A few hours later deputy Juan was sitting in Sarah's kitchen filling out forms…..
"Thanks for coming over so quickly Juan. I can't believe someone tried to break in the back door." she said.
"It was a good thing the neighbors noticed. I'm sorry Sarah there isn't much I can do. It's probably just someone who knew you weren't home and tried to break in but we're going to try for some prints just incase. This door is pretty solid and you did get the best locks. A challenge for anyone." Juan said.
"My neighbor was a locksmith and did it as a favor to us. You don't think that it was…" she looked fearful.
"I'll alert the other deputy's to keep an eye out. There's no need to worry. Whoever it was isn't likely to try again with you home. Just keep both porch lights lit so we can see if someone is lurking around."
"Thanks Juan."
"I'm told there's a killer on the lose and Sarah does fit the description of the victims killed." Jareth said.
"Yes she does actually, down to the hair color and style. We've noticed that he does not kill after midnight and just on the holiday's so it might be a good idea to stick around and keep them company at least until after midnight. Don't worry. I wont let anyone get Sarah. We've known one another too long. I'll keep an extra eye out." Juan said.
"So you've known Sarah a long time?" Jareth asked.
"Since fifth grade. When my father took over as Sheriff. I didn't speak much English and Sarah was the only person who spoke to me at first. Call me if there's anything else I can do." Juan said..
"Sarah did someone really try to break in?" Toby asked, the two boys coming out of hiding from the stairs.
"There's nothing to worry about boys." Juan said and taking a step back when Claus growled at him.
"Sorry about that Claus doesn't like strangers." Sarah said.
"I'll keep a close eye on things for you Sarah. Do not worry, I'm always here to help you." Juan said walking toward his car.
"Wow cool. Was it the holiday killer that tried to break in?…Sarah can Claus stay over tonight?" Toby asked with too much enthusiasm.
"That will have to be up to Jareth, dear." she said.
"Can he?" Toby asked.
"Can I?" Claus asked.
"I do not object." Jareth said.
A half hour later...
"Ok but you two get up stairs and get ready for bed. I'll be up in a minute. You don't have to stay really we'll be fine." she said pretending she wasn't as unnerved as she looked.
"Oh no I insist." he said and she nodded in thanks.
"Who could that be?" Sarah answered the knock at the door. "Ben what are you doing here?"
"I came by to see if you were ok." Ben said trying to push his way in and failing.
"I'm fine, now go home it's late and there's a killer out there." she said.
"I'll be fine. He only likes sexy brunettes. I bet you're all alone and scared. It's dangerous with that killer around." Ben said leining on the door frame.
"I'm fine Ben go home." she said trying to close the door on him.
"I think I'll stay." he said trying to push the door open.
"I have things under control here lad. I suggest you listen to the lady and go home." Jareth said placing his arms around Sarah.
"You're with him? You're going to regret this Sarah. I promise you you'll regret it." Ben said yelling as he left the front porch. Some of the neighbors turned their lights on to see what the noise was.
"He's an unpleasant fellow." Jareth stated.
"Sorry about that." she said.
"I'm quite used to dealing with the unpleasant sort." he said as there was a loud rumble in the sky.
"I don't recall the forecast saying rain? This morning the TV said it was going to be a clear night."
"One can never really predict these things. But it does sound like the beginnings of quite the storm. I hope it will make the killer think twice about going out tonight." Jareth said.
"I do to. Well then, let's see what movie is being featured."
"Are you still in the mood for a horror movie?" he asked surprised.
"Yes I seem to have an attraction to things that go bump in the night." she said and he gave a crooked smile showing some of his oddly pointed teeth.
An hour into the movie….
"You do not find this disturbing?" he said watching the masked man slash at people, blood and gore going everywhere.
"I've seen scarier." she said her eyes glued to the screen.
"I believe you have." he said as she was startled by the loud thunder jumping right into his arms then the lights went out and didn't come back on.
"Oh no I wanted to see how the movie turned out." she said.
"I'm fairly certain none of those clueless teenagers make it out alive." another crash followed. "The storm is directly overhead." he said.
"It's ok I'm prepared for this, it happens all of the time. I'll go and get some candles. Think you can light the fireplace?"
"I think I can manage." he said and lit the logs with a snap of his fingers as soon as she left the room.
Ten minutes later in front of a cozy fire….
"I'm glad you decided to stay. Most people would have gone running home after everything that happened tonight." she said inching the cork out of a bottle of wine.
"I do not scare off that easily. Did you expect me to leave you alone under such circumstances?"
"I know we've only known one another for such a short time but you seem so familiar, like I met you somewhere before." she said.
"It's possible. I travel quite a bit. I've been here several times. I can say for certain that I wouldn't forget meeting you."
"Every time I look at you I keep feeling like there's something I've forgotten." she said.
"I'm sure in time you'll remember." he said trying his best to control his urges, knowing full well that coming on to strong so soon would make her defiant personality kick in and make her recoil.
Two hours later…..
"Tell me more about what you used to dream about. You mentioned goblins and princesses. It sounds like you have quite the imagination." he said sounding amused.
"It's silly really there was this play I was obsessed and I mean obsessed with and I used to act out the play, my old dog, Merlin, used to take the part of the clichéd prince and the evil goblin king and I played the princess who defeats him to take back the child he had stolen."
"Sounds exciting." he said.
"Yep it's still my favorite story. You know there's no record of the book anywhere, I've searched for another copy for a long time. I've even written to rare book sellers in six European countries. There's no publishing information in the book either. It seems like it's the only copy."
"Then it must be of great value." he said.
"I always pretended the book was written just for me."
"Perhaps the goblin king had it written just for you. Was he such a terrible villain in the story?"
"Yes well… I guess he wasn't that bad though. The princess was the one to wish the boy away and he did what she asked. Someone had to be the antagonist. But you know I always had a secret crush on the king. I never fully understood the book either when I was a kid, you know how it is rereading a book years later and seeing something totally different then when you first read it? Well I never realized that at the end of the book the king doesn't care about keeping the child she wished away…I think. You see the kings dialog is a bit confusing and it might just be me being overly romantic but I think he was asking the princess to stay with him and not go back to the prince." she said.
"Would you have chosen to stay…with him instead of the prince?" he looked strangely eager.
"Definitely." she smiled.
"How amusing." Jareth said chuckling from the irony. "So tell me, did they ever get together in the story?"
"Well sadly no, see when she won their bet, when the adventure ended, the story said that he never bothered her again." she said.
"That sounds a bit tragic and never is such a long time. Does the princess show any affection for him?"
"None at all but the king does and it's one of the first lines …but what no one really knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had given her certain powers…"
"It sounds more like a tragedy then an adventure." he said.
"So you're a romantic too. I always wondered what the author had in mind for the characters. You know if he or she wrote a sequel, would the two meet again."
"I'm certain they would. I doubt a character like the goblin king would give up that easily." he said.
"Your right, I doubt he would too. I like to think that they shared the next adventure together, fell in love, then lived happily ever after."
"There's no rule against you writing a sequel." he said.
"I've been thinking about that for a while. I'm not sure how well it would go over but the characters really do need to resolve their issues."
"Did the goblin king look like a goblin?"
"In the book he's described as a handsome man with a sort of a glow. But I think he might have been a goblin in disguise." she said.
"You say if you were given the chance you would have chosen him, but what if he was not a human? If he were a goblin? Or perhaps something else entirely? Would you have objected to the differences?" he asked.
"I don't know. I've never actually seen any real interspecies relationships to go on." she laughed.
"What if you were to become more like him so you would be compatible?" he tested.
"I never thought about that. I guess if I really, really loved him I'd become a goblin or a whatever like him so we could be together. I guess."
"So you would not object to becoming like him, if you loved him that is?" he questioned with a bit of surprise on his face.
"No you're absolutely right, if two people, even if they're different species from some fantasy world, love one another then they should both do whatever it takes to be together. If it's real love it wont matter." she said decisively making him remember how determined she could be when she put her mind to something.
"I'm glad you feel that way." he said.
The clock in the hallway struck three. "I didn't realize it was this late. I could talk to you for hours and never get any sleep." she said.
"I should go then." he said.
"No um there's no point. You can take the guest bedroom. My aunt and uncle leave a ton of stuff in the closet every time they visit so there should be stuff for you to sleep in although Uncle Harry is about ten times larger then you. There's a basket in the adjoining bathroom too with anything you need, my aunt got mad when we ran out of mouthwash and bought half the drug store so we wouldn't run out of anything ever again."
"It's good she's looking out for you."
"Yeah they've been great. It's a shame they live so far away. They keep telling me to sell the house and move to Washington and I've really been thinking about it. Anyway I'm exhausted."
"Sleep well, love." he said.
"You too Jareth."
"I will."
Sleep came quickly to Sarah. In the morning she would attribute it to the wine and romantic atmosphere but the dream she had was particularly erotic for her normally uninteresting dreams.
She found herself sitting alone on a large cushion covered in red and blue velvet fabric. Crystals hung from the ceiling like icicles. She wasn't startled when there was a person appeared lounging next to her.
"Are you quite comfortable Sarah mine?"
"Yes but I forgot how I got here."
"Does it matter?" he put his arms around her.
"No…. I've missed you. I'm so glad you're here." she whispered to his lips.
"Our time here is short. Shall we?" he tested the reaction to his kiss and she took one look at him after the chaste kiss and she aggressively met his and pushed him back. His hands ran over her body tugging at the fabric of her clothing.
"You're promised to me Sarah. I'll not let anyone else have you."
"I only want you. Since the day I bumped into you." she said.
"Don't you remember me?"
"I don't understand. Of course I remember you."
"You always thought I was the villain." he said.
"Jareth I don't care what you are."
"Sarah I…" *BUZZZZZZZZZ* the alarm sounded.
"Ugh damn it. I hate mornings, what an awesome dream." she mumbled hitting the snooze. Then she became embarrassed realizing she had a romantic dream about the man in the other room, a man she only knew for about two weeks but couldn't forget for a moment.
