It was strange how quickly Jareth dominated her thoughts once again from the moment she saw him. Well, if Sarah was honest with herself, he'd never truly left them. No matter how much she'd tried to convince herself that she was putting the past behind her, things always came back to the Labyrinth. Always. So much so that the moment Jareth disappeared in his puff of glitter, Sarah deluded herself into thinking that the trials for the day were done. She spared no thoughts for where she was or who with. Instead, as the tension in her body melted away, Sarah began to laugh.

"Bella?" The voice surprised Sarah and she looked up to meet Alice's concerned gaze. Though she'd never technically forgotten the Cullens were there, whenever Jareth was around nothing else really compared, did it? She glanced around the room. Edward was still keeping his distance, fixing a hard stare at the wall. Sarah recognized what he was doing; she'd seen it before in Port Angeles. He was collecting himself. Emmett and Rosalie were nowhere to be seen, whether they'd left to give her space or if they thought they could hunt down Jareth, Sarah didn't know. She turned her attention back to Alice.

"Well… that's… I…." Sarah was at a loss. One hand lifted to rub the back of her neck, but she had no idea where to start. "That was Jareth." She tried to smile. The crystal still lay clutched in her other hand. Despite the ominous and cryptic words from the Goblin King, she refused to let go of it. That was the eternal paradox that defined their relationship and one that would take the Cullens a long time to understand—if ever they did. "I don't know what else to say." Alice was still looking at her kindly, but Sarah knew that she looked defeated, deflating ever more the longer she stood there.

"Why didn—," Edward started angrily, though the words cut off quickly as Alice snapped her head toward him. Sarah flinched at the tone all the same. She wasn't physically afraid of Edward, but sinking feelings of guilt settled in her stomach. As uncomfortable as the situation had been for her, it could only be that much worse for Edward who had been blindsided by it all. Edward had—once she'd revealed his secret—been nothing but honest with her. She hadn't given him the same consideration.

"Ed—."

"I should get you home," he said, cutting her off. "Your father…." Edward stopped and a frustrated look crossed over his face again. "Chief Swan will worry." Charlie! In all the confusion, she'd forgotten all about him. Jareth, as always, blocked everything from her mind but himself. Sarah had the dreadful feeling he knew that too. Slowly nodding, she watched Edward start for the door. Sarah paused next to Alice.

"Will you apologize to Esme for me?" she asked. "Tell her I'll come back to meet her another day. If," Sarah paused, shifting on her feet. "If she still wants me to." Sarah's social life in Forks had flourished, but that had only been while Jareth was away. A creeping dread churned in Sarah's stomach, wondering if this reappearance would return her days back into what they had been before. Now that Jareth was back, would they all turn their backs on her again? Even Edward?

Alice smiled at her comfortingly. "Of course," she said. "You're always welcome here." Alice pulled her into a hug that Sarah was unprepared for, though it was nice to have some reassurances that not everything was about to change. She hugged the other girl back, pulling away in time to catch the tail end of a stern look Alice was sending towards Edward.

As angry as he was, Edward didn't say a thing as Sarah followed him back out to the car. The look on his face was dark, but whatever warnings Alice had been sending him apparently were working. After buckling herself in, Sarah's eyes flickered awkwardly around, not sure what to do with herself in the oppressive silence. Once they'd gotten on the road, she cleared her throat.

"I… uh…." She could see Edward's jaw tense the moment she spoke, making her wonder if she ought to stop there. But she felt as though she would suffocate if the silence continued any longer. "I'm sorry. About him. About… everything. I know there's still a lot to explain. I should have…." Sarah shook her head. "I just…. I didn't think he'd find me… so soon." The last part was added quietly, almost against her own will, but she'd known she'd never escape Jareth forever. Much though she didn't want to admit it, she was certain he'd always come back into her life no matter what. "I promise I'll explain better once I've had a chance to… sleep on it." A promise she shouldn't have made. No matter how much sleep she got, there was no easy explanation.

"The memories you were talking about," Edward said suddenly, causing Sarah to jump in her seat, "they're of him?" She shot a glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Mostly," Sarah responded. She knew that no matter what he asked now, she had to answer; this was no longer the time for games. "When I was fifteen I… accidentally wished my brother away. I was unhappy and frustrated and he wouldn't stop crying…." Sarah wanted to cringe as she found herself making excuses for her actions. Instead she tried to press on and ignore it. "And then he showed up. I never thought he was real either and then… there he was, stealing my brother. It's been two years since then, but it still feels like yesterday." The feelings Sarah had about the Labyrinth were impossible to put to words, and Sarah didn't feel up to the task of trying. It was such a unique feeling of magic and belonging that she couldn't articulate it and knew Edward wouldn't want to hear even if she could.

"This is the first time you've seen him in two years?" Though it was a question, Sarah could easily tell Edward didn't believe it for a second. As much as he tried to keep his expression and tone neutral, he was doing a poor job.

"… no," Sarah said, lifting a hand to rub her forehead. "He's been coming to visit me ever—sometimes since then." The way Edward's hands tightened on the steering wheel suggested to Sarah that she should downplay her relationship with the Goblin King. Edward didn't need to know just how often he used to visit. "Or, he used to, before I came here."

"An escape," Edward said quietly. Sarah wasn't sure what he meant by that, though his tone implied that something had just dawned on him.

"I guess you could call it that, yeah. I never told him I was leaving and I figured if I hid myself well enough, he might not find me at all." At least so she'd tried to tell herself.

"Why?" The word was abrupt and it was hard for Sarah to figure out what Edward meant by the question. She found herself looking back up at him, only to blink in confusion. Taking one look at her unsure expression, Edward sighed. "Why did you leave?" A kind of grimace crossed Sarah's features.

"I was scared."

"Of him?" Edward was pushing and Sarah hated it. Oh, how she hated everything that had come of today. Was that it? Was she scared of Jareth? That's what she'd always tried to believe, but really, wasn't she just scared of herself? Edward noticed her hesitation. "Did he hurt you?" This time the question was forceful and demanding an answer.

"Wha—no! He woul—." Sarah's denial caught in her throat. Why was she so quick to deny that Jareth would do anything bad, but so afraid to give in to him? "I mean, he did send his goblin army after me, drop me in an oubliette and try to kill me with cleaners… but no. I don't think he'd hurt me. Probably not?" She was speaking more for herself now, trying to work it out in her head. Even after everything that Jareth had done, it was hard to imagine him actively seeking her harm.

"You…." Edward was frustrated, and Sarah couldn't fault him for it. As bad as she felt, he might even be worse. "Have you always been like this?"

"Like what?" Sarah asked, something close to offense in her tone. Edward let out another noise of frustration.

"It's like trouble follows you around everywhere you go, and you attract it. You're a magnet for the most dangerous things in the world." Her offense cooled as he continued, though Sarah didn't know what to say. No one had ever laid it out that clearly and—if she was being honest—he did have a point. No, she had not always been like this, but the past few years had been full of grief and pain.

"It's the Labyrinth," she finally said, making Edward look over at her. "Ever since I came back, everything has been… different. Bad." That was the best Sarah knew how to explain it, and the two fell back into silence. Edward probably wanted to ask more, but he said nothing. She didn't know why. Sarah couldn't have seen the way her expression looked as she said those words. She didn't know just how close she was to falling apart. The silence stretched on until they reached Charlie's house. By now Sarah expected him to open the door for her, so she looked over at him curiously as he stayed in his seat.

"Will you be alright?" he asked, serious in his question. "Do you need me to… stay?" She knew why he was asking: Edward suspected that Jareth would pop up again the moment he was gone, but Sarah wasn't so sure. Often Jareth only appeared once in a day to say his peace and then would leave her alone for the rest. Eventually, she shook her head.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "Charlie's home, and he wouldn't dare show up in front of Charlie." Of that, at least, Sarah was certain. "And it's probably for the best if Charlie doesn't see me bringing a boy home this late. He has a gun, you know. Might not kill you, but it would definitely make things awkward." In another situation the words might have brought a sly grin to Edward's lips, but in this one there was no more than a small, tense smile. Finally agreeing to let her go in alone, he walked around the car to open the door for Sarah. As she stepped out of her seat, however, Sarah could have sworn she felt something crawling out under her legs. Freezing, Sarah glanced down at the ground below her.

"What is it?" Edward asked, making Sarah look up quickly. While she had her sneaking suspicion about what had just happened, she decided it was for the best not to tell Edward about it.

"Nothing. Just feeling weird on my feet right now," she lied. That was much easier than trying to explain the goblin-sized shadow that had hidden behind her as it escaped from the car and dashed off into the night. Maybe she ought to have told Edward that she fully believed Jareth had a spy listening in on their conversation, but she also didn't want to be responsible for what happened to the goblin if Edward went off chasing it. Shooting him a smile to try and breeze over it all, Sarah moved to the front door, wishing Edward a good night. The way he hovered had her hurrying to shut it behind her before he could suggest staying again. Sarah wanted to be alone.

Her defense that Charlie would keep Jareth away didn't last long. Charlie only stayed up long enough to greet her and see that she got home safely before disappearing up to bed. Sarah really thought she'd do the same, but a growl from her stomach reminded her that she'd never gotten the dinner she'd been promised. She decided to make a sandwich before bed. Sleeping would be hard enough as it was, not to mention trying to sleep on an empty stomach.

"Though I don't like to agree with him, he is right," a voice said slowly, coming from behind her and making her jump; though she ought to have been used to it by now. It hadn't been more than ten minutes since she'd assured Edward that nothing would happen, and yet here Jareth was. "You are a danger magnet," he continued, leaning on the kitchen wall as Sarah made her sandwich.

"And whose fault is that?" Sarah bit out. The tone was accusatory though Sarah still had her back to him. The stress of the day was really catching up with her and her tolerance for dealing with him was at an all time low.

"Yours, precious," he said with a smug grin. "All I've ever done is protect you. You left my side for a moment and look what's happened." Though his tone had seemed joking, it was clear that Jareth was serious. "You haven't changed. You think you've matured, but you are still the same naïve little girl, so quick to push the blame onto others. Still complaining that it's unfair." As much as she wanted to argue back, what could she say? Even after all this time, talking to Jareth still made her feel like a child; as though she was being led around at his pace, not moving at her own. Despite being certain that all of her troubles were his fault, she had no definitive proof. All she had were her own feelings and any attempt to use those would just leave her whining to him about how it wasn't fair. A flush rose to her cheeks at even the idea of doing that.

"That doesn't explain all the things that have happened," Sarah finally said, wanting to catch him in his lie. She turned around to face him properly, determined to stand her ground and make him admit what he'd done to her. "You owe me an explanation."

"About what, pet?" Jareth was innocent-faced as ever, though Sarah never believed it. Whether his face said innocent or cruel, she always knew he had some kind of plan below the surface.

"Everything," she said. "Edward's mind reading, the van accident, the nightmares… everything comes back to you. What did you do to me?" For a moment Jareth's mask broke. Just a fleeting impression, and then it was gone.

"The Labyrinth is a different world, Sarah." She started as he said her real name, almost feeling foreign after all this time. Sarah swallowed. He was serious then. "But more than just a world, the Labyrinth is a living thing. Once you step into its domain it gets inside of you: it becomes part of you. For as long as you remain there, you are as much a part of the Labyrinth as I or any of my subjects."

"So that's how you punish the wishers? You force them away from their homes? From their friends?" Her tone was laced with disgust and more force than she'd shown him in a long, long time. Perhaps the time apart had really strengthened her resolve as she'd hoped it would. Or perhaps the idea that she'd never had a choice left her frustrated, hating the feeling of being trapped.

"It is temporary," Jareth snapped in return. "Once you return home the Labyrinth leaves you. Or… it's supposed to."

"Is this how you punish me for beating you? Making the Labyrinth cling to me like some kind of… of… tumor?" Her jaw was set and her shoulders tensed. Sarah knew she was lashing out, but Jareth always brought out the worst sides of her. "It could have killed me." Despite having beaten the Labyrinth, Sarah never felt like she'd beaten Jareth at anything else. Even after her escape, he'd still found her in the end. He always had composure and a sense of power whenever he was around her which made her feel like she'd never seen him genuinely overcome with emotion. At least not until he pushed himself forward and slammed his hands onto the table in front of her. Sarah really thought she was unflappable, but she shrunk back, eyes widening.

"It's not the Labyrinth that clings to you," Jareth said, his even tone somehow more intimidating than any shout. "It's you who won't let go of the Labyrinth." Sarah found herself wide-eyed and at a loss for words. She could do nothing but stare at Jareth as he straightened up again, any mischievous twinkle gone from his eyes and replaced with the cool flash of steel. "There's something in you, Sarah: something that was never satisfied with the world it was forced into. You know it to be true. You never wanted to live in this world; weren't you always pretending to be in another? Any other? No matter how far you run—from me or anything else—you'll never truly escape and do you know why?" He was waiting for her to speak, but Sarah was still tongue-tied. Even if she could have spoken, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Because you don't want to escape," Jareth finally said. "No matter how far you go, you always want me to be chasing right behind you."

"That… that's not true."

"Isn't it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. His hands lifted up to cross over his chest, his expression still devoid of its usual smug amusement. "Think back, Sarah. Think about everything that's happened; hasn't it all been exactly how you willed it? You wished to be special, I crafted you a world. You wished to be a hero, I built you an adventure. You wished to escape me, and I did not stop you. All these things I have done for you. Tell me, what have I done that has not been for you? I move the stars for no one, yet I've moved them for you."

Once again Sarah found herself speechless. She watched helplessly as Jareth moved around the table towards her. He had no great speed—Sarah could have easily ducked away from him—and something told her that he wouldn't stop her. If she pulled back or told him off, he would have advanced no further and yet…. Sarah finally knew what she'd seen in his gaze at Edward's house: anger. Jareth was mad. No, he was furious. Underneath all his quips and smirks, it was possible she'd really hurt him. If she pulled away now, she might never see him again. So, with her back against the wall, Sarah did nothing as he approached. His hands pressed into the wall on either side of her head, still lacking any speed or force. He would not stop her if she ran, but—this time—Sarah didn't run.

"Tell me, precious," Jareth spoke, his voice soft as he leaned in close to her, "if that was not enough, what is it you truly wish for?" Sarah felt her mouth open as though to answer him, but nothing came out. In such a situation she knew that she had to say something and yet… she had nothing.

Thankfully before she could be pushed any farther for an answer or before she let Jareth lean in any closer—as she was definitely about to let him do—a growl sounded from the door.

"Edward," Sarah gasped. Jareth was gone from her in an instant, Edward replacing him in a defensive crouch. It was only more aggravating that Jareth's expression wasn't the least bit intimidated. In fact, he looked bored.

"Don't worry, Edwart, I was about to leave anyway," Jareth remarked, his eyes on Edward rather than Sarah for once, but she had the distinct impression it was because he sensed imminent danger. Between the Goblin King and an enraged vampire, Sarah didn't know who would win. She didn't want to find out. Sarah wrapped a hand carefully around Edward's arm, hoping it would act as a deterrent.

"I don't want to see you here again. Or at all," Edward growled out, Sarah trying to quietly hush him. The only way this could get worse would be if Charlie came to investigate the noise.

"Oh, but you will," Jareth responded, a little bit of light returning to his expression at last. "And sooner than you might think." And then, his last cryptic and dramatic words hanging in the air, Jareth was gone.