AN: I still don't own anything
AN2: I only did one edit of this chap and my beta told me that I have too many asides...sorry in advance. Thank you all for reading and reviewing and, as is my impression, enjoying this fic! I have another idea brewing, so...time will tell...
"All right, Goblin King. One dance." Sarah whispered, her eyes not missing the slight shift of surprise and hope in Jareth's expression, praying that it wasn't imagined.
He gently grasped her hand, leading her from the church aisle and toward the nearly empty dance floor in the midst of reception tables. He carefully arranged his hands, holding Sarah as close as he could, knowing that he would probably never get another chance.
Sarah took little note of the remaining guests, focused entirely on Jareth's hand on her waist, and his tender hold of her hand. She tilted her head back and realized that his face was entirely too close to her and if she could read the thoughts running through his mind, he could probably see the regret and sadness in hers. She focused her gaze on his chin, following his lead to the ending chords of a Frank Sinatra song. She knew that this wouldn't be the dance he was looking for and briefly paused at the interlude, hoping that Jareth wouldn't break away and leave her alone. Again.
"Well, folks, we're going to start wrapping things up here, just a few more songs left, then we'll say good night!" The DJ interrupted, though he was more subdued, his voice softer (or the mike, quieter).
Strains of "If I Fell" by the Beatles started to hum quietly through the speakers; Jareth pulled Sarah closer, his arm on her waist slipping around to hug her close, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "I requested this for you."
They began to move gently, their bodies swaying in sync to the sweet love song. Sarah's breath caught in her throat...something about the Beatles made her introspective and...softer.
If I fell in love with you
Would you promise to be true
And help me understand
'cause I've been in love before
And I found that love was more
Than just holding hands
A lump formed in Sarah's throat. What was Jareth trying to tell her? What kind of love is this if it's fated and there was no choice in the matter?
"I would have loved you even if we weren't destined, Sarah." Jareth whispered in her ear.
If I give my heart to you
I must be sure
From the very start
That you would love me more than her
"You broke my heart when you denied me. I think this is the Labyrinth's way of telling us that we should start anew. What better than at a wedding?" Jareth looked down at Sarah, nestled close to his heart, her forehead resting below his ear, in awe that she would even let him hold her.
If I trust in you, oh please
Don't run and hide
If I love you too, oh please
Don't hurt my pride like her
'cause I couldn't stand the pain
And I would be sad if our new love was in vain
"I...I, don't know Jareth. I'm not the same girl that I was at fifteeen, I've changed. Do you still love her, or would you be willing to love me?" She pulled back a little, her eyes downcast, long lashes shading her tear-filled eyes, wishing, hoping, for the answer she was seeking.
So I hope you see that I
Would love to love you
And that she will cry
When she learns we are two
cause I couldn't stand the pain
and I would be sad if our new love was in vain
"This is the nature of love, Sarah. I love who you once were, that's how I know I can love you now. You aren't so different, you're just grown up. I don't want to throw away this second chance to do things right. We can take things slow, get to know one another again." His voice was strained, his heart in his throat.
"Let's leave the past behind us, start something new. Please, Sarah, please."
So I hope you see that I
would love to love you
and that she will cry when she learns we are two.
If I fell in love with you
"Then...yes." Her eyes sought his, her lips curving into a tentative smile. He leaned down to kiss her, to seal their agreement...
Only to be interrupted.
Now, unbeknownst to Sarah and Jareth (or unconsciously known), Charlie had been inside the church during their entire argument, crouching down behind a pew when Jareth had run to help Sarah. He had heard their entire exchange and had carefully left the church after them to call Bobby and tell him the news.
Luckily for him he ran straight into a very tea-laden and not-so-happy Bobby and was able to explain the situation quickly enough. They had stood on the edge of the dance floor, watching Jareth and Sarah, ready to step in if something ill had happened and, the ever vigilant and gossip-mongering aunts noticed their attention and had meandered over to rubber-neck at the couple at the same time. Their comments, unfortunately grew in volume and interrupted the couple's dance.
"Oh my, dearie may! I thought that boy was, you know, of the homo-sex-ual persuasion. After all, he did come with Charlie and we all know about him. My, my, my, Grandma Josephine might have been right on the ticket with that girl!" Apparently the coffee had revived the aunts.
"Oh, Sarah, dear, would you be so kind as to give us a ride? We only live down the block, of course, but you know how it is, after partaking of such lovely, lovely tea. We wouldn't want to get lost, you know." Sarah exchanged a humor-filled glance with Jareth, reached up on tip-toe to place a gentle kiss on his lips and turned back to her aunts.
"Of course, I will see you all home. You do all have your shoes on, don't you?"
"Why, now, it would seem I've lost one. Where's that Charlie when you need him? He was ever so good at finding the last one!" Aunt Sally shouted from the back of the bunch, again clutching a half full pitcher of tea (though everyone swears later they had no idea where she got it).
"Uh, Aunt Sally, I didn't find your last -- " Of course, wonderful things happen in pairs. Charlie now matched his partner, his pants drenched with tea, and the aunts laughing hysterically. They didn't get out much, apparently, weddings being the highlight of their year...there was just something about 'open bar' that made their nights all the more lively.
"Charlie, Bobby, may I speak to you a moment?" Jareth reluctantly let go of Sarah, sharing a look of understanding with her as she hurried off to get her aunts ready for departure.
Without speaking, Jareth summoned and dropped a crystal in front of the pair, cleaning the tea and restoring their clothing. "I'd like to thank you two, I'm sorry for my rash behavior, I tend to have a short fuse. Thank you both for your loyalty to my Sarah, perhaps there is a way I can reward you. Come to the Labyrinth with us."
The couple exchanged glances. "Well, as great as that sounds, Jareth, you told us we would remember nothing of this, of you, starting at midnight. How could we possibly go to the Underground with you?" Bobby, ever the logical one, stated calmly without accusation.
"Yes, yes, I took that off you. You will, of course, remember me and the tales of the Underground. Do you want to come with Sarah and I, or not?" Jareth's temper briefly flared at the reminder of his
"Uh, where exactly are we going, Jareth? What happened to taking things slow?" Sarah stood behind him, her arms folded and a cross look on her face.
"I thought you would agree to come to the Labyrinth with me, as we're to be married soon..." Jareth trailed off as Sarah began to shake her head.
"Married? You haven't even asked, you pig! Sheesh, one minute it's 'I love you' and the next it's 'we're getting married'. You missed a step, bub. Hey Charlie, Bobby, could you please fill him in while I shove the aunts in my subcompact?" She winked at the couple, turned and shook her finger at Jareth, and began to herd the aunts towards the parking lot, the reception now empty with the exception of the waitstaff (who had emerged from behind the dumpster, predictably).
It took Sarah ten minutes to get everyone situated (much like the layering effect of tiramisu, but it'd be best not to mention it to the aunts, as they'd get into a giggle fest just thinking of the rum) and then she finally was able to buckle herself in. She spared a glance at the passenger seat, wondering if she should have put an aunt there instead of saving it for Jareth.
Oh well, too late now. I'll just have to find him later. It was amazing how, in such a short span of time, Sarah felt secure in her feelings from and towards Jareth -- as if they'd always been there, just waiting for her acknowledgment.
She turned on the car with a roar, throwing the aunts into another giggle fest at the vibrations of the backseat. Just as Sarah was going to put the car in reverse, the passenger side door open. Jareth slid in the car, his face a little white, and strapped in.
"Nice to see you made it, Jareth." Sarah said quietly with a smile. Jareth turned to her, his expression one of trepidation.
"Sarah, I know you have absolutely no reason to say yes to this, but will you marry me?" He awkwardly pulled a ring box from his pocket and propped it open to reveal a beautiful ring.
To be honest, Sarah wouldn't have been able to tell you what it looked like. Aunt Sally's shoeless foot had chosen that moment to emerge from the backseat.
"Did you hear that? This Jareth fellow proposed to our Sarah!" Aunt Gabrielle said quite loudly, causing the backseat to erupt into a noisy ruckus.
"I - I...God, Jareth! In the car! With the aunts!?" Sarah said exasperatedly as soon as she got over the shock. She knew they'd get married eventually...but so soon? And to be proposed to in a car?!
"Bobby and Charlie assured me that there would be no..." Jareth leaned forward, for Sarah's ears only, "relations until we got married. This is unacceptable! You could take years to agree to marry me!"
Sarah's eyes crinkled up as she tried to withhold her laughter. It didn't help. She became just as loud as the backseat partiers, grabbing her sides to stave off the stitch of pain.
Once she'd gotten over the initial laughter (and the etching of the moment in memory to tell their grandkids) she said, "Oh Jareth. Of course I'll marry you." She leaned foward to kiss him, gently pushing Aunt Sally's foot back where it belonged.
"Yay! Another wedding! I love weddings!" A chorus of happy felicitations resounded from the backseat.
"Uh, Sarah, you will have an open bar, won't you? And invite the family?" Aunt Gabrielle sounded almost nervous that Sarah would revert to the introvert she had been as a teen.
Of course, Sarah was busy doing other things at that moment, like making Jareth the happiest man in the car, the church parking lot, and probably the state of Louisiana. The aunts reluctantly sobered, waiting for the moment to pass, trying not to intrude on the couple.
"Psst. Margaret. Have you seen my shoe?" Aunt Sally couldn't help but ask.
"Oh dear LORD, what's that smell!? Hilde! What did we say about eating those prunes! Oh, that's awful! Roll the windows down, we're not gonna make it!"
And so, Jareth and Sarah quickly broke apart, drove the aunts home, bought a bottle of febreeze, and then celebrated their engagement in a nice quiet park. In Wisconsin. Where there was no family. They'd be seeing the family soon enough.
The End