Falling ch 30 Laby fanfic

"Sarah! Sarah, wake up!" Someone shook her repeatedly, their fingers digging into her bare shoulders. "Please, Sarah!

Head stuffed and ears ringing, she groaned. "Jareth?"

"No, it's me, Toby."

"What!" Her eyes snapped open. Her brother leaned over her, his face creased with worry and new hope. Creased with conscious emotions… She grabbed either side of his face and yanked him down. "Toby! My god, you're, you're awake! How?"

"I don't know. I just," he ducked his head, then helped her sit up; "…everything was just suddenly clear."

She clutched at a blanket that had been laid over her. The rough texture of the wool against her naked body made her want to scratch every inch; instead she held it closer to stay warm. When had she ended up on the chilly concrete floor? One hand cradling her head as she tucked her legs together, she said, "You sound so grown-up. How?"

"Don't know that either." He ran his hands through his dirty, tangled hair as he settled on his hunches. "I feel like I've been half-asleep for years, but still sorta hearing and learning." He frowned. "Does that make any sense?"

"No, but nothing has made any sense for a long time."

"Yeah." He examined his hands, spread his fingers, rotated his wrists, then pat down his torso. "When'd I get so big?"

"Oh, Tobes." Sarah clutched his shoulder, sniffed and pulled him into a hug. His arms were warm against her bare back. "I've missed you so much. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For what happened to you."

He pulled back. "That wasn't your fault, Sarah."

"You can't know that. You don't even remember."

"Actually, that's one of the few things I do remember."

"You do?" She held the blanket tighter to her and gulped.

"We were being attacked."

"But I could've, I don't know, maybe…"

"Sarah, it's okay. I'm okay."

She buried her face in his chest and cried. "You really are!"

"So who's Jareth?"

"Jareth," she whispered, then jerked away from Toby. "Jareth! Where is he?"

"Who's Jareth?"

"You didn't see anyone with me?"

He shook his head. "I found you lying on the floor, alone." Wringing his hands for a moment, he dropped his eyes. "I wasn't sure if you were… you know."

"But if he wasn't here, where is he?" Sarah stood on shaky legs and wrapped the blanket around her while Toby balanced her with one hand on her back. Looking around, she exited her small room and scanned the empty hall. It overlooked the main chamber, which was bursting with possibly every resident of the Compound. Many were dancing and singing, their voices echoing. How had she not heard such noise?

"What's going on?" Toby asked.

"I don't know, but I've never seen everyone so happy." A flip-floppy feeling in her stomach made her swallow hard. Something felt different, though how she knew it… "Toby, stay here for a minute," she said as she rushed back into her room and slammed the door, cutting off his surprised response. Sarah slumped against the door, her quivering legs barely holding her upright.

What's going on? Why do I feel so… empty and achy? Tears instantly filled her eyes, stinging and hot; viciously, she scrubbed them away. The blanket slipped loose and puddled around her feet.

"Jareth," she whispered, her head hitting the door with a thump. He'd done it. He'd left her. She was right to be afraid. Afraid everything, the moment he'd regained his powers he'd vanished. Which meant… "He lied. About everything."

"Sarah? Are you okay?" Toby knocked on her door.

She straightened and cleared her throat. "Fine. I'm fine!" At least she had Toby again. A miracle? Maybe.

"Are you coming back out?"

"Yes, I'm, uh, just getting dressed." Quickly throwing her clothes on, the same ones she'd worn a short time ago, the same ones Jareth had taken off of her… Don't think about THAT or him. Don't think about any of it ever again! She jutted her chin as she zipped her pants, then shoved her feet into her boots. Where ever Jareth was, he could damn well rot there!

Sarah plastered a smile on her face and opened her door.

Toby jumped back and flushed. "Um, sorry, I was just worried about you."

"Me? Ha. I should be worried about you." She cuffed his shoulder. "You've been gone for years."

"But not anymore, sis. You can stop worrying."

"No," she shook her head, "I can't ever stop worrying about you."

Silence stretched, and Toby shuffled his feet, his gangly body too awkward by half. Finally he grabbed her hand and gently pulled. "Can we, maybe, just forget about it for a while? Maybe, just, go see the world."

"Oh, Toby…"

"What? I miss it."

Sarah sighed, her fingers tightening around his. "Well—"

"Sarah! Toby?" Len shouted. He was running towards them from the stairwell. "Holy crap! When did he wake up?"

"A little while ago.

Len skidded to a halt in front of them and gastrulated wildly. "It must be part of it."

"Part of what?"

Len grabbed Sarah's wrist. "You have to see it! It's unbelievable!"

Before Len could drag her, she grasped Toby's hand and they both followed Len downstairs. Barely able to keep with Len's frantic pace, Sarah and Toby had to run.

"What's gotten in to you? What's happened?"

Throwing a grin over his shoulder, Len guided them through the crowd, which clap them on the back and cheered as they passed. Several tried to hug Toby, and Sarah heard the word 'miracle' used over and over.

"Len!" Grace appeared from the celebration and leapt into his arms. "Can you believe it?"

He hugged her fiercely, spinning her, then kissed her. "Come with me." He nodded towards Sarah and Toby. "They haven't seen it yet, and Toby is better."

"You're kidding!" Grace released him. "My god. It really is a miracle. Well, what you waiting for?" She grinned, laughing. "Let's go!"

Racing ahead of them, Grace led them up them tunnel to the surface. If she thought Len had been difficult to keep up with, well, Grace had them all running at full speed until they burst through the main door into sunlight that was pleasantly warm beneath a gorgeous, crystal clear blue sky. Grass—thick and green—carpeted the ground and a gentle breeze ruffled her hair. Sarah's throat closed as collapsed to her knees and filled her hands with cool blades of grass. Silently, tears streamed down her face.

"It's … it's beautiful!" Toby said, arms spread as he spun in circles. Many other residents had already gathered in the replenished world and many more had followed them to continue the celebration outside.

"Yes it is," Sarah whispered through quivering lips. "It is a miracle." Jareth, where are you?

It was exactly like Michigan in mid-spring was supposed to be.

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As he screamed Sarah's name, Jareth's magic returned in one sickening rush. Nauseous and dizzy, he fell to his hands and knees until it quickly passed. He groaned, sat and ran shaky hands through his hair. Taking a deep breath, Jareth closed his eyes and explored the boundaries of his mind and magic.

Normal once again. As if he'd never lost it. As if nothing had ever happened. Jareth opened his eyes and stared at the walls of his private chamber, his heart pounding almost painfully. Nothing will ever be the same.

With his mind, he reached out for the Bridge and felt its health and strength stretching through the Void, just as he felt the Underground's vitality surrounding him. It pulsed and breathed with new health. He suspected if to the Nexus, he'd find it renewed as well. He bit the inside of his lip. Sarah! What had happened to her? If she was the Nexus, if his magic had been restored through their actions…

"Great Danu!" He materialized his Goblin Armor as he stood, then stomped from his chambers, his black cloak swirling in his wake. If any harm had come to Sarah…

"Alare! Jenea!" His voice, boosted by magic, echoed through the halls.

Within moments, his siblings appeared.

"Jareth!" Jenea threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his neck, while Alare hovered nearby. "Good gods, we thought we'd never see you again!"

Her hair smelled of elderberries and honey. He tightened his embraced, then extended one hand for his brother who caved and joined their hug—with an loud sniffle. Alare had always been the emotional one.

"Brother! You're alive, really alive!"

"Of course, Alare. How could you doubt?"

"I didn't, not really, but you don't know how much we've had to deal with."

"Not now, Alare!" Jenea said, pulling back from Jareth. "I'm sure he's had his own troubles."

Jareth cocked a brow. "What is he talking about?"

She waved an airy hand. "It's nothing."

"Nothing!" Alare said, hands on his hips. "Destruction of the Underground is hardly nothing!"

"Jenea?" Jareth eyed her as he flushed and wrung her hands.

"Well, since you've been gone, there has been some additional … damage."

"Ah." He nodded. "Then you haven't felt it yet."

"Felt what?" Jenea asked.

"Follow me," Jareth said and led them to the closest balcony.

"What are you talking about, Jareth?" Alare walked alongside and a bit behind his two older siblings.

Jareth flung open the double doors of a large balcony of the main room. "This!"

"Great Danu!" They exclaimed in unison.

Below them the Underground sparkled, renewed and repaired as fresh magic flowed through the Nexus and Bridge. The sky glowed a soft pink, a perpetual dawn.

"You did it," Jenea said, hugging Jareth.

"It's beautiful, brother."

"Yes, it is, Alare.

"So," Jenea said with a gleam in her eyes as he rested her head on Jareth's chest, "did you also succeed in dealing with that girl?"

"Oh yes," Alare said. "What became of her?"

Jareth slid an arm around his sister's shoulders and sighed as he admired his repaired kingdom. "That girl's name is Sarah William's, sister dear."

Jenea pivoted her head, and Jareth glanced down at her. They shared a knowing look. "Indeed?" she asked.

He squeezed her shoulders comfortably, then smiled. "Yes, and I would say I dealt with her most admirably."

His sister chuckled into his armor. "I'm sure you did, brother."

Frowning, Alare glanced back and forth between them. "Um, so what happened? Is she still alive?"

Jareth and Jenea shared an identical smirk while Alare turned red.

"What?" Alare asked. "Tell me!"

Jareth pulled his brother into a one-armed hug on his opposite side while he and Jenea laughed. "Oh, Alare, the last time I saw Sarah Williams she was very much alive."

"Is that good?" Alare asked.

"Oh yes," Jareth whispered. "Yes it is."

"But you don't know anymore?" Alare asked.

"I can't be certain. I reappeared in my chambers after," Jareth coughed, "afterwards."

Jenea disentangled herself from Jareth and cupped his face. "So why are you still here, then?"

Jareth grasped her hands in his and bowed his head, his platinum hair brushed their fingers. "I haven't seen either of you in so long, I couldn't be certain of anything, and I've been considering something since I've been gone." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What, Jareth?"

"Jenea, would you do something for me?"

"Of course, brother, anything."

"You might not feel that way once I tell you."

"Jareth?" She squeezed her hands. "What is it?"

"Jenea, sister, I need your help."