I dedicate this to the owner of a website I love. I really don't mind when people post my stuff and I was surprised to find one of my fics on a site I love to read stuff on. So this is dedicated to Love Without the Sunlight.
Morning came all too soon to her for her liking. Rolling to her side she yelped when she fell to the floor, just barely missing her coffee table. Blinking fuzzily at her carpet she looked up and glared at Eve when she heard a giggle. "Keep that up and you'll find yourself at my mercy." The twinkle in her eyes belayed the intent of her threat. Sadly though the girl did not head her warning and was soon pined to the floor being tickled.
Sarah was soon ambushed by Evan and put up on a valiant fight as the tables were turned. Being that she didn't want to hurt them she soon found herself the one pinned by the little monsters. It was as they triumphed that the door to her room opened and Jareth stepped out. Is expression said so much. "Oh go ahead and laugh, see if I feed you then." His lips twitched. She narrowed her eyes in warning before being freed. "Smart man." Evan made a 'whipped' sound from beside her as she accepted the offered hand for help up. Placing her scarred appendage into his bare palm she was lifted as if she weighed no more than a toddler.
Feeling particularly wicked she smiled at him, letting him know her intentions if not her plan. "I'm making pancakes; think you two can keep him out of my way while I cook?" She had her acting mask on, she was acting like there was nothing wrong but the chaos she had gone to bed with was still there.
And being true to habits she had always had she wanted to cook. Cooking calmed her while allowing her time to set things straight in her mind, there had always been a good feast come holidays back when she had spent time with her brother. Karen had always berated her for her sinful ways and Sarah had sought refuse in the kitchen. The only assistant she had ever allowed had been Toby. Their bond had been something Karen couldn't drive a wedge between no matter how she had tried, something she had been furious over.
Shaking the memories from her mind she pulled out the Bisquick and made the recipe by memory. She didn't fear poisoning Jareth by using iron, she had made sure not to have any in her home when she had moved in. It hindered her magic and when she had started she had needed all the help she could get. Now while it still hindered her it didn't keep her from using her talents to focus on her surroundings. When she had walked through the tunnel it had felt similar to having cotton stuffed in her ears. All she had felt had seemed muffled.
Glancing through the open archway she half listened to Eve and Evan explain the rules of monopoly to one Goblin King. Perfect, they would be finished by the time breakfast was ready. Just as they had him recite the rules she placed the loaded plates on the table and called the three to eat. "So are you up to a game of monopoly Jareth?" She arched a brow in a show of challenge and knew she had him. Hook, line, and sinker. 'Men, challenge their ego and you can get them to do damn near anything.' Casting an amused glance to Eve she secretly winked at the only one who had seen what she'd done. Though Evan was a bit more informed.
"Man, you're going to be at the mercy of Miss Wills. She kicks butt at Monopoly." Sarah smiled, so nice to know her talents were respected. Then Eve piped in.
"What mercy? She's gonna slaughter us!"
He hadn't taken the children seriously until he found himself paying bills to them, and then their prompt loss at the hands of Sarah. He was certain she was stringing him along for the fun of it. When he finally lost all his property and money to her she smiled victory and sat back as the children put the game away. She glanced at her watch and then to him.
"Ok guys pack up your parents will be here soon. Pull the sheets too and put them next to the washer, I'll handle them from there." She sounded so much like a mother that he found himself picturing her with a child that shared only a few of her features, the setting being his courtyard garden. The image while not appropriate, as the child was leaving and he was entering the fancy, was not unpleasant.
Meeting eyes with her he curled his lips in a way that gave her a hint as to what he was thinking. She gave him a look reminiscing of his mother. He had to give the mortal credit; she could cool a man's blood just as fast as she could heat it. "They are leaving?" He kept his tone soft not knowing how well sound would carry in her mortal home.
Nodding slowly she softly answered his enquiry. "Their parents come back this afternoon. You can move in their room once this is over."
"Then you will quite acting?" Her eyes shot to him and he saw the pain she allowed him to see. There was also something akin to relief shining in them.
"Then I break down." Her eyes closed in pain and he didn't doubt her words. She was going to tell him how she had brought him to her home, but it seemed she would be crying while she did it. The thought of willful Sarah breaking down in tears brought him no pleasure. She was holding onto her act with all she had, once the children left she would drop her masks. As the children brought the sheets out and placed them next to one of Sarah's odd machines. When a ring sounded through the house she opened her eyes and moved to her feet. "Come in the door isn't locked!" He observed in silence as a couple slightly older than Sarah entered the room. After they looked up from their children he noted the shock as they looked from him to Sarah.
"Miss Wills we weren't aware you would be entertaining a guest." The blond haired woman was looking down her nose as she spoke.
"Ya well I wasn't really expecting him. But something came up and I volunteered my home."
"A friend?" He watched Sarah's eyes narrow; it was then that the husband spoke.
"Good for you! You need to socialize more." The man seemed nice enough, just oblivious to his wife's insinuations. Sarah smiled and nodded her head, he didn't miss how she had tilted her face so that her hair curtained over her scarred features. He never thought of Sarah as vain, but seeing her ashamed of her looks was not the type of woman she should have been.
"Jareth these are the Kendles, Eve and Evan's parents. George, Rita, this is Jareth King." She didn't mention how she knew him or why he was with her, he assumed they would have to think of a plausible story when they were alone. He shook hands with the father and briefly kissed Rita's hand before returning to Sarah's side. She was tired and it was far more emotional than physical.
Minutes later he was alone with the only mortal to have defeated his Labyrinth, the only woman to have earned his respect. Silently he watched her as she placed the sheets in a cube that fileld with water and pulled clean ones from a cupboard. When she returned from his new room she looked to him with lost eyes.
"I-I was helping the kids train for a sport they like. I never played but I helped Toby practice." A tear ran down her cheek and he immediately pulled her into his arms and made her sit with him on her sofa. "I saw this figure in a cloak behind them and I sent them off to the movies. I c-could feel something was off and I-I didn't want them around." He nodded and stroked her hair, the blaze she had survived hadn't reached her scalp, though he was sure she had lost hair from the flames. But as she had said it had been years ago, plenty of time for he body to heal as best it could. Her heart was another matter.
"I-I confronted him and he tried to get me to plot revenge against you." Her tone and voice was soft, he felt the whisper of her breath against his throat as she leaned into him for comfort. "I told him no, he got pissed said I'd pay and left. When I went into the house Hoggle was waiting for me. He looked like he had taken a beating but he wouldn't let me help him. He said that I was needed to help you escape, so I followed him into the Labyrinth and did my part. We came in through the old gnome mine. Too much iron for magic to track us coming, or for a guard to be placed. They looked so tired after we made it through." She paused and he wished he could do something more for her. Women in general were not normally in tears around him. Aside from whenever he was called upon for a child he hated when a lady cried. Sarah was among the few that he cared for, most merely wanted him for power of some sort or another.
"You don't have to tell me now Sarah, you're tired."
"Yes I do, if I don't it'll just eat at me. Like I said we were in the dungeons. I unlocked you and with some help we got you out of there. Ludo covered our retreat, then Didymus when we reached the hedge-maze. When I was in the stone walls Hoggle left. From there I hid like a coward and got us out of there. The Labyrinth helped too, I don't know if I could have done it if it hadn't, they were so close." She was shivering as she spoke and all he could think to do was hold her.
"When we got here I focused on you. Believe it or not but I never wanted you dead."
"I believe you Sarah; if you had you never would have come for me."
"I'm going back with you, he killed my friends Jareth. I'm in on this fight now." The fire blazing in her eyes told him there would be no fighting her on this. The King in him knew she would be valuable to his side, unaffected by iron she could do things others couldn't. But as a man he didn't want her to be anywhere near danger. "I've closed the window to my home, I'm pretty sure that's how he got here. I always knew there was the chance of someone else coming through. I thought it worth the danger if I could continue seeing them. Jareth, they were the first real friends I ever made. What am I going to do?" She sounded so lost, so unlike the type of woman he knew her to be.
"You are strong Sarah, and so very brave. I know of very few of my race who would have done what you have."
"They wouldn't have made it through the tunnel, that was the hardest part, getting you out."
"I'm not so great Jareth. You know the belief of Karma, for every bad thing someone does they will get paid back? I wished Toby away when I was fifteen. Now look at me, I'm not angry with it, I was living a wonderful life and I was content after a while after the accident. But I'm no great person." Silently she wiped away her tears, he didn't think she knew that she was snuggling next to his side. The unlit fireplace before them gave way to ideas, thoughts of romance and seduction. But now was not the time for so many reasons. "Lok at me, we should be talking about you. What are we going to do?"
Slowly and in detail he explained how it would take him time to recover. The shackles had sapped away at his powers and if he had been left there much longer he would have lost them completely. It would take him roughly half a human year to recover fully, she had commented on that being so long. He had reminded her of his born immortality and in retrospect six months was not so terribly long. She had explained that it would take her that long as well to recharge her minor gifts. She was under no delusions, she thought herself nothing more than one who dabbled. She was aware of the fact that when compared to him or his kind she was no match when measuring with magical power. But her being mortal held its advantages, she could handle things that would endanger others. He would have to think more on that later.
When they finished they sat with one another in comfortable silence. He was secretly pleased that she had not moved away and seemed content to be nestled in at his side. She made it so tempting to forget his troubles, forget everything, except her. Running his fingers through her hair he looked at her face, examining the damage the accident had done to her. She had told him that it could have been partially fixed, he hadn't asked why she hadn't. He now knew she thought she deserved it, he couldn't agree with her on that. Sarah still held her pride, something he was sure had aided her to survive in the cold world she knew, but she was not arrogant. Her eyes didn't open when she spoke. "I suppose we ought to head into town, we'll need to get clothes for you. I can imagine the rumors that will stir." She grimaced and slowly pulled from his arms, he missed her warmth instantly.
"Rumors, Sarah if this affects your honor-."
"Honor? Oh lord not Jareth, its just that for all the years I've been here I've never had a guest. Now I have sex on two legs living with me, draw your own conclusion." It took him a moment; his mind had stopped when she mentioned he was sex. He grinned at her words and casually circled her much like a wolf would its prey.
"Sex on legs Sarah? My how eloquent." He watched the porcelain half of her face blush red to match the other side. He grinned when she moved past him with her nose in the air.
"I can admit that you're beautiful Jareth. I'm a modern woman, I can look without touching. Lord knows in my life there's been plenty to look at." She smiled and turned, missing his brief scowl. "Now what should we take, the bike or the car?" She turned to look at him and grinned wickedly. "Definitely the bike." He had no idea what she was talking to but when she told him to straddle the machine beast with her he could only blink. "Afraid? I mean we could take the care." She gestured to her side at a black vehicle that lacked a top.
Glaring at her for challenging him in such a way he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle. "Hold on." Before he could do more than was asked she took off. It was like riding a horse only faster. The helmet she had given him to wear protected his eyes from the sun as did her own. He had to admit, this device held certain advantages, the feel of her body pressed to his was tempting.
She knew they should be working on saving his kingdom, but the need to forget their problems, if only for a little while, seemed the most pressing. They needed to do this, for nothing if not their sanity. He had been exactly what she needed, a pair of warm arms and a listening ear, and she knew what he needed. A distraction, and as easily as that could be provided, she hadn't ever been that kind of girl.
Parking her bike in front of the post office she ignored the stares as she sent her mail off and collected what had come in over the week. Normally she had one of the twins get her mail, for some reason she had forgotten. Thinking over all that she may need to buy she decided that food wise she was set, the twins ate much as she had Toby had. Meaning they had two hollow legs that went deep into the ground. She had stocked up and evidently over stocked. Just as well, she could try some of her more interesting recipes on someone other than herself. When she had gone into her self assigned seclusion she had practiced more than just magic, often she held dinner parties with Hoggle and the others, but with Jareth it was different. She was not blind to her sexual attraction towards him. But she knew damn well that he had enough twits after him, no doubt all of them being beautiful and unscarred, what could he possibly want in her other than a convenient sex partner. And that was something she would never be. She had learned from past experiences, and she had been a quick study when it came to the game of life.
Returning to her bike she admired his form leaning against the light post, she did not admire the sight of his little flock. "Leave you alone for two minutes and look at you, you must feel at home." She was quite proud of how she had kept the acid out of her voice. She hadn't felt jealousy at this level since she had been a stupid teenager. She was not pleased to learn that she still held the capacity to feel the wretched emotion. But what hurt the most were the whispers they didn't know she could hear questioning why he was with her. There were plenty of rumors as to how she was scarred; her reputation was not something to brag about in this town. Her eyes flickered to the woman to suggest her having been a whore before whatever had happened to her face had been done. She missed the flash of rage in Jareth's eyes, she wasn't aware that he had seen the brief glimmer of pain in her eyes.
She nearly displayed her shock when she felt him slip an arm around her waist. She didn't fight the hand that turned her chin and she forgot the audience when his lips landed on hers. It had definetly been too long since she had been laid. Her legs were going weak with a kiss alone. 'Six months? I'm in for a world of trouble.'
Ta da. Yes I know it's been an eternity since I updated but I saw the sweetest reviews and they got me off my butt. What do you all think?