A/N: It's a day early, but I have school and work all day tomorrow, so I won't be able to post tomorrow. This chapter is a little long again, I hope you don't mind. I don't remember if I said so before, but this story is 36 chapters with a short epilogue, so 37 parts total. Yes, we're almost at the end! Both 36 and the epilogue are shorter, so I'm not sure if I'm going to post them together or separately. What do you think?

Chapter 35: Love

Jareth was exhausted, but filled with restless energy. It was like drinking too much coffee to make up for not sleeping. He kept back a small portion of Magic for himself instead of releasing it all to the Labyrinth. It was the only thing that kept him from collapsing on the spot. Sarah was asleep and nestled against him. Her face was streaked with dirt, but she never looked more beautiful to him.

"I love you," he said, his voice as rough as hers. She didn't answer, but he knew she heard him. That was enough for now. They both needed medical attention. There was blood streaked down her arms, and it was too caked for him to see where it was coming from. His back was aching for some reason, but that wasn't as important as getting his Heart seen to. He needed to get them out of this chamber, for no one else could enter it. He was too weak to risk transporting them, and he was only barely able to remain conscious with the help of Magic.

"I love you," he repeated as he slowly got one foot under him and tried to stand. He started to tip over and caught himself, accidentally jarring Sarah. She murmured and snuggled deeper against him.

"I love you." It was his chant, his mantra, the only thing that kept him going as he tried to stand again and made it this time. His body was bruised and aching inside and out. The spot that Sarah healed was still extremely sore. It would be a few days, maybe a week or two, before the sensitivity faded.

He didn't know how Sarah had managed to stay in the Instance, unprotected, for as long as she did. He was Fae, born to magic, had lived above the Instance all his life, and he still felt battered. How much worse did Sarah feel, with her fragile mortal body? Or was she even mortal anymore? If the use of magic would have eventually given her a life as long as his, what had Magic done to her?

"I love you." He put one foot in front of the other, shuffling forward slowly. He could see Sarah's guards and Maple waiting at the boundary where they couldn't enter. They noticed him, and began shouting in alarm at their torn and dirty state.

"I love you." Now it was a quiet reassurance that he had not left her. After their horrifying ordeal, the terror that he had almost lost her, he needed to hold her close. Just a few more steps, and the guards would be able to help them. He was loathe to let anyone near his Heart, but he knew he wouldn't be able to keep upright for much longer.

"I love you." With that last whisper, he stepped across the barrier. The dregs of Magic in his blood slipped away suddenly. He pitched forward as darkness rose to meet him, and then he knew nothing more.

He couldn't have said how long he was out. When he woke, his first thought was for Sarah. He tensed, and then relaxed as he realized she was with him, in his arms. He hugged her tightly, easing his grip only when he thought she might have injuries he was pressing on. She made no protest, being thoroughly asleep still.

He looked around and recognized their surroundings. They were in his room. On his bed, as a matter of fact. And he was under the covers with Sarah, only their thin night clothes and a few strips of linen around his chest between them. His body was rather happy at this position, but the reawakening of his senses caused him to groan out loud. He hurt.

There wasn't an inch of him that didn't feel bruised, and his head pounding with the worst headache of his life. This was far worse than waking up after too much Fae wine. For a moment he buried his head in Sarah's hair and breathed in her vanilla-sunshine scent. It quieted him like nothing else could, and after a while the pain started to fade into the background.

Besides being changed and in bed, he noticed they were also clean. Sarah's hair was soft, and his skin no longer had that gritty feeling of sweat and blood. But for some reason, whoever changed them saw it fit to wrap his chest in lengths of cloth that were just tight enough to be irritating without restricting his breathing. He didn't know why. He had been wrapped similarly centuries ago, when he had fallen from a height and broken one of his ribs, but he didn't have broken ribs now. It didn't hurt to breathe, and it was for the wound in his side, because that felt perfectly fine now.

He shrugged, and grunted as jagged pain lanced down his back. What the…? He sat up in bed and used magic to split the bandages along his spine. He conjured a crystal to look behind him, and gaped at what was revealed. It looked like he had been whipped by lightning. At least ten lashes ran in a jagged line across his flesh. He vaguely remembered feeling his back being torn while he was in the Instance, but there had been so much pain all over, and the need to protect Sarah so overwhelming, that he had not singling out any individual damage done to him.

While the rest of his body felt like he had a bad case of muscle strain and whiplash—painful but invisible—these were a tangible reminder of what he had been though. Grimly, he looked down at Sarah. She had been in the Instance longer than him. He noticed bandages on her arms, and quickly flicked them open fearing the worse.

Thankfully, she was not as injured as he was. She only had a single lightning bolt pattern on either arm. Even though she had gotten off much lighter, he still didn't like seeing her open cuts. Why hadn't Lilac healed these? He summoned his magic. It came to him, sluggish and weak, but still present. He sent it over Sarah's skin, but nothing happened. He frowned at the cuts. Caused by Magic, they were resistant to being healed by magical means? Something tickled on his back, and a glance in a crystal revealed a slow drop of blood making its way down his skin.

He wrapped Sarah's arms again, and was just putting the finishing touches on his own bandages when she began to stir. Not wanting to alarm her, he quickly summoned a shirt for himself to cover the bandages. Her eyes fluttered open just as he shrugged it on, causing a scream of pain from his lacerations. He hid his discomfort as he watched Sarah anxiously. Worry filled her eyes for a moment, but it faded when she realize he was there.

"Jareth," she breathed, reaching up to touch his face. She seemed as puzzled as he was by her bandages, but she accepted it quickly. "It could have been worse," she shrugged, and he privately agreed. She could have looked like him.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly.

He took her hand, and kissed her fingers above the wraps. "I'm very well, so long as you are."

She smiled and snuggled closer to him. That was when she realized where they were, and exactly how little separated them. Several emotions flitted across her face. Alarm, embarrassment, slight outrage, uncertainty. He couldn't help but to smirk a little deeper with each one. She gave him a stern look.

"I swear if you say something, I will sic Maple on you," she warned. Maple made his presence at the foot of the bed known by beating his tail on the quilt.

Jareth opened his mouth. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man cannot open his mouth without, at least once, saying something stupid. The words he uttered made Sarah hit him with a pillow, and he found himself being chased from the room by a snarling Grimhound. He made it to the door a heartbeat in front of Maple, and quickly closed it behind him. It shuddered as the dog hit it. Jareth was laughing too hard to really mind being run out of his room. He knew she didn't really mean it, and it had been worth it to see the look on her face. He tapped on the door.

"I love you!" he called out playfully. She sighed and called Maple off.

"Come here, Jareth," she replied. He sauntered in with a grin. She was still in bed. She patted the quilt next to her. He sat down, and when she reached for him, allowed her to pull him down so she could kiss him.

"I love you too," she said warmly, then pushed him away when he tried to lay down again.

"Go get dressed," she ordered teasingly, "And send Zinnia in to help me."

He pretended to pout, and made a show of slouching from the room. Zinnia was just outside preparing to knock when he left again. She seemed surprised to see him, but gave a cheerful curtsy when he smiled at her. She entered the room and closed the door firmly. Shaking his head, he summoned a crystal to transport him to the guest room where he could dress in privacy. At least, that was his intention, but when he dropped the crystal, all he felt was a horrible wrenching sensation, and when he reappeared, it was only one hallway over. His back blazed with pain, and he slammed into the ground.

"Well," he remarked to the goblin he had landed on, "This is awkward."

He managed to roll to his side so he was no longer crushing poor Mortar, who had been repairing a section of wall. He tried to get up, but found he was entirely unable to do so, and settled for lying on his side with his head propped up in his hand. He decided this was a suitably casual pose that did not look too helpless.

"Sire?" asked Mortar uncertainly, "Shall I fetch someone?"

"Yes, I think the royal physician should be adequate," he said with feigned arrogance. Mortar ran off as fast as only a goblin could run. By the time Lilac arrived several minutes later, Jareth had attempted to raise himself to a sitting position against the wall, but found that leaning against his back was so agonizing, it was better to lie down after all. His color was barely returning to normal when Lilac came.

There was a bevy of goblins behind her, but he chose to ignore them for the moment, affecting a look of boredom. She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned down at him.

"You tried to use magic," she said flatly.

"I may have," he answered breezily. "I suppose that has something to do with why I can't move right now?"

"It has everything to do with where you are right now," she tsked. "Alright, take him to the guest room on the second floor."

He blinked, before realizing she wasn't talking to him. The goblins swarmed over him in seconds. He tried to protest and push them away, but was embarrassingly weak. Instead he suffered with wounded dignity as he was placed on a litter and carried by a dozen goblins to the guest room. They put him to bed, while he glared at Lilac the entire way. She made him roll to his stomach as she looked at his back.

She clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You've opened your cuts again, as I suspected," she said, and proceeded to wash and rewrap his back. "You won't ever heal if you keep using magic like this."

He gritted his teeth through the process. "What do you mean, I won't heal?" he asked, his voice somewhat muffled by the bedclothes.

"These wounds are sensitive to magic," she explained. "I tried to heal them, but couldn't. The more magic you use, the longer it will take for them to heal. It's like ripping off a scab before its ready, causing it to bleed freshly again."

"Someone has to tell Sarah before she tries to use magic," he said in alarm, trying to push himself up. Lilac held him down with one hand.

"You're not moving from this bed. Zinnia is with her, and is aware of this condition. Not to mention, Lady Sarah had far more sense than to get out of bed and start slinging magic around days after her system was overloaded by it."

Jareth snarled at how weak he was. Now that he realized it, it had been odd that his Heart called him back into the room after Maple chased him out, and didn't rise to greet him. Just as he had put on a shirt to hide his injuries from her, she was trying to protect him from knowing how frail she was. He was filled with dismay, both that she hadn't been honest about her state, and that he hadn't noticed it.

"I need to go to her," he said, and tried to get up again. Lilac allowed him to roll over, but when he tried to stand, he got so lightheaded his body collapsed back to bed again. His stomach gave an extremely loud rumble of hunger. He shot it an offended look.

"You need food, and rest," Lilac prescribed sternly. As if on cue, a goblin brought a tray of breakfast to the room. Grudgingly Jareth ate a piece of toast, with a little egg and bacon wrapped inside it. There was tea to wash it down it. Lilac stood over him to make sure he ate and drank as much as possible. He found that though the portions were smaller than he would normally eat, he was not able to finish even that reduced amount. At least Lilac had brought his favorite peach tea.

She also proved just how susceptible he was, for he began to get tired right away. In the end, he didn't know if it was the drugged tea, or the touch of Lilac's wand to his forehead that sent him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

It seemed only a few hours later when he woke this time. He was alone in the guest room. He felt physically better, but he had a pounding headache and was desperately thirsty. There was a pitcher of water on the bedside table. He seized it and drank half of it before coming up for air. His stomach growled again, demanding food. He shifted uncomfortably. He was mindful of Lilac's warning to not move or use magic, but he was going to have to do one of those to find Sarah and get some food.

The bedroom door rattled. He tensed as he turned toward it. He hid one of his hands under the quilt, ready to summon a crystal if need be. The door swung open, and surprisingly it was Maple that stuck his head in. Upon seeing that he was awake, the dog shouldered the door open. Ludo followed, carrying Sarah. Jareth's protective instincts stirred. Even though he knew there was nothing between them, he didn't like to see her in anyone's arms than his own.

She smiled brightly at him. Several goblins followed Ludo and Sarah into the room, carrying a chair, table, and a platter of food from the kitchen. In short order she was installed next to his bed, with the food on a table in front of her. Everyone else left except for Maple. The door remained open for propriety's sake, with Maple lying protectively across the threshold.

"Hello, sleepyhead," Sarah greeted him. "Lilac said you should be waking up around now, so I thought we might have a meal together."

"That sounds like and excellent idea," he agreed, reaching for her hand. At that moment, his need for her eclipsed any other hunger. He kissed her fingers and simply held her palm against his cheek. Her face softened.

"I missed you too," she confessed.

"I love you."

"I know, I love you too."

He smiled. "I thought once that one day you would say that to me, and I'd be the happiest man alive. I really do think I am, now."

She blushed. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long—" she began anxiously, but he interrupted her.

"You are worth the wait," he said firmly.

"Thank you for not giving up on me." She looked like she was close to tears. He could feel her remorse and gratitude. It was all he could do to not take her in his arms and pull her into bed with him. His desire wasn't even sexual; it was a need to hold his Heart close and know that she was his at long last. Would she object to being in bed with him again? Propriety be damned, he was going to do it anyway! Before he could tug her down next to him, his stomach gave a loud growl, and hers followed as if in answer.

She laughed. His thwarted desire did not find the situation quite so humorous, but he obligingly released her so they could eat. There was silence for a few minutes as they ate. Sarah managed very well on her own, despite the bandages on her arms and hands. Seeing them reminded him of how she had been carried in. He had been able to walk, at least before he tried to transport himself and fried his energy. Was she not able to do that much?

"How are you doing?" he asked between bites. "I noticed Ludo carrying you in." His voice dipped, and he almost growled the statement. She looked up in surprise. He cleared his throat as if he'd had something caught there.

"I'm alright, really," she said breezily, not meeting his eyes. "I just heard about what happened to you, and thought I shouldn't take any chances."

"Sarah," he warned, catching her hand. She gave him an innocent look.

"The truth, please."

She bit her lower lip, distracting him for a moment. "It's nothing, really."

His eyes snapped back up to hers. "Where it concerns you, it is not nothing. It is my duty to protect and provide for you, my Heart. How can I do that if you will not tell me how you are and what you need?"

She looked shyly uncertain. "I need you," she confessed. "And I don't want to be a burden on you, another duty you have to perform."

He realized he'd used the wrong words. "You are not a duty to me," he insisted. "I love you. I want to look out for you. I need it, need you, as much as you need me. You will never be a burden to me. I want to know how you're doing."

She took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I can stand, and walk a couple steps, but I feel weak as a kitten. I hate feeling like this!"

He snorted, and spread his hands over himself with an arch of his eyebrows. "And I also enjoy being confined to the bed."

She looked abashed. "I'm sorry, I didn't think."

"Don't apologize," he said. "We both need some time to recover."

"How much time, do you think?"

He shrugged, feeling the lance of pain down his back. "Lilac would probably be better able to answer that," he said, though he privately thought his wounds would take longer to heal than the ones on his Heart's arms.

"I was thinking of… our wedding," she admitted shyly. "That is, if you still want to be married—"

He pushed himself straighter in bed. "That is the worst question you've ever had," he said shortly. "I loved you before you knew it, and love you still more now. You are mine, Sarah, and I will not rest until it becomes official."

She blushed. "Thank you," she whispered. "I think I needed to hear that. And Jareth, you are mine as well."

He smirked. "But of course, I'd not have it any other way." That was something he'd needed to hear too. It was a relief to know his strong feelings toward her were not going to smother her, and that she was just as willing to be possessive of him.

"So I was thinking, how we couldn't agree on a date before? I wanted a longer time, and you wanted it sooner?"

"Yeah," he agreed, wondering where this was going.

"I'm ready," she blurted. "I know now, how I made you wait, and how much you cared for me. I have all these new memories, and it's like we've been together for a lot longer than I realized. So… I don't want to wait anymore. I'd like to be married as soon as possible, because I don't like being away from you longer than I have to. As soon as we can both stand for the ceremony, I think we should do it."

His chest leapt in excitement, even as his head cautioned him. To hear that she was as eager as him to be joined was pure bliss, but he knew he was in no state to be married. He was afraid of disappointing her by his weakness. She was suffering a similar state right now, but he was supposed to be the strong one, the protector. How could he be joined with her if he couldn't even carry her?

"Oh, I don't know," he mused casually, "I'm beginning to see the appeal of a longer engagement. Gives us time to get used to the idea, you know? We don't want to rush into anything."

Her face fell. He felt her heart breaking inside his chest.

"Oh. Of course. Right," she said, and busied herself with the remains of the food tray to avoid looking at him.

No. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her like this.

"Sarah," he began.

"No, it's alright, I'm just being foolish, why would we want to get it done right away?" Her chin trembled, and she dashed tears from her eyes.

Confound it all. He shoved the little table out of the way, causing the food tray to fall noisily to the floor. Maple raised his head to look at them. Jareth grabbed Sarah's arms and pulled her into bed with him. The motion made his back blaze with pain, but it was worth it to hold her against him.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said, stroking her hair. He could feel how crushed she was, and realized he owed her the truth. "I want to marry you as soon as possible, precious, but I'm not at my best right now."

"I don't want the best," she mumbled damply against his chest. "I just want you."

"I know, precious, I'm sorry. What I meant was, I was injured too." It was harder than he thought to confess it. He hated revealing his weaknesses to outsiders because they might strike at him. He hated showing his weakness to Sarah because it meant he could not be the man he wanted to be for her. But why? Did he think she would leave him if he admitted to being vulnerable? Put him down like an owl with a broken wing? No, she wouldn't do that. He didn't like to worry her, but he realized that only complete honesty was going to work between them.

He unbuttoned his shirt enough to show the edge of his bandages. She looked at them in sympathy, and suddenly realized she was leaning on him. She sat up quickly, but he pulled her back.

"You're not hurting me," he assured her. "It's my back, not my front. But it's like your arms."

She winced.

"Are you in pain?" he asked quickly.

"No, not unless I bump them or stretch too much," she assured him, delicately touching the top bandage. "But when I first got them, it was awful."

"Tell me about it," he said dryly. "And can I just say, don't ever scare me like that again. I thought I was going to lose you."

"I thought you were dying. I couldn't do nothing."

He had no answer to that but to hold her closer. He understood completely. She glanced up at him for permission, then pulled his shirt away from his skin to look down his chest. She gasped when she realized the bandages went all the way down to his waist. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt the rest of the way and pulled it off his shoulders—and didn't that give him ideas. He focused on controlling himself as she leaned behind him, as if she could peer through the bandages.

"How bad are they?" she asked fearfully.

He had learned by now not to shrug. "Not too bad," he assured her, but he knew by her expression she was imagining something far worse than the truth. He turned and laid on his stomach to give her access to his back. "You can look at them, if you want."

"It won't hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Sarah. You could never hurt me."

Her hands were very gentle as she undid his wraps. "Jareth!" she cried when she saw the full extent of his injuries. She was careful not to touch the lacerations as she rested her hand on the unblemished skin of his shoulder. "Your poor back! You did all this for me?"

"And I would do it again, and count the cost light, precious," he stated. She gave him a confused look.

"Look at you, my Heart," he said tenderly. "You are alive and well, and so am I. The Labyrinth is safe, and so is everyone inside it. That makes this little bit of pain worth every second. If you knew what it would feel like ahead of time, would you still go back to the Instance?"

Understanding dawned on her face. "To save you, I wouldn't hesitate."

"So you see, I would marry you as soon as possible, but I would like to be healed first, and I rather fear my back will take longer than your arms to heal."

She covered him again, and then laid down beside him, both of them on top of the covers. He put an arm around her, and she allowed him to draw her close.

"Then I don't mind waiting for you," she assured him. She nestled against him, and they didn't speak. Within a few minutes, both were asleep.