Weeks and months passed. The silent infatuation between Sarah and Jareth swelled to immense proportions, yet Sarah didn't call for him. Though every night she dreamed of the ballroom and of Jareth, she never let herself utter his name out loud. Although she tried to pretend nothing was wrong, everyone around her noticed her change. Her step-mother noticed the change the most. Sarah was quiet, sullen, and anti-social. Her school-work suffered greatly and though Karen tried everything – bribery, abuse, sweet talk – nothing would get Sarah out of her funk. Finally, she had had enough.

--

"Sarah!"

Karen's voice echoed up the stairs. Sarah pulled a pillow over her head, desperately trying to block out the annoying step-mother and return to the Goblin King's ball.

"SARAH WILLIAMS!"

Sarah moaned and threw the nearest thing that she could find at the door. The small, red leather bound book missed its target; it hit Karen in the chest as she opened the door. It fell open at the page that was most often exposed, where the spine was permanently bent to accommodate Sarah's devoted reading. Karen stooped and picked up the book, scoffing as she did so.

"Sarah, you're still reading this rubbish?" Karen held the book open and read aloud as she pulled open the curtains, letting obscenely bright light into Sarah's room.

"Through dangers untold and hardships un-numbered, I have fought my way –", Karen stopped and laughed harshly, throwing the book at Sarah as she did so. "Sarah, you're sixteen years old. You should be out finding boys or spending time with your friends, not pouring over children's books."

Sarah lifted her head from the pillow to stare at Karen through a curtain of hair. She snatched up the book and held it to her chest, whispering a passage from the book under her breath.

"What are you muttering about?"

Sarah groaned, "You wouldn't understand."

"I understand perfectly." Karen kicked the bed's base, "Now get out of bed and get downstairs. Toby is waiting for you to take him to the mall."

"Why can't you take him? He's your son!" Sarah voice muffled as she stuffed her head under the pillow again.

"That's not going to work Sarah!" Karen's voice floated up the hall as she walked away, "No Goblin King will save you from this!"

"Yeah, yeah … wish the goblin king would save me from you."

Sarah didn't realize what she was saying until she had said it, but by then it was too late. Her eyes shot wide open as the dazzling light from the window disappeared immediately, leaving Sarah in complete darkness. The window flung open, letting in an icy draft that turned Sarah's skin prickly with goose bumps. All sound disappeared except for the slow, steady beat of wings, and time was seemingly suspended. After a moment or two the unbearable silence was broken by a velvety voice wafting through the window.

"No one can blame you
for walking away."

A chill ran the length of Sarah's spine and she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply the faint but distinct aroma of the Goblin King. She could taste him on the breeze before she could see him; he tasted irresistible. When at last time flowed again, Sarah opened her eyes Jareth was standing, tall and proud in front of her. His mismatched eyes twinkled in the dark, his hair shimmered and the magic that surrounded him, that which gave him such a distinct, erotic aroma, almost overwhelmed Sarah. Sarah watched him move over to the bed, unable to move, unable to think, unable to do anything except watch his graceful movements. Without realizing, her breathing slowed until it couldn't be heard at all over her heartbeat that was now pounding in her ears. When he reached her, Sarah felt his arms encircle her as he lifted her out of bed and carried her to the door. Finally the intensity of his appearance was too much for her – the last thing that Sarah saw before she fainted was a bright shower of golden sparks and her bedroom melting into nothingness, Jareth's voice echoing in her mind.

"It's been such a long time coming Sarah, but this feels so good."