A/N: I hope the last chapter was able to tide you over until now. If not, I'm terribly sorry for the long absence. I've given you an extra long chapter to make up for it. You readers are truly the best and I hope you enjoy this installment of Summer Solstice. Special shoutouts go to MichArela, LadyBlah, tfstarlight, RubyDracoGirl, Full-Empty-Spirit, sandy162, Silverfurred, MoonPrincess623, Her Royal Goddess, gunitatsuhiko, notwritten, Operaphantomgrl, gothlena13, Pink can Be a Dark Color, LittleMargarita, scifigeek10, KraZiiePyrozHavemoreFun, Lucia Rayne, and xAngel-Of-The-Operax for helping me reach 400 reviews with the last chapter. Remember – reviews make me happy and happy people update faster.
Disclaimer: Alas, I don't own anything but my own creations.
Allie had known the moment Sarah entered their shared room. Smiling into her pillow, she listened to her friend hum the now familiar tune. Soon, her hums were replaced by deep even breathing. Allie allowed herself to bask in the happiness of her friend. She'd been with Sarah through her break-up with James and listened to her lament over the fact she felt incapable of love. Now, Sarah had finally found someone she could love and Allie knew the feelings were returned.
With a smile, she climbed out of bed and quietly got dressed. It was still early and the sunrise sent shards of red, orange, and yellow light into the room. The chill was still in the air and Allie shivered. Grabbing a shawl, she quickly put the woven fabric over her shoulders. The day smelt new and Allie decided to take advantage of being up at daybreak. Ever since she first arrived, she realized she hadn't spent much time exploring her new home.
Allie left a note for Sarah and put sturdy boots upon her feet. Stealing out of the room, she made her way to the doors leading to the outside. As she stepped outside, she inhaled the fresh air deep into her lungs. She was overwhelmed by the moist, fragrant air. Taking her first steps out of the castle, she felt the dampness of the ground soak into her boots. Goosebumps made their appearance on her arms and she pulled the shawl tighter around herself. The larks were busy singing their morning songs and Allie found herself mesmerized by them.
Two arms sliding themselves around her waist startled her. Allie's survival instinct kicked in, literally. Pulling her leg forward, she kicked her foot behind her. It connected with something solid and the arms released her. Allie turned and gasped. There stood Fagan, gripping his shin and wincing in pain.
"What the devil did you do that for?" he gasped, cursing himself for looking so weak in front of her.
"You scared the crap out of me," Allie returned. "Don't you know that you shouldn't sneak up on someone with self-defense training?"
"Now she tells me," he muttered, still nursing his bruised shin.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked.
"I could ask the same from you," he replied. The pain was finally starting to recede. He put his foot back onto the ground and tested it out. Thanks to his Fae powers of rejuvenation, his leg would be back to normal in a few moments. Still, he disliked feeling pain until then.
"I wanted to take a walk," Allie stated. "I realized that I've been here for almost a month and I've barely been outside the castle."
"Why so early?" Fagan wondered.
"Sarah woke me up when she came to bed," she replied. One of his eyebrows raised and a smirk graced his handsome features. "I can see by the look on your face that you don't need me to dish the details."
"Quite right," Fagan agreed. "There isn't much I don't know about what goes on in my castle."
"I believe you," Allie replied. "I guess you knew I stepped out here as soon as my foot hit the ground."
"You guess correctly," Fagan affirmed. He took her hips in his hands and pulled her close to him. Looking deep within her eyes, he realized the full extent of his love for this woman. He just hoped that his brother felt a tenth of what he felt. They were two very lucky men.
"I'm sorry I kicked you," Allie apologized, slipping her arms around his neck. Tipping her head up, she pressed her lips to his for a chaste kiss.
"I'm sorry, as well, my love," Fagan replied. "I should have taken you on a proper tour of the Kingdom when you first arrived. Shall we?"
Fagan offered his arm to her and, giggling, she took it happily. The two of them set out to explore his Kingdom. Their Kingdom, Fagan reminded her. She had to remind herself that, in a few months, she was going to become a queen. How surreal! A month ago, she was a lonely, average college student. Now, she was betrothed to a King and on her way to becoming practically immortal. Her best friend sharing the journey with her was just icing on the cake. Life was sure good for Allison Brown.
XXX
Back in the room a few hours later, Sarah awoke to find herself alone. It was to be expected. Hell, it had been early morning when she finally crawled into bed. Smiling, she remembered last night. Jareth and Sarah fit perfectly, like two pieces of the same puzzle. It was if they were made for each other. Thinking about her experiences with the Guardians, she had a feeling that they had been.
Sarah climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom, disrobing as she crossed the room. Standing under the jet spray from the shower head, Sarah's muscles relaxed from the moist heat. Her mind was wandering as she grabbed the sea sponge and poured the floral scented soap into it. Lathering her supple skin, she realized that tonight was her friend's wedding rehearsal. Fagan and Jareth would take the two women to the rehearsal and then to the dinner after. Sarah had to admit to being a bit nervous introducing the two men to her friends. They would be out of their element.
After rinsing herself off and standing under the spray for another few minutes, she stepped out of the shower into the steaming bathroom. Her hair clung to her face, neck, and back. She grabbed a thick towel and began to dry off. She could hear a knock on the bedroom door. Cursing aloud, she quickly wrapped the towel about herself and went into the other room. Opening the door a crack, she saw Jareth standing in the hallway looking handsome as always.
"You can come in if you promise to keep your hands to yourself," Sarah announced, figuring he'd already seen her naked. It was then that she realized she'd never been so comfortable with a man before.
"Now, why would I want to do that?" Jareth purred, entering the room behind his beloved.
"Because you know what's good for you," Sarah replied. "I could already get into a lot of trouble by letting you in here dressed like this."
"What's wrong with the way you're dressed?" Jareth asked. "I like the 'less is more approach' you're taking here."
"Oh shut up!" Sarah replied, trying, very unsuccessfully, to keep from smiling. "What are you doing here anyways?"
"Can't I just be coming to see a beautiful woman?" Jareth asked.
"Who is she? Anyone I know?" Sarah quipped.
"No one you know," Jareth returned. "She's simply a breathtakingly gorgeous brunette with the most amazing green eyes."
"Oh, a looker, huh?" Sarah replied.
"She's so much more than that," Jareth stated, stepping closer and slipping his hands around her waist. Her towel was wet and soaked through his clothes, but he didn't care. He was surrounded by a floral fragrance mixed with Sarah's natural scent. It was highly intoxicating.
"Oh?" Sarah asked.
"She's highly intelligent, witty, utterly charming, stubborn, bullheaded, and looks fabulous in a bathing towel," he continued.
"I prefer tenacious and determined," Sarah corrected, putting her hands on the strong muscles of his upper arm. She reached up and gave him a quick kiss before pushing him away. "Now wait here and I'll finish changing."
Jareth sighed and flopped down on her bed in mock disappointment. She swatted him on the arm as she went past and grabbed some clothes. Quickly, she headed into the bathroom. Wrapping her hair in the towel, she pulled on her underclothes and then slipped her dress over her head. It fastened up the back. Sarah walked back out into the room.
"While you're here, do you mind helping me with this?" Sarah asked, pointing to her back.
"Come over here and I'll see what I can do," Jareth replied.
Sarah glided over to her suitor and turned around. Jareth slid one finger fom the top of her dress to the small of her back. Sarah shivered at the sensation, realizing that he had removed his gloves. The feeling of his skin on hers was deliciously erotic. Slowly, with great care, he began to push the buttons through threaded loops. Knowing he could have just used magic added to the sensuality of the activity.
"There, all finished," he announced, patting her back for emphasis.
"Thank you," Sarah managed, cringing at the breathless tone of her voice. How was he always able to do that to her?
"Now that we have that taken care of, what say you and I talk about our plans for tonight and tomorrow?" he asked, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his lap. She struggled half-heartedly for a moment before making herself comfortable.
"Better?" she asked.
"Much," he agreed, wrapping his arms about her. "Now, onto the planning. What time is your friend's rehearsal?"
"It starts at seven," Sarah explained. "There's a dinner afterwards. We don't have to stay long if you'd rather come back early. I know you won't know anyone there."
"I'll know you," Jareth replied. "That's enough for me. Now, tell me about tomorrow."
"Allie and I'll have to get there by noon," Sarah described. "The wedding, itself, is supposed to start at 2:00. After the ceremony, we'll all be going to the park to take wedding photos. The reception will start sometime after that. There will be dinner and dancing. You're supposed to stay until the bride and groom leave, but we can probably sneak away at some time during the evening."
"Nonsense," Jareth denied. "If protocol demands that we stay, then we shall stay."
"Well, I admire your dedication, but you may change your mind after listening to sappy Mortal love songs and dancing the chicken dance," Sarah replied.
"We'll play it by ear, so to say?" Jareth asked.
"Works for me," Sarah agreed. "Now, I have to go find Allie and go over our stories." Jareth held fast, unwilling to let her go. "Are you going to let go?"
"Nope," Jareth replied.
"Well, it's going to be very difficult to do certain things with a Goblin King attached to me," Sarah observed.
"Very well," Jareth sighed, releasing his arms.
"Thank you," Sarah replied, grinning. "If you're a good boy, I just might have to allow you a dance tomorrow night."
"Just one?" Jareth asked.
"We'll start with one and see where it goes," Sarah replied, winking.
Before he could respond, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and left him alone in her room. Jareth looked at the empty room and sighed. He missed the feel of Sarah in his arms. By the Gods, he was acting like a lovesick schoolboy. Who was he kidding? He might not be a school boy, but he was definitely lovesick. Tonight, he vowed, he would tell her that he loved her. He couldn't stand being without her another minute.
It took over an hour for Sarah to locate Allie. She couldn't wait until she had magic so she could create location spells and transport directly to her friend. Going by foot and searching the old fashioned way made her want to shout about fairness. Remembering the last time she said that something wasn't fair, she shuddered. She certainly didn't need the cleaners after her again. Looking behind her, she checked to make sure that they were still ensconced in the Goblin Kingdom before setting out to check the gardens.
The sound of giggling captured her attention. She recognized the sound of Allie's laugh. Preparing for what might await her past the shrubs, Sarah approached cautiously. The last thing she wanted to do was to intrude on a tryst between her friend and Fagan. She'd already seen far more of the Fairy King than she ever wanted.
Allie and Fagan were enjoying the garden. He had a freshly picked flower and was brushing it under her chin. The blond was giggling and darting in to place a chaste kiss upon his lips. The teasing was still going on when Sarah came into view. Fagan dropped his hand to his side, but kept the mischievous smirk upon his face. Allie flushed a bright red and turned away. Sarah felt as if she had intruded upon something quite intimate and she turned to leave. Fagan stopped her.
"I have to get back to work," Fagan said. "I shall see you just before we have to leave for Above."
"I'll miss you," Allie sighed. Fagan pressed his lips to hers in a sweet kiss. "Until we meet again, my Love."
Sarah turned to inspect one of the flowers, giving the two lovers privacy. When she felt the familiar pull of magic, she knew it was safe to look. Turning, she saw her friend holding a flower to her lips. Sarah had to smile at her friend. It made her happy to see Allie so in love. A little jealousy flared as she realized she couldn't be so open about her love for Jareth. Not yet, anyway. She comforted herself with the thought that, after Liam ended his courting of her, she would be able to be more public in her affections of Jareth.
"So, I see you've finally managed to drag yourself out of bed," Allie teased.
"Well, it was rather late when I went to bed," Sarah replied.
"Really?" Allie gasped in mock surprise.
"Ha ha," Sarah replied sarcastically.
Bending over a bright daisy, Sarah carefully plucked it from the flower bed. She contemplated playing a juvenile game of 'he loves me; he loves me not,' but decided against ruining the perfect flower. Instead, she tucked the stem behind her ear. The whiteness of the bloom was a stark contrast against her dark tresses.
The two friends found themselves walking down one of the garden's many paths. As they walked, they began to discuss the evening's plans and comparing stories. It wouldn't do to sound too rehearsed so they just went over basics, trusting that the other would be able to improvise. Talk of the wedding led to a conversation about Allie's upcoming nuptials. That topic soon bled into a discussion of Sarah's love life. The afternoon quickly left them and it wasn't long before they realized it was time to begin getting ready for the evening.
"Have you prepared Jareth for meeting your dad?" Allie asked as they made their way back.
"Shit!" Sarah cried. She'd forgotten that her little brother had been asked to be ring bearer. Kennedy and Jacob didn't have any little boys in their families and Toby was just too cute to pass up. Kennedy's niece was the same age as Toby and well suited to be the flower girl.
"Let me guess, you forgot," Allie surmised.
"Shit!" Sarah repeated. Her father meeting Jareth? Talk about awkward!
"Too late now," Allie sighed. "You'll just have to trust them both to be on their best behavior in public."
"This should be fun," Sarah replied sardonically. Allie's eyes grew large and her skin paled. "What?"
"I just thought of something else," Allie gasped. "Have you forgotten who else will be there?"
"What in the hell are you talking about?" Sarah snapped. Her control was broken and now all she could do was feel herself propelled towards certain doom.
"James," Allie reminded her. "The last I heard, he was still one of Jacob's groomsman."
Sarah found herself completely incapable of speech. The best she could do was moan. This was going to be a disaster. Her new suitor coming in contact with her ex. Jareth didn't have the coolest head. If James did anything to provoke him, Jareth would be quick to send him to the bog. She was going to have to take him aside and warn him. Her dad, she could let slide. James was another matter altogether. It wouldn't be fair for Jareth to plunge ahead with no warning as to what might lie ahead. She and James hadn't parted on the best of terms after she found him in bed with a younger co-ed. The fact that he had broken up with her just took the cake.
Allie, sensing her friend's emotional turmoil, placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. They continued their trek to the castle in silence. Fagan was coming out of his office as they walked past. Sarah stopped and whispered something in Allie's ear. The blond woman nodded and continued down the hall, leaving Sarah behind with Fagan.
"Do you have a moment?" Sarah asked.
"Of course, is everything alright?" Fagan asked, worried. During the time that Sarah had stayed in his castle, Fagan had come to think of her as a little sister. It made him suddenly protective of the young woman.
"Let's go in here and I'll tell you what's on my mind," Sarah replied, pointing to his study. He nodded and led her inside. After they both were seated in twin wingback chairs, he gave an indication to her to begin.
"I have a little problem," Sarah began. Fagan's face creased with concern. "I completely forgot that Jareth will be meeting my father and step-mother tonight. Toby is the ring bearer."
"That doesn't sound too bad," Fagan replied. "Just give him a little warning before we go and he'll be able to charm the socks off your father. I know he doesn't always act like it, but he can be a real gentleman when he puts his mind to it."
"That's not all," Sarah continued. "Allie reminded me that my ex will also be there. He's supposed to be one of the groomsmen."
"A past suitor," Fagan mused. "Now, that has the potential to be a problem. Jareth has always been rather possessive. The things that he considers his are cherished and rarely shared. Do you think this young man will create an issue?"
"I don't know," Sarah replied.
"You have to warn him, Sarah," Fagan advised.
"I plan to," Sarah replied. "I'd like you to stay by his side as much as possible. Don't allow the two of them to go off alone together. I'll do my best to defuse the situation, but I'm going to need some help."
"Consider it done," Fagan vowed.
"Thank you, Fagan," Sarah replied, standing. Fagan stood and began to escort her out of the room.
"You're quite welcome," Fagan stated.
The two of them stepped into the hall. Jareth was standing outside the office. He raised an eyebrow at the couple. Fagan bent to whisper into Sarah's ear. She smiled and nodded. Taking Jareth's hand, she dragged the Goblin King into Fagan's study. She closed the door behind her and led the confused suitor to one of the, still warm, chairs.
"What's going on, precious?" Jareth asked, becoming quite worried. Sarah and his brother were acting quite strange.
"I have to warn you about something," Sarah began. "My dad, Karen, and Toby will be at the rehearsal tonight. I completely forgot about Toby being in the wedding."
"That's all?" Jareth said, practically giddy with relief. "I do know how to behave among civilized people, precious."
"It gets worse," Sarah sighed. "Do you remember what I told you about James?"
"The cad that courted you before you came to the Underground?" Jareth asked, becoming angry. Sarah had told him about what happened to her past relationship. He vowed that she would never experience that kind of hurt from him.
"That's him," Sarah replied. "He's…um…going to be there, too."
"What?" Jareth asked flatly.
"I forgot that he was going to be a groomsman," Sarah said, her voice small.
"Precious, I won't lie and say that news makes me happy," Jareth replied. "Still, I know what this means to you and I'll do my best to stay away from him."
"Oh, thank you!" Sarah cried, launching herself into Jareth's lap. He grunted but brought his arms around his beloved. She covered his face in kisses and he laughed. Her lips came to rest upon his own. A knock at the door ended the kiss barely before it began. Fagan popped his head inside and rolled his eyes at the sight before him.
"Come on, you two," Fagan replied. "We don't have much longer before we have to arrive."
"Coming," Sarah said, giggling. She left the two brothers to get ready for the evening.
When she entered the room, she saw Allie sitting on her bed in jeans and sweater. A similar outfit was lying atop her own bed. Quickly, she stripped and put on some modern underwear. She stepped into her jeans and pulled them up her long, lean legs. Once they were fastened properly, she pulled the turquoise sweater over her head. Pulling a brush through her thick tresses, she threw her hair up into a pony tail. Throwing on a little mascara and lip gloss, she pronounced herself done.
The two girls rushed out of the door and back to Fagan's study. There they found their two suitors dressed in Mortal clothing. Allie's mouth hung open at the sight of Fagan with short hair. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a long sleeved silk shirt. Sarah giggled at Jareth with his hair tamed and short. He was wearing khakis and a button down shirt. She reached up and planted a quick peck on his lips.
"Ready?" Fagan asked. The two women nodded. He created a crystal in his palm and the four of them transported to the Above.
Arriving about two blocks away from the church, they walked the rest of the way. During their walk, Sarah reached down and grasped Jareth's hand. Allie linked her arm with Fagan's. The two couples made it to the church with plenty of time to spare. The women led their prospective suitor into the sanctuary. A squeal broke out as a small redhead ran down the aisle towards them.
"Sarah! Allie!" the girl cried.
"Kennedy!" exclaimed Sarah and Allie in unison. The two men stepped back and allowed the women to greet their friend.
"I still can't believe you quit school," Kennedy said after embracing the two women.
"It was an easy decision once we met these two," Sarah said. "Kennedy Johnson, I'd like you to meet Jareth and Fagan Kingston."
"Nice to finally meet you," Kennedy replied, shaking each of their hands. "Now, which is which?"
"I'm Jareth, Miss Johnson, pleased to make your acquaintance," said the Goblin King.
"That makes me Fagan. The pleasure is mine," the Fairy King stated.
"I can totally see how you managed to lure away these two bookworms," Kennedy teased. "Why don't you guys have a seat in the back? You're all welcome to join us for the rehearsal dinner after we're done here."
"Thank you," Jareth replied, winking at Sarah. She grinned back at him before joining her friends.
The two men watched as the woman caught up with each other. The feminine laughter wafted towards the back of the church and Jareth grinned. He could almost imagine that this was his own wedding with Sarah as his bride. His mind began the fantasy and he became lost to the world. Fagan continued to monitor the situation. He could tell that his brother had retreated to his own little world. He turned his head to look at the group of men on the other side of the church. One of them kept leaving the conversation to stare at the girls. Could that be James? Fagan made a note to keep an eye on him.
"Alright everyone," called a plump, blond woman as she entered the sanctuary. "Thanks for coming. My name is Nina and I'm the wedding coordinator. Could we get started?"
The woman seemed to command respect. Immediately, all previous conversations came to a halt. Everyone present turned to look at the speaker. For her part, Nina was looking down at a clipboard filled with papers. She grabbed a pencil from behind her ear and readied herself to begin writing.
"First of all, I'd like to introduce the Minister of The People's Church, Richard Dalton," she announced.
The man in question raised his hand and waved at the group. Many of the participants returned the greeting.
"Second, if you don't already know them, these two lovely couples are the parents of our bride and groom. This is Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and these two are Mr. and Mrs. Simpson. I'm going to call out names," Nina continued. "Please call out when you hear yours. Let's start with our flower girl. Katie Johnson?"
"She's right here," replied a woman seated in one of the pews.
"Great!" exclaimed Nina. "How about our ring bearer? Toby Wiliams?"
"He's here," replied Robert, dragging Toby into the church with Karen following closely behind. The young boy was not at all enthused to be there until he saw his sister. Breaking free of Robert's hand, he ran down the aisle towards Sarah.
"Sawah!" he cried.
"Hey there, Toby Woby," Sarah replied, picking him up and placing him on her hip. "Ooo, you're getting heavy."
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Nina. "The Best Man and Matron of Honor, Patrick Simpson and Cheri Miller." After getting confirmation of their presence, she continued. "Alright, let's go onto the Bridesmaids. Jennifer Johnson; Sarah Williams; Rachel Davis; Allison Brown; Stasi Martinez?" Each girl verified their attendance. "Now onto the groomsmen. Fred Johnson; Zach Walker; James Mitchell; Michael Simmons; Andrew Cho?" The groomsmen all established their presence. "Good. Let's get you paired up. Best Man and Matron of Honor, please stand to the side along with the Bride and Groom. Girls and guys, arrange yourself according to height."
Both sexes began to line up from shortest to tallest. When they had succeeded in completing her task, she began to pair up the Groomsmen with the Bridesmaids. Sarah mentally cringed when she realized she was going to be paired with James. He was smirking at her and she resorted to sending him an angry glare. Once Nina was done, she called everyone to the back of the church. She arranged them in the order that they were to process and gave them instruction as to how they were supposed to walk down the aisle. The women were on the left and the men were on the right. Satisfied that they understood her commands, she decided to test them with a rehearsal.
The Groom and his Best Man took their places at the altar. The first ones down the aisle were the parents. The Bride's mother was escorted by one of the ushers. Then it was time for the majority of the bridal party. Sarah waited for her turn and, with a sigh, slipped her hand into the crook of James' arm. Together, they walked down the aisle to the altar. When they reached their destination, they took their respective places on either side. Next, came the flower girl and ring bearer. Just before the Bride, the Matron of Honor made her solo voyage towards the altar. Finally, it was the Bride and her father's turn to make their way down the aisle. After they all were in place, Nina stood in front of them in the aisle.
"Great job!" she praised. "Just remember what I told you. Keep a steady, but relaxed pace and you'll do fine. Alright, I'll let Minister Dalton take it from here." The man in question took his place before the happy couple.
"Nice to see you all tonight," he greeted the group. "Alright, what say we keep this short and sweet? I'll give you a little outline of what we're going to do. We'll practice a bit and then you can go eat. Ok! I'll start by saying some opening words. Something like, 'dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…blah blah blah.' Then I'll ask, 'Who supports this couple in their marriage?' At that time, I'll have each of the parents say, 'we do.' Mr. Johnson, at that time, you take your seat. Next, I'll give an opening prayer and reading. I believe that you two have chosen 1 Corinthians 13." The couple nodded and he continued. "I'll also say a little something about marriage and what it means. When I'm done, it'll be time for the vows. You've chosen to go with the traditional vows, correct?" Again, the couple nodded. "After you make your vows, you have chosen someone to do another reading. What have you decided on and who will be doing the reading?"
"Ecclesiastes 4:9-12," replied the Groom. "It'll be read by Chris Richards."
"Great! When they finish, we'll do the exchange of rings," he said continuing. "After the rings are exchanged, you two will come forward to light the unity candle. Each of you will take a small candle and light it on the tapers. Then, you'll light the candle together. When it's lit, you may return to your places. I believe you have chosen a song to be sung during this time. Who are our singers?"
"Sarah and James," Kennedy replied. Sarah looked at her in surprise. She hadn't been told about any song. She looked over at James to see him smiling brightly.
"We'll wait here until it the song comes to an end and then we'll close the ceremony and declare you two to be married," the minister continued. "You'll kiss and then I'll introduce you to your friends and family. Sound good?"
"Very," commented Kennedy.
"Alright, what say we do a quick run-through and be done with it all?" he asked. "Why don't we take a quick break to use the restrooms and then we'll get started." The group broke up again. Sarah quickly ran to her friend.
"What the hell, Kennedy?" she hissed.
"I'm sorry, Sarah," Kennedy replied. "You were out of the country and I was sure you'd be ok with it. If you don't think you can, we'll just have some quiet music played during the lighting."
"No, it's ok," Sarah sighed. "I used to be an actress. I can suck it up to make it good for you."
"Oh, thanks, Sarah," Kennedy replied, embracing her friend.
"What are we singing?" Sarah asked.
"Always," Kennedy said. "You know…the song by Atlantic Starr."
Sarah mentally slapped her forehead, but slapped on a fake smile instead. After reassuring Kennedy that she would be happy to sing for her wedding, she went to the piano to look at the sheet music. A tapping on her shoulder made her turn. James stood behind her with a smile on his face to greet her.
"Hi Sar," he said.
"Hey James," she replied.
"How've you been?" he asked.
"I've been good and you? Where's Jessica?" Sarah asked in reply.
"I've been ok," James said. "Jessica and I decided to part ways."
"I'm sorry," Sarah sympathized.
"It's alright," James replied. "Probably got what I deserved. For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Sarah."
"Don't worry about it," Sarah said. "Have you had a chance to go over this, yet?" She pointed to the music, desperate for a change of topic.
"No, but we'll get a chance to rehearse tonight," James replied.
Fagan watched the tête-à-tête between Sarah and James very carefully. Body language told him quite a lot. It was obvious that Sarah was not interested, but James, well, he was another story altogether. He just hoped the boy didn't do anything foolish. Even though he promised Sarah that he would keep Jareth away from the boy, he was still his brother. If James disrespected Jareth, he didn't know if he would stop him. He breathed a sigh of relief when the wedding coordinator called everyone to their places. Jareth was sound asleep next to him. Fagan thanked the Gods for small favors.
The wedding party practiced each part of the ceremony, taking special care to follow all their instructions. Soon, it was time for the lighting of the Unity Candle. Sarah left her spot by the altar to stand by the piano. James joined her. The pianist began to play the accompaniment. Jareth awoke at the sound of music playing. He looked over at the couple and frowned. Sarah looked to James as he began.
Girl you are to me, all that a woman should be,
And I dedicate my life to you always
Sarah took a deep breath and began her solo. Jareth enjoyed her voice. He imagined her singing to him. If only James wasn't there to spoil it for him.
A love like yours is rare,
It must have been sent from up above
And I know you'll stay this way, for always
James joined her. He put his arm around Sarah. Jareth sat straight up in his seat. A low growl emitted from his throat.
And we both know, that our love will grow
And forever it will be you and me
Ooh you're like the sun,
Chasing all of the rain away,
When you come around you bring brighter days
You're the perfect one
For me and you forever will be
And I will love you so for always
Sarah managed to pull away when James began his solo.
Come with me my sweet,
Let's go make a family,
And they will bring us joy, for always
James came closer when Sarah took over. Jareth narrowed his eyes at the younger man.
Oh boy I love you so,
I can't find enough ways to let you know
But you can be sure I'm yours, for always
James managed to pull her close once again as they joined voices. Fagan held his brother in his seat before he could create a scene. Now, was not the time.
And we both know, that our love will grow
And forever it will be you and me
Ooh you're like the sun,
Chasing all the rain away,
When you come around you bring brighter days
You're the perfect one
For me and you forever will be
And I will love you so for always
Sarah could feel his hand caressing her side. It made her want to be physically ill. She was glad that the song was almost over so she could escape his presence.
Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo
I will love you so, for always
Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo
I will love you so, for always.
When the song came to an end, Sarah practically ran back to her spot at the altar. The rest of the rehearsal went without incident. After they were done, Sarah went back to find Jareth. She could tell he was unhappy by the set of his jaw. Sighing, she decided to get this over with. Taking Jareth's arm, she led him to a private alcove. The rest of the participants, aside from Fagan and Allie, went on to the dinner.
"Jareth, I'm sorry about James," she said. "I didn't know Kennedy expected us to sing a duet."
"What am I supposed to do, Sarah?" he replied. "He had his hands all over you."
"I know," Sarah conceded. "We just need to get through these two days and we'll never have to see James again. Please, do it for me."
"If that is your wish, precious," Jareth sighed.
"It is my wish," Sarah replied. "Besides, you couldn't be jealous of someone like him." Jareth raised an eyebrow at her. "He's not half the man you are, you big oaf. Come on, let's go eat."
Sarah raised on her tiptoes and gave Jareth a sweet kiss. He visibly relaxed as he returned it. Her very presence had a calming effect on him. With a smile, she took his hand and entwined her fingers with his. Finally, he returned her smile and let her lead him back into the sanctuary. Fagan and Allie looked at the couple with concern. At their smiling faces, they let out the breath that they had collectively held. The four friends left to go to the rehearsal dinner, together.
