Till the End of Time
by Sarah Black
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. I don't make any money from doing this.
***
Jareth was drifting in and out of consciousness when it happened. His sheets were tangled haphazardly around his legs, barely covering the essentials, and here and there his pale body was made even paler by rays of moonlight. The light seemed somehow less real, more magical, as it escaped into the room, bypassing the heavy velvet drapes, designed to prevent the mischievous moonbeams from distubring his royal highness, with unnatural ease.
A tingly feeling, teasing him like a dream, drew Jareth closer to wakefulness. When he tried to focus on the feeling, it slipped away. Annoyed, the Goblin King sat up in his bed. With a cursory glance at his looking-glass, he prepared to flick his wrist in a practiced motion. He stopped dead as he noticed the state of his hair. After making sure he no longer appeared to have played host to a particulary rowdy pair of birds, he conjured forth a crystal.
Wholly unconcerned with his state of dress - or rather lack thereof - he stopped trying to focus. Instead he allowed that teasing, tingly feeling to guide him. An image appeared, dancing inside the sphere he held in front of his eyes.
For a moment Jareth was startled by the dancing creature he was observing. She was achingly familiar. The music she seemed so absorbed in, however, was as unfamiliar to him as a bar of soap was to his subjects.
"I made it through the wilderness, somehow I made it through. Didn't know how lost I was, until I found you..."
When he finally recognized the girl, his memory jolted by the words of the song, the crystal nearly slipped out of his grasp. Fumbling with the crystal, in a manner most unbecoming of a king, he felt his heart speed up considerably.
Sarah.
She looked different, he observed. So very different, but yet unchanged somehow. He could hardly believe he had not known it was her at once. The girl who had plagued his dreams relentlessly after her brief sojourn into his kingdom. The girl who had defied him, challenged him, rejected him. Despite his best efforts, he felt his face flush with anger and embarrassment at the memory.
It was her rejection more than anything that had left such a lasting impression on him, he told himself.
Desperate to be distracted from the memory of his humiliation, he focused his attentions on the girl in the crystal. She was standing in front of a looking glass, her body was swaying to the beat of that strange song. Most of her attention was focused on pinning her dark locks up in some sort of attractive pattern.
At first Jareth was simply hypnotized by her swaying hips, and by the graceful movements of her hands as she struggled with her unruly hair. She'd grown up. She had once been a gangly teenager with the all the promise of the softest, most dew laden and pinkest of rosebuds. And as he watched her, he felt he could confirm that she had lived up to that promise. She had turned into a most pleasing young woman. Just as a rose in bloom, she was all delicate features and lush curves.
Jareth's blood was starting to run almost unbrearably hot, rushing through his veins impatiently. His body responded much too easily to this line of thinking.
Idly distracting himself, he began to wonder; Why, if she was so absorbed in fixing her hair and dancing so enticingly, had her thoughts called for his attention powerfully enough to rouse him from sleep? As he pondered this intriguing mystery, he caught another snippet of the song's lyrics.
"My fear is fading fast, been saving it all for you, cause only love can last..."
The only thoughts powerful enough to wake him in such a manner would be thoughts directly about him, Jareth reasoned. A self satisfied smirk made its way to his lips. Clearly, she had not forgotten all about him.
As if to confirm his conclusion, the feeling that had been tickling the edge of his mind intensified most pleasantly. Unable to bear even the scant cover of his sheets anymore, he rushed to kick them off. The cool air against his fevered skin was a relief, and Jareth couldn't help but let out a small moan of pleasure.
He listened as Sarah started to sing along, where she previously had only been moving her lips in silence.
"You're so fine and you're mine, I'll be yours till the end of time, cause you made me feel, yeah, you made me feel, I've nothing to hide..."
Jareth felt certain she was singing directly to him. This was not only because he could actually feel her mind calling out to his; It was also because it would be highly unacceptable if she wanted to be someone else's till the end of time.
He suddenly didn't care much about the anger and humiliation he had been reliving just moments before. If she thought that she was rid of him after rejecting him just that one time, she was mistaken. Certainly not now that he'd seen what a tantalizing morsel she had become.
A devious glint appeared in his eyes. He had a plan. Excited as he was by the prospect of this plan, it was essential that he cool down before going through with it. Although she was clearly thinking of him, it would not do to surprise her in such a... heated... state.
He watched as she fiddled with the knobs of some black contraption, causing the different song that had started to play to silence immediately. She packed various things into a bag that really ought not have been able to hold them all, pausing only to apply color to her lips.
Jareth watched hungrily as she rubbed her lips together, evening out the color. It looked quite suggestive, he felt. He imagined her lips rubbing up against his, but quickly stopped. It was counterproductive to his plan of cooling down.
With a final look at herself in the mirror, she pulled open a door and left. Jareth flicked his wrist again. The crystal disappeared, leaving his hand free.
It would be a while before he calmed sufficiently.
***
Sarah made her way up the stairs to her apartment rather unsteadily. She wasn't quite drunk, per se, but she wasn't not drunk either. She had to stop half way up the stairs to wrestle the heels off her aching feet. That ought to prevent her from stumbling and breaking her neck, she reasoned.
When she finally made it to her landing, she realized it was pitch black. Cursing herself for not having replaced that damn light bulb, like her landlady kept telling her to, she fumbled with her keys in the dark.
As she stuck the correct key in the lock, she reflected on how pathetic she must seem to her neighbors. Whenever she went out with her friends lately, she would always return alone.
Annoyed with herself for wallowing, she tried to distract herself from her pity party. Her eyes roamed around her small apartment and she caught her reflection in her mirror. She smiled, remembering what a good time she'd had getting ready earlier that night.
Like a Virgin had been playing on the radio and in a rare moment of weakness she had allowed her throughts to stray. She usually tried to steer her thoughts well clear of the Goblin King and his maddeningly tight pants. Thoughts that started there usually ended up in very dirty places indeed. They'd leave her breathing ragged, her chest heaving and her body full of need that she couldn't seem to fulfill no matter what she did. And she had tried a fair few things.
One lonely night she had even tried to replace the man of her fantasies with a man of flesh and blood.
It had been an unmitigated disaster.
Everything about it had felt wrong. Kissing him had seemed a betrayal. Every touch had filled her with an overwhelming sense of guilt. Finally, she had pretended to feel sick. She had warned the poor guy to get out, or she'd vomit all over him. Sarah winced at her appalling behavior even now.
Eventually, she had simply given up. Instead of searching for a solution or a replacement, she had opted to simply push him from her mind as often as she could. As for the times when she couldn't... well. At least her shower didn't run out of cold water after fifteen minutes.
The thoughts that the song had roused rushed back to the front of her mind. They had been different than her usual, though rarely indulged, lust clouded thoughts. As strange as it was to have a silly old pop song remind her of how deep her feelings for the Goblin King truly were, there had been something in those coy lyrics that had rung true for her.
It had been a good change of pace to reflect on what she felt for Jareth, other than rampant sexual attraction, of course. She wondered if he remembered her, and if he remembered her fondly. It had been eight years since her journey to the castle beyond the goblin city. She wouldn't blame him if he had simply allowed his memory of her to fade, even if he had seemed to...
Sarah let out a frustrated sound, stomping one foot childishly.
It would not do to dwell on the Goblin King's words in the room of stairs. Those words had haunted her for months after she'd made it home with Toby. Had he meant them? Were they merely a distraction? Had she hurt him with her hasty words?
She tried to get her thoughts off Jareth and his plea by going through her usual routine. Shrugging off her light coat, she headed for the bathroom.
***
Jareth waited patiently for Sarah to emerge from the small room she had disappeared into. He had been waiting for hours, so a few more minutes were meaningless.
He did not care to number the rules he was breaking in order to be in Sarah's little apartment. As far as he was concerned, he had every right to come and claim her. She was his; he simply hadn't made her quite aware of that particular fact yet.
For perhaps the umpteenth time since he had arrived, he frowned at the discomfort of her bed. It was better than that horror of a chair, however. At least the bed did not swivel uncontrollably. Sarah deserved much better. With him she would share his feather soft bed, his satin sheets and silken pillows. How marvelous her skin would look against the shimmering fabric, how decadent...
Jareth squeezed his eyes shut, reminding himself sternly that his plan required him to be level headed.
He heard the click of a door being opened and hurried to appear as nonchalant and relaxed as possible, ignoring the blasted bedspring which was poking into him in an improper place.
***
Free of make-up, hairpins and constrictive undergarments, Sarah walked into her bedroom. She yearned for her bed, despite the annoying bedspring which always managed to poke her in uncomfortable places.
She had almost shrugged off her thin robe, when she noticed that there was someone sprawled on her bed. Sarah opened her mouth with vague plans to scream, but was interrupted by a voice.
The voice.
His voice.
"Sarah, how pleasant it is to see you again." Jareth purred, shifting his position so that he was nearer to her.
Her mouth felt dry and her mind was drawing a complete blank. What did one say to a Goblin King who suddenly appeared in your bedroom after having terrorized your little brother eight years ago?
"Hi." She choked out, intelligently.
It was as if an explosion of conflicting emotions had been set off inside of her. A part of her was thrilled that he was finally here, and urged her to throw herself at him and never let go. Another part was furious with him, unable to forgive the hardships he had forced on her in his labyrinth.
"Do you know why I am here?" Jareth asked, standing up from the bed. Two steps later, he had moved quite close. Sarah knew she should probably step back in order to maintain her personal space (and her sanity), but she felt as if she had been frozen to her cheap, fraying carpet.
Realizing that Jareth expected an answer, she shook her head in lieu of words.
"I'm here to collect that which is rightfully mine." He told her haughtily. Now he was grinning at her, with a predatory glint in his eye.
Finally regaining her composure, Sarah felt her blood boil. The angry part of her took charge. How dare he appear out of nowhere, after eight long years, talking as if he owned her? He had absolutely no right!
"That's yours?" Sarah's voice was unnaturally high, sounding shrill even in her own ears. In a slightly more natural tone, she repeated angrily, "That's yours? What the hell do you think is yours, Goblin King?" before he even had a chance to reply to her shrill demands.
Jareth looked merely amused at her unladylike outbursts. He came even closer, looming over her. His scent was intoxicating. Had she not been frozen to the spot already, any will to move would have been removed by that wonderful smell of fresh leaves and magic.
He leaned down, his lips not quite brushing her ear. His breath on her was warm and laced with promise. Sarah couldn't help herself, her eyes fluttered shut and her lips parted slightly. She stopped breathing for a moment, in anticipation of what he would do.
"I think you are mine. Sarah." He whispered, and her skin erupted in gooseflesh.
It was almost as if all of her anger in her had melted away. He sounded so... tempting. There was no other word for it. Sarah had never in her life felt anything as sensual as his lips hovering a hair's-breadth away from her ear, his scent overpowering her senses and his proximity clouding her judgement. She wanted nothing more than to be his.
She had never felt more sober, and yet at the same time, more drunk. Having his attentions lavished on her in such a fashion was more potent than any liquor.
Since she had yet to respond with words or gestures, Jareth seemed to think she needed further convincing of his ownership of her.
His hands, ungloved and warm, were suddenly touching her shoulders. They moved from her shoulders, roaming down her arms, to her back, to her hair, anywhere he could reach. He pulled her close, breaking the spell that had rendered her immobile.
Her body molded against his. The softness of her curves a startling contrast against the hard planes of his frame. She could feel his heart beating wildly, and wondered if he could feel her heart. He must, since it was beating as hard as if it meant to escape.
Some part of her had always known, or maybe just hoped, he would come for her. On some level she had compared every other man to him. Only he would ever do for her, but he didn't know that. And she knew that she couldn't allow him to just waltz into her life, stake his claim, and drag her to the Underground by the hair like some sort of caveman!
Even though his possessive side was quite smoldering enough to make her squirm... No. If he wanted her, he would have to go about it in a different manner.
Sarah took a deep breath and pressed her palms against him decisively. It was hard to maintain her focus with his chiseled chest under her hands. The urge to tear off his shirt and touch every last inch of him was nigh impossible to resist, but she had to let him know that he couldn't walk all over her. For her kingdom was as great as his, she thought to herself, smiling. She could still draw courage from those old lines.
"Since when am I yours? What have you done to deserve me?" She asked, careful not to contradict his claim. She wouldn't lie, couldn't lie. Not to him.
"Since always," Jareth narrowed his eyes at her. He looked for all the world like a bird with ruffled feathers, upset that she would question him. "As for what I have done to deserve you... I have done everything! Did I not fulfill your every whimsical wish? Did I not live up to your exhausting expectations?"
As he spoke, he grasped her shoulders holding her in place. There was no need for it, however. His eyes, piercing and mismatched, were enough to keep her transfixed and motionless.
She didn't know what to say to him now. Hadn't he lived up to her expectations? Hadn't he been the perfect alluring, mysterious villain? Hadn't he offered her everything?
His breathing, which had become irregular as he willed her to accept his explanation, had now evened out slightly. The fire in his eyes dampened, as he guardedly waited for her reply.
Sarah lifted a hand to the Goblin King's face, tracing a path from his impossibly high cheekbone down to his chin. Pausing there before allowing her fingers to trail further down, touching his neck and the patch of bare chest, revealed by his loosely buttoned shirt. She noticed how her touch would cause his breath to catch, and how his lips parted when her fingertips grazed the hollow of his throat.
"Why are you here, really?" She finally asked, hoping he'd give her the answer she sought.
For a moment it seemed as she had startled him out of a reverie. He quickly recovered, hiding whatever surprise she might have caused.
He swallowed and looked as though he were fighting some sort of battle with himself. He closed his eyes and she could hear him take a deep steadying breath. When his eyes opened, they seemed to burn with more intensity than she could ever have imagined was possible.
"Because, you insolent girl, I can't bear the thought of living without you anymore."
His eyes bore into hers and his grip on her had intensified to such an extent that it almost hurt. It was as if he were bracing himself.
Did he really expect her to reject him again? The idea was laughable, but Sarah did not laugh. She hurried to answer him, not wanting to prolong their suffering.
"I can't bear it either."
She had barely got the words out when his lips descended on hers, crashing into her with a bruising force. She met him eagerly, gasping slightly as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. He took advantage of her lips being parted, and started to explore her hungrily. Sarah responded to him with all of the passion she could muster. It was a considerable amount. She had waited for this moment for a very long time.
When Jareth abandoned her lips in favour of pursuing the soft, exposed column of her neck, she took the opportunity.
"Take me home, Jareth." She half moaned as the devious Goblin King did something to her neck that sent shivers down her spine. She closed her eyes, the better to enjoy it.
"As you wish, my queen," He breathed hotly against her neck. The combination of his words and the pleasurable sensation he was inciting, made her knees go weak. Thankfully, Jareth was stronger than he looked. He kept her upright, even as he pushed her scant robe aside, for better access.
When her eyes drifted open she could see that they were not in her little bedroom anymore. They were in an opulent chamber, adorned with velvets and silks. The enormous mirror on the wall confirmed her suspicion. This had to be Jareth's bed chamber. Which would mean that there was a bed...
Just as she had the thought, she felt the back of her knees come into contact with something solid. She looked up at Jareth who looked back at her with blatant predatory hunger written all over his face. It scared and excited her at the same time.
He leaned forward with his entire body, causing her to fall backwards onto the bed. She barely had time to appreciate how soft the bed was against her back, no bedsprings poking her anywhere, before he was upon her.
She could feel every inch of his body pressing into her. His mouth was by her ear for a brief moment, and she swore she heard him growl. The sound sent waves of heat through her. It felt as if she were experiencing a sensory overload. His mouth seemed everywhere, showering her with hot kisses and letting out the occasional impatient growl. His hands, having long since divested her of the robe she had been wearing, were now otherwise engaged. Namely, they were eliciting sweet torture wherever they strayed.
Sarah quite literally felt as if she would burn up soon, and she was certain that Jareth felt the same. She could feel him, harder than she would have believed, pressing against her upper thigh. Some purely feminine part of her was deeply satisfied at the knowledge of how she was affecting him. She felt powerful and powerless at the same time.
She had rarely got this far with any other man, but on those occasions this was the point where something within her had screamed at her to stop. With Jareth she wasn't afraid. It felt good.
It felt right.
***
Jareth's eyes were dry and itchy. Yet he continued to resist the relief of closing them. He was almost terrified that this delicious illusion would be stolen from underneath him, if he dared to as much as blink.
Her skin was putting his sheets - the smoothest and silkiest in all of the Underground - to shame. She was softer than he had dared to imagine. Granted, the focus of his fantasies had often been on some of the more primal sensations.
The taste of her was pure, sweet addiction. He couldn't get enough, especially now that she was proving to be so very yielding. Never mind the fact that he had her pinned underneath him.
He couldn't believe that here, in his bed, flush against his length, was Sarah. Her body feverishy hot, her skin so soft and sweetly addictive. She was his to do with as he pleased. He pressed his body possessively against her and reveled in the moans the action drew forth. Her lips should always look as they did now, he thought, swollen from his aggressive kisses, parted to allow moans of pleasure to escape.
A strange feeling broke through the haze of lust Jareth had existed in. Yes, Sarah looked to be enjoying herself immensely. The fact remained that he wasn't exactly allowing her much freedom to move away, if that was what she wished to do.
Doing his best to curb the overpowering urge to ravish her without a second thought, he searched her face for any sign of fear or trepidation. He shifted his weight, no longer trapping her.
"Are you certain...?" Jareth trailed off, unable to articulate his thoughts properly. He suspected it had something to do with the way the wicked girl was licking her lips.
"Jareth, you're the only one I've ever been so certain of." Sarah replied, mischief dancing in her beautiful green eyes.
"Good." Relief flooded Jareth's body. He wasn't entirely sure he would have been able to stop. She was much too alluring.
He needed no further prompting. He made short work of his clothes, lacking his usual grace, only barely resisting his body's wish to shiver in anticipation, he slipped his fingers around and under the lacey scrap of fabric that was hiding her from view. Torturously slowly, he dragged his fingers down her thighs, past her knees and her shapely calves, to her delicate feet. Taking that bothersome bit of fabric with him, of course.
Making his way back up, he made sure to brush his lips against her legs, lingering at the insides of her thighs. At first his feathery kisses seemed to tickle her. She let out delightfully girlish squeals in response. When he started on her thighs however, he could hear her desperately suck in air. He felt how she tensed and stopped breathing for a moment. He redoubled his efforts and was rewarded with a long moan of pleasure.
He kept at it, placing open mouthed kisses everywhere except where she wanted him the most, hoping to drive her as crazy as she was driving him. This would be his small revenge. After all, she had made him wait for eight long years. It had been quite lonely.
When she had been reduced to whimpers, he decided to be merciful. She had, after all, been so very young.
Sarah gasped in a most gratifying way when he relented. Fueled by the onslaught of ecstatic noises, he easily brought her to the brink. He paused then, and listened. She was panting, and when he didn't resume his previous activities right away, she started to whimper again. The sound had him twitching eagerly in response.
"Jareth... please... I need..." Sarah moaned, helplessly.
It was almost more than he could take. If she had been more experienced he would not have hesitated to take her right then and there. However, he was determined to show her pleasure before he caused her that particular pain.
He smirked against her, and without much further adieu, brought her over the edge. He felt her entire body shudder, and more interestingly, he heard her scream out unintelligibly.
He hadn't taken her for a screamer.
Dear, oh dear.
She'd be quite hoarse in the morning.
With ill contained glee, he got up to hover over her. Eyes level with her's, he waited until she opened them. He wanted to see her look of absolute satisfaction. She didn't disappoint. When her eyelashes fluttered open, they revealed to him a lust darkened version of the eyes he remembered. Glazed and heavy lidded, instead of being wide and innocent.
He would die if he did not have her soon.
She watched him watching her and her look turned curious, or perhaps devious. He almost cried out when her small hand wrapped around him. His surprise must have shown on his face because she smiled, looking much too pleased with herself.
Unable to help himself, he let out a small growl when she began to stroke him. It was more than he could take. He grabbed her hands and pushed them up over her head. He hoped he wasn't hurting her wrists, but he had to make sure her hands did not wander. For what was to come, he would need all of his focus. Otherwise, he might just lose control. More than he had already, that is.
"I'll let you play later, Sarah." He whispered. His voice playful, if a bit strained.
He watched her carefully as he got himself into position. She showed no sign of fear. Her eyes were closed. They were not squeezed shut, however. She breathed deeply through parted lips and her face and breasts were flushed attractively pink. He knew she was as ready as she'd ever be.
Slowly, painfully slowly, he began to allow himself to sink into her.
The feel of her, so warm and welcoming, tested his resolve in a way it had never been tested. He felt as if every nerve ending in his body had been lit on fire. Pleasure shot through him, and every primal instinct in his body was urging him to thrust.
Later, he would wonder at the strength of his will. He did not yield.
He continued to go slowly. Sarah seemed to be holding her breath. Her brow was furrowed, and she was biting her lower lip. He closed his eyes. He needed to focus.
It seemed an eternity before he was buried in her, as far as he could go. He took a deep breath. It was like being gripped in a vice. The intensity of it was almost painful. Gritting his teeth, he dared to open his eyes.
Sarah's eyes were already open. She was staring up at him in wonder. Then that curious, devious look again.
He was in trouble.
The minx clenched around him. It was more than he could take. The last vestiges of his self control disappeared. He bared his teeth at her and narrowed his eyes.
"Vixen." He gasped out. No longer could he resist the urge. He pulled out and came crashing into her again.
He heard her yelp out, but he couldn't bring himself to stop.
It was frenzied at first, and she yelped a few more times. After a while, the worst of his pent up frustration was spent. He calmed and was able to establish a rhythm he knew would be more pleasurable for her. He helped her adjust her body, moving his own to find just the right spot.
He knew he had found it when suddenly her eyes flew open and she gasped.
Soon she was screaming. The sound of her was music to his ears. He knew it would not be long now, for her. Thankfully too, since he was just about to reach his own peak. His movements became more erratic. Harder, faster. So close now.
Her screams were turning into a continuous cry of ecstasy.
Oh.
There.
The final potent shudder of pleasure ran down his spine. The sweet, tight tension that had built up reached a powerful crescendo. With the most powerful thrust yet, he pushed into her and his relief finally came.
Dizzy, Jareth moved to the side. He didn't want his legs to buckle, forcing Sarah to bear his weight. He would definitely have to practise this. Several times. Tonight.
First, though, he needed a short nap.
***
Sarah watched Jareth as he slept.
She supposed it was some sort of universal law that men fell asleep after sex. No matter if they were human or not.
Sex. She'd had sex. How bizarre.
Sarah closed her eyes, reliving the last hour. It had been everything she had been led to believe. Finally, she'd be able to do something other than roll her eyes and blush when her friends started talking about their carnal shenanigans. She had learnt an awful lot, listening to her girlfriends go on about this or that in graphic detail, but she had always felt rather left out too.
Now she had a story that would blow all of their little adventures out of the water!
Not that she'd ever share, of course. She smirked to herself and looked at Jareth. He looked so peaceful. Almost angelic. She started to absent mindedly stroke his hair.
It hadn't hurt very much. Just a little bit when he first started moving. After that it had been good and of course, then it had become very good.
She wondered what would happen to her now. Would Jareth take her back? The thought made her frown. Despite her previous thoughts, she wasn't all that keen on going back to her lonely life. No matter how much girl talk she could get that way.
Jareth had called her his queen. What had he meant by it? Did he want her to stay? Did he want her to stay permanently?
The though made her excited, but guilty at the same time. Her family would be distraught if she simply disappeared off the face of the planet. She would miss Toby horribly...
She shook her head. Fairly certain that one was not supposed to entertain deep regretful thoughts about one's family while in bed with devastatingly sexy men, she remembered something else that Jareth had said.
I'll let you play later, Sarah.
A devious smile playing on her lips, she inched herself lower. It didn't take her long to find her prize, and she felt decidedly naughty to be playing, as he said, while he was asleep and helpless.
She watched as he came to life as she stroked him. She was so intent on her exploration that she did not notice when Jareth opened his eyes.
She did not see when he smiled, flashing his sharp teeth, and she barely registered when he turned his body to allow her better access.
It wasn't until she heard him gasp, when she had decided to experiment with her tongue a little, that she realized he was awake. She dropped him like a hot coal and looked up at him, guiltily.
She relaxed when she saw his lazy smile and heated look.
"Well?" He said, imperiously.
She looked at him questioningly.
"Play!" He encouraged, grinning wolfishly. She smiled back at him, and resumed her careful explorations.
Sarah had paid very close attention indeed to the graphic details of her friends' discussions. She smirked, pleased with herself.
Jareth wouldn't know what hit him.
Fin
Author note: Yes, I had the idea for this fic while I was listening to Madonna's Like a Virgin. My thought was basically this: Hey, wasn't that song popular around the time Labyrinth came out? (Turns out the song came out in 1984, two years before the movie.) Then I just felt the lyrics were bizarrely appropriate. And then this happened. Hope you enjoyed!