Disclaimer: Do I look rich? I don't own the Labyrinth or anything to do with it.

Ducks flying objects Sorry. Thanks (or severe grovelling) are in order:

Eleanora Rose: Thanks.

Lhiata: Yeah. Sorry about that. Thanks though.

Enchanted: Thank you very much. The odd new guest will pop up but not in the numbers that they have previously. Just think how confusing that would get!!

Jazzy021: Jareth and Cassandra in the same bed? Ewwww!! No, that will definitely not happen. And yes, in my stories, you do need these little twists. Thanks.

Reverie919: Hee hee, pink whale. I really like that. And yes. A sound ass kicking will be delivered. Thanks very much.

anglewingz202: You may just be right… thanks for the review.

Pinkcrescendo: ducks again Sorry!! Didn't mean to down you. I think this chappie will cheer you up though;)

janine: I'm sorry! I didn't mean to piss you off. Ahh no. More of the head explodey praise. Hehehe, mad thing. That's such an Irish thing to say. Putting "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" in is such a good idea. I wish I'd a thought of it.

Anyana: Thanks, though I now have a really odd picture in my head of Jareth in a coconut bra. There are more songs, as you've probably guessed by now, I think music is a great enhancer of a story, but there are no more musical ones as of yet. You have a great day too.

lyn: Will do.

Deedlit50: Thank you much.

Avalon-blackandgreen: Please don't be mad. You're one of my best reviewers!! And as for Steve and Cassandra; all things will come with patients my friend.

Well, that's that. Now, here is what I think most of you have been waiting for. Enjoy ;)

December 18th

Sarah finished loading the dishwasher and poured herself a cup of coffee. She glanced at Etáin and Fiona who were folding bed clothes.

"Not many people at breakfast today. Too many hangovers?" Cian nodded from the stove where he loaded his bowl from the pot of porridge.

"That's what I hear though apparently The Goblin King is hiding from the Algarian Princess after her little attack last night."

Etáin coughed loudly. "Sarah, didn't you say that you were going to give Yukio guitar lessons today?" Sarah nodded and glanced at her watch.

"Fuck it, I'm late. I'll talk to you all later."

Sarah ran in the direction of the music room but turned a corner and slammed in to Lord Sogoro. She stumbled and caught herself.

"I am so sorry Lord Sogoro. I was just on my way to…"

"You are the mortal who is to teach my daughter how to play this Aboveground instrument?"

Sarah took a step back. The man's face was cold and regal. Sarah could feel him looking over her. "Yes. I am."

He nodded. "You will teach her only music. None of your Aboveground nonsense. You will teach until dinner with a short break for lunch. If you are successful I may perhaps allow you to teach her again." Sarah was taken aback by his abruptness and she was a teacher. She decided that she would comply for now, for Yukio. She liked the girl.

Sarah nodded. "You're the boss."

Sogoro nodded and left his crimson robes billowing out behind him. Sarah entered the music room to find Yukio curled up in one of the large arm chairs, sulking.

She looked up when Sarah entered. "Oh good. He let you come. I'm sorry about him. He can get a bit… you know."

Sarah smiled and sat down, beginning to tune the guitar. "Yeah, I know. My step mother was the same." Yukio cocked her head to one side. "Step mother? What happened to your real mother?"

Sarah paused. "She…she left. To pursue her career. We, myself and my father, we weren't really good enough for her. Then when I was about eighteen, she was killed. I never really knew her. At least Karen, that's my step mother, was there, even if she was an evil cow for most of it."

Yukio hung her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

Sarah shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Now come here. Lets try some scales to exercise your fingers."

The room was lit by the roaring fire and a few candles. Yukio yawned as she went over some chords. "You think they could put some electricity in this damn place."

"Well its in some rooms, like the kitchen, dining room, the bedrooms and drawing room. Some rooms they just didn't bother. That's really good Yukio. Brilliant. You're a quick study. Lets finish up. Dinners soon."

Yukio handed the guitar to Sarah. "Gee, thanks Sarah. Hey can you play a song for me? Its just you have such a nice voice. Please."

She pleaded. Sarah laughed. "God, I'm such a sucker for my good pupils. Fine. Sit. And just one." Yukio nodded eagerly.

Who would sell their soul for love

Or waste one tear on compromise

Should be easy now

To know a heart ache in disguise

But the heart grows alive

And the going gets rough

Protects the fall

When you find that kind of love

I cant help feeling like a fool

Since I lost that place inside

Where my heart knew its way

And my soul was ever wise

More than innocence was lost

There was not faith enough

Still my heart held on

When it found that kind of love

Though beauty is not enough

Still we trust somehow we'll find it there

With no guarantee it seems to me

At least if should be fair

That if its only tears and pain

Isn't it still worth the cost

Like some sweet saving grace

Or a river we must cross

If we don't understand

What this life is made of

We learn the truth

When we find that kind of love

'Cause when innocence is lost

There is not faith enough

We learn the truth

When we find that kind of love

Yukio sat back. "Wow that was beautiful. Was it about anyone?"

Sarah shook her head. "You go on to dinner. I'll see you there."

Yukio nodded, bounding out the door. "K, thanks Sarah."

Sarah began to pack the guitar away when she felt the flames move, announcing someone's presence. "It was a nice song."

Sarah turned to Jareth. He looked the same as he always did but there was something in his face that made Sarah want to leap into his arms and not leave, but somehow she resisted that impulse. She knew last night was probably not his fault but her voice had a cold edge to it when she spoke. "Jareth. How are you? I haven't seen you since the end of the ball."

Jareth closed the door and moved in further beginning to pace. "Do you know why I feel I need to explain to you, because I don't. I shouldn't have to explain myself or my actions to you."

Sarah watched him pace from her seat feeling more than a little confused. "I don't know. No, you have no obligations to tell me why you were kissing Cassandra last night, but are you going to tell me anyway?" Her voice was a little harder this time.

He stopped and looked at her. "I was not kissing Cassandra, she was kissing me."

She raised an eyebrow incredulously. "What's the difference?"

Jareth moved towards her angrily obviously getting frustrated. "Are you trying to make this difficult for me?"

Sarah said nothing, simply watched as he moved about agitatedly. "She launched herself on me, caught me by surprise. By the time I got her off me you had gone and…"

Sarah got up and put her hands on his arms. "Ok, I'm sorry. I understand." She didn't like seeing him so upset, even if it just manifested itself as anger. "I was being stupid and mean. I don't know what's wrong with me." She shook her head at herself.

Jareth put his head forward, his forehead touching hers. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"You'll see. Here."

He held out his gloved hand. Sarah hesitated for a moment but took it. She was engulfed in a swirl of glitter and then darkness. Darkness and cold.

The wind was cold on her bare arms as it rushed against her, her hair flying about her. She grabbed a tie from her pocket and pulled her hair back. She searched for Jareth as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She could see him faintly in the moon light his hair also moving wildly about him. She moved towards him. "Where are we?"

Sarah could hear waves crashing against rocks near by though there was grass under her feet. Sarah shivered and called on her inner flame to warm her. The heat seeped through her as Jareth turned to her. "We're on one of the smaller uninhabited Aran Islands of the west coast of Ireland. I always come here at least once when I visit."

"Why are we here?"

Jareth moved closer to her. "Look up."

Sarah did so and her mouth formed a small O. She had never seen the stars so clear anywhere. The sky was covered in a blanket of tiny, medium and large jewels. Every inch of the darkness had a star occupying space there. The thick band of the Milky Way making its glittering way across the sky. Sarah jumped as Jareth spoke from directly behind her.

"Tis calm.

So calm that is disturbs and vexes the senses

With its extreme silence."

Time stood still for Sarah as Jareth spoke the those words, but then with a jolt, it began to move again.

"We don't have stars in the Underground. One of the draw backs of living there. It's odd really, we have a sun but no stars. Doesn't make any sense but then…"

"Nothing really does down there."

Jareth nodded silently. Sarah was still transfixed by the perfectly clear sky. She saw a shooting star, the third since she'd been looking skywards and she turned to face Jareth. She caught him shivering slightly. "You're cold?"

He cocked his head. "I may be immortal, but I still feel."

She smiled at him in the dark. "I never doubted you did. Here, take off your glove."

Jareth was the one to hesitate this time but he did as she asked. She took his hand and as their skin touched, warmth flooded through him.

He gazed down at her. "That's useful."

She nodded. "Jareth, I need to ask you something."

"Ask away."

Sarah swallowed hard. "I need to know, when you said you loved me, tried to seduce me back in the Labyrinth, were you just trying to win? Or did…was there something more?"

Jareth was silent for what seemed like forever. "I have to be honest."

Sarah hung her head. "Yes, well I hear honesty is the best policy."

"To be honest, I couldn't tell you what I felt back then, because my feelings now are so strong. I wouldn't be able to distinguish between them at this point."

Sarah looked up at his shadowed face. "And what…what do you feel now?"

"Now…now I…" Jareth bent his head and pressed his lips softly to hers. After a minute the both drew back, searching the others face. Jareth was about to speak but before he could say a word Sarah had pressed her lips to his with much more urgency. His arms went around her small form, pulling her flush to him. Her hands went up to tangle in his hair.

Sarah watched the sparks fly from the fire that lit the small grassy area as she sat in Jareth's loose embrace her head resting on his shoulder. Suddenly she turned her face into the crook of his shoulder murmuring "Oh, shit!"

Jareth pulled back looking surprised. "What? Your not regretting this already?"

She looked up at him and touched his face lightly. "No. No, of course not. I'm just worried that's all. I mean what about Steve? He may be an asshole but I don't want to dump him on a trip he paid for. It's just evil."

Jareth nodded and pulled her to him. "Yes, that does pose a problem. Well, I don't have a problem sneaking around if you don't."

Sarah smacked him as she settled back into his arms.

"Well, do you?"

She turned her head and kissed him. "I'll take that as a no then."

Sarah sighed and Jareth tightened his arms around her. "You know what we're doing and what we're planning to do is the lowest of the low, right?"

Jareth nodded. "But somehow, I think its worth it."

"What do you think will happen, if Cassandra finds out?"

"We shall observe the tantrum to end all tantrums but there wont be much she can do."

Sarah turned in his arms. "Ok, just don't let her 'catch you off guard' again."

Jareth smiled and kissed her. "Jealous my dear?"

"Insanely."

"Just so we're both on the same page."

Sarah resumed gazing into the flames and enjoying being in Jareth's arms. She was happy now, but she knew there were going to be complications in the future.

She and Jareth arrived back in the castle at nearly one in the morning. Sarah stepped away from Jareth. "So, do you want to get something to eat, considering you whisked me away before we had a chance to eat dinner."

Jareth gave her a stern look. "You came willingly."

She ran up to him and gave him a quick kiss before heading for the door. "Whatever. I'm going to get a midnight snack. If you want to come, come. If you don't…" she disappeared out the door and Jareth smiled.

Sarah sat on the counter munching a sandwich. Jareth was leaning against the Aga. "How can you eat that stuff?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Really Jareth, it only nuttella. Try some."

"Fine." Jareth came over to her and grabbed her by the hips, dragging her forward and kissed her. "Mmm, not bad. Can I try some more?"

"You are so cheesy, you…"

But he cut her off, kissing her again and her sandwich was forgotten. After a few minutes there was a gasp from the door way.

"Oh, now this is something for the rumour mill."

Sarah put her face to Jareth's shoulder. "Great. We're back not ten minutes and you get us caught. I thought we said subtle?"

Etáin laughed and moved into the kitchen. "Don't worry. I wont even tell Nadír until you want. But I have to say I'm glad. The tension between you two was excruciating."

Sarah hopped of the counter and moved to the door. "Well, I am going to bed. Its been an interesting night."

Etáin looked up from her search of the fridge. "Yeah, I'm sure. Well, off you go and don't you to be trying to a make babies in my hallways. Got it?"

Sarah blushed and Jareth grinned and pushed her towards the door. "Good night Etáin. See you at breakfast."

Sarah paused out side her door. "Well, this is my stop. Wha..."

Jareth cut her off with a kiss. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop reading my mind."

He smiled at her. "I didn't. I just know you."

"That explains it."

"Explains what?"

She smiled back at him. "Guess you don't know me so well, hmm? G'night Jareth."

She slipped in her door and he heard it click shut in the darkness. Jareth stood there for a moment. He knew he had a shit eating grin on his face, he also knew that no one would ever see it. Didn't mean he didn't do it. He strolled down the corridor to his room. This was turning out to be quite a productive trip.

End chap.

MRAN:

Another song, I know. Is that three in a row now? The song is "That Kind of Love" by the fantabulious Alison Krauss and can be found on the "Radio Sunny Dale" sound track for all you Buffy fans.

The quote is from Samuel Talor Coleridges "Frost at Midnight". Lovely isn't it?

Its one of the most fab things about Ireland is that in most places there's near to no light pollution and the stars are incredibly clear. The Aran Islands are mostly uninhabited but the larger ones still have towns on them. I myself, have a holiday home on an island in West Cork and the skies are so beautiful on a clear night.

Well, I better not get anything thrown at me after that one. R&R.

Slán.