AN: WOW this chapter is way longer than I'd anticipated... Maybe that's why it's 1,5 week late... I am planning to release the next chapter on schedule (the 28th). Enjoy the moments while they last, because things won't remain this comfortable.
Anyways... Let's get a move on.
Sarah stared down at the sink, her gaze distant while she scrubbed the dishes clean.
How? How was she going to just… tell her family about her and Jareth? It was the first time she introduced someone as… What? A boyfriend? It sounded weird even in her head. Both her father and her stepmother seemed unusually on edge around him, even though Karen seemed to make an effort. Toby seemed more easy going, whether that was because he was just young or perhaps… He couldn't possibly remember anything about him…
Putting the final plate in the drying rack she sighed, shaking her head in an attempt to push aside her worries. She would like it if her family accepted Jareth. The quiet wish made her chuckle out loud. The powerful and magical Goblin King definitely couldn't care less to be accepted into some mortal family, right? While a little premature, it did also raise the question how she was ever going to tell them Jareth's true background. It would be surprising if the vagueness of how she had portrayed him so far had caused her father's distrust.
Her body jerked when she felt two hands coming to rest on her shoulders.
"Penny for your thoughts, darling?"
"God, Jareth. You scared me." Sarah shrugged his hands off and dried her hands.
He leaned back against the counter, crossing his ankles and his arms. "Can I help?"
"Nope. You're fashionably late, Your Majesty. I'm all done."
"What a pity."
Sarah giggled at his blatant relief. "I'm sure you're more than welcome to vacuum the hall or clean the windows. Perhaps you could do some laundry." The woman crossed her arms while standing in front of him, mimicking his pose.
"I can think of something I'd rather be doing." Jareth's eyes roamed down her body.
Repressing a smile, Sarah held her ground. "And what is that, Your Majesty?"
His arms unfurled so he could grab hold of her waist. Slowly he pulled her closer, grinning wider when she let him. "It's not really a question of what, darling, but rather who."
His crisp smell chased off the citrusy dish soap. The hold on her waist was nothing short of enjoyably possessive. Her body leaned into his warmth, enjoying the weight of his hands on her waist. Her growing ease and want to be close to him very much told her that she was in trouble.
A throat cleared behind her.
Definitely in trouble.
Flinching, Sarah whirled around, seeing the rigid shape of her father in the doorway. For a moment Sarah was frozen on the spot, watching her father look from her to Jareth and back. It wasn't until there was a barely noticeable tug on her waist that she realized Jareth's hands were still on her and she quickly pushed them off. Her father seemed stuck between confusion and anger, but seeing his gradually narrowing eyes it was clear he was tipping to the latter. Sarah stuttered unintelligibly, feeling as though she was a teen again, held under the protective hand of a parent. Karen peered around Robert's shoulders curiously, chirping what was going on.
"I… Uh… There is… We… I…" Why wasn't Jareth butting in? Perhaps she should pretend like nothing happened. Or did that just make her seem more guilty? "We're dating," she finally blurted out awkwardly, hoping the ground would do her the courtesy of swallowing her whole.
Her stepmother immediately grinned ear-to-ear, grabbing hold of her husband's arm and looking up at him before eyeing her stepdaughter and the stranger. "Oh, congratulations! When did that happen? Oh, I've been waiting for you to introduce someone for over ten years!"
Sarah didn't exactly feel relieved by Karen's enthusiasm, seeing the look on her father's face. His brows were tightly knitted together. His aging hands were curled to fists by his sides. After a long silence, Robert finally replied. "So, you're taking after your mother then?"
Her mother. A distant, nearly forgotten memory. Though buried deep and discarded, it hurt. For a moment Sarah was speechless, jumping between processing what he'd said and trying to grasp if he'd actually said it or if she'd imagined it. After a long silence her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?" Her stepmother brought a hand up to her face to rub her brow. Sarah's step forward was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder. "How dare you?! How is that in any way fair to me? I thought you'd be happy for me."
"Allow me to diffuse this situation right here, Sarah." Jareth squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure your father didn't mean to upset you. Mrs. Williams, let's give them some time alone."
Karen nudged Robert, annoyed. "Don't make Sarah regret trusting us with this news, Robert."
Instead of the older man moving aside to let Jareth through, the older man glared at him, stubbornly standing his ground. "Kindly let me through, Mr. Williams. Let's not make this needlessly hostile." It wasn't until after Karen practically pushed him aside that Jareth could walk out, fully relaxed and unbothered. Before he walked out of view his eyes briefly connected with Sarah's.
—-
The house was rife with tension. It was already well into the night when the young woman walked out of her father's study, tense and uncomfortable. Her father had apologized for using Sarah's birth mother as a weapon. It had brought forth a long discussion about how it had affected him back in the day, as well as the effect it still had on Sarah. Eventually they'd also discussed her new ties to Jareth. This included how her father had been afraid that one day she simply might not come back. He still didn't seem happy with her new relationship, but had reluctantly accepted it.
After that Robert had gotten ready for bed without another word to either his daughter, his wife or his son. Jareth had been reading a book in the living room, draped comfortably in one of the chairs. Sarah had excused herself to take a bath, soaking the tension out of her shoulders.
When she got out, dressed in comfortable pajamas, she wandered back downstairs. With a sigh she threw herself on the chair next to Jareth. He eyed her silently, following her gaze to Toby studying nearby. Closing the book, he turned his full attention to her. "Are you quite alright, sweetling? How did the meeting go?"
"Fine… ish." Pulling her legs up onto the lounge chair she brushed a lock of towel-dry hair out of her face, her gaze still directed across the room. "He'll come around. Maybe." His hand on her arm pulled her attention to him. She found comfort in his gentle gaze. Sarah smiled, putting her hand over his. The leather cover made her yearn for the feeling of his skin.
She nodded her head towards Toby. "Is it me, or does he seem to…"
"Wilt?" The man looked at the young teen with his spindly appearance and heavy eyes.
"He's definitely worse than a few weeks ago, right?" The way in which he looked back with a slight frown said enough. Her hands rubbed her face. "Should I have stayed? What if it's my fault?"
"I thought these issues had been present before you returned Underground?" He watched Sarah nod quietly. Silence stretched between the two, both of them watching the boy. After a while he sat up straight and pulled her attention back to him. "Sarah, there is something I want to try. Something that might help him." Her eyes were wide when she looked at him. "I could do it early in the morning, once he's gone to bed." He rubbed his fingers along his cheek, contemplating it. "I've never done this before, though. Perhaps this has never even been attempted before." His mismatched gaze turned to her, kindled with a determined fire. "But I need you to trust me."
Sarah was about to reply when Karen walked in. "Gosh, you two are still up? It's late, go get some rest." The older woman looked up at the clock. "It's almost four in the morning! Lord knows we don't need any more insomniacs in the family." She put a hand on her stepdaughter's shoulder. "Come now, off to bed."
"Mrs. Williams is right, Sarah. We should retire." Sarah had wanted to resist, but gave in with a sigh when Jareth rose to his feet.
"Oh please," the older woman said with a smile. "Do call me Karen. We're practically family now."
Sarah was shoved out of the room by the delicate hands on her back and she scoffed. "A few hours after we share the news and you're practically invited to the next luncheon."
"Sounds quite lovely. I'd be delighted to attend."
Karen leaned closer to Sarah. "I know I prepared two guest rooms tonight, but I fully understand if you two would prefer to sleep next to one another. Just don't… You know. Your father would lose it if he found out."
Sarah flushed a deep red. Jareth laughed, gently leading Sarah across the hall while the older woman returned to Toby's side. Sarah's face scrunched up. "Oh my god, I did not just hear my conservative stepmother say that…"
"I'll be right there, sweetling. Go and get comfortable." His voice was audibly pleased when he escorted her up the stairs.
—-
Running had definitely been an option. Next to the room she was currently in, was another expertly prepared guest room. A perfectly pleasant bed with soft linen and a floral scent, she knew. Looking around the darkened room, lit only by the nightstand light, she felt her heart skip. It wasn't very appropriate after they just discussed Toby's health, but she was looking forward to a bit of alone time with Jareth.
Her bag was tossed into a corner. She hadn't checked what Jareth had brought for her. The pajamas she was wearing had been stored here at home. Besides, Karen always had at least a dozen new toothbrushes lying about. Sarah only just realized she had never brushed her teeth Underground, or had felt the need to do so. Just at that moment Jareth walked in. He was pleasantly surprised to see her sitting on the bed in the room that had been assigned to him.
"Jareth, why did I never feel like having to brush my teeth in the Underground?"
His step faltered for just a second, surprise widening his eyes. When he sat down on the edge of the bed he shot her a playfully accusing look. "I had rather hoped for other questions when unexpectedly finding you in my bed." He could tell her curiosity prevented her from feeling embarrassed or annoyed. "I take it you have never noticed them, then?"
Sarah raised her eyebrows. "Noticed them? Who?"
"Dentimites." He shuffled over to the pillow and crawled under the covers, his gaze thoughtful. "Tiny white little buggers that crawl inside your mouth and feast on filth and traces of food."
The woman felt nausea twist her stomach, picturing little insects the size of bed bugs or lice crawling into her mouth when she was asleep. She looked at him with concern. "Really?!"
The blonde grinned, leaning back against the headboard like she was. "No, darling. I jest. There is no such thing as dentimites."
Relief washed over her, quickly replaced with self-conscious annoyance. "You insufferable…"
"Yes?" His voice lilted with eagerness to hear her finish that. But all he got was a pouty glower. "To answer your question, it is something I named Eideann, when I first started visiting this world centuries ago." He laid down comfortably. "It is a force of nature in the Underground. A constant flow of energy woven through its inhabitants. It stabilizes all living things in many ways. It ages more slowly, nourishes crops and cleans water, to name a few."
Sarah chuckled. "I think the Underground shuns the Labyrinth. Or quite specifically the Bog of Eternal Stench."
He chuckled. "Quite the opposite. The Labyrinth harnesses a particularly strong energy of this natural phenomenon. It is what allows me to summon deep pits, rearrange walls and manipulate gravity itself from miles away."
Sarah giggled, shuffling forward so she could lie down. "Beyza did tell me that people running the Labyrinth is like a sport to you. Sounds more like a playground to me."
The blonde turned to her, tucking the blanket comfortably around her and brushing a lock of her hair out of her face. "I won't deny that I thoroughly enjoy guiding ancient forces in pursuit of amusement."
"When was your last game?"
"Several years ago. It was a woman from an old lineage. They used to be nobility, but were deported from a neighboring kingdom for misconduct. Besides her dying father, she was the last of her bloodline. She challenged my Labyrinth in pursuit of restoring her nobility, so she might wed within the aristocracy and ensure herself a comfortable life."
"Did she win?"
Jareth scoffed. "Heavens, no. She had been torn from her wealth long ago, but she still expected to be carried to my castle in a gold carriage. I left her outside the gates when her time was up. Spoiled brat."
"Those seem to have a knack for finding themselves in your Labyrinth."
"I get many different walks of life. Hardened survivalists, families, non-human creatures and even children." His free hand played with a strand of her hair. "But that particular woman did remind me of another brat which did manage to win, and compelled me to visit her."
Sarah nibbled on her lower lip when he smiled. She could see memories swirling in his eyes. It was strange to think about someone she'd never met, having brought on so many changes. What if this particular woman hadn't challenged Jareth? Would he have visited her? Had he already been thinking of her? Or was that a terribly self-centered thing to wonder?
"Did you offer her the same as me?" The woman's voice had been quiet, but curious.
A twinge of anger furrowed his brows. "Of course not. I'm not in the habit of offering people their dreams." He chuckled humorlessly, looking across the room. "And certainly not more than that. The self-indulgent broad would have taken it in a heartbeat, I'm sure... No. I have only offered people materialistic boons, writ of passage, gentry position and cheap bribes." His eyes softened when he looked down at her. "No one but you has been worth an offer so significant."
Sarah felt her heart race with the full force of his gaze on her. His gaze was stern, like she'd insulted him for asking it, but he didn't seem upset. "Okay," she said quietly, causing his rigidity to relax. She noticed he leaned closer, his hand still playing with her hair. Her eyes slipped closed while she tried to swallow her heart down her throat.
Jareth chuckled and looked down at her. "Do you want me to kiss you, sweetling?"
Her eyes flew open to the size of saucers. "U-uh…" Discomfort tinged her cheeks. "Y-yes?"
He purred, very much enjoying her confirmation. His hand brushed along the velvet softness of her burning cheeks, then down so he could position the pad of his thumb under her chin, angling her face up to him. While her lips had parted in anticipation and looked more than inviting, he leaned lower down and pressed a slow, chaste kiss to her neck. Her breath caught with a soft squeak.
"Before we get too comfortable, darling, we do have some important matters to discuss." Sarah snapped out of the shudder that had been traveling along her back. The Goblin King sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. "I long to tell you my spell will resolve Toby's issues, but I can't promise that much."
Switching to business mode, Sarah sat up, tucking her legs sideways. "Let's take this one step at a time. What's the fix you're thinking of?"
"Reordering time." He frowned, lacing his fingers behind his head. "But I'm not used to doing so for a single person. Perhaps I can nudge Toby's rhythm back to normal by shifting his perception of time in this way."
"What will happen to Toby? Will he be okay?"
"I will certainly do my very best to protect him and make this go as smoothly as possible," he said with a nod. "But the truth is, I have never tried to manipulate a living being using time itself, and thus it is difficult to determine how he will respond. He will need to be asleep as I'm sure you'd like to prevent him from knowing about magic."
"What about you? Will you be okay?"
He was quiet for a moment. "I'll be alright, I'm sure. It will offer me an excellent opportunity to test my newly gained power."
"For someone that normally oozes confidence, this doesn't really sound promising… What if it doesn't work?"
For a long time, the room remained silent. "I'm not certain," Jareth admitted. "But if the situation threatens to spin out of control, I will use every shred of magic in me to correct it."
Outside, the sky was starting to turn a very pale blue at the horizon. They could hear Toby getting ready for bed, muttering angrily to his mother that he'd finish the rest tomorrow and that he just wanted to sleep. There was a thud, followed by the mother scolding him for nearly tripping on his own feet. Sarah looked back at Jareth, who seemed to notice the shift in her eyes. "Let's do it."
It seemed her decision bolstered his confidence and he nodded back solemnly. "I propose we wait until your father leaves for the day so I can work uninterrupted." Sarah nodded in return and he ushered her to lay down. With a wave of his hand the lights in the room turned off, shrouding the two in darkness. Sarah curled up against his side, his arm underneath her neck. His pajamas smelled like fresh cotton, giving a soft edge to his own scent. Her hand moved to cover his heart.
His chest rose and fell slowly in a comforting rhythm. His hand wandered down along her arm, caressing her with a featherlight touch. Goosebumps scattered all the way up to her neck yet slackened any tension left in her. Minutes passed in silence. His hand was idly playing with her hair. Eventually, she had to break the silence. Calling his name, she could feel his low hum underneath her ear. Her fingers brushed along the fair skin, her voice soft. "Is it stupid to be scared?"
"Stupid? Why would it be stupid?"
"Because the thing that's scary seems… silly." Perhaps she should've stayed quiet. Perhaps she shouldn't have brought this up.
"I don't see how it could possibly be silly. Talk to me."
"I'm kind of scared of… being with you?" The way in which he froze felt almost inhuman. The steady rise and fall underneath her stopped and every muscle in his body tensed.
"Sarah, you introduced us just a few hours ago…"
The woman moved to sit up, the tone in his voice alarming her. When she looked down at him, there was a guarded coldness tightening his features. He propped himself up on his elbows, eyeing her with worry and agitation. "No! I don't mean I regret being with you," she said quickly. "I-I… I want to be with you. It's just…"
"Is it my crown?"
"No," Sarah insisted. "It's not you. I-It's… It's stupid." She withdrew from him. Curling up on the bed she hugged her knees to her chest, muffling something into her knees.
"Come again?"
Sarah bit her lip and avoided his gaze. "I'm insecure, okay?" Her voice was tight with agitation and annoyance. She leaned away when he sat upright and looked at her. "This isn't my first time with someone, but it's scary. It's… so different."
"Do tell," Jareth said with an expression stuck between a smile and a grimace, turning a little softer when he saw the fearful look in her eyes.
"I'm just… me… And well, you're… You're… you."
There had been an expectation for him to either laugh or be confused, but his gaze turned surprisingly gentle. "My sweet, darling Sarah…" He leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss to her hair. "I understand what you're saying, but let me reiterate your words with a different perspective. You are you, and I am me. That's the extent of what matters." He kept a respectful distance, pulling up one leg to lean on. "It doesn't matter that I'm king. It doesn't matter that you're mortal. It doesn't even matter that we're from different worlds, because I was lucky enough to find you, and I was lucky enough for you to accept a courtship." He grinned when she looked at him bashfully. "It doesn't matter, darling. As far as you're concerned, I am a lonely soul and a hot-blooded man. My expertise in magic doesn't matter, my kingship doesn't matter, not even Alana and my idiot elder brother matter." Sarah giggled at the jab at his brother, an action which he saw as an invitation to wrap his arms around her and pull her close. "Sweetling, I'm just someone seeking the companionship of someone endlessly patient, incredibly kind, delightfully resourceful and blindingly beautiful. And I couldn't have found someone more fitting that description."
"Oh puke," Sarah wailed playfully, squirming in his hold without making any real attempt to break free.
He laughed, holding her tightly. "A fearless heroine to save me from my drab existence. A headstrong dame to disobey my every command. An angel that will grace my wretched soul with tenderness. A lady that could outshine the sun, if only she would let her confidence shine as bright as her beauty."
"Good god, Jareth!" She felt her heart swell at his words, so fun-loving yet sincere. "I'm not all that."
"You are." His nose nuzzled his nose into her hair, then finally let her break free, making him fall back to the bed. Grabbing hold of her wrist he pressed her palm over his heart. "And then there's me. Centuries old, stubborn and quick-tempered. A cold-hearted trickster! A fiend, using his vile charm to woo this goddess ever so shamelessly."
She grinned down at him. "Careful, Your Majesty. You're reaching critical levels of sweet-talking. It's unbefitting of the fearsome Goblin King."
While he let out a soft chuckling sigh, there was a strange sadness in his eyes. "Look at me, Sarah. Am I really so different?"
Sarah nibbled on her lower lip. Her hand was slightly more tan than his alabaster skin, further contrasted by the markings on his hand. His skin was warm and cold at the same time. His waist almost femininely narrow. Almost. Her palm wandered up by itself, his hand falling away. Her fingertips moved up his long neck. A muscle in his sharp jaw twitched when she moved to his cheek, tracing his angular features. When she touched his peach colored lips, his mismatched eyes drifted shut. Her hand brushed through his hair, soft like silk and shining like gold. It was slightly messy, yet somehow perfect.
"You are different."
He looked up at her. For a moment his heart had been gripped with a fear. His body had tensed for the blow of rejection. But the rays of purest moonshine had shown down upon him seeing the tender smile on her face. His palm cradled her cheek, drinking in the sight of her gentle adoration. Never had he suspected someone might look at him like that, yet it could never have been anyone but his unruly, compassionate Sarah.
For a while they simply looked at each other. Neither of them knew how long, but eventually Sarah felt herself growing tired. She lowered herself to his side and once more she curled up against him. Feeling his arms around her, the woman realized there was no possible place on Earth or in the Underground she'd rather be. Snuggling her cheek against his chest, the steady drumming of his heartbeat gradually caused her to doze off, the warmth of his body wrapping around her like the safest, most comfortable blanket.
The next thing she noticed was Jareth ever so carefully removing his arm from around her. She called him quietly, her hand reflexively curling around his shirt. He carefully tucked her in and pried her hand from his shirt. Leaning down he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Sleep, darling. I will handle everything."
"Every…?" Her eyes felt heavy, and the bed blissfully warm.
"Toby's spell, Sarah. Your father left about twenty minutes ago and Toby as well as Mrs. Williams are fast asleep."
While still groggy she nodded. "I want to help."
"Believe in me, darling. That's all the help you can offer me now. I will be careful and do my best to mend him."
"Should you need me…"
"I'll call," he said with a chuckle. "I will return as soon as I can."
Sarah nodded, leaning into him when he pressed another kiss to her head. Just before she drifted away again, she whispered quietly. "Thank you, Jareth…"
—-
A crash down the hall woke Sarah faster than ever. Her body jerked and her fight or flight triggered so fast it made her head spin. It felt like she was at Toby's bedroom door within a second.
By her brother's toy collection lay the Goblin King, sprawled on the floor and surrounded by action figures, toy cars and Lego bricks. His face was contorted in anguish, his glamor gone and his skin as pale as the paper sheets that floated down on top of him. The only thing that sullied his pale complexion was a droplet of blood trickling from his nose. His eyes were rimmed in a dark blue that was nearly black. His hair was matted and almost pale enough to match his face. His breathing carried a strange rattling. Sarah practically tripped towards him, falling onto her knees and cradling his face. His breath was shallow and uneven. One shaky hand came up to his face to wipe the blood away, but dropped weakly before he could reach it. "Jareth? What happened? Talk to me!"
"Take me to our room."
She shook her head, frowning. "Never mind that, tell me what happened. What do you need? Water?"
"I need rest," he snarled at her. Sarah flinched at his sharp tone. Her hands jerked from his face. "Take me. Now. Before I lose consciousness."
Sarah nodded and scrambled to her feet. She held out her hands, knowing that there was no way she was going to be able to carry him. She tried her best to haul him to his feet, stumbling and nearly toppling back. He was practically dead weight against her. She quickly wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped him down the hall. It seemed to take forever, his feet dragging across the floor. By the time they got back to the guest room, Sarah felt a rush of relief that she had left the door open, or there would've been another hurdle to overcome.
With a groan she dropped him onto the bed. He was unconscious. Without hesitance she pried his boots off and tucked him under the blankets as best she could. When he showed no sign of responsiveness she hurried back to Toby's room. Toby sleeping peacefully in his bed. With a shuddering sigh Sarah quickly put away the scattered toys and papers.
"Sarah? What happened here?"
Sarah jumped, seeing her worried stepmother in the doorway. "Oh! Uh, I wanted to check on Toby and I accidentally bumped into his stuff. I'm sorry for waking you."
Karen looked at her son and shook her head. "Out cold, he is. Try to be careful next time, Sarah. He needs all the sleep he can get."
"Y-yes, of course. I'm sorry."
Karen eyed the superhero clock on Toby's wall and shook her head. "And for goodness sake, go back to bed. You barely slept three hours." She turned away and shuffled back to the master bedroom.
After a long, calming breath, Sarah hurried to the bathroom, grabbing a glass of water, a few tissues and a warm, damp towel. By the time she was back in the guest room Jareth was still out cold. Just in time could she wipe the trail of red running down his face before it hit the pristine white pillow. It didn't seem to be continuously bleeding. Feeling his forehead she found it ice cold, which made her realize that she had no idea what she could do for him. After closing the curtains the woman crawled onto the bed and turned to face him. The rattle in his breathing disappeared.
After sitting next to him she had eventually laid down, drifting off, then watching him again. The process repeated a few times, but he never came to. Eventually she started to get restless. There had been no shift in his situation. The house was unnervingly quiet. Once she realized this was all the rest she was going to get, she went for a quick shower and got dressed, then made breakfast for Jareth and herself. Eggs and bacon sandwiches with tea. Hardly a meal fit for a king, but it would do. She had to watch his plate going cold and the bread going stale. She couldn't tell if he looked any better. He still looked exhausted and drained. Perhaps the circles under his eyes weren't quite as dark.
Throughout the remainder of the day, Sarah switched between watching him, checking on Toby and doing small little things in the house to keep herself from losing her mind. The hours passed and eventually Karen woke up. When she came down, Sarah was cleaning the refrigerator.
"Where's Jareth?"
Sarah kept scrubbing to hide the twitch of worry in her face. "Oh, he's just in the guest room. He was feeling a little… off." It came out smooth enough. Perhaps convincing enough to fool her stepmother. "I figured I'd make myself useful."
"It's not that I'm not thankful, Sarah, but you don't need to worry yourself with cleaning. Why not go watch a movie?"
She'd thought of doing that. But just thinking of sitting on the couch doing nothing stressed her out. "I'm good…"
"Alright. Well, is Jareth feeling well enough to join us for dinner? I presume you'll be staying at least for another meal?"
"I'll go ask him." She mustered a small smile when she turned to Karen. Once she was out of sight, she hurried to the guest room. It was pitch black inside and completely quiet.
"Sarah?"
She nearly yelped, a squeak escaping from her lips before she slapped her hand over her mouth. She slightly parted the curtains to let in a bit of light and sat on the bed's edge. "I'm here." Carefully she caressed his brow, seeing his heavy lidded eyes gaze up at her. "Can I get you anything?"
Jareth rubbed his temples and shook his head. "I just need some time." The color of his skin and hair had gradually returned. For a while both were silent. The smell of dinner was drifting up towards them and soon after they could hear Robert coming home.
"I'm going to check on Toby, I'll be back in a few minutes." Sarah looked down at him and he nodded quietly. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, her hand brushed through his hair.
Toby was still laying in the same position. His temperature was a little higher than normal, but other than that he just seemed to be in a deep sleep. When she went downstairs, her father greeted her with an uncomfortable air.
"Karen, Jareth is still feeling a little out of it. Do you mind if Jareth and I eat in our - his room?" Sarah did her best to ignore the withering look her father sported when she slipped up, keeping her eyes stiffly on her stepmother.
"Of course, Sarah. Is he feeling any better?"
Sarah shrugged. "He's mostly tired now. We'll probably head home - back tomorrow morning." She mentally kicked herself for another slip-up, knowing full well her father was getting properly pissed off.
"I really do hope Toby will be awake before then. He'll be so sad if you have to leave without a goodbye." The older woman grabbed two plates from the dinner table and served two meals. "I'll pick up the plates in an hour or so. I'll bring some tea then, as well."
"Thanks, Karen, you're the best." Sarah smiled warmly, taking the plates and ignoring the scowl on her father's face.
After a good meal, Jareth was looking better. He was less sluggish and seemed more comfortable. "Can I get you anything else? I can draw you a bath if you like."
Jareth took her hand. "There's only one more thing I need." He pulled her close, his arms around her so she was somewhat awkwardly sprawled halfway over him. Taking a deep breath, his arms tightened, then slackened when he exhaled. "My favorite medicine."
Feeling his hand wander along her back Sarah chuckled at his pleased murmur. Settling against him, the distinct warmth was back. He was no longer cold to the touch. "So… What exactly happened? To you both."
His hand on her back froze, pulling her gaze up to him. "Well…" It was clear he was hesitant to tell and it wasn't until she crawled onto her knees to sit next to him that he continued. "I attempted to manipulate time within Toby himself. To shift his biological clock to align with this world once more. It went well enough at first. While the spell was delicate, it seemed relatively easy. However, every time I manipulated him, he pulled back to his current state. I must have tried over fifteen times."
"So… It didn't work?"
Jareth shook his head. "No, it did work. I think. But I had to resort to other means…" The apprehensive look on her face was more than understandable. "Instead of working from his bedroom, I transported us to the Veil. The suspension in time present there allowed an easier change."
Sarah wasn't sure how to feel about him taking Toby from his home without asking her first, especially because he had mentioned that he had never attempted something like this.
"It was by no means easy," he continued. "Reordering time is one thing, but doing so in a void where time doesn't exist is another beast entirely." Thinking back to it he rubbed his brow with a sigh. "I kept us there until I felt his inner clock shift to something stable. By the time I returned I found you and your family in a frantic panic. Toby had been missing for three days. I had to shift this world's timeline backwards to make up for the time that had passed."
"You reordered time?" The woman blinked, processing what that meant. Three days of her life which she'd lived and lost without any realisation of it. It was frightening in a way, yet fascinating and strange in another. She must have looked more disturbed than she really felt, because his hand cradled her cheek, pulling her attention back to him.
"I do apologize for taking that liberty, Sarah. I figured it was preferable over dealing with the strife the other option left all of us with."
Shaking her head she relaxed her shoulders. "No, you're right. My father would have killed you if he found out you took Toby. And I don't think in that case, my stepmother would have stopped him." Smiling at him, she noticed a haunted look in his eyes. "What? What happened?"
The Goblin King looked saddened, caressing her face. "I'd rather not discuss it."
Sarah strongly suspected it had to do with her reaction to him taking Toby, but decided not to press for it. She leaned forward to rest her forehead against his, hoping it might offer him some comfort. Her eyes slipped closed. "It's okay, Jareth. Even if Toby's health doesn't improve from this, I appreciate everything you do for me."
Reveling in her kind words, he tilted his head up with a smile, rubbing his nose against hers. "I'd move the stars for you, darling."
Giggling, Sarah steadied herself with a hand on his shoulder, returning the playful Eskimo kiss. "Thank you, Jareth," she whispered quietly, her hand trailing towards his neck. He tilted his head up, his breath pausing as the air between them thickened.
A throat cleared behind them and Sarah jumped off the bed and nearly fell backwards, saved only by Jareth grasping her hand. Fully flushed and flustered she pulled her hand away and turned to the doorway, locking eyes with her stepmother who was smiling knowingly. A moment of panic gripped Sarah and she looked back at Jareth, but found that his markings and apparel had once again been replaced with his disguise.
"Sorry for interrupting you two. I thought Jareth might enjoy some tea." The woman walked up to the bed, nudging past Sarah to put the tray down on the nightstand.
"You're a very gracious hostess, Mrs. Williams."
"Oh, do call me Karen, Jareth. There's no need for formalities." Sarah snickered to herself. If only Karen knew she was talking to a king. "I'll leave you two for the evening. Robert and I will be watching a movie downstairs, should any of you want to join. Toby's classes are cancelled for tonight. I'll leave some fresh towels in the bathroom should you want to shower or bathe." The older woman headed out, pausing by the doorway to close the door. She looked at Sarah. "Keep your father's health in mind. Keep it down." Winking, she walked off, closing the door behind her.
—-
Later that night Sarah found herself neck deep in a board game night with Jareth. They were both seated on the bed, surrounded by games, manuals, dice, pawns and cardboard. She had won at, as Jareth put it, a barbaric game of Hungry Hungry Hippos and lost miserably at Operation. It was now three to three. They were playing a game of Guess Who, which both of them were quickly losing patience with. Their fingers were entwined next to the boards, idly toying with the digits of the other. It was both very casual yet intimate, not to mention very distracting.
"Does she have dark hair?" Sarah fidgeted with a Monopoly bill that had been in the box, her hair draped over one shoulder. Her eyes wandered across the handful of portraits still facing her. When Jareth didn't answer her eyes lifted from the colorful print and plastic.
He was staring at her, one arm resting on his knee. "Yes, she does," he said in a low purr, his eyes still on her. "Gorgeous hazel eyes, too."
Her eyes lowered bashfully to the game board, feeling silly for wondering if she should be knocking down portraits, since it was quite obvious he was not referring to the game. The way in which hand wandered up along the back of her hand, his fingers curling around her wrist, drew her eyes back to him. His body shifted forward, so he could brush his lips against her knuckles. The slow and deliberate way he did so, while maintaining eye contact, made her mouth run dry. Her hands grew embarrassingly clammy and her stomach fluttered. His mismatched gaze kept her attention. Within the multi-colored depths was a quiet yet powerful longing.
Sarah heard the doorbell and with reluctance she pulled back. At first Jareth followed but she gently pushed him away, distracted by who could be at the door this late at night. Shyly rising from the bed she headed into the hall.
Halfway down the stairs she saw Robert open the door to someone she never had expected. A slender shape in the dark, with wide, dark eyes and long flowing hair.
"Alana?"
The familiar face appeared relieved, looking from the older man to Sarah and back. "Good evening. I truly apologize for the disturbance so late in the evening."
Robert looked at Sarah, then back at the woman. "Can I… help you?"
"I'll take care of it, dad," Sarah said quickly, rushing down the remainder of the stairs and wriggling between her father and the otherworldly woman in front of her. Even though Alana had hidden the markings by her eyes it was very obvious she was different. Partially because she was wearing a long cloak which completely hid her body. Looking around her father was still standing behind her. "Uh, I'll explain later."
Reluctantly the older man left and Sarah leaned a little closer. "Lana, why are you here? How are you here?"
"I have a message for Jareth." The earnest tone in her voice urged Sarah to quickly take her upstairs. When they entered the room littered with games, Jareth stared in shock when Alana walked in.
His sister quickly walked over to him, pulling a small envelope from her robe. "Jareth, I have news from the Regiment."