Chapter 6: I Can't Live Within You...

Danielle, Tana, Aiden, and the others slowly made their way into the silent Goblin City. Tana and Danielle had their weapons out, feeling horribly uneasy about the silence.

"It's too quiet. There should be goblins at market, or at least signs that they're at home..." Danielle muttered. Tana agreed and moved to stand next to her princess, eyes alert for anything that moved, Aiden himself going to stand by his Lady's side in turn. They made it to the fountain in front of the steps to the castle unchallenged.

"I think we're going to make it!" Tana said, looking on the bright side for once.

Jareth sat in his throne, horribly depressed and lost in thought. He knew what was coming... but he hated it. He hadn't bothered to check on Danielle's progress since the ball. Jennifer sat at the window, crystal in hand, with an evil smirk on her face. After her last embarrasment, - by Tana no less - she was going to make Danielle suffer horribly. One of the more intelligent goblins ran in, bowing before the throne.

"You're Highness! The girl!" he panted.

"What?" Jareth asked, snapping out of his trance and letting his mask of indifference slip back into place.

"The girl who at the peach and forgot everything!" he replied frantically.

"What of her?" Jareth asked, slightly curious as to the trouble she'd gotten into now.

"She's here with her friend, Lord Aiden, Sir Didymus, the monster, and the dwarf who works for you!"

"What?" Jareth shouted enraged. 'Aiden had better have a good excuse, that traitor...' he thought.

"They got through the gates and are on their way to the castle!" Jareth stood angrily.

"Stop her! Call out the guard!" he shouted. Goblins scrambled to carry out his orders, one ringing a bell to summon the rest of the army. "Take the girl and hide her!" Two goblins hurried to escort Jennifer to the Escher Room. "Come on! Move! MOVE!" Jennifer walked by and stopped for her final words with the Goblin King.

"You realize, of course, that I know about your feelings for my sister and hers for you," she started with an evil smirk, "And you should realize that I plan to make sure you'll both suffer for this outrage. However, she lives with me, so she shall suffer far more, oh Goblin King."

"Is that a threat, Mortal?" Jareth demanded quietly, a harsh glare in his eyes.

"No," she answered, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "It's a promise." She then followed her escort upstairs and Jareth sighed and took his place at the window, praying that she'll be distracted long enough for him to regain his composure.

"Hoggle, whatever you do, don't say--" Danielle started.

"Oh, piece of cake!" Hoggle said in response to Tana's statement. Danielle groaned and rolled her eyes heavenward as the Goblin Army appeared.

"Tana, you just HAD to say something, didn't you?" she muttered as the goblins charged. "We don't have time to play hide-and-seek!" she shouted. "Ludo, call the rocks!"

Danielle and Tana ran into the fray, weapons flashing as they disarmed and knocked the small goblins out, though being careful not to hurt them too much. Aiden stayed close to Tana, throwing crystals left and right to keep any real harm from coming to the two girls. Didymus and Ambrosious charged after much encouragement from the little fox, and Hoggle stayed back with Ludo while the beast howled for his friends. The goblins wheeled in their cannons to try and stop the crazy mortal women.

Jareth watched from the window as his army was slowly defeated by two well taught mortals, along with the help of his dear brother. He sighed, knowing that the army wouldn't hold out long enough for her time to run out. He raised a crystal and his clothes changed. He wore a dark red poet's shirt, black pants, boots, and gloves. His golden hair shone as it flew about wildly. He turned and hurried up the stairs toward the Escher Room.

Eventually, rocks of all shapes and sizes burst through the gates and began chasing the goblins. Danielle rounded up her friends quickly and with Ludo's help, they opened the huge doors to the castle, Aiden and Tana making sure no goblins tried to follow, and went inside.

A few moments later found them charging into the throne room, weapons at the ready. It was empty. Danielle looked around, but knew in her heart that he wasn't there. She looked up at the clock and sighed deeply. There were only five minutes left. She saw the stairs up at the right.

"That's the only way he could have gone..." she said. The others stepped forward.

"Well, let's go!" Hoggle said.

"No. Tana and I have to face him alone," Danielle answered, not noticing Tana's sudden nervousness or that Aiden's hands now rested on the girl's shoulders.

"But, why?" Didymus asked. Hoggle nodded. Danielle's eyes clouded with tears a bit, but she blinked them away quickly.

"Because that's the way it's done." Tana whispered the words with Danielle.

"Well... if that is the way it is done, then that is the way you must do it... but remember fair maiden: Should you need us..." Didymus answered.

"Yes, should you need us..." Hoggle added.

"I'll call." She answered. "Thank you... All of you." She moved toward the stairs and looked back when she didn't hear the sound of footsteps following. "Tana?" she asked curiously.

"I... I'm not going back princess." she said quietly, the hands lightly soothed her. "I've got nothing up there for me. I love it too much here... I belong here, in the Underground." Tana finished, stepping forward - Aiden's hands falling from her shoulder - and sheathed her sais. "Just remember I'll be here for you always." Danielle sighed and blinked awat her tears again.

"Then this is where we part, KitanaHana Dairyu. Please... take care of yourself," she said. She stepped forward and hugged her best friend. Hell, they were practically sisters. "At least one of us will get their Happily Ever After..." she whispered. Danielle smiled and pulled away, running up the stairs to hide her tears. Tana's eyes welled up and she fell into Aiden's embrace, tears falling down her face, Aiden soothed her with soft words and comforting touches.

((Lady Night: I Don't Cry!

Lady Day: You do too!))

Jareth watched as Jennifer wandered around the Escher Room aimlessly. He knew what the little witch was planning. She was going to play on Danielle's guilt for the whole situation, and he would lose her. He knew that if she was allowed to leave, it was possible that he'd never see her again. He knew that the Council would find out that she defeated the Labyrinth... and the huge number of rules he had broken for her. He hated Jennifer, and worse, he hated his heart.

'The only thing good right now,' he thought angrily, 'Is that the little brat hasn't figured out how to walk on the walls or upside down. He started as Danielle ran into the room, tears slipping down her face, without Tana. He sighed, knowing that he'd end up sending her home all alone.

'One last song...' he thought. 'One more memory of her...' He sighed. For now, that was the best he could ask for.

Danielle wiped her tears and looked around the room. She could almost hear the music in her head as she looked down over the edge. Jareth stood there, looking incredibly handsome in his dark colors. A tear slipped down her face, fell, and landed on his outstretched glove.

How you've turned my world,

you precious thing.

You starve and near exhaust me.

Everything I've done,

I've done for you.

I move the stars for no one.

Danielle began hunting for her sister, running up and down the stairs as he sang.

You've run so long,

you've run so far.

Your eyes can be so cruel.

Just as I can be so cruel.

Though I do believe in you.

Yes I do.

Danielle continued running. Jareth moved around the room effortlessly, finally coming to stand before Danielle, looking deep into her eyes as he raised a crystal. She glanced at it, but quickly returned her gaze into those haunting mis-matched eyes. He smirked and threw the crystal across the room where it bounced on a bunch of stairs, then bounced to Jennifer, who caught it. He retreated into an empty tunnel to watch.

Live without your sunlight...

Love without your heartbeat...

I...I-I can't... live...

Within You...

"Jennifer!" Danielle shouted. Her sister looked up, spotted her sister, and put on a scared act.

"Danielle! I want to go home! Help me!" she replied, terrified. Jareth rolled his eyes.

'Acting must run in the family...' he thought crossly. Danielle nodded.

"Alright Jen, alright... Let's see if we can work our way together..."

A few minutes later found Danielle standing a good thirty feet above Jennifer, on a platform. Jareth knew that it was time and with a flick of his wrist, his clothes changed. Danielle took a deep breath and jumped. Jareth sighed and all around him, the room transformed.

Danielle fell and fell, and the room around her broke apart, causing pieces to float around everywhere. She landed gently and gracefully, turning as she looked around. Finally, she faced the entrance of the tunnel behind her. Jareth stepped into the light, looking the handsomest she'd seen yet... except for the ball. He wore a white poet's shirt, white pants, gloves and boots. He also wore a magnificent feathered cape, which blew about in the wind. However, he looked exhausted... She sighed sadly.

"This is it... isn't it?" she whispered. Jareth sighed as well and nodded, not trusting himself to speak. She wiped absently at the tears still trailing down her face and ran into his arms, crying into his shirt. He held her, smiling sadly. He pulled her close, burying his face in her hair.

"I love you, you know..." he whispered finally. Danielle looked up into his eyes and wiped her tears.

"I know... I love you too, Jareth. It...it's not fair..." she replied. He tapped the charm on the choker she still wore.

"Take this and wear it always. This will tell the world that you are my chosen queen... and it will protect you." She nodded and kissed him lightly, backing away before he could respond. She pulled out of his arms and wiped her tears furiously, a look of determination in her eyes as she raised her head proudly.

"Give me the child..." she said quietly, her heart breaking already as the words left her lips.