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Sarah was suddenly enveloped in Jareth's arms as she felt a shift in the fabric of the strange world they were in. Around them the Labyrinth was crumbling in its entirety. It had been doomed by its pride and haughtiness, and now, its servant had become its master.
Jareth laughed very loud and triumphantly. Sarah couldn't recall ever having heard him laugh in the past 8 years, but of course Jareth hadn't been Jareth then. Her heart went out to the creature that embraced her still, even though the ground had reappeared beneath her feet ages ago and their surroundings had changed. She believed she was in the park near her family's home, but she couldn't bear to tear herself from Jareth long enough to look. She cuddled into his chest and he tightened his grip around her. Despite the fact that their entire relationship was built on a lie (or on a dream, rather,) he had still been an important part of her life for almost a decade. She couldn't be sure whether her love for him had been blind adulation and whether his love for her had been of his own free will.
"You're not him, are you? The Goblin King, I mean?" she asked inanely, in spite of the fact that she already knew the answer to her question.
"I am the closest thing, you could ever possibly get, precious."
"What are you? Who are you?" she asked, while she freed herself from his embrace to get a better look at him.
He sighed and straightened his back. "I am Jareth. Nothing more, nothing less." It was said with a lovely kind of pride and thankfulness that warmed his voice. "And it is thanks to you, Sarah." He gripped her hand and she touched his cheek lightly in return.
"You did write it, though, "The Labyrinth." Didn't you? You wanted me to wish for you to become my Goblin King. Why?" She asked softly.
"I've been an antagonist for the entirety of my existence, Sarah. I've been terrible monsters, but never have I been desired. Before you. I was captivated by you – your innocence, beauty and cruelty – and you reminded me of myself as no other Heartwisher have before. I wanted to know you, to be wanted by you – not only feared."
He sighed and resumed. "You must understand this, Sarah. I have several things in common with your Goblin King, but I am real – I am much more than your adolescent fantasies. I am a real, nuanced being and free at last. Hopefully that is enough." He kissed her cheek and looked her deep in the eyes, hoping that she could she beyond the ideal she had crafted, that she could see him.
They had known each other intimately in many years together and they were clearly still drawn to each other even after the confrontation with the Labyrinth, but this wasn't love and Sarah was perfectly aware of that.
They didn't love each other yet and they weren't going to be perfect, but they were both willing to try to make it work.
Chapter 10/10
The End