"What do you think you're doing?" Robert yelled.

"You saw him! He was all over my woman!" Daniel met Robert's tone and volume.

"I'm not your woman first of all and secondly he was not all over me."

"Oh, like hell, Linda. You were all over him as well."

"I was not. We were just talking and you went berserk on him! And you're drunk!"

Karen spoke up next. "What is going on?"

"None of your goddamn business." Linda spat.

"Excuse me?" Karen put her hands on her hips. "Your boyfriend punched my daughter's boyfriend in front of my son. You better believe it's my goddamn business."

"Your daughter?" Linda got right up in Karen's face. "Last time I checked she was my daughter."

"She may be your daughter but running out on her as a child doesn't make you her mother or give you any right to show up out of nowhere with some sleaze who punches her boyfriend!"

Oh fuck. This was rapidly getting out of hand. No one had made any move to help Jareth who was ungracefully sprawled on his back. Toby had been forgotten at the table, terrified and on the verge of tears. Sarah bent down next to Jareth and took his head in her hands. She checked the back of his head from the impact of the floor and found a large raised bump. No blood luckily. His cheek had a raised red welt on it that was warm to the touch when she feathered her fingers across the area. That was definitely going to bruise and he would not be happy about it.

"Toby, come here." Sarah motioned Toby over and he came to kneel on the opposite side of Jareth. "Help me get him up." Sarah and Toby lifted Jareth's torso into a sitting position. Just as they got him up his head lolled forward and Jareth opened his eyes.

"My face hurts." He mumbled.

"I know, Jareth. We'll get you something for that in a second. I'll help you up but I need you to stand."

"Hurts…" Was all he said but Jareth wrapped his arm over her shoulder and together they slowly and shakily stood up. When they were standing Sarah was taking the majority of his weight.

"Toby, can you get the bedroom door for me?"

Toby nodded and ran down the hall to the door and swung it open. Sarah helped Jareth stumble away from the arguing and into her bedroom. He tripped once and Sarah couldn't help but think that he was way heavier than he looked but she kept it to herself. They made it to her room and Toby shut the door behind them while Sarah guided Jareth to her bed. She ducked out from under him and moved him so he could sit down. Instead he unceremoniously flopped down on his uninjured side and wiggled his way into a fetal position with her pillows covering his head. He continued to mumble but Sarah ignored him.

Toby was still standing awkwardly at the door. He was staring at his shoes while wringing his hands together.

"Toby?"

He looked up. His eyes were red and filled with unshed tears. Sarah quickly knelt down to his eye-level and wrapped him in a hug. "Aw, Tobes. It's okay to cry. Everyone's fighting upset you didn't it?"

That was all Toby needed for the tears to overflow. He returned the hug with everything he had and nodded into her shoulder.

"They aren't mad at you. You know that, right? Jareth made them angry but Daniel's behavior was inappropriate. Mom and Dad were yelling because they were mad at Daniel."

Toby sniffled but nodded again. "They scared me."

Sarah hugged Toby tighter. Karen and her father rarely fought and when they did it was never this volatile. "I'm sorry, Tobes. They scared me too."

They sat like that for another moment before Sarah spoke again. "Do you want to go back to the hotel or do you want to spend the night with me?"

Toby thought for a moment. "Can I stay with you?"

"Of course." Sarah fidgeted with Toby's hair before releasing him. "You stay in here while I go talk with them." Toby nodded and went to curl up in her wingback. Sarah checked on Jareth again, lifting the pillow off his face to find him either asleep or unconscious. Not a good sign, but he was still breathing and if he vomited at least he was on his side. Returning the pillow she headed for the door. She grabbed the knob but took a moment to calm herself - deep breath in, and out - before opening the door and stepping back into chaos.

"You don't just hit people!"

"He was asking for it! He deserved it!"

"You can't solve an argument by punching someone, you ass!"

"You don't solve anything by insulting someone either!"

"Oh! Would you rather I punched you in the face? Please enlighten me on the best way to resolve a conflict since you, clearly, are an expert on this!"

"Fuck off, you prick."

"No, you-"

"Shut up!" Sarah screamed. Everyone went silent and looked at her. "All of you. Shut up! What is wrong with all of you? You're supposed to be adults. At least pretend to be mature!"

Everyone opened their mouths to give a rebuttal but Sarah wasn't going to have it. "Here is what's going to happen. First. You're all going to get the fuck out of my apartment. And we are not going to try whatever this - " Sarah motioned to the group. " - was ever again. I don't know why you guys thought this would work, but clearly, it didn't. Second, you're going to stop making comments on my romantic life. It is my life and these are my choices. If I bring home someone and your reaction is to knock him unconscious, and then not help him, then none of you have a right to tell me how to manage my relationships. Lastly, Toby is staying with me tonight. You all terrified him and he wants to stay here."

It was silent for a long time. Linda and Daniel looked irate but Karen and Robert were clearly guilted. After a few minutes Daniel gracefully bowed out of the situation. "Fuck all of you." He grunted and he and Linda sloppily gathered their things before stomping out and slamming the door. Sarah sighed and sat down on the sofa, burying her head in her hands. Now she wanted to cry, her mother had clearly chosen someone else over her again.

"Sarah." She opened her eyes to meet Robert's. He was kneeling in front of her. "You're right. We were out of control. Can you forgive me?"

Sarah nodded. "Of course."

"I'm sorry too, Sarah. We shouldn't have done that."

Sarah attempted a weak smile. "I forgive you guys. Thank you for apologizing."

"Can we go talk to Toby?" Karen asked.

Sarah nodded. Robert and Karen went into Sarah's room together. She stood and began clearing dishes off the table and taking them into the kitchen. She had finished piling the dishes in the sink and putting leftovers in tupperware - except Jareth's dish, of course, that went straight to the trash can - when Robert and Karen popped back in the kitchen.

"We talked to Toby. He still wants to stay with you tonight, so we will come pick him up in the morning. Does ten sound alright? Then we can all sleep in."

Sarah nodded. "Sounds good, Dad."

Karen and Robert gathered their things and walked to the front door. Karen hugged Sarah. "We love you, Sarah. And again, we are so sorry."

"I know." Sarah hugged Karen and then her Dad. "I love you guys too. See you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Sarah. Love you." Robert said before he closed the door. Sarah locked the door and slumped down on the floor against it.

"Shit." Was all she could manage. She sat there for probably fifteen minutes sniffling and drying occasional tears before she felt like she could go face the Goblin King and her little brother. She stood and made her way back to the bedroom. When she opened the door she could see both Toby and Jareth had fallen asleep on the bed. She didn't know long Toby had been there but clearly this is where he wanted to sleep tonight. She could sleep on the couch. However, she didn't know how Jareth would feel about waking to a bedfellow. She lifted the same pillow off his head. He was still breathing but his bruise was starting to turn purple and swell. He should probably get ice on that. She pressed her hand into his shoulder. "Jareth." Nothing.. She shook him a little. "Jareth." This time he mumbled and opened his eyes. "Jareth I need you to get up." He rolled onto his back and looked up at her with no recollection in his eyes. Then something dawned on him.

He shot up straight. "Sarah Williams. Come to storm the castle again?" Sarah tried to shoosh him. She didn't want to wake up Toby. "Soooooosh yourself." He said as he tried to stand up. He made it to his feet before getting a head rush that made the pain in his face even worse. He fell down on his hands and knees. "Storm the castle and commit regicide I see."

Sarah knelt down next to him. "Jareth. Look at me." He met her eyes. "Jareth. This is my room. Not your castle. And Daniel punched you, remember?"

It took another minute of staring at her face to realize that she was right. "Oh...Yes. Hi Sarah."

"Hi Jareth. Come on, stand up. Lets get you ice and something for the pain. And be quiet. Toby is asleep." She pointed to the bed. Jareth looked, saw Toby, and nodded. Quietly they got him up on two feet and left the room, closing the door behind them. Sarah helped Jareth over to the sofa and sat him down. "Do you want ibuprofen?" Sarah left the living room and went to the kitchen.

"What's that?"

"Pain medication."

"Can I have a drink instead?"

"What, a whole bottle of wine not good enough for you?" She couldn't find the ibuprofen so a drink would have to suffice. It wasn't like he was getting behind the wheel. If he used his teleportation magic while under the influence the worst thing that could happen to him is that he could end up in the Bog of Eternal Stench. That would be more poetic than damaging.

"I did not drink a whole bottle."

"Yes you did." Sarah found a bottle of ginger beer in the back of her fridge and threw together two moscow mules. Heavy on the vodka in his. He didn't seem concussed, just a little shaken, so the best thing she could do for him was ease his pain and get him to bed. The vodka would do that just fine. She also wrapped up some ice in a thin towel and went back to the living room. "Here. For your face."

"What's wrong with my face?" He stood up and walked to the nearest mirror which hung near her front door. "Ah!" He lightly touched the bruise on his face. It was a deep blackish-blue now and swelling more each minute. It stood out horribly against his pale skin. "I'm ruined. I'm forever marred and imperfect." He came back to her, snatched the ice pack and drink, pouted, and slumped back into the sofa.

They sat in silence and drank. Their moscow mules were enough to push them both past the edge of tipsiness into uninhibited drunkenness.

"Did it work?" Jareth asked.

"Hmm?" Sarah couldn't remember what he was talking about.

"The plan? Did I grant your wish?" Jareth wiggled into the sofa so he was lying down on the good side of his face.

"Eh." Sarah was in a sofa opposite Jareth leaning on an armrest. "I'm not sure. I don't think they'll give me a hard time anymore. You missed my big speech this time."

"Good. Your speeches don't end well for me."

Sarah snorted. "Jareth?"

He had closed his eyes but they fluttered open. "Yes?"

"Why do you keep showing up and trying to grant my wishes?"

Because I'm insecure and lonely and I only have goblins to keep me company? Goblins have poor interpersonal communication skills. "You were the only runner to treat the citizens of the Labyrinth with kindness. I was hoping you'd be nice to me too. I wanted a friend."

She threw a pillow at him which startled him out of his pity party. "Dork. All you had to do was ask. You didn't have to be annoying and rude."

Another silence fell on the two as they both fought the exhaustion that was washing over them. "I'm sorry." Jareth mumbled.

"Forgiven."

"No, I'm sorry for earlier. I shouldn't get glitter in food. That's bad. And for letting goblins get in your underwear and then dumping them out."

"Mm..Thanks for apologizing. I forgive you." Sarah had slowly began to lay down. "Sorry for yelling."

"Apology accepted." He mumbled. His eyes had fallen shut and his breathing was beginning to even out.

"Hey, Jareth. New friend?" Sarah's posture mimicked Jareth's.

"Yes?"

"I wish for a million dollars."

He mustered up enough energy for a small chuckle. "No."

"Fine."

Then they both fell asleep.

Jareth was the first to wake up in the morning. The sun shone directly on his face and he very quickly became aware that he was hungover and had was in terrible pain. He gently touched his cheek and remembered the punch that KO'd him. Slowly he sat up. The apartment was quiet and empty and Sarah was asleep on the sofa across from him. The place was also a mess. He could see that Sarah had cleaned up the table but the kitchen was disastrous and furniture wasn't in its proper place. He stood up. The least he could do was clean. He rolled his wrist and a crystal danced into existence. He tossed it in the air and let it fall and shatter on the ground. As it hit the furniture jumped back to its original layout, the dishes were cleaned, and everything tidied itself up. Jareth smiled at Sarah's sleeping form. "Until next time, friend!" Then he disappeared.

And landed in the Bog of Eternal Stench.

The end.