AN: I'm glad everyone likes it so far ^-^ I'm also glad that a few people recognized that I'm doing my best to keep Jareth and Sarah in character. I'm sorry, but I just can't picture Jareth saying, "Don't worry, my love." o.0 That actually disturbs me. I dunno, mebbe it's just me.

Anyway, OMG! I'm so EXCITED! I got to see David Bowie in NY at "The Chance". Not only that, but because I waited outside hours before the concert with only about 20 other fans, he came out and signed stuff! ::squeals:: I got his autograph and really really good pictures ^-^ If anyone wants to know the link to my pictures, tell me and I'll post it next update.

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"Goblin King…You make me sick." The man hissed, watching as Jareth whisked Sarah away to the Labyrinth. Everything was going so perfect! There should have been no way that he could have gotten through to her. She should have already forgotten!

He cursed his luck and decided it was best to wait. It was nothing new, he could bare it for a while longer if it meant the downfall of the Goblin King.

"Enjoy yourself now, Jareth. Nothing lasts forever."

-----(-----@

The tingling sensation exploded from Sarah's fingertips, leaving her feeling slightly startled and dazed. Jareth, who still held her in his arms, gently lowered her to the ground.

"Is it…Always like that?" She turned toward Jareth, one hand holding the side of her head. He smirked and gave a curt nod.

"You get used to it."

Sarah nodded mutely and followed him as he started walking forward. She looked about her in awe. She had never been to this part of the Underground before. Lush green fields spread around them, thousands of tiny flowers peppering the grass.

Jareth stopped, noticing her lack of attention, and cleared his throat. She jumped, startled, and turned towards him sheepishly.

"All is not as you see before you."

"What do you mean?"

"Look."

Puzzled, Sarah approached him and turned towards where he was pointing. A startled gasp escaped her lips.

"I-is that? Did I…?"

"Yes, Sarah. You did." Jareth confirmed, grimacing as he looked at the barren land stretched in the distance. Sarah covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide. She suddenly felt sick. How could she have ruined something so beautiful just by completing the Labyrinth?

"You've done quite a bit more than just defeat me." Jareth spoke as if reading her thoughts. Numbly, she followed him, eyes refusing to leave the charred fields in the distance.

"Where are you taking me?" Sarah finally asked when the scenery changed to something less entertaining. She had expected to turn up in his throne room, or at the very least the castle. But from what she could see, they weren't even close to the castle beyond the Goblin City.

"To the castle."

"Well, can't you just, I don't know, 'poof' us there?"

"Poof?" Jareth stopped and raised an eyebrow, amused. Sarah blushed and averted her gaze. Okay, so maybe she was lacking in the sound FX department.

"No, I can't, 'poof', us there. That would require more magic than I have at this moment." He smirked when she still wouldn't meet his eyes. Shrugging, he continued walking. After another ten minutes of walking, they reached the castle. How they did without even going into the Labyrinth was beyond Sarah.

"I will take you to your chambers." Jareth spoke as they entered the castle and immediately went up a flight of stairs. Sarah nodded mutely, still overwhelmed.

"Something wrong?" He asked, noticing her lack of response. She jumped and looked at him.

"Sorry, just thinking. I never expected to come here again, I mean." Sarah admitted, running her hand along the walls of the castle. They were unnaturally smooth and cold.

"Well, if you paid more attention to your health…"

"My health?"

"I distinctly remember you withering quite pitifully on the floor when I arrived." Jareth turned to face her as they stopped on the landing of the second floor. Sarah's surprised look changed to one of anger as she glared at him. How dare he!

"And you think that happened because I don't take care of myself?"

His silence only peaked her anger. Taking a step towards him, she poked her finger at his chest.

"Something was going through my mind, I felt it. And whatever it was, it had an intention!" Sarah snapped angrily. Jareth looked unfazed. How could he possibly think that this was all her fault? She opened her mouth to yell at him some more when a dizzying wave passed through her.

Sarah moaned and stumbled drunkenly sideways towards the stairs. Luckily, Jareth reached out and grabbed her wrist just as her one foot stepped backwards onto air. She shrieked and closed her eyes as she fell forward into Jareth's arms. It was strangely comforting, and she found that she didn't want to leave.

"It's happening again." She whispered, eyes clenched shut. Puzzled, the Goblin King slowly led her down the hall and stopped in front of a closed oak door. Had Sarah not been in pain, she would have taken the time to admire the room. She stumbled and Jareth was forced to wrap an arm around her waist to steady her as he led her to the bed.

He gently pushed her back until her head rested on a pillow before helping her swing her legs fully onto the mattress. Jareth noticed, with a frown, that she wasn't looking much better. There was sweat on her brow and her jaw was clenched to keep from crying out.

'What is wrong, Sarah?' He wanted to ask, but what good was it when even he didn't know the answer. She cried out slightly and Jareth quickly stood, heading towards the door.

"No…Please…Don't leave. I'm scared." Sarah looked at him through glazed eyes, her voice a small whimper. The Goblin King stared back, appalled. This was not the Sarah Williams that had fought him years ago. He nodded slowly before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'll call for my healer." He reassured her, conjuring a crystal. Sarah nodded meekly and watched as the crystal transformed into a bubble before floating out an open window.

"He'll be here shortly."

"Thank you." She whispered before closing her eyes. She was so tired. Jareth said nothing as he sat beside her. A short rap sounded at the door and he rose to answer it.

A short pot-bellied man hobbled in, coke-bottle glasses sliding down his nose. Thin wiry hair was brushed precariously over his balding head. He bowed when he saw the king.

"Rise."

"Yes, your majesty. You called?"

"I want you to look over this girl." Jareth motioned to the bed. The man squinted and adjusted his glasses. His beady eyes widened.

"She's a mortal!"

"Do you have any objections? I can easily find another healer."

"N-no your majesty. I was merely startled." He bowed low in apology. Jareth motioned for him to stand.

"Just check her over. I want a thorough report." And with a wave of his hand he was gone. The healer shook his head and hobbled over to Sarah, who was eyeing him very wearily from the bed.

"Good evening, my lady. I'm under strict orders to check over your medical condition."

"So I've heard." She mumbled dryly. Her tone didn't deter him in the least, and he began pulling equipment Sarah had never seen before out of a black bag that suddenly appeared at his side.

"Just sit up and I'll get this finished as soon as possible." He assured her, hustling over to the edge of the bed. Sarah nodded and slipped into a sitting position.

The process, Sarah realized, was not too different from a regular doctor visit. In fact, the only difference was the magic he used. He held a hand directly above her forehead and closed his eyes. Sarah felt something slip into her mind and panicked.

'It's all right, I won't hurt you.'

It took her a moment to realize that it was the healer who had spoken through her mind. She relaxed as she felt him gently prodding, his aura twisting and turning, shifting through her mind as if searching for something.

As it got closer to the back of her mind, Sarah felt a sense of dread. Her face contorted in pain and she whimpered as something surged forward, moving quickly through her mind. Before Sarah knew what was happening, it slammed into them both, knocking the healer from her body. A scream tore from her throat at the forced exit at the same time the healer stumbled backwards before falling to the floor.

"W-what was that?" The healer looked fearfully up at Sarah, who had curled into a ball on the bed. A second later the Goblin King reappeared in the room.

"What happened?" He glared down at the little man, hands poised on his hips. The healer shook his head, eyes wide.

"I-I've never seen anything like it your majesty! Honest! I tried tapping into her mind to find the cause and I was forced out, like I was shoved." He quickly scrambled to his feet and hurried over to look at the young woman on the bed. Jareth turned his gaze towards Sarah and cursed in Goblin.

"Leave us."

The man bowed and quickly collected his belongings before scuttling out of the room. Once the door was shut, Jareth approached the bed.

"Sarah?" He called out softly so as not to frighten her. She either didn't hear him or ignored him. He reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump. Eyes wide, she looked up at him.

"What's wrong with me?" She whispered, searching his eyes frantically for an answer. Jareth said nothing and kept his expression carefully guarded.

"I asked you a question, dammit!" Sarah's sharp hiss and choice of words made the Goblin King's eyes widen. She was seething, he could tell easily by the look on her face.

"I am not sure what is wrong with you yet." He answered guardedly. Sarah opened her mouth to snap at him, then abruptly closed it and shook her head. There was no sense in arguing. She was too tired for it anyway.

"I think I need to take a walk." She muttered, pushing the blankets off her and swinging her legs off the bed. Jareth's stern look stopped her.

"What?"

"You are in no condition to go anywhere, let alone wander around my castle that I so graciously let you stay in."

"Your castle? You say that like I want to be here, like it's some kind of privilege!" Sarah snorted and stood, stalking towards the door. Her strength had returned to her and she was not going to waste it arguing with him. Jareth made one motion with his hand and the door locked from the outside. Sarah whirled around to face him.

"How dare you!"

"I have been generous up until now, I have allowed you to stay in my castle, offered you a chamber, and called upon a healer when you couldn't stand up. And now you demand I let you walk freely within the castle?"

'I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you. I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me, isn't that generous?'

Sarah held her breath as memories from the past boiled up to the surface of her mind. Memories she would have liked to keep buried.

"I didn't ask to come here! I didn't ask for your damn hospitality! I want you to leave me alone! You have no power over me! What happened to that, huh!?"

Jareth's expression quickly changed to one of annoyance to one of pure rage. He stalked up to Sarah until she was cornered between him and the wall. She looked up at him, suddenly frightened.

"You're right, I have no power over you. You're free to go." He snarled through clenched teeth. He viscously waved his hand through the air and the door swung open, slamming into the wall. Sarah winced.

"Do enjoy your stay, Sarah." He barked before strolling haughtily out of the room and down the hall. Sarah let the air woosh out of her lungs and closed her eyes. She had gotten her way, yet why did she have an unesy feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't shake?

"A walk. That's all I need. Some fresh air will make me feel better, and I need to think." She reassured herself that everything would be fine before leaving the safety of her room.

@-----)-----

"That stupid girl!" Jareth growled as he paced through his throne room. The goblins cowered at his feet and scrambled away from the merciless pounding of his boots.

He was furious, his mis-matched eyes hard and cold. How dare she defy him once again! How could he even think that she had grown, matured over the years?

Someone cleared their throat and Jareth swiveled around to face the intruder. His shoulders loosened a bit.

"What brings you here, Ashter?"

"Why, can't I just stop by to visit an old friend?" The man smiled and stepped further into the room. He was tall, slightly taller than Jareth, and lean. His thick black hair was tied back in a satin red ribbon, trailing in a long dark line to his hips. His green eyes sparkled with amusement and worry for his friend. Yes, it had been a while since they had last seen each other.

"Do not try my patience, it is thin enough." The Goblin King sank into his chair, leaving Ashter standing before him.

"I came by for a number of reasons. Seeing you, believe it or not, was one of them." He offered a smiled that Jareth returned, though it didn't fully reach his eyes.

"And the other reasons?"

"Did you feel anything peculiar recently?"

"Such as?"

"A wave of power, a crushing aura?"

"Go look out the window." Jareth wearily pointed towards the window at the far side of the throne room. Ashter frowned but moved so he could see out the window. His eyes widened.

"It happened to us, but nothing like this." He gestured towards the crumbling Labyrinth walls. Jareth sighed and nodded, wearily rubbing his temples.

"Something else is bother you. Does it have anything to do with what happened?"

"Yes and no." He answered carefully. Even he didn't know what his friend would do if he found out about Sarah. Ashter stepped away from the window and stood in front of Jareth, hands on his hips.

"Well, are you going to tell me?"

"This doesn't concern you." The Goblin King growled, feeling the throbbing in his head becoming stronger.

"It does concern me when both my friend and the entire Underground is involved." Ashter's eyes slowly changed from curiosity to anger. Jareth cursed, knowing that it was too late to try and hide it. He was lucky that only Ashter had arrived, questioning the disturbance that was so obviously started at the Labyrinth. He had no doubt that the court would try to get involved with this all too soon.

"The girl is here."

"The girl?" Ashter looked puzzled for only a brief second before his eyes lit with understanding.

"She summoned me and I accepted."

"I think there's more to it than that." Ashter pried, knowing that it was the only way to get information out of Jareth. They may have been friends for centuries, but even he had his doubts on whether he truly knew him or not.

"After this…Power hit the Labyrinth, I knew something was wrong with its' keeper. I sent Sarah a dream and told her to summon me, surely you must know by now about the blocked entrance to the Aboveground?"

"Yes, although I haven't tried yet myself."

"She summoned me and when I arrived she could barely breathe, let alone tell me what was wrong. I took her back here to have my healer examine her, but there seems to be some sort of…Being in her mind." Jareth stumbled through his explanation as best he could. Ashter nodded, silently pondering over the events.

"Where is she now? I'd like to meet this girl. This girl who beat your Labyrinth."

"Do not remind me of the past." He hissed through clenched teeth. Even though it had been years since Sarah's first trip into the Labyrinth, it was not something he could easily put behind him. His pride had been badly wounded, and he had not had much luck as a king either. Ashter smiled sympathetically.

"Sorry."

"I don't know where she is."

"You don't know where she is? You're letting a mortal walk freely through the Underground?" He asked incredulously. Jareth frowned and conjured a crystal ball. An image of Sarah wandering aimlessly near the start of the Labyrinth appeared.

"It was not as if I had a choice. She reminded me quite forcefully of how much control I have on her."

"She didn't…" Ashter stared wide-eyed at his friend. The grim expression on Jarerth's face was enough to know that he was telling the truth.

"Does she know? Saying that for a second time makes you-"

"I am aware of what it does to me." He snarled. Ashter said nothing more as he watched Sarah walk towards the Labyrinth gates. Silently, he eyes Jareth. That woman had no idea just how much she damage she had done by saying those six words a second time.

-----(-----@

Sarah walked mindlessly along the outside of the Labyrinth walls, her thoughts drifting more or less towards her current situation. She was presumably "ill" and hadn't the slightest idea of what was wrong, she was far away from home, she was in the Goblin King's castle, and she had just pissed him off. Life couldn't get any worse.

"That's strange, I don't remember the walls being like this. They're crumbling." Sarah placed her palm on the cool stone. The second her fingertips brushed against it, she froze.

Something was calling to her. A heartbeat filled her mind, her body. A warmth she had never felt before wrapped around her, caressed her. Everything intertwined until there was no telling if the warmth was hers'. The second heartbeat suddenly became one, pumping in time with her own heart. No, it was her heart.

She jerked her hand back and stumbled away for the wall, gasping for air. Immediately the warmth vanished and only the ferocious pumping of her heart was left to fill the silence. It felt strangely like a part of her was missing, but she wouldn't dare put her hand back upon the wall.

"Sarah? Is that you?"

Sarah turned and watched as a small dwarf hobbled over to her, a slight limp in his step. He looked both surprised and happy to see her.

"What are you doing here? Did yous wish someone away again?"

"I'm sorry, do I….Do I know you?"

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AN: Ahh, the evilness I have within me ^-^ Just a note: Ashter is my own character I created. Please do not steal him from me! Oh! But the name Ashter is actually derived from "Asher" from Laurell K. Hamilton's awesome series, "Anita Blake". If you haven't read them yet, go! Just the name is based on the character, they look and act nothing alike, trust me.

Please review!