A/N: In which Jareth kicks up the crazy another level.

PART FOUR
Morning Surprises

Sarah woke the next morning feeling lighter than she had in months. Sunlight filtered into her room, and she was positive the day was going to be beautiful. Maybe she would take Jareth to the Farmer's market for some fresh strawberries, and then a picnic at her favorite sketching spot.

Whoa.

Was she really considering a date with the Goblin King? A real, bona fide date? Was he manipulating her in some way, or was she coming by all this honestly? Sarah tried to figure it out, but really, who could be expected to think straight first thing in the morning before a cup of coffee?

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped on her fuzzy not-pink slippers. The house seemed quieter than usual, but that didn't mean that the goblins weren't around. In fact, the quiet was more worrisome, as it often meant they were being sneaky about their mischief. She'd have to deal with that too—after coffee.

There wasn't a goblin or chicken underfoot when she left her room and headed toward the kitchen. Definitely not a good sign. Coffee first, then the disciplining of magical creatures. She saw the top of Jareth's hair over the back of the couch as she passed the living room into the kitchen.

"Sleep well, precious?" he said. "Dream of me?"

"Get out," she replied by rote as she poured herself a cup of steaming java. The smell alone was invigorating.

"No."

She took a sip—today was not a day for sugar and cream. Sarah needed her wits about her and only black coffee would do. "Had to…"

Her words dropped off as she looked around for the first time. The house was clean. No, it was immaculate—the way it used to be before Jareth and his subjects had moved in. And speaking of Jareth's subjects, not a single one of them were in sight. Okay, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Maybe Jareth was being nice today.

"So…" she started to say as she went to join him in the living room, but stopped short when she laid eyes on him.

Jareth was not wearing his normal at-home attire of a poet's shirt, leather vest, pants that left little to the imagination, gloves, and knee-high boots. He had donned his Erik persona, but instead of a t-shirt and jeans, he wore a blue polo shirt and tan shorter Erik-hair was even under control, combed and parted in the latest style. The look was Erik's version of dress casual chic, and he was nearly as breathtaking as he was when he was himself.

Sarah was immediately suspicious. Jareth was never predictable, but this was so far off the new-crazy-normal radar, there was no doubt in her mind that he was up to something.

She was about to ask just what that was when he smiled at her and said, "You might want to make yourself presentable. We have company coming."

Company? Her Jareth-alarms were flashing red alert. "Who's coming over?" she asked, a sick feeling settling in her stomach.

"Your family," he answered as if she should have expected no less. "This visit is long overdue." He clucked his tongue. "Really, Sarah. You had them believing—how did Karen put it? Ah, yes. She thought you might have run off with the circus, since you haven't spoken to them in months. I hear that your brother is nearly heartbroken." He picked up a magazine and started leafing through it. "I invited them over."

She gave him a dumbfounded stare as her brain registered his words. "You what?" Not waiting for him to answer, she made a dash for the phone. Maybe if she could catch them before they left the house…

"I expect they'll arrive in the next few minutes or so. You really shouldn't sleep in so late, love."

Sarah nearly dropped her mug. The next few minutes? "You have to get out. Now." There was no way she was going to explain Jareth to her family.

"I think I'll stay—especially when your parents are so eager to meet your charming live-in boyfriend." He looked up from the magazine.

"You…" Her eyes widened in horror. "You didn't!"

He graced her with a wicked grin. "Can I be blamed for the conclusions your stepmother drew from our brief conversation?"

She found herself wishing she knew his middle and last names—if he had any—because screaming "Jareth!" at the top of her lungs would not be enough.

"You'd best hurry, Sarah." Jareth winked at her. "They're pulling into the driveway."

Anger and panic made her want to alternately pummel Jareth and hide under her bed. "When this is over, I'm going to beat you senseless!" she yelled as she ran toward her bedroom.

"I look forward to it with bated breath." He laughed as she slammed her door.

Sarah was certain that she set the Guinness world record for fastest wardrobe change, and she did it while calling Jareth every nasty name that had been uttered since the beginning of time. She couldn't believe that she had been considering taking him out on a date before. Ha! It would be a cold day in the Sahara before she'd let that happen. Jareth was going to pay for this.

She heard the front door open as she was throwing her hair into a sloppy ponytail and rushing down the hall. She cursed when she stumbled over something, and glanced down to find all of her shoes piled at her feet. That wily son of a…

"Are you quite all right?" Jareth looked concerned, but Sarah knew better. "Perhaps you should keep your shoes in the closet."

"Sarah!" Toby pushed past his parents and made a beeline for her. Sarah barely had time to steel herself before her eleven-year old brother ran headlong into her, wrapping his arms around her in a vice-like hug. The boy had grown a couple inches since she'd seen him last, and Sarah felt guilty that she hadn't made time for him.

Toby let go of her and planted his hands on his hips. "Now where the hell have you been?"

"Toby!" Karen gasped. "Language!"

"Sorry, Mom." Toby rolled his eyes.

Sarah laughed and tousled his hair. "I've been a little preoccupied the last couple of months. Forgive me?"

Toby pursed his lips. "Only if you promise to take me to Great America."

Sarah snorted. "That's a pretty high price, buddy. How about dinner and a movie instead?"

He grinned ear-to-ear and stuck out his hand. "It's a deal!"

Jareth chuckled, and Sarah noticed that he was standing next to her. "Your brother is certainly a skilled negotiator." He lowered his voice. "I wonder where he gets it from."

Before Sarah could unleash a scathing reply, Karen said, "So, you must be Erik?"

"I am indeed. Erik Turner." He shook both Karen's and Robert's hands, though Sarah's father did not look pleased about meeting his only daughter's "boyfriend."

Everyone moved to the living room, and somehow, after Sarah's family was seated, the only spot left was next to Jareth. Sarah kept the scowl from her face as she sat. She decided that it would be easier to go along with the ruse. Telling her family "Oh him? He's a magical being that fell in love with me years ago and won't leave me alone until I agree to become his queen" was not an option. Sarah wouldn't have believed it herself, if she hadn't been living it.

She was not, however, going to forget that this was the second time in as many days that Jareth had gotten her to play the loving girlfriend.

"How did you two meet?" Karen asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"Blind date," Sarah said, hoping that would be answer enough. The less they talked about her relationship with Jareth, the better.

Jareth draped his arm across the top of the couch behind her neck. She stopped herself from giving into the natural inclination to lean against him. "Yes, her friend set us up." He glanced at Sarah with a grin. "We really ought to thank her for that, shouldn't we, love?"

"Yes we should, honey," she replied through her phony smile.

"It is a rather humorous tale." Jareth turned back to her parents. "To be honest, I thought I had botched the whole thing after the karaoke incident, but when I took her back to her place, she invited me in for coffee and that was that. Right, Precious?"

"In a nutshell." Sarah's cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so hard.

Karen beamed. She'd always been a hopeless romantic. "That's so wonderful! Isn't that wonderful, Robert?"

Sarah's father grunted, his expression stern. "What is it you do for a living, Erik?"

And thus begins the interrogation. Sarah wanted to see how Jareth wriggled his way out of this. Robert had scared off many of her dates over the years, and she was counting on him to bring on the full inquisition.

"I own my own business—an internet endeavor, if you will," Jareth answered. "I set up a website for granting wishes."

"Hey." Toby cut in. "Have I seen you before?"

Sarah's panic came charging back. "No, this is the first time you've met Erik."

"And how has business been for you?" Robert's expression said that he thought Jareth's business venture to be a dubious one.

Jareth was unfazed. "Quite well, in fact."

"Maybe I saw you on TV." Toby interjected. "Are you a singer too?"

Jareth laughed. "Singing is a hobby, but I've never been on television."

"Sarah, honey," Karen said, "you look tired."

Sarah opened her mouth to reply by was headed off by Robert's continued questions for Jareth.

"Just how well is business going, exactly?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"I know!" Toby nearly stood up as he pointed at Jareth. "You're in a movie, right?"

Jareth shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not." He turned to Sarah's father. "To answer your question, Robert, I want for nothing."

"And yet you need to live in my daughter's house?"

Sarah felt a little smug at her father's question. Yeah, Dad! Put him in his place.

"Is your name really Erik?" Toby's brow was furrowed.

"Sarah," Karen said, "you've got dark circles under your eyes. At your age you should really start thinking about taking better care of your skin."

The conversation was spinning faster than Sarah could keep track of it.

Jareth smiled at Toby. "Erik is the name that I'm known by." He turned back to Robert. "I spend much of my time here, true, but I still retain my residence."

Karen started rifling through her purse. "I know a fantastic cosmetologist."

Toby frowned. "But you don't look like an 'Erik.'"

"If you have your own place, then why are you shacking up with Sarah?" Robert raised a brow in disapproval.

Karen stood up and handed Sarah a pink business card. "Call her. What she does with skin is practically magic." She waved a hand over her own face as she returned to her seat. Sarah looked down at the card and nearly laughed at the slogan: "Turn back the hands of time!"

"Truth be told, Robert," Jareth said, "I'd much rather that Sarah lived at my place. However, she's uncomfortable with the rather palatial feel of my home."

Sarah's head snapped up, and she reached over and gripped Jareth's knee to get him to shut up. He grabbed her hand and entwined his fingers with hers, giving her a lopsided Erik-grin.

"Cucumbers will help with the puffiness around your eyes, honey." Karen sat back down. "Try it."

"You look more like a Jacob," Toby said. "No, no. That's not it."

"Shacking up is still shacking up, son." Robert pointed out.

Jareth nodded. "I agree that it's not the best situation. I'd prefer that Sarah and I wed, but she's not ready to accept my hand in marriage just yet." He gave Sarah's hand an affectionate squeeze.

Sarah choked on a squeak that tried to erupt from her throat. She squeezed his hand back, not so affectionately. Oh, he was a dead immortal. Dead!

"Marriage?" Karen asked with wide eyes. "You want to marry Sarah?"

Robert frowned. "After only, what? Three months?"

"Jared!" Toby blurted out. "That's kind of what you look like—a Jared."

Jareth gave Sarah a wistful look. "It feels as though I've loved Sarah for years." He held up his free hand. "Never fear that I'm unduly pressuring your beloved daughter. I'm a very patient man."

Sarah met his eyes, still smiling that fake smile, and tried to convey silently that he'd better quit now or his demise would be swift and imminent. He raised a brow, obvious amusement written on his face.

"Look at how the two of you are staring at each other! So romantic." Karen practically swooned. "Oh, Sarah, why didn't you tell us it was so serious?"

Because it's not! "I don't know." Sarah crushed Jareth's hand. Dead! Dead! Dead!

"Do you have lots of pets?" Toby asked, still talking to the Goblin King as if he hadn't heard the rest of the conversation. "You look like someone who has lots of pets—weird pets. Chickens, too."

"OH, Sarah, are you in love with Erik?" Karen's face flushed with such a sweet, dreamy expression that Sarah thought she might get a cavity just by looking at her.

"Yes, Sarah"—Jareth's grin turned diabolical—"are you in love with me?"

Sarah shot up from her seat. "Is anybody thirsty? I am!"

She didn't wait for the others to respond before she bolted for the kitchen. It was probably not a good idea to leave Jareth alone with her family, but she had reached her limit in this insane asylum masquerading as a family visit. Karen was on the cusp of scheduling an appointment with a wedding planner, Sarah was sure of it, and her father was probably making a list of all the ways he could flay Jareth. (That Sarah didn't mind so much—in fact, she might have an idea or two to contribute.) And Toby…

"I do believe the boy remembers me," Jareth said from behind her. "I find myself inordinately pleased. He really was a delightful little fellow."

Sarah spun around and fixed him with an accusatory glare. "You would have turned him into a goblin."

"Perhaps." Jareth stepped up to her. "But then, I wasn't the one who wished him away. You seem to forget who the culpable party was in that scenario."

She stabbed a finger at him, prepared to remind him of how he had kidnapped her little brother and put her through hell to get him back, but stopped when she realized that he was right—she had started all of it. Damn.

He cocked his head. "Dear me, is the obstinate Sarah Williams finally acquiescing to the truth?"

Jareth, the man for whom the word stubborn was invented, did not just call her obstinate. Sarah's moment of dawning understanding came to an abrupt halt as she moved right back to angry indignation. "I might have wished him away, but you didn't have to take him." Just who was culpable now, buddy? Huh?

"Is that what you think?" He placed his hands against the countertop on either side of her and brought his body mere millimeters from hers. She swallowed as he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I am always bound by the right words, Sarah. Always."

She trembled and closed her eyes. A voice in her head told her to pay attention—that he'd said something important—but all she could think about was how close he was, how delicious he smelled. She wanted to press up against him, twine her fingers in his blond hair, and kiss his socks off. Then she wanted to kiss other articles of clothing off after that.

"Gross!"

Sarah whipped her head around at Toby's exclamation. Her brother had his hand over his eyes, his face pinched with disgust. She shook herself. If Toby hadn't interrupted… Well, thank goodness for nosy little brothers.

Jareth didn't look pleased at all. He kept his eyes on her as he addressed the eleven-year-old boy, his tone saturated with irritation. "Was there something you needed, Tobias?"

"I came to see why it was taking you guys so long. I didn't know you were making out." Toby made a gagging sound. He started to walk away, but turned back with a furrowed brow. "Hey, how did you know my real name?"

Jareth smirked. "You'd be surprised what I know, boy."

"He knows because I told him," Sarah cut in before the conversation could go any further. Jareth seemed to have forgotten that he was supposed to be Erik and not the great and mischievous (sexy as hell) Goblin King.

"Yes, she did." Jareth's face became the congenial Erik-mask again, and Sarah breathed a sigh of relief.

Toby nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer. "Your eyes are really cool," he said to Jareth. "They kinda make me think of an owl." He left the kitchen, leaving Sarah gawking after him.

"It would seem that I made a lasting impression on him during our first encounter." Jareth smiled broadly.

Sarah snorted. "Well, you are impressive, Your Majesty."

"Quite," heagreed, missing the sarcasm in her voice.

She laughed and shook her head. Typical, egotistical Jareth. Funny how his megalomaniac ways didn't grate on her nerves anymore. In fact, he could be almost…endearing. Except for today. Sarah was still peeved about the family visit. Operation Goblin King Smackdown was scheduled to commence as soon as her parents and brother were on their merry way.

"Now, before we were so rudely interrupted," Jareth said, drawing her attention back to his pretty face, "I believe you were about to ravish me. Shall we continue?"

Sarah became acutely aware that he was still nearly leaning against her, looking down at her with eyes that promised every carnal delight she could imagine—and probably some her little mortal brain could not even fathom. She shivered.

"Oh, are you cold, love?" Jareth leered. "If you'd allow me, I'd be more than happy to warm you."

For three seconds, Sarah gave his offer serious consideration, remembering the way he had kissed her before. A little voice in her mind posited that he had given those soul-melting lip-locks under the guise of Erik and therefore, Sarah had yet to experience true Jareth smooches. We must know if there is a difference, the voice said, for scientific purposes, of course.

Sarah closed her eyes and seized the sliver of will power she had left to push him away. "We'd better get back out there," she said, "before they come looking for us—again."

He backed away slowly, centimeter by centimeter, his mismatched eyes fixed on hers. "Such a pity." He conjured a crystal that morphed into a tray holding glasses of lemonade. "Do hurry, Sarah. Karen is most anxious to discuss our upcoming nuptials."

Sarah glared at his back as he walked out of the kitchen, carrying the tray. Once he was out of sight, she sagged against the counter. Resisting Jareth was becoming like defying gravity—no matter how hard she fought, eventually she was going to fall.

Would it be so bad to give in? She didn't know.

A/N: I, for one, vote for Sarah to give in. What do you think? Thank you so much for reading!