Chapter Four

"You're insane," Sarah grumbled as she started off the dance floor "I am NOT making that woman angry. She'll kill me."

"That's why I'm here," he reassured her.

"How do I know that you'll do anything?" she asked.

"If I'm willing enough to take her spell off you," Jareth explained "and willing enough to put that reflection spell on you, don't you think I'll help you with this?"

"Why do you bother?" Sarah asked.

"You know why," he said handing her a glass of dark red wine.

"I assume," Sarah started.

"I've told you once," he said "I don't need to tell you again. Especially not here."

"I thought you'd be upset with me," Sarah said "solving the Labyrinth and all."

"I am," he chuckled "don't think that I'm completely happy with helping you. Just know that I will."

"That's reassuring," Sarah mumbled.

"Isn't it?" he said raising his eyebrows. Everyone stopped and started handing out gifts.

"Merry Christmas," Sarah muttered and Jareth laughed.

"I know you don't have anything to give," he said and he tossed her a box "but here." With that he went to the other side of the room, ready to protect her if he needed too. Sarah set the wine down and opened the box. There was a necklace. It was normal, silver chain with a clear ball of glass hanging down off of it. Sarah smiled and shook her head and put it in her bag. She looked into her bag. She'd brought a few things from home with her when she came with Naomi.

Her most prized was her journal. There wasn't a lot of personal writing, but there were poems and stories. A few were about the Labyrinth, others about her life. Some didn't make a bit of sense at all, but she loved them all in a different way. She looked around. Everyone was giving and getting presents. Not Jareth. He was the maniacal Goblin King. She'd seen a few women approach him with something but he'd politely turn them away.

Sarah pulled her journal out and walked across the room. Jareth watched her, perplexed. What was she doing? Better yet, why was she doing it? Sarah handed the journal to him and he looked at her to the book.

"What is this?" he asked.

"A gift," she said. She stopped and waited a moment, holding it out to him. Was he going to take it? Or was he just going to turn her away as well. He took the book from her hand and opened it to the first page, he read:

"This is my journal. No one may read it, touch it, or even think about looking at it, unless I personally give them permission." He stopped and looked up, then went back to reading aloud "I just got back from what was possibly the most wonderfully terrifying adventure of my life. I've learned so much in such a short amount of time. But I suppose bad habits die hard, because I find myself wanting to go back." Jareth looked up.

"It's an old entry," Sarah explained, but he went on.

"I don't suppose he would ever let me come back," he read "because of how I left. My friends are able to visit me from time to time, but I understand that they are busy and can't always be there for me. I'm almost sorry I left that place, almost. There are things here I think I would miss too much though. Like Toby. I'm sure Jareth did something to him, and I am glad, because now he doesn't cry as much. All in all my dear journal, deep down I secretly would like to return, for reasons I am not yet ready to admit to myself. Perhaps one day I will, maybe just a visit. But now, I'm much too young to understand my own mind, let alone the mind of a man that I both care for, and hate."

Sarah was sure it went on, but Jareth had stopped reading and was now gazing at her in the most perplexed way.

"If you wanted to return so badly," he asked "why didn't you call?"

"And what would I say?" she asked "hey, I wanna come back after everything that happened?"

"I wouldn't have minded," Jareth smirked. Naomi went up to the stage and hushed everyone down.

"My ladies and lords," she cooed "let me introduce you to my new assistant. Sarah."

"Hide me," Sarah muttered to Jareth as everyone clapped. With a wave of his hand the lights went out and a spot light was put on her. I hate you, she thought annoyed with his behavior.

"You'll love me in a moment," he whispered to her as the attention focused back on Naomi.

"Now," Naomi gushed "we've gotten together and nominated three people for our entertainment this year. First nominee is" she opened the card "me." Everyone clapped. "The next nominee is," she opened the second card "Luther Clifton." Everyone clapped again. "And finally," she opened the card and a confused look spread itself across her face "Sarah Williams."