Chapter Two: I Wanna Know Who You Are

Sarah had to park a mile away from her family home. She was late and all the guests had already arrived by the looks of it. The sixteen-year-old passenger had been mostly to blame.

"Couldn't you park closer?" Toby asked, shoving his black-dyed fringe out of his eyes only for it to flop back into place within seconds.

"Did it look like I could?" she asked, annoyed. "I can always park further away, you know."

Toby grumbled as he climbed out of the car. He'd spent the night at a friend's house and Sarah had volunteered to pick him up. She was largely regretting that decision now he was surly and sullen with her. He was going through some goth-like phase that Sarah believed was called emo.

"I didn't think you were in such a hurry to get home anyway," Sarah said, with false cheer in her voice. "Considering how long it took you to leave Sam's place."

Toby didn't say anything but glared at her as he swung his backpack over his shoulder and walked with a notable slump towards the family home. Toby opened the door and headed straight up the stairs.

"Oh, you're finally here," Karen greeted them, as she strode into the hallway. "Toby?" Her smile faded into confusion, her eyes tracked the teenager's movements as he slunk into the shadows of the first floor.

"I'm going to my room," he called down.

Karen shook her head and then smiled brightly at Sarah. "Thank you for collecting him and also for being here. I am guessing he is the reason you're late?"

"Yep, he was a bit resistant," Sarah agreed, shrugging lightly.

"Well, you look gorgeous." Her stepmother looked her up and down and nodded with approval, relieving Sarah of the plate of deviled eggs she had been carrying without even looking at the contents hidden by the tin foil. "Come on through; we're all out back."

Karen sashayed off in a polished, practised manner, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. Sarah glanced down at her simple light green, flowery summer dress with a silk belt tied around the waist and held up by thin aquamarine spaghetti straps, with matching coloured sandals. It was a party for her parents' friends, so nothing too revealing or showy, but it was a far cry from gorgeous. On her way through the kitchen, she grabbed a cider and headed out the back door. A gazebo had been erected and fairy lights strung in the surrounding trees. The atmosphere was pleasant; not too rowdy but loud enough to let her know that people were enjoying themselves.

She hummed along to the current Lionel Ritchie song playing as she looked for her father. It had been yonks since they'd seen each other.

"All night long, all night," sang a voice in her ear.

"Hi, Gavin," Sarah answered in a civil tone that bordered on indifference.

"Hello, my Sarah," he replied, in a hushed voice. Sarah shuddered. Gavin was an ex, but he had never been happy to be relegated as such. A son of one of her father's golfing buddies, Gavin was always at these things hoping to bump into her and reignite their flame. She'd known him since they were children, but after being asked out so many times by him and eventually accepting his plea, things didn't quite work out and Sarah called it off. Gavin hadn't quite got the memo.

Thankfully, they were interrupted.

"Sarah Williams, as I live and breathe," came a high pitched voice she recognised as Gloria's, one of Karen's sisters. "I haven't seen you in years." The slightly chubby blonde came teetering over to her and wrapped her up in her arms. "Let's go and find your father. He has been missing you."

"Thank you," Sarah muttered as Gloria dragged her away from Gavin.

"Don't mention it," Gloria replied, squeezing her shoulder with her deep red nails. She led her over to a group of people, most of whom she didn't recognise, save for her father.

"Dad!" she called out as they approached and he turned their way.

"Sarah!" He left the group to pull her into a hug. She kissed him on the cheek as they pulled apart. "I was worried you weren't going to make it."

"I had precious cargo with me, remember?" she teased. "Of course, I had to come."

"Is he upstairs?" her father asked, knowingly.

Sarah nodded as Gloria erupted into laughter. "Oh, you're talking about Toby. I thought you were subtly telling us you had a baby on board."

Sarah gave a strained laugh as she shook her head. "No, no. No baby. Just an annoying baby brother."

"Don't let him hear you say that," came a voice from the cluster of men. "He's, what, sixteen now? And he's nearly a man. Not a baby."

Sarah eyed the balding older gentlemen before someone else in the group caught her eye and she did a double-take. Standing next to the speaker—Gary or Geoff, or whatever the man's name was—was the Goblin King. She blinked, once, twice, three times, believing her sight to be misleading but no, it was him, with his eyes firmly settled on her, sipping at his cider—looking every part the mortal. His hair was short and fluffy, his clothing fashionable and certainly not armour, his eyebrows were sculpted normally and did not represent owl wings in any way. He also only wore a smattering of makeup and certainly no lip gloss. Impending doom settled in her stomach like her father's leftover fish casserole

"Geoff, you remember Sarah, my daughter." Robert steered her into the circle by her shoulder. "Sarah, this is Steve, Nick, John, Richard and Jamie."

Jamie. Sarah kept her face impassive as the Goblin King was introduced to her as Jamie. What on earth was he doing here? And masquerading as Jamie, no less.

"Steve and Nick are from the club, while John and Richard are both new neighbours," her father rattled off, unaware of Sarah's inner turmoil. "Jamie is an old client and Geoff, of course, you already know from Barbados."

Ah, yes! Barbados: when she was dragged to a holiday with Geoff who was as dull as tepid, dirty bathwater and was made to babysit Toby while the three adults lounged by the pool all day.

Sarah nodded, and gave cursory smiles to all the men; even the Goblin King who appeared amused at her weak attempt at civility. An old client! That's how he knew her father. Of all the cheek! Trying to worm his way into her life by using her father. Sarah half-heartedly listened to the conversation and added her replies as strictly polite while formulating a plan to get her out of conversing with this particular group.

And away from Him.

She had just thought of a scheme when she felt arms snaking their way around her waist. She pulled away instantly, turning to see Gavin leering behind her.

Sarah glared at him and stepped away. "Gavin," she said stiffly.

"My Sarah," he said with a smile, rubbing two fingers along the crease of her elbow.

Internally, she screamed that she wasn't his anything. But she didn't want to make a scene in front of all her father's buddies and Him. She refused to even acknowledge the Goblin King and proceeded to pretend he wasn't currently boring his eyes through her skull as she wiggled out of Gavin's clammy grasp.

"Hello, Gavin," Robert said, jovially. "I told you Sarah would get here eventually."

"It's not like my Sarah to be late." Gavin shook his head and gave her what she assumed was a smouldering look. Sarah returned it with a sour glare of her own.

"No, but Sarah does like to do things her own way from time to time." Robert patted her awkwardly on the shoulder.

"Toby was the reason I was late," Sarah replied huffily before recollecting that he had yet to come down. "Which reminds me, I need to go check on him."

"He'll come down when he's ready, Sarah," Robert reasoned. "Gavin has been excited to see you."

"I have, my Sarah," he purred. "So excited."

Sarah levelled another stare at him before rounding on her father. "I think Toby may at least like me to bring food up to him. This may not be his scene."

"Parties were always your scene, Sarah," her father said with an air of nostalgia. "You always liked performing and dancing for our friends. You get that from Linda, not from me." He chuckled at his own remark and Sarah wondered if she was going to grind her teeth to stumps before this interaction ever ended, least of all because of the comparison to her mother.

"Yes, thank you, dad, but I recall the times that I wasn't in the mood and you'd bring me up a plate of food and I just want to do the same for Toby."

She turned on her heel and moved back towards the house.

"I will come with you," Gavin said, starting to follow. Sarah groaned internally but without having to even protest, he suddenly stopped following her and headed off in another direction. "On the other hand, I think I've just spotted Ursula."

Sarah watched him go with a frown before catching Jareth watching her in turn. He winked and Sarah knew without a shadow of a doubt he had used magic against him to make him forget about tailing her. She scowled at him

He merely smirked and turned back to his neighbour to continue their conversation. Sarah walked off on slightly shaky legs. What on earth was he doing here? She had to get her father alone to demand an explanation, but then how would she do that without him asking questions she didn't want to answer? She made her way to Toby, her thoughts heavy and this perhaps caused her to miss the figure waiting at the top of the stairs until she barrelled into them.

She looked up from the blue-shirted chest she had crashed into to see a sharp chin and an elegant nose peering down at her. She swallowed down her instinct to apologise and stepped to the side to go around him.

"Sarah," he said, his smooth, cultured voice flowing over her senses like the finest silk. In fact, his voice could teach silk a thing or two.

"Jamie," she said with more than a trace of snark.

"I should have known that you were Robert and Linda's daughter," he said, grinning as he barred her way with an arm resting casually against the wall.

Sarah could barely process that he knew her father but he also knew Linda. "Leave my parents alone."

"Your odious mother is quite safe from my attention," he replied, leaning slightly closer to her. "Your father, on the other hand, is my friend—"

Sarah cut him off with a snort. "My father is not your friend." Sarah wanted to argue that her mother wasn't odious but thought better of it. He wasn't wrong about that, even if she didn't want to hear other people say it. After so many years, she didn't want the first thing she said to him to be a blatant lie. She could never hold the upper hand with him if she was dishonest.

"I have known him for a few years now, and I consider him my friend," he continued with a frown. "But I do retract my words about your mother. Linda is odious, but she isn't your mother. Not in the true sense of the word."

"How dare you use my father to get to me!" Sarah hissed, crossing her arms. She wanted to also accuse him of having no idea what the word, 'mother,' truly meant, but she found she could not articulate it. Primarily because she had no idea whether or not he even had a mother to begin with. He probably sprung from a hole in the ground like a dwarf from Lord of the Rings.

Jareth tossed his head back and laughed. "To get to you?" He shook his head, amusement glinting in his eyes. "Why would I want to get to you? Do you think you're worthy of my attention?"

Sarah coolly raised a brow but kept any other reaction under wraps. A brief flickering of pride warmed her as she concealed her anger at his words. Maybe she should have become an actress after all.

"My father has questionable taste in friends," Sarah answered with a nonchalant shrug. "I will concede that point to you." She hoped he realised she considered him as boring as his golfing buddies. "After all, a goblin's unwashed rear end would be far more fascinating than Geoff or Gary or Kevin or Darryl."

"Still as cruel as ever, I see." He removed his arm from the wall and Sarah didn't hesitate to push past.

"I am not the one who magically hoodwinked a mortal and made them think they were my friend," Sarah snapped over her shoulder. "No doubt for some nefarious reason."

"You wound me, but your hypocrisy is showing, Sarah," he said, his voice an octave lower. "Did you or did you not befriend Hogfried for your own selfish reasons?"

Sarah didn't know whether to laugh or rage, so she made a noncommittal grunt. "Just don't hurt my father, stay away from me and especially Toby. And it's Hoggle."

"I have no wish to harm your father and as for staying away, I can't help it if neither of you can stay away from me."

Sarah did laugh this time. "Why are you here anyway? Did the goblins kick you out for being such a tyrant?"

Jareth cocked his head at her. "I was invited by your parents."

"I meant Aboveground," she spat back.

"As I said, I was invited," he started heading down the stairs. "I am still the Goblin King, thank you for your concern."

Sarah ignored him and moved towards Toby's room.

"Oh, and you're welcome," he called up.

"For what?" Sarah spun on her heel to stare him down. "I never thanked you."

"No, you didn't," Jareth replied, tugging at the collar of his shirt. "But I accept your wordless gratitude for sending your lover on his way. Gary, was it?"

"Gavin, but he's not my—"

She stopped talking. No one ever believed her when she made it clear he wasn't her boyfriend. Gavin laid his affections on so thickly, that no one would see her own heart was untouched. Her own frustration robbed her of the apt denial when everyone seemed to think her a liar when she said those words. Even Gavin. Even her own family who ought to know better.

The Goblin King gave Sarah a look of mild curiosity and something told her he would believe her.

"He's not my lover," she repeated, calmer this time. "Despite what everyone thinks. It's been over for a while."

"Ah," he replied with a stoic smile. "I know those feelings very well."

Sarah shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, realising that this was the first moment they had ever shared any camaraderie. She gave him a curt nod.

"My mother is the only one who thinks things are over between me and…well his name isn't important," he said with a heavy sigh. "You asked me why I am Aboveground. One of the reasons is to avoid him."

Sarah scratched the back of her neck and chewed the inside of her mouth. She really didn't know what to do with this rather neutral ground they'd discovered between them. She also baulked slightly at the fact he had a mother and didn't come crawling naked out of the ground as she previously surmised. Then she rebuked herself for thinking about him naked. Her frustrations were mounting and she had to get away from him before she stomped her foot.

She took three deep breaths. "Well, I hope he believes you soon."

Jareth's lips twitched. "So do. I am afraid until there is a Queen on my throne, no one will get the message."

"Or king," Sarah suggested.

"Or king," he conceded with an amused smile. "But whilst I wouldn't object to a king…"

Sarah threw him a puzzled look as he trailed off.

He cleared his throat. "I hope your friends and family eventually accept that Girven is no longer your lover."

"Gavin." She didn't bother thanking him, instead, she turned around and headed back towards Toby's room. Yet again, she found herself turning back to him as he called her name once more.

"Yes?" Sarah wasn't willing to concede any more ground with her teenage nemesis.

"My friendship with your father is genuine," he said, his eyes showing an odd sentimental glaze. "Whatever else you think of me, know that I do not mean any harm to you or your family. I didn't even know Robert was your father, Sarah."

"I'm warring with my curiosity on this one," she admitted. "I'm afraid my anger at the fact you're even remotely in my life outweighs my curiosity, so spare me the details."

"I—"

"Oh, hello Jamie," came Karen's voice at the base of the stairs. "I see you've met our daughter, Sarah."

"Yes, Karen, I have and she is quite enchanting." Jareth turned from Karen, who was climbing the stairs behind them, back to Sarah. "I was just on my way back from the bathroom when we bumped into each other."

Sarah felt a blush creep up her cheeks and it only deepened when she felt embarrassed for the initial reddening of her cheeks. She cast her eyes to Karen who she could see was looking between the two of them with a ponderous, scheming look on her face. When she caught Sarah's eyes, she simply smiled.

"Sarah, were you just going to see Toby?"

"Oh shoot, I was going to bring him up some food and I totally forgot," Sarah stared at her empty hands.

"I will go fix up a plate of food he likes and bring it up," Karen said, as she started to teeter back down the stairs. "I am sure you'll work your magic to get Toby to join the party."

Sarah briefly made eye contact with Jareth before continuing to Toby's room. She knocked on the door and he threw it open moments later.

"Sarah," he said with a nod.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

Toby nodded again and opened the door for her to enter. His walls were plastered with band posters. Every single pair of eyes staring back at her were rimmed with eyeliner and their hair was black with their fringe covering most of their faces.

"Not exactly David Bowie," Sarah remarked.

"Who?" Toby asked, throwing himself down on his bed. Sarah cringed at his ignorance of one of her favourite idols.

"He was a rock star of the 70s and 80s, Tobes."

"I forget you're so old," he replied as he grabbed something off his bedside cabinet. "I am not going downstairs if that's why you're here."

"I don't blame you." Sarah perched on his desk. "I am avoiding Gavin myself." And Jareth.

Sarah watched as her little brother started painting his nails black.

"Who's Gavin?" Toby asked without much real interest. They were far apart in age and after Sarah moved out, they only drifted further apart. Sure, they loved each other, but they didn't know the intimacies of each other's lives.

"My ex-boyfriend," she answered sourly. "I regret ever going down that road."

"Level five clinger?" Toby asked.

The corner of Sarah's mouth tugged upwards. "What's the scale?"

"Ten being a limpet," Toby explained, admiring his nails.

"Oh, I'd say 7 or 8." Sarah rolled her eyes skyward. She was about to explain further when there was a light tapping on the door. "That will be your mom; she is bringing up food for you."

"Come in."

But instead of Karen, Jareth suddenly entered carrying a plate of food. Sarah narrowed her eyes instantly, while Toby raised a brow. "Who are you?"

"I offered to help Karen bring this up as one of the guests started getting rather morose." At this, Jareth stared at Sarah pointedly. "Calvin is missing his Sarah."

Sarah rolled her eyes again for the second time in a minute. "Toby, upgrade it to level ten: bonafide limpet."

Toby chuckled and got up to claim his plate of food. "Oh, yeah, she gave me my favourites." He inspected the meal and then nodded his thanks to Jareth.

Sarah wanted to dash the food out of his hand for fear that it had been poisoned or worse, but she stayed her own hand and waited for Jareth to leave.

But he remained.

"Is there anything else you require?" Jareth asked.

"Sweet, my own servant," Toby said gleefully before he recalled he was an emo and schooled his expression to look suitably sullen. "I would like a tattoo that is a bleeding dagger down my arm and the words saying, 'My Silence is My Pain,' looped through it in gothic script."

Sarah shook head at Jareth in warning.

He just smirked at her. "I meant more in the way of nourishment, Tobias."

"Nah, I'm good," he replied. "Thanks, dad's friend."

"My name is Jamie," Jareth replied smoothly. Toby alternated between painting his nails and sticking food in his mouth. Sarah absently inspected items on his desk. But still, he lingered.

"I wonder, Sarah, if you were returning to the party?"

Sarah froze, her fingers skating over a paintbrush of Toby's. She glanced up at him with her brow furrowed.

"Not at this precise moment: no."

"Good. Can we talk privately, please?"

"You two know each other?" Toby scoffed. "Don't tell me that dad's friend is also another one of your relentless boyfriends who won't take no for an answer."

Sarah laughed. "No, Toby he's definitely not an ex, but in saying that, he does struggle with taking no for an answer." These last words she aimed directly at Jareth.

Something ineffable flitted across Jareth's face. "You said no to me once and I respected your wishes, Sarah." His frown deepened. "In fact, I never contacted or saw you again after that. If that is not taking no for an answer, then I don't know what is." He spun on his heel and left the room.

Sarah bit her lip and glanced away from the door to see Toby quietly assessing her.

"Out with it." Sarah waved her hand to get him to say what was on his mind.

Toby shrugged. "You do know him."

"I met him a long time ago," Sarah skirted the truth. "He offered me something and I turned him down. He is right, though, I haven't seen him since."

"And now he's dad's friend." Toby shovelled a forkful of potato salad into his mouth before he closed the cap of the nail polish.

"How long have they been friends?"

"Dunno," he replied, blowing on his fingernails to dry them. "I'd say five or so years. He was a client of dad's but I never met him. Dad talked about him a lot. Mum and dad often have dinner with him."

"I can't imagine in what capacity he would be a client of dad's."

"Why don't you ask him?"

Sarah didn't even want to go back downstairs let alone face him. She tutted and climbed off his desk.

"I'm going to the loo and then I am going back down to eat a deviled egg before Hamish eats them all," Sarah declared. "Karen really wants you to go down, but I'm not going to ask you."

"You don't like Jamie, do you?"

"That's rather astute of you," Sarah muttered.

"If I come downstairs, will you tell me?" His eyes shone with the hope of spilt secrets. Sometimes it was clear he was Karen's son with his penchant for gossip.

"Why do you need to know?"

Toby licked his fingers and grinned. "I am bored and learning that my perfect sister has a dark secret is more entertaining than listening to Bob and Steve talk about golf all evening."

"Fair, but it isn't a deep, dark secret," she lied. It clearly was something she couldn't tell Toby. Sarah knew he harboured a bit of resentment towards her because he had perceived her as being perfect and could do no wrong. The reality of it was that the age gap between them meant the dynamic had simply changed between her and her parents as an adult. They had stopped treating her as a child but to Toby, she was still his sister and should receive equal treatment. "You'll only be disappointed."

Toby gathered his dirty dishes and headed towards the door. "Come on. Out with it."

Sarah laughed. "I met him when I was babysitting you one night. He looked younger than he was and I looked older, soo he asked me out, and I rejected him. He left. End of story."

"That doesn't explain why you hate him?"

"Well, we played a board game together and he cheated throughout and all but flipped the board right at the end when he still lost." It unnerved Sarah how easy it was to lie. "He was arrogant, a cheat and way too old."

Toby raised a brow and headed to the door. "What was he doing babysitting me with you?"

Sarah closed her eyes at the obvious hitch in her lie. "Do you remember how I used to be super into fantasy and I went to Ren Faires?" At his nod, she continued, "Well, I met him through one of those events and invited him over secretly after dad and your mom had gone out. I thought he was younger than he really was—closer to my age—I never acted so irresponsibly again."

"So is he a pervert?" Toby asked with worry shadowing his face.

Sarah shook his head. Sarah knew he was an ageless, magical creature and it would be unfair to tar him with her world's morals and rules. "He thought I was older than I was too. I looked more mature than I was at that age and many people forgot I was only fourteen. I used to play on it as much as I used to hide from it by delving into my fantasies and daydreams."

Toby raised his brows but said nothing. He went through the door and Sarah followed him back down the stairs. In the kitchen, she helped herself to some more food and meandered back outside. The Bee Gees were playing and some people were dancing on the lawn while others ate and mingled on the outskirts. Karen gave her a thumbs up from the marquee when she saw Toby following her. He had retreated back into his shell, however, his shoulders slouched and his eyes downcast.

She left him to the raptures of his aunt Gloria and found the one person whose company she didn't mind. An old friend who still lived on this street had arrived. Sarah hadn't been close with Melissa when they were children but after her trip to the Labyrinth, she had found they had more in common than not. She rushed up behind her friend and pressed her index fingers into either side of her waist.

Melissa squealed and then turned to embrace Sarah warmly. "Mr Williams said you were here but I couldn't find you."

"I was upstairs with Toby."

The two girls moved off to a free table under a fairy light strewn tree to catch up.

"Wanna dance?" Melissa asked a while later as Rick Astley started playing. Sarah readily agreed and let Melissa pull her to her feet. They moved to the music clumsily and full of laughter; both of them falling over each other as they danced, reminiscent of previous parties that their parents had held.

It didn't take long to notice a pair of mismatched eyes watching her. A worm of discomfort wriggled through her at both his presence and the way they had left their last conversation. When their eyes met, Sarah was quick to look away. They may have been foes but she was still grateful that Gavin was leaving her alone. In fact, as she studiously avoided Jareth's eyes, she found Gavin entwined with Ursula in a shadowy corner of the yard. Sarah exhaled with relief and concentrated on her dance partner, who playfully bopped her on the nose.

Sarah scrunched up her nose as she giggled. When the night moved to slower music, they left the makeshift dance floor, collapsing on the grass in fits of giggles. They watched the dancers for a while before Melissa got up to use the bathroom. Moments later she sensed someone sitting down next to her on the other side.

"I have a house Aboveground and I hired your father to help me from having it bulldozed," Jareth murmured into her left ear. "He was successful and he remained my acquaintance over the years. He never mentioned your name, nor your brother's, because I suspect you blocked them from revealing who you were."

Sarah turned to face him at that last. "I—what?"

"Your magic—"

"I don't have—"

"You do, and quite powerful." He shifted slightly so he could rest his arm on his bent knee. "Only your willing presence here tonight broke your protection."

"Why are you telling me any of this?"

"You undoubtedly have many crimes pegged against my name. I am simply clearing myself of one of them." He tapped his fingers against his knee. "I will earn your hatred, Sarah, I will not have it bestowed upon me unjustly."

"And here I was thinking your arrogance wouldn't lend such awareness to you," Sarah replied. "I'd imagined you would have thought I was half in love with you."

He laughed. "I may be arrogant, but I am not foolish. However little I understand your hatred of me, I am not gullible enough to think you have any feelings for me, Sarah."

Sarah arched a brow. "You really surprised me. I'd have thought you believed everyone was in love with you."

"Well, they should be," he replied, smugly.

Sarah turned away from him and caught Karen staring at them with a lopsided smile. Oh no. Karen was definitely getting the wrong impression. Sarah hugged her knees in a familiar defensive position and turned her head away from her scheming stepmother.

"Does it make you uncomfortable that I am friends with your parents, Sarah?" he asked after they sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Of course it does," she said, scoffing lightly. "You have magic and you're a conniving fae. You're dangerous."

"I thank you for the compliment." He sat up straighter. Sarah noticed Melissa was heading back. Unconsciously, she shuffled further away from Jareth. In a whisper, he added, "You also have magic and you would have to be conniving to beat my Labyrinth."

"I'm back," Melissa announced, then caught sight of Jareth. "Well, hello, handsome."

Jareth grinned broadly. "See, Sarah? Flirtation or fear are the usual responses to meeting me. Or an interesting combination of the two." He turned to Melissa. "Enchanted, darling."

Sarah rolled her eyes. Melissa flushed and returned his grin.

"Stay away from him, Mel. He is bad news," Sarah muttered, feeling that she should at the very least protect her friend.

"Perfect for you then!" Melissa countered with a cheeky grin.

"What?" Sarah and Jareth said at the same time.

Melissa giggled and addressed Jareth. "Sarah has only ever dated straight-laced, rather boring men. She probably craves—and is denying herself—a bit of a bad boy."

Sarah gave Melissa a hard look.

"It's written all over her," she continued, undaunted by Sarah's cool stare. "She keeps her dating life tame and manageable but it never works out."

"OK, thank you," Sarah said, forcing a grin. "I wouldn't say stalking is a straight-laced tendency and you've never had one of those. And I've had two."

"Gavin is rather annoying but harmless."

Sarah scrubbed her hand over her face in exasperation. "That's what everyone says in the murder documentaries before it is revealed that they are, in fact, the killer."

"You watch too many 'Unsolved Mysteries and The Forensic Files,'" Melissa retorted, flinging her blonde ponytail over her shoulder. "Another bit of proof that you prefer danger to playing it safe, yet you still deny it."

Sarah shook her head, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Watching murder documentaries doesn't mean I crave danger or want to wind up dead in new and creative, yet unmistakably gory ways."

Jareth cleared his throat. "Do I understand correctly that you have two stalkers?"

"Low key stalking," Melissa corrected. "Harmless Gavin who now seems to be enamoured with Ursula." Melissa gazed with her brow furrowed to where the couple in question were mauling each other. "And Travis who—"

"Can we not talk about him?" Sarah did not want to talk about Travis in front of Jareth. Travis Haverstock was some man she'd never met before that had approached her once and told her she'd ruined his life. She'd escaped before she learnt how exactly she'd ruined his life, but he kept popping up on her travels to hurl abuse at her. He was clearly a drug addict and volatile, but the police all but ignored her concerns. There was something familiar about him that she couldn't figure out. He unnerved her for more reasons than just the verbal onslaught.

"No, I'm intrigued." Jareth leaned forward, his arm hanging off his knee loosely. "Is this Travis also an ex-lover of yours?"

"No," Sarah said sharply. "He is just some man who hangs out at my nearby shops and accuses me of ruining his life." She rolled her eyes.

"Travis the Crackhead," Melissa clarified. "An infamous junky who has adopted Sarah as his special project."

Sarah gritted her teeth as she studiously avoided Jareth's eyes.

"I see," he replied in a deep tone that sounded almost menacing.

"This is a party, not a therapy session," Sarah snapped, rising off the ground to go hang out with someone that wasn't Jareth. "I don't want to discuss Travis nor Gavin."

Jareth's tone of voice had become too menacing for her liking. She didn't like either man and their stalking but she feared any retribution Jareth may undertake on her behalf.

"My name's Jamie by the way," Jareth said to Melissa as Sarah walked off. "Sarah didn't introduce me."

"I'm Melissa," she replied in a sultry tone.

Sarah hadn't gotten very far when she suddenly found Jareth at her elbow.

"You're running away from me," he whispered, his hot breath skating across the shell of her ear. "And you left your friend in my care and that was not very hospitable of you. I thought you'd care more about your friends than to leave them to my tender mercies—serial killer that I am."

Sarah swallowed. He was right; she couldn't think of a direct retort and there was no chance to, by the time Karen joined them.

"Would you like to help me in the kitchen for a moment?" Karen asked as she patted her hairdo to ensure it was still in place.

"Sure," Sarah replied instantly, sure that Jareth wouldn't be seen doing anything as demeaning as kitchen work, so she would be able to escape him.

"I would be delighted to assist as well." Jareth was not meeting her expectations; good or bad.

"Oh, don't be silly. You're a guest!" Karen simpered.

"So am I," Sarah pointed out.

"You're family, darling." Karen swatted her playfully on the arm. Tipsy Karen was always like this.

Sarah remained placid on the outside even though she was seething on the inside. Jareth needed to leave her alone. She didn't need a third stalker; one that was ultimately more powerful than the other two combined.

They followed a smiling Karen to the kitchen where she handed them each a tray piled high with mini cheesecakes.

"Please hand these out to our guests."

"They look delightful, Karen," Jareth said, winking at her stepmother. She gave an inebriated giggle and sauntered off with one of the other trays.

"Are you being an arse on purpose?" Sarah asked in a harsh whisper.

"Everything I do is intentional, Sarah." He started heading out of the kitchen. "Why do you ask?"

Sarah scowled and then barged past him outside. He took his tray in the opposite direction, so at least he wasn't following her anymore. She focused on the task at hand, smiling and offering cheesecakes to everyone. Even Gavin accepted one without so much as a lewd comment. Sarah was surprised but not exactly feeling bereft at the loss of his attentions.

When the tray was empty, she went back inside where Jareth was already chatting amicably with Karen. They both looked at her and smiled. Sarah cast a suspicious look at the pair and dumped her tray.

Jareth picked up a wine glass and sidled past her to rejoin the fray.

"Oh my," Karen said, fanning her face. "The chemistry between you two is palpable."

Sarah coughed on her own saliva. "If by chemistry you mean toxicity, then sure."

"No, my dear, I've seen the way he looks at you."

"Like he wants to sauté my kidneys in butter?" Sarah replied with venom. She wondered if he even had kidneys. Would immortal beings require internal organs? Would he need a transplant if she was to stab him rather violently in the—

"Sarah, he is a very nice man and doesn't deserve your brand of man-hating."

Hearing Karen say that Jareth was nice told her that they clearly didn't know him as well as she did, but she didn't want to let on that she had met him before they ever had. She suppressed her feminist sigh at her stepmother's words and held her hands out in mock supplication.

"Look, I am worn out from dating and from men who don't have boundaries. I am currently off the market simply because I need a break from men and their neediness." Sarah wrinkled her brow as she stirred the cold soup. "And besides, I am an attractive woman; lots of men want me, but that doesn't mean I have to give them the time of day."

Karen pouted briefly before nodding in a brisk fashion that tempted her hairstyle to come undone. "You're right, I suppose. But Jamie is a nice man. He has been very good to your father, so maybe ease back on the militant feminism just a tad."

Sarah sipped her punch from the wine glass and licked her lips. "He may be a serial killer, Karen; look at Ted Bundy. Being attractive and friendly doesn't mean they're not psycho killers."

Karen scoffed as she busied herself with the next tray of sweets. "You watch—"

"Yep, too much TV and read too many books," Sarah finished, having heard this argument many times before. She was an avid reader, and it was something that Karen just didn't understand about her stepdaughter or her husband. She preferred her magazines and tabloids to a book.

"I am not a serial killer," Jareth said as he came back into the room. Karen looked absolutely horrified but Sarah just laughed.

"That's exactly what a serial killer would say if someone suspected them."

Humour danced in Jareth's eyes, as he combed his much shorter mortal hair with his fingers. "Serial killers would also probably deflect attention from themselves onto others, so perhaps you're the serial killer."

"Maybe I am," Sarah said grinning. "I am taking auditions for my first victim. Do you want to sign up?"

"Sarah Ellen Williams!" Karen cried, aghast.

Jareth grinned and scooped up a handful of potato chips. "Shall I give you my number?"

"Is this what constitutes flirting these days?" Karen said, her horror abating fractionally.

"No, absolutely not," Sarah said just as Jareth replied with, "Yes, bizarrely enough."

Sarah scowled at Jareth. "We are not flirting."

"I was," he said with a shrug and his trademark smirk. "Nothing gets the juices pumping like some good old death and murder."

Sarah couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"God help us," Karen muttered. "Thank goodness I am happily married."

"Yeah, but to my father so…"

Karen tutted playfully. "Don't be disrespectful towards your dad." She picked up the tray and then left the kitchen. Jareth and Sarah stood alone in the room once more.

"So, did you want my number, Sarah?"

"Of course, I don't." Sarah placed her wine glass down heavily. "I was not flirting. It's more accurate to assume I am a serial killer than to categorise any interactions between us as flirting."

"Such acerbic wit," he said, examining his fingernails with casual disdain.

Sarah rolled her eyes, gathered a new tray and went back out to serve the guests.

The rest of the night seemed to comprise mainly of the older generation becoming more and more inebriated while flinging themselves around the dance floor. Sarah was dying to return home to her bed for some much-needed sleep. When Melissa left—after Gavin had departed with Ursula—Sarah saw no reason to hang around. She kissed her dad on the cheek, waved at Toby and hugged Karen before leaving. She promised she'd be back to help tidy up the next day.

Jareth, she ignored.

And she thought he was ignoring her until she was at the front door and felt a presence intruding on her solitude.

"Not even going to say goodbye, Sarah?"

She spun around, her hand still on the doorknob. "Bye."

Undeterred by her curt reply, he pressed on. "It is rather telling when you try to avoid me."

"Well, it's not as if you said goodbye the last time we met," Sarah replied, pinning him with a cool stare. "You just dissolved into a mass of feathers and flew out of my house. Not even a 'by your leave' or 'ta-ra.'"

"I do not speak like an English toff," Jareth remarked as she pretended to doff her cap to him, but he was clearly amused given the scrunch of his nose and the brief grin playing at his mouth.

"Whatever." Sarah folded her arms. "You've had your goodbye, so I am leaving now."

"If you ever need me, Sarah, just call," he said softly.

"I won't." She left, hoping she'd never see him again, but also fearing she wouldn't. She wondered if she was a fool to leave him in the house without supervision. Jareth could return to the party and slaughter or kidnap everyone. Sarah took a deep breath. He never even touched her all those years ago, so why was she determined to see him as a murderer? Was it just the shock of seeing him here as well as the guilt of how she knew him that was making her behave in such a way? Fearing him was a rational course of action. He was dangerous and they did not play on an even playing field.

And just the simple act of attending this party meant any power Sarah had over him had become null and void.

She was just in the process of closing the door when she paused. She reopened it a crack to see him, still standing there with one hand in his pocket and one hand over his eyes.

"I forgot to say something," she said.

The hand over his eyes fell away hurriedly. "I am all ears," he invited, curling his lip over his teeth in a way that Sarah recognised was a habit of his.

"You have no power over me or my family," she said, confidently. If the words were powerful enough to win her the Labyrinth, then they surely should protect her family.

Jareth remained stoic and did not dissolve into a pile of feathers, nor did he even flinch, much to Sarah's dismay and disappointment. Instead, he shoved both hands deeper into his pockets and licked his lips.

He didn't even speak. Sarah wanted to stomp her foot in frustration. He could at least give her the pleasure of a reaction.

"Well?" she said, staunchly.

Jareth's jaw twitched. "I would make a blood vow with you that I would not harm your family if you would stop villainizing me."

"A blood vow?"

"We join our blood and I vow not to harm your family and it means my death if I broke the vow," he explained, pulling one hand out of his pocket to place on his hip. "It is rather extreme, not to mention painful for both of us, but I would do it if it meant that I could retain my friendship with you-your parents."

"Why?" Sarah was confused. "You have nothing in common."

"They have shown me kindness. Is anything more needed for friendship?" he asked genuinely. "You considered yourself Hijjles friend for less."

"Hoggle!"

"Yes."

Sarah frowned at him. "I don't think any of that is necessary."

He gave a perfunctory nod. "Tell me why you still see me as the villain, Sarah."

"You are charming and you have charisma," Sarah replied. "It makes you more dangerous than someone who is blatantly evil. I don't trust you. I think you wear humanity as your façade but it hides a darkness that is more threatening than any monster in the open."

"All these years and you're finally starting to fear me," he replied almost absentmindedly like he'd forgotten she was even there. "For some reason, it doesn't taste as delicious as I assumed it would."

He didn't elaborate but disappeared instead through the door back into the kitchen, leaving her standing in the doorway clutching the handle. Her thoughts were in turmoil.

She was reeling from Jareth's appearance in her life, the fact he was friends with her parents, and the magic he claimed she had. But most of all, she was reeling from the realisation that she had enjoyed bantering with him.

Fuck!

A/N:

Longer chapter today, so hopefully this makes up for how long it has been.

Thanks heaps, to Telcontarian for her fantastic beta reading. She is a fucking legend.