Here is the next chapter. I think we are nearing the end now, perhaps four more chapters? Anyway, let me know what you think.

Toby staggered and just managed to avoid falling into the clear river that had appeared in front of him. No, he mentally corrected himself, he had just appeared in front of it. His feet were smooth river pebbles and as he turned round the freshness of the air caught at his throat and begged him to breath it in. Heather stretched away from the bank, marred by the scars of peat cutting. Hills rose behind him, sharp and craggy, rearing into the clear sky and frowning down at him. Sighing, Toby ran his hand over his head and began to walk.

Four years.

It took him the best part of two hours before he saw any sign of another human being and by that time the dark peat mud had soaked through his canvas shoes and a good way up the legs of his jeans. It had started to spit with rain and Toby was very much reminded of the fact that all he wore was a single T-shirt.

Four years.

The cottage he had seen was the first of four low houses with dark slates on the roofs, whitewashed walls and wide window sills that told of thick stone built walls. Incongruously, this tiny hamlet also seemed to be in possession of a petrol station. Toby stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out a few quarters. Not very useful. He closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

Four years. An eternity.

Her face came unbidden to his mind. Her blue eyes shining with tears as she had clung to him. Her arms a steel band round his chest, but nothing like the one that crushed at his heart and restricted his breathing at the thought of being separated from her. Her lips against his as he had kissed her. And then she had clung to him even tighter so that he could not leave her behind. Jareth's firm grip pulling her away and her passionate pleas as she had reached for him. But then as Jareth extended his hand it had faded. And he was by the stream.

Four years. And his heart was dying already.

Carefully Toby pushed open the door to the petrol station and a bell jangled noisily above his head. The smell of sweets and sweat assaulted him, sending him reeling in a wave of disbelief that he was really back Aboveground. And that petrol stations existed.

A small woman bustled in through a door that clearly lead into the house to which the office was attached. She stopped short at the sight of the tall, blond young man covered in mud and looking as though he was about to pass out from exhaustion. But her surprise was quickly covered as she offered him an easy smile.

"Whell now," she said and something about her accent gave Toby pause. He looked around himself for any sign of where he was, but could only see more pictures of the towering mountains outside.

"Umm," he said, "excuse me ma'am, could you tell me where I am?"

"Whell now," the woman said again with the same kindly smile. "Wood you look at that. Youwer an American boy."

Her accent had a sing-song quality to it that Toby could not place, but it was soothing and he offered the woman a winning smile.

"Yes ma'am," he agreed. "I live in New York at the moment, but I seem to be lost. Where am I please?"

The woman's laugh rang out with the same musical quality as her speech.

"Youwer a long wey from home son. Deed you fly?" She laughed again at her own joke and Toby waited patiently for her amusement to die down. "By the good Lord, youwer no havin me own! And there wass me peing aw thoughtless t'you. Well lad, youwer on Skye."

The woman saw his look of incomprehension.

"Skye son. The Scottish Hebrides."

Toby stared at her. The Hebrides? Scotland? That bastard Jareth had landed him on a Godforsaken island on the wrong side of the Atlantic? And suddenly Toby couldn't take it anymore. He slumped back, leaning against the door as he slid to the floor as the last of his strength deserted him. He wondered what Phoenix was doing, comfortable in the paradise that was her Underground home. Peaceful and loved.

Four years.

And then, for the first time since he had realised, at the age of eight, that his mother was useless and so wrapped up in herself that she could not care less what he did, for the first time since he had realised that he would have to look after himself, for the first time since he had realised that he was now suddenly a man, Toby felt tears prick at the back of his eyes and he dropped his head into his hands.

Jareth stormed through the backs streets of the Goblin City and before him all the little creatures that inhabited the dark alleys fled from sight, cowering in any corner they felt they would not be discovered. He could still hear Sarah's voice, calling his name as she sought him high and low. So he strode deeper, trying to lose himself although he knew it was fruitless to try to get lost in a place that you know every inch of.

He could have taken Phoenix' anger, he could have taken her tears. But he couldn't take her coldness. He loved his daughter, adored her. She was his little girl who he had held in his arms and sung to sleep. But he had not recognised the young woman who clung to the blond haired youth, who had kissed him. And who, after the boy had vanished, he stood stiffly in his arms and refused to look at him. She had stood woodenly as he had tried to explain gently, showed no reaction when he had lost his temper. And when he fell silent her quiet voice was the worst of all.

"I hate you."

He had reached out his hand to try to...he did not know what...but she had turned and left the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Jareth had stared after her for a long time, the silence in the room heavy as Sarah and Nathaniel held their breath, expecting an outburst. But he had simply turned, strode across the room and dropped from the window.

Jareth paced through the Labyrinth as the until the night fell, not returning to the castle for the evening meal but instead dropping himself into the dark oubliette where Sarah had become trapped all those years ago. He leant against the damp wall, listening the creepy crawly creatures of the night begin their shuffling. And he thought. Four years. It was not that long in the grand scheme of things. He was...how many years old? He had lost count. Four years was nothing. But then she was fourteen. And for her it was more than a quarter of her life. Four years. It was the time he had waited for Sarah. The most painful years of his long existence. The pain of that time haunted his memory, taking its place with the ache that was the loss of his son. Four years for an eternity. But those four years were an eternity in themselves.

Stiffly Jareth pulled himself to his feet and fitted the door into the stone wall. But he did not open it as Hoggle had done, instead grasping it at the top and opening it like a hatch. He stepped through into the clear Underground night.

When he soared through the dark to the window of his chamber, he felt a deep wave of love wash through him. Sarah had left it open for him. Quietly, trying not to rattle his claws and wake her Jareth landed and crept into the room. He looked down at the sleeping face of his wife for a few moments before coming to a decision. Silently, he crossed back to the window and slipped out, spreading his wings and letting the night air carry him round to a different window that he knew was always left open.

He sat on the window sill and watched as Phoenix turned onto her side in her sleep. Her face was smoothed of the lines of anger he had seen marring it earlier and she looked so young and innocent in the moonlight. Jareth sighed and moved into the room, kneeling down beside his sleeping daughter and smoothing her hair away from her face. Sleepily her eyes blinked open.

"Phoenix honey?" She stared at him but otherwise did not react. "Phoenix honey," he whispered again, "I'm sorry."

Her thumb crept into her mouth, a habit that she still could not break, especially when she was sleepy, while her other hand sought out his hand. Her voice was laced with sleep and muffled through the thumb she did not take from her mouth.

"I love him Daddy."

Jareth blinked hard, trying to hide the fact that it felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest.

"I know honey."

Phoenix smiled and her eyes slipped closed again as she drew his hand to her, cuddling it like she had when she was small. Jareth tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

Phoenix spoke again, although her eyes barely flickered open enough to catch a glimpse of him.

"Bu that doesn't mean I don't love you."

Jareth stared at his beautiful daughter as her face began to relax once more into the smooth lines of slumber, his hand still wrapped in her arms. And then, very quietly, she began to hum and Jareth could no longer hold back the tears as he softly joined in with the words of the lullaby she had so loved as a little girl.

Soft her cheek as eiderdown is

Warm and soft her arms entwining...

As Phoenix's breath steadied into the pattern of sleep Jareth sat with her for long time more, wondering if this was the last time he would see this beautiful young woman as a little girl.

It was much later when he finally extracted his hand from her warm embrace and she moaned softly when he withdrew its comfort. He smiled slightly and leant over, placing a soft kiss on her warm brow.

"I love you too, Phoenix," he whispered, before rising, pulling the door softly shut behind him.

He slipped into bed quietly, trying not to wake Sarah, rolling onto his side so that he could watch her sleeping profile. She muttered something and he smiled, watching her dreams flit across her face. And when he finally rolled over to get some sleep, she rolled too, wrapping her sleeping body around him in a warm embrace of love and affection. Jareth closed his eyes and contently let sleep take him.

Reviews? This is not the last chapter remember. Let me know what you think. xxx