Hello everybody! I know that some of you are mad at me for not updating in like, 4 months, and I can understand your anger. HOWEVER, I swear to Loki that I have a good reason on why I haven't updated, and that reason is: My computer got such a bad virus that you couldn't open a single thing, so it was rendered useless. My uncle told me he would get me a new computer soon, and I guess by soon he meant 4 freakin' months later, so here we are. I am so freaking sorry about the delay. It was stressing me out that I would not be able to update, trust me. Again, you have my sincere regrets. So, to make up for it, I give you an extra-long chapter, and something else that I will not mention, but I know that you will like it.

Chapter Twenty-Three

I closed the door to the bathroom behind me, heaved a sigh, and walked to the closet. I picked a random suit for Jareth and a plain purple dress for myself. I grabbed a set of underwear, dried myself off as best as possible, and got dressed before Jareth finally emerged from the bathroom, naked.

"Nice choice. I like the dark blue," Jareth appraised.

"Thanks," I mumbled absently, trying my best not to look at Jareth's chiseled body.

He sauntered over to me and kissed me, his penis digging into my stomach. I cringed at its touch, but Jareth didn't notice. He broke the kiss after a few moments, and walked into the closet to change.

I collapsed on the bed and looked at the wet spot on my stomach from the water on Jareth's penis, disgusted. He came out of the closet fully dressed, holding a pair of white flats.

"You forgot your shoes again." He offered them to me with a smirk. I took them from him silently and slipped them on.

"Why don't you go do your hair, and then we can go out for breakfast?" he suggested. I nodded. I didn't fail to catch the 'out' part. Was he really willing to take me out? Was this a date? Jareth said he loved me, so was this his idea of one?

I walked into the bathroom and, while pondering these questions, did my hair into a side braid. I walked back out of the bathroom and followed Jareth into the garage. I saw no signs of the siblings, and was grateful for that. Seeing them would just cause awkwardness.

We walked into the garage, and I looked around. All there was was sports cars, all of which were white.

"Which car do you want to take?" Jareth asked me.

I was slightly surprised that Jareth was asking me, but I got over my surprise quickly. I pointed to the first car I saw, which happened to be a Corvette.

He nodded, and got into the driver's side. I followed him into the car, and put my seatbelt on. Jareth pulled out of the garage to drive on the same road that Karigan and I had tried to escape on.

I looked at the front of the house and thought, Typical Jareth. The house was huge and white, with gold trimming and roof tiles. The windows had gold shutters, and the door handle was gold as well.

Jareth drove through the forest, past the spot where he stopped Karigan and me. "What are you thinking about?" he asked suddenly.

I shrugged.

"Oh come on, I can see it in your eyes," he laughed.

I found that impossible, considering that he wasn't able to see my eyes while his were on the road. "What is it?" I asked, curious as to what he could 'see in my eyes.'

"That you're thinking," he replied.

"I was just wondering where we're going." I was actually thinking about Karigan, but I didn't feel like telling him that.

"Oh. Why didn't you just ask?" He looked over at me.

I shrugged.

"We're going to this great little restaurant called Rene's. It's a place where vampires can take their human companions out to eat without fear of anyone recognizing the human. Plus, they've got amazing food," Jareth explained.

I nodded.

We now pulled onto a highway cutting through the middle of the forest, the one where Jareth picked me up when I first tried to escape.

"I just realized that I don't know anything about you. Do you want to play a game until we get to the restaurant?" he asked.

I would have much rathered sit in silence, then play a game with Jareth, but I muttered a 'sure' instead.

"Okay, awesome. So I'll ask you a question, and you'll answer it, then you ask me a question, back and forth, alright?" he asked.

I nodded.

"What type of music do you like?" Jareth asked me.

"Rock."

"Cool, now ask me a question."

I was about to ask what his favorite color was, but it was pretty apparent that it was white. So instead I asked, "Do you like to read?"

"Oh yes, I love to read. What is your favorite book?"

"I've read too many to decide on a single favorite. How old are you?"

"Misery, don't you know that it's rude to ask a man his age?" Jareth laughed. "587."

My eyes widened in surprise. He was only thirteen years younger than Blake.

"When is your birthday?" Jareth asked.

"April 8th, 1998. When is yours?"

"September 21st, 1427. Where were you born?"

"California. Where were you?"

"England. Who did you live with before you were a slave?"

"My aunt and uncle. What's your favorite movie?"

"Cyrano de Bergerac. Where is your father?"

"I don't know. What is your favorite song?"

"Heroes by David Bowie. What is your favorite color?"

"Black. Who's your favorite author?"

"William Shakespeare. Yours?"

"Edgar Allan Poe. What's your dream job?"

"I wouldn't have a job, so I could spend all my time with you." Jareth smiled at me.

I ignored his sentiment.

"What's yours?" he asked, unfazed by my lack of a response.

"I'd be a paleontologist."

I was about to ask another question when Jareth said, "We're here." I looked up from my lap and saw a cute little place in the middle of a meadow, overlooking a small lake. Rene's was essentially a patio with a roof over it. The only enclosed spaces were the bathrooms and the kitchens.

Jareth got out of the car, and I followed him up to the hostess.

"Reservations for King," Jareth said to the hostess, a pretty blonde lady with glittering red eyes that seemed to pierce your soul.

"Right this way, Mr. King," she said. She led us to a table directly in front of the lake. "Your server will be right with you," she said as she set the menus down on our table and left. We sat at the table and I picked up the menu. I wasn't really hungry, but figured I had to eat something anyway, so I decided on a waffle.

I put down the menu, and looked around. The tables were covered in red and white checkered table cloths, and each had a single red rose sitting on top of it. The faint and delicate sound of piano keys could be heard overhead.

"Have you decided on what you wanted?" Jareth asked from over the top of his menu.

"A waffle."

"A waffle?" he repeated questioningly.

I nodded. "I'm not that hungry."

"Okay," he replied simply.

I looked over at the lake, glittering in the bright morning sun, until our server appeared.

"My name's Peggy and I'll be taking care of you today?" Can I start you off with anything to drink?" a brunette girl who appeared to be my age with red eyes asked. She looked over at Jareth.

"I'll have a cup of AB please," Jareth told her.

A shiver ran down my spine. AB was my blood type.

"And for you, miss?" she turned to me.

"I'll have a cup of Earl Grey tea please."

She wrote down our orders, smiled, and walked away.

"I didn't know you liked Earl Grey," Jareth stated.

"Yeah," I mumbled.

"This is a pretty cute place, huh?" Jareth asked, looking around.

"Yeah," I repeated.

"What's your favorite thing about me?" he asked all of a sudden.

"What?" I asked, confused and worried that I would have to answer a question like that.

"I said, what's your favorite thing about me?" he repeated.

"Umm… you're usually pretty nice," I lied.

"My favorite thing about you is how it took an unusually long time to break you," Jareth said, as if it was a complement.

I was saved from replying to that horrendous statement by the arrival of our waitress coming with our drinks. She set a cup filled with thick red liquid in front of Jareth, and a mug with steaming tea in front of me.

"Have you decided on what you would like for breakfast?" our waitress asked.

"Yes, I'll have biscuits and gravy with a side of hash browns, bacon, and sausage, please," Jareth ordered, handing her his menu. It seemed like he would be eating for the both of us.

"And you?" the waitress asked me.

"I'll have a waffle, please," I said, handing her my menu as well.

"Just one waffle?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Okay, I'll be back with your orders soon," she said and left.

"Would you like to hear about my job?" Jareth asked me.

"Sure," I replied, even though I couldn't give a damn about where Jareth worked.

"Well, I…" but I stopped listening after that. I looked out over the lake again. It was so peaceful. Its small waves lapped against the sandy shore. A feeling of longing washed over me. I wished I could just sit there with my toes in the water, alone. No Jareth, no thoughts of my mother. Just alone.

I was broken out of my reverie when a plate with a waffle sitting on top of it was set down in front of me. I looked up, startled, but tried to compose myself to make it look like I was paying attention.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, tuck in," Jareth encouraged.

I obeyed, and Jareth did the same.

I cut a piece of waffle, and stuffed it in my mouth. I looked over at the other tables, and nearly choked. The long black hair, the black suit, the black finger nails. Even though his back was turned, there was no mistaking him.

It was Blake.