Indiana Jones and the Fey RIng

"Dr. Jones, I need your help."

Indiana Jones took off his glasses slowly; he didn't need them, so he could get a better look at the young woman before him a bit better without them. They just gave him a touch of dignity

"In what way? You don't appear old enough to be a relic." He had gramps' corny pick up lines too, such as I got my father's eyes, mother's ears, but the rest is yours.

"You are renowned for continuing your great grandfather's research into pre Celtic Britain, " she continued in a no nonsense voice. He nodded. "You are familiar with the Fomor/ De Dannan wars." It was a statement not question. Another nod that gave up nothing.

"Yeah. There's several variants, further obscured by the popularity of science fiction and fantasy - Tolkien, Flint, Lawhead, Bradley, etc. What's your interest?"

His guest smiled. "Then you know as well that the Tuatha De Dannan, the children of Dana, are considered the source of all the Fey folk legends."

"Yes- the Fey would be more like the elves in Peter Jackson's movies than cute little twerps or Tinkerbells."

"The Tinkerbell variety has very sharp fangs," she smiled, almost fondly, rubbing a spot on her hand as if it'd been on the wrong end of a fairy bite. "But you are correct on the Fey. They are noble and regal, and dangerous."

"If they are real, but we are both too old for fairy stories," Indy chuckled.

"Even true ones?"

He looked at her sharply.

"Come now- your grandfather battled demons over sacred stones, he and your grandmother stood under the storm of God's fury as the Ark opened, but were spared, and he used the Holy Grail to save your great grandfather's life, you know that science doesn't begin to cover reality."

"Where did you hear all this?" he demanded.

"Sources. Enough to know that if you doubt you are a fool, and not the person I need."

"For?"

"To find a way into the Hollow Hills."

"The lands of the Fey."

She nodded now. "It is vitally important."

"Let's say I go along with this, Miss Williams, yeah, I recognize your photo from the blurb about the book signing at the mall. Why do you want to? The Blessed Cauldron or the Lia Faille? Excalibur? What are you after?"

"Not what, or if it's what, nothing much. Just my life." Seeing she'd managed to break his cool gave her enough satisfaction to go on with her reply. "Much of the mishmash about the Fey Lands is just that, mushed up romanticized drivel." She could tell by the assessing look in his eyes he thought she looked like a romantic dream, since that night, she'd had insight and empathy. Useful and a bane both. "But one part is true and currently important. You may return unscathed from the shining lands if you do not eat or drink."

"Sounds like a good diet camp ad."

"Perhaps." She did not rise to his humor. "Twelve years ago, I went to those lands, and returned- obviously, having won my quest, but I lost as well." In many ways. "But the Fey King has the last laugh- his gift to me, a peach, doomed me. I hungered and ate. Now that bite is slowly draining my life. I must return and ask him for my life. Or at least tie up the loose ends of it before it's gone."

Indy's self control kept him from laughing outright at her story. She might be dying, now that she'd said it, he could see that the dreamy quality was more of an ethereal air, as if one was slipping from this world to another. But come on now- after all- "What kind of doctor gave you that diagnosis?" He'd be on the phone five minutes after she left getting their liscense investigated.

Once he looked up the number.

"Ever read CS Lewis?"

"He's dead isn't he?" Indy asked warily, not sure where she was going.

"Yes, but his Space Trilogy touched on a truth- there are Christian mystics who have a connection to Albion, the land between this realm of the world and the Fey one. One of them was able to diagnose me. Come now, surely the man who can not die because he drank from the Grail can believe me."

Indy stopped dead in his tracks. He'd been careful for the last fifty odd years to hide that, moving often, pretending to be his own son and grandson. "Again I ask- what is your source?"

"The same people who told me why I am dying. I'd ask you to take me to Petra, but given the current situation in the Middle East-not a good plan. Besides, he's not in Petra, and I owe him." The last was said almost to herself.

Now Indiana had to believe her. That part of his grail quest had never made the reports, official or otherwise. "Okay, I admit it, I'm the same Indy who found the Grail and the Ark. Not his grandson. And I'm not sure I'd take you to Petra if I could, that knight might insist on me staying this time, and frankly, I don't wanna."

"I know." Her smile was thin, knowing. "I wanted to see if you would tell me."

"Can you drink?" Indy asked after taking a moment to reassess things.

"Yes, though I ususally prefer not to."

"I hate to drink alone," he prompted, "and I think I'll need one to hear your story." Pouring from the mini bar in his office, he went on, "Let's start at how you got into the Fey Country to begin with.."

"It began when I was fifteen..."

Half an hour later, the story wound down, "And so when I was diagnosed, the first thing I did was wish for the goblins to take me away, right now."

Indy nodded. "Logical."

"But, it didn't work. I thought, Jareth's still angry- I don't blame him for that."

"I would be- c'mon- Sarah. You were fifteen, confused, and what kind of declaration of love is fear me love me do as I say? I've got better lines than that. "

She smiled a bit. "Well, I'm not you. So I went back to the healer, and they did some checking- I hit the right time when I wished Toby away before- the veil will only allow passage every few years, and the next thinning is too far away. But there are places where you can still make it through anytime. Or if you have the right key, you can go anywhere anytime. And you can only leave again if you bear a token of that sort or have Jareth's permission. Frankly, I want a backdoor if I can get in, just in case he is really angry."

Indy listened, staring at the barely touched whiskey in his glass. He'd seen too much not to believe. What a mess. Here she was, wanting to live, and here he was, wishing he could die. He did enjoy life, but he missed them. Marcus, Salla, his Marianne, even dad, and the original Indiana- his dog. Shorty. Willie. All of them. He'd trade with her in a second if he could.

"Deal. I'll do what I can, though I don't know what that is, but I want to speak to this king of yours too."

Sarah grinned now, extending a hand to shake on it. "I have a few leads, just not ones sick women can follow alone."

Indy nodded. "I don't have much hope for finding a silver branch or golden bough, much less sacred apples. And if we assembled all the splinters of the Cross, we could build a mega bridge, so the accuracy there ain't great. Don't even suggest trying for the Stone of Scone- last people that tried were almost blown up."

Sarah laughed. "No, I have a gift for the Fey King already. But I need to get where I can find him."

"Mind if I ask what it is?"

Slowly, pushed up her sleeve. A bracelet encircled her arm, a crystal one. "The stones came from Merlin's Cave. I found it on my dresser table shortly after the adventure. A replacement for the one I gave away, cheap plastic. But this is real. I have worn it ever since- and when I met the healer, he told me that it alone kept me from fading away completely. The energies preserved Merlin until Nianna freed him. Because he is immortal, he was weak, but lived. Because my body is not, it can only sustain me, and not that long really. I intend to offer it to Jareth. My life. Ceding this means he must help me or I die. "

Indy scratched his chin. "Think it's a set up- if he gave it to you, then he must have known this would happen."

"That occurred to me, yes. If so, he means for me to find him, and knows I will understand. Whether a set up or not, what choice "does I got'?" She smiled as she recalled Hoggle's words.

Indy had to give her the truth of that point.

"I'll be admitting that I was wrong, what better jewel to give the man who has it all but that?"

"About what?"

"He does have power over me."

Indy considered this, turning his glass in half circles. "Okay- you have a key of sorts. Whatcha need me for? Moral support?"

Sarah's silence forced him to look her in the eyes. "Frankly, yes, at least partly. How many people can I tell this too that will believe me? I need that, so that if things go wrong, someone will know the truth, and so if I lose courage, someone can tell me I have to do it. Someone who has as little to lose as me."

"What makes you think I don't have a lot to lose?" It was a rhetorical question, for appearances sake. They both knew that. So she did not answer. He knew as well as she did. "That's not enough reason." He said that partly out of defiance.

"I don't really know where to go. Even though the rules are fairly ambiguous, I know that there is a right place to go for it to work."

The bracelet caught the light, flashing a star at Indy.

He reached out and snagged her wrist.

"Hey!"

With a grin, he told Sarah, "Trust me." It felt good to say that again.

He peered closely at it, seeing a pattern suddenly. He needed his dad's books.

Scared by his intense silence, Sarah asked, "What?"

"I've seen these patterns before. Dad's first step on his Grail quest was to look for Camelot. He felt a connection with King Arthur, some strange reason. We spent more than one summer break tramping over the forgotten places in the British Isles. Places tourists don't go. Crumbled forts, caves that only a skinny kid could get into, Mom freaked over that one. Sending her son into a crawlspace to look for who knows what. We found one little out of the way place on an island. Dad translated some of the carvings to read Ambrosius' Raith. Ambrosious was Merlin, actually Myrhddin's, father. Possibly related to King Arthur as well. There was a miniature circle of stones, a scale model of Stonehenge almost, but a little more complete. It had a lot of writing on it- and I recognize some of the symbols. But Dad didn't have to translate all of them to know it may be part of the Artos Cycle but had nothing to do with the Grail. Possibly predated the quest- since that was late in the whole affair. "

"No pun intended?"

"Intended. "

"Do you know what these mean?"

"No. Dad wrote down some of it, but not all. Once he knew that it was too early to involve the Siege Perilous, Grail, etc, he lost interest. Not sure that it really matters what they mean- the whole point might just be to lead you to that spot. It was clearly a site of importance, though there were no real artifacts that could be carted to a museum. Some of the standing circles have graves, this one didn't. So no treasures. Historically important or not, most diggers won't bother with non profit sites. Most, not all." He had a thoughtful look on his face. "But one would. Belloq. Hate to admit it, but that SOB would value the potential sacredness of it more than monetary value."

"Can we talk to him?"

"Your source didn't tell you? He got fried when he opened the Ark. If he'd just read the Bible a little closer, he would have known not to do something that dumb- Aaron's sons got fried in pretty much the same way- or Uzza - he got it for touching it wrong."

"If he's dead, how do we ask him anything?" Sarah asked, frowning more from the slight increase in pain she experienced than puzzlement.

Indy's grin was a mix of triumph and sheepishness. "He was my main rival- when he was eliminated, I did some work and got access to all his archives and records, we won't go into details. He'd stolen a lot of it from ME afterall, so I was justified. It's all scattered through storage lots across the country, bulky to move around- but modern technology, great thing sometimes. I scanned images and records onto a dvd rw. Belloq's life work reduced to a thin disc."

There was a certain satisfaction to that.

Before he could continue, he noticed Sarah seemed to be literally fading, as if she was slipping into some other place. As he tried to comprehend and determine what to do, she stabilized, and it was over. She was weak, obviously, but okay enough.

"I'll be fine," she promised. "For almost a year at least."

"A year?"

"I really don't look to survive beyond the thirteenth year past Jareth's loss."

"Any special reason?" Indy knew that 13 had a lot of superstitious connotations, though the significance found in sevens had always seemed a bit more intriguing and factual.

"I had thirteen hours in the Labyrinth. A bit less, he took hours when I said the wrong thing." A pained smile softened her words.

"What did you say?"

"Is it important?"

"Absalutely... not. But I am nosy. Occupational hazzard."

"I called his labyrinth a piece of cake, so he gave me a little slice. And I did lose time in the bubble."

"Bubble?"

"Where we danced," but she would not say more. "How old are you now?"

Indy recognized that she wanted to change subjects. "Between ninety and a hundred."

"You look good for an old geezer."

"And you look exhausted," he countered, not offended. "You may have a year, but you need rest. Guest room's down the hall to the right. I think the sheets have been changed recently. Get a nap. I'll call an old friend's grandson to charter a plane."

"I'm not sure I have a budget for something like that," Sarah bit her lip.

"Only way to get to it. Don't worry. When I appropriated Belloq's stash, it came with enough funds to keep me well off for a while."

Sarah gave in, but didn't go to sleep. She just stared at the crystals, almost seeing within them another land.

Over the next few days, Indy kept in close contact with her, pulling every bit of information she could recall from the adventure from her. Finally, he asked the one question she didn't really want to consider. "Let's say this is the right spot, and you can get in to see His Tightness, " (Indy had also had her describe Jareth in minute detail) "and tell him he does have power over you, effectively contradicting the scene when he sent you home. Will that null and void your prior victory, giving him the right to take your kid brother again?"

Sarah shrugged, not looking at him. "I can't say. It occurred to me, but frankly, Toby is on the verge of being sent to military school. Five minutes of being around the brat, and Jareth'd want to send him home."

"Typical kid, huh? Becoming a goblin might improve his personality then. However, according to all the legends of people who became lost in the Fairy lands, none were turned into monsters."

"Yeah, but even so, if I'd just lost him, do you have any idea how long Karen would have grounded me? I'd still be in my room."

Indy laughed and handed her one of the English notebooks he did have in his possession of Belloq's. "You might see something in there that I missed. I hated Rene' so much that when I read his words, I still hear his voice mocking me, and can't see much. But I gotta admit, he did have talent."

After a few minutes, Sarah pointed to a page. "Yes, Belloq did go to your island. Listen." Ignoring Indy's muttered, "son of a " she read, Today I found the charming Isle Dr Jones Sr abandoned too soon. True, there is not much of marketable value here. Too move the stones would render them worthless. Should this idiotic war of that foolish painter's go on much longer, I will return here. This world I live in has little left to discover. A new one would suit me. Though the lack of competition will be missed.

"He was talking about Hitler," Indy noted. "One of the few things we agreed on. Hitler was scum and we agreed on Marianne."

"Your wife."

He nodded absently, pointing to a black and white photo of a young lady in a white dress. "We both loved her. " After all this time, he could admit that Belloq had cared for Marianne Ravenwood. Not just because she belonged to him either.

"That dress- "

"She looked great in it, but I hated that dress," Indy commented, for once sounding old. "He gave it to her."

"- It looks like the one Jareth first saw me in."

Indy wasn't sure why that was important, but he felt obligated to say something. "Well, I guess at some point every heroine needs to wear a white dress. I'm sure it's a rule in some book."

"He thought your father's discovery opened the door to other worlds."

"Apparently. " Childishly, Indy was hoping it wouldn't work, he would hate for Belloq to be right. No, that was mean, and if he kept hoping it, he'd prove Belloq right about something more important. Come now, Dr. Jones, you and I are two sides of the same coin. We are the same. Even dead that French B's voice was smarmy.

"Will you be ready to leave tomorrow?" he asked instead of dwelling on grim thoughts.

"Of course. "

Weakness forced Sarah to hang onto Indy's arm as they crossed the tarmac to a modernized forties plane.

"Ever gonna get rid of that piece of junk?" Indie asked the slim young woman leaning against it.

"The Peregrine has it where it counts, boy," she drawled, bored with their old argument. "You learn to fly, then you can pick the ride." Turning her green gaze on Sarah, she introduced herself. "Jaquie Hanover. My families been flyin' his around since his grandpa was runnnin the globe digging for ancient garage sales. " Obviously, she didn't know Indy was his grandpa, or didn't know if Sarah knew. Either way..

Sarah nodded. "Sarah Williams, nice to meet you."

"No pets copiloting?" Indy asked cautiously.

"Sissy," Jaquie scoffed. "Left the snakes at home, just in case St. Pat's ghost might be lurking round this isle of yours."

"Great. Thanks so much," Indy sneered back. "I ask you, what kind of woman hangs out with snakes?"

"What kind of he man's scared of 'm?" she shot back.

"The smart kind."

"Sissy."

Fortunately, despite the ancient look, it was modern as anything, and had seats enough for Sarah to be able to stretch out comfortably, though had she been taller, that might have been questionable.

Indy was back in full gear, loose shirt, patched so much that it was more one big patch than anything else. Leather pants, scruffy jacket, fedora, and whip. Felt good to be himself again.

Sitting in the copilot's chair, Indy visited some old memories until Jaquie commented, "Your girl back there- looks like she's a bit ill to be goin' on one of these quest things your family seems so fond of."

"She can make it," he responded nonchalantly.

"If you say so."

"And she's not my girl."

"Same song, second verse."

"What- you jealous?" he asked, more to get a rise out of her than anything else. Getting involved with a girl who could be his grandchild would be just - unthinkable.

She snorted. "Hardly. " Sliding a sly glance back at Indy, added, "I don't want to be involved with someone who's not more of a man than me."

He was almost tempted to make something of it and prove her wrong, despite reservations and the possibility of plane crash, then he heard a sharp cry from the back.

Giving Jaquie a 'we will finish this later' look, Indy manuevered to the passenger section. Sarah had dozed off, but appeared to be locked in some nightmare. Well, leastways Jaquie really hadn't smuggled a pet aboard that had gotten loose and scared the girl. Reaching out, he gently shook her awake. "Hey, whatcha running from?" he asked softly.

It took her eyes a moment to register who was speaking to her.

Sagging with relief, she grimaced. "Him."

"This king of yours?"

She nodded.

"If he scares you so bad just in dreams- are you sure he'll help?"

Sure, no of course not. But he was her best hope. In Jareth's own logic, he had done everything she asked of him-

You asked that the child be taken I took him. You cowered I was frightening. I reordered time. I turned the world upside down. All for you. But then I am exhausted from living up to you expectations. Had she, even inadvertently, asked too much? But even after that speech, he'd declared, I will be your slave. True, it was conditional. But still.

"Sarah?"

"Sorry. Just thinking. I'm not certain, but he's my only hope."

"It's never a good thing for some wizard to be your only hope," Indy noted with a wry look. "You generally wind up helping yourself more than anything else."

"Much experience or did you just get scared by Judy Garland as a child?"

"Maybe I'll tell ya someday."

A wave of that fading feeling passed over Sarah. When the world was fairly steady, she managed to say, "It better be a bloody good story if that's the best bribe you can come up with to hang on."

"If it's not, I got a million better ones."

Sarah winced.

"They aren't that bad."

"Not that. I'm sure you have wonderful stories. I just feel- I've never had claustrophobia, but-"

Indy reached in his pocket, then Sarah felt something cool being pressed in her hand, and the pressure and pain abated.

"What did you do?"

"Just a hunch. Marianne gave me a pure silver St. Jude's Cross Medallion. Silver is supposed to cure all kinds of evil."

"So you think I'm hopeless?" she only half joked.

"No, but Mar thought I was. The cross is the main point. If I had St. Christopher or Joan or whoever, I'd try them. Help?"

She nodded.

Indy sat down across the aisle, wondering what this meant. Even worse than snakes, he hated flying blind. Reflexively, he pulled out his revolver to give it a cleaning and make sure everything was in order.

A vaugely nauseating sweetness assailed Sarah's nose. "What are you doing?" she asked tensely.

"Huh? Oh - this is one of the reasons a commercial flight was out- gun checks can be tense. Lately."

Breathing shallowly, Sarah asked, "Why do you need it?"

"I'm a cautious man." He frowned. "You look kind of green."

Holstering it, he began to rise to check on her, then noticed the color returning to her face. Indy sat down again, adding things in his mind, but getting algebraic answers, X the unknown.

His least favorite answer.

Discontent, he ambled back forward.

"There goes my peace and quiet," Jaquie moaned in mock horror.

"Jacintha," Indy said deliberately, "what do you know about folks with an allergy to iron?"

"Nothing- if you insist on using that horrid name in reference to moi. "

"Jaquie."

"They're in a sorry state in this world. Iron's all over the place, except my house. Wouldn't be caught dead using one."

"You're allergic to iron?"

"Not to iron, to ironing. Take a joke. What- you're gonna capture some o' the wee folk and bring them back alive, but oops, the plane is all metally. Could be a problem that."

"Wee folk?"

"Yeah. Fairies, elves, all that kind. Let me guess, not sophisticated enough for young Indy to listen to fairy stories? So sorry, mate."

"Thanks. You have been helpful," Indy admitted, then added for effect, "in your own weird way."

"You'll turn my poor little ol' head with your flattery, Dr Jones," she mock Southern belle drawled, "not."

Add to his list of hates, putting not at the end of a sentence.

The answer he was getting was just not possible.

So it must be real.

He was getting too old for this.

Damn.

88888888888888888

Jaquie set the plane down on the isle beach.

"Stay with the plane," Indy ordered, rather unnecessarily.

"Aye, aye, mon Captain. I'm stayin with MY plane because that's where I want to be. Tramping through some Celtic bog, not my cup of tea- or is that too English."

Ignoring her sassiness, Indy asked, "Sure you can handle the trek?"

As her feet stepped onto the loamy soil, Sarah nodded. "Feel better already. "

"Uh huh."

Two and two - he wasn't liking the four.

"A lacy poet shirt isn't exactly work clothes, princess," he noted.

"What work? Standing in the middle of a circle of rocks?"

"Reflex. This usually gets dirty."

"What about this expedition falls under the heading of usual?"

"Let's hope not much," he muttered, since usual usually meant, Nazi types, even if Nazis were dead there were still rotten idiots, guns, falling rocks, and creepy crawly ugly ughs. Were they close enough to Ireland for the no snakes rule to hold- and was that true or not? Sure, and it's nought more'n a legend, laddie, but he had witnessed legends come to life, and the girl with him was looking for Goblin kings, so hey, what's a snake banishing Saint in the mix?

Sarah's strength seemed to improve with every step, making the going easier for both of them.

Still, it was nearly twilight when they reached the fairy ring. Looking at it, Indy thought it less impressive than it had been decades ago. He wondered what Belloq had seen. It didn't inspire dreams of new worlds to conquer in him. Was he too jaded.?

"It looks like something out of Tolkien," Sarah breathed.

"Lemme know if Arwen shows up. We'd be a great match."

Sarah ignored him.

"So, whatcha gotta do to raise the goblins?" Indy asked, torn between following her hesitant steps and just waiting, not sure if his prescence was needed or wanted.

"Last time, they gave me the words..."

Indy recalled what she'd told him. "Don't be hasty- I have no desire to be wished off."

She turned innocent eyes on him. "Will you wish me away then?"

"But I - "

Her eyes begged him. "It's what I want."

"Then," he said with unexpected logic, "wish yourself away. It's gotta mean more coming from you."

Sarah rested one hand on the cross beam of one of the mini henges. In the fading sun, her crystal bracelet looked like a ring of flame encircling her wrist. Indy thought she would remain silent, had changed her mind. Then, though he barely heard it,

"I wish Jareth would come to me, now, and take me away."

With no warning, the storm rose around them, taking his mind back decades to that awful night tied to the pole watching Belloq turn on his "radio" to God.

Not God, but someone else appeared in the lightening. Looked like the guy's hair'd taken a beating in the storm, except it was dry, if electrified looking.

Somehow, Sarah kept her feet, though her hands clung to the stones. Indy's reached reflexively for either his gun or whip. However, he was not sure of his accuracy in this.

"I am not planning on hurting her, Dr. Jones," a cultured voice informed him. "But I would like to know why she dares summon me again."

"Because I was wrong," Sarah said. "You do have power over me, and I- I needed to tell you that before I died."

Indy could see the flicker on the king's regal face. Not what he expected. Good. Surprise was useful.

"You are young, even among your dying race, well - mostly dying," the eyes glanced at Indiana.

"But I am nearing the end."

"So what is this, confession? Finding comfort for your troubled soul? One last thrill before the end?" Though harsh, Indy heard something more.

Never play poker with a Jones boy, they could see through the toughest bluff. Henry Sr alone could beat his son at five card stud.

She bit her lip, not hearing the vulnerable note. "No. I- I didn't want to die regretting.."

"What," he demanded.

Indy'd had enough. Despite Marianne's accusations when he found her in the snow, he had always respected women, and seeing this game, pissed him off. "She's been going on for days about how much she loves ya, idjit. And now you're scaring her to death. Yeah, I heard all that you cowered and I was scary bit, but I think ya got it in reverse. "

"Silence, grail bearer!"

"Do I look like a hobbit?" Indy muttered.

"Does he speak the truth?"

Sarah nodded through her tears and the rain.

"What is it?" Jareth asked, recalling all the dread diseases mankind seemed to inflict on themselves.

"No one knows, I'm just fading."

Indy debated a bit, then called out, "She seems allergic to this world, especially iron. Now, I'm not dad, but two and two adds up to me."

Jareth seemed to not heed the strange man, but did ask, "Sarah, look at me."

She looked up. His thumb brushed tears away so her eyes were clearly seen.

"Four it is, Doctor. She's turning fey, and the changes are making this world intolerable to her."

"Got the cure? She was gonna return the bauble- but I'm thinking there's a better idea. Unless," Indy frowned as new possibilities began turning in his mind. "Exactly what is that thing? Is it turning her? Did you plan on this? A bit of revenge. There's all kinds of ways this could play. "

Thunder cracked. Indy was willing to believe that scary hairy might've caused it as a reflection of his mood. Jaquie! He glanced up the trail. She was not going to be thrilled about being caught in a storm.

"Your companion does not feel the storm," Jareth informed him.

"Stay outta my head and answer the question," Indy snapped.

"Did you change me?" Sarah asked softly and without accusation.

Jareth was silent, then sighed. "It is a pity you did not accept my offer. Truly, I was so sure of it that yes, I put the wheels in motion for you to be able to adapt to Underground life. Until you came, no one has ever walked out, so the effects could not be anticipated with surety."

"The bracelet?" she prompted.

"It keeps you alive, even if barely. Taking it off for very long will kill you, painfully, I fear."

Both men were shocked when she began to slide it off her wrist. Lightening reflexes moved Jareth's hand out to stop her.

"No. I can't live a life that dies by inches," she said. "Painful or not, it's right."

His grip did not slacken. Indy could see his knuckles had turned white, holding her still. The handle of his whip seemed to jump into his hand, waiting to be used. He just didn't know how, to pull her away with it or lash at her captor.

"There are alternatives," Jareth insisted in the gap.

"You can make me human again?"

Lying might solve things for the moment, but Jareth seldom lied since it solved nothing long term. "No. Once the Fey mingled with your people readily. Half and quarter bred fey are all over your land as a result. In this science realm, the genetic gifts sleep, but when you entered my world, everything began to change for you. It all might have happened even if you had not eaten my peach. Going backwards is not an option without damaging you too much to be repaired in either world. "

"Toby- will he-"

Still always thinking of her brother. "He is not your full brother. Your gifts come from your maternal side, as they always are passed. Karen is totally, inexorably human."

"Alternatives," Indy called, reminding him both of the topic and the fact that Indy was there.

"I can strengthen the spell and enable you to live in this world more comfortably," Jareth admitted reluctantly. "Or you can come to mine to live. The offer stands. Fey never go back on their word."

The world seemed to stop. It came down to what did Sarah want, but she had forced herself to not think first about what she wanted ever since she'd realized how selfish she had been.

She looked back at Indiana Jones, asking him to help her know what to do.

He shook his head. "Don't put the choice on me, kid. It's your call."

Jareth looked between them with narrow eyes. Indy knew that look. "We are not involved. Sorry to say."

"What will happen if I go with you?" she asked finally.

"You will get well. " What a simple question.

"No, I mean, what can I be in your kingdom?"

"Bards always are welcome, but there is a position in the castle," Jareth began slowly.

Indiana shoved his hat back. Nice to know someone had worse pick up lines than he did. "Sarah, I think he's trying round two of the fear me love me bit. Jar, I'll stick around and give you a few pointers if you like."

The king's cold eyes fell on Indy, making him regret his smart mouth. "I assure you, I have no need of such assistance, and only yours to Sarah keeps you alive. But for how long?"

"Death really does not scare me," Indy found himself saying.

"Really? You have so much to live for, Doctor." Jareth's eyes flicked back the way they had come.

Indy did not answer, just made a suggestion. "If either of you love the other one, just admit it, and make our lives easier. Sar, you told me you were going to admit it even if it was your last words."

"I thought I dreamed that part," she whispered.

"You were about to fall into the tea cups when you said that, but I heard it. Now, c'mon. I don't like playing intermediary."

"He's right- I do." But she looked at her feet, afraid that it was one sided.

"It's something I have said little, but, so do I," the king replied. "The position was queen, if you want it."

Indy turned his back to let them have a moment and to hide his left out feeling. He could almost see Marianne standing in that ridiculous hat and business suit with her dopey grin trying to cheer him up at the end of adventure let down. Her ghost mouthed, You did good, Jones.

I miss you, Mar. Then, the vision faded as he felt a hand on his arm.

"Doctor," the king said softly, "take this crystal. Live your life for a year and a day to the best of your ability to live. If you still wish it to end at the end, return here. There is a way to lay down the gift you were given, but only if it is truly the right thing for you."

Indy nodded tightly, then glanced over Jareth's shoulder to Sarah standing a few feet behind. "You okay, kid? I guess I'm going back without ya, huh?"

She came forward, glanced at Jareth, then kissed Indy one each cheek, mimicing unknowingly the kiss Marianne had given Sallah as they said goodbye. "You take care. You'll be the last man I kiss that's not him," she smiled, glancing back at her waiting king. "Take care of Jaquie."

"She can take care of herself, and what the heck do I tell her? You went into the west?"

Jareth had an answer for that. "No. Just don't mention Sarah. She won't remember her at all. You were just here because you found something in," he frowned searching for a name, "Bellosh's"

"Belloq."

"Journal that lead you here." Then, he took Sarah's bracelet. "She won't need this now. Returning with me will cure her and I have no intention of being away long enough for her to need a reminder. This is what you found."

"Uh- it won't do wonky stuff to me will it?" Indy held it like a baby snake.

"Does it matter if you wish to die?" Jareth asked mockingly. "But no."

Indy opened his mouth to ask another question, but he was alone for a moment, then heard a crashing behind him.

"Jones, I don't do camp outs, so get moving or I'm leaving you on this key and I hope there's snakes."

With a grin, Indy called, "Coming, Jacinthia. "

The next words he heard are not fit to print.

AN- I own nothing.