"I've solved the Labyrinth," I said. "And I arrived at your castle before the thirteen hours were up."

"Kathy," Jareth said again. "You asked to be taken away; I brought you. I have reordered time." (The hands on the clock spun backwards and kept going). "I have turned the world upside-down, and I have done it all for you! I'm exhausted. Isn't that generous?"

Yes, I was forced to admit. It was generous, but only to a point.

"You gave me the poisoned peach," I reminded him.

"I did, but did it hurt you?"

"No… I guess it didn't. But that was still a dirty trick."

"Nothing in life is fair, Kathy. That's just the way things are, but…." He handed me my book, open to one of the last pages. "The words you want are there."

I looked at them.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great..."

He held out another crystal to me. "Think about what I am offering you."

"You have no power over me."

I looked up at him and closed the book. I could say the words if I wanted to. They were clear in my head; I could still hear them.

"I ask for so little. Just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want. Just fear me, love me, do as I say… and I will be your slave." He stepped closer to me, forcing me to meet his gaze.

He had beautiful eyes. Blue, but one was slightly darker than the other. I couldn't read them, though. I've never understood how people were able to talk about being able to see exactly what people were thinking about just by looking at their eyes.

"Isn't there a paradox in there?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light, but it fell about halfway through the sentence.

He gave his head an almost imperceptible shake. "Kathy…."

My thoughts whirled like the hands on the clock. I wouldn't exactly say that my life flashed before my eyes because when people say that, they usually end it by saying, "God, it was great!"

"You," I said to the Goblin King, "Are incredibly selfish, and you have a very cruel sense of humor, but… you never hurt me, even though you had ample opportunity to several times. That must mean something."

My hand reached out and took the crystal from him.

All at once I was bathed in a warm rosy light, and the crystal itself disappeared. I shut my eyes, and when I opened them I was once again in the red dress with my hair pinned up and dripping rosebuds. We were not standing in the suspended place or in the dizzying staircase room but in front of a window that overlooked the Labyrinth. I struck the wall with the back of my hand, and when it did not shatter, I turned back to Jareth, smiling.

"Just making sure," I said.

"You don't trust me?" He asked, sounding a little offended.

"Well, in a place where nothing is what it seems, it pays to be careful." I leaned in and gave him a kiss. "But not too careful."