He delicately balanced the crystal ball in his hand. The crystal, his window, into her world. A world so unlike his, holding a creature so unlike him. A creature so intriguing, so beauitful, so devastating. A creature who had defeated him, and his labyrinth, reclaiming the child that he had stolen, and forever dissapearing from his world.

He exhaled slowly, watching her lips curl into a smile and eventually break open to let out a laugh. "Sarah". The name felt like cool water on his tongue, which was exactly what she was. Cool and calm, but defiant. He had tried to trap her, and like water, she had slipped through his fingers. A fitting metaphor, indeed. He continued to watch her through the crystal ball.

Even though it had only been a month since she defeated his labyrinth, it had been years in her world. She was now a young adult, 21 to be exact. While he stayed unchanging, she had changed, her girlish figure morphed into a womanly body. There was no doubt in his mind that she was beautiful. Well, she always had been beautiful to him. Others had noticed too, it would seem. Over the years she had had a couple boyfriends, males that would only stick around long enough to see if they could get in her pants. Relieving to Jareth, she had always turned them down, and in the, end dumped them. None of them had truly cared for her, had never wanted to stay and listen to her read or tell stories of a dream about a goblin king. And even though that was relieving to Jareth, it had made Sarah sad and had actually made her heart a bit bitter towards men.

Jareth focused his thoughts back on Sarah.

She was sitting in her apartment, a miserable, one bedroom apartment, watching TV, some comedy show by the looks of it. She was relaxed and in her pajamas, having just gotten out of the shower, her hair curling slightly. Her pale face glowed from the reflection of the TV, seeming to give her a bit of an angelic appaerance. Jareth noticed that there were dark circles under her eyes. Not to noticeable, but noticeable enough to make him wonder if she had been working to hard at her job of late.

Am I obsessed? Jareth wondered. Did he even know what it was like to be obsessed? He had heard of it, but had never seen it or experienced it before. It had seemed princesses from other kingdoms had been obsessed with him before, but he had never noticed them or had ever wanted to. He concluded that he was, maybe, a little obsessed.

She sighed, catching his attention once again. Jareth wondered what was wrong, but then noticed her eyes were half-closed. The day's work was wearing down on her, it seemed. He had never watched her sleep before. Would an obsessed person do that? Perhaps, he thought. She let out another sigh and closed her eyes fully, surrendering to the call of a blissful sleep.

Jareth wished her could see into her mind. What was she dreaming, he wondered. More fairytales, more goblin kings? Or maybe just everyday, normal things a human would dream about? No, not his Sarah. She was never normal.

Or maybe she's dreaming about me? He let him flatter himself for a moment. Even though it was not very probable, it was still possible. She had haunted his dreams every night since she left, and he had cursed her every time he awoke. His dreams of her were about things that could be, but that would never be. He had wanted a companion. He had thought he found that in her, and when he offered himself, he was sure she would accept. But she didn't, and her words echoed in his mind all the time. The words of his would-be queen.

"Sleep well," he said, knowing that she couldn't hear him. He carefully tucked the crystall ball into his jacket and ascended into his sleeping chambers. All was quiet in the castle.

But not in Sarah's apartment. She had smiled, an innocent smile that can only be achieved in sleep. Two words escaped her lips.

"You too".