The early rays of light that pierce through her window startles her to wake and blinking back sleep, Sarah sits up. There's that feeling of being watched again. She's gotten to know the feeling fairly well now and brushing back the covers, she rushes to the window. Expecting the odd barn owl to be sitting on the near by branch, she draws back in surprise when she doesn't see it. A slight frown settles on her brow and shaking it, she turns away from the window at the light scratch on her door. The new pet she had recently found wondering the backyard-a black cat-brushed itself in warm affection against her leg and picking her up, Sarah, murmured a greeting. With the company, it was easy not to think about the empty house. Toby was away, a long time before boarding school closed for vacation. Shutting her mind down before it went to her deceased parents, she turned back to the window. Perhaps avoiding the book was working after all. Her mind accused her then, it having been only a few hours since she last touched the thing. Putting a lid over her thoughts, she placed Salem on the floor and moved towards the bathroom. A warm bath and some breakfast would help lighten her mood, maybe afterwards she'd be able to finish up her article for the local magazine. Looking back at the fat fur ball rolling around her bedroom slippers, she decided to take it to the park. They both needed the fresh air.
The steam followed her out the bathroom and leaving to door open to air out, Sarah moved towards her closet. It wasn't much of anything anymore, but she took pride in knowing that whatever it housed, she had bought with her own hard earned cash. Something her father would have been proud of to know. Shaking her head, she gathered an ice blue wrap blouse and a ripped jeans. It was her favorite casual look and it was an outfit that had been worn through the creation of some of her most popular works. Perhaps it would bring her some luck. It wasn't long before she was out the door and gently nudging Salem forward she chuckled as the cat sulked in a very human like manner. It's luminescent eyes studied her and sensing the distant glum that perched on her shoulders, it carried about preforming some very humorous antics, some of which were quick in cheering the girl up. Trudging proudly, Salem rushed ahead, as the green of the park ahead came in sight.
Rushing to keep up with the cat, Sarah clutched at her tote bag and the snack she had packed for them both. She turned around a bend and halted as she saw the cat, who sat on it's hind legs in the middle of the bridge, waiting for her. Smiling, she acknowledged that this was her favorite place too and tossing the clever little fur ball a treat, she moved over the bridge and towards the wooden bench under the Spanish moss tree that leaned elegantly over the small pond. There were small groups of ducklings swimming about on the green surface of the shallow pond and pulling out the little piece of loaf-bread she had walked with, she crumbled some and threw it at the few pigeons that wandered by. Setting the dish Salem ate from, she poured the playful cat some milk and heard the purrs do gratitude as she turned to the unfinished article at hand. So very enraptured, Sarah missed the swoop of the creature and its silent settlement on a close branch nearby. She continued on unaware as the owl observed her, all the shields she would normally have hid behind cast away; revealing a very vulnerable young beauty who had long but forgotten the Kingdom of the Goblins.
It continued to watch as she guiltily cast the writing pad into her bag and pulled out the worn novel she had been opening more and more frequently now. Jareth knew a cry for when he saw one, but the thought of letting this woman back into his world scared him or at least made him uneasy. She was the first to deny him and now he wasn't sure he could resist temptation a second time around. He smiled however, remembering the way she dreamed of him at night and the pleasure he took from giving her only a glimpse and nothing more. It made that odd little tingle in his heart subside and he wondered, just what kind of adventure would it be to beckon her and call her back into his world. Mentally shaking his head, he refused the thought, knowing that it would only give rise to chaos.
However as he was drawn out of his thoughts and focused back on the girl, Jareth sensed that sadness that had been surrounding her for awhile slowly settle in. Something happened to the little black coal that laid beneath his chest as he watched her frantically blink brushing back unkempt tears. Maybe it would not be such a horrendous idea, his mind quipped. His cynical humor rose and he figured since he loved torturing himself, he might as well...