Author's Note: Not sure where this story is headed just yet. I am certainly open to ideas though! R&R my lovelies! Oh! Just so you guys know, yes I am using David Bowie as my version of Jareth, however he will be minus the crazy 80's mullet type hair. My version just has long blond hair, possibly down to his shoulders, maybe longer. Haven't decided yet which is why I have only left his description partially written. Enjoy!

A grimace passed across his handsome features before melting into that tell-tale smirk of his.

"The Council was amendable to my return. I had to agree to certain...stipulations."

"What kind of stipulations?"

He heard the venom in her voice, but he waved it away dismissively with a faint hand gesture. "It is nothing that will disrupt our work."

She approached him, the subtle graceful sway of her hips interrupting his thought process.

"Jareth," She purred, knowing full well that her voice alone would turn him into an agreeing puddle. "What did you agree to?"

As predicted, he caved. "You must understand, this was the only way that the Council would allow my return to their chambers, and to you." He sighed softly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You will be limited to your visits to the Labyrinth as well as accompanied by a throng of guards, babysitters if you will. Lord Luthien and Dragonette were adamant that there not be a repeat of what Sar...of before."

An unhappy, oppressive silence followed.

"They expect me to help you fix the Labyrinth with limited time and capacity to it's access?" She frowned faintly. "Do I look like a bloody miracle worker?" She gave a sigh and this time it was her turn to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I will have to remedy this, speak with the Council myself."

"You still wear it."

Confusion flashed across her expression. "I'm sorry, what?"

Jareth gestured towards her neck with a gloved hand and Abaddon glanced down to the crystal resting at her throat.

"Oh yes. Of course." She reached up and grasped it gently.

By the stars, he felt as though she had physically touched him. He felt the white hot lance of it in his core. His smirk turned to an expression of tenderness that shocked her.

"Good." He paused for a moment, schooling those naked emotions back into his mask of arrogant confidence. "If you wish to speak with the Council, I would gladly accompany you. Give them a show."

The Council of Archmages for the Blood Stone Coven sat on a raised dais. Three insanely high-backed chairs were the dominant feature. Lord Luthien sat in the central position both heavily ringed hands gripping the edges of the arm rests. Long, rich purple robes flowed down to the floor, hiding a good portion of himself from view. The hood of them was drawn up, leaving only the lower half of his face visible. A long black beard, expertly groomed, flowed down towards the middle of his chest. To his right, Lord Dorian Dragonette. His tall frame melded into the shadows surrounding that portion of the dais. His long, silky blond hair pulled back from his nearly angelic features. Stark white eyes pegging him for the Ice Mage that he was.

Abaddon stood in the center of the room, her silhouette lit by the circle of torches that surrounded her. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark glasses, keeping the light at bay from her acute vision.

"What has brought you to our Atrim, Abaddon?" Lord Luthien inquired, gesturing with his gloved hand towards his left where an empty chair sat to his left. Where was Lady Solanya? If they expected to throw her off her game, they were sadly mistaken.

"I requested the presence of all three Council members, Lord Luthien. Until Lady Solanya appears, I will not discuss this matter further." She stated boldly, keeping her chin held high, almost regal. Jareth was amused; and if he had to admit it to himself, aroused. He watched from the outer shadows of the Atrim chamber, closest to the door in case they had to make a speedy escape. He leaned his tall frame against the wall, his own crystal topped cane held loosely in the grip of his gloved hands.

"You dare to defy-"

"Oh, do shut up, Luthien." Came a sultry, accented voice from the door on the opposite side of the room. Behind it and probably locked tight, were the personal chambers for the Council members. "It is customary for anyone requesting the Council's presence, that all members be accounted for. You wouldn't be attempting to undermine my authority, would you?"

He sighed softly. "Of course not, Solanya."

"I didn't think so." Came the other Archmages reply as she moved gracefully towards the empty Council chair. With a distinguished flourish, she sat down, rearranging the white robes and fixing her rich red hair before addressing Abaddon. "Now, my dear, what is it that has brought you to us?"

If she was honest with herself, she had always admired and enjoyed Lady Solanya's presence. Dorian wasn't too bad, a bit daft in the head, but otherwise tolerable when he wasn't stuck up Luthien's ass.

"It has been brought to my attention that you were given a request for my aid to attempt to help repair the Labyrinth after the extensive damage done to it a few years ago. However, I can not work miracles with such limitations as you have given Jareth. Limited access to the Labyrinth itself and guards who will keep watch?" She paused for a moment to scoff. "Preposterous. Working under such conditions for any Mage of this Coven is laughable. I request that these stipulations be revoked."

"Deni-"

Before Lord Luthien could immediately deny her, Lady Solanya chimed in.

"What do your propose then, Abaddon?"

Her gaze shifted towards the female Council member, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth briefly before she schooled it into a mask of blankness.

"I ask that I am given complete access to the Labyrinth. How else am I to fix the problems accumulating if I can not see the entirety of it?"

"A wise point. What else?"

"There will be no need for guards. Once I am in the Realm of the Goblin King, I will not be returning."

"You mean until you have fixed the problem?"

She shook her head faintly. "No, I mean I will not be returning at all."

"Nonsense!" Dorian finally spoke up, surging to his feet almost instantly.

"Oh? Why do you say that, Lord Dorian? Do you fear that with her absence you will no longer be able to pass off her work as your own? The only reason you have a seat on this Council and not Abaddon is because she refused it."

Jareth, in his quiet corner made some kind of sound or motion that betrayed his shock. She had refused a seat on the Council of Magi? But why?

"I-I.." At a loss for words, the Ice Mage sat back down, slumping grumpily in his shadows.

"You have given us much to think on, Abaddon. We will discuss this matter further. Return to the Atrim tomorrow at noon and we will have an answer for you."

With a flourishing bow, Abaddon bid them farewell. "Thank you, Lady Solanya." As she turned on her heel, a smug smirk of satisfaction flashed across her features. She said nothing as she caught up with Jareth, sweeping through the doorway with purpose in her steps. He had to lengthen his stride to keep up with her.

"Darling, what is this about you refusing a seat on the Council?"

Reaching up, she pulled off her glasses and slipping them into a hidden pocket in the inside of her jacket. Her bi-colored gaze shifted in his direction fleetingly before returning to face forward.

"I do not care for the politics of it." She stated simply, gloved fingers gripping the cane she held in her right hand a bit tighter. "The only reason why I considered it in the first place, was so that I could have a say in revoking your exile. It just so happened that the whole Sarah incident happened around that same time and my choice became clearer."

"Oh? And what message did it send you, my dear?"

"That you needed me. She broke your Magick and unraveled the Labyrinth in the process. It left you weakened, almost broken that a simple human girl had the ability to turn the tables against you."

Though she hit the nail on the head, he felt the clutch of the truth of it in his heart, squeezing tight.

"I did not come here to simply use you to secure my power base, Abaddon."

She stopped walking and placed her gloved left hand on his forearm. "I know that, Jareth and that is not what I meant. Your father and mine served in the Shadow Wars. We grew up together, trained together. I know you probably better than you know yourself, just as you know me. We were once a formidable team to be reckoned with and we will be again."

"What are you planning, dove?"

A sinister smirk passed across her expression. "That is not something I will divulge here. Once we are safe in your realm, we will have a long discussion."