.

.

Part One

.

.

She looked so forlorn standing at the window; Jareth didn't have the heart to tease or taunt her as usual- a first he realized. When she turned at him calling her name, the autumn-gold tinted light reflected tear tracks on her face and he caught the faint saline whiff of her sorrow. What made his Sarah stand at this dingy night view, crying, when she should be resting? Any residual temptation to make light of her emotions ceased at the tortured soul screaming within her eyes, the darkness keeping nothing secret from his acute sight. Jareth's heart contracted, feeling her pain. Not even her startled curse hid it.

"My apologies, I heard you crying," he replied, sincere and stood from his seated position on the edge of his bed. The cool air embraced his bare chest, a relief from the prickling irritants of the shirt (which he removed prior to going to bed while Sarah stalled in the privy only to be disappointed by the rough texture of the bed linens.) Was he never to find comfort?

"I was crying?" She didn't know? Moving closer, he reached for the obvious lines squiggling over her cheeks, collecting at her chin.

"Are you alright?" Concentrating on her tears, Jareth didn't see her eyes dip when he brushed his fingers over the rivulets, wiping them, drying them from her face.

She is too beautiful to shed such bitter tears, he decided. Too fine a being to feel such pain.

"Fine, I'm fine." Feeling her shiver at his continued touch, he watched her eyes drift shut. She is so tired, beyond exhausted; if she would only allow my help, I could ease her burdens.

"Then why are you not sleeping?" He asked, moving fingers towards her mouth whilst he observed her reactions: slowing respirations, lowering shoulders, drying tears, and her lips–perfect, blush–tinted skin soft to his touch. A tightening spread through his body from his chest to his groin once his thumb brushed over her parted lips, lightly massaged her delicate skin.

"Couldn't, too much on my mind," she said, her breath warming his hand and the urge to press his thumb over the boundary of her lower lip, explore her mouth, threatened to undo him. Even breaths keep him under control.

"Such as?" He sensed her increased fidgetiness, watched her twist her hips minutely towards him, smelled something new and pungent mix with her sorrow, musk—Sarah's arousal. Hardly able to restrain himself, Jareth inhaled, enjoying the dizziness, the heat and hardness his body experience from her proximity and responsiveness. By the Gods do I want her!

"Can we not talk about those things right now?" He heard her voice crack, watched how she kept her eyes closed, shutting out their reality. So be it, he could accept her surrender in this manner ... for now.

"Shh ... no more talking then," he replied, reducing the space separating them, guiding her face up until the tips of their noses met. When her eyes opened he knew she comprehended his intentions, knew she understood by the intense look in her eyes. Never had he seen her so bare, so revealed, and still she stood her ground, refusing to run from the truth pulsing between them.

How long had he wanted this, wanted her? And now, at the precipice, his lips hovering centimeters from hers, their breathing intermingling as their arms wove together, he hesitated. Everything would change. Once he kissed her - truly kissed her - nothing would be as it was.

"Jareth," she whispered his name, moving incrementally closer, her chest pressing to his so intimately he didn't mind her flannel abrading his ultra–sensitive flesh; it served to heighten his arousal, spice the sensations. He felt her hips grind into his; surely she feel his own lust responding to the pressure and yet she continued. Weaving his hand from her chin into her hair at the nape of her neck, he held her head firm, eyes boring into hers, felt her quivering as he knew he must be.

I want this. I want her. He pressed his lips to hers with deliberate intention, not forceful, not hard, but firm and commanding, showing her how much he desired her. Sarah returned it with equal fervor, her body molding to his; she heard a moan escape her vocal cords, felt it rumble in her chest and throat.

God he feels good, smells good; I could stay here forever... His lips were soft yet demanding in all the right ways, leading her exactly where she wanted to go ;but was too afraid to ask. Jareth knew because he wanted it too. She felt how much he wanted her; but he didn't push, didn't rush and she liked that-trusting him, even for this moment, consenting him the lead.

So when the tip of his tongue tested the seam of her faintly parted lips, tasting, she involuntarily groaned. She couldn't help it. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, her body told her she wanted this far longer than she consciously realized. Since her run through his labyrinth, Jareth epitomized all the best and worst of men in her eyes. Only now, as he kissed her, his tongue passing through her lips, tangling with hers to create the most pleasant, moist friction, did she begin to acknowledge to herself how much she craved him.

"Sa – rah," he said her name quietly into her mouth, drawing out the two syllables until she felt a buzz start in her chest and race down her torso into her legs. Dropping her hands from his shoulders, she ran her blunt nails over his pectorals, felt the muscles twitch and jump beneath her fingers, and marveled at how her touch affected him. If he felt half as light-headed as she...

Wanting to lose herself in the sensations, eyes still closed, she leaned her head back, feeling him brace her shoulders with his other hand. Jareth would keep her safe, hold her. Strangely, she'd never been as sure of anything in her life as this, right now, as he drew his mouth down her neck. His moan, guttural and deep, vibrated along the receptive skin of her neck; and she felt him leisurely trail a wet line of kisses to her collarbone. Clutching at his shoulders, she gasped.

Hearing her, Jareth nuzzled his nose farther into the corner of her neck and shoulders, his passion rising to the sound of hers. Her lips, her skin, touching her, kissing her–they surpassed all he dreamt, all his fantasies, and he never wanted to stop. Please, Gods Below, allow me this forever...

"Mmm ... Sarah?" Toby's voice carved through their lust, freezing both, Jareth's face buried in Sarah's neck, her head tossed back, hair streaming.

"Toby?" she answered in a squeak, head yanking upright, nearly head–butting Jareth.

"Sarah, where are you? It's dark." Hearing the fear in his voice, Sarah answered quickly, moving through the shaft of light.

"Here," she said pushing from Jareth and stumbling backwards. "I'm here."

"Oh, I see you." Readjusting her pajama top, she tripped over her feet rushing around Jareth's bed to Toby who sat up facing them, hair tousled, eyes pinched. "Hey, Jareth, what are you guys doing up?"

"We ... uh ... we're..."Sarah stammered, sitting next to her brother, before Jareth interrupted her in a smooth voice as he sat on his own bed, alone.

"We were admiring the night sky, Tobias."

"Oh." He shrugged, rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Cool."

"You need to go back to sleep, squirt."

"But I'm not tired," he said, yawning again.

"Sure you're not," Sarah answered sarcastically, ruffling his hair. Pulling up the blankets, she encouraged him to lie down. "Back to sleep."

"Are you guys staying up?" he asked as Sarah tucked him in with Jareth watching, a half smile curling his mouth. She glanced over to Jareth, uncertain what to say after their recent interlude. Suspecting how late it must be, she knew she should go to sleep but with her body abuzz and tingling, how could she? Meeting her questioning gaze, he answered her unspoken query.

"Of course not, Tobias," he said softly, "your sister and I are going to sleep now."

"Good." He yawned again, followed closely by a second, and Sarah yawned with him.

"You know, I am tired," she agreed, covering her mouth then dropping her eyes from Jareth's intense stare. What happened tonight changed the dynamic between them. She felt his presence more acutely now than ever before, could feel his eyes on her as she kissed Toby good night and slipped under the covers on his opposite side. Could feel him keenly studying her every movement, memorizing her; it gave her chills—not necessarily bad.

"Good night, Sarah," Jareth said, voice low and sultry and she peeked over Toby's body at his sitting form illuminated by the outside glow. Knowing he could see her far better than she him made her self–conscious, as if he peeled her layers in the dark. Suddenly lacking boldness, she ducked behind her brother and mumbled:

"'Night, Jareth." Oh boy ... what have I gotten myself into?

A/N: I plan on continuing these throughout "Oh, Now Why the Concern" as they're relevant. I'm thinking they'll be one-shot chapters all listed together under this story title of Interludes - part 1, part 2, etc. I'm starting them rated at T, but they might go up as thing progress eventually. We'll see.

Enjoy!

Jinx

:o)