Chapter 12

A day with friends

The past two weeks in the Underground were like a wonderful dream to Sarah. She had explored the Labyrinth Kingdom and Goblin City every day, and the inhabitants were starting to recognize her.

"That's the future queen", they would whisper to each other behind her back. Even though Sarah was still human, she seemed well received.

A small goblin boy from the local flower shop would run and bring her one small flower every time she walked by, his big goblin ears turning red and his grinning face blushing.

She always smiled sweetly at him and said:" Thank you", in a warm soft voice, which made him scuttle back to the shop, telling his friends excitedly the future queen had accepted his gift.

At times, Jareth had to shoosh small groups of goblins away and threaten them with the 'Bog of Eternal Stench' as they would follow them around like a pack of stray dogs. But as soon as Jareth would direct his attention at Sarah again, they would be right back, following. Sarah had to laugh at this, which really aggravated Jareth.

During the first couple of days, Jareth would not let her leave the castle without him, being worried she may get lost. Sarah managed to persuade him, however, and he finally relented, letting her explore Goblin City on her own, as he had to fulfill some royal duties.

The city was close by and friendly territory with his security guards posted and spread throughout the entire city, but he was still concerned.

"Do not ever go beyond the gates", he would warn her, "not all places of the Labyrinth Kingdom are as safe and friendly. As in your world, there are many dangers lurking down here as well."

He was quite stern and adamant about this, and Sarah always made sure to obey his orders.

One evening, as they were enjoying themselves in his study, Jareth looked up from his grand piano he was playing.

"Halloween is in two days", he said casually not stopping his recital of Mozart's "Little Night Music'. "How would you like to go to a party with our human friends?"

Sarah looked up from the book she was reading. "You really meant it? I can visit with Marjorie?" Sarah put down her book and looked surprised, and elated at the same time.

Jareth continued his playing with Beethoven's "For Elise".

"Sure, why not? I think it'll be fun and I really need a break from my royal duties", he replied.

Sarah squealed with joy, ran to him and gave him a huge hug around his neck, almost knocking him off his piano bench.

"Easy there, babe", he laughed.

"But, I thought I have to stay here now, in the kingdom, forever. Isn't that what you had said?"

Jareth stopped his playing and turned towards her, folding his arms behind her waist.

"Sarah", he said softly, "you are not a prisoner here. You can visit your friends, none of that has changed. We can still hang out with them, maybe not quite as much as before, but we are still able to do that. You just can't live there anymore for an extended time or your life-force would fade. You are in the process of becoming a fae, and it won't be long before you are full fae like me."

He wiped a hair strand out of her eyes as Sarah listened intently.

"How will I know when I'm full fae? Will my face change too, like yours?" she asked with a hint of confusion and uncertainty.

She had not even thought about it, and had always assumed the night she had accepted Jareth' crystal ball, that she had become fae right there and then.

Jareth shook his head. "It takes more time when you're older. The younger one is, the quicker it works, like with Toby. He is safe for now as he is still growing up, but sooner or later he will have to join us here in the Underground.

And as for your face, it may not change at all, you may just discover new powers. We don't know yet until it is complete. You are the first human adult having been turned into a fae." Jareth looked at her intensively.

Sarah sat there quietly taken in all this new information.

"So, when are we leaving?" She finally asked, her face flushing with excitement, placing her arms around his neck. Jareth just laughed out loud and went back to playing his piano.

"Tomorrow", he finally said, throwing her a sideways smile. Sarah jumped up screaming with joy, knocking him off the piano bench for real this time.

Sarah couldn't sleep a wink that night. She was filled with too much excitement about the trip back to her old world and being able to see Marjorie. She had so much to tell her, she didn't know where she would even begin. By the time Jareth woke up, Sarah had already packed their bags and was waiting on him, dressed in her travelling clothes, with a cup of coffee.

"I was about to come and get you. You know what day it is?" She tapped her foot impatiently. Jareth blinked sleepily at her and huffed a smirk.

"Give me a minute to wake up, babe. You know it only takes us a second to get there." He took the cup of coffee out of Sarah's hand and walked into the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later Jareth was ready, and Sarah really had to work hard not to get over excited.

"You sure you don't want to do a qui...?" He didn't get to finish his sentence as Sarah threw a pillow in his face.

"No, let's go", she huffed impatiently.

He teleported her right into the hallway outside her apartment. Sarah anxiously grabbed her keys and unlocked the door. Everything still looked the way it did the night she had left for the Labyrinth, with the exception of most of her personal items missing, like her clothes.

"Ah", she heaved a big sigh and fell into her sofa. "It feels good to be back," she glanced and felt guilty.

"Not saying I don't like it in the Underground, honey."

Jareth just smiled and waved her off with his hand.

"No offense taken", he answered as he put down their bags. He was in his human form again, which he always assumed when leaving the Labyrinth and traveling to Sarah's world.

"I'm going to call Marjorie and let her know we're here." Sarah shouted with excitement and was off into the bedroom to make her call.

A couple of hours later, Marjorie and Mark showed up to spent the afternoon with them.

"Hey, y'all wanna go hang at the Blue Rock Café this evening?" Mark asked while they were eating some Italian food they had brought over for lunch. "Open mic night tonight. Maybe you can lay down some tunes dude?" he added nodding at Jareth.

Sarah threw Jareth a pleading look. "Sounds like a plan and a date", Jareth replied with a smile, glancing at Sarah who mouthed to him: "I'll make it up to you."

Marjorie looked up in surprise. "Jareth sings?"

"Hell yeah," Mark replied.

"How do you know that?" Marjorie wiped her fingers with a napkin looking perturbed that he knew something she didn't. Sarah had never mentioned anything to her.

"He told me back at the club. You know, us guys talk about more than just women", he added with a grin which earned him a napkin in his face. "See how I'm being treated here?" he laughed at Jareth. "I'm glad you back man." He threw the napkin right back at Marjorie.

Sarah sat there laughing, enjoying every minute of it. She grabbed Jareth' hand under the table and whispered:" Thank you so much for doing this."

"We'll add it to the bill", he replied jokingly before Mark took his attention again.

While the guys were sitting in the living room, drinking beer and watching some College football, Sarah had pulled Marjorie into the bedroom and closed the door behind them.

"Ooh girl, I have so much to tell you." Sarah knew she couldn't tell Marjorie anything about the Labyrinth Kingdom quit yet, so she had to change a few places around, but overall she told her the truth.

Every once in a while Marjorie would squeal in excitement especially when Sarah covered the more juicy parts of her story.

"Gosh, I am so happy for you. I can't believe you are getting married too. We should do a double wedding", Marjorie suggested. Sarah pulled back some and shook her head.

"I'm not sure that is possible. I'll have to ask Jareth and see, but we haven't even settled on a date yet. Could be months or even years away for all I know", she added with a forced laugh.

Marjorie wanted to know where they were living now and whom Jareth was working for. Sarah's heart dropped into her stomach. She and Jareth had never even thought about coming up with a believable story about their life together.

"How stupid, stupid, stupid", Sarah thought to herself as Marjorie sat there with an expecting face.

"Um", Sarah started, "We are now living in...Switzerland? Yes, Switzerland, St. Moritz", she said, annunciating every word very carefully and speaking slowly as her brain tried to come up with some believable story. "St. Moritz?"

Marjorie squealed with joy." Oh we need to come visit and go skiing with you guys. What's Jareth doing there?" Marjorie's eyes were glued to Sarah's face.

"Um", she started off again. He is working for a...an investment bank. I don't recall the name."

Marjorie twisted her nose and puckered her lips as she was trying to think of some. "UBS Group by any chance? They are worldwide."

"Suuure", Sarah capitulated, "that's the one. Let me get you some more wine, I'll be right back." She grabbed Marjorie's still nearly full glass and ran out of the room.

"Jareth...Jareth", she hissed quietly as she walked into the living room. He looked at her with bewilderment, but walked over to the kitchen after she signaled him urgently to get his butt over there.

"Refills", he mumbled to Mark as he got up.

"What's going on?" he asked as he got to Sarah.

"Marjorie wants to know where we are living now and what you are doing for employment. I had to make up some cockamamie story." Sarah sounded distressed and waved her hands around as if she was shooing away a bunch of flies.

"Well, what did you tell her?" Jareth sounded indifferent which threw Sarah for another loop.

"I told her we live in Switzerland, ." Jareth busted out laughing drawing Mark's attention.

"Y'all ok in there?" he asked not seeming to wait for an answer as the game held all of his attention.

"It's not funny", Sarah hissed again. "We need to get our stories straight, or they'll be on to us."

"Alright, alright", Jareth agreed. "Tell me then."

Sarah heaved a big sigh. "Ok, we are living in Switzerland, , and you work for a big investment bank. Um, it's called...uh, UBS Group. And we are keeping this apartment, so when we come back for a visit we have a place to stay. Got it?" Sarah looked desperately in his eyes.

"Got it, babe", he replied, grabbed another beer from the fridge, and walked casually back into the living room.

Sarah just shook her head.

"Is there anything that gets him to lose his cool?" she thought as she walked to the bedroom to bring Marjorie back her wine.

"Hey girl, finally. I have been sitting on dry land here and was about to come hunt you down", Marjorie called out when Sarah returned to the bedroom. Without losing any momentum Marjorie picked up in the conversation where they had left off.

"So, if you guys now live in Switzerland, what are you planning to do with this apartment?"

"We'll keep it", Sarah answered in a hurried. "For when we come back for visits". Finally a part of the story that was not a total fabrication. Sarah heaved a slow deep sigh and took a huge sip from her wine.

"What are you going to wear for the Halloween party tomorrow night?" Sarah asked to change the subject.

"Mark and I are going as Sony and Cher." She grinned. "I'll be Sonny and he'll be Cher." Marjorie just about blew her wine all over the floor she was laughing so hard and Sarah followed her example.

"How on Earth did you get him to agree to that?" Sarah asked after she had recovered her composure.

"I bribed him with sex. Works like a charm, every time." They both busted out laughing again.

"What the hell is going on in there?" Mark yelled from the living room.

"Nothing darling, just girl talk", Marjorie yelled back.

"Keep it down, trying to watch a game here", he yelled back one more time. They both started laughing again.

"Ok, so what are you and Jareth planning to wear? Are you going with a couple's outfit or separate costumes?" Marjorie inquired.

Sarah took another sip of her wine. "Finally an easy question", she thought. "Jareth is going as the Goblin King and I'll be his elf queen." Sarah held her head up high as if she was balancing a crown on her head.

Marjorie twisted her mouth and nodded in silence. "That sounds interesting. Let's see how you're going to pull that off", she finally replied.

"Hey Marjorie, can I ask you for a favor?" Sarah had a pleading look on her face.

"Sure girlie, anything, you know that."

"Could you come and look after my apartment when we're gone? You're the only one I trust with me stuff and I hate to hire some stranger."

"Not a problem, not a problem at all." Marjorie replied immediately. "Anything I can help you with you just ask."

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. We'll make it up to you, promise."

Marjorie waved her off. "De nada girlie. Just let us come skiing with you guys in ." Sarah was about to choke on her wine.

At six o'clock Mark and Marjorie went home to get ready to meet up at the Blue Rock Café.

"See you there in an hour dude. Bring your best voice", Mark tapped Jareth on the shoulder.

"You got it", Jareth replied tapping him back. After Sarah shut the door behind them she turned around and leaned exhausted against it.

"We're going to the Blue Rock Café in less than an hour and I'm already halfway drunk."

"Wonderful", Jareth pinned her down and started to play with her neckline. "So, does that mean we can do a quick...?"

"No!" Sarah interrupted him mid-sentence, worked herself out of his grip and walked to the bedroom.

"I'm getting ready for the club, don't come in." With that she shut the door.

They all sat at their regular table once they got to the club. It was already crowded, being a Saturday night. Open mic was from 7 till 9, and then the Rockin' Jazz Cats would take the stage till midnight. Jareth mingled with Mark and some of the musicians over by the stage as Sarah sat with Marjorie at the table.

"Girl, I didn't know your man can sing." Marjorie said.

"He's really good at the piano too," Sarah added with a smile.

"A man of many talents", Marjorie proclaimed.

"You have no idea", Sarah whispered to herself quietly.

The evening progressed nicely and several artists hit the stage before Mark called Jareth up.

"Woo hoo", Marjorie whooped, "Go get 'em tiger."

Sarah gave Jareth a quick kiss. "You'll do great," she added.

Jareth took the mic, turned back to the band for last minute instructions and hit it. His first song was a Bowie song of course, which had been requested by Sarah, 'The man who sold the world'. It was the first time she heard him with a live band and she thought he was absolutely fantastic.

The club exploded into cheers, especially when he did a little hip shaking dance number too. Marjorie's mouth hung wide open.

"Oh my god, he sounds just like David Bowie", she yelled into Sarah's ears. "I had no clue."

He followed that up with 'Let's dance', another Bowie song, and the place went wild. After the applause had ceased some, Jareth addressed the audience.

"The next song is for that very special lady in my life, my one and only love. Sarah my love, this one is for you."

He sat down at the piano and started to play "Only You" by the Platters, with the band softly playing and providing some back up. Sarah had tears in her eyes, and Marjorie was balling her eyes out.

"Oh my god, this is so freakin' romantic girl", she sniffed into a tissue. "Don't ever leave that boy! He's the best thing that ever happened to you in your life". She grabbed another tissue.

After the song was over and the crowd had finally quit cheering, he called Sarah up to the stage. Marjorie had to push her from the table to get her to go up there with Jareth.

"Get your ass up there", she hissed at Sarah who tried to hide her face crouching deeper into the seat.

The crowd again erupted in cheers when Sarah finally got up on stage and stood there like she was being offered up as a sacrifice.

"This right here, is the love of my life, Sarah", Jareth said into the mic to a cheering audience putting his arm around her waist.

"And we are getting married. So the next round is on me."

With that, he gave Sarah a passionate kiss right there on stage and handed the mic back over to Mark who stood there clapping.

"That was freakin' beautiful man", Mark cried as Jareth took Sarah and stepped off the stage. It took quite a while for the place to settle down again. Several people came up and congratulated them.

"You are going to marry me, right?" Jareth whispered into Sarah's ear.

"Of course", she answered and gave him a deep passionate kiss that lasted a long time.