over his. The magic sparkled slightly like an electric current running through her, and he stiffened for a moment before he seemed to force himself to relax. She wondered if he felt the same when they touched.
"However did you find me – I have no idea where I was?"
"The tracker magic is an inherent part of the Labyrinth's magic – I would be able to find you anywhere," he said slowly. "Just like it was easy to find the knight and his dog. But Underground, I can only teleport to places I know well, so I had to find you by flying – I had been flying for at least an hour by the time I spotted you in the horizon."
"I'm so grateful," she repeated smiling, but then frowned. There were so many things she wanted to discuss with him, but they needed to be alone for that and they were running out of time. "Jareth, you and I need to talk – but Hoggle is coming back any moment now."
He hesitated only a second, but then rose and keeping her hand in his, slowly raised it and grazed it with his lips in an intimate, but respectful gesture. "I agree, we do. Come up to my room once you are finished explaining to the dwarf and have ensured him you're safe and sound. I have no doubt that will take a while, but I'll wait."
He vanished into thin air, leaving her alone, but then Sarah could hear shuffling footsteps outside and Hoggle came back into the room with a steaming mug in each hand. He looked around warily and relaxed visibly when he saw Jareth wasn't there.
"Good, good," he muttered and brought the tea over. "Are you sure you shouldn't still be in bed resting, me girl?"
It did take a while to get Hoggle calmed down and she had to retell the story – in an edited version that completely left out Jareth's reaction when he found her. Hoggle was furious with Cederick and very concerned for her future well-being, but he grudgingly agreed that she would be safe here at the castle.
"Jareth sees you as his property," he grumbled, "and he is very possessive!"
Sarah found it best to change the subject. "Hoggle, when I woke up, I heard Jareth say he found Sir Didymus and Ambrosius alive and well – is it true? Where are they?"
"Oh yes, that is the best news today!" The dwarf smiled briefly for the first time since she woke up. "They are already back at the Bog, Didymus was really home-sick after weeks of travelling. Jareth found them locked up in an oubliette close to Cederick's territory, tired and dusty and with no knowledge of what had happened to them in the past two days, and he brought them here to the Castle first to say hello to you. But when he got back, you weren't there and no one had seen you leave. The King jumped to conclusions and thought you had run away from us."
"I heard the thunder," Sarah whispered, "he must have been terribly upset!"
"Like a spoilt child," Hoggle wrinkled his brow and the angry look returned to his eyes. "He remembered to send Didymus home as promised, and then threw himself into the storm and took off after you. I'm glad he rescued you, but it was his fault to begin with that you were ever taken."
"Can we go visit Sir Didymus?" Sarah really wanted to see the little knight again, but Hoggle shook his head.
"I don't think it's safe right now," he said, "but maybe Jareth will take us later."
After finishing the tea, Sarah pretended to be very tired, and Hoggle shooed her into bed and told her sternly to make sure she got some rest. And she did – for about one minute after he closed the door behind him. A soon as she was sure he was gone again, she got out of bed and started towards the stairs – but then she paused in front of the door. Was she ready to confront him, she thought – how much should she tell him? Slowly, trying to find her courage, she went up the stairs, until she reached Jareth's tower room.
"Jareth? Are you here?" she called to the seemingly empty room.
"Out here, my dear," his voice called from outside, and when she went through the room and out the balcony doors, she was pleased to notice that she stepped out into the warm breeze and sunshine that she had come to consider normal for the Labyrinth. Apparently, his mood had improved drastically.
He sat on the bench where she had found him the first time right after her transformation. His white shirt was partly open, so the half-moon pendant around his neck gleamed and shone in the sunlight, and he was wearing his blue breeches and shiny black boots. The unruly hair had silvery highlights and his expression was thoughtful and severe. He looked… very royal and handsome, she thought, but vowed to never tell him – he was too full of himself already.
As she came closer, he stood and gestured for her to sit, before he took his place again.
"Sarah," he started in a carefully neutral voice before she could break the silence, "I will not apologize for not believing in you – it was an honest mistake. But I do apologize for… forcing my attentions upon you when I found you. It will not happen again."
Sarah's face heated at the memory and she wondered again about the electrical sparks between them. Suddenly not caring if he was going to laugh at her, she looked him straight in the eyes and reach out to take his hand. The moment they touched, the magic sparks flew between then, and he recoiled ever so slightly.
"You feel it too, Jareth, don't you?" Sarah held his gaze and peeled off his glove with her other hand, so they were touching skin against skin. The magic sparks went crazy. "This weird energy and magic spark between us - your magic intensifying mine and creating bursts of electricity?"
"You're playing with fire, Sarah," he warned in a rough voice, but took off the other glove, so both their bare hands were clasped together. "I have noticed from the beginning – ever since you were transformed - but I've tried to suppress it, so it wouldn't scare you. I've never seen anything like it – but then again, we are in a unique situation."
"We are. I know what you did, Jareth," Sarah confessed. "The necklace – you were supposed to use it for making another king, but you spent it on me instead."
"Cederick told you?" Jareth's hands toyed with the magic sparks, slowly caressing her hands, the inside of her wrists and then lifting a hand to trace places where she knew the fairy dust markings was on her face. A shiver went through her, as they started burning.
"Interesting," he commented warily, "You can actually see this magic. Go ahead and try."
She lifted her own hand and hesitatingly touched the markings near his eyes, and they immediately lit up and became twice as brilliant and sparkly.
"Oh, lovely," she murmured and fascinated leaned closer to get a better look, and whether Jareth misunderstood her intentions or simply didn't care, she suddenly felt both his hands on her head, touching her markings and then he bent his head so they were touching brow to brow in the most intimate of gestures. A strong rush of magic flew through her and she felt like she was on fire all over – but a pleasant warming tingling fire. Jareth gasped as well, and then, less than two minutes after he had promised her not to force his attentions on her again, he moved his head slightly and determinedly caught her lips with his, still making sure to keep their markings against each other. When his mouth coached hers open and she felt his tongue flicker and meet hers, the fire exploded around them.