Disclaimer: Henson's the beautiful mind who created the fantastical 
world we can't live without. I know this chapter is extremely long, 
however, I believe that to keep the flow of this story going, this 
huge chunk needs to be in one chapter. It is the size of two or 
three, but it really only makes sense to the complete story if 
entered as one. And because a certain fact is very important b/w 
J/S, this chapter is a little racy (although I am never good at 
writing such things), so it is rated R, but no smut.

Previously: Sarah received a call from her cousin Joey that the 
Goblin King was on Earth, and she didn't know whether to believe him 
or not. Jareth's name alone resurfaced painful memories for her: 
These are those memories.

Chapter 5: A Wish Made
Rated R for sexual content

There had been a time when Sarah did not hate Jareth. But it took a 
while for that to come about. She gloated with the knowledge of her 
defeat over the Goblin King. Maybe it was because her new friends 
from the Labyrinth seemed happier visiting her world than they did 
living in their own; maybe it was because she had finally done an 
accomplishment on her own. But through her triumph also came 
something she didn't expect; loneliness.

Even with her friends Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo visiting her on Earth 
frequently and her family paying more attention to her, she knew that 
something was missing from her life, something that had always been 
there but was now gone. She couldn't figure out what it was and it 
ate at her soul. But slowly, little by little, she began to realize 
what it was, for her mind started to drift to one thing and one thing 
only.

Her stepmother Karen, ever constant, still thought Sarah needed to 
improve her social life, even though she noted how civil Sarah had 
been with her the past few months. She would bring friends over for 
luncheons that happened to have 16 or 17-year-old sons they dragged 
along to find someone Sarah would latch on to, but that never 
happened. Sarah couldn't stand to be around guys like the ones that 
were shoved in her face. They wanted skateboards and video games and 
were too stuck in the real world to imagine there could be other 
realms in the universe. She needed someone who would understand where 
she had been, what she experienced, and what she still dreamed. She 
needed someone who believed there was still magic in the world. And 
she knew there had been only one person that met her expectations.

* * *

Three months after the night she had wished Toby away, Sarah called 
on her closest friend, Hoggle, just to straighten out things in her 
mind on what she had been thinking. The dwarf was the only one she 
felt would
understand her feelings and who she was feeling them for, despite the 
fact that she knew he feared the Goblin King. But that night, when 
Sarah needed to talk to someone the most, no one came. Sarah tried 
to keep herself from panicking, but she hadn't called on her friends 
in weeks and feared that she might never be able to call on them 
again. It was the first time she had begun to doubt her journey had 
ever happened, that she might have imagined the entire thing, dreamed 
the whole thing up because she wanted so badly to have a different 
life. But she felt that if she honestly believed that, she would be 
lying to herself and betraying her friends. Tears in her eyes, she 
lay her head down on her vanity, staring into the mirror, hoping her 
friend would appear, but he never did. After hours of trying, she 
ended up crying herself to sleep.

The next morning, around 6am, Karen knocked on Sarah's door to let 
her know she was going to the doctor in some nearby city, so Sarah 
would have to wake Toby at 9am and feed him. Sarah, exhausted from a 
night of crying and little sleep, gave her step-mother half an answer 
before the woman was gone. Sarah sat up and looked at the tearstains 
on her cheeks but didn't bother wiping them off. She felt let down 
in a way, but knew it wasn't Hoggle's fault he didn't come; no one 
but Jareth in the Labyrinth had shown they had magic. She was lucky 
her friends had been able to come to her world at all. But they 
promised they would
come if she called; that had to have meant something.

Sarah heard rain begin to patter on her window and moved to the sill 
to watch the raindrops fall on the pane instead of the tears flow 
down her cheeks. Normally weather such as this calmed her, made her 
forget the problems of the moment, but the problem she had wanted to 
talk to Hoggle about never left. She wanted to know why when Karen 
brought those boys over she compared them to the Goblin King, or how 
anything she looked at could remind her of something about him. 
Didn't she hate him for taking Toby and putting her through so much 
to get him back? Didn't she feel triumph when she saw him fly away? 
She didn't know anymore.

All she knew was that when she glimpsed a small ivory body of 
drenched feathers perched in the tree across from her window, she 
wanted to rip her heart out. Just looking at him, she knew he had to 
be miserable, had to hate her for what he had become--if he could 
think at all. Something in the glint in his eyes told her that he 
could and that made her feel all the worse. Sarah cried, not wanting 
to admit to herself why she was crying for someone who would have 
transformed her brother. She turned her head away, not wanting to 
look at him anymore, and closed her eyes, trying to still her sobs. 
She calmed herself so much, she was soon asleep and dreaming.

*The first time she entered this room, she hadn't known where she was 
or what she had been looking for. Then, all she had known was that 
once she had found the Goblin King with her, she wanted to be near 
him. She had been too scared of him in her quest to know her feelings 
for him, but in this room, this bubble, she hadn't known to fear him 
and so only loved him. But she soon learned all he had really wanted 
was to stop her. He didn't love her...and she had to stop believing 
that he did, make her own heart stop wanting things to have been 
different. Now remembering everything of him at once--love, hate, 
fear--she didn't know which was right to feel.

Sarah felt a hand gently glide over her bare shoulder and she turned, 
not really knowing what to expect from the Goblin King. He merely 
looked at her, his face not baring any emotion, yet he did not remove 
his gloved hand from her shoulder. She was curious as to why he was 
not dressed as he had been during the ball, like she currently was. 
Instead he was in all white and covered in feathers, just as when she 
had said the words that sent her home. It made him look so innocent. 
No, he was going to hurt Toby; there was nothing innocent in that. 
She averted her eyes from his to keep from thinking that he could be 
gentle.

But he was gentle, she discovered, as he moved his right hand to her 
waist and his left to hold her hand. They began to dance, though no 
music came. Only the beating of their hearts and inconsistent 
breathing could be heard.

Sarah didn't know what to think. Should she still consider him her 
worst enemy or should she forgive him and believe he loved her, even 
if she didn't yet now if she truly loved him? Toby was safe now, but 
what if she had lost him? Jareth would have made him a goblin. She 
couldn't trust him.

She was surprised to find Jareth released her once she tried to free 
herself from his hold. She just stood two feet from him, never 
raising her eyes to him. But after a moment he reached out his hand 
and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. She widened her eyes 
from the hatred she saw from him, something she didn't understand why 
he would hold for her.

"What do you want?"

He grinned faintly, "How is your brother?"

Sarah glared at him for bringing up the subject, "He's fine--safe 
from you."

"I see," Jareth reaffirmed his hand on her chin, "Let me remind you, 
Sarah, I took him only because you asked for it. Can you deny that?"

Sarah held her breath, not wanting to admit he was right. Her tears 
stung her eyes and Jareth's eyes were so piercing and his hand 
inescapable, she blurted. "I can't, okay? But you knew I didn't mean 
it. You didn't have to take him."

He released her, "Yet I did. It's what I do. Didn't your book tell 
you that?"

"Yes, but we don't believe in stories in my world. They aren't 
supposed to be real. None of it was real." Sarah turned from him, 
saying the words to herself.

"It was real. You know it." Jareth nearly hissed, "Don't hide behind 
your world's reality, the disbelief in magic. You know where you've 
been, who you've met..."

Sarah pointed at him, "You AREN'T real!!"

He grabbed a hold of her extended hand and pressed it against his 
heart, "Do you feel me, Sarah? Am I not real?"

If her journey through the Labyrinth was real, than it would mean it 
was all her own doing, and she didn't want to believe she could have 
been so cruel to Toby. She didn't want it to really have happened. 
But she could feel the warmth of the Goblin King's skin beneath her 
fingers, his chest moving in and out with an abruptness as he waited 
for her to respond. She didn't want to touch him. Touching him, 
feeling him meant that it was all real. She tried to pull away from 
him, but he held her there.

"Sarah? Am I real?"

She started to cry as she nodded, "You are real in my dreams. That is 
all it ever was--a dream."

"Do you really believe that?" Jareth asked softly, stepping into her, 
bringing her hand to cup his cheek, "Dreams aren't real, but I am. 
You aren't dreaming, and you never were."

Sarah stared into his eyes in confusion, "Yes I am. I remember 
looking at you and falling a sleep."

"But I am not asleep, nor were you when you wished your brother to 
me."

"Then what is this? I don't understand."

He grinned at her, "Nor do I. Perhaps it's just the magic, perhaps it 
is a dream that brought us back together." He leaned into her 
ear, "It knows we have unfinished business."

Fear struck Sarah's stomach as she turned her head and tried to yank 
her arm away from him, but he put both his arms around her waist and 
held her there. Sarah pushed aside her fear at how close he now was; 
who knew what he would try to do if she showed how he effected 
her, "Let go of me."

He shook his head slightly as he brought one hand up, bushing her 
hair behind her ear and leaving his hand there, "How old are you 
Sarah?"

Sarah tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. "S...Sixteen, almost."

Did she see a hint of regret in his eyes? "You have such fire for one 
so young. You hold such love, such hate, and such cruelty. You fought 
so hard to get your brother back…"

"Yes, I did. So what more could I possibly have to do with you?"

He looked hurt for a moment, but that was all. Slowly he leaned 
forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Sarah's heart couldn't 
have beat any faster than it already was. She had expected this to 
happen, but she honestly never thought he would do it. Should she 
give in, leave behind all that had happened before between them? Was 
there a way things could be agreeable between them? It must be 
something he at least wanted, but was she prepared to exist with what 
he was?

He deepened the kiss, his hand in her hair holding her closer to him 
and she let her eyes close. But an instant later, he released her 
mouth, resting his forehead on her own. So they were close, it was 
difficult to look in his eyes, but she waited, wanting to know why he 
stopped. He took a deep breath before pulling back from her.

"I know you're not ready, but my offer still stands when you're 
willing to take it."

Sarah shook inside, feeling as though he was teasing her. But he 
looked at her calmly, hopefully. She knew he wanted her, but he was 
letting it be her decision. She wasn't sure if she should take this 
sign of understanding as real love or as another trick to confuse 
her, so she asked quietly, "What did you ever offer me?"

"My slavery, your dreams, Sarah." He let go of her and stood back 
with a lonesome grin, "When you figure out what those are, I'll be 
waiting."*

And with that, the owl outside Sarah's window flew off into the 
rain. But Sarah was left in the dream to wander the door less bubble 
with only her thoughts to guide her. If this wasn't a dream, she 
didn't know how to wake up.

His frightful words consumed her. He wanted control over her but 
showed it as though he was giving her a choice. Despite gaining life 
long friends in the Labyrinth, she had wanted to believe it was 
merely the greatest dreams she had ever had, believe that every time 
her friends had come into her room, it had only been through her 
dreams. If it was real, that would mean she really was as cruel as 
Jareth said. Why should she believe, even now? Her nine-hour venture 
into the Labyrinth had no proof it had ever happened, it could all be 
in her mind, she could be crazy. But she knew she wasn't insane. She 
had been that cruel.

Sarah awoke to her brother's crying. "Damn!" She sprinted to his 
bedroom, suddenly remembering she was the one who was supposed to 
care for him that morning.

Karen came back from the doctors that day with terrible news. She 
had breast cancer. The household lost its spirit that day, knowing 
that sometime in the future, they might not be together.

* * *

Sarah was relied upon more than ever to take care of things around 
the house once Karen was started on Chemotherapy. Summer over, 
Sarah's sophomore year of High school started, which did nothing but 
add to the stress in her life. She had to get up early, fix her own 
lunch, go to school-forget about being in school plays because she 
was needed at home-rush home, take care of Toby, do the laundry, cook 
dinner, do homework, then go to bed as soon as she could so that she 
would get some sleep before she had to wake up and do the whole 
routine all over again. She knew it wasn't Karen's fault the 
Chemotherapy drained all the woman's strength; she just wished her 
stepmother and father would at least try to be more understanding 
that Sarah wanted to be other places then at home all the time. She 
hadn't been to her favorite park in weeks and it hurt that she didn't 
have enough time to even dream in her sleep.

*

Tears welled in Sarah's eyes as she again was doing chores instead of 
what she wanted. Everything she wanted was being taken away from 
her, one by one. First her mother left her, then she lost her 
father's attention with Karen's arrival, she lost contact with her 
Labyrinth friends, and now she has no personal freedom…what did she 
have to live for?

`My offer still stands.'

Jareth's voice filled her head. Whether it was really him, or a 
memory, Sarah couldn't tell. She put down the dishes in her hand and 
frantically looked about the kitchen, but there was no one.

`I'll be waiting.'

"Where are you?"

"Sarah, did you say something?" Karen called from the living room.

Sarah still looked around as she called back, "No." To herself, she 
chided, "I'm just imagining things."

`You know where you've been, who you've met.'

"Jareth, please…" Sarah whispered.

"…y's crying."

Sarah snapped out of her thoughts, "What was that?"

"I said, Toby's crying. Can you go see what he needs?" Karen asked as 
though it was a waste of breath to repeat it.

Trying to get a grip on herself, Sarah headed upstairs to her 
brother's room. Now that he was a year and a half, he no longer 
stayed in his parent's room but had a room of his own. His crib was 
larger than his old one, but that didn't prevent him from being an 
escape artist. Sarah found him howling on the floor, having fallen 
after climbing out of the crib. He had landed face first and blood 
spotted the carpet from his nosebleed.

"Toby!" Sarah said as she rushed to him, snatching him from the 
ground and immediately running to the bathroom. With a washcloth she 
cleaned the blood off his face, then grabbed tissues and held them to 
his nose, though he protested. She looked him over to see if he was 
harmed anywhere else, but he seemed to be all right.

When she walked downstairs to show Karen what had happened, the woman 
rushed from the couch and seized her son from Sarah's arms, "What 
happened?"

"He climbed out of his crib again."

"Well, did you lock the top into place?" Karen snapped.

"Of course I did."

"You must not have done it well enough."

Toby started to cry again from his mother's harsh tone.

"But I did…"

"Sarah, just, go finish your chores. I'll take care of Toby." Karen 
hissed and went back to the couch, sitting her son on her lap.

Sarah felt like screaming. She cared about her brother, she didn't 
want this happening to him; but she also didn't want to be blamed for 
it when it wasn't her fault. It was either be perfect and do 
everything Karen wanted or get out of the woman's way. Nothing 
changed. Sick or not, she didn't need to treat Sarah as though she 
were Cinderella every moment.

"Don't just stand there, go finish setting the dishes. Your father 
will be home soon and will expect everything to be done."

Sarah's first instinct was to run out the front door and not look 
back, but that would have been childish. That would have been 
something she would have done six months ago, but she was different 
now. Not everything was fair and she had responsibilities. So she 
turned in silence and went back to the kitchen.

`Don't hide behind your world's reality.'

She leaned her hands on the sink and squeezed her eyes shut as she 
tried to stop herself from weeping. The words were his, but they 
were only memories; memories of a dream she had months ago. She 
could only think she was recalling it now because in no other time 
had she felt as lonely as she did right then. She needed him, needed 
to get away from the world that had built walls around her, stopping 
her from doing everything she had wanted to do. She asked for so 
little in life; to be loved, to follow in her mother's footsteps, to 
be allowed to explore her dreams. No one offered her that, save one, 
and now she was ready to take it.

She realized what Jareth had said was true all along. She had made 
the wish for Toby to be taken and he had only done his duty to stop 
her from winning her brother back. She finally let it sink in that 
Jareth had done it all because he loved her, like the story said. 
But she was too late. She saw how she destroyed him, forced him into 
the body of an owl for the rest of his existence; but she didn't want 
that, didn't know that saying the words that would retrieve her 
brother could utterly destroy someone so great. She wished she could 
change things. All she wanted was to see Jareth and tell him she 
understood now.

"Jareth, if it wasn't a dream, I need you. I wish you were here."

Merlin started barking outside and Sarah looked over at the clock on 
the microwave. 7:50pm. Her dad was right on time getting home. She 
cursed under her breath as she rushed to finish drying off the dishes 
and getting them on the dinning room table for dinner. Then she 
grabbed a bowl of already prepared salad from the fridge and took it 
to the table, then rushed back into the kitchen and yanked the 
lasagna from the oven, nearly burning her hand in the process. Ten 
minutes later, the family was sitting down to dinner, Karen and 
Robert talking about the next phase in her medical treatment, and 
Sarah making sure Toby didn't get tomato sauce on everything. When 
finished, her father said something that amazed her.

"Sarah, I'll take care of the dishes. You go watch TV or something. 
You look pale."

She nodded, but moved to take Toby out of his highchair so she could 
go put him to bed.

"No, Sarah, really go relax," Karen said, taking Toby from her, "Your 
father is right. Are you feeling well?"

Sarah just shrugged, "Are you sure you don't want me helping?"

"We can do it." Her father answered, stacking the plates on top of 
each other, "Take a break for tonight."

"Thanks." Sarah smiled weakly to herself, hoping that this would 
become a frequent occurrence.

Two minutes of watching TV quickly let her know nothing good was 
happening in the world and that no programs were worth watching at 
9pm unless you thought 20/20 was interesting. She didn't feel like 
going to her room and pulling out a book; her mind was too tired to 
even look at the words. So she decided to go for a walk. After 
grabbing her coat to block the October night chill, she left through 
the front door, figuring her parent's didn't even notice her leave 
because they didn't try to stop her.

Merlin bounded up to her when she reached the bottom of the steps and 
she patted the sheepdog's head. She wouldn't mind his company; he 
was somebody who listened to her every word intently without telling 
her that her random thoughts were stupid. Her street didn't have 
sidewalks, but it did have good lighting from the many streetlamps. 
She hadn't been out alone so late at night, but she wasn't afraid 
with Merlin at her side.

Right then she could have been thinking of the mess her life had 
become, the places she would rather be, the person she so desperately 
wanted to see, but she wasn't. She blocked all thought from her mind 
and concentrated on walking between the spots of orange light on the 
pavement and listening to Merlin's pants.

Ten minutes more in the chilly night air and Sarah was glad she had 
been smart enough to wear her jacket; without it she would have been 
too cold to walk further, and she wasn't nearly ready to go home yet.

But a few steps later she heard a low rumble come from Merlin's 
throat. He had stopped three feet behind her, in the shadow between 
streetlamps. The light from the streetlamp directly above her 
prevented her from seeing anything he could be growling at.

"Come on, Merlin." She called to the dog, but he stayed where he was 
and his growling got louder.

Sarah's heart quickened, knowing the tales of what can happen on a 
dark street at night, but she still couldn't see anything she should 
be afraid of. She called to the dog again. He looked to her a 
moment, then silently back into the darkness before giving in and 
following her again. She decided that maybe they should turn back 
after all and turned back.

Merlin remained uneasy, and again, just a block away from her home, 
he stopped and growled at the shadows.

"Merlin, boy, come on. There is nothing there." Sarah said, trying to 
get him to follow her. She rolled her eyes, wishing she had brought 
a leash, but she jumped when he barked loudly three times and ran 
into the shadows.

"Merlin, no!" Sarah shouted. She sprinted after him, thinking that 
if he was just after some dumb `ol cat, she might just forget to feed 
him in the morning. She had gotten in trouble for trespassing in 
other people's yards before, but where she saw her dog go, she had to 
follow unless she wanted to loose him. Luckily he had only gone into 
the backyard of the nearest house, where she spotted him.

From the dim porch light of the neighbor's deck, Sarah could see 
someone had stopped her dog. They were crouched down, holding Merlin 
still as the dog was trying to sniff them all over. With the little 
illumination there was, she could tell the person was dressed in 
white, but she couldn't determine if it were a man or woman.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry for barging through your yard, but that's my 
dog." She said politely.

"I know he's yours."

Sarah's heart stopped, cried, screamed for her to just turn and run 
away from that voice. She couldn't believe what she was looking at; 
the Goblin King in the real world. When he stood up and approached 
her, the nearby light reflected off the golden pendant around his 
neck, making it all more true that he wasn't just some figment or 
apparition. Merlin stood silently by his side, as though he had 
found a new master.

Words failed her. What could she possibly say? I'm sorry? Did I hurt 
you? Why are you here? Instead, after a moment of just looking at 
him, she fell into his arms and lay her problems in his shoulders. 
He bore them with no qualm, not knowing why she had chosen him for 
her comfort.

"Sarah," He finally spoke after she calmed down some, a hint of a 
smile in his voice.

She sniffled into his shoulder, "Yeah."

"What has happened to you?"

She didn't answer right away, the right words not coming to mind. 
She didn't want to sound like a baby, even though she knew she was 
already showing she was weak through her tears. To show vulnerablity 
to him...but the Goblin King stroked her hair and she wrapped her 
arms tighter around him; someone was finally showing they cared about 
her more than just being a working body, "Karen's dieing, Dad's never 
home, *sniff* and they have me watching Toby all the time."

Jareth chuckled, "Sounds like old times."

"But it isn't." Sarah pulled back, "I was wrong to have wished Toby 
away. Life was fine then compared to now." She turned her head, 
slightly shrugging, "Even now, I have no reason to complain. Things 
are the way they are and can't be changed."

He gently grasped her chin, prompting her to look at him 
again, "You've gained some wisdom."

She laughed, her breath slightly turning to a fog, "Yeah right. No, I 
just learned a few things, thanks to you."

"Me?"

She nodded, "You made me face up to who I am, not only to myself but 
to other people. Toby depends on me to take care of him. Dad and 
Karen need me to do the things that they can't. There are so many 
other things I want to do, but sometimes sacrifices have to be made 
for the ones you love."

"But sometimes those sacrifices can be too much. You cannot martyr 
yourself to their every whim." He laughed unsurely, "It has caused 
you to find comfort in someone you don't believe is real."

"I do." She brushed his cheek, only able to see his eyes sparkle in 
the darkness, "I feel you."

"But you didn't."

"You remember that? It wasn't just a dream."

"As a told you before. But I was wrong. You were asleep."

"And you weren't?"

"No, I was not." He looked at her curiously, "You said you were 
watching me when you fell asleep."

Sarah nodded, "You were an owl."

"Interesting." Jareth stepped away a moment in thought.

"Is something wrong?"

"Strangely enough, I can't remember much at all. But I remember your 
dream." He sighed, but it quickly turned to a shudder, "Are you cold?"

"Yes. We should go…" Sarah started to lead him, but then gasped, "I 
can't take you home."

"And why not?"

"Why not? Just look at you. My parents, they wouldn't understand. 
Their minds are as far from thinking of magic as the stars are from 
here. Can't we just go back to the Labyrinth or something?"

"My magic doesn't work on Earth." Jareth said lowly.

"What do you mean? I saw it work…the crystals, the snake."

"It only worked because the Labyrinth is a gateway; it let the magic 
from Underground enter with me. But I didn't come through the gate 
this time."

"How did you get here now?"

Sarah could see his eyes go dark, "I don't know."

"How long have you been here?"

"An hour, maybe more. I , fell to earth, you could say."

"Fell?"

He cleared his throat, "I discovered myself on top of a house." He 
pointed to one six houses down, "That one. My decent was…eventful."

"Are you alright?"

"Quite."

He sounded as if he was trying to push the point he wasn't hurt, 
indicating to her he might be trying to hide that he was. "Do you 
have any place to go?"

"I had no idea where I even was until I saw you with that walking 
mop." He laughed as he patted Merlin's head, "I didn't mean to scare 
him."

Sarah blinked as she swallowed uncomfortably, "Were you following us?"

"Yes," He went on before she could accuse him of something, "You are 
the only person I know in this realm, and with my magic not working, 
I have no one else to turn to."

She shivered. She had no choice but to let him go home with her; she 
wasn't so cruel as to let him wander cold and alone in a strange 
land. "I guess, I could sneak you home then."

"Let's."

Merlin followed them without even being called. Sarah listened to 
the sound of the Goblin King's steps beside her, still in amazement 
that he was there at all and being civil with her. She had so many 
things to ask him, but it just didn't seem the right time to bring 
them up. They walked up to her front porch; Merlin automatically 
headed to the garage.

"Can you wait here?" Sarah turned towards Jareth; in the soft porch 
light he looked beautiful, but he also looked tired, "I just want to 
make sure they won't notice you."

"Do what you must. I'll be here."

Sarah hurried inside; shocked to find the hall clock said it was 
11:20pm. Thank God it was a Friday night. She heard her parents 
snoring in their bedroom, so she snuck downstairs and let Jareth in. 
He didn't say anything, just looked around at the place where she 
lived.

"They are asleep, but I think we should go up to my room…stay behind 
closed doors so they don't see you." Sarah whispered.

She didn't bother putting her coat back in the hall closet. The door 
creaked and she wouldn't want her parents to know she had gone out; 
they couldn't have known she left or one of them would have been 
waiting up for her to yell at her for whatever reason they thought 
necessary. So she just led the Goblin King straight to her room and 
locked the door behind them.

Sarah watched as Jareth stood in her room, taking in all that he 
saw. "It's different then I remember."

She widened her eyes, "What's different?"

"Everything. There used to be...things of my world in here." He 
turned to her, sincerely asking, "Where did you put them?"

Sarah gawked at him, "How did you know?"

He grinned and pulled out her vanity seat and sat.

"How do you know?" She asked again, more forcefully.

"Why did you remove them?"

"I wanted to grow up. Now WHY do you know I even had those things?"

"Do you really want to know?"

She huffed, rolling her eyes,"I wouldn't be asking."

"Fine then. Sit down." Jareth commanded. When she didn't, he said it 
again. "Sit."

Sarah plopped herself rigidly on her bed, awaiting a detailed 
explanation. She got more than she bargained for.

"The reason I know is because I have been watching you, even before 
you even knew of me. I was…."

"How did you even know of me?"

He forced out a breath and looked to the ceiling, "You already don't 
want to listen."

"Yes, I do." Sarah yelled but made her voice be quite so to not wake 
her parents.

"Then don't interrupt me. I have much to explain, much that will hurt 
you greatly if you don't already know it."

Sarah was suddenly very warm. She fidgeted with her jacket sleeve for 
a second before ripping the coat off of her. She then looked at the 
Goblin King and swallowed; what could he know that she didn't.

At her nod, Jareth began. "I watched you because I was worried about 
you...because you yourself had been wished to me when..."

Sarah stood up and glared down at him, "I was not, you are lieing."

"I have never lied to you, Sarah. Why would I start now?"

"Who then? Who wished me away?"

"Your mother."

A pang struck Sarah's heart and her head felt momentarily 
faint, "N.No she didn't."

"Where is she now Sarah? Where has she been in the past six years?"

A tear left Sarah's eye as she began to pace the small space beside 
her bed, "She has a job, a great job...people love her."

"That's no excuse for her not seeing you in so long. Admit it Sarah, 
you..."

"She loves me! She did not wish me away!" Sarah screamed.

Jareth stood and made her look at him."Then how do I know you?!!"

In anger Sarah raised her yes to his. He didn't look angered, as his 
voice sounded, instead he looked concerned. But she wrenched herself 
from his hold. "I don't believe you."

"Your belief or not changes nothing." Jareth answered calmly, "She 
wished, you were taken...she did not want you."

She knew her mother often despised her, but she didn't know Linda had 
loathed her so much as to want her to become a horrible creature. How 
could it be true when Linda gave her things all the time, things that 
couldnt possibly be the actress just trying to buy her daughter off? 
The things she gave were full of love; stuffed toys, books, a 
ring...things Sarah could cherish.

"My mother," Sarah paused to wipe a tear that had fallen, "does love 
me, and I can proove it."

Sarah stomped to her closet and pulled out a cardboard box, which she 
then dumped on to her bed. She then sat amongst the jumble and 
grabbed a scrap album and tossed it at Jareth, who barly missed 
catching the large book, "She gave me that so I could know everything 
she was doing. She sends me reviews and has even taken me to shows..."

Then Sarah started to randomly pull things out and try to convince 
Jareth her mother did love her by saying when they were given to her 
and what they meant to her. She was crying as she did this, her hands 
shaking and loosing hold on things from trying to go too quickly 
through it all. When a certain music box entered her hands, however, 
she just stopped and stared at it. It slowly started playing it's 
melody from being jostled.

"When did she give you that, Sarah?" Jareth asked softly, "What does 
it mean to you?"

Sarah just closed her eyes and lay it down.

"Sarah, look at everything your mother has given you."

She turned her head slightly and opened her eyes to everything beside 
her.

"There is nothing there that wasn't inspired by my world. Your mother 
did one thing right. She did as I told her, to not let you forget 
that you were taken to the Labyrinth."

Sarah shot her eyes at him, and began to fidget with her hands, "I 
might have gone, but she did not wish me away. In fact, she loves me 
so much, she gave me something so unique...there's nothing like it in 
the world."

He smirked at her as if he knew something, "So where is it? I'd like 
to see this unique proof of her love."

Sarah moved her hand to her finger, to take off the ring she had worn 
for so long, but it wasn't there, "I..I don't know where I lost it."

"Was it gold, fit around your finger, with a stone as red as blood?"

"Yes, how did you...of course. You have been watching me for years." 
She huffed with sarcasm.

Jareth grunted slightly and he removed his glove, showing her his 
hand, a small red stoned ring on his pinky finger. At the site of it, 
Sarah jumped up and tried to grab his hand, but he yanked out of her 
grasp before she could reach him.

"Don't touch me."

"Give that to me, now!" She shouted.

He shook his head, replacing his glove without handing over the 
ring. "It obviously didn't mean very much to you if you gave it away 
so easily."

"Gave it..." Sarah then remembered, "The man, in the Labyrinth. You 
took it from him?"

"It wasn't yours to give. I gave it to you to keep forever."

"You?" Sarah backed away, "No, I was told..."

"You were told lies, Sarah. Everything you have is because of me. I'm 
the one who..."

Sarah started to fall backwards, the reality of what he was saying 
hitting her hard. He moved to catch her but she caught herself and 
sat back on her bed. Her head hurt, her heart was bleeding inside. He 
had given her the ring, her mother really didn't love her as a 
child...did she ever love her? In anger, Sarah shoved, threw, tore 
everything off her bed and she howled her sorrow into her pillow. But 
almost immediately, strong arms were around her, comforting her, and 
the person who could have kept her as a child or torment her now with 
harsh words was whispering words of strength and hope in her ear.

She turned to him and looked into his mismatched eyes, "Why am I not 
a goblin?"

He brushed the tears away with a gloved hand as he knelt before 
her, "I couldn't keep you. You knew what was going to happen to you; 
even if you would have been turned, you would have remembered you 
weren't wanted. No one should have to know that."

Sarah cried into his neck, pulling him closer, "But I didn't know. 
Why did you have to tell me?"

"Because I love you."

Sarah's sobs ended then and there, "You love me?"

He nodded against her, "I always have. It's the other reason I 
couldn't let you become a goblin. I love your mind, your dreams. 
You are kind and cruel, but you are good. Your spirit hasn't changed 
in 13 years."

"You love me?" She still couldn't believe it.

"Yes," he chuckled, but then pulled back from her in all 
seriousness, "But as I said before, if you are not ready, I will wait 
for you."

She shook her head, desperately reaching for him. "I don't want to 
wait. I want my dreams, Jareth. I want to love you."

He genuinely smiled as he took her into his arms and kissed her. 
Sarah had no idea kisses could be like this, bind your soul to 
another's through your own free will. She wanted his love so badly, 
love that no one else had given or ever could give. She moved with 
him as he got onto the bed with her, holding her neck so gently as he 
moved on top of her. His hands roamed over her body and her eyes 
flashed open when he kissed down her neck. This was more than just 
kissing; he wanted her, all of her. She knew she belonged to him and 
always had, all because of her mother--perhaps the only good Linda 
had ever done.

He pulled back, sensing that he had gone too far, but Sarah tugged 
him back to her, kissing his chest as she began to ease his shirt off 
with her hands. She had his shirt almost completely off of him when 
her fingers ran across his gloves. She started to remove them, but 
he stopped her.

Sarah looked up at him, scared that she had done something wrong or 
he had changed his mind, "What's wrong?"

He leaned down and kissed her, to reassure her, "Nothing is wrong. I…
forgot I do not have magic."

Sarah pushed him back, not sure of what he meant, "What, were you 
going to use it to do something to me?"

He chuckled, "You don't trust me, do you? No, when you were a child I 
touched you with my hands and you were harmed."

"I was?" Sarah blinked, "But I'm fine now…and if you have no magic, 
what does it matter?"

"I suppose you have a point." His smile turned to a glaze of 
longing, "It feels as though I've waited an eternity for you."

Sarah swallowed, not sure if she could fulfill his desires, "Jareth, 
I…I hadn't even kissed anyone `til just now."

He breathed out, bowing his head, "I know." Then he looked at her and 
grinned, "But you were doing just fine."

A blush appeared on Sarah's cheeks as his lips once again sought out 
hers. Sarah surprised herself that she wasn't timid with doing this, 
that it came so naturally for her to be loving him. Sex wasn't 
something freely spoken about, but she knew enough to know what she 
was doing, what it meant. She would be his, forever have his name 
etched with hers. He was in her world now. Even without magic, he 
could take her away, make her dreams a reality. 

He wasn't moving fast enough for her. He wanted to savor his fine 
wine, but she wanted to devour her chocolate bar. She moved his 
roaming hands to the button of her jeans, to show him she was ready 
to give him everything if he was willing. 

Grabbing her wrist and pinning them above her head, he panted as he 
looked down on her, "Sarah, is this what you want?"

All she could do was nod and his mouth was back on hers, his tongue 
finding entry as it danced with her own. He made love to her, making 
her feel love the way she had felt missing completely from her life. 
Yes, they had been under her parent's roof, but she wasn't ashamed to 
receive what was rightfully hers and to give him what he owned; who 
cared if someone heard.

After they made love and Sarah lay against him, she told Jareth she 
loved him, but he suddenly became distant and didn't hold her. He 
was so unlike how he had just been; something had to be troubling his 
mind. But he wouldn't talk about it. At first she had thought she 
had done something wrong and she wanted to make it right, or at least 
get his mind back on her, so she started to kiss him again and caress 
his chest. She looked up at him when she felt his desire stir again 
and there was an evil glint in his eye as he took her again. It was 
rough and hard and painful and she couldn't get away from him. Then 
suddenly he took his pendant, crescent shaped like the moon, and 
plunged it into her neck, drinking the blood from the wound it 
created. She could still feel him moving within her as her life was 
ebbing…but suddenly he was off of her and out of the bed.

Tears in her eyes, she looked up fearfully to him, "You said you 
loved me. Was that a lie only so you could sleep with me?"

"Was it?" Jareth asked her, voice cruel and accusing.

Sarah tried to sit up, her head dizzy from the loss of blood, as she 
placed a hand over her still bleeding neck, "Why did you cut me?"

"You stole my magic."

"I…" her head spun, and she wasn't sure if she heard him 
correctly, "I have no magic."

"It may not be possible to use it in this world, but you do have it," 
He said as he bent down over her, a hateful gleam in his eye, "And I 
cannot return Underground without it."

"Take it back then."

"To do so, I would have to take your life." He said quietly.

Sarah's eyes widened at this, realizing that is what he had started 
to do, "Why did you stop?"

He sighed as sat beside her, "Somewhere inside, I must still love 
you."

"Somewhere!" Sarah pulled her sheet around her and leapt out of the 
bed, "If you didn't love me fully, then why did you…?" Tears began to 
stream down her face at thinking she'd given her virginity to someone 
who she didn't know at all. She turned her eyes coldly to him, "Get 
out."

"Where will I go, Sarah?"

"That's your problem." She started gathering his clothes from the 
floor and flinging it at him, "Wander the Earth for all I care. Just 
never come near me or my family again."

He cocked his eyebrow at her, "Return my magic and I never shall."

"I don't know how."

"Then that is your problem. I will never leave you."

They remained staring at each other, loathing and loving and unsure 
of what would come next.

Sarah wanted him away, wanted to hurt him more than what he had just 
done to her, but she didn't know how. "I wish you will never know 
magic again." She didn't know where the words came from, her heart 
just hurt enough to find them.

At those words, something happened to Jareth; she couldn't pinpoint 
the change, but his eyes, ever on hers, went hollow. He looked 
crushed for a moment, then he angrily turned form her and began to 
yank on his tights.

Sarah averted her eyes even though she'd already seen all his 
beauty. She shook her head in frustration. This should have been a 
blessed night, a joyous event but instead it had turned out only to 
be sleeping with the enemy.

Once Jareth was finished dressing, he stood and side stepped her, 
heading for her bedroom door.

"Where will you go?" She asked urgently.

He didn't turn, his voice unsure, "Do you really care?"

She realized she did care when she shouldn't and said gruffly, "No. 
In fact, I wish you would forget we've even met."

"Agreed."

She watched in horror as his features went ridged with pain and he 
reached out to her. His eyes pleaded with her before they suddenly 
glazed black as he was transformed into the owl. She shrieked as he 
flopped about the room, trying to find a way out. She ran to her 
window and flung the panes wide--and then he was gone.

She had been weak the days following from the loss of blood. Her dad 
and Karen even took her to the doctor to see if she had developed 
anemia. But Sarah knew it wasn't; the nausea told her that even 
before the test results came back from her blood work. She knew 
Jareth had left something behind.