Sorry I was away so long was in hospital and wasn't allowed my laptop L Working on next chapter now so enjoy and review!

The sun was setting on the labyrinth and the goblins, who were usually running around causing mayhem in the castle, were now packed into the throne room while their king bounced a baby on his knee. He was deep in thought over the upcoming ball and was still unsure whether Mercy was ready for it all or not. He hadn't heard off the girl since Nathan had started their lessons and he was hurt that she hadn't sought him out. The child gurgled happily and Jareth smiled down into his bright blue eyes. The last few hours had been a bore; the young prince had returned to his kingdom, Mercy was nowhere to be found and the runner was running in circles inside his labyrinth. He had managed to find an opening in one of the walls and was now cursing and the brick walls surrounding him. A few of the goblins snorted at the foul words while others laughed hysterically. The king turned the baby away from the goblins and held him up so their faces were on the same level. The boy looked similar to young Toby.

"You remind me of the babe…"

"What babe?" A goblin squeaked.

"The babe with the power" The king smirked as the old tune came to life and he spun the baby in his arms.

"Dance magic dance…" The king spun and jumped around the room, throwing the baby to the goblins and then retrieving him moments later. The baby was laughing and the goblins were happy which, in turn, made the king feel proud. He sang to the baby until he could no longer keep his eyes open. The king slowly sank to his throne and held the baby close to his chest, feeling his even breathing. Jareth had always wanted heirs of his own and he had hoped Sarah would fail and Toby would be his. He would never of offered the young boy up for adoption; he felt a connection to the child he had not felt towards any other. When Sarah had won he envisioned them having children and raising Toby alongside them but she had refused him. The king frowned as he remembered the look of disgust she had given him when he had offered her everything he had and he would of thrown another crystal if he hadn't had a baby in his arms. He shook thoughts of Sarah out of his mind and focused on Mercy. The girl was not like Sarah yet she caught his attention. He told himself it was not because of her looks but because of her personality too. She was defiant and strong and he knew, in time, he would fall in love with her. The king frowned and stared at nothing. He didn't want his heart broken once more and he knew the prince had feelings for her, yet he needed someone to rule beside him and he wanted Mercy.

"We will just have to make her choose me at the ball" Jareth murmured to the sleeping boy. He chuckled softly and drew a crystal and started forming his plan.

~#~

A girl was sitting at a vanity mirror with her brunette hair falling down her back. It came to her waist and curled around her arms. Mercy took a step towards her and tilted her head; who is she? And where am i? She felt a dull pain at the back of her head but ignored it as she slowly advanced on the girl. When she came close enough to touch, Mercy reached out a hand and placed it on the girl's shoulder and watched as it went right through her. Mercy gasped and tried again and the girl didn't even move. She frowned deeply and moved to face the girl and stopped dead.

"I'm dead…that bitch killed me" She whispered and shook her head. The girl was putting down a small tube of red lipstick and puckering her lips. Her face was pointed and her jade eyes were large. Mercy was looking at her double. When she noticed the girl's eyes she let out a shaky breath in realisation.

"So…your Sarah?" Mercy leaned against the table and crossed her arms, but not before the table shook slightly under her weight. Sarah jumped slightly and looked around the table for the cause of the shake. Mercy raised a brow and smiled slightly.

"So I can't touch you but I can touch anything around you?" Mercy lightly pushed the lipstick over and Sarah jumped out of her seat and backed away.

"Whose there?" She growled. She held out her hands and was looking around her room.

"Goblins? Hoggle?" Mercy didn't know what a hoggle was but she knew Sarah was referring to something from the underground. Mercy reached down and took the lipstick's lid off and turned to the mirror.

Don't be scared, I won't hurt you.

Sarah took a step forward and stared at the mirror.

"Who are you?"

You don't remember me, Sarah?

Sarah gasped and fell to her knees.

"Jareth…" Her eyes started to water and her hands shook. Mercy felt bad for pretending to be the king but knew she couldn't explain it all to Sarah on such a small mirror.

My magic is weak. Cannot appear. Where are you?

Sarah brushed away a few tears and stood again, apologising for what she had done. Mercy rolled her eyes and underline the part asking where she was.

"Texas…I'm in Texas…." Her words were a whisper and Mercy saw everything start to blur.

"I'll find you Sarah!"

~#~

Jareth had placed the baby in a crib and was walking his castle, something he rarely had time for. He was going over the stages of his plan in his head. He ran a hand over the wall on his right and felt the magic of the labyrinth pulse under his palm and he sighed; he missed the moments when he could let everything go and just enjoy the magic. He closed his eyes and savoured the feeling. He would have to teach Mercy how to feel the labyrinth once she was his queen. His mind wondered to fantasies of the future when he felt something shift in front of him and the magic in his castle spiked. He opened his eyes and glared at the woman in front of him.

"How dare you enter my castle Helena" Jareth's voice was cold.

"I am not here to start a war, my dear. I just wanted to see the competition" She grinned and showed her fangs, and Jareth did the same.

"Stay away from the human, she won't choose your kind over us" Helena smiled, actually smiled, and that unnerved Jareth. Vampires rarely smiled and it was never a good sign when they did. Jareth had known Helena for a very long time and she had only ever smiled once.

"She is very beautiful is she not? Looks very much like that girl who defeated you many years ago" Jareth narrowed his eyes.

"Why so interested?"

"Me? I saw nothing of interest in her, but the king…he wants her" Jareth tensed and his hands balled into fists, causing Helena to smirk. Everyone knew vampires were heartless creatures; but no creature was as heartless as king Malachi. Helena knew first-hand how cruel he was with pledges, the smirk slipping from her face as she remembered.

"What happened to us Jareth? We used to be so close…" Helena's voice was a whisper but Jareth ignored the pain. He remembered the bright young girl at the summer ball and how she pledged her soul to vampires.

"You chose them, Helena. After all we did for you, after all we did to protect you, you chose them" Helena winced at the dull tone of his voice and nodded. She knew the pain it caused for the king to watch her run to the vampires, but that was the past and she couldn't change it if she wanted to. Her face went blank as she looked towards the king.

"The girl is quite clumsy…she lost a lot of blood" Before the king could respond she had evaporated.

"Damn you Helena!" Jareth growled. He pulled a crystal to his hand and urged it to find Mercy. The small ball clouded for a second before clearing on the girl crumpled on the floor, a small pool of blood around her head. Jareth's grip on the crystal tightened to the point where it shattered around his gloved hand.

"You will pay for this…" He vowed as he transported himself to Mercy.