Title: Halloween Preparations

Characters: Jareth/Sarah plus any others
Genre: Romance either by itself or in combination with any others
Length: One-shot
Elements to include: A black cat, demon, magical brooms and the Dance of the Dead.

A/N: I cannot claim ownership of the Labyrinth or its denizens...just my own imagination adding to it...

"Sarah Eleanor Williams-King," Karen's voice cut through the crystal the younger woman held gingerly in her hand, making the aforementioned girl wince painfully. Growing up with that particular tone used often, she knew she was in for a lengthy talking-to.

"Yes, oh evil Step-Mother?" She grinned weakly, attempting to lighten the mood as much as possible. She squirmed in the plush seat that was her usual perch in the bedroom suite whenever her family called on the "phone."

A married woman and she still couldn't help the feeling of intense intimidation caused by the woman who had practically raised her. After the "Incident," Sarah had to admit that she had grown to love and cherish Karen as the mother that her biological one had never been – their relationship was well and truly healed by the time she walked down the aisle and said "I Do."

"You had better have a good explanation for the little demon you and Jareth returned to me in place of my son," So that was the problem. "I declare, he refuses to do anything I say and he's prancing around like he rules the world. Reminds me eerily of a certain husband of yours. Do you happen to know anything about this?"

"He sat in on one of the business meetings Jareth had this last week. I told Jareth it was a bad idea, but you know how he gets when he wants his way. There was no talking him out of it," Sarah explained despairingly, already mentally berating her new husband for his part in Toby's downfall. "Jareth tends to get "kingly" when he is holding court with his business partners. Being CEO gave him a complex."

Karen and Robert were steady and practical people, their heads firmly settled on their shoulders. When Jareth had returned after seven years to court Sarah, he maintained an Aboveground persona that fit in well with her parent's hold on reality. They had wholeheartedly approved of the dashing "British" man who swept their daughter off her feet, and although Karen would have liked to take shears to his flyaway hair, Sarah was soon walking down the aisle on the arm of her father. What they didn't know was that the Aboveground wedding was merely a technicality so that Sarah could have the pleasure of her parent's blessings. Sarah's real wedding took place with great fanfare in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City where magic was abundant and the goblins were drunk on the finest beer in the King's alehouses.

Their Aboveground wedding was three months prior to Halloween. After a month-long honeymoon (some of it spent teaching Sarah how to control her magic and behave as the Queen of the Goblins) they brought Toby back with them for a visit. He was old enough to keep a secret and he out of all the Williams family was the only one who had guessed Jareth's true status.

He was also really good at blackmail.

Having already gained their promise to spend Halloween Aboveground, he demanded that the newly wedded couple bring him to the Underground for a week beforehand. Sarah nearly turned him into a goblin herself, but Jareth just laughed and ruffled his hair. Realizing that she was going to have to pick her battles with the two egotistical males, she conceded.

It was a concession she was rapidly regretting as she realized the impact Toby's visit was having on her poor parents.

"I am truly hoping it is a phase or your husband will never be welcome in our house again," Karen warned, but the threat was lost as Sarah heard the laughter in her step-mother's voice. "Next time, do you mind having Jareth inform our son that even CEO's have to listen to their mothers?"

"I will do my best mom," Sarah said, truly repentant even knowing that she was not in trouble. Having helped raise Toby, she knew he could be a little hellion when he wanted to be. "I really am sorry for the trouble. We are still coming for Halloween this weekend, so I will make sure Jareth talks to him."

The conversation didn't last much longer as the object of both women's ire entered the room, a telltale smirk on his face. Sarah broke the connection with a quick "I love you mom" and turned to glare at the man who had promised to place the sky in her eyes and the moon within her heart.

"You and I have some talking to do before this weekend mister," She growled in exasperation as his smirk widened.

"Why Sarah, if I didn't know any better I would say you were angry with me," Jareth chuckled lowly, making his way to her side with graceful movements that only a Fae could accomplish well. Sarah nearly lost her train of thought as she watched him sidle up close and place a searing kiss on her mouth. "What have I done this time precious?"

"Toby," Was all she managed to say as she crossed her arms and tried to look menacing, but it was enough. Jareth had the decency to look ashamed, a feat that was still marred by his eternally mischievous eyes. "I don't care what you tell him, but you WILL fix it when we visit, is that clear?"

"But my dear, he is such a natural," He protested half-heartedly and she held up a hand imperiously to stop him from continuing.

"Natural or not, he is not the heir to your throne or even a citizen of the Underground. He needs to live by Aboveground rules Jareth," She sighed as her husband knelt down in front of her and placed his head in her lap. Sometimes, he was just like a child himself in his need for affirmation and love. "Toby is a good kid, but if you keep giving him airs he is going to be a juvenile delinquent. I refuse to put Mom and Dad through another unruly, rebellious teen. Next time it happens, I am putting my foot down and keeping him from visiting us here."

"It's done Sarah. No need to continue the lecture," Jareth agreed calmly, raising his head to look her squarely in the eyes. His sincerity lasted only for a moment as a mischievous grin overtook his handsome features again. With a twist of his wrist, he produced a glittering crystal and held it out to her. "I've brought you a gift my love."

"Oh really?" She gazed suspiciously in the direction of the shiny bauble. "You know how I feel about these gifts of yours Jareth."

She was still cautious in her acceptance of his crystals as his impish nature often produced pranks and games. The only gifts that she usually accepted from him were the ones that didn't come wrapped up in a glass bubble.

"I promise you this one will be completely enjoyable. It was something you had been saying you wanted and Higgenworth found it for me just today," His eyes glittered excitedly and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at his child-like enthusiasm.

"Hoggle hates it when you mess up his name," She stalled, still not wanting to touch it.

"If I didn't like the fellow, I would get his name right every time," He deadpanned and she couldn't stop the chuckle that arose. It was true though. Jareth only used the right names of his subjects when they were facing his wrath for some reason or another. Sarah was the only one privileged enough to hear her name in the most intimate of tones, although he loved using pet names almost as much. "Will you take my offering?"

With a sigh of resignation, she touched the crystal. Startled by the pop it made, she very nearly dropped the gift as it appeared to replace its container. At the last moment, her reflexes saved the trembling present and her eyes widened.

"You got me a kitten?" She whispered reverently, soothing the downy ebony fur as its wide, dark eyes slowly lost the fearful look. Her voice alone was comfort enough, but the continued caress of her hands soon had the tiny black cat purring contentedly in her arms. Sarah smiled appreciatively at Jareth as he tried to maintain an innocent façade. "I thought you hated cats?"

"Chickens are much worse and I figured this cat would serve a two-fold purpose," Jareth admitted, leaning over to kiss her again. She eagerly returned his kiss, reveling in the feelings he invoked within her. "A furry companion for you and a holy terror to the two legged featherbrains that somehow seem to make it back into my castle no matter how many times I magically dispose of them. The cooks are at their wits end trying to come up with new chicken dishes all the time."

"I cannot believe you got me a kitten," Sarah exclaimed again, barely noticing the proud smile on Jareth's face as he realized he had done something very right. (Hoping for a return gift was of course the furthest thing from his mind)

The young couple spent a few more moments enjoying the new arrival in the castle – although Jareth would deny it vehemently afterward – before Sarah started out of her reverie.

"The Dance of the Dead is tonight," She winced as the startled kitten hastily dug its tiny claws into her forearm. With the familial connections to the Aboveground, Sarah had forgotten that the Underground celebration of Halloween began a week prior. Jareth had conveniently reordered time in the Underground for his bride to enjoy both traditions. It would be that way for their other holidays as well.

"That it is precious," Jareth smiled benevolently.

"I nearly forgot. I know the rest of the castle is being taken care of, but we have yet to get the throne room clean after the last Wisher's run. That's where the guests will be arriving first. The goblins need to be cleared out so I can start scrubbing."

"Sarah, you are the Queen," Jareth patiently reminded her, knowing the argument was futile. "We have servants and magic to take care of those details."

"Jareth, you know I need to do something active toward the preparations. Queen of the Goblins or not, I am still an Abovegrounder by birth and we grow up with hard work. Magic will never give me the satisfaction that my own two hands can give after a hard day's labor," She insisted and once more Jareth lost the battle to the fire in her green eyes.

"Will I see you at all before the Dance tonight?" He asked hopefully. "I WAS hoping to help you get dressed."

"You mean you were hoping to help keep me undressed," She grinned back at him as he shamelessly smirked. "You know, you could always come help me clean the throne room. I have heard that hard work increases certain physical desires in a body."

"Sarah, I have other duties to attend to…" He replied weakly, knowing that he was about to be sucked into her perfectionist tendencies. He was not certain the rewards would be that…well…rewarding after the fact.

"Which you can easily magic out of existence and you know it," Sarah pouted, sticking her lower lip out and watching as her husband – the King of the Goblins and a man supposedly untouched by emotion – melted like putty in her hands. "I am SURE I can make it worth your while Goblin King. It'll be a piece of cake and I will even let you magic the brooms so the job gets done a little faster."

"You are not playing fair precious," Jareth growled, his mismatched eyes growing dark with desire. Calling out for a goblin maid to take care of the nearly forgotten kitten, he spun his wife into his arms and teleported them to the throne room.

Another sharp command had all the goblins clearing the room in seconds as cleaning implements took their place. Sarah laughed loudly as he snapped his fingers and the brooms took on a life of their own, dancing around the room and sweeping up great clouds of dust into neat, orderly piles. At her pointed glance, he sighed and began gathering up the sundry items left behind by the goblin horde. She donned gloves to begin scrubbing up the areas already swept clean by the magic brooms.

Her mischievous nature soon took over, leaving Jareth sopping wet and stalking her around the throne room in retaliation. Several soapy buckets of water were overturned and the magic brooms were completely waterlogged before the King managed to corner his Queen in the massive throne for some sweet revenge.

Not that she was really complaining.

However, by the time their little tryst was over, they both had to rush through preparations before the guests began arriving. Only slightly exasperated by her foiled attempts at cleaning, Sarah allowed Jareth to use his magic to finish the job in the throne room while she returned to their suite to get ready for the evening's festivities. He managed to delay them a little longer when he encountered her half-dressed on her way to the bath.

If any of the guests noticed the slight blush that stained Sarah's soft complexion or the confident, cocky swagger of their King, no one mentioned it. (Actually the swagger was pretty normal anyway)

Several noblewomen DID comment on the cleanliness of the throne room and their fascination with the one lone broom still weakly attempting to do its job in the corner behind the throne.

Sarah's first Dance of the Dead was an unmitigated success.