This is dedicated to all of us out there who like to think that Jareth is real,

and who sometimes like to shout;

"I wish the goblins would come and take me away, right now!"

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth. This is owned by the Jim Henson Company, and maybe George Lucas. I have a message for each of them:

Jim Henson: You have Kermit, so can't I have Jareth? -puppydog eyes-

George Lucas: You are RICH because of Star Wars. Labyrinth isn't even all that popular now. MAY I PLEEEEEEEEEEAAASE HAVE THE RIGHTS TO LABYRINTH?!?!??!?!?

That's about it! Enjoy!

Prologue

One day. It does not seem very long, does it? But many things can happen in only one day. A nation can fall in one day. A dream can shatter in one day. A heart can break in only one day. Jareth learned this lesson the difficult way. In one day, his heart was shattered. She broke it into a million tiny pieces, as easily and nonchalantly as one would break an egg. Did she notice the hurt in his eyes? Did she hear his heart stop? Did she even care? She thought she had defeated his Labyrinth, but she had defeated, oh, so much more.

For weeks after she left him, he had moped. He claimed illness, but what illness could cause the symptoms he showed? At last, an impertinent goblin had said;

"Missy-lady gone! Mayhaps miss her?" For this, the goblin (who's name was Gling, by the way) was thrown into the Bog. Miss her? The audacity! He was Jareth, king of the Goblins! He needed no-one! And yet…it made sense.

From the day that Sarah had decided to purchase the small, leather-bound book, he had watched her. At first, it was merely waiting. Waiting for her to slip, to say the words, to wish away a child. But as he watched, he noticed something.

Sarah was not like other girls. Despite constant ridicule, she clung, almost desperately, to her belief in fairy-tales. She dressed differently, walked differently, and for this, was considered a geek by her fellow mortals. This angered Jareth. She was such a sweet girl…well, as sweet as fire can get. That girl had a temper to rival his own! Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to argue with her. After all, no-one he knew would dare argue with the Goblin King.

He watched her in his crystals. Memorizing every word, every thought, every dream. She was now fifteen and in that place between girlhood and womanhood. To most on earth, she seemed awkward, off-balance, and strange. But they only saw what she was. Jareth saw what she could be, what she would be, and he saw the value of it. So he gave her the power to wish herself away. God knows how many times girls do silly little things like that...

But she never did. Instead, she wished away her little brother. Well, what was he supposed to do with him?! He did not need, nor want another goblin. The idiots were crowding on him as it was. It was then he was struck with an idea.

The Goblin City was protected by a Labyrinth so vast, none could pass it. It was the main line of defense, and no mere mortal could possibly solve it! So all he had to do was challenge her to beat the Labyrinth, and when she failed, offer her brother's freedom in return for her. Simple, right? Wrong.

She beat it. By some trickery, she managed to beat it. And when he finally humbled and asked her point-blank to marry him; she refused. By the rules of what they had agreed to, she now had to return home. So he sent her.

Nothing could help him. Not even watching her through his crystals. Every time she showed affection -no matter how small- to anyone; his heart broke again. She looked so happy…without him.

No! He was still king, was he not? He would get her, even if he had to wait forever! "After all!" he laughed. "It's only forever; not long at all!"

He would get her back. If not today, then tomorrow. Or the day after. Or the day after. "One day, Sarah." he smiled at the image reflected in his crystal. "One day……"

A/N: So, what did you think? Please leave a contribution in the little review box!