Chapter 2: Reunion

Sarah's world fell down around her. "Jareth. . ." she sad it again in wonder, enjoying the sizzle that ran up her spine as the syllables rolled from her mouth. Suddenly from behind, a leather glove clasped her shoulder, "are you calling me Sarah?" his smug yet sensual voice caressed. She froze.

"You're not real. . . "

The glove ran up the curve of her neck "aren't I"

"You can't be. . . " involuntarily she rubbed into the glove feeling it cool and warm all at once.

"look at me Sarah" She slowly turned, every molecule in her being electrified. She barely had time to take in the stunning blue eyes and blonde main, "if I weren't real could I do this?" and suddenly Sarah Williams thought she was going to pass out, caught in the slight tugging caress of the Goblin King's kiss.

Her arms seemed to be automatically drawn around his neck, her fingers pushing into his think blonde locks. Breathlessly panting, he pulled away victoriously, a smug sneer of satisfaction playing on his all too perfect lips. He kept one hand around her wrist as the other purposefully wiped his mouth. Stretching out his pale neck in a circular motion, Jareth the Goblin King sighed satisfactorily, looking down at his mortal.

Sarah gasped for air. She was going to die. She was going to die right here in her room from acute asphyxiation, lost in the Goblin King's arms. With only his hand for support, she gazed up, flushed and slightly shaking.

"J. .J. .Jareth. . .?" she finally managed.

"mmmm. . .hmmmm" He seemed to move with reptilian grace, examining her from only a few inches above.

"But I defeated you. . ."

"Ah. . so you do remember then."

"yes. . .no. . . I mean your not real" she said it with more conviction this time

"Sarah. . ." he reprimanded in the smug way only he could "If you're trying to seduce me, you needn't bother. I've wanted this for ages."

The Goblin King nibbled a slow line up her sternum, proceeding all the way to her ear. Sarah could feel his warm moist breath condense on that sensitive spot beneath her lobe. She was drowning. Then, like a sudden bucket of ice water to the system (okay, maybe lukewarm water, she was defiantly still a little toasty) reality set in and Sarah Williams knew it hadn't been a dream. Shakingly if not a little reluctantly she wrenched herself from his silk clad arms.

"it wasn't a dream. . ." sickness collected in her stomach

"Nope" he accentuated the end of the word so it came out in two syllables, "No-pah"

"and I. . . really wished Toby away"

"give the girl a prize. . . "

"and that means you're really. . ."

". . .the Goblin King returned from the Underground years after being defeated by an ungrateful little girl to take said grown up little girl back to his kingdom to be his Queen"

"huh?"

"Sarah. . ." Jareth rolled his mismatched eyes "come now, lets not be coy, I know you want this"

"huh?" He slid his arms more firmly around her, pulling her lips tinglingly close to his.

"You want me Sarah, why else would you call me?"

"I didn't call you!" snapping back to herself she jerked from the king's grip

"Ah! There's some of the old fire I remember! I was afraid puberty had made you soft. . . in more ways than one. . . ", he was almost purring now.

"What the hell is wrong with you!", Sarah filled with rage. Who was this man, Goblin King or not, who was he to come into her room, reveal to her truths so terrible she had intentionally blocked them out of her mind, and then say she had called him there to do so! It was insane!

"Sarah, please. You will not find the same man you left behind in the Underground. Though I admit I want you I will NEVER again beg," he pulled her to him once more " but you will. . .", he licked his pointed teeth sensually, eyes seemingly transfixed on her full lips. This time Sarah flung herself completely across the room. Wiping her mouth she spat defiantly onto his royal boots.

" I will never beg for anything from you"

"we shall see" that smug look of calm all-knowing dominance came over his face once more. It was a look Sarah could never quite understand.

"UHG! " she thought, "why does he always look so damn calm whenever my world is falling apart!"

With surprising tenderness the king took her chin lightly between his thumb and forefinger.

"Sarah" he sighed, " I do grow weary of this world. I understand now that you somehow do not remember me and my Labyrinth, which pains me deeply," Sarah was stunned by his forlorn tone and the pained expression of his face as he continued most regretfully, "but let me assure you, you have always been mine. It is time for us to go." He pulled her to him, placing a light kiss on her temple and with one more pleading look into her eyes, materialized a crystal from the ether. A gape mouthed Sarah watched the world spin.