Tempting Fate

Chapter 14: A Steamy Interlude It was late afternoon as Jareth drifted off to sleep in the guest room. Sarah took a short nap herself. She woke in the early evening and made some soup for dinner and took some up to Jareth. She quietly opened the door and left the tray on the nightstand. He was sound asleep. She smiled, noticing how peaceful he looked, and soon she was admiring his handsome features. As her eyes trailed down his lithe form she quickly decided to leave. She wasn't t sure how light of a sleeper he was and she didn't want to be caught gawking. Sarah went back to her room and rummaged through her closet. After going through every single outfit she owned, she found something suitable to wear to the club. She kept telling herself that it was just a coincidence that it happened to be the most seductive thing she owned. It was a form fitting black camisole top with a matching sheer button down blouse. She found some low rise jeans that would go great with the top and would also go nicely with the new belt she had bought last week. Sarah figured that since her guest was comatose in the guest room, she might as well have a nice hot bath. She could use a little tension relief after all. Sarah turned on her shower radio to a jazz station and as she filled the tub with hot water and jasmine scented bubble bath. She went back to her room and removed her clothes before wrapping her white bathrobe snugly around herself. As she headed back to the bathroom she stopped to listen at the guest room door. There was no sound nor movement, so she silently went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Sarah slid into the warm water and sighed. There really was nothing like a hot bath. After soaking for a while, chest deep in the sudsy water, she went through her normal routine of bathing herself. The water was so hot it caused the air in the bathroom to become thick with steam. Meanwhile Jareth had managed to drag himself out of bed and eat the soup Sarah had left for him. He was feeling much better and dinner was just the thing to restore his energy and wake him up. Once he had finished, he left the room in search of Sarah. He looked downstairs first. There was no sign of her in the kitchen or living room. As he went back upstairs, he noticed that her bedroom door was closed. He was about to knock and enter when he realized that she may be asleep. He decided he'd wait awhile before he disturbed her. He figured he might as well use the opportunity to visit the bathroom. The house was old and the upstairs bathroom did not have a working lock. Jareth opened the bathroom door and walked in. To say he was surprised at what he found was an understatement. There was Sarah in the tub, covered in bubbles, well sort of covered. One long slender leg was out of the water, her knee bent with her foot resting on the rim of the tub. She was running something along her calf when he strode in. Sarah gasped and looked up with wide eyes. At the same moment she nicked herself with the blade and clumsily dropped her razor into the tub. Jareth was so taken aback that all he could do was stare through the steamy air at the wet and sudsy beauty before him. Sarah expected him to quickly turn, around or do something besides just gawk at her. In a moment of panic she frantically glanced down at herself. All the important parts were still covered...sort of. As Jareth stood aghast, he noticed that the warm air had made Sarah's skin moist and dark tendrils of hair clung to her neck. The heat of the bath had flushed her skin a deep shade of pink. He couldn't help but notice how shapely and smooth her naked leg was. He forced a sharp intake of breath as he tried to orchestrate the appropriate reaction. Sarah beat him to it. Once she made sure she wasn't exposed, she heatedly asked, "Ever hear of knocking?" Jareth had finally managed to composed himself and blurted, "I...didn't realize you were in here, I thought you were sleeping." Just then, he noticed droplets of blood appearing on Sarah's ankle. Just as Sarah was going to tell him to get out, Jareth exclaimed, "Sarah you're bleeding..." Sarah picked up on the concern in his voice as he strode toward her. Sarah saw the nick and realized the bubbles were getting rather thin. "Jareth, I'm fine. For heaven's sake, turn around!" Jareth stopped, abruptly turning his back to her, "Oh sorry...I saw that you're hurt, what happened?" Sarah retrieved her razor from the water. "I'm not hurt. I was just shaving, and when you startled me, I nicked myself with the blade. It doesn't hurt...happens all the time actually...now will you please go and let me bathe in peace?" Jareth looked at her over his shoulder, noticing that the bubbles had receded enough so he could see the swell of her breasts. His eyes slowly devoured her as his lips curved into a dangerous smirk, "But I was just starting to enjoy the view." Sarah groped the floor near the tub and grabbed the first thing she found, the empty bubble bath bottle. He raised his eyebrows teasingly as his gaze followed her lounging form. Horrified, she pelted him with the empty bottle and shouted, "Get out!" Jareth glanced at her once more as he left the room, closing the door behind him. Shaking his head, he murmured, "Such a pity." Tormenting Sarah was so much fun that he decided to wait for her in her room. He paced about her bedroom perusing her belongings. When he grew tired of snooping, he turned on her radio and took a seat on her bed. As he sat down he noticed the outfit that she had laid out. He ran his fingers over the sheer material of the blouse before he noticed the undergarments that she had neatly placed beside her clothes. He observed that instead of a corset there was a garment made out of black satin that looked as though it would barely cover her breasts. He couldn't resist touching the silky fabric. As intriguing as this article of clothing was, it was not nearly as interesting as the tiny black satin panties that were folded underneath it. He pondered that such underpants wouldn't cover very much. The thought made him smile. At hearing the bathroom door open he quickly replaced her garments and stretched himself out on the bed. Sarah was towel drying her hair as she entered her bedroom wearing her white bathrobe. She was surprised to find the Goblin King lounging seductively on her bed. He was laying on his side in his usual Underground attire, his signature skin-tight riding breeches, a half open poet's shirt and the knee high black boots. He leaned his cheek against a black-gloved hand, propped up by his elbow. His other arm was draped casually over his hip. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. How many times had she fantasized about walking in her room and seeing him exactly like that? She felt her cheeks grow hot. Damn. The little voice of reason in her head warned. Just ignore him...go about your business as if his presence doesn't affect you at all. Another voice quickly retorted, Yeah, as if you could ignore him when he's lying there like that. Good God, he's practically daring you to jump his bones. Sarah felt her cheeks grow even hotter. She swallowed, knowing she was in trouble. She concentrated on his boots, forbidding her eyes to stray anywhere else. It didn't last long. Her curious gaze disobeyed, traveling upwards, over his long legs, then drifting over his narrow hips, Dear Lord in heaven, Why does he have to wear pants like that? Her gaze traveled up his abdomen, to the partially exposed pale chest. Finally her appraisal ended at his face where his mismatched eyes held hers. They were full of heat and amusement. Oh how he must be enjoying this. The more she got to know him, the more she realized that he took great pleasure in making her uncomfortable. As they locked eyes, Sarah found that she was unable to look away. Finally he drawled, "Did you enjoy your bath?" Sarah shrugged as she managed to tear her eyes away. The voice of reason echoed through her head again, He doesn't affect you. Act as though he doesn't exist. Sarah grabbed a tube of moisturizer off her vanity and a small smile tugged at her lips. It was high time she made him uncomfaortable for a change. She pulled out the chair to her vanity, resting her foot on the seat as she lifted the robe to expose her bare leg up to the middle of her thigh. She put a generous amount of moisturizer in her hands and rubbed them together before she used both hands to rub it all over her leg. Jareth was a bit surprised at Sarah's boldness and watched in silence, fascinated by her actions. As Sarah repeated the ritual with the other leg he noticed the tiny bandage on her ankle covering the small cut. He also noticed that her legs looked incredibly smooth. She returned the lotion to her vanity. Now came the hard part...getting dressed with him in the room. Sarah reminded herself, You can do this...just don't look him in the eye. Sarah turned towards him, grabbing her underwear and bra off the bed. She slung the bra over her shoulder as she bent down to slide the panties over her feet. She proceeded to slowly pull them up her legs, careful not to let Jareth get an eyeful. She managed to get them all the way up beneath the robe with a little shimmy of her hips. As she straightened, she accidentally met his eyes. As the tension sparked between them, he let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. Slowly, he shifted so that he was sitting back against the headboard, but he made no move to leave the room. Sarah held her ground. If he wasn't going to voluntarily leave, she'd just change right in front of him. It would be a testament to her self-control, and it would show him once and for all that she was not to be intimidated. Their eyes locked in anticipation as she lowered her hands to the tie of her robe. His gaze followed her movements, dropping to the knot as her hands started to untie it. Jareth was spellbound. He wondered, "Did she really have the gall?" She slowly untied her robe, turning away at the last second, as she opened it. She quickly grabbed the bra from her shoulder and deftly cinched it around her chest. Finally she brought the straps over her shoulders, careful to keep the robe from dropping. She loosely re-cinched the robe around herself, and when she turned back around to face him, it was obvious that he was struggling with his self-control. She walked to the other side of the bed, where her jeans and top were lying on the bed. Her eyes again met those of the Goblin King. She kept her eyes locked with his as she untied the robe, and this time, to his amazement, she let it completely fall off her shoulders and drop to the floor. Sarah watched his expression as his eyes darted over her nearly naked body. The amusement that had been there before, had turned to something far more intense. As Jareth looked over Sarah's form he was entirely grateful that he was sitting down. For the first time in his life, his knees actually felt weak and there was a violent trembling feeling in his stomach. She was disarmingly beautiful. He wanted her so badly that it was frightening. He felt powerless at that moment, but strangely, he didn't despise it. Quite the contrary, he was captivated by the idea of her being in control. She had such strength in her eyes. He couldn't help looking over her body again as she reached for her jeans. Her breasts were ample, and her soft skin was smooth and fair. He noticed the freckles on her shoulders, and immediately adored them. His eyes trailed down her flat abdomen and his breath caught in his throat. Did he dare look at the rest? He simply couldn't resist. The delicate undergarments were even more enticing on her, than they had been in his own imagination. The way the lacy material hugged her hips was enough to drive any man mad. Then he noticed the jewel on her belly. A ring pierced the flesh below her navel and it had a glittering blue gem on it. Finally he took in her long smooth legs. He was completely intoxicated by the mere sight of her. At this point he was fighting with every fiber of his will to restrain himself. The urge to grab her, throw her on the bed, and have his way with her was nearly overwhelming. As Sarah pulled her jeans up, she noticed that he was staring at her belly button ring. When he finally looked up at her, she could see the lust reflected in his eyes. Not to mention, the way his hands had clenched into tight fists at his side. She hadn't meant to look at his hips. That was when it dawned on her. He was aroused. She would have had to have been dead to not notice while he was wearing those damned breeches. Sarah allowed herself a small smile as pulled her tank top over her head. "Good, serves him right." She thought to herself. She secretly hoped that the Fae were also susceptible to the pain caused by vasocongestion, since a painful case of blue balls was exactly what he deserved. Sarah finished dressing by buttoning up the sheer blouse. She matter-of-factly stated, "We are meeting my friends pretty soon, so if you want to know what to expect, now would be the time to ask." Jareth was mentally counting to ten when her voice broke his concentration. Without thinking he pointed to her slightly exposed mid-rift. "What is that?" Sarah looked down, pointing to the navel ring "This?" She watched Jareth dumbly nod his head as she nonchalantly replied "Oh, I got it pierced when I was away at school." Jareth replied, "Why would you do such a thing? Didn't it hurt?" Sarah quickly responded, "Hurt like hell actually, but I like it. Besides, this is nothing compared to the things people pierce now a days." Jareth wasn't sure if he wanted to know. Sarah smiled and added, "Oh you are going to see lots of strange things tonight. Especially where we are going." Chapter 15: Inferno Jareth still couldn't tear his eyes away from Sarah even as she put on her belt and socks. Now that he was with her again there was no way he was going to give up on her. He felt certain that, as strange as the circumstances may have been, their destinies were somehow intertwined. Sarah was the only person that had ever made him feel whole and truly alive. As she had said before; her will was as strong as his. She beat his labyrinth, and now he saw her as an equal. She would be a perfect companion. It was becoming clearer and clearer that Sarah was made from the same metal as himself. Jareth could only hope that Fate saw things the same way. He couldn't even imagine a future that somehow didn't include her. To even think that he may have to return Underground, and never see her again...was too unbearable to even think about. As Sarah emerged from her closet she was clutching a pair of boots in one hand and a ragged teddy bear in the other. She tossed the bear on the bed next to Jareth. "Look what I found. Lancelot." Jareth absently glanced at the bear as she continued, "You know it's all because of that bear..." Jareth finally looked at Sarah, apparently he had missed something. Sarah pointed at the bear, "If I hadn't gone looking for that bear, none of it would have ever happened." Jareth looked at her, "What wouldn't have happened?" Sarah continued softly, her voice uncharacteristically solemn, "I wouldn't have wished Toby away. I wouldn't have met you." Jareth looked at the bear and then back at Sarah. He was thoughtful for a moment before he replied, "Sarah, I think it would have happened regardless. I think it was meant to happen. Just as I think that my being here now was meant to happen. I think it was our destiny from the very beginning." Sarah sat on the edge of the bed and put on her ankle high black boots, "Maybe you're right. I mean, you did get a nice little calling card from one of the Fates right after you mysteriously ended up here. Maybe someone wanted us to set aside our differences. I just wish we had some more concrete answers." Jareth nodded and murmured to himself, "I have a feeling that we'll be getting our answers soon enough." As Sarah started to dry her hair she looked at the clock. It was getting late. She told Jareth that he might want to start getting ready. Jareth agreed and went back to the guest room where he got changed. Sarah put on her earrings and silver necklace before she started to apply her make-up. As she put on her lipstick, she didn't notice the Goblin King slip into her room. As he stood in the doorway and admired her, he felt his heart pounding in his chest. She was exquisitely beautiful, even dressed in her modern clothing. Sarah put down her lipstick, and turned to see Jareth leaning against the alcove wall of her bedroom with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He was wearing his new black slacks and silk shirt. As her eyes roamed over his frame, she thought her heart might stop. His hair was wild, and unruly as ever, and his beautiful mismatched eyes were set resolutely upon her. One icy blue, and the other a warm hazel. The shirt hung partially open, and she could see his amulet hanging in its rightful place against his chest. As her eyes traveled down the rest of his body she noted that dark colors certainly complimented him. His mouth, which had previously been set in a thin line, was now a satisfied smirk. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to feel his mouth against hers again. Sarah felt as though she had turned to water and would splash all over the floor. Suddenly being alone with him in her bedroom didn't seem like such a smart idea. Now would be a good time get going. As she stepped closer to the door she realized he was blocking the exit. She looked down as she brushed past him, "We should get going..." His hand caught her wrist, and she was forced to look up at him. His eyes bore into hers and for a moment she was terrified that he might kiss her again. Jareth smiled and softly remarked, "Sarah, you look lovely." She felt herself blush as she looked away and nervously stammered, "Thanks. You look really nice too." Jareth made a gesture for her to lead the way, "Shall we?" Sarah and Jareth walked a few blocks downtown and caught a cab from there. The Inferno was a dance club complex on the edge of the next city. There were several colleges in the area, so it would no doubt be crowded. As they sat in the back of the cab Sarah started to explain to Jareth what they could expect, "Now there's a few different types of dance floors at this place, so just watch how the other people are dancing, until you feel comfortable enough to try." Sarah took a breath as she tried to think of everything he might need to know, "Just so we have the same story...if they ask what you do, tell them that you are a musician. You sing in a rock band. I think we can get away with that. Oh, and if they ask where you are from, say London. My friends will probably ask a lot of other questions, so just follow my lead, and agree with whatever I tell them. And try not to get into a position where you are alone with any of them, because they will give you the third degree..." Jareth shook his head, "What?" Sarah sighed, "The third degree. Interrogation. They are going to try and weasel every detail out of you. Another thing, be careful of what and how much you drink. It's probably not a good idea to get drunk, so just be careful. Remember just about everything has alcohol in it. If anyone offers you anything called a shot, say no." Sarah dug into her pockets and pulled out some cash, "Here, put this money in your pocket. It will look weird if you don't have any cash. There's a bunch of five dollar bills, the drinks at this place shouldn't be more than 4 dollars each, so just leave the change on the bar as a tip for the bartender." Jareth nodded, feeling like a child getting a lecture from an overprotective mother, "Sarah, relax. Everything will be fine." As the cab pulled up outside the club Sarah was relieved there wasn't a very long line outside. The faster they got in, the better. No doubt the music inside would be loud, so hopefully talking would be minimized, and interrogations would be short. As Jareth helped Sarah out of the cab she whispered, "Whatever happens, just stay close to me. Remember, we want them to think we are friends and that's all." Sarah stopped and thought for a second before she added, "I want you to promise me that you won't do anything to make them believe otherwise." Jareth smirked and replied, "Alright I promise. Now relax." Sarah quickly spotted Kim and Brian waiting near the back of the line. She noticed Trina was also there as well as a couple other acquaintances from high school. Sarah and Jareth made their way over to Sarah's friends and they all promptly got in line. Sarah decided it would be best to just get the introductions out of the way as Trina and Kim hugged her at the same time. "Hey guys. Kim, this is Jareth, Jareth this is Kim and her boyfriend Brian. I'm sure you remember Trina." Jareth carefully shook hands with Sarah's friends as she introduced them. After all the introductions were out of the way, Kim started with the questions almost immediately. "So Jareth how do you and Sarah know each other?" Jareth was about to say something when Sarah interjected, "Oh he was taking some classes at the college while I was there. He happened to be in a class with me and we had to work together...on a project." Kim nodded, noticing that Sarah hadn't let him answer the question. She tried again, "So Jareth, Where are you from?" Sarah looked at Jareth as if giving him permission to speak. "London, actually." Kim was now looking him up and down. Trina then cut in, "Mmmm nice accent. What do you do for a living Jareth?" Jareth smiled politely and stated, "I am a singer...in a rock band." Trina gave Kim a sly glance just as Brian piped up, "Cool man, What kinds of songs does your band play?" Sarah immediately jumped in, "Oh you know, British rock, mostly original songs, nothing we would have heard over here." Brian seemed satisfied, and to Sarah's relief the bouncer started to let then in. Sarah had a moment of panic as the guy asked for her ID, seeing that Jareth obviously didn't have one, but she was quickly relived as the guy just waved him through, and another bouncer stamped his hand. Well, he definitely did look a lot older than twenty-one. Sarah wasn't sure how old he was, but based on human standards she would have guessed mid to late thirties. She'd have to remember to ask him his true age later on, when they were alone. As Sarah and Jareth walked in, Jareth leaned over and whispered to her, "Why did they ask to see that card you carry?" Sarah quickly explained in a whisper, "You have to be at least twenty-one years old to drink here. That card is proof of my age. Oh and if anyone asks how old you are, say you are thirty five." Jareth didn't have time to reply, as they had entered a large room where the pounding music was near deafening. Jareth scanned the room in wonder. It was rather dark, and bouncing lights of every color were swirling in time with the chaotic music. The dance floor was crowded and the area surrounding the bar was even more crowded. Trina made her way over to Sarah and suggested, "Bar looks crowded. I'll try and squeeze my way in. What'll you guys have to drink?" Sarah replied, "I dunno, what are you having?" Trina smiled, "Oh my usual, rum and coke." Sarah thought a second, "That sounds good, I'll have one too." Trina nodded and asked, "What does Jareth drink?" Sarah thought to herself, "good question." before she answered, "Just get him a beer, any kind will do." Just then, Sarah remembered that Jareth had previously mentioned that he wasn't fond of goblin ale, but she didn't want to get him something too strong, and this wasn't really the type of place that you ordered wine. Sarah tried to give Trina some money, but she wouldn't take it saying, "Don't worry first round is on me." Sarah noticed that Brian had made his way around to the other side of the bar and was dancing with Kim. Sarah took a deep breath, so far so good. Based on the volume of the music there wasn't going to be too much chit-chat going on at this place. Sarah turned to Jareth who was staring in amazement at the dance floor. Sarah recognized the pounding techno music, and knew immediately what it was. "Sandstorm" she thought to herself, Typical. Jareth was totally intrigued by the strange music, the heavy bass making his chest vibrate. As the music built and built the crowd steadily moved along with it and the dancers finally exploded into a frenzy of energy as the music reached its crescendo. The people on the dance-floor danced in a manner that was totally alien to Jareth. They seemed to move without thought in a frantic repetitive way, almost as if they were possessed by the music itself. Jareth noticed there were several platforms like round pedestals with both male and female dancers on them. Jareth leaned close to Sarah's ear and asked in amusement, "What sort of music is this?" Sarah replied, "Techno. Do you like it?" Jareth started to bob his head to the music, "It's different. I think I do like it." Just then Trina appeared with their drinks. She handed a bottle of Bass to Jareth and gave a cup of rum and Coke to Sarah. Jareth thanked her for the drink and took a sip. It wasn't nearly as good as the enchanted wine he sometimes enjoyed, but it wasn't all that bad either. Just then Brian appeared. He was also drinking a Bass and clinked his bottle against Trina's cup and did the same to Jareth's and Sarah's. Kim appeared from behind Sarah and she swallowed a shot of some kind and dragged Brian back out onto the dance floor. Trina was laughing at them as they started to dance frantically around one another. Before long Kim was trying to pull Trina and Sarah out onto the dance floor, but Trina insisted that she was still perusing her options, which was code for, checking out the guys. Kim then focused her energy on getting Sarah to dance. Sarah started to protest, but a new song had started and it was quite good. She downed the rest of her drink and let her friend drag her on the dance floor. Sarah made sure that they stayed on the edge of the dance floor so that she could keep Jareth in sight. Kim danced close to Sarah and whispered, "Damn Sarah, Jareth is really cute...Are you sure that you are just friends?" Sarah nodded, "Just friends." Trina suddenly appeared, dancing on Sarah's opposite side, "Not that it's any of my business, but Jesus Sarah, if I were you...I'd be hittin' it with him in a heartbeat. The accent alone would do it for me." Sarah tried to ignore the comment but there was nothing she could do about the fact that her face had gone bright red. To Sarah's relief, Kim changed the subject, "Hey someone should really go drag them out here." She pointed to Jareth and Brian who were at the edge of the dance-floor watching. Trina smiled wickedly, "Don't worry I'll get them." Kim and Sarah both laughed. Then Sarah quickly admitted, "I feel sort of bad. I don't think Jareth really knows how to dance to this stuff, I don't think it's what he's used to." Kim just smiled and replied, "I'm sure you'll be able to help him out..." Jareth watched Sarah in amazement as she danced. She had very good rhythm and the way she swayed her hips was quite intoxicating to watch. Her other female friends were also quite good, but as a visual distraction they all paled in comparison to Sarah. Just then Trina emerged from the sea of people grabbing both Brian and Jareth by their shirts, "Come on you two! You're missing out!" Jareth had been watching the dancers and was confident enough to follow willingly. The song was nearing its climax and Sarah was just starting to enjoy herself. She closed her eyes and danced energetically but gracefully to the music. When she opened her eyes during that moment of clarity, she saw Jareth standing right in front of her, keenly watching her movements, as if formulating an appropriate response. Sarah couldn't help but savor the sight in front of her. Damn, Why does he have to look so good? He walked up to her with purpose, and as the song exploded into it's frantic climax, he grabbed her firmly around her waist. As he pulled her close to him, he started to mimic her movements. Sarah felt a rush of adrenaline as she felt her body being swiftly pulled against his. She attempted to clear the euphoria from her head and started to move in unison with him. Suddenly she realized, Oh my God...he's really good. Jareth was surprised at how easy it was to move with the music. He had watched the other dancers for a few moments to get the general idea, but when he had taken hold of Sarah it was if their movements were designed to perfectly compliment each other. Sarah found herself looking into the intense mismatched eyes of the Goblin King and she was suddenly keenly aware of everything about him. His strong hands gently held her hips. She could feel the smooth fabric of his shirt as her arms went in place about his shoulders. His scent sort of reminded her of that time of year when the last flowers of summer faded, and the leaves started to fall. She felt a rush every time her body made contact with his no matter how subtle or instantaneous. His lips had formed a small teasing smile and his eyes were aflame with mischief. Sarah had to break eye-contact, for the temptation to plant a kiss on his lips was becoming dangerously overwhelming. She let her eyes drop and she slid her arms off his shoulders and deftly turned the whole maneuver into what looked like a planned move as she spun herself around and was now facing the other direction. She noticed that all of her friends had managed to pair off already. Kim was with Brian of course, and Trina had somehow managed to insert herself between two very good-looking guys. Without warning, Sarah felt Jareth's arms encircle her waist and she was suddenly aware that he was dancing very close behind her. She did her best to keep her composure, but there was nothing she could do about the pounding of her heart and the nervous anticipation in the pit of her stomach. She managed to keep moving to the music as she felt the Jareth getting closer and closer. Suddenly she felt one of his hands leave her waist, and suddenly she felt him brush her hair away from the right side of her neck. As his arm went back around her waist she felt him pull her firmly against him. She felt the heat from under his clothes as he danced up against her from behind. As she continued to sway her hips in a circular fashion she felt his lower body press against her backside, moving with her. She would be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying it. In truth, she was totally engrossed in the pleasurable euphoria caused by his body being pressed against hers. He dipped his head low and for a second she felt his lips lightly brush over the side of her neck to her nape. She had to bite her lower lip to prevent herself from whimpering at the sheer pleasure of it. Without meaning to, she closed her eyes. She felt his warm breath near her ear as he whispered huskily, "You are making it very hard for me to keep my promise." Chapter 16: A Confession Sarah's eyes shot open and to her relief she noticed that none of her friends were watching. She quickly pulled out of Jareth's grasp and headed back toward the bar. Jareth was about to go after Sarah when he felt a hand grasp his arm, "I think she could use a drink." Jareth turned to see Trina's self-satisfied smile. His eyes seemed to question her meaning as she added, "I'd need a drink too if someone was dancing with me like that." Jareth was about to protest when she started to walk with him toward the bar and continued, "You're quite a dancer. Did you see those guys trying to dance with me...man what a couple of tools." Jareth smiled as he spotted Sarah by bar. She still hadn't been served. Trina noticed as well, "She's never going to get served over there. Girl bartender, she ought to know better." Trina held up a twenty and smiled devilishly at a male bartender as he strode past. He did a double take and said, "What'll you have, gorgeous?" Trina retorted, "Long island iced tea please... " She gave Jareth a quick wink and asked what he'd like. Remembering that he really did enjoy that iced tea Sarah had made he asked for the same. As Trina and Jareth made their way to Sarah she was just getting served and seeing that Jareth had a drink in his hand she just ordered another rum and coke for herself. The group had reorganized at the edge of the dance floor where there were some red velvet couches around small tables. A couch had opened up, so Kim and Brian quickly claimed it for the group. The music wasn't quite so loud at this end of the room. Sarah was a bit leery about sitting around with her friends, but it was either that, or continue dancing with Jareth. Interrogation seemed a little less dangerous than trying to survive relentless seduction. As they all shoved onto the rounded couch around the table, Sarah found herself in the middle sitting next to Jareth with Trina on her left. As Jareth tasted his drink, he noticed that Sarah was trying to keep from looking at him. It was obvious she was struggling with her feelings. No matter, she'd come to accept them in time. Jareth tore his eyes away from Sarah as he swallowed the liquid in his cup. For a second he thought he had picked up the wrong drink. It tasted nothing like the iced tea he had at Sarah's house. It was really strong, and it tasted terrible, but it was giving him a pleasant warm feeling. Trina suddenly broke the ice, "So how long is your Dad gone for Sarah?" Sarah tried to remember what day it was and replied "End of next week." Trina's eyebrow rose, "So you guys have that whole house to yourselves? Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me." Sarah rolled her eyes and replied, "Trina, my Dad and Karen are on a cruise, they took Toby, so that left only one person to look after the house." Trina held up her hand, "This is one sob story I've heard way too many times. In high school you would hardly ever come out with us because you always had to babysit, now you are complaining because you get to stay home and babysit that huge house with no parental units nagging you. Oh and you have a hot guy staying with you as well. Boo-hoo, forgive me if I don't offer you my sympathy." Jareth pretended to ignore the comment as he finished his drink. Trina got up from the table and marched over to the bar. Everyone was silent for a minute as Sarah prayed no one noticed that Trina's comment had made her go bright red. As Trina leaned over the bar it was obvious that she was flirting with the male bartender again. Brian shook his head and muttered, "I think Trina really needs to get laid..." Jareth chuckled, getting the gist of Brian's remark just as Kim slapped Brian hard on the arm. Brian defensively retorted, "What? Am I wrong? Christ, even Jareth here sees it." Sarah just shook her head but she couldn't help smirking. Trina returned from the bar with an armful of drinks. She set down another Long island iced tea in front of Jareth. She flamboyantly plopped herself down on the couch and handed the beer to Brian just before she took a shot of something, "So...what did I miss?" Sarah sighed in exasperation just as Kim piped up, "So Jareth is staying with you for how long?" Sarah didn't exactly know what she should say, and before she could answer Jareth spoke up, "I will be staying with Sarah for a few days. My return home was unexpectedly delayed and Sarah was good enough to let me stay with her." Trina pinched Sarah's cheek, "Ohhh, isn't she sweet?" Sarah slapped her hand away, "You are so immature." Trina swirled her drink and replied, "Yeah, maybe...but at least I know how to have fun." Brian had been staring out on the dance-floor and suddenly commented, "Speaking of having fun...Hey Jareth man, check that out." Jareth looked over to the platform that Brian was staring at. He was very puzzled by what he saw. There were two young girls dancing together and at the moment their lips were locked in a very passionate kiss. As Jareth stared, his eyes widened, as if he was trying to decide if what he saw was real or not. At the same time the rest of the girls at the table had looked over to see what Brian was carrying on about. Sarah looked for a second but quickly turned away. Kim immediately slugged Brian and called him a perv. Trina however continued to stare, "Damn...look at them go." Trina was a very open minded person and very little bothered her. She saw that Sarah had looked away, and decided she might have a bit more fun at Sarah's expense. "Hey Sarah...I think we can take them." Before Sarah could even stare dumbly at her friend, Trina had grabbed Sarah's face in her hands and acted as if she was going to start making out with her. Sarah quickly shoved Trina off before she actually kissed her and replied, "Ugh, get off me...you are such an ass." Jareth watched the whole scene and could not repress his laughter. Sarah quickly shot him a "Do not encourage her" look just as Trina fired back, "Oh sorry. You must be holding out for Jareth, don't let me stop you..." Just as Sarah dug her fingernails into Trina's leg causing Trina to jump and shriek with laughter, Kim spoke up, "Ugh, they are still at it. Get a room already." Brian pulled Kim onto his lap, "You are just jealous, because someone is getting more action than you." Kim planted a quick peck on his lips and replied, "Then why don't you do something about it?" At that Brian dragged Kim out on the dance-floor. Trina sighed and turned to Jareth, "Well, I'll leave you two alone for now, I've given Sarah enough grief for at least an hour." Trina quickly followed Kim and Brian and joined them in the middle of the dance-floor. Sarah finally looked at Jareth who had just polished off his second drink. She took a deep breath and was about to say something when Jareth spoke first, "Your friends are interesting." Sarah sighed, "Yeah I know." Jareth was smiling again, "Sarah, what was that all about?" As he said it, his eyes flicked over towards the platform where the two girls had stopped kissing, but were still dancing. Sarah immediately understood what he was getting at. "Jareth, here things aren't always simple, or black and white. Around here it's not so uncommon for women to be attracted to other women or men to other men...or for someone to be attracted to both sexes." Jareth rose his eyebrows as if he had a hard time processing what she was saying. Sarah smiled and shot back, "I warned you. I told you we were going to see a lot of strange things here." Jareth looked as though he was still mulling over what she had said. He finally asked, "What about your friend Trina, is she attracted to women?" Sarah was about to say something but then she suddenly looked thoughtful. "Well let me put it this way. Trina is very into men, but she is also very comfortable with herself and she believes in having a good time, so if the right kind of person came along I'm not sure Trina would disqualify them due to their gender, or any other characteristic." Jareth's eyes met hers. He was feeling very relaxed as he whispered, "I see. And what about you Sarah Williams? What would you do if you found yourself attracted to someone who was a bit... out of the ordinary?" Sarah suddenly felt as if the air had grown very warm and thick. She made a feeble attempt to throw him off, "I...I'm not attracted to women if that's what..." The corner of Jareth's mouth tugged into a knowing smirk, "That's not what I asked." Sarah's eyes narrowed, "Well then, what are you asking?" Jareth looked down at the way her hand held her cup in place. It was clearly trembling. His mismatched eyes darted back up to meet her fierce green ones, "Sarah, do I frighten you?" Sarah held his gaze although it was making her feel light-headed. She lifted her chin defiantly as she withdrew her hand under the table and placed it on her knee to stop her leg from shaking. "No." Jareth lightly smirked again and leaned forward so that his face was closer to hers. His eyes were set on hers as he probed further, "Then why do you deny your attraction towards me?" Sarah inhaled sharply, thinking, "My God is he relentless." She tried to speak, but no words came. She was trying to throw out a smart come-back but all she managed was a very weak "What?" Apparently the Goblin King's patience was wearing thin, "Come now Sarah, your attraction to me is hardly a mystery. You may not want to accept it, but you can no longer deny it. I felt it when I kissed you, and I feel it every time I touch you." Sarah was nearly breathless as she pleaded, "Enough Jareth, I don't want to talk about this, not here...not now." Sarah raised her drink to her lips and took a badly needed swig. Jareth waited for to put down her drink before he continued, "Sarah, you are not fooling anyone, not your friends, and not me. Why are you so bent on fighting your feelings? You may be worried that our time together may be short, and at first I agreed, but if indeed our time is limited, then shouldn't we make the very most of it?" Sarah was feeling as though she had stumbled dangerously close to the edge of an abyss from which there would be no return. "Jareth, I...I can't..." Her voice was barely audible as Sarah started to feel the horrible sting of tears behind her eyes. She'd be damned if she was going to let herself cry. She grabbed her cup, tilted her head back and downed the rest of her rum and coke. Jareth was aware of her distress and gently replied, "I'm not going to force you to admit what you feel. You've been generous enough to offer me your friendship, and I for that I will be eternally grateful, but I can no longer keep my feelings buried inside, especially when I know that every time I look at you, it may well be the last time." His voice was solemn, suddenly holding a tinge of regret, "I had to do it once. I will not do it again. I cannot bear the thought of leaving you for eternity without having told you what I truly feel. If our time together ends tonight at least you will know the truth." For the second time ever, Jareth seemed vulnerable to Sarah. The first time was when he tried to stop her from saying the words when she had conquered his labyrinth. Back then, she hadn't been absolutely certain that he was sincere. This time however, there was no doubt in her mind. Jareth gently cupped her face, letting his thumb brush over her soft lips. "Sarah...I love you." Sarah could only stare in amazement, before her own emotions threatened to drown her. She tried to remember to keep breathing, as her vision went blurry. She managed to hold it together quite well, considering that he had just told her that he loved her, and she was beginning to realize that she quite desperately loved him back. However, she was too dazed and much too confused to respond. Jareth gently withdrew his hand. No matter what the outcome, he still had this moment of relief. Even if she didn't say anything, he knew she cared for him, just by the way she was looking at him right now. Suddenly Sarah saw two drinks being set down in front of her and the Goblin King. Sarah looked up as Kim was sliding onto the couch beside her, "You two looked as though you could use another drink." Jareth accepted the drink, which to his dismay, was another long island iced tea. Sarah would be lying if she said she wasn't in some way relieved. She gratefully took the drink in her hands and took a long draught. Chapter 17: Rap Music and Long Islands Kim asked, "So why aren't you guys dancing?" Sarah shrugged and tried to keep her voice from shaking, "Just building up the energy." Sarah's rattled state did not go unnoticed by Kim. However, Sarah's friend knew better than to bring it up, since most likely something had just happened between her and Jareth, and she didn't like sticking her nose in other people's affairs. Instead Kim pointed to the others who were heading off the dance-floor towards the doorway to another room, "Just thought I'd let you know we are going to check out the room next door, supposed to be R&B, hip hop and house I think. You guys up for it?" Sarah nodded, already starting to get up. As they made their way through the crowd, Sarah felt Jareth's hand close around hers as he followed the others into the next room. As soon as they entered the room, the blaring hip hop music drowned out the techno from the room next door. As they stopped near the dance floor, Sarah noticed that Jareth had yet to let go of her hand. Then she felt him gently caress the side of her hand with his thumb. Instinctively she looked over at Jareth who had leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Are you alright?" Sarah mentally cursed herself thinking, "Well that was good Sarah... He tells you he loves you and you fall to pieces..." She nodded her head. She still had no idea what to say to him. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "Yes, I'm fine." As she looked down she noticed the drink in his hands. She saw that it wasn't beer, and that it was almost gone. "Jareth what are you drinking?" He held up his drink for her to see and replied, "Iced tea." Sarah's jaw dropped as she grabbed the drink from him and tasted it, "This isn't iced tea!" Jareth corrected, "Yes it is. It's a Long Island iced tea." She widened her eyes and replied, "Jareth, it's not really iced tea...they just call it that. This drink is almost all alcohol. How many of these have you had?" Jareth shrugged. He hadn't really been keeping track, "Three." Sarah shook her head, "And you had a beer when you came in. We haven't even been here that long! You'd better cool it." Jareth shrugged and drawled, "I feel fine. You need to relax Sarah Williams." Jareth was just starting to notice that he was feeling really good actually. He felt warm, but relaxed at the same time. He wasn't sure if it was because of the drink, or if telling Sarah how he felt had lifted a huge load off his shoulders. As he glanced over the people on the dance-floor he found that this room had a very different kind of atmosphere. The most obvious was that the music was of another style all together. It still had a strong bass but there were vocals. As he kept listening he realized that much of the lyrics were rather suggestive and the phrases were uttered in a very quick manner. The way that the crowd responded to the music was also different. There were mostly coupled pairs of male and female dancers and many of them were dancing so close it bordered on obscene. Some of the women dancing were facing their partner, and others faced away as their partner danced closely behind them. He even saw a couple of women who were dancing with two men at once. There were a few groups of female dancers as well and their movements were no less suggestive. As he watched Sarah's friends pull her out onto the dance-floor he couldn't help but smile. He could already tell he was going to enjoy this. He fought the urge to follow and start dancing with Sarah right away. It was rewarding enough just to watch her from a distance. Sarah, Kim, and Trina had found a little spot for themselves, which to Jareth's delight, gave him a clear line of sight. At first the girls started dancing subtly, forming a small circle, until they felt comfortable with the music. Sarah started to sway her hips in a very alluring manner, making his breath catch in his throat. Just as he was sure the sight in front of him couldn't get any more enticing, Trina moved up so that she was in front of Sarah and in one deft movement they were dancing up close. A split second later Kim gently placed her hand on Sarah's shoulder and danced up against Sarah's back and the three of them started to move together with Sarah in the middle. Jareth couldn't take his eyes off her. She was more tempting than any siren. He was content to just watch for a little while. That was until he saw Sarah glance in his direction. As he started towards them, Jareth noticed a warm numbness in his limbs. He wasn't sure if it was some magic spell that Sarah had cast upon him or if it was that damned tea. He saw Brian following out of the corner of his eye. As he started towards them, the girls broke apart and reformed their semicircle. Just as Jareth was nearly in arms reach of Sarah, some strange guy had come up and grabbed her from behind. The intruder began to dance with her. Kim made it to Brian before anyone else was able to get to her. Sarah's eyes shot up in alarm as she felt the stranger grab her from behind. She had seen Jareth approaching and although she knew she shouldn't allow herself to, she had felt quite elated and eager to feel his arms around her again. Now some dolt had interfered by grabbing her. Trina immediately saw the fierce look in Jareth eyes as the stranger grabbed Sarah. Since she was the closest to him she deliberately slid in front of him and started dancing with him, so that he wasn't the only one standing there without a partner. Jareth was having a very hard time moving to the music. His mind was raging in protest, but he couldn't just stand there. He moved with Trina and she immediately brought her mouth close to tell him something. "Looks like you were a tad late. Listen, I know Sarah would rather be dancing with you, so here's what we are going to do." Jareth was having difficulty concentrating on what she was saying since Sarah's pursuer was starting to get a bit liberal with his hands, and Sarah had a look of pure discomfort on her face. Trina saw what was going on and she realized that if she didn't do something, that poor idiot dancing with Sarah would be missing a few teeth in another second. For lack of a better way to get Jareth's attention, she pinched his arm, "Are you listening to me? Look just move with me until we get over there. I'll distract the guy, and you can catch Sarah when she bolts. Got it?" Jareth nodded and did as Trina suggested. As they got closer to Sarah, Trina let go of Jareth and shamelessly slid herself between Sarah and the stranger. Suddenly a new song started as Sarah realized she had been released. What's it gonna be? Cause I can't pretend Don't you want to be more than friends? Hold me tight and don't let go, don't let go You have the right to lose control. Don't let go. Sarah looked up and found herself face to face with the Goblin King. He didn't waste any time in wrapping his arms about her waist and pulling her roughly to him. Their lips almost met before she started to move with him to the music. I often tell myself that we could be more than just friends. I know you think that if we move too soon it would all end. I live in misery when you're not around. I won't be satisfied till we take it further. There'll be some love-making, heart breaking, soul-shaking love. His eyes were dark with desire as he looked down at her face. As he leaned in to whisper to her he allowed his lips to brush against her cheek and then her ear, "You can't escape me that easily." Sarah entwined her arms about his neck reveling in the feeling of his body pressed against hers. She clung to him desperately, tired of the exhausting battle she was waging against her feelings. I often fantasize the stars above are watching. They know my heart and speak to yours like only lovers do. If I could wear your clothes, I'd pretend I was you and lose control. It was as if something had come over her. Maybe it was knowing that he loved her, or maybe it was seeing him with Trina in his arms, she wasn't sure, but she couldn't deny the aching possessiveness that she felt toward him. Now that she was back in his arms she was reluctant to let go, and this made her a bit bolder than usual. She pressed her mouth to his ear and breathlessly whispered, "I have no intention of running away this time." Sarah arched herself against him teasingly before she withdrew her mouth and continued dancing. Running in and out my life, has got me so confused. You've got to make a sacrifice. Somebody's got to choose. We can make it if we try. For the sake of you and I, Together we can make it right. Jareth nearly came out of his skin. He felt dangerously reckless, which was probably due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed. He knew if Sarah continued to tempt him like this, there was no chance that he'd be able to control himself. As Sarah ground her body against his, she unmistakably felt the evidence of his desire pressing against her thigh. Her mind reeled, Oh...my...God. The situation had abruptly become very real. She suddenly remembered they'd be going home together to a very empty house. She was torn. Part of her was absolutely terrified, the other part was just begging for an opportunity to be alone with him. As the next song started Sarah shook her head as she realized it was Nelly's "Hot in Here" She almost laughed at the appropriateness. Jareth glanced to his right to see how Brian and Kim were dancing. Without missing a beat, he started dancing with Sarah in a similar fashion. Never in a million years would Sarah have imagined that she would be at a club grinding to a rap song with the Goblin King. The pure absurdity of it nearly made her burst out laughing. Sarah turned, facing away from Jareth and noticed that Trina was grinding with a very cute guy. Trina smiled as she saw Sarah and Jareth dancing together and having a good time. When Sarah and Trina had looked at each other they both started to laugh as Trina started to sing the words. Jareth had some difficulty understanding many of the words to the song, due to all the slang, but the chorus was clear. What he could understand he found rather amusing. The song was so crass, yet the crowd seemed to love it regardless. As he kept dancing he started to feel very loose and rather uninhibited. He slowly slid his hands from Sarah's hips to her stomach. The shirt she was wearing just barely reached the top of her jeans so he was pleased when he felt her skin against his hands. Sarah suppressed a gasp as she felt Jareth's hands snake across her abdomen. He wasn't wearing gloves and the contact of his hands on her bare skin was pleasantly shocking. Goosebumps began to rise all over her skin. Sarah turned her head slightly, to look at Jareth. He wore a genuine grin. His face was close to her ear, and there was amusement in his voice as he whispered, "Sarah, What kind of devilry is this?" Sarah smiled seductively as she writhed against him to the music. She bent her knees, sliding down his frame as she teased, "Why you don't like it?" Jareth replied, a bit drunkenly, "On the contrary..." just before he nipped at her earlobe. Sarah whirled around to face him, trying not to let the tingling feeling overwhelm her as she wrapped her arms about his neck. Their eyes locked, their lips almost touching. Sarah breathed, "You'd better be careful Goblin King..." His mouth curved into a devastating smirk, "Why?" Sarah grinned mischievously as she leaned her forehead against his, looking deeply into his eyes, "Because you are intoxicated." Jareth huskily replied, "That may be true, but I don't think it's due to the three drinks I had." Sarah spoke as though captivated, "Oh no?" He shook his head as his mouth moved ever so slightly closer to hers, his voice a barely audible whisper "No, I'm quite certain this is all your doing." His mouth just barely brushed against her slightly parted lips. Sarah felt her body scream in protest as he slowly and deliberately withdrew enough so that they were no longer touching. Sarah's eyes hastily scanned the crowd, No one was watching...what if she just... Before her sensible side could do a thing to intervene Sarah leaned forward and captured his mouth in a quick kiss. She broke the contact before he really had a chance to respond. The she quickly turned around in his arms so he was behind her again. She would be less tempted to kiss him that way, although dancing against him whether facing him or not still made her want to do very naughty things to him. Sarah managed to barely hold it together for a few more songs before she got dangerously close to her breaking point. Grinding with him only made her think of all the other intimate activities they could engage in. She knew if it went on for a second longer she'd be forced to drag him into the rest room and attack him, that was the affect he was having on her. Grabbing his hand, she made for the far end of the club where her friends had reconvened. "That's funny..." she thought, "I hadn't realized that they had stopped dancing." She let go of Jareth's hand as she neared her friends. Kim and Brian were talking intimately against the wall. And Trina...well Trina was still on the dance floor and she was making out with some guy who had flaming red hair and a nose-ring. Sarah looked away, noticing that Jareth was no longer right behind her. "Oh no, where had he gotten off to?" Then she spotted him. He was on his way over from the bar with yet another long island iced tea. Sarah shook her head. That was like four now. Well, he'd learn his lesson when he got a hangover. Kim waved them over and as they joined up Jareth handed Sarah a drink. Kim asked Sarah if she was having a good time. Sarah nodded thinking, "You have no idea..." It was actually true, that aside from the general scariness of the implications of what was developing between her and Jareth she was having a great time with him. Now that she thought about it she couldn't think of a time over the past few days with him that hadn't been fun. As Sarah joined in the conversation she learned that they were planning to go upstairs to the pool hall. As Brian racked the balls, Sarah dragged Jareth over to the wall to get their que sticks. She quickly explained, "Alright, use the stick to hit the white ball. The object is to make the white ball hit the other balls and knock them into the pockets. One team tries to get all the solid colored balls in, while the other goes for stripes. Oh and don't knock in the black eight ball until it's the last one, because when that ball goes in, the game is over. When it's our turn I'll go first so you can get the idea. Just act like you know what you are doing." This was all Sarah had time to say before they were in earshot of Kim and Brian. Brian asked Sarah if she wanted to go first but she shook her head and replied, "Let Kim go first." Kim broke the balls apart nicely, but she didn't get any in. Then it was Sarah's turn. Jareth watched how she held the stick and lined up the shot, carefully taking aim. It was a good shot. She nailed the solid orange ball into the corner pocket with a satisfying smack. Sarah took her second turn and missed. Brian lined up his shot, bounced the green striped ball off the side and it went into the opposite pocket. His next shot resulted in another ball in a corner pocket. His third shot he missed. It was Jareth's turn. As he approached the table, Sarah whispered, "Try for the yellow one." Jareth tried to clear his head and bent over to line up the shot. The pool stick felt awkward in his grasp, but he tried to aim the stick the way Sarah had demonstrated. He took the shot, the collision was a bit harder than he intended, and yellow ball bounced off the side. Jareth stood up, a bit dismayed, but it didn't surprise him. His senses weren't at their best at the moment. As He headed back to the wall to nurse his drink Sarah smiled, "Nice try." As he waited for his next turn he noticed that there was music playing in this room as well, but it was not very loud. Kim took her second turn and missed. A soft rock tune was playing softly in the background as Sarah walked purposefully up to the pool table. She let her eyes carefully roam over the balls on the table, as she sought her shot. When she found it, she walked around the table, opposite of Jareth. She slowly leaned over, her soft hair almost touching the table. Jareth silently regarded her, noticing he could see down the front of her top when she bent down like that. When his eyes darted up to her face he saw that she was looking right at him with purpose in her eyes. The contact lasted only a moment but it seemed to cause electricity to spark throughout the room. Sarah made her shot and it went right in. When she straightened she felt Jareth's eyes on her again. She moved to another position and leaned down again. Her eyes flashed up at him right as she took the shot. The ball missed its mark. But at that moment the game was the last thing on Sarah's mind. Jareth's declaration of love reverberated through her mind. Every time she looked at him she was reminded of how he had haunted her for so long, but now...now he was here, warm and alive, and no longer her adversary. The game went on. Heated glances were repeatedly exchanged between the two of them. Jareth didn't prove to be very good at pool, but it wasn't bad for a first game. The group gathered by the bar at the end of the game to pay their tab and Sarah noticed the clock behind the bar. It was getting really late. As much as she was terrified of going home to that empty house with him, she accepted that she didn't have much choice. The club would be closing soon and her friends looked as though they were ready to leave. Sarah waited at the bar as Jareth and Brian went to fetch their coats. As Brian and Jareth waited in the coat check line Brian spoke up, "Not a bad game of pool Jareth. Do you play much back in England?" Jareth shrugged, "Not really." Brian kept making small talk, trying to avoid awkward silences. Finally he breached the subject everyone had been wondering about all evening, "So are you going to ask Sarah out or what?" Jareth was a bit caught off guard and Brian noticed, adding, "Well, I think it's pretty obvious that she's interested..." Jareth quickly countered, "What makes you so sure?" Brian shook his head, "Jeez man. C'mon, you must have noticed those looks she was giving you all night, besides I think it was pretty clear by the way she was dancing with you. I think you'd be a fool not to make a move." Jareth seemed to be thinking over what Brian had said. Brian asked the attendant for their coats and asked, "Well, you do like her right?" Jareth nodded. Brian replied, "Well, I don't blame you. Sarah is a great girl. She's smart as a whip and she's one hell of a tight little package. Well, good luck man, I hope you get her." Jareth wasn't sure what Brian had just said but he shook his outstretched hand and replied, "Thank you. It was a pleasure to meet you and the rest of Sarah's friends." Brian nodded, "Yeah this was fun. Take care man." Jareth found Sarah by the bar, as she and her friends were saying goodbye. They walked silently out of the club and Sarah hailed a cab to take them home. As they climbed in Jareth noticed Sarah was seated closer to him than before. Sarah told the driver where to go before she turned to Jareth and said, "I had a really good time tonight Jareth, thanks for coming out with me and my friends." Jareth smiled at her a bit drunkenly, "It was my pleasure, I'm glad you had a nice time." Sarah then smiled wider and pointed a finger at him, "You're drunk." Jareth just smiled. There was no point in denying it. Sarah tried to sound authoritative but she found the whole situation so funny she couldn't keep the smile off her face, "Well, I warned you...so if you aren't feeling well later I'm just going to say I told you so." Jareth waved his hand and protested, "I'm fine." Sarah eyed him suspiciously, "Yeah, right now I'd wager you feel pretty good, but you'll be sorry when it wears off." The cab dropped them off in front of the house and Sarah handed some cash to Jareth so he could pay the driver while she went ahead to unlock the door. Sarah watched with a smile on her face as Jareth stumbled up the walkway. She had just found the right key when Jareth came up behind her. She felt his arms envelop her waist tightly, before she felt his hot breath against her ear, "Sarah, it's very cold out here." Sarah finally managed to open the door. She quickly stepped inside and nearly toppled over as Jareth lost his balance as he leaned against her. She steadied herself and pulled him inside. He winced as she turned the lights on. She threw their coats on the rack as she kicked off her boots. She then turned to Jareth, grabbing his hand and lead him into the living room. He noticed that she was dragging him towards the stairs and for a second he thought she was about to lead him up to her room. As she passed the stairs he grudgingly realized she was taking him into the kitchen instead. He leaned his back against the counter and watched as she grabbed a large plastic cup and filled it up with something from a container from the fridge. "Here, Jareth drink this." He took the cup from her and took a drink. He stopped almost immediately and replied, "Sarah this is water..." Sarah crossed her arms over her chest, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Yes, I know that, I'd like you to drink it." He looked at her curiously and slurred, "What for?" Sarah rolled her eyes, "Jareth you are drunk. If you don't drink water, you are going to be very hung over." He looked at her for a moment before he replied, "Very well then..." With that he tipped the cup to his lips and drained it. When he was finished he flashed her a smile and handed it back to her, "Satisfied?" Her eyes held his as she wordlessly filled it again and thrust it back at him. He shook his head and drained the second cup. When he finished Sarah walked back into the living room and he followed. He immediately went to the stereo and turned it on. Sarah just watched in wonder as he fiddled with the dial for a few seconds before soft music filled the room. She laughed and plopped down on the couch, "What...you want to hear more music? Aren't you tired?" Jareth shook his head in protest, "Not at all...you?" Sarah shook her head, "No, actually I feel wide awake." Jareth stretched out his hand to her, "Dance with me." It wasn't a question. Sarah placed her hand in his as he pulled her up from the sofa. Sarah felt a fluttering in her stomach as he pulled her to him and he carefully placed one hand on her waist. She placed one hand on his shoulder as he caught her other hand in his and they started to move slowly to the soft music. Sarah tried to slow down her breathing, which had suddenly become erratic and her heart was beating furiously again. Jareth held her gently as they danced. She was grateful that he was holding her so that their cheeks were nearly touching, at least this way she didn't have to look into those hauntingly beautiful eyes of his. Sarah suddenly felt that she should say something about all that had transpired that evening, but she simply couldn't find the right words and when she finally opened to her mouth to say something, her voice failed her. Jareth broke the silence, whispering gently into her hair, "So, how shall we spend the rest of our evening since we are both still so wide awake?" Sarah closed her eyes. She knew what she wanted to do...but that didn't mean that she should. She desperately tried to think of an answer, any answer that wouldn't lead to what her traitorous heart was really hoping for. Her mouth was speaking before she even knew what she was saying, "I ah...I could use a drink." Jareth smiled and stepped back releasing her, "Certainly. As I recall we have that goblin wine that you were so curious about." Sarah tried to hide her relief and hastily agreed, "Ok, sure". Sarah breathed a sigh of relief as he disappeared in the kitchen. He quickly reappeared with two wine glasses. He expertly uncorked the bottle and poured them each a glass of wine. He handed one to Sarah and sat beside her on the couch. Sarah raised the glass to her lips and took a small sip. The wine was a rich burgundy color and had a very full-bodied taste. It was quite dry, but to her amazement there was no overwhelming or unpleasant aftertaste. As soon as she swallowed she felt a tingling warm sensation flood her body. The next thing she felt was a relaxing sense of euphoria, almost like when someone expertly massages your shoulders, but better and much more intense. Meanwhile back in the underground... A young woman with hair the color of a raven's feathered coat and sparkling blue eyes that shamed the most perfect sapphire was looking into a stone basin, filled with dark water. At this time the reflection on the surface of the water was not her own face, but the scene that was currently playing out in Sarah's living room. As the woman watched Sarah bring the glass to her lips, a slow deliberate grin spread across her soft features. Her laughter was rich like the tinkling of a bell. Her voice was velvety and young, but possessed the wisdom of eternity, "Yes Sarah. That's it...drink dearest. With every sip, you further drown your baseless fears. Drink your fill and you will no longer care to hide from your destiny. Drink until the only thing that remains is your heart's desire." Her glittering eyes then darted over the image of the Goblin King. "Ah Jareth, you poor fool. You are so haunted by this young mortal. You didn't realize how far you'd strayed from your destiny when you let this girl slip through your fingers. Pride is a damnable thing, and she will humble you, Goblin King." The woman rested her head on her hands and sighed, "I've put this off for far too long. Tonight fate will bring you together."