A/N: So, I just had to tell you guys this. I was babysitting for my little sister the other day (she is 6) and she wanted some candy or something. I told her she couldn't have it before dinner. She goes, and I kid you not, "But that's not fair!" I burst out laughing and I go, "Emily, you say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is." I am not joking! This really happened. Anyway, onto the next chapter.
Secrets Revealed and Everyday Happenings
Jareth could not sleep. The blood in his veins was pumping and he couldn't get his mind to relax. The nights' events were still running through his head. Sarah had admitted that she had loved him. She had loved him! He wanted to punch himself in the arm for not realizing it. He had been moping around his castle for 10 years, longing for his love, and now, when she was with another, a woman of all people, he finds out that his feelings had been returned at one point. And not to mention Jessica was stunning in her own right. Sarah had chosen well, he had to give her that. He could tell they were in love. They certainly didn't hide it. He wondered if being with someone of the same sex aboveground was as accepted as it was in the Underground.
As he lay there in bed his thoughts turned to his kingdom. Edmond was more than capable of running the Labyrinth but could he handle the goblins? He knew there was a temper hidden beneath that calm façade and he would need it when in the Labyrinth.
I wonder if he will make improvements to the land.
It definitely needed it. He had let it become a wasteland and it was had become ugly. He realized it now. Going over documents with Edmond made him realize that he had not done anything with the Labyrinth in years. He had become a negligent king, something he had always told himself would never happen. And it was because of her, the woman whose home he slept in now, who was down the hall in her room, with her lover, no doubt wrapped in each others' arms deep in the act of love.
Rolling his eyes he flipped over onto his back. Besides the fact that his mind was racing with every thought he ever had, his room was extremely hot. He figured it was the summer; the flowers were in full bloom and the heavens showed the correct constellations for the summer time. He threw the comforter off of him, watching it fall to the floor. Immediately he felt better. He looked at himself, clad only in a long pair of black, silk pajama pants that had his initials on them.
He hated not having his magic. He had unpacked his suitcases slowly, trying to fit everything into the dresser and closet. He then had tried the shower, figuring out how to turn it on and off, although he couldn't figure out why the water stayed so cold. Maybe mortals preferred cold water.
Getting up from the bed he walked to the windows. There were three of them. Opening all of them, he could feel the cool night air hit his body. He smiled. Lying back on the bed, a noise came from the door. He turned to look, but nothing was there. But something was in the room with him, he could feel it. Before he could sit up properly, a large mass jumped up on the bed, landing right on top of him. Jareth let out a gasp of air. A furry animal jumped to the other side of the bed, looking at Jareth. It was a dog. The white golden retriever's tail began to wag. Jareth looked at it. What was he supposed to do? The dog took its paw and petted Jareth. Nudging his arm with its nose, it wanted Jareth to pet it. He reached for its collar, finding its name, Cricket.
So this is Cricket.
Jareth rubbed its head, glancing down. Cricket was a girl, and very loving. Nudging closer to him, she licked his face until he couldn't keep from laughing. The dog was a doll. Cuddling up to her, Jareth wrapped his arms around the dog and fell asleep, pleased with Cricket's companionship. Not to mention she smelled exactly like Sarah.
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When morning came, Jareth found his side cold; the dog had left him some time earlier. Stretching his body, he let out a large groan. He was not ready to get up, but the day beckoned to him. Sliding off, he picked the comforter up off the floor and spread it back onto the mattress. He made his way into the bathroom, dreading the shower he knew he would have to take.
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Sarah walked up the stairs, looking for Cricket. The dog had greeted her early in the morning as she did everyday, ready to go for their run. But when they returned, Cricket seemed like she had other things to do and quickly left the kitchen after her breakfast. And now Sarah needed to find her. She had run through some wet lawns and Sarah didn't want her to jump up on the beds in case she got dirt everywhere. Looking in her room, Cricket was not there, as well as in the laundry room, her office and the other spare room.
She must be in Jareth's room.
Walking quietly down the hall, she hoped she wouldn't wake him.
The door was opened slightly, and as she looked through the crack she could see Cricket lying on the bed. But she was alone. Feeling more comfortable, Sarah opened the door fully, looking at the retriever with her arms crossed.
"So, you think you can just come in here like your Queen of the house?"
Cricket stared at her, as if saying 'Yes, I can.'
Sarah smiled and walked to the dog. She had gotten Cricket when she was just a puppy, adopting her from the Humane Society the day after she got out of college. She had missed Merlin so much she needed a dog of her own. Sitting down on the bed, she patted her head, bending down kissing Cricket's fur softly. Sarah loved the dog and would do anything for her.
Looking down at the sheets, she could see grass stains. A little annoyed, she motioned for the dog to get off the bed so she could strip the sheets. She would have to tell Jareth to keep his door closed for now on.
As she threw the comforter onto the window seat she could hear a noise come from the bathroom. Turning to look, Jareth shot out of the doorway, his body wet and completely naked. His hair was plastered to his head and it looked like he had been in the middle of a shower. Sarah's mouth dropped open as she realized he had nothing on, standing in front of her stark nude as the day he was born. She wanted to look away but she couldn't.
Jareth was breathing hard and rubbing his eyes. There was soap all over his face and it looked as if he had gotten it in his eyes. Reaching his hands out, he walked to the bed, grabbing the sheet, totally unaware of the fact that Sarah was in the room. He wiped his face off then blinked his eyes a couple times, finally noticing her right in front of him. They stood still for a few moments, just staring at each other. Without thinking, Sarah burst out laughing. She fell into a heap on the floor, unable to stop herself. Jareth looked down at her, completely taken aback by her being there, then rushed back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He could still hear Sarah, laughing harder than before.
"What are you doing in here?" he yelled through the door.
"I, ha ha ha ha, I came to, ha ha ha, to strip the sheets," she said, finally able to compose herself.
"Are you alright? How are your eyes?" she asked, opening the door and walking into the bathroom. Jareth was back in the shower, a towel covering his nakedness. Sarah walked over and looked at him. His eyes were red and he still had soap all over his body. He looked at her and stepped out of the shower. She was smiling at him. She walked to the sink and grabbed a wash cloth. Running it under the tap she handed it to the Goblin King. He looked at her.
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
"Wipe you face and eyes. Get the soap off."
He used the cloth and immediately felt better. He smiled at her.
"Thank you."
"Your welcome. I know what it feels like to get soap in the eyes and it hurts like hell. Sorry for laughing at you, but I just couldn't help it."
"Apology accepted. Tell me, do you mortals always take cold showers or is it just the people in this house hold?"
Sarah looked at him strangely then walked to the shower. She ran her hands through the stream – it was ice cold.
"Jareth, why didn't you turn up the hot water?"
"There is hot water? Please, show me, I was dying from the cold."
She looked at him, like he was playing a trick on her, but when she found him serious, closely watching her, she showed him how to turn the dial. His mouth dropped open.
"You have got to be kidding me. That was all I needed to do?"
He rolled his eyes, looking annoyed. Sarah smiled.
"I'll let you finish your shower. Afterwards, get dressed and come downstairs. We're going shopping."
As she left the bathroom she chuckled to herself. The merciless Goblin King, running around naked in his room, soap in his eyes! Grabbing the sheets and beckoning Cricket with her, she made her way to the laundry room then to her room. She could tell shopping was going to be something else.
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After they had both gotten ready and met downstairs, they got into Sarah's Jeep and headed downtown. She had been thinking about taking him to SAKS or Nordstrom. Those were the best places to get some nice clothes. He was dressed in his regular kingly attire, as much to Sarah's chagrin, and the moment they walked outside people had started to stare. She rushed him into the car and then sped away as fast as she could without looking like a maniac. They had just crossed the Burnside Bridge and were making their way to the city center.
"Tell me Sarah, where is Jessica?"
Without looking at him she answered, her eyes intent upon the road.
"Unlike myself, Jessica has a job where she has to go to work everyday. I work whenever I feel the need to, so I am usually the one who stays at home while she is at work. But I don't mind it."
They turned onto another street, this one coming up to a big brick building with the word "Nordstrom" on it. Sarah turned right, went up a couple of streets and made her way into a parking garage. Jareth looked around, noticing how many cars there were. He had always found the automobile fascinating and constantly wished to bring one back to the Underground but figured it would not work for lack of gasoline and proper mechanics.
They pulled into a parking place and got out of the car. Sarah walked around the car and looked at him. Her face was uneasy.
"Okay, we're going to get you some proper clothes. But I have to warn you. People are going to be looking at you and pointing. Don't take it too personally. You look like someone who has dropped out of medieval times with a hair cut from the 80's. It's not something we see a lot of around here, granted Portland is pretty weird with our politics and we do have the largest number of adult businesses in the nation but that's another story entirely. Whatever you do Jareth, if someone asks you a question, let me answer. Just so you know, you're from England if anyone asks. Are you ready to go?"
The entire time Jareth had been listening to her intently, his eyes on her lips. He loved to watch her mouth move with the words that came out, watch her tongue dart in and out with every syllable. He nodded his head.
"Okay, follow me."
When they got to the men's department, everyone in the store had looked at them. They didn't know whether to think the couple were crazy or whether it was a joke. Sarah could feel her face redden. She didn't know why she was embarrassed, she had been used to getting looks when she went out with Jessica, but today it just felt different. When she was with Jessica she didn't care, but with Jareth, it just felt unusual. She approached one of the salesmen. He looked at her, a smirk spreading across his face. Then he caught a glimpse of Jareth and his eyes widened.
"Can I help you find something ma'am?"
Sarah smiled at him.
"Yes, thank you. My friend here is in one of the shows at Keller Auditorium and unfortunately his bags were lost by the airline he flew in on. The only outfit he has is the one on his back and I would really appreciate it if you could help him find some clothes to wear."
The man looked from Sarah to Jareth again. Jareth gave him a weak smile. The salesman looked back to Sarah.
"I can see what you mean. Would you like a whole wardrobe for him or just a few outfits?"
"I was planning on also taking him to SAKS so maybe just a few things. Maybe a few pairs of jeans and cords as well as some shirts and a few jackets, we'll get him a suit later."
The sales guy smiled at her and then beckoned for Jareth to follow him. He looked at Sarah with uncertainty.
"Go on. He's going to help you."
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Jareth was ushered into a small stall with a mirror on one side and a door on the other. A small bench was attached to the wall. A large pile of clothes lay in his arms and he dropped them onto the bench. Chris, the guy who was helping him, stood outside of the stall, waiting for Jareth.
"So," he said, trying to make conversation, "you're in a play. What play is it?"
Jareth, who was in the middle of slipping on a pair of jeans, looked around nervously, searching for something to say.
I guess I will tell him the truth.
"The play is about this Goblin King who is banished to Earth to win back his one, true love. He gets stripped of his magic until he can make the girl fall back into love with him and then needs to mate with her before he can reclaim his title and go back to his kingdom."
Jareth stepped out of the stall wearing a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and a zip up hoodie. Chris looked at him, nodding his head.
"That suits you well. I think everything we got will do well for you. So, what part are you playing in the play?"
"The Goblin King."
"Yeah, you look like you would do a good job with that. Do they make you cut your hair like that so you can 'be the part'?"
Not understanding what he was asking him, Jareth just nodded.
"That's cool. Yeah, no offense, but I don't think it sounds that exciting. But don't get me wrong, I'm not a big theatre connoisseur. I prefer the clubs. Speaking of dancing, that chick you're with, is she available? I mean, are you two dating? Because she's pretty damn hot."
Amused by what the mortal was asking him, Jareth shook his head.
"No, I believe she has what you people call, a girlfriend."
Chris' eyes snapped open, a big smile spreading across his face.
"You're kidding me. Wow, I would have never guessed she would be a lesbo. Do you get to watch them?"
Jareth looked confused. Just what was the mortal asking him?
"I believe so. I have seen them kiss before, yes," he answered, confused.
Chris slapped him on the back.
"Way to go man. What I wouldn't do to be you."
Oh mortal, you have no idea.
Chris looked him up and down.
"Yeah, you look good. I'll go get your girl."
He left Jareth in the stall. When he returned, Sarah was beside him. When she caught a glimpse of Jareth, her mouth dropped open in shock.
"Jareth, you look so good! We're getting everything."
She smiled at him while Chris took all the clothes from the stall and went to ring them up. Jareth looked at himself, proud that he could make Sarah smile. She gave him a pair of shoes to try on.
"Here, put these on. They'll go perfectly with what you have on. I think we'll leave SAKS for another day. I need to get back and let Cricket out and you still have some explaining to do."
She smiled at him then went out to the cash register to pay Chris. Tying his shoes, he stood up and looked at himself once more. Jareth had to admit that he looked good, although he still preferred his other clothes. But the jeans were not that bad. Taking one more look, he walked out of the stall to find Sarah.
A/N: So, what do you guys think? I think it's going a little slow, but the next chapter will be better. I like it though, so I hope you do too. Oh, and I just want to point out that I have nothing against gays or lesbians. I just wanted to make Chris seem like an ass. Hope you like what you're reading.
