SCENE 7

YOU'RE UNINVITED, SO HERE- HAVE A COOKIE

For the sake of her guests Sarah slipped back into her room and pulled on a button up shirt and pair of shorts. It was at about the same time that Brianna called and said she wouldn't be home for dinner. Sarah was going to have an entire Friday evening to her self; her self and the goblins that was. Laughter exploded from the living room. She had found something far more productive for them to watch than soap operas: Sesame Street was on one of the local educational channels. The goblins found them selves relating all too well with Monsterpiece Theatre. Dink was especially enthralled with the amazing cookies that the host Alistair consumed.

It was already going on four o'clock in the afternoon. She decided to make the most of the evening. Back in the kitchen she found some microwave popcorn and bag of grapes from the refrigerator. She brought the snacks out to the group. "Well guys, if you all don't have any better plans, how about we just hang out tonight?"

"Did she just ask us out on a date?" someone inquired.

Fash shook his head in exasperation. "What a lovely idea, Miss!"

"Lady, lady can I make cookies?" asked Dink eagerly.

"I suppose so. I think I have some chocolate chips in the pantry."

Dink ran excitedly into the kitchen. She thought it best to keep on eye on him remembering the disaster he caused one of the last times he cooked in her kitchen. Once he had the bowls and directions he set to work with ease.

She poked her head back into the living room. Fash had figured out how to change the channels. 'Just keep an eye on him,' she told her self. "Who likes pizza?" she asked.

"As long as there are anchovies!"

"Pepperoni!"

"Garlic! It must have a lot of garlic!"

"All right guys, I'll see what frozen selection the freezer has." It was like pleasing a room full of children. She smiled to her self as she pulled out two frozen pizzas. Something to eat, a movie, maybe a game: how could the evening not be enjoyable?

Much to her chagrin Fash had found a random B-rated soap opera. Before they could become too enthralled she introduced them to her movie selection: a whole cabinet of VHS tapes were at their disposal. For reasons lost on her they chose ET. She warned them that if they got bored or needed anything just to holler.

It was at the point when Dink was loading his first batch of cookies into the oven and ET was eating Reese's Pieces that Sarah heard one of the doors down the hall creak. She rolled her eyes. 'Exactly like a bunch of kids! You tell them to stay in one place and then they get curious!' She dried her hands on a towel and moved down the hall. "Who's back here?" she called out. She pushed the door to her room open. "I told you guys to stay out in the…," her voice trailed. "…living room." A tall man regarded her with an equally startled expression. She blinked. He blinked. Maybe it was the tightness of the corset. Perchance it was shock, but without another word she passed out. The only other sound was her head hitting the floor.

Jareth was on his knees, kneeling next to her. Of all the things to happen! He had just been curious as to where a good many of his goblins had gotten off to. And yes, well a bit curious to see her as well. "Sarah? Sarah!" he exclaimed lifting her head. She was knocked out cold. He had been trying his darnedest to be quiet, but then the stupid closet door had squeaked on its equally stupid hinges. Absently he flicked his finger in the direction of the closet to forever silence it. His voice and her head thump had brought several of the goblins to the doorway. "Lady!" exclaimed Dink in horror.

She moaned softly.

He scooped her up in his arms. "Where's the kitchen? Meep! Dink! Find some ice," he ordered moving down the hall. "Use that towel there!" He sat down on the couch with her cradled against him.

'Brilliant old boy!' he scolded him self. 'This is a fine how-do-you-do after five years. You just had to sneak in the back way. You just had to see her.' Ice wrapped in a towel was handed to him. Gently he placed it against the back of her head.

"Sarah?" he said softly. It had been five years since he had allowed him self to say her name. It came out smooth against his lips. Her head rolled ever so slightly.

Two smells were battling for her attention. One smelt oddly of burning chocolate. The other smell was some how familiar and comforting. She inhaled shakily. That second smell was… 'It's divine,' she thought turning her head to inhale again. Then quite abruptly pain rocked through her head. She moaned and winced. A voice said her name soothingly and asked her to open her eyes. She lifted her lids the face hovering over her blurring in and out of focus. "Jareth?" she asked weakly.

"Hello," was his soft response.

"What- what happened? And what is that burning smell?"

Here Dink gasped and ran into the kitchen.

"I startled you," Jareth explained calmly. "I didn't realize you were quite so high strung."

The back of her head throbbed. "Normally I'm not. Why are you here? And…and what were you doing in my bedroom?"

"I was following after my subjects who had seen fit to disappear on me. I just happened to stumble upon your room through your closet." ET made some strange gargling noise. She raised a hand to her forehead in pain. "Sorry about the bump. Fash- turn it down!" he nodded towards the television.

She looked at him realizing that she hadn't moved from his lap. His arms supporting her were even more comforting than his scent. He looked at her glad that she hadn't moved. Despite the circumstances it was enjoyable to hold her. They both suddenly felt very self-aware.

He cleared his throat. "How about you try to sit up?" She gripped his arm as she became vertical.

He simply refused to leave her, at least for the next hour. She had suffered the bump as a result of his actions: he couldn't just very well leave her. The goblins were literally drooling for the pizza. Dink's cookies were cooling. It seemed that the evening had gone from prospectively enjoyable, to surreal and odd. She obediently sat on the couch as they rummaged her kitchen for plates, a pizza cutter, and cups. Cautiously she leaned forward. Jareth stood in the middle of the room overseeing the activity. She had been so disoriented that she hadn't registered his clothes or appearance. He wore a black suit with a high collared white shirt. He hadn't lost his provocative edge: the pants were dangerously tight and the shirt lay open exposing a good deal of his chest. His hair had changed: he wore it more evenly now parted half-hazardly to one side. Quietly she leaned back against the couch. Her shirt was completely disheveled exposing part of the corset. Adjusting it she hoped that he hadn't taken notice that she was wearing his gift.

Everyone sat in the living room eating their food and watching the movie. The goblins were sprawled out on the floor. Jareth occupied the other end of the couch with his legs crossed. Every few minutes Sarah would realize that she had turned her head and was studying his profile. She quickly would look away and try to catch up with the characters in the movie. What she failed to observe was that Jareth frequently performed the same movements. Five years. Here they both were in each other's company again. It was strangely… normal.

ET not being one of her all time favorite movies Sarah excused herself near the end to get something more to drink. She heard Jareth stand and follow her. His attentions were a bit un-nerving, but also sweet. Having opened the fridge she retrieved a bottle of juice. "I'm alright now you know," she assured him as he leaned on the counter.

"I know. Truth to be told," he paused and folded his arms. "I just wanted an opportunity to talk with you. We didn't exactly have a proper greeting."

She smiled faintly. "Seems to be a pattern with us: always meeting under awkward circumstances."

"Yes and you didn't even make a wish this time." He gave her a partial smirk.

"No I surely did not. You just invited yourself in." She matched his expression.

"I was looking for my subjects."

She cocked her head. "Don't you have crystal balls that can show you what's going on?"

He opened his mouth, thought better, and closed it again. "Glad to see you have lost your ability for sarcastic banter!" his tone was amused. She sat down at the table. "So how has life been for you Sarah?" he then asked.

'Pretty quiet and pathetic,' she thought drinking from her cup. 'I'm still fascinated by your kind and more often than I care to admit I catch my self having a ridiculous day dreams about certain far away land that could very well be the second star to the right. I haven't even had a steady boyfriend in over a year.'

She swallowed, opting to not be so revealing. "It's been good."

"Good?" he repeated furrowing his brow.

"Well it hasn't been marvelous, but it most certainly hasn't been lousy."

"So then you keep your self occupied with what: work, school, acquaintances … boyfriends?"

"Yes I do work. I've taken a year's sabbatical from school. Yes I have friends. But as of the moment, no boyfriend. Now what about you?" she quickly added before that last statement could sink any deeper into his subconscious. "Any prospective goblin queens?"

"No," he answered too quickly. "No I just have my work. You know typical royal affairs with fancy talk, rich food, and over dressed court members."

"Sounds like a rough life."

"It is painfully boring if you must know." He grinned and she laughed. He made her laugh. He reached back and gripped the edge of the counter. "It is really good to see you again Sarah."

"You know Jareth this has been nice."

Probably another one of those moments would have occurred where they both would end up feeling very self-aware, had there not have been a chorus of yells from the living room. "Roommate alert!" they were shouting. All of the goblins were scrambling for the hall way some with pizza in their hands others with cookies.. Jareth stepped into the room. With one wide swipe of his arm the dishes, food, and napkins were gone. "Come along lads and lasses," he commanded. "Back through to the castle!" Sarah realized that everyone was leaving, even Jareth. She followed them fumbling with nouns, verbs, and grammatical structure as she struggled to say something decent.

They were at the opened closet door. "You know," she began. "this was really nice. I-," He looked at her. "We should do it again some time."

"I'd like that." The last goblin dashed through the clothes. He leaned near her ear. "By the way the corset looks ravishing on you." In a blink he was gone and the door slammed shut.

She stood stunned and blushing. What she couldn't very well figure was whether she was blushing because he knew, or because the compliment had been sincere. Brianna found her staring at the closet door. Having gained her attention she said something about having brought home dessert and her desire to watch a movie.

I quite honestly have no idea how it is that I am updating this thing so fast. Perhaps, as Sarah so appropriately lamented, I do spend way too much time day dreaming.

Thank you all for the very kind support. I must say thank you to fellow FF writer Lixxle because without her chickens I never would have braved writing a comedy. You still considering that slasher love? I could loan you some very talented fowels.