Sarah was pissed, the bastard had tricked her. 'Ok so maybe not tricked, but he knew what he was doing!' But sadly he was absent from the castle so her rant was steadily becoming something to be feared while she was left to stew in her own juices.

So she retreated to the kitchens, letting the food she created become an outlet. Twisting the spell that forbade her to eat without the king she sampled the batter she was making. It wasn't eating it was tasting, she was checking to see if it had been done properly. Soon the scent of chocolate chunk cookies began to surround her, her test batch, in the trash pile, too much something or other and it had come out hard as stone.

When a hand reached out to grab a cookie she didn't even look, faster than the eye could follow the spatula she was using slapped the offending appendage and the hand retreated. She hadn't looked to see who it was, usually the goblins tried to snatch her treats before she was willing to dispense of them. Turning she noticed that the figure was taller than her rather than the average waist height.

It was Jareth. Scowling as her anger returned she waved the cooking utensil threateningly under his nose and spoke. "No cookies for you, they're for good little boys and girls, something I doubt you ever were. You were probably a demon as a kid and terrorized the castle." He was grinning at her and she felt her lips twitching, the picture she must be making. Flour on her dress and probably in her hair, one hand on her hip and the other brandishing the lethal cooking device, she had reverted to becoming her grandmother before the illness. Blushing she started to giggle, then laughed as she released her anger and gave up. The warmth that spread across her heart when a male joined her was something she couldn't explain. "I'm still not happy with you." She pointed her nose north and turned from him, snubbing was not really her forte.

"I did not stop you from redressing Sarah." Amusement was in his tone, she wanted to hit him again, where was that mallet?

"You knew what you were doing." She groused, she spotted the wooden kitchen club but it was too far away, maybe the bowl. No there was still cookie dough in it.

"What are you thinking of Sarah mine?" She stalled for an instant as she continued to empty the sheet of cookies. Drawing for more time she finally taste tested one of her finished creations. She smiled as the gooey flavor of chocolate filled her mouth. Success! "I thought I forbade you to eat."

"Not eating." She smacked her lips, now she needed milk. Something cold and wet, sadly water would have to do. "Testing, had to see if it tasted good, this is the second batch today and fourth in total, trust me you wouldn't have wanted the others, I think the last batch may be able to become a wall." She smiled before lifting a second treat and offering it to the King. "I promise it isn't poisoned, if it was would I have ate it?"

He didn't laugh at was a joke to her cooking. "Indeed." He held the cookie but wasn't eating it.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to, really I give the goblins my stuff all the time, they eat things Merlin would have turned down." Instantly the memory of his digging a hole for something she later dumped into it came to mind. That soufflé had been inedible, looked good though.

"The wizard of human lore?"

"No, my dog." She grinned softly then became serious. "Jareth I don't want you dead, all things considered my life could very easily be worse than what it is now. Even if I was beaten every day it could be worse." She gave him a look that told him what she wouldn't say. "And even after that I can think of ways of it being worse, but its not, I'm grateful for that. Trust me, if I want you dead I'll let you know it." He smiled at her and she saw for the first time that his teeth were sharper than her own.

"Of that Sarah I have no doubt." He bit into the cookie and she watched him taste the delight from her childhood. There was no reaction.

"Well?"

She looked so amusing with her shifting weight and curious expression. She honestly wanted to know his opinion. "It." The melted chocolate was clinging to the roof of his mouth. "It needs something."

"A cold glass of milk most likely. You seem to lack that around here, that and many other conveniences." She sounded annoyed, there were other things she missed from her home, more than just foods. Forming a crystal with his free hand he twirled it before her face, she looked to it wearily.

"What would you like Sarah?"

"To be allowed to wear my clothes at night." He gave her points for wit but shook his head.

"Something material, I will grant you it." She looked to him in suspicion.

"What's the catch?" He didn't know whether or not to smile at this, her suspicion of him while amusing, also spoke of a deep distrust, she took nothing at value. Forever suspicious that there was something wanted behind what might be a bribe.

"There will be no other agenda Sarah, simply touch the crystal and think of what you want." She eyes him suspiciously before slowly reaching out. Fingers hovering over the magical orb she paused. He looked to her questioningly and she blushed. He liked the rosy hue that graced her cheeks, anger for once not giving it to her.

"I." She paused. "I can't decide."

"Too many options." He was teasing her, he liked this game, he would have to give her things more often, her reactions to these unexpected gifts were priceless.

"No, two." Her tone was distracted. "One lasts longer than the other but…oh hell." She touched the glass orb and instantly was holding a box. Grinning she turned to walk away.

"What did you decide on Sarah?" He wanted to know, food, jewelry, some bauble she had left behind some bauble? She glanced over her shoulder at him as she paused at the door.

"Tampons, and my other option was ibuprofen."

Sounds like a tough decision to me, what do all you girls think? Think about it the term "on the rag" means something, give me a tampon any day. Ah well, here is my update. And to my friend in flordia (you know who you are) sorry there isn't a whole lot more that I haven't already e-mailed you.

BUM