DISCLAIMER I do not own the original storyline, plot, characters, or music of the 1986 film 'Labyrinth'. All copyrights go to their respective owners.
"You have no power over me." The moment the words escaped Sarah's lips, he lost all of his control and let the crystal he was holding drop. His lungs clung to the last breath he had taken and he embraced the heartache that overpowered his entire being. Jareth, the Goblin King, had been defeated. With a gust of wind, the clothing he had been wearing fell to the floor and magic devoured the room. His once human-like body had now turned into an owl and was no longer in the palace. Instead, Jareth found himself in front of the young girl who had brought upon his troubles. He met her eyes for the last time and flew out of the window.
Although he had the physical ability to fly, his heart was too heavy for him to carry on. Jareth landed on a tree branch that overlooked Sarah's room and watched what the young girl proceeded to do. He couldn't hear what she was saying but after several minutes of watching her, he saw the 'party' unfold. It was too much for him to bear. How could she be celebrating while he suffer a broken heart. 'No,' he thought to himself. 'This is not the end. We will meet again.' Jareth didn't know if his promise would actually follow through but it was enough for him to feel a sense of relief and be able to fly home. As he did so, a confused Sarah watched from her window.
The following morning, Sarah awoke to find her bedroom a complete mess from the night before. If her stepmother, Karen, walked in and saw the disorder, she would be grounded. Before that could happen, Sarah hopped up from her bed and began picking up things as quickly as she possibly could. When she couldn't pick up any more, she dumped the pile on her bed to see what the items were. Most of them were toys and she realized that she no longer needed them. The realization brought her back to the events of last night, more precisely, the trash lady. In trying to get her to forget her brother, the trash lady made her realize that her toys were just that: trash. Now that she was back in her own reality, she had the chance to throw the unneeded items away. Sarah made a pile of the things she was going to throw away and put away the items she wanted to keep. All in all, she kept only a handful of toy items. More specifically, her fiery doll, music box, Hoggle bookend, Sir Didymus and Ludo stuffed animals, and her Jareth figurine. "Jareth," she whispered under her breath. Just saying his name made Sarah's heart ache. She felt guilty about how she had treated him. And the worst part was that she didn't say goodbye.
Later that day, Sarah had a sit down with her stepmother and her father during Toby's nap. When she had asked to talk to them, both had began to fret. Of course, when they had all sat down on the couch, their worry was lifted from their shoulders. Sarah sat across from both of them, her hands in her lap and leaning forward. "Dad, Karen….I had a revelation last night and I've realized that I've been acting like a spoiled brat. I want to apologize. No one except me has the power to change that so that's exactly what I am going to do. Change." She took a deep breath before looking at Karen. "You've never been mean to me. I actually think you're pretty nice." At this point, Karen had put an arm around her stepdaughter and Sarah leaned her head on her shoulder. "I was wondering if I could call you mom…" Without hesitation, the two women embraced. It was the start of a close relationship.
In the Underground, Jareth was slumped over in his throne, his legs on the armrest and his hands folded. The throne room was empty and locked, giving him time to think. In front of him was a crystal in which displayed the events that were going on above him. Sarah's life, to be exact. He watched with understanding as the girl who had beaten his labyrinth was now becoming a better person. The Goblin King smiled slightly but inside, he was screaming. Although he was hurt, he would never let his guard down or cry for a mere mortal. But she wasn't a mere mortal….she was Sarah, and no matter how much he denied it, he would always love her.
Jareth stood from his throne and as he did, the crystal popped like a bubble. He strode to the doors and they opened. The ballroom lay behind them and everything was like it was when Sarah was there. He smiled, but this time he did so with joy at the memories the room held. Although there was shattered glass, it was still a lovely room. With a snap of his fingers, the glass picked itself back up and fixed itself. Jareth snapped again and a very elegant stand formed in the center of the ballroom. He conjured up a crystal that displayed the night that Sarah and he danced. It was the most precious thing he had. With that said, he stepped forward and placed the crystal inside of the stand to be well guarded. He would protect it with his life. It was all he had left of Sarah.
During the course of 15 years, Jareth watched over his precious thing. He was there when she graduated from High School. He was there when she first got her heart broken. He was there when she got her college degree. He was there when she began working as a 2nd grade teacher. Everything she did, he watched her do. Jareth thought of himself as her guardian angel since she didn't see him, but at times he thought that she could sense him… In those few instances, it was as if their two hearts were pounding as one and that they were not so far away from each other. He cherished every one of those moments.
On his part, Jareth changed as well. He wasn't as cold as before, choosing to be more open to change and discussion. When Sarah had left, he even decided to make Hoggle his personal gardener. Well, he didn't actually have a garden at the time but he had one made for when Sarah returned. It was in his plans to woo her to him, marry her, and make her his Goblin Queen. In order to do that, he had to change. That was why he had hired Hoggle as his gardener - although it took a lot of convincing. For Sarah's other friends, he had special accommodations. Sir Didymus and his trusty steed, Ambrosius, were honored and put in charge of a military unit. Ludo was given his own lodgings in the forest with all the berries he could eat (and all the rocks he wanted). Hoggle, preferred to stay as gardener and didn't trust Jareth, much to his disappointment. In private, Jareth had overheard Hoggle refer to him as his 'royal ratness'. Although angry at the disrespect, he didn't do anything for fear of earning more hatred from the one he loved. Yes, he endured several hardships during the 15 years since Sarah had beaten his Labyrinth. Was it worth it?