Thank you so much for your patience everyone! As I said, I haven't actually finished this story, so the chapters you get are pretty much newly written! Which is why it takes me awhile... Anyhow, this chapter is a bit short, but I didn't think it needed to be long to convey everything that I wanted. Enjoy! And thank you so much for all of the amazing reviews!

Chapter Ten: I Have You By My Side

Between work, church, eating, and sleeping, Sarah spent most of her time with her nose buried in that old book of hers, The Labyrinth. She read the story enough times to have it memorized again within three days, and she meditated and pondered over it so much that she frequently had headaches. When those headaches came, Jareth was always there, giving her a glass of water with some Tylenol and rubbing her tight shoulders and back. Occasionally he would take her away from her couch and her book and would sit her down at the piano to play with him a bit. Music always seemed to soothe her, no matter what they were playing. There was just something about running one's fingers over the piano keys and the sweet notes that came from the instrument. And then Jareth would sing, and it would make everything ten times better.

They spent a week in search of answers after Toby was taken. Nearly all their daylight hours were spent together, and in this manner, Jareth subtly managed to court the lovely Sarah Williams. He brought her everywhere that he could think of to bring her. They went into the Empire State Building and sat up at the very top for over an hour, discussing everything that Sarah remembered from the Labyrinth. They took a ferry to Staten Island, eating pretzels and just talking about life in general. They went to a Yankees game and to the Central Park Zoo. Lunches were spent in China Town and Little Italy, and evenings in Broadway or on the roof.

By the end of the week, despite Sarah having immensely enjoyed her time with her old rival, she was discouraged and more than a little bit weary from her endless searching. Jareth could scarcely blame her for this, as she had worked long and hard and had still not come upon an answer for how to get back to the Underground. She was terrified for her brother, and well she should have been, though Murdor certainly wouldn't kill the boy before he had obtained his true prize. Sarah believed that Murdor would stoop to killing Toby, after all he had already done, and Jareth couldn't blame her for believing this, though once a creature's word from the Labyrinth was given, it was given for good and could not be broken.

Despite all of this knowledge of the situation, Jareth disliked seeing his Sarah in such a broken and weary state, and so he decided to take her out for the night marking a full week of Toby's disappearance. He had thought of taking her to a fancy restaurant, but she needed to be brought somewhere where she could remember things and where she could find joy and peace for a bit. He brought her to Central Park just as it was getting dark out, so that everything sparkled and shone beneath the sinking sun's rays. They sat on a bench near a water fountain and watched the activity going on around them, neither of them saying a word, but their hands clasped together.

There was a group of men playing Frisbee not far off, laughing and joking and forth. A family was having a picnic to left, and to the right was a young couple fully enjoying each others company. Music was drifting on a breeze from an independent guitarist, and everything was happy here and carefree. Sarah couldn't help but let some of that feeling sink into her as a gentle breeze rustled her hair away from her face, caressing her with its gentle touch.

Something wet popped against her temple, leaving just the smallest wet dot on her skin, and she turned her head and smiled when she saw children giggling and dancing in the bubbles that were fast flowing from a bubble machine. Oh, to be a child again with no worries and no cares! How wonderful that would have been! As soon as one became an adult, or was forced to become one, it seemed like the whole weight of the world was resting on that person's shoulders!

"Stand up, Sarah," Jareth smiled, taking Sarah's hand and lifting her up to her feet.

"What?"

"Just stand here for a moment and enjoy. Pretend that Toby is safe and sound. Pretend that all is well with the world, just for a moment. You were always so wonderful at pretending."

Sarah smiled weakly but did as he asked, standing still as the bubbles floated about her, some of them popping on her skin and leaving soapy freckles on her face. She laughed as she was surrounded by the little things, almost like they were little living creatures, and so pleased was she to be standing here that she didn't notice when Jareth pulled away from her and sat back down on the bench to watch his beloved enjoying herself. Indeed, Sarah was so captivated by the simple pleasure of the bubbles that she forgot entirely where she was and began to twirl slowly, holding her hands out to the sides and letting the bubbles spin right along with her, just as though she was one of the children. She had forgotten how simple life could be, how beautiful the world really was sometimes and how, even in the midst of troubles, God would send a little bit of heaven down to comfort. This time, His comfort came in a strange form, in the tiny translucence of soapy bubbles.

One of the bubbles landed in Sarah's open palm and she gazed at it for a moment, waiting for the moment when it would pop, and her eyebrows narrowed slowly in realization as the bubble didn't pop, but lingered there for several seconds as though waiting to be guided by her words. She shook her head, and looked to the side, seeing a larger bubble drift by, and in it she could almost see... Yes, why yes she could see! There was a clock, and a girl standing bravely near it, her hazel eyes burning into Sarah as she moved towards her. The bubble popped, but not before another one drew near, drifting past Sarah's eyes, and she watched as a picture formed in this one too.

A Goblin City and a great battle, and then a dump heap with a rotting peach. Then there was a dance, with a beautiful girl all in white being held by an exquisite man in shades of blue and black. The bubbles kept turning, faster and faster, dancing across Sarah, filling her with new sensations, reminding her of who and what she was. She was Sarah, conqueror of the Labyrinth, the girl who the Goblin King loved, the wisher of wishes and the dreamer of dreams. Before her eyes she watched her story unfold, only backwards, bringing her all the way back to her parents' bedroom, back to the owl flying in through the window, back to her wish, her desire that the goblins would come and take her brother away. A flash of lightning, pounding rain, and that impossible, magical touch in the air that sizzled with electricity, danced to her and wrapped itself around her as she spoke her words and felt a power that she had never known existed.

As she spoke her words...

Sarah's eyes opened wide with realization even as they physically opened. She understood. She understood! She knew her power, and she would get herself and Jareth back to the Labyrinth!

"Jareth! Jareth, I know the way!" she exclaimed, running to Jareth and grabbing his hand, sending bubbles scattering. "I know how to get you home!"

Her fingers laced through his and then she was tugging him along, pulling him with her through the park, their feet pounding against the sidewalk. How had she not seen it before? How could she possibly have missed it? It was all so simple, so terribly simple!

Her heart beat wildly within her as she raced through streets with Jareth, never stopping, never slowing, but running full force to their apartment complex. She took the apartment stairs two at a time and the hastily unlocked her apartment door, pulling Jareth inside along with her. She couldn't contain her excitement as she fell back against the door and caught her breath, her eyes dancing with delight.

"I know the way! I know the way!" she exclaimed. "The way back to the Labyrinth!"

Jareth smiled, a sparkle in his eyes.

"I knew you would find it," he said proudly.

She took both of his hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze before looking up into his face.

"You never have stopped believing in me, have you?"

"Never," he smiled, touching her nose with his own. "And Sarah, I don't know what shall happen upon our return, but I want you to understand that I love you."

He put a hand to her chin and lifted her face gently so she could look into his.

"I love you very, very much."

She smiled joyously and then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She kissed him tenderly for a moment and then drew back for just a few seconds to speak, clearly and with authority, "I wish the Labyrinth would take me back to the Underground!"

Jareth captured her lips again in a deep kiss as the air sparked with magical currents and swirled all about them, drawing them in, pulling them closer, closer, to the place where they had once been before, back to the place where it had all begun. Back to the Labyrinth.