AN: Thank you so much for all the follows/favs, and lots of love to everyone who reviewed.

Chapter 6: Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

The white blanket of snow that covered the shops and cars and sidewalks of Sarah's little New York hometown looked straight out of a greeting card, bringing to mind words like 'picturesque' and 'merry' and 'frostbitten'. It was the kind of scene that invoked thoughts of hot cocoa and snowmen, and made one reminisce about Christmas as a child. At least, it would have, if the snow had been falling in the middle of winter like it was supposed to, rather than July.

Sarah trudged through the drifts like a convict on her way to meet her maker, head down and scarf pulled tight around the lower half of her face, partly to protect against the chill, and partly to ruin the makeup that Karen had so aggressively applied. She did not want to go through with this, but she would not be called a chicken, either. She was half tempted to call on the Goblin King for aid, but that felt a shade too petty and manipulative for her. Sarah prefered to handle her own problems.

She stopped in front of the little coffee shop, peering in the windows dubiously, eyes jumping from person to person until she found the one she was looking for. Darn. She had been half hoping that he would forget, or stand her up. She sighed deeply, noting that he had picked out a private booth and appeared to have ordered for her.

After coming back from the Underground a week ago to find that the changeling Brell had not only kept her affairs in order, but had even earned her a promotion at work and several new job offers, Sarah had elected to take some vacation to visit her family in New York while she mulled over the offers. She had arranged with Karen that she would arrive in time for Friday night dinner, but realized that she had been hoodwinked immediately after walking through the front door. Her father and Toby, it seemed, had gone out on a fishing trip (ice-fishing had become quite popular in the area in recent months), leaving Sarah alone in a house with her stepmother and the Mary Kay party from hell.

Sarah had been younger than everyone else by at least a decade, and all the other women seemed to exist in that moment for the sole purpose of finding Sarah's one true love for her, or at very least someone suitable for procreating with (Oh, Gloria, can you just imagine how beautiful her babies will be?). All of them also seemed to have a son or a nephew or a friend of one that might fit the bill, and after several torturous hours (for her, not them) of wine (for them, not her), fancy cheese, and overpriced makeup, it was decided that Gloria's sister's nephew Larry the pre-law student was The One.

Karen had observed all of this from the sidelines, radiating the smugness that can only come from a woman who has laid an elaborate plan and watched it come to fruition. Whenever the opportunity arose, Sarah attempted to kill her with her eyes. This was not happening, she would not go. Karen had anticipated this, too, however. Sarah wasn't quite sure when her stepmother had become so proficient at bribery and blackmail, but after a few not-so-subtle reminders of favors owed (Karen had covered for Sarah more than once during her rebellious teenage phase, and there were things that her dad just didn't need to know) Sarah had agreed to go on the blind date.

Which was how she had ended up here. She would go in, they would smile and talk about the weather, they would drink their drinks and talk about their jobs, he would act politely unaffected by the fact that she hadn't gone to college, she would act politely interested in his career choice, they would comment on what a wonderful time they'd had and that they should do this again soon, and then part ways without exchanging phone numbers.

Nodding grimly, Sarah opened the door and made her way over to him, shrugging out of her coat, scarf and hat before plopping down in the opposite booth with all the grace and charm of a sea slug.

"Hullo. I'm Sarah." She said, straightening up and offering her hand, suddenly embarrassed by her rude behaviour. For all she knew, this poor soul had been bullied into this as well.

The Poor Soul lowered his newspaper and Sarah shot up in her seat and pulled her hand back quickly, her world suddenly shrinking to the uneven blue eyes that stared back at her, twinkling with mischief. His eye markings were barely noticeable, his hair was cropped close and he wore an almost ordinary black leather jacket, but there was no mistaking that smug smirk.

"Goblin King, what are you doing here?" she hissed between gritted teeth, barely moving her lips. Her eyes darted around the cafe, where under warm lighting people talked and laughed normally, sipping their drinks and enjoying their food and company. It seemed almost incomprehensible to her that he could exist in a place without causing immediate chaos.

"Surely you're not implying that I am unwelcome?" he challenged.

Sarah steeled herself and held his gaze, putting on her angriest face. She would not, under any circumstance, let him know that she was pleased to see him. Encouraging him could lead to nothing good.

"Last time you kept your distance."

"Last time you weren't being stalked by a potentially unstable male."

Sarah wondered for a moment who he was talking about, and then remembered that she had a date.

"Really? Could've fooled me."

He paused for a moment, as if he couldn't believe that she'd really said that. "Sarah, I don't like what you are insinuating."

"Tell me, Goblin King, what bothers you more, the possibility of him being unstable or the fact that he is male?" she raised an eyebrow at him. She wasn't one to play the jealousy game, but she had to admit, it was very flattering.

A wicked, slippery grin spread across his handsome face, and he leaned back in the booth, silently daring her to continue. An icy tingle ran down her spine.

"I'm free to go on dates if I like."

"Never said you weren't." he was still grinning, but his voice could have made a polar bear shiver. The lights flickered. A coffee cup on a nearby table suddenly shattered for no apparent reason.

"How did you even know I was going to be here? You're not watching me, are you?" Sarah asked uncertainly.

Jareth thought fast. This wasn't going the way he wanted.

"Sarah, I've turned your 'date' into a potted plant." he stated matter of factly.

"-Wait, what!? You did what!" her eyes fixed on a plastic tree in the corner, which suddenly seemed far more frightened than any artificial shrubbery should rightfully be.

"Not really, l'm just distracting you."

"You're- from what?"

"From the fact that you've just agreed to leave with me." he seemed to be suddenly in a better mood. His smile was wolfish, and not just because of the pointed canines.

"I did not!" she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned indignantly.

"Fine, then, I won't tell you all the secrets you've been dying to know." he leaned across the table towards her, and all Sarah could think of was how far she could see down his shirt.

Her eyes glittered hopefully as his words registered. "What secrets?"

"Where I've been going while you're stuck in the castle. The reason for the unusual natural disasters here in your world."

"Alright, I'm listening. But you're paying for all of this," she gestured to the table, were it seemed that he'd ordered every sweet thing on the menu, "-and no more spying on me!"

He laughed at her. She scowled at him. There was something of fondness in both expressions. The tension between them lessened dramatically. Sarah began to eye some of the deserts.

"Come now, it's for your safety. The goblins would be so disappointed if I allowed you to get hit by a bus, or something of the like." he said, recapturing her attention.

Sarah's practical side took over against her will. "What are you going to tell them when I do die one day?" curious green eyes peered into cryptic blue. "I know you're ancient and immortal and all, but I'm only human. I'm not going to be around for that long, at least not relative to you."

Jareth opened his mouth to speak, but Sarah continued, "You know sometimes I think you didn't actually plan any of this at all; just acted on a whim. And what are you exactly, anyway?" The goblins had been able to tell her that 'King was older than hairspray,' but trifling details such as species or origin had escaped their interest.

Jareth ignored that last bit, amused eyes showing that he knew something she didn't, and was pleased to keep it that way.

"We'll jump that bridge when we come to it. And you were no whim, precious thing." he reached for her hand before she could react, taking it in his gloved one and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. Then, preening smugly at the flustered look on her face, he pushed a piece of chocolate cake towards her, gesturing that she should eat.

Finding herself uncharacteristically speechless, she did.

They enjoyed their meal in silence. It wasn't until much later that Sarah got the cake reference.

Jareth put down his fork when he saw that she was done and gave her a charming grin. "Ready to go?"

Sarah, thoroughly softened by chocolate and kisses and sweet talk, forgot to argue. "Back to the Underground?"

"No, it's winter there now. I'll bring you back in the spring. I thought Paris might be a good place to talk. I'll have you back here by tomorrow."

"Paris!" Sarah exclaimed, staring at him like he had two heads.

He furrowed his brows. "Are you displeased?'

"Are you kidding! I've only wanted to go to Paris for, like, forever!" she gushed.

"Well, then, let's be off." he held out a gloved hand to her.

Entirely forgetting that she was had resolved not to encourage him, Sarah grabbed her bag and reached for his hand excitedly, only to pull back as a sobering thought came to mind.

"Um, Jareth, where is the guy who was supposed to meet me here?" she hoped, she prayed that he hadn't done anything villainous. Not when they were finally starting to get along.

His eyes twinkled merrily. "I was wondering if you would remember that. Look at the date, love." He pushed the folded newspaper towards her.

Sarah looked. It showed yesterday's date.

"This is today's paper, isn't it?" she asked.

He nodded.

"You reordered time, didn't you?"

"As soon as you sat down. I have not interfered in your affairs." he held out his hand again, and this time she took it without hesitation. They disappeared in a puff of glitter, leaving a pile of sparkly dishes and several large gold coins for the confused waitress to find.

Author's notes:

So, will the Goblin King make the best of his hijacked date and woo the queen in a way she is receptive to? Or will he screw it up and then glower ominously while she prances about with pre-law students? And what the heck is up with the weather? Find out next time on SASL!

Next chapter will be up by the end of the month (I might be lying, life is crazy, but that's what I'm aiming for)

This chapter was not inspired by anything, except perhaps a reasonable quantity of an aforementioned beverage, and a possibly unreasonable dislike for Mary Kay parties.

Please review, all comments are welcome and appreciated.