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Oh, Now Why the Concern?	By : jinx1764 Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 11163 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, don't make any money, this is a work of fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
- 15
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Exciting, Wondrous Contraptions

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Sarah stared - no glared - at the motel phone receiver in her hand. Its dull, puke green plastic (abraded by long years of abuse) mocked and taunted her. The thing was so old it had a rotary dial instead of push buttons.
If the phone hasn't ever been upgraded, she wondered, what else hasn't been and how safe is this motel? Her eyes wandered around the room as she cringed. That would explain the inexpensive (read cheap) cost of two adults and one child rate, which still ate quickly into her laughable savings.
Speaking of savings ... Right the phone call/calls she delayed. To work or not to work, that WAS the question. Simple answer: She needed the money. Complex answer: She hated her job, they might still be in danger, Jareth was weak (and snoring in a seriously unkingly manner in the half light of the early morning gloom oozing around the curtain edges) and she didn't trust Toby's safety to the school or to Jareth in his current condition.
So, to work or not to work - if she called early enough she'd get Manny's voicemail and avoid his annoying, too personal questions. Probably get an earful later, but- meh - it was worth it. If she didn't work, how long would she need to be gone until Jareth was at full power again? How long could she afford to skip? Not long.
Eeehh ... eeehh ... eeehh... An obnoxious tone alerted from the receiver telling Sarah she'd kept an open line too long; she scrambled to hang it up without slamming it down onto the cradle. Neither Jareth nor Toby stirred from their beds, though Jareth snorted delicately (of course) and she whooshed out a relived sigh, both hands resting on the phone.
This is ridiculous! Just make up your mind, Sarah!
Crouching in the dimness, she thought about what she wanted rather than want she needed, and unbidden memories of Jareth's heated kisses from last night bubbled up. Her heart skipped a few beats before picking up speed. No fooling herself anymore; she definitely wanted him, and not in a - 'gee, I like you, let's be friends sort of way'.
Suddenly dry-throated, Sarah tried to swallow and discovered her tongue wanted to stick to her upper palate. The Goblin King sure did know how to kiss a girl (woman, she corrected) and they hadn't even gotten past first base! Hmmm ... I wonder what... NO! No wondering! You've got responsibilities. You can't just traipse off with Jareth to, you know...
But wouldn't be it wonderful to escape, just for a little while?
It'd be more than wonderful. It'd be ... perfect. She sighed then frowned. Too bad her life wasn't meant for perfection; she owed debts to people, like Karen. Sarah rubbed her hands over her face and cycled back to her original question: To work or not to work. She really did need the money.
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Jareth peeked out of the privy; Tobias had gone on without him as he'd taken too long changing. The actually changing took no time at all (his relief at stripping of the offensive sweats an enormous encouragement) however, once Jareth saw his new appearance in the reduced attire provided by the apparently bottomless bags from the 24-hour Wal-mart, he resisted exiting. Tobias rightfully tired of waiting as evidenced by his earlier whines and cajoling through the painfully thin door, and had left.
He knew he should feel guilty for making Tobias wait, but - bloody hell - people went out and about in daylight dressed as such? He pulled the foreshortened pants from his bottom and readjusted the upper edge, called elastic per Tobias. It itched and bunched and pinched his sensitive skin. He disliked elastic. He disliked it very much. But at least it didn't cover his entire body like fleece.
Jareth shuddered, remembering how uncomfortable last night's rest (or lack thereof) had been. Then other memories of last night filtered in, and a slight smirk edged its way out. He'd kissed her, finally. He kissed Sarah Williams. And more importantly -
She kissed him back.
Maybe elastic wasn't so bad afterall. His mood lifted (among other things) thinking of her body molding to his, so willing, so compliant, and so ready to continue until Tobias interrupted them. He could've done without that, though he really didn't want to push her for too much, too soon. She barely trusted him now.
Combing his fingers through his hair (he missed his magic; he could style his hair straight away with a snap of his fingers.) What do humans say? Oh yes ... 'This sucks.' Nothing to do for it now but to face the proverbial music, old man. But at this particular moment - magicless and practically naked - he felt old and quite useless.
The unusual bout of depression on the heels of his elation at remembering Sarah's kiss shocked him. He hardly experienced black moods, but moods swings were not unknown to him. He was fae; hence mercurial was his very nature. Depression, however, rarely touched him. He, Jareth, King of the Goblins, had little to be depressed about. The novel emotion was not pleasant or enlightening, he decided.
He sighed and shuffled to the room's outer door. Perhaps sunlight would do him good as Tobias suggested. Being a creature of magic and nature, he craved communing with the elements. This storage box of a room certainly did not qualify as either mood improvement material or nature. Predictably, Jareth didn't deign the room a single look over his shoulder as he cracked open the door, allowing overwhelming waves of late morning sunshine to strike his eyes and skin. The warmth hurt and healed simultaneously.
Squinting, he cautiously worked his way over the concrete pathway (the surface painfully rough and hot to his bare feet) to the public area surrounded by a low, metal fence. The gate squeaked as he pushed through and for a moment he thought his eyes were still adjusting to the punishingly bright sun, causing his steps to falter.
"You finally made it, Your Majesty," Sarah said sarcastically from her reclined position next to the swimming area Tobias had proclaimed, 'The most awesome pool ever!' Frankly, he didn't understand the awesomeness of it, but out of the mouths of babes, etc, etc.
"Er - yes, I was delayed..."
"Uh-huh..."
She smiled up at him, her hands shading her eyes over her sunglasses. But Jareth didn't really noticed her face (he tried to be polite but bloody hell he wasn't dead, merely a bit incapacitated presently.) All he could really see was the expanse of her skin laid out like a royal gala below him. Small triangles of colorful cloth nodded to propriety by covering the most intimate areas of her body, but all in all, what he couldn't see directly, he could easily imagine. Warm sunlight glistened over her skin as if she'd just been in the water, or perhaps rubbed something on her skin because the cloth and her hair appeared dry. (He mentally patted himself on the back for noticing something above her neckline but doubted she would feel the same if he mentioned it.)
"You look ... good," she said and he thought she gulped between words.
"Do I?" He glanced down at his all black shorts which fell to just above his knees. They'd felt loose earlier, but now felt a bit too snug in the upper area. He wondered if the elastic automatically tightened.
"Oh yeah."
Jareth's head snapped up at the sultry tone in her voice; he wished he could see her eyes beyond those bloody dark glasses. Her lip curled up on one side and the tip of her tongue darted out to wet her lips. He thought he might die of either embarrassment or repressed desire any moment. Never in all these years did he believe that the great Sarah Williams would ever look upon him in such a manner. His blood settled south and oxygen struggled to travel to his brain, making him severely light-headed.
"I ... see..." He shifted from foot to foot, his hands pinching the fabric of his shorts. That's it? That's all you can say to her, you stupid git?
"Jareth!"
"Tobais!" he said gratefully, and pivoted towards his excited voice. The boy splashed his way from the pool, dripping and laughing.
"I told you he'd come out eventually, sis."
"So you did."
"What took you so long?" Toby asked as he flung his soaked body at Jareth, who attempted to unsuccessfully scramble out of the way. The end result being Jareth receiving a massively wet bear hug, which he tolerated with a tense smile. Sarah grinned at the spectacle.
"Oh, well," Jareth shrugged, "I'm unused to this manner of dress."
"It's just a bathing suit."
"Which I've never worn before, my boy."
"Not ever?" Toby asked with round eyes.
"Never."
"That's weird."
"Perhaps, but have you ever worn a cravat?"
"What's that?"
"Exactly."
"Huh?"
"Precisely."
"What?"
"Jareth." Sarah warned, all sense of her earlier admiration fled from her pinched lips.
"My apologies, Tobias, I'm teasing you."
"Oh, right. You wanna play in the water? You've gotta try the awesome waterslide!" He grabbed Jareth's hand and tugged him toward the pool, his face guileless and free (if still drenched and dripping from his mat of hair.)
"The water?" Jareth asked dubiously. He wasn't much of a swimmer without his magic, never needed to learn. But the pool didn't appear to be deep and the slide (dear gods) didn't seem to be particularly dangerous (if a bit more swirly than he'd like.)
"Yeah, it's not too cold, if you move around a lot."
"Lovely."
"See, Sarah!" Toby yelled back. "I told you he'd like it!"
"Oh, I can see that, kiddo!" she yelled back, and Jareth swore he heard her laughter. It was almost enough to banish images of her delightfully bare body from his mind ... almost.
"Come on, let's do the slide first!" Toby's little hand was remarkable strong as he towed him around the edge of the pool to the far end where a bluish tube monstrosity awaited them. Taller than a grown man by at least triple, a simple ladder led to its entrance and Toby already raced to climb it.
"Tobias, I wouldn't do that quite so fast!"
"It's okay. I've done it lots of times already."
"Yes, but," Jareth reached out one hand to grasp the slim metal ladder, if felt damp and slippery, "don't you think you should slow down?"
"You scared?"
"WHAT? Nonsense, I'm merely looking out for you."
"I'm fine, now come on!" Toby called from the top of the ladder. How did he move so fast?
"Damn and blast." Jareth place one foot on the rickety thing and tested it with part of his weight. It didn't shift; it seemed stable enough. "Well onwards and upwards and all that." Moments later he found himself at the dark tunnel entrance with a very impatient Toby crouched inside.
"Geez, you're slow."
"Enough, boy, move over." He all but growled. Toby complied with narrowed eyes.
"Grouchy much?"
Jareth squeezed his lanky frame into the slim tube made for children. "I'll have you know as a king, I do not participate regularly in such activities. I do such things for you, Tobias, so I would appreciate a bit more respect."
Two raised brows and a sniff and Toby said, "Sorry, I just thought you'd like it."
Oh, bloody hell! He hadn't meant to make the boy cry. As a race, fae might be mostly cold and calculating but they weren't without softer emotions, especially once attached to someone. Sitting in that ridiculously cramped tube (which felt oddly smooth and harsh to his flesh at the same time) Jareth's shoulders slumped as his ire abandoned him. This was Tobias. He couldn't be irritated at Tobias for a simple bout of childish enthusiasm. A deep breath and a forced smile and Jareth faced him.
"I apologize, Tobias. The fault is mine. I am out of sorts and not used to any of this."
Toby scrunched his face. "You feel funny and out of place?"
"Yes, exactly, my boy."
"I get that. I feel that way most of the time since ... you know."
"Ah."
"I don't like it either."
"No, I don't suppose you would."
"But I like this waterslide," Toby said with a fresh grin.
"Then by all means," he swirled his hand towards the black maw of a downward exit, "show me this wondrous contraption."
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"I take it by your full body quivering you didn't like it."
"That - that monstrosity," Jareth pointed one still dripping finger at the end of his shaky arm at the far end of the pool, "is a menace!"
"Is just a waterslide," Sarah replied.
"JUST a waterslide? Do you have an inkling of what it does to a person? With its twisting and spinning, the abominably harsh surface scrapping over one's skin, and the forcing of water into places forbidden to all but ... well ..."
Sarah indulged him with a patient smile from her comfortable position on the lounger. "I've been down it a few times."
"A few times? You repeated the experience? WILLINGLY?"
"It's not that bad."
"Ha!" Jareth paced a short circuit next to her, oblivious to her swiveling head watching him.
"Jareth, you coming back in the water?" Jareth pulled up short at the sound of Toby's plaintive wail and frowned. Sarah watched indecision play across his face and took pity on him.
"How about I join you guys this time, hmm?" she asked, gracefully swinging her tanning legs over the edge of the plastic and metal chair. His head pivoted from the pool back to her with a stunned, wide eyed look; it was more than enough to make her grateful (if she hadn't been already) for making that call this morning. A few days away from work (money be damned) was exactly what she needed and wanted.
"Come on, Goblin King," she grabbed one of his slack, still damp hands, "let's go swimming."
Jareth allowed her to pull him back into the water, one thought ricocheting through his mind.
She's going to be wet? In that outfit? I'm doomed.
- 13
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- 15
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Oh, Now Why the Concern?