Loss and Revenge...

Megmora watched over the child as she slept. She was sleeping quite peacefully despite her small fit of anger only a few hours earlier. Where could the King be? Why had he not returned with the child's mother? Closing her eyes, Megmora concentrated her powers, trying to search the Labyrinth and the Underground for any trace of the King for his mortal lover. She was about to give up when she a feeling of contentment found it's way into her mind. Far beneath the surface...there was a feeling of momentary peace. She could barely feel the presence in her mind and as quickly as she felt it, it vanished. The ancient magic of the tunnels was too strong for her, even for her old magic and she lost the presence. Despite this she smiled and gazed down at the child, curled into a ball protectively around her teddy bear.

"Ssshe is sssafe child. Sshe isss sssafe with him."

The walk was becoming tiresome, but the trio pushed on.

"I don't remember it taking quite this long to get to the bottom." Jareth told Hoggle. To him it felt like he had been walking for days. The pain in his side was great and Sarah knew that he was suffering. He couldn't use his magic to hide his pain.

"I tolds ya. This route is longer, but it's safer. What cha want, to be eaten by them beasts or have a longer more but safe walk out?"

"I'll take the long safe route, thank you very much." Sarah said coming to stop beside Jareth. Sweat had broken on her brow and she looked exhausted.

"Hoggle how about those roots?" Jareth asked him. "Sarah needs some nourishment."

"Jareth, I'm fine. The less times we have to stop to rest and to snack, the faster we can get the hell out of here."

"Sarah, you're exhausted and I'm sure that you are hungry as well. You've had nothing to eat since breakfast yesterday morning."

"Yesterday? I was in that room for an entire day?"

"Yes, my love. You need food and if we could find some water. You should rest as well."

"Jareth stop fussing over me, ok? I'm fine. I'm not hungry and I would like to get the hell out of here."

"Sarah...all this traveling is not good for your condition."

"My condition? Please don't even start with me! I'm not fragile, I'm not going to break if I take a walk through some tunnels. For god sakes I've only been pregnant for 4 or 5 days the most..." She stopped suddenly realizing that Hoggle was with them. He didn't know about the pregnancy, and she didn't want to shock the dwarf anymore then he already he been. She wasn't sure if he had come to terms with Sarah's relationship with Jareth, never mind shocking him with the news that she was carrying Jareth's baby.

"Hoggle..." She looked apologetic.

He waved his hand at her. "It's all rights, I already knows about the baby."

"You do? But how?"

"I heard ya both talkin bout it."

"Hoggle you have to promise me you won't mention this to anyone. I'd like it if you kept the entire thing to yourself." Jareth looked extremely hurt by her words.

"I can keeps a secret."

"Thank you. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to keep going. I want out of this place." Hoggle nodded and began to walk away, Sarah in step behind him. But Jareth stood, leaning against a wall heavily. She spun to face him. "You coming or not?"

He nodded slowly and walked to her side. "You don't wish anyone to know that you carry my child? Are you suddenly ashamed? You just told me that you were honored to-"

"I am honored Jareth, but I don't want this getting to my little girl before we can both sit down and explain our actions." He nodded feeling a but more relieved and he followed her and Hoggle.

 They traveled on for hours, stopping occasionally to sit and rest and then push on more. Jareth's condition was growing steadily worse and the relief was clearly seen when they finally reached the entrance to the tunnels.

'I can feel my magic again." Jareth told them. "We should get back to the castle before Gorgin realizes that we have escaped to the outside.

Hoggle started walking away.

"Where are you going Hoggle?" Sarah asked.

"Back to the woods. I done what I could. Time for me to go now."

"Hoggle you don't have to leave. In fact you're more then welcome to stay at my castle." The Goblin King offered.

The dwarf shook his head. "Thank for the offer, but no thanks. I've always been a loner, would rather go back to the woods or the gates at the beginning of the Labyrinth." He shuffled off.

"Thank you Hoggle! For everything!" Sarah cried after him. He stopped to turn and smiled before shuffling off again towards the woods.

"He always was a strange little man." Jareth told Sarah.

"Not as strange as you..." came a cold voice.

Jareth spun to see Gorgin and a few dozen of his henchmen just behind them.

"I don't know how you managed to get through without being seen by even one of the guardians, but if you think I will let you both escape so easily, you are so very wrong." His movement was lightning fast and in seconds he had Sarah gripped tightly in his grasp. She struggled and he only gripped her tighter. He would have the Goblin King's Kingdom and he would take it by force if he had to.

Jareth's expression was that of raw anger. He pulled forth a crystal. Gorgin threw Sarah back and she hit the ground hard so that he could draw a long bladed sword. So the Goblin King wanted to fight? He would give him one.

Jareth wanted to engage Gorgin in battle but he was more concerned about Sarah. She was lying in a crumpled heap. With a flick of his wrist he tossed a second crystal at her. The crystal shattered above her head and sparkling dust fell over her. Gorgin's men rushed towards her to get her before Jareth could get to her, but she was already gone. Gorgin spun angrily back to Jareth, but he was gone as well. He let out a blood curtling cry.

"This is far from over Goblin King!!!!! FAR FROM OVER!!!!"

They materialized just outside of Ary's bedroom. Sarah was crumpled over on the floor just as she had been on the ground when Gorgin had thrown her to draw his sword.

"Sarah!" Jareth rushed to her and helped pull her to her feet slowly. "Are you all right?"

She nodded slowly, ignoring the growing pain that suddenly engulfed her. He pulled her tightly to him.

Megmora's head jerked up from dozing off and she quickly got to her feet. The King was back, with the mortal woman. "Child, wake up! They are back!" She gently shook Ary who awakened right away and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"What's wrong Meg?"

"They're back!"

"Mommy's back?" Meg nodded and she and the child ran to the door.

Sarah and Jareth were standing in the hallway embraced in each other's arms. Neither of them wanted to let the other go.

"Mommy!" Sarah turned her head to see Ary rushing at her mother. Meg had made sure she was dressed her in nightgown and the dragon had probably fed her supper and tucked her in as it was late in the evening. Sarah smiled and nodded her head in appreciation to the dragon who smiled in return.

Sarah left Jareth's embrace and bent to hug her daughter when pain suddenly filled her abdomen. She doubled over and let out a cry.

"Sarah?" Jareth's concerned voice echoed through the hall. He rushed to her and pulled her into her arms. She was clutching her stomach, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Bring her into the room..Hurry!" Megmora told him. Jareth did as he was instructed, a sudden fear consuming him.

"Mommy?" Aryanna was frightened. Her mother was back and something was wrong with her.

Jareth gently laid Sarah down on Aryanna's bed. Megmora was instantly by her side. "Out." She ordered the King.

"I'm not leaving her." Jareth told the healer.

"I sssaid out! I can't do my job if you're hovering over her. Both of you out!" She ushered both Jareth and Aryanna out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Jareth started to pace in the hallway and Aryanna sat herself in a large oak chair with a red velvet cushion. She was terribly confused. She bit her lip and swung her legs back and forth beneath the chair. Her eyes focused on Jareth who was pacing back and forth in front of her. His steps quickened. He heard Sarah cry out from within the room and he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes wide with terror. Ary stopped swinging her legs and watched him.

Sarah was crying within the room, Megmora was trying to comfort her. Jareth stood frozen in place as he listened. Something was not right. He felt himself trembling with fear of the unknown.

It was several minutes later that the door to the room opened. "Mommy?" Ary asked.

Megmora stepped slowly from the room. The look on her face made Jareth's blood freeze. "Meg....?"

She spoke to him softly in a language that Ary didn't know. A look of pain briefly took over his face but seconds later pure anger reared its ugly face. The Goblin King turned from the dragon and child and took his anger out on a piece of sculpture nearby. He threw it to the ground and it shattered all over the stone floor. Ary shrank back in her chair. She had never seen him so angry and it frightened her. His eyes were so very cold, so angry. He was trembling he was so mad, his hands clenching and then releasing over and over again. Ary had never been scared of him, but at this moment she never felt more terrorized in her life. She hid herself in the shadows fearful he might take his anger out on her and hit her or who knows what else.

Megmora spoke to him again in her tongue and Jareth answered back in English. "I will not calm down!!!" he cried out. "By the Bog she's been through enough misery!!! We both have!!!" he roared.

"Ssshe needss you right now...you can not enter the room like thisss." She gestured at his state and then let her yellow eyes focus on the white marble pedestal and the statue of a centaur that now lay broken and scattered all over the floor. Jareth took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"I have taken away the physssical pain, but the mental... Ssshe needss comfort that only you can give her..."

He swallowed looking at the open door and he walked towards it slowly. He stopped before entering and then carefully shut the door behind him.

Sarah was lying on her side, sobbing into the soft pillows of her daughter's bed. Jareth's shoulders dropped, his eyes filled with sorrow and anguish, his knees felt as if they were going to give way. He moved quickly to the bed for fear he would fall onto the floor before he made it there.

Sarah saw him and she fell into his open arms the minute they were close enough to her. Jareth fell upon his knees on the soft sheets and pulled her into his arms. He buried his face into her hair as she sobbed against him, clutching him to her. Tears filled his mismatched eyes and he lost it, broke down with her, sobbing like a child. He had not cried for hundreds of years, Kings did not cry. They did not lose control. But tonight he cried, for the loss of his best friend over one hundred years ago, for 20 years alone without Sarah, for allowing his life to go without love for so long. He buried his face into her neck and sobbed for the lost life of their unborn child...

Meg's words echoed in his mind over and over again. "I'm sssorry Your Majessty....ssshe....sshe lossst the child..Ssshe misssscarried. Posssibly the ssstresss of the journey...the timing...it could have been anything..."

Outside the room Megmora held Aryanna who was thoroughly confused at what was going on. Sarah's sobs could be heard in the hallway as well as the sobs of the Goblin King. Ary held on tightly to Meg who lifted the child into her arms. The King's sobs pierced her heart. He was always a strong man and now he felt lost and broken. Although Meg had never heard the Goblin King voice the words aloud, she knew that he loved the baby already, just as he loved the mortal woman who carried it. He loved both with all of his heart. It had been difficult to tell him. And the mortal woman...she loved the child. Had already formed a bond with it, even though she did not yet know it. The loss was equally devastating to her as well.

Jareth held Sarah until she had cried herself out. She was exhausted from traveling the tunnels and now this. How much more could she take? How much more punishment, anguish, loss, despair could she take before she broke down completely. How much more could he take? He laid her back gently on the bed. She'd fallen asleep in his arms. Tears stained cheeks gazed back at him and he felt something inside of him snap. She had been fine until Gorgin had captured her and fine until Gorgin had thrown her to the ground. He got up off the bed and cast one last look at Sarah. Pulling the blankets over her before he left the room.

Meg was rocking Ary gently in her arms. She was just beginning to fall asleep when the door flew open and Jareth came storming out. There was raw anger in every step he took.

"Where are you going?" Megmora asked him. She stood, balancing Ary in her arms.

"To call out the guards, gather an army." He said angrily.

"An army my lord?" Was he serious?

"I want you to remain with Sarah and Aryanna at all times. Is that understood?"

"Ye-yesss your Majesssty, but an army?"

Jareth spun at her his cape whirling around him. Ary clutched Megmora tightly. "He took my child from me before it was born, made Sarah and myself go through more unnecessary pain! I'm putting a bounty on his head! I don't care if he's brought to me dead or alive! I'll have every hunter in the underground looking for him while I gather an army. If they don't find him, I will! He kidnapped and is the probable cause of my future queen's miscarriage! I won't rest until he's my prisoner or he's dead!"

"Your injuriessss my lord?" She could sense his physical pain. Something had happened to him within the tunnels. Pain that he was trying to hide and shield from others and himself with his magic.

"Are nothing...protect Sarah and Ary with your life until I return." He turned and fled quickly down the hall, his cape trailing behind him.

Ary began to cry softly. And Meg tried to soothe her. "Why is he so angry? Why is he going to kill someone?"

Meg regarded the child, who gazed up at her with large hazel eyes and tears that streamed down her pale face. "The man who took your mother, hurt her and the King. He hasss taken sssomething from them both that can not be replaced. King Jareth wantsss to make sssure that he can not harm your mother, you or himssself ever again."

"What did he take?"

 "I'd best leave that up to your mother and the King to disscusss with you. Come now...let uss ssstay with your mother. Ssshe will need comfort." The dragon glanced briefly down the hall in the direction the Goblin King had gone. She hoped that he knew what he was doing and that he was aware of the damage he had already done.

 Priorities... Sarah opened her eyes slowly and she immediately felt a sense of loss. It wasn't very strong at first but as she lay gazing up at the ceiling the loss grew until it overwhelmed her. She began to sob and started to choke on her tears. She thought it had been a bad dream but she knew from what she felt that it was not a dream but reality. She had miscarried only a few days after she had become pregnant. She had lost Jareth's child...

She had not missed Jareth's angry display in the hall. She had heard him break something before he had entered the room. He had entered and the look on his face was pure anguish. He had pulled her into his arms. She sobbed louder as the memory of Jareth sobbing with her added to her misery. She had never heard Jareth cry. She had seen him overwhelmed by powerful emotions of sorrow but she had never heard him cry. He was too proud to cry, too arrogant.

"Ssssssh." Sarah gazed through tear filled eyes to see Megmora. The dragon was trying to comfort her. Her daughter was beside the dragon.

"Don't cry mommy. Jareth went to get the bad man." Aryanna told her.

"What?"

"Jareth went to get the bad man who hurt you mommy."

Sarah was suddenly sitting straight up in her bed. "He didn't?" She glanced worriedly at the dragon. "Meg, please tell me he didn't go after Gorgin." She knew that Jareth was upset, surely he had not gone alone after Gorgin to vent his anger, his frustration, his loss.

"I'm ssssorry Lady Sssarah. The King did go after him, but not alone. He isss raisssing an army. He hass put a bounty on hiss head and will capture him if huntersss do not."

"Why is he going after Gorgin? We escaped. We're safe, we're free."

"He believesss he is the causse of your... of both of your pain thisss day."

"But this is my fault! I'm the one who miscarried! I'm the one who lost the baby!" She shouted.

"What baby, mommy?" Ary asked. She crawled onto the bed beside her mother , her hazel eyes wide with wonderment.

Sarah pulled her into her arms, stroking her long dark hair. "Oh sweetie....You were going to have a brother or a sister...but mommy lost the baby."

"A brother or sister? Is that what the bad man took from you mommy? Is that what he took from Jareth?"

Sarah suddenly began to sob all over again. Ary hugged her mother tightly. "Please don't cry mommy. You haven't cried in so long. Don't cry about the baby." Ary's caring words made her sob more and she buried her face into her daughter's soft hair. Sarah stopped sobbing after a short while and just held her daughter.  "My lady...you are tired from your journey through the tunnelsss. It would be wisse for you to resst and eat sssomething." Megmora tried to tell her.

Sarah shook her head. "I'm not hungry, and I couldn't sleep if I tried. I have too much on my mind." She lowered her face back into Ary's hair and rocked her daughter in her arms. Megmora watched, a feeling of worry eating at her.

"Mommy I'm scared." Ary whispered quietly as she clutched onto her mother.

"Of what sweetie?"

"Jareth...." She said so softly Sarah had to strain to hear her.

Sarah pulled back to gaze into her daughter's face. "Of Jareth?" Ary nodded. Sarah suddenly looked very worried. "Why are you frightened of Jareth? What did he do?"

"He broke a statue mommy and he said he wanted the bad man dead. He stormed off down the hallway. Is he going to hurt us Mommy? Is he? Like daddy hurt us?"

Sarah hugged her daughter tightly. "I don't think so sweetie. Jareth loves us."

"But what if he does? Mommy I don't want him to hurt you like daddy hurt you. He has a bad temper and uncle Toby said that people with bad tempers take it out on other people, even if they don't mean it. Jareth has a temper and I'm afraid he will take it out on us. I want to go home mommy. I'm afraid." She clutched her mother tightly.

Sarah cringed as Jareth's words from an earlier conversation echoed in mind. "One day I am going to lose my temper and she may see it. I would never direct my full fury at her. But she will see it. And what will she think of me? She might hate me, might be frightened of me....'

Sarah gazed directly into Ary's eyes and held her shoulders. "Sweetie, we all have tempers. Jareth would never take things out on you or me. He loves us both very much. He is upset right now. Ary do you understand about the baby?"

"Someone wished away another baby didn't they? And you and Jareth were going to keep it and it was going to be my brother or sister, right? It was wished it away and the bad man stole it from you and Jareth."

Sarah shook her head. Her daughter was known to have a runaway imagination. "No Ary. Mommy was going to HAVE a baby. I was pregnant." Ary's eyes widened. She spoke her next words softly and slowly. "Jareth was the father of the baby. Do you understand?"

Ary nodded slowly. "How did the bad man take the baby mommy? Did you have it already and I missed your big belly? Kelly's mommy has a big belly because she is going to have a baby and-"

"No no..." Sarah shook her head. Ary was beginning to ramble. ". Something happened and mommy lost the baby. It didn't develop properly and ...I never had the chance to get a big belly. Jareth thinks that this was Gorgin's fault but it's my fault." tears began to stream down her face. "...I lost it." Sarah began to sob again and Ary hugged her.

"Don't cry mommy. I'm here. I'll always be your baby." At her daughter's words Sarah broke down.

Megmora rose from her chair by the bed, with a heavy heart and left the room.

"I don't care if they have shops to run, I need my guards. Tell their wives or their children to run the shops for a few days!" He shouted loudly. "And I want the posters for his arrest drawn up and posted with in the city by this afternoon."

"Begging your pardon yer majesty but that's imposs-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses! Get it done now!" Jareth roared and snapped his fingers. The goblin disappeared from the room in a flash of light.

Soft padded footsteps were approaching and Jareth spun to see Megmora standing in the entranceway to his throne room.

"I thought I asked you to stay with Sarah and Ary!? Why are you disobeying me!?"

Megmora bowed her head. " I have newsss of the lady Sarah..."

"What of her?" Jareth's heart was suddenly racing at the mention of Sarah's name. He was trying to forget about what had happened, what Gorgin had done to himself and to Sarah. He had tried to busy himself with preparations all that morning, but it was useless. All he could see, all he could hear was Sarah sobbing. All he could think about was that she had miscarried because of a greedy bastard who had wanted his kingdom. Gorgin would face the Goblin King's full fury for taking his child.

"Ssshe is blaming hersself for the losss of the child, my lord. Ssshe will not eat, will not resst herself. Sshe is exhaussted but she will not ssleep." Meg paused and looked Jareth directly in the eyes. "Ssshe needsss you to comfort her."

Jareth turned from his healer , hiding his pained expression from her. "I don't have time. I have an army to finish preparing...a man to arrest."

"Don't have time?" There was anger in the dragon's voice. "Do you wissssh to losse her? Do you wisssh to losse her child?" Jareth's brows furrowed at her words. Megmora had her opinions but she rarely spoke out against him. "The child iss frightened of you becausse of your disssplay in the hallway. Sshe wantss to go home. Ssshe will need reasssurrance that you ssstill love her. And Lady Sssarah iss falling into despair. I've seen it happen to many. I know when it will happen and sahe iss falling. If you want to catch her before sshe hitss rock bottom you had better do something. What iss more important to you, getting even with an enemy or lossing the oness you love?"

Jareth gazed at the dragon who was standing taller then usual. There was anger in her eyes and carefully hidden beneath it was concern and Jareth felt fear take over his body once again.

Ary was sleeping peacefully on her bed. The servants had brought her lunch and she had fallen asleep after eating. Sarah had not touched a single thing on the plate. She didn't want to eat, didn't care if she ever ate again.

She was standing at the window, her bare feet on the cold stone floor. She was in a loose fitting silk nightgown that nearly touched the floor. It was growing later in the afternoon and she vaguely wondered where Megmora had gotten off to. Not that it mattered much. She felt empty, as if a piece of her was gone and a hole was all that remained. In truth she had lost a part of herself and a part of Jareth as well. Tears welled in her eyes and for a brief moment she tried to force them back. She was tired of crying, but she was so weak that they fell anyway. She leaned over onto the windowsill, burying her face into her hands as sobs wracked her body.

Warm hands touched her and pulled her to stand upright. Then they turned her to face their owner. Still sobbing she gazed into Jareth's mismatched eyes. He pulled her into his arms.

"I lost our baby..." she sobbed against him.

"Ssssh. Stop this Sarah. You have to stop this."

Ary opened her eyes and remained quiet on the bed. She watched Jareth hold her mother, trying to soothe her with his soft words.

"I lost the baby...I lost the baby..." she kept repeating.

"Sarah, stop it! It's not your fault."

"But I'm the one who carried it, I'm the one who lost it!"

He pulled back from her and shook her slightly. He lowered his head, gazing into her eyes. "It... is...not... your ...fault." He told her slowly.

She collapsed against him. "She wants to go home...." She sobbed clutching his white shirt into her hands, changing the subject from bad to worse.

Jareth gently stroked her hair with his bare hands. "Who wants to go home...?" His voice was painfully soft. Sarah didn't miss the fear in his tone.

"Ary...she wants to go home...she's frightened..." Jareth froze. Meg had warned him, but he thought that perhaps it had been merely that, a warning.

"Did...did she say that?"

"Yes!" Sarah sobbed. "I don't want to go...I want to stay with you..." She clutched him so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Jareth held her to him. She was losing it, breaking down and if he didn't control himself he would break down with her. But he had to be strong for her, needed to be her anchor in this terrible storm.

Ary slowly brought the blanket over her head slowly, quietly, leaving a small hole that she could peek out of. She quickly closed her eyes when she saw Jareth beginning to turn his head toward the bed that she laid upon. Seeing that the child was sleeping beneath the blankets, Jareth replied.

"I don't want you to leave Sarah. I don't want Ary to leave. I want you both to stay with me. I want to rid the Underground of the man who took our child from us so that it will be a safer place for you, for Ary, for our future child. I want you to rule beside me. I want that happily ever after I told you about when we walked on the beach." He started to kiss her hair. "I can't survive without you...without Ary. I need you both in my life. I am incomplete without you."

Sarah pulled back, tears streaming down her beautiful face. "But you frightened her Jareth, made her unsure and now she wants to leave!"

"I was foolish...so foolish in the hallway. She saw my anger....I let it get the better of me." He let his face fall into her hair, his voice full of fear. 'I have no idea how I will shake that fear from her..." He pulled back looking into her eyes. "She saw the truth of who I can be. She should have been warned that I have a temper, but that I would never take it out on her. She must be so frightened of me...It is I who has ruined everything. I couldn't control my temper." His eyes were full of anguish, heartache written clearly all over his handsome face.

She reached up to stroke his face with the back of her fingers. He looked like a frightened child. He could not hide his fear from her, a fear that she felt along with him. She was so afraid that after all they had gone through, they would not be together. It had taken her 20 years to find the other half of her soul...the thought of losing him was more then she could bear. She fell against him and he held her tightly in his arms, kissing her hair and stroking her back. They both were aware that Ary would be making her decision soon. A decision they had not even been able to fully explain to her.

The Goblin King rocked his Sarah in the dying light of day, unwilling to let go of her. Neither of them aware of a pair of hazel eyes that watched them curiously through a space in the blanket of the bed.  Mature beyond her years....

"What am I going to do Sarah?" he pulled back from her slowly and ran a hand through his wild blond hair. "What if she can't find it in her heart to forgive me? I don't know what will happen to me if I lose you... if I lose her." His eyes were full of fear and it was very unsettling to her. Not very much could shake the Goblin King, yet the mere thought of losing Sarah seemed to throw him into an emotional tailspin. She had great power over him.

"Jareth even if Ary decides that she wants to return home, I could visit anytime, just as you would have let Toby visit us here anytime." She reached up to touch his face gently as she had earlier. "All would not be lost. "

"How could we live like that Sarah? Going back and forth from your world to mine?" He gripped her shoulders. She could feel the tension in his touch. " We could never have a family. We could never live our lives the way we want to." His voice rose in frustration.

"Keep your voice down. Ary is sleeping." She ordered.

Her concern faded when she felt a warmth embrace her and they reappeared in Jareth's chambers. She gazed around at her surroundings. It felt like so long ago that she had been in here. Weeks worth of chaos, pain, joy, had taken place in a few short days.

Jareth took to pacing the length of his large room so Sarah settled at the end of his bed, allowing herself to rest comfortably on the soft mattress. She brushed her fingers over the blanket and despite everything that had happened in the last few days, despite the future looking uncertain, she smiled. Memories of lying in Jareth's warm embrace the morning after they had made love drifted through her mind.

Jareth continued to pace. A sound startled her and her smile faded. She looked up to see that Jareth suddenly had a riding crop in his hands. He was pacing back and forth and tapping the crop against his thigh. His head was bowed down as he walked, his blond hair hanging in his face. The only sounds in the room were the tap of the crop against his leg and the sound of his heels clicking on the stone floor. Sarah watched him intently. He had not said one word since he had transported them to his chambers.

It was times like this that made her realize how much she meant to him. He was allowing himself to walk along the edge of a cliff, letting his emotions take control of him. It was times like this that she realized how incredibly emotional and sensitive he really was. His arrogant behavior was a mask and a shield that he would use to hide his true feelings. She understood his reason to do this. She was guilty of doing it herself many times. One might go to great lengths to hide their feelings with false ones to throw others off. His arrogance and coldness had certainly thrown her off as a child. She never expected to find a loving, caring, compassionate man beneath all the arrogance and dominance.

He was in turmoil. The shoe was on his foot now. It had been her that morning, learning from Megmora that she had lost the baby. Jareth had been hurt too, there was no way she could dismiss that, but he didn't hurt the way that she had. Just as now she didn't hurt in the same way that he did. He had lost his temper and in front of her daughter. Ary had never shown any fear toward him and now she was afraid. Not only did the idea that the child was afraid of him, hurt him, but the knowledge that because of his actions, Ary might decide she wanted to return home. He might lose Ary and Sarah.

She couldn't stand watching him pace any longer and she rose from the bed, crossing the room to pull him into her arms. "Stop." She told him softly. "Wasn't it you who told me to stop blaming myself for the baby? There is a part of me who will always blame myself, but there is a greater part of me that knows that you're right. Mother nature took our baby from us. For some reason it was meant to happen. Just as for some reason Ary was meant to see that firey temper of yours. You told me yourself that she would see it one day, she did. Now we have to figure out how to make things right again."

"How Sarah? How we will make it right? How can I drive the fear from her? I've lost her trust."

"We might never drive it from her completely, but we can try." She reached out to stroke his face with his fingers and he closed his eyes at the touch. "She knows that you are a good person. She's seen what you've done for me, she knows what you have done for her. We need to make her remember that. We all have a dark side, all of us, myself included. I need to teach her about that, just as I need to explain to her that she has to make a decision. Does she want to stay, or go? I need to make her understand the weight of her consequences. That she will not be the only one effected by the decision she makes."

"But is the decision too great Sarah? Are you asking too much from a child who is 8 years old?"

Sarah gently pulled his bare hands into hers and guided him to the bed where she sat and pulled him down along side her. "I've thought about it myself. How can I give such a responsibility to my little girl? But it's not so much about responsibility. It's about being able to have a choice. Let me tell you a story." She pulled his hands into her lap and gently smoothed over his skin with one thumb as she continued.

"My father started dating my step mother when I was 10. I hated her, didn't want her to take the place of my mother. I wanted the old life that I had known to come back. But as time passed I knew it wouldn't return. I love my father dearly, but there was one thing he did that took me a long time to forgive him for." Jareth leaned in toward her, listening intently. "I went to visit my mother for a long weekend. She was doing a big play in New York City and she invited me to the opening. While I was gone my father and his girlfriend decided to have a small wedding and I wasn't even told about it. He went off and married this woman that I couldn't stand and didn't even tell me! Didn't ask if it was ok with me, didn't ask if it was what I wanted. Just went off and married her behind my back and expected me to be fine with that. It was devastating to me and then for them to have a baby together. That was the last straw."

"That's why you wished away your brother...you were angry with what happened."

She nodded. "And it wasn't only that. I knew he was a baby and he would get attention but they spoiled him rotten. Made me stay home with him every weekend so that they could go out to the movies and dinner. Then these rules started popping up out of nowhere about where I could go and who I could hang out with. Karen enforced them on me so I couldn't stray far, so I had to watch Toby and then she would tell my father that something was wrong with me because I didn't go out, didn't date. I told my father about her rules and he brushed me off, said I was being too harsh on Karen."

"No wonder you wished him away. You wanted your freedom."

"Yes! My father, perhaps not knowing took my freedom away by marrying Karen. I lived in a cage. The only time I found freedom was when I managed to escape to the park and read lines from my books. I felt free when I could fantasize about myself in another place and time." She looked into Jareth eyes. "I won't do the same thing to my little girl. God Jareth, I love you with all that I am and I want nothing more then to marry you and stay with you forever, but in doing so I might take away my little girl's freedom. If she doesn't want to be here and share this life with us, I could be taking her freedom away and I won't do that to her. I will sit down and explain everything to her, and that includes my feelings for you and go from there. But that is why I've left such a big decision to rest on her shoulders. She has the right to make a choice about her future. A choice I never had."

"Sarah this is commendable that you would want to give your daughter such an option, but what about you? What of your happiness, your freedom? If a life here with me is what you desire and you are forced to return to the mortal world, what will happen to you? Will you fall back into depression ? I doubt that you will be pleased to go back to a job you do not enjoy, to spend your evenings alone. I could visit once and a while, but not very often. I have a kingdom to run."

"Then you understand my obligations to my daughter. You have obligations to your kingdom." She paused, tears in her eyes. "I know that you want me to stay with you here and I want to stay with you, you know that. Jareth I have an 8 year old. She can't take care of herself. She still needs me. If she goes...I go..end of story." She said her last words with a slight coldness but her tears betrayed her.

He sighed pulling her into her arms. And we'll both be miserable...

She sighed deeply and traced patterns on his chest with her fingers. "What was this I heard about you going after Gorgin?" She asked softly.

He pulled back slightly. "Who told you that?"

"Ary and Meg." She brushed back some of his hair from his eyes and gazed into them. "Why can't you just leave well enough alone? We're all safe."

"But for how long Sarah? You don't know Gorgin. He will not stop until he has what he wants and he wants my kingdom. He wants to use you as the bargaining tool and I won't rest until he's been captured or until he's dead."

"Jareth..."

"No Sarah. I'm going after him with my army if the bounty hunters have not picked him up and you are not going to change my mind."

"You are so stubborn!" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"And you're not? I want this kingdom to be safe should you and Ary be staying with and even if you don't stay it needs to be safe for my subjects and myself. I'll let the bounty hunters have their fun with him for a bit." He didn't tell her of his desire for revenge. He still blamed the loss of their child on Gorgin. He kissed her forehead. "I want to spend some time with my loved ones before their vacation time runs out."

Sarah fell against him and he hugged her to him. It was times like this where he wished he could manipulate time, but she would know, Ary would know if he gave the days more hours. He sighed and touched her hair. He would have to wait as Sarah would for Ary's decision. A small grumbling was heard and Sarah blushed.

One of Jareth's brows rose as he gazed down at her. "Don't tell me that you didn't each lunch."

"Then I won't tell you." She gave him a lop sided grin.

"Sarah...Have you eaten anything while you've been back at the castle?"

"No comment."

"I'll take that as a no?" She nodded. "Sarah you are thin enough as it is and you've just gone through stress which could make you lose more weight. We're going to get something to eat right now and we'll see if Ary is awake to join us. And after that, you're getting some sleep."

"Jareth, I'm fine."

"No you aren't. You've had a rough last two days, we both have. We'll eat and then we're going to bed."

"You'll stay with me tonight?"

"If that is what you want."

"Is that what you want?"

He grinned devilishly. "Sarah, you should know better then to ask. Let's get Ary and some food."

Ary was sitting up in her bed when she heard the door knob turn. The door opened and her mother and Jareth entered. Jareth walked in slowly, he seemed leery. Sarah gently squeezed his hand. He was nervous, she could sense it radiating from him.

"Sleep well, sweetie?" Ary nodded. "We're going to eat dinner now. Are you hungry?" The little girl nodded again. She looked carefully from her mother to Jareth. The Goblin King was standing close to her mother and her mother was holding his hand into her own. They both looked tired and weary. Ary jumped up off the bed and walked to her mother, taking her mother's other hand. Then she looked up at Jareth..

Jareth said nothing and attempted to smile at her, but it wasn't working. He cursed himself for letting a child make him feel this way. He felt so vulnerable, nervous, weary. Like mother like daughter. He thought bitterly. Sarah and her daughter had successfully managed to allow his emotions to take precedence.

Ary stared at him intently, her eyes locked with his. She stared at him for a long time and Jareth felt like time was standing still. And then the child shocked both adults. She released her mother's hand and hugged Jareth. Wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. The Goblin King glanced at Sarah who was suddenly beaming. Ary released him and Jareth knelt before her, confusion in his eyes.

"Ary...I'm terribly sorry." He started slowly. "I-"

Ary put a finger to his lips as she had seen her mother do occasionally when she wanted him to stop speaking. "I forgive you." She told him softly. "I know you didn't mean to get mad." His eyes widened. She put her arms around his neck and he lifted her into his arms. Ary hugged him tightly. He felt like the Jareth she loved and remembered. Pulling back to look in his mismatched eyes she knew he was the Jareth her mother loved. There was no trace of anger, of that fury she has witnessed in the hall.

Jareth looked to Sarah. He had a feeling that Ary had not been sleeping when they had talked in her room earlier.

Sarah smiled and Jareth balanced Ary on one arm so he could slip his other around Sarah. Sarah smiled at her daughter. Her baby was 8 years old and she was mature beyond her years. She had found it in her heart to forgive Jareth and they didn't even have to sit and talk about it.

"How does something from Eddy's sound for dinner?" He offered. His mood had changed drastically and he was grinning. There was a relaxed look to him.

"Eddy's!!!!" Aryanna cried out.

"I'm afraid that we won't be able to dine in, but perhaps we could order take out." He suggested.

"They deliver to your castle?" Ary asked him her eyes wide.

He and Sarah chuckled. "Not exactly." He told the child with a knowing smile.

"Can I have a cheeseburger with french fries?"

"You can have anything you want."

"What are you going to have mommy?"

"I think a chicken sandwich sounds really good right about now."

"No fish and chips this time?" Jareth asked her, brushing her hair with a light kiss.

"Too greasy. My stomach still isn't feeling like it's old self."

"Well a chicken sandwich it is then and a cheeseburger with fries for Ary."

"Yay!!"

Jareth felt as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off his shoulders and she smiled at the child in his arms. There was still worry in the pit of his stomach. He would be a fool to think that everything was suddenly ok. But he was content that for now they were all going to enjoy dinner together. He knew that Ary still had a decision to make, that despite finding it in her heart to forgive him that she still might choose to leave. He pushed the thought away. He planned on enjoying every second left of his time with Sarah and Ary.