Chapter 12, When Splendor Fades

"So, did you have any more interesting dreams that I should know about?" Jareth asked.

Sarah plopped another grape in her mouth, shifting on the bed.

"No, you blew them all away." She said, giving him a light smile.

They were sitting across from one another on the bed, with a breakfast tray between them. Light from the balcony was beaming into the room. Everything was so dreamlike, she hadn't a care in the world.

Jareth laughed, his eyes were glazed with something she hadn't really seen before- happiness, pure and simple happiness.

"Well, let's hope they catch up with you." He said, giving her a devilish smirk. She shook her head, glancing around the room.

It looked so different all lit up. Everything was bold, and dark, and colorful. It screamed Jareth. She tried to envision spending more time in here.

"What are you thinking about, precious?" He asked, his head cocked to one side. She shook her head of her daydreams, she was getting ahead of herself.

"Nothing, really." She said, returning his dazed expression.

Jareth leaned in, and took her jaw in his hand, pulling her in for a light kiss. Her eyes fluttered, and his mouth curled on one end.

It was a little funny, sitting indian style googling over one another the way they were. She never pictured a morning after with the Goblin King. She never pictured any of this. This is some fucking story...wait 'till Kara hears all this. She thought. Wait... She felt odd all of the sudden, as if something were about to go horribly wrong. Kara?...HOLY FUCK.

Jareth saw the way her body had stiffened, she was thinking about something. He waited, but was growing concerned.

I completely forgot about the Aboveground. How the hell could I do that? How long have I been here? Shit, Kara must be going nuts! Oh my god...

She looked up to Jareth, the caution and worry in her eyes made him more alert.

"Sarah, is something the matter?" He asked, shifting from his position. She wasn't fully paying attention.

One, two...Three, four..Ugh, I've been here at least a week. Shit. Why have I not thought of this until now? Hadn't I been nagging at him for days about getting me back. Heh, look at me, a second glance from him and my whole world gets swept away. Stupid, stupid, Sarah. How could you let this happen?

A million thoughts and emotions were zooming across her brain. She couldn't believe the way she'd blindsided herself. She was confused, and angry, and immediately wanted to blame him. Maybe he tricked me, maybe there was something in that peach...Maybe this is all a dream. Her mind rambled.

When she didn't answer, Jareth reached for her hand. He too tensed, when she noticeably flinched away from him.

No, no. He wouldn't do that. Why would he do that? He wanted me gone, he couldn't stand the sight of me. Could he have possibly tricked me some how? No, no, I wanted this. Shit, why? God damn it Sarah, why did you have to go and sleep with him?

She fought to regain her composer. Jareth remained silent, observing.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." She trailed off. Jareth brought his hand to her face once more. She wanted nothing more than to lean into him, but pulled away instead. "Jareth, have you made any progress in getting me back Aboveground?" She asked, seemingly out of the blue.

Jareth's hand froze. Her question hit him like a tidal wave. He'd forgotten all about his plan, to bring Sarah back. He'd been so lost he'd completely disregarded it. Aboveground? Samhain...What day is it? Blast! How could I have forgotten? It's tonight, bloody hell! Once his idiotic realization had settled, something else came to mind. She wants to leave...she expects me to bring her back...Of course she does, of course she doesn't want to stay. Wait, what am I even saying? That has been the plan all along, her staying has never even been an option. He chose to put the war in his mind on pause, for now.

"Now that you ask, yes." He said, casually. Sarah should have felt relieved, but she didn't.

"And?" She asked, moving away from him. His hand had returned to his side.

"The barrier between the worlds is weakened on the night of Samhain, I might be able to slip you through then." He said, the cheer had left his voice.

"Samhain? That's Halloween, right? Wait, Halloween was only a few days away..." Her eyes darted up to him, a new wave of suspicion flowing through her mind. Could we have missed it? I haven't thought about it at all, what day is it? Is it past Halloween? Am I going to be stuck here for another year? ...There's no way HE would have forgotten, even if I did. Does he want me to be trapped here? Was this all some plot to make me forget long enough to miss my only way back home? Her mind was rambling, going from one sinister theory to the next.

Jareth was busy with his own thought process to notice Sarah's distressing state. It's tonight. How could I have let this slip my mind so carelessly? I would have missed it if she hadn't asked...And she'd be stuck here. But that's not the plan, no, it was never the plan. She still wants to leave. Whatever these past few days have been...what have they been? He looked up, and saw her mind was about to shatter.

"You haven't missed it. It's tonight." He said, feeling a little hurt at the way she was getting so riled up. She stood from the bed.

"It's tonight? Why didn't you tell me? How long have you known, exactly?" She said, rage growing in her voice.

Jareth stood from the bed now, readying himself to handle her eminent outburst.

"A few days, perhaps." He said, in a casual tone. She took a step back.

He's known for a few days? What the hell? Why didn't he say anything? Would he have said anything if I didn't ask just now? What the hell does he want? Could his plan really have been to seduce me and keep me here forever?

"Sarah, why are you so upset? I wouldn't have been able to attempt it then anyway, it will only work on the night of Samhain. You would've been stuck here regardless, if that's your concern." He tried to sound appeasing, even making his way around the bed to face her.

She knew she was overreacting, but she couldn't help it. She had too many emotions going.

"And when exactly were you planning on telling me? I find it hard to believe you could have simply forgotten, you're not that careless." She started huffing. His eyes narrowed, just a bit.

"What exactly are you trying to say, Sarah mine?" He asked, sarcastically.

"I'm saying that I'm not buying it. What exactly is your plan, give me another enchanted peach and have me warm your bed for the rest of eternity?" She spat. A flicker of rage burned at Jareth with her accusation. She didn't want to believe that he had planned all of it, used her in such a way. But her temper was getting to her, and she wanted an answer.

"Mind your tongue, precious." He warned. She glared at him.

"Why? Because I'm not stuck in this dreamland anymore? Tell me, what exactly were you hoping to accomplish? Perhaps you weren't expecting your magical peaches to wear off so fast." She spat. She felt a dangerous aura rise around them, but stood firm.

"You dare accuse me of such deceit?" He was practically snarling at her. " Dear Sarah, I assure you, whatever phantasm you believe to have escaped was no conception of mine." He growled. She looked at him, a bit wide eyed. He tore away from her. "Have I not given you everything you have asked for, yet again? You wanted someone to fight, I fought. You wanted some one to love, I have loved. You DARE, say this is not what you have wanted?" He roared, masking the hurt with rage. How dare she. Does she honestly think I maneuvered her into my bed? "No, you wanted this just as much as I did, sweet thing." He finished, turning away from her.

Sarah stood, refusing to break, refusing to give in to his words.

"You're right." She said, her voice staggering. "I did want this, very much so in fact." She glanced away, mustering more backbone. "But tell me, what is it that you want hmm? You say you do all these things for me, maybe you should do something for yourself. You act repulsed, as if you hate my very presence. And now, now you speak of love? You knew what this was from the start. You wanted me gone. What is it you want now? Tell me, Jareth, what exactly do you want from me?" She exclaimed, fighting back teary eyes.

Jareth stood, like a statue. Her words bore into him, ripping his anger away, leaving him hollow. What do I want? The question echoed in his thoughts. He'd never thought of what he really wanted in all this. He'd just gone in blind, meeting all of her expectations just as before. Maybe that was the problem all along.

He turned as if to say something, and his eyes met hers. She was taken back to see they were full of sorrow. He opened his mouth, but no words came. She couldn't stand the silence, so she spoke up again.

"Jareth, I have a life Aboveground. It's not magical or glamourous mind you, but there are people that care about me. I have friends, family, obligations. I can't just throw all that away. Did you ever think how my disappearance would affect all those people? I'm not that selfish." The anger had left her voice as well. "The days I've spent here, have been great- mostly. But, it was never meant to last..." Her voice trailed off. She'd started looking around the room, it was hard to believe what had happened only a few hours previously.

Jareth turned and made his way to stand in front of her.

"Sarah, there have been no tricks, you can not say this isn't real." He said, still not sure what it was he was asking of her. She forced herself to look away from him.

"It doesn't matter. This isn't a fairytale, or one of your games. You're taking me back, Jareth. That's the way it has to be." She went to step away from him, to leave without another word, but his hands took hold of her, refusing to end on such a note.

"It can be whatever you wish, whatever your desire." He said, pleading for something of which he had no idea. She bit her lip.

"Have you heard nothing I've said? I'm sorry, that all this has happened." She made a gesture around the room. "It just makes this harder." She said, pulling away from him. After a moment, a calming resolve came over his face, which then turned to stone, and he too took a step back.

"Never apologize for embracing one's happiness." He said, lowering his gaze from her face.

They stood for an awkward moment, before she finally got the strength to back away to the door. Jareth looked up once he heard the creaking of the hinges.

"Meet me in the throne room tonight, when you're ready." He called out. She paused in her step, but said nothing.

The next moment, Jareth was alone, unable to turn away from the lonely door that faced him, yet again.