A/N Own Nothing

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It was 2:45 on Sunday afternoon and I was hanging out in the restaurant with Hoggle waiting for my brother to show up. Jareth was still being jealous that I had asked Hoggle to go. I debated on asking him but I knew he was not ready and I was not ready for him to meet my family. Number one reason: My family hugged everyone. It didn't matter who you were, if you walked in you had to give everyone a hug and would be lots of people there. I did a quick mental count and it came to about 30 people jammed into one house. Both of my parents were from large families that were both very social and neither ever heard of a personal bubble. I didn't say anything about it and neither did Jareth.

We only waited about ten minutes when Dave came in with Carla and Jason. The kids ran straight to Hoggle and jumped up on his lap. I gave my brother a hug and said, "Are we ready to go." He nodded and saw Jareth walk out of his office towards the kitchen. He was somehow able to read his paperwork and avoid customers and waitresses walking past him.

"Yo, Jareth!" my brother called out to him. Jareth kept walking and my brother ran over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. Jareth turned around quickly glaring at my brother for a second before relaxing. "Hey, you coming with us? You're like Felicia's boyfriend and everything right? The family wants to meet you."

"I couldn't intrude on your family celebration."

"What are you talking about? Everyone wants to hear about the guy who kicked Bill's ass. Thanks, by the way." Dave patted Jareth on the back and Jareth stiffened as Dave led him over to us.

"Yay! Jareth is coming! Jareth will you show us how you spin your crystals?" Carla asked. Jason looked up at Jareth with his big bright eyes. I love those eyes. Jareth looked at me and then nodded at Carla. I started to get really nervous but I put on a smile and started heading for the car.

Jareth wanted to take everyone in his limo, of course, but Dave insisted on driving us in his minivan. Jareth did not enjoy the ride. It must not have been my driving then. I had to ask, "Why don't you like riding in cars? You only seem to like your limo."

Jareth thought about that for a minute, "In the limo I cannot see all the possible ways I almost get myself killed by being in one of these vehicles."

I laughed, "Well then don't look out front." I was quiet for a minute before I decided to give Jareth a warning about my parents. "I know it is kind of too late now, but I hope this doesn't get really uncomfortable for you." Jareth just looked at me so I continued, "I told you before my family likes to hug. And as soon as you walk in that house you will be hugged and kissed by every woman there and every guy will either shake your hand or something. I know you really don't like that." Jareth looked like he was trying not to look terrified at the thought.

I sighed, it was too late now. We made it to my aunt's house around 4:00. I went in and greeted everyone and introduced them to Jareth and Hoggle. Hoggle didn't seem to mind all the attention but Jareth obviously did. He didn't say anything about and he went along with it, but it was very obvious that he was forcing himself to be polite. One of my father's sisters made Jareth sit next to her while she drilled him with questions about me, him, the restaurant and what happened between him and Bill. I stood behind Hoggle who seemed to think that this whole thing was hilarious.

I buried my head into Hoggle's back saying, "That's it. He is going to leave me. There is no way in hell that he is going to put up with this."

Hoggle continued to laugh to himself, "I gotta say this is the most fun I have had in a long time. Don't worry about Jareth, he will be fine and he will get over it. Meetin' your family isn't that bad." He gave me a quick pat on the shoulder before Carla came over and asked him to play with her. He left with her to go play and I was there all alone watching Jareth get drilled.

Aunt Connie was continuing her constant questions, "So where did you live before you opened your restaurant?"

"I have always lived in the same area." I noticed Jareth didn't say anything about being the Goblin King or the real labyrinth. I hoped he didn't think I was ashamed of that even though I had to admit to myself I was. I really didn't want my family to think he was crazy. It was fine for people we both knew to know who he thought he was but not my family. I suddenly felt really guilty about that and sat down in a chair and continued to listen.

"Well we will just have to have your parents over one of these days. It will be fun." Great, my mother had to start acting like we were engaged or something. I am not even sure if this counted as officially dating. If we were dating, when would our anniversary be? Does anyone really know when their anniversary is? Jareth was not answering my mother comments about his parents. The rest of my family was talking about it but Jareth remained silent. He never said anything to me about his family. I didn't know if that was because we weren't close at the time I had asked or if he just didn't talk about them period.

"When would be good for them Jareth?" my mother continued her plans for the parent meet and greet.

Jareth kept his eyes down while answering, "My parents passed away when I was much younger." He kept his eyes down while everyone was telling him how sorry they were and they immediately turned the conversation to how all their kids were doing in school. Jareth excused himself and came over to me and took my hand. We sat out on the front porch for awhile before Jareth spoke.

"You had me worried. That wasn't as bad as you made it out."

I couldn't believe he said that. I would have thought he would have been angry or upset. "Not bad? You looked like someone was trying to burn all of your gloves or something. And I'm sorry, why didn't you tell me about your parents?"

"It was a very long time ago and I would not compare this evening to all of my gloves being destroyed. That would be really horrifying." I looked up at him to seeing him smirking at me.

This evening continued as it normally did with my family. We ate, we talked, and we ate some more. Dave eventually decided it was time to get the kids home and dropped us all back off at the restaurant. Hoggle found his own way home and Jareth asked me to come out to his limo for a minute.

I went out to find he had a birthday present waiting for me in the back. He got it and gave it to me. It was a small jewelry box; a ring box to be exact.