Amy closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Bad enough that he seemed to find this whole thing very amusing to begin with, but she would really prefer not showing any additional weakness in front of him. On the one hand, she didn't like the idea of becoming a goblin. Of having big squashy looking feet, a long nose, and big flaps for ears, with beady little eyes. But there were lots of goblins, wouldn't it allow her to be part of a community of some sort?

If she chose to be changed into 'something else' how did she know what it would be? How did she know that she wouldn't end up as a giant rat, or a poisonous hedge? But… what if she ended up something better? Something strong, and influential? A creature so powerful that the goblins wouldn't dare attack her.

She stood a bit straighter, looking not at the Goblin King, but at the shimmering loops of crystals beside him. They sparkled and gleamed, moving in loops and patterns, holding her eyes and attention… Could she ever learn to do something like that? Shaking her head, she looked away from the hypnotic moving crystals, and stared at a blank patch of wall on the other side of him. "Since you say that I can't go home…"

There was a clattering noise, accompanied by a goblin squeaking, like one of the guards had suddenly fallen to the floor. Then, a tall figure came through the doorway, one arm half supporting Willow. Still in her now tattered pajamas, a bandage wrapped around one calf and another on her shoulder. Willow's eyes were dark ringed, matching those of her companion, and they both looked far too pale. It didn't look like she'd had a very easy time of the Labyrinth either.

"Willow…" Amy felt a bit of relief at seeing her friend. There was also confusion, who was that guy with Willow? Why did he feel wrong? Why did he make her think of blood and shadows?

"We would like to go back to earth now," Willow's voice sounded utterly exhausted, but filled with determination.

"Ah, perhaps you missed the part where I explained to Amy that if you've eaten the food of the Goblin Kingdom, you can't leave?" His mocking smile seemed entirely intact.

"I haven't eaten anything since before you kidnapped me here. And as for Silas… I don't think he's eaten anything here either." Willow looked at the Goblin King, wearing what Amy recognized as her resolve face, even as she swayed a bit, leaning into her companion slightly.

"He's been here for quite a while. Not the custom to let people go after a few days." Jareth leaned back, looking almost thoughtful, as if planning how he could torment someone even more.

"I have not eaten the food of the Goblins, not the fruit of your trees. And I have had enough of Goblin hospitality. I would very much like to go back to earth now." The voice of the man was gravelly, harsh and carried a faint accent that Amy couldn't place.

"Amy ate the fruit, so she's become one of my subjects now. Although I have generously given her the choice of becoming a goblin or becoming… something else." There was a casual looking wave in her direction. "As for you, Silas, the only way for you to leave here now would be to bind yourself to Willow. Tie your future to hers, and then I could send the both of you home. Of course, she would have to agree to that…"

Amy could tell by his mocking smile that he really didn't think that Willow would agree to such a thing. From the startled and unhappy expression on the face of the stranger, Silas, he didn't have much hope in her agreement either. Amy sighed, wondering how all of this would unfold. But one thing was clear. "I don't want to be a goblin. Change me into something else."

Jareth chuckled, the sound somehow blending the echoes of footsteps, the gurgling of a stream, and the sound of the wind, and produced a glowing ball of light in his hand. Silver and gold and green and purple swirled around, sending little sparks into the air. "Here then, catch."

Upon seeing the multi colored globe of power that came swooping towards her, Amy reached out a hand even as she cringed. This would change her, make her a part of this place. It felt like fire and ice and wind, raw power tangled into a knot that had just caught on her fingers. For a moment, it hung there, almost like a shimmering bubble before the threads of color untangled, wrapping themselves around her, wild power enclosing her, burrowing into her body. The world was drowned in colors, streaks and sparkles and glowing light.

She tried to scream, but there was no air in her lungs, nothing but the power of the Goblin Kingdom. Her muscles spasmed and twisted, as if they were trying to crawl away from her, from the power that was now clinging to her body. Her bones stretched like taffy, becoming longer, thinner. There was a pressure over her body, although she wasn't certain quite what it was. After an eternity, the power faded, and she collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. Her hands looked longer, the bones more delicate, the skin a smooth grayish, unflawed by blisters or freckles, only the few thin lines from the stones in the stream. Long strands of green hair fell to the floor, pooling around and over her new hands. Carefully, she rose to her feet, realizing that she was much taller now. Tall, slender, with gray skin and green hair… "What have I become?"

"Well, it appears that you've become a dryad. A tree spirit, if you've neglected your classical education. I'll just send you on to your tree now…" His smile looked just a fraction warmer, a touch less malicious. "Remember, your tree is your life."

Power swirled around her again, glowing silver sparkles and a sound like fading trumpets. Amy didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry when her vision cleared. She was back in the park like area that held the fruit trees that she'd eaten from. She could hear the stream playing over those razor sharp rocks, the drone of bees. Beside her was a slender gray barked tree. Not a fruit tree, but one with spreading branches for shade.

Placing one hand on its trunk, she knew that this had become home. She felt her eyes prickling as if with tears, but none rolled down her cheeks. Could dryads even cry? "Well, here I am."

She sighed, trying to resign herself to the fact that she would never see Sunnydale again. Surprisingly, she realized that she would miss things of modern convenience and life, like showers and chocolate, far more than the actual place. But this would be her home now, she could already feel the attachment to the tree, her tree. She could see the filaments of power connecting her to the tree, see how they had the same essence. She was bound to this tree. And there was nothing that she could do about it anyhow.

End part 15.

Willow hadn't known what to expect when Amy had asked to become something else. Certainly not the ball of power and light that had wrapped around her, changing her, stretching her taller, remaking her to the green and gray of a tree… A dryad. She closed her eyes and hoped that Amy could do well here, better than Sunnydale had been. She shivered, feeling the presence of Silas beside her.

Jareth had said that Silas could only return if she would allow the vampire to be bound to her. Thus placing the whole burden on her shoulders… allow the one who had helped her to remain trapped here, or bind herself to a killer. Neither option sounded very appealing. But, she'd promised to try to help him get home in return for his help to get to the castle. Shouldn't she keep her word?

She opened her eyes, looking once more to the Goblin King. "I promised that I would try to allow him the ability to go home as well. Send us both back to earth."

Jareth chuckled again. "Not the usual choice at all. Very well, I shall return you both to earth, but there will be a binding between the two of you. None of that love, honor and obey bother, just a simple binding of your essences. If you get hurt, he gets hurt. If he hurts, you hurt. Of course, he won't be able to kill you, that would just… how is it that vampires die? Disintegrating to ashes? You'll be bound to each other, but back on earth. Take his hand it you're willing to go home under those conditions."

Willow looked over to Silas, who's eyes were filled with hope. Holding her hand towards him, she offered a tiny smile. "If you think being bound to me is better than staying here, let's go."

Silas laced his cold finger through hers, a bitter smile on his face. "There are many things that would be better than staying here. I hadn't planned on seeing more of you once I'd returned to earth, but… You aren't a fate worse than exile."

"What a resounding opinion of me." Willow's murmur was low, too soft for mortal ears, but not quite too soft for the ears of Silas.

The castle seemed to spin around her, and power rushed in her ears like wind. She felt herself lifted up, vertigo forcing her to close her eyes. She could still feel threads of herself reaching out, twisting with something cold that felt like blood and time and other. Her essence was threading itself through Silas, and she could feel his essence threading through hers… tendrils of black and crimson and purple reached from him, mingling with her own green and silver and a slightly different feeling black. Threads of 'Willow' now ran through Silas and there were threads of 'Silas' through her own body and pattern.

Spinning filled her awareness, and she fought the disorientation, fought to control her stomach that wanted to heave and wretch. The Goblin magic pushed and tugged, spinning and leaving her senses reeling. Then, she was falling to the ground yet again, her knees feeling like they had to be entirely purple with bruises by now. She could smell the faint ocean scent, exhaust from cars, and recently turned earth. "Why am I not surprised that we're in a cemetery?"

Silas still held her hand in a firm grip, and he stood up, lifting her to her feet as well. "Where are we? This is not my home… so it must be yours."

"Welcome to Sunnydale, California, the year two thousand and two. Home of the Hellmouth… and considering that bond thing, could you try to avoid the Slayer?" Willow looked around, figuring that she should probably be able to recognize the specific cemetery from the hours of patrolling. Yes, Eternal Peace, just a little past the place that had been the high school.

Releasing her hand, Silas made a small bow towards her. "Thank you for getting me back to earth. It isn't quite home, but it will do nicely." He smiled, and left, muttering something about a bath and clean clothing.

Willow gave a small smile, feeling perfect understanding of his desires. A real bath… Clothing that was intact… oh, food. Yes, she was definitely hungry. Fortunately, it wasn't that long before she made it back to her parents' house, unlocking the door and going inside. She could hear the sound of her father snoring upstairs. Rolling her eyes, Willow wondered if they'd even realized that she had been gone.

Deciding that it didn't matter, she went to the kitchen, attending to her empty stomach first. There were strawberries, and she devoured them gleefully. After that, she put together a sandwich, frowning as she ate it. For some reason, it tasted like blood and ashes. So did her apple. But the glass of orange juice tasted right, rich and wonderful, utterly perfect.

After a shower, she made her way to her room, shutting the balcony door with a frown. Had that been open all night? No, hadn't it crashed open before she and Amy had vanished? And there was silver dust over the room, a fine layer over everything. She called it to her hand, forming a shimmering mass that she poured into a glass bottle. It would look harmless, and still be contained. She smiled, and almost danced with glee at the perfect obedience of her power for the simple task. Instead, she found a cork for the bottle, placed it by her terrarium, and went to bed.

It felt good to be home, to be in a place where the power wasn't so thick. Somewhere that she knew the walls wouldn't change once in a while. Although there were still monsters lurking in the distance, hiding in the darkness… Willow finally felt safe, and slept.

End part 16.