Ch 16

Jareth didn't waste another second. He pulled Sarah into his arms and whispered, "I love you." She didn't have a chance to respond before their lips met in a soft kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss. She felt electric tingles all through her body, and pressed herself even closer to him, as her lips parted slightly and Jareth's tongue caressed hers. She moaned softly, as an unbelievable wave of desire swept over her. She clung to him tightly, not letting their lips part for even a second.

Jareth was the one who finally broke away. He looked into her eyes and saw the desire there, and damned if he didn't want to take her then and there. He knew she was willing, and there was nothing he wanted more than to make love to her. But he'd waited too long for this moment, he'd waited too long for Sarah to love him, and he didn't want to rush this.

Sarah was slightly disappointed he'd pulled away, but she was relieved too. She would have let him do anything he wanted to her, and although she was caught up in the moment, although she loved him, she wasn't quite ready to move that fast. There was still too much she had yet to learn about him.

Jareth's arms were still around her, and he hugged her tightly, running his fingers through her hair. She turned her face up to his, and gave him a gentle kiss before pulling away. As much as she longed to just stay in his arms, there was too much to talk about.

"Come here," she said, leading him to the couch. They sat down facing each other, and Jareth gave her another kiss before she continued. "Jareth…I love you. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it, or maybe I always realized it and I was too scared to admit it. Either way, I'm glad I was able to finally tell you how I feel." He smiled at her, he thought that no matter how many times she said she loved him, he would always feel a thrill of happiness when she did.

"So now we know that we love each other," she went on. "What next? I mean, how is this going to work? Part of me feels like I'm rushing into this, but another part of me knows it's right. Plus, there are so many things I want to know…"

"Okay, we'll start there," Jareth said. "Tell me what you want to know, and I'll do my best to answer your questions." He felt a little nervous. He loved her, and she deserved to know the truth about everything, but he just didn't want any truths to hurt her, and he had a feeling they would.

"Well," Sarah started, unsure what to ask now that she finally had her chance, "I've always been curious about your life, Jareth. How old are you? What were your parents like? Do you have brothers or sisters?"

"Truthfully Sarah, I don't know how old I am." Seeing her surprise, he said, "I'm immortal, love, I've lived for many centuries. After so long, it seems pointless to keep track of how many years I've been alive."

"But weren't you ever a child?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, I was a child once, every immortal was. But after a certain point, we simply cease to age. I guess, in your years, I'd be in my mid-thirties. But my age just doesn't matter in the Underground. There are certain races that stop aging at an earlier time, and those that stop aging at a later time. So even though you'll see both youth and age in the Underground, for the most part, we're all immortal."

Sarah couldn't imagine what it felt like to have been alive for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. What would it feel like to know you were going to live forever? She realized that if she did marry Jareth, she would become immortal as well. It was scary, but also interesting. She couldn't dwell on it too long, there were too many other questions she had.

"So what about your parents?" she asked him, snuggling up close to him.

He liked her being this close to him, and he kissed the top of her head before answering. "My parents are alive and well. After my father passed on the throne to me, they retired, I guess you could say, and now they live peacefully in the country, not too far away from the Goblin Kingdom. And I was an only child, which made it rather boring growing up in the castle. But my parents' best friends had a son just my age, and we've been friends since childhood."

"Bayron?" Sarah asked. "Yes," Jareth replied, "Bayron is like a brother to me. I have never met another who is as loyal a friend as he."

The mention of Bayron led Sarah to wonder about Julie. "Jareth, what's going to happen with him and Julie? I know she is falling in love with him, and I can tell he cares for her, but how could it work? Julie would never believe he's an immortal from a place called the Underground." It actually made Sarah want to laugh, thinking about how crazy it would seem to her friend.

Jareth sighed. "Well, I know Bayron wants to continue seeing Julie, and as it's impossible for him to stay Aboveground for much longer, I'm afraid their relationship will depend on her. If Bayron wants to be with her, he'll have to tell her the truth."

Sarah grimaced, thinking that it was sad that Julie had finally found someone to love, and it could end in heartache- and Julie thinking they all were crazy!

"Don't worry, Sarah, Bayron has ways to show her the truth. It just depends on her willingness to accept it."

"For their sake, I truly hope she does," Sarah said. "Anyway, I don't want to dwell on them too much, because I can think of hundreds of questions just to ask you about Bayron, but there's so much else I need to know."

"Well, ask away, love, we have all night to talk," Jareth replied. Sarah spent the next few hours asking Jareth questions about his kingdom, life in the Labyrinth, and anything else that popped into her heard. She especially wanted details on how her friends were doing, since she felt guilty about not calling on them in so long.

Finally, Sarah looked at Jareth with serious eyes. "There's one last thing that's always bothered me, and I have to know the answer."

Jareth raised his eyebrows, and told her go on.

Sarah took a deep breath. "Would you really have turned Toby into a goblin if I'd lost the Labyrinth?"

"Most definitely not," she was surprised to hear. "Sarah, you've seen those goblins. They're just stupid, smelly creatures who are only good at making a mess. Why on earth would I want to create another one? I have never turned a child into a goblin." He looked pained at the mere thought.

Sarah couldn't believe it. "Then what do you do with all the children you take?" Instantly, she could see she'd chosen the wrong words.

"I don't 'take' children, Sarah," he said. He was going to say more, but Sarah stopped him. "Shh, I know, I know, I used a bad choice of words. How about this: what happens to the children who are wished away to the goblins, and are never rescued?"

"I give them to couples who are unable to have children. However, Toby was an exceptionally bright and happy child, and I had entertained thoughts of keeping him for myself, and raising him as my son."

Sarah was quiet for a moment. "Well, it makes me feel better about being a Goblin Queen knowing I won't have any part in turning children into goblins."

It took a second for her words to register in Jareth's mind. "What? You-you want to be the Goblin Queen? You mean, you want to marry me?" Jareth was so happy, he picked Sarah up off the couch and twirled her around. He gave her a big kiss. "Do you really mean it?"

"Well…that depends," Sarah replied.

"On what?" Jareth held his breath, waiting for her reply.