A/N: So, I'm glad with all of the reviews I've been getting. Keep reviewing people, it's what feeds the next chapter so you can have it! This is a long chapter, so fair warning. This has to be the longest chapter ever uploaded on here.
4: The Hangover
Sarah's phone went off, causing her to jump and fall off of her couch. She had fallen asleep. She hit the wooden floor of her apartment living room with a loud 'ow' as she reached for her phone that sat near the end of the couch on the floor. She grabbed it, opened it up, and put it to her ear.
"Hello?" answered Sarah in a scratchy voice.
"Sarah! It's Kendra. I just wanted to remind you about that party tonight I'm throwing at the Benter Club for you. Jon told me to make sure I reminded you," said a happy voice.
Sarah thought for a moment and let out a big sigh, looking up to see Jareth at the kitchen island, almost finished with her second book of her series. Sarah had completely forgotten. Tonight was the night that her friend Kendra had planned a party for her new published second book. Big publishers from all over the city will be there to talk with her about her quick success.
"Yeah! I didn't forget. What time is it again?" asked Sarah, wishing she never forgot about the stupid party.
"Oh, it's at nine!"
"Alright. I'll be there. How's eight forty sound?" Sarah asked as she shuffled to get to her feet, noticing that the clock read seven fifty-two. Shit.
"Sounds great! See you then!"
And with that, Sarah closed her phone, hurrying to put her empty plate in her sink. "Crap, crap, crap," she murmured as she hurried to the closet that sat in the middle of the main hallway. She opened it up and looked inside for a fancy dress she had tucked away for an occasion like this. The dress she wore when she went out with Jon that one night wasn't one to wear for tonight. So she pulled out a silver cocktail gown.
Jareth had been sitting at the kitchen island, still reading her book as he closed it at the tone of Sarah's voice. He came up from behind her. "Sarah? Is everything alright?" asked Jareth with half amused curiosity and half concern. Sarah's book sat in Jareth's left hand, his index finger in between the pages he was reading at the moment.
"I totally forgot about it. I'm supposed to be going to a party tonight for my book," said Sarah as she looked at the dress and shook her head. She placed it back in the closet and took out a different silver dress. It was slender, elegant, and feminine enough for Sarah's tastes.
"From the sounds of it, you don't want to go?"
Sarah shook her head and sighed strenuously. "No, I want to go. I have to go. Just that I can't believe I totally forgot about it. Do you wanna come?" she then asked.
Jareth raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "Sure. Of course," murmured Jareth.
"Great. Now, can you use your...'magic' goblin powers and make yourself...presentable?" asked Sarah as she folded the dress over her arm and closed the door. She moved away from the closet and headed to the steps, stopping at the first step to turn around and peer down at Jareth.
Jareth raised his eyebrows and tucked his hands in his pant pockets. "Depends on what you mean by 'presentable'," replied Jareth with a smirk.
Sarah smirked and rolled her eyes as she hurried over to the stack of magazines. She took the second one in the stack and quickly browsed through it until she found a perfect photo of Patrick Dempsey in a nice casual suit. Not too casual, not too dressy. She shoved it in Jareth's hands, taking her book out of his one hand and folded the the corner of the page, closing the book. "Here. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to quickly get dressed so I can get to the club by nine," she said as she hurried up the steps and to her room.
When Sarah got to her room, she closed her door and threw her dress on her bed as she stripped out of her clothes until she was naked. Soon enough, she found the perfect strapless bra and matching panties as she slipped into them. She then slid into her dress, and brushed through her hair, pinning it up at the sides with studded pins. She loomed a necklace around her neck and rolled black sheer stockings up to her thighs, soon sliding her feet into simple black pumps. She sprayed some of her Brittney Spears: Curious perfume at her neck – her favorite. She smiled and applied lipstick and then lip gloss to her lips. She slid in simple silver hoops in her ears and then grabbed her dressy jacket off of her vanity chair's back.
She hurried down the steps to stop mid-way to see Jareth at the end, all dressed up in a simple dark blue button-up shirt rolled up at each elbow, black slacks, and a matching black jacket folded over his arm. He smiled as he looked over Sarah. She looked absolutely stunning.
Sarah smiled and sighed. "Perfect," she murmured, loud enough for Jareth to hear clearly.
-()-()-()-()-
Sarah entered the club to see her friends and some of her clients sitting at the far end of the bar. Ke$ha's song "Die Young" was pounding in the air as people flooded the dance-floor. Ones who sat at the tables were either busy making out or busy getting hit on by completely drunk guys. Jareth simply looked lost, his face questioning what kind of place this was.
Sarah looked behind her at Jareth and saw him a bit far back from her. He was following her slowly, his eyes moving over every inch of the club. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she stopped and waited for him to catch up to her. When he did. She boldly took his hand and dragged him over to where her friends were.
"Just keep quiet and don't say anything until someone say something to you," murmured Sarah as she then stopped before the tables where her friends were.
"So just like how you were supposed to act before me when you were in the Underground?" questioned Jareth.
Sarah froze and thought about it for a moment before she sighed and grumbled a few choice words under her breath. She turned her head and glared at him.
"Ah! Sarah, you made it!" a voice screeched, obviously on the verge of becoming fully drunk.
Sarah smiled as arms flung around her. "Well, yeah, Kendra." Sarah chuckled as she let go of Jareth's hand and hugged Kendra back. "You called me and I told you I'd come. What kind of author wouldn't come to her own party?" Sarah joked in a little more of high voice than she should have used.
Kendra looked past Sarah at Jareth and raised an eyebrow. "Oh...who's this hunk?" asked Kendra in a flirty voice and a big grin.
Sarah snorted. Hunk? Really? Sarah grabbed Jareth's arm to pull him more forward so that he was standing beside her. She wrapped her arm around his so she could keep him close. She honestly didn't want him wandering off. The thought of him getting lost in a place like this made her cringe.
"This is Jareth," replied Sarah in a dead-pan voice.
Kendra looked between Sarah and Jareth for a moment and then smiled again, grabbing Jareth's wrist as she pulled him from Sarah's grasp. "Well...I hope Jareth wouldn't mind a dance with me," said Kendra as she dragged him away from Sarah and off to the dance floor. Sarah tried to protest, but it didn't work.
Sarah just sighed as she watched her friend dance with Jareth, who was thoroughly confused on how to dance like how she was dancing. Honestly, the way Jareth tried to move like Kendra caused Sarah to giggle.
And then all of a sudden, arms wrapped around Sarah's waist. "Sarah, dear, you've made it," a familiar voice spoke.
Sarah sighed and tried her hardest to pry away from Jon's grip. "Let go, Jon," warned Sarah.
Jon was obviously drunk by the way he instantly laughed and let go. Sarah sighed and rolled her eyes as she looked at her friends who laughed at the two. She sighed and jabbed Jon away from her, walking over to the bar. "Just stay away from me," she snapped at him.
Sarah ordered a shot of whiskey as she showed the bartender her ID and quickly downed her shot. Just then, a hand grabbed Sarah's shoulder. Sarah shrugged it off and ordered another shot as she turned her head and glared up Jareth. "Go away," she murmured.
"Who was that guy you were talking to just a minute ago?" asked Jareth in a suddenly domineering tone.
Sarah rolled her eyes and downed her new shot, cringing at the bitterness. "Why?" she asked as soon as she was able to speak. She ordered yet another one.
"I don't like the way he grabbed you," said Jareth in a sudden jealous rage.
Sarah snickered as she shook her head. "Jealous much?" She pushed her eyebrows together and put the shot glass to her lips, ready to down it.
"I'd watch the alcohol if I were you," murmured Jareth as he took the bar stool next to her.
Sarah glared at Jareth as she downed the shot. "It's my party."
Sarah downed one more shot before she got to her feet, slightly swaying as she grabbed onto Jareth's hand. "It's been years since I danced with you. Come dance with me," said Sarah in a slurred voice as she pulled Jareth over to the crowded dance-floor where Beyonce's "Run The World (Girls)" was playing loud.
Sarah wrapped her wrists lightly around Jareth's neck as she swayed her body in sync to the beat, helping Jareth with dancing correctly with the music. "Just let loose," she murmured as she rested her cheek against Jareth's for a moment and then looked him in the eyes.
Jareth furrowed his eyebrows as he danced with Sarah. He looked back at her as his hands laid loosely on her hips. Thinking it to be the right time, he gripped her waist and pulled her close against him, just a breath of air between their faces. Sarah had let out a gasp at his sudden boldness.
-()-()-()-()-
Sarah let out a loud moan as she felt Jareth's mouth upon her neck. This exactly what she needed at the moment. Why had she been so stubborn all this time?
"I love you, Sarah," Jareth whispered in a husky voice.
Tears filled in Sarah's closed eyes. Happy tears. "I love you too, Goblin King!" she replied, followed by another moan as she felt Jareth press his body right up against her's.
A faint ringing had sounded in the background. It kept getting louder and louder until it filled Sarah's ears.
Sarah's eyes slightly opened, but soon closed again at how bright everything seemed. She let out a very unhappy groan as she grabbed her pillow and covered her face with it. Her head was pounding and the damn ringing wasn't helping at all.
Sarah flung her hand out to the source of the ringing noise to find her hand clutching her phone. When she realized that people only called her during important times...and that it was Monday, she bolted upright, her pillow falling to the floor as she opened up her phone and squinted at the small glow of the sun that was peeping through her closed curtains.
"Hello?" Sarah answered. She didn't think her eyes would be able to handle the light coming from her phone if she had looked at her caller I.D.
"Sarah! Where the fuck have you been! I've been trying to get a hole of you for the past four hours! I was close to coming in and getting you myself if you hadn't answered this time!" Jon's voice screamed from the other line.
Yupp. Jon was pissed.
Sarah put her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. "Shit," she murmured into the phone. "Jon, I can't come into work today. My head is killing me and I seriously feel sick." Sarah couldn't believe her own voice. She sounded like she was really tired and in some serious pain.
"Well, shit, Sarah. You missed the big meeting about the new choice of cover for your book and we had to turn away six reporters in the four hours you weren't here. Do you realize how much trouble you'll be in when you show up tomorrow? Patrick's pissed!"
"Yeah? So are you...so what's the big deal. Shit happens. I have to go..." Sarah closed her phone and chucked it at the floor with a lazy and woozy throw.
She slowly pushed her comforter and sheets off of her as she touched her bare feet to the floor of her bedroom. She looked down at herself to find her in her panties and bra. Not even caring enough to wonder why she had slept in her lingerie, she got to her feet and grabbed her robe off of her vanity chair. She put it on, but failed to remember to tie the robe closed.
She slowly descend the stairs to find herself standing in the kitchen, staring at Jareth. Jareth was sitting at the kitchen island, his nose in a book that looked like it belonged from Sarah's bookshelf. He looked up with a bored face that soon turned to someone of a shock as his eyes trailed up and down Sarah.
"Finally you're up."
"What time is it?" asked Sarah as she blinked profusely, trying to make her vision clear and less-sensitive.
"It's two in the afternoon," replied Jareth as he looked down at the book in his hands.
Sarah cringed as she opened her cupboard to take out a cup. She needed to make coffee. Now.
"What happened last night?"
"You were at your party. You got drunk. I had to take you home..." Jareth trailed off, never taking his eyes from the book before him.
Sarah sighed and put her hand to her head. Sarah's eyes widened, her hand freezing just at the top of her head as she stared at Jareth. "How drunk...was I exactly?" she asked. Her head was seriously pounding with pain. She just wanted it to go away.
Jareth finally looked up at her again and gave her an evil smile. "Pretty drunk, if you ask me."
Sarah groaned and wobbled over to the kitchen counter, heading straight to her coffee pot to make some coffee. "Great...just...flipping great. Fan-fucking-tastic," she murmured under her breath as she made coffee in a rather frustrated way. Her sight was finally beginning to clear up, but her head was still pounding and she felt fuzzy.
When everything was ready and all she had left was to wait for the coffee cup to be made, she turned to look at Jareth once more, her eyes cringed as if she was being super cautious. "What...did I do...or say exactly?" she asked.
He was quiet for a moment. "Do you really want me to answer that?" asked Jareth in a rather mischievous voice.
Sarah over-dramatically put her palm to cover her face. "Tell me," she murmured, her voice slightly muffled from her palm being close to her mouth..
"Well number one," he started as he got to his feet and walked over to her, his hands grabbing her robe's tie, "I would advise you to tie your robe if you don't want me doing anything to you that you won't like," he said as he tied her robe closed.
Sarah's cheeks flushed brightly as she gaped up at Jareth, waiting for him to properly explain.
"After seriously grinding against me on the dance floor and trying to drink more, I brought you home. And then when you tried to seduce me after an hour, I locked you in your room until I knew you were sleeping. I found you were sprawled across your bedroom floor. I had to pick you up and put you on your bed. I'm sorry, but I had to undress you so that you wouldn't ruin your lovely dress," said Jareth as he looked at the coffee pot. "Make me a cup, will you, precious?" he then asked softly.
Sarah stared up at Jareth, not even blinking. I...tried to seduce him? Her face turned a bright shade of red as she walked over to her cupboard and withdrew a second cup for Jareth's coffee.
"Not going into work today, I see?" Jareth then asked.
"I think my boss would seriously go off on me if he saw me like this," said Sarah as she took the finally-filled coffee pot and poured her and Jareth the two cups of coffee. She poured some sugar, along with some creamer in as she plopped down at the kitchen island. "So...much...pain," she complained as she sat her coffee cup down before her and rubbed her temples.
Jareth smirked as he put in a teaspoon of sugar and sat back down in the stool he had been sitting in when Sarah had come down.
"Drink your coffee up. I have the perfect remedy for a headache," said Jareth as he sipped on his coffee.
After their coffee had been drunk, Jareth led her into the living room and advised her to lay down on the sofa. Jareth sat beside her as he grasped her head and pulled her over so that her head rested on his lap. He suddenly began to gently trace intrusive but relaxing circles in Sarah's temples.
Sarah had to admit, this was feeling pretty great. She felt so sick right now, like every fiber of her body was mixed together in a wrong way. Her senses were way off. Getting drunk never left Sarah feeling the way she should after getting drunk.
Jareth's spicy scent filled her nostrils. She had expected herself to feel nauseous but instead she felt more relaxed. All she could feel was Jareth's hands on her temples, and all she could look at were Jareth's blue and brown eyes. She felt entranced.
"This feels...amazing," Sarah mumbled in a slightly sleep-filled-slurred voice.
Jareth smiled. "Anything to make you feel better, my precious," he said.
Sarah's cheeks flushed as she closed her eyes to break the awkwardness of the stare. Before she knew it, she had drifted off into sleep. Maybe waking up at two in the afternoon wasn't even enough for her. Of all the days of waking up really early, staying up all night, and functioning on two-hours sleep, she knew well enough that she needed this.
A day off work in the presence of her Goblin King.
Perfection.