"So where to now, Kiddo?" Sarah asked the little blonde boy at her side.

"Can we go see the big tree now, Sarah?" Toby asked. He looked up at her with bright eyes and gave her a lopsided smile. Sarah smiled back at him.

"Sure, Tobes," she told him. She grasped his gloved hand and led him down the crowded sidewalk toward the street corner. Sarah sighed happily to herself as they walked. She was glad that she and Toby had this time together. Since she had gone to work in the city she didn't get to see her brother as much as she would like.

Toby had been beyond thrilled when she offered to let him come and stay with her for a few days before Christmas. They had gone ice skating, had seen the Rockettes, and had finished up some last minute Christmas shopping. Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, she and Toby would drive back to their childhood home to spend the holiday with the rest of the family. Tonight however, Sarah had promised to take her brother to see the tree at Rockefeller Center.

Sarah watched, amused, as Toby bounced impatiently on his heels as they waited for the crossing signal to change. She looked to her right and saw a young woman ringing a Salvation Army bell and Sarah handed Toby some loose change to drop into the big red bucket. The woman thanked Toby warmly and he hurried back to Sarah's side as the light changed. Hand in hand, the two crossed the street.

The crowd dispersed somewhat on the other side, and Sarah and Toby turned toward the glittering lights of Rockefeller Center. The passed another bell-ringer and again Toby accepted a handful of change from his sister. He dropped each coin into the bucket with a clink before retaking Sarah's hand. As the two rounded a corner a creaky voice called out to them.

"Got some spare change for me, Kid?"

Toby and Sarah paused and peered into the shadows of one of the tall buildings and saw a ragged old man crouched against the stone façade. Toby gripped Sarah's hand tighter and began pulling her away, but Sarah didn't move.

"C'mon, Sarah" begged Toby. "I want to see the tree!" He looked back at the old man and frowned. "Mom always says we shouldn't give money to people on the street. She says they'll probably just drink it away."

Sarah pursed her lips and looked down at her little brother. "Maybe you're right, Tobes," she began. "But it is Christmas. A stiff drink may be all that guy gets this year. Would you deny him his one Christmas gift?" she asked with a playful smile.

Toby sighed, defeated. "Gods, you're such a sap," he told his sister. Sarah smiled and stepped toward the old man, but Toby hung back in the safety of the twinkling lights.

"Here ya go, buddy," Sarah said handing the old man a crinkled five dollar bill. The man looked at it closely and then gazed up appreciatively at Sarah.

"Why thanks, Missy" he said softly. "That's awfully kind."

"No problem," replied Sarah. "Merry Christmas." She and Toby turned to walk away.

"Awfully kind indeed," purred a voice from the shadows. Sarah froze and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She knew that voice. Slowly, and with her heart thudding in her ears, she turned back to the man in the shadows. Her fears were confirmed as her eyes met the cold mismatched eyes of the Goblin King.

"Y—You!" she stammered. She turned to tell Toby to run, but he stood frozen in place on the sidewalk. Sarah looked around. The noisy, bustling streets were suddenly silent and still. People, cars, even the lights were frozen as if someone had hit the pause button on a video. The world around Sarah had simply stopped moving.

"I've paused Time," Jareth announced as if she should be impressed.

"Well, un-pause it and let us get back to what we were doing," Sarah hissed angrily.

Jareth looked perplexed. "Don't you want your present?" he asked.

Sarah put her hands on her hips and glared at the Goblin King. "All I want is for you to unfreeze things and leave me alone, Your Majesty," she spat.

"Sarah, Sarah Sarah," Jareth whispered as he stalked a circle around where she stood. "I don't understand how you can be so kind to an old man you've never met, yet so unspeakably cruel to me. I merely want to give you something in return for your kindness, and you act as if I'm out to get you."

Sarah stared at Jareth defiantly. "You've already offered me my dreams, Your Majesty, and my answer is still the same."

Jareth chuckled out loud. "Oh, not your silly old dreams, Sarah. I want to offer you a wish."

"A wish?"

"Yes, just one, but it can be anything you want. Do you want it, Sarah?"

Sarah shook her head. "Only if I can wish for you to go away forever."

Jareth laughed again. "Okay, so maybe it can't be anything…"

"I always knew you were a liar," growled Sarah.

"Now now, Precious," began Jareth. "I don't make the rules about such things. If you truly didn't want to see me, you shouldn't have made that wish in the first place. As it stands, you did, so you're stuck with me."

Sarah was growing incredibly impatient. The wind was growing colder and she was stuck arguing with the infernal king of the goblins.

"Jareth, please. It's Christmas. Can you spare me this one?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Sarah dear," Jareth said flatly. "I have offered you a wish. Just make one and we can be finished with this business."

"Fine!" Sarah shouted, clenching her fists. "You know what I wish, Jareth? I wish I had never spoken those words, never invited you into my life. I wish I had never had the displeasure of ever meeting you! That's my wish, Jareth. Now, may I get back to enjoying my Christmas?"

Jareth was silent for a long moment as Sarah's words sank in. He looked up at her with a expression of anger and sadness before shaking it off and replacing with a smirk.

"Very well," he told her quietly. "Your wish is granted."

As soon as he spoke, Time unfroze. The streets were once again a flurry of activity. People rushed past and cars rumbled and honked and screeched by. The lights flickered and glowed and Sarah could hear the clanging of Salvation Army bells. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked down at Toby.

Her heart froze inside her chest as she stared down at the empty space on the sidewalk where her brother had stood. Toby was gone.

A/N:

I have not written a Christmas fic before now, so I thought I'd have a go. Yays for Naughty Christmasy Jareth! Please let me know what you think!

Fanny