AN: Sorry, forgot the 'standard disclaimer'...I'm so used to reading them that I forgot they have to be explained. I don't own anything.

AN2: Thanks to all my reviewers so far! As well as grazie to my ever eternal beta, sassquatch (whatever, you owe me from all of your college papers. this is cake compared to what I read for you!)

The reception line was not as long as it should have been; a large number of guests slipped by on the pretense of using the restroom or getting some 'fresh air'. Sarah still thought it was unnecessarily long and if anyone cared to listen she would have done more whining that a twenty-four year old in pain merited in a public setting. She knew very few of the people in the line, but decided that she had to put on a good face for the Williams side of the family. Or, at least, a passably interested face.

Charlie was proving to be a welcome distraction from the increasing boredom, whispering bits of gossip and giving his 'expert' opinion on some of the clothing choices of the guests. When Karen's parents puttered up to the front of the reception line, Sarah knew she'd be standing for quite a while longer. Even though Karen's mother (Grandma Josephine's sister, coincidentally) lived twenty minutes away in Alexandria and the two women talked for numerous hours a week, whenever they saw each other they had to repeat every conversation they've had for the past six months. It's tedious to listen to.

"So, Charlie, where's your date? Or did you come stag, as I did, hoping to find someone to take up to your room after the reception?" Sarah decided to plunge in the waters, responding to his earlier sad demeanor.

"Well, Bobby had to stay at home this weekend because of some work project or another, so I brought one of his business colleagues, Jareth Kavanagh. He's been a good sport, though he probably doesn't want to see or talk to me for the next decade – I tend to get chatty when I'm nervous, and his intensity makes me nervous. He's actually a good listener, too! Well, at least when you get some alcohol into him, I've found, then he doesn't care who's talking, as long as they're buying. It's almost a shame, too, that he's straight. Whoever heard of a straight man dressing with such style? And, oo, his manners! He could teach Emily Post a thing or two." And, Charlie kept going as he warmed up to his topic, extolling the virtues of his unattainable date to the point where Sarah was sure that this Jareth was some sort of king or member of royalty who had something like a fireplace poker shoved up his…well, perhaps that'd be an inappropriate analogy.

Charlie's soliloquy was, mercifully, broken off as Karen's parents said their cursory greetings and, now at a much faster pace, ran for the bathrooms (they're old, what can you say?). After several more guests went through the line up, Charlie's demeanor changed abruptly. His back stiffened, he seemed to pull himself in, as if he was meeting an important person. All Sarah saw was an attractive platinum blond man, with sharp eyes and a smart navy suit and power red tie.

"Hello, Jareth, I trust you're not too bored? There will be beverages of the adult nature and hors d'oeuvres until the reception line is done, if you'd like to get something. I can't possibly leave before all of the toasts and the cutting of the cake, so we may be here a while. I still can't believe Bobby got you to come, what did he do, promise you our first born son or something? Though that might be a bit awkward. Perhaps we can renegotiate terms if that ever comes to fruition. Or dear, there I go again, chattering on," a self-deprecating chuckle escaped his lips, "Let me introduce you to my cousin, Sarah Williams, hailing all the way from Philadelphia." Charlie whipped out his for-decoration-only kerchief and mopped the perspiration from his brow, just now realizing how warm the room had gotten and how standing so close to Jareth was making him even more nervous than usual.

The moment that Sarah and Jareth's eyes met for the first time, there was a flash of recognition, then it was gone. Both were left with an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu that they had met before, or that they had connected in some way prior to this meeting. But, as is the nature of déjà vu, they chose not to mention the feeling to one another and hoped that a prior meeting or some other connection would be made clear to them.

"Jareth, thank you for coming." Sarah extended her hand for a firm handshake, after all, it is the twenty-first century, women aren't supposed to curtsy, right? And, even so, she was sure she wouldn't be able to get back up if she did curtsy, for her legs had been replaced with wet spaghetti noodles.

"Sarah. A pleasure to meet you." Jareth lightly grasped her hand and, almost predictably, turned it over to kiss the back of it. The brief touching of his lips to her skin was electrifying and Sarah took a sudden deep breath to cover her apprehension.

"Enjoy the reception." Sarah reclaimed her hand and, rather childishly, put it behind her back where his lips would be nowhere near it.

"Oh, I will. And I'll be sure to find you later. Sarah." He let his gaze linger just a moment on her lips, and Sarah resisted the urge to wet them in response. Jareth abruptly nodded at Charlie and strolled away as if he had not been affected as Sarah.

"So, you two know each other?" Charlie whispered to Sarah with a knowing grin, winking suggestively, and then turned away to greet the next round of guests before she could formulate a proper response.