Author's Note: I realize every chapter is posted a little differently. Just be patient, I'm playing around to see what works best to make it look the way I want after it's been uploaded.
Disclaimer: Same old song and dance, my friends.
Jareth watched all this from a bench somewhere in the
Labyrinth. At this rate there would be no need to seduce Sarah away
from Matt. Anymore public displays of idiocy and she would have him
walking back home. Her patience seemed to have dwindled
somewhat over the years, he noted, amused. Of course, she was still
as strong as ever. The cruelty he had seen in her was controlled now.
She was not the reckless child who had broken his heart unwittingly;
she recognized her dark side and used it appropriately. But she was
still compassionate, a trait he had seen grow over the years as she
had continued to care for Toby. And while he had never actually
spied in on her when she was with a man, he knew from their
reaction to her that she had grown quite skilled in other areas as well.
He had mixed feelings on that subject, of course. After seven years e
hardly expected virginal, but part of him had hoped she would wait for
him. 'Just proves that all men are the same in one aspect: we all want
educated virgins' he thought, annoyed with himself for feeling that
way. Rather than sit around and mope he decided it was time to see
Sarah face to face.
Meanwhile, Sarah had left Matt about 10 minutes before. After he had
grabbed her ass for the second time she had suggested they split up,
claiming she needed some solitude to work on her piece. At the next
intersection she had sent him in the opposite direction and had been
having a much more pleasant time since then. She was wandering
along when she saw something sparkle along the edge of her vision.
She turned to see a crystal roll past her and around a corner. Smiling
to hide the anxiety she felt, Sarah followed until she saw it come to
rest next to a black boot. Knowing that this confrontation was coming
didn't help much, she realized. She also realized she didn't feel the
fear or anger she had expected, just a touch of confusion and more
than a little excitement. She followed the boots over tight black pants,
a white poet's shirt open just enough to reveal his medallion (and a
bit of that hairless chest Sarah had been thinking about earlier).
Finally she met his eyes and said the first thing that came to mind
after seven years.
"You cut your hair!"
He threw his head back and laughed. "After all this time that's all you
have to say? No, I keep it like this when Aboveground. It just seems
more appropriate. But if you prefer it long..." he trailed off as he
walked behind her. When he came back around his hair was
fashioned the way she remembered. Despite her embarrassment at
her outburst, she smiled at him. However, she was at a loss as to
what to say next. He wasn't mocking, she wasn't angry, and so she
had no idea how to proceed with him on this new footing. Fortunately
Jareth solved that problem for her. He had come to stand directly in
front of her, his arm blocking her off as he leaned in and asked, "Tell
me, Sarah, how are you enjoying my Labyrinth?"
Ah, flirting. Now there was an area Sarah excelled in. She grinned at
him wickedly before answering, "Let's just say I'm enjoying this slice
more than my first one. Now tell me, what other surprises do you
have in store for me?"
There was that smirk she remembered.
"If I tell you that it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"
"Are you sure you won't tell?" she asked, while making her most
devastating little girl face. It looked like he was about to cave, too, but
then the smirk was back in place and he merely shook his head.
"Such a pity" she sighed. "Might have been fun" she added as she
breezed past him. Jareth was stunned. Whatever reaction he had
expected from Sarah, flirting was not it, and e was more than a little
turned on. He also realized that she was still walking away without a
backwards glance, so he hurried to catch up.
Sarah laughed to herself. She could hear Jareth's footsteps speeding
up to catch up with her. Here was to man who had so intimidated her
at 15, now following after her like a puppy. His pace finally matched
with hers, he touched her arm to get her attention.
"I can do much better than 'fun' Sarah."
She glanced at him over her shoulder, still grinning wickedly, as if
considering something. Then she turned towards him and slipped her
arm through his.
"Then I guess we'll just take things as they come. Care to show me
your Labyrinth?"
Disclaimer: Same old song and dance, my friends.
Jareth watched all this from a bench somewhere in the
Labyrinth. At this rate there would be no need to seduce Sarah away
from Matt. Anymore public displays of idiocy and she would have him
walking back home. Her patience seemed to have dwindled
somewhat over the years, he noted, amused. Of course, she was still
as strong as ever. The cruelty he had seen in her was controlled now.
She was not the reckless child who had broken his heart unwittingly;
she recognized her dark side and used it appropriately. But she was
still compassionate, a trait he had seen grow over the years as she
had continued to care for Toby. And while he had never actually
spied in on her when she was with a man, he knew from their
reaction to her that she had grown quite skilled in other areas as well.
He had mixed feelings on that subject, of course. After seven years e
hardly expected virginal, but part of him had hoped she would wait for
him. 'Just proves that all men are the same in one aspect: we all want
educated virgins' he thought, annoyed with himself for feeling that
way. Rather than sit around and mope he decided it was time to see
Sarah face to face.
Meanwhile, Sarah had left Matt about 10 minutes before. After he had
grabbed her ass for the second time she had suggested they split up,
claiming she needed some solitude to work on her piece. At the next
intersection she had sent him in the opposite direction and had been
having a much more pleasant time since then. She was wandering
along when she saw something sparkle along the edge of her vision.
She turned to see a crystal roll past her and around a corner. Smiling
to hide the anxiety she felt, Sarah followed until she saw it come to
rest next to a black boot. Knowing that this confrontation was coming
didn't help much, she realized. She also realized she didn't feel the
fear or anger she had expected, just a touch of confusion and more
than a little excitement. She followed the boots over tight black pants,
a white poet's shirt open just enough to reveal his medallion (and a
bit of that hairless chest Sarah had been thinking about earlier).
Finally she met his eyes and said the first thing that came to mind
after seven years.
"You cut your hair!"
He threw his head back and laughed. "After all this time that's all you
have to say? No, I keep it like this when Aboveground. It just seems
more appropriate. But if you prefer it long..." he trailed off as he
walked behind her. When he came back around his hair was
fashioned the way she remembered. Despite her embarrassment at
her outburst, she smiled at him. However, she was at a loss as to
what to say next. He wasn't mocking, she wasn't angry, and so she
had no idea how to proceed with him on this new footing. Fortunately
Jareth solved that problem for her. He had come to stand directly in
front of her, his arm blocking her off as he leaned in and asked, "Tell
me, Sarah, how are you enjoying my Labyrinth?"
Ah, flirting. Now there was an area Sarah excelled in. She grinned at
him wickedly before answering, "Let's just say I'm enjoying this slice
more than my first one. Now tell me, what other surprises do you
have in store for me?"
There was that smirk she remembered.
"If I tell you that it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"
"Are you sure you won't tell?" she asked, while making her most
devastating little girl face. It looked like he was about to cave, too, but
then the smirk was back in place and he merely shook his head.
"Such a pity" she sighed. "Might have been fun" she added as she
breezed past him. Jareth was stunned. Whatever reaction he had
expected from Sarah, flirting was not it, and e was more than a little
turned on. He also realized that she was still walking away without a
backwards glance, so he hurried to catch up.
Sarah laughed to herself. She could hear Jareth's footsteps speeding
up to catch up with her. Here was to man who had so intimidated her
at 15, now following after her like a puppy. His pace finally matched
with hers, he touched her arm to get her attention.
"I can do much better than 'fun' Sarah."
She glanced at him over her shoulder, still grinning wickedly, as if
considering something. Then she turned towards him and slipped her
arm through his.
"Then I guess we'll just take things as they come. Care to show me
your Labyrinth?"