The following day I awoke to find Valery moving about in the kitchen. I could smell coffee in the air. Peeking over the edge I saw that the king was still asleep. As I looked at him I gnawed my lip wondering to myself if I had the made the right choice. I was resolute in my decision, but the prospect of release drove me to question my refusal. Despite all of my past and the empty relations with another man I knew deep down that sex could and should be a pleasurable experience. I also knew myself- my ultimate wants- and a good romp would not satisfy. My desire for love, for devotion, would drive the king away from me. At present 'away' was the last place I wanted him. "Why do you have to be such a complicate nothing?" I whispered. I left to see Valery.

I found her sipping a cup of coffee in the kitchen. She was pondering the back panel of Coco Puffs' cereal box. She smiled at me as I entered. "Hello Cookie," she said.

I yawned. "Good morning. Pour me a cup-o-jo please."

"Absolutely! Even though," she said glancing at the digital clock on the microwave. "it is almost good afternoon."

Realizing the time I tried not to fret. "We'll need to go get that book from Samantha's soon." She handed me a mug.

"Right the book for you and Mr. Mysterious. Speaking of Mr. Mysterious did you…and he…?"

"Did we what?" asked a male voice.

Valery and I started to see Jareth in the kitchen door way, in all his shirtless glory. My silly little woman side came out in full force and I found myself smiling at him. Valery and I exchanged an awkward glance.

"You know," she started. "sleep well?"

"Ah! That we did!" With a mischievous grin, he came near to me. Bracing one arm against the counter, he leaned in close. All that separated us was my raised coffee mug. "If you must know Valery, Rebekah here was an absolute jewel last night."

"Oh really?"

"And an absolute lady," he then added taking my mug away and drinking from it.

"Yeah, sounds like a nice dream," I told him nudging him away.

"The sort of dream I'd like to have more often," he teased back not moving.

I hadn't moved either. "You're despicable," I snapped.

"And you're delicious," he responded with a smile.

"Do you enjoy making other people uncomfortable?"

"No, I only enjoy making you uncomfortable." He sat the mug down on the other side of the counter. He stood both arms braced around me. "Is the subject too sensitive girly?"

"The 'subject' didn't even happen."

"Ah, but you wish it had."

"That's cruel."

"That's true."

"Ok! It just got way too hot in here!" Valery had her arms raised in a defensive manner with an exasperated expression. "Part the waters you two and let me out of the kitchen!"

He stepped away from me to allow her to pass. The door bell rang and I was saved from any further banter.

Who should be at the door, but the one person who we were desperately seeking- Samantha. Clad in a pink velour suit complete with to-go coffee and a giant tout (referred to as "the purse") bag, she came in rambling about last night's experience with her new flavor. Descriptive words like "smelly", "rude", and "waist" came out of her mouth referring to everything from his morning breath to the way he used her bathroom. I gave the king my best 'you hear those words, that's how I feel about you right now' look and went out to say hello.

"Oh hey, Rebekah," said Samantha. She was currently digging through the depths of her bag.

"Cookie, Sam has your book with her," explained Valery. "At least she thinks she does."

"Ghads! I know it is in here some where!"

The king and I took turns changing while she rummaged for the book.

"Found it!"

"Thanks Sam. All right Valery we really must be going now."

We said our good byes.

I lived all two blocks from Valery's little town house. I hit the side walk, the book in one hand and my high heeled shoes in the other. Beside me Jareth walked with his jacket thrown over his shoulder. To the cars that passed us we looked like any other night owls returning to the nest to rest. I was doing my best at refocusing my mind and re-committing myself to my mission. We would return to the Underground, I would remind the king and any other subjects and then wash my hands of their world. As to my book, my novel, I would finish it and then wash my hands of all things fantasy. In a little over a week I had gotten myself in a silly mess, had crossed paths with Fae, and all due to what- a fixation on the realm of fantasy. I turned the corner towards my apartment. As we approached my door he commented, "So this is what your place looks like in the day light."

"You would perform voyeurism at night," I said sarcastically.

"It's the most interesting time to," he replied following me through the door.

I engaged the bolt. Massaging my forehead I said, "Let's just get back to the Underground and get this business over with."

"I'm rather hungry." He began to walk further in to my apartment.

"You've got servants who can cook a full on feast for you back in the Underground. Let's go!"

"No," he said seeking out my kitchen.

Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't dressed in his royal robes, or maybe it was the fact that we were in my world, or better yet maybe it was just low blood sugar due to having not eaten, but I let loose on him. "You know- you are a right royal pain."

He opened my fridge. "So says you. What makes me such a pain?"

"One moment you're charming and a gentleman, and then next a self-centered jerk."

He pulled out a tuber ware container filled with fruit. "Any good?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Yes. Here's a fork."

"Alright so I'm a self centered jerk, and you my dear are a stubborn, defensive twit. Eat some. That boyfriend of your's must have done quite the number on you."

I took a bite of melon. "And what's your excuse?"

"Years of living without proper discipline."

"You know that I'm just trying to do my job, the job that you hired me to do."

"I know that's part of it."

He offered another bite. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I also know that you're afraid of me."

I swallowed and crossed my arms. "I'm afraid of you? Right!"

"Yes you are." He pointed the fork at me.

"Pshaw! I have no problem standing up to you or arguing with you. You're the one who has fears."

"Ha!" He set the tuber ware aside. He took two steps near me. Without thinking I took two steps away. "Point proven."

"What a strange fantasy you must live in that head of yours."

"If you weren't afraid, if you weren't defensive, if you weren't a twit- you would let me close to you."

"I'm not afraid." He closed the gap between us. I stood my ground. What was I trying to prove? And who was I trying to prove it to? He leaned in as if to kiss me. I flinched.

"There!" he said accusatorily.

"I have a job to do."

"Ah yes, your job. It's a convenient excuse, isn't it?"

We stood there, our eyes flashing over the other's face. I felt as if he were trying to size me up or something; just waiting for me to walk away. I willed myself to stay. I wasn't afraid of him.

"Just what exactly do you think I'm afraid?" he quite suddenly asked.

We had been brutally truthful to each other up until now; there was no reason to stop. "You're afraid of being in love."

There was one of those moments where a revelation causes a silence. It's a moment where all you can hear is your breathing. I inhaled cloves. I wonder if he smells me?- my mind flickered the question in a split second.

His hand was at my cheek. "No more so than you are girly." We were kissing.

There wasn't a struggle. There weren't any demands made. If a kiss could be a release; if a kiss could be therapeutic; then this was a soul cleansing. I poured all of my anxiety into his mouth; moving my lips to say wordless things. I felt him pour right back into me. It was so unlike our first kiss. I gave to him; he gave to me. I received from him; he received from me. It was an intensely pleasurable release. For the first time since he had come into my life, he was neither Fae nor man; he was just Jareth.

The kiss broke and we lingered over each other lips. He then pulled me into his arms and held me. Any further and we would have hurt each other. I had proven I wasn't afraid; he had offered me a safe release. "Promise me something Rebekah," he said softly. "When all is said and done, promise me you won't change. Stay stubborn; stay fiery."

"Alright."

"I may be a jerk, I may love harassing you, but… don't ever let anyone take away your fire."

I pulled away from him to look at him. "You get any more sentimental and I'll forget all about my job. You're a complicated one Jareth."

"I'm only as complicated as you want me to be." He let me go. "Shall we away?"

"Hang on- where does this leave us?"

"It leaves us right here. Like you said, you have a job to do." He paused. "You're not ashamed of what happened are you?"

"Oh no. I don't know whether to think that you healed me, or I healed myself."

"Neither one of us are healed girly."

"Well, maybe not, but you did force me to look at myself."

"Consider it a returned favor. Come along, the Underground awaits our return."