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Between the Stars- Part 3
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At first Sarah felt disoriented with only Dee's hand to ground her as they entered the morass of darkness, but bit by bit solidity formed beneath them. Sarah felt her feet land on firmness, and after an indeterminate amount of time, felt comfortable enough to release the goddess's hand. However, she made sure to stick close to Dee who glanced over with a reassuring smile.
An endless, smooth black floor appeared and three seated figures coalesced without preamble several feet in front of them. At a distance, they appeared hunched and intent upon their business, never ceasing as Dee and Sarah approached. Sarah suspected they didn't hear or sense them.
"Sarah, I'd like you to meet the Fates." Dee led her closer and the figures clarified as stooped, ugly hags, each busily working with their heads bowed. Their clothing nothing more than ragged lengths of cloth wrapped multiple times about their bodies.
"The Fates, as in the Weavers of the Great Loom, the Fates?"
"The very ones."
"Oh, wow..." Her brain protested; it couldn't possibly absorb another ounce of living ancient mythology. Regardless of Sarah hanging back, Dee spoke directly to the tripled women.
"Lachesis," Dee said then clearing her throat repeated herself louder, and one Fate raised her head from a small round hand loom which shimmered with an internal light and smiled, flashing jagged green and yellow teeth. Sarah forcibly held back her gag reflex, only just refraining from retching at the sight. Obviously the Fates weren't big on dental care in this place. Or eye care either, ewww...Lachesis blinked rapidly, her swollen, blood shot orbs zeroing in on Dee.
"Aphrodite, ah, I didn't hear you come in," Lachesis said in a dry, raspy voice.
"Lachesis, I've brought Sarah Williams, our little project these past many years."
"Oh...my...a guest!" Lachesis set her loom on a low table which suddenly materialized. "We rarely receive guests. I hope I don't look a fright." The hag patted her hair and moth-eaten dress...er...wrap thing...anxiously, dust or dirt or whatever clinging to it filled the air. Again Sarah swallowed back her gagging, not cool to offend the Fates.
"No." Sarah replied quickly and smiled broadly, "You...look fine, really."
"So polite...Sisters!" The remaining two Fates' heads snapped up from their work, the other two lowering similar gleaming hand looms, "Look who's here and she's brought a guest!" Lachesis announced with a certain bit of aplomb mixed with exhilaration. The other two hags were equally, if not more ugly than Lachesis, but Sarah weathered the shock gallantly. They may have been triplets at one time, difficult to tell beyond the grime of determined hygienic disinterest.
"A guest? Who's a guest? Why bother?"
"Sarah Williams," Dee repeated patiently. The Fates were terrible hostesses, but as Lachesis said: they rarely met anyone so it was to be expected.
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The Sarah Williams? Oh, great Hades!"
"Sarah," Dee swung her arm in presentation, "the Fates: Clothos the spinner, Atropos the cutter, and Lachesis the allotter." Each sister bowed her head shallowly at her name and Sarah returned the greeting. "Lachesis, predominantly," Dee added, "has assisted me with setting the threads to rights."
"I see...thank you, Lachesis," she said graciously before adding in a disgruntled mumble, "I think."
Lachesis laughed heartily, "Oh, I like her, Aphrodite. She's got spirit, just like you said."
Dee nodded with a faint smile, "I know. She's indeed the right mortal." She ignored Sarah's curious brow arch at their exchange.
"Has she made her decision?"
"Not yet, I'm taking her there now."
"Ah..." Lachesis stepped closer to stroke Sarah's arm, and she restrained her urge to flinch at the hag's indescribable smell, almost as cloyingly bad as the Bog. Instead, Sarah concentrated on Lachesis's words.
"Chose wisely, my child, for true love is worth any sacrifice."
"Thank you." Flustered, Sarah touched the hag's hand lightly. Lachesis's advice seemed straight forward enough. Why then did uncertainty fill her heart? Clothos and Atropos nodded in vigorous agreement with their sister as they muttered about true love.
"Ready, Sarah?" She turned to Dee. "We need to go."
"Alright," she said then turned back to the Fates, "It's nice to have met all of you."
"You as well, Sarah Williams; best of luck of to you," Lachesis replied as Dee and Sarah walked away causing Sarah to laugh ironically...one of the Fates wishing her luck. Now she'd experienced everything! As they walked away, Sarah looked over her shoulder and saw the three hags keenly watching them depart until the darkness re-engulfed them and they swiftly faded.
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Zeus soared through the heavy rain circling above the cause of the niggling call at the back of his consciousness. Grinning, he orbited the storm as he lowered his flight to the specific location alighting upon the roof of a large building. He felt the call's pressure increase exponentially as soon as he physically contacted the structure, and suddenly recognized source.
"Ah, the fae soul! Of course, I understand its strength upon me now." How sweet it tasted! How tormented it must be! The fool ignored his warning and violated his sacrifice. Not that he made the avoidance of such things simple, but this was positively divine. Eager to investigate further now, Zeus found the entry from the roof, blasted open the door with a bolt of lightning, and followed the invigorating thread of Gerard's suffering through the Pawtucket Memorial Hospital. Visions of creating deeper levels of anguish for the soul filtered through Zeus's mind as he strolled through the hospital's hallways, mortals parting from his course as smoothly as an oiled machine.
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Trailing behind Dee, Sarah strode through the infinite blackness. Time seemed immaterial here though Dee pressed its importance earlier. They didn't speak and after awhile Sarah ended up walking beside the goddess. Then between one second and the next they arrived, and Sarah wanted to faint at the sight laid before her. Two bodies, tranquil and motionless, lay next to one another on twin marble daises with their arms at their sides. Their countenances: pale and wan in the odd, everywhere and nowhere lighting, but not yet bleached of all color.
"Gerard! And Jareth...," Sarah exclaimed, running up to kneel at her fiancé's side. She took his hand in hers; it was cold, like the stone he reclined upon. "What's wrong with him?" She looked over her shoulder at Dee, the stridency in her voice returning, "Why isn't he breathing?"
"That's not truly Gerard, Sarah."
"I don't understand." She fumbled for a pulse then pressed her ear to his chest, but heard no heartbeat through his button down shirt. "His heart isn't beating! Dee, what's wrong? Is he dead?"
"No, Gerard isn't dead. If you check Jareth you'll realize that he's in the same state as Gerard." Giving Dee a suspicious glare, Sarah quickly scrambled from Gerard's side to the dais supporting Jareth's body and repeated her actions, albeit with more hesitancy, with identical results.
"What the hell is going on?" Facing the goddess with her hands on her hips, Sarah's temper started to blaze. She'd had enough of the twenty questions and ten answers game; time to ante up and call.
"They're not real, Sarah." Clasping her hands to the small of her back, Dee slowly walked closer to Sarah as she explained. So much depended on Sarah's understanding of the details, "Remember everything in this realm isn't necessarily real." Sarah nodded. "They're physical representations of the two men. They're presently both still in their respective realms. Gerard is still in the hospital ICU and Jareth is currently in his personal chambers...where I placed his body after his deal with Zeus."
Sarah huffed in irritation, her eyes pinching, "I don't understand."
"Remember I told you that Jareth's soul is fae as is his body?" Sarah nodded impatiently, "As such his soul and body are both immortal."
"So," Sarah shrugged, unimpressed, "human bodies may not be immortal, but human souls are. So what?"
Dee grinned, but for the first time Sarah took no comfort in it. She felt a sort of trap spring. "True, but not in the same way of fae souls. When a mortal dies their soul travels to an afterlife, but since fae bodies are immortal and rarely die their souls have no afterlife. Fae bodies and souls can exist independently of one another as long as they're both in connected realms, such as yours."
"Oookay..." Sarah really didn't like where Dee headed with this...
"Sarah, don't you see?" Close now; the goddess grasped her hands, passion burning within her purple irises, "Jareth's immortal fae soul is now trapped in a mortal body while his immortal body remains in limbo, unable to live, unable to die."
"However, once a mortal death claims Gerard, Jareth's fae soul will be lost forever. Unable to return to his immortal body, it will disintegrate into the ether. After that, Jareth's body will fade into the ether as well."
Frowning, her brows knitted together, Sarah glanced back and forth between the two masculine simulacrums at either side of her. Gerard in his jeans and cotton shirt, rakishly handsome and modern; Jareth wrapped in his worn, feather cloak; his ethereal beauty defying all definitions of masculinity.
"There's only one soul for two men? Is that what you're telling me?"
No...That can't be true! Please, dear God, this can't be true! "Yes, Sarah," Dee answered in a low voice, keeping her eyes level with Sarah's, squeezing her hands, willing her comprehension.
"Oh, no...No, I won't," she shook her head, yanked her hands from Dee's grip, and brought them up as a shield, felt her emotions regress as she said in a slightly whiny voice, "It's not fair!"
"Sarah..." Dee reached for her, but Sarah stumbled back.
"Anything but this!" Head shaking, Sarah backed away from the cautiously stalking goddess, "Not this, Dee!
I can't choose!"
"Sarah, please listen," Dee slowly walked closer as Sarah started to cry, her head still rotating side to side in denial as harsh, deep wrenching sobs clawed up from Sarah's chest. Watching the young mortal's tears stream down her face, Dee hated the choice she forced upon her, but all other options lead to this moment and Sarah was best suited to the task. Powerless to make the choice, Dee required Sarah. Only true love could solve this quandary.
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Why? Why would you do this to me? You can't make me!"
"Sarah," Grabbing her shoulders, Dee steadied her, "You're correct, I can't make you do this, but you, above all others, love them both and all that they are with your whole heart." Sarah expression became more confused.
"I-I do? But..." Her puffy eyes darted back and forth between Jareth and Gerard, lingering on her fiancé.
"Listen to me, hon. While Jareth's body lies dormant without his soul, his kingdom awaits his return; the kingdom that also needs a true queen's belief in order to survive and prosper." So focused on fresh thoughts of her friends, Sarah barely heard Dee's last statement.
"My friends? Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus?"
"Alive but in repose the moment their king's soul left them. Look...," With a flourish of one arm; Dee conjured a floating image above Jareth's body.
"See the further result of Jareth's desperate request." The image shifted to show the labyrinth overhead from a great distance. She saw the castle surrounded by the goblin city and the labyrinth sprawled out beyond. The view rapidly zoomed in and down to the labyrinth's entrance.
"There's Hoggle!" Sarah said, excited to see her friend after so long until she realized he sat slumped against the labyrinth wall, his head to his chest, and his legs splayed out in front of him. "Why isn't he moving?"
"Patience, Sarah, watch."
The view panned to the gates, through them and into the labyrinth proper. Down the path she saw the blue worm lying on his portion of the wall, still and silent. Turning she noticed the moss hanging limp from the wall, its eyestalks closed. The way sped through the labyrinth and every being passed was sitting, or lying immobile. Through the hedge maze to the forest where the fireys lived: every being inert, even the trees and plants wilted. Eventually the view found the goblin city before entering the castle. Hundreds of goblins and chickens scattered the streets of the city and the halls of the structure, dropped in their steps like a scene from a grotesque version of sleeping beauty.
"They're all asleep?" Sarah asked.
"After a fashion, as is the king so is the kingdom. They await their king's return."
"Oh...oh, no..." She turned wide eyes of shocked realization to Dee, "What happens if..." She cut off her question at Dee's cheerless face.
"If Jareth does not return?" Dee finished for her and she nodded, "The Goblin Kingdom will cease to exist, fading with their king, and the remaining Underground will quickly follow since Jareth's magic has long kept it alive through contact with mortals and their belief."
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NO!" Sarah jerked from the goddess's touch and collapsed to her knees between the daises. "No, that can't be!"
"Yes, I'm afraid so, hon," Dee confirmed, turning compassionate eyes down to Sarah's crumpled form, "I'm sorry."
Tears pouring down her cheeks, Sarah looked up at Dee. "Can't someone else save them?"
"Who, Sarah?" The goddess crouched next to her, the sheer blue sari pooling, "Jareth is the last fae. The others of the Underground possess far less magic, and his has long been the final bulwark against the Underground's demise."
"He knew this? And still he chose to leave? To risk his subjects' lives? Why? How could he?"
To leave his entire kingdom and subjects to this...non-existence and likely death! Sarah tried to contemplate how Jareth could willingly abandon his world.
"A serious flaw in judgment to be sure, but Jareth has existed centuries alone, without true companionship. I suspect he neither understood the full ramifications of his request nor were his decision making skills up to par the moment Zeus took advantage. Zeus himself just awoke from his exile and in his hunger was likely very convincing."
"All because of me, because of what I did to him, and now I've damned them all," Sarah said, miserable.
"No, hon," the goddess caressed the crown of her bowed head, Sarah's sobs compounding her guilt, "because of what I did. I tied your souls together without any explanation to the Goblin King. While not as old as I, he was old enough to understand. I should've explained things to him before you met, guided him to make better decisions. I was arrogant in my own power that your souls would easily find one another."
"And now you want me to choose one of them to live and one to die," Sarah brushed her hair back from her tear-tracked, flushed face, "don't you?" Sarah asked in a bitter voice. Silent and tight-lipped, Dee nodded.
"You're the goddess; why can't you do it? Why me?"
Smiling sadly, Dee answered, "Because of your soul mate bond, Sarah. Your love and belief are more powerful than me in this dilemma. At this point, I cannot override Jareth's decision without
you, without your consent." This was the moment Dee fought for since discovering Zeus's intrusion so many years ago. All her efforts rested on this young mortal's free will.
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Robert noticed the stranger first. His overwhelming presence filled the visitors' waiting room like a deranged St. Nicolas sans the scarlet uniform and gifts of good cheer. The physically fit man of impressive height and girth strode into the room with an aura of ownership never seen before by Robert, who was intimately familiar with egos the size of small nations. He didn't like the man, and he immediately draped his arms protectively over Karen and Toby's shoulders to either side of him in the row of chairs.
"Robert? What's wrong?" Karen asked as she felt not only his arm clutch her, but the atmosphere charge with something indefinably unpleasant.
"Dad?" Both looked to him, following his line of sight until they spotted the new man. Toby shivered and Karen released a choking cough.
"I've got a really bad feeling," he said as he watched the man scan the room with a critical eye, visually picking up and discarding all those he saw as if no more than cockroaches. Sarah's friend Todd made a straggled sound behind them and Robert felt a strong hand grip the space between his neck and shoulder.
"What?" Robert said in a hissing whisper, turning in his seat to meet Todd's wide eyed glare. Kathy hung on his arm, also twisted in her seat. Several rows behind them Robert spied Cassie sitting glumly by herself, arms crossed defensively over her chest.
"Stay away from that man," replied Todd with a heavy note of warning, his skin flushed and hands white knuckling the seat top. "We have to leave...now!"
"Yeah...I got that," Robert answered quietly, easing from his seat. Karen's head swiveled back and forth as she listened to her husband and Todd, and she stood with Robert and Toby. However Todd knew of this stranger, she trusted his instincts for some reason, and willingly trailed after him as they, en masse, moved away from the entrance towards the ICU doorway—the only other way out.
"What about Cassie?" Karen asked and the entire group ceased walking to exchange inquisitive glances looking for Gerard's sister who was no longer in that seat.
What about Cassie...
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"If I choose Gerard," Sarah nearly missed the telltale flinch of Dee's lips, "not only does Jareth and the entire Underground die, but Gerard continues to get worse doesn't he?"
"I'm afraid so, Sarah. As long as Jareth's soul, with the original soul mate resonance remains, Gerard will be unable to function normally and will continue to worsen now that you've met. Zeus's punishment is very severe so that he gains more power through the suffering it creates."
"Can you remove it? The resonance between us?" She hated how hopeful she sounded as she explored every option except the one Dee shoved her toward. But she needed to before...the end or perhaps she only delayed the inevitable. She preferred not to examine her motives too closely.
Sighing, the goddess frowned, "Yes," she admitted reluctantly, "but you will find that it will change your relationship."
"How?"
"Sarah, the resonance is what drew you together so strongly, what your love is based on. If I remove that," Dee shrugged, "I cannot promise what will remain. Gerard is a mortal man with his own free will. He may feel differently without the passionate connection to you."
"But with it we can never truly be together. Jareth's soul will drive him further insane until..."
"Until only a shadow of Gerard remains, eventually—possibly soon I fear— Gerard will die and take Jareth's soul with him forever."
"Jer...," Sarah pivoted on her knees to her fiancé's likeness, placing her forehead to his cold face, "Dee, I love him, I love him so much!" A comforting hand rested on her shoulder.
"I know, Sarah. You know that of anyone in the universe I believe you without reservation. I'm sorry my plans for you have gone so awry. I only meant for you to be happy. You do believe me, don't you?"
"You're asking me to give up the only man I've ever truly loved." Sarah's wretched eyes pierced Dee's as Sarah's sadness transformed to anger. "You did this!"
Sarah scooted from Dee's touch, her face a mask of pain, "Pushed me to love a man whom I can't keep in my life without dooming him, my friends, and their entire world to death, a man whom I was never supposed to meet! How dare you play with our lives! Manipulate us this way! Why, Dee,
why?"
"Sarah, I
am sorry. If Zeus had not interfered I would've made sure you and Jareth successfully found each other with as much happiness as I'm able to grant. This terrible decision would not exist."
Baring her teeth, Sarah practically growled, "When do we deal with Zeus?"
"That is not your concern," Dee replied in a crisp, regal tone.
"Fine, just so long as the bastard is dealt with." Sarah turned away to face Gerard, her back to the goddess. Her mind in turmoil, Sarah took comfort in being with her fiancé in any form. After several moments Dee leaned close and placed her hand flat to Sarah's back which sparked a response.
"This is just fucking great! Either way I lose the man I love, right?" Sarah snapped at the first touch of Dee's hand.
"Hon," She said, rubbing gently to coax the mortal to look at her, "What if I could promise you that it doesn't end here? There are such things as second chances, Sarah. The original soul mate destiny can still be obtained."
Shuddering, Sarah finally turned and looked at Dee, "You mean with Jareth?"
"Would it be so terrible? Don't lie to me, Sarah. You know I see your true heart. Didn't some part of you fall in love with Gerard because you thought he might be Jareth? Because he reminded you of Jareth?"
"...I...," She choked back her immediate answer then chewed her now raw lower lip, a large tear slipping from one eye.
"You don't have to answer me, just think about it." With that weighty thought, Dee stood and walked a few paces from Sarah to allow her a false sense of privacy. She even did her best to pretend to not hear the one-sided conversation Sarah held with representation of Gerard. Sarah talked of their short, but passionate time together. How much he changed her for the better by assuaging her anxiety and need to control. Dee overheard Sarah speak of missing him, now much she loved him. How unfair their circumstances were.
After a time, her crying muted; Sarah stood and faced the lifeless figure of Jareth. She watched Sarah walk the three paces to the Goblin King's dais. She didn't touch him or kneel as she did for Gerard, but Sarah did lay her hand on Jareth's forearm. Nothing audible passed to Dee's ears, but she sensed something profound occur as Sarah's hand caressed Jareth's arm, moving to his hand where her fingers laced with his non-responsive digits momentarily.
So focused on Sarah's deliberation, Dee nearly missed the distortion rippling through her...Zeus. She ground her teeth. Time grew short. They needed to return before Zeus caused further trouble. Sarah's decision must come soon, or it would be irrelevant.
"So how do I do this?" Sarah released Jareth's hand and walked to the goddess as she spoke, sounding dejected. "Kiss the one I chose, he wakes up, and we live happily ever after?" Dee bowed her head slightly. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Soul mates are meant to fulfill each other's greatest needs and happiness, not be resigned to their fate. Zeus would feel her wrath; intrude in her soul mate affairs would he? She didn't care how much power he gained from new beliefs or torment, she'd pound him back into his early grave.
"Nothing so Disney, Sarah; you must choose with your heart."
"Choose with my heart?" She huffed, "And how do I do that? This is impossible!"
"Whom do you love with all your heart?"
"I...I
don't know!" Sarah said, distressed, her body shaking uncontrollably. Love? How could she answer that question? Gerard? The Goblin King?...Did she...
could she? The thought wasn't unique; she'd dreamt of him since the day she defeated him, not always with negative connotations, and apparently with good reason.
She feared the consequences of either choice, either decision compounding the previous errors of the past, both hers and Jareth's. How could either of them find love again after such damage? In either form? How might she start over with such knowledge? Dee seemed to read the thoughts scrolling over her face and lowered her eyes mournfully.
"Sarah, you must hurry..."
"What if I don't want it, Dee? What if I told you to keep your stupid destiny? You've done nothing but destroy my life!
"I never meant to hurt you, Sarah, but I
need you to be with Jareth. You're the Underground's savior, Sarah Williams!"
"But only if I choose to be," Sarah said derisively.
"Yes, I'm sorry; Sarah, but you must make your choice now." Keeping her voice controlled, yet firm, Dee impressed the urgency on Sarah without revealing the reason. She feared the devastating effects of too much stress on the young mortal. Meanwhile, Dee used her telepathy to contact her siblings regarding their father's current activities and hoped they would not be too late.
"This sucks, Dee."
Dee nodded her lips in a thin line, "Hence the quandary of free will, hon."
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A/N: This chapter was a bitch and a half to write. So much detail to get just right...argh! Hope its answered/clarified all the major questions regarding G/J and how it all came about and what needs to happen with Sarah up to now. I know it's confusing and tons of info which now you'll all understand why I had to split this up for ya'll and me, lol! Officially this is the last 'answer chapter' so if anyone has any questions about them ask now or forever hold your peace. Seriously though...after all this insane dialogue the next chapter moves into action which was a nice change of pace and surprisingly difficult to write. I guess I got so dialogue paced lately.
I've been overwhelmingly happy about the response to 'Within Dreams' so far! This is paced out to be 31 chapters! So enjoy!
