DISCLAIMER: I don't own Labyrinth or any of the characters associated with the film. They are the property of the Jim Henson Company.

AN: Right, so here…you wanted it…your "explanations". Okay, so there's not much of an explanation, but at least you'll see "labyrinth" in this now. Oh, and FM, I haven't gone over this chapter for smirk usage and I apologize, but I'm really worn out right now so you'll have to take it as it is…maybe I should employ you as my smirk police. ;)

Seeing as the bus really is my only form of transportation, we took it back to my townhouse. I was relaxed at this point as it was obvious that Jareth did not judge me differently for being ever so slightly less financially endowed than him. We talked about everything on that bus ride, from his family and heritage to why he had developed a fantasy genre based company. As it turns out, Jareth is just as much of a fantasy lover as I was. I asked him, although something told me not to, if he had ever heard of The Labyrinth. The expression that washed over his face was a strange one; unreadable and slightly confused. He admitted that although the title sounded very familiar to him, he could not recall if he had ever read it. I told him of what I could remember of the story. A sort of recognition crossed his features.

"This story sounds like it may have been the basis for your sketches," he said, interested.

"Well, if it was, it was unconsciously done," I replied. "I haven't read that book in oh, almost twenty years, I'd say."

"Hmm. It does sound familiar," Jareth said, averting his eyes to watch the world rushing past through the window. "Do you know who wrote it?"

"You know, that's the funny thing," I said, scratching my head. "I did so many searches for it – from library catalogues to the internet. I can't find the book anywhere."

Jareth had spun his head back to look at me again. "No?"

I shook my head, shrugging slightly. Jareth lifted his eyebrows once, as though to say 'Oh well'. A slow smile spread across his features as I reached up to pull the cord. We were almost to my apartment. The walk there was short and we carried it out quickly, as the temperature had dropped considerably. I slid my key into the lock and pushed the door open with Jareth in tow. Slipping my shoes off, I turned to take his coat.

"I can give you the two cent tour," I started to say. I was suddenly aware of how close he was to me and how intoxicating his scent was. My apartment hallway was so very small, and it felt even smaller now. Jareth watched me carefully, a small smile on his lips. I shook my head and turned from him.

"This is the living room," I said, pointing into the nearest room. "Next is the dining room, and kitchen."

Jareth followed me in silence, his keen eyes drinking in every detail. I felt very vulnerable and exposed, somehow. But, I pressed onward. "Bathroom," I said, opening the door to reveal my tidy little restroom. And that was where I ended the tour. He didn't need to see my bedroom – or so I thought.

"What is in that room?" he asked. There was something in his eyes, a deep amusement twinkling brightly within.

"That," I said, glaring at him. "Is my bedroom."

Jareth gave me a bit of a pout, which I have to admit was rather enticing. "You won't show me your bedroom?"

"That's a little bold," I said fiercely, although I couldn't help but smirk at him. I turned and headed back to the kitchen to start making the hot cocoa. Jareth followed leisurely behind me and I was forced to remind myself that this was indeed real. I turned and motioned for Jareth to take a seat in the living room. I suddenly found it impossible to look him in the eye. I felt as if I weren't worthy of his presence, so I decided to remove myself from it to make the hot cocoa and calm down. I don't know why he did that to me, or rather how he did that to me. I was skittish the whole time I was in the kitchen. Jareth was awfully quiet, likely indicating that he was peering at my things again. Or, he had come to his senses and left. I didn't like either of those scenarios. I rushed out into the living room with the hot cocoa to find him still there, on my couch, with a small red book in his hands. I frowned. I distinctly remember that book being left on my bed earlier. My frown only deepened when I realized that there was no way he could have gone into my room without me both seeing and hearing him do it.

I sat down in the armchair at the end of the coffee table, well away from Jareth.

"Where did you find that?" I asked, shakily, trying not to jump to conclusions.

Jareth looked up, his expression betraying only curiosity. "I sat on it, apparently," he replied glancing behind him.

"Oh," I said, staring at the offending item.

Jareth raised an eyebrow and lifted his mug to his lips…before I had a chance to stop him.

"It's," I started, he sipped. "Hot."

Tears came to Jareth's eyes and he sucked in air to cool his tongue. Instinctually, a side effect of having raised a young boy came over me. I put my cocoa on the table and rushed to his side to rub his back.

"Do you want some water?" I asked, biting my lip.

Jareth just looked at me with this really strange expression on his face, somewhere in between surprise and lust. And, I was aware now how close I was to him. I hadn't meant to invoke romance by burning his tongue. He was going to kiss me – or so I thought. His expression changed slowly and became something a bit more melancholy as he pushed a loose strand of my hair from my face.

"Are you afraid of me, Sarah?"

I hadn't been expecting that. I looked away as my mind frantically though up an answer for him. No, it's not you. Yes, I am scared. Yes, I don't expect this to last. Yes, I'm afraid that I may never feel this way about anyone ever again. I looked up again to find him watching me expectantly, the melancholy increased.

"Yes," I whispered breathlessly, "And, no."

His expression changed to something else, something a little confused and intrigued.

"You see, my heart has become rather hard over the years," I started, only glancing up at his face as I moved to say the next part of my statement. "But, with you it's gotten a bit…soft."

The tiniest of smiles graced his face and he tilted my face up to his. At first the kiss was gentle but insistent, as though he was breaking down all of my barriers. Then, he deepened it slowly by meeting my tongue with his in soft, enticing flicks. It was a perfect kiss, this time drowning in his scent, I could see the inside of a castle. It sort of rushed by me, as though I were running. There were stairs, and I ran up them with urgency. Jareth and I were tangled up rather tightly now, the kiss so deep I was holding in a moan. My mental vision showed me a room reminiscent of an Escher sketch, all stairs going in all directions. I was looking around, looking for something. It was then that my world exploded. I looked down and saw Toby as a baby, looking up at me with his icy blue eyes. I looked behind me to see him, the Goblin King, coming towards me. All at once it came flooding back to me in a wave. Jareth Knightly was the Goblin King. I fought him, I won, I ran that labyrinth – it was all real.

Jareth and I both stopped and I pushed him away, staring at him with wide eyes. His expression was just as bewildered as mine. For a long moment, we simply stared at each other, not quite sure of what to say. His mouth opened as though he was about to say something, but at that exact moment, the phone rang. I tore my eyes away from Jareth's and ran to the phone on the other side of the room.

"Hello," I said, my voice shaking.

"Hi, Sis!"

Toby. Oh God, of all the times for Toby to call. I was both relieved and terrified at the same time.

"Oh, hi," I said, careful not to say his name, just in case. I peered nervously at Jareth, whose face was still masked in confusion. Did he know? Was I crazy? Maybe I was just losing my mind, I couldn't be sure. But, he had broken apart from me as well. Something had to have happened to him, too.

"Sarah? Is something wrong?" Oh, Toby. How could I answer that question? I wanted desperately to hang up the phone as an overprotective tactic. How should I know whether the Goblin King was here for me, or for my little brother – the one that got away?

"Uh, no. Everything is fine," I lied. My voice betrayed me, and Jareth watched me with an indiscernible expression. It all made sense, really. Our meeting couldn't have been chance, but why the romance? Why the big show? Why the kisses that melted my muscles? I swallowed hard as it finally dawned on me. In the end, when I had said those final words, which were written in typed text in that little, offending red book now sitting on my coffee table, the Goblin King had offered me my dreams. He had said 'Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.' What exactly had that meant? I certainly hadn't been aware of it at fifteen, but now I was a little wiser – I stress a little. Had the Goblin King actually been proposing to me then? Was he here to win my heart and then toss it back, as I had done to him all those years ago?

"Sarah, you're lying," Toby said sternly. Okay, now was not the time to panic. The time to panic was as soon as I hung up the phone, but now was the time to end any possible connection between Toby and the Goblin King. I was playing a dangerous game, and it would only get more dangerous if Toby decided to come home. I closed my eyes and focussed on a joke that I had heard. It was a technique that I remembered from acting school so many years ago. I laughed, and it was surprisingly realistic. So realistic, in fact, that Jareth looked up at me with deepened confusion. This was bad, I had probably caused him to consider who was on the other line now.

"No, I'm not! Sorry, you just caught me in the middle of something," I said with a false lilt. I could tell by Toby's voice that he was not fully convinced.

"What something Sarah?"

I swallowed before speaking again. This was the only way to convince Toby that I was fine. Go with it, Sarah. "I have someone over," I whispered into the receiver, as though I was trying to hide the fact that I was on the phone from the 'someone'. It had worked, Toby made an understanding 'Oh' noise.

"I'll let you go then," he said. I could hear the grin in his voice and I rolled my eyes. "Sarah, I'm glad you've found someone who makes you that nervous."

I didn't know what to say because I barely understood what he meant.

"What?"

"I mean, he might be a keeper. No one makes you that nervous. You must really like him," Toby explained. "Anyway, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay," I whispered, replacing the receiver. I chewed on my bottom lip nervously. I was afraid to turn around and find Jareth in full Goblin King Regalia. I simply stared at the phone, unsure of what to do next. Could I actually be wrong? I turned slowly to find Jareth exactly as I had left him. There was no wild hair, no shockingly tight pants, no over the top waistcoats – he was just Jareth Knightly. Maybe I was wrong.

"Your brother?" he asked. I jumped at the sound of his voice and peered at him warily.

"How did you know?" I asked suspiciously. Jareth shrugged.

"I suppose it's the way you spoke with him. Plus, you don't really strike me as the kind of girl who chats on the phone a lot."

He smiled at me, but all I could see was the cold smirk of the Goblin King, a man who had set out to distract me from my mission. Was he distracting me now? His face dropped when he saw that I was not responding to his smile. He stood up and moved towards me.

"Sarah," he started. He reached for my face and I flinched involuntarily. I looked up into his face quickly, expecting him to be angry or cruel. Instead, I found that his eyes had grown so tremendously sad. It broke my heart to see him look so miserable, and I found that Goblin King or no, I wanted to apologize. I didn't get the chance – he had already lowered his head down to kiss me. The kiss was so soft, so easy. His hands were on either side of my face, barely touching my skin and the effect was electric. He kissed me hesitantly, as though he expected me to push him away but could not bear the thought of such an action. The pressure on my lips was delicate, just the right amount to plant that seed of pleasure within me. The kiss said what I would not have accepted in words. The kiss told me that he loved me.

When we finally broke apart, which felt like an eternity, a question came to my lips.

"Did you know?" I asked, suddenly and unstoppably. Jareth searched my eyes with his intense gaze. I had to remind myself to breathe as I waited for his answer. I dreaded the answer; either way it went, I dreaded it. He looked away from me and swallowed. There was nothing cruel in his demeanour, nothing that would suggest that he wished me harm. And then he did something I've never seen him do, but that I do often – he bit his bottom lip in thought. He turned his eyes back to my face and paused before answering.

"No," he replied simply and clearly.

Now I wasn't sure if he knew what I had asked him. It was very difficult for me to voice what I was asking in a more concise manner without the words 'goblin' and 'king'. I just stared at him for a moment longer, unable to create a coherent sentence that would voice what I needed to say. Jareth gave me that look again, the look he had given me in the limo, that look as though I were a foolish child. If I was right, in his terms I would be a child.

"Sarah," he started. His tone made me blanch. I suddenly became very cold and my muscles tightened reflexively. I was afraid to move, but I wanted to run. My foggy memories terrified me. What if he was here for revenge? Even worse, what if he wasn't? He had been watching me the whole time I had been having this mental battle.

"We have a history," I said softly, trying to get a feel for what he thought I had been asking.

"So it would seem," he replied dryly, giving me a tired look.

"Why are you here?" I asked, my muscles loosening ever so slightly. The fact that he had answered my question without any malice calmed me a bit. Before me I saw Jareth Knightly, a man I was clearly falling for – if I hadn't fallen for him already. Although it was difficult, I tried to focus on this persona. What made it more difficult was that I now had the knowledge that Jareth Knightly and Jareth the Goblin King were one and the same. I tried not to think about that for several reasons. Mostly, I tried not to think about it because it would break my heart if he would just up and leave.

"I'm not sure. Sarah, let me ask you something," he said quite calmly. "How clear are your memories?"

I thought about the question for a moment. They were, in fact, still quite fuzzy although they were becoming clearer as we talked.

"Not very," I said. I was starting to feel like myself again. I wasn't afraid of him, he was Jareth Knightly. I was only as afraid of him as I had ever been.

"It's the same for me," he said, watching me with those strange eyes of his.

"So," I started, diverting my eyes to the hem of my jeans, "What do you remember?"

Jareth didn't answer right away, and eventually I dragged my eyes away from my jeans to see what he was doing. Much to my chagrin, he was laughing at me.

"What?" I asked hotly. Jareth Knightly flirted with me shamelessly, but it was the Goblin King who riled me to anger. He shook his head in response, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Let's just say those sketches of yours are very familiar."

I swallowed slowly. It was very weird. He was practically admitting to being the Goblin King and I was still completely comfortable. I stared at him for a moment before speaking again. I chewed on my bottom lip for a minute, before realizing that I was. I stopped the action immediately and asked the only question that I could, given the situation.

"Now what?"

Jareth stared at me, his expression unreadable. Finally, he shook his head, at a loss. "I don't know," he replied truthfully. I stared at the mugs on my coffee table.

"More cocoa?" I offered weakly. Jareth's face broke into an easy smile and I felt myself relax more. So what if he was the Goblin King who took my baby brother all those years ago? As long as Toby stays the hell away until I figure out what's going on, I would be fine. I mean it's not everyday you can claim to be dating a king – oh wait, secretly dating a goblin king. I grabbed the mugs and turned to go back to my tiny kitchen. I stopped in my tracks, however, when Jareth spoke.

"Is this real?"

His voice was little more than a whisper, edged with the kind of muted, but raw pain only experienced with deep longing. I don't know if it was his words or his tone, or the whole thing together, but I could feel tears welling in the corner of my eyes. I blinked a few times to regain control before turning my face towards him with a wide smile.

"Of course this is real, Jareth. If this wasn't real, I would be living in a castle instead of a shoddy, second-rate, one-bedroom apartment on the ground floor of a tiny townhouse," I replied playfully.

He seemed to relax into the couch a bit, gazing at me with a tiny, but contented smile.

"You could still," he said smugly, raising his eyebrows suggestively. Well, that was better. I certainly wasn't willing to have a mope-fest tonight. I turned around fully to face him, and if my hands had not been full I would have placed them on my hips.

"We've only been on two dates," I reminded him.

"Two and a half," he responded smartly. "And, let us not forget that I took up at least thirteen hours of your time prior to those."

I rolled my eyes at him. "That would hardly constitute quality time, Jareth."

And with that, I turned and headed back into the kitchen. I couldn't believe myself. I had just flirted with the Goblin King. What was this world coming to? Honestly. I smiled to myself. I had flirted with the Goblin King and I liked it. I had so many questions. I started to wonder how long I would be able to keep him here. Maybe I could keep him all night. My smile widened.