(I own nothing)
Chapter 9

I pick out the prettiest dress I can find turns out to be black baby doll dress with a pink ribbon sash around it. I put on some black heals to go with it and fix my hair with a pink ribbon. I come down the stairs and Jareth's face is priceless. He's kicked back feet once again on the table he stops spinning his crystals around and he raises a brow not tarring his gaze away from me. I can't help but to giggle and cover my own mouth in disbelief. As I go to pull out my chair he immediately appears and pulls it out for me and scoots me in. He leans in and whispers. "I hate that dress." I laugh as he motions his chair over and it floats over as he sits.

"So you really hate my dress?"

"So much right now." He says as I watch his chest pick up pace.

I pop a grape in my mouth and down some orange juice. We eat once again in silence every once in a while catching a gaze at one another and laugh a little.

"You're friends are outside the castle thought you might like to know. They've been trying to break in since you've come here."

"Oh my God are you serious? Are they ok?"

Jareth laughs.

"Yes I've kept the wolves and goblins at bay. You might want to invest in some smarter friends though."

I groan out as I look at the ball he's watching and I see Hoggle and Sir Didymus trying to climb up Ludo to get on the castle walls. But Hoggle falls to the ground and dust himself off. I can't help but to laugh but smile with pride that they are at least trying. "Come." Jareth offers a hand and I take it. Jareth calls out to the three. They stop what they are doing and I laugh at all the contraptions lying about that they've made trying to get in.

"You unhand her now!" Sir Didymus says aiming his tiny sword at Jareth.

I stifle my laughter.

"Oh you guys came to my aid!" I say excitably.

"Of course we did." Hoggle says.

"Yes certainly my lady."

"Bella friend." Ludo says and picks me up in a bear hug.

"Ludo." I say as I'm being squished.

"Sorry." He puts me back down.

I lean down and kiss Hoggle and Sir Didymus's foreheads. I laugh as Ludo has his cheek turned for a kiss. I peck his cheek and run my hand along the fur on top of his head.

"Hoggle put that up!" I yell as he pulls out a knife and comes towards Jareth.
"He won't hurt you again!" He yells.

Jareth sighs as if bored.

"Hoggle! He's not hurting me see?"

Jareth takes my hand.
"I wouldn't hurt the dear Isabella. Well not ever again anyway." He says looking upon me.

"Please come inside the goblins nor I will be hurting you."

Hoggle doesn't move.

"Whats wrong Hoggle?"

"I won't go in there not as an ally not to the man who made me the prince of stench!"

I look upon Jareth. He rolls his eyes.

"Did you really?"
"Yes. Yes." Jareth says annoyed.

"Why would you do that?"

Hoggle and him look upon one another.

"Over something that wasn't worth either of our time." Jareth says looking not to me but to Hoggle.

Hoggle nods in agreement.

"I realize you from our deal. Now please come in I do wish to get to know you all. Any friend of Isabella's is a friend of mine."

I'm impressed as Jareth converses with them and even sets out a table of food for them to munch on. "So let me get this straight, you and he?" Hoggle says in disbelief. I nod and he shutters. "I don't understand it." I smile. "He's not so bad once you get passed all the…"

"SHIT." Ludo says smiling and looking at me.

"Very good context Ludo!" I say and Jareth looks at me completely lost.

We share some laughs. I begin to look around my heart dropping as I look amongst the four of them and the goblins dancing around and playing. I gasp realizing something. I think of Charlie and Renee , of my friends back in Forks. Jareth sees my face and closes his eyes.

"You won't stay will you?" He says desperately.

"It's not that I don't want to." I say as the tears begin to fall.

"Then what is it?" Everyone looks to me.

"I'm sorry."

Jareth sighs "Leave us please." He says as everyone exits the room. Ludo looks upon me sadly once more as he exits the room.

Jareth slowly walks up to me and looks me in the eyes cupping my chin into his palm.

"Fear me love me and do what I say and I will be your slave." I laugh "how about you fear me and be my slave." I catch him off guard and he smiles. "Isabella I'd be anything you want love." Bella says sadly. "Then if you truly love me Jareth let me go. You can't keep me here forever out of fear of being alone. I have seen the darkness and the light in you if only you would see there is more light and allow it to cascade over you Jareth. You can't make me fear you I know the truth. I must go home I have a family waiting for me worried about me. "It's him isn't it?" Jareth ask.

"Him?" I'd honestly already forgotten.

"That vampire."

I wrinkle my nose.

"No Jareth it's you but you're too lost in you you're own grief to wake up and realize that. Also I don't belong in your world."

Narpov

Jareth's heart sinks at her words but he knows she is right he can't keep her here like this. He loves her too much to make her his prisoner of love so to speak. So he does the unthinkable. He brings her into his lips and wraps his arms around her. He kisses her passionately running his hands along her lingering into it. "I love you." He says letting her go. "Wake up Isabella." He smiles and starts to shove her out of Labyrinth. "Wake up Isabella." He says again. She reaches out for him as she feels someone pumping her chest.

"Wake up Bella." She looks up and sees Charlie pumping her chest on the side of the road next to the tree. An ambulance shows up and she wakes up again in the hospital. She spends that time trying to convince herself it was all a dream. She wants it to be a dream she can't bare the, loss of yet another love. Once her father leaves and the nurses begin to leave her alone. She buries her face into her pillow and cries.

This is the first night the owl appears...

Bellapov

"Hello?"

I say as I set up in my bed. The TV on mute and it's nighttime. I'm still in the hospital bed. I made Charlie go home though he insisted he stay and my mother came to visit but had to go back so Phil could get back to work. I hear something at the window and narrow my eyes. "What are you doing here?" I say and smile at the beautiful white owl as it looks at me and takes off. I sigh and lean back.

I stare at the muted TV and look upon the IV running through my hand.

I gasp at the memory as it hits. Jareth, the Labyrinth. I look around. "It couldn't have been it wasn't a dream. It was real I know it was."

I must have been there for a least a month maybe more! But Charlie said I'd been missing half the day before they found me. None of this makes sense I pull the IV bag towards me and get out of the bed dragging the machine along with me. I look in the mirror and run my finger along the trail of stitches on forehead. My lip all busted and swollen. "Ugh." I moan out as I look upon the mirror. "I look terrible." I turn on the sink and splash some cold water on my face. My heart sinks again as I think of Jareth. "Was he real or not he had to have been what kind of dream goes into that much detail and last that long?" I shake my head I know it was real he's real they're real. I towel off my face and make my way back to the bed. I lay back my head feeling incredibly tired. Just before I close my eyes I swore I saw the owl back at the window peering through but I couldn't say for sure.

"Is that everything?" Charlie says looking around the room.

"Yeah dad I didn't have much."

He nods.

"You're a lucky kid is all I can say the doctors don't know how you didn't break anything much less die. How many times to I have to tell you to fasten your seatbelt Bella? Do you know how many people we find on the highway?" He says looking at me.

"I know dad and I'm sorry you're right I should have."

Charlie opens the door for me and I climb in.

"I'm sorry hun it's just well. When I saw you lying there…" He starts to say with tears in his eyes.

"I know and I'm sorry." I say as I look upon him.

"Yeah well never again right?" He clears his throat and chokes it back.

"Right dad."
"Good." He nods and shuts the door.

We get home and Charlie carries my stuff inside.

"God it's been like forever."

Charlie chuckles "you're so odd Bella it's only been a couple days."

"Right…" I say and swallow.

"You hungry?"

"Yeah what would you like me to fix."
"Jesus Bella I meant I was going to cook. You just came back from the hospital."

I nod.

"Are you sure you're ok?"

He asks as my thoughts still keep trailing back to Jareth. I nod again and open the fridge.

"Sit Bella let your old man take care of you for once."

I reach for a bottle of orange juice and see the grapes. My heart races and I drop the orange juice on the floor as I stare at the grapes.

"Bella?" Charlie says as he picks up the bottle and pulls the fridge door away from my hand.

"Actually dad I'm really tired could I just go to bed?"

He raises a brow.
"Um sure but just for a couple hours then you need to eat. Understood?"

I nod and head up to my room. I enter feeling like a stranger to my own room. I look around seeing nothing out of order or different so I lay upon my bed. My breathing becoming irregular as I think of the way Jareth kissed me yet at the same time I can't stop the tears as they stream down my face.

"Alright Bella that's enough come down and eat." I hear Charlie at the door and roll over. I blink my eyes at the window and see the image of white wings fluttering off.

"That can't be…" I smile at the idea of it being the same owl.

I get out of bed and meet my father downstairs and we eat lasagna and salad. Note it's a bit burnt but its food. Charlie never was one for cooking. When we're done I help Charlie with the dishes and grab my jacket. "Where you going?"

"Just for some fresh air dad."

"Don't go too far out in the woods Bella it's dangerous."

I nod. I slowly make my down to the woods as I think about everything. My stomach churning at the thought of everything I just went through being a dream and nothing else. "Bella?" I hear the voice and turn to the tree behind me. "Edward!" He smiles and leaps down.

"Edward wha? What are you doing here?"

He walks up to me and leans me against a tree.

"I had to come back. God Bella I've missed you so much I can't stand another day without you."

I close my eyes thinking of Jareth. I know he's real. I just know it. And even if not he left me he just up and left him and his entire family. I feel a wetness upon my lips and immediately I push against his chest. "No Edward you don't get to do that. You don't get to come back into my life and expect me to take you back just like that. That isn't how this works. You hurt me! You left. You told me cruel things." I hurriedly wipe my tears.

"Come on Bella you know I didn't mean it. I love you even that day I left it broke my heart I was just trying to protect you. "
"Protect me? Really by leaving me?"
"You don't understand Bella."

"NO, NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I PINED FOR YOU! I MOURNED YOU ! I know you didn't die but you killed a part of me. You ripped my world apart. You even took your family away from me. I felt like I was being punished."

Edward sighs.

"I was needing the punishment not you Bella." He grabs my hand.

"Bella baby I love you please I will never leave you again."

He parts my hair away from my face and puts his arms around my waist. I smile but not at him I smile at the memory of how Jareth's touch was much more welcoming, comforting, how it felt like home. Then I laugh because I'm probably thinking of a dream.

"What is it?"

Edward says as I pull away from him.

"You had your chance. I loved you part of me still does I think but I'm not in love with you. Not anymore you killed that part of me. That and I don't belong in your world Edward never have. Hell you didn't even want to turn me and hardly even touched me."
"THAT'S not fair Bella you know why!"

I laugh again.

"Wonder what your basis of comparison is." I say and start to walk off.

"My entire family and I moved back here just for you!" He yells.

Just then I see the white owl peering over us in a tree above. I narrow my eyes at it in disbelief and can't get over how beautiful it is.

"I won't give up Bella! I'm not going anywhere I will never leave you again. You will love me again I know it. I just know it I love you to damn much for this not to be real."

I nod but don't look back and walk back home. I enter the house and slam the door without thinking. "Damn Bella what's that about?" My dad says peeking at me from the couch.

"Sorry just long day."
"You were only out there for a few minutes what do you mean long day?"

"Nothing dad look I'm going to take a shower and go to bed."

"Ok Bella goodnight hun."

"Goodnight dad."

I let the water run down my body and scrub my hair. I keep playing everything over and over in my head. I even run my hand along my arm and waist where the cuts were. I grab my towel and dry off wrapping it around me. I enter my room.

"JESUS JAKE!" I gasp.

He smiles.

"Hey loca had to come see you. Heard you were in a bad wreck. Judging from the stitches on your face looks like it was pretty bad."

I nod.

"Jake I…"
"Look Bella I came to say I'm sorry. I made you a promise and broke it. I hurt you."
"Yes you did." I say keeping the towel tightly around me.

I roll my eyes as Jake looks me up and down as if hoping for an accidental drop of the towel.

"Bella." He comes towards me.

Dear Lord you've got to be kidding knowing what's coming. He leans into me putting his forehead to mine. "I love you loca. I did what I did to protect you." I laugh almost like a mad woman. And start to shove him away. "Heard that before, look Jake I'm really tired and just want to go to bed."

He sighs looking upon me. "Very well but this isn't over Bella baby. I'm not giving up." He winks and leaps out of my window. I slam my window shut and lock it. I see the owl again in my tree. "Are you stalking me?" I tease it and shake my finger upon it like a naughty child. It blinks its eyes and nods its head as it flies away.

I toss and turn trying to find sleep but sleep can't seem to find me. Eventually my alarm goes off and I know today is going to be hell. First day back to school, I'm just thankful the school year is almost over. I get dressed and head downstairs grabbing a pop tart for the way out. "Here kiddo." My dad grabs my hand and I feel something slide into my palm. "Dad what is this?"

"Go get you a prom dress."

"Dad this is too much money and I don't think I'm going to prom."

"Yes you are and that's final you're not missing your senior prom."

"Dad please."

"What don't you have a date?"

I roll my eyes and feel that hole calling out in my chest. I swallow it back.

"Call Jake I know he'd love to take you."

"Dad please."
"Just tell me you're not going with that Cullen boy I heard they moved back."
"No dad I'm not Edward and I are over."

"Good that's what I like to hear."

"But dad you should also know that Jake and I will never be as well."

"That's a shame. I really like him. He's a good kid."

I nod with nothing else to say.

"Date or not you're going to prom. Go with one of your girlfriends. Bella be a teenager you're 18 this is your last year go have fun but be safe."

"Fine dad I'll go." I sigh really not wanting to.

In my head I'm thinking I'll just make an appearance so I can say I went and abruptly leave.

School goes as it usually did long and boring only more awkward since Jake has started attending Forks high as well now. I find myself wondering why he's not going to the reservation anymore and Edward and the rest of the Cullens are back as well. I simply slump down in my chair and put my hair in my face so I don't have to look upon either one of them.

"You're going to prom right?" Alice says catching me outside.

"Alice!" I say as she scared the hell out of me.

"Um yeah actually I am. With my brother right?"

"Alice…"

"Come on it'll be fun. You don't have to go with him as a date just as friends."

"That's not how Edwards going to take it and you know that."

"Fine I had to at least try." She smiles.

"Will you at least join me in shopping for a dress after school?"
"Edward free?" I say.

"Of course I won't even mention his name."

"Then sure I'm game."
Lunch time comes and Mike Newton plops down beside me. "Quit a battle scar there Bella."

"Yeah Bella we heard about you're wreck hope you're ok!" Jessica says sitting beside Mike. "Um yeah I'm fine thanks for asking." I say picking at a carrot. "Hey Bella!" Eric pecks me on the cheek. Mike rolls his eyes. Angela laughs and sits down on the other side of me. I gasp feeling like this is all too much. I catch a glimpse of Edward watching me from one side of the cafeteria as he sits with his brothers and sisters. Yet on the other is Jake kicked back in a corner his eyes also fixated on me. I bite my lip and raise up I take my tray and slam the whole thing into the trash and storm out of the cafeteria.

I make my way to the bleachers on the football field. I lay down staring at the sky. "Jareth." I catch myself saying out loud. "I know you were real I know it. I wish you were here." The tears come uncontrollably as I roll on my side and see the owl fly across the field and disappear.

"This one would be perfect!" Alice holds up a white and black prom dress.

But for some reason my eye is locked on to the red and black one hanging up behind her.

"I want that one."

"Wow Bella that's a sexy little dress."

I smile and know my reason for picking it. It's like some of the ones Jareth had for me.

"I didn't think that was your thing." She smiles and picks it up.

"Edward won't be able to take his eyes off you."

"I'm not wearing it for Edward." I half snap.

She nods.

"Of course I'm sorry Bella old habit."

"It's ok Alice."

I try it on and look upon myself in the mirror loving it. I even imagine how to fix my hair. Such a shame I will only where this for less than an hour I'm sure. I've no intention of staying. I pick out some heels and we check out.

The next couple days of school before prom go about the same the awkward stares. The intense feeling of wanting to run away as all my friend sit by me talking about things I'm not really caring about. I find myself nodding here and there but my mind is somewhere else. I avoid Edward and Jacob at all cost. I go through certain lengths to make sure they can't catch me by myself. I even walk with Eric, Mike or one of the girls to class.