Disclaimer: You know who owns it! I just am manipulating it to my own means. ;)

Lover of Crossovers- Thank you once again for your review! Yes, perhaps that may be the case. You just never know though, now do you? I myself am curious to where this will lead. ;)

WhiteInfinity21: Thank you very much for reading this story. Yet, even more so for also reviewing and further inspiring to try all the more.

Authors Note: I am establishing a beta for this story, so do forgive me right now if there are mistakes. If you see them, please tell me! I appreciate helpful criticism but flames are unnecessary. Thank you!

Chapter Three: Thirteen Hours

Sarah felt a hard rough surface under her body. Groaning she slowly placed her hands beneath her to push herself up into a sitting position.

"Ugh, like a ton of bric-..Oh right." She realized her backpack wasn't exactly helping the matter, sighing she rubbed the side of her face where the imprint of the stone floor aggravated her skin. Small pieces of crumbled rock and dust fell back to the floor. Frustrated she shoved her hair out of her face, her hair was definitely irritating her. Sitting indian style she decided right then and there to put her hair up in a messy bun and take in her surroundings.

When those caramel eyes actually looked up for the first time-she gasped. It was a disaster, the many sets of stone stairs were either floating or in a crumbled mass of heap around her. It looked like a battle field to her. As she slowly rose to stand the small pebbles of rubble crunched and scraped under her feet. Cautiously she took a few steps forward to look around while brushing herself off.

Slowly turning in place Sarah saw the thirteen hour clock, the clothing he had worn in those final moments were in a heap under a staircase; and sitting perched above that was Jareth in his owl form. He had been watching her this entire time with a cocked head and narrowed eyes.

Sarah felt herself jump a little but she did her best to square her chin, grit her teeth, and not be manipulated this time.

'At least this time there are no fancy changes of clothing, crystal ball twirling, and glitter poofing, Jareth," Sarah almost laughed out loud at that, but a suddenshuffle of noise made her sober. It sounded as if someone stubbed their foot. A large shadow emerged slowly from around a column and slowly became smaller in size and a very familiar face came around the edge.
~*~

"Dag nab it! Blasted rocks!" Hoggle growled as he limped in pain, his bushy brows furrowed; and lips twisted into a deep scowl. Swearing under his breath he looked up at Sarah and his brows shot up, "Sarah!"

Hoggle rushed forward and paused, cheeks tingeing with red, grumbling and clearing his throat until he noticed the owl and his grumbling turned into a growl of anger and embarrassment. He could already hear him mocking him, 'Come, come, hogwart. Losing your head over a girl?'

"Hoggle!" Sarah wasted no time in getting onto her knees and throwing her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. It was the first time since their celebration that she had seen him. It was the first time she felt herself almost feel like a piece of her was put back.

"Sarah, how did-" he rasped out trying to shove her off but Sarah motioned him to wait a moment and ignored his embarrassment.

"Hoggle, why didn't you come back?" Sarah whispered softly, trying to hide the hurt. Her eyes betrayed the emotion.

"We couldn't, Sarah. Honestly. Prob'ly due to you winnin'," he took a breath and continued, "The Labyrinth has been very dark. Not like it used to be. Growin' wild. Weird creatures. There's a dark force surroundin' this place." He looked at Jareth, as he motioned around the room. "It's been like this ever since."

Sarah leaned back onto her haunches and remained at the same level as Hoggle and Jareth's wings expanded out before falling back to his feathery sides, 'Indeed..', Jareth's voice echoed. Here in the underground Jareth was afforded enough power to manipulate.

Hoggle jumped before he grunted a soft noise that sounded like "Ugh" when he was disgusted. This whole business was no good. Whatever Jareth was up to it was either serious or no good; and on the rare occasion it was both. This time though, he knew it was both. The Labyrinth was in trouble and so were all of its inhabitants. He knew that Sarah won; he heard the stories from other Labyrinthians that she was the Champion but he did not know what this entailed.

Sarah looked up and him and slowly stood first addressing Hoggle, "Hoggle, he said something to me about being a Champion and that I had to set things straight in order for him to be King again." She seemed very pensive and Jareth, no longer able to stand it- set things in motion.

'Sarah, to fix what you have done- you must undo. You must right every wrong you have committed as you traversed my kingdom. I cannot return to my human form, I am trapped. It is said in lore that should a Champion refuse and not wish to be consumed into a hollow pit of empty despair- they would reestablish the power to its rightful leader.' The soft dulcet tones trailed off, hanging in the air.

As Jareth spoke Sarah had placed her thumb nail in between her teeth and was lightly bighting on it. She was trying to figure out everything this entailed. She knew that somehow she may not ever be able to return to the aboveground but what if she didn't want to? 'Would they miss her? Would they care? Obviously not. Maybe Toby would? What if this was where she belonged? But what if Jareth threw her in a dungeon prison cell for leaving the world this way? How was she to know?' So many unanswered questions raced through her mind. This time she would play her cards well and play strategically just like a chess game.

Sarah had finally allowed herself to let go of her petulant nature and to truly embrace herself for the young intelligent woman she was always known to be. She mulled over Jareth. He was definitely a huge factor in her heart, but this was yet to be truly known to herself. Her greatest anxiety was if this fae could ever forgive her. After all, she did destroy him and the world he resided in.

Noticing the silence she looked down and away from him, "What do I have to do?"

If Jareth could smirk he would, not only did he have her indefinitely at that- he knew that he would not make this easy. No one ever had turned him down like she had; no one had ever stood up to him so defiantly. Defiance has a price as Sarah would find out. A ghost of a memory skimmed across his mind, * I can be cruel..* He had once told her. He damned well meant that! Even if this beautiful young girl may or may not have had his attention, it did not excuse her.

'You have thirteen hours in which to reverse the Labyrinth before all is lost. You are now here and the Labyrinth acknowledges this, however, whatever dark force that has taken over and is consuming my kingdom is none to kind. Right all your wrongs and as each task is completed you will be compelled to phrase an honest and true statement of apology. You must will this to me each time, and return my powers to me.'

Jareth then took flight, not wasting any more time, dropping one last item of value- his crystal. It was time for his little Champion to prove himself. Perhaps if powers were restored to some extent he could manipulate time for her to truly fix this. After all, he was only in this for himself.

"Damn!" exclaimed Sarah and Hoggle at the same time.

Sarah rubbed her face, "Well, let us not waste any time. Obviously I don't have to do this alone. Bugger him for all the dramatics too!" She leaned down swiping up the crystal orb and turned to Hoggle, "Will you help me, Hoggle?"

Hoggle stood up as straight as possible, fidgeting, and even though he was a coward- Sarah was his friend. He nodded to her and said but only one word gruffly, "Friends."

Sarah almost choked on a relieved sob and hugged him to her again as he blushed grunted and growled, trying to maintain his dignity.

She turned to the crystal and slowly a scene formed, it was the Escher room that now lay in ruins. "This is going to be a long thirteen hours…"