Content Warning: Drug and alcohol use

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Sarah knew that she should probably be reflecting on the events from that morning. She loved Jareth, that she knew for sure. What she didn't know was what she was going to do about it. It would make sense to take some time and really consider what she wanted. Instead, there was an empty baggie with a smiley face emblem on her nightstand, and an increasingly high Sarah standing in line to her favorite club. She danced in place to the beat of the music coming from inside, her knee high, thick-soled Dr. Marten boots thudding in time against the pavement. She wore a gold mini skirt that hugged her hips, a gold bikini top, and her signature buns. The entire ensemble was sprayed liberally with gold glitter. Gold eyeliner and purple lipstick accentuated the deep green of her eyes.

Sarah's friend Margot stood next to her, craning her neck in order to gauge how far they were from the door. With them were their two friends, Audrey and Brandon. Audrey and Margot had started hooking up recently. They clearly thought Sarah and Brandon didn't know about it, despite it being painfully obvious. Sarah fully expected Margot and Audrey to disappear together at some point that night, leaving her alone with Brandon to party without them. That would be fine, Sarah thought, since she and Brandon had such an easy energy between them.

"You really shouldn't grind your teeth like that, Sarah," chided Margot, "It's not even nine, and you're already feeling it?"

Sarah smiled at her friend toothily. "I didn't eat much today. It's hitting me fast."

Margot frowned. "Uhh, Sarah, that doesn't sound great. Do you want to grab some food before we head in?"

"Yeah," Audrey chimed in, "there's a McDonalds literally a block up."

"It's fine!" Sarah answered, cheerily. "I feel good. Let's stop on the way home instead."

Brandon laughed. "I doubt anyone here is eating food tonight. We're going to be way too amped."

Sarah, already feeling energetic and bubbly, nodded and laughed along with him. "You're probably right. I'm definitely climbing already."

"Me too," Audrey agreed, grinning a wild-eyed grin, "tonight is going to be legendary."

By the time they made it inside, Sarah was fully rolling. Euphoria flooded her every cell and she smiled wickedly at her friends. "Come on, let's dance," she giggled, grabbing Audrey and Margot's hands and dragging them to the dance floor.

Brandon trailed behind, shaking his head. "Yeah, don't worry about me. I'm on my way!"

The four of them danced together for a few hours, taking turns to run to the bar for drinks. Sarah had four beers by the time midnight came around, and the combination of the beer and the ecstasy had her floating on a cloud. Images of Jareth's beautiful face crept into her mind several times, but she was so inebriated, she couldn't care where things stood with him. She pushed thoughts of him away as she lost herself to the music thrumming through her body.

At one point in the night, Sarah climbed up on a go-go dancer stage and put on a show for her friends as if they were the only people in the club. Her dance was sultry and teasing. Bending over, arching her back and rolling her body back up, Sarah threw a wink at her friends as they whooped and cheered her on. Feeling sexy and confident, she stroked her body suggestively and swayed her hips. She felt emboldened by a new connection with her body that she hand't felt before. An awareness, an understanding of its power. She thought of Jareth again as she ran her hands up her sides, imagining his strong, slender fingers touching her. She let out a small moan, her eyes closing as she continued seducing the room.

Jareth.

Her eyes snapped open as she was jolted from her trance. "Shit," she muttered to herself.

Sarah.

His reply felt clipped. She could sense him scrying on her.

I want your hands on me.

She dropped her ass low to the floor and brought it back up slowly, sensually, running her hands up her legs as she straightened.

Oh? That will mean more to me once you are sober, Sarah.

Sarah rolled her eyes. She climbed off the stage and beelined for the bar, grabbing a beer. She leaned against the counter and held the cold bottle against the warm skin of her neck, trying to cool off. The heat of the club, plus the effects of the ecstasy, had her overheating.

She was considering what to send back to Jareth when she felt a shoulder bump purposefully into hers. Looking up, she saw Brandon smiling down at her. "Hey, Sar. Guess who found himself alone on the dance floor?"

Sarah took a few swigs from her beer. "Shit, did Audrey and Margot sneak off to—" she broke to make air quotes, "—'go to the bathroom' again?"

Brandon laughed. "Yeah, exactly. And you had ditched us to go put on that epic strip tease, without the stripping. Jesus, Sarah. Where did all of that come from?" He gave her an approving once-over.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess I was just feeling sexy."

He nodded, smiling a crooked smile. "Well, good. You should. Hey, do you want to dance?"

Sarah considered, looking at the crowded dance floor. "I do, but I'm really warm right now. Maybe in a few minutes? I want to cool off for a sec." She pressed her beer to her forehead and then to the back of her neck. "Hang with me?"

He frowned, then his face split in a grin. "Why don't we go out back to get some air? I could use about a hundred cigarettes at this point, anyway."

Sarah snorted. "A hundred, huh? Okay, yeah, let's go. But let's go out the side door. The back is always too crowded." Sarah finished her beer and left the bottle on the bar. She casually took his hand and guided him through the thick crowd to a door that lead to her usual 'secret' smoke spot. Once they got outside, she dropped his hand and leaned her back against the brick wall of the building.

Brandon looked down at the hand she had been holding as if he had been hit with a stun gun. He looked up at Sarah. While shaking his head as if to clear it, he reached in his jacket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Withdrawing two from the pack, he lit them both and handed one to Sarah.

Sarah took the cigarette gratefully. She wasn't a regular smoker, but she definitely appreciated a smoke when she was intoxicated. "Thanks." She took a deep drag, closing her eyes and relishing the sudden feeling of being lightheaded and fuzzy around the edges. "Fuck, that's good right now."

When he didn't reply, she glanced at him. He was staring at her heavily and his eyes were hooded with something Sarah had never seen in them before. Something about the way he was looking at her frightened Sarah. Distant alarm bells began ringing in the back of her brain.

Suddenly, he was very close. He leaned down to kiss her mouth.

"Woah." Sarah pulled away. "Brandon, I'm sorry. No. I'm not interested in that way."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Come on, Sar. You know I am the nicest guy you know." He leaned in again.

This time, Sarah actually moved to turn and walk away when he aggressively trapped her wrists and pinned them to the wall at her sides. She closed her eyes tight.

"You're a fucking tease," he hissed, his breath hot on her face.

Suddenly, an alien sensation pulsed through her veins. Hot energy bubbled in her body, burning but not painful. Sarah felt a force push into Brandon's hands through her restrained wrists. The pressure on her wrists disappeared and she heard a loud crunch as something hit the asphalt a few feet away. Her eyes shot open and she could see Brandon's lifeless body slumped on the ground.

Jareth. I need you.

The Goblin King materialized in the alley, immediately smelling the combination of fear and magic in the air. He looked between Sarah and the body on the ground.

"What—" He started.

"Jareth, I think… I think I did that to him." She slid down the wall, laughing brokenly, "And I'm too fucking high to care."

"Sarah, are you all right?"

"Probably not," she admitted, "but I'm on a real good one right now." She laughed again, sounding detached and far away. Despite her laughter, tears slipped down her cheeks. Hugging her knees to her chest, she rocked back and forth.

He frowned. "Are you hurt?"

"No."

His frown deepened. "Tell me what happened."

"He tried to kiss me. I didn't want him to. He grabbed my arms and trapped me against the wall. Then I sorta… imagined him fucking off, and, well, he fucked right on off. Way over there." She pointed at Brandon's limp form.

Jareth's eyes widened as she confirmed his suspicions. "You did this with magic?"

Sarah tossed him a sloppy grin. "It would appear so, Goblin King. This is what I get for fucking a magical fae being, it seems." She hiccuped. "One day I'm just a harmless mortal with a creepy mind reading habit, then I let you fuck me, and suddenly I'm a magical murderer." A giggle built in her throat and broke open as she laughed.

Cringing at her callousness, he walked over to Brandon and toed his body over with his boot so he was face up. Leaning down, he ran a hand over Brandon's head, chest, and torso, before concluding, "He lives. He'll be fine. You're no murderer." He turned to Sarah. "Will you come with me?"

She hesitated, looking at Jareth suspiciously. "I don't need to be lectured tonight."

He threw her a hard look. "You have my word."

Sarah scowled. "Fine. Take me home, please."

Jareth strode over to where Sarah sat against the wall. He leaned down to scoop her into his arms. Pressing a kiss to her hair, he transported them both to her apartment.

A/N: Hi everyone. I'm sorry it's been a while. I decided to put two chapters up. Thanks to everyone who is still reading 3