Tempting Fate

Chapter 21: Just When Things Get Cozy... "I was beginning to worry." Sarah smiled up at him and replied, "Sorry. I must have lost track of time. I was just sitting here thinking about this really handsome Goblin King that offered me my dreams once..." Jareth's mouth twisted into a satisfied smirk, "I take it that means you are no longer angry?" Sarah coyly looked away before she answered, "What can I say, I'm a sucker for flowers." He chuckled at her jest and she added, "No, I'm not angry. I was just...surprised, and I couldn't remember anything." Jareth nodded slowly, "But you remember now?" She suddenly seemed to find the ground rather interesting, "Mmm-hmm." He was now sliding onto the bench, sitting beside her. "Sarah..." He began, his gloved hand gently turning her cheek to face him, "Do you regret what happened?" Her face had turned a lovely crimson shade as she batted his hand away and muttered under her breath, "Not really." His condescending tone was back, "I'm sorry...I didn't quite catch that." Sarah let out an exasperated sigh before her eyes locked with his. Her voice was unwavering, "No. Do you?" He studied her face for a second, "No, providing that you don't think I acted too impulsively." Sarah thought for a moment as she recalled the way that he had made her feel. She looked at him seriously, before she admitted, "If anything, I was the impulsive one, not you." She took a deep breath and added, "Jareth, I...I want you to know...I meant everything that I said last night." He pushed a strand of hair out of her face with his gloved index finger and replied, "So did I." Before he could further elaborate, she looked away and murmured, "Lachesis was here. She wanted to talk about...us." Jareth nodded, "Yes, I know. She came to me too and she told me that she would tell you what you needed to know." Sarah sighed, "Well she told me alright. She didn't go into detail but she made it clear that we both have to want the same thing if we are to have a chance together. She said that one of us would have to make a sacrifice. She didn't really spell it out for me, but I think I understand what she meant. Either I must leave behind my life and go back to the underground with you, or you will have to give up your kingdom to remain here with me." Jareth nodded and replied, "Is that all she told you?" Sarah shook her head, "No, she also told me that we have ten days to make up our minds, and that a verbal agreement is useless, since she will know our hearts." Jareth was quiet for a second before he answered, "I'm glad you know, because I'm not supposed to tell you anything, and I cannot try and persuade you one way or another." Sarah nodded and quietly watched the blazing orange sun as it made its descent. Jareth watched the reddish light reflecting off her eyes as the blazing light started to vanish behind the treetops. He silently pondered the woman before him as he softly asked, "Sarah, if you had to choose right now would you come with me to the underground or would you want to stay here?" Sarah stood up wrapping her arms around herself as the light began to fade. She was thoughtful for a moment and when she spoke her voice was weary and a bit sad, "I...I honestly don't know. Everything has happened so fast. I think we both need some time to seriously think about this. The only thing I'm sure of right now is how confusing all this seems. I mean it's all very sudden. We've only just begun getting to know each other." Jareth stood up and Sarah could tell he was right behind her. She continued, "I'm sure that as I think about all this, I'm going to have questions. You will be able to answer my questions right? I mean Lachesis didn't forbid that did she?" Jareth was now so close that he was almost touching her. She could feel the warmth of him through her clothes and when he spoke his breath was warm on her cheek. "No, she said nothing about that. No doubt I will have a few questions of my own to ask you as well. You are right, I think we still have much to learn about each other." Sarah could sense rather than see the smile on his face at his words. He wrapped his arms around her and breathed in her scent. It was like oxygen to someone who was suffocating. Sarah too was affected by the closeness and softly whispered, "Come on let's go back. Since I may only have the pleasure of your company for a few days, I think we should take advantage of every minute." He tightened his embrace and teased, "Certainly. What do you have in mind?" Sarah freed herself by twisting out of his grasp before she taunted, "Oh I don't know...but it involves us and...a blazing fire..." Her grin turned wicked as she turned away and bolted, "But you'll have to catch me first!" Jareth immediately tore off after her. Sarah had a bit of a head start but Jareth caught her as they neared the porch of her parent's house. They burst into the house, both out of breath and laughing. Sarah recalled that they hadn't eaten anything all day and decided that she would fix them a quick supper. Jareth offered to bring in some firewood so Sarah took him to the back yard to show him where to find some dry wood. She roasted some chicken and made a salad while Jareth worked on starting a fire in the fireplace. Less than an hour later Sarah and Jareth had finished eating in the kitchen and headed to the living room where a warm fire was blazing in the fireplace. Jareth sat on the couch and lounged comfortably with one leg over the arm of the sofa. Sarah added a log to the fire and turned around to find the labyrinth's monarch lounging on her parent's sofa as if he owned the place. Sarah couldn't help but smirk as she asked, " Comfortable are we?" Jareth nodded, "Of course, this was your idea after all." Sarah feigned surprise, "My idea?". He nodded and replied, "You said you wanted to relax by a blazing fire, so I'm relaxing." Sarah crossed her arms over her chest mimicking his usual imposing stance and replied, "Actually, I said maybe, if you caught me." Jareth interrupted, "And I did. Now sit." Sarah considered the command and remarked, "Well, I actually have an idea that you may find agreeable." Now he was staring at her directly, his brow rising in amusement. He looked at her and questioned, "And what, pray tell, is your idea?" It was then he noticed that Sarah had reached for something behind her and was now holding it behind her back. Slowly she replied, "What if we..." She pulled a videocassette out from behind her back and held it up, "Watch a movie together?" Jareth looked blankly at the tape, "A what?" Sarah handed the tape to him, "You know, a film, moving pictures recorded for entertainment." Before he could answer, she snatched the tape back and added, "I can see that I'm going to have to show you. I was going to show you the television earlier, but I didn't want to turn you into a TV junkie too soon." She held up the remote and turned the power on. Jareth watched in amazement as the wooden box suddenly showed people talking about current events. Sarah started flipping through the channels and Jareth was captivated. He was impressed how all the different moving images were controlled by the small rectangular object that Sarah was holding. He looked at her and demanded, "Let me see that." Sarah shrugged and handed it to him. Jareth flipped from channel to channel, stopping only if something piqued his interest. He stopped on a football game. He squinted at the screen, trying to decipher the object of the game. He looked to Sarah and asked, "What sort of game is this?" Sarah groaned "Oh no, not you too! It's football." He looked at her pained expression, "I take it you don't like this game?" She shook her head, "Not really, but it seems the only thing men around here think about." Jareth watched as several of the players crashed into each other with brute force and brought down the player holding the ball. Jareth shrugged, changing the channel "Looks like something my minions would engage in." He stopped at another channel to watch as a beautiful woman was arguing with a man. Their argument turned violent and suddenly the couple started kissing as the man started tugging at the woman's clothing. Jareth smirked and remarked, "Now that just got a bit more interesting." Sarah made a grab for the remote but Jareth effortlessly held it out of her reach. The man on the TV tore the woman's blouse off and Sarah looked on, horrified at how the couple's escapades were slightly reminiscent of the evening that she and Jareth had shared the night before. The woman on TV pushed the man onto a bed and was on top of him in a moment, passionately kissing him. Jareth laughed, "Now that looks slightly familiar..." Sarah lunged and wrestled the remote out of his hands. When she finally pried it from his grasp she announced, somewhat triumphantly, "That's about enough of that...I'm putting this movie on." With the push of a button the screen went black and she pushed the cassette into the VCR. Noticing that it needed to rewind she turned to the Jareth, "Well since you want to get comfortable...I'm going to go upstairs and put my pajamas on." She smirked playfully and added, "And maybe if you behave yourself I'll make you some popcorn." Jareth regarded her with amusement and drawled, "You question my behavior? You are the one who acts like a child." Sarah rolled her eyes, "Puh-lease. Look, I'll be right back. Get comfortable or whatever, just don't mess with the TV. I'll be right down and I'll make some popcorn." Jareth nodded, "Very well, although I haven't the faintest idea what popcorn is." Sarah dashed up the stairs and called down to him, "You'll see." She rushed about her room looking for suitable pajamas. She found her cotton shorts and a small tee shirt but thought better of it. She tossed the skimpy clothes to the floor and instead pulled a pair of purple flannel pajamas out of her suitcase. "Not exactly breathtaking, but not scandalous either." She shut her bedroom door as she tugged off her clothes and quickly changed before she hurried to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She went downstairs into the kitchen and tossed a bag of popcorn into the microwave. A few minutes later Sarah appeared in the living room wearing her purple PJs, holding a large bowl of popcorn. As she set the bowl down on the coffee table she noticed that Jareth looked more comfortable. He was no longer wearing the leather vest he had on earlier. He was dressed simply in his usual breeches and poet's shirt. He had removed his boots as well as his gloves. As Sarah looked him over she noticed that he was wearing stockings on his feet and to her surprise they were rather dainty. "That's sort of weird" she mused to herself, "I would have thought he'd have larger feet considering..." She mentally cursed herself for her bawdy thoughts. She couldn't help but smile as the thought had crossed her mind. Jareth watched Sarah set the bowl down before he remarked, "Is that what you plan to sleep in?" She shot him an exasperated look and replied, "Yeah, why?" A small smile tugged at his lips, "It just wasn't what I expected. As I recall, last night..." Sarah cut him off, "Yes, I know, but last night was...different." Relentlessly he pressed, "And then there was the other morning..." Sarah grabbed a blanket off the back of the armchair and interrupted, "I told you. I was warm, so I changed." She started the movie, and sitting beside him on the couch, she motioned to his outfit, "So, is that what you sleep in?" His smirk was dangerous, "When I'm too tired to get undressed." Sarah rolled her eyes as she covered her lap with the blanket. The movie started and as it did Sarah and Jareth occupied two separate sides of the couch, with a large expanse of empty space between them. Sarah munched on the popcorn and offered some to Jareth, who after much persuasion finally tried some. Sarah explained, "You have to eat popcorn while you watch a movie." Jareth smiled and debated, "Oh? Why is that?" Sarah shrugged, "You just do. Popcorn and movies just go together. They are kind of...inseparable." He nodded slowly, angling himself a bit more towards her as settled deeper into the couch. The movie progressed and Jareth kept asking Sarah questions about the plot. Even though they continued to watch, it was obvious that they were both distracted by the other. As time passed, the space between Sarah and Jareth diminished. Finally the Goblin King snatched one end of Sarah's blanket. Sarah sensed his intense gaze, and turned to look at him. As their eyes met, he asked softly, "Do you mind if I share this with you?" Sarah smiled and shook her head, "Not at all. It is a little chilly in here." Sarah turned her attention back to the movie as Jareth shifted, drawing half the blanket over his lap. Sarah's breath caught in her throat as she felt his leg against her own. It felt warm, making her long to snuggle up next to him. She fought the urge and stayed put. Sarah eventually grew accustomed to his closeness and felt him stretch out a bit. He looked very comfortable and sure of himself reclining back against the sofa, unlike Sarah, who couldn't have been more unsure of herself. Her body tensed at his closeness which made her very comfortable. It would be easier for her if she could just relax. She wrestled with the idea for a long time before she got up the nerve to recline back a bit on her end of the couch. In the process, she inadvertently rubbed her knee against Jareth's thigh and he looked at her. Looking her over, he decreed, "Sarah, you don't look very comfortable. Here put your feet up." Before she could voice her protest, he gently scooped up her legs and placed them over his lap. Sarah smiled nervously before she went back to watching the movie. She tried to ignore how nice and warm his lap felt under her calves. It wasn't very long before she felt Jareth's hand come to rest on her ankle, ungloved and under the blanket. She froze. Her state of calm relaxation had been shattered. Still, she resolved to keep her eyes on the screen. She had just managed to convince herself that it wasn't so distracting, when she felt his fingertips graze the bone of her ankle. They drifted higher, stopping at the hem of her pajama bottoms. That was when she realized she had been holding her breath. She began to talk herself through a mental concentration exercise as his fingertips delved beneath the fabric. When she felt his touch on her bare skin, she swallowed and firmly told herself that the movie was indeed very interesting. Jareth could no longer keep his hands to himself. It was maddening being this close to her. Every time he breathed in, her clean scent surrounded him. Her legs were so warm over his lap, and now he felt how perfectly smooth her leg was. His fingers played over her soft skin, tracing slow circular patterns that slowly and tantalizingly ventured higher each time. Sarah was barely breathing as she could see him watching her out of the corner of her eye. She kept her gaze fixed on the screen, but her senses were completely focused on what he was doing to her. As his deft fingers stealthily ventured higher, her thoughts strayed to the night before. She couldn't help thinking how his hands had felt on her thighs and in between. The train of thought was consuming, and before she could stop herself, she was reminiscing about what it had felt like when he pleasured her. For a moment she was lost in the thought of on how good his mouth had felt. Her eyes fluttered closed as she drew a shaky breath. She was suddenly very aware the sensation of liquid fire, flooding her sex. God, she had aroused herself, just by thinking about it. When she finally opened her eyes she found herself looking right into the smoldering eyes of the Goblin King. She hadn't even realized that she had shifted her position. One foot was now on the floor, the other curled under her, and she was sitting up straight, staring intently at him. His hands rested gently on her thighs, as if waiting for some unspoken invitation. His gaze spoke a thousand words as she clearly saw desperate need written plainly across his face. God, it was enough to make her swoon, when he looked at her like that. Jareth remained stone still, letting his eyes devoured her. She slowly inched forward, her eyes darting from his eyes to his mouth. Slowly and tentatively, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss. He went rigid as she opened her mouth, her tongue timidly testing the seam of his lips. Slowly, he opened his mouth, letting her be the aggressor. He felt her tongue slip past his lips, sliding along his, teasing and exploring. He remained perfectly still, savoring the experience, content to let Sarah set the pace. She continued her achingly sweet kiss, running her tongue along his lips, before she grew bolder and delved deeper. Her teasing kisses were an enticing game of advance and withdraw, driving him to madness. Finally, Jareth could stand it no longer, and he groaned inwardly as his own tongue forced its way into her mouth. Sarah felt a surge of erotic desire and she shifted restlessly, wanting to be rid of the ache that thrummed between her legs. She shifted to kneel on the couch. Jareth firmly grasped her waist with one hand while the other instinctively found her breast. The fabric of her pajama top was soft and yielding as her nipple hardened under his touch. He roughly caressed her breast through her shirt as he felt her insistent hand on his shoulder, forcing him back against the back of the couch. His eyes were closed and he assumed that he would hear her voice telling him to stop any moment now. He was astounded when instead, he felt her straddle his lap. He moaned into her mouth as she rubbed her body against him. His hands skimmed over her hips and thighs, urging her to press her weight down on him again. Sarah gasped as she came down on his lap and felt his hard erection against her. Her flannel pajama bottoms were thin, allowing her to feel the warmth and hardness of him. Their kisses became possessive and chaotic as she continued to grind herself against him. The feel of his hardness rubbing her own clothing against her slick sex was enough to drive her out of her mind. Meanwhile, in the Underground... Hoggle raced through the castle corridors, all thought bent on one thing; getting to Sarah. He had been in the castle gardens, tending to the roses when Beezle had shown up and they had got to talking. Their last visit to Sarah's house had come up in conversation and Hoggle had asked Beezle where he had gotten the wine that he had given to Jareth. The goblin had haphazardly explained that a beautiful lady had given it to him and suggested that the Goblin King might enjoy it. Hoggle naturally inquired further, and when the goblin mentioned that the woman had told him to call her Lachesis, and that the wine was to be their secret, he had nearly fallen into the fountain. It hadn't surprised him that Beezle failed to mention any of this to his majesty, since goblin's weren't terribly bright creatures. Hoggle, however, knew well enough that he should be extremely concerned, and he had immediately taken off towards one of the enchanted mirrors in the castle that would take him to Sarah. He had to warn her about the wine. As he ran down the hall, his muscles screaming in agony, he swore he would never forgive himself if he was too late and something bad had happened to her. In fact, although he would be hard pressed to admit it, he would be rather upset if anything horrible had happened to his irritating King either. Hoggle ran into the great hall and in a very out of breath voice, he requested that the huge gilded mirror show him Sarah's room. He looked in to find Sarah's bedroom dark and empty. Without hesitation he went through the portal and hurried out of Sarah's room. The upstairs hallway was also dark but he could hear noise coming from the downstairs living room. Without hesistation, Hoggle bounded down the stairs and ran right into the living room. That's when he saw her... ...er them. His dear friend Sarah was, to his horror, on top of the Goblin King. What was worse was that she appeared to be kissing him. Even though their position appeared incriminatingly suggestive, it could have, though unlikely, been accidental. Perhaps, Sarah had tripped, and inadvertently fallen on top of him. But the kissing...there was no logical explanation for that. Unless... Jareth and Sarah, although distracted, had heard the clumsy dwarf's less than graceful entrance, and they looked up just as Hoggle witnessed what was going on. From where he was standing, Hoggle had a side view of the couch. As much as he had tried to reason that what he saw had to be a mistake, in reality it all looked very intentional. Sarah was most definitely sitting astride Jareth's lap and had been, most definitely, kissing his monarch, rather emphatically, on the mouth. To say that he was speechless was a gross understatement. The dwarf cast his wide eyes immediately aside as his mouth dropped open in surprise. It was obvious that both Sarah and his King were already aware of his presence, since he could see Sarah hastily sliding off Jareth's lap out of the corner of his eye. Hoggle's embarrassment was overwhelming. His need to warn Sarah suddenly seemed less urgent, and he decided it could wait 'til later. Much, much later. Hoggle fumbled for words...anywords, that could dismiss him from such and awkward situation. Finally, nearly tripping over his own feet, he stammered, "Uhhhh...Go'bye." as he turned back to the stairs, practically running. Chapter 22: Revelations and Invitations Sarah however, was much faster, and far less clumsy. She reached him before he made it up more than a few steps when her hand clamped down on his shoulder. "Hoggle, please wait." Reluctantly Hoggle froze. It was hard for him to deny her anything. Although Sarah sounded pleading, rather than angry, he had a sneaking suspicion that a certain Goblin King wouldn't mind dropping his disruptive behind in a certain, very smelly bog. Sarah was out of breath as she protested, "Wait, don't go!" Hoggle slowly turned around, finding it impossible to look his friend in the eye, after what he had just witnessed. Sarah was red-faced but her voice was full of concern, "What is it Hoggle? Do you have some news?" Hoggle still hadn't regained his composure as he babbled, "Uhhhh..." To make matters worse, Jareth suddenly appeared behind the girl's shoulder and eyed the dwarf expectantly. Hoggle's voice failed him and Jareth demanded impatiently, "Come now Hoghead, you must have something very pressing to tell us after the way you barged in. Hoggle merely stood gaping, as he sputtered "Uhhhh..." Losing patience, Jareth barked, "Come Come Higgle, Out with it!" Hoggle shook his head as if trying to rid himself of the previous mental image. He finally managed, "I uhhh, well, I wanted to uhhh...speak with Sarah." Although Hoggle avoided looking at their faces, he could tell by his posture that the king wasn't amused. Sarah took a deep breath as she looked down at her friend, it was obvious that he was terribly embarrassed, and for a moment she felt a tinge of guilt. Sarah bit her lip and softly asked, "Jareth would you mind excusing us for a minute?" Jareth was frowning as he made a gesture for them to proceed before he disappeared back into the living room. Sarah led Hoggle into the kitchen. She leaned against the kitchen counter as the dwarf continued to uncomfortably glance at everything but her. He wasn't sure how to handle the situation. Was he supposed to just act like he hadn't just seen what he had seen? He finally decided to leave it up to Sarah to breach the subject; for now he'd get straight to the point. He took a deep breath and began, "Uh Sarah, about that wine Beezle gave to Jareth." Sarah looked intrigued as she crossed her arms over her chest as he went on. "It might not be...safe. I was uh talking to Beezle, and he told me where it came from. Seems it was given to him by Lachesis." Sarah nodded in understanding, "So you wanted to warn me?" Hoggle nodded and finally looked her in the face, "Yeah. I was concerned that maybe you might drink it..." Sarah interrupted, "Hoggle, I did drink it." He looked up at her in alarm, a sudden sinking feeling in his stomach. What if the wine made Sarah love Jareth against her will and, what if that was why she had been kissing him? Hoggle shook his head and started groveling at her feet, "I'm sorry Sarah that I didn't tell you sooner! This is all my fault!" Sarah was suddenly at his side pulling him off the floor, "Hoggle, What are you talking about? What's all your fault? Did you know that the wine would make me pursue my heart's desire?" Hoggle sniffed miserably, "Well, I only just found out where it had come from but I should have asked that stupid gob... Wait. Er, what did you just say?" Sarah smiled, "It's alright Hoggle. The wine just helped me lose my inhibitions. It didn't harm me in any way. Jareth and I met Lachesis today, and she seems to have honorable intentions." Hoggle was stunned, "She does? You mean you actually saw her?" Sarah nodded as Hoggle sighed in relief. The wine hadn't made Sarah lose her sense. But wait...that meant... Hoggle shook his head in confusion and stammered, "You mean It's not because of the wine that you and Jareth...?" Before he could say another word Sarah laughed nervously. "Yeah, about that, er Hoggle, there's something I ought to tell you." Hoggle looked at her, bracing himself, "What?" Sarah was twisted her hands anxiously, "Hoggle, I...er...am in love with Jareth." His eyes went wide, his jaw dropping unnaturally wide. For a few moments he just stared at her in dazed silence. Finally the dwarf blinked and squeaked, "You, you are?" Sarah nervously shoved a lock of hair behind her ear and explained, "I guess I've had feelings for him since my first encounter with the labyrinth, I just never wanted to admit it to myself. I've tried to ignore my feelings for a long time." Hoggle looked at his friend with a look of complete puzzlement, "But, but I thought you were enemies. I mean after all you went through..." Sarah sighed, "Actually Hoggle, there were some things that I realized during my journey through the labyrinth that I kept to myself, and there were some things I didn't realize until much later. Jareth is not the villain I made him out to be. I mean yes, he did take Toby, but only because I asked him to. In the end, when I faced him by myself, he offered me my dreams and I refused him because I thought it was some sort of trick to distract me. It never really occurred to me that he could have feelings for me, or that the offer might have been genuine." Hoggle shook his head and replied, "You mean you, you didn't know?" Sarah was suddenly very serious, "No, I didn't know. Why did you?" Hoggle nodded and apologetically admitted, "Sarah I thought you knew. I mean it was sorta obvious." Hoggle glanced back and forth to make sure that Jareth wasn't lurking nearby and lowered his voice, "Jareth may have a strange way a showin' it, but even I noticed. I mean the cleaners, turning back time, even the bog. Clearer than crystal to me that you sure had his attention. Then, then...he made me give you that present. Stupid peach." Hoggle glanced about again and continued in a whisper, "Don't tell me you hadn't guessed why we ended up in the bog in the first place?" Sarah looked at him blankly and whispered, "Well, I don't really remember." He shook his head and replied, "Jareth told me that if you ever kissed me he'd turn me into the prince of the land of stench. He wasn't crazy 'bout us bein friends. Sarah, I may not be the brightest person in the underground, and everyone knows I'm a coward, but even I can see that Jareth lost 'is head over you the minute you got mixed up in the Underground." Sarah couldn't keep the small grin off her face as she muttered, "It hadn't occurred to me then..." Hoggle sighed and replied, "Honestly Sarah, I thought you knew. I 'sumed you had no interest. I thought Jareth irritated you, I mean he irritates everyone else, and I'd be angry too if he stole my brother away." Sarah nodded, "I wasn't really angry at him...well maybe a little. But like I said, he only did what I asked him to. I don't believe that he's really such a bad guy. I admit, yeah I was a little scared of him, but that's because I didn't know what he was capable of. I feared his power but more than that I was afraid of how he made me feel. I think I was just too young to really understand that what I was feeling was attraction. I've been trying to get to know Jareth and I'm realizing that he isn't at all the cold unfeeling King that I thought he was. I think that maybe he acts the way he does because he's lonely." Hoggle absorbed every word that she said. He couldn't believe that Sarah was confiding in him like this, it made him feel...needed. It made up for all the years that she hadn't called. Sarah's face flushed as she admitted, "I know it's strange, but I think we might actually be friends. He can be so warm, and he makes me feel so...wanted." Her mind drifted back to what had happened on the couch and her face went crimson as she meekly added, "Hoggle, I'm so sorry that you walked into that awkward situation. I should have told you about all this sooner." Hoggle had a bit of color in his cheeks too as he shrugged, "Aw forget it Sarah, so long as he wasn't takin' advantage of you...I don't mind." Sarah laughed and retorted, "Well, it was more like the other way around...so don't worry." Hoggle's face went bright red as he held up his hand and replied, "Uh Sarah, you don't have to explain...its none of my business." Sarah tipped his chin up so that he was staring up at her. "Hoggle, you are my friend and I want to be honest with you, I don't want there to be secrets between us." She smiled solemnly and he smiled back. Finally Sarah giggled, "Honestly, you scared the hell out of me, when I heard you come running in. My first thought was that it was my father. You nearly gave me a damn heart attack." Hoggle swallowed and asked, "Why? Would you father not understand?" Sarah's brows shot up, "Are you kidding? If my Dad saw what you just saw, there would be no words to describe the kind of trouble I'd be in." Sarah sighed, "At any rate I'm glad that it was you, I knew you'd understand, and I know I can trust you to keep this between us, at least until I know how all this is going to end." Hoggle furrowed his brow, "Whadd'ya mean, how it's gonna end?" Sarah sighed, "Jareth and I have ten days to be together and after that, if one of us doesn't willingly sacrifice our way of life we'll be parted for good." Hoggle nodded "You mean you'll have to come to the Underground and be Queen, or he'll give up his kingdom and stay here with you." Sarah's voice was distant, "Something like that." Hoggle patted her on the shoulder, "Aww don't you worry bout nothing missy, I'm sure it'll work out." Sarah smiled sadly at her friend's attempt to cheer her up. Hoggle sighed and replied, "Well, I guess I'll be off then, before Jareth turns green out there. Just try and keep his majesty out of trouble and call me if you need something" "I will Hoggle." She gathered her friend into a tight hug. Hoggle limped his way out of the kitchen and back up the stairs. Before he disappeared in her bedroom she called, "Hoggle?" He turned, "Yeah Sarah?" She smiled warmly, "Thanks." The dwarf grinned and nodded before he disappeared behind the mirror. Sarah returned to the living room where Jareth was lounging on the sofa. His arms were crossed over his chest and his indifferent gaze was focused elsewhere in the room. Sarah silently sat beside him as he casually asked, "Is everything all right." Sarah nodded as her eyes darted over his profile, "Yup." Jareth didn't question her any further but Sarah could tell that he must have been burning to know what they had talked about. Sarah eyed him suspiciously for a moment and finally asked, "Well, don't you want to know what we talked about?" His cold gaze settled on her, "Why, should I?" Sarah smiled at his attempt to retain his manner of cool indifference, when she knew he was envious as all hell when it came to her friendship with Hoggle. Sarah saw no reason not to be honest so she replied, "Hoggle wanted to warn me." Jareth looked at her, the cold mask of indifference dissolving as his eyes flooded with concern, "Warn you? About what?" Sarah licked her lips and replied, "The wine. He found out that it came from Lachesis." Jareth nodded and sarcasm was evident in his tone, "Ah, how considerate of him...pity his warning came too late." Sarah looked at her lap as her lips twisted into a coy smile, "Oh I don't know...I mean, had it not been for her enchanted wine...well you know." Jareth finally smiled, taking her hand in his as he replied, "Ah yes, I do know, and since you've brought it up...there's something I've been meaning to discuss with you." Sarah was anxious at his words and she held her breath in anticipation. Jareth's expression softened as he began, "Sarah, I can't help but feel responsible for what transpired last night." Sarah shook her head and interrupted, "No, Jareth. I was equally responsible." He shook his head and gently replied, "Please Sarah, let me just say what I need to say. I realize that the wine had an affect on you and that although you were not doing anything that you didn't want to do, I can't help but feel that I wasn't in control. There were things I wanted to make abundantly clear before we became intimate." Sarah frowned, "Like what?" His eyes locked with hers, "Sarah I wanted to ask if you would permit me to court you?" Sarah's brow creased and her mouth suddenly felt dry. She thoughtfully sipped from her glass of water and replied, "Court me? Is that like asking me to be your girlfriend?" Jareth smiled at the expression, "Well, I'd like to think that courtship is a bit more formal than that." Pursing her lips she innocently remarked, "Oh, well, um, just how formal is it?" A wolfish smirk graced his face, making Sarah's hands tremble as she brought the glass to her lips. He waited for her to take a sip before he confessed, "Very formal as, if you grant me your permission, I have every intention of making you my wife." Sarah choked on the water. Jareth chuckled, "Well, that's not exactly the reaction I had hoped for." Sarah forced the rest of the water down, and coughed before she shook her head, "Sorry...I just, well I didn't realize how serious you were." Jareth cupped her face in his hands forcing her to look into his eyes. "Sarah I truly meant every word that I said last night. I've loved you for a long time. I don't know what the future holds for us but I'll say this; My past mistakes have cost us dearly and I won't repeat them by being vague now. If there's even a shred of hope that we can be together, I want you to know that I'm more than willing to spend the rest of my life pleasing you. Please say you will give me chance, even if we only have ten days. Please allow me to court you." Sarah was utterly breathless. She was infinitely grateful that she had been sitting down because his words made her light headed. His eyes searched hers expectantly and once she finally managed to catch her breath she replied, "Yes. Of course you may court me." Relief swept over his features and he quickly added, "Sarah I'm not expecting anything, other than for you to give me a chance to prove my love. I know this must all seem terribly sudden, but unfortunately time is one thing that we have no guarantee of right now. If we only have ten days I want to be sure that I spent them making sure that you have no doubts about my feelings for you." Sarah found it difficult to catch her breath as she whispered, "Jareth, I have no doubts when it comes to you." Jareth stopped her words with a gentle kiss. It was no more than a mere brushing of his lips against hers. Still as light and innocent as it was she felt as though her heart was about to burst. She wrapped her arms about his neck and moved to deepen the kiss. He pulled back as if burned. Their faces were still close and his eyes seemed to melt her heart. His voice wavered as he spoke indicating that his control was faltering. "Sarah, you told me before that you've never been intimate with anyone." She nodded holding his gaze. She felt an intense fluttering in her stomach, "Oh god...if he asks me to...it's all over, I don't think I could say no." As nervous as she was, she wanted nothing more than for him to make love to her. He was out of breath as he added, "I could never forgive myself if I made you do something that you weren't ready to do. Therefore, I won't kiss you again until you ask me to, and I don't think we should do anything else unless you are absolutely certain that you are ready to. Sarah took a deep breath. Oh God, he was going to make her call all the shots. She wasn't sure if this was what she wanted, or what she dreaded. She was still so unsure of herself, but she couldn't deny that she wanted him more than anything in the world. It would make things easier if he would just shut up and ravish her. He pulled back and regarded her from his end of the couch. "Is that agreeable to you?" Sarah nodded, since she didn't trust herself to speak, for fear that she might order him to carry her off to her bed that instant. She picked up her water and took a long drink trying to think of mundane things, boring nonsexual things like the coffee table, chairs, the drapes. Yes, those were all good things. The carpet, nothing exciting there. She brought her gaze back to the couch, And throw pillows, yes those were good, nothing stimulating about those dull throw pillows, except perhaps that one resting on his lap. Her thoughts drifted to what lay just under that innocent throw pillow. Now she'd done it. She gave herself a rather hard mental slap across the face as she realized that Jareth had just said something and she hadn't even been listening. Her face flushed as she replied, "Hmm?" Jareth looked as though he was fighting an internal battle as well, "I asked if you are going to turn in for the night." Sarah swallowed, going up to her empty bed was actually the last place she wanted to be. She made a decision, "No, I think I might watch TV for a while longer." Jareth nodded as Sarah found another movie on television. Before she knew it, it was midnight and another movie had ended. She had slowly inched closer to Jareth. She was now extremely tired but she didn't want to go up to bed. In her sleepy haze she leaned her head against his shoulder. Another movie was showing on the late night movie channel, so she left the TV on relieved that she could justify remaining here with him. She let her eyes drift closed as she rested against his strong warm frame. Finally she heard him whisper into her hair, "Sarah are you awake?" She murmured, "Yeah." He took a deep breath and asked, "Don't you want to go to bed?" Had she been more awake she may have just conceded to go up to her room but instead she adamantly insisted, "No, I want to stay here." Jareth smiled, it was obvious she didn't want to leave his side and the discovery pleased him, but it was hardly wise to let her stay up all night just to be near him. "Sarah you are tired, you should go to bed." Sarah sighed, "How about we just sleep right here on the couch." He might have known that she wouldn't give up that easily, this was Sarah after all. As much as the idea appealed to him, he was unsure if he would be capable of restraining himself while lying with Sarah all night. He began, "I'm not sure if that's such a good idea." Sarah cut him off as she sat up so that he could lay behind her on the couch, "Come on. I promise I won't bite..." He hesitated although he knew that ultimately it would be impossible to resist her. She giggled, "You're not afraid are you?" That was it; with a challenge like that how could he refuse? As their eyes met he remarked, "Don't be ridiculous." With that he settled onto the couch, lying on his side. Sarah snuggled up beside him with her back to him as she snapped the light off and pulled the blanket up over them. Sarah closed her eyes and relished the feel of his body molded against hers and the weight of his arm draped protectively over her. She had been tired, the keyword being "had". Now that the goblin king was lying against her, her mind was reeling with all sorts of delicious ideas. She quickly decided that perhaps she had better keep her attention focused on the TV before her straying thoughts got her into trouble. Sarah concentrated on the program that had just started on the late night movie channel. She could feel the rise and fall of Jareth's chest against her and she felt his warm breath on the side of her neck. As Sarah watched the program she relaxed in his embrace and discovered that she had never felt more comfortable and protected than she did at that moment. As the program progressed Sarah suddenly realized that the program was a late night series that was known to be rather risquŽ. Unlucky for her she realized it only as the film cut away to show a couple who were making love rather uninhibitedly against a chain-link fence. Sarah shut her eyes and swallowed. Why did this have to be happening to her when she was so desperately trying to keep her thoughts non-sexual. She heard Jareth's throaty whisper, "My my, is this what you wanted to stay up for?" Sarah fumbled for the remote and thought, "Shit." That wasn't exactly the type of impression she had wanted to give him. As she changed the channel to a harmless biography show she replied, "No." Lucky for her the newly chosen program was intensely boring so it wasn't long before she started to drift off to sleep. Jareth lay awake for what seemed like an eternity. It was so surreal holding Sarah in his arms as she slept. He was painfully aware of the soft curves of her body as she lay curled up against him. He breathed in her scent and closed his eyes. She had agreed to let him court her. This thought kept swirling around his head intoxicating him. How could he ever accept a life without her now that he had experienced the pleasure of being so close to her. He was certain that even if Fate pulled them apart he would spend the rest of his life pining for her, trying to reach her. He silently vowed that there was no such soul in either of their worlds that would be able to hold him back and keep him from her. It was much later when Jareth finally fell into a restless sleep. Sarah awoke to the pleasant sensation of warm sunlight bathing her face and a strong pair of arms holding her close. As her mind slipped back into consciousness, one thing was prominent in her mind. Jareth. He had actually asked permission to court her. She smiled as she recalled that they had fallen asleep together on the couch. She turned her head slowly and opened her eyes to gaze upon his face. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked upon him. His face was so peaceful and his pale skin gave an ethereal look to him. His platinum hair was a bit unruly but to her he looked absolutely perfect. Sarah could scarcely believe this was the same man who had terrified her years ago when he had appeared in her parent's bedroom to take away Toby. She further studied him for a few moments. She wanted to remember him like this. She placed a soft kiss on forehead and cautiously got up so that she wouldn't wake him. Sarah went to her room and grabbed a pair or workout shorts and a tank top. It felt like ages since she had last gotten some exercise, so she decided she'd go down to the basement and run through her kickboxing workout. She was not tired and she felt a surge of adrenaline from waking up in Jareth's arms so she might as well make use of her energy and get a good workout in, while he was still sleeping. Sarah changed into her workout clothes and jogged down the basement stairs. She had taken kickboxing classes during college for exercise. A friend had suggested she try it and Sarah was pleasantly surprised to find that she really rather enjoyed the workouts. Sarah's father had hung up the punching bag for her when she returned home during her first summer off from college. He had been delighted that she had taken an interest in an athletic activity. Sarah put a cassette in the junky boom box that she kept in the basement and started her warm up routine. After she had stretched adequately she tugged on her small red leather gloves and started her relentless assault on the heavy bag to the tune of an old rap mix tape that she had put together for working out. Remarkably, kickboxing did wonders for working out one's sexual frustrations. Jareth opened his eyes, realizing that the warm girl he had been holding in his arms was no longer sharing the couch with him. He sat up, squinting in the sunlight. He smiled as he was reminded that he had slept on the couch with her. Speaking of Sarah; where had that girl gotten off to? As Jareth explored the first floor, he noticed music coming from the doorway that led down to the basement. He quietly opened the door and looked down the stairs. He couldn't see her, but the lights were on, and there was definitely music playing. Jareth crept quietly down the stairs to see what she was doing. He reached the bottom of the stairs and peered around the corner. There was Sarah, wearing very short blue pants and a black tank top, her hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail. Her body glistened with sweat and at the moment she was very thoroughly pummeling a heavy bag that was suspended from the rafters. Her body was in very good shape and the sight of her engaging in such strenuous physical activity was rather enticing. A delighted grin spread across his face as he witnessed the scene before him. Sarah kicked her foot up very high, striking the bag, then in a swift completion of the movement her fist made harsh contact with the bag. She was in the middle of executing a complex string of attacks when she saw Jareth lurking by the stairs. She halted and steadied the bag with her hands as she turned to face Jareth. "How long have you been standing there?" Jareth smirked, "Long enough to see that you are not a woman to be trifled with." Sarah smiled and tugged her gloves off with her teeth. Jareth noticed that she was out of breath and a few stray locks of hair were clinging to her face and neck. He looked her over, finding this hobby of Sarah's rather intriguing. His eyes danced with amusement as he remarked, "You've learned to engage in combat?" Sarah laughed, "I wouldn't say that. It is more of a workout really. Just good exercise." Jareth nodded toward the bag, "Quite the damage you were inflicting on that bag for just a workout." Sarah grinned and replied teasingly, "Oh, do I scare you Goblin King?" Jareth chuckled, "On the contrary, I think there's something charming about a woman who can defend herself." He sighed with an amused air and added, "Besides...you are still no match for me." Sarah arched an eyebrow, "Is that a challenge? Remember you've lost your ability to do magic." Jareth laughed. It was a very rich and pleasing sound, "Sarah, you really have not lost your sense of humor. I'm sure you'd find that I am still a formidable opponent even without a trace of magic." Sarah strode up to him and him and boldly asked, "Is that so? And what sort of fighting style are you so adept at." She stopped with her face mere inches from his and regarded him from a seductive stance. Jareth's eyes dropped to her lips and then ventured lower to peruse the rest of her body as he answered, "I'll say this; I can handle a sword." Sarah's eyes sparkled with merriment as she thought to herself, "Yeah, I bet you can..." She reprimanded herself as her thoughts turned obscene. She took a breath, "Well Jareth I'd love to stay down here and kick your royal ass but I really should go take a shower." He was still wearing that arrogant smirk as he replied, "Very well...another time perhaps." Sarah looked over her shoulder and teased, "Bring it." A short while later Sarah stepped out of the shower and dried her self off. She put on her robe and went back to her room. Jareth had opted to shower downstairs, so she knew he wouldn't be hanging around her room. Sarah dried her hair and was taking her time deciding what to wear. She finally settled on a pair of jeans and white blouse when she heard the phone ring. She bounded out of her room and downstairs to get it. Still dressed in only her robe she pressed the receiver to her ear. "Hello?" "Hey Sarah babe." Jareth had heard the phone ring as he was drying himself off. He wrapped a towel around his hips and opened the bathroom door. He figured Sarah was still up in her room so he stepped into the hall debating whether he should answer the phone, when he realized that Sarah had beaten him to it. "Oh, Hey Trina." Sarah held the phone to her ear and turned around to see; Jareth, wearing nothing but a towel. She stifled a gasp and reminded herself to keep breathing as she averted her eyes. Jareth was equally surprised; he had thought she was upstairs. Well, no matter, nothing she hadn't seen before. He was curious to find out what Trina was calling about, so he stood there leaning against the frame of the bathroom, eavesdropping, and enjoying the reddening hue of Sarah's face. Sarah gave herself a mental shake, just barely catching Trina's question. "So...how'd it go the other night?" Sarah mumbled dumbly, "How'd what go?" Trina sounded slightly peeved, "Well duh...your big night with Jareth." Sarah sounded distant as she answered, "Oh. Fine I guess." Sarah found it hard to keep her mind on the conversation, knowing that an almost naked Goblin King was right behind her, hanging on her every word. Trina quickly asked, "So what happened?" Sarah was a little too slow in her answer to the question. Trina sensed Sarah's distraction and replied, "Sarah did you hear what I said? What's with you? Oh, I get it...He's still there isn't he?" Sarah shook her head realizing she had missed something, "Who?" Trina giggled, "Jareth, you idiot. He's still there with you isn't he?" Sarah knew that at this point she wasn't capable of lying convincingly, so she sighed and stated, "Yeah he is." Trina erupted into a fit of squealing laughter and Sarah had to hold the phone away from her ear while she shot Jareth an exasperated look. Finally Trina calmed down and asked, "So, what happened? Did you sleep with him?" Sarah's voice held a warning tone, "Trina..." Trina laughed and countered, "You're right, I'm sorry, that was out of line. Just tell me one thing?" Sarah's patience was wearing thin, "What?" Tina voice was husky, "How good was he?" Sarah let her head drop into her hands, "Ok, I'm hanging up now." "Wait!" "What is it Trina?" "I just wanted to tell you that I had fun the other night. I'm glad that you came out with us." "Aw, that's sweet...but Trina I really should..." "Wait Sarah babe, what are you and Jareth doing tonight...I mean besides each other?" "Ugh, for God's sake! I don't know? Why?" "Well My brother Ray is away on business and he's letting me stay at his place on the shore. Kim and Brian are coming over to hang out, you and Jareth should come too." Sarah sighed, "Oh I don't know if that's such a good..." Trina cut her off, "Oh come on Sarah, it's gonna be the bomb. This place is great, it's on the edge of the state park and it's right on the water. There's a hot tub out back for Christ sakes. Ray even said we could use the dirt bikes if we wanted, and I'm planning on having a bonfire out here. "Trina, I'm supposed to be watching the house for my parents..." "Sarah..." Trina whined, "It's one town over. C'mon it's just one night. It'll be so much fun." Sarah sighed admitting defeat, "Fine, I'll ask Jareth if he wants to go." Trina squealed with delight and begged, "Put him on the phone Sar, I want to ask him." Sarah rolled her eyes and held the phone out to Jareth, "She wants to talk to you." Sarah covered the mouthpiece before she handed him the phone and whispered, "Don't tell her a thing." Jareth nodded and held the phone to his ear with one hand, while the other hand tightly gripped the towel, holding it in place. Sarah leaned against the wall waiting to hear if Jareth would agree to this madness. Sarah only had his end of the conversation to go by, "Hello Trina. Yes, I had a wonderful time. No, Sarah's treating me just fine. Yes. Sure, I'd be delighted. Certainly. We'll see you then. Goodbye Trina." He handed the phone back to Sarah, "She wants you." Sarah sighed as Trina was again squealing into the phone, "I'm so glad you guys are coming. Oh and before I forget, you guys should bring bathing suits, for the hot tub." Sarah banged her head against the wall. How did she always let her friends drag her into these things. She sighed, "Alright Trina I guess I'll be seeing you tonight then." Before she could hang up Trina quickly replied, "Sarah you can't keep me in suspense! Tell me you kissed the guy at least." Sarah rolled her eyes and snorted, "Bye Trina."