"Alright everyone, we'll be taking a five minute break and then we'll take back up with scene seventeen. Good work everyone." The Director called over the hum of the cast and crew, everyone hearing him but very few actually acknowledging that they had actually heard him.
"You seem to be catching on a lot faster." Todd Hartman, a more veteran actor and as of recent mentor, came over and sat beside me with legs dangling over the edge of the stage.
"Thanks, I suppose Shakespeare isn't that hard to master. If they could do it in the 1500s, I can surely do it now." I smirked, feeling somewhat sarcastic but it got the reaction that was expected.
"That's my girl." Todd laughed and nudged me. "Didn't I tell ya? Like a pro, and in no time at all. Are you sure you won't be staying with us into the winter season?"
"Nah, I have to go back East for college. I promised my parents." We'd exchanged these words nearly everyday, sometimes twice a day. Todd knew I couldn't back down on my promise to my father and Karen just for a small acting gig but he made it a tradition to at least bring it into our conversations.
"Besides, if I stayed, you'd be overshadowed all the time." I teased.
"Only if you sat in front of the spot light." Todd chuckled, leaning back on his elbows. Somehow, even in the middle of rehearsals, he made everything seem so easy to live with. I decided it was one of the reasons we were quick to be friends.
"Williams, Sarah." A technician called.
"Here." I swung my legs around and faced her as she passed me a large envelope.
"Fan mail already?" Todd joked.
"Just the glowing reviews critics already have typed up so my name can spread all the faster." I countered, laughing as I opened the package and tipped it so the contents would slide into my hand.
My laugh died instantly though as I realized what it was. My first edition copy of my childhood favorite, The Labyrinth. Opening the cover I recognized my mother's scrawl from when she put my name in the corner. Turning the envelope over I was surprised to see no return address. Surely if it came through the mail either Karen or my father would have put our address on it.
"Don't let Harvey see that. He'll have a stroke if you have anything but the Bible, and by Bible I mean your script." Todd touched the spine of the book, looking appreciatively.
"It looks nice, who sent it to you?"
"I'm not sure, there is no address. But it's my copy." I admitted but realizing how weird that sounded I quickly tried to recover. "I probably leant it to my friends and they were sending it back. Probably Jackie, she's always using those tags, it must have fallen off or something."
"Mmm, well at least it got back to you safely." Todd remarked, not pushing the fact that something seemed very off. "Spot check, recite for me...hmm, Sonnet 18."
Rolling my eyes, I smiled.
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."
"Ah, and here I thought I was giving you a challenge." Todd laughed.
It would be a good Sonnet for Jareth, I suddenly thought to myself and then shook my head. Why would I be comparing Shakespeare to the Goblin King? Deciding it was just because of the book now back in my possession I pushed these thoughts aside as I looked around for another subject. Luckily I was saved.
"Hartman, Williams, center stage." The Director called. "We've got a new addition and it's time you all met him."
I smiled and stood first, excited despite being put on the spot. The Director's trick was to have the newest member run an improv scene with two older members. It was a fun way to learn about each other's style and it gave the others an extended break. Shrugging Todd stood, my excitement apparently infectious.
"Alright, dressing the stage, Williams, face stage left. Hartman in the center stage. King, come on whenever you're ready."
Closing my eyes I let myself seep into a character waiting until the Director clapped to signal to start.
"Milady." Hartman had crossed over to stand behind me, his voice velvety.
Turning around I smiled politely as he bowed and stood back up. But as my eyes followed him I became acutely aware of who was entering stage right. I could feel my smile falling as our eyes met. This couldn't be real, I had to be dreaming or fainted, hallucinating, anything but this.
Todd noticed my attention and turned to face Jareth, looking just as I remembered him. His hair was gelled back on the sides but still puffed on the top, his Shakespearean costume making him look even more like a king. His gaze seemed to hold me there until he glanced at Todd and bowed his head.
"My horse," He spoke slowly but his voice carried like honey, making me shiver. Even after five years, he still affected me, and it was glaringly obvious. "Needs to be tended to."
"Of course." Todd bowed respectively. "I'll have one of my men do that immediately." With that he took to exit stage right, a murmur of surprise in our cast.
It hushed however when he took a step towards me, my own feet moving in accord as I stepped forward and bowed, my head still upright, meeting his gaze. He was on my stage now, I thought suddenly, my turf. Suddenly he held his hand out.
"May we?" He asked.
Nodding silently he stepped to meet the rest of the way, my left hand meeting his as my right rested on his shoulder. Letting him take the lead I followed while I waited for the right moment to speak.
"You're thinking of something." He pointed out. "Tell me."
"I believed you gone." I admitted. "And now you are standing in my home as if you never left."
"My duties claimed me elsewhere, or else I think you would not doubt my presence here. That parting will never happen again." Jareth's eyes burned into mine.
"Won't it?" I asked, my voice growing sad. "You're duties will always claim you elsewhere."
"But never from you, not again." At his words I stopped, forcing him to stop with me. We did not, however, break our hold on each other.
"You speak boldly." I warned.
"I speak openly. I always have." Jareth continued.
"But have I?" I asked, my hands letting go of him, he in turn complied with his own hands.
"Then speak now." He invited.
"My words will not rest well on your ears." I shook my head.
"You've never let that stop you." His lips quirked in an almost smirk.
"Five seasons, you've been elsewhere and tonight you appear like a ghost and a ghost you are to me! I once dreamt of you, thought of you as my greatest wish. But I am no girl, I would not let myself waste away at a window. I untied myself from you and in one moment you try to rebind me! I am not a child. I will not think of you as a King, when I know what you are!"
"What am I then?" He asked, his own temper rising.
"A dream! A horrible, wonderful, endless dream." I yelled, my voice growing softer with each word. "A dream never dreamt twice."
His whole body stiffened, he knew what I meant.
"That's not true." He shook his head.
"It is." I argued.
"It isn't." He insisted.
"It has to be." I blurted out, my eyes watering. "It's the only explination."
"For what?" He growled.
"For being in love and yet still seeing you disappear from my life!" I sobbed, raising the back of my left hand to cover my mouth.
"Sarah..." His hand reached towards me but I turned away.
"We made our choices then Jareth." I tried to stop crying but seeing him made it impossible. "Now, now we try and live with them."
Daring to glance at him I was shocked to see he looked almost hurt. The Great and Powerful Goblin King, sad? It wasn't adding up in my mind. An apology was on my lips but Todd stepped back on looking concerned and protective. Stepping up I kissed Jareth's cheek and stepped around him to stand beside Todd.
"Some choices." Jareth finally spoke. "Are not acceptable."
With that he strode to the stage left curtain.
"I know." I admitted softly, making him pause before leaving.
The silence that fell over us was heartbreaking but I had to shake it off when the rest of the crew began applauding and the Director came up to the stage.
"Wonderful! Sarah I'm glad to see your working on your stage cry. Very good. Hartman, your entrance was perfect. King, king! What can I say, it was good, no great. You seem to really work well with Sarah and I think...King? King?" The Director called to the curtain but it only fluttered with the small breeze, no verbal response.
"Has anyone seen King?" The Director asked.
The rest of the day seemed to blur, rehearsals went on, no one really sure who the mysterious actor was who came and disappeared. Everyone except for one. I knew exactly where he went and it clawed at my heart to think I couldn't follow him. I tried to make myself believe it didn't matter and that it was all his fault for suddenly appearing and then leaving again.
After rehearsal Todd coaxed me into going back to the Director's for an occasional party he would throw for the cast and to attract more potential sponsors. His work was never done. Changing quickly into a green dress I kept in the back for special occasions, I hurried to get changed. It was a summer dress that fell to my knees and adapted to have see through sleeves that cuffed at my wrists with fabric I'd been lucky enough to find to match the dress. It was a soft green, and with my hair hanging loosely I applied fresh make-up and hurried to Todd's car.
"Are you feeling alright?" Todd asked as he drove.
"Sure, why?" I lied, I could almost see the question forming on his face.
"Did you know that guy from this morning?" He went straight to the point.
"No, why?" I pressed my lips, my stomach flipping, I hated lying.
"That scene, it just seemed, real. Like you were using it to admit your real feelings." Todd admitted. "And you seemed really off the rest of the day, like you were expecting to see him again.
"I never expect him." I laughed then bit my lip. "I'm sorry, I did know him, once. But I've grown up since then. I really don't know who he is any more. He could have changed for all I know."
"I understand." He didn't seem very happy about it but he visibly relaxed. "I'm sorry he put you through that, it wasn't fair of him to do that and disappear."
"Fair." I murmured, smiling sadly. Reaching over I touched his shoulder, "Besides, isn't that why I have you?"
"Of course." He grinned, sparing a second to look over before gazing back at the road.
Lips dry I turned away and tried to ignore the sinking feeling my stomach. Poor Todd, he really was one of the sweetest guys I knew. We chatted idly the rest of the way there but I was happy to be out of the car. Determined to prove to him I was feeling better I kept by his side but chatted happily with the cast members we walked passed.
"May I have this dance?" Todd whispered into my ear, making me shiver.
Smiling in response I turned and took his hand to the floor, surprised to hear a waltz come on.
"He's so old fashioned." Todd chuckled as he pulled me into his embrace and began leading, only a couple of other pairs joining us.
"Old fashioned isn't so bad." I amended, Jareth flashing through my mind, Todd gave a look that made me think he'd almost had the same thought.
"But sometimes new is good." He countered.
"Sometimes." I agreed with a smile.
Clearly pleased he leaned forward and kissed my lips, shy at first but with a confidence only Todd could have. His lips tasted sweet and kind and it broke my heart all at the same time. Returning the kiss I broke off breathless, my cheeks flushing.
"I'd never disappear." He promised.
"I know." I smiled. But I might, I thought to myself.
Jareth sat on his throne, the bare stone almost mocking him. He cursed himself for leaving but his emotions wouldn't permit him to look at her without boiling over with anger and passion. All he'd wanted to do was pull her into his arms and crash his lips with hers and show her. Show her that living without her was slowly not becoming an option.
If only she had followed, he thought to himself than dismissed the thought. He'd never really expected her to. Even if he hoped, the logical part of him really saw her. Smart, strong, and once bitten twice shy. She wouldn't run after him, not when she didn't know if he still cared. Still cared? She probably believed he was nothing more than captivated and self-gratifying.
There had to be a way to convince her.
And he'd find it.
Seeing her walk into the house with that Hartman, Todd as she called him, angered him. And when she held onto his arm or his hand touched her back, he wanted to rip them apart. But when Todd went to the bathroom it had been easy enough to render him asleep and use Fae magic to look like him.
Dancing with her had been like heaven. Making the old fashioned joke had been his private joke but her answer surprised him and he could see the memories flash across her face. In a moment he talked about something new. Her answer provoked him, and before he knew it he was kissing her. Kissing Sarah, his Sarah. But not his, he slowly realized. She thought he was that Todd person. Todd the mortal, the mere mortal, who somehow now had her under his grasp. How could he have been so cruel to himself? This delusion had to end while he still had the strength.
"Oh Sarah." He whispered and she closed her eyes, expecting another kiss.
Instead he warped time so the song ended and he turned and disappeared, unable to handle it anymore.
For a moment though, for a moment she had been his again. One moment.