The next morning Sarah awoke and looked around for Jareth straight away. He wasn't there.
Did I dream all of that last night? She thought.
Sarah got out of bed and searched for any sign of Jareth's presence. She got increasingly frantic, running round the house shouting his name.
It's a good job Dad, Karen and Toby have already left.
Once Sarah had checked the whole house, she came back to her room and flopped back onto her bed gloomily. She thought she had finally got Jareth back! It had felt so real; it couldn't have been a dream, it just couldn't. Sarah had experienced similar dreams about Jareth in the past, but he had always seemed distant, never close enough to reach. Last night was entirely different. Sarah could remember the heat of his breath, the strength of his embrace and those odd, piercing eyes.
Sarah squeezed her eyes shut in despair, and then she thought she could hear Jareth's laugh.
"Oh, excellent, I'm now hallucinating" Sarah mumbled grumpily to herself.
The haughty chuckling grew louder. Sarah's eyes snapped open and she shot up. She turned her head and there Jareth stood proud as ever, with an amused smirk on his attractive face. He had got changed and was now wearing a red shirt, with a black chest plate. He paired this with tight black trousers and pointed boots.
"Dear dear, Sarah, I only left for half an hour. Can you not cope without me precious?" Jareth asked in his usual condescending manner.
Sarah was far too elated to retort to his remark, so she simply flung herself into his arms. Jareth stumbled back, a little stunned. He then reacted and wrapped his arms around her. Sarah buried her face into the nape of his neck.
"My apologies if I worried you" said Jareth, in a more serious tone.
"I thought I dreamt everything" Sarah said, with tears brimming in her eyes.
"No, it was very much real" purred Jareth, in an attempt to comfort Sarah.
Sarah stepped back and wiped at her eyes, embarrassed at looking so clingy and desperate. Jareth found her obvious humiliation endearing, but he figured he would just insult her if he mentioned it.
"Where did you go?" inquired Sarah.
"Back to the Underground, to make sure everything was as it should be" replied Jareth
"So, you can't leave for very long at a time then?"
"Unfortunately not"
"Oh" Sarah said, a small frown forming on her face.
"What are you getting at Sarah?" asked Jareth, wanting to get straight to the point.
"I…I was just thinking… If you could… Live here? Choose the Aboveground? Choose me?" Sarah stuttered, very nervous.
"Oh, Sarah. I would love to stay with you, but I can't. I am the Goblin King, and I have a duty to my goblins and to the Labyrinth. This isn't my world. As much as I love…"
Sarah's eyes widened at what Jareth was about to say. He quickly realised his slip up and continued
"I mean, as much as I care about you, I could never do something that selfish. I'm sorry Sarah." His eyes bore into Sarah's, full of regret.
"D..Don't be sorry Jareth" said Sarah "I'm the one being selfish. You're right, I can't ask you to give up your kingdom. So I'll come with you"
Jareth inhaled sharply. Sarah noticed him looking doubtful, and squeezed his arm in assurance.
"I mean it Jareth, I won't lose you again" she said firmly.
Jareth was completely speechless. He couldn't believe his ears.
"What about your life here?" Jareth whispered roughly.
Sarah laughed humourlessly "What life? You've been watching me, Jareth. I haven't been complete since I left you"
"And your family?" pressed Jareth. He wanted to make sure she was absolutely sure. This seemed to have struck a nerve in Sarah.
"They'll cope. Dad and Karen don't really care anymore, they want to get rid of me. And Toby, well… I'll miss him" Sarah admitted.
"You won't change my mind" she added.
Jareth was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn't form a sentence again. Instead, he kissed Sarah zealously. He squeezed his eyes shut and kissed her again and again all over Sarah's face.
She giggled at his attentiveness and he joined her laughter. He picked her up and spun her round and round, overcome with joy. He got the girl. As they were both getting dizzy Jareth put Sarah down gently and kissed her tenderly, holding her chin.
"Oh, you precious thing" he muttered contentedly.
"So… When can I come?" Sarah asked.
"Today!" Jareth cried excitedly.
"Can I say goodbye to my family first?" requested Sarah timidly.
Jareth's light-heartedness came to an abrupt halt.
"Of course you can" he said softly. Jareth stroked Sarah's cheek adoringly, and she leant into his touch.
Jareth spoke up again "Why don't I go back to the Underground and make the nessacary arrangements and come back for you tonight?"
Sarah smiled appreciatively and nodded. Sarah stretched up and kissed Jareth's lips softly. Once they broke contact he smiled at her and turned round to leave out of the window.
"Oh and don't worry about packing! I'll take care of it" Jareth shouted, before transforming and flying away.
Sarah sat down on her bed, and hugged herself. She was thrilled at the prospect of spending her life with Jareth in the Underground; but she had no idea how to say goodbye to Toby.
Sarah took a shower and then got dressed into a pair of jeans and a simple white t-shirt.
"What should I do with my last day?" Sarah wondered out loud.
She slipped her converse on and decided to go to the park. It was the place that her fascination with the Labyrinth began. Once she arrived, she strolled past the lake and sat down by the spot where she rehearsed all her plays (particularly the Labyrinth).
Sarah basked in the sun for a good hour, wondering if the sun would be the same down there. She then went to get some doughnuts for breakfast. She knew it wasn't a particularly healthy choice, but that didn't really matter to her.
Who knows if they have doughnuts? Said Sarah in her head. Once she finished her delicious breakfast she walked around her hometown, saying goodbye to all the places that were significant to her.
She got home at dusk, just after Toby got back from school. Sarah saw his school bag and trainers by the front door.
"Toby?" Sarah called out, her voice breaking.
How am I going to get through this?! Her conscious screamed.
"Yeah, Sarah?" Toby replied, coming in to the hallway.
"Hey, you" said Sarah softly.
"Hey. Wanna come play Xbox?" asked Toby.
Sarah laughed and agreed.
It got to night time and Toby, Sarah's dad and Karen were all asleep. Sarah was waiting in her room for Jareth, when she heard a knock at the window. Jareth was waiting, smirking happily at Sarah.
Sarah let him in and kissed him desperately, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jareth chuckled at her eagerness but then became concerned. He pulled back and said
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah. I found today harder than I expected"
"They won't remember anything once your gone Sarah" said Jareth, not sure if that helped. "If you've changed your mind I completely understand Sarah, this is a lot to ask."
"I haven't changed my mind, I promise" said Sarah.
Jareth just nodded in response. He took her by the hand and led her to Toby's room. Sarah went in and kissed him softly on the forehead. A tear spilled out of her eye and splashed into his hair.
Jareth winced, hating that she was hurting because of him. Sarah took one final look at Toby and walked out of the room. Jareth held out his hand to Sarah, and she knew that this was it. Hesitating for just a moment, she grabbed his hand and they suddenly appeared in his throne room in the Underground.
Sarah held back a sob. She would never see Toby again.
Jareth was crestfallen. He hadn't realised how hard this was for her. He thought she was miserable already, and that she lamented her decision to come.
He showed Sarah to her room which was filled with her possessions from the Aboveground already. He knew that she would benefit from being alone, so he kissed her on the forehead and murmured "goodnight"
Sarah was too tired and too emotionally spent to take in her surroundings properly, so she just went to the huge bed in the centre of the room and fell straight to sleep.
