A/N: Happy New Year's everyone! I can't believe the reception that the last chapter received, but you won't hear me complaining. I'm glad you all liked it so much and I hope that the next chapter is just as enjoyable. Special thanks go out to MyraValhallah, scifigeek10, lonely 27, Cashmeritan, Good Work, Stacy Vorosco, jensulli11, sandy162, pyrogothica, gothlena13, notwritten, jinx1764, and Diana1621 for their most awesome reviews! Remember – reviews make me happy and happy people update faster.
Disclaimer: If I owned the movie, the ending would have been much more R-rated.
A Year Without A Goblin King
~~~~~Auld Lang Syne~~~~~
"Give it up for the Spice Girls!" shouted the overexcited announcer as the five young Brits took the stage.
"Happy New Year's, New York City," shouted Scary Spice. The crowd broke out again in shouts, squeals, and applause. The music began; all synthesizers and computerized accompaniment.
Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really really want,
I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really
really really wanna zigazig ha.
The television continued to play to the empty room. The apartment's lone occupant was busy hyperventilating in the single bedroom. Standing in the bare room in a t-shirt and bikini briefs, Sarah tried to regulate her erratic breathing and slow her heartbeat. Why on earth had she said she would agree to this trade? Maybe it wasn't too late to back out. No! Sarah had made a deal with Jareth and she would just have to live with it.
Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room for anything else she may need to bring. Most of her belongings had already been transferred to a room within the castle beyond the Goblin City. Several Goblins had been visiting back and forth since she had made the deal with Jareth. She would point to the boxes that were ready to go and they'd take them back to the castle. For their hard work, she rewarded them with Hershey's Kisses.
For the past month, she had been making preparations for her year in the Underground. Everyone believed she was taking a sabbatical to teach underprivileged children in a third world country. Her school was holding her position for her until she returned in a year. They may have been a bit harder on her if she hadn't found them the perfect substitute. Sarah had to laugh at the thought of Jareth teaching the rude teens how to appreciate Shakespeare. She imagined a class field trip to the Bog of Eternal Stench.
Jareth had introduced her to several of his key staff, including Redmond, his chief advisor. Sarah took an instant liking to the friendly, brown-haired Fae. It was a good thing she enjoyed his company. She soon found that she was spending more time with Red, as she called him, than with Jareth. It was his responsibility to make sure she was ready to take Jareth's place as the Goblin Regent. He made her a chart of all the important nobles that she would meet. He also instructed her on the proper greeting for each. Sarah could be seen late at night studying the flash cards he made for her.
Red and Sarah spent long hours talking about the history of the Underground. She learned that the Goblin Kingdom was one of the most powerful Kingdoms in the Underground. Jareth's duty was to take the unwanted children from Above and give them to Fae couples. Many Fae women were barren due to the length of their lives. It was due to this fact that Fae males were so virile. They had to be in order to ensure the survival of their race. Still, Sarah was not looking forward to being accosted by oversexed Fae men. Red had explained that her pheromones were quite different than Fae females. She smelled Mortal, which meant fertile. Sarah decided to bring a heavy perfume with her in order to cover up these pheromones as much as possible. Red just laughed at this idea and let it go.
Sarah was introduced to several others who would help ensure that she didn't make any grievous errors. Her magic tutor, Cuinn, helped her to work with the small amount of magic that Jareth had gifted her. He was a patient and kind old Fae. She soon developed a grandfatherly bond with the ancient Fae. With his long beard and flowing grey hair, he reminded her of Merlin in the Arthurian tales she used to love. With his help, she was soon creating small crystals and transporting herself around her apartment. He saved her butt on more than one occasion. Once, she turned the Goblin King into a hermit crab after he accused her of being crabby in the morning. Cuinn managed to undo her spell and sooth Jareth's temper.
Kevay, Sarah's etiquette coach, was so prim and proper that Sarah felt like a complete idiot when in the same room with her. She was kind and patient, yet aloof. Eating dinner had never before been such an event. Learning to use the correct utensil for the correct course was more difficult than teaching bored students how to conjugate verbs. Sarah had always thought she had good table manners, but, next to Kevay's impeccable conduct, Sarah looked like a boorish oaf. Kevay never lost her temper or intentionally made Sarah feel stupid, for which Sarah was grateful. Still, one hour of etiquette lessons were more tiring than a five mile jog.
The head of the guard, Caedmon, spent many hours teaching her proper self-defense techniques. She enjoyed sparring with the elf. They engaged in verbal battles, as well physical ones. Their bantering was all in good natured fun. Neither of them meant anything by the insults that they hurled towards each other. Caedmon was like the older brother that Sarah had always created for herself in her childhood fantasies. Together, they practiced several types of martial arts and fencing. Sarah's natural grace and quick learning made it seem as if she'd been learning these skills all her life.
Sarah spent at least an hour, twice per week, with Kelan. The tall, thin Fae taught her all the Underground dances that she needed to know in order to attend various balls. It was expected that she would be invited to several balls to honor her as Goblin Regent. She already knew basic ballroom dances, such as the waltz and foxtrot. Karen had signed her up for lessons when she was sixteen in the hopes that she would meet a "nice young man." Her dance partner was a brash seventeen-year-old with groping hands. The only nice thing she could say about him was that he prepared her for dealing with inappropriate partners, while maintaining a sense of decorum. Kelan was much nicer and danced divinely. The only man who danced better, in Sarah's humble opinion, was Jareth. Even though she only danced with him once, in a crystal dream, she still remembered the feeling of floating across the dance floor in his arms. That enchanted peach had given her fodder for a number of fantasies. She was thankful that she was older, wiser, and less hormonal now. She hadn't had one of those dreams in years. There was that dream last week, but Sarah was quick to dismiss it as a result of too much eggnog and sappy Christmas movies.
Maola and Hiolair, Sarah's personal attendant and the castle seamstress, came to measure her to create a proper wardrobe. Maola learned her preferences and spent time getting to know the new Goblin Regent. She would be expected to keep Sarah's schedule, help her get dressed, bring her meals, and other duties as needed. Sarah enjoyed her company and they already formed a close friendship. After asking her to just call her Sarah, she conceded that there were times when she would have to remain formal and call her Lady Sarah. Hiolair had a great sense of humor and made Sarah comfortable by telling funny stories. She complimented Sarah on her figure and made suggestions on the types of gowns that would flatter it. Sarah left all the wardrobe decisions to her.
The castle chef, Eithna, met with Sarah to go over the young woman's culinary likes and dislikes. Sarah gave her several cookbooks and highlighted her favorite recipes. Though Eithna was quick-tempered and rough around the edges, she was one of Sarah's favorites. Her father would have called Eithna a character. She reminded Sarah of Hoggle, though she refrained from telling either of them of her opinion as she didn't think they would care for the comparison. For some reason, the cross cook had taken a liking to Sarah. Perhaps it was the same charisma that had attracted all of her Labyrinth friends. Sarah was quick to deny that she had any kind of effect on the creatures she met in the Underground. Jareth explained it to those who asked by simply saying that she was no ordinary girl.
Sitting on her bed, Sarah tried to convince herself that it was time to get ready. The digital clock next to her bed practically screamed the time to her. It was almost 11:30 and Jareth would be here soon. Thinking of Jareth had her smiling as she went over the last month in her mind. Just as she had to learn about his job, Sarah had to teach Jareth all about hers. Laughing, she remembered the time she'd tried to impart on Jareth the importance of lesson plans. Jareth was much more impetuous than Sarah and didn't understand why she felt the need to plan out her lessons so far in advance.
"What if they are not ready to learn what you have planned to teach them?" he asked, ignoring her exasperated sighs.
"Then you make changes to your lesson plans," Sarah explained for the umpteenth time. "If you do it properly, you should be teaching your subject at the correct pace for them to learn. Now, come on, I've already finished and submitted the lesson plans for the rest of the year. All you have to do is follow them."
"But what if the material is wrong or boring?" he complained.
"Life is sometimes wrong or boring," Sarah argued. "Just deal with it."
"I'm not used to 'dealing with it' as you insist I do," Jareth replied haughtily. "I'm the Goblin King. People do as I say, not the other way around."
"But, remember," she intoned sweetly. "You are not the Goblin King anymore. You are Jarey MacGregor, recent immigrant from London."
"Hmph," Jareth scoffed. "I will always be the Goblin King, no matter what I'm called."
"You never did tell me where you came up with that name," Sarah replied, wanting to change the subject.
"Jarey was my nickname as a child," Jareth explained, placing his arm behind her on the back of the couch. "MacGregor is the Scottish clan to which my family has a close affiliation. The clan's motto is 'S Rioghal Mo Dhream, which I thought was appropriate."
"What does that mean?" she asked, tucking into his side. She could listen to Jareth talk forever. His melodic baritone voice was soothing, with just a touch of the exotic. Jareth looked at her with surprise for a moment before slipping his hand from the back of the couch to fall around her shoulder.
"Royal is my Race," he translated. Sarah and Jareth shared a laugh.
"It certainly fits you," Sarah observed.
"It's not the only thing that fits," Jareth murmured.
"What was that?" Sarah asked, pulling away to look at him.
"It was nothing, just thinking aloud," he replied, smiling down at her. Appeased, she laid her head on his shoulder.
"You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of getting old," she quipped.
"What would you know about that, little girl?" he asked, laughing.
"Well, old man, you aren't 500 anymore," she retorted.
"In my world, a woman your age would still be considered a child," he contended. "Children are supposed to listen to and obey their elders."
"Well, it's a good thing that this is my world," she argued. "I am not a kid anymore." Jareth allowed his eyes to sweep over her body as they came to rest on her full breasts. She was wearing a thin t-shirt, which clearly showed off her shapely curves.
"I would have to agree with that statement," he conceded. She looked up at him and saw him intently staring at her chest. Poking him in the side, good naturedly, she admonished him.
"You're not just an old man," she said, laughing. "You're a dirty old man."
"You wound me, precious," he pouted with mock anger.
"Can it, Jarey," she replied, testing out his new name on her tongue. It felt strange, yet familiar. "You don't see me going around staring at your package. Not that anyone could help it with your wardrobe choices."
"Feel free," Jareth offered, smirking. "I don't think I'd stop you."
"Pervert," she claimed.
Jareth simply laughed and she soon found herself laughing along with him. The banter was familiar and friendly. They'd fallen into a pattern of relating that Sarah equated with that of old friends. He was always saying things to shock her and she'd always pretend to be deeply offended. Neither of them truly meant any of the insults they hurled at each other. Unless, of course, they were having an argument. Then they meant every one of them, only to feel guilty later, promising to never do it again. Promises they would keep until the next time. Though theirs was a passionate relationship, it was strictly platonic. An idea that was, undeniably, all Sarah's.
Sarah smiled at the memory as she sat on the bed. For a moment, she wondered what it would be like to see Jareth naked beneath her sheets. He'd be doing his customary arrogant smirk, waiting for her to join him. She bet that he was one hell of a bed partner. He'd been alive long enough to perfect his technique. Sarah blushed furiously at the thought of him touching her. What was she thinking? This was her friend. Friends do not think of other friends like that…do they?
Shaking her head, Sarah arose from her bed and began to pace her room again. Was she so hard up that she was getting desperate? She didn't think of Jareth in that way. Not often, anyway. It had been a long time since her last romantic relationship. Joey's style of love making was two pumps, a tickle, and a squirt. She imagined that Jareth took his time, bringing his partner to pleasure over and over again. Shaking her head, she willed herself to stop this line of thought. The sound of the phone ringing was a welcome one. Sarah ran to answer it.
"Hello," she said, picking up the receiver and putting it to her head.
"Hey Sarah," a young voice replied.
"Hi Tobes," she said, smiling. "What's up?"
"Just wanted to wish you a happy New Year's, sis," Toby replied. "I still can't believe you're leaving tomorrow. Namibia is so far away."
"Happy New Year's, little brother," Sarah said, trying not to cry. She hated what her sudden departure was doing to her brother.
After her time in the Underground, she and Toby had forged a close bond. She almost felt like a second mother to Toby. Leaving for a year was going to be such a hard thing for them both. She remembered her conversation with her family when she initially told them the lie about teaching abroad. Her father's reaction was one of tentative approval. He wasn't crazy about his only daughter traveling alone to another continent, but thought it might be a good experience for her. Karen was ecstatic. After high school, she and Sarah had become friends. She knew how bored Sarah had become lately. This was just the ticket to put some excitement in the younger woman's life. Maybe she'd even meet someone new. Sarah was a young, attractive woman. She should be going out weekends, not staying home and grading papers. Toby, however, had run up to his room and slammed the door.
Sarah climbed the stairs after the spunky eleven-year-old. Knocking on the door, she waited for him to answer her. Silence greeted her. That's when Sarah began to get the idea of just how hurt he was at her news. She knocked again and tried to open the door. The doorknob refused to turn. Her little brother had locked her out; something that was a complete rarity for her. Now, she was becoming worried. Maybe she should call Jareth and tell him the deal was off. She was about to turn around and go back downstairs, when a hand fell on her shoulder.
"Give him some time, sweetie," Karen advised. "He'll calm down and then you can talk to him about it."
"Maybe I shouldn't go," Sarah replied.
"Of course you should go," Karen recommended. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Toby is being selfish. You are his sister, but you're an adult. You have a life to live. This could be good for him, too."
"You think so?" Sarah asked, feeling a bit of relief.
"Yes I do," Karen replied. "Besides, you'll keep in touch with him by phone. Maybe I can talk your father into taking a trip there to visit you this year. Exposure to another culture would be great for him."
"Um, yeah, that'd be cool," Sarah hedged, trying not to panic. What if her parents decided to visit her? How was she supposed to explain it if they came and were told that the school had never heard of her?
"Come on," Karen replied, smiling. "I've got some turtle cheesecake downstairs that I've been dying to try. You eat my slice and I'll eat yours, that way the calories don't count."
Sarah laughed and walked downstairs with her stepmother. A little while later, Toby came down. He still looked sullen, but he apologized to his sister. They spent the rest of the evening talking about her new adventure. Sarah hated to lie to him, but she couldn't bring herself to tell the kid the truth. How in the world could she explain to him that she once wished him away and had to run a Labyrinth to get him back? Yeah, that would go over good. Toby would probably believe her and be extremely hurt that she had wished him away. Her parents would probably have her involuntarily committed in the psych ward at the local hospital.
"Can't you stay home?" Toby asked, pulling Sarah from her memories.
"We've talked about this Toby," Sarah replied. "I've given my word that I'll go and you know that, once I make one, I keep my promises."
"Because it's the right thing to do," Toby recited.
"Besides, you still have your mom and daddy," Sarah reminded him.
"And Eric and Phillip," Toby added.
"How are the boys?" Sarah asked. Her parents agreed to take her two dogs for her while she was gone. She wished she could take them with her, but that would look too suspicious. It was doubtful that they would allow her to take dogs to "Namibia."
"They're doing good," Toby assured. "They miss you." The clock on the wall rang the quarter hour and Sarah realized she was still only half-dressed.
"I've got to go, Tobes. Getting up early to drive to the airport," she said, wincing at the lie. "Give my love to your mom and dad and kisses to the boys."
"I will, Sarah," Toby replied. "Call us when you get there."
"I promise to call you tomorrow," Sarah vowed. "Love you, Toby."
"Love you, too," Toby replied. "Bye."
"Byes," Sarah said, hanging up the receiver.
Taking a deep breath, Sarah went to back to her bedroom and grabbed the lone pair of jeans in her dresser. Slipping them up her lean legs, she buttoned them up and walked out to the living room. The television announcer was even more excited, though Sarah didn't think that was possible. Her socks and shoes were sitting by the couch and she sat down to finish dressing. After she was done, she sat back to watch the ball drop and wait for Jareth to arrive.
Jareth sat with Red, going over some last minute instructions. Though he looked bored and relaxed, inside, he was a bundle of nerves. What if something went wrong? Sarah was Mortal and any number of things could happen to her. He'd never forgive himself if she was hurt in this trade. Red was going on about something innocuous, but his voice was a reminder that she wouldn't be alone.
"Jareth," Red said, interrupting the Goblin King's thoughts. "Are you listening to me?"
"Yes, yes, of course," Jareth lied. Red sighed and shook his head. This was a regular occurrence and he had come to expect the lack of interest. If it were mundane and boring, Jareth would trust that Red would take care of it without needing much input from him.
"Are you ready for this?" Red asked.
"Naturally," Jareth replied. "Should I be otherwise?"
"How do you think the Lady will do?" Red asked.
"Sarah is brave, intelligent, and strong willed," Jareth sighed, smiling at the thought of the beautiful Mortal girl.
"Not to mention, beautiful and charming," Red agreed. Jareth narrowed his eyes and glared at his advisor.
"I trust I won't have to have someone keep an eye on you while I'm gone," Jareth warned.
"Understood," Red replied, standing down. Jareth and Redmond had grown up together and were closer than brothers. Even so, Red knew his station. His father was Jareth's father's closest advisor and he had taught his son well. Though they may be friends, Jareth was still King and his opinion was the only one that mattered.
"If you should need me for anything," Jareth offered, satisfied that his friend would keep his word.
"I'll call," Red finished. "You'd better be off. It's nearly time for the trade."
"Keep her safe, old friend," Jareth said, creating the crystal that would take him to the Above.
"I'll protect her with my life," Red vowed. "Stay safe, Your Majesty, but don't forget to have some fun. Remember, this is a vacation."
Jareth smiled and nodded to his friend. With a wave of his hand, he covered himself in the glamour that would hide his true identity. His hair was now short, though still unruly, and the markings on his face were gone. Finally, his eyebrows covered his eyes in a Mortal fashion. No longer did they look like the wings of an owl. He looked over his appearance in the mirror before throwing the crystal up in the air. When it came back down again, Red was alone.
Sarah knew he'd arrived before she even saw him. Turning her head, she took in the Goblin King in his Mortal attire. She felt the corners of her mouth turn up at the sight of Jareth in jeans and a funny Christmas sweater. It was mostly blue and white, with a great big snowman in the center. The cuffs and sleeves were lined with red yarn. Even in jeans, Sarah couldn't help but admire Jareth's physique. He was one fine-looking man. Jareth's mouth was turned up into a smirk as he caught her staring at certain parts of his anatomy.
"You sure you still want to do this?" Sarah asked, not liking her breathless tone. For goodness sake, you'd think she was still a hormonal teenager. 'Snap out of it, woman,' she admonished herself.
"Most definitely," Jareth replied with a grin. "No backing out now, precious."
"No, I suppose not," Sarah agreed. "Shall we watch the ball drop before we make the exchange?"
"Sounds like fun," Jareth concurred.
Jareth sat down on the couch next to Sarah and tried to focus on the screen in front of him. As always, it was hard to concentrate on anything with Sarah so near. He could smell the hint of flowers from her shampoo as she tossed her hair back over her shoulder. He closed his eyes briefly to keep from ravishing her right where she sat. She'd made it clear that she wasn't ready for anything more than friendship from him. Still, it was hard for him to keep his promise to maintain their platonic relationship.
Sarah, for her part, was dealing with her own feelings. In her mind, she could see herself pushing him down on the couch and covering him with kisses. Perhaps it was time to rethink her position on their relationship. Did she want to take it to the next level? Hell yeah! Unfortunately, she also wanted a million dollars. A person can't have everything they want. That was the ultimate lesson Sarah learned in the Labyrinth. She had to give up her dreams for her brother. It had been worth it in the end, but still, Sarah wondered what her life would have been like if she had taken the crystal with her dreams. Jareth was her best friend. Time and time again, Sarah had seen relationships destroyed by friends becoming lovers. She couldn't risk her friendship with Jareth just for her hormonal need to explore his body with her tongue.
Absently, Sarah's hand wandered to the candy bowl on the small end table. She grabbed a couple of Kisses from the bowl and quickly unwrapped one of them. Setting it on her tongue, she savored the smooth chocolate as it melted in her mouth. There was nothing like chocolate to bring a girl out of her funk. Sarah made sure to always keep it on hand for emergencies. Holding her hand out to Jareth, she attempted to give him the second one she had grabbed.
"Kiss?" she asked, watching the countdown to midnight on the small set in her living room.
Jareth looked down at the small piece of chocolate she was handing him and grinned broadly. His eyes twinkled with merry mischief. Pushing her hand away, he slipped his arms around her. Without warning, he placed his soft, warm lips to hers. She made a little noise of surprise in the back of her throat. The feeling of his lips on hers and the smell of the scent that was uniquely his ended her struggles before they began. Her arms slipped around his neck and she began kissing him back with a passion she didn't even know existed. To say Jareth was pleasantly surprised, was an understatement.
They may have stayed in that liplock forever if not for the sounds of cheers and familiar music pouring out of the television set. Sarah quickly pulled away, flushed and breathing hard. Glancing at the revelry on screen, her foggy brain was quickly discerning that it was midnight and that she was supposed to be doing something. Or was it someone? A look at Jareth told her that the fog had taken over his brain, as well. Sarah shook her head to clear it.
"Happy New Year's, Jarey," Sarah managed, finally remembering what was going to take place in just a few seconds.
"Happy New Year's, precious," Jareth replied. With a flick of his wrist, Sarah was transported to the castle beyond the Goblin City and Jareth was alone.
See you on Valentine's Day.