Jareth produced a crystal sphere from literally nowhere and held it up for her. He flattened his hand as it made its way to her, hesitantly, she took it with a knowing caution.

Looking into its magic, she saw herself dance around, twisted drunk. Wincing, she heard her voice and watched herself smear the words to wake Jareth. Slurred, yes, but still determinable. Glazing slightly, the ball fell from her hand and popped like a bubble on the ground before evaporating.

"Forgive me for taking your call at my leisure," He spoke with an ominous tone. "Would you believe that I could not get away until now?"

Sarah was at a true loss for words. Looking over she saw the smile play at Jareth's lips, he was oh-so smug. Unaware of how she made her way back to the chair, she slowly sat down as her mind reeled at what happened, was happening.

"Subconscious and Drunkenness are fast friends." He turned thoughtful. "Amusing how the truth comes out."

Sarah sat in contemplative silence for a moment or so, lost in it all. Finding herself still sitting in the same place with the same events still happening around her more than a few minutes later, she looked over to the source of it all. Jareth.

She watched him watching her, looking very much like a standoff. Uncomfortable, she stood back up and wandered back over to the flowers, fidgeting with the petals, then the stems, finally turning the vase around as if she were trying to flaunt its best side. Every move hollow. She couldn't even hear the musicians warming up anymore, tuning their instruments in preparation. There was only Jareth, and only Sarah.

"Why have you come back?" her voice sounded almost childlike, scared of the answer, but brave enough to ask.

Jareth, who had been weaving another of his damnable crystal spheres around, glared at her. In a fit of displeasure, much unlike Jareth's cool reserve, he turned slightly in his seat and threw the beautiful trinket against the closed door. It shattered with an awful sound to accompany it, but no pieces fell to the floor.

Sarah tripped the vase as the Jareth's dramatic actions startled her, the vase falling over as the crystal fractured against its impediment. The water surged about the table, but then it stopped. Water suspended in its motion as it began to drip off the table, the drops hanging as if Jareth had politely asked for their cooperation and postponement. Her eyes ran over to him surprised from what they had witnessed.

His eyes, though varying in their colors, darkened for a slightness, and then lightened once her own eyes were laid upon him. He smiled, seemingly pleased with himself to have gotten her attention.

"What have you done?" Sarah asked warily. And, she wondered, why should I be the one to speak when you burden your uncouthness on me. Speak! She bid in frustration.

"What haven't I done?" Jareth laughed in his usual undercutting way. He stood to stride towards her.

Only Sarah's steel will kept her from taking a step back or taking a step forward to meet him in challenge. Her will bid her remain untouched, not concerned by his flamboyancy. Neutral.

But he didn't go to stand over her, to threaten her. Much like a little boy, he ran his fingers through the water that lingered still in the air, and the petals that still bore the water. He picked up a lily, one drier than most, and offered it to her after flicking away the moisture. "Time has come to a halt."

She took the flower he offered but stuck it back into the vase that she set back upright, scooping up its fellow flora. Mentally, she sneered at him. Like he could pause time! Ten years did nothing to damage his inflated ego. Her pride, as strong as his own, could not have left well enough alone.

"And you would wield such power."

"Disbelieving?"

"In a word? Yes."

"The lilies were not enough?" he asked, more out of curiosity than confrontation.

"They come from you, and from yours," she knew about him and his ways. The fae had their magical ways. Surely the flowers were also his magic, assembled just for his purpose and his manipulation.

"Then look out your door," he stepped aside for her to look and see the wedding buzz halted in their very steps.

"All you?" she saw, but still questioned him. How could she not?

"Why not?"

"You brandish such a power that hums so strong in both our worlds?" Sarah wasn't sure how he was so strong, but by that same note, she couldn't be sure that he wasn't.

"They are both the same. It is all one world."

No comment.

"Why do you doubt me, Sarah?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes scrutinizing him down to core, shocking through him. He knew her capable of such, but still he found it sparked him.

"And why shouldn't I?" She laid it out for him. "You are like a monkey paw, giving wishes with a twist."

"Maybe if you look at it that way." He started, but before he could continue, she cut him off.

"You give just so you can take tenfold in the end!"

"What have I twisted?"

"Everything!"

"I have given you everything you have ever wanted!" he tried to remain calm, but his voice took a certain cut to it instead of raising his volume as she did somewhat.

"And you have taken it out of my hide!"

"I took what you freely gave away!" he reminded her, knowing she spoke of Toby.

"And the rest?" she seethed. He was up to his usual tricks

"The rest?" he asked to test her, to see if she knew all the extent he had given to her, for her.

"Do not." She warned.

"I bend time around for you. Stop it for you. Your pride took it away in my Labyrinth, I altered it now because you asked-"

"I asked!" she laughed scornfully at him.

Before she could say anything else he held his hand up, now furious with her. "I let your friends visit you. I ignore the protocol that you disregard. I leave because you ask me."

"I beat you." She told him in glowing confidence.

"I do what you ask!" aggravation set his eyes darker.

"Then listen to me now-"

"I have listened! You called, and here I am!" his hands flew out, gesturing around.

"No, if I really did call you," she leveled a gaze on him, "Then why come now? Why not last night?"

"Only to watch you drool on your pillow?" Her gaze hardened. "I need not follow your rules."

"You chose now. Why?" Why did he have to be so difficult? She fumed.

"Why did I impede time?" He challenged in return.

"Questions with Questions." She grunted crossly.

"Life isn't always how we want it, Sarah."

Sarah was livid over his now calm exterior. Infuriating! She would not be soothed so easily, just because he was settled. "Fine. Why?"

"Why what?" he wasn't going to give it to her that easy.

"Why did you so graciously stop time for me?" He wouldn't make it easy for her would he?Resentfully, she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Because your heart asked me."

"What!" indignation flared.

"You are obviously having second thoughts about this 'wedding'." Jareth sat back down on the couch, now that his composed self had gotten over their spat.

"What business is it of yours if I did." She wasn't going to start another argument with him that would get them nowhere and time still waiting on them. Better to indulge him.

"You," he produced a peach and bit into it. "Called me."

"Yes, so you've already established." She rolled her eyes at him, demonstrating her boredom.

"So here I am." He grinned.

"You're a jerk."

"And you're righteous."

That's it! She knew he would say something to piss her off. Never fails. Not only had he not said why he was here, or why he had shown up now, but he really hadn't answered anything at all. And now he insulted her! A voice in the back of her head pointed out that she had insulted him first, but she ignored it. He was a jerk.

"Why are you so goddam infernal?" Insufferable! She waved a hand erratically at him she was so mad.

"Only because you wish me so."

:: Oh, does she now? Jareth knows something we don't. Well, what's new there? Not much to say here, sorry for the slowness. Enjoy!

Next: we shall see what Jareth knows. Or at least, he should share what he knows. Rascal.