Hola, peoples

Hola, peoples. I haven't had any time to write, so I still haven't finished To the Victor, but, since I was ahead, I can still give you all the next chapter. Aren't you proud of me? Hopefully, I can get back to writing in the next few days. The last few have been busy busy and the concept of Labor Day as a holiday doesn't exist at my school. I hate early classes. In any case, the theme today is Locura de Amor by Onda Vaselina. Have fun!

Ladymage ;)

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To the Victor Go the Spoils

Part 36 ~ Locura de Amor or Haven't We Been Here Before?

Morning. Zero-dark-thirty. A warm bed, comfy sheets, and an alarm clock that was beeping its little heart out. Sighing, Sarah stumbled out of her room and into the bathroom. She reemerged several minutes later to stumble back to her room. A tiny, shrill scream escaped her.

"Jareth! Don't do that!" Sarah closed the door and frowned at the half-dressed fae lounging across her bed.

"Do what?" he asked innocently, stretching lazily. The girl stared.

Then, she shook her head violently, trying to rid it of the visions she was being presented with. "I don't have time for this!" she groaned. "Jareth, please. Get downstairs before my father finds you in here."

"Very well, my queen." Jareth stood. "But you do have time for this." He kissed her quickly and thoroughly before vanishing into thin air. Sarah moved shakily to lean on her chair.

"If that's what I have time for now, what'll it be like when I have more time?"

It's so nice to have clean, comfortable clothes, Sarah thought as she flew down the stairs. She ran into the kitchen, grabbed a roll, and prepared to zoom out the door. She stopped when she noticed her father and Jareth having a glaring contest across the kitchen table.

"Uh, Dad?" she asked nervously. "Is something wrong?"

The answer, oddly enough, came from Karen. "They've been like this for the past fifteen minutes. Your father doesn't trust him, and I can't say as I blame him. You'd better grab, uh, Jareth before they start getting all masculine about it and fight each other or something. Now, scat! We'll settle this this afternoon."

"Okay," Sarah said slowly, giving her stepmother an odd look. "Jareth, you coming?"

He stopped glaring and blinked, looking slightly confused. "Of course." And before anyone could say anything, he changed to his eighteen-year-old self and transported them both to school.

"Sarah!" The girl found herself mobbed before she had moved two steps. She turned to find Lily's wide-eyed face smiling back at her. "Where on earth have you been? And what have you been doing? And why didn't you tell anybody?"

Sarah laughed. "Slow down, Lil! Let me get an answer in!"

Lily took a good look at her and noticed something. "Damn, girl, where'd you get that pin? It's gorgeous! Is it real silver?"

"Of course it's real," Jareth said indignantly.

"Jareth! Hi! Looking gorgeous as usual. You gave Sarah the pin?"

Jareth nodded once. "It is a-- family heirloom."

"Wild. So, Sarah, you gonna answer my questions or am I gonna have to beat it out of you?"

Sarah laughed. "Yes! I'll answer everything! Just wait 'til the rest of the gang shows up, will you? So much has happened, I don't think I want to have to repeat myself."

"You mean I have to wait?! Sarah, you are heartless!"

Jareth commented mildly, "All evidence to the contrary, I would say. But she is terribly good at torturing people."

"Jareth!" Sarah protested. "I do not torture people!"

"Yes, you do."

"Do not!"

"You do."

"Not!"

"Will you guys kiss and make up already?" Lily exclaimed, exasperated.

"Gladly," said Jareth and without further ado, swept Sarah into his arms.

Five minutes later. . .

"How much longer to you think they can keep it up?"

"I'd say indefinitely."

"The bell's going to ring in two."

"You think they're gonna hear it?"

"I'm surprised they're still just kissing."

"They're keeping it pretty clean so far."

Jareth's hand moved lower.

"Never mind."

"Any teachers 'round?"

"This isn't a big enough audience?"

"The bell's gonna ring."

BRRRRRRRRING!

"Didn't make a difference."

"Here, let me before we all get blasted."

SPLASH! Jareth and Sarah parted, sputtering and thoroughly wet.

"WHAT IN THE SEVEN HADES WAS THAT?" Jareth roared.

"About one cubic foot of cold water," Cecilia answered cheerfully. "Sorry to break it up, but class is starting. Sarah's in enough trouble for cutting last week. Besides, I didn't think you guys wanted an audience for anything more than what you were already doing." She gestured towards the crowds of gaping (and a few applauding) students. Sarah blushed madly while even Jareth looked somewhat abashed.

"Uh, thanks, Celi," Sarah mumbled. She glanced up to see the rest of the school rapidly disappearing.

The girl grinned broadly in reply. "Before I'm overwhelmed by your gratitude, here." A flash of emerald light and both were bone dry. Now, come on, before we're all in trouble. See ya at lunch!" Celi took off across the quad.

"Guess we should do the same," commented Jareth. With a nod, Sarah flicked her fingers and brought both of them just outside the classroom door.

"Magic's pretty useful," she commented, satisfied.

As they entered the room, Jareth whispered darkly in her ear, "You have no idea."

And he smirked at her wide-eyed stare.

The day should have passed uneventfully. Beyond a few 'welcome back's and a hellish amount of missed work, Sarah was more or less ignored by the school, which wasn't unusual. What was unusual was having a Goblin Lord sitting next to you who had two problems. He was bored and he was in lust. So while there were a number of highly interesting moments, it was a very, very long day.

Sarah was exceedingly glad when lunchtime arrived.

The group gathered at the same table, nearly everyone talking a mile a minute until they settled in to eat what could be salvaged. Then, they gave Sarah the floor, squeezing almost every detail of the tale out of her, though she made some rapid editing.

"You guys are getting married?" Lily squeaked. "Talk about freaky! You're only fifteen and he's-- How old are you, Jareth?"

He smiled smugly. "Somewhere around three thousand, I think. I stopped counting after the first nine hundred years." They stared.

"Yeah," Lily managed to say, "definite freakish factor here."

"Congratulations," Alan said quietly.

"Felicidades," Cecilia added.

"Damn straight!" Matt exclaimed suddenly. "Come on! A toast! A toast to the soon-to-be happy couple!" Glancing wildly at his tray, he snatched his milk carton. Laughing, the other three did the same as Sarah blushed and Jareth eyed them as though they were insane. "To Sarah and Jareth!" He swung his carton high.

"To Sarah and Jareth!" they echoed heartily and drank.

"To invitations to the wedding!"

"To invitations!"

"To permanent guest rooms in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City!"

"To permanent guest rooms!"

By this time, the laughter was uncontrollable as more and more toasts were proposed. Even Jareth had joined in, firmly convinced he was in the company of asylum candidates. And then, in the midst of the hilarity

"Welcome to the family, Jareth," Cecilia said. "We may be a bunch of insane geeks, but welcome all the same." She held out her hand. Jareth looked at her solemnly for several moments before shaking it heartily. He smiled and lifted his own milk carton for a toast.

"To permanent and most welcome guests," he proclaimed.