With a shuddering sigh, Sarah sank into her bed. Stretching out her legs, she let her head fall back and closed her eyes. What a day she had. Her date with Bruce wasn't the best she had, but she really didn't expect it to be. All they did was talk of her and Superman; she made a fool of herself when she brought up his parents, whom were dead and gone, and he evidently still missed very much. And to top it off, he left their date early and clearly in a rush.

Now more than ever, she needed the peace and quiet that she couldn't even get in the Japanese Tea Garden; and what should have been a pleasant afternoon in the garden ended up being the worst part of her day.

Her phone suddenly rang, jostling her out of the beginnings of her meditation. She did not want to get up, but something was telling her to answer the call. She rolled over in bed and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" she asked into the phone, her voice tired and irritable.

"Sarah?" It was her father.

"Oh, hi Dad." She groaned audibly as she settled herself back into her chair.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah…" she rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hand, "why?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to see how you're doing…"

Sarah and her father continued to make small talk for the next fifteen minutes, with Sarah's father talking throughout most of their conversation. Until finally, her father handed the telephone to Toby.

"Hey, Sarah!" Her little brother sounded completely out of breath.

"Hey Toby, what's new with you?"

"I've got loads to tell you… hang on." On the other end, it sounded like Toby grappled with the phone until the distant sounds of her household were finally shut out with the slam of a door. "Ok, you're never going to guess whose back!"

Sarah sat up in bed. "Who?"

"Titch and Boon!"

Sarah froze, shock pouring over her like water. Titch and Boon were his goblin friends when she moved to Metropolis. They saved his life once before, and their King ordered them back to the Underground when she banished him… or so she thought.

"Are-are you sure?" she asked quietly.

"Course I'm sure! And they brought friends with them…"

"Friends? Wait, Toby, what friends?"

"Lots of little creatures like them, they all call themselves goblins. But there are three more who are here almost all the time, but they're not goblins; that's for sure."

Sarah's heart skipped a beat. "Three? What do they look like?"

"One looks like a fox and he has a dog with him – he looks just like Merlin…"

"Toby," her tone was urgent, "what are their names?"

"There's Didymus, Ambrosius, Ludo, and… Hoggle! Yea, that's his name. You know, we talk about you all the time…"

Tears were welling up in her eyes. Her friends… her friends were with Toby. But why? Was someone watching him? Was Toby in danger, as well? Oh god, she didn't even want to think about that.

"Toby," she nearly whispered. "Toby, is there a man with them?"

"A man? No, there's never been a man with them. Why?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. Toby, don't tell mom and dad, ok? It's very important that you don't tell them."

"I know," he said matter-of-factly, "I've never told them anything."

"Ok, good." Her voice was beginning to crack, she wouldn't be able to hold in her tears much longer. "Toby… tell them, tell the three who aren't goblins that I love them… and I miss them, ok?"

"Ok, Sarah," he sounded concerned, but like a ten-year-old boy, didn't want to push the matter further.

"Keep them close to you."

"I will."

"Promise me, Toby. Promise you'll keep them with you all the time."

"I promise, Sarah." Toby was beginning to sound irritated at her sister's insistence.

"Toby… I have to go now. I love you, ok?"

"Love you too, Sarah. Bye."

Sarah heard the phone click on the other end before she placed the phone down then proceeded to rake her fingers through her hair. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Her friends were with Toby, and god only knows how many other goblins. Why had Jareth sent them to Toby? Was someone watching Toby, too? Was her family in danger? Her baby brother, the baby she fought for, helped raise, and loved as if he were own. How could she protect him when she was so far away…

A faint yet audible sound suddenly echoed throughout the garden outside.

Sarah's eyes flew open, a few stray tears clinging to her lashes. She became still, waiting for the sound to repeat. She swore she heard something like a sharp, musical note. Again it sounded, louder this time. Biting back her lip, she strained to listen. It came again, louder and clearer than before, and it sounded as if it came from the darkest corner of the stone wall.

Brushing the hair off her face, she slipped off her bed, and stared outside the window. It seemed so peaceful outside, yet in her eyes, it was pulsating with energy…

It was then that she noticed the light emanating from a clearing in the trees. It was tiny and insignificant at first, and then it began to grow larger, pulsating with the same energy Sarah saw within the garden. She stepped back, entranced, not knowing what to do.

It was Jareth. She knew his magic, and he wanted her to go to him. If she refused, he may try another spell, and she certainly didn't want that to happen again. But she didn't have a choice; she didn't want to risk him coming into her bedroom again. Sarah turned from the window and silently made her down the hallway, down the stairs, and out the back door; still entranced by the soft music.

She followed the sound and the pulsing light deep within the garden. The further she walked, the deeper the sound became. But the throbbing light began to dim as she neared the small clearing in the forest; until finally the moonlight became the only light within the trees. The music still sounded and coursed throughout the blood in her veins and echoed in her very heart.

She barely felt the cold moisture of grass beneath her bare feet. She continued forward until she stopped where the light had been throbbing just moments before. And then the music suddenly stopped.

A cold shiver went up the side of her neck and she gasped at the sting of it. Sarah spun to face him, her eyebrows lowered over her eyes.

The thin rays of moonlight that broke through the walls of the courtyard struck Jareth's pale chest like silver spears. His entire ensemble was black except for the rich, midnight blue shirt he wore underneath a leather jacket. Sarah turned away at the sight of harsh metal scallops on his shoulders, very similar to what she had seen on Batman's massive, gauntlet-covered arm.

He raised one eyebrow with a thin lipped smile. "What do you think you're going to get from this?" he asked her. "Dining with him so intimately. You know it won't work, Sarah. You assume the role of clever heroine much too hastily."

"You've got a lot of nerve saying that," Sarah hissed.

"You're trying to save him from himself," he moved away from the wall and stepped toward her. "Much like you try to with me."

Sarah stood still and let Jareth reach a hand to her cheek. She let him brush his fingers against her chin and through the ends of her hair. His hand trailed down her arm until he grabbed her wrist and viciously twisted it behind her back.

Sarah's eyes went wide and he gripped her even tighter when she cried out in surprise. She knew this was a bad idea. She had fallen right into a trap.

"Don't struggle against me," he told her as he pulled her toward him.

"Let me go!" she cried again as she tried to pull free of his grasp.

His face remained calm and emotionless as he brought her closer to him. Sarah set her mouth in a scowl and glared defiantly up at him. His free hand reached up to her shoulder, his fingers brushing the soft fabric of her sleeves. His eyes lingered on her neck as his fingers lightly traced her collarbone down to just below her throat. Her skin had turned hot, and flushed noticeably at his touch. A slight grin crossed his face when he noticed her sharp intake of breath as his hand began to drift lower toward her chest.

Sarah gasped, her eyes growing wide when he twisted the silver chain around his slender fingers. He pulled gently until the diamond pendant lay in his palm. He lifted it up, his sharp eyes taking in the crystalline substance that seemed to glow from within the diamond.

"This is quite spectacular," he murmured, gazing at her pendant. "One of the last fragments of a lost and forgotten empire... a civilization that possessed a wealth of knowledge and power far beyond the comprehensions of this world. And it's all in this gem you wear 'round your neck. Simply remarkable."

Sarah's breath caught in her throat as she watched him uneasily. He couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from her diamond… and for one sick moment, she thought he would rip it right off her neck.

But he didn't. His smiling, wicked eyes flicked up to meet hers again. "But I like its background much better," he told her staring directly into her eyes. Then he glanced her over, taking in her fine clothing.

Sarah breathed heavily, avoiding his gaze, looking over his shoulder to the stone angel. "Is he safe?" she gasped.

Jareth knew he inquired about her brother. Yet, his amusement didn't fade; he always reveled in her nervousness around him. He tilted his head to the side, softening his grip, but not releasing her just yet. "Yes," his breath warmed her skin. "He is safe."

Sarah shifted her weight beneath his grasp. Their bodies were so close she could feel his warmth beneath her own clothes. Her mind suddenly flashed back to a time when the world seemed to come to an end, when he caught her just like this, and kissed her as she had never been kissed before. That moment was an awakening on her part. It was everything she had ever wanted and ever feared.

Her eyes flicked up and met Jareth's. She blinked again at the sight of him – he was so beautiful. But he had such an ugly side to him that she sometimes couldn't fathom as to why she was in love with him.

She had a read a book in middle school once where a man had asked the heroine why she loved him. Her answer was, 'I don't know and I don't care. Love simply is.'

Sarah's eyes fluttered as Jareth dropped his mouth to her ear. She could feel the tendrils of his hair against her neck, the steady beating of his heart. Her breathing quickened, as did the beating of her heart.

This didn't escape Jareth. He released her arm and wrapped both arms around her, holding her close. "Open your mind, Sarah," he whispered huskily, "you're safe with me."

For one fleeting moment, all her defenses dropped.

But then his voice became deeper. "You can't fight this darkness."

But then she came to her senses and inhaled sharply. This cursed love was slowly breaking her heart. She couldn't let it be. She refused to accept him because he was accepting his dark side so readily. And he wanted her to be just like him. It just wasn't possible.

Sarah searched his gaze – she was adept at it, she could often take out not only a person's character, but knew their lies when they spoke them, as well.

She struggled to know his mind, but it was frustratingly impossible. He stared fixedly back at her, as though he knew what she was trying to do.

In the end, Sarah had to look away. "You know me," she said quietly. "I can't become what you want me to be."

Jareth stared down at her, his eyes as hard as diamonds. "Likewise."

Before she could speak or even move, Jareth released her completely and stepped back. "Goodnight, Sarah." He spoke evenly and without emotion. He then held out his arms and shape shifted into the white owl, flying out into the dark night.

Sarah stared after him and could now feel the sharp bite of the cold. She couldn't deny that she missed his warmth. But the possessiveness in his eyes, the overwhelming, almost maddening infatuation he had for her was still frightening, even for her.

She truly believed his so-called affection for her was genuine, but his role as Goblin King was so toxic and brutal that he was unable to express his love in any healthy way. His perception of love was control.

There was so much Jareth needed to learn. But she also needed to learn how to trust, how to escape past betrayals and her own insecurities and vulnerabilities. Two emotionally incomplete people like them would not make a happy whole. Jareth needed to learn true love and to be touched by the humanity that was hidden deep down inside of him.

Sarah needed to mature, become her own person and less dependent upon others, and grow into the woman she was becoming. If she chose a life with Jareth based on coercion or dependency, there would be no happiness for either of them.

Her arms crossed and her head down, Sarah trudged back to the house through the lawn of dewy grass; the drops of water tickling her cold, bare feet.

The Goblin King stood at his balcony, looking out over the stone passages, woods, and finally the high walls that barred his kingdom from the world and the rest of the Underground. Only starlight pierced the heavens but it was enough for Jareth's eyes to scan over every crack and limb of this cursed place – his Labyrinth.

Few of his goblins remained in his castle now - all either left or were forced out by the darkness he allowed into his kingdom. Sarah's friends were forbidden to even see her, however, he allowed visits to her brother, Toby.

The blackness in this place was deafening; the radiant light of a crystal sphere sitting atop a frozen staff its only respite.

He looked out into the darkness, and as he did, something stirred. He could sense it surrounding him, rippling, undulating. They hissed, drifting down, then up into the walls of his cold palace. They were living darkness, a hundred barely seen creatures clustered around him and in the black corners. They were featureless, only their eyes were nothing more than tiny slits of yellow light, glowing malevolently in the dark. They were a darker, more menacing form of goblins.

The creatures clustered around the light of the crystal, careful not to venture too close.

In stark contrast, in the middle of the mass and in front of the sphere, stood Jareth. His face was lit only by the stark white light of the crystal. His beauty became enhanced by the light as his skin shone white in the crystal gleam, hair like molten silver. His eyes shone like black stars.

A picture wavered on the sphere's surface like water rippling. Jareth studied Sarah's form as her mind finally drifted into the darkness of sleep.

His pale skin shivered on instinct against the cold and the demented hissing of the liquid black covering the walls. Their eyes all burned as one – the King and his goblins.

Finally, they spoke as one, a hundred voices overlaid over another, each slightly out of time, hissing and grating against the ear.

"You wanted usss, craved usss, begged for usss…"

"I did no such thing," Jareth spoke in his defense. "You came uninvited!"

"Sssilence!"

Jareth hissed through his teeth, but complied.

"You went against the rules, Goblin King. Ssshe banished you and it nearly killed you..."

"And then you came."

"We come and asissst when we are needed."

Jareth sighed heavily and brushed his hand against the crystal sphere, Sarah's image vanished. "I can only come to her in dreams. I only exist for her on the boundaries of her sub-conscious."

"It drivesss you mad, doesssn't it?"

Jareth took several deep breaths, inhaling the rank air about him. "It does."

The darkness swelled in response. They all knew Jareth had an almost unreasonable interest in the young woman. He related to her, no doubt, because she understood his world so well.

They all knew that from the time she was a little girl he had became her protector, an angel, and her guide as he watched her grow. Then she finally came to the Labyrinth, and defeated him at his own game. Then Metropolis happened, and she defeated him again. But the Goblin King was not one to give up, even if it took a third try. While they slipped in through the cracks of the Labyrinth and made their way to his castle; Jareth would speak to the young woman in the night, and came to her in her dreams. Through the walls, through the mirrors, and in the shadows he was there with her again.

But it was more than infatuation for Jareth. He recognized her potential as an artist when she was still a child, and Jareth loved to be entertained by those who had been touched by the Muses. He personally took credit for developing her skill by way of thrusting her into one adventure after another. He gave her the inspiration. She was his glory, his triumphant, that he couldn't possibly share with another. Sarah was his entire focus. She was constantly on his mind.

And as she began to mature into a beautiful sexual young woman, he began to desire her, worship her, and fantasize over her. He had plans for her.

And within these walls of solitude, with the darkness growing more and more everyday, he was filling his empty void with one thing alone – Sarah. These obsessive thoughts over Sarah were slowly consuming him…

Sarah strolled through the grand hallways of the theater aimlessly, her footsteps echoing throughout the empty marble palace. The cherubs floating above her seemed frozen in mid-flight, and the Greek nymphs held their candelabras high for her as she passed them by. But she took no notice of them. Her eyes could not even take in the beauty of the Venetian mosaics at her feet; she was so deeply engrossed in thought. She walked through the golden foyer and down the lavish hallways laced with red velvet curtains, until she came to the rotunda.

The goblin tapestries had been taken down. All that remained were ivory marble walls, the mosaic of the moon and sun on the floor, and the glass dome ceiling. She didn't go inside, only stared at the floor – of the beautiful silver moon and the golden sun.

It was no secret that beauty was revered and rewarded, and ugliness disdained and shunned. When she was younger, Sarah couldn't help but judge abilities, worth, and talents by the outward appearance, rather than the inward gifts a person might have possessed. If talented gifts were not wrapped in a visually appealing package, rarely anyone paid any attention. She shuddered as she grabbed her hair, flipped it over her shoulder, and toyed with the ends.

But now things were different. She saw people differently.

Of course she had always been drawn to Jareth because of his beauty. But what was inside was a completely different story. Clark had been beautiful both inside and out. He certainly had his faults but he wasn't a bad person. This Batman was terrifying on the outside but trying to do good; therefore, he was a decent person. Even he did have his demons inside. Bruce… that was the one person she couldn't see as clearly as everyone else.

"Sarah!"

She slowly tore her gaze away from the rotunda and into Sebastian's smug face.

"Hey," he said, strutting up to her. "Someone left some more flowers for you."

She sighed, already knowing who had shown; although, she couldn't fight the slight jump in her heart at the thought of another visit from Bruce. She also couldn't hide a smile beginning to grow on her face.

"That's nice," she began to walk up the Grand Staircase.

Sebastian started to follow her purposely. "Hey, what's that stupid grin for?"

It was hard to miss the accusing tone in his voice. Her shoulders slumped as she fought the urge to stomp up the steps. "Leave me alone, Sebastian…"

"Sarah!" Another voice had called for her. She stopped and looked down behind her to see none other than Bruce walking in from the main foyer. "I'm glad I found you," his voice echoed across the theater hall. "Although, someone told me you had gone." He tossed a rather spiteful glance in Sebastian's direction.

Sarah flinched just slightly at the look in Bruce's eyes just then. They had flashed like spears.

But his expression turned soft again when he looked up at her, and watching Bruce in his handsome business suit gliding on the floor walking with such charisma up the stairs… she couldn't help but feel a little excited that he was here to see her.

Bruce's eyes flicked over her, then down at Sebastian, who was just a few steps below Sarah.

"Bruce Wayne," he introduced himself haughtily and held out his hand for a shake. "I don't think I had the chance to-"

"Sebastian Vidal." He thrust his hand into Bruce's and grinned puckishly.

The two men sized each other up in a matter of seconds without getting ahead of themselves. But for a moment, Sarah was reminded of two angry cat-like predators, attempting to claim their territory.

Bruce looked at Sarah rather impatiently. Sebastian was no doubt grating on his nerves. "Is there someplace we can talk privately?"

Sarah thought he'd never ask. "Yes," she quickly walked down the stairs, and into the rotunda. Bruce followed her, and she got the distinct impression that he had flashed a victorious grin to Sebastian, whom glared after the pair. Fortunately, he didn't stick around.

"It looks much better, doesn't it?" Bruce noted, glancing around the walls. "The tapestries I had taken down."

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and cast her eyes to the floor. "Oh, yeah. No argument here. It didn't suit the rest of the theater at all."

Bruce had to smile at her uneasiness; he liked to make her a little nervous. But his tone was casual, playful. "I wanted to come by and apologize for leaving our lunch date so abruptly."

Sarah shrugged indifferently. "You're you… you have things to do."

"Well, can I make it up to you now?"

Sarah sighed. There was the slight chance that she had let this get too far. "Listen," she said, "I know I was the one who approached you…"

He wouldn't let her finish. "Yes, but I instigated the whole thing. I would really like to try to have at least one full date with you."

Sarah exhaled through a clenched smile. She didn't like his mischievous tone; it meant he wasn't taking her or this situation very seriously.

Bruce tilted his head and tried to get Sarah to look at him. "Come on," he said, "let's go get some lunch. It's twelve-thirty and I'm starving."

"Right now?" she asked, looking up, but at the ceiling. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"What?" he said, gazing upward through the glass domed ceiling. "Oh, the rain..."

It had started to rain earlier in the day and it looked like it wasn't going to let up anytime soon. But knowing Bruce, he wouldn't a little rain, or even a downpour, deter him. Sarah sighed inwardly, already knowing what his little speech would entail.

He continued, "See, I'm not going to be affected by the rain because I can walk across the enclosed walkway to the parking garage, get into my nice, dry car, and drive to the restaurant of choice." He paused, turning to face her. "But I suppose for someone like you who walks almost everywhere, this would present a problem."

"Thank you for all that," she replied dryly. "I had not noticed." She thought for a moment then shook her head. "I'm not that hungry."

He cleared his throat, ready to start another speech. "You know judging by the tired look in your eye I'm going to say you haven't had much to eat today," he began thoughtfully, "but you had the common sense to at least eat something."

"I have to be careful about what I eat," she said defensively.

"Don't give me that, I detest it when a woman deprives herself of food." That had hit a nerve and Bruce knew it from the uncomfortable look on her face. Bruce watched her for a moment, all jokes put aside. "Just eat lunch with me. As I said, I feel terrible about our last luncheon." Sarah was about to protest for what seemed like the thousandth time, when he pressed on. "If anyone has anything to say about it, I'll deal with them."

Judging by his tone of voice, she didn't doubt it.

"You know, you worry too much about what other people think."

She looked up at him, giving him one of her best glares. "Maybe you should try worrying a little bit more about what people think."

"Look," he started out, "we can either stand here and argue about this, or we can go eat lunch somewhere, filling our stomachs with good food while arguing about this." He began to walk out of the rotunda.

Sarah watched him walk away, but didn't move. She gave one last look down at the mosaic and felt a pang of longing. She liked Bruce, she really did, but not as he would hope. She wanted Clark to be here demanding a somewhat more harmless lunch with her.

She looked back at Bruce waiting for her. If it would get him off her back…

"Fine." She stormed over and pulled at his arm playfully. He smiled quizzically at her, but she only rolled her eyes in return. "Before someone catches us!"