Exchange Fic #4: Someone True (2/6)
The actual identity of the writer will remain secret until all the submissions are in and posted.
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Title: Someone True, Part Two
Author: faeries_midwife
Recipient: jinx1764
Prompts: 1) A story about how J/S develop their relationship before or after their Labyrinth adventure. Can have time altering elements. Doesn't have to be romantic, can be friendship focus.
2) Fish out of water element story: Sarah's moving into the castle (married or about to be married) and needs to have internet access. Jareth doesn't understand what it is, nor does he care to. Can the Underground even get wifi?
3) One of the major characters tries a new food (doesn't have to be Aboveground food) and either loves it or hates it.
Rating: PG-13
Plot Summary: Jareth makes a rash decision after Sarah defeats him and uses a spell to erase her memories of her time Underground, upsetting everything the Labyrinth had set in motion.
Part One
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Sarah was looking forward to the end of the school year. She enjoyed learning and got excellent grades, but she felt alone in a sea of fellow students. She only knew a few people, and not very well. Most of the kids she'd gone to elementary and middle school with had either moved out of the area or lived in the school district on the opposite side of town. She lived for the weekends, where she could escape the house -- and reality -- for a while. Sarah would never admit it to anyone else, but she still enjoyed pretending she was from another time, another world.
Even though things were better with her and Karen, she knew her stepmother just didn't understand that Sarah didn't fit in anywhere. She was always telling Sarah to invite her friends over for movies or a small party, but if Sarah did that, she would be laughed at and mocked. Sarah knew that Karen had been a popular and very social girl in school. Karen obviously meant well, but they were two totally different people.
She didn't mind so much, not having a lot of friends. She had her family and her books and her imagination. It was an ongoing fantasy that she would become famous... either an author or a movie star or a singer... and her schoolmates would wish they had been nicer to her so they could say ‘we knew her when'. She'd imagine the interviews on talk shows, and the popular girls stuttering about what a mistake it had been not to get to know her, and feel a small satisfaction.
Of course, they probably wouldn't even remember who she was. Sarah smiled ruefully. It was a sweet dream, one of subtle, passive revenge. But it was she one she didn't really believe would come true, nor was she sure she wanted it to -- she merely enjoyed it for the temporary escape it provided from reality. It also provided further proof that it was no use trying to fit in with others her age... such an attempt was pointless.
One Saturday morning, a few weeks after the night she and Karen had come to an understanding, she dressed in jeans and a red peasant blouse. Piling her hair on top of her head in a haphazard fashion, she secured it with a clip and smoothed some tinted gloss onto her lips. Grabbing her book from the nightstand, she tiptoed downstairs and into the living room. Upstairs, Karen was vacuuming the master bedroom. Sarah packed a brown sack with an apple, a string cheese, a granola bar and a bottled water, and let herself out of the house.
Merlin was at the gate waiting for her, his tail wagging excitedly. She let him out and gave him a cuddle, making sure to scratch behind his ears. Pulling a Milkbone out of her pocket, she waited while he devoured it and then set off with him at her heels.
Making her way to her favorite park, she was relieved to see that there weren't many people around. Most of the park's visitors tended to stay on the other side, with the playground, baseball diamond and picnic tables, but Sarah preferred the more isolated area with the bridge across the pond... it was peaceful, and she could pretend she was in another place and time.
The resident ducks and ducklings paddling closer to the bridge hoping for a handout. Merlin barked a greeting. Sarah wished she'd thought to bring along some bread slices. Smiling, she said, "Maybe next time, guys, sorry."
"I've more than enough... perhaps we can share," an accented male voice offered.
Startled, Sarah dropped her book and sack lunch on the bridge. "You scared me!" she said, frowning in the stranger's general direction before bending to retrieve her possessions. "Where did you come from, any... way?" As she spoke, she looked up to find, quite possibly, the most handsome man she had ever seen. He looked like a rock star or an actor, and he was dressed like one too, in brown leather pants and an untucked burgundy button-down shirt. Sarah had the oddest feeling that she should know him... perhaps he was famous? Or a politician? Used car salesman? She nearly giggled -- she couldn't see this suave man selling cars on late night TV. She wracked her brain, but couldn't place him despite the odd feeling.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you," he said, still holding out the sack of bread to her. Merlin had already decided this stranger worthy of being a friend, and stood looking up at him, panting and grinning.
Hesitantly, she set her book and lunch on the wide rail of the bridge and took a piece. She began tearing it into small chunks and dropping it into the water. Even more ducks rushed over to the bridge in a frenzy, quacking and flapping their wings. Laughing, Sarah hurried to tear off more, flinging it out so that the ducks would disperse and each of them would get a few pieces.
"It's okay," she said after a moment. "I just didn't see you there until you said something. I'm Sarah, and this is Merlin."
"Jarrett," he replied with a smile, holding out his hand. "Jarrett Arthur."
Sarah shook it and wondered why she was surprised to feel skin. What was she expecting, for him to be wearing gloves? "Nice to meet you. Should I... know you from somewhere?"
"No, I don't believe so," he said. For a second, Sarah thought he had looked nervous or startled at the suggestion she might recognize him. "I've very recently moved into the area."
"Oh," Sarah said. "With your family?" Her gut twisted -- that was odd. Why did she want him to tell her he was single? He was way too old for her and would never be interested in a teenager.
"No... no family. It's just me," Jarrett said, petting Merlin's head.
"You're not married? No kids?" she probed. This was not like her! Why was she being so nosy? She blushed and said, "Sorry, it's just seems like everyone in this town is married, unless they're still in school like me."
He looked at her curiously. "No, I've not found occasion to marry as of yet."
Sarah nodded. It was absurd that she should feel relief to learn that he was single! Maybe she had breathed in some paint fumes or eaten something that didn't agree with her the night before. That might explain not only her foggy memory but also her current strange behavior. Tossing more bread to the ducks and accepting another piece from him, she asked, "So... what do you do?"
He shrugged lightly, concentrating on decimating his own slices bread for the impatient ducks. He barely looked at her, even when speaking. "A little of everything, really. At the moment, I'm not employed... I needed some time to myself and am financially secure. So here I am, feeding the ducks. I may do some painting... or writing. Who knows?"
She wanted to ask more questions, to know all there was to know about this man, which was really weird. He would definitely think so too, so she chose her words carefully. "I wish I had the talent to paint or write... I mean, I've done both, but I'm not that good at either. It sounds like a nice hobby. So, where did you move here from?" There, that was a perfectly normal question.
"I recently left my home town," he explained. "I wanted a change of scenery, needed to get away. This is a quiet, calm town with a nice pace. It's refreshing to be away from chaos."
She wondered if he realized that he hadn't really answered her question at all; but she could hardly push him for more details, he would think she was rude. Especially if he was purposely being evasive for some reason. She said, "I can understand that. It's probably not the same as for you, but I'm looking forward to school ending... lots of chaos there."
Jarrett grinned. "I can see how that would be the case. What grade will you be in next year?"
"Eleventh," she said, darting a nervous look his way. He would definitely walk away when he heard how young she actually was. "Two more years of high school."
"And then?" He seemed genuinely interested, and not in a creepy way. Sarah really liked that he didn't condescend to her. It was nice to have someone be interested in what she had to say, and not try to push her to be someone she wasn't.
She shrugged. "I have no idea. I want to do everything and nothing, all at once. My dad wants me to take pre-med or pre-law, but neither of those are for me. It's not fair --" She stopped herself and gasped, her heart racing. "Oh! I'm not supposed to say that!"
He looked at her quickly, shock clear in his expression. "What, you mean ‘it's not fair'? Who told you you shouldn't say that?"
"I don't know," Sarah said, frowning and feeling idiotic. "It's just a feeling I had... right when I said it. Weird."
"Very odd," he agreed, appearing to relax a little. He was still regarding her thoughtfully, though. "I suppose we all have those moments... as if we're reliving a conversation we've had before, deja vu. Or so I'm told."
Sarah stared at him a moment, feeling as if he had read her thoughts. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."
"So, Sarah," he said, and she felt goosebumps rise on her arms at the way her name sounded coming from his lips. "What would you do, if you could do anything at all?"
"That changes all the time. An artist. A writer. An actress. A singer. An archeologist. A dancer. A pianist." She sighed. "The trouble is, I've dabbled in all of them, and I still don't know what I like best."
Looking surprised, he said, "You've dabbled in archeology?"
Feeling herself blush, Sarah laughed. "Okay, when I was younger, I buried stuff in the backyard, then dug it all up the next day. And I've watched a lot of documentaries about archeological digs."
Jarrett laughed too. "I suppose that qualifies as dabbling."
"Maybe," Sarah agreed, feeling a bit silly.
Straightening, Jarrett brushed his palms free of crumbs. "Well. I'm sorry I startled you. I won't intrude on your day any longer."
"You're not intruding," she protested, a bit too eagerly. "Honestly, you're not. It's been really nice to have someone to talk to."
He frowned slightly. "You don't talk to your parents?"
"I do, but it's not the same. They're... well, they're my parents," she said vaguely. "It's not like talking to a... friend."
He smiled as though pleased she'd called him a friend, and teasingly said, "You don't have friends?"
"No, not really," she said, ducking her head.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to hit a nerve."
She shook her head. "It's okay, I'm used to it. I don't really... fit in. I'm not a cheerleader, I'm not a techie or a nerd, not a band geek, not a goth or a punk... I'm not popular... I don't really fit in any of the 'categories' that seem to make up the groups in at school. Like if you don't belong in a group, you don't exist."
"Then," he said softly, "you're in a category unto yourself. You're unique... different. Special."
"I'm not special," Sarah scoffed, surprised at her own vehemence.
He frowned again. "I assure you, you are."
Sarah didn't reply, and suddenly she wished he would leave. Why was he trying to convince her she was special, when she knew she was not? She had embarrassed herself and now she felt humiliated and childish. The other kids were right... she was weird. As if sensing her feelings, he backed away.
"Perhaps I'll see you here again," he said evenly. "Are you here often?"
Sarah looked up at him, amazed that he seemed to want to see her again. She still got no creepy vibe from him, she felt as if she could trust him. "Usually on Saturday afternoons. But once school's out, in a few weeks, I'll be here a lot more."
Nodding, he smiled. "Well, then, maybe we'll see each other here again," he said casually.
"That would be nice," she said, doubting it would really happen.
Despite her agreement, he must have seen in her face that she didn't believe she'd ever see him again. He looked at her seriously. "Like you, Sarah, I don't have many friends. My work has always been rather solitary. I find you to be very pleasant company. You're kind, friendly and seem to have a warm heart."
She stared at him, hoping she didn't look ridiculous but fearing that she might. "Seriously, me?"
He smiled. "You underestimate yourself, Sarah." She felt a blush heating her cheeks and lowered her gaze to the ground in embarrassment. "You are an interesting and intelligent young woman. What I find surprising is that you are so shocked that someone would find you pleasant company! Now, enough seriousness..." He peered at her until she raised her eyes. Once she met his gaze, he continued, "Suffice it to say I hope to see you again, my lady, " he grinned a silly grin and bowed to her.
She laughed at his antics and curtseyed back to him. "It was lovely meeting you as well, kind sir." She giggled. "I'll, uh, be here tomorrow again around noon if you're looking for a time to take a walk..."
Jarrett smiled. "I'll take that under consideration."
Feeling a blush heat her face again, Sarah dipped her head. "Well... I've enjoyed talking with you today. It would be nice to meet again and take a walk together or... feed the ducks."
"I agree," he said with a smile. He chucked Merlin under the chin. "Until next time, then."
A couple of months later...
"Where's Merlin?" Jarrett asked.
"He was playing with Toby in the backyard when I left," Sarah said, setting down her basket and unfolding a blanket. Jareth took the ends and helped her to spread it out over the grass. "Dad's doctor said he needs to exercise, so he took Merlin for a walk early this morning. So Merlin decided he didn't need to come with me today, the traitor," she said with a laugh.
"Then I'll just save these for next time," Jarrett said, putting aside a baggie of dog treats. He made himself comfortable, and Sarah marveled at how gracefully he did everything, even sitting on the ground.
"I brought lunch to share," Sarah said, sitting across from Jarrett on the blanket. "Pizza!"
"I've heard of pizza," he said cautiously. "But I've never tried it before."
She scrunched her nose, adjusting her long skirt. Why she had worn it, instead of her customary jeans, was beyond her. It certainly wasn't for Jarrett! "You've never tried pizza before? What planet are you from?" This wasn't the first time she'd learned something about her friend that gave her pause. He really did seem otherworldly at times.
"Mars," he said quickly, then let out a burst of laughter.
"So there really is life on Mars, huh?" she laughed.
He gave her a blank look, and she marveled at his woeful lack of knowledge of pop culture and figures of speech. "It was just a joke," he said. "I don't know. I guess I'm just not very adventurous when it come to food."
"Not adventurous?" she teased. "More like you've lived in a culinary vacuum." She shrugged. "Oh well, I hope you like it, then, or else you're going to go hungry."
Handing him a napkin and paper plate, she watched as he carefully pulled a slice out of the cardboard box. She'd gotten a fully loaded pizza with everything but anchovies. Watching as he carefully took a bite and chewed, she couldn't help but smile. He was so cute... She shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking of him as cute! But then, cute was nice and safe -- sort of like the actors and singers whose pictures appeared in "Tiger Beat" magazine. If she started searching for other adjectives, dangerous ones presented themselves: hot, sexy, roguish...
Jarrett's eyes widened, and Sarah wondered for a second if he could read her thoughts. But then he swallowed and said, "This is quite delicious!"
Sarah laughed as he took another large bite and helped herself to a slice. "I'm glad you like it," she said. "I wouldn't call this particular brand of pizza outstanding... you'll have to try some others. This is just a cheapie that I could afford."
Jarrett grinned at her. "Well, if there are pizzas more delicious than this, you'll have to tell me where to find them, and next time it's my treat."
They enjoyed their lunch in silence. Sarah got more pleasure from watching Jarrett eat than from eating the pizza herself. She marveled that the summer was almost half over and she had spent at least a little time with him every day, even if it was only a phone call. Karen suspected Sarah had a boyfriend and had pressed for details, but Sarah had been vague and reticent. If allowing Karen to assume she had a boyfriend made Karen happy and got her some peace and quiet in the process, then whatever -- it wasn't like she'd lied about it.
Jarrett was fascinating, gorgeous and intelligent--a devastating combination. Sarah found herself thinking about him all the time.Obviously, she was way too young for him, and would be for a few more years, at least. But she allowed herself to hope that one day, he might feel a fraction for her what she was beginning to feel for him. She wasn't sure how old he was, but she didn't care.
They had a vast deal in common... Most of their early days together had been spent in comparing favorites -- favorite colors, books, foods -- which was how she found out all the things he'd never tried, games, everything. They shared a similar outlook on life in general as well as relationships, education and just about anything else they talked about. They had lively conversations whenever they found that they had differing opinions, as well.
Sarah's attempts to learn about his hometown, family and life had for the most part failed. He was very good at giving her non-answers, but she didn't feel he was really hiding anything from her so much as being disinclined to talk about himself. Sometimes she wondered if something had happened to him back home that had caused him to leave, something that would make him sad or cause him pain to talk about. He certainly never seemed to miss it -- he appeared to be perfectly happy with his writing, art and other hobbies.
Sarah, on the other hand, had shared nearly everything with Jarrett. She wasn't able to help herself. She'd never known anyone who was such a good listener; he was genuinely interested in all she had to say. At times, she found him regarding her silently, but it never made her feel uncomfortable. In fact, it was never in the romantic way she saw in the movies. He looked at her like a friend, not the way a man looked at a woman. And that was fine with her... for now.
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Jareth sighed as he fixed himself a sandwich. He had no magic here, thanks to the Council who had deemed it "unnecessary". So he was bound to do mundane chores for himself, except for what Mrs. Jameson, who came in twice a week to clean and do his laundry and ironing, did. She was more than efficient and doted on him like a mother hen every chance she got, bringing him casseroles and cookies almost every time she came. Most of the time he wasn't even home; she had a key so it was an arrangement that worked well for them both.
She had quickly found out what his favorite snacks were and always brought them for him, even though he'd told her she didn't have to. It seemed to make her happy, however, so in the end he relented, always thankful when the munchies hit and he had a ready stash of dried fruits, nuts, and his ultimate favorite -- chocolates.
Jareth wasn't sure what he would do with himself today. Sarah was gone on vacation with her family and wouldn't return for a week. She had tried to get out of going, but her parents didn't feel she was ready to stay at home by herself for such a long time. Sarah had confided in him that her stepmother thought she had a boyfriend.
Laughing, she had said, "What, does she think I would have a guy stay with me while they were gone? She's crazy, but it's nice to know she cares. My so-called real mother would probably tell me to ‘go for it'," she'd concluded, looking a little sad.
It was a relief to know that Sarah didn't look at him as a romantic prospect. Oh, he knew she had an innocent crush on him, and that was just fine. It fit into his overall plan, and he was orchestrating things to go according to his plan. Not that he had to do much; they honestly did have strikingly similar tastes and opinions. He was a very patient man and was quite content to spend time with her and get to know everything about her. She was fascinating and had a deep thought process for one so young. Which made the prospect of a week without her all the more unpleasant.
Carrying his sandwich and a frosted mug of beer out into the garden, he sat at his patio table overlooking the roses. As he ate, he thought of how much Sarah was maturing in so short a time. He supposed that was to be expected, given that her primary company was him, her parents, and her toddler brother. She had acquaintances her own age while in school, but hadn't been in contact with any of them through the summer. Highly unusual for a beautiful young woman.
He had asked her about it on one of their outings. Reluctantly, she had told him, "I don't know for sure when I became such a loner. I was never really popular, but I did used to have friends. The older I got, the more I felt like I didn't fit in anywhere. I don't think I ever will. I don't feel comfortable around kids my age... I feel like an alien, or something. Or... maybe not an alien, but I feel much older than them"
"What about young men?" he had asked then, the idea of sweaty adolescents drooling over Sarah and pawing at her turning his stomach. But he'd been too curious not to ask.
Sarah shrugged and rolled her eyes. "What about them? Sometimes they act like they like me, but then someone will say I'm not the ‘fun type', meaning I don't... you know. And it's true, I'm not that kind of girl. So they lose interest, which is no big loss. I don't know why other girls are so boy crazy, anyway. Boys are disgusting. I prefer guys that are..." There, she had trailed off, her cheeks pinkening.
"What, Sarah," he'd pressed, unable to stop himself. He'd been so careful up till now, but he so wanted to know if he was making any progress, however small.
She glanced at him, looking sheepish. ""Well, I was going to say ‘older', but I don't really mean that, either. I just mean that I'd rather wait until I'm old enough to date someone with some sophistication and class. I know I'm way too young for anyone like that right now... But guys my age are cheap and grabby." Blushing again, she looked away.
Jareth soared inwardly. She wanted someone like him. Perhaps the crush had deepened a little, but she -- they both -- had the sense to know that nothing could come of it just yet. He smiled, hopefully it was a non-leering, encouraging smile.
"I hope that you will find exactly who you're looking for, Sarah," he said quietly. "Someone who..." Stop! he commanded himself inwardly. But he couldn't stop. "...Someone who will do everything in his power to live up to your expectations."
"What?" Sarah said sharply, her green eyes wide with confusion. "Why did you say that?"
He silently berated himself. He had suspected that she might react to the words but he'd said them anyway. "Because that's what we were talking about. Your expectations. Were we not?"
She took a shaky breath, still regarding him suspiciously. "You just sounded like... like..." Frowning again, she shrugged helplessly. "I guess I don't know who you sounded like. But someone said something like that to me before. Someone who sounded a lot like you."
Alarm raced through Jareth's veins. How was this possible? Every now and then, she looked at him funny whenever he said or did anything that even remotely resembled something from her adventure Underground. She should not be able to recall anything, but it was happening all the same. She had recoiled when he tried to give her a piece of Mrs. Jameson's peach cobbler a few weeks ago. And once, while playing a game, he had teasingly said, "Sarah, don't defy me," and she had gone white as a sheet, then made some excuse to go home early. But the next day, when he questioned her, she had laughed it off.
He had always known there was something special about Sarah, but now he wondered if those ‘special powers' he had endowed her with, though dormant now, were also affording her the ability to eventually break through his memory spell -- or perhaps had prevented it from completely removing her memories as it had been intended to do. It had been an open-ended gift, after all, one that she would put to use in her own way and in her own time. Neither the Council nor the Labyrinth were able to discern what 'special powers' had been granted to Sarah. He truly wondered if they could not tell him or would not tell him... Regardless, If he were wise, he would leave it at that and not tempt fate.
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
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Title: Someone True, Part Two
Author: faeries_midwife
Recipient: jinx1764
Prompts: 1) A story about how J/S develop their relationship before or after their Labyrinth adventure. Can have time altering elements. Doesn't have to be romantic, can be friendship focus.
2) Fish out of water element story: Sarah's moving into the castle (married or about to be married) and needs to have internet access. Jareth doesn't understand what it is, nor does he care to. Can the Underground even get wifi?
3) One of the major characters tries a new food (doesn't have to be Aboveground food) and either loves it or hates it.
Rating: PG-13
Plot Summary: Jareth makes a rash decision after Sarah defeats him and uses a spell to erase her memories of her time Underground, upsetting everything the Labyrinth had set in motion.
Part One
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Sarah was looking forward to the end of the school year. She enjoyed learning and got excellent grades, but she felt alone in a sea of fellow students. She only knew a few people, and not very well. Most of the kids she'd gone to elementary and middle school with had either moved out of the area or lived in the school district on the opposite side of town. She lived for the weekends, where she could escape the house -- and reality -- for a while. Sarah would never admit it to anyone else, but she still enjoyed pretending she was from another time, another world.
Even though things were better with her and Karen, she knew her stepmother just didn't understand that Sarah didn't fit in anywhere. She was always telling Sarah to invite her friends over for movies or a small party, but if Sarah did that, she would be laughed at and mocked. Sarah knew that Karen had been a popular and very social girl in school. Karen obviously meant well, but they were two totally different people.
She didn't mind so much, not having a lot of friends. She had her family and her books and her imagination. It was an ongoing fantasy that she would become famous... either an author or a movie star or a singer... and her schoolmates would wish they had been nicer to her so they could say ‘we knew her when'. She'd imagine the interviews on talk shows, and the popular girls stuttering about what a mistake it had been not to get to know her, and feel a small satisfaction.
Of course, they probably wouldn't even remember who she was. Sarah smiled ruefully. It was a sweet dream, one of subtle, passive revenge. But it was she one she didn't really believe would come true, nor was she sure she wanted it to -- she merely enjoyed it for the temporary escape it provided from reality. It also provided further proof that it was no use trying to fit in with others her age... such an attempt was pointless.
One Saturday morning, a few weeks after the night she and Karen had come to an understanding, she dressed in jeans and a red peasant blouse. Piling her hair on top of her head in a haphazard fashion, she secured it with a clip and smoothed some tinted gloss onto her lips. Grabbing her book from the nightstand, she tiptoed downstairs and into the living room. Upstairs, Karen was vacuuming the master bedroom. Sarah packed a brown sack with an apple, a string cheese, a granola bar and a bottled water, and let herself out of the house.
Merlin was at the gate waiting for her, his tail wagging excitedly. She let him out and gave him a cuddle, making sure to scratch behind his ears. Pulling a Milkbone out of her pocket, she waited while he devoured it and then set off with him at her heels.
Making her way to her favorite park, she was relieved to see that there weren't many people around. Most of the park's visitors tended to stay on the other side, with the playground, baseball diamond and picnic tables, but Sarah preferred the more isolated area with the bridge across the pond... it was peaceful, and she could pretend she was in another place and time.
The resident ducks and ducklings paddling closer to the bridge hoping for a handout. Merlin barked a greeting. Sarah wished she'd thought to bring along some bread slices. Smiling, she said, "Maybe next time, guys, sorry."
"I've more than enough... perhaps we can share," an accented male voice offered.
Startled, Sarah dropped her book and sack lunch on the bridge. "You scared me!" she said, frowning in the stranger's general direction before bending to retrieve her possessions. "Where did you come from, any... way?" As she spoke, she looked up to find, quite possibly, the most handsome man she had ever seen. He looked like a rock star or an actor, and he was dressed like one too, in brown leather pants and an untucked burgundy button-down shirt. Sarah had the oddest feeling that she should know him... perhaps he was famous? Or a politician? Used car salesman? She nearly giggled -- she couldn't see this suave man selling cars on late night TV. She wracked her brain, but couldn't place him despite the odd feeling.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you," he said, still holding out the sack of bread to her. Merlin had already decided this stranger worthy of being a friend, and stood looking up at him, panting and grinning.
Hesitantly, she set her book and lunch on the wide rail of the bridge and took a piece. She began tearing it into small chunks and dropping it into the water. Even more ducks rushed over to the bridge in a frenzy, quacking and flapping their wings. Laughing, Sarah hurried to tear off more, flinging it out so that the ducks would disperse and each of them would get a few pieces.
"It's okay," she said after a moment. "I just didn't see you there until you said something. I'm Sarah, and this is Merlin."
"Jarrett," he replied with a smile, holding out his hand. "Jarrett Arthur."
Sarah shook it and wondered why she was surprised to feel skin. What was she expecting, for him to be wearing gloves? "Nice to meet you. Should I... know you from somewhere?"
"No, I don't believe so," he said. For a second, Sarah thought he had looked nervous or startled at the suggestion she might recognize him. "I've very recently moved into the area."
"Oh," Sarah said. "With your family?" Her gut twisted -- that was odd. Why did she want him to tell her he was single? He was way too old for her and would never be interested in a teenager.
"No... no family. It's just me," Jarrett said, petting Merlin's head.
"You're not married? No kids?" she probed. This was not like her! Why was she being so nosy? She blushed and said, "Sorry, it's just seems like everyone in this town is married, unless they're still in school like me."
He looked at her curiously. "No, I've not found occasion to marry as of yet."
Sarah nodded. It was absurd that she should feel relief to learn that he was single! Maybe she had breathed in some paint fumes or eaten something that didn't agree with her the night before. That might explain not only her foggy memory but also her current strange behavior. Tossing more bread to the ducks and accepting another piece from him, she asked, "So... what do you do?"
He shrugged lightly, concentrating on decimating his own slices bread for the impatient ducks. He barely looked at her, even when speaking. "A little of everything, really. At the moment, I'm not employed... I needed some time to myself and am financially secure. So here I am, feeding the ducks. I may do some painting... or writing. Who knows?"
She wanted to ask more questions, to know all there was to know about this man, which was really weird. He would definitely think so too, so she chose her words carefully. "I wish I had the talent to paint or write... I mean, I've done both, but I'm not that good at either. It sounds like a nice hobby. So, where did you move here from?" There, that was a perfectly normal question.
"I recently left my home town," he explained. "I wanted a change of scenery, needed to get away. This is a quiet, calm town with a nice pace. It's refreshing to be away from chaos."
She wondered if he realized that he hadn't really answered her question at all; but she could hardly push him for more details, he would think she was rude. Especially if he was purposely being evasive for some reason. She said, "I can understand that. It's probably not the same as for you, but I'm looking forward to school ending... lots of chaos there."
Jarrett grinned. "I can see how that would be the case. What grade will you be in next year?"
"Eleventh," she said, darting a nervous look his way. He would definitely walk away when he heard how young she actually was. "Two more years of high school."
"And then?" He seemed genuinely interested, and not in a creepy way. Sarah really liked that he didn't condescend to her. It was nice to have someone be interested in what she had to say, and not try to push her to be someone she wasn't.
She shrugged. "I have no idea. I want to do everything and nothing, all at once. My dad wants me to take pre-med or pre-law, but neither of those are for me. It's not fair --" She stopped herself and gasped, her heart racing. "Oh! I'm not supposed to say that!"
He looked at her quickly, shock clear in his expression. "What, you mean ‘it's not fair'? Who told you you shouldn't say that?"
"I don't know," Sarah said, frowning and feeling idiotic. "It's just a feeling I had... right when I said it. Weird."
"Very odd," he agreed, appearing to relax a little. He was still regarding her thoughtfully, though. "I suppose we all have those moments... as if we're reliving a conversation we've had before, deja vu. Or so I'm told."
Sarah stared at him a moment, feeling as if he had read her thoughts. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."
"So, Sarah," he said, and she felt goosebumps rise on her arms at the way her name sounded coming from his lips. "What would you do, if you could do anything at all?"
"That changes all the time. An artist. A writer. An actress. A singer. An archeologist. A dancer. A pianist." She sighed. "The trouble is, I've dabbled in all of them, and I still don't know what I like best."
Looking surprised, he said, "You've dabbled in archeology?"
Feeling herself blush, Sarah laughed. "Okay, when I was younger, I buried stuff in the backyard, then dug it all up the next day. And I've watched a lot of documentaries about archeological digs."
Jarrett laughed too. "I suppose that qualifies as dabbling."
"Maybe," Sarah agreed, feeling a bit silly.
Straightening, Jarrett brushed his palms free of crumbs. "Well. I'm sorry I startled you. I won't intrude on your day any longer."
"You're not intruding," she protested, a bit too eagerly. "Honestly, you're not. It's been really nice to have someone to talk to."
He frowned slightly. "You don't talk to your parents?"
"I do, but it's not the same. They're... well, they're my parents," she said vaguely. "It's not like talking to a... friend."
He smiled as though pleased she'd called him a friend, and teasingly said, "You don't have friends?"
"No, not really," she said, ducking her head.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didn't mean to hit a nerve."
She shook her head. "It's okay, I'm used to it. I don't really... fit in. I'm not a cheerleader, I'm not a techie or a nerd, not a band geek, not a goth or a punk... I'm not popular... I don't really fit in any of the 'categories' that seem to make up the groups in at school. Like if you don't belong in a group, you don't exist."
"Then," he said softly, "you're in a category unto yourself. You're unique... different. Special."
"I'm not special," Sarah scoffed, surprised at her own vehemence.
He frowned again. "I assure you, you are."
Sarah didn't reply, and suddenly she wished he would leave. Why was he trying to convince her she was special, when she knew she was not? She had embarrassed herself and now she felt humiliated and childish. The other kids were right... she was weird. As if sensing her feelings, he backed away.
"Perhaps I'll see you here again," he said evenly. "Are you here often?"
Sarah looked up at him, amazed that he seemed to want to see her again. She still got no creepy vibe from him, she felt as if she could trust him. "Usually on Saturday afternoons. But once school's out, in a few weeks, I'll be here a lot more."
Nodding, he smiled. "Well, then, maybe we'll see each other here again," he said casually.
"That would be nice," she said, doubting it would really happen.
Despite her agreement, he must have seen in her face that she didn't believe she'd ever see him again. He looked at her seriously. "Like you, Sarah, I don't have many friends. My work has always been rather solitary. I find you to be very pleasant company. You're kind, friendly and seem to have a warm heart."
She stared at him, hoping she didn't look ridiculous but fearing that she might. "Seriously, me?"
He smiled. "You underestimate yourself, Sarah." She felt a blush heating her cheeks and lowered her gaze to the ground in embarrassment. "You are an interesting and intelligent young woman. What I find surprising is that you are so shocked that someone would find you pleasant company! Now, enough seriousness..." He peered at her until she raised her eyes. Once she met his gaze, he continued, "Suffice it to say I hope to see you again, my lady, " he grinned a silly grin and bowed to her.
She laughed at his antics and curtseyed back to him. "It was lovely meeting you as well, kind sir." She giggled. "I'll, uh, be here tomorrow again around noon if you're looking for a time to take a walk..."
Jarrett smiled. "I'll take that under consideration."
Feeling a blush heat her face again, Sarah dipped her head. "Well... I've enjoyed talking with you today. It would be nice to meet again and take a walk together or... feed the ducks."
"I agree," he said with a smile. He chucked Merlin under the chin. "Until next time, then."
A couple of months later...
"Where's Merlin?" Jarrett asked.
"He was playing with Toby in the backyard when I left," Sarah said, setting down her basket and unfolding a blanket. Jareth took the ends and helped her to spread it out over the grass. "Dad's doctor said he needs to exercise, so he took Merlin for a walk early this morning. So Merlin decided he didn't need to come with me today, the traitor," she said with a laugh.
"Then I'll just save these for next time," Jarrett said, putting aside a baggie of dog treats. He made himself comfortable, and Sarah marveled at how gracefully he did everything, even sitting on the ground.
"I brought lunch to share," Sarah said, sitting across from Jarrett on the blanket. "Pizza!"
"I've heard of pizza," he said cautiously. "But I've never tried it before."
She scrunched her nose, adjusting her long skirt. Why she had worn it, instead of her customary jeans, was beyond her. It certainly wasn't for Jarrett! "You've never tried pizza before? What planet are you from?" This wasn't the first time she'd learned something about her friend that gave her pause. He really did seem otherworldly at times.
"Mars," he said quickly, then let out a burst of laughter.
"So there really is life on Mars, huh?" she laughed.
He gave her a blank look, and she marveled at his woeful lack of knowledge of pop culture and figures of speech. "It was just a joke," he said. "I don't know. I guess I'm just not very adventurous when it come to food."
"Not adventurous?" she teased. "More like you've lived in a culinary vacuum." She shrugged. "Oh well, I hope you like it, then, or else you're going to go hungry."
Handing him a napkin and paper plate, she watched as he carefully pulled a slice out of the cardboard box. She'd gotten a fully loaded pizza with everything but anchovies. Watching as he carefully took a bite and chewed, she couldn't help but smile. He was so cute... She shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking of him as cute! But then, cute was nice and safe -- sort of like the actors and singers whose pictures appeared in "Tiger Beat" magazine. If she started searching for other adjectives, dangerous ones presented themselves: hot, sexy, roguish...
Jarrett's eyes widened, and Sarah wondered for a second if he could read her thoughts. But then he swallowed and said, "This is quite delicious!"
Sarah laughed as he took another large bite and helped herself to a slice. "I'm glad you like it," she said. "I wouldn't call this particular brand of pizza outstanding... you'll have to try some others. This is just a cheapie that I could afford."
Jarrett grinned at her. "Well, if there are pizzas more delicious than this, you'll have to tell me where to find them, and next time it's my treat."
They enjoyed their lunch in silence. Sarah got more pleasure from watching Jarrett eat than from eating the pizza herself. She marveled that the summer was almost half over and she had spent at least a little time with him every day, even if it was only a phone call. Karen suspected Sarah had a boyfriend and had pressed for details, but Sarah had been vague and reticent. If allowing Karen to assume she had a boyfriend made Karen happy and got her some peace and quiet in the process, then whatever -- it wasn't like she'd lied about it.
Jarrett was fascinating, gorgeous and intelligent--a devastating combination. Sarah found herself thinking about him all the time.Obviously, she was way too young for him, and would be for a few more years, at least. But she allowed herself to hope that one day, he might feel a fraction for her what she was beginning to feel for him. She wasn't sure how old he was, but she didn't care.
They had a vast deal in common... Most of their early days together had been spent in comparing favorites -- favorite colors, books, foods -- which was how she found out all the things he'd never tried, games, everything. They shared a similar outlook on life in general as well as relationships, education and just about anything else they talked about. They had lively conversations whenever they found that they had differing opinions, as well.
Sarah's attempts to learn about his hometown, family and life had for the most part failed. He was very good at giving her non-answers, but she didn't feel he was really hiding anything from her so much as being disinclined to talk about himself. Sometimes she wondered if something had happened to him back home that had caused him to leave, something that would make him sad or cause him pain to talk about. He certainly never seemed to miss it -- he appeared to be perfectly happy with his writing, art and other hobbies.
Sarah, on the other hand, had shared nearly everything with Jarrett. She wasn't able to help herself. She'd never known anyone who was such a good listener; he was genuinely interested in all she had to say. At times, she found him regarding her silently, but it never made her feel uncomfortable. In fact, it was never in the romantic way she saw in the movies. He looked at her like a friend, not the way a man looked at a woman. And that was fine with her... for now.
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ
Jareth sighed as he fixed himself a sandwich. He had no magic here, thanks to the Council who had deemed it "unnecessary". So he was bound to do mundane chores for himself, except for what Mrs. Jameson, who came in twice a week to clean and do his laundry and ironing, did. She was more than efficient and doted on him like a mother hen every chance she got, bringing him casseroles and cookies almost every time she came. Most of the time he wasn't even home; she had a key so it was an arrangement that worked well for them both.
She had quickly found out what his favorite snacks were and always brought them for him, even though he'd told her she didn't have to. It seemed to make her happy, however, so in the end he relented, always thankful when the munchies hit and he had a ready stash of dried fruits, nuts, and his ultimate favorite -- chocolates.
Jareth wasn't sure what he would do with himself today. Sarah was gone on vacation with her family and wouldn't return for a week. She had tried to get out of going, but her parents didn't feel she was ready to stay at home by herself for such a long time. Sarah had confided in him that her stepmother thought she had a boyfriend.
Laughing, she had said, "What, does she think I would have a guy stay with me while they were gone? She's crazy, but it's nice to know she cares. My so-called real mother would probably tell me to ‘go for it'," she'd concluded, looking a little sad.
It was a relief to know that Sarah didn't look at him as a romantic prospect. Oh, he knew she had an innocent crush on him, and that was just fine. It fit into his overall plan, and he was orchestrating things to go according to his plan. Not that he had to do much; they honestly did have strikingly similar tastes and opinions. He was a very patient man and was quite content to spend time with her and get to know everything about her. She was fascinating and had a deep thought process for one so young. Which made the prospect of a week without her all the more unpleasant.
Carrying his sandwich and a frosted mug of beer out into the garden, he sat at his patio table overlooking the roses. As he ate, he thought of how much Sarah was maturing in so short a time. He supposed that was to be expected, given that her primary company was him, her parents, and her toddler brother. She had acquaintances her own age while in school, but hadn't been in contact with any of them through the summer. Highly unusual for a beautiful young woman.
He had asked her about it on one of their outings. Reluctantly, she had told him, "I don't know for sure when I became such a loner. I was never really popular, but I did used to have friends. The older I got, the more I felt like I didn't fit in anywhere. I don't think I ever will. I don't feel comfortable around kids my age... I feel like an alien, or something. Or... maybe not an alien, but I feel much older than them"
"What about young men?" he had asked then, the idea of sweaty adolescents drooling over Sarah and pawing at her turning his stomach. But he'd been too curious not to ask.
Sarah shrugged and rolled her eyes. "What about them? Sometimes they act like they like me, but then someone will say I'm not the ‘fun type', meaning I don't... you know. And it's true, I'm not that kind of girl. So they lose interest, which is no big loss. I don't know why other girls are so boy crazy, anyway. Boys are disgusting. I prefer guys that are..." There, she had trailed off, her cheeks pinkening.
"What, Sarah," he'd pressed, unable to stop himself. He'd been so careful up till now, but he so wanted to know if he was making any progress, however small.
She glanced at him, looking sheepish. ""Well, I was going to say ‘older', but I don't really mean that, either. I just mean that I'd rather wait until I'm old enough to date someone with some sophistication and class. I know I'm way too young for anyone like that right now... But guys my age are cheap and grabby." Blushing again, she looked away.
Jareth soared inwardly. She wanted someone like him. Perhaps the crush had deepened a little, but she -- they both -- had the sense to know that nothing could come of it just yet. He smiled, hopefully it was a non-leering, encouraging smile.
"I hope that you will find exactly who you're looking for, Sarah," he said quietly. "Someone who..." Stop! he commanded himself inwardly. But he couldn't stop. "...Someone who will do everything in his power to live up to your expectations."
"What?" Sarah said sharply, her green eyes wide with confusion. "Why did you say that?"
He silently berated himself. He had suspected that she might react to the words but he'd said them anyway. "Because that's what we were talking about. Your expectations. Were we not?"
She took a shaky breath, still regarding him suspiciously. "You just sounded like... like..." Frowning again, she shrugged helplessly. "I guess I don't know who you sounded like. But someone said something like that to me before. Someone who sounded a lot like you."
Alarm raced through Jareth's veins. How was this possible? Every now and then, she looked at him funny whenever he said or did anything that even remotely resembled something from her adventure Underground. She should not be able to recall anything, but it was happening all the same. She had recoiled when he tried to give her a piece of Mrs. Jameson's peach cobbler a few weeks ago. And once, while playing a game, he had teasingly said, "Sarah, don't defy me," and she had gone white as a sheet, then made some excuse to go home early. But the next day, when he questioned her, she had laughed it off.
He had always known there was something special about Sarah, but now he wondered if those ‘special powers' he had endowed her with, though dormant now, were also affording her the ability to eventually break through his memory spell -- or perhaps had prevented it from completely removing her memories as it had been intended to do. It had been an open-ended gift, after all, one that she would put to use in her own way and in her own time. Neither the Council nor the Labyrinth were able to discern what 'special powers' had been granted to Sarah. He truly wondered if they could not tell him or would not tell him... Regardless, If he were wise, he would leave it at that and not tempt fate.
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six