Disclaimer:Right. Jareth and Sarah belong to Jim Henson. "The Dance" belongs to Garth Brooks.
Jareth paced back and forth in his bedroom. It was the only room in the castle where he wouldn't be disturbed by his goblins. He was thinking, remembering the night a year ago when Sarah Williams had wished away her baby brother, and he had heeded the call. More specifically, he was remembering their dance in the crystal ballroom.
Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above
For a moment all the world seemed right
How was I to know you'd ever say goodbye?
Ever since then, he had pounded himself for keeping the clock in there. When it had chimed, she had remembered that she was supposed to be somewhere else, searching. She still couldn't remember what or who for, but she had run, nevertheless. If he had known that in that moment, his entire world would begin to unravel, he would have banished the clock.
And now, I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Laying on his bed, Jareth thought of all the things he could have changed. He could have run after her. He could have kept her longer in the Escher Room. He could have done so many things differently. Hell, he could have just ignored her call and left her to deal with Toby on her own. She wouldn't have broken his heart. But then, she wouldn't have matured, either.
Still, he was glad for at least that one dance. For that brief period of time, he had been truly happy. And he wanted that happiness again. Would it be so wrong of him to just look in on Sarah? To see that she was doing well? She had left his castle and his world as a very brave woman. Would she be frightened if he appeared to her? He decided to find out, apparating into her room.
Holding you, I held everything
For a moment, wasn't I the King?
But if I'd only known how the King would fall
Who's to say, you know, I might have changed it all
Sarah spun around, startled slightly, then glared at him. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "You've never decided to show up before. I said I needed all of you. The others came, but you never did. What makes you think you can show up now?" Jareth sighed. "Sarah...I'm sorry. I didn't know I was included. I just came now to check up on you. I wanted to see how you were doing, to make sure you were happy."
The young woman continued to glare. "And what would you care about my happiness? All you did was torture me in your labyrinth. The only good thing that happened when you were around was that dance. That was all my dreams coming true. So I guess I got both my dreams and my brother back, didn't I? But what would you care? That dance was just an illusian to keep me from winning!"
Jareth had been afraid of this. "You mean it, Sarah? You really enjoyed that dance? Because it was the happiest few moments for me, too, although I'm glad I didn't realize you would eventually remember. You would never have been happy if I had kept you from winning your brother back."
And now, I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
The anger and hurt in Sarah's eyes had turned to wonder and curiosity as she tried to figure out just what game the Goblin King was playing now. As if he could read her mind, he spoke. "This is no game, Sarah. I staged the ball because I love you. I would have given Toby back regardless. You matured so much in the maze, and that was the true point of it. Sarah, please, will you return to the Underground with me, and become my Queen?"
Sarah looked startled. "Are you serious? This isn't some game? You really want me to marry you, Jareth?" she asked. Jareth nodded, kneeling, taking her hand in his, a beautiful diamond ring now held up. "Please, accept this, I beg of you. This is truly no game. I really do love you, and I hope you love me, as well. So, will you return with me?" Sarah nodded, and Jareth slipped the ring on her finger as they returned to the castle beyond the Goblin City to live happily ever after.
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance.
"Wow, that was a great story, Mama!" a little voice piped up. "Will you tell me another fairy tale?" Sarah, Queen of the Goblins, shook her head. "Tomorrow night, dear," she said. "It's time for little princesses to go to the land of dreams, but I promise another one tomorrow night." With that, the little girl nodded, drifting off to sleep, and Sarah stood, meeting Jareth at the door to their daughter's room. "She's right, you know, that was a beautiful story," he said, singing softly as the two of them walked out. "Yes my life is better left to chance...I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance..."