Disclaimer: Oy. You don't want to hear about my troubles, so I'll just tell you that I don't own anything and move on. (Author comes up with a cake, but the Disclaimer drags her away so that the nice readers can read!)

Sarah stared up at Jaelithe as Gabriel hovered nervously, not sure what to do. The nightmare lord stood on the threshold of the large hole where Sarah had come blasting through the wall. He almost casually observed them as Sarah staggered to her feet.

"I wonder," Jaelithe said aloud. "Whether or not you'll leave me alone after this encounter." His tone was mocking once more, and it annoyed Sarah to no end that he was so goddamn calm!

"We won't let you be until Jareth is back in the Labyrinth!" Sarah said hotly. She clutched her abdomen with one hand, defeating her otherwise determined pose. Jaelithe arched an eyebrow at her.

"Then you will be bothering me for quite some time," he said. "I have no intention of allowing my bitter enemy back into his realm."

"Without Jareth, the Labyrinth will die!" Sarah shouted in frustration. "Why do you want that?!"

"The Labyrinth will not die!" Jaelithe said sharply. "I have the power to rebuild it if I am its rightful ruler! While Jareth exists, yes, it will die. But if you step aside and let me claim leadership, there will be no problems!"

"Yes, there will!" Sarah shouted. "Jareth is the only rightful ruler of the Labyrinth! You will never take his place!" She was stalling for time now, hoping that Gabriel would wise up and go save Jason. She had to keep the nightmare lord distracted for as long as she could, hoping that something would happen.

* * * * *

Jason sat indignantly where he was suspended in the air. What was that Jaelithe planning to do with him? He gave up waiting for something to happen, and was now trying to think of something he could do. So far, he had come up with a grand total of nothing.

No, he thought. I can't help Sarah. Sarah doesn't need me. What she needs now is Jareth.

But how could he get Jareth?

Jason thought about what he knew about Jareth. "Okay," he said. "I'm some kind of Goblin King, and I rule over a place called the Labyrinth." He searched through his memory, trying to confirm the statement. But all of his memories were normal and human.

He knew nothing about Labyrinths or Goblin Kings. He knew nothing about Jareth at all. All he knew about Jareth was that he had to save Sarah. That was it. Jareth had to save Sarah.

It came subtly at first. First he knew why he had to save Sarah, then how he knew Sarah, then more and more things fell into place. Before he realized it, Jareth was releasing the spell that had bound him.

"Well," said Jareth. "Nice of you to call."

* * * * *

Jaelithe glanced over his shoulder. "Wha--?!"

He was blown out into the street as the hole enlarged itself. The nightmare lord skidded to a halt less than a foot away from where Sarah and Gabriel stood. Gabriel followed his instincts and without ceremony sat down on his back. Sarah grinned up at Jareth as he stepped carefully over the wreckage that had been their wall.

"Jaelithe! You forgot to tend to your prisoner!" Jareth said in an annoying sing-song voice. Jaelithe struggled from beneath Gabriel, who was apparently not in his favorite of places.

"Get off of me you damn human!" the nightmare lord yelled. One of those black orbs came hurtling toward Gabriel, who yelped in surprise and jumped off of Jaelithe without thinking. "That was quite undignified," Jaelithe said, his eyes glinting maliciously.

"Oh, I thought it was very becoming," Jareth said mildly. He had joined Sarah in the street and was now supporting her as her midsection rapidly healed.

"I thought you'd never come," Sarah told him.

"Well, it took a little while," Jareth said. "But now I'm here. So, Jaelithe, going to reconsider that offer? Or will I have to fight you for it?" Jaelithe straightened and glared angrily at his three attackers.

"You don't have the strength to defeat me," Jaelithe said. "Your crystals are gone, you get amnesia at the most convenient times, and you can't even transport yourself back to the Labyrinth without me. What hope have you got?"

"Enough," Jareth replied.

Author: well, that's it for now, kiddies! I'll update as soon as possible, but times are so busy! Until next time, Ja Ne!