I own nothing. The Labyrinth, Jareth and Sarah doesn't belong to me.

Thanks to Serena24 for the beta!

Thank you all again for the reviews!

Yes, he is awesome! It has nothing to do with me, that's the way he is ;-)

Chapter 3

If she laid down and just fell asleep right now, it would be so easy to pretend that it was all just a dream ... She would have no decision to take - and he would be so surprised when he learnt that she had completely forgotten about him! It would be so good to teach him a lesson. How can he be so sure of himself, he behaved as if she had already accepted his offer!

Sarah shook her head – she couldn't escape it... Whom am I trying to fool, I will accept, I don't even need a week to understand it.

The girl looked at the clock – no time to sleep, she needed to work out 60 hours of summer practice, and she was anxious to part with it .

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

(Three days later)

"What a pretty little model we are having today!" - Redhead Emma wrinkled her nose, rubbing it with a pencil.

"And did they pay him for it? How much?" – Emma had always been good at making funny faces. Sarah tried her best not to laugh. Today, students painted a naked old man laying on a beautifully retracted bed. The old man was bald, paunchy, and completly covered with age spots.

He kept the position rather poorly and occasionally made some unhappy sounds too. Sarah mentally thanked God that she was at the distant corner from the exposition. She wouldn't want to know how he smelled...

"I've read that there was such a meditation called "the meditation on disgusting", - Emma never stop - "You're actually watching at a piece of shit for half an hour..."

"Emma!" - Sarah hissed. Several students turned back at them angrily. Well, at least the teacher, as usual, was chatting with someone from the first row.

"... And after that you take a look around - Whoa! What a beauty!"

Sarah closed her eyes with her hand - oh God! If I don't laugh, she will finally calm down. She picked up a softer pencil and continued drawing.

"Take a good look at the old fellow, Williams!" - Emma whispered close into Sarah's ear, – "this is your chance to finally establish your private life - after him any poor pimply boy of our course will seem to be a prince!"

Sarah put the pencil aside. She's had enough. She has an ace in the hole for her.

"I have a date on Tuesday!"

Emma's jaw dropped. She did not remember anything like this, her friend had never had a date. Everybody had long given up on Sarah.

"Whom?"

"You do not know him. And I need your help, later, we'll talk it over in the cafe."

Now that was really amazing! Emma looked at Sarah with new eyes. But the girl just pointed her to her easel - Draw!

A moment later, both girls were hard at work, but Emma occasionally glanced at Sarah from the corner of her eye.

After a couple of hours they were sitting in a small cafe by the round table, with two cups of freshly brewed Cappuccino on it. They both loved this cafe, Emma always said that it was exactly as in Paris. Emma's father, a famous artist, recently moved his family to France, and the girl was living now in two countries, studied here, but at the slightest opportunity was flying back to Paris.

"So?" - Emma just couldn't wait. - "Who is he?"

"Just an old friend, I did not think we would ever meet again. He is not from here, he is ... from Europe."

"I didn't know you had old friends from Europe."

"Actually, he was the love of my childhood, when I was only fourteen" - Sarah smiled.

"And now that you have met, the old feelings came back to life?" - Emma's voice sounded disbelieving. Child's love... Nonsense...

"I think so ... Actually, that's why I wanted to ask for your help – I think something will happen on Tuesday..."

"Wow! I've never thought I would ever say this to you, but isn't it too soon?"

"I do not know..." - Sarah thought. What could she do? Suggest him dating, like watching movies and going out to dance? Although, maybe he would have agreed to it – as they say, to get to know each other better?...

"And his feelings? Honey, the first time is very important, you must be sure of him."

And here was a catch... – Sarah thought.

"I can't imagine being with anyone else," - Sarah sighed, absently stirring the rich lather of her cappuccino.

In normal circumstances, Emma would have killed her for such a crime against coffee, but now the red-haired was too busy to even notice.

"I've made the decision, Emm, it's no use trying to make me change my mind, you know."

"Do you know that different people ask me how I could even be friends with you?"

"Really, and whom?"

"Well, forget about it. You just always have something on your mind, something of your own and no one can understand it. It's just some strange sort of selfishness."

Emma was gently blowing on the foam of her coffee, trying not to move it, just changing it's shape slightly.

"So, let's start from the beginning. Who is he, what, how did you meet?"

Sarah was silent for a moment, then took Emma's hand.

"I'm sorry, I can not tell you. You're my friend, the closest person to me, but please believe me - I can not. I would like to, but I can not."

Emma frowned, she knew that arguing with Sarah was useless, this girl was as stubborn as a herd of donkeys!

"Well, I do hope he's worth it!"

"Oh, he is!" - Sarah smiled - "He's one of those about whom you say, 'gorgeous man'. I even think that he's far too classy for a girl like me..."

"Don't be silly! So he is older? How much? Married?"

"Yes, older, Hmmm ... I don't know how much (a hundred years? A thousand?). No, not married. He actually said he's not that kind.

"Oh, I know this type! Take it as a transition, don't you dare hope for something more. The more realistic you are now, the easier it will all end up for you."

Emma sipped her coffee with pleasure, the situation was clear to her and she was happy for her friend.

"That's really good, he is experienced, everything will go smoothly!"

"Well about that..." - Sarah was still whirling the spoon in her coffee - "I think he's had a lot of women..."

"If what you say about him is true - don't ever doubt it! Bloody lots of women!" - Emma snapped, when Sarah had not even had time to finish. She didn't doubt, she'd seen them clinging to him there at the ball.

"Well, and I think he's so sophisticated, ... how to say"- Sarah was confused - "he needs a top class, ... and I'm afraid that I'm just not relevant, here."

"Oh dear girl, you have nothing to worry about - you're unbelievably beautiful! You'll be a top class, even if you come out of a dirty bog all covered with mud!" - Both girls giggled and Sarah was thinking about one particular stinking bog.

She finally started her coffee.

"I want to look cool on Tuesday, help me, you know how to do it" - Sarah asked seriously.

Emma broke into a satisfied smile "You have asked the right person, dear!" - she looked at Sarah business–like, "We have many things to do – we'll go according to a plan."

She gave Sarah an appraising look.

"First, epilation."

"Oh, no," - said Sarah.

"Oh, yeah. A posh guy would never appreciate a hairy girl, believe me."

Sarah bit her lower lip. Now it bothered her that he had already seen her "hairy". And while the prospect of hair removal was not pleasing her at all, Emma was still right - a girl must take good care of her appearance.

Seeing surrender on her friend's face, Emma continued - "Then manicure and pedicure, hair ..."

"What about hair?"

"... Oh, forget about it. You'll just wash and comb. This was the point from my own plan for a date preparation - she winked at Sarah, adjusting her mop of red hair. We'll go to the salon tomorrow, and today, it's shopping time! We'll need to buy some clothes for you, or do you already have something for going out?

"I have no money for it now", - Sarah shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, I'll become a fairy godmother for your first date and lend you as much as necessary – you will return it when you can."

"Oh, Emm, no need – I don't think we will go anywhere. We probably will go straight to ... the hotel.

"Oh yeah! Bullshit! If we speak about one and the same type, he will not fall as low as to drag you straight into a bed, especially at your first time. He will take you to a romantic date, for sure.

"He doesn't know about the first time."

"He does. The issue is closed".

Sarah sighed, they were two stubborn donkeys, and definitely deserved each other.

Then there was shopping – amazing for Emma and agonizing for Sarah, which resulted in dozens of packages and bundles littered into her room. Almost the whole next day the girls spent at the beauty salon, and Sarah had to admit that in the company of her best friend she could tolerate it rather easily.

Usually she did not like such places, she got terribly bored while doing her nails, and she always felt horror remembering her first experience of epilation. But in the company of a laughing Emma, all seemed just a bit of fun.

On Sunday evening, Emma left to Paris, lamenting that she could not personally see Sarah off to her first date. She had to come back in two weeks to continue the practice, and Sarah vowed to behave well, and tell her everything she could. Knowing Sarah, it was foreseen that there will not be much.

Sarah spent Monday morning at the Art School library, and in the afternoon Karen took the whole family, including father, Sarah and little Toby, to visit her grandmother in a nursing home. They returned late at night and not in the best mood.

Tuesday was surprisingly fast and hectic. First was the drawing practice, then Sarah was taking Toby to the swiming pool. After dinner, she complained of a headache and said that she'll go to bed early. She took a shower, dryed her hair thoroughly. Finally, she was alone in her room, Sarah sat down at the mirror, combing her long, heavy strands of dark brown hair. If there had been any doubts that still remained, they all finally disappeared.

Actually, it was in Sarah' nature - she was never tormented by doubts after the decision had already been taken.

"Today I will call him" - she said to herself in a quiet voice, as if to test the idea in reality. It sounded quite normal, almost ordinary. She could not understand what exactly frightened her that much just a week ago. He's as beautiful as a god, he is everything she ever wanted, and now they would finally be together.

He was no longer the villain from a fairy tale, she now knows that he had protected her when she was a stubborn teenager and ran through the Maze. He was indeed generous to her. And he has not taken advantage of the situation either then nor now, though he could, after all he himself said that she owed him a wish – Sarah realized that it was not mere words. The Goblin King proposed to her and she will take it – will come to him of her own free will.

She was nervous, the very first date is very exciting, isn't it? An hour later, Sarah was ready. She put on a silk dress, sleeveless, knee-length, with the shimmering colours of pastel milk and pale purple patterns, there was a beautiful low-cut neckline. The dress fit to her figure, but still was comfortable, with a free silhouette.

The dress was complemented by cream ballet flats. Sarah did not dare to put on the shoes that Emma picked up for her - crazily beautiful pumps on unrealistic heels, she could not walk in them anyway. She thought that those shoes would be out of place in the castle of Goblin King.

Lightly touching her lips with gloss, and her long fluffy eyelashes with mascara, she smiled shyly at her reflection in the mirror. The innocence itself. The complete look of a virgin to the slaughter!

Sarah came to the middle of the room, took a deep breath, and called.

"Jareth."

Her voice sounded hoarse. She swallowed, looked around the room. Nothing happened.

Behind her, the Goblin King took a step and was now close to her. His gloved hands held over her bare arms down, from shoulder to elbow, hugging her. He bent his head to her, his lips touching her ear. Voice low and quiet, he said:

"My little girl."