Disclaimer: The labyrinth does not, unfortunately, belong to me.
Sarah sat at the bar, swirling her drink with the little plastic straw distractedly as she watched her friends chat up a couple of cute guys. She had thought it would be a good idea to get away from the apartment. That way if Jareth showed up, she wouldn't be there. Now she's rethinking her strategy. She'd come out with a couple of girls she'd gone to school with, hoping they would help her keep her mind off of him. It had worked, until the guys had shown up. She had no interest in them, cute as they may be. She blamed Jareth completely for this.
She took a sip of her Long
Island Ice Tea. Maybe getting drunk
would help. Maybe not. But it can't hurt to try, right? So thinking, she slugged down the remains of
the drink, signaling the bartender for another. She had just taken a sip when her friend Cindy tapped her on the
shoulder.
"You look bummed." Cindy said to her "I take it the interview
didn't work out?"
"Oh, yeah." Sarah replied she had totally forgotten the
interview "I haven't heard back from them yet."
"At least it was your first
one." Cindy said sympathetically " It
could be your 10th. Whoa! Trying to get drunk
tonight?"
"Your always after me to loosen
up." Sarah said with a laugh, setting
down her empty glass. "Ooh! Let's go
dance, Cindy!"
She bounced out onto the dance
floor, Cindy in tow. She loved this
song, the beat made her wild. She
presented a pretty picture on the floor, wearing a black mini dress and heels,
moving to the beat of the song. The
volume of the music suddenly got lower, softer, and she paused in confusion as
it faded away entirely. No one around
her seemed to notice, as she stood motionless, watching the people dance around
her.
A sparkle caught her eye, and
she turned, her jaw dropping as she saw Jareth coming toward her through the
crowd. He wore black, but for the white
shirt beneath. His appearance was very
formal, as if for a ball. Like THEIR
ball. She looked down, seeing that her
own form fitting dress had been replaced with a beautiful hunter green gown
with diamonds glittering amid the lace. Her hair, which had been twisted up, now cascaded down around her
shoulders in a riot of curls. There
were diamonds scattered throughout her hair as well.
The nightclub faded away, to be
replaced by a mirrored room not unlike the one they'd had their dance in. This time they were alone. A waltz began to play softly, and Sarah
began to walk to Jareth, meeting him halfway, in the middle of the ballroom. Jareth reached out his hand, his expression
inquiring. Without hesitation, perhaps
due to the liquor still in her system, Sarah stepped forward, her gaze on
Jareth's as he lead them into the dance.
"I didn't eat any peaches, I
swear it." Sarah said, a small smile on her lips as she looked up at him.
"You didn't need one." Jareth
replied, amused " Have you been enjoying your night out?"
"Not really." She said, a pout
on her lips "I kept thinking about you."
"I don't mind hearing that." He told her, his eyes caressing her face. "How
about now?"
"I'm still thinking about you."
Sarah confessed, embarrassed "Jareth-"
"Yes?"
"Why do you say I belong in the
Underground?"
Jareth swung her around, making
her breathless as she waited for his reply.
"Because I love you." He told her "I've loved you since I first
saw you. You belong by my side, always."
"I have feelings for you." Sarah said honestly, "I don't know that I can
trust you."
"Because I took your brother."
"No. I did ask you to do that." She answered, looking down with shame" It's because you made it so hard
to get him back. You gave me rules,
then you broke them."
"If it had been easy you wouldn't
have learned to value your brother." Jareth said, his tone gentle as he raised her chin so that her gaze met
his again "You took him for granted."
"Among other things." Sarah
replied, laughing softly "Have I been taking you for granted?"
"You had expectations. I met them." He replied, "I believe you took for granted that I would be
frightening. That won't be the case
anymore. Thank you for the dance Sarah."
The music ended. Jareth leaned down, brushing his lips
against hers softly. The ballroom scene
disappeared, leaving her once again on the crowded nightclub floor.
"I don't believe I'll take you
for granted, Jareth." She said to
herself. "Not anymore."
