AN: Hello, my dear readers. Long time no see! It's been taking me quite a while to update any of my stories, recently (despite writing every day, and at any spare moment I get) but the hardest part always seems to be editing it all. But at long last, I have an update for you all. Thank you for your patience and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
It had been three days since that wonderful night on the beach.
Sarah had spent those three days doing exactly as she had said she would; spending quality time with her family, making memories that she would look back on fondly in years to come. And as they moved into their second week on vacation, things started to move into a much more relaxed setting.
Even Toby had calmed down somewhat; which was quite astonishing given that Toby was always desperate to do new things and go to new places. But now it seemed as if he was becoming quite content to simply hang around in the forest, building forts out of twigs and fallen branches, sitting happily around a campfire with Sarah and his parents in the evenings before drifting to sleep at a much more reasonable time than he had the week previous.
He had also discovered a new love for the playground which was, very conveniently, less than a five-minute walk away from their cabin.
Sarah had known the novelty of her being around would wear off eventually, and when it did, she couldn't deny that she was glad of it.
She had been on her feet every day trying to keep Toby entertained with swimming, exploring, bike rides, trips to the funfair, and more. And while she enjoyed doing those things with her little brother, she couldn't deny that she was beginning to stress about how difficult it would be for him when their vacation ended and she returned to her home in the city.
So when Toby began making friends with the children at the park, Sarah was relieved. She knew that no matter what, Toby would miss her when the week came to a close; but at least this way he might be distracted with friends and therefore be less distressed by their parting.
At first, Toby had been too shy to introduce himself to the children at the park who happily entertained themselves on the swings and climbing frames. In the end, Toby had asked her to go with him, just to stand by so that he wouldn't be alone.
Sarah, of course, had been only too happy to go with him.
It had taken less than fifteen minutes for Toby to become comfortable around his new friends and Sarah had watched with a bright smile on her face as her brother rushed around the park with his new friends, climbing the jungle gym, and playing imaginary games of pirates and smugglers.
Sarah had hung around for a little while longer just to be extra sure that he felt happy and safe with these kids. But when leaving could no longer be avoided, Toby had been only too happy to wave goodbye to his sister before continuing on with his game.
Robert and Karen had been thrilled to hear that Toby was making friends with children his own age. They never expressed it aloud, but it had always bothered them that Toby had such a difficult time making new friends. Since Sarah had left home, he'd been a little distant. They knew it wasn't his fault, of course. It was normal that he would miss his sister, but his distant behaviour and lack of wanting to make friends had worried them. But now it seemed like Toby had finally overcome his issue, which was a wonderful and welcomed relief to both Robert and Karen.
"I think it's because you've put so much time into him this week," Robert had said, gently tapping his daughter on the back. "It's been exactly what he needed; one-on-one fun with his big sister. And now with new friends to play with, I'm almost certain that he'll begin to thrive again."
With Toby no longer pulling her out of bed before sunrise, Sarah found herself at a loss with what to do with her time here.
Her parents spent most of their time together, soaking up the sunshine out on the balcony while listening to the radio, or having a romantic meal together on the grass outside when the sun began to set.
They never made Sarah feel unwelcome, but she never stuck around to make them feel obligated to invite her to join them, which she knew they would if she hung around with nothing to do.
So instead of waiting around in the cabin, she would walk for hours through the forest; sometimes she would take a packed lunch with her and eat alone in the shade under the trees.
She found she liked the peace that came with solitude, but what she didn't like so much about the solitude was how much her mind raced.
Without her family to distract her, Sarah found that her thoughts were constantly cast back to the time she had spent with Jareth. More particularly; the night they spent together on the beach.
More than once she had relived what it had felt like to have his arms around her waist below the cold sea. What it had been like to see him laugh and tease her - to see his wet clothes stuck to his lean body; his amulet, silver and sparkling against his pale skin, kissed with salty droplets from the sea.
The entire evening with Jareth had been like a dream and Sarah found herself wishing with all her heart that she could relive it.
'You wish for too much, Sarah,' she thought to herself as she sat on the grass beside a very bendy tree. 'You were the one who decided that meeting with Jareth again was a mistake waiting to happen. You were the one who said to leave it to fate. And fate, so far, has not brought the two of us back together... Isn't that a big enough sign?'
Exhaling a heavy sigh, Sarah rested herself back against the tree and took out her sketchbook and pencils.
She was a fast reader and the books she had brought with her she had already read twice over. Her special Pride and Prejudice book was still tucked into her bag, though, because she never tired of reading that novel. But right now she felt in the mood to sketch something.
Sketching wasn't a new hobby for Sarah. It was, however, something she didn't often get to indulge in because time was not something she had a lot of when she wasn't on vacation, so she was quite pleased to have a little time to do it right now.
Flipping open her book, she flicked through the pages, searching for a clean sheet to draw on.
Most of the sketches in her book were of unusual flowers that she had found in the deep forest on her extra-long walks. Others were of trees, birds, butterflies and bumblebees, but today she found herself absentmindedly sketching a perfectly shaped face, complete with high cheekbones and brows that swooped up above hauntingly pale eyes, one with a permanently dilated pupil, which she had always thought was a darker colour than the other, at least up until the other night when he held her in the sea, gazing down at her with that lazy smirk on his face.
It barely registered to her that she was drawing him. It was as if her hand had a mind of its own as it skilfully copied Jareth's likeness from her memory onto the paper in her lap.
It was only when the sun began to set, hindering her ability to see what she was doing, that it dawned on her. She had been sketching him for over two hours! Her back ached and her butt was numb.
Groaning, partly in pain, and partly in frustration at her ability to switch off from reality and lose track of time so easily, she closed her sketchbook and tossed it into her bag along with her almost blunt pencils with a silent reminder to sharpen them later.
Getting to her feet, she stretched out her sore muscles and sighed.
She was about an hour's walk away from the cabin, so she knew she needed to get a move on if she wanted to get back before dark. The evenings were still light, thankfully, but with each passing day, she noticed the light beginning to fade earlier than it had the night before.
She loved the autumn months, but she hated having to adjust to the transition of darker nights after being spoilt for so long with the warm bright evenings of summer.
Sarah grabbed her bag and threw on the leather jacket Jareth had given her.
She wasn't ashamed to wear it. It was comfortable and light, a nice change from the denim jacket she had been wearing the life out of recently for the same reasons.
It had nothing to do with the fact that wearing it made her feel close to him, again. And it certainly wasn't because his incredibly intoxicating scent still lingered on the fabric and leather. Nope, it had absolutely nothing to do with that, nothing at all. It was just a nice jacket, perfect for milder evenings.
At least that's what she told herself.
"You don't seem quite as chirpy as you did when I last saw you?" Fenris said, noticing the solemn look in his King's features. "Have the carefree joys of vacation left you already?"
Jareth considered his words for a moment and then a heavy sigh left him. Shifting his position on the throne, he cleared his throat. "I would be lying if I said my mood wasn't somewhat gloomy."
Fenris arched a brow, his long red hair swaying a little as he turned to face Jareth with curiosity sparkling in his eyes. "And the reason for that would be...?"
Jareth tapped his chin thoughtfully. A few options lay before him. He could either bullshit his way through this question or he could be honest. After a moment's thought, he decided to do the latter. What harm would it do to tell Fenris about his time spent with Sarah?
Folding one leg over the other, he leaned back in his throne again. "Take a wild guess."
Fenris shrugged. "Woman trouble? Man trouble? The car broke down? You lost at a game of darts?"
Jareth's eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. "None of the above." He said, then adjusted his position again, unable to keep still for more than a few moments.
"Well, from your mood I'm guessing you've not been getting laid while you've been away. The no intercourse thing does tend to be your usual reason for a bad mood."
Jareth huffed noisily. "Just because you're a grotty bastard when you don't get laid doesn't mean that I act the same way and you know it."
Fenris sighed dreamily, his turquoise eyes twinkling in the sunlight that shone in through the large surrounding windows. "I know, but it gives me a reason to mention Cern. Since dating him I've not had a chance to be 'grotty'. You should try it. Dating, I mean. Not Cern, though. He's mine now. But it would be nice to see you happy and settled with someone."
Jareth smirked. "You're welcome to Cern. You know it's been some years since I've had a thing for men."
"Then find a woman! God knows you need one. I know the perfect girl-"
"Look, do you want to know why I'm gloomy or would you rather continue playing this tiresome guessing game? And I'm really not in the mood for you playing at being matchmaker. I learned my lesson the last time you tried to set me up with someone." He interrupted, folding his arms over his chest.
"Hey, you could do a lot worse than Mildred!"
"She was a cave troll!" Jareth argued, throwing his hands into the air.
"Don't be prejudice-"
"She tried to eat me, Fen!"
"Yeah, well, she must have liked you! She only eats the ones she really likes."
"Is that meant to make me feel better? No. No way in hell will I ever let you set me up with someone again." Jareth assured him, firmly. "You told me she was nice." He pouted.
Fenris rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm gay so what type of woman did you really expect me to set you up with?"
"One that didn't eat the men she dated would have been nice." Jareth muttered under his breath, still salty about that terrible date with the cave troll.
"If you don't like the women I pick for you then don't ask me to set you up on a date with them," Fenris grumbled as he turned away and folded his arms, offended by Jareth's ungrateful attitude.
"I didn't ask you! I would NEVER ask you to set me up! You insisted!" Jareth cried, beyond irritated with the conversation.
Although Fenris was a great adviser when it came to ruling the kingdom, he was also incredibly irritating at times. And this most definitely was one of those times.
"Let's move away from this conversation. Just tell me why you're moody." Fenris said, turning towards him again.
Jareth got up from his seat on the throne and began passing the room, hands clasped behind his back. "It's Sarah. Sarah Williams."
Fenris's eyes grew wide with surprise. "Sarah Williams? THE Sarah Williams? The one and only champion?"
"Yes." Jareth walked swiftly towards the window and gazed out at the Labyrinth in the distance, beautiful against a bright orange sunset. "She is staying in the same place as me... she has been for years. It's how I found the place, to begin with,"
Fenris rubbed his forehead, groaning. "Oh, please don't tell me you've been stalking the poor girl?"
"Stalking? No. Watching over her every now and again? Yes." He admitted, "But it was never with malicious intent. I thought about Sarah often and decided to check up on her every now and again out of mere curiosity. One day when I did, she was on vacation, staying at the park. I fell in love with the place and decided to take a vacation there as well. So you see it's all quite innocent." Jareth assured him.
"Hmm... why do I find that hard to believe? It's not as if you've ever made a habit of checking up on any of the other runners, after all." Fenris pointed out, tapping his chin thoughtfully while trying to decipher his king's strange behaviour.
"Sarah is not simply a runner. She is the Labyrinth's champion."
"So she bested you. Why keep reminding yourself of your loss? Unless..."
Jareth spun round on his heel, facing Fenris again. "Unless, what? Go on, say it."
Fenris eyed him curiously. "Unless... you have feelings for her?"
Fenris hadn't been sure what he expected Jareth's reaction to be, but it wasn't silence. The silence was, however, enough to confirm his suspicions. Gasping, his eyes widened. "You have feelings for the women that fought against you and won?! How can this be? You didn't speak to me for a week when I beat you at a game of chess!"
"You cheated at that game of chess and don't you dare try to convince me otherwise." Jareth retorted, attempting to defend his pride. He had never lost at chess before, he was an expert at it – so the only explanation was that Fenris had been cheating.
"You're definitely not focusing on the important part of this conversation," Fenris said with a sigh, rolling his eyes in a way that might have angered Jareth had he been looking.
Jareth ran his fingers through his hair and turned back towards the window, watching the sun as it lowered in the sky, slowly disappearing from sight over the hedge maze.
"I like her, Fenris. There is no point in denying it. And you know what makes the situation all the more frustrating?"
"What?" Fenris asked, softly.
"I think she likes me, too - or would if she allowed herself to admit to it."
A soft warm breeze blew in through the open window and began to dance softly with his pale hair. "She has been hurt by a lot of men. Spending even a small amount of time with her gives that away, but Sarah willingly told me of her struggles with them. They use her. Stand her up on dates." Jareth's jaw tightened suddenly and his hands balled into fists at his sides.
"None of them deserve her. Did you know her pathetic excuse of an ex-boyfriend tried to rape her? In plain sight, might I add! The bastard even had his friends hold onto her so that she couldn't run away. If I hadn't gotten there when I did-"
"- But you did. And it's just as well that you did." Fenris cut him off, resting a comforting hand upon Jareth's shoulder. "Is that who those ruffians are?" He asked, referring to the boys locked up in one of the oubliettes.
"I had to be certain they wouldn't try to hurt her again," Jareth explained. "I wanted to do more than simply lock them in an oubliette, believe me. I only restrained myself for Sarah's sake. I'm not sure how she would've reacted if I'd beaten them black and blue."
Fenris shot him a knowing smile. "You really like her a lot, don't you? I can see it in your face."
"She is the most exquisite creature, Fen. And once we forgot about our strained past, it was almost as if it never happened. We get on better than I could have ever imagined. She understands my humour and cuts me with wit perhaps even sharper than my own." He grinned devilishly, recalling their bantering with fondness.
"Then why, in god's name, are you so moody?"
Brought back to recent events, Jareth clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing the room. "Because I made an agreement with her - a foolish agreement that will keep us apart unless fate brings us back together." He explained with annoyance.
Fenris's brows rose. "And you agreed to that?"
Jareth merely nodded, then continued to pace the room, his boots making a satisfying clicking noise against the stone floor.
"I'm surprised," Fenris continued, chuckling softly. "But I'm guessing you've already planned something that will bring the two of you back together?"
Jareth stopped pacing for a moment, his focus on anything but the man questioning him. "No. Not this time. I made a deal with her, you see. I won't use magic to manipulate things this time. I want to do this differently so that she can truly trust me."
To say Fenris was astonished by Jareth's behaviour would be an understatement. "I see... well, you are a master of bending rules without actually breaking them. Couldn't you just do that? That way, you wouldn't technically be breaking anything, you'd just be... tweaking things."
Jareth considered this for a moment, and then he sighed. "I suppose I could since it wouldn't technically be breaking our agreement. But as I said before, I won't create a situation that'll put us together. No, I'll only bend the rules if there is something to bend."
"Then for your sake, I hope something arises," Fenris said with a bright smile. "Now go. Go back to your strange log cabin and wait for something to arise, which it will because I refuse to believe that you'll let this one go so easily. And once you find something, use it to your advantage."
Jareth felt his lips curl into a smile, sharp-pointed teeth glistening in the evening light. "Thank you, Fenris. Contrary to popular belief, you are a good man. Cern is lucky to have you."
Fenris began fanning himself with his hand. Even the mention of his dark-haired lover made him swoon. "I'm the lucky one. Cern is one of the most beautiful people I've ever been with. That ass of his looks like it could have been carved by angels ..." he sighed dreamily.
Jareth chuckled. "It seems as if we share more in common than I first thought, Fenris... a weakness for brunettes." Smirking, he turned on his heel and made for the large double doors. Just as he was about to leave through them, Fenris called to him.
"Oh, before you disappear again, would you consider going to see Hoggle? I think he expects some sort of praise from you since he managed to lead those boys back to the oubliette."
Jareth smirked to himself. He couldn't deny that he had been impressed with Hoggle for leading the boys back to the oubliette successfully. "Very well, I'll talk to him. He deserves that much for actually succeeding in something I've asked him to do. I'll...promote him to top gardener or something."
"Great! He's waiting just outside those doors." Fenris said, smirking as he pointed to the double doors right in front of Jareth.
Jareth glared dangerously in Fenris's direction. "If he heard any of my previous conversation with you I will have to personally drag you to the bog of eternal stench." Jareth spoke through gritted teeth, then pulled open the doors, eyes narrowing as he peered down at Hoggle, who had taken off his hat was holding it in his hands.
"Well, I'd better be going. Myself and Cern are having dinner in an hour so I should get freshened up." Fenris said, and then disappeared in a shower of glitter before Jareth could protest.
Hoggle cleared his throat. "Y-Yer Majesty?"
"Come in, Higgle," Jareth said, standing aside and inviting him into the room.
"It's Hoggle." He corrected.
"Yes, that's what I said." Jareth insisted as he closed the door again. "I wanted to congratulate you on your success in leading the humans back to the oubliette. For once, you've done what I've asked you to do and you've done it well. I would like to reward you for your efforts. How does being promoted to top gardener sound?"
Hoggle wrung his hat in his hands, nervously. "Ermm... thanks, Yer Majesty, but if ya remember, ya already promoted me to top gardener a few years ago... I smoked out six-hundred fairies in twenty minutes," Hoggle explained when Jareth frowned, perplexed.
"Very well, then how do you suggest I reward you?" It was obvious to Jareth that Hoggle had something in mind for this reward; he just hoped it was something reasonable.
Hoggle gulped. "Well, if it ain't too much to ask...just let Sarah know that we's be missin' her? and that we's still here should she need us?"
Jareth starred at the Dwarf, surprised by his request. He hadn't requested jewellery or trinkets as Jareth had expected him to. He hadn't even asked to see Sarah, which would have been Jareth's next guess for Hoggle's reward. But no, all he'd asked was for a message to be delivered to her.
"If I happen to see her again, I will convey that message to her." Jareth promised him.
Hoggle let out a shaky breath, nodding his head gratefully. "It's been a long time since we's heard anythin' from her... how is she?"
"She is well."
"Then those mortals didn't harm her?" He asked, concern shining in his eyes.
"No. Luckily I got there before any true harm could be done." Jareth assured him.
Hoggle nodded, but Jareth didn't miss the frown of confusion that crossed his weather-worn face.
Jareth was almost certain Hoggle would ask him more questions, but he didn't. Instead, he turned and made for the door, walking with a limp that never seemed to heal.
"Well, as long as she be doin' okay, I's be on me way," Hoggle said with a grunt, walking towards the double doors again. "Oh, and I's goin' to keep an eye on those boys. Ain't foolin' for them cruel jokes this time," Hoggle said, wagging a finger in the air.
Jareth's lips curled into a smirk as he watched Hoggle disappear through the doors and out through the long hall, trying to diminish the slight feeling of fondness as it crept sneakily into his heart.
He was softer now, that was true, but he wasn't that soft. Hoggle would always be somewhat of an annoyance to him and if truth be told, he liked it that way.
And he believed Hoggle did too.
After eating a light supper with her family, listening to Toby as he went on and on about his new friends and the games he had played with them, Sarah had hugged her parents and kissed Toby's cheek before she bathed and made her way to bed. Her long daily walks had exhausted her and she knew she'd benefit from an earlier night.
But try as she might, sleep would not come.
She had been thinking, again.
Thinking deeply about the things she and Jareth had discussed on their last encounter; going over every detail in such great depth, she started getting a headache.
After fetching a glass of cool water and popping a few paracetamols to help ease the headache, Sarah crawled back onto her bed and pulled back the drapes that hid the moonlight from her room.
Reaching up, she gently pressed her hand against the cool glass, remembering how Jareth had sat there in his owl form, gazing in on her, trying to help her remember him and the trip that had made her into a better person.
Heaving a heavy sigh, Sarah pulled her hand away and lifting her legs up to her chin, she hugged her knees tight to her chest.
This was ridiculous. Nobody had this effect on her, so why couldn't she get him out of her head?
Okay, so they'd had a great evening together, so what? It wasn't a big deal and Jareth hadn't exactly fought to meet with her again. Wasn't that a sure enough sign that he wasn't as bothered about seeing her again as she was about him?
She shook her head.
No.
No, she had seen the emotions that had crossed his handsome face when they had said goodbye for what might be the last time. She had felt him linger in the kiss he had planted against her forehead.
And the way he had spoken to her, the things he had said…
Would he really have been so tender towards her feelings if he did not intend to see her again?
She didn't know, but her headache was turning into a migraine.
Forcing herself to lie down in her bed again, she covered her face with her pillow and huffed.
It was better this way; better for both of them if they didn't meet up again. Their last evening together had been the perfect goodbye. They had both been careful to keep their boundaries, not pushing the other too far even though she was pretty certain that both of them had wanted to.
Besides, it was time she stopped dreaming now. There was just one week left before this vacation was over and her normal, very mundane life resumed once more. One week before she parted from her family, went back to her unfulfilling job at the coffee house, working from nine to five only earning the minimum wage before she would have to go back to her shitty apartment complete with neighbours that argued all day long and then partook in loud make up sex, all night, only to have another argument the following day and start the cycle all over again.
'There's no place like home!' She thought, sarcastically.
Feeling more than a little depressed by her own thoughts, Sarah turned over in her bed, punching at her pillows before she rested her head against them again and reached over, switching out the light.
"It's time to forget about him, now, Sarah. If you'd been meant to see him again it would have happened already. Stop obsessing. Stop dreaming. Even if you did meet up with him again, what do you even hope would happen? What do you want from him, anyway?"
Sarah decided not to find the answer to her own question, and instead, she reluctantly closed her eyes, shutting it all out for now. Her headache was too bad and she needed to sleep before she drove herself insane.
But when sleep finally came, so did dreams, and her dreams were of him.
A few miles away, back in the safety of his cabin, Jareth sat in a boneless manner across a couch that really didn't suit him and his otherworldly dark style. It was comfortable, though, which he liked enough to put up with the hideous thing.
He had a fire lit which took away the slight evening chill, but it was mostly lit for the comfort it gave him. He had the record player on, too; just quietly, a gentle background sound more than anything else, but he found it relaxing to listen to while he read. It was very unfortunate that the book he was trying to entertain himself with was so very dull.
He had found it on one of the bookshelves in his cabin, so it wasn't like he'd been expecting anything spectacular. This book, however, was so bad he almost considered tossing it into the fire.
He only decided against it because he believed the fire deserved better than the likes of this awful paperback.
Sighing, he rested the tiresome book against his chest and peered into the fire, his brows lowering over his eyes.
Since his conversation with Fenris, he had been searching for something – anything- that would allow him to bend his and Sarah's agreement without going against her wishes, but so far nothing had arisen.
With a heavy sigh, he tapped his finger against his cheek.
'Come on, Sarah,' he thought to himself as he gazed into the dancing flames. 'Come to me, you precious, stubborn thing…'
"What are your plans today, Sarah?"
Sarah startled a little at hearing her stepmother's voice, bringing her back to reality. She was still sitting in the lodge on the couch as she had been all morning. Quickly she closed her sketchbook, tucking it away, shamefully. She hated that she had been looking at the sketch she had drawn of Jareth yesterday for so long. That was quite pathetic really, wasn't it?
"Huh? Oh, errr… I'm not really sure, yet. I did think about exploring the forest some more later. Why?"
Karen picked up the wet and slightly soapy plates from the drying rack by the sink and began to dry them with her dishtowel. "I just wondered, really. How're you holding up without Toby pulling you around?" She asked as she stacked the clean dry plates into the cupboard above before she reached for the next.
"I'm just glad he's happy and making friends with kids his own age. Especially as one of them lives less than half an hour from you guys, which means they'll be able to meet up and play even after this vacation." She said, smiling. "But I do miss him, of course, I do. Last week he wouldn't leave me alone and now he's just happy doing his own thing."
Karen nodded, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, I know. It's good for him in the long run but I'm sorry he's just suddenly abandoned you."
Sarah shook her head, brushing it off. "Nah, he hasn't abandoned me. Honestly, Karen, I'm okay. As I said, I'm really glad he's having fun. He's seven years old, it's what he needs. Kid's his own age to hang with."
"It's what you need, too," Karen told her. "Have you tried being a bit more social rather than just wandering around the forest for hours?"
Sarah sighed. "I was a bit put off doing that sort of thing after bumping into Liam. Besides, I'm happier just keeping myself to myself."
Karen nodded, understanding. "Of course, I'd almost forgotten about that." She frowned then. "Speaking of which, I've not seen him around here since…have you?"
Sarah looked away from Karen and picked up the TV remote from the coffee table. "No, thank goodness." She muttered, mentally thanking Jareth again for throwing Liam and his shitty friends into an Oubliette.
Everything you wanted, I have done.
"Maybe he left…" Karen mumbled, more to herself than to Sarah.
Sarah snorted.
'Oh, yeah, he's left, alright.'
Sarah switched on the TV and began flicking through the channels, not paying attention as Karen walked in, taking a seat on the armchair beside her. "Sarah, we've only got a week till our vacation is over, so why don't you spend it doing something fun?"
"Watching shitty game shows IS fun," Sarah argued half-heartedly.
Karen reached over and took the remote from her, switching off the TV again. "Sure, when you're stuck at home with nothing better to do."
Sarah huffed noisily as she turned towards her stepmother, giving her her full attention.
"Please... just try it. Go out, meet people. Hang out at the pool or the bar. You'll meet people that way." She said, gently reaching over to rest her hand over Sarah's. "You're young and it's okay for you to let your hair down every once in a while. It's good for you to have a bit of fun, especially when you're on vacation. Make some memories, dear, you'll thank me for that advice one day. "Karen promised, squeezing her stepdaughter's hand.
Sarah squeezed hers in return, grateful for her words and advice.
Would it really be so bad to go to the bar and get a drink? Maybe try to make some friends on the way? God knew she needed them. She was always lonely, after all, and it really didn't seem like she would be seeing Jareth again, so why wait for him? He wasn't coming to her, she knew that. It had been almost four days, now.
Once again, she reminded herself that it was she who had told him that they would leave it to fate.
'Stupid, stupid, Sarah!' She mentally slapped herself for what felt like the ten-hundredth time in the last four days.
"You know what?" Sarah stood. "You're right, Karen. I'm on vacation, I shouldn't just sit around watching TV or walking through the forest when I could be experiencing something fun or meeting new interesting people. I'm going to take a shower and then I'll go out."
Karen was so thrilled to hear this, she cheered and clapped her hands together. "Sarah, that's wonderful! I'm so glad you're going to give it a try, sweetheart!"
Sarah grinned as her stepmother pulled her into a tight hug, then quickly ushered her up the stairs to get dressed before she had a chance to change her mind.
Sarah laughed. Well, at least somebody was enthusiastic about her going out.
A few hours later…
Sarah tapped the side of her glass with her fingernails, enjoying the little tingling sound it made.
Yes, she was actually entertained by this.
Yes, that was exactly how boring her day had been.
She had tried. God knew she had tried.
She had made an effort with her outfit, dressing in a tight-fitting summer dress, white in colour with spaghetti straps. She had paired the dress with Jareth's leather jacket and her favourite black sneakers.
Heck, she had even applied a little bit of makeup, which massive effort for her was considering how lazy she was when it came to how she looked. As long as she was clean and presentable, she didn't care too much - but today she had really tried.
She had even done what Karen had suggested; hanging out in the hottest spots, making an effort to start conversations with random strangers and had even accepted an invitation to sit and eat lunch with a group of people.
It had all been going well until they asked her what she did for work and what her interests were.
Sarah had told them the truth, of course, why wouldn't she? She wasn't going to make up stuff to come off as cool to them. She had done that before when she had been dating Liam, and that had lead her to forget herself; to forget the things she loved, the things that mattered to her…
So she told them the truth.
"I'm a waitress in a coffee house but I'm hoping to move on from that soon. I'm thinking of studying - something useful that will help me get into a better career, but I'm still undecided on what to do. My interests? Well, there are a few. I'm an avid reader. You won't often find me without a book somewhere," She had laughed, raking her fingers through her thick dark hair. "I love fantasy novels best - fantasy and historical classics - anything that takes me out of this world and into another, even if it's just for a moment..." She had said, dreamily.
The group had given her very strange looks when they saw the twinkle in her eye, saw the way she rubbed the arm of the leather jacket she was wearing, several snickering when they noticed the old Pride and Prejudice book sticking out of the left pocket.
As she spoke to them, they began to realize that Sarah was a geek and not as cool as they'd thought she looked.
Appearances, apparently, really were deceiving.
The group had made it quite obvious after that, that although she looked great, she really didn't fit in with them.
A few of the ruder individuals even had the nerve to turn their backs on her, talking amongst themselves and no longer including her in their frivolous conversations.
But one of the guys from the group had stuck around her. Sarah knew he wasn't hanging out with her because he wanted to befriend her. He had told her outright that they shared nothing in common, so why did he linger near her? Why did he watch her avidly as she sipped on her drink?
When Sarah finally questioned it, his reply had been exactly what she expected.
"Why'd ya think? You're hot and I'm hot as fuck. I mean, you are pretty geeky, but just between you and me, I kind of like that about you." He had moved in closer then, lowering his voice, his crude attempt at sounding seductive. "Besides, I've heard geeky girls can get pretty freaky under the sheets..."
Needless to say, Sarah had declined his offer to get freaky under the sheets. But before the creep would let her leave, he scribbled down his number on a small scrap of paper, placing it in her palm and telling her that if she changed her mind and wanted to hook up with no strings attached, he would be at the bar until late.
Sarah had turned on her heel and left without another word after that.
Perhaps that had been a little rude of her, but at that moment she really hadn't cared. She was angry and sick of men treating her like she was good for sex and nothing more.
After that incident, Sarah hadn't bothered trying to make conversation with anyone else. Most of the people around were with family and friends, anyway. Nobody was alone and all of them were enjoying their vacation together.
As Sarah sat at the bar, drinking more than she had in a long time, she began to feel lonelier than she had in years.
'And this is exactly why you don't go out and do the things that others do; because you don't fit in with anyone – you never have and probably never will.'
She lifted her glass and threw back the remaining liquid. It was strong and she pulled a face as it slipped down her throat, the taste unpleasant.
'Why are you even drinking? You don't even like alcohol that much and you avoid it because you can't take it! This is self-sabotaging at its finest if I ever saw it.' Sarah raged with herself inwardly but ordered another drink regardless.
'Nobody likes me for me, for who I am inside,' She thought, wallowing in self-pity. Once she paid for her next drink, she glanced around the room, watching the many people that gathered and drank together. Watching them made her feel more alone than ever, and she spun away from them on her stool, facing the bar again.
This was all his fault, she realized as she took yet another drink.
It was entirely his fault. He had poofed back into her life in a shower of feathers and glitter. He had knocked her off her feet with his swoon-worthy personality, humour and good looks.
He had raised her expectations of men, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Good men were a rarity, rare and normally snapped up quickly by other women. She most certainly didn't stand a chance of finding one in a place like this.
She glanced over her shoulder as a man cheered at what she expected was a sports game on the television behind her, and watched as he proceeded to celebrate his team scoring by humping the closest women next to him.
Sarah scowled and turned away from the scene.
Huffing, she rested her cheek against her hand, gazing blankly at the condensation dripping down the side of her almost empty glass.
It was then that she decided her next drink would be straight rum.
If she was going to get drunk, she might as well get it over and done with quickly.
And like a pirate, she added, snickering to herself as she imaged herself on a ship, the sea rough around her as she drank rum from the bottle.
'And this is another reason why you don't have friends!' She scolded herself again, silently. 'You should grow up and order a Vodka and Redbull like every other twenty-one-year-old.'
A glass of rum was placed on the bar in front of her before she could change her mind, and she swigged it back quickly, gasping and gagging as the liquid burned her throat.
'How the fuck do pirates drink this?' She thought, pushing the empty glass back across the counter and watched with wide eyes as the blurred figure behind the bar refilled it for her.
'Why did he have to be so nice to me? If he hadn't been so nice I might not be feeling this way about him, right now...'
Her fingers curled around the glass and she began swirling the liquid around, her next thoughts so erotic she blushed bright red.
'No! No, I can't torture myself like this... I need to stop thinking of him and his... package...and that ass...his chest... wet from the sea...' She sighed, lifting her glass and sipping the liquid. She wasn't about to down it in one go as she had the first time.
'I just wish... that he could come here... and take me into his arms...help me to make good decisions... because... I'm bad, bad, bad, bad... at making good decisions.'
Even in her head, her words were slurred, and she took that as a sign to stop drinking. Although she had fully intended on getting drunk, she suddenly realized what that meant for tomorrow morning.
Hangover hell. In the heat. With her parents and her brother at the breakfast table.
Shit.
A soft masculine chuckle came from behind her. It was velvet-like, smooth, and it sent butterflies of excitement to her stomach. Her heart began to skip in her chest as the warmth of a body behind hers sent shivers across her skin. It was so close, but not quite touching hers.
Even in her drunken state, she knew it was him.
Twirling around on the barstool just a little too fast, she faced him. "Jareth…" She breathed, lips parting as he moved closer to her with that beautiful smug look on his face.
"I-I don't understand," She began, stuttering and blinking when he took her hands in his and pulled her up from her seat so that she was standing in front of him. She ignored the way the room span around her and she focused on him instead. "I thought we – that we weren't going to-"
Jareth raised a finger to his lips, shushing her. "We did." He said, calmly. "But it seems there was a loophole in our agreement."
"Loophole?" She frowned deeply in confusion. "But… how? We said we w-wouldn't meet again unless fate brought us together. How can there be a loophole in that?" She was pleasantly surprised by her ability to ask intelligible questions even if she was slightly slurring
Jareth gazed down at her, his lips twitching into a smile, eyes twinkling in the dim light. "Something far bigger than fate has brought me to you, Sarah." He said as he gently brushed her raven hair from her face.
When Sarah merely stared up at him with that dumbfounded expression on her face, he leaned in close to her, lips hovering by her ear. "You wished for me," He whispered, pulling back so that their eyes met again. "Just as I've been wishing for you..."
At his words, her heart began to pound and swell in her chest.
'Just as I've been wishing for you...'
What did that mean? What was he trying to say to her?
When Sarah remained silent, trying to process his words, eyes wide and lips parted, he gently placed his hands on her waist, pulling her closer to him.
Her breath hitched as their bodies pressed together, warm and firm against the other. Her hand's hovered just above his amulet and she briefly wondered if she should touch it or not.
Jareth's eyes didn't leave hers; he was searching for something in them, something that would either delight him or disappoint him. Of which, he wasn't certain, and he knew Sarah saw vulnerability in him that he hadn't shown her since she had turned him down all those years ago.
Seeing him look at her like that, with their bodies pressed together and the warmth of his hands on her waist was almost enough for her to throw caution to the wind. But she took a few deep breaths to try and clear her intoxicated mind. She still had questions and she needed them answered before anything else.
"Jareth, I never wished for anything…"
"Not verbally, but your heart did."
It was true. Although she'd not exactly made a wish for him aloud, her heart most certainly had been wishing for him. There was no point in denying that.
"Wait, isn't it only the verbal wishes that come true?" She asked with a frown.
Jareth chuckled lowly. "Clever girl...yes, normally the wish must be spoken aloud or it won't come true. But I've been abiding uncharacteristically by the rules recently. It was time to bend them."
"This could lead to more bad than good." She tried to reason.
"Who are we to judge what's good and what's bad?" He argued, smirking down at her. "Take me for example; would you still regard me as the villain? The bad guy?" He practically purred those last words, and Sarah visibly shivered at the sound. She might have been embarrassed if she'd been sober.
"We both know I don't think of you that way, anymore." She promised, finally allowing her hand to rest against his chest, fingers brushing against his amulet, the contact sending little tingling sensations through her fingertips.
His face lit up at her words, his sharp-pointed teeth glistening in the dim light. "Well, then, I think that answers your question."
Sarah blinked, staring at him for a few moments until his words registered in her brain. When they did, she sighed. "It answers none of my questions." She laughed, shaking her head.
"Well, some questions are best left unanswered."
"And some are best answered." She pushed, softly. "I just can't ignore t-that... little voice in my head…"
Jareth tilted his head slightly, his eyes wandering away from hers and lower, down to her chest as he lifted his hand, allowing it to hover just above her heart. "Tell me, Sarah... when did you abandon your heart for that voice in your head?" His eyes snapped back to hers as he said this, pools of piercing blue meeting sparkling forest green.
Sarah averted her eyes from his, swallowing heavily on the lump that formed like a rock in the back of her throat. "My heart has lead me astray before." She answered him, laying her heart bare before him.
'Great. Emotional drunk Sarah has taken over.'
Understanding her words, Jareth gently hooked a gloved finger under her chin, lifting her gaze back to his again. "And do you believe that it will do the same again?"
Sarah chewed the inside of her cheek, pondering the question carefully before she answered. "I…I don't know,"
"There's hope in not knowing," He said, tenderly caressing her face.
The cool soft leather felt pleasant against her warmed cheek and she leaned into his touch, her eyes falling closed as she basked in the feeling of being caressed by him.
"But..." He began with a sigh, "the choice is ultimately yours to make, precious. I would not push you to anything you weren't completely certain of. I told you before that you could trust me, and I meant it in all aspects."
"Thank you..." She whispered, heart sinking as he let his hands fall away from her waist as he backed away from her to give her the space he thought she needed to make her choice.
She appreciated what he was doing - moving away from her so that her head could clear enough for her to make an informed decision - but she knew that in order to make this decision, she needed him to pull her closer, not move away from her.
Feeling bold, she reached out for him, capturing his gloved hand in hers. "If I'm to make the decision I want to make, then I need you near me. Without you holding me, I might not have the courage to say what I want to say - to admit to what I feel when I'm with you..."
Closing the distance between them again, he wrapped his arms around her waist, peering down at her, wisps of pale hair hanging about his face messily. "And what is it that you want to say, Sarah?" He whispered.
Closing her eyes, she took in a deep shaky breath.
This was it. She was going to say it. Was she stupid? Yes, she probably was. Stupid and drunk. She knew there would be no going back after this. Jareth - although he'd been nothing but honourable so far- she knew that once she said this, the honourable man that restrained himself when he was with her, she knew he would be gone and in his stead would be a hungry, untamed Goblin King.
Her libido quivered at the thought, but her stomach knotted nervously.
Was she ready for this?
And furthermore, could she wait?
The gentle flex of his fingers at her waist told her she couldn't.
She wanted him.
Wanted him and all he could give to her before this vacation was over - when they would part again -perhaps forever- and her tiresome life would resume.
Such a pity...
Discarding the depressing thoughts aside, for now, she opened her eyes and looked up at him again.
She could tell just from his expression that he was desperate to know her answer, and yet he was being so patient with her. He wasn't demanding to know her answer when he easily could have been. She wouldn't have blamed him for that, either. She could only imagine how long she had been staring up at him, torturing him with her silence. But his patience with her was beyond touching.
She was almost certain that he would have held her like that all night without an answer, if she'd asked it of him, and that knowledge warmed her heart even more, assuring her that she was making the right decision.
"You're young and it's okay for you to let your hair down every once in a while. It's good for you to have a bit of fun, especially when you're on vacation. Make some memories, dear, you'll thank me for that advice one day." Karen's words of advice from earlier echoed in her mind; the final nudge of encouragement she needed to accept what it was she wanted.
Why not taste the sweetness of life while it was being so willingly offered to you?
Decision made, she reached up and rested her palm against his cheek, her thumb gently stoking away a loose strand of star-like hair from his eye. "You were right about my heart, Jareth. It did wish for you, silently and secretly. Since that night…I've barely been able to think of anything or anyone but you. These past days I've been fighting with myself; fighting against the urge to come to you, to call you...I swore to myself that if we did meet again, I would not waste the opportunity to be with you, even if it is just for a night."
Standing on the tips of her toes, she pressed the softest kiss to his lips. It was chaste; brief, and barely lasting more than two seconds, but it was enough to start a fire inside the man that held her.
One moment he'd been starring down at her with surprise in his eyes and the next he was cradling her face in both hands as his lips found hers.
His kiss was bruising and passionate, filled with desire so intense she could taste it.
She trembled as one of his hands slipped from her face, gliding gently down her throat before it snuck behind her neck, then slowly up to the back of her head, fingers in her hair, gently cradling and angling her head back in just the right position for him to deepen their kiss.
She let out an audible moan as his other hand trailed down her back, then again as his arm around her waist tightened, pulling her closer against him.
Her moan against his lips was like music to his ears. To know that she was making those noises because she was enjoying this, enjoying what his kiss was doing to her; it was enough to cause the fire inside him to roar out of control.
Their kiss intensified and Sarah was lost. Was lost to the world surrounding them, lost to him, to the feel of his lips, the feel of his body as he caged hers back against the bar.
His lips wandered from hers and she sucked in a breath, tilting her head back as he began trailing open-mouthed kisses down her neck, for he too, was as lost to her as she was to him.
Sarah weaved her fingers into his hair, wishing to god that it was longer, wilder, and as untamed as it usually was when he wasn't in his human disguise.
"Hey!" shouted a voice, but it was mere background noise to Jareth and Sarah, the two of them far too wrapped up in the other to pay any attention to it.
It was only when it came again, louder this time, that both Jareth and Sarah broke apart, glancing into the direction of the raised voice.
"Yes, I'm talking to you two," continued the man behind the bar, arms folded firmly over his chest. "Save it for the bedroom, yeah? This is a family place."
A crimson blush darkened Sarah's cheeks.
Oh, god.
"Oh, we're s-so sorryyy!" She called back apologetically. This time she heard her voice slur, and it caused her blush to darken. Quickly she hid in the warmth of Jareth's chest.
If there was ever a good time for the ground to open up and swallow her, now seemed just about perfect.
A chuckle rumbled in Jareth's chest and Sarah peered up at him, fully aware that her cheeks were still rosy with embarrassment.
"We're sorry? He queried, arching a brow.
Sarah swatted him gently. "Yes, WE are." She insisted, speaking through gritted teeth.
"The only thing I'm sorry for is the interruption." Said Jareth with a glance back towards the man who worked behind the bar, busy serving another customer.
"Cut it out, Jareth, I'm so embarrassed!" She confessed, concealing her face in his chest again as the room span.
Jareth chuckled and gently rubbed her back, attempting to ease her with the caress. "Don't be. This may be a 'family place' but I see no children here this evening. And it's not as if we did anything unspeakable, love. It was just a kiss."
"That's beside the point!" She whined, trying and failing to ignore the many faces that looked over at them from their tables. Some were smirking with knowing looks in their eyes, but others were glaring, disapproving words being muttered between them.
Jareth gently hooked a finger under her chin, bringing gaze up to his again.
"Shall I take you away from this awful place?" He asked with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
Even in her current mortified and drunken state, Jareth managed to pull a smile from her, easing away almost all the embarrassment she had felt only seconds ago with the warmth of his smile and the twinkle in his eyes. Suddenly all those people watching weren't as important as they had been a moment ago.
"Yes. Please get me out of here." She giggled, reaching for his hand.
"Say your right words, my darling." He said in a low voice that caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end.
Moving in closer, she smirked up at him. "I wish that you, Jareth, King of the goblins, would get me out of here right now."
"And where shall I take us instead?" He asked, curious to know where she would ask him to take her.
Sarah rested her hand over the bare skin that peeked out where his shirt was unbuttoned; both of them shivered from the feelings their skin-on-skin contact created and a sultry smile brightened up her face as she scrapped her nails gently over his soft exposed flesh.
"You can take us wherever you want," she replied, then rose up on the tips of her toes, her next words a whisper in his ear. "But I think your bed is the only place we should be right now..."
Jareth's grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her up against him again, a broad grin turning up his lips. "As my champion wishes..."
One moment they were in the bar and the next they were outside Jareth's lodge. Sarah didn't remember if they'd walked there or if Jareth had transported them there with his magic but it didn't matter, because they were here together.
In the darkness, Jareth reached for the door handle but just before he found it, Sarah grabbed him, pulling him close before she wrapped her arms tight around his neck and pulled him down to meet his lips with her own.
She kissed him roughly, desperately, her fingers tangling into his hair as he kissed her back just as desperately.
The longer they kissed, the more drunk Sarah felt. Not just drunk on the alcohol she'd consumed, but drunk on him. drunk on the taste of him, the feel of him pressed against her, hard and warm.
She was grateful for his hands on her body, not just for the pleasure they brought her, but because they were the only thing keeping her from falling. But when he trailed them slowly up her back and into her hair, Sarah staggered and almost fell.
It was at that moment, that Jareth came to a disappointing realization.
Sarah was too drunk to do this.
He grabbed her before she could fall, and pulled her into the safety of his arms. "Darling, how much did you drink this evening?" He asked, his voice laced with amusement as Sarah began to laugh maniacally for no apparent reason.
'Yes, definitely too drunk,' He thought, regretfully.
"Not that much," she choked out between laughs. "I was like a pirate!" She exclaimed, her eyes brightening.
Jareth, although disappointed by the turn of events, couldn't help but laugh. "A pirate, you say?"
"Yes! I had a ship and a bottle of r-rum and everything!" Sarah laughed, and then wrapped her arms around his slim waist, gazing up into his eyes. "Will you take me to your bed now?" she asked, her expression serious, again.
Jareth nodded, smiling regretfully at the woman he so wanted to kiss, so wanted to make love to, but he had promised her. Promised her that she could trust him and there was no way he was going to break that trust. And there would be no more bending of rules tonight.
He would not take advantage of her. The things she had said to him while they'd been in the tavern had meant everything to him, but what if they'd just been the result of too much alcohol? for now, he decided not to think about it. Only time would tell if her words had been sincere.
"Yes, I'm going to tuck you up in bed and make you rest until you're sober again." He said, gently.
Sarah pouted. "Tuck me up in bed? No, fuck me up in bed." She said, words slurring as she ran her hands down his back and over his butt, enjoying the softness of his skin-tight leather pants against his muscular backside.
Jareth's breath hitched and he shivered at her gentle touch. Then he came back to reality and grabbed both her arms, pulling them away from his body. "No, love. You aren't in your right mind."
Sarah frowned up at him. "But I'm in my best mind." She whined, managing to wriggle her way out of his grip and wrap her arms around him again, standing on the tips of her toes as she pressed her lips against his again.
Jareth couldn't help but kiss her back. Her lips were so sweet and she was so willing, so desperate for him, so beautiful in the moonlight, the lake only a few feet away from them...
No. It couldn't happen. Not tonight.
Jareth broke their kiss and shook his head. "Sarah, I want you, believe me, I want you more than anything... but we can't. Not when you're-"
Sarah gagged...
and then hunched forward, vomiting up the alcohol she had consumed throughout the evening.
With a sympathetic sigh, he approached her, gently rubbing her back in soothing circular motions. "Come along, precious, I think it's time to call it a night."
AN: Poor Jareth. Just when he thought all his dreams were coming true, the moment was killed by vomit. xD I hope you can all forgive me for spoiling what might have been the lead up to something *cough* smutty *cough* I wanted to upload this chapter a few days ago, but each time I re-read it I realized I wasn't happy with it. So I worked hard, deleted several scenes, and drastically changed it. I am much happier with the result.
A note to my younger readers: The rating of this story will probably be changed to M (mature readers) in the next chapter. If any of you would like a T version, please review and let me know! I am happy to write an alternative version and I will probably post it on ArchiveOfOurOwn.
I hope you all enjoyed it. Don't forget to review!