Marry me. His gentle, almost pleading, request still echoed in the back of her skull as a constant reminder of that fatal day, and the choice she had made. Even now, after three years, she still didn't know what her answer should be. Wait, it was always wait in her mind. The time he provided could never be enough, his patience would always be tested, dragged out until it stretched to the horizon, paving the way for her unsure footsteps to take.

I'm only fifteen, She had managed to choke out in reply, a reply that seemed weak, even to young ears. She was only fifteen. How was she to answer such an overwhelming question? Yet somehow she could still remember the heat that washed over her as he took her hand into his, that hot coal settling in her stomach as he looked into her eyes as though nothing else, Above or Underground, mattered.

Time doesn't matter when you have all of eternity.

A tree branch scraped against her window nearly giving her a heart attack. Sarah's birthday was tomorrow, she still had two hours, thirty seven minutes, and fifty six seconds. He couldn't come early, it was the rules of their—

"Game?" Toby rubbed his eyes while peeking through her open door.

Sarah moved away from the window, being to pick him up. "It's a little late for that. Perhaps tomorrow."

He stared up at her with large, glassy eyes bright with a child's future. "Promise?"

She paused. Would she be coming back? "Um yeah."

"Okay, Sa-ruh." She set him down holding back a soft laugh; he always reminded her of Ludo when he said her name. She watched with an almost lonely smile as he slowly drifted back into his room.

She could remember a time when she was ecstatic at the thought of turning eighteen. It was a sign of freedom and she always imagined that a secret world of unspoken fantasies would unfurl before her, but then she had always been a dreamer. Such wistful thoughts seemed rather foolish now considering that she had already committed herself…no…maybe…

"I don't know." Sarah sat down on her bed, staring at the effigy of a certain king standing regally on her desk across the room. Frustration flooded into her. It was all Ludo's fault really. If he—it—whatever—hadn't given Jareth that helpful dating advice (how he even gained the knowledge and communicated it properly, she did not know), she could have stormed into his castle, taken Toby, and returned home without a drop of guilt flowing through her blood. At first it had been a tantalizing thought to be a Goblin Queen; but then again, what would be the requirements of being one? Were certain "activities" expected of her should she agree to his proposal? And she was only eighteen! Even if they were married the thoughts were preposterous and outrageous! Sarah groaned, putting her head in her hands as her heart beat with nostalgic weakness.

Of all the eccentrics in that Labyrinth, she could only seem to remember one thing the clearest. His eyes. They were so different and entrancing. Well, his eyes and his pants. Damn his figure, he must have been on a strict diet to stay so perfect; though who wouldn't with nothing to eat but goblin cooking and peaches. Even after she learned a few more things about relationships and relations, she still hadn't been able to conjure up an idea of how he managed to get those too tight tights on. Her best guess was that he just used magic, any other idea was unfathomable. She just couldn't see Jareth…OH wow…let's ignore that mental image shall we.

The little clock in her room chimed, and she resisted the powerful urge to throw it out of the window. As if she needed to be constantly reminded that he was coming; and knowing him, he was probably already outside watching and waiting. Premarital jitters? Another groan escaped her lips.

She laid down and shut her eyes. "What the hell did I get myself into?" Unfortunately for her, she would soon find out.

***

Jareth remained perched on the tree outside of Sarah's room, the cloak of night's darkness hiding his shining eyes. He would have been in owl form, but those damn rats were too appealing to ignore at the moment so instead he settled for sitting on a branch with his feet dangling impatiently beneath him.

Watching her pace across the room for several hours was like pure ecstasy for him. Judging by the flush on her cheeks, she was just as nervous and as excited for this as he was.

However, they had two very different ways of expressing their emotions. Sarah spent her time switching positions from sitting, to standing, to even laying with half of her body on the bed and her head touching the floor (all that blood rushing to her pretty little head couldn't be good for her he reasoned). Jareth spent his time kicking goblins, throwing chickens, and brushing his hair profusely; not to mention, he had an additional pocket of glitter for his grand entrance. Enough glitter was never enough. Besides, it wasn't really glitter (or pixi dust), it was in essence the embodiment of magic. He always had an excess of that when around Sarah. Just being near her did things to him. She made him feel powerful, nearly humming with magic; yet, at the same time, he became vulnerable as though she had caught him with all of his weaknesses exposed.

It still amazed him how a mere girl could capture him so easily. She was fifteen, and he was as old as the earth. Jareth's face scrunched up in slight disgust. Now that he thought about it, their love would be slightly awkward. Whatever. He didn't look that old.

***

She could run. Or drive. It didn't matter really as long as she got away; she knew she wouldn't, though. Sarah didn't run the first time, and she didn't plan on running this time either. Unlike the first time, however, she was upset to find that he had dug his claws deep underneath her skin, pulling her heart's strings however he saw fit. Using hormones as an excuse was so two years ago.

Pulling herself from her thoughts, Sarah stared at the clock, wide-eyed with dread. Five minutes. Where did the time go? That bastard! Mr. Oh-Of-Course-I-Didn't-Change-Time. Oh, she should have known better than to trust those large, glittering, multi-colored, entran—no—misleading eyes of his.

She sighed, so what if he sped time up by a tiny little bit? It's not like it mattered. Their date was inevitable by now anyways.

—Five—

—Four—

—Three—

—Two—

—One—

Uh-oh. Sarah thought with a slight sweat forming on her brow. Three years and no answer. One would think that would be enough, but it wasn't! Honestly, you give it a try sometime! Only three years to decide whether or not you want to become Queen of a magical labyrinth and the wife of a Goblin King...Great, my thoughts are betraying me AGAIN. All she had to do was frequently remind herself that this man stole her brother, set the cleaners on her, and tried to drug her. Yup. That should keep her from becoming "twitterpated."

Her window flew open allowing Jareth to slip inside, surrounded by shimmering glitter. Too much glitter in her opinion; honestly, there was no way she was cleaning that mess up. Overkill much?

Sarah slammed her eyes shut as a small spec landed in her eye. "Damn it Jareth. Your dumb glitter got in my eye!"

He ignored her slight outburst and seated himself comfortably on the bed next to her. "Well?"

"Well what?" She growled.

Jareth clicked his heels together trying not to let her see how nervous he was, scared even. "I've waited for three years, I haven't come to visit you, not even once, and now, after all this time, I can only hope to assume you have your answer."

"Yeah—"

"Yes?"

"Wha—wait!" Sarah gathered her thoughts, which was a difficult task with that intoxicating aroma Jareth produced. "No, I was just—"

Jareth sighed. "No?"

"No. Just shut up for a second. I'm still thinking it over."

"Three years wasn't enough?" His voice was dripping with the displeased sonata of a winter's edge. "Do I really mean so little to you?"

The thoughts she had carefully arranged into a neat little pattern of notions and complications ran wild with concupiscent tornados that completely ruined her intricate plan. "Look here Mr. Glitter Pants, this is a very big step for me, and I shouldn't even be considering this. You stole my brother—"

"You asked me to take him, precious thing. I would never commit such a heinous crime out of mere desire." He stood to his full height, which was about how tall Sarah was, and held out his hand. "At least give me the chance to persuade you. If you are not satisfied, then I will leave for as long as you wish."

"You don't expect me to be persuaded into your bed, right?" Of all the things to curse right now, Sarah found it necessary to have it be her weak voice; it never came out as dogmatic she wanted.

Jareth cocked his head as the edges of his lips curled in an amused smile. "Dearest Sarah, what would make you assume that? Obviously my tastes are much more refined." He tried to cup her chin but she turned her head, she would not let him get the upper hand.

This would take a clear head for what she was about to do, whatever that may be. "So, yeah, okay. I guess it's okay—as long as I don't have to do anything I don't want to do while I'm there."

"Of course, but first…I will be requiring something before we go."

He leaned in close, too close, but just perfect. Sarah may not have been ready for this, but her body knew how to respond even without her mind's consent. His breath curled at the nape of her neck sending shivers everywhere. She tried to still her nerves, but every single one of them were screaming for her to shove her pride and reserve aside and pull him into a night filled with one inexplicable rush, after another, after another; but, as soon as it happened, his breath moved past her as he leaned forward more so and took one of her CDs off her shelf. Jareth pulled back with delight at having grabbed a wonderful selection, and made his way back to the window; somehow, she felt strangely cold. As if a fire had been lit just for her, and then suddenly taken away and replaced with snow instead.

"Seeing as I'm going to focus all of my time helping you make a decision, I need something to entertain the goblins. They do so love listening to music." Sarah's lips were parted, and, it seemed to him, her breaths were coming out in strangled rasps. "Only if it is okay with you." Was borrowing CD's for goblins really such a scary thought? He wondered. True, she might not get them back in the same condition, or even back at all; but if all went as planned…she wouldn't have to worry about getting them back now would she.

She nodded hastily as an attempt to wipe her mind clear of the fantasies dancing across them. "Yeah, no problem." Sarah got to her feet, a little shakily, following the almighty Goblin King's lead.

"Also, I hate to impose this on you, but," Jareth snaked his arm around her waist and lifted her into his arms, "getting there will be much easier like this. If you don't mind, can you put your arms around my neck?"

He resisted the strong tug of glee that was currently threatening to overwhelm him as her slender arms encircled his neck, now so long as she didn't choke him, this was perfect! She had actually believed him! As if a king couldn't find a more convenient way to travel. Perhaps the fates were turning in his favor.

Sarah couldn't believe she was allowing the man who took her baby brother to carry her. Let alone persuade her. But, what the hell? She had the rest of her life to live. What type of life would that be if she didn't live a little of it.

They arrived in the foyer of his castle in little to no time at all. Of course there was the traditional swirl of glitter and feathers when they arrived (Sarah made sure to shut her eyes), but other than that, it was a normal entrance. Well, normal in the sense that goblins were parading around trying to appease his majesty with several posters they had created. They ranged from saying things like "Congrdoolazions" to "This meenz no morez chickens!" and there was the occasional goblin running around frantically trying to hide his poster saying "Beter luck next tyme."

Sarah pushed away from Jareth, who was too busy pursing his lips with—embarrassment?—to care. She looked over all the colorful designs before bursting into a paroxysm of laughter at the almighty Goblin King. On the farthest wall was a poorly drawn picture of Jareth sucking on his foot at a child.

"Wow, you're a dork." She pointed out the "Memwares of a King" and started laughing at him yet again. For some reason, his face was cool and collected. "Hm, not burning with mortification?"

"Why would I be?" If she thought his face was cool, his voice was frozen. "That picture, dear, is not of me."

"Then who…" A goblin ran to the picture and scribbled something next to the title. The portrait now read "Memwares of a King's Babee." "WHAT?!"

The procession paused briefly as the beady eyes surveyed their queen's shock and mulled over whether or not a change of signs was in order. "Sarah, perhaps we should go outside for some air."

"No, I want to know what's going on here." Her heart felt like it was doing the Charleston. Something was screaming incessantly that it would love to know what it was like kissing magic (for interest's sake, we'll call that something Bob). Well, Bob wanted to know what it was like to have magic running through its veins as well. WOAH! SO not going there. Just calm down, calm down. "Jareth," She stated flatly, trying to keep all emotion away from her façade. "I'll give you thirteen hours."

The golden tips of his hairs swayed in the slight breeze that was caused by several dozen goblins taking in a gulp of air to hold. Words were taken quite literally in the Labyrinth. "Are you positive that will be time enough to discover all there is to find?" Sarah tried to read his eyes, but they were veiled with the mere complacency of having her in his realm once again. "The Labyrinth is a much bigger place than the miniscule taste you acquired before."

A "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" echoed in the distance.

"Hey, I know that line." Sarah mused while following the words being carried on the air.

Jareth reached out like lightning and took her wrist. "Sarah, please. With only thirteen hours…"

She looked in the direction of the howl before dropping her eyes along with her shoulders. "Another time I guess—Um not that there's gonna be another time."

"Oh of course not." His eyes shimmered insidiously. Damn those eyes!

"So, three years…" He mused as he led her through another catacomb of his castle. "And you were fifteen then?"

Sarah glared at the back of his head, she knew exactly what he was thinking about (so did Bob). "No. Jareth."

She could almost hear his lips spread to a smile, like leather spreading over water. "I'm merely trying to learn more about you, dearest."

"Okay, I'll play along." Another wave of glitter shed from his persons and wrapped around her playfully before flying down the hall and out of sight. "I'm going to kick your ass, Goblin King, if you don't cut that out!"

"What is your favorite food?"

Over the years, he had held several more meetings with Ludo, his new dating advisor, and had learned that it is best to keep women from lingering on bitter feelings for too long. And, in some cases, the element of surprise was a very exotic form of passion play; that is, when the "surprise" didn't involve smelly bogs, dark oubliettes, or drugged peaches.

Jareth's boots and the slight rustle of his leather coat were the only noises as Sarah thought about what her favorite food might be. Not peaches, She chastised firmly. Well, simple was always best. "Peanut butter and jelly."

He snorted. "My, my." Jareth changed the pitch of his voice to a squeaky hiss. "What shall we serve the missus? Well," His voice returned to the normal purr she had always known and dreamt it to be, "She would be most pleased if she could have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." His laugh was cut short by the sharp dagger of a glare thrown at the back of his head. Since when did eyes burn so hot? "Favorite book?"

Any silent wishes that lightning would somehow strike his majesty ceased as she found herself distracted with the obligation of answering another question. How does he do that? Sarah tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear in frustration. It was sweet that he was taking things slowly, being polite, and so on and so forth; but, no matter how she protested the thought, she had sort of wanted him to drive her into a corner and—Shut UP Bob.

"Good Omens."

"Favo—"

"Nu-uh. It's my turn." He spared a curious glance over his shoulder before opening a door that lead to a perilous flight of stairs. "How'd you become king?"

Jareth shrugged. "I just was."

"Okay…Where'd you come from?"

"Nowhere."

Sarah felt that urge to wish him a way to a very dark oubliette that was filled with perverted "helping hands." "Fine." She hissed through barred teeth. "What do you know about yourself?"

"First and foremost, I would do anything to make you stay. And on a less important note, we're here."

He stepped aside to reveal the great expanse of the Labyrinth below them. Sarah gasped as a whole other world was sprawled out before her. She had never imagined it to be so large. Jareth really wasn't kidding when he said that she only had a miniscule taste. The land rolled and curved into the horizon like a never ending earthquake of scenery.

She turned to Jareth, his eyes boring into her own. "And you only gave me thirteen hours?" He chuckled taking a slight step towards her. Vertigo usually sets in right about…"Oof!" Sarah fell back into his arms, her head swimming with the dizzying sight of the long drop down. "Erm thanks." She tried pushing up, but he had a firm hold on her waist. "You can let go now, I'm fine."

"We both know that's not what you want." He mentally tipped his hat to Ludo as she stuttered, speechless. "But you'll put up a fight, and we'll dance around the inevitable as the room begins to close in and suffocate us with sexual tension." Jareth pulled her closer and used the other hand to brush her hair to one side, gently, tenderly, seductively. "We could always just avoid all that and get straight to why you came here."

Sarah couldn't think. In his tight embrace her lungs seemed constricted, she couldn't breathe; not to mention his other hand seemed to be -everywhere- "I came here to make up my mind." Her voice was thick with the restraint of a moan as his hand drifted over her collarbone.

"And I'm here to persuade you." Jareth let out a low laugh as he spun her from his grasp, and jumped out of the window pulling her hand in hand.

…

That did not just happen! Was what she wished she could believe as they cut through the wind, her scream trying to catch up with them as they went. But before they hit the ground, she felt that all too familiar tingle of magic coursing through her muscles that took her weight and left her as light as air. Sarah slowly drifted to a halt, her heart still taking a moment or two to return to a more comfortable beat. Jareth stood next to her wearing a large grin.

"What's so funny?! You just ruined your chances of ever getting me to stay—"

He put a hand to her lips, still smiling, and said softly, "I just wanted to hear you scream my name."

"…Did Ludo tell you to do that? I swear I'll kill him." Her mind was already beginning to imagine vivid scenes torturing a certain new "love doctor."

Jareth shrugged before gesturing to the extravagant garden behind her. She crossed her arms "unimpressed." My kingdom for a horse, my body for a garden. Ridiculous.

"Beautiful smells, dancing petals, where am I? It must be—"

"Heaven's garden. Do you just jump from one fairytale to another? Stealing babies too droll?" Sarah didn't exactly glare, if she were to squint any more, her eyes would be closed; it was more of a sulky look than anything.

Jareth smirked at how Sarah shifted trying to find a way to display her contempt for him. Reordering time had its advantages—like now when he needed to blind her pretty eyes. "Shall we continue?"

"Augh, party's over Jareth." She shielded her eyes from the blazing sun. "Take me back."

"You said thirteen hours."

(The definition of fear: the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger. Also, let us remember that words are taken very seriously in the Labyrinth. Having stated that, perhaps Jareth's next action will make a little more sense.)

He spun around on his heel, turned into an owl, and flew somewhere deep into the Labyrinth leaving Sarah to stand among the roses feeling completely at a loss for words.

She felt like she was standing atop of a precarious Jenga game watching the world falling from view. So that's what Mr. Fly-Away-Every-Time-Something-Doesn't-Go-According-To-Plan was singing about. Then again, his was: falling in love; not: falling because some narcissist moron left me here!

A little goblin with a chainsaw hobbled past her. Sarah resisted the urge to look twice. She'd seen stranger things in the Labyrinth, no matter how much she wished she hadn't.

"Is he coming back?" Her voice finally had the menacing growl she wished—no—she wanted to use when talking with Jareth.

The goblin raised and dropped his shoulders with a sigh. "Kingy like to fly to the oshun." He reared up the chainsaw and began to mercilessly hack the beautiful flowers to nothing more than colorful shreds of confetti.

"What are you doing?!" Shrieked Sarah while making sure to keep a safe distance from the maniacal gardener.

"I'z cleaning!" He ran around the corner yelping and cheering, the buzz of the chainsaw leaving with him.

She turned to face the direction that Jareth—The bastard!—flew off in. He's gonna come back…right?

Despite herself, Sarah's inner Bob was jumping around with glee. Alone by the "oshun," all they needed to make this romance novel knockoff complete was a guy with long hair who insists on roaming about with his man blouse hanging wide open. Oh wait…

Sarah stomped her foot as a violent hurricane of frustration roared in her mind. If he thought this was a good way to get her to follow, he was sorely mistaken. That no good, poofy-haired, tight wearing bird brain was going to pay for making her stay longer than necessary. Huh, she mused, I guess that means my answer is no. Another part of her brain chimed in with an angry fervor, Of COURSE it's no. And of course, Bob had to chip in as well. I don't see why we couldn't just stay for a little bit longer…Just an overnight perhaps?

She squinted through the sun's rays towards the oshun—ocean— and sighed. "Wait…There's an ocean here?"

***

Jareth stared at the water lapping at the sand before him. He didn't want to admit it, but deep inside he knew that he had just screwed himself over.

He sat down like a child in time out, pouting at his loss. It wouldn't have looked so cowardly if he wasn't an owl…Maybe if he could turn into a tiger, that would look more ferociously appealing.

***

"The bloody twit is an owl, isn't he?" She growled to herself while climbing up one of the Labyrinth walls. "Why isn't he smarter? Or is he just an overgrown fat sparrow!" Sarah jumped down with a scream. "Stupid!" This time, however, she wasn't talking about Jareth. Why on earth had she come? Even at fifteen she should have been smarter than to fall into his trap. He never played fair, and she knew that. But something about his eyes reassured her that his intentions were true. "He's probably laughing right now…"

Out of nowhere, a goblin jumped on her back and wrapped its legs around her stomach. Sarah spun around trying to beat the bloody troll off, but its grip was tight. "What do you want?" She said—more like shrieked.

"Hm?" The goblin kicked her sides. "I'z helping you." He peered over her head as an introduction. "Member me?"

"The gardener?" Great. Of all the things that could "help" me, it had to be the only one with a chainsaw.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Mush!"

"What?" She tried to shake him off yet again, but he just squeezed tighter.

"Mush!" He demanded. "I lead you to the oshun!" The little goblin took two strands of her hair and shook them. "Mush horsey, mush!"

Sarah growled as she began to walk. It was no use arguing with a senseless creature, and trying to shake him off got her nowhere. At least she now had a guide…well…sort of.

"NO! Left, LEFT!" He pulled her hair like reins to navigate her.

She tried to reach back and smack him, but he pulled her hair again. "OW! I AM going left!"

"…Oh…" He pulled her hair the other way. "RIGHT!"

"AUGH!"

He kicked her sides excitedly. "FASTA, FASTA! We'z almost there!" Sarah closed her eyes, she would be patient. Think of lovely golden sands, bright blue waters, the open sky, drowning little goblins in salty seas…Hmmm, this is looking better and better. Woah. That was not Bob.

A good chunk of land rose up before them blocking the view of the ocean, but Sarah could still smell the mist of salty water rolling over the hill. Just a little more. Just a little farther. Sarah ran as fast as she could, ignoring her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Almost there.

She reached the top and paused to take in the view and the smells. It was beautiful. The ocean was a purplish pink because of how the sun shone through the wisps of clouds floating peacefully across the sky.

The goblin got off her back when she spotted the Goblin King sitting on the beach. "You welcome, missy." It said self-righteously. "No problem at all that I di'in finish my work for today." She grumbled while handing him her hair clip as payment. "OOOOOOH!!! Plastic! Plastic! My favorite!" He ran off in the distance, her clip high above his head in a triumphant grasp as he happily shuffled away in a strange sort of dance.

Sarah walked down the hill carefully, trying not to scream at him on the way down. It wouldn't do to scare him away after she came so far. If only she had some rope or scissors, she could tie him down then clip those fluffy wings of his. Fortunately for Jareth, she didn't have the supplies.

"Jareth." Sarah said softly.

His shoulders stiffened noticeably. "Yes, Sarah?"

She sat down next to him. "I want you to know something."

"Yes?" His heart was on the brink of ecstatic joy at the soothing tones in her voice. Whatever she had to say was going to be good, for him.

"You're an ass."

"And you're a brat."

Her eyes snapped over to him. If eyes could kill he would first be beaten with a little sense left in him so he could feel the bullet entering his chest only then to have just enough consciousness left to feel her drowning him. If only eyes could kill. "Oh? I'M the brat? At least I didn't throw a selfish pity party at the beach."

He edged a little away from her. IF eyes could kill…In the Labyrinth, they just might be able to. You never know. "Look, I already feel terrible. Do you absolutely, necessarily have to make my day worse?"

"Yes." Looking at him, she gulped. His eyes were shiny. Oh no, oh no, oh no. PLEASE don't cry. "Um…Just kidding."

"I'm not a child, Sarah." Jareth stood up and stood at the water's edge. "Just say no so I can return you Aboveground."

But I don't want to… "Holy crap…"

"What?" He glanced over his shoulder to see her with her mouth slightly open, and her eyes focused in…horror? at him. "What is it?"

She shook her head. Self realization. "No…But not in the no you meant. The no like um well ugh…The no like…" Sarah stared deep into his eyes. Now her eyes were glassy. "The no like…"

Screw it. She closed the distance between in one awkward stride, and Oh my God… kissed him. It wasn't a yes, but it definitely wasn't a no. She couldn't deny the magnetism she felt towards him. Not only that, but she couldn't imagine herself with anyone else. No one could ever match him; no one could be like him in every way, for that was all she could—would—settle for. And it took her until now to finally see that his words were true.

Sarah pulled away, still slightly in shock at her actions. "It isn't a yes."

"I understand." His face was still solemn, but something in his eyes had the shadow of a person running around screaming with excitement.

"I'll see you around, Jareth." He smiled. "It's not a yes." She repeated to daunt the grin spreading across his face.

"Not yet."

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Eleven pages and no conclusion. I apologize, but I just couldn't find the heart to clamp it shut.

And I couldn't do this without my close friend Raine-of-the-Night for her lovely, lovely edits.

Read, enjoy, review.