Sarah sat kneeling, pinned between the back wall of the seedy goblin bar and Jareth's piercing icy stare. Her instincts wanted her to move as far and fast as possible, but given her current positioning any movement was out of the question, unless she wanted to end up in the man's lap.

It's him, it's really him, Sarah thought. Her mind was racing, she knew she would run into him eventually, but by the way Hoggle had described the situation she never imagined it would be so soon and in a place like this was even more shocking.

Even more surprising was the interest her old enemy showed toward her. Suddenly a playful smile drew across his lips. Again Sarah was caught off guard and had to fight the urge to duck out under the table.

"Well, well, well," Jareth said smugly. "I knew someday you'd give into your temptations and come crawling back to me. I just didn't know it would be in such a literal fashion." The smile became a smirk and Sarah's jaw dropped.

"Believe me, I had no intention of ever being anywhere near you ever again, let alone this close." With her last few words Sarah struggled to stand. "Now, move and I'll be on my way."

Both were trying to deny their first reactions to seeing one another. However, Jareth wasn't about to let Sarah get a way so easily.

"I don't think you'll be going anywhere just yet, Sarah." It felt good to say her name again, and Sarah shrugged off a shiver when he said it. She fixed him with a nasty look of contempt.

Raising his chin to her, he waved an elegant gloved hand. "I will let you escape from the corner you've trapped yourself in, if you give your word to sit and have a drink with me," he proposed.

Sarah narrowed her eyes, she didn't want to give into his bargain, but a cramp was forming in her left calf and she could see no other way out. "Agreed," she said with her eyes lowered to him, as though trying to play at his level of arrogance.

Sarah moved back around to the chair she previously occupied. Jareth ordered them each a glass of ale. While Sarah had no intention of drinking it, she let him think she would. Maybe if she could get him to drink he'd loosen up and reveal some of his secrets.

There was a long time of awkward silence between them. Sarah fondly thought of how it reminded her of some of the nightmare blind dates she'd fallen into. Jareth sipped at this drink, the cloak still enveloping most of his features. Sarah could see a few wisps, of the now shorter, blond hair, which had touches of white throughout. Even though Jareth didn't look a day older than the last time she saw him, she supposed that he too must age.

"So tell me Jareth…" Sarah began after a long time without conversation. "Why was there a crystal in my old pack? You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" She ran a finger around the rim of her frothy ale.

"You are right, for once. I had nothing to do with it," he stated bluntly, leaving the young woman unsatisfied. She was determined not to let him get the best of her.

"That's not possible," she declared. "You are the only one capable of creating those crystals, aren't you?"

"Well, yes," he said thoughtfully. "I suppose it is possible that you took it with you and forgot about it. You were such a silly thing."

Sarah's face went red. Silly! she screamed inwardly. "Fine, you didn't leave me a crystal to find. What about the photograph?" That got his attention.

"And what photograph would that be?" he asked one eyebrow cocked in curiosity.

"The one of you with my mother," Sarah said accusingly. "What are you some kind of pervert? Have the mother and the daughter?"

"What are you going on about?" Jareth mocked.

"Look, you can go on pretending to know nothing about anything while I site here having my drink with you, or you can chose to stop being such an ass and tell me what I what to know," she huffed.

Jareth laughed. "Oh you mean this photograph?" he said waving a black glove back and forth as the photo appeared between two fingers. "I really don't see the resemblance you speak of," he said straight-faced glancing at the image before Sarah grabbed it from him.

More magic, she thought. The photograph no longer looked liked Jareth at all, except perhaps the light hair and eyes. But the man with her mother was clearly not the Goblin King.

"You did this!" she growled, nostrils flaring. "I knew I couldn't trust you." She crumpled the paper in her fist.

"Oh Sarah, are you so naïve?" he sighed. "It never was me, you must have projected it. Really, I am flattered though, that you think so often of me to see my face where it isn't."

"Bastard!" she was ready to slap him. She didn't think anything of him. He was scum to her; no worse than scum...and she never thought of him in any capacity. Sarah's eyes burned with rage. When Jareth placed a hand on her arm to hush her she hit it away.

"You don't know anything about me. And if you cared at all you would help me." Sarah stood and stepped away, but came in close to Jareth again to add, "Just so you know Your Highness my being here has nothing to do with you. I came here to find my brother. That's right, Toby touched the crystal first and vanished. I think he's here somewhere in your twisted realm of misfits, but now I don't know what to think. I do know, however, that if I stay here and play your stupid games I'll never find him."

She turned to go, but Jareth stopped her once again. "Come, come now. Don't act so rashly," he warned. "You know even less about me than I do of you. Sit back down child and listen. You said you wanted my help? Then don't give in to old habits. Be patient and maybe you'll learn something."

Sarah couldn't tell if he was being condescending, or if he just always spoke that way to everyone. So she decided that maybe she had gone about this all wrong and she would give it one last chance. As she sat she heard Jareth mumble something about 'can't a man just have a casual conversation anymore.'

"I'm listening," she pouted. He gave her a skeptical look and she mimed locking her lips and throwing away the key.

"Now, somewhere in that magnificent rant you mentioned a missing brother." Jareth paused and waited until Sarah finally nodded. "Good. Right, so what are your resources in this search?"

Sarah just stared at him. Jareth rolled his eyes. "Yes, you may speak when spoken too," he sighed. He could see this was turning out to be as difficult as getting goblins to sit still.

"Oh, sorry. Um, well I don't have any. Oh except Hoggle." Suddenly her dark eyes widened. "Hoggle. Oops, I think he'll be coming to meet me soon."

"That useless old lump?" Jareth wasn't impress. Sarah shrugged. "Fine, I don't know why you took such a liking to him of all creatures. Nothing else?"

"Well no. I got here and everything was different. I mean, the labyrinth was gone and you aren't king anymore." As the words left her lips she wished she hadn't said them. Jareth's face fell.

"Yes, well I have you to thank for that."

"What really happened after I went home all those years ago?" She let a touch of concern come through in her voice. Jareth stiffened and took a swig of his ale, finishing it.

"I told you to speak when spoken to. If you want to find your brother and leave here I suggest you heed my words," he scolded, cold as ever. Sarah sat back and nodded, her jaw obviously clenched.

"I think it would be best to visit the oracle. He might know what happened to your brother. He might also be able to tell us who planted that crystal and ordered you that peach juice."

"And altered that photo," she let escape, then put a hand to her mouth. He glanced sideways at her and smirked at the gesture.

"Then it's settled, we leave at once. Unless you have any objections?"

"Well maybe one. Ok two. The first id that I really should wait for Hoggle."

Jareth sighed. "Fine. And what is the second?"

"Actually, it's more of a question than an objection." She paused and waited for a reaction.

Jareth leaned forward. "Well, ask your question."

"Why exactly are you helping me?" Sarah leaned in as well, but not too close. "I know I asked, but I wouldn't have thought you'd actually help. What's in this for you?"

"Sarah," he breathed just above a whisper, leaning in further so the two of them were about an inch apart. "What isn't in this for me?" he asked seductively, caressing her cheek with a silken finger.

Sarah's whole body tingled with the heat of his words. Quickly she sat back and tried to breathe evenly, hating herself for reacting and hoping her face wasn't as flush as it felt.

TBC

Please Review…and anyone has any suggestions for future additions, please feel free to let me know and I will credit youJ