"This is James Kingston, codename Goblin. James this is Lee Stetson and Sarah Williams, codenames Scarecrow and Queen." Melrose stated closing the door to his office. Lee neatly stood to greet the new agent and Sarah slipped into his chair, the room spinning slightly.
Jareth watched Sarah's reaction closely, surprised at her quiet demeanor. He had expected a rant of 'It's not fair!' and 'How dare you?', but she was silent, face pale and eyes wide. Perhaps her job was cause of her collected attitude, or was it something else? So deep in his heart Jareth would barely admit it to himself he was hoping that Sarah would throw herself into his arms and say how wrong she was for saving Toby and not having given herself up in trade. He saw the exchange between the two agents with shrewd scrutiny and slightly narrowed eyes, seeing that Lee Stetson was more to his Sarah than meets the eye.
"Mr. Stetson." Jareth shook Scarecrow's hand firmly, impressed by the mortal's grip. "Ms. Williams." No matter how Jareth tried he couldn't quite wipe the mocking tone and sarcastic nature out of his voice.
"Charmed." Sarah sneered, eyes boring into him with a frightening intensity. She was the only mortal and female that could bring him down a peg besides his own mother, and she'd left the world of the living a couple thousand years ago. "If this Caleb comes after young women that would mean that I'm the bait, right?"
"You fit the profile Sarah." Lee commented giving Sarah a sympathetic and curious look, soothing Sarah slightly. Jareth burned with unreasonable jealousy at the fact Sarah had more trust in some frail little human and not a powerful Fae such as himself. "But you're one of the best agents to ever come through the Agency, and you're with one of the best; me."
"I knew that promotion would go to his head." Billy rolled his eyes in apparent good humor. Sarah snickered, all unease surrounding Jareth's presence gone. The Goblin King couldn't understand the human's sense of humor; and he thought his race was twisted. He let himself drink in Sarah as she laughed, managing to be even more captivating than before, if that were possible. Now she was sophisticated where before she was unsure, older in comparison to her early teenage years. Being an Agent seemed to agree with Sarah and Jareth couldn't help falling in love.
"I want you to be on your toes Queen." Billy said with a dismissive nod of his head. Sarah and Lee stood and exited the office, leading Jareth over to a corner of the bullpen where two bland desks were pushed together, facing each other. Evidently the two had been partners for some time, and Jareth felt envious toward the human who monopolized so much of Sarah's time now days. Jareth sat in a chair beside their desks.
"So, James, or should I say, Jareth, why are you here and what do you know about Caleb that wasn't in the file?" Sarah demanded the minute they were seated and comfortable. The question was spoken softly but each word was full of venom. Enough venom to kill a demon, which was exactly what Caleb was. Lee's head snapped around, an unrecognizable expression on his face. It was as if he had an intuition at what Jareth really was, but wasn't sure.
"So, this is…?" Lee asked quietly. 'How the devil does he know who I am?'
"None other. May I present His Royal Pain, Jareth, King of the Goblins." Sarah sipped her Starbuck's coffee casually.
"Such words Sarah." Jareth shook his head sadly. "Yes, I know more about Caleb, but I refuse to discuss it here." Sitting back in his chair Jareth crossed his arms menacingly, momentarily forgetting that he was Aboveground.
"Nedlingers?" Lee offered with a dimpled grin that rubbed Jareth the wrong way and made him irritable. His bad mood deepened when he witnessed Sarah blush slightly, his teeth gritting angrily.
"Sure." Sarah grabbed her purse and jacket, unclipping her id from her belt loop. "Ned's gonna start calling us regulars." As Jareth followed Lee and Sarah he wondered what a nedlingers was. Perhaps it was like a meeting place for the agents in the area, or maybe it was a person's place where agents knew they were safe.
'Why is Jareth here in connection with Caleb Macabrey?' Sarah wondered as they parked around back of the bar, smiling in remenberance of all the times she and Lee had been there for an after work drink or to think over a case. The bar slash restaurant held many memories for Sarah, most pertaining to the past. Her past with Jareth and the emotional hell he had put her through. Then again part of that hell was self made in dispair at the loss of her dreams. 'And why did Jareth seem jealous of the relationship between myself and Lee. It's not as if he has any claim on me other than enemy.'
Quickly they were seated at a booth in the back that Ned always kept open for Sarah and Lee, well away from others who might want to eavesdrop on their conversation. Sarah and Lee sat on one side while Jareth sat on the other, ordering their drinks from a waitress.
"Spill it Jareth." Sarah demanded once they sat down, her curiosity unable to wait any longer. "Why are you here?"
"Caleb isn't who he seems." Jareth replied in his usual 'I am King, obey me.' tone. "He's Fae like me."
Jareth watched Sarah's reaction closely, surprised at her quiet demeanor. He had expected a rant of 'It's not fair!' and 'How dare you?', but she was silent, face pale and eyes wide. Perhaps her job was cause of her collected attitude, or was it something else? So deep in his heart Jareth would barely admit it to himself he was hoping that Sarah would throw herself into his arms and say how wrong she was for saving Toby and not having given herself up in trade. He saw the exchange between the two agents with shrewd scrutiny and slightly narrowed eyes, seeing that Lee Stetson was more to his Sarah than meets the eye.
"Mr. Stetson." Jareth shook Scarecrow's hand firmly, impressed by the mortal's grip. "Ms. Williams." No matter how Jareth tried he couldn't quite wipe the mocking tone and sarcastic nature out of his voice.
"Charmed." Sarah sneered, eyes boring into him with a frightening intensity. She was the only mortal and female that could bring him down a peg besides his own mother, and she'd left the world of the living a couple thousand years ago. "If this Caleb comes after young women that would mean that I'm the bait, right?"
"You fit the profile Sarah." Lee commented giving Sarah a sympathetic and curious look, soothing Sarah slightly. Jareth burned with unreasonable jealousy at the fact Sarah had more trust in some frail little human and not a powerful Fae such as himself. "But you're one of the best agents to ever come through the Agency, and you're with one of the best; me."
"I knew that promotion would go to his head." Billy rolled his eyes in apparent good humor. Sarah snickered, all unease surrounding Jareth's presence gone. The Goblin King couldn't understand the human's sense of humor; and he thought his race was twisted. He let himself drink in Sarah as she laughed, managing to be even more captivating than before, if that were possible. Now she was sophisticated where before she was unsure, older in comparison to her early teenage years. Being an Agent seemed to agree with Sarah and Jareth couldn't help falling in love.
"I want you to be on your toes Queen." Billy said with a dismissive nod of his head. Sarah and Lee stood and exited the office, leading Jareth over to a corner of the bullpen where two bland desks were pushed together, facing each other. Evidently the two had been partners for some time, and Jareth felt envious toward the human who monopolized so much of Sarah's time now days. Jareth sat in a chair beside their desks.
"So, James, or should I say, Jareth, why are you here and what do you know about Caleb that wasn't in the file?" Sarah demanded the minute they were seated and comfortable. The question was spoken softly but each word was full of venom. Enough venom to kill a demon, which was exactly what Caleb was. Lee's head snapped around, an unrecognizable expression on his face. It was as if he had an intuition at what Jareth really was, but wasn't sure.
"So, this is…?" Lee asked quietly. 'How the devil does he know who I am?'
"None other. May I present His Royal Pain, Jareth, King of the Goblins." Sarah sipped her Starbuck's coffee casually.
"Such words Sarah." Jareth shook his head sadly. "Yes, I know more about Caleb, but I refuse to discuss it here." Sitting back in his chair Jareth crossed his arms menacingly, momentarily forgetting that he was Aboveground.
"Nedlingers?" Lee offered with a dimpled grin that rubbed Jareth the wrong way and made him irritable. His bad mood deepened when he witnessed Sarah blush slightly, his teeth gritting angrily.
"Sure." Sarah grabbed her purse and jacket, unclipping her id from her belt loop. "Ned's gonna start calling us regulars." As Jareth followed Lee and Sarah he wondered what a nedlingers was. Perhaps it was like a meeting place for the agents in the area, or maybe it was a person's place where agents knew they were safe.
'Why is Jareth here in connection with Caleb Macabrey?' Sarah wondered as they parked around back of the bar, smiling in remenberance of all the times she and Lee had been there for an after work drink or to think over a case. The bar slash restaurant held many memories for Sarah, most pertaining to the past. Her past with Jareth and the emotional hell he had put her through. Then again part of that hell was self made in dispair at the loss of her dreams. 'And why did Jareth seem jealous of the relationship between myself and Lee. It's not as if he has any claim on me other than enemy.'
Quickly they were seated at a booth in the back that Ned always kept open for Sarah and Lee, well away from others who might want to eavesdrop on their conversation. Sarah and Lee sat on one side while Jareth sat on the other, ordering their drinks from a waitress.
"Spill it Jareth." Sarah demanded once they sat down, her curiosity unable to wait any longer. "Why are you here?"
"Caleb isn't who he seems." Jareth replied in his usual 'I am King, obey me.' tone. "He's Fae like me."