OK I'm sorry that nothing much happens in this chapter and that it's a bit short but please don't hate me.

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So enjoy chapter 22 the next one will be uploaded asap.

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Chapter 22

The servants court at Avalon was abuzz with the rumours that the frosty situation between the High King and Queen had thawed considerably. The rumour that Prince Eric was going to spend the foreseeable future in the dungeon was also doing the rounds but at a much lower volume. The rumour about the royal couple had made it to the ears of every noble and royal fae via those same servants within hours.

At court when Oberon and Titania appeared the others in attendance would have to be blind to miss the significant looks that the couple were giving each other. Not to mention the fact that their Queen kept bursting out into fits of giggles at whatever her husband was whispering in her ear, she hadn't done that in centuries.

Sarah woke alone, there was an empty but still warm space next to her. After the fight Sarah had felt too drained to even fight Jareth as he tucked her back into the bed. He'd joined her, holding her till she'd drifted off to sleep, not complaining Sarah felt safe in his arms, he'd obviously stayed the night.

When he'd felt Sarah stirring Jareth left, not ready to go another ten rounds with his mortal champion quite yet. Besides, he told himself, she would need to eat something when she rose. Magic was exhausting to beginners in the craft of the fae world and mortals had lost magic an eternity ago so who knew what it was doing to Sarah's metabolism.

He visited the nursery to check on the child that Sarah claimed as her own. The boy was asleep in his crib, the nurse watching over her charge as vigilantly as ever.

"All this trouble caused by such a beautiful little thing." He said, looking down at the small sleeping figure.

"Don't be blaming everything on the boy, your Majesty." The nurse said, not moving from her chair. The nurse had always spoken her mind to Jareth, she'd known him for longer than he'd reigned over the Goblin Kingdom.

"No it's mostly my fault, my pride." He said softly

"Will the boy be staying long?"

"No he will most likely be going home later today." Jareth told her.

"You haven't managed to convince our Lady to stay then."

He tried to keep his voice level, "Not yet."

"And your own babe?"

Jareth didn't even bother asking about how the woman knew of Sarah's pregnancy, she'd always had her mysterious ways. "I have a feeling the custody battle would destroy the Labyrinth if I tried to make her stay."

"I'll have the boy ready to leave when she is."

Sarah hadn't moved from the bed. She knew that very soon she was going to be confronted by a Goblin King who would want answers about the future of their relationship, whether they were going to have one for starters. Sarah didn't have any answers to give, she was too conflicted.

Jareth, why did the man have to be so infuriating? One moment she wanted to just collapse into his arms, never to leave them, and the next she was considering a well aimed kick to his "crown jewels". She had loved him for so long but what did she actually know about him. He was the Goblin King, Fae royalty, he took children, he had jealous streak a mile wide and an unpredictable temper. Then there was the things he did when he was near, the way he spoke her name like a caress, his smell was so intoxicating and the way his hands sent electric shocks through her. But what was his favourite food? How did he take his coffee? What was his childhood like? How did he become the Goblin King? The little things that mere mortals relied on knowing about their significant others.

Her assault still felt like a bad dream, slightly unreal but a constant nagging feeling at the back of her mind none the less. What would she tell her family if she did let Jareth back into her life? How to explain his presence when he certainly would never blend into the background? How to tell everyone she was pregnant? These were the thoughts that were circling around inside her head. The one that she kept pushing out of sight was "How much of a freak am I now?"

When Jareth finally reappeared a short while later Sarah was still trying to come to some sort of decision. He had a tray with him which he placed on the bed, it was piled high with food. Sarah was surprised he hadn't sent one of his servants instead.

"I didn't know what you would like, so I brought a little of everything." He said, if Sarah didn't know better she would have said that Jareth was nervous.

"Thank you," She responded, "But I'm not all that hungry."

"You need to eat something, I don't know when you last had a meal but magic uses up a lot of energy, if you don't eat you may become ill and..." The beautiful man had concern in his eyes as he perched on the edge of the bed.

"And that wouldn't be good for your baby?" Sarah said unable to keep the scorn out of her voice.

"Sarah please I don't want to fight with you." There was an arrogant edge creeping back into his voice. "It wouldn't be good for either of you."

"I'm not trying to... It's hard to erase the past... I need time." Sarah picked up a piece of bread and tried to eat despite feeling sick to her stomach.

"If you tell me when you wish to leave I will summon my mother and she'll take you home."

"Can't you take me back yourself?" Sarah didn't really wish to talk with Jareth's mother again quite yet.

"I'm still forbidden to interfere in your life remember." Jareth gave her a wistful smile.

"You... You can... I will allow you in my life but there has to be rules." She said carefully.

"Such as?" There was still the arrogance in his voice but Sarah could hear the eagerness as well, he had answered much too quickly.

"You have to learn how to use doors, no sudden appearances inside my apartment. You can use the doorbell when you want to see me."

"Acceptable, anything else?"

"When you do appear I need you to look and act as human as possible."

"Excuse me?" He seemed offended at the suggestion something was wrong with his appearance.

"I can explain a human ex-boyfriend who is a jerk, happened to get me pregnant and who is trying to reconcile with me. I can't explain a heart-wrenchingly beautiful Fae Prince who has magical powers and a hairstyle that's stuck in the 80's."

"Fine, although I can't promise I still won't attract notice." He was slightly miffed at her suggestion that there was something wrong with his hair.

"The most important rule is that if I tell you to leave or to send me home you have to do it, no trying to trap me ."

"You still don't trust me?"

"Those rules are just for starters." Sarah replied avoiding the question of trust. "There might have to be others later."

"I promise to follow any and all rules you decide on." He paused, looking slightly uncomfortable with what he had to say next. "However you wished me out of your life Sarah and I am bound by that, you have to wish me back into it."

Knowing that this might be the worst decision of her life or perhaps the best she thought about how to phrase her answer, "Then I guess I wish for you to be a part of my life." Without a pause she continued with, "I'm ready to get my son and go home now."

Jareth couldn't really blame her for wanting to escape but he hoped that she would stay a little longer. "Are you sure you don't want to eat first?"

"No I'll eat at home." She started to rise from the bed, grateful that, this time at least, she still had all her clothes on.

"May I call on you this evening?"

The question was unexpected and Sarah didn't really know what to say. "Um," she regretted the indecisiveness of that hesitation, "Not tonight Jareth... Saturday... I should be free on Saturday afternoon..." Not that she new what day it was today. "Is that OK?"

"Yes that would be..." Jareth wasn't sure how to finish the sentence.

"I'll see you then" She answered awkwardly.

"I'll see you Saturday." He promised creating a crystal sphere in his hand, letting it float towards Sarah, it burst when it touched her outstretched fingertips and she disappeared.