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Take Me Or Let Me Bleed By Echo She awoke with a start. Gasping for air. She was drenched in sweat, and her heart was pounding. She'd dreamed that dream again. The one that had ultimately driven everyone away. Well, driven her husband away at least. Whispering another man's name in your sleep was never healthy in a relationship, so she had been left to her nightmares... her regrets long ago. They were in surround sound with smells and feelings and the most haunting melody. That damn song was reverberating in her brain. She couldn't forget it. The one they danced to. It made her skin hum some nights. Sarah walked to the window and peered out into the night. Another new town. Another fresh start. Maybe Sunnydale, California could cure her of her nightmares. Cure her of the feeling that he was coming back. The feeling of dread was growing. It had intensified with the abandonment of her husband. She couldn't forget the dance. With another man. When she was hardly more than a child. He'd cursed her with his touch. She knew it. *~*~*~*~* Dawn awoke with a start. Such a strange dream. Why was she dreaming about owls anyway? Too much Harry Potter? Mega weird. She got up and walked to the window. Right before she reached it, the pane flew up and a gust of wind filled the room. The curtains blew back with the force of it. Dawn jumped as a white owl fluttered into her bedroom. It swooped about her head, and Dawn started screeching and waving her arms. When she took her arms away from her head and looked up, there was a guy standing in her room. He was all leather bondage-looking in this tight suit and cape with a giant collar. It was the collar to end all collars. And his pants. She didn't know they made pants that tight. And the cut of them seemed to put great emphasis on his crotch. He had super Dr. Spock eyebrows and was wearing a ton of eye makeup. His hair was blonde and spiky. It was all different lengths and stuck out in a crazy way. Some pieces of it were so long they hung halfway down his back. It's not that he wasn't attractive, because he was - in this strange way. It was that he was in her room in the middle of the night, and she didn't know him. The semi-cute ones could be evil too. Look at Spike. Very hot, also very evil once. "BUFFY!" "Shh. Now, Dawn. Don't be so with me. Can't have my Goblin Queen act in such a manner." Dawn gaped.
"Goblin queen? Excuse me? What are you babbling about?" Dawn
rolled her eyes. "Did Xander summon you? It was a mistake if he
did. He means well Xander, he really does, but sometimes... arg. What's
with all the otherworldly guys wanting to make me their bride? Are you
a demon? Because I have this rule about marrying demons from other dimensions.
This one... cool. Other dimensions... no. And besides I'm "I suppose that approach won't work. It was worth a try. I don't really want a child bride. You're quite right. It's not well done." "So why'd you say that?" "Sometimes it works." "Fair enough. So what do you REALLY want?" "I'm just going to borrow you, girl. I'll bring you right back." "Like hell!" "Let us be off to my city." Dawn raised her eyebrow. "I'm thinking not so much, hairboy." "You will not defy me, Dawn." "Oh?" She gave him a look of pure defiance. "BUFFY!!" Willow trudged into the room sleepily. "She's on patrol, Dawny. Why are you yell..." Her words died off as she saw the guy standing next to Dawn's window. "A witch." He whispered. "One that has recently danced in the dark." Willow stiffened. She was wide awake now. Dawn tried to move to her side, but the guy grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Dawn screamed in shock. Willow lunged forward only to have her forehead tapped lightly by his gloved hand. "Shhh." Willow tried not to. She really did. Buffy was on patrol, and she had to prove that she could be trusted again. But as soon as his hand touched her, she had felt the overwhelming urge to go right back to sleep. Right then and there. So she did. Dawn watched in horror as Willow's eyes flickered closed, and the redhead fell into a sleeping heap on the floor. The guy looked down at Dawn and grinned. "Shall we?" "We SHALL NOT!" Dawn spat. She tried to yank her arm out of his hand to no avail. "So fiery. A fine challenge you'll make." He was smiling wickedly at her. "I'm Jareth, by the by." "Listen, britboy, if you don't take your hands off me, my sister is so gonna kick your pale ass!" "Assuming this sister of yours can find us." And with that they were gone from the room. The scream Dawn let out faded into nothing but a whispery echo. *~*~*~*~*~* Sarah bolted upright with a hoarse scream. Her hand pressed to her heart as if that would calm its rapid beating. It had been different this time. He'd taken a girl. She'd seen it. Sarah knew this one wasn't just a dream. She threw herself out of bed and got dressed quickly. Because she'd seen the house number in her vision. 1630 Revello Drive. In this town. This city. He'd taken someone not two blocks from the house she'd just bought. She couldn't believe it. *~*~*~*~*~* Spike was sitting on the curb across from the Summers house. He'd been back for a week now. He couldn't bring himself to let them know. He kept seeing that look on Buffy's face after what had transpired in the bathroom. It had been replaying in his head all summer. It hadn't hurt him like it was doing now before. His demon self had just been trying to make her feel. He'd been so crazy with it; he hadn't realized how much force he'd been using. It was only in reflection he saw the whole picture. Demons were violent creatures. He'd been violent with her. He saw it now. Clearly. Perhaps she was right. She could not feel for him. He couldn't even bring himself to feel for him at the moment, so what chance did he stand with the slayer? But that had always been his 'William' downfall. Always wanted the girl that was just out of reach. Just enough above him that there was no hope of attaining her. Spike was so very deep in his thoughts he almost didn't see the woman. She wandering the street, looking at all the houses. She seemed as lost in her thoughts as he had been. She stopped in front of the slayer's house. She seemed frozen. He peered closer. She was shaking like a leaf in the wind with her arms wrapped about herself. Spike decided to investigate. "This is no place for walking, pet." She didn't even seem to realize he'd spoken. "He's taken her." "He who has taken her who?" Just then the door flew open, and Willow rushed out screaming. "Dawn!" "Red?" "Spike!" Willow rushed up to him and grabbed his arms. "This guy... this guy put the whammy on me and took Dawny!" Spike officially started to panic. Someone had key-napped the bit? "Who?" Willow shrugged. "He was all freaky in this hot kind of way, and he had this spiky-funky long blonde hair and arch-y brows with lots of eye makeup. He was all leather bondage with tight pants and boots and stuff." "Well, with that description he shouldn't he hard to find." "It was Jareth, the Goblin King." A bewildered voice said. "She's not here anymore. He's taken her to the city beyond the labyrinth." Spike and Willow both turned to the woman standing next to them. Willow hadn't even noticed her until now. *~*~*~*~*~* Spike was trying not to gape as the woman told her story. Under the muted, yet warm glow of the lights in the Summers' kitchen. She really was lovely. He found it hard to believe she was in her thirties. Early thirties yes, but still. Her skin was pale, but not white. Peaches and creme. Flawless, lovely. She had long brown hair and eyes that changed from green to gray. They were sad eyes. As if she were a bit haunted by something. After hearing condensed version of her tale, Spike supposed she was, haunted that is. She'd been touched by a bit of magic. It was hard to go back to normal life after that. He was definitely understanding a bit of that. He sure as hell knew Willow was. He wanted desperately to get her alone to ask the redhead why SHE looked so haunted. But they had other matters to attend to first. This thing that had taken Dawn had taken Sarah's little brother once. This creature that she'd faced. Willow couldn't believe it. She sat stunned after Sarah had finished her story of the journey through the labyrinth to the Goblin City. She'd done that as a teenager. Willow was shocked. Then again after meeting and befriending Buffy, she'd done some pretty amazing things when she was just a bit older than Sarah had been. "So how do we get Dawn back?" "We journey to the Goblin City, I suppose." Sarah said shakily. She was terrified of facing down Jareth again. He'd nearly won the last time. What if he had gotten stronger? God knew she was weaker now. She could face him. Would. He couldn't just pop into this world a kidnap young girls. So long as Sarah didn't dance with him, she'd be quite fine. "Yes, getting that. But how?" Willow's voice jarred Sarah back into the now. "Do you have a mirror?" "Sure." "Well?" "Oh!" Willow led Sarah upstairs. Spike followed. *~*~*~*~*~* Dawn paced the tower room she was in. She felt just like frigging Rapunzel. Only she didn't have the escape hair. She paced the room wondering when in the hell Buffy was going to show up and kick Jareth's Goblin Kinged ass. Not that he was a bad guy. Other than locking her up, he'd been really nice. He'd given her a closet full of clothing. All dresses, but hey, right? There was velvet and silk and satin. Even a dress of deep blue suede. She had jewelry and food. He'd given her several books to read. They were ALL fairy tales, but he'd given her books. The guy got points for that. At least he knew what a book was. But Dawn still wanted to go home. She couldn't be without Buffy. Jareth's announcement that she would be put to use in two days time was a little worrisome. Buffy needed to hurry her slayer ass up and get to making with the rescue. Of course that didn't stop Dawn from casing the entire tower and trying to devise a rescue of her own. She was a Summers after all. They were not idle girls and not ones to just accept their fate in a bad situation. It was in all her pacing and glaring at the wardrobe that the mother of all bad plans formed inside that normally smart brain of hers. *~*~*~*~*~* "Spike, what are you doing here?" Willow finally asked. The three of them were standing before the full-length mirror in Willow's room. "It's the niblet. I'm going with you two. But maybe we ought to wait for the slayer. Call the others." Sarah smiled at him. She was grateful for any company on the road to the Goblin City. Anyone who might help her remember who she was once she was within Jareth's reach. She just didn't know how she would react to him after almost fifteen years. "No." Willow said in slight panic. "I can't let Buffy know I failed her again." "And I'm not sending the two of you off to face this Goblin King wanker alone." "I faced him alone." Sarah smiled a withered smile. "He has no power over me." Oh if only that were true now. It had been quite true back in the day, but now she wasn't so sure. Spike gave Willow an alarmed look. He didn't like the dazed look Sarah got in her eyes whenever she mentioned this Goblin King. He'd feel better if he could watch both women with his own eyes. "Perhaps it would be nice to have you along, Spike." Sarah ran her fingertips along the glass. "Hoggle?" She whispered. Spike gave Willow another look that clearly said 'what a loony'. "Ludo? Sir Didymus? Are you there? I need you." It was utterly silent for several minutes. Willow screamed when a hand shot out of the glass and grabbed Sarah by her throat. Sarah struggled in vain to get the hand to release her, but it was no luck. As it began to pull her into the glass, Willow latched onto the older woman and tired to pull her back. She was vaguely aware of Spike's arms around her waist as they were all pulled into the glass. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Jareth appeared in Dawn's chamber, quite ready to verbally spar with the girl again. She had quite the mouth on her. Too bad he couldn't tell her why she was really there. If the girl knew the truth, Jareth was certain, Goblin King or not, she'd try to scratch his eyes out of his head. She was very feisty. Not unlike another young girl he had known what seemed like a very long time ago. He shook his head to clear it. Wouldn't do to be thinking about HER. It had been so long ago. She was grown and had likely forgotten all about him. He, however, would never forget her. He had never had such a worthy opponent. To think he'd expected her to give in before she even started. He shook his head again. Best to stop NOW. He always got in a mood when he thought of her. He didn't want to be sulky when he faced Dawn. It was a rather unfortunate turn that he was actually starting to like this girl. It was too bad he'd have to do what he was planning, but he didn't have much of a choice. Jareth was quite shocked to find the chamber empty. "Dawn?!" Nothing. His eyes caught something odd. There was a line of clothing knotted together. It was tied to the bed and went out the window. Every dress in the wardrobe. Jareth growled and rushed to the ledge. The makeshift rope almost reached the ground. She was loose in the labyrinth. The little twit thought to escape him, did she? Well, she'd soon see how that was not a possibility. Plus there was the little matter of finding her before his other 'guest' did. The things that woman had been talking about doing to the little girl since Jareth had brought her here. It gave him, him the Goblin King, the shivers. He didn't get the shivers. Ever. But that crazy loon who wanted the little girl made him tremble a bit. So he had to find Dawn first. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Sarah landed hard on the ground. She winced when Willow landed on her and winced again when Spike landed on the both of them. Spike had immediately rolled off and helped both women to their feet. "You all right, Red?" He asked as he dusted Willow off. Willow batted his hands away. "Fine." She snapped. "Sarah?" Spike asked. Sarah was looking around. A familiar feeling settled upon her. "We're in the labyrinth." Spike looked around. "Where in the labyrinth?" "Stone walls. Hmmm. Somewhere near the beginning, I'd say. Unless Jareth changed the labyrinth, which would not shock me." "So we've no clue where we are. Perfect." Spike mumbled. Willow was intently watching Sarah. The woman seemed more focused here. Intent on the quest, which was good, but Willow got the feeling that there was something about this Jareth guy that Sarah was keeping from them. Sarah started walking. She could feel Willow's suspicion. The redhead was right to be suspicious. Sarah was holding out on her. She hadn't mentioned the dance. "So tell me about you two." Sarah tried cheerfully. Spike snorted. She was trying to change the subject that had not even been spoken. Willow decided she would allow the woman to do so now for now, but she would find out what Sarah was keeping from them eventually. "Who do you want to know about first? Me or Spike here?" "You know, I'm curious." Spike said sincerely. "Ladies, first." "Where do I start?" "Start with when you met the slayer. That's when the real story begins, init?" Sarah looked at him. "Slayer?" "In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the demons, vampires, and forces of darkness. She is the slayer. Blah blah blah..." Willow giggled. "It's a little more complicated with our slayer than that, and you know it, Spike." Sarah smiled. She was already beginning to like the two of them. "So uncomplicate it for me, Willow. Start with the... slayer, was it?" "Her name's Buffy, and she's one of the best friends I've ever had." Spike made a gagging noise. He was just trying to cover up the goofy smile he'd gotten on his face when Willow referred to Buffy as their slayer. She included him. It felt nice. *~*~*~*~*~* Dawn was running through a maze of hedges. It was dark, and she didn't even know if she was going in the right direction. She rounded a corner quickly and almost smacked right into Jareth. Dawn skidded to a stop with a gasp. "Going so soon?" Dawn turned and ran. Only to find him blocking her path yet again. "Dawn, look, I lied to you. It's not safe for you to be out here, my dear. You have to come back with me to the tower." "Like hell!" "Dawn, please." He whispered. He held out his hand for her. "Well, what have we here?" All the hair on Dawn's neck stood on end. That was a voice she never thought she'd hear again. Dawn turned slowly and faced her enemy. "Glory." "Hey, Dawny." Glory's eyes flashed at the Goblin King. "Jareth, baby, you weren't about to let my key escape, were you?" "I would watch your tone, madam." "Rowr. Look who's not down with the plan anymore. You like her, don't you? Everyone likes little Dawny. She's great." Glory yelled in pain. Jareth gaped as she turned into a man. He hadn't been aware that she could shift her form like that. "Ben?" Dawn asked. Ben looked at Jareth. "Get her the hell out of here! Glory lied! It WILL kill the girl!" He screamed in pain and fell to his knees before he morphed back into Glory. Jareth wasted no time. He grabbed Dawn and the two of them disappeared. "Damn you, Ben." Glory growled. "I'll get her anyway. I don't need him. I'm going home this time." *~*~*~*~*~* They had stopped to rest for a minute. Sarah couldn't believe the tale they'd told her. No wonder they accepted her tale of the labyrinth with hardly a bat of the eyes. She hadn't been concerned about it at the time, but now as she reflected they had not even questioned her. She wasn't used to that about everyday things, much less fantastical ones. She liked them. They had argued so many points of the story. Their opinions seemed to differ greatly on someone named Angel. Sarah just liked hearing them talk. It was nice to have people talk to her. And Spike had such a lovely accent. She liked an accent on a man. Willow sat down on something and screamed when she fell through it. "Red!" Spike rushed for where she had fallen only to encounter a drop himself. "WILLOW! SPIKE!" Sarah was horrified. "MOTHER FUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" Spike's yell got further and further away. Sarah gasped and took a step backwards in fear. She stepped into air. Sarah screamed as she went plummeting herself. *~*~*~*~* Willow could hear Spike's and Sarah's screams as they fell. Willow continued a long wail until she slowed. She was in the strangest predicament. All these hands were holding her up. "Hi, there." Several of the hands formed a face. "Hello." "Um, could you..." Other hands formed a separate face. "Up or down?" "Um... down?" "She chose down...." Another assortment of hands said in a singsong voice. "Wait..." Willow screamed as they let her go. ~~~Chapter 2~~~ Dawn blinked.
She couldn't see a darn thing. All she knew was that one of Jareth's
hands was still wrapped around her upper arm, and she was leaned against
his side. Strangely, she just knew she could trust him, that he had
never really been about hurting her. Glory had. Obviously. But Jareth
didn't go around bloodletting little girls. Dawn didn't know how she
knew this, but she just did. She had to wonder where they had ended
up. She "Where are we?" "Shh." Dawn's eyes widened. Somehow his gloved hand had managed to cover her mouth in this darkness. She heard a tinkling sound like glasses knocking together carefully, then a slow light started. Dawn looked down. There was a round crystal on the floor next to her feet. It was giving off light. She and Jareth were crouched down in some dark hole. "Damn." He muttered. "She must have altered things. Changed the labyrinth. I would not have thought she would have been that powerful yet. Damn." "What?" "We're in one of the oubliettes. I didn't mean for us to end up here. Dammit!" "What's an oubliette?" "A place to put people when you want to forget about them." "Nice." Dawn said with a raised brow. Jareth chuckled. "I knew I liked you." "That must be why you kidnapped me." Dawn snapped. She got up and started looking around the tiny cave- like room they were in. "Oh, Dawn, don't be cross. After all, I did rescue you just now. I didn't have to, you realize." Dawn whipped
around to face him. Jareth noticed for the first time that she was wearing
one of the dresses he'd provided for her. Likely because her other choice
had been the pajamas she had been in. It was probably the simplest one
of the bunch, but she wore it well. It was pale blue cotton with dark
blue flowers embroidered along the collar, hem, and sleeves and blue
lacing at the bodice. It was a rather plain dress, but it suited her.
She so reminded him of someone else in that dress. The way she carried
herself in it was very But he wasn't going to think about that. Not now. Dawn placed her hands on her hips. "True, you did save me, but why DID you kidnap me in the first place, your majesty?" He nearly chuckled at the way she'd spat out the title 'your majesty', as if it were swear words. Oh yes, he was liking her more every minute. "To get my kingdom back from that... that female beast." Dawn snickered at his description of Glory. "She stole your kingdom?" "I brought her here. They had found her in the labyrinth, wounded. Before I could even think about questioning her about any of it, she'd sucked what little sanity there was out of more than several of my goblins and healed herself. She told me if I got you for her, she could go home." "Ben said she lied to you." "Yes. She told me she just needed a little of your blood. I was not fond of the idea, mind you, but I had little choice in the matter. She assured me that it would not kill you. Little lying beast." Dawn looked away. "This is not the first time she's tried to kill you, is it?" "No." "Now I am very put out. I do not like being lied to." "So what do we do?" "We journey through the labyrinth and take my city back." Dawn rolled her eyes. "Oh is that all." "So little faith." "You do know she's a hellgod, right?" There was a scream that was getting closer and closer. Dawn ran over to Jareth. He was quite alarmed at how he didn't even think about protecting her. It just happened. Dawn was behind him holding onto one of his arms. A hatch opened in the oubliette, and someone tumbled into the dirt floor and landed unceremoniously at Jareth's feet. His eyes narrowed. It was a female, and she looked a bit familiar. "Willow?" Dawn asked. A pale face with big green eyes framed with fiery red hair looked up at them. "Dawn!" Dawn dropped down before Willow. "Are you ok? How did you get here?" Willow pulled Dawn away and yanked them both to their feet. She shoved the younger Summers girl behind her. Jareth took a step forward. He was completely fascinated by the witch. "Stay back, eighties hair band, or I'll kick your butt!" Willow held both her fists up. Jareth blinked. She really was quite comical. Her fight him? That was funny. She wouldn't last a minute. He wondered if he ought to laugh. He decided probably not. Because if she used any of the magick he could feel coursing through her, he would not be the victor. He could feel it rising to the surface. There was a darkness and horror laced into it. As if she had once done an unforgivable thing. "Willow." Dawn whispered. Jareth arched an eyebrow. Fascinating. The redhead had stamped it all back inside her. She had all this power, but she refused to tap into it. He had to wonder why. "Willow, he saved my life." Jareth and Willow continued to stare. "Seriously, Will. Glory's back, and Jareth saved me from her." "You're Jareth." "You speak as though my name is familiar to you." "I might have heard it mentioned." "By whom?" "I don't think I'll tell you just yet." Jareth flashed his smile. "And that is that." He'd know that answer to his question soon enough. There were other ways to get information from people besides just asking. "Well, ladies, what do you say about getting out of this nasty, dark, foul-smelling oubliette?" "I vote for that." Dawn said. She started to walk back to Jareth, but Willow grabbed her arm. "Can we trust him?" "Do we have a choice?" "Wait a minute! Did you say Glory was back?!" *~*~*~*~* Spike had landed on his face. He got to his feet slowly and peered up at the now-closed trap door he'd fallen through. "Bleeding perverts!" He shook his fist at the hands near the bottom. A few of the hands stretched down to form a face near the gridded window of the door. "Well, if you wouldn't wear your jeans so tight, we might have something else to grab." He slapped his middle finger up against the grid. "Piss off!" "Well. Aren't you the classy one." Spike spun around as the trap he was in became alive with a warm glow. There was a dwarf holding a lantern and a small sword not three feet from him who had the largest nose Spike had ever seen. "Who in the bleedin' 'ell are you?" "Hoggle. And you?" "Spike." "Hmrph!" Hoggle turned away and started waddling off. "What's all that then?" "Lost in the labyrinth. Separated from his companions. Foul-mouthed boy, terrible black oubliette...." "This is an oubliette?" Spike started looking around. "You don't even know what an oubliette is." "Do so. It's a place where you put the blokes you wanna forget about." The dwarf looked surprised. "The foul-mouthed boy is not so much the boy. I've been around, mate." "Fine then. Let's go." "Go?" "You want to stay here?" "Not particularly, no. How'd you know I was here?" "I been following you." "Oh?" "You were with Sarah. So I knew you'd get into trouble." It dawned on Spike who he was. Hoggle. That was one of the names that Sarah had uttered when she was trying to scry into the mirror in Willow's room. "You're a bit late in answering the call, mate." "Am not. I got here as soon as I could." "Fine. Let's find Sarah and Willow, get Dawn, and get out before this Jareth wanker notices." "Jareth ain't your trouble." "No?" "Some evil woman named Glory has taken the castle. She made Jareth go steal some key. She's been controlling most of the creatures in the labyrinth and the Underground. And making some of them crazy. Or crazier." "Glory!" "Know her?" "She's the worst of bad news. We have to get to Dawn. Now." *~*~*~*~*~* Sarah winced as she sat up. It was very dark. This was certainly familiar. She was in an oubliette. "Damn." She looked around. "Willow?! Spike?!" Nothing. "Damn." Then she noticed something on the floor. A large piece of burlap. She rushed over to it and lifted it. The door was under it. Sarah smiled. She pushed the plank of wood against the wall and the swung it open. A broom fell out. "Oh!" Sarah jumped back. Then she giggled. "The broom closet. How embarrassing. Too bad I don't have anyone to make out with." An image of Jareth flashed in her mind. Sarah mentally shook herself. What in the hell was THAT? She switched the door and opened it the other way. She stepped through. *~*~*~*~*~* They were walking through this cave with all these faces on the walls. And they were talking. Portents of doom. "Don't go on." "Go back while you still can." "This is not the way." "Take heed and go no further." "Beware-" "SHUT UP!" Jareth screeched. Willow and Dawn both jumped. "Sorry, but that's SO annoying." Dawn started giggling. Willow was trying to remain scowling, but the giggles became too infectious. They made their way out and into some tunnels. "I don't see why you can't just..." Dawn made this weird little claw with her hand at Jareth. "Use my magick?" "Yeah. Like when you got us away from Glory." "I told you, she changed it. I don't know where we'd end up. And besides if I did... " He mimicked her claw. "She'd know. Best to keep a low profile." "Low profile? In that outfit?" Willow snorted. Jareth gave her a look that could have frozen water instantly. "At least my clothing matches." "I got dressed in a hurry!" "In the dark apparently." "I wasn't concerned about matching. I was concerned about Dawn." Dawn smiled sweetly. "Willow, when have you EVER been concerned about matching?" Willow glared at Dawn as Jareth threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Why don't you use YOUR magick to get us out of this fix?" Jareth suggested. "NO!" Dawn yelled. Jareth was taken aback by the sudden panic that was all over her. "Dawn?" "Willow can't use her magick." Willow was looking at the ground. Jareth looked from one girl to the other. He was getting the feeling that the darkness he'd sensed on Willow the first time he saw her had somehow affected Dawn. He'd have to find out what that story was. "Ladies, let us not linger. No one will use magick, agreed?" "Agreed." Willow mumbled. "Dawn?" "I don't have any magick." "Just agree." Jareth said in a voice that sounded like he was trying not to lose his temper. "Fine. I won't use magick that I don't have." Dawn snapped. Jareth rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded a lot like 'willful brat'. Willow snickered at bit. Their eyes locked for a minute. Willow froze completely. He'd drawn her in... totally. She couldn't think. She could barely remember to breathe. Jareth watched the young woman become lost in his mismatched eyes. She was lovely and sad. Too bad she didn't have a little brother to steal. She might give in if the world fell down. Then again, she might not. There was such weakness yet strong will in her soul. Like someone else he knew. He grinned slightly, moving his face and breaking the spell. Willow blinked. Whoa. That's not good. She'd been staring at him and forgotten everything for a minute. She wondered if that was what Sarah was holding back from her and Spike about Jareth. *~*~*~*~* Spike sighed as he trailed behind the dwarf. He was beginning to get worried. They'd been walking through these hedges for quite a while, and he'd seen no sign of Sarah or Willow. "You sure this is the right way, shortass?" "It's Hoggle!" "Whatever, Hogwart's." "Hoggle! Yes, this is the right way!" There was a loud roar. Spike stiffened. What in the hell was that? Then he noticed Hoggle looked more annoyed than alarmed. "Oh great." Hoggle sighed "What IS that noise?" "Ludo." "And that explained everything SO nicely, Hogsmeade. Care to vague that up for me?" "Hoggle... fwend." Spike felt like the sun had suddenly been blocked. He turned slowly. It was like a giant, very hairy orangutan looking creature with horns and two large teeth. "Fuck me." Spike hissed. "Spike, this is Ludo." "Fuuuuuuck." Ludo said. Spike gaped. "This... this is Ludo?!" Sarah had not mentioned how, well, menacing Ludo had looked when she described him. Sarah's description had sounded more like giant teddy bear than scary hairy orangutan looking thing. "Fuuuuuck." Hoggle eyed Spike distastefully. "Just had to introduce him to new words, didn't you?" "Didn't mean to. He's was just so bleedin' unexpected is all. Not the smallest bloke in the labyrinth, are we? Could have warned me, hog-tie." "It's Hoggle!" "Hoggle... fwend." Hoggle rolled his eyes and stomped off. "Come on! We have to find Sarah." "Sawah... fwend." Hoggle growled in frustration and stomped faster. Spike smiled and the beast. He wasn't so bad. Spike might as well have some fun. Ludo seemed the best way. Plus it pissed Hoggle off. And Spike kind of liked him when he was being a 'Mr. Cranky Pants' as Willow would have called him. They moved a lot faster when Hoggle was ticked. "Hey, Ludo, what say you we learn us some new phrases?" Ludo made this confused noise that sounded an awful lot like Scooby Doo when he got confused and tilted his head to the side like a dog might. Spike had to grin. Ok, so the giant teddy bear description might not have been so far off. Willow was going to love him. "Yeah like... Sarah... hot mama." Hoggle turned around and pointed at Spike ferociously with his sword. "Don't you DARE teach him to say ANYTHING, you foul-mouthed little rat." "Sawah... hot mama." Hoggle sighed dramatically. Spike laughed maniacally. "Oh yes. Ludo, you and I are gonna be best mates." "Ludo... Spike... mate." Ok, that had not sounded right at all. Spike glared as Hoggle fell over laughing. "Perhaps not." *~*~*~*~*~* Sarah was making her way through the maze of hedges when she heard something. It sounded like Ludo. "Ludo?!" She took off running towards the sound. "Ludo?!" She was so sure. "Ludo!" When the strange vine shot out of the hedge and tripped her, she was completely surprised. She fell hard and skidded across the stone path. Sarah looked at her palms. They were both raw. She hissed slightly and wriggled her fingers a bit. She was about to groan in pain when something started pulling her backwards. Sarah screamed and tried to stop herself. Her scream of terror turned into a scream of pain as her hands hit the ground. She was dragged back, one of her nails splintering off at the quick in an attempt to gain any sort of leverage. She screamed again as she was pulled through a thorny hedge. Tears were made in her clothing. Her sweater snagged horribly and pulled off. Sarah tried to shield her face, but she got scratches on it anyway. Leaves snagged and tangled in her hair. She was pulled free of the hedge and across a grassy area. Sarah tried to sit up a bit to see where she was headed by the vine dragging her. She didn't remember this from before. It must be a new trick of Jareth's. As she struggled, several more vines shot out from the large plant she was being drug to. They wrapped around her now-bare arms and her jean-covered legs. Sarah continued to struggle. The vines just tightened. She started scratching at them with her nails. A vine shot out like a whip and caught her at the base of her neck. Sarah cried out in pain. She felt a welt starting already. When she looked down, she noticed it was bleeding. Sarah whimpered. The vines lifted her in the air. That's when Sarah noticed the giant green plant had a mouth. She started screaming her head off. *~*~*~*~* Spike and Hoggle were cracking up at Spike having taught Ludo how to say 'Jareth is a tool'. Hoggle seemed to take great delight in any derogatory thing Spike could teach Ludo to say about this Jareth character, so he'd been sticking with that. He'd already covered 'Dawn pretty', 'Angel poofy' and 'Willow bitable'. The Willow having gotten him odd looks from Hoggle. Spike had said it was an inside joke, and Will would get it. He wished they'd hurry up and find the redhead. He was starting to get concerned. She tended to get into trouble on her own. That's when he heard it. A scream. Hoggle's eyes went wide. He knew that scream. "Sarah." He whispered. Spike took off running in the direction of the voice. Hoggle and Ludo followed as best they could, but Spike was moving very fast. Because if Sarah was in trouble there was no telling what had happened to Willow. And he didn't even want to examine why that was bothering him. ~~~Chapter 3~~~ Sarah screamed again as the vines lowered her towards the plant's mouth. "SARAH!" She turned her head as much as she could. "SPIKE!" She'd never been so happy to see anyone in her entire life. Spike started looking for a weapon. Just then Hoggle and Ludo came around the last corner. "Sarah!" Hoggle screamed when he noticed the position she was in. Spike turned to him. "Hoggle, throw me your sword!" "SAWAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ludo ran towards the plant with his mighty fists in the air. Hoggle tossed Spike his sword. The blonde started hacking through the vines like a pro. Ludo started smacking the plant senseless. Spike managed to hack away the vines holding Sarah. She fell against him limply. The scent of blood assaulted his nostrils. She'd not had an easy time of it. "Stay with me, Sarah." Spike whispered. He looked at Ludo. "Let's get out of here, mate. We got the damsel in distress." Spike and Ludo back away from the plant with Sarah. Spike had the sword drawn still. He handed it to Hoggle and swung Sarah up in his arms. "Let's get the hell out of here." *~*~*~*~* They had reached a ladder in the maze of tunnels that eerily reminded Willow of the sewers back home. "Up we go, ladies." Dawn folded her arms across her chest. "No way." "This IS the way out of here. You would prefer to stay in the tunnels?" "Hello, I'm wearing a dress. You first." "Sorry. No. You first, so if you fall, I can catch you. It's quite a long way up." "And have you look up my dress the entire time? Thanks, but no thanks." "Why must they continually cast me in the role of the pervert?" Jareth asked no one in particular. "Could be the pants." "What's wrong with my pants?" "You know for a guy that lives in a place that's all about the imagination, those pants certainly leave nothing to it." "Of all the-" "Might also be your 'come be my Goblin Queen' approach when you kidnap young girls." "Dawn-" Willow interrupted. "Look, Jareth, you go first, then Dawn, then me. Ok?" "Quite bossy, aren't we? Whatever makes you think I should take orders from YOU in MY kingdom?" "See this." Willow pointed at her face. "This is my resolve face." She paused for effect. "Get up the darn ladder, mister." Jareth chuckled before swinging himself up. Dawn waited until he was up a few rungs then started after him. Finally Willow took up the back end. *~*~*~*~* "Sawah!" Ludo wailed. Spike
had wrapped her in his duster and laid her on the ground. They had ran
out of the hedge maze and into some sort of wooded area. There was a
steam running through it next to the path. Spike took a handkerchief
out of his pocket and wet it in the stream. He began cleaning Sarah's
wounds as best he could. The woman had lost her sweater. Her jeans and
tank top had dozens of slashes and holes in them now. Her pale skin
was marred by scratches and cuts. There was one on her neck that looked
particularly Sarah's eyes fluttered open. Spike was leaned over her fussing. "Spike?" "Bloody hell, Sarah. You gave us quite a scare." Us? She looked next to him. Ludo and Hoggle were peering down at her. "Hoggle? Ludo? How... what are you two doing here?" "We's your friends, Sarah. You called." Sarah smiled. "Sawah... hot mama." Her eyes bugged. Hoggle was glaring at Spike. Sarah tried to control her blush. "Well... thank you, Ludo. I think." She sat up and winced. "What WAS that thing?" "Don't know. Man-eating plant?" Spike shook his head. "Damn Jareth and his tricks." Hoggle looked at her. "Jareth may be a rat, but he didn't put that thing there." "You sure?" Spike asked. "It's got to be that woman. She done it." "Yeah, that DID seem to be Glory's type of thing." "Glory?" Sarah asked. Recalling part of Willow and Spike story. "As in the Glory that killed Buffy? Glory the god?" "That's the one. She's here. She's taken over the Goblin City. She's gonna try and kill the little bit. Again." Sarah shoved herself to her feet. "Then we have to stop her." She faltered a bit. Spike stood and wrapped an arm around her. "Easy, Sarah." Hoggle was just smiling at her. She was the same as he remembered. "Come on." Sarah started walking off dragging Spike behind her. "Damn you, Jareth." "Jaweth.... tool." Hoggle started snickering. Sarah looked at Spike. "I don't know where he gets that stuff." "Bloody..... hell." Ludo wailed. Sarah raised an eyebrow at Spike. "What?" "Jaweth.... wat bastard... Sawah... pwetty eyes." Sarah's eyebrow got a little higher. *~*~*~*~* Dawn's arms were starting to feel like jello. They just kept going up the rungs of the ladder. She was getting tired. Willow and Jareth had been verbally sparring for a while, but they had quieted. Dawn almost wished they would start up again. At least then she had something to keep her concentrating on getting up the ladder. She misjudged. Dawn's hand slipped, startling her. She jerked hard to compensate but just ended up losing her grip. She screamed as she felt herself falling. She hit Willow's shoulder nearly knocking the redhead off of the ladder as well. "JARETH!" Willow screamed as she grabbed for Dawn but to no avail. The girl plummeted down into the dark below. Willow screamed in horror, but when she looked up, Jareth wasn't there. He'd had to act quickly. He broke the agreement and used his magick to put him lower on the ladder. Jareth caught Dawn's waist as she fell past him. She grunted as her downward mobility was put to an end abruptly. "Are you all right?" Jareth asked. Dawn just threw her arms around his neck. He was a bit stunned. No one had ever hugged him. She was shaking like a leaf. "Dawn?" She just shook her head. He seemed to understand. She was too emotional to speak just yet. "Willow?!" He called. "Jareth?!" "I've got her." Jareth felt a pull in his gut. She'd found them. He'd used his magick, and Glory had located them. He heard Willow scream as he and Dawn disappeared as well. He wrapped both arms around Dawn quite tightly. *~*~*~*~* Sarah was giggling now. "Spike, you're absolutely terrible. You're worse that my sixteen year old brother." Hoggle was grinning at the two of them walking. Spike was annoying, but Sarah liked him. He was making her smile. Hoggle got the feeling that she hadn't smiled much lately. "Does she know?" Sarah whispered. "She who know what?" "Willow. Does she know?" "About?" Sarah tapped her hand against his chest. Spike stopped. She'd had one hand around his shoulders and the other braced against his chest as they walked. He hadn't realized. Her hand was right over his beating heart. "Correct me if I'm mistaken, but vampires don't have beating hearts, right?" Spike didn't say anything. He just looked straight ahead and started walking again. She knew his secret. "You aren't dead anymore, are you?" A muscle in his jaw twitched. Sarah cupped the side of his face and kissed his cheek gently. "What was that for?" Spike asked. "Saving my life." Spike just smiled sort of sheepishly. "I see you. I see you, William. And when they see you..." She whispered in his ear. "They won't know what to think of you at first. So be patient. And if they still don't treat you as if you belong to them, you find me. I will always treat you as the man who saved my life. Because that's what I see. That's all I see." Spike blinked at what she had just said to him. Willow had been around him, and she had not figured it out, but this stranger, not so much a stranger now, but this woman had known. She saw him as clearly as Drusilla had upon their first meeting. It was strange and annoying and frightening and wonderful all at the same time. He tried not the let his face betray how nice it felt to have someone not suspect the worst in him from the start. That tricky little soul of his made it harder to temper his emotions. "The trick is to be good, just not too good. The trick is to be noble yet have many faults and downfalls. Be souled just not saintly." "I don't think I have a problem with the faults. I have vices aplenty." "So I noticed." She shook her head. "Teaching Ludo to say I was a hot mama. You're terrible." "What? You are." Sarah blushed very beautifully and giggled a bit. Spike smirked. This making a woman laugh thing was sort of nice. Hoggle continued to just watch Sarah and Spike walk along. He would catch a word every so often. None of it made much sense to him, and he had to wonder what they were whispering to one another. Perhaps Spike could keep Sarah safe from Jareth this time because whether she said so or not Hoggle knew how close she'd come to giving in to the Goblin King. *~*~*~*~* Willow fell in a heap on the ground. At Glory's feet. She jumped up quickly. She didn't mind falling at Jareth's feet. He seemed to treat her as an equal. Yes, he'd kidnapped Dawn, but with no intention of harming her. Sort of. Glory was different. "Hey, Red. How's that girlfriend of yours?" Jareth and Dawn appeared in the throne room just in time to hear Glory's question. Dawn gasped. Willow wavered a bit. Her eyes turned black. "Dead." She touched her hand to Glory's chest. The hellgod was blown off her feet. They were in Jareth's throne room in the Goblin City. Willow stalked over to the fallen Glory and lifted her by her hair. The god was suddenly no match for the witch. Willow laughed demonically as she tossed Glory into the stone wall. The blonde got to her feet uneasily. "How...." Willow tilted her head to the side. Glory watched in bewilderment as the redhead's hair lost its red. It went solid black from roots to tips in about ten seconds. It whipped around her pale face even though there was no breeze coming through the windows. Jareth was amazed. She really had some darkness going on. "Stop her. Please" Dawn whispered. "What? She's winning." "Only to lose herself?" Jareth saw a ball of energy start to crackle between Willow's hands. He could sense Dawn's urgency not to have Willow use her magick to harm anyone... even if it was Glory. He suddenly got it. She'd nearly lost herself to the darkness in her magick. Jareth lunged forward and grabbed Willow about the waist. Dawn was still holding on to him, her small hands fisted into his shirt. He liked that she trusted him so. Glory was slowly getting to her feet, although she looked stunned. Jareth took out a crystal and smashed it at their feet. A cloud of smoke from the shattered orb engulfed them, and Jareth, Dawn, and Willow were gone. *~*~*~*~* Sarah laughed at something else Spike had said as he helped her limp along. She was beginning to wonder if he was getting tired when they both stepped into air. Sarah screamed as they fell. Spike wrapped his arms tightly around her as they skidded down a stone slipway. Spike saw open air at the end. He let one hand skim the stone trying to find something to catch them with or at least slow them down. A tree root protruding the stone caught his hand as their bodies flew out of the opening. Sarah screamed until she felt the jerk of not falling further. Spike had her hand. He had one hand wrapped around a root that was sticking out of the side of the wall. Sarah peered up at him with fear in her eyes. "I'm not gonna let you go, luv. I promise. Don't worry." A foul scent finally penetrated Sarah's nostrils. She looked down and gasped. They were hanging above the Bog of Eternal Stench. The sounds of flatulence reached her ears. This was so not good. *~*~*~*~* Willow blinked. She couldn't quite remember what was going on. She looked down. She was in a princess ball gown with the full skirt and puffed sleeves and everything, just like Cinderella. But instead of being some bright, pale color, like a princess's would be. It was solid black. She looked around. She was at a masked ball. But she had no mask. There was someone she was searching for. She moved through the throng of bodies. They all seemed to be laughing at her. She didn't care. Jareth
pressed his hand to his head and tried to focus. How in the hell had
they ended up HERE? Sarah's masked ball. Of all the places for him to
end up. He saw Willow weaving in and out of the bodies searching for
something. She was dressed just as Sarah had been what seemed like so
long ago, but Willow was all darkness. Every accessory and article on
her was black. Her hair was still raven, her eyes solid coal. There
were dark veins in her face, and her lips held a sickly purple hue.
She looked more like the wicked queen She wore a filmy white dress that hit her mid-calf. It was empire-waisted and held up by straps. She was the antithesis of Willow. All white. Dawn's hair was twisted in a wispy bun at the base of her neck with tendrils of hair curling around her face. She wore white hose and little white ballet slippers that glided softly across the floor. On her back hung a pair of feathery white angel wings. A thin white mask was tied around her face, and a silvery halo hung above her head. A soft sheen of glitter hung on her pale shoulders. He smiled as his eyes searched out the other girl again. Willow was still roaming the room. Jareth sighed peacefully and started after her. There was something he was supposed to be doing he just couldn't figure out what it was. It was important, this thing. If he could just remember. He lost sight of her and frowned. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned. It was Willow, the darkened one. "Shall we dance?" Her voice was several octaves lower than it ought to have been. Jareth took her hand as chills ran down his spine. This was all wrong. The girl was the wrong girl. And he felt an evil presence. Suddenly the room doused itself into darkness. Shadows grew long on the walls. It went into darkness. Blackness seeped down over the walls forcing the shadows to the floor. The lights went low and everyone's attire grew to dark colors. Their masks became even more horrifying, even more grotesque. The only part of the room not blackened or distorted was the small space Dawn stood dancing. Jareth and Willow started to swirl through the ballroom. They were both completely caught up in the dance. Jareth's eye caught something. He turned and tried to make sure of what he saw, but it wasn't there anymore. He'd been almost sure he saw Glory grinning evilly at them from one of the couches in the room, but she wasn't there now. Jareth blinked. He couldn't remember why that was bad. He was too caught up in the sinister dance. Was this how.... what was that other girl's name? He suddenly couldn't recall. *~*~*~*~* "Mother fuck!" Spike hissed. "That is foul!" "There's no need to swear!" Sarah yelled. "There's every need to swear! You can cover your nose! My hands are otherwise occupied!" "Then drop me!" She glared. "Oh that's right, you promised you wouldn't!" They both started went a wooden ladder clanked against the wall next to Spike. Sarah twisted around and looked down. "Sir Didymus!" "Hello, my lady!" He called with a wave. Spike grabbed onto the ladder and managed to get both he and Sarah on to it. Only then did he look down. He scrunched his brow at the tiny little thing at the base of the ladder. "Is that a dog wearing clothes?" "He's not a dog. He's a fox. And a knight. Be courteous to him. He's prideful." "Did he carry this ladder by himself? How did the tiny mutt manage it?" "Don't call him a mutt." They descended the rest of the way in silence. Sarah held on to the ladder until Spike jumped off the last rung. He put an arm around her and helped her to sit on a rock. "My lady?" Didymus asked. "Are thou unwell?" "I had an accident. I'm fine, Sir Didymus." "Sarah! Spike!" Hoggle was running up with Ludo not far behind him. "Sawah! Spike!" "We're ok." "Smell bad!" Ludo wailed. Hoggle lumbered up completely out of breath. "This rolled up after you two fell. I think you had better have a look." Hoggle handed her a crystal. Sarah took the glass orb with a sense of dread. Spike leaned over her shoulder to look as well. Sarah felt him stiffen as the image came into focus. It was her ball, but... not. Everything looked darkened, evil. And Jareth was dancing with a black-haired, black-eyed Willow in a gown that was a disturbing replica of the one Sarah had worn - only black. Spike gasped. "What?" "Glory has them. That's her in the red dress on the couch of pillows there." "What do we do?" Sarah asked. Hoggle held up something else. "This was with it." All the hair on the back of Sarah's neck stood on end as she stared at the peach. She took the fruit with a trembling hand. "Sarah?" Spike questioned. Sarah looked at Didymus, Ludo, and Hoggle. "Meet us in the junk pile outside the gates of the Goblin City. Spike and I are going in." "Sarah, no!" Hoggle cried. She wouldn't stand a chance against Jareth in that place. "Hoggle, she'll kill that girl. And he's... well, I can't let Jareth get away with this." Hoggle sighed. He, Didymus, and Ludo walked off slowly in the direction of the junk pile. "So what's the what, luv?" "You get Willow and Dawn out. I'll handle Jareth." "Why do I not feel good about the you handling Jareth alone part?" "Look, we don't have much time. There will be glass walls. Just take a chair and break it. Hold on to the two of them and get out." "What about you?" "Don't worry about me." "Sarah-" "Look, do you want to save Dawn and Willow or not?" Spike sighed. He made a mental note to get them out but not to leave Sarah behind. "What do I have to do?" Sarah held up the peach. "Take a bite." "I used to be excellent at that." Sarah chuckled hollowly. She was terrified. This was exactly what she had been afraid of. She was having to face Jareth in a place that still haunted her. She would have to cut in on the dance he and Willow were sharing. Which meant she might have to dance with Jareth. She held the peach between their faces as she and Spike bit into it at the same time. ~~~Chapter 4~~~ "She's so lost. Find her like she found me." Spike blinked. "Tara?" She smiled sweetly at him. She was dressing him. In a suit. It was strange. Spike peered down. All black. Shirt, suit, tie. Black. Fitting. It was very nice, and she was doing a fabulous job of making sure all the lines were falling on him just right. He wouldn't have thought she would have known how to dress a man so well. "You won't have much time. Find her fast." "How are you...." "I watch... now." She said sadly. He suddenly got it. "How?" He couldn't keep the pain from his voice. Spike nearly cringed. Wouldn't do to have her think he cared. He would never say so, but he had sort of liked Tara. He could appreciate her more now, but he would still never admit he liked her. "Does it matter?" "It matters to me." She placed a hand on his cheek. "Oh the eyes I have now. How I see you." "How?" Spike gritted. He wanted to know who he was having the urge to kill. "Warren shot me. I bled to death in her arms." Spike closed his eyes in pain. No wonder. Willow's sad eyes. It made such sense. "I'll kill him." "You're too late." Spike's eyes flew open. "What?" "He's already dead." "Who?" But he knew. He knew in the back of his mind. She was so very powerful, and if she were in enough torment.... in enough pain.... Spike closed his eyes again. He squeezed them shut tightly. Why did it have to happen to the redhead? Anyone but her. She was so sweet and nice. This sort of thing had irritated him at first, but she'd grown on him. He'd tormented her constantly. Willow was always nice to him. No matter what. "Watch her for me?" Spike eyes flew open. "Don't ask me that." "I know what happened to you. I feel it now." She placed her hand over his heart. "Here." "Tara-" "You called me by my name." She smiled. "She'll understand. Her heart is good. Just bruised. Be careful. She's so lost. So dark. But she could be glistening. She could be effulgent." Tara looked at him hard. *~*~*~*~* Spike jerked into awareness. He was standing next to Sarah in the shadows of the dark ballroom. He felt so strange. Tara was dead. That's why Willow looked like she did. That little bastard Warren had killed her, and Willow had killed him for it. Somehow Spike was getting the feeling that it had not been a quick nor a pleasant death either. He couldn't believe she hadn't even mentioned any of it when she was telling Sarah the story of them. Spike looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked gorgeous. Her dress was a deep blue that made her eyes glow brightly. It was strapless. It cinched below the waist where it fell into a full skirt. It showed the woman's figure perfectly. Spike allowed his eyes to wander over her wolfishly. Her dark hair was pulled back into a French twist with a few stands falling along her throat. The scratches and cuts were gone from her perfect skin. In her hand she held a mask. Spike looked at her questioningly. He could feel a mask on his own face. She held hers up for him to see in the dim light. It was rather demonic-looking. A brownish-red thing with two spiraling horns. The handle was a golden skeletal claw arm and hand that held the evil face. "Not very warm and fuzzy, is it, luv?" "No, but it is familiar." "Oh?" "Go cut in." Spike looked at Sarah. "What?" "Go get Willow away from him." "What are you gonna do, pet?" "I'm not really sure just now. Be the distraction most likely. I may actually have to dance with him." "Why does that strike me as a bad thing?" "Because it is." "Bloody hell, woman. What are you not telling me?" "Spike-" "No. Enough." He hissed as he grabbed her arm. "Willow and Dawn are out there... lost. What are you leaving out about you and this Jareth wanker?" "The last time I was here, he distracted me." "With a dance?" "Yes." She breathed in deeply. "I nearly lost myself to it. I forgot everything. Even my own name for a few minutes. It was horrible. And wonderful. If I hadn't seen the clock..." Sarah's back went rigid. "Won't happen this time. Go get them." "I don't like this plan." She straightened his tie. "Well, you look gorgeous. Go on. Go get her." "What's the mask?" He asked as his hand ran over it, feeling the softness. "A wolf." Sarah said as she placed a hand on the very thing covering his face. Spike grinned in the manner of the mask he wore. He turned to go. Sarah grabbed him. "Just remember who you are. Remember why you're here. Be careful." "Are you talking to me or yourself?" "You." "Well, the same goes to you, luv. Watch your step." Spike leaned in and kissed her cheek before sweeping out on the floor. *~*~*~*~*~* Willow just stared into his mismatched eyes as they danced. Something was prickling in the back of her mind. There was something else she should be doing right now. She tore her eyes away from Jareth's. She saw something strange in the crowd. Couldn't be. Sandy hair. Sweet face. Full pouting lips. Blue shirt with the bullet hole in it. "Tara?" She whispered. Jareth jumped a bit. What had she said? It sounded like... like something he should remember. Like a name that was always on the tip of his consciousness. Where had it gone? Someone tapped Jareth's shoulder. He turned. "May I cut in?" The stranger waited for no response. He just pulled Willow close and seemed to glide quickly across the floor away from Jareth. Jareth looked around in confusion. He started in the direction Willow had gone, only to find she and the stranger in all black had vanished. *~*~*~*~*~* Spike stared down at her. Little Willow in such horrible pain. She'd killed someone. She'd taken a life. He knew what that was like, but he'd been soulless when he'd done it. She had not. The only thing she had been was vengeful. He held her close and stared down into her blackened eyes. Willow stared up at the stranger who held her. His face was covered by a wolf's mask of soft black fur. His bright blue eyes shone through. His platinum blonde hair was slicked back. She would swear it was Spike, but the hands were warm. And Spike would never look at her the way this guy was. She leaned forward and placed her cheek on his chest as they continued to dance. She could feel his heartbeat through his clothing, proving further in her mind that it was not Spike. A small voice in the corner of her mind chastised her for leaning against a person that she did not know. But he felt so familiar. Willow breathed in. He smelled of leather and cigarettes. Just like... Willow pulled back suddenly. Her eyes searched for Jareth, but she could not see him. She turned back to look at the man with blue eyes she was quite sure she knew. Because no one had eyes like HIS. "What?" He asked, breaking the silence. "Who are you?" "Don't you know..." He leaned in to her ear. "Pet." Willow jumped back out of his arms. Spike took a step forward, his arm going around her waist. He returned them to the spinning of the dance, but he was flush against her with only the one arm around her. Willow's arms hung limply at her sides. She was confused and afraid. There was no way. None at all. How could he be as she was sensing him? So warm in everything but those ice blue eyes. Spike could feel her fear. He didn't have to be a vampire to know she was scared. "Willow, you know who I am. Come back. We have to save Dawn, remember?" He whispered. "No. You aren't you." She hit at his arms. "It hurts there. I won't." "Stop it, Red." He hissed. "No. There's only here. Only now. Here is safe." An idea formed in Spike's mind. They were in a place of fairy tales, right? "I know you didn't mean to get so lost..." Willow froze at his choice of words. Some memory started prickling in her mind. "But you really need to wake up here, sleeping beauty, so forgive me for this." Before Willow knew what he was about, Spike whipped the wolf's mask off his face. She had one pure moment of shock in which many, many thoughts tumbled within her brain. Spike was looking at her that way. He was dancing with her. His hands were warm. There was a heart beating in his chest. He'd come for her? In the next moment his hands were holding the sides of her face as he kissed her. Willow couldn't move. It was like nothing and everything all at once. Images from her entire life flashed before her eyes. All these things this room had made her forget came rushing back like a tidal wave in her mind. All these feelings and emotions began to overwhelm her. Dawn snapped out of the trance she had been in as she saw Willow and Spike kiss. It was as if all the darkness were sucked out of the room. A wind whipped through shedding light. Willow and Spike still stood. The wind whipped at her hair and dress sucking the dark away, leaving a redhead in a white shimmery dress. Spike tried to pull back only to have Willow deepen the kiss and wrap both arms about his neck. That was a bit shocking. She was supposed to be gay. But he wasn't all that concerned. She smelled like Willow again. Like sweetness and vanilla. She felt like Willow, warm and inviting. He could drown in her just now. But he didn't want to lose himself. Not yet. When she finally stepped back to breathe, all she could do was stare. Spike smiled as he caught sight of her. He tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear. She was the Willow he'd always known again. He'd reached her. He'd done something right. Now to find Dawn. "Spike?" He looked down. Dawn. "Hey, pidge." He wiggled one of her wings. "You're back." Dawn hugged him. "So are you." "We need to get Jareth and get out of here." "Get Jareth?" Spike asked. "He's on our side. It's a long story. Glory was manipulating him." "Oh bloody hell." "What?" "Sarah doesn't know that." "Who's Sarah?" *~*~*~*~*~*~* Jareth was weaving in and out of the bodies when suddenly the room went back to light. It was as it was before. When he'd danced with a girl who did not have black eyes. He felt a tingling in his spine and turned. The crowd parted slowly, and a woman stood at the far end of the floor staring at him. Not a girl, a woman. Her dark blue dress was strapless, formfitting, and touched the floor with its full skirt. Jareth began walking towards her slowly. His eyes narrowed as the mask covering her features became clearer. It was familiar. When he was but three feet from her, she lowered the mask. The room spun for a moment. He swore he nearly fainted. There was no way he was looking at who he was looking at. "No warm hello?" She asked in a voice that had not been so silky at fifteen. "Sarah?" "Hello, Jareth." "What... how... Why are you here?" She felt a little empowered that she had seemed to put him off balance. She decided to show him how cruel she could be for once. "Though dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen." Jareth's anger flared at her mocking tone. He reached out and yanked her to him. She thought to play this game with him. Well, he'd rise to the occasion. "Is your will still as strong as mine, Sarah? Care to test it?" "Let go of me." She said through her teeth. Though his hands were gloved, she could feel the heat of them on her bare arms. Jareth laughed evilly. "I don't think I will this time." She'd grown so lovely. No longer a child in a little girl's dress. Her eyes flashed deep green in her anger. He couldn't believe she was really standing before him. In his arms no less. She redefined the word vision. Not that he would ever say so to her. Or anyone. "I heard you." Jareth looked to where the voice had come from. The entire room had frozen except for him and the owner of the voice. Even Sarah was perfectly still in her mask of anger. He watched as the woman who had spoken walked near him. She had pale eyes and sandy colored hair that hung past her shoulders. "Who are you?" "Just the messenger. Please don't shoot me because I've already been shot." He stared at her in confusion. Then he noticed the bleeding hole in her chest. The girl had to be dead. She must be a ghost or spirit of some kind. "Get them all out of here." "What?" She pointed. "Willow is in Spike's arms over there. Dawn is with them. Sarah is right before you. In your very grasp for once. Don't let her go this time. Get them and get out. Because Glory is right there." Jareth followed her line of vision to where the little hellbeast had risen from her perch on the sofa she'd been lounged on. Jareth blinked as the room went back to its motion. He hadn't gotten his answer on who she was. Sarah was ranting at him. He just grabbed her arm and drug her off in the direction of Willow. "Sarah." Willow gasped. "Hands off!" Sarah snapped as she tried to yank her arm out of his firm grasp. He pulled her face right up to his. "You and I will deal with our... issues later, my dear. As of now, we need to escape before that..." He nodded at Glory who was making her way towards them. "Finishes us." Jareth drug her to the edge of the room. Spike, Willow, and Dawn followed. Jareth grabbed a chair and held it high above his head. "Is this the way of it? I forget." He said to Sarah before hurling the chair against the curve of the illusion. The glass smashed. Everything began floating away as the dancers screamed. Jareth threw himself at the others. One arm wrapped around Sarah's waist. The other hand managed to find one of Dawn's, who was being held quite tightly by Spike and Willow. The five of them floated away as Glory's screams of outrage rang in their ears. *~*~*~*~*~* Willow rubbed her eyes and tried to sit up. There was an arm around her waist, and a face breathing against her neck. "Oh!" Spike jumped up. Willow was blinking at him with her big green eyes. They were lying on a heap of trash. All of them were. Dawn was next to where Spike had been, Jareth next to her. And Sarah.... well, Sarah was lying on top of Jareth. She scrambled to a standing position as soon as she realized this. But she was back to her wounded form and stumbled. Spike's arms shot out to steady her. "Careful, pet." Jareth was just staring. She was hurt. She couldn't even stand properly. How could she have been hurt like that? "What happened to you?" "You did!" Sarah spat. Dawn looked from one to the other. Spike blinked. There had been such venom in Sarah's tone. Spike was beginning to wonder what all had transpired between Sarah and Jareth. It obviously wasn't JUST the dance. The two of them obviously had more issues than dancing ones. Jareth,
the King of the Goblins, was lying on a pile of trash. A mortal woman
was yelling at him. A mortal woman who tried his patience and his very
mind, one who had defeated his labyrinth and him long ago. She looked
as if something had tried hundreds of times to take bits of her flesh.
There were scratches and cuts all over her. Even some bruises. Her clothing
had rips and tears in it. There was even blood on her. A particularly
evil-looking slash went across the perfect skin of her throat. But she
stood tall and defiant. She But that was SO not this moment. And she was angry with him. It was 'all his fault' so to speak. He felt a sudden urge to laugh. Sarah ground her teeth as Jareth started laughing. Loudly. "Oh shut up." She hissed. Jareth rose slowly. She apparently was not amused by his laughter. She was never amused by anything of him as he recalled. So focused on the task at hand. So ready to play her part. Absolutely determined that she was the heroine, and he was the villain. "My dear Sarah, it is absolutely lovely to have you in my labyrinth again. How are you finding it this time around?" Her answer was to kick him in the shin. Hard. ~~~Chapter 5~~~ Sarah took off running before she could even see his reaction. Jareth howled. Partly in pain, partly in outrage. He hopped on one leg holding hurt shin for about ten seconds before he looked in the direction Sarah had gone. He took off after her with a growl. A very menacing growl. A growl that said he was going to wring her neck when he got close enough to put his hands around it. "Oh that's not good." Willow ran after them. Spike and Dawn had no choice but to follow. *~*~*~*~*~* Sarah was running as fast as she could. She knew he was chasing her. It had been rather childish to kick the man in his shin. She realized that. She was an adult, and she should not do such things. It was immature, but it had felt SO GOOD. He definitely hadn't been expecting it. Sarah was fairly certain he was chasing her. Not good. She was starting to tire very quickly. The pain in her leg was becoming a bit unbearable. She turned to see if he was behind her and tripped. She burned into the dirt with a pained grunt. Hands were on her arms instantly, helping her back to her feet. "Get off me! Let go!" She couldn't abide his touch. It made her confused. "Sarah, you're hurt. Please stop or you'll hurt yourself more." "Sarah!" Spike skidded on his knees next to her. He immediately started running his hands over her to check for fresh injuries. Jareth felt something he'd never felt before at the sight of Sarah allowing the blonde to run his hands on her - jealousy. His lip curled back before he could stop it, and the Goblin King growled. Spike growled back. But his face changed with it. "Back off, mate. Keep your gloved mitts off." Willow stumbled backwards and landed on her butt in a pile of trash. She couldn't function. Her mind was at war with what she had just seen and what she knew from earlier. How was it that Spike was warm and had a beating heart, yet his face could still morph into that of his demon? It wasn't possible. It just couldn't be. "Willow?" Dawn was looking at her in concern. Spike looked up to see the dazed look in the redhead's eyes. "Willow?" He mouth was just opening and closing in shock. "Willow?" Spike rose slowly and walked over to her. Everyone had stopped. "That's not possible. It's not possible. Your hands were warm. I felt your heart. Was it a trick? What was it? I don't understand. You were so warm." "I'm still warm." He knelt on the ground in front of her. "Something happened to you." "Yeah. You could say that." "I didn't.... I didn't notice until... why didn't you say something?" "No time, I suppose." "What about when we were telling? You could have said, hey Will, by the way..." "Like you said, hey, Spike, Warren killed Tara?" She leaned back and sucked in air through her nostrils. "Oh hell." Spike whispered. "I'm bloody stupid. I didn't mean to say that. Not like that, pet. I'm sorry." Willow jumped to her feet and pointed a finger at him while backing away. "Where's Spike?!" "What?" "What have you done with him?!" "What?" "What have you done with Spike, you... you whatever you are?!" "Red, I'm Spike." "No! No, you're not!" "Bloody hell, woman! Yes I am!" "No! You're not! Spike's not.... not like you are!" "Oh for fuck's sake, Willow!" "Don't talk to me like you know me, you Spike snatcher!" "Shut the hell up with that! I'm bloody Spike! William the fricken bloody, luv!" Spike poked himself in the chest. "I'm him!" "Prove it!" "What?!" "Prove that you're Spike!" "How?!" "My Spike would know how, you... you... Spike impersonator!"!" Spike sighed and rolled his eyes. When he'd opted not to spill the soul beans, he hadn't anticipated being tested on himself. He tried to think of things only he and Willow would know. Problem was most of the times he'd been around Willow other people had been around. And the things from their alone time that were coming to mind did not exactly fill him with pride. She was upset anyway. He really didn't want to go drudging up old horrors. "When... uh when you did the tabula rasa spell that went all wonky, I thought my name was Randy." "You'll have to do better than that." Spike growled and started pacing. "Oh! When I tried to bite you that time, you thought it was you that was making me not be able to bite." "Sarah!" Hoggle yelled as he, Ludo, and Didymus walked up. Actually Didymus rode up on Ambrosius. The dog instantly nuzzled Sarah's hand. "What'd we miss?" Hoggle asked looking oddly at the pacing Spike. "Shh." Sarah put two fingers on his lips. She was completely entranced by what was going on with Willow and Spike. It was like magic or something. They were on the tip of some sort of understanding. And Sarah got the feeling there had never been understanding between these two. Not for more than a few moments anyway. Jareth was a bit mesmerized himself. There was this whole energy surrounding the two of them. He wouldn't have thought Willow would be attracted to such a creature, but he was starting to see that it was merely a case of they worked well together. Even though they seemed to be opposites. Sort of like the way he and.... no one in particular. Jareth shook his head. That kind of thinking simply would not do. "Go on." Willow said quietly. "What's the matter? What's going on?" Dawn was getting a little panicked. "Dawn, everything is all right." Sarah's eyes shot to Jareth when he spoke to the girl. "What?" "You DID NOT just offer her comfort." "I happen to like her." "You happened to have KIDNAPPED her!" "That was an accident." "Accident? Accident. Accident my ass! An accident is slipping on a puddle of melted ice cube in the kitchen! Abducting a teenage girl in her jammies from her bedroom in the middle of the night is so not an accident! That's considered a plan! Or at the very least a flight of hysterical whimsy!" "You don't have to shout, Sarah. I assure you that my hearing has not deteriorated since your last visit to the labyrinth." She fisted her hand and clubbed him in the arm. Quite hard. "My haven't we gotten violent in our old age." Jareth grabbed her hands as she tried to hit him again. "As amusing as your displays of temper are, Sarah, I'm going to have to ask you to stop." "Get your hands off of me." She hissed through her teeth. Willow had completely forgotten about Spike maybe not being Spike. She walked up next to him. "What's with them?" "They have a past." "I'm aware. But she looks a little bit on the 'about ready to bite his head off' side. Literally." "There was dancing last time apparently. He pulled some mind mojo on her or something. I think what it really is, is that she fancies him and just can't reconcile digging the bad boy." Willow's head whipped around sharply to look at him. "Bitter much?" He looked at her. "Not even a little bit. There's a certain clarity that comes with being all soul-having." Willow's jaw dropped. "I went to a shaman and asked to be like I was before the chip. I was gonna come back and kill her. I was gonna make her pay for not loving me. I wanted the clock turned back, so to speak. And that bastard turned the biological clock back all right. Slapped me with my soul. I don't know what's worse. Knowing you're evil and not being able to do a damn thing about it. Or just plain not knowing what you are." Everyone was just looking at him. Sarah had stopped hissing at Jareth. Everyone was completely still as he spoke. Dawn's legs had failed a little. She was sitting on a pile of trash staring up at him. She had wanted to angry with him for the bits and pieces of what she gathered had happened between him and her sister. But there was something so tragic going on with him. She didn't have the heart to attack someone who was so confused. "I have thoughts that are so dark, like I always did. But now I feel guilty about them. Then I get pissed for feeling guilty. Then I get truly brassed off for having a guilt-ridden soul. Because I felt things before, and now I feel them like a thousand times more intensely. It just makes me some bipolared freak who can't get out of the patheticness that is his life." "You're not a freak. This just makes you special." Spike glared at Willow. "Special. Thank you. I'm ready for my helmet now!" "Spike-" "Oh so now we believe I'm Spike! Maybe I should go on! Maybe I should tell how you talked in my head that night! Told me to go! Didn't do any damn good! She still fell! He cut Dawn! The whole bleedin' universe opened up and she died! She came back wrong!" "No." Dawn whispered. "Yes! Because she HAD to be WRONG to want to have sex with a DEAD THING!" Willow's bottom lip was starting to quiver. "Stop it." "I won't stop! I can't stop! Don't you see?! She fucking has me by my damn balls! I love her and she HATES MY GUTS! I can't win!" "Maybe it's not about winning." "Oh?" "Maybe it's about surviving." Sarah hadn't realized the her hands were gripping one of Jareth's. Dawn had moved back towards them. The Goblin King had wrapped one arm around the girl and pulled her back against his chest. She was shaking hard. He would have put a stop to Spike's outburst. He could have. But he got the distinct feeling all this emotion needed out. He had a feeling there was a lot to get past. Spike turned away and tried to stalk off. Willow grabbed his arm and spun him around. He growled at her. She slapped him. His head turned with it. When Spike looked back at her, she slapped him again. Harder. Dawn whimpered. Sarah placed a hand over one of hers and squeezed reassuringly. Spike growled again and grabbed Willow's forearms. The corner of his mouth was bleeding. Willow twisted her arms up and grabbed his as well. "Snap out of it." They were shoving at each other like sumo wrestlers might. Back and forth they went, their feet scuffling in the dirt. "What would you know about the dark? These feelings. You haven't played in the dark, Red." Dawn let out a little sob. Willow let go of Spike's arms and stepped back. Her eyes went unseeing at they filled with tears. "Oh? I wouldn't?" Willow's eyes went jet black. Jareth tightened his hold on Dawn. "Stop her." Dawn whispered. "She's not going to hurt him. She's just gone into emotional overload. Best we let her get it out." "She was just talking. Just standing by the window. The blood hit me in the face and I didn't even know what happened. She said 'your shirt'. Like it was a question. It caused me to look at hers and see the bullet hole right before she fell down. She was gone in an instant. There was nothing... and I tried. I called, and they abandoned me. So I went after the books. And I drained them. And it was so dark. He shot Buffy too. Her I saved. Him I killed. I tortured him first. He had to pay. Then I went after the other two. I killed Rack. For his power. I tried to make Dawn back into energy. I fought Buffy. I really fought her. I wanted to... and.... and Giles. I hurt them. I nearly killed Giles. I hurt Anya. I hurt Xander." She stopped. It was dead quiet in the junk pile. Willow's eyes shot to Spike. "Don't you EVER tell me I don't know about the dark. I took a guy into the woods and ripped his skin off before I lit him up like a roman candle on July fourth." Spike took a step towards her. "I didn't... know." "You didn't ask." "I never would have thought..." "That poor mousy little Willow the unattractive dork would EVER take a life. I'm a far cry from the quivering mass you kidnapped in high school, ay? I'm surprised you even bothered when you busted into mine and Buffy's dorm room that night." "You give yourself far too little credit." He hissed and grabbed her arm. She gasped as he yanked her up in his face. "Don't." She whispered. "Don't what, Willow?" She stared at him. "Don't what?" He said as he ran his other hand over her cheek and through her hair. His hand was so warm. So not like he was supposed to be. "Stop." He moved closer. "Stop what?" "Spike...." "You have to tell me, Red. You have to say it." He whispered in her ear. "I want to hear you say it." She shoved him back forcefully. "Stop touching me!" "Why?" "I don't deserve to be caressed." "Is that what it felt like to you?" "Yes." "And you don't want to feel anything." "Right." "Maybe we aren't so different." "You didn't see his face! I scratched him! Clawed his face! The way he looked at me.... I'll never forget. And he sat there saying that he loved me! How could he do that!" She was crying. Spike filled the space between them quickly. His arms went around her. Willow clung to him as she cried. Maybe they really weren't so different Sarah was in shock. So were the others. No one knew quite what to say. Finally Jareth broke the silence. "Well, it is far too psychotic around here." He pulled out a crystal, and before Sarah knew what was going on, they were all out of the junkyard and back in the forest. "What are you doing?!" Sarah snapped. "Getting us to a place where we have a bit of cover." "Right." She said in suspicion. "Look, Sarah, there is a she-deviled hellbeast after this little girl here." He motioned to Dawn. "The woman is absolutely vile. She's taken over my kingdom. Now I know you prefer the storm the castle method, but I think we need a better plan here, as the people going through the labyrinth this time are not loved by the one in the castle." Sarah sat for a moment as what he said sunk in. "What?" "We need a plan. You certainly ask me to repeat myself quite a bit. Did your hearing deteriorate?" "Not that. The other thing you said." "What other thing?" Sarah growled in frustration. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit odd?" Her answer was to punch him in the jaw. Jareth toppled over backwards into a pile of leaves. "Stop hitting him!" Dawn snapped. "Well, tell him to stop irritating me." Jareth sat up rubbing his jaw. "You are going to be very sorry you did that." Before Sarah knew what had happened, Jareth grabbed her wrist and the two of them vanished. Dawn gave a little shriek. "What happened? Where's Sarah? Where's the wanker?" "They disappeared!" Dawn cried. "Uh oh." Hoggle mumbled. "What uh oh?" "The rat's gonna try to get her back for beating him." "Should we worry?" Spike asked while still patting Willow's hair. "Worry? Nah. Jareth won't hurt her none. Well won't hurt nothin' but her pride. He's been right in love with her since day one. That's why she beat him. Beat the labyrinth. It weren't about her winning though. Was about her enduring him. I just hope he can forgive her." "Forgive her? The wanker stole her baby brother." "Yes, but she LEFT him. Jareth don't like being the one that's left." "None of us do, mate." "Ludo... Spike... mate." Dawn looked at Spike with her eyebrows touching her hairline. Then she looked at the hairy beast that had spoken, then back to Spike. "Oh bloody hell." "Dawn... pretty." At that Dawn looked at Spike with this look on her face. She sighed in a dreamy fashion. He knew he was semi-off her shitlist. He pulled Willow next to where Dawn was sitting. The redhead was just sagged against him. Dawn leaned in to his other side. This felt really nice. He just hoped Sarah was ok. The poncy wanker in the tights was right about one thing though. They did need a plan. Something that would put Glory out of commission for good this time. ~~~Chapter 6~~~ "Let go!" Sarah yanked her arm out of Jareth's grasp. She looked around. They were in a small clearing surrounded by forest. "Where are we? What have you done with the others?" "I felt we needed to talk. Alone." He was rubbing his jaw. "You've grown quite unladylike." Sarah glared at him. "What. Have. You. DONE. With. The. Others?" "Nothing, Sarah. So distrustful." "Because you've given me so many reasons to trust you." "Fair." "What did you want to talk about?" She said in a haughty tone folding her arms across her chest. "Your anger that still burns bright after all these years, years that do not look to have been harsh on you. I only ever did what you asked. You asked that the child be taken... I took him. You cowered before me - I was frightening. I reordered time. I turned the world upside-down... all for you. I exhausted myself living up to you. And what do you do? You... leave... me." He'd slowly been stalking closer. Sarah was breathing heavily. "You have n-no power over me." It had sounded VERY weak even to her ears. "Oh?" Jareth said stepping fully into her personal space. "Stop me then. You stopped me before. Stop me now... or perhaps you do not wish it this time." Her heart was beating erratically. Sarah squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel his breath on her face. "Don't." "Shhh." It was sort of like electricity. His mouth was warm and soft on hers. She would not have thought it would be, but there it was. Sarah didn't dare open her eyes for fear it would turn out to be a dream. All the uncertainty in her life melted away at his touch. Music swelled in her head. That song. That damn song that haunted her dreams. Her hands twisted into the material of his jacket. It was like before when she'd lost herself. But there was no trick this time. Had it been there even then? This spark between them. Had it been there when she was little more than a child playing at being a grown up? His arms held her now. No other arms had embraced her the way his were doing now. How foolish she had been. But perhaps not. She was not the same as she was then. She was ready for things now. Even if it was with he who infuriated her so. Yes, he was abrasive with her, but he also made her tingle. Sarah shoved herself back with a little stumble. Her eyes were wide. He was more dangerous to her than perhaps even he realized. Jareth was just staring at her in a way that made a slow blush creep up her face. She was some teenage girl standing before him again. Sarah had no idea how to proceed. If she had been confused before, it was magnified by a hundred now. *~*~*~*~*~* Hoggle was sitting near Sir Didymus talking quietly. Dawn had fallen asleep curled up against Ludo's furry body as if he were some giant stuffed animal. Willow had cried herself to sleep against Spike's chest. He was absently stroking her hair. Poor Red. How in the hell was she holding herself upright? And he thought he had problems. Someone like Willow shouldn't have to bear the weight of such guilt. She was too lovely to feel such pain. And wonky magic usually resulted from it, so it was usually better if she wasn't in pain. Spike would never be sure why it happened. All he knew was what happened. He leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly.... and he just didn't stop. He kissed her eyelids, and the tip of her nose, the two tracks of tears on her cheeks, each corner of her mouth, then her little pink lips.... and he just kept kissing those lips until they kissed him back. Willow
was awoken by the very pleasant sensation of lips on her own. Spike
lips. Lips of Spike. Oh what in the hell had Buffy ever complained about?
Willow wrapped her hand around his neck and deepened their kiss. It
was probably the situation and the place, but she didn't care. He could
pity her with his mouth all he liked. And yes, Hoggle and Sir Didymus
were not sitting that far from them. And yes, the sleeping Dawn and
Ludo were But Spike's mouth had trailed from hers to her pulse point. His hands were straying over her body ever so lightly. Willow yanked his shirt out of his ever-present jeans and let her fingertips glide of the smooth skin on his lower back. Spike growled quite loudly against her throat. Willow gasped in surprise and arched up against him causing him to growl again. What an idiot. Her in his midst all this time. But it had never been right for this moment. There had been other vampires, slayers, other witches, werewolves, sexual preferences, and number of things that had made the timing off. Not like it was now. It was SO on right now. "Oh my God." Willow jerked hard at Dawn's voice. Spike didn't move. He continued. "Spike." He was still nipping at her throat. Willow sighed. Dawn giggled. "Spike." "Just a bit longer." He murmured. Like he was speaking of a warm bed when a busy day was calling. Willow shivered. Dawn giggled again. "I'm just gonna go over there and talk to Hoggle and Sir Didymus." At Dawn's scream, Spike finally looked up, and he so did not like what he was looking at. *~*~*~*~* Jareth lunged forward and grabbed Sarah by the wrist when he felt the energy start to swirl around them. "Stop it!" "Be silent, woman. She's found us." A second
later they were standing in Jareth's throne room... with Glory on the
throne. Jareth hissed at her for it. Sarah didn't realize it, but she
placed a soothing hand on his shoulder. She raised an eyebrow at Willow
and Spike lying on the ground... making out? Ludo was snoring blissfully
next to them. Dawn was crouched down with Hoggle and Sir Didymus. Ambrosius
was cowering behind them. Spike was still quite on top of Willow "Well, well. Isn't this a shock?" The hellgod said. "I thought you had the hots for slaygal, goldielocks." "Things change." Spike snarled. "And some things don't." In a flash Glory had moved. She was holding Dawn off the ground by her throat. "Put her down." Jareth said in a very even tone. "I'm thinking no, sweetie pie." "I'm thinking you had better before I put a hole through you." Willow said in a tone that was about two octaves lower than her normal tone of voice. "Oh, look who's all bad now. You couldn't beat me before, Red." Willow gently removed herself from under Spike. "That was then. And who're you calling Red?" Her hair and eyes had gone black. "Willow... no..." Dawn gasped. "Will..." Spike whispered. "Put her down." Willow waved her hand. Glory seemed to involuntarily set Dawn upon the ground. The teenager started choking. She scrambled away to where Jareth and Sarah stood. Each of them put a hand on the girl. She was shaking like a leaf. Willow seemed to study Glory curiously for a while... before she grinned wickedly. "Separate." Glory gave a horrific scream as her body seemed to split down the middle like a dividing cell under a microscope. Dawn shivered. Jareth tightened his gloved hand on her. Sarah moved in closer to him without even realizing it. Then, suddenly, before them stood both Glory AND Ben. Jareth sensed a weakness in her and took it upon himself to roll a crystal her way. It clinked beautifully across the throne room floor, and Glory involuntarily leaned down to grab it. She stood straight again looking at the sphere. There was a loud pop, a whiff of smoke, and a startled shriek. When the cloud cleared, in Glory's place stood a tiny little goblin with curly blonde hair. Ben looked down at her and snickered. "Well, don't you make the prettiest goblin ever." "What?!" She shrieked in a decidedly less goddess-y voice. "Well, Madam..." Jareth began. "The lovely Willow separated you from your host, thus weakening you. It allowed me to alter your form... permanently. Welcome to the city beyond the Labyrinth. I'm Jareth... King of the Goblins. Your king." "Like hell." "I assure you, my dear, I can make it that way." He looked at Dawn. "How do you feel about me sending her to the oubliette for a while?" Dawn glared at Glory the goblin. "Sounds just peachy." "Hey! Wait a minute-" But with a snap of Jareth's fingers, she was gone. "Wicked." Dawn whispered. "Yes, she was." Willow crumpled to the floor breathing heavily. "Willow?" Spike moved next to her. "Go 'way." "No chance of that, Red." "I can't... I can't... I swore I wouldn't, and I did." "It's all right, pet." Willow looked up at him. Her nose was bleeding. "It's really not." "Oh bloody hell." Spike muttered. "Exactly." Then she fainted. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Willow opened her eyes slowly. It was very bright, but she was in quite possibly the most comfortable bed she'd ever been in. And someone was holding one of her hands. Spike. He was sleeping silently in a chair next to her bed, holding her hand. The sunlight was hitting his blonde head just right, so as to give him the appearance of an angel's halo. Angel's halo. Sort of ironic. Wait a minute... the sunlight? "Oh Goddess!" She lurched up and threw a blanket over him before he fried. "Bloody hell! What is it?! What's wrong?!" Upon later reflection, it would be funny that a blanket with a pair of legs tipped off with black boots was running this way and that in no apparent pattern trying to manage something. There was a bit off struggling and Spike succeeded in getting the blanket off of him. Only to be standing directly in the light. "Oh Goddess!" Willow flicked her hand, and all the shutters in the room slammed closed, bathing it in shadows. "What ARE you doing?" "Well, I don't want you all flame-y." Spike smirked. "What's that face?" "I can't do that anymore, Red." "Huh?" "I'm a daywalker now." "Double huh?" "I'm not a human, but not yet a vampire, pet." "Thank you, Brittany Leers. Make some sense please." "I'm not so human..." "Well, DUH." "Can I finish?" Willow rolled her eyes and tapped her foot a bit. "I'm not exactly your typical vamp anymore either." "What?" "Well, the bit and I have done a few experiments in the last two days-" "TWO DAYS!" "That's how long you've been out, luv. And we discovered a few things." "Two days?" "Just sleeping away." "Wait a minute... what things?" "I can do the sunlight thing now. I still need blood, just not as much. I still don't fancy crosses. No holy water about, so we didn't check that. I preferred not to test the old stake through the heart method. I still go all bumpy when I turn. This heart beats, and this skin is warm, yet I don't have to breathe. It's a bit odd." She was just blinking at him. "Willow?" "I don't know what to say." She swayed on her feet. Spike rushed forward and ushered her back into the bed. "Still all vamp-speedy, I see." "You need more rest. You shouldn't have done the shutters. It was a big thing you did the other day. You tapped yourself out." "I didn't want you all flame-y." Willow murmured as her eyelids drooped. "I think I sort of like you." Spike's jaw opened in shock. She wasn't just.... she didn't just feel sorry for him? It wasn't all 'poor souled Spike all in love with a slayer who could never love him'? He smiled a real smile and smoothed some hair off of her forehead. *~*~*~*~*~* Sarah
sat rather rigidly studying the chessboard before her. Jareth was lounged
back in the chair he was in with one leg draped over the arm. Just all
sprawled out for anyone to see. She should tell him that he ought not
sit like that in the particular pants he was wearing, but then he'd
know she'd been looking, damn him. He'd promised to alter time for them
as soon as Willow was well enough and send them back when they had It had been two days. Sarah knew Willow was still very weak, but Sarah was weak herself. Resisting Jareth took every ounce of strength she possessed. And the bastard knew of her struggle, damn his mismatched eyes that seemed to follow her every move. Dawn was enjoying herself very much. And for that, Sarah was happy. The girl needed some enjoyment in her life. Strangely, she was rather fond of Jareth. Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo had taken the girl just about everywhere in the kingdom. The man Ben had decided to go off and make a life for himself here in the Underground. He knew the ways of healing and had set off to find a place to settle away from anything that reminded him of hellgods. The Glory goblin had been removed from the oubliette and set to cleaning the bathrooms. She was most displeased, but everyone ignored her whining because most goblins whined. "It's your move, Sarah." Jareth purred. "I know!" She snapped. "I'm thinking!" "Don't think on it too long." She scowled at him. Why on earth, or anywhere else, did she get the feeling he was not talking about their chess game?
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