Prompt Eleven: Broadcast

Mr. Robert Williams had a traditional routine after his dinner. He'd help his wife, Irene, clean up and they'd make idle chit-chat as he did the dishes and she put away what left-overs there were. There son Toby, would be off brushing his teeth and then they'd all sit down in the living room each to do there own respective projects. Toby would work on one of his model planes, or perhaps his home-work, while Irene had a book and Robert had his newspaper.

Tonight was to be different though – this evening, Robert's daughter Sarah was to appear on television. Sarah had been on her own the great world for quite a few years, trying to achieve her dream of becoming an anchor-woman. Tonight after working her way through the TV station's political system, she was going to get to work live.

The routine was different this evening – dinner wasn't its usual leisurely time but a rushed meal. Clocks were constantly being peeked at, and the dishes were left dirty on the counter. Toby's teeth were still filthy, and no chit-chat was made. The three rushed to there respective spots on the couch where a short tussle for the remote occurred. After Irene successfully got the remote, she clicked it to channel thirteen where Sarah's show was just starting.

At twenty-five, Sarah looked calm and collected in an ivory suit and her hair pinned back. She had a healthy-look to her face, but a faint twinkle in her eyes that was implacable unless you knew Sarah very, very, well.

The show started, and Sarah began, "Welcome to the Channel Thirteen News – I'm your host this evening, Sarah Williams." She took a deep breath and continued on, "Were any of you on I-94 today? You're lucky you made it home – at three this afternoon-"

She stopped suddenly, her eyes looking to the side of where the camera probably was. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth in a perfect circle. Robert turned to Irene, and she shrugged. Perhaps it was stage-fright?

Sarah looked madly around her, before her eyes fell in that same spot again. "Um, if you'll excuse me," she said suddenly, getting up and exiting the camera's view.

"What's going on?" Toby asked.

"I don't know," said Robert. The camera suddenly changed its angle falling on something very surprising.

Sarah was back in the camera's view, and she was scolding a man dressed in the oddest outfit Robert had ever seen. He assumed he was some wanna-be rock star, with a platinum mullet, and pants tighter than properly acceptable. He had a leather jacket which Sarah was grasping the lapels of as she said something they couldn't hear.

The camera moved in on the couple, though they didn't notice and kept on with there argument.

"I mean it!" Sarah said. "I told you not to come unless I'm at home!"
"And do you really think you can order me about, Sarah?" The man said deviously. His voice could have been one of a rock star's – Robert made a mental note to ground Sarah from dating.

Sarah set her chin determinedly, "Yes, if it means you're on the couch tonight."

Robert thought his eyes were going to pop out of there sockets. She did not just say that, did she?

The man raised an eye-brow, and shifted on his feet edgily. "I came bearing good news."

"Unless it's that world peace is going to be achieved soon, I don't care Jareth!" She said, color rising in her cheeks. "This is my big break – this is my dream that I've been working to achieve –"

"Funny," he drawled. "But I thought us was your dream." Sarah opened her mouth, but Jareth – if that was his name – put a finger to her lips. "Now, will you let me explain?"
She struggled for words before sighing and saying, "A minute Jareth – that's all you're getting." Her voice grew shrill, "I'm missing my big break!"

Jareth sighed, and then continued, "What I'm trying to tell you precious thing," Robert nearly had a coronary at this man calling his daughter that! "Is that I found the book."

Robert had never seen Sarah's face light up the way it did right then. Not when she came to say she got her dream job – not when she got Merlin – more like when he had come home months ago where Robert could swear he heard another voice coming from her bedroom. Of course no one could be found.

"You found it?" she asked hesitantly. "Really? This isn't just some cruel joke for revenge after ten years, is it?"

The man's hand found its way into Sarah's hair. "Would I kid about this?" His voice became a whisper, and the camera zoomed in closer. "Our dreams can happen now."

To Robert's horror – the two kissed then. Oh, it wasn't anything big a peck at most but on television when he, Irene, and Toby were watching?! The final thought reminded him and Robert turned towards his son.

"I think you should go and work on your planes now," he said hoarsely.

"But why?" Toby whined. "It's not everyday that Sarah gets embarrassed on television!"

Irene was still in a silent state of shock, so Robert was on his own in this situation. He might have pressed onward when sound came from the TV again.

"So we can be together then?" asked Sarah, breathlessly.

"Forever," said Jareth firmly.

"It's not long at all," smiled Sarah. There was the sound of an off-screen cough – probably from how sappy the scene was, and the lovers finally realized they had been taped.

The look on there faces was Kodak worthy. Sarah was the first to recover, and muttered several words that made Robert blush. What had happened to his little girl?

After this, Sarah sighed before grabbing Jareth's hand. "Dad? Irene? Toby? I know you're out there watching this and thinking 'what the hell?' but really it's not what you think." The man gave a loud cough. "Erm, well – this is my dream and well-" she stuttered on for a minute or so – Robert just stared in shock, only catching a word or too of 'words' or 'fey', before Sarah gave one of her mega-watt smiles.

"Well that explains it all then," she said cheerily. She turned to someone off camera and said, "Marlene – I know you wanted the job so damn much so go on ahead. I wasn't after Dean anyway." She smirked, "I've got someone better." Sarah turned back to the camera. "Bye guys! Not sure if I'll se you again, but sacrifices and all! Bye!" She said all this cheerily, and was waving when the glitter surrounded her and the odd man. Robert had no idea what she was doing when the glitter left as Sarah and the Jareth fellow had disappeared as well.

Robert reached out and shut off the screen, in silence. It clicked, echoing, as the three just stared at the blank screen. Robert couldn't say what was going on in Irene and Toby's heads but he knew what thought was going on in his.

Once Sarah had come back, she was going to be grounded until her teeth had fallen out of her head.


A/N: The longest chapter yet! This might have another part to it later on explaining the whole Marlene/Dean thing as well as the book. My assumption is that the book provided a way that Sarah could become a fey.

And the stats again (drumroll please!) We're at seventy reviews and nearly three-thousand reviews. Weren't we just talking about fifty and two-thousand? Thank you guys so much! Let's try and break the next set of numbers, okay?

Posted: 5-04-08