She's standing alone in the rain, and she's never felt more pathetic in her life. Her dress, the one that cost her far too many hours of babysitting, is practically melting around her, but she's too immersed in her own self-pity to notice. That self-centered, arrogant, cold-hearted asshole… She curses him to every hell she's ever heard of, read about, or imagined.
She doesn't see the man until he's standing next to her. "What's a young beauty like you doing out here, all by yourself?"
The voice is chillingly familiar, and she jumps away from him. "Who are you?"
He laughs and throws back his head. "Surely you haven't forgotten me, Sarah?"
For a moment, she fears this night has pushed her over the edge. But with the rain plastering down his hair and dripping along his jacket collar, he's unavoidably there. It must be a trick. He can't be here. She looks into his face.
Mismatched eyes stare back at her, reflecting her every dream and nightmare. They dare her to deny him, and reluctantly she feels herself believing again.
"Jareth." Her voice is shaky, though from the tears or the shock, she can't tell.
"Very good."
"Why are you here?"
"That's a question only you can answer," he says smoothly. "I just follow your wishes."
"I never called you."
"Oh, but you did." He takes a step closer, and she catches the faint scent of wood and feathers. "You cried out for me with your heart."
She begins to protest, but he puts a finger over her lips. His gloves are too warm for the chill of the night. "What has he done to you, Sarah?"
"Who?" She recoils, and there's a defensive edge to her question.
"The one who drove you to cry on a street corner."
"That's none of your business," she mumbles, hastily wiping at the mascara tracks on her cheeks.
"Yes it is." He lifts her chin, and she's forced to meet his gaze. If she didn't know better, she'd say there was pity in his eyes. "The world still isn't fair, is it? Poor, poor Sarah. None of your fairy tales ever seem to come true."
Struggling not to admit the truth in his words, she hides her agreement with anger and tears her face away. "Are you here for a reason, or not?"
"I've already told you. I'm here because you called me. You want me to help you. To make this all go away."
She snorts. "You can't."
He's starting to get annoyed. She can tell by the iciness coming over his features. Briefly, she both hopes and dreads that he might leave. But he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and the chill dissolves. "I can if you let me," he says quietly.
Bowing, he takes her hand. "You've been dreaming about this night for a long time. It would be a pity if you didn't get to dance."
"Are you asking me to…"
"Yes, Sarah, I am asking you to dance." He sighs. "You're a clever girl. It's really not that difficult."
Instinctively, she opens her mouth to refuse. His grip tightens on her fingers, however, and there's something in the set of his mouth that says he won't accept a decline. Besides, she has to admit that dancing in the rain with a goblin king has a certain appeal to her, especially tonight.
"But there's no music."
He smiles and puts a hand on her waist. "Easily remedied." And then, in a gesture that would be totally ridiculous coming from anyone but him, he begins to sing.
"When every fairy tale has ended
When every hope you've held has flickered out
When the injustice of reality overwhelms you
When the truth has confirmed your every doubt
"There is solace in the nighttime
Comfort in the stars
Safety in the moonlight
And the owl's feathered arms
"The day can be so harsh and cruel
Unyielding light won't let you hide away
Superficial sunshine only lies to you
Sheds its heat on the hard stone where you lay
"But you'll find solace in the nighttime
Comfort in the dark
Safety in the moonlight
For your weary, world-worn heart."
As he holds out the last note, their faces are so close she can taste the music, warm and soft and bittersweet. In the golden light of the street lamp, he looks even more exotic than she remembered him. The shadows highlight his otherworldly countenance, and she almost forgets that they're standing in the middle of the road with the buzz of suburbia all around them.
"You don't have to stay here," he whispers. His voice is low, tempting. "I can take you away again. Back to the Labyrinth. How would you like to be a queen, to have your every desire fulfilled at one command?" His breath tickles her cheek, warming her rain-soaked skin.
She feels herself drawn into his proposal like a child to candy. These dreams he describes are so beautiful she can almost see them, so sweet…
Too sweet.
They're just words, she realizes. An empty promise in a string of promises just like it. He's not the first to offer her the moon. Even if he can give it to her, he'll have his price, as everyone has before him.
"No." She slides out of his grasp and lets a curtain of rain separate them.
This is not what he wanted to hear. He seems to grow taller, the shadows on his face more pronounced. "I am not one to be refused without a thought, Sarah."
"It's like you said," she says, un-phased. "My fairy tales never come true. And yours is no different." With that, she turns her back and walks away.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Sarah."
She doesn't even stop. "Get used to it," she says to the night. "Things aren't so perfect outside your fairyland."
When she looks back over her shoulder, he's gone. An owl swoops down over her head, ruffling her hair before gliding up into the sky. Somewhere in the clouds, she hears a voice softly singing.
"There is safety in the moonlight.
Just accept the night bird's call."