After his ultimatum, the Goblin King burst into a dark cloud of glitter. He left the Labyrinth's Champion seated in her office chair. Her whole torso was trembling, as if a little earthquake was hitting every muscle in her body. Her green eyes were glazed over and the edges were rimmed with glistening tears, her pink lips opened in a silent scream. After several minutes she managed to recover enough to glance at the clock seated atop the bookshelf. Its analog hands ticked to eleven twenty, she had plenty of time. Time to wonder about her last intellectual tango with Jareth.

Sarah's time in the Labyrinth was not something she dwelled on often. It was a silent predator that stalked the outer recesses in her mind, waiting for a moment of weakness so it could sink its unforgiving teeth into her conscious mind. On the occasions that she did let her guard down, she could not quite decide if it had been a paranoid delusion, like the select few she mentioned it to had assumed. And then there was that other option, the option that would alter the very way she viewed reality. A whole other world, existing parallel to her own- Well! Wouldn't that be the scientific marvel of the last 10,000 years! That, and "the wheel" of course! This was the most dangerous view she could take on the Labyrinth. Who would believe? And even if they did- what should she feel? There she could see him in her mind's eye. He had always been villainous in her dreams, harboring a secret love for her. But that was the point in her sixteen year old head! It was his secret- and he betrayed her by revealing his real feelings. It wasn't for a crush that he made that offer for. It was something deep and soul crushing, it was all there in his eyes. He had used it against her this morning… that look in his eyes…

And then he had challenged her. Jareth must have known her pride was just as poignant as his. She could feel it rise into her throat, like a dormant snake having been poked, now ready to strike. It had lashed out against him and she slapped Matt in his face. Matt. That was the rub. The fact that Jareth the proud, egotistical, malicious Goblin King knew about Matt- had the ability to harm him at any time… it set her heart beating. It was still happening, her heart was ready to pound a giant whole in her chest like the jackhammer it was. She didn't know what to think. On one hand it would be beneficial to the fae prince to go right on ahead and eliminate the competition, and on the other… that would be defeat. If he allowed Matt to live and she chose Jareth, then he had truly one. He could claim sovereignty over her heart, but first he'd have to endure the thought of her with that putrid boy.

XXX

It was exactly these thoughts that occupied Jareth's mind. He could see her in his arms. Night after night, falling asleep next to his warm breathing, day after day waking up to his face, it was infuriating. He was royalty! Sarah was just some excuse for a peasant, albeit a beautiful and exotic one. She could have anything she wanted, provided she love him.

Can't she see I love her? That I'd do anything to have her here? Her heart and mine- beating to the same exultant rhythm? His eyes became glossy at the thought, and a sad smile crept around the edges of his mouth.

It doesn't matter. I'll have her, come hell or high water. I'll have her in my arms, if I have to pry her sobbing from his cold bloodless corpse!

But she'd never forgive you, an unfamiliar inner voice answered back.

Great. Now he was arguing with himself over the well being of some pathetic human male. Sarah had indeed brought him low, practically at the bottom of all his five-thousand years.

Once I've hit bottom, there's nowhere to go, but up. A sharp laugh strangled out of his mouth at that, and the clock hit thirteen. It was sundown Aboveground, and a certain shapely girl would be awaiting him.

XXX

Sarah had spent the remainder of the day, after she had willed herself out of the chair, trying to outwit the Goblin King. If she knew anything about him time was his favorite tool. He could give, take, and freeze it at a moments' notice. If there was any challenge to be had over the course of the night- she knew she had better be prepared for a fortnight. She had scurried up the steps and flew through her routine of dressing. She then proceeded to pack a neat little satchel of extra clothes. She was being silly, and she knew it. But the man ran around small children's homes wearing nut-huggers- he wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, either. After packing, she tried her best to calm her nerves- more tea, a little light reading, and she even managed to crank out a chapter on her new book. It was drawing close to three when she thought of a nap. A little sleep would do her good, and so exhausted from her trying morning, Sarah fell into a grateful stupor.

"Wake up!"

"Oof!"

Sarah felt a sharp pinch in her side. Her eyes flashed open, swimming in and out of focus as she did so. She gazed up at a leering blonde man sitting on her mattress. A gasp tore out of her throat.

"What time-"

"Time. The time we agreed upon, and you could not even manage to give yourself a fighting chance at this challenge. I should just kidnap you now, since you don't seem to care at all about our agreement. Sarah, I did tell you not to keep me waiting…" His voice trailed off, an unspoken threat hovering about them. "But I'm feeling exceedingly lenient with you. I'll give you another chance, if you grant me my request."

"What do you want, Jareth?"

"A kiss."

"And what would you want that for?" She rolled her eyes.

"What does it matter? I want a kiss. And you will give it to me. You violated our agreement and it's only fair that I get something in return. I want you to kiss me like you kiss him. And then some. I want you to make me believe. Thrill me, Sarah."

He put his mouth next to her ear. "Set me on fire."

Her eyes flashed up to his and she jerked away, "I can't begin to imagine what you mean by that. But there'll be no other penalty? You won't take time from the challenge, or- or- anything else tricky and diabolical?"

"Just this one price, and your tardiness will be overlooked… In fact, feel free to be late next time too."

She threw the cover off the bed and moved toward her dresser, in search of a brush for her mussed hair. She sent him an apprehensive glance in her mirror as he moved to lay outstretched across her bed, ankles crossed, hands folded behind his head. She brushed through the tangled locks was stalling, still reeling from the rude awakening.

"Can't you see us like this every night, Sarah?" Another glare was sent his way.

"I'm waiting…" He called.

She turned around and leaned back against the sleek dark wood of the dresser. She opened her mouth to make a rebuttal, but suddenly he wasn't laying on the bed, but a mere ten inches from her. Her eyes widened in apprehension.

"I want my kiss…Now."

She nodded shakily. He was a stranger, a brief acquaintance from ten years ago. And now he wanted her to kiss him. This was absurd!

He started to close the distance between them when she made no movement forward.

"Alright! Alright!"

She stepped in closer, their bodies half an inch apart. It felt like an electric current was surging between the two of them. She reached up her arms around his shoulders, and drew her lips up to his. They brushed his lightly, shyly and she noted that they tasted like summer rain. She leaned forward more, and then drew back.

"If that's how you kiss him, I'm surprised he hasn't left you yet. You know how to kiss me, Sarah. You know how to make me burn. Do it. Or you'll be forced to deal with the… less pleasant side of defying the Goblin King."

"Intimidating me doesn't really give me incentive to kiss you."

"Poor baby."

"Perhaps if you gave me a hand…" She couldn't believe she said it. It read in her eyes and he reveled in her shock.

"With pleasure."

His hands shot out and encircled her waist. He drew her up close to him, her heat thrilling his senses. His lips curved into a smirk as she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. He bent his head, and her heart raced as he drew even closer to her. Those elegant hands came to tangle in her thick tresses, as their lips met. He urged her head back and kissed her deeper, making her drink in the stormy taste of him. His tongue ran along the bottom of her mouth, compelling her to open to him. She hesitated, and he moved his hand to pinch her derriere. She opened for him then and he deepened the kiss, like a man starved. His pulse kicked into high gear. This is SARAH. My Sarah! His body exulted. She moaned, a gentle sound of enjoyment. Sarah proceeded to tangle her hands in his hair. No thought to who he was or who she was, she just wanted this kiss to never end. And then, reluctantly, they were drawn back to the surface when he broke the kiss. He didn't want to frighten her away with too much intensity, just leave her with a taste of what could be. She sighed when he broke away from her. His eyes opened wide, glittering with triumph. She blushed and looked away as they moved back from one another.

"Now, was that so hard?" He laughed.

"You've gotten your payment. Now, can we get on with this so I can get back to sleep."

"Anything for you, darling."

Author's Note:

This is an in between chapter. If things go right, I'll upload the real chapter tomorrow. Hopefully someone is still reading this after two weeks. Thank you to the people who reviewed. :)