Sarah led Jareth to the living room and sat on the sofa, leaving plenty of room for him to sit on the opposite end, but hoped he'd choose a different piece of furniture altogether. She hoped he would take the hint and just leave, though.

Jareth smiled at her and thought it best to at least try to sit near her, but with ample space between them. He opted to sit on the opposite side of the couch from her.

"Sarah, let me explain my words from earlier tonight," he began.

She merely looked in his direction before nodding her head allowing him to continue.

"Tonight, I was out of my element, caught off guard, and was asked a very personal question by my two cousins. As you are human you understand the natural instinct reaction of fight or flight, do you not?" Jareth asked allowing Sarah's silence to mean she did before he continued. "I love my cousins but I could not answer them truthfully."

"Truthfully? I think you were quite clear on your feelings."

"Let me finish."

"I don't understand the point of this. You have no feelings for me and have declared that I'm beneath you and that you - " Sarah said, but cut off before she could finish her sentence with Jareth's next words.

"Sarah, I love you. I always have," he said, holding her gaze and moving closer to her on the couch.

"What did you say?" she whispered disbelief evident in her tone.

"I love you, Sarah Williams. I have from the time I first laid eyes on you, and wanted to make you my queen when you championed my Labyrinth. You are the only one who is my equal, the only one to can compliment me."

He reached for her hand but she shrank back.

"Then why would you say those horrible things earlier? It makes no sense."

"As I was trying to explain, I was confronted in a place about my feelings for you. The situation I found myself did not present itself in a way I could be completely truthful. I am king and cannot retreat from a confrontation by merely fleeing from it. I have to fight and remain strong before my subjects, even if they are my relatives. Admitting my true feelings would be seen as a weakness, so I was left with nothing to say but to tell them what I should be feeling."

"I still don't understand, Jareth," she looked in his eyes, pleading to understand and hoping what he was now sharing was the truth.

"Let me try to explain by apologizing. I made a mistake tonight when I lied about my feelings for you. For that, I am sorry."

Jareth reached for her hand and when she did not pull back, he kissed the back of it gently. Her heart was beating loudly. Hearing his supposed honest confession and being so close to him was near overwhelming for her. Sarah looked in his eyes, and let her defenses down.

"If what you say is true, then I have something to tell you," she said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I have thought of you every day since I left your kingdom and hoped you would give me a chance to be a part of your life. Just a chance. I can't say for certain of anything right now, but I know I don't want to spend a day where you aren't a part of it."

"Then, I suggest we try. Start small and see what happens," he leaned in and chastely kissed her lips.

He pulled back looking for an answer in her eyes. In them he could see her battling with her feelings, knowing she returned his feelings but unsure of his intentions.

"Take a chance, Sarah dear. No strings attached, just let us get to know each other until you are certain. I will spend as much or as little time with you as you need. You can come and go as you please to my kingdom to learn of the land and meet my subjects."

Silence filled the room as she contemplated giving him a chance, she didn't hear the footsteps from her roommates as they rounded the corner.

"We can't stand it any longer, Sarah. Just say yes!" Charlene cried.

Melissa laughed and added, "C'mon. We both know you love each other; you have to say you will, Sarah! We promise Jareth isn't all that bad!"

Jareth turned to the two other fae in the room and glared.

"Jareth, sorry, we received the message from you to stay in our rooms, but we were too curious and had to come and listen in," Melissa said.

He shook his head and turned to Charlene, "Go get me something to drink. It's been a long night and with you both here it feels like it is getting longer"

"Fine, let's go Melissa. But don't get too comfortable, you two. We'll be back."

Sarah and Jareth sat silently while his cousins left the room before he continued talking.

"Would it be so bad to give me and us a chance?"

Shaking her head, Sarah answered, "No it wouldn't be. But what if -"

"No 'what if' talk tonight. Just you and me talking about right now. Will you, Sarah, allow me to court you and prove to you that I am an honorable man as I strive to live up to what you expect of me?"

"Yes, if you will let me also try to live up to your expectations of me."

With that Jareth stood up from the couch and pulled her up to her feet. His arms wrapped around her waist and she rested her hands on his chest, as if they were naturally pulled there. He leaned down and kissed her, this time a little less chaste. Lost in the moment, neither noticed the clock chiming midnight until her roommates entered with champagne in hand and four glasses to share the bottle in.

"Happy New Year, you two! Now come over and get your glasses as we toast to the new year," Melissa light heartedly said.

Hand in hand the two joined the cousins in front of the window overlooking the street and the park.

Charlene started the toast by raising her glass and saying, "To family."

"And friends!" Melissa continued grinning widely.

Sarah smiled at the two well meaning roommates, "To taking a chance."

"To a new beginning," the King of the Goblins added.

The four drank to the toast as they welcomed in the new year enjoying the moment as they looked forward to the promising future between the girl and the king.