FicWad

She blinked once and then twice. 'She couldn't believe it.' "You never read the Lord of the Rings?"

He shook his head, "Unfortunately, there is a severe lack of books in the Goblin City, seeing as very few of them know how to read. Most of them would rather take a bite out of one, rather than try to learn."

She nodded, "That's sad..umm..that is.." She fell silent at the glare she received from him She turned away from him, shaking her head to try and clear the daze from her mind.

His mind as well was reeling from this turn of events. 'Where did that come from?'

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I bet you're wanting to find that goblin, huh?"

"Why do you think I'm here. Sarah? This, a social visit, is not."

Sarah barely could contain her giggle, as he sounded so much like Yoda, it was almost unbearable.

Jareth rolled his eyes, crossed his arms, and starting tapping his foot in impatience. "If you are done laughing at my expense, I would like to find this tornado disguised as a goblin, preferably before he eats your birds. Garbo doesn't need anymore energy than he already has."

"Garbo? Wait, did you say he eats birds?" Sarah inwardly cringed. 'Oh god. The Parakeets!'

He shook his head in assent, "Yes, why do you think there are so many chickens in the Goblin city? Some of the goblins keep them as pets, but most consider them a delicacy."

She shuddered at the thought. "Follow me. I think I know where he is. And sorry about the lights. The storm is supposed to be real bad tonight."

She turned around grabbing a couple of spare flashlights from the front counter, and handed one to him.

"Here, push that button down and it will turn the light on. We'll check the Parakeet cages first, since your runaway goblin will msot likely go for them first if it's hungry." She stated as she showed how to use the flashlight, accidently brushing against the smooth leather of his gloves. It caused a tingle to course like lightening across her skin. she looked up sharply at him but he showed no signs of being affected by the sensation.

She giggled as he faced the light towards his face and pushed the button. He flinched, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, momentarily blinded.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you to keep it facing away from you. I've done that a couple times myself. It will go away after a few seconds."

He arched a delicate eyebrow at her, eying the flashlight with slightly veiled disgust. "What manner of light is this? It doesn't even work well, besides to half blind a person. It still rather dark in here."

Sarah sighed, "Well, it's a flashlight. It can only give off a certain amount of light due to the size of the bulb. If you happen to have a better idea, I would like to hear it, and quickly too! I really want to find this goblin and fast before I have to explain to my boss as to why all eighteen Parakeets are missing at the same time! That is not a conversation I want to have with him at any time in the future!"

Jareth sneered back, "Well excuse me for not worrying about your 'boss' at the moment. I have more pressing problems right now. Namely, a annoying goblin called Garbo, who can't seem to keep his hands off of other people's things!"

"Well, what does Garbo look like?" She asked as they walked slowly in the dark shop, stopping every so often to check under tables and behind boxes.

He paused to give some thought to the goblin and then shook his head. "I do not know what the little buggar looks like. All I know is that his magical signature, his 'scent' so to say lead me Aboveground, right here to this shop. How he made it this far, I will never know."

Sarah snickered at the thought of Jareth sniffing the air like a bloodhound, causing the Goblin King to spin around on her, fury in his eyes.

"What pray tell is so funny? This is the second time you have laughed at my expense. You know that it is quite rude to laugh at others. What is the matter with you?"

Sarah gulped, "S..sorry. Your right. I shouldn't have laughed at you."

He caught a small figure out of the corner of his eye. 'There you are.' He turned to her smirking at her words, "You know Sarah, I rather like this side of you. So complacent, so..." He trailed off, spinning around as a small blob of shadows brushed past him.

She tilted her head to the side, confused by his words. "I'm so what? What where you going to say?"

He stopped mid step and turned back to her, a full fledged grin on his lips. "Submissive. So submissive, Sarah. I rather like that."

Her cheeks burned with her blushing, the heat coursing through her veins until it settled, pooling in her lower abdomen with a jolt.

"You know something Sarah?" Jareth stated as he moved closer to her, placing a hand on either side of her face, effectively pinning her to the shelf they had just finished searching.

"W..what?" He leaned closer to her, his face only inches from hers. He smugly watched as her gaze flicked from his lips to his eyes, then her eyelids fluttered. 'Did she honestly think he was going to?' He couldn't lie and say that he wasn't enjoying this. He hadn't had this much fun since she ran the Labyrinth. He had been so bored lately. Wishes just didn't have the same kick to them anymore. Not since her. He moved closer, his eyes scanning the shelf before locking eyes with her again.

He was going to kiss her, she just knew it. She knew that look. She's seen it before. His breath caressed her lips as he whispered to her.

"I've got you now, you mangy, little.."

Her eyes flew wide open at those words and with a light shove from him, she fell to the floor shocked, and just sat there watching as he dove at the shelf.

the shock wore off and Sarah sat there seething. 'Who the hell does he think is?' "Now just wait a damn minute, what the hell was that?"

He came away slightly disheveled, with a few scratches and bites here and there. He was holding something tightly with both of his hands. He had Garbo. He didn't take his eyes off him as he replied, "That, precious, was a diversion. You didn't actually think I was going to kiss you, did you?"

Sarah huffed, crossing her arms, and glaring at him. "Well, you could've at least warned me first." She blushed even more when he threw his head back laughing. It didn't make her feel any better, in fact it only made her heart race even faster. Damn him.

"Well, Garbo, I hope you have had your fun, because your time here is up."

She couldn't make out what the little goblin looked like in the dim light, but she could sure hear him.

"Garbo be good, he no bite kingy. Garbo promise! Let Garbo go!" He pleaded with Jareth, struggling in his grip and as he fought against the Goblin King's grip, something fell bouncing across the floor like a ball, until it finally rolled to a stop against her foot.

She picked it up and looked inside. She gasped, looking up at him, seeing the pained look on his face as he watched her. She looked back down at the crystal clutched in her hands.

It was the ballroom, the very same ballroom she had danced with him in. She was confused. Why does he still have this?

He watched her look at the crystal with such wonder, just like she did in the Peach Dream, and it made his chest ache. He shook the little goblin harshly, snarling at him in a low whisper. "Look what you did! This is precisely why I had forbidden any of you fixers into my study! You are in serious trouble now, Garbo. Pray I don't feed you to the chickens."

He grimaced as he locked eyes with Sarah. Her eyes were filling with unshed tears. 'Great! Now how am I going to explain this?'

Garbo gulped, looking at the exchange between the both of them, he was terrified. 'Garbo don't want to be food. He want to eat food. Garbo better fix, and fix fast.'

Suddenly he grinned a little toothy smirk as an idea started to form in his little goblin brain. 'Garbo know what to do. Now he just have to get loose and can start fixing.'