A/N: This is a song fic. It's been in my head all day. If you like it, R&R, especially if you want it to be continued otherwise I'll leave it as a one-shot. Anyway thanks for reading.
Oh yeah..
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone except Janus and Michael Mathews; everyone else belongs to Henson and Bowie (I think).
Sarah had spent the day teaching English to a pack of dunderheads. Yes, dunderheads. It was a phrase she had picked up overseas from someone she rather admired. And now she had tests to grade. "Why couldn't I have become an art teacher?" she moaned aloud to no one in particular. "Then I wouldn't have to deal with this level of stupidity. But no.. I just had to teach middle school English, thought I would have time to write novels not just assign them." Picking up a rather suspicious, possibly copied, test paper from one of her more notorious students, she sighed and cradled her head in her hands. "Don't they get that I can tell the difference? And how hard is it to tell a noun from a verb anyway, for crying out loud."
It was at that precise moment that her friend, Janus (who happened to be a fellow bibliophile and English teacher), knocked on the door. "Hey Honey, how ya doing?"
"Just peachy." Sarah answered sarcastically then grimaced at the ironic pun she just made. Ironic to her and her alone.
"Well its almost time to go. So bag those puppies and grab your coat."
"Go?" Sarah turned to Janus, this time actually looking at her.
"Yeah, its the third Friday of the month, or did you forget? It's Karaoke night!"
Realization dawned on Sarah and she smacked her head with idiocy. The school board, in all it's infinite wisdom had decided that due to low moral amongst teachers, it would mandate that all staff had to sign up for a monthly activity. Said activity was mandatory unless you wanted to go for counseling of course. No one in the school wanted to be seen as a head-case, so when the sign up sheets were posted in the Teacher's Lounge every single staff member rushed to add their name to the lists. Everyone but Sarah.
Sarah had been stuck that afternoon doling out a detention to a couple of minors who thought it was funny to spray graffiti all over the west side wall. She had caught them literally red handed. It was a mess. So now Sarah was stuck putting her name on the only list that still had room on it. Karaoke. It wasn't that she was a bad singer, oh no, she could hold her own. The truth was, she had performance anxiety, aka stage fright. It was the main reason she decided not to become an actress. Sure she could recite in front of juveniles but around her peers, never.
As this mandate had been institutionalized just after the start of the new school year, it was only the fourth time the group had met. Often they would carpool over to the local Japanese restaurant, The Cherry Blossom, sit down to some sushi and let the humiliation begin. Tonight was no different.
Well there was one difference. Tonight, Janus brought Sake, a lot of it.
While the horror of getting smashed around her coworkers hit Sarah like a mac truck, she figured one cup of it would steady her nerves. After all, the school board didn't care too much what you did at these functions, so long as it 1) brought up morale, 2) didn't get anyone arrested, and 3) the school board wouldn't be embarrassed.
Since this was a school function everyone had to participate at least once that night in order to fulfill the requirement set by what the staff members lovingly referred to as "the morons upstairs." Normally Sarah eked out the stretch by squeaking at the microphone until her time was up. Once everyone else had a chance at bat the choir teacher, also known as "The Diva," would take over for the rest of the night. Tonight, however, the sake flowed like a dam had burst and Janus just kept refilling Sarah's cup automatically. She knew her friend needed to let go of her inhibitions or she'd never even notice the fact that Michael Mathews, head of the science department, had a huge crush on her. In truth, Michael had signed up for this little stint in hell just to get closer to Sarah. The problem was that Sarah was completely blind in the matters of the heart, but Janus was the only one who knew this, hence the sake.
Being so close to Christmas everyone decided against singing holiday music, much to The Diva's dismay. Instead, the night was dedicated to cheesy love songs from the eighties. Janus went first, singing What's Love Got To Do With It. Several others that Sarah had seen around the halls but didn't know very well went next. Eventually it got down to Michael, Sarah, and The Diva. By this time Sarah was pretty well sloshed but still holding her own.
After the last few songs though she had become slightly melancholy. The last person she had even thought of romantically was just a figure of her imagination during her rebellious, angst filled, teenage years. After all, once you've had a dream of a man like that, you tended to size up everyone else to him. When she first started doing it she didn't even realize she was, until one of her high school friends caught her at it.
"I don't know why you just won't go out with him?"
"Because he's just so.. ordinary."
"Honestly, Sarah, I just don't understand. What is your basis for comparison?"
And with that one line, she understood exactly who she was measuring them up to.
Suddenly Sarah was brought back to reality by a harsh squeal of the microphone as Michael adjusted it to his height. "Sorry, everybody." Michael looked a bit nervous. "I'd like to dedicate this song to Sarah."
"Oh god no," Sarah whispered, flushing red up to her ears. Janus on the other hand was pleased as punch Michael had come out and finally did something.
Sarah sat both horrified and flattered through a slightly off-key version of Foreigner's I've Been Waiting For A Girl Like You. When he was finished, she got up for her turn. As she passed him, she blushed and smiled shyly. As Sarah picked her song, she decided this would be the last time she thought of Jareth. This would be her final declaration; she was going to get it out her mind by getting it out of her system. Once she was done, she would get on with her life and maybe, just maybe, go out with Michael. Picking out at song, she typed the number into the machine and got up on stage. As she moved the mic down to a comfortable level she looked past the audience and whispered, "This is for you, Jareth." Slowly she let music of the soft sax flow into her. Then tapping her foot to the beat she began to sing.
I Feel So Unsure
As I take your hand
And lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies
Something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen
And all its sad goodbyes
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
Time can never mend
The careless whisper of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So Im never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me
Please stay
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I've been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way i danced with you
Now that you've gone
Now that you've gone
Now that you've gone
Was what i did so wrong
So wrong that you had to leave me alone.
As she finished she closed her eyes and hung her head. It took a moment before she registered the loud clapping coming from the crowd in front of her. Again she blushed, and walked off stage. By the end of the night she had a date with Michael for the following Friday. It was close to one in the morning when everyone got their heavy winter clothes on and separated for home. Sarah was the last one of the group to leave as one of her leather gloves had gone mysteriously missing. Some of the wait staff offered to help her find it, but she declined knowing it had to be around there somewhere.
All at once she felt a presence come up behind her. She stood up straight, her spine stiffening. A silky, alluring voice resonated out of the thick aura. "Excuse me Miss, I believe you're looking for this?"
Sarah turned around to see a pair of black leather gloved hands holding her missing brown one. Without looking up she gently took the mislaid article.
"You sing very well."
"Um, thank you." She turned scarlet but still had yet to look up at the familiar stranger.
"Sarah. Look at me Sarah," He whispered. His voice was coaxing and gentle. Sarah gulped almost audibly and did as she was asked.
He was still the same as she remembered. Still dangerously handsome with a regal demeanor, and those eyes; they took her breath away.
"You came."
"I had to. You wished for me to hear you." He reached out and slowly caressed her cheek. She leaned into it and closed her eyes. As he pulled his hand away, she grasped his wrist, afraid he would disappear.
"Please stay."
"You know I can't. I have a kingdom to run."
Sarah looked down at the hand she was holding and began to stroke it. "You know I was wrong all those years ago, Jareth. I didn't know it at the time, but you did have power over me."
His breath hitched a little at her confession, but then his eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "Did? Past tense?"
"I.. I was going to try and start over tonight Jareth. You've haunted me for so long. I wasn't sure you were ever coming back and.. lately I thought you were merely a wonderful dream I had. An adolescent's fantasy." She hiccuped with sentimentality, unshed tears in her eyes. She looked up and smiled at him. "But you came. You're actually here." Finally a droplet fell from her eye. As it ran down her cheek Jareth reached up and caught it. When he opened his hand there was a solitary diamond sitting in a white gold setting.
"I've never offered a runner their dreams twice Sarah, and I will not ask a third time; but your dreams have always been mine. Please Sarah, come back with me; be my queen, my wife, my love."
With a bright smile and tears of joy streaming down her face Sarah nodded vigorously. Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed the Goblin King with all the passion and fury she had been withholding all for those years. Pulling back slowly, she sniffled and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks, with a smile reaching ear to ear. Jareth took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. She giggled a little.
Suddenly a thought struck Sarah and she cocked her head to one side questioningly. "Jareth, since I'm coming back with you, what do I tell my dad and Karen? Oh, God, and what about Toby? I was supposed to visit my family over Christmas break. And I can't just up and quit my job! It's the middle of the school year. They'll never find a replacement before the Holiday starts."
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. There are many things to be done before we get married." He laughed jovially. "But how about this: You finish up the year and then when summer comes, give your resignation. As far as your family is concerned..." He hummed a moment before asking a question, "If you call them tomorrow and explained do you think they would be amenable to an addition?"
Sarah smirked. "I'm sure Karen would be out of this world ecstatic that I was bringing someone home. Daddy on the other hand..." She grimaced but then grinned. "Well just don't be surprised if he gives you the third degree."
"The third what?"
Sarah laughed and squeezed his hand. "I love you." They both froze for a moment, but only a moment. Sarah kissed him again chastely. "I think its time I got home to bed."
"Is that an invitation, Love?" He purred.
A lopsided grin appeared on her face. "Perhaps. If you can magically get both me and my car home in one piece."
"Done."
A/N: Ok, hope you liked that. It took me 5 hours to get it all down. If you want more let me know. Thanks. ~LD