Author's Note: I swear I haven't forgotten or given up on this story. I would say 'scout's honor,' except I never was a scout..
Anyways, I've been busy with holiday stuff and have been letting my Harry Potter crackfics dominate too much of my free time at the moment. Here' s a bit to tide you over though, more is already in the works so hopefully update wont' be as long coming this time. Enjoy!

"Well, there's nothing to lose

And there's nothing to prove

And I'll be dancing with myself.."

Billy Idol, "Dancing with myself"

Chapter 9:

Sarah had a hard time focusing on driving home after work that day. On top of all her other worries now, Chrissy wanted to meet Jareth! What if Jareth actually liked her? God, what would happen if they actually started dating? Sarah felt a little sick at the thought.

But that's not because you like him, it's just… because you know he's not her type. Yeah..

Sarah sighed, and pulled into the parking lot of a small bakery that was on her way home. Chrissy had said she would make dinner (or buy dinner, Sarah thought, knowing Chrissy's lack of cooking skills), but Sarah had offered to at least bring something for dessert. "But isn't Jareth enough?" Chrissy had asked suggestively. Sarah mimed throwing up as she got out of her car and walked inside.

The tinkle of the small bell on the door and the heavenly scent of dozens of different cakes, cookies, and pies greeted her as she entered.

"May I help you?" the gray-haired clerk behind the counter asked her with a smile.

"Yes. Well, hopefully." Sarah smiled so the man wouldn't think she was a flake. "I need to bring a dessert to a dinner party, but I have no idea what everyone likes."

The man nodded.

"One person.." just wants to eat my houseguest, Sarah thought, "..isn't interested in dessert, and I don't really know what sort of things the other likes."

"What are you serving for dinner?" the man inquired.

"Well, my girlfriend is doing the cooking, so I'm not really sure." She replied with a grimace. "Care to recommend something?"

"Okay, well, our best seller is our Whipped Crème Black Forest layer cake." He pointed to a beautiful chocolate-shaving studded cake in the display case. "Chocolate, cherries, what's not to love?"

"Ooh, that does look good," Sarah agreed. Jareth had liked her hot chocolate she made him last night, and his small pile of fruit they had bought when they went grocery shopping was slowly dwindling.

"Alright," Sarah nodded, "I'll take that, please." The clerk nodded, and placed the boxed cake in a bag for her.

Sarah pulled into a parking spot outside her apartment building and could hear someone's bass from their radio turned up way too loud.

Pet peeve!

She ground her teeth as she picked up the plastic bag containing her chocolate cake and shut her car door. As she walked up the stairs to her door, the sound of electric guitar and male voices singing joined the bass she could already hear- and now feel- vibrating in the air.

Why can't people realize we don't want to hear their music? she thought.

Annoyed, she fished her keys out of her pocket and unlocked her door. Sound blasted her as she opened the door to her living room.

"-the social pages say I've got the biggest balls of all. I've got big balls, I've got big balls. They're such big balls, and they're dirty big balls. And he's got big balls, and she's got big balls-"

"But we've got the biggest balls of them all!" the chorus chimed in.

From the other side of the living room, Jareth came dancing in to Sarah's view, hips gyrating wildly. He was clad only in a pair of boxers, which appeared to be a size too small for him, and left very little to Sarah's imagination.

Shocked, Sarah dropped the plastic bag she was holding and grabbed the doorway for support as her knees gave way under her. The cake fell to the floor with a soft thud. Jareth was so absorbed in the music he did not even realize Sarah was standing there, dumbfounded.

"I figured that wasn't you listing to ACDC that many times in a row," a sage voice behind Sarah made her jump. She turned to see old Mrs. Wilson behind her, staring over Sarah's shoulder at Jareth's wild moves. The gray-haired old woman winked at Sarah. "You just let him carry on like that as long as he wants," she cackled.

Jareth finally turned and saw the two women staring at him from the doorway. Mrs. Wilson smiled at him and waved with a gnarled hand. Jareth smiled and waved back at Mrs. Wilson, then walked to Sarah, still standing in the doorway, dazed.

"You're home!" He said happily, and picked up the plastic bag where it still sat on the floor by her feet. "Come on in," he pulled her inside and shut the door behind him. He quickly paused the music as Sarah sat down on the couch.

"Where are your clothes?" Sarah asked, trying to keep her eyes averted from Jareth's boxers. His upper body was as gorgeous as she remembered; well defined with six-pack abs to boot, and she finally forced her eyes to his face.

"It got hot once I started playing the music, so I took them off. You wore shorts like these last night," he shrugged.

"I wore shorts, not boxers," Sarah muttered, knowing that the difference between the two was probably lost on Jareth. "Didn't anyone complain about the music?" she asked. Jareth shook his head.

"No, but a very nice woman came and knocked on the door while you were gone. I wrote her name down-" he went to the kitchen counter and picked up a small piece of paper. "'Officer Soderberg.' She looked angry when I first opened the door, but after she asked me if everything was okay, she told me to have a nice day, and she left." Jareth smiled winningly at Sarah.

Ohh, he just does not get it, Sarah put a hand to her head. She could well imagine a police officer being called to her apartment for a noise complaint, then being met by a mostly-naked Jareth at the door. Sarah was sure she'd walk away happy too.

"Are you okay? You look pretty red," Jareth asked her.

"I'm fine! I'm hot- it's hot in here," she explained as she blushed further. Before she could say anything more, Jareth grabbed one of her hands, excited.

"Sarah, guess what?" he smiled at her, clearly happy about something.

"What?" Sarah asked, still slightly dazed.

"I remembered something else today!" The flash of panic across Sarah's face was not missed by him, though he ignored it. He turned and started the music up again, though at a lower volume this time.

"-I've got big balls, oh I've got big balls, and they're such big balls-" the song announced. Jareth paused the cd player again.

"I had big balls!" he exclaimed happily.

"Excuse me?" Sarah asked, temporarily too shocked to worry about the fact that he had regained more lost memories.

"I had grand balls where people dressed in costumes, and danced and ate fine foods and.. Well, I do not recall anything else but I do remember throwing many of them! People came from everywhere to attend." He beamed proudly. "I loved throwing those balls."

Sarah swallowed her fear. "Do you remember anything else about them?" she asked, though she thought she already knew the answer, since he was still happy.

"No. Should I?"

Sarah just shook her head and shrugged.

"No, I was just curious." She refused to meet Jareth's eyes for a moment.

"Look," she said, trying to change the subject, "Chrissy, one of my girlfriends from work, invited us over for dinner tonight. Would you like to come?"

"I get to meet one of your friends?" Jareth practically beamed. "I would be honored!"

"Alright, well, why don't you go hop in the shower and freshen up. I'll get you one of your new outfits and leave them on the counter." Jareth nodded, turned down the hallway to grab a clean towel, then disappeared into the bathroom.

Mouth open slightly, Sarah watched as he went, drawn like a magnet to the view.

Jareth was finished showering in about five minutes again, confirming to Sarah that he just didn't linger in the water the way she did. He exited the bathroom wearing a sharp-looking pair of black pants, and a white, button-up, long-sleeved shirt. His hair, still damp, he had just thrown back into a ponytail.

"How do I look?" he asked her, and slowly spun in place, arms held out. Sarah smiled. Obviously Jareth was nervous about meeting one of her friends, and wanted to make a good impression.

He could show up wearing a burlap sack and Chrissy would still love him, Sarah thought wryly.

"You look great." She reassured him. "And don't worry about what she thinks."

Jareth looked surprised. "Really?"

"Really." Sarah nodded. "She doesn't know you the way I know you, so she will probably judge you by different standards. You don't need to try to impress her, just relax and be yourself. Have fun."

Jareth nodded. "So we are not having dinner with her just so she can stare at the new man who has lost his memory?"

Sarah laughed.

"Well, I hate to admit that's probably part of her curiosity," besides the fact that she knows you are gorgeous, "but I think deep down, she really just wants to make sure the new man staying with her friend is okay."

"Besides not remembering much, I am okay." Jareth stated seriously.

"No," Sarah smiled. "I mean that she wants to make sure you are not a mass-murderer or something. She wants to make sure you aren't going to hurt me."

Jareth looked affronted.

"I would never hurt you, Sarah," he sounded a bit hurt.

Sarah smiled sadly. I wish I knew that would always be true, she thought.

"I know, but it's just something she wants to be sure of, that's all." Jareth nodded solemnly. "Then she is a good friend."

Sarah smiled as Jareth fiddled with the radio buttons in her car. He had quickly realized that they were similar to the ones on her cd player, and he had happily started changing stations, listening to snippets of different songs as she drove.

"Hey, Jareth, how does the cake look in there?" she asked. He stopped playing with the radio knobs and peered inside the plastic bag she had given him to hold on the way to Chrissy's house.

"It looks like it's covered in dirt. Or leaves, maybe." He glanced up at her with a concerned look on his face. "Is it supposed to look like that?"

She came to a red light and quickly glanced inside the bag at the cake. Aside from now standing a little crookedly in the box, it appeared no worse for the wear.

"It's fine. That stuff on the outside are chocolate shavings, like your hot chocolate last night. It's chocolate inside, and there are cherries in it, too."

Jareth's eyebrows raised appreciatively and he held the box a little more securely with one hand, and returned to the radio buttons with the other.

"Here we are," Sarah announced a short while later as she pulled into the driveway to Chrissy's small house. "Remember, don't be nervous."

Together they walked up the stairs, and before Sarah could even reach up to ring the doorbell, the front door was flung open and Chrissy - wearing a low cut, short black dress and wearing lots of makeup- burst out onto the steps.

"Sarah!" She swept her friend into a huge- and unusual- hug. "I'm so glad you could make it!" She turned to Jareth and gave him a sultry look. "And you must be Jareth," she said. "I'm so happy to meet you," she held out one hand for him to take, Sarah assumed so she could lead him inside.

Unsure of what to do, Jareth handed her the plastic handle to the cake bag. Chrissy looked to her friend with a surprised expression. Sarah just shrugged.

"Uh, we brought a cake for dessert," Sarah told her with a smile. Chrissy just gave a weak smile back in return and gestured them inside.

"Whoa, Chrissy, you didn't have to go overboard. It's just me and Jareth," Sarah said as she saw the fancy table setting that awaited them in the dimly lit dining room. A pair of candles flickered softly in their holders, and wine goblets were placed around the table. Soft music was being played somewhere.

"Oh, nonsense. This is a night to celebrate!" She said as she placed the cake into the fridge and returned with a chilled bottle of red wine.

"Um, what exactly are we celebrating?" Sarah asked.

Chrissy either did not hear her, or ignored her question, and shooed them to their seats at the table.

"I hope you like filet mignon?" She asked Jareth directly as she poured him a glass of wine.

"I have no idea, to be honest," he replied, eyeing the glass.

"Oh!" Chrissy exclaimed. "Wherever are you from that you've never had filet?" She looked at Sarah with exaggerated sympathy in her eyes. "The poor thing!"

Jareth politely cleared his throat. "I meant that I simply cannot remember if I've ever had such an item," he clarified. This simply earned another squeal of pity. Sarah could tell by the subtle clenching of Jareth's jaw that the night was already not going as well as planned.

Sarah waved the wine away as Chrissy came to pour her a cup. "I have to drive. I'll just get some water, but thank you," she said, and quickly made her way around the corner to the kitchen with her glass. Chrissy followed her into the kitchen a moment later.

"My God, Sarah, why didn't you tell me he is so gorgeous?" She whispered.

"Um, I told you he looked much better since he is starting to heal," Sarah replied, gesturing for Chrissy to be quiet. She thought back to the night before, when Jareth had to have heard her muttering to herself in her bedroom. How else would he have known she was awake?

Chrissy, however, appeared not to understand what Sarah meant.

"I mean, could I ever be so lucky to find him waiting in my bed with a jar of hot fudge?" she giggled.

"I'm.. I'm going back out to the dining room now.." Sarah excused herself. Her face felt like it was on fire as she turned the corner and reentered the dining room where Jareth sat waiting. Sure enough, Jareth immediately noticed.

"Sarah," he said as he rose from his seat, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said, and quickly found her seat. "Thank you."

Jareth nodded and returned to his seat just as Chrissy came around the corner carrying two plates. "Here you go," she said, and placed one in front of Jareth and Sarah, then returned carrying a third for herself. "Bon Appétit."

The three started to eat, and for a while, the room was quiet.

Is that Kenny G? Sarah thought with a mental grimace as she listened the music still playing softly somewhere in the house.

"This is wonderful, Chrissy," Sarah complimented her. She knew better than to ask which caterer she used for tonight. Jareth's mouth was full so he nodded his agreement.

"So, Jareth," Chrissy eyed the man overtly, "how did you and Sarah meet?"

Sarah choked on the drink of water she had been swallowing just then. Jareth turned to her, making sure she was okay, before he answered.

"I.. Actually I don't really remember meeting her. I know we met when she was younger," he said.

"Do you remember anyone from your past?" Chrissy asked. "Any family members, friends.. girlfriends?" she took a bite of filet in what Sarah assumed was supposed to be a seductive manner. Fortunately, the move seemed to have been lost on Jareth.

"No, I can't remember anyone before I met Sarah in the hospital." He took a bite. "Or, re-met, rather." He looked over at Sarah and smiled. "She's so kind and caring to me. She's been great." "Oh?" Chrissy asked, her tone icy.

Jareth nodded. "Yes. They would have locked me up unless I had somewhere to go, and Sarah fought to keep it from happening. She fought to be able to bring me home."

"I bet," Chrissy tersely replied.

Sarah smiled and spent the next few minutes carefully cutting her filet to avoid Chrissy's gaze. She was sure the woman had to be shooting daggers at her at the moment.

After everyone had finished eating, Sarah helped Chrissy clear their dishes, then they all went to sit in the living room to talk. Jareth sat down on one end of the couch, and Chrissy quickly walked to claim the other end, forcing Sarah to take the lone chair in the corner.

"So, Jareth," Chrissy leaned towards him conspiratorially, "do you have any plans this weekend?"

Jareth shook his head. "I don't know," he turned to Sarah. "Do we have any plans?"

"I haven't made any concrete plans, but thought it might be fun to take you to sightseeing."

Chrissy continued speaking to Jareth as if Sarah hadn't spoken. "If you don't have any plans," she scooted closer to him, "I'd love to take you out for dinner, or maybe drinks?" She put one arm on the couch behind Jareth and rubbed her fingers across the smooth leather. Sarah squirmed in her chair, uncomfortable. She didn't come here tonight to be ignored while Chrissy tried to get Jareth into bed with her.

"Drinks would be great," Jareth surprised Sarah by replying. "Do you know how to make Hot Chocolate? It is delicious," he said seriously.

Sarah tried to suppress a giggle as her friend's plan was obviously not working. Sarah had warned her that Jareth was not ready for a relationship.

Chrissy laughed. "Honey, I can make anything hot you want," she nearly purred.

Sarah stood up from her chair suddenly.

"Who wants cake?" she said, and retreated to the kitchen to start cutting pieces for everyone. All the faster to get this night over with! she thought. She quickly returned carrying three small plates and forks. She handed Chrissy and Jareth their plates, and returned to her chair to eat her cake as quickly as possible.

"Ooh, you brought a black forest cake?" Chrissy said. "Don't you just love cherries?" she said to Jareth as she speared one from the top of her piece of cake and ate it slowly.

Sarah choked on a mouthful of cake. That's it, she thought. She set her half-finished plate on the end table nearby, and stood. She had no idea how Jareth felt towards Chrissy, but she could no longer sit there and listen to her friend trying so desperately to seduce Jareth. She had to leave. Now.

"Um, I think I need to get going," she told them. "I can come back later, or," she mentally cringed, "in the morning, and pick Jareth up." She said this to directly to him, and kept her face expressionless. If he wanted to stay she was not going to try to sway him either way. He was a big boy and could make his own decisions.

Jareth stood immediately, cake still in hand. "Sarah, are you okay?" he asked her, concern coloring his voice. Chrissy looked furious.

"I'm fine," Sarah said, "I just need to go home. You can stay if you want, that's fine," she told him.

"Yes, Jareth, why don't you stay a bit longer? I've still got some more red wine in the fridge," she tugged on his hand. Jareth jumped at her touch, and took a step away.

"Thank you, but no," he told her, eyes on Sarah. "Allow me to just gather up our dishes and we'll be on our way," he said as he carried his and Sarah's plates to the kitchen. He returned and gave a polite half-bow to Chrissy. "Thank you for a fine meal, madam. Perhaps we can do this again another night, but for now, I'm afraid we must take our leave." He turned his back to her to make sure Sarah was okay.

"But I thought there isn't anything going on between you two!" Chrissy demanded of Sarah angrily.

There isn't, Sarah thought, and opened her mouth to say so, but Jareth found his voice first.

"Of course there is something between us," he told Chrissy simply. "Good day."

And with that, Jareth placed a gentle hand on Sarah's elbow and ushered her out the door, down the steps, and to the car. Chrissy's face was red with anger as she watched out her window as Jareth opened the car door for Sarah, and smoothly closed it once she got in. He could hear Chrissy's shriek of anger as they backed out of the driveway and left.

Author's Note II:

Gah, girl needs to keep her hands off my Goblin King! Er.. I mean Sarah's Goblin King! Yeah!

So what does our confused Sarah think of Jareth professing some feelings for her? Poor thing.