Chapter 12: Reunited

              Jareth materialized in the "dungeon" room where Hoggle and Sir Didymus were being held captive.  He quickly spotted them lying unconscious on the dirty stone floor, and strode over to them.  Untying them in haste, he then materialized them back to the Underground.  Conjuring a crystal in a hurry to see what had become of Sarah; dropped it just as quickly at what he had seen.

              Ms. Shricher had witnessed the death of her boss and the bodyguard, and wasn't about to let the same thing happen to her.  Just as she was about to enter the room, she saw a young woman and some other creature and a little boy exit the room.  She hit them all over the head with her baseball bat, and proceeded to tie them all up.  But, that aws just part of the reason.  Ms. Shricher is half troll, and wasn't about to let some silly human take over her way of life in any way.  Turning around, she came in contact with something silky and looked down.  The Goblin King, this ought to be interesting, she thought.  "Well, well, little man, what are you going to do to me?  Turn me into a goblin?" she mocked.  "No, you're ugly enough as it is.  I think I'll make you wander around in my Labyrinth until you either die, or drop off the face of the Underground," Jareth said haughtily.  "Over my dead body."  "That can be arranged.  Just because you are the Troll Princess, don't think I won't hesitate to rid the earth of your worthless existence.  You know, on second thought, I think a trip to the Bog of Eternal Stench might cool you off a bit," Jareth smirked, as he conjured a large crystal and threw it hard at Ms. Shricher.  She disappeared in a shower of glitter, and landed with a large plop, into the Bog.

             Jareth found Sarah's location immediately and took her, Toby, and Ludo back to the castle.  Ludo, Hoggle, and Sir Didymus became conscience a bit later, being magical creatures, and all, and decided to leave.  They didn't find being around the Goblin King particularly fun and exciting.

            Sarah awoke with a start, not recognizing where she was.  "Welcome home," said a masculine voice with a British accent from the doorway.  "Where's Jadyn?" Sarah asked him.  /spanspan style="font- size:14""Well, that depends on if you're home or not.  I have located her, and she is in good hands at the moment.  All you have to do is say you'll stay with me, and I'll take you and we shall retrieve her."  "Jareth, that's not..."  "Fair? It rarely ever is dear Sarah," Jareth said, as he walked closer to the bed and sat on it close to her, "Why don't you want to stay with me?"  "It's not that I don't want to.  It's just that I can't.  How do I know that you're not going to throw me out after a couple of years, months, weeks, or days, or whenever you see fit?"  "I can give you my word that I won't.  I don't know what my word means to you, Sarah, probably not much.  But, to me, it means everything," Jareth replied sincerely.  He took her hand, and forced her chin up to look at him.  His mismatched blue and brown eyes gazed into her her liquid green ones for the first time in 9 months.  "Oh, Jareth, I missed you so much," Sarah admitted, looking away, tears streaming down her cheeks.  "Sarah, I missed you and Jadyn, too.  Now, what do you say we go get her back," Jareth asked.  "But, I haven't agreed to stay with you," Sarah replied.  "Well, I suppose you don't have to if you don't want to, but I at least want visting rights, all right?"  "Oh, of course," Sarah jumped up, and grabbed Jareth as he transported her to a house in Pennsylvania.

           "Who are you people?" Helen Byron asked, shocked as a young woman and an 80's glam rocker wanna be appeared in her living room.  On her lap resting peacefully in a pink frilly dress and white sunbonnet was little Jadyn.  Sarah could bare it no longer and ran over to the lady and snatched Jadyn rather rudely out of the lady's arms, and clutched Jadyn to her breast protectively.  "Just what do you think you are doing?  I'm calling the police, get out of my house now!" Helen screamed hysterically.  "Madame, I assure you we mean you no harm," Jareth coaxed.  "The baby that you "adopted" is mine and Sarah's daughter, and if you don't mind, we will be taking her home now." Jareth explained.  "I'm afraid I can't let you do that.  I paid money for her and..." Helen stated.  "And I'll be happy to reimburse you.  How much did you pay for her?" Jareth asked.  "Three- thousand dollars," she lied.

           Jareth paid her the money and all three of them reappeared back in the throne room.  Jadyn started fussing, not accustomed to her new surroundings.  "There, there, sweet heart, mommy is here," Sarah cooed.  "Sarah, may I hold her?" Jareth implored.  "Um...sure.  Here watch her head," Sarah said, as she handed her over to him.  Sarah couldn't help but notice how right it looked Jareth holding Jadyn.  "Jareth, I've been thinking," Sarah started.  "That could be dangerous."  "Ha ha, funny.  Seriously, I don't want Jadyn to go back to earth.  Would it be all right if you kept her here?  I mean, she got kidnapped on earth, and there's no such thing as a black market in the Underground, so..."  "Sarah, I would only want Jadyn here if  you stayed, too.  I know nothing about raising children, and you've proven that you're better at it than I.  In other words, it's all or nothing.  Either you both stay, or you both leave.  It's that simple, love," Jareth stated matter of factly.  "Ugh!  Jareth, make up your mind.  Do you want us to stay or not?"  "Stay."  "Then, we're leaving," Sarah joked.  Jareth obviously thought she was serious, and looked infuriated.  "Jareth, I was just kidding.  We'll stay, but I have to tell my parents and Toby we got Jadyn back, all right?"  "Sarah, are you serious?"  "Uh...yeah.  Why?"  "Because I have waited so long for you to say that you would stay here with me," Jareth replied, as he crossed the room, and handed her Jadyn.  Sarah was shocked, but didn't have long to think as he leant down and captured her lips in a searing kiss.  Sarah's free hand wrapped itself around Jareth's neck and pulled him closer.  Toby cleared his throat not meaning to disturb them, but he really needed to know where they were.  Sarah and Jareth both looked over at him sheepishly.  Sarah's face turned a nice shade of red.  "Um...yes, Toby?  Did you need something?"  "Yeah, I want to know where we are."  "You're in my castle, Tobias.  Welcome."  "Thanks, but, well, do I have to go back home?" Toby asked, imploringly.  "Yes, Toby.  Maybe someday you can come live with us permanently, but not now.  You need to live your life as a normal kid," Sarah decided.  "But, before you go, will you join us for a while.  Sarah and I are throwing a party in honor of Jadyn, since she didn't have her coronation when she was born."  "I'd love to," Toby beamed.  He turned and walked away to explore before the party, and to leave those two lovebirds to themselves. 

              A few hours later...

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you his royal highness, King Jareth, of the Goblins, and his Queen Sarah, and Princess Jadyn," announced a noble looking elf from the Elf Kingdom.  The three of them walked down the staircase, Jareth and Sarah arm and arm, with Jadyn carried firmly against Jareth's chest.  He hadn't been able to put her down since she had gotten there, and it finally gave Sarah some time to sleep.  Following closely behind was Toby; holding onto a somewhat awed Karen and Robert William's hands.  Karen and Robert decided to come, but reluctantly.  The ballroom was grand, and lovely creatures of Fairies, Fae, Elves, some Trolls, and Sprites, all danced gracefully about the silver and gold room.  Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus, even made an appearance, and Jareth actually thanked them for helping to find Jadyn.  Everyone there complimented Sarah and Jareth on how lovely Jadyn was.  Jareth hardly ever parted with Jadyn during the ball, too, and he even danced with her and sang to her.  Sarah couldn't believe this was the same man who had kidnapped her brother almost 5 years ago.  Things change, she thought, people change.  She smiled to herself about her own little revelation.  Sarah sat at the same table with her father and Karen, Toby, Ludo, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Jareth, and of course Jadyn.  After everyone was done eating, the dancing resumed, and that's when Jareth did something Sarah thought he never would.  "Would you care to dance?" Jareth asked seductively.  "Of course, your majesty, I thought you'd never ask," Sarah replied, and smiled up at him.  He twirled her onto the dance floor, while everyone stared on, happy that the Goblin King had finally found his match.

              Later that evening when everyone had gone, and Sarah's parents and Toby had returned to earth, Jareth and Sarah went back to their chambers to rest.  Jadyn had her own room down the hall, to give them their privacy.  Sarah stood at the balcony overlooking the Labyrinth, in all its glory against the night sky studded with brightly twinkling beautiful stars.  "It's beautiful," she whispered to herself, and wrapped her arms tightly about herself, deep in thought.  "You're beautiful," Jareth whispered back, wrapping his arms lovingly around her slender waist.  He breathed in the scent of her long dark hair cascading down her back.  "Come to bed, love," Jareth said, into her hair.  "Why?" Sarah asked playfully.  "Well, because I think the bed would be more suitable place than on the balcony," he replied slyly.  Sarah turned around, mock horror written on her face.  "You wouldn't," Sarah stated.  "Wanna bet?" Jareth asked, as he pulled her down onto the bed.  "Nope, the bed is far better," Jareth whispered, as the King and Queen of the Labyrinth made love for the second time.