a/n Okay, to be totally honest, I hate this story. But the plot was, unfortunately, bouncing around my head so insistently that I couldn't study for my assessments. Which meant I needed to scrawl it down before it killed me and I failed my exams. I still (think) I did, but... eh.
Anyway, make your own judgements. But if you hate it, don't worry - so do I.
Faking My Own Suicide
Sarah Williams could safely say that today was one of the strangest days she'd experienced in all her 28 years of life.
She had been curled up under her quilt, settled back in her soft pillows, a book perched on her knees. As she read, fingers toyed with her chocolate brown hair, tied in a tight braid with whisps of rebellious hair falling over her emerald eyes, softening the hardened appearance. Her full lips were pursed as she absorbed her novel...
Sadie gasped as James pushed her against the wall, her blue eyes wide in shock. James' eyes had darkened to an almost-black, and a savage growl escaped his throat before his lips descended upon hers possessively.
"You're mine, Sadie Elizabeth, and I will not lose you to another,"
Sarah's tongue darted out, swiping at her lower lip before white teeth sank into the flesh and dragged across its pink surface.
"I always was yours, James," Sadie whispered, her hands tangling in his ebony mane, fingers brushing the tips of his pointed ears. The fae's body shivered with pleasure.
"Oh Sadie," he moaned, burying his face in her neck, "My Sadie,"
Sarah was so absorbed in her book, she didn't notice the figure, seated at her vanity, eyebrows raised as his keen eyes scanned the cover of her novel.
James' hot tongue dragged over the white flesh of Sadie's neck, his pointed teeth nipping as his mouth moved.
The figure didn't like being ignored.
Sadie moaned in the exquisite mix of pleasure and pain.
No really, he did not like being ignored.
"James," she whimpered, "Oh Jam—
The figure cleared his throat pointedly and Sarah yelped, throwing her book from her lap in startled fear.
Of course, the moment she set eyes on the lazily resting figure of the Goblin King, emerald eyes clouded over in confusion.
"Jareth?" she asked, incredulous, "What are you doing here?"
A devious(ly sexy) smirk danced over the Goblin King's lips, and he sat up straighter, leaning forward and perching his elbows on his knees.
"Why, Sarah Williams, I'm surprised at you. Thirteen years to the day since we first met and your keen mind seems to have deserted you,"
Sarah's eyes narrowed.
"Apart from to insult me, does your visit have any other purpose?" Jareth leaned back in his seat, summoning a crystal ball, which he tossed easily from hand to hand with a lazy grace.
"In fact, it does. As is customary after the defeat of the Labyrinth, I've waited these thirteen years before once more gracing you with my presence, to offer you yet another deal," The dark haired woman cocked an eyebrow in suspicion.
"You can't have Toby, Jareth," she deadpanned, "So don't even consider whatever you're considering," the fair-haired fae laughed, a full bodied, throaty chuckle and Sarah's brow crept further up her forehead.
"My, my Sarah. You do amuse. But no, the reclaiming of your brother is not my aim. Rather, it is you I seek,"
"Me?"
"Yes," Jareth rose, taking a few steps towards Sarah, before kneeling at her side, holding out the crystal ball.
"Sarah Williams, once more I am here to offer you your dreams," Sarah snorted, but Jareth silenced her with a sharp look, continuing, "And, Sarah, mine. I am offering you the chance to become the Goblin Queen. All you must do is—"
"Fear you? Love you? And, let me guess, you'll be my slave? Jareth, thirteen years have passed as you so aptly pointed out. If those lines didn't work on me as a malleable, naive fifteen year old, what hope do you have now?"
Jareth stood, throwing the crystal into the air and allowing it to dissipate into the ether. With gloomy eyes, he gazed upon the dark haired woman and offered her sad smile.
"Ah, my Sarah, I should have known. Forgive me," Jareth took a steadying breath, "And I farewell you, Sarah Williams. This shall be the last time we meet,"
"What? Not another thirteen years?"
"Alas, no. Normally I would visit you once more, but you see," Jareth paused, looking out the window of Sarah's bedroom to the darkened street below, "I am to return to my kingdom in the underground tonight, alone, and kill myself," he turned slightly, glancing at Sarah over his shoulder, "So you see, we shall not meet again,"
"Oh, you can't be serious," she crossed her arms over her chest, frowning, "Jareth, I wasn't born yesterday, You're only saying this to guilt trip me," Once more, a laugh bubbled from Jareth's lips, but this time it was sadder. Sincere.
"I assure you, I'm not. Would you like the details of how I plan to do it?" Jareth leaned in closer, "Perhaps you'd even like to attend my funeral, Sarah. Just to prove to yourself that all along I was sincere?" The defiance melted from Sarah's features.
She was floored.
"Oh heavens..." She closed her eyes tightly, looking up, "You really plan to kill yourself? Jareth, don't be ridiculous. Why not just marry someone else?"
"Because, there cannot be another while you survive, Sarah. A fae has but one life-mate, one true love in a lifetime, and sadly, mine does not want me. There is no alternative. Forgive me for bothering you, Sarah. I must leave,"
And with that, he was gone.
Sarah stared at the empty space where the Goblin King had once stood, scarcely daring to believe it.
The Goblin King was going to kill himself because she'd rejected him.
Jareth, the villain of her teenage years, the enigmatic, handsome, alluring, untouchable fantasy of her dreams, was going to kill himself.
Because of her.
She scrambled out of bed, rushing to her vanity.
"Hoggle, I need you!"
It took two days for Hoggle to answer Sarah's frantic questions, and the moment he appeared, Sarah's face fell.
"He didn't," Hoggle nodded.
"He did. They found him yesterday morning. He drank some poison. The funeral's tomorrow,"
"Oh, Hoggle," Sarah's eyes started to sting and she looked away, willing the tears not to well.
"Sarah, now, don't cry... I'm sure ye not at fault here. Jareth was a rat. Probl'y some other reason. Don't fret,"
"Hoggle,I did it. I turned him down, twice. I kicked him when he was down – oh!" She turned, sniffling and desperately rubbing the tears from her eyes.
"Hoggle, can I get to the underground for the funeral?"
"Sarah—"
"No, Hoggle. I need to give him my las—" the girl's voice cracked, "My last respects. I need to say goodbye,"
The dwarf sighed, looking down at his lap.
"If you wish yerself away, Sarah, ye can get here fer the funeral…"
She nodded, sniffling.
"I'll be there, Hoggle. I owe him that much,"
The next morning, Sarah awoke early and showered, before dressing in strapless black dress and a blazer, sliding her feet into black flats. She styled her hair down, the ends curling naturally. Her eyes were darkly lined, her lips lightly glossed.
She took a small bag of her essentials and stood in the middle of her room, taking a deep breath.
"I wish the goblins would come and take me to their king's funeral. Right now."
A moment later, she was gone.
When Sarah arrived in the castle, she noted immediately that the whole kingdom seemed to be in mourning.
With no-one willing to offer her direction, the woman was left to wander around the castle on her own, attempting to find some sort of ceremonial room.
What she found instead was the still body of the Goblin King, resting on a marble table. His hands were clasped together over his chest, holding a signature crystal ball.
Sarah approached tentatively, peering at the peaceful face of her once enemy.
That thought alone made Sarah pause.
Once-enemy. No longer her antagonist.
When had that happened? Was it only in death or...
Sarah closed her eyes.
She didn't hate him. She... She never hated him.
The brunette sank into a nearby chair at that realisation. No, it was quite the opposite.
As she had grown up after the Labyrinth, every now and again he had haunted her dreams. With whispered promises and teasing kisses; playful words and soft touches.
And as she'd grown, so had the dreams. So had her feelings.
Oh god...
Sarah hung her head in her hands. She'd made a horrible mistake. Tears threatened to fall now just as she realised that. She loved him.
Oh lord, if only he'd waited...
After a few steadying breaths, Sarah once more stood, taking slow and reverent steps towards the lifeless body of the Goblin King.
"Oh Jareth," she whispered, unable to keep her newfound pain from tinting her voice, "Why did you have to do it?" before she could stop it, a hand reached out, brushing a stray hair from Jareth's peaceful face, "And all because I made a mistake. A horrible, awful, stupid, stupid mistake..." Sarah's voice trailed out here, tears falling down her alabaster cheeks with an ease now, "Jareth, how could you? Before I could even realise... God, you fool! I love you, Jareth. And if you'd only waited I would have been your wife!" And that was it. Her throat closed in and Sarah could say no more. She turned and fled from the room.
She missed the smirk that danced over seemingly lifeless lips.
Sarah somehow found her way into the gardens, where she sat in the sunshine, staring at the grass beneath her feet.
The tears were still falling, freer now than before.
She couldn't help but think of what might have been.
Oh Jareth...
"You know, when one is a guest to my castle, I find it almost insulting that she would spend her time in the gardens, in tears," Sarah's eyes snapped to the opening in the hedges.
It couldn't be...
"You're dead," she stood shakily, sidling to put more distance between herself and (what she perceived as) her hallucination.
That smirk danced over his lips.
"Alas, my Sarah, that was merely a ruse,"
Okay, now she was confused.
"A ruse? I saw it myself! You're dead!" She turned to flee, only to run straight into the very solid form of the Goblin King, from his black boots, to his tight breeches, right up to the open poet shirt and his royal amulet.
Sarah backed up once more, startled.
"You're solid," it was more statement than question, "Zombie?" Jareth could hardly stop the laugh bubbling in his throat.
"Sarah," he captured her hand and pressed it to his chest, over a very much beating heart.
Once more, Sarah was floored.
So she did what any reasonable person would do. She ran straight into Jareth's arms, hugging him tightly.
"You stupid, stupid fae," she whispered into his chest, "killing yourself over me. You fool," Jareth's arms enveloped the dark haired girl and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"But I'm alive now, my Sarah, and I heard what you said, my love," immediately Sarah pulled back.
And slapped him across the face.
"You jerk! You scared me, Jareth! I thought I'd—" the words caught as Sarah realised what she'd been about to admit. Jareth raised an eyebrow, tenderly rubbing his cheek.
"You thought you'd what, Sarah?" she shot him a firey glare. The Goblin King had the gaul to look apologetic.
"Sarah, unfortunately the deception was necessary. You may not realise it, but you're a hard woman to gain the attention of. In fact, I've only managed it twice in thirteen years. The first time," he gave her a hard look, "when I granted your wish and took your step brother, and the second when I faked my own death,"
"So that's why you did it? To get my attention? Damn it Jareth! There are better ways to do it than that!"
"Oh? Would you care to know that there were more reasons to this than merely that, Sarah?"
"Oh yeah? What then?"
"Well," Jareth began to pace, "To begin with, I wanted your attention, yes. But I knew that I needed you to realise your feelings for me on your own. If I tried to force you into any sort of affection, you would never truly give yourself to me. I needed a catalyst, if you will, to guide you towards your feelings. If you truly felt nothing for me, then you would not be harmed by this elaborate charade. But, if you did," he turned icy blue eyes towards her, "then this would force you to admit it. And right about that time I would come back to life and let you know that all along I was faking my own suicide. I had hoped this would be able to be forgiven and we could move on,"
For a third time in those two days, Sarah was floored.
"So..." she paused, trying to grasp this whole concept, "You pretended to kill yourself for me? To get me to admit that I do have amicable feelings for you," Jareth nodded curtly.
Sarah sank into a stone bench, still trying to process these new developments.
Tentatively, Jareth sat next to her.
There was a moment of silence, before:
"I'll forgive you this time, but try it again and your death won't be sofake,"
The Goblin King couldn't help but laugh. He embraced the dark haired girl and kissed the crown of her head affectionately.
And Sarah couldn't help but grin either.
"So, will you be my Goblin Queen, Sarah Williams?" the brunette laughed.
"Let's try dinner first, Jareth." She teased, "Then maybe, if you're lucky, I'll marry you..." a grin danced over her full lips, "... provided you learn to propose between now and then,"
The blonde fae beamed, leaping to his feet and tugging Sarah with him, pressing a kiss to her lips. Sarah's arms snaked their way around his neck, fingers lacing behind the soft golden locks of the Goblin King.
Jareth couldn't help but grin into the kiss.
After a moment, Sarah pulled back, her gaze locking in his.
"Promise me you'll never do that, Jareth,"
"Do what, my love?"
"Kill yourself. Leave me," her eyes darted down to the pendant, resting against his collarbone, "Go somewhere I can't follow,"
"Sarah," he let her name roll over his tongue, leather-encased fingers touching her chin, pulling her eyes back to his, "I promise you. I will never leave your side again. Not until I the day I die," he paused, considering this, "And that will not be by my own hand,"
Despite it, Sarah couldn't help but laugh, embracing the Goblin King, pressing her head into his shoulder. Jareth's warm arms enveloped her lithe form and he rested his head upon hers.
"I love you," she muttered into his chest. Jareth laughed, the vibrations tickling her nose.
"I know, my love." he pressed his lips to her sweet smelling hair, "And I, you,"
a/n So I was listening to my Relient K CD the other day and Track 10 jumped out at me. I sat there and thought "Man, this would make a good J/S ficlet... if only I could write!"
Thus, I slaughtered the fluff value and produced this. I'm not happy with it, in fact, I'll probably go back and delete it, before re-writing (if the mood strikes me) and hopefully it'll be better.
Really, this is just me proving I'm not dead. Distracted, and somewhat close to, but not dead.
...Yet.
Reviews very welcome!
Much love,
The Flame Faerie