As they reached the nearly filled round table, Jareth pulled one of the remaining chairs out for Sarah to sit in. She raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic behavior before taking the seat.

The handful of times she sat in a room with him usually included him draped over his throne with a look of boredom or annoyance. Matter of fact, Sarah realized, she had never sat down on any of those occasions. On the few times where they had crossed paths, she had already been lounging in the grass with Hoggle or Ludo.

It took but a few seconds as she thought on the matter further for it to occur to her there was one time, hazy as it had been, where they were at least both seated in the same vicinity. She attended a Harvest Bash with Hoggle and Didymus at Dilly Gerkin's Tavern just last year. The other details were very fuzzy and all Hell broke loose soon after, but she did remember a few seconds of eye contact with him when they first arrived. He had been sitting along the other edge of the horseshoe shaped bar. He must have left soon after though because they weren't there for long before Didymus got in a squabble with a mustached goblin. She also couldn't help but wonder why he had left.

The thought brought her back to the present as it dawned on her that this was the first time they were actually sitting together.

She smiled her thanks towards Jareth as he lowered himself to the open seat on her left.

"Well, hello there!" An overzealous voice from Sarah's right immediately called once Jareth sat.

"Oh, hello."

Sarah scooted her chair towards the table.

"It is so nice to meet you. I'm Trish! I'm Tom and Claire's neighbor. You know, help take care of the puppers when they're away and all. Just try to do what I can for the lovely couple."

Oh, so it was like that. Sarah shouldn't have been surprised that she was placed at the "miscellaneous guests" table. Honestly though, Claire invited the dog sitter, but not Jen or Theo from college? She bet this Trish had never made sure Claire made it home safe after someone slipped a roofie in her wine cooler like those two did.

Before she could respond, Jareth extended an arm in front of Sarah and shook the woman's hand. This, too, seemed quite uncharacteristic. And getting more suspicious by the minute.

He graced the woman with a dashing smile before responding.

"It's a pleasure. If only we could all have such reliable neighbors."

Christ, he practically crooned the words. Sarah nearly rolled her eyes.

"I'm Jareth. Unfortunately, I've never had the opportunity to meet the newlyweds before today. However, Sarah here, is a close friend of the bride."

"Erm, well, not as close as we used to be. We were roommates during undergrad at Syracuse together."

This was the type of small talk that Sarah needed those drinks for. Trish apparently didn't undergo the experience of fairies killing her buzz. Or really, just trying to kill her in general. Sarah discreetly looked longingly towards the bar before Trish interrupted her thoughts.

"Well, that is just wonderful. I hear Syracuse University is absolutely gorgeous. Is that where you and Jareth met?"

Jareth beat Sarah to the punch.

"Oh, no. We go back ages though." He responded as he covered Sarah's hand on the table with his own. "What has it been? Fourteen, maybe fifteen years now?"

He then patted her hand. Sarah was too caught off guard to speak before he continued.

"Sarah actually works for me at Southern New Hampshire University. I'm a dean there, you know."

At that, she was quick to intervene. Pulling her hand away from his, she flashed a glare in his direction.

"Ha, aren't you funny. What Jareth means is that he wishes I worked for him. Alas, we are both, how did you describe it earlier, Jareth?" Sarah leaned towards him before continuing. "Enslaved to the institution of higher education?"

"Ah, something along those lines."

Trish laughed.

"Oh, how adorable!"

Both Sarah and Jareth looked towards Trish with similar awkward expressions.

"I hope someday I find someone to banter with like you two have done." Trish said as she gave Sarah's shoulder a friendly squeeze and slurped up the last few drops of her cocktail through the straw, noisily sucking air at the end.

Sarah took the sound as a sign from the Universe. It was going to take some liquid courage to endure half drunk strangers and an off script Goblin King. And if she didn't move fast, the wedding party would arrive before she'd get the chance.

"You know,I think I'll grab us a round before the wedding party arrives. What is that, a vodka cranberry?" Sarah asked Trish as she stood.

"Oh, you're a doll! And yes, with Absolute. Not Smirnoff."

"Certainly."

Before making a beeline for the bar Sarah called over her shoulder to Jareth.

"I'll surprise you. And it won't involve peaches!"

oOo

Sarah returned to the table with five drinks in tow. Jareth raised an eyebrow in curiosity at the impressive feet as she passed a red one to a now distracted Trish before placing the others between Jareth and herself.

"Which do you prefer to start with? The "Tall and Handsome" or the "Ms. B Have"?"

"I think I might enjoy misbehaving." Jareth said as he grabbed the brown drink and sipped.

Sarah laughed in response.

"Not what I meant! They're signature drinks." Sarah pointed a finger towards the drink in his hand and continued, "And that's the tall and handsome."

"I appreciate the compliment, Sarah."

"Now you're willfully misunderstanding me." She responded with an eye roll before taking a sip of the drinks counterpart.

"It's rather good. What's in it?"

"Hmm? Mostly rum and ginger beer I believe. And the pink ones are grapefruit martinis."

"I think they'll do the trick."

"Oh, and what trick is that?"

The corner of Jareth's mouth quirked as he leaned closer.

"Why to get eminently drunk, dance our cares away, and watch on as these mere mortals bask in our glory"

"Ha, ya know I'm one of these mere mortals, right?"

"And look who's being willingly misunderstanding now, Sarah."

Her retort was cut off as the band began to play upbeat music to announce the arrival of the wedding party. It seemed further conversation would have to wait.