A/N: Thanks again for the wonderful reviews, and please keep 'em coming.
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?
Everything I do
Chapter 11 - Their first date for sure!
Sarah picked up the two new pieces of pottery that she had acquired the previous day. Now that they were clean and marked up with the price they could sit in the window ready for inspection by any prospective customers. Leaving them out of the way on top of the window ledge she reached into the display and moved a few items in order to find space for the pieces. The moustache mug would have to go near the front, as it was quite a small item, whilst the vase would do better nearer the back of the display, after all presentation was everything.
She was just about finished when something or rather someone caught her eye. Rearranging her window displays never proved problematic for her as she would always ignore what was going on outside. Passers-by, waving neighbours and browsers would stop frequently outside of her window but whenever she was trying to create perfection she always blocked out everything else, preferring to get the job out of the way as quickly as possible. But today was different.
Glancing upwards Sarah noticed a man on the other side of the green who seemed familiar. The tall slim build didn't give anything away, a trait inherent in all of the men she had ever gone out with. It was the silvery blond hair and the eyes, those unmistakable mismatched orbs that seemed to be looking into her very soul that gave him up.
She straightened trying to hide herself behind the wooden frames and four inches of wall that edged between the window and door, feeling the temperature rise within her and the tingling of her cheeks as she felt the blood rush to them causing her to blush. It was Jareth; even being about twenty yards away from him she knew it to be him. But why was he here, now? It had been three weeks since she had last seen him. She had hoped that he would have come back to see her within that first week at least or on the following Saturday but when he had not appeared she had felt foolish in believing in the emotion she had felt.
Sarah looked around the post and out through the window, what was he doing? She noticed him standing there as if rooted to the spot, turmoil washing over his features. Perhaps, she dared to hope, that the turmoil was over herself and if it was what should she do about it. Although she couldn't be entirely sure, he appeared to be in two minds about walking over to the shop and saying hello.
'Well if Mohammed won't come to the mountain!' She thought and quickly made her way out of the shop, locking the front door as she did, and ambled over to where he stood. It was easier to creep up on him now anyway as he had turned his back to her. She stopped about a foot, she thought, from him. Reaching out with her left arm she tapped him gently on the shoulder. "Are you on your first date or something? You seem a little nervous!" She teased, trying to sound calm and hoping that his reaction would be a good one to the repetition of those first words that he had used to speak to her at their first encounter.
***
Jareth stood at the edge of the grassy area that served as the village green for the small Cotswold hamlet that Sarah's cottage and shop were both situated in. It had taken him three weeks to get this far and a lot of coaxing from Gary. He could understand his own feeling of reluctance; he didn't want to push Sarah into anything too hastily. Gary, on the other hand, was becoming a bit of a pain. Every opportunity Gary had he was encouraging Jareth to do the exact thing he didn't want to do. However, he was there now and standing directly in front of Sarah's store.
His mind kept reeling, and thoughts triggered panic several times. Thoughts such as, 'what am I doing here? She doesn't want me! I could just walk away, I have nearly a year.' But whatever he tried to not think or do he found he was rooted to the spot, continually watching for movement in or within the vicinity of where he knew Sarah would be.
He let out a huge sigh and asked himself, "what the hell are you doing? Get on with it before its too late." But as daring as he usually was he couldn't bring himself to do it, 'maybe next week,' he thought.
He turned on his heel; he didn't feel brave enough to face the rejection today. He would come back next week and take another step towards truly knowing her.
Trying to force his body to move toward the taxi stand he realised for the second time in ten minutes that he was held fast again. And it was at that point that he felt the soft tap on his shoulder.
"Are you on your first date or something? You seem a little nervous!" Came the teasing but nervous sounds of Sarah's voice from behind him. And despite his previous pessimism, he smiled.
Thinking of something quickly he turned and greeted her, "I am, but this attack will stop if you will agree to join me on that first date!" A little forward maybe, but Jareth hoped that Sarah would take the question with good grace.
Sarah's already wide smile widened further. "I'd like that!" She answered. Then realising that she still had a few things to do added, "but I have to just finish off in the shop before I close up for the afternoon."
"You don't mind me browsing then while you finish?" Jareth asked, hoping for the right answer.
"No, of course not, please come on in."
Jareth quickly seized the opportunity to escort Sarah back to her shop and offered her his arm. She took it gladly and the pair made their way across the green.
"This village is very pleasant!" Jareth remarked trying to make small talk.
"Yes, it is." Sarah answered as she unlocked the door again and returned inside the room that served as her store. "But I have a theory."
"And what's that?" Jareth asked perplexed as he made his way over to a cabinet that held some of the most extraordinary pieces of fantastical sculpture he had ever seen. Looking back at him were exact replicas of many of the faces that resided in his Labyrinth.
"The smaller the place the more the gossip that is spoken." She looked over to him and sniggered.
"I'll have to remember not to do or say anything then that will make everyone here want to gossip about us!" Jareth said turning back to the case, he read the sign 'Creatures from the Underground, original sculptures by Sarah Williams.' His eyebrows shot up, could this mean that she remembered. That was just too hard to imagine.
Sarah meanwhile, had been busy sorting out the takings and leaving everything ready for her return on Monday. She had mulled over his earlier comment and thought that she really didn't mind if anyone did gossip about them, she could see a future with this one. She watched him steadily as she moved around the counter and leant against it. He was really fascinated by her sculptures, she could tell and noticed his reflected reaction to her sign. "Do you like them?" She ventured.
"Yes! Very much," Jareth began, "where did you get your inspiration for them?" He turned to face her waiting for her answer.
She pointed to her head. "In here, call it the over active imagination of a teenage girl! The sign of a misspent youth, allegedly!"
"I'm sure that's not true, I can't imagine you being the kind of person that ran wild!"
"Maybe not in my youth, but certainly over the past few years I've been pretty 'wild'!" What was she saying? She had to put a stop to this conversation quickly; she didn't want to frighten him off although something told her that that wouldn't happen she didn't want to do it all the same. "Look, I've just gotta put this money into the night safe at the bank, after that we could go to Bourton if you like and get something to eat, I know this lovely little inn there were you can sit by the river and watch the ducks and swans."
Jareth smiled, he had wanted to find out more about her antics but she had changed the subject. However, there would always be another time when she would probably share every detail with him especially if he played his cards right. "Okay, great, that sounds like a first date if ever I heard one!" He teased, watching Sarah as the ever-increasing smile on her face only served to heighten his appreciation of her. Her delighted eyes illuminated every detail of her face and every nook in the shop. Her reaction warmed him to the core and in turn, made him overjoyed to be in her presence.
Eyes followed them as they made their way out of the shop and to the bank. Sarah placed the moneybag into the safe and turned to Jareth. "You know we have been watched all the way up the street, don't you?" She whispered.
"Yes, do you think that they will be talking about us now?"
"I don't think we've really done anything yet to spark any gossip!" Sarah confirmed. Vicious rumours had circulated about her and Gary recently and she didn't really want to fuel any further cruel misgivings but something told her that Jareth had other ideas.
Taking her hand in his, Jareth stopped and turned to face her. "Do you think we should give them something to talk about?"
She shook her head slightly, she didn't want anyone to think ill of her but she knew that was what everybody did think. Her continuous antics with new men had raised more than a few eyebrows in the village over the years and today was no exception. "Jareth, I really don't think today would be a good day, there is something I need to tell you about me!"
"What? Nothing could be so terrible that I wouldn't want to be with you."
Sarah's eyes shot to his, an admission as great as this from someone she hardly knew. "Jareth, you don't know me!"
Jareth realised what he had said, he had to rectify it immediately "Sarah, I know I don't know you very well, but I want to. Ever since our first meeting I have wanted to be around you, find out more about you and I know it has taken me three weeks to meet up with you again but I'm happy with what has happened so far today. I'm hoping that by the end of it that you and I will be great friends and that maybe if you are free tomorrow then you will want to spend the day with me."
"I'd like that very much," she smiled, "but we still have the rest of the afternoon and I really am getting quite hungry. Plus you need to tell me why it took you three weeks to turn up, I was almost giving up the will to live," she feigned death as they walked onwards and Sarah gracelessly tripped up the kerb.
Jareth had to act quickly and caught her in his arms steadying her as she held onto him for dear life. He brought her up to stand in front of him, pushed the curtain of hair out and away from hers eyes and let out a short laugh. "Now that will give them all something to talk about!" He remarked.
***
"So why did it take you three weeks to turn up?" Sarah asked. The pair were sat outside the pub that Sarah had invited Jareth too earlier on, their respective meals had just turned up and she thought she should seize the opportunity. He couldn't run off anywhere now could he?
"Honestly?" Jareth asked.
"If we are to have a relationship, Jareth, then honesty is always the best policy." She mocked.
"Well, honestly," making a point of the word, "I was frightened that I would scare you off." He finished, absently pushing a piece of potato around in the gravy on his plate.
"Why?" She asked searching his face for an answer and receiving none.
His eyes found hers, staring at him again. He reached out with his left hand to cover Sarah's right as it lay on top of the table. "Sarah, there were a number of reasons. Firstly, I wasn't quite sure of your reaction towards me on our first meeting. Gary had to assure me that what you felt was what I had initially thought and not indifference. Then there is the fact that I am considerably older than you, I know these days that that is not necessarily seen as a big problem but there are going to be times when we don't quite see eye to eye and I'd rather the age thing be put to bed and out of the way almost immediately."
"How old are you?"
"I'm . I'm ." what was he going to say, he had no idea how old he looked in human terms.
"Come on, don't be shy. About 40, 45 maybe?" Sarah guessed.
"I'm 43, considering you can only be about 25 or so." He said for good measure knowing full well that she was indeed in her thirtieth year.
"I'm 30," she corrected, "13 years isn't so bad, there are couples with larger age differences than that and they seem to make them work."
"You consider us to be a couple?" Jareth had to ask, relatively in Sarah's world, he had only known her a short while but was she thinking like they were already an item?
"Don't you? I mean I know it sounds crazy that you and I have only just met and this is our first date, so to speak, but it's like I've known you all my life almost."
"Yes," he agreed, "it is like we are soul mates, destined for one another. But Sarah, I don't want us to rush into anything that we're not sure of."
"I agree." She answered.
They spent the rest of the day talking about their likes and dislikes, getting to know the other. Jareth found out that Sarah preferred dogs to cats because of their loyalty. That her favourite colour was blue and that she was named after her great-grandmother. Sarah found out that Jareth had been a loner most of his life, loved to read and listen to music played on a pianoforte. She had laughed at his expression.
"What?" He had asked, stopping abruptly and pulling her to him as they had been walking along the river pathway.
"Nothing," she had answered playfully.
"Sarah, please tell me what is so funny!" His seriousness made her laugh even more.
"How old are you again, are you sure your not older?"
"Why?"
"'Cause no-one calls it a pianoforte anymore!"
"Oh," he laughed too. They had continued on their walk, hand in hand and snickering every time one or other thought about what Jareth had said.
The evening passed much the same as the afternoon had done. They found a small, un-crowded inn on the way back to Jareth's apartment and spent much time talking and teasing each other, sharing each others meal and finding more out about the other as the minutes passed on.
The bell sounded as the landlord called "time at the bar". However, both Sarah and Jareth ignored this as they continued with their conversation, disregarding any attempts by the staff to evict them from the bar. Once they realised they had outstayed their welcome they made their way out of the pub and over to Sarah's car.
Both parties got into the car and Sarah turned the ignition in order to begin their journey to Jareth's place. He had given her the address earlier on and after reminding herself of it, started down the road toward the location.
The journey passed by in silence neither wishing that the night would end but knowing that in just a few moments it would. Sarah pulled the car up to the kerb, engaged the handbrake and switched off the engine. She looked over to Jareth but he sat looking out of the front windscreen trying to think of something to say.
She reached over and took his right hand in both of hers, never allowing her eyes to stop searching Jareth's profile. Bringing his head around to look at her full on he smiled at her, as she did him. He leant in toward her, his left hand reaching up to cup her face gently. Her eyes closed at the touch of his silky smooth skin against her cheek, dragging in a breath as he began to stroke her own skin with his thumb.
Jareth watched in awe, as he felt his own movements serve to increase Sarah's heightening senses. He had only wanted to touch her; he had never expected her to react in the way that she was. He would kiss her and go, that would be enough for tonight. To use the situation to make love to her tonight would not be right. They had both agreed to go slowly after all, there were always other nights, there was always forever. Jareth lent in closer and lightly touched her lips with his.
Sarah moaned at the welcome pleasure of them and again when they were selfishly pulled away again. Her eyes fluttered open searching his face for an answer to her question, but she found no response. She decided to ask, "Why?"
"Why what?" Jareth asked, smiling as he continued to stroke her cheek.
"Why did you pull away?"
"We're supposed to going slowly aren't we? Not rushing into anything, getting ourselves into something that we may later regret."
"I'll never regret anything I do with you, Jareth," Sarah said, a blush hinting at the place he still smoothed. "But you're right, we shouldn't rush, a lasting relationship isn't built on lust alone. If you asked me to stay tonight Jareth I would, but I would be afraid that it was nothing more than another fling, and I don't want that with you."
"And as much as I would like to make love to you right now, neither of us are ready for that."
"So, you're saying you would make love to me right now, in my car?" She joked.
"Wherever you like," passion flamed his eyes, "In your car, down by the river, in my bedchamber." Sarah laughed at him again. "What?"
"Bedchamber?" Sarah asked totally bemused.
"What do you call it?" He asked, a defeated look washing over his features but quickly turning back to his smiling self again.
"Just a bedroom . nothing more." She smirked.
Jareth drew back slightly as a shiver struck down his spine, she had used the words he had spoken to her once before and in the same manner, 'it's a crystal . nothing more!'
Sarah pulled back slightly confused by his countenance. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine!" He remarked a bit too quickly. Turning back to look into her eyes he added, "I'm fine, really." She smiled once again and he lent over and nipped the cheek he had been stroking. "Until tomorrow?" He asked.
"Until tomorrow!" She answered, "I'll pick you up about 10."
He nodded his approval and got out of the car. He stood at the kerbside waiting for Sarah to move her car back into the road and waving as he watched the vehicle disappearing around the corner. Making his way to his door he smiled, thinking back over the day. He was glad that he had made that trip over to Sarah's village and thrilled that she had taken the initiative to say hello. He dreaded to think what he would have done if she had not come over. But that was by the by now, they had had a wonderful day together and he knew that it was going to get better over the next 24 hours. He knew they were going to become more involved over the next 24 hours and he couldn't wait.
He only hoped he could sleep a bit before she returned, excitement and anticipation were beginning to take over his emotions and he felt his adrenalin kick in. After all, he didn't want to fall asleep on her tomorrow, chance would be a fine thing anyway, and miss any time that they should be having together.
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?
Everything I do
Chapter 11 - Their first date for sure!
Sarah picked up the two new pieces of pottery that she had acquired the previous day. Now that they were clean and marked up with the price they could sit in the window ready for inspection by any prospective customers. Leaving them out of the way on top of the window ledge she reached into the display and moved a few items in order to find space for the pieces. The moustache mug would have to go near the front, as it was quite a small item, whilst the vase would do better nearer the back of the display, after all presentation was everything.
She was just about finished when something or rather someone caught her eye. Rearranging her window displays never proved problematic for her as she would always ignore what was going on outside. Passers-by, waving neighbours and browsers would stop frequently outside of her window but whenever she was trying to create perfection she always blocked out everything else, preferring to get the job out of the way as quickly as possible. But today was different.
Glancing upwards Sarah noticed a man on the other side of the green who seemed familiar. The tall slim build didn't give anything away, a trait inherent in all of the men she had ever gone out with. It was the silvery blond hair and the eyes, those unmistakable mismatched orbs that seemed to be looking into her very soul that gave him up.
She straightened trying to hide herself behind the wooden frames and four inches of wall that edged between the window and door, feeling the temperature rise within her and the tingling of her cheeks as she felt the blood rush to them causing her to blush. It was Jareth; even being about twenty yards away from him she knew it to be him. But why was he here, now? It had been three weeks since she had last seen him. She had hoped that he would have come back to see her within that first week at least or on the following Saturday but when he had not appeared she had felt foolish in believing in the emotion she had felt.
Sarah looked around the post and out through the window, what was he doing? She noticed him standing there as if rooted to the spot, turmoil washing over his features. Perhaps, she dared to hope, that the turmoil was over herself and if it was what should she do about it. Although she couldn't be entirely sure, he appeared to be in two minds about walking over to the shop and saying hello.
'Well if Mohammed won't come to the mountain!' She thought and quickly made her way out of the shop, locking the front door as she did, and ambled over to where he stood. It was easier to creep up on him now anyway as he had turned his back to her. She stopped about a foot, she thought, from him. Reaching out with her left arm she tapped him gently on the shoulder. "Are you on your first date or something? You seem a little nervous!" She teased, trying to sound calm and hoping that his reaction would be a good one to the repetition of those first words that he had used to speak to her at their first encounter.
***
Jareth stood at the edge of the grassy area that served as the village green for the small Cotswold hamlet that Sarah's cottage and shop were both situated in. It had taken him three weeks to get this far and a lot of coaxing from Gary. He could understand his own feeling of reluctance; he didn't want to push Sarah into anything too hastily. Gary, on the other hand, was becoming a bit of a pain. Every opportunity Gary had he was encouraging Jareth to do the exact thing he didn't want to do. However, he was there now and standing directly in front of Sarah's store.
His mind kept reeling, and thoughts triggered panic several times. Thoughts such as, 'what am I doing here? She doesn't want me! I could just walk away, I have nearly a year.' But whatever he tried to not think or do he found he was rooted to the spot, continually watching for movement in or within the vicinity of where he knew Sarah would be.
He let out a huge sigh and asked himself, "what the hell are you doing? Get on with it before its too late." But as daring as he usually was he couldn't bring himself to do it, 'maybe next week,' he thought.
He turned on his heel; he didn't feel brave enough to face the rejection today. He would come back next week and take another step towards truly knowing her.
Trying to force his body to move toward the taxi stand he realised for the second time in ten minutes that he was held fast again. And it was at that point that he felt the soft tap on his shoulder.
"Are you on your first date or something? You seem a little nervous!" Came the teasing but nervous sounds of Sarah's voice from behind him. And despite his previous pessimism, he smiled.
Thinking of something quickly he turned and greeted her, "I am, but this attack will stop if you will agree to join me on that first date!" A little forward maybe, but Jareth hoped that Sarah would take the question with good grace.
Sarah's already wide smile widened further. "I'd like that!" She answered. Then realising that she still had a few things to do added, "but I have to just finish off in the shop before I close up for the afternoon."
"You don't mind me browsing then while you finish?" Jareth asked, hoping for the right answer.
"No, of course not, please come on in."
Jareth quickly seized the opportunity to escort Sarah back to her shop and offered her his arm. She took it gladly and the pair made their way across the green.
"This village is very pleasant!" Jareth remarked trying to make small talk.
"Yes, it is." Sarah answered as she unlocked the door again and returned inside the room that served as her store. "But I have a theory."
"And what's that?" Jareth asked perplexed as he made his way over to a cabinet that held some of the most extraordinary pieces of fantastical sculpture he had ever seen. Looking back at him were exact replicas of many of the faces that resided in his Labyrinth.
"The smaller the place the more the gossip that is spoken." She looked over to him and sniggered.
"I'll have to remember not to do or say anything then that will make everyone here want to gossip about us!" Jareth said turning back to the case, he read the sign 'Creatures from the Underground, original sculptures by Sarah Williams.' His eyebrows shot up, could this mean that she remembered. That was just too hard to imagine.
Sarah meanwhile, had been busy sorting out the takings and leaving everything ready for her return on Monday. She had mulled over his earlier comment and thought that she really didn't mind if anyone did gossip about them, she could see a future with this one. She watched him steadily as she moved around the counter and leant against it. He was really fascinated by her sculptures, she could tell and noticed his reflected reaction to her sign. "Do you like them?" She ventured.
"Yes! Very much," Jareth began, "where did you get your inspiration for them?" He turned to face her waiting for her answer.
She pointed to her head. "In here, call it the over active imagination of a teenage girl! The sign of a misspent youth, allegedly!"
"I'm sure that's not true, I can't imagine you being the kind of person that ran wild!"
"Maybe not in my youth, but certainly over the past few years I've been pretty 'wild'!" What was she saying? She had to put a stop to this conversation quickly; she didn't want to frighten him off although something told her that that wouldn't happen she didn't want to do it all the same. "Look, I've just gotta put this money into the night safe at the bank, after that we could go to Bourton if you like and get something to eat, I know this lovely little inn there were you can sit by the river and watch the ducks and swans."
Jareth smiled, he had wanted to find out more about her antics but she had changed the subject. However, there would always be another time when she would probably share every detail with him especially if he played his cards right. "Okay, great, that sounds like a first date if ever I heard one!" He teased, watching Sarah as the ever-increasing smile on her face only served to heighten his appreciation of her. Her delighted eyes illuminated every detail of her face and every nook in the shop. Her reaction warmed him to the core and in turn, made him overjoyed to be in her presence.
Eyes followed them as they made their way out of the shop and to the bank. Sarah placed the moneybag into the safe and turned to Jareth. "You know we have been watched all the way up the street, don't you?" She whispered.
"Yes, do you think that they will be talking about us now?"
"I don't think we've really done anything yet to spark any gossip!" Sarah confirmed. Vicious rumours had circulated about her and Gary recently and she didn't really want to fuel any further cruel misgivings but something told her that Jareth had other ideas.
Taking her hand in his, Jareth stopped and turned to face her. "Do you think we should give them something to talk about?"
She shook her head slightly, she didn't want anyone to think ill of her but she knew that was what everybody did think. Her continuous antics with new men had raised more than a few eyebrows in the village over the years and today was no exception. "Jareth, I really don't think today would be a good day, there is something I need to tell you about me!"
"What? Nothing could be so terrible that I wouldn't want to be with you."
Sarah's eyes shot to his, an admission as great as this from someone she hardly knew. "Jareth, you don't know me!"
Jareth realised what he had said, he had to rectify it immediately "Sarah, I know I don't know you very well, but I want to. Ever since our first meeting I have wanted to be around you, find out more about you and I know it has taken me three weeks to meet up with you again but I'm happy with what has happened so far today. I'm hoping that by the end of it that you and I will be great friends and that maybe if you are free tomorrow then you will want to spend the day with me."
"I'd like that very much," she smiled, "but we still have the rest of the afternoon and I really am getting quite hungry. Plus you need to tell me why it took you three weeks to turn up, I was almost giving up the will to live," she feigned death as they walked onwards and Sarah gracelessly tripped up the kerb.
Jareth had to act quickly and caught her in his arms steadying her as she held onto him for dear life. He brought her up to stand in front of him, pushed the curtain of hair out and away from hers eyes and let out a short laugh. "Now that will give them all something to talk about!" He remarked.
***
"So why did it take you three weeks to turn up?" Sarah asked. The pair were sat outside the pub that Sarah had invited Jareth too earlier on, their respective meals had just turned up and she thought she should seize the opportunity. He couldn't run off anywhere now could he?
"Honestly?" Jareth asked.
"If we are to have a relationship, Jareth, then honesty is always the best policy." She mocked.
"Well, honestly," making a point of the word, "I was frightened that I would scare you off." He finished, absently pushing a piece of potato around in the gravy on his plate.
"Why?" She asked searching his face for an answer and receiving none.
His eyes found hers, staring at him again. He reached out with his left hand to cover Sarah's right as it lay on top of the table. "Sarah, there were a number of reasons. Firstly, I wasn't quite sure of your reaction towards me on our first meeting. Gary had to assure me that what you felt was what I had initially thought and not indifference. Then there is the fact that I am considerably older than you, I know these days that that is not necessarily seen as a big problem but there are going to be times when we don't quite see eye to eye and I'd rather the age thing be put to bed and out of the way almost immediately."
"How old are you?"
"I'm . I'm ." what was he going to say, he had no idea how old he looked in human terms.
"Come on, don't be shy. About 40, 45 maybe?" Sarah guessed.
"I'm 43, considering you can only be about 25 or so." He said for good measure knowing full well that she was indeed in her thirtieth year.
"I'm 30," she corrected, "13 years isn't so bad, there are couples with larger age differences than that and they seem to make them work."
"You consider us to be a couple?" Jareth had to ask, relatively in Sarah's world, he had only known her a short while but was she thinking like they were already an item?
"Don't you? I mean I know it sounds crazy that you and I have only just met and this is our first date, so to speak, but it's like I've known you all my life almost."
"Yes," he agreed, "it is like we are soul mates, destined for one another. But Sarah, I don't want us to rush into anything that we're not sure of."
"I agree." She answered.
They spent the rest of the day talking about their likes and dislikes, getting to know the other. Jareth found out that Sarah preferred dogs to cats because of their loyalty. That her favourite colour was blue and that she was named after her great-grandmother. Sarah found out that Jareth had been a loner most of his life, loved to read and listen to music played on a pianoforte. She had laughed at his expression.
"What?" He had asked, stopping abruptly and pulling her to him as they had been walking along the river pathway.
"Nothing," she had answered playfully.
"Sarah, please tell me what is so funny!" His seriousness made her laugh even more.
"How old are you again, are you sure your not older?"
"Why?"
"'Cause no-one calls it a pianoforte anymore!"
"Oh," he laughed too. They had continued on their walk, hand in hand and snickering every time one or other thought about what Jareth had said.
The evening passed much the same as the afternoon had done. They found a small, un-crowded inn on the way back to Jareth's apartment and spent much time talking and teasing each other, sharing each others meal and finding more out about the other as the minutes passed on.
The bell sounded as the landlord called "time at the bar". However, both Sarah and Jareth ignored this as they continued with their conversation, disregarding any attempts by the staff to evict them from the bar. Once they realised they had outstayed their welcome they made their way out of the pub and over to Sarah's car.
Both parties got into the car and Sarah turned the ignition in order to begin their journey to Jareth's place. He had given her the address earlier on and after reminding herself of it, started down the road toward the location.
The journey passed by in silence neither wishing that the night would end but knowing that in just a few moments it would. Sarah pulled the car up to the kerb, engaged the handbrake and switched off the engine. She looked over to Jareth but he sat looking out of the front windscreen trying to think of something to say.
She reached over and took his right hand in both of hers, never allowing her eyes to stop searching Jareth's profile. Bringing his head around to look at her full on he smiled at her, as she did him. He leant in toward her, his left hand reaching up to cup her face gently. Her eyes closed at the touch of his silky smooth skin against her cheek, dragging in a breath as he began to stroke her own skin with his thumb.
Jareth watched in awe, as he felt his own movements serve to increase Sarah's heightening senses. He had only wanted to touch her; he had never expected her to react in the way that she was. He would kiss her and go, that would be enough for tonight. To use the situation to make love to her tonight would not be right. They had both agreed to go slowly after all, there were always other nights, there was always forever. Jareth lent in closer and lightly touched her lips with his.
Sarah moaned at the welcome pleasure of them and again when they were selfishly pulled away again. Her eyes fluttered open searching his face for an answer to her question, but she found no response. She decided to ask, "Why?"
"Why what?" Jareth asked, smiling as he continued to stroke her cheek.
"Why did you pull away?"
"We're supposed to going slowly aren't we? Not rushing into anything, getting ourselves into something that we may later regret."
"I'll never regret anything I do with you, Jareth," Sarah said, a blush hinting at the place he still smoothed. "But you're right, we shouldn't rush, a lasting relationship isn't built on lust alone. If you asked me to stay tonight Jareth I would, but I would be afraid that it was nothing more than another fling, and I don't want that with you."
"And as much as I would like to make love to you right now, neither of us are ready for that."
"So, you're saying you would make love to me right now, in my car?" She joked.
"Wherever you like," passion flamed his eyes, "In your car, down by the river, in my bedchamber." Sarah laughed at him again. "What?"
"Bedchamber?" Sarah asked totally bemused.
"What do you call it?" He asked, a defeated look washing over his features but quickly turning back to his smiling self again.
"Just a bedroom . nothing more." She smirked.
Jareth drew back slightly as a shiver struck down his spine, she had used the words he had spoken to her once before and in the same manner, 'it's a crystal . nothing more!'
Sarah pulled back slightly confused by his countenance. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine!" He remarked a bit too quickly. Turning back to look into her eyes he added, "I'm fine, really." She smiled once again and he lent over and nipped the cheek he had been stroking. "Until tomorrow?" He asked.
"Until tomorrow!" She answered, "I'll pick you up about 10."
He nodded his approval and got out of the car. He stood at the kerbside waiting for Sarah to move her car back into the road and waving as he watched the vehicle disappearing around the corner. Making his way to his door he smiled, thinking back over the day. He was glad that he had made that trip over to Sarah's village and thrilled that she had taken the initiative to say hello. He dreaded to think what he would have done if she had not come over. But that was by the by now, they had had a wonderful day together and he knew that it was going to get better over the next 24 hours. He knew they were going to become more involved over the next 24 hours and he couldn't wait.
He only hoped he could sleep a bit before she returned, excitement and anticipation were beginning to take over his emotions and he felt his adrenalin kick in. After all, he didn't want to fall asleep on her tomorrow, chance would be a fine thing anyway, and miss any time that they should be having together.