Of all the thirty-six alternatives, running away is best. And that was precisely what Sarah did. She ran, faster than her dainty feet could carry her. Tears of frustration scattered behind her, as she sprinted outside the harsh walls of the castle, beyond the Goblin City. The goblins of the Labyrinth all snoozed as she dashed through their town, whimpering loudly as she did so. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't care. Even Baba the Witch would have been a pleasant alternative to the shame she had just endured. As she sprinted through the forest, she briefly pondered returning the old hag's cottage, just to give her something new to agonize over. But, using the only sense she had left, she decided against it, and continued to run in a different direction.

Five minutes later, she fell tired, entering a small bewitched garden, surrounded by all kinds of delicate plant-life, from bluebells to buttercups. A seductive bouquet of night blooming jasmine raced through the air, encircling the tiny garden faeries in a redolent breeze. The sprites frolicked and serenaded each other, flittering from flower to flower, collecting small beads of pollen. Colours of gold and violet danced amongst the trees, reflecting from the dazzling full moon. But nothing was more prominent than the great fountain that stood arrogantly in the centre of it all. The cool stream of water leapt from rock to rock, finally reaching its destiny that was the grand water feature. Peering, into the fountain, Sarah felt her soul tremble into ocean of hopes and fears. The more the water spurted, the more spirited she felt, until finally, the water became still, and so did she. An array of calmness swept over the core of her body, and she felt sober again.

"Its quite picturesque out here, isn't it?" beckoned a man's voice, completely intruding on the first piece of tranquillity Sarah had felt since she'd returned to the Labyrinth.

Spinning herself to face the trespasser, she became disheartened to find the well-meaning, yet bothersome, man in front of her.

"Hello, Tom." she pronounced, half-heartedly.

"I don't mean to impose, but I followed you to make sure you were okay. Look, Helena didn't mean to cause any trouble. It was just an honest mistake. Let's not ruin this evening, shall we? Come back into the ball, and go and talk to her. She'll understand. I know she will!" Tom spoke calmly, keeping his distance as if Sarah were a mental patient who needed restraining.

"Of course she'll understand. Because she's perfect, isn't she? Perfect, beautiful, Helena who can do nothing wrong." she wept.

"You're being very unreasonable, Sarah. Who would have though such a attractive young woman would speak so uncouthly? Jareth warned me about your stubbornness, but I didn't realise you…"

"Oh, he did. Did he?" Sarah interrupted, "…and what else did Jareth tell you?"

"That is beside the point! You behaved like a child tonight, and Jareth was absolutely right. You are stubborn and selfish, and you clearly don't belong in our world. You've already upset half the aristocracy of the Underground, and you've only been here one night. So, just imagine the damage you would cause if…"

"That's quite enough, Tom!" commanded Jareth sharply, who had swiftly appeared out of the blue. He stood beside the fountain with a serious expression, which appeared even more exaggerated by the moonlight. "I would like to talk to Sarah if you wouldn't mind."

Tom nodded reluctantly, and traipsed out of the garden, offended by Jareth's sudden disruption. When they were finally alone, the Goblin King moved closer toward Sarah, who didn't even have the courage to look at him. She knew, in her own mind, that she was being unreasonable, but she was allowed to be wasn't she? The ball was her wish, and it had turned out to be a disaster.

"Sarah, when you asked me for a glorious masquerade ball, you never stated exactly what it was that you wanted. If you had wanted no other beautiful women present, you should have said. If you had wanted the buffet table away from the dance floor so there would be no…accidents, you should have said." Jareth paused for a moment, before lifting her chin up to face him. "And if you had wanted me to be your date, then you should have said."

Sarah's breathing became quick and unsteady.

"Who said I wanted you to be my date?" she whispered, weakly, between sobs.

"Well, you didn't. That's for certain. But if you had have said it, I can imagine you wouldn't be weeping in the midst of a faery garden at twilight, but instead you would have been enjoying yourself in my fine company. I'm not a fool, Sarah. Why else would you be envious of Helena? She was more than gracious toward you. And why else would you have taken no interest in Tom, the delightful date that I picked out for you?"

She didn't know what else to say. She knew he was right, but she didn't know why she wanted Jareth to be her date. Why would she be so captivated by a man who stole her baby brother from her when she was only a child herself?

She saw that he was looking directly into her eyes, waiting for her to explain herself to him. Her heart throbbed faster than she had ever felt it beat; so fast, she thought it was going to burst into an explosion of broken ashes. For reasons unknown, his mismatched eyes entranced her. They told so many forgotten stories and shattered dreams. There was something forbidden about him that Sarah craved, something tainted that made her yearn for his essence.

Not a word had been put forth for what seemed like a lifetime, until Sarah decided to be bolder than she had ever been before.

"Kiss me, Jareth." she said.

For the first time, Jareth gave the impression of being rather afraid, and he stepped back to take in what he had just heard.

"What?" he asked, coyly, astounded by her forwardness.

"My third wish. I wish that you would kiss me."

Jareth gazed fervently at the girl, like she was a exotic foreigner he had just met. Timidly, she looked into his eyes, unsure whether he was actually going to fulfil her wish, or not. His expression was a mixture of confusion and anxiety, both of which Sarah had never seen before. Then, in a moment of haste, he moved himself closer toward her; closer and closer until their bodies almost touched. Sarah's entire soul pulsated with excitement, as he slowly removed the glove from his left hand, and swept his bare fingers across her face, all the time looking into her eyes. He lowered his head so that it was align with hers, and he parted his lips. For a moment, they took the time to breathe in each others' essence, the first taste of what was about to happen. His lips hovered over hers, slowly creeping in closer and brushing against her mouth. Her soul melted in his touch, as he gently stroked her lips with his, sending a shiver of passion down her spine. She opened her mouth wider, allowing his tongue to caress her youthful flavour. They explored each others' mouths, tasting and teasing each other. Neither of them wanted to stop. As they got more comfortable with one another, the kiss became more passionate. Jareth pushed her back against the leaves, as she gripped her hands around his head, their hearts and bodies throbbing beside each other. Sarah purred in response to his fiery embrace, like she was finally fulfilling her deepest desire. She wanted it to go on forever, but eventually both of them had to stop for air.. For a while they looked at each other, surprised at what they had just done, before Jareth let go of her and self-righteously smiled to himself.

"Well, I hope that fulfilled your wish?" he interjected, grinning like a school boy who had just had his first kiss.

Sarah paused for a moment. She didn't know exactly how to act. Then she looked at him smiling at her. His expression seemed more genuine than it had before, so she smiled back.

"Yes, it did…Thank you" she said, kindly.

"The ball is still proceeding. Would you like to accompany me?" he offered, holding out his hand.

She thought about his proposal, but decided that she'd had enough excitement for one day, and really need some time to absorb it all.

"No, I've had enough. I think I'll just get some sleep now, if that's okay?"

"Very well. I will escort you to your room."

Once more, Jareth produced a single crystal, and hurled it to the floor. This time, instead of conjuring up a set of stairs, a large silvery cloud introduced itself, hovering just slightly above the ground. Looking at Jareth, Sarah was unsure why he seemed to be signalling for her to step on the misty blanket. It did not look safe. Tutting, he lightly pushed her forward, and once they were both in position, the cloud elevated into the air. In a flash, they sped through the electric heavens, soaring and tumbling through the diamond sky. Below, they watched the entire Labyrinth pass by them, marvelling at the cosmic stretch of meandering walls, evergreen forests and lush waterways. Sarah felt like a shooting star, intoxicated from head to toe.

"I feel as free as a bird!" she cried.

"Free as a bird, you say?" retorted Jareth, with a glint in his eye. Without warning, he stepped to the edge of the cloud and looked back at Sarah. "Do not try this at home." he advertised, and seconds later he leapt from the bank and descended to the ground. Sarah filled with panic. Had the Goblin King just committed suicide, right there, in front of her?

All of a sudden, a piercing shriek invaded the air, followed by a hoot. A snowy white owl swooped, and spiralled around the cloud. It was Jareth! Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, and giggled as she observed the Goblin King soaring alongside her. As a bird, he was just as graceful and beautiful as he was as a man.

The rush made her feel things she couldn't even describe. To be gliding through the atmosphere like a firework, had been a wish she could never have imagined. She was so overwhelmed that she sighed with admiration, and when Jareth converted to his human state and rejoined her, she buried her head into his smooth, warm chest. Pleased, he held her tightly, as the cloud approached the castle window. Carefully, Sarah stepped off the fluffy white pillow and entered her room. Jareth remained on the cloud.

"Thank you for a wonderful journey. It really was amazing!" she exclaimed, to which Jareth just smiled. "Well, goodnight, then."

"Goodnight? Oh, and I here I was hoping you would invite me in!" he mocked, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Don't push it!" she grinned, about to close the curtains.

"Wait…" Jareth reached for something in his sleeve. He drew out a crystal, which magically transformed into a child's teddy bear; Lancelot!

Sarah gaped at the bear, awkwardly.

"Come, Sarah. I know how you have trouble sleeping without this thing."

She knew he was right, so clumsily, she snatched the bear off him.

"Thanks." She chuckled, nervously, admiring the shabby soft toy. "My mother had bought this bear for me as a baby. Apart from a few photos, this bear and my locket are the only things left of her."

"Yes…Well, I should be going now. Sleep well." He urged, before flying away, swiftly, as I f something she said had disturbed him.

Shrugging, she retreated into her bedroom. Within minutes, she had fallen into a deep, wistful slumber.