A/N: Will unfortunately not be claiming ownership of the Labyrinth this time around. Seriously, this is a torturous experience for me to make these disclaimers.
The King of the Goblins had finally taken a much needed vacation from all of the child-stealing, goblin-kicking, and chicken-throwing. His father practically forced him out the castle gates, promising to keep watch out for the Goblin kingdom. Jareth shuddered to think about his mother getting her clean-freak hands on his castle, but they had really not given him much of a choice.
So here he was on a tropical island somewhere in the Caribbean, actually surprised to find he was enjoying the rather abrupt holiday. A chilled pint of dark, frothy ale was in his hand and he was sunning his rather pale, but well-formed body beneath a brilliant, cloudless sky. Several plates of various, delectable finger foods were half eaten at his side and he smiled contentedly behind expensive sunglasses.
Life was good.
"You're him aren't you?" A small voice sounded from somewhere just past his right shoulder and he started. With a glance in the direction of the intrusion, his eyes widened before he managed to clamp down on his emotions. This couldn't be happening – not here, not now. "You're the Goblin King that sang that song my sister constantly hums aren't you?"
"I really have no idea what you are talking about," Jareth bluffed, although part of him was confused.
Firstly, the glamour hiding his ethereal features should have masked him from curious wish-aways that might happen to pop up randomly while he was aboveground – not that there were many wish-aways who would be in the Above anyway. Actually come to think about it, there was really only one wish-away who had not only made it back to his own world.
And secondly, the enigmatic King of the Goblins really WAS confused as to why this particular wish-away's sister would even want to hum anything he had sung to her nearly nine years ago. As Jareth recalled, she was very adamant in her rejection of his offers.
Before the young child had any chance to speak further, the aforementioned haunter of his every dream and nightmare approached with a disapproving frown firmly set on her beautiful face. Jareth nearly melted in the heat that had nothing to do with the tropical sun and everything to do with the fact that he was once again in the presence of his greatest blessing and most hellish curse.
"Toby Williams!" By the gods, her voice sent his heart into a nearly fatal rhythm and it took every ounce of his willpower and ancient control to maintain the expressionless composure. "Would you leave that poor man alone? We do not walk up to every stranger and start conversations with them. Especially not one of the Fae royalty."
That did it. His composure completely faded and he had to clench his fists to keep from ripping the sunglasses off right then and revealing himself in full. He already felt exposed enough with the loose-fitting breeches and gaping white shirt. It shocked him to know that even without the tell-tale medallion, the Champion of the Labyrinth could still see beneath the glamour and figure out who and what he was.
"Forgive me your majesty," Sarah Williams – aka beloved archenemy and thief of his heart – apologized with a formal curtsey. Putting his drink down before he could drop it in shock, he wondered where on earth she had learned the ways of the Fae High Court. "My brother is rather impulsive and we will not intrude on your time any longer."
"But Sarah, that's…"Toby anxiously tugged on her hand in an effort to get her attention. Jareth winced, not sure he wanted her to know anything more about his identity.
"That's enough Toby," Sarah interrupted and she smiled apologetically in Jareth's direction, once more giving him heart palpitations. By the gods, she was so beautiful. "Excuse us please highness."
"It was no trouble," Jareth finally spoke up, smoothly standing with a grace that only the Fae could possess. "I have a fondness for children and Sir Toby is a charming child as always."
They had turned to walk away, with Toby being practically dragged along when Sarah froze at his rather intentional wording. He figured if he was going to hell, he might as well make it a spectacular departure.
"I was trying to tell you that Sarah," Toby was frustrated with being ignored and he took advantage of his sister's unmoving state. "It's the King that sang that song to you. Remember the story you used to tell me?"
"I remember Toby," Sarah whispered breathily, not turning to face Jareth again no matter how hard Toby tugged on her arm. Whether it was from fear or anger or some other emotion, Jareth did not know. But she was trembling and it took every ounce of his control to refrain from sweeping her into his arms with a passionate intent.
"You should talk to him Sarah," Her brother continued and he dropped her arm in order to stand facing her. "I think he still loves you."
"Oh Toby," Sarah choked out, spinning around to face the equally shocked Goblin King. Her face was crimson, but she forced her eyes to remain focused on his. Toby, satisfied with a job well done, ran off to find his parents and stall them. His absence was unnoticed by the two statues who faced one another with trepidation and a million other emotions that neither one could truly name.
It was only minutes, but it felt like hours before one of them opened their mouth to speak.
"Hello Sarah," Jareth finally managed, his heart constricting painfully in his chest as her cheeks deepened their shade of red in a way that enhanced every beautiful feature of her face. Her emerald eyes sparked and darkened and she sucked in a gasp of air as if she had not taken a breath for an eternity.
"Hello Goblin King," She replied formally and he winced. A curse and blessing she would always be – able to kill him and breathe life back into him with only her words.
"Please Sarah. We are equals, you and I. Formality was banished the moment you conquered the Labyrinth with your words. Call me by name," He really tried to keep the combination of bitterness and sensuality out of his voice, but he was Fae for goodness sake. It was Sarah's turn to wince at the tone in his voice.
"Why are you glamoured?" Sarah asked curiously, changing the subject while she tried to compose herself. She was once more in the presence of the man who had haunted her every fantasy for nine years. No human man would ever compare to the man of her dreams.
"As you can see, this beach is not as secluded as advertised," He smiled and tried to make it as friendly and welcoming a smile as possible. Mischief ran in his blood, so it was more of a smirk than anything else but he managed to tone it down – just a little bit. "I always glamour in the Above unless answering the call of a wisher; or am in my familiar form."
"Why can Toby and I see through it?" Her next question had him equally puzzled because he had made certain to spell them when they were returned to their home nine years previously. They should have both had their ability to See removed when the Game was finished.
"My best guess would be that you both are Fae-touched and immune to any spells I might invoke to make my true self invisible to you. I tried to remove any trace of the Underground from your Sight, but you always did manage to defy every expectation I had of you Sarah," He replied honestly, surprised that she was sticking around long enough to even discuss this. "I should have suspected that once you managed to call your Labyrinth friends to you even after. Toby must have more of your influence than I imagined."
"Was it true?" Sarah did not need to clarify for Jareth to know exactly what she was asking.
"If it was?" He retorted arrogantly, his pride rankling and causing him to answer more sharply than he intended.
Being a King for centuries had hardened him a bit and he was hurt still by her rejection even knowing that her youth and loyalty to her family was a noble enough cause. She had been too young to fully grasp what he offered and she had thought Toby's life was at stake to top it off. He had not been exactly forthcoming with a contrary opinion – it really was his own fault.
"What would an ancient and powerful Fae king ever see in a spoiled brat of a girl who wished away her own brother?" She questioned him sadly. "In my world, fairy stories are just that and anyone who thinks otherwise is dreaming. I was no princess and you have always had power over me."
If he could not still hear his heart beating – sporadically and painfully even so – he would have thought himself on the edge of death. As it was, his legs suddenly lost the ability to hold him up and he collapsed onto his chair with a choked gasp.
"Sarah, precious, you have no idea the power you have just given me," He said when he finally could catch a breath. "Take it back before you regret your words."
"What's said is said. Isn't that true?" Sarah replied with a tone bordering on haughty sarcasm. He would have kissed her if he had the ability to stand. As it was, he chuckled weakly, feeling the bond that had begun to form as soon as she had retracted her words from nine years ago. "Besides, it would be a lie for me to say it again. You never answered my first question though – was it true?"
"Always."
"Why?" He glanced up at her in disbelief before she fell to her knees on the ground in front of him. Her eyes – her beautiful emerald eyes – were sparkling with passion and beauty. How could she not see what he saw in her?
"I would show you exactly why, but it will take an eternity precious," He realized his hands were trembling with barely controlled passion as he reached up to cup her face. "Perhaps I could give you just a taste?"
With that, he gently guided her lips to his and tasted his beloved enemy for the first time – at least the first time outside of his dreams and nightmares.
None of them had done her justice.
She not only accepted his kiss, but with a moan she propelled herself into his arms, reciprocating as fiercely and passionately as he had always hoped she would. Lost in a whirlwind of sensations, they neither of them could figure out where one ended and the other began.
Sarah, for her own part, had never experienced something so powerful and compelling. As all human men had found her unresponsive to their advances, she was rather untried in even the simplest of intimacies. Jareth could sense her innocence and yet the fire she showed in their first kiss masked whatever nervous incompetence she might have shown.
That and he was an excellent teacher and an even better leader.
A clearing throat was the only thing that could have separated them at that point. And it did – rather abruptly as a matter of fact.
"Sarah, would you please explain why you are lip-locked with a complete stranger on a family vacation?" The gruff voice of her father caused her to flush again, and Jareth moved closer to prevent her from bolting in embarrassment. She was a runner after all.
"He's not a stranger dad," Toby's voice piped up and Jareth had never been happier to see the little rascal. "That's the Goblin King."
Maybe not so happy actually.
"Goblin King?" Robert Williams asked incredulously, his disbelieving eyes turning to accuse his daughter. "What stories are you telling Toby now?"
"It's true Williams," Jareth's voice suddenly took on the authoritative air of a true King as he stood once more to face the man who would one day – hopefully soon – become his father-in-law. "If you would like, I can demonstrate."
"Demonstrate?" The patriarch of the family looked slightly dazed as a crystal managed to appear in the Goblin King's palm. With a flick of his wrist, the glittering orb floated midair and burst, scattering glitter and flower petals everywhere.
Sarah giggled, partially from nerves and partially from the gesture. She had never imagined the proud King of the Goblins to resort to magic tricks as a way of convincing her father of his intentions. Her giggle turned into a gasp as Jareth wrapped his free hand around hers and pulled her closer to his side.
"Will that suffice sir? I am capable of much more, but I do not wish to frighten the man I hope will allow me to court his daughter," Jareth smirked as Sarah watched the glamour fall away for even Robert's eyes. Okay – maybe not frighten too much. He could not resist watching the widening of a mortal's eyes as they discovered his true form for the first time. It was always the same, but it never ceased to thrill him.
"Uh…" Toby giggled, adding his boyish peals to Sarah's as the two men faced each other silently. Sarah did not have long to wonder what her father would do though. "Would you care to meet my wife?"
As vacations went, Jareth had experienced far worse. And he had never come away with quite the priceless souvenir before either. His father was very smug and knowing when the Goblin King announced his intention to bring home a bride within the year.
Karen, Sarah's step-mother, heartily approved of Jareth and his mother quickly became her best friend when she saw her perfectionist hand around the castle.
