Disclaimer: I am obsessed with Jareth and the Labyrinth (and consequently, David Bowie… just FYI) but I do not own any of them. I do, however, own Wren, love her to pieces, and if you attempt to steal her, I will be forced to hurt you. I'm just sayin'…

DanikaLareyna: Heh… don't die! If you die, I'll have to make these less funny!

Sanoru: Ah, I just couldn't resist the bubbles!

Anij: Why was he upset? All of the above! Ahahahaha! Ahem, sorry… just thinking of him in the tub made me laugh, there…

Notwritten: Aw, thanks.

Yami Moon: Well, if you had magic, wouldn't YOU be obsessed with glitter? Okay... maybe not... maybe that's just HIM. Drool away. I know I do... quite frequently...

Victoria: Don't worry, I'm working on it! Fear not, the next chapter... well, is here!

-This chapter is dedicated to, ahem, Allie – or, rather, the actual person (coworker and friend) that Allie is based on. May we always be as wired as we are on Rockstars and VonDutch! Ahahaha! Allie is a really good friend, and lately we've been having way too much fun at lunch, in a large empty part of the office. So, our lunch-time shenanigans were part of the inspiration for this update, and I wanted to just say thanks to Allie, for being a way super awesome friend, who is so cool in understanding my obsessions! Muahahaha! Wait, where'd that laughter come from?-

So far, I had to admit, I was very proud of myself. Jareth and I had been seeing each other for awhile now, and I still hadn't told anyone. It was a secret that I had to keep… and I've never been good at keeping secrets. Heck, it had been an even longer time that I'd known him (how many months, now? Eh, I'll count later)

Okay, first of all, I really couldn't tell anyone. Who'd believe me if I said I snuck off to visit the King of the Goblins, who lived in the Underground, at least twice a week, usually more? And – even worse – I highly doubt that even if someone believed that he was real, that they would believe I was kinda-sorta dating him.

Half the time, I didn't even believe that part of it.

And yet, while I knew I couldn't just tell people without landing myself a spot in the loony bin, I was aching to tell someone. Oh, yeah, when I'm with Jareth, he seems very real, and I believe… but at times it just seems too good to be true. Part of me wants someone to verify that he exists, and that I haven't developed a serious case of schizophrenia, like that dude in that one movie that Jennifer Connolly won her Oscar from.

Jareth was too sensitive to debate this with. If I told him I questioned his existence (well, I really don't… but if you were me, and he seemed to like you, wouldn't you wonder if it was all just some beautiful dream?), I think he'd go kill himself a few goblins and pout for weeks.

At times I wonder if I'm going to just, all of a sudden, lose my mind over all this stuff.

Dang, Orla would have hay-day if that happened. So no – couldn't let that happen. Won't give her the satisfaction.

I was pondering about Jareth on a semi-slow day at work, when it all started. Kay, a teammate who was about to have her second baby any day now, passed my desk, pausing to look at my name tag. With her baby-brain going all the time, she was constantly worried about names.

"Wren," she said, passing my cube to sit in hers (which was next to mine), "I love your name. I really do… don't you and your siblings have grand sounding names? What are they, again?"

I wasn't listening fully. I was staring at a picture of David Bowie as Jareth… not as hot as the real thing, but as close as I dared to putting a picture of the real thing on my desk at work, without drawing suspicion. Everyone knew I was a fantasy buff, so film pictures were common sight at my desk. No biggie… except I would tend to stare at it quite often…

"Wren?"

"Huh? What?"

Kay gave me her I-know-you're-thinking-about-a-guy look. It's her pregnancy-powers. I don't know how she knows these things, but she does. I could almost see her make a mental note to ask me on that later. "What are your siblings names?"

"Oh," I smiled, somewhat sheepishly, "In order from oldest to youngest, there's Gideon, Ezekiel, Persephone, Lachlan, Orla and myself, Wren."

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, "Oh, I love those names! They're so… grand!"

I snorted and turned back to my screen, "Yeah, except for Wren. They all have such grand meanings – heck, Orla mean 'golden princess' – but mine. I'm a songbird."

Kay wasn't listening, she was off dreaming on what to name her baby. Allie, though, smiled from her spot across the room.

"I like you're name. It's not something you hear everyday."

I shrugged, "I guess so. I suppose it could be more boring…"

Allie snorted, "Like Allie?"

"No," I said, pointedly, "You have a nice name."

She shook her head, "It's okay, I like it, but I've always thought it would be better spelled A-L-L-I-E-G-H or something. 'Course, then people would think it's pronounced Ali, or something…"

We talked for a while longer on names and spellings and such – no matter how much we tried, there wasn't a better way to spell 'Wren'. Then, Allie sent me an email. It read:

Hey Wren,

Question… want to come eat lunch with me? I don't know about you, but I just get so tired of taking my lunch here at my cube… well, the other day, I found this great spot in the building. Remember the big room they call the Garage, because it actually used to be a garage, before the Company rented this place? I know we don't usually go down there… it used to be so crowded! Anyway, they moved all those people to another building, so its all empty cubes in there! And, there's an office way on the far end, also empty, where I go to eat my lunch. It's so peaceful! Want to join me, today?

Allie

I smiled and sent her a reply:

Allie,

You bet! Sounds nice! This room, even though it's just for us, does get kinda noisy… An office, you say? I say we make it our club house… well, that is, until the Company moves some other people in there.

Wren

So, when lunch rolled around, I saw Allie head off to the Garage. I nabbed up my lunch bag and followed her. She was already there, in the office across to the far side of the room, on the other side of the maze of short, empty cubicles. She waved at me happily and pulled up an empty chair for me. I started making my way across the room…

I headed down one row, and spotted a dark thing dart past in the other direction. I gasped. I'd spent enough time in the Underground to know what that was…

But, to be sure, I chased after it. Around two cubes and down another row. Unfortunately, this was in plain sight to Allie. I glanced over to her, to see her frown at me.

I tried to say something… where were those witty covers people always think of? I couldn't think of a one!

But, then again, if there was a goblin in my office building… well, covers weren't all that important.

I saw it duck around a corner just as I entered the row were I'd seen it go. I doubled back and went down another row. I saw it race by… but where did it go? Oh, there wasn't a way to catch it on my own, and I couldn't let it be loose…

I sighed, dashing over to the office and sitting down my lunch bag. This was going to be nasty.

"Wren…?" Allie asked, a strange look on her face, "Is there something wrong? Is there something over in the cubes? Like a… mouse?"

She was terrified of mice. Poor Allie… how would she react to a goblin? I looked at her…

And I couldn't lie. Dang me and my honesty! Curse it for all time!

"Allie…" I gulped, trying to measure her reactions, "Yeah, there was something, but it wasn't a mouse…"

"A rat?"

I shook my head. "No… but there's only one guy," I couldn't keep my face from blushing a little bit as I thought about Jareth, "Who can catch it. I tried – well, you saw me… I'm sorry, Allie, this is going to be weird. I don't now how…"

She held out her cell phone, "Do you need to call him on my cell?"

I gave her a faint smile, "No…"

She eyed me all of a sudden, like there was a light going on in her head. "Wait a minute… it's that guy isn't it!"

My eyes went large. "What guy?"

She grinned, "Oh-ho, the guy that everyone thinks you've been seeing… we can't figure out who it is, except that you've been extra dreamy lately, so we know it's a guy! It's him, isn't it?"

"THE WHOLE TEAM KNOWS!"

Allie laughed heartily, "No! No! Kay and Dan were discussing it… but they're dreamy people, anyhow, and they also sit right next to you, so if anyone, they would know… no, the whole team doesn't know… but that means I'm right, doesn't it?"

I went scarlet. I couldn't tell her no… and, I was in a pinch, anyhow.

Gosh! Why do these things happen to ME?

I heard a giggle over my shoulder, and I guess Allie did, too. She looked past me, her eyes widened in fear, and she gasped, jumping back. A hand shot out to point in the direction she'd seen it, and she was shaking.

"Wren!" she cried, "I… I saw it! W-what is t-that! It was b-big and it r-ran by!"

I sighed and hung my head.

"Allie, I'm going to do something you're not going to believe… but as you've seen it, maybe you might… oh dear…"

"Wren!" she grabbed my shoulders, "What is going on!"

"I have to call someone… yes, it's that guy, but… you won't believe it. Okay? Just trust me that everything is okay, there's nothing wrong, and he can fix it, alright? Just… just trust me. Oh," I made her sit on the desktop in the office, "Sit here, and whatever you do, don't scream. Nothing is wrong… but… yeah, just don't scream."

She nodded, frightfully, and I stepped out of the office. I ran quickly over to the double doors that were the entrance to the Garage, closed them, and put a chair in front of them. Not that it would stop anyone from coming in, but… I guess it made me feel better about what I was going to do.

I ran back to the office and Allie, seeing the goblin run by at least twice, gave her a reassuring smile, and then turned to the middle of the room.

"Okay," I said semi-loudly, "I know you're here! No one's said the words, so you need to go back to the Underground! Please go!"

I heard a giggle, but nothing else. Allie was looking somewhat mortified.

I shook my head, "Okay, fine, don't say I didn't ask you nicely," I muttered, touching my ring. "Jareth! I need you!"

Three things happened at once. First off, a goblin screamed, hearing his King's name, and realizing I was serious. Secondly, Jareth appeared about five feet away from me with a minor puff of glitter, wearing his cape and armor-ish clothes (why did he have to choose today, with Allie nearby, to show up in all his Kingly glory?). Thirdly, Allie seemed to remember that I'd told her not to scream and so she covered her mouth and wedged herself in the far back of the cube, which shifted and kinda clunked against another cubicle.

Jareth looked at the room curiously before greeting me with a smile. I could tell he hadn't seen Allie yet.

"My, my… have you decided to remodel your office after the Labyrinth, Wren?" he gave me a grin, "Or are you just trying to make me feel at home?"

I laughed a little, but I had a problem on my hands. "Jareth, I came here to eat lunch with a friend, and I discovered there's a goblin running around…"

His eyes shot open wide and he looked at me, almost furiously, "You called me when you weren't alone?"

I sighed, "I had no choice! She saw one of your goblins! It's running around in the cubicles!"

He whirled around – I thought he'd be looking for the goblin – and then rounded on me, "Where is this person!" he hissed.

I bristled. He was missing the point. "Hey, GK, can we focus here? There – is – a – goblin – in – my – office – building! Take it away before it gets into trouble or, worse, gets me into trouble!"

In the corner of my eye, I saw the goblin peeking around a nearby cubicle wall, watching me.

Allie saw it, too, and made a squeak. Poor Allie. I looked at her, and she looked simply terrified. Jareth saw her, too, and rounded on me.

He pointed a finger at her, "Who is this?" he demanded.

I slapped down his gloved finger, feeling my temper start to rise. "That would be one of my friends, Jareth, who at the moment is petrified of YOU and your GOBLIN!" He was still looking at Allie, somewhat upset. I reached over, grabbed his chin, and turned his face to look at me, "Stop acting rude. I wouldn't have called you with her, had she not seen the goblin, okay? But she saw it, so I did all I could do. Now, can you show her some manners and let her see that you aren't going to go all Hannibal Lector and try to eat her, or something, please?"

He had pressed his lips together in a thin line, still upset, so I added quickly in a whisper only he could hear, "Jareth… please. Allie's cool. She's like me, and she won't tell anyone – that is, if you're kind to her. Please be nice?"

Instantly, a change came over his features. He was, I knew full well, turning on his king-like charm. He delicately removed my hand from his face and turned towards the small office in which Allie was hiding. He approached the entrance (it would have had a door, but these are cubicles, office or no office, so it only has an opening, really) and bowed low to her.

"Do forgive my rudeness, lady Allie," he said in his rich voice (heavens, it gave me shivers to hear his voice drop down to those rumbling-soothing tones), "Your presence startled me – Wren has never asked me to come with a friend present. May I introduce myself?"

Allie said nothing. She seemed frozen to the spot, her eyes wide as saucers. In fact, she didn't even move… the most she movement was with her eyes. They were darting all over, taking in Jareth's appearance.

He extended a hand to her, bowing again, unconcerned by her reaction so far, "I am Jareth, King of the Goblins and ruler of the Underground Labyrinth. I am pleased to meet you."

Allie didn't take his hand. She still didn't move. I stepped into the cube, and stood between them, looking at Allie with some concern.

"Hey, Allie," I said, taking her hand and patting it, "It's okay…"

She quickly became unfrozen and turned to me, blinking a few times, "Holy crap, Wren. He's real, isn't he?" she said in a slightly dazed voice. "I mean, really real. The whole thing?"

I nodded, "Yup. I've been there, seen the Labyrinth, and this really is the Goblin King. I called him because the thing you saw is one of his goblins. I don't know how it got here, probably because of me, somehow." I shook my head, "Anyway, yeah… he's real."

"This isn't… I mean… I'm not being pranked, am I? Cameras aren't going to come out, and this guy's not going to suddenly tell me I'm on television? I swear, Wren, if you lie to me…"

"Allie, you know I wouldn't do that to you. This is real."

She gulped and turned to Jareth. "Um… hello, I guess. I'm Allie." Jareth smiled at her, extended his hand to her again and began talking to her, a little.

I saw the goblin out of the corner of my eye again. It was now looking right into the cube office with us. Obviously, Jareth wasn't going to just catch it… for a brief moment, I toyed with a vision of Jareth running, top speed, through the cubicle rows, chasing the little brown goblin, his cape flying out behind him. I stifled a giggle.

Ah, but I had to catch that stupid thing. Quickly – it SO wasn't expecting it – I lunged at it.

"HA! GOTCHA!"

It tried to run, but I was too quick for it… well, sorta. It tried to dash away from me, but I managed to catch its legs. I landed on my stomach in doing so – urgh, that would hurt later, I knew – but I wriggled it into my grasp where it couldn't get away. As far as goblins go, it wasn't very big. Kinda small, actually. No bigger than a foot and a half, with a brown little tunic thingy and boots and a small hat that looked more like a metal dinner plate than a hat.

It squirmed, but finally stopped wiggling, seeing that I won the game, and I picked it up by its feet.

Breathless, I turned to Jareth and shoved the goblin towards him.

He and Allie were talking, still, oblivious to the fact that I caught the goblin.

"Yes, yes," he was saying, "It really does smell that bad, but it is simply too good of a threat to use than to clean it-" he looked at me, eyes widened slightly at the sight of the muddy-looking goblin. "Wren, it isrude to interrupt a conversation, you know. Manners, dearling, manners."

My eye twitched. "Send it back. Now."

He turned his nose up, haughtily, "Well,someone israther demanding today, yes?"

I righted the goblin and shoved him – or her, I can't ever tell – at Jareth's chest. "Get rid of the goblin, GK."

He sighed lazily, gave Allie a look like I was a misbehaving child he was dealing with, produced a crystal which he handed to the small goblin. As soon as it took it in it's hands, the thing vanished.

"There we go, Wren, is that better?"

"Yes, GK, thank you. Now," I looked at Allie, "How are you doing with this?"

He gave me a jittery smile, "I… well, I'm still shocked…" her voice was shaky, "but… Dang, Wren, this is so friggin' a-awesome!"

I sighed. That was good news, really good news. "Really?" I asked her, "You're really okay with all this?"

"Um," she paused, "I don't know for sure… I'm still debating on that. But, I promise you this much," she looked pointedly at Jareth, "I ain't saying a word of this to anyone. They'd lock me up in the crazy house!"

Jareth gasped and looked at me, "They would not!"

I rolled my eyes, "Stop showing off for Allie, she's already decided you're charming, okay?" he deflated a little, I turned back to Allie, "You can tell me… and please, don't mention Jareth to anyone."

She sighed, "No fear of that," she said breathlessly. "No one would believe me, anyhow. Not even my cousins!" she sighed and looked at her lunch bag, which was now practically forgotten on the desk. "I'm not hungry… I think I'm going to go back to my desk…"

I raised my eyebrows, "You sure?"

She nodded, "Yes, I'm sure. I've had enough weirdness – no offense, your Highness," she added quickly to appease Jareth's hurt look, "but I've really had enough for one day. Egadzooks," she breathed that last part. Taking her lunch, she excused herself politely and headed out of the room.

Once she left, Jareth smiled largely at me, "Well!" he said, pleased, "That went rather well, wouldn't you say?"

Simply furious, I drew my hand back, fully intending to slap him across the face as hard as I could. I knew he'd catch my hand before I could actually hit his gorgeous face, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying.

When he caught my hand effortlessly, I growled at him, "Can you be any more self-centered? Did you or did you not understand the part where one of your stupid goblins was running around my work place, uninvited?"

He used my hand to pull me closer to him, and he got his face really close to mine, "Wren, I am hurt! Do you realize how generous I have been to you?"

"Not this stuff again…"

He let go of my hand and sat back on the desk, folding his arms delicately across his chest. "I sent the goblin."

My eyes went huge. I had no words… instead, I sputtered and spat, wordlessly.

He sighed, "Did you truly think it would go beyond my notice, Wren?"

"Uh… well, considering that you let me catch it-"

"Not the goblin," he waved his hands dismissively at me, "I meant in that you were feeling… alone. You haven't spoken to anyone of me; I knew that, and I know you, Wren. Did you think I would notsee it was takingquite thetoll on you?"

"You knew?" I managed, flabbergasted.

He nodded, "Of course. And you, knowing you as I do, were notabout to tell me this. Of everyone you could confide in, I thought Allie would accept the situation the best. The goblin was a test, you might say. It was here on my orders – which is why I sent it back as nicely as I did. Had it followed you without my orders, I would have ripped it straight into the bog, not sent it kindly with a crystal."

I frowned and looked down, "Dang – I should have noticed that you were too nice with it."

Without a word, he pulled me close to him, enfolding me in his cloak and laying his head on mine, "And, also, why would I simply show up wearing this, if it was only me you needed? Unless you are in mortal danger, why show up in full armor, unless to make a show of it to someone?"

I buried my face in his chest, just smelling him (man, he sure smells awesome… so, what's the word? Manly, I guess.) "Okay, we've established that I'm stupid. You are generous…" I looked up into his face, "Ah, what would I do without you?" I stood up on my toes and kissed him lightly, cutting him off. After a few moments, during which he decided to kiss me back (weeeee! Flying!) I pulled back and looked at my lunch. Then at my watch… I had about fifteen minutes left of lunch.

"Hmm, I've got a bit of lunch time left, and we are alone here…"

"Oh, do we?" he purred seductively… as I've said before, he does that to annoy me. Why is it that he just loves to argue with me?

I smiled, "Want to join me for lunch?" I asked, innocently.

He raised an eyebrow at me, seeing my challenge of the unsaid, do-you-dare-to-eat-in-this-office-place-with-me, and replied, "I would be honored."

A/N: Yeah, fluffy, I know. I couldn't resist. Next chapter is a big more back story, on how they became more than friends. Hee hee. Please review!