Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed *big hugs*. I have every intention of making this story rather dark… and there will be mature content. I'm increasing the rating—you have been warned. This will be dark, and I know there will be those who don't like it, but bear with me. I'm a sucker for happy endings.
Sarah sat up in bed suddenly, looking around. What the hell was that?
She swung her legs out of bed, slipping them into the light blue slippers that were on the floor. Still slightly groggy, she stood up, rubbing her eyes. She took another look around the bedroom as her eyes adjusted—gasping as she spotted a shape in the corner.
After a moment, she realized that she recognized the figure, though that did not slow her heartbeat. Making an attempt to look unafraid, she crossed her arms over her chest and scowled, fully aware that all she was wearing was a thin nightgown with no bra.
Jareth smirked, his eyes roaming over her body. It was obvious that she was a very attractive girl; a little young, perhaps, but such things were not uncommon Underground. He could only imagine what she could be, when she was fully developed. Head out of the gutter, he inwardly snarled at himself. He couldn't help it though—his imagination was working at full speed, conjuring up scenarios in which she wanted him, would not refuse him.
Sarah awkwardly cleared her throat. Ok, I guess I get to start the conversation…
"Goblin King," she addressed him, trying to force her voice not to shake, and not quite succeeding. What exactly does he want from me now? She knew he harbored feelings toward her, but they were not the feelings she wanted from him, or any man. She was uninterested in a relationship in which she was a plaything.
Jareth bristled at her greeting. I hate it when she calls me that; she knows my name. Shaking it off, he stepped forward, ignoring the thought of how uncomfortable this must have made her. Sarah did indeed take the tiniest of steps backward, glancing behind her and noticing that she had nowhere to go.
The little voice inside Jareth's head spoke up at last. What are you to do now, hm? Steal her from her room? And what would your excuse be? She didn't cheat. She didn't lose. And she'll laugh her ass off when she finds out that the mighty, formidable Goblin King is pining over her. Jareth gritted his teeth. He knew perfectly well that she had won fairly—but he refused to leave without her.
"Sarah," he finally said. Sarah looked at him in confusion; Jareth knew how confused she must be. He wiped all emotion from his face—this was no time to let his feelings get the better of him.
"I have come to claim my prize," he stated, expression completely blank. Shock flashed across Sarah's face, quickly replaced by fury.
"Your prize?!" she shrieked, looking for all the world like she would lunge at him any moment and throttle him. Thank God for immortality, he thought wryly.
Sarah fought to keep her voice steady. "I beat you. I won. You have no right to claim anything."
Jareth thought that her bravery was admirable; it was a quality which he had always admired in her—part of what made her so appealing to him. Still… she was stubborn as hell, something which did not always make him appreciate her. If she wasn't so stubborn, you wouldn't have met her in the first place, his inner voice noted. This was true enough.
"You cheated. You had help." Jareth almost felt guilty for causing her this pain. Still—if this trickery is what it took to make her come with him, then he would gladly take it.
Sarah's eyes welled up with tears. There's no fighting him. No point. "But… you have enough goblins! What do you need Toby for?"
Jareth momentarily blanched. Is she that blind? Does she really think it was ever about the boy? Best not to let her know, all the same. Best for her not to find out exactly how pathetic he was.
He pretended to think about it for a moment. "Well… I would be willing to spare Toby—in exchange for something else."
What could he possibly want from me? What do I have to offer him so that he would spare Toby? Sarah's mind scrambled to find a solution to the predicament in which she found herself.
Jareth, on the other hand, was more focused on the was she looked at that moment; the way she bit her lip when she thought hard about something, the little crease that had formed between her chocolate brown eyes. He felt his body begin to react to her beauty. Idiot, think of something else… anything else…
"Like what?"
Jareth snapped out of it. Hmm? Oh…
He paused for a moment, trying to find the correct way to phrase it. "Well… I daresay you'll do."
Jareth watched as her mouth opened, closed, opened again. Her face turned a brilliant shade of magenta as she obviously realized his intentions. Jareth waited on tenterhooks as Sarah's brain fought to make sense of things.
"So…" Sarah started slowly, "you want… me… to take Toby's place?"
"Ah," Jareth said. "Perhaps I have not been clear. You would not serve me as a goblin," he said, chuckling slightly at the thought. "You would live in my castle, in your own room," for now, he thought wickedly, "and you will do as I say. You will not leave unless I have given you permission to do so. I will provide everything for you, should you accept these terms. If you refuse me completely, your brother becomes a goblin." He stopped and watched her, letting this knowledge sink in.
I don't want to, Sarah thought. But… Toby deserves to live. And what have I got here that's so great? School sucks. My parents don't like me much. She bit her lip again thoughtfully. Then, she squared her shoulders and looked the goblin king directly in his mismatched eyes.
"Deal."
The world suddenly spun. Dizzy, Sarah closed her eyes tightly, wishing the feeling of vertigo would cease. For a few moments she felt this way—then, as quickly as it had started, she no longer felt as though she were in freefall, though her eyelids remained tightly squeezed shut.
There was a quiet chuckle from a few feet away. "You can open your eyes, Sarah. Welcome home."
