Slowly returning...

Sarah pulled her hand from his hair, the feel of it still making her fingers tingle. He was most definitely real. She could smell the leather of his gloves and his boots. Being so close to him she could smell some kind of soap, whatever he used to wash last time he bathed. It was amazing to her that he didn't smell anything like his goblins and the messes they left behind in his throne room. He cared about his appearance, that much was obvious. He was all dressed so regally. He was a King after all, even if at times he didn't act like one.

She glanced over her shoulder at the clock on the wall. "I need to go to work."

"You need to?" A brow arched elegantly over one blue eye.

"Yes, or I won't be able to afford this week's groceries."

"Your job makes you unhappy."

"How did you guess?"

"The tone of your voice." She squinted at him, trying to figure him out. He was a very strange man. Was he even a man? Maybe he was a Goblin or something... "Why don't you find another job, one that makes you happy?"

"Because that's not always an easy thing to do."

"Why not?"

"Because its not."

"That isn't an answer."

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't."

"Jareth I am NOT going to argue with you."

"Who's arguing?"

"See, you haven't changed at all! Still as stubborn as a mule!" He grinned devilishly at her. "You're smiling because you know that I'M right."

He snorted and chuckled. The old Sarah he knew of long ago was slowly surfacing. "You'd better get ready or you'll be late for work. I don't want to be responsible for that."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her coat from the hall closet. She grabbed her keys and purse and stopped when she got to the door, turning back to him. "Uh, what are you going to do all day while I'm at work?"

"What's the matter Sarah, you don't trust me to take care of your home? Afraid that I might decide to indulge in some reading while you are away?" He gave her an amused smile.

"Ohh, you! That's all I need is you snooping around in my house!"

"Fine. If it pleases you to see me go then I will and I'll return when Ary comes home to fetch her from the bus."

"It does please me to see you go. You don't have to come back either." Jareth looked hurt and she wished that she could take her words back. God she really was impulsive sometimes. "Jareth I didn't mean that, I'm sorry. You can stay." She touched her forehead suddenly feeling another headache beginning.

Jareth was at her side in an instant. He removed her hand from her forehead and replaced it with his own. "You get far too many headaches." He said simply as he brushed his fingers over her skin. And the headache was gone.

"Headaches are the least of my problems. Besides I'm used to them."

"Is there not something in this aboveground with all it's technology and medicine that could make them go away?"

"Yeah it's called Tylenol and Advil and I took them so many times that the headaches got used to them and they no longer work. So much for technology and medicine."

"Here." He twisted one gloved hand and produced a perfect crystal sphere. She looked at it wide eyed. Looking at the glass sphere in his hand brought memories rushing back to her. He didn't offer it to her on an outstretched hand but put it into the palm of her hand, closing her fingers around it. "Take it with you. Anytime you feel a headache beginning to bother you, simply run your fingers over this and it will be gone. It won't be gone forever, but long enough, I have limits after all."

"The Goblin King has limits...who would have thought? Thank you." She said nodding at the sphere. She squeezed it once in her palm before dropping it into her purse. She turned to the door again gripping the knob. "I didn't mean what I said before, about not coming back. Ary would be heartbroken if she came home and you weren't here. She really likes you and that...that must mean something." She looked as if she wanted to say more but she didn't say anything else about her daughter. "I'll be home at 4. I'll try to be home in time for Ary getting off the bus."

"Don't rush, I can get her."

"I don't know if that will be such a good idea."

"And why not?" he put his hands on his hips.

"No offense but you might scare the other kids on the bus senseless, not to mention the bus driver. Not everyone is as involved in fantasy as my daughter and myself. I don't think the world is ready to see the Goblin King yet."

"No need to worry. Although you and Ary will see me as I truly am I will weave a little magic so that others see me as one of them. I will appear normal to them."

"Really Jareth, it's ok. I can bring her in off the bus."

"You don't trust me." He sounded hurt.

"I do trust you, it's..."

"What?"

She sighed deeply. "I don't know what my neighbor's reaction will be to seeing you walk outside to get my baby girl off the school bus." She looked away from him, her cheeks reddening. "It's...it would be strange for a man who none of them have ever seen before to walk outside and bring in my little girl. I...I don't exactly have men come around very often."

"You're embarrassed of me."

"No. not at all. I just fear what other people might say.."

"You really have changed. The Sarah I remember would not have cared what other people said."

"Yeah well you weren't around when Adam left a pregnant woman alone. The people you think are your friends, sometimes....sometimes they're not."

He moved closer to her, closing the gap between them. "What did they say?" his voice was soft and calm.

"I'm not going to talk about this now." She threw her hands up, clearly flustered and reached for her shoes putting them on quickly. "I have to go to work. Thank you for your help last night and this morning and thank you for offering to get Ary off the bus this afternoon. I'll be home around 4 or so. If I'm late don't worry, it's because the car broke down and I had to hail a cab."

He nodded. She turned the doorknob and opened the door stepping out. "You're welcome." The words trailed after her and only after the door had closed behind her did she stop and look back at the house. Strange things were definitely happening.

Her car decided that today it wanted to work and she got to her job without having to call for a taxi for a ride and a tow truck to bring it to the repair shop.

She worked as a secretary for a local company and when she arrived at her desk she gave her co workers a blank stare. Marcy and Stephanie were huddled near her desk looking at each other and then at her desk. Sarah nearly groaned out loud. All she needed was Stephanie and Marcy touching things on her desk and spreading rumors around the office again. Sarah swore the two women were 4 and not 44. They were interested in something on her desk and she prayed that one of the interns hadn't played another practical joke on her.

"Find anything interesting ladies?" She asked as she approached them.

"Actually yes!" Marcy let out. "Look what someone sent you."

Sarah glanced down to see a single yellow rose sitting on her planner in the center of her desk. "It's probably another practical joke from Jeff down in accounting." She thought up quickly. She had a funny feeling where the rose came from and it wasn't Jeffrey Rogers in accounting. Even though it was a possibility.

"Jeff always brings you red roses and he stopped bringing them when you told him you weren't interested in seeing him. You broke the poor guy's heart." Marcy replied.

"Someone has a crush on Sarah." Stephanie said.

"No on has a crush on me, ok? Why don't you leave me alone and go busy yourselves with your work. I'm not falling for your jokes or anyone else's for that matter."

"Aren't you a major witch today." Marcy let out. She flipped back her short frizzy hair.

"I only felt like one when I noticed the two of you by my desk again!! MY desk, not your desk, not a public desk that anyone can use, MY desk."

"What the hell is your problem?" Stephanie asked putting her hands on her hips. She started chewing her gum with her mouth open and Sarah wanted to slap her.

"What is my problem? My problem is the two of you! Everyday I come into work and I find the two of you fueling rumors and starting trouble. And ya know what? I don't know why I let either of you bother me because you are nothing but two faced, backstabbers who will never make anything of yourselves because you're too immature!"

"Oh my gawd! That was sooo uncalled for!" Stephanie cried out.

"Totally uncalled for." Marcy agreed.

"Stephanie and Marcy, quit goofing around and get to work. Now!"

Sarah couldn't help but smile as the head manager Jake walked by and yelled at the two women. Sarah sat in her chair and looked at the two women with a devious smile. "Busted." She let out softly. Her smile broadened when she watched the two women walk away clearly pissed off and heard a few snickers from other employees. She sighed deeply. God it had felt good to give them a piece of her mind. She wondered why she had not done it sooner. She decided she wasn't going to let them push her around anymore.

She turned her attention to the rose on her desk. A perfect yellow rose with a small note attached to the bottom of it and her name written in an elegant hand on the manila paper. She opened it, glancing around to make sure that no one was watching her. Thankfully everyone had dove back into their work and she was left to do as she wished without prying eyes bothering her.

'To brighten your day... Jareth" She couldn't help but smile when she read that. And did he know that she loved yellow roses? It didn't matter. The rose had brightened her day and so had Jareth's thoughtfulness.

The rest of the day flew by as she worked on various reports that needed to be typed up for the company. Jake had totally surprised her when he asked her to personally type up a report for him. He never paid much attention to her but an occasional nod if he walked by. Marcy and Stephanie had not bothered her again and she couldn't help but grin when she heard two women from sales badmouthing them while she was in the bathroom. She had not even gotten a headache all day! Apparently Jareth's magic worked better then even he believed. She hadn't a use for the crystal he had given her. She would have to thank him, just as she would have to thank him for getting Ary off the bus and watching her. Typing up Jake's report had set her back an hour and half and by the time she got home, it would be later.

Her car had behaved it self again and she was surprised to find that she was actually looking forward to seeing Jareth again and of course Ary. It had started to snow lightly just as she pulled into the driveway and it was already pitch black out. She hated winter. So cold and everything looked dead. She didn't like that it got dark so early either.

"I'm home!" she called as she stepped into the house. The house was dark, the only light she could see on was the hall light which illuminated the stairs. "Ary?? Jareth??" She panicked when she didn't hear an answer from either of them. She dropped her purse and keys on the floor. She feared the worst. What if Jareth had lied to her and he took Ary to the Labyrinth? What if this was all some clever plot of his? God no, she couldn't deal with that... "Ary??" she called again, louder this time.

"Right here mommy!" The little girl came running from the kitchen and raced to her mother hugging her tightly.

"Hi Sweetie. I was worried there for a minute. You didn't answer right away. Why is the house so dark?"

Aryanna smiled broadly, showing a few empty spaces where teeth had yet to grow back in. "You'll see. It's a surprise though. Take off your coat and come into the kitchen." She spun on her heal quickly, rushing back into the kitchen, giggling the entire way.

Sarah couldn't help but grin at her enthusasium. She and Jareth were up to something. One could only imagine. She hung up her coat and purse in the hall closet and walked toward the kitchen. "Here I come.." she laughed. When she reached the kitchen doorway she gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

The light over the kitchen table was dimmed. A few candles were placed in various spots in the kitchen, all giving off a soft, warm glow. The table was set with place settings for three. Her parent's best china and silverware that she only used on special occasions were laid out. In the center of the table was a vase filled with beautiful wild flowers.

She looked at Jareth who was leaning against the counter again. He was dressed in a white shirt with a low neckline and ruffle collar, and a black leather vest over that. He wore black pants with his knee high black boots. He looked absolutely gorgeous in the flickering light of the candles. Aryanna was grinning from ear to ear standing beside him. She rushed forward to her mother taking her hand in hers and pulling her into the kitchen.

"What's all this?" Sarah asked "Jareth?" She asked again when no one answered her.

"This was your daughter's idea, Sarah."

"Ary is that true?"

The little girl nodded. "I wanted to help make you happy again. I thought that maybe a nice dinner would help. The Goblin King and I worked all afternoon trying to make it perfect. We cooked dinner and everything!"

She shot a surprised look at Jareth. "You cooked dinner?" He merely nodded.

"C'mon mommy, sit down and we'll serve you dinner."

"All right, all right." Sarah laughed. She took a seat and folded a napkin over her lap. "What's for dinner?" She'd yet to see what the two of them had made. She wondered if they had actually slaved over the stove or if Jareth had used his magic. There was her stepmother's silver tray with the cover and she was dying to know what was concealed beneath it.

 Jareth sat himself across from Sarah and Ary took her own seat on the side of her mother. Ary reached for the lid of the tray and when she pulled it off, Sarah began to chuckle. Then she was laughing and then she was laughing so hard she was crying.

There sitting on her stepmother's best silver tray was a giant pile of macaroni and cheese.

Sarah fought to get herself under control. This was all too much for her. Finally she calmed down and she glanced at her daughter who had a worried look on her face.

 "Are you disappointed mommy? We tried to make something really good, but we couldn't get anything right. I didn't want him to use his magic. We tried to cook honest, mommy, but The Goblin King burned his hand and we couldn't find the recipe box and then.."

"You burned your hand?" she looked at Jareth who nodded. He looked extremely embarrassed. Sarah couldn't help but laugh a little more. 'Oh the two of you...I'm not disappointed sweetie." She said brushing back her daughter's hair and then placing a kiss on the top of her head. "This is a perfect dinner." She glanced at Jareth and flashed him a grin. " It's very rare that I come home to find dinner ready for me. This was such a wonderful idea and I thank the both of you."

"yay!! See!" she cried to Jareth. "She likes it! I knew she would and it made her laugh. I haven't heard you laugh in so long mommy."

"It felt good to laugh again."

"We should eat before it gets cold." Jareth told them. He served Aryanna first and then passed the tray to Sarah who took a few spoon fulls. Jareth served himself last and they began to eat. The drinks had already been poured and when Sarah took a sip of hers she realized that it was grape Kool-aid, one of Aryanna's favorites. She found herself more then once grinning as she looked down to see the macaroni on the fine china plate in front of her.

Most of dinner was spent in silence as everyone dove into their dinner. Finally it was Aryanna who broke the silence.

"Mommy can I bring the Goblin King in for show and tell tomorrow?"

Sarah nearly choked on her food. "Ary."

"What mommy? The other kids would love him. He could show us his magic."

Sarah glanced at Jareth. He nodded when he saw the look on her face. "I don't think that would be a very good idea." The little girl looked like she was going to pout. "I'll tell you what. Why don't you bring this in for show and tell?" He produced a crystal sphere, which he offered her.

"WOW!! What does it do?"

"If you look into it, it will show you your dreams." Sarah winced at his words. Had it really been 20 years ago that she had heard them? "Look into it, Ary, what do you see?"

The little girl looked into it and gasped. "What is it Ary? What do you see?" Sarah was suddenly afraid.

'I can't tell you mommy. My dreams are like a wish. I can't tell anyone or they won't come true. You taught me that remember?"

"Yes I did." Aryanna opened her mouth and a loud yawn escape. "Hmm mmm. Someone is a tired little girl because she stayed up too late last night. Go on, go change into your pj's and brush your teeth and I'll be up in a minute to tell you a bedtime story and tuck you in."

"Ok Mommy. G'night Goblin King."

"Good Night Aryanna." Sarah and Jareth both watched the little girl run up the stairs to get ready for bed.

Sarah turned to Jareth. "Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome." He said softly.

Sarah reached for her plate and glass. "Well might as well start cleaning up."

"Oh no you don't." He snapped his fingers and the dirty dishes were gone. "All clean and put away in their proper places."

Her eyes widened and she gave him a smile. "Wow, that was a neat trick. Maybe I should have you come by to my annual Christmas party. I could use help like that when it's time to clean-up. Sure would save time." He laughed softly. "I umm, I'm afriad I don't have a spare room for you to sleep in. Toby's old room was turned into Ary's play room."

"That's all right. I can sleep on the couch downstairs."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite."

"I'm ready mommy!!!!' came Ary's voice from upstairs.

"Let me tuck her in and I'll get a pillow and some blankets for you." He nodded and she made her way up stairs. She returned a short time later with a pillow under her arm. She fluffed it up on one end of the couch and then took a few blankets from the hall closet and placed them in a pile at the other end.

"I think I'm going to bed, myself. I have to be in early to finish some work."

"All right." They stood for a few moments, a few feet apart from each other, just gazing at each other. "Well I hope the couch is comfortable enough for you. G'night."

"Good Night Sarah."

She turned making her way to the stairs. "Oh I just wanted to thank you...for brightening my day." She smiled nervously and didn't wait for his reaction before walking quickly up the stairs. Jareth watched her go, a smile appeared on his face before he sat down on the couch and prepared for sleep himself.