Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Labyrinth, but only nine months until Christmas so maybe then ;).

Author's Note: I have to admit, this one was a little harder to write than all the others. It's not my favorite but don't give up if you're not a huge fan of this one please! The next chapter is already in the works and has been very fun to write.

"In this age of grand illusion

You walked into my life

Out of my dreams…"

-David Bowie

"…desire urges me on, while fear bridles me…"

-Giordano Bruno

Chapter 7

Before he knew it Jareth was standing in the pastel hell Sarah's father and step-mother called their bedroom, a few of his goblin subjects around him to keep up appearances. He smirked as she recognized who it was standing before her. He was quite impressed as her shock quickly passed, she was a bit frightened of course but more worried over the fate of her little brother than anything else. How very brave she was, defying him so easily. He was a bit surprised she declined him when she was offered her dreams, her head was so often in the clouds he assumed she would jump at the chance to escape her world. Oh well, he thought, this could be fun after all. He knew in her version of things he was meant to be a bit of a villain. Well, it would be a pity to disappoint her.

It seemed she was determined to play this whole thing out. Be my guest, he mused, in thirteen hours this will be all over. Surely in that amount of time she would succumb to him, she was so enamored with the idea of the labyrinth there was no way she would refuse him in the end. She just needed time to play the heroine, in a few hours she would become so frustrated she'd give up and he could get exactly what he wanted. He was a bit thrilled by the whole scenario he had to admit. She was so determined, refusing to show him any sign of fear in her green eyes. In the meantime, it was quite fun to play a villain.

Several hours later…

Things were not going exactly to plan. In all her spoiled complaining about how unfair this all was she was doing far too well. As Jareth watched her through his crystals he was amazed at how far she had gotten. He was beginning to suspect the labyrinth was actually helping her along, and that damned dwarf wasn't making things any better. In all his time as King no one had gotten as far as she had, it was beginning to worry him. He hadn't planned on her actually finishing in time, he may not have the ability to cause her any real harm but that damn dwarf was going to get his in the end.

Despite his worries he could help but be amazed at how she seemed to accept the creatures of his world, he had seen runners nearly lose their sanity at the sight of the goblins. Not his Sarah though, her introduction into his world did not seem to faze her, she seemed completely in her element as she wandered her way through the maze. When her and that dwarf (whatever his name was) found their way out of the oubliette he had had enough of sitting back and watching. He needed to throw a little bit of a challenge her way, perhaps thirteen hours had been a bit generous. How he loved to watch the fire snap in her eyes as she watched the clock's hands move forward. How fun it was to tease her, maybe a visit from the cleaners was in order, it seemed like something her story book Goblin King would do. As he threw the crystal into the darkness he silently cast a spell to create a false wall appear, it should give out just in time…

A few hours after that…

Even with him shaving several hours off her time she was still getting too close to the castle for comfort. On top of that she was beginning to collect the oddest assortment of creatures to help her along. While she seemed to pass through her world without much interest in those around her she seemed determined to make a friend of everyone she met here. While that boded well for the future queen, Jareth thought, it was not helping him much in this situation. Of course, those damn fireys near the bog took things too far, he didn't know why he had agreed to allow them a place inside the kingdom walls. Those creatures were totally unpredictable, if they had harmed a hair on her head that would have been it for them. He'd like to see how much fun they would have in the no man's land between his kingdom and dominion of the daemons.

On the bright side, he had managed to corner that dwarf alone long enough to give him the enchanted peach, he would prefer not to go to extremes but desperate times and all that. Once Sarah took a bite of it she would find herself in the most vivid of dreams, her deepest, most secret desires would be revealed, desires that she wasn't even aware of and then she forget all about Toby. He had to admit, he was dying of curiosity at just what that dream will reveal.

He watched in his crystals as Sarah took the peach from Heggle. Sitting up on the throne, eager to see exactly what was going on in that pretty little head. He smiled slightly as she took a bite, what he saw next nearly floored him. He was at the center of her dream, as the scene played out it became clear. Her young mind was beginning to understand attraction and desire, she feared and longed for something she hadn't quite comes to grips with. Jareth couldn't stop a laugh from escaping him, the poor precious thing, how very confusing that all must be. Well, this was good news, she seemed perfectly content dancing with him in her dreams. With a twist of his hand the orb disappeared, no need to watch anymore, things were going far better now. As he left his office to go check that the goblins were still caring for the baby he couldn't help but hum the tune that played out in Sarah's fantasy, what a lovely song, he smiled, it may be his new favorite.

Unfortunately, his good mood had not lasted for long. He sat alone in his office, hours after Sarah had eluded him yet again. He looked back on the recent events, trying to find out just what went wrong. How had she managed it? Sitting in the ornate chair behind the desk, one hand propping his chin up as he brooded, the only sound in the room was the sound of his other hand drumming on the wooden desk's surface. Nine hundred and eighty-six years, that's how long he had known about the prophecy, and for nine hundred and eighty-six years she had evaded him. Though this game of cat and mouse had been far more enjoyable any of the times before. He still would not let himself think of the last time he had brought her to this world, it was a time he would forever block from entering his thoughts.

Yes, this time had been much different. He had always felt a pull to her, he expected it since they were so intricately connected, but he noticed a change in his feelings as he watched her make her way to his castle. Though he knew it would be best for him if she lost he couldn't stop the feeling of pride every time she overcame an obstacle. She was so clever, so strong, her soul had seemed to have matured and completed itself. He noticed that feeling of connection and admiration was changing as she slowly inched her way to the center of the labyrinth.

He closed his eyes and groaned at how the end had played out. With mere minutes left he became desperate to change her mind about staying. He found himself offering her dreams to her yet again and worst of all he heard himself begging for her love. He buried his head in his hands at the thought, but he had to be honest with himself, it was true. In the last several hours the simple desire to fulfill the ancient prophecy that had motivated and tormented him all these years had changed. He loved her, and that was better motivation than some dusty old book. But she remained steadfast, she recited the lines from her storybook as he watched the time run out. She had already won, her words were pointless but he listened just the same, just to keep her there a bit longer.

A knock at the door interrupted his brooding, "Enter." He said quietly, knowing who was on the other side. The Priest entered slowly, surely the gossip had reached the High Castle, that King Jareth had lost his first runner, but there was no way he could know who it was.

Jareth gave him a quick glance before drawing his attention back to the empty fireplace, it had been in this very room all those centuries ago that he had first heard of a girl named Sarah.

"Did you hear about the runner today?" His voice was surprisingly calm for how he felt.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I'm sure you're disappointed. How can I help you?" Priest had nothing to do with the labyrinth and was at a loss as to why he had been summoned.

"Do you know who the runner was?" He looked to Priest, wondering if he would be able to put it all together.

Priest looked back at the King for several moments before his eyes widened as the thought dawned on him, "No, it couldn't have been!"

"See what your meddling with little red books has done." Though part of him wanted to throttle the older man he kept himself calm, it was all a means to an end.

"I didn't think she'd do such a thing as to wish away a child, Your Majesty, you must believe me."

"Yes, I'm sure you had the best intentions. What's done is done, she beat the labyrinth and is now home, safe in her bed. She refused me Priest."

"Anything I can do to help, Your Majesty, this can be seen as a small set back. She is very young still, perhaps in a few years…" He trailed off, lost to how to remedy the situation. He expected Jareth to once again swear off anything to do with the human.

"Don't worry Priest, I'm not done trying. I wanted to reassure you, I knew you would hear the gossip and put two and two together. I have time to think something up."

Priest smiled at the King, "What was she like, Your Majesty?" Ever since meeting that poor frightened child all those centuries ago he wondered if she would ever recover.

Jareth smiled at the question, "Strong-willed, spoiled, intelligent, kind," he paused, "beautiful." The last word was merely a whisper, his new feelings were rather overwhelming.

"Spoiled, Your Majesty?" That didn't bode well.

The Goblin King chuckled, "Yes, she kept complaining that the whole situation was unfair. As if a child knows about unfairness."

Priest smiled back at the King, "Children, Your Majesty. They can't help it."

"I know, Priest. I do have a question for you though."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"The last lines of that little book of yours, did you write them?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"So you put it in her head that her will was as strong, and her kingdom as great?" He quoted.

"Well, yes I did. The girl in the book defeats the Goblin King, I thought it fitting." Priest was becoming unsure of this line of questioning.

"Did you also put in that little part about me having no power over her?"

"Yes, I did. It's the truth, as an inhabitant of the human world you don't have power over her." Priest was beginning to regret that little book.

"Just curious, don't be alarmed", He smiled at the Priest, "You are dismissed."

Priest bowed to him and left the room. Leaving Jareth alone with his thought once again, she had complained about unfairness. What did she know about unfairness, spending centuries chasing after the same girl time after time, only to fail, now that was unfair. Though, he had to admit, this wasn't the same girl, as before. This girl would never hide convent, or lose her mind in fear of him. Her will was as great as his he realized. She would have stopped at nothing to get her brother back, and he was going to stop at nothing to get her back to the Goblin Kingdom, where she belonged. She was wrong about one thing though, he had quite a bit of power over her. She desired him, her little dream had said it all. The Goblin King knew, objects of desire always had power.