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Thanks to all who have been reading and reviewing! Hope to get a few more chapters up soon.

Enjoy,

LadyTari

Chapter 25

The lesson had been arranged for next Saturday morning, with another dance at the old teacher's studio that evening. In exchange for the free lesson, the couples had agreed to help with the decorations. Sarah was shocked to discover that the theme was Halloween.

It can't be October already, can it?, she thought, trying to recall what month they were in. Time really hadn't been a priority, and she hadn't bothered with keeping tabs on it.

Well, crap!What on earth am I going to wear? flashed through her head first. But this thought was quickly replaced with worries of the coming lesson, the strange allure and haunting familiarity of Terrence, and her general distress at having to perform social roles, like decorating for a dance, in the immediate company of her peers. She'd always avoided such functions in high school. She'd successfully ditched homecomings, winter formals, spring formals and both proms. She really shouldn't have to put up with this now, when she was all grown up and in college, for heaven's sake!

But it was too late, as the rest of the competing partners had already agreed and were currently out getting slutty nurse, slutty bunny, slutty policewomen and probably slutty chipmunk costumes, for all she knew.

One year at college had certainly taught her much about Halloween. "Trick or Treat" took on a whole throng of entirely new meanings when coupled with kegs and cases of cheap alcohol and half-naked students running around the cold streets of the local student town.

Though Sarah preferred to think of it is a quaint, virtually unparalleled cross between Sin City, a third-world slum and an amsterdam brothel. With maybe a dash of the Bog of Eternal Stench and a pinch of the Goblin City chaos thrown in.

She tried to avoid it as religiously as at all possible, although visits to friends or the grocery store made it mandatory on occasion. She felt like taking a decontaminating shower after each of those fun-filled trips.

Tonight would be no exception. The decorations had to be discussed and buying chores delegated, and the rest of the group seemed to find only one place enjoyable enough to do it it – the Green Burrito. The veritable heart of the sticky, student-infested darkness itself.

Sarah wasn't looking forward to hanging out with Adam in any setting, but this one was jst too well suited to him to leave her any hope of coming out of it without incident. If only Jenny had stayed as nice as she had appeared to be at the dance... But that, too, had not happened.

The next monday, Jenny had acted like her typical self, strutting through the room and ordering everyone around. She insisted on reviewing the rhumba, telling the teacher that there were some kids who had no been at the dance and who had therefore missed the terrific and enlightening lesson. He had given way and let her do the demonstrating.

Jenny's partner, Mike, was definitely a poor stand-in for Terrance and botched the steps, completely obliterating the intended dazzling effect. Sarah was slightly dismayed to find herself grinning wickedly at the sight of Jenny's crash and burn. She didn't think she had much of a vindictive side, but there it was. She was definitely taking pleasure in the fail unfolding before her.

Thankfully, Adam had not come to the lesson, probably still nursing his ego in a corner somewhere, and Sarah could practice her steps in peace with her shy and awkward dance partners. She felt she had mastered the steps and could guide and teach them a bit. It was definitely a nice change to be the one in charge, and not be dragged about like a rag doll. She could also take a mental break from having to be constantly on her toes around Adam. Her guard came down and she enjoyed just letting her body move and not feeling the need to look over her shoulder.

Jareth, too, was taking a mental health day. He put a haggle of goblins (or was that a Higgle with goblins? He wasn't sure...) on crystal ball duty. They had gathered around the crystal which was trained on the ballroom, and seemed to be taking their job very seriously at the moment. He knew that the minute his back was turned, they'd break out the ale, but he hoped there would be no real mishap. Besides, Hogbreath would keep them on task to some degree, as the dwarf had developed a real loyalty when it came to Sarah's well-being. They were under strict orders to notify him at once if the girl-who-ate-the-peach-who-forgot-everything should look like she's in trouble or should, for some reason or another, vanish out of sight.

He knew Adam wasn't going to be around that day. Mortals and their unfortunate clumsy way of slipping on things (like invisible goblins who turn into an innocuous pile of scarves when looked at), and falling down the stairs! he tutt-tutted, shaking his head in mock sadness. Such a pity they're so uncoordinated... He really hadn't meddled much, as bringing a mortal to real harm intentionally was strictly forbidden. Aboveground privileges were revoked for a year for court feys and severely limited and monitored for fey royalty. And Jareth had no great desire to be either limited or monitored during his Sarah-time.

He watched Sarah relax and enjoy herself, noting the satisfied smirk on her face when Jenny and Mike tried to demonstrate the Rumba to the rest of the class. Then he took off as an owl, feeling the freedom as his wings carried him high above the Goblin City.

He'd have to clean the place up a bit if Sarah is to live and rule here, he thought to himself as he soared. It was a bit chaotic and foul even for his taste, though he made it a point to stay out of the private affairs of his goblin subjects. There was really no cure for their slovenly swinish ways – that's just how they were. But the constant drinking and partying and passing out and retching and orgying would have to be brought a bit more under control for Sarah's arrival. It really would be shocking to imagine her in a place like that!