Sarah sat at her desk in the library, surrounded by cascading mounds of paperwork, all of which had to be read and filed and sent and sorted, and most of which should have been done ages ago.

She finished reading the paper in front of her and signed it with a triumphant flourish, moving it to the 'finished' pile. Pausing a moment, she relished in the sense of accomplishment before moving back to the endless 'pending' pile.

Sighing, she reluctantly pulled another tedious aspect of goblin monarchy onto her desk -

And paused, a tingle on the back of her neck alerting her to another body in the room.

Casting an inconspicuous glance over her shoulder, she suppressed a grin and pretended not to have noticed the shadow of a short, slender figure hiding behind the bookshelf. Sarah continued to blithely muddle through her paperwork as the shadow crept forward until it revealed a small boy with a mop of unruly dark curls, a smile so mischievous it could set fire to a Bible at fifty paces, and ice blue eyes that danced with light and intelligence.

He slid forward with all the grace and stealth of a hunting cat, grinning as he neared the Goblin Queen -

Sarah whirled as he came within arm's reach and scooped him up, attacking his sides with nimble fingers, crowing in victory as her attacker writhed in ticklish agony.

"Assaulting the Queen, huh? That's a punishable offence, young sir," she informed him. "I am going to tickle you within an inch o your life, bud! Whatcha gonna do about that, huh?"

He shrieked, scrambling away from her and laughing as he danced out of her reach. "I'm a prince! You can't hurt me either!" he shrilled, his voice so high that Sarah momentarily worried for all the glass in the room.

"Touché, you little devil." Sarah grinned at him. "Did you sneak away from Daddy again?"

The little boy nodded enthusiastically. "He thinks I'm in the gardens still," he declared proudly, his inexperienced mouth mangling the words slightly. He was so advanced for a four-year-old - and while she was immensely proud, Sarah was glad that his baby lisp hadn't faded yet.

She nodded approvingly. "That's three times this week. You're getting better." She scooted back, patting her lap invitingly. "Come here."

He bounced over to her, climbing into her lap an settling happily against her. Sarah smiled and kissed his hair.

"How would you like to help Mommy with her paperwork?"

"Oh! Can I do the stamps?" he asked excitedly. Sarah grinned, arming him with the appropriate seals and inkpads.

"Sure, kiddo. So, should we approve the invitation to Aunt Leann's ball, or veto?"

"Veto, definitely."

o0o

The crystal burst, and I looked anywhere but at Jareth.

"I think we can handle a child, love," he said as he brushed the remnants of our test-run-bubble off of the bedsheets, just a tad too smug for my liking.

"I notice you didn't use a night where he had nightmares and had to sleep in between us. And then had a lapse in his potty training progress," I said sourly.

Jareth made a non-commital noise and kissed my neck. I scooted away from him, shoving a pillow in his face.

"Lips to yourself, mister, until you agree not to 'accidentally' knock me up."

Batting the pillow aside, he gave me his best set of pleading puppy eyes.

I growled.

"Sarah, my love, not only is it my duty to produce an heir, but I've always dreamed of a family. After all the dreams I have granted, should I not have one of my own?"

"But I don't want to be fat, Jareth!" I protested.

He blinked at me for a moment. "You're concerned for your figure?"

I crossed my arms, trying not to look petulant. "Well, I kind of enjoy being able to turn you on whenever I want. It's not an ability I'm eager to give up."

Jareth laughed. "Sarah! Why would you ever think that your being with child, my child, would make you less able to effect my libido?"

I gave him a wide-eyed look of incredulity. "How could I not? There is no way you'd find me attractive with a small blimp in my belly."

"I beg to differ, Sarah mine," he said, eyes glittering, and leaned closer to me, sliding his fingers down my sides and over my hips.

"Jareth, I won't find me attractive while I'm waddling about like a well-fed walrus. I highly doubt you would."

"Sarah, my precious, precious thing," he cajoled, smoothing his hands over my legs and moving slowly back upwards, "how could I find you anything but maddeningly beautiful with the physical embodiment of our love growing inside you?" he said, and stroked my stomach, just low enough to make me tingle. I glared.

"Beautiful is not the same thing as sexy, Jareth," I pointed out.

He chuckled. "My darling, I sincerely doubt that there is anything you could do to make yourself undesirable to me," he grinned, and dipped down to nip my ear.

"Sure, you say that now, but when I'm fat enough to smuggle a gaggle of goblins under my dress…"

There was suddenly a crystal before my eyes, filled with Jareth and I in a rather compromising position - and I was clearly with child. And Jareth was clearly excited about this.

I blushed and batted the damned thing away.

"Are there any other excuses you'd care to try, love?" he smirked. I glowered at him as I pushed him back and climbed on top.

"Keep up the smart-ass remarks, and you're going to be incapable of producing an heir, pal," I threatened.

Jareth grinned. "So I take it you've changed your mind?"

I leaned down and kissed him teasingly. "I'll think about it."