Disclaimer: You know, I'm gonna have to buy them just so I don't have to do this part every time.
- Chapter 6 -
In vino veritos.
In wine there is truth.
--Proverb--
Sarah was miserable. She tried to tell herself it was because summer was ending and she was saddened by the inevitability of leaving behind her family, her friends, her job; that she was frightened by the prospect of "becoming an adult", living on her own and fending for herself in a strange new city.
She tried to convince herself that it was anything but the fact that Jareth had decided to heed her wishes and exit her life permanently.
That's what she tried to tell herself, but after a while, living in a constant state of denial can be wearing on a person. Endless days passed from the night during which she'd inflicted upon him her harsh words. And through that time, not even a hint of his presence. She finally reached a point where she could stand it no more, and she admitted to herself that she missed the damn Goblin King. She cared for him, and she wanted him back in her life.
But that changed nothing. He didn't return, and she wasn't provided with an opportunity to share her revelation with him. Which, in a way, was a relief because she didn't know how she would tell him such a thing even if she had the chance, and especially not after what she'd said at their last encounter.
Admitting to someone that you loved them was putting yourself in a vulnerable position. And with anyone but Jareth, such vulnerability could be endured. With someone like Michael you knew you were safe. If you told him you loved him, he would return it, plain and simple, without any games.
And along the train of thought, what was she supposed to do about Michael? He cared for her, she could see that easily, and in her own way she cared for him too. Enough so that she didn't want to see him hurt. He'd put up with so very much from her over the course of their relationship, the least of which had been this whole situation.
She still felt guilty thinking about the way she'd treated Michael following that final encounter with Jareth. She'd informed him of the visit, but little more. "He won't be back. He so much as told me so."
Understandably, Michael had been bothered by her refusal to elaborate. "But what did you say to him to make him change his mind?"
"I don't remember the exact conversation," she'd snapped in return. A lie, actually, since she could think of nothing but that conversation, and the exact words she had spoken to drive him away. They'd run through her head hundreds of times since then, as she marveled at the extent of her own cruelty. So it seemed that Jareth had been right about her, after all. "Let's just drop it, alright? Put it behind us and move on."
Being the guy that he was, Michael had done just as she'd said, despite his own trepidations. In the days to follow, she had continued to be difficult, moody, and withdrawn. So, to accommodate, he'd given her her space.
Then Saturday had rolled around, a full week later, and her friends had convinced Sarah to one last night out together as a group. By next week, those who'd decided to go on to college, Sarah and Michael included, would be moving into their new homes, and everyone else would be moving on. The thought saddened her greatly. She would still have Michael; though they'd chosen to attend different schools, they would both be in the same city. It was both comforting and disappointing, that knowledge.
Yet, what bothered her most was the feeling that once she left this place she would be forever leaving behind the Labyrinth and all its memories. She was moving on, and there was no room in her life anymore for a world of fantasy. And this upset her more than she ever would have expected.
But on Saturday, with promises of good, light-hearted fun, she pushed all such thoughts to the back of her mind.
"What's said is said," she told herself, using Jareth's own words. There was nothing to be done about the past—she had to live the life she'd chosen for herself. Better not to think of all the possibilities and the "what ifs."
The doorbell rang and downstairs she heard someone going to answer it. She took one last look in the mirror, checking her makeup, and readjusting her skirt before she headed down to meet Michael.
And she arrived not a minute too soon. Her father had apparently stumbled onto the topic of college and was in the early stages of the "you better take care of my little girl" speech.
"It's a big city, and my Sarah's going to be on her own, without anyone to look after her"—he placed an arm over Michael's shoulders, pulling him in closer—"and I like you, son. I trust you and I think you're a fine young man. So I expect you to—"
At this point Sarah burst into the room, using the momentary distraction to pull her boyfriend out of her father's grasp before he could continue any further. God knows how many times they were going to have to hear that speech and its many variations over the next week.
"Thanks for keeping him entertained, dad," she spoke hurriedly, pulling Michael toward the door. "But we have to go. Everyone's waiting for us." Michael nodded his assent, just as eager to leave.
"No problem, honey," her father replied, looking a little unbalanced with her whirlwind appearance and impending exit. "Oh, if you're going to be really late, please call and let us know."
"Sure," Sarah replied, already halfway out of the house with Michael slightly ahead of her. She closed the door behind her and quickly made her way to his car.
"Sorry about that," she told him once they had left her house a safe distance behind.
Michael grinned, looking over at her, "Hey, that's nothing. You should hear all the speeches that my dad's been giving me over the past month. And mom keeps spontaneously bursting into tears at the strangest times. Last time I just asked her to wash my jeans for me, and there she was sobbing away like I'd just told her the dog had died."
"Yeah, well, I guess I don't have to worry about that with Karen," Sarah said, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure she's ecstatic that I'm finally leaving the house."
"I doubt it's that bad," he replied. "I mean, at the very least, she has to have kinda gotten used to having you around. It'll still be strange for her."
"Great. I've been upgraded from a 'horrible, ungrateful stepdaughter' to an 'anticipated presence'." Michael looked like he was about to elaborate, but she interjected before he had a chance, "I know what you mean, and I know that you're trying to make me feel better. But the truth is, I really don't care how she feels. Hell, I'll be glad to get away from her," she grinned. But then she said more soberly, "I guess I'm just going to miss Toby, and dad, and… um, life here in general." She'd almost finished that differently. She glanced toward Michael, wondering if he'd noticed anything strange. He hadn't.
You are not supposed to think about him, she scolded herself. Tonight is just for fun. But that train of thought was lost when they pulled up at her friend Julia's house and Sarah's door was flung open even before Michael had a chance to put the car in park.
"Hey guys!" a vibrant voice greeted them. Julia immediately clambered over Sarah to get to the backseat. Michael's car was two-door and Julia apparently didn't believe in waiting for people to make way.
"Jules!" Sarah's muffled voice called out as her friend somehow managed to wriggle her way into the car.
"Sorry!"
"No you're not," Michael said, laughing as Julia landed with a slight yelp. She, of course, popped back up a second later as if nothing had gone amiss. "If you were, you wouldn't keep doing it."
Julia grinned back at him. "What can I say?" shrugging her shoulders innocently, her curly red hair bouncing with the movement. "I really wanna get out there and do some partying."
Sarah found her friend's excitement infectious, and even before they arrived at the club and met up with the others, she'd forgotten all her previous worries. In fact, it was only toward the end of the night that her thoughts returned to the topics she had been trying to avoid.
Begging off from the dancing in favor of a breather, she found herself sitting alone at a table. She laughed as she watched Julia dancing suggestively with Michael, or rather attempting to, since Michael appeared appropriately uncomfortable with the situation and kept backing away from her. Eventually, Julia gave up on him and turned to another of their friends, Derek, who seemed more than willing to play along. Michael, looking as if he had just been saved from the noose at the last moment, turned to leave the dance floor, only to find himself pulled back in by Sherry, yet another one of their group. Fortunately though, Sherry was more of a believer in personal space than Julia.
Sarah smiled, taking another sip of her drink. She hadn't had too much throughout the night, just enough to take the edge off… and kept it off a couple of times over. Tomorrow, she knew, she would pay for it, but she let such qualms go unheeded because tonight they didn't matter.
Suddenly she found her attention to the music, as the song shifted to something a little darker, moodier, taking her thoughts with it.
I think I slipped the net,
But I cut myself free,
I'm not losing yet,
So don't forget me.
The woman's sultry voice drew her in and somehow she found herself thinking about Jareth. God, she was hopeless. She heard a sensual song, and he was all she could think about.
I'll say it, we play it, and try tomorrow
I'll say it, we play it, and live with sorrow.
You'd think I'd learn by now,
There's never an easy way,
I get through somehow,
I'm on my knees to pray,
She watched her glass because she was afraid to look up. She didn't want anyone around her to see the tears that were welling up in her eyes. All the thoughts and feelings she had successfully ignored during the night came crashing down on her.
You'd think I'd learn by now,
There's never an easy way,
I get through somehow,
I'm on my knees.
This was stupid. It was the alcohol. She should have known better than to take a depressant when she was already feeling down. Sarah squeezed her eyes shut, willing back the tears and trying to stop the well of feelings that assaulted her.
I'll admit I'm wrong,
But I'm getting on track,
I've been here too long,
I'm under attack.
Why hadn't he returned? If Jareth knew her as well as he appeared to think he did, why? He should have known how she felt, and how difficult it would be for her to admit it.
I face it, replace it, and try to change,
I face it, replace it, and rearrange.
"Hey." Sarah looked up into Michael's face.
You'd think I learned by now
"Hi."
Michael frowned, taking in her expression. "You okay?"
There's never an easy way
"Fine."
I get through somehow,
I'm on my knees to pray,
On my knees to pray.
"Um, it looks like everybody's getting ready to leave," he continued, looking toward his friends, who were trying to drag Julia off the dance floor. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah, sure." She was glad about his timing. Her party mood had abruptly disappeared and she didn't think she could have endured the suddenly claustrophobic club much longer.
Once outside in the cool night air, leaving behind the song and the feelings it had induced, Sarah felt somewhat better. Of course, it had at least a little to do with Julia, who, despite the lack of music, continued to dance all the way to the parking lot. "Sarah!" she suddenly exclaimed, grabbing her friend in a fierce hug.
Sarah laughed. "Julia."
"I'm gonna miss you girl!" she continued, pulling back slightly. "You have to come visit me every weekend."
"Every weekend? That's a bit excessive, don't you think?"
Julia appeared to ponder this in great depth. Finally, she conceded. "Alright, you come visit me every other weekend, and I'll come visit you on the ones between. 'Kay?"
"Sure, Jules," Sarah replied, knowing that any agreement she might make now wouldn't be remembered by her friend come morning.
"Great!" Julia exclaimed happily. Then, just as abruptly as the conversation had begun, it ended. "Mike!" Michael glanced up like a deer caught in the headlights as he saw the redhead hurdle through the air toward him.
Sarah laughed, watching them. Julia sure was an upbeat drunk. After Michael, Julia turned to Derek, who nearly fell over from the force with which she leapt onto him. Finally Sherry, in her impatience to return home, pried her off him and dragged her toward Michael's car.
"Sherry!"
"Don't even start."
When they pulled up to her house twenty minutes later, Julia was sound asleep in the backseat, snoring softly. Sarah fumbled with her seatbelt. "I'll help her to the door."
Michael snorted in response. "Oh please. The blind leading the blind." He got out of the car and pulled his seat forward.
"What are you talkin' about?" Sarah asked. "I'm not drunk."
Michael chose to ignore her. "C'mon, Jules, time to get up." Shaking her gently, he began to pull her out of the car.
Julia's hand came up, contacting Michael's face with an audible smack. "Five more minutes, mum, please?" she mumbled. Sarah giggled, and Michael glared at her in return.
"You're not helping."
"I would if I could, but apparently I'm too druuunk," she said with an exaggerated slur. She was graced with yet another glare. Jeez, she thought, Michael really needs to work on his glares. Compared to Jareth, he looked like an irritated puppy.
She watched as he finally managed to pull the still-unconscious Julia out of the car and half drag, half carry her to the front door. Once there, he appeared to be presented with a dilemma since he couldn't rouse Julia to reveal the location of her key, and he didn't want to frisk her for it.
He was saved, however, when the porch light snapped on and the front door opened to reveal Julia's younger sister. She took one look at the unconscious form, shook her head, and grabbed her sister's feet. With Michael supporting her upper body, his hands under her armpits, the three shuffled their way into the house in a comical manner. From inside the car, Sarah observed them, laughing until her sides ached.
Several minutes later, Michael returned to the car. "Well, I'm not going to miss having to do that," he declared.
"But it looks like sooo much fun," Sarah replied.
Michael rolled his eyes. "Okay, time to get you home." Glancing over at her, he took note of the silly grin on her face and the glazed-over look in her eyes. "I hope I don't have to carry you too."
"No, I don't wanna go home yet," Sarah said, shaking her head. "Let's go to your place."
"My place?"
"Sure. You said your parents were gone for the weekend, didn't you?"
"Um, yeah." He suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "But it's late. Your dad's going to be waiting for you."
"No he won't," Sarah denied. "He trusts you. He figures you'll take care of his baby girl." She smiled and moved in close so their faces were mere inches apart. "You will, won't you?"
"Sarah," he began.
"Michael."
"Look, you're drunk—"
"Am not."
"—and this isn't a good idea."
"It's a perfectly fine idea."
"I can't."
Abruptly, she pulled back, her expression turning forlorn at the prospect of returning home to the thoughts that had been haunting her all week. "Please, Michael," she said, a pleading tone to her voice. "Just for a little while? Nothing has to happen… I just don't want to be alone right now."
Michael rubbed a hand over his face as he tried to remain strong, but it was no use. It was mere moments before he gave in, just as he always did whenever Sarah asked him for something. "Alright. But nothing's going to happen."
"Right."
They were exactly two steps into his house before Sarah broke her end of the bargain.
With surprise working more to her aid than strength, she managed to direct his fumbling steps backward onto the nearest couch. Unlike her prior experience, they did not land gracefully, but even that did nothing to faze her. She devoured Michael's mouth until they were both out of breath.
"Sarah, no," he said finally, taking hold of her shoulders and pushing her away. He then pulled himself up into sitting position, trying to maintain as little contact with her body as possible.
Sarah looked at him, disappointed. "Why not?" Then she smiled, running her hand up his chest. "You were all ready for it a week ago."
"That was different," he replied, trying to ignore the feelings that she was stirring with her actions. "You weren't drunk."
She frowned, but didn't remove her hand. "I'm not drunk now. 'Sides, I was ready last week too. And we would've done it then, if it weren't for…" she trailed off, lowering her gaze to the carpet. "If it weren't for things."
The look on her face and his memories of that occasion—before it was interrupted—were weakening his determination. "Sarah," he sighed, putting a hand up to the side of her face. But he never had a chance to finish because suddenly he felt himself falling back onto the couch as Sarah attacked his mouth with a fervor she had never before displayed. For a moment he could only stare, wide-eyed, too surprised to even react. And then that moment passed and he couldn't have prevented his reaction, even if he'd tried.
At that point, his resolve shattered completely, and he flipped her on the couch so that he lay on top. Sarah let out a gasp at his actions before her hands drifted over his back and she pulled him closer. Emboldened by her reaction, Michael slipped a hand up her sweater while simultaneously shifting his body so he was positioned between her legs. Her skirt rode precariously up her thighs, leaving only the delicate material of her panties as protection.
Sarah was reminded of another night, on another couch, and her mind drifted to that time as if it had never ended. She clung to the body above hers in desperation, needing to recreate what she had felt during that all-too-brief occasion. She let her hands roam boldly and responded to his touches with a passion she had denied herself then.
Not bothering with the clasp, Michael pulled down the cup of her bra, letting his fingers graze the flesh as he did so. His mouth trailed across her neck in a downward decent, while his other hand pushed up the material of her sweater for the next inevitable step.
Her mind hazy with desire and alcohol, Sarah groaned as she felt the air hit her exposed chest, only to be followed by the feel of his warm breath as he hovered momentarily above her. She arched her back, both hands reaching up to grab his head, and even before she realized she'd opened her mouth, she moaned in a voice thick with lust. "Jareth…"
A/N (again!): The song is "Never An Easy Way" by Morcheeba.
