Disclaimer: Labyrinth and all characters from said film belong to George Lucas and Jim Henson, those geniuses. As well, "Golden Years" and "Underground" belong to our beloved David Bowie (drool), "You And Me" to the talented Lifehouse, and "Hollaback Girl" to the gorgeous Gwen Stefani. I own nothing but Ilie and the plot - and the little purple worm.

A/N: Chapter 3, cleaned up and shiny. Enjoy!


Wishes In The Night
Chapter 3
"Stupid, pig headed, chauvinistic, overbearing, arrogant jerk!" Sarah snarled the words with each step, ignoring the strange looks from various goblins she came across, and taking random twists and turns through the castle. Her foot caught in her long skirt and she stumbled, wrenching the fabric free with a vicious movement. All the trouble of wearing this stupid dress, being civil to him, and he wouldn't even send her home.

As her anger lessened, she slowed her fuming journey through the Goblin Castle, staring at the unfamiliar halls. "Damn it," she cursed. She cast about, searching for any indication of where she was.

A window at the end of the hall caught her attention, and she walked quickly towards it, leaning against the wall and peering out.

The Labyrinth sprawled beneath her, looking deceptively innocent in the morning sunshine. She could see things moving in it, but what they were, she didn't know. She assumed that there were many creatures in the Labyrinth that she had not encountered.

As she gazed out the window, she had a sudden image of Jareth, seated in this very spot. He held a number of crystals in his hand, spinning them with that amazing skill he had. As she watched, he released one of the crystals, sending it floating towards the Labyrinth like a bubble. She stared at the translucent bubble – it looked like people were moving about inside it.

It traveled quickly down towards the near centre of the Labyrinth, and she stared hard at it, trying to make out what was inside.

As quick as it had come, the vision disappeared, and she blinked rapidly.

'What was that?'

Shaking her head, she walked away from the window, finding a staircase and hurrying down it. She stepped out into a vaguely familiar room – Jareth's throne room.

It was as deserted as she had seen it the last time she was here, although the various weapons and other items that had lain scattered on the floor were missing. Jareth's throne stood against the back wall, and it too was empty. She breathed a quick sigh of relief, and rushed across the stone floor to the double doors, pulling them open.

Half expecting Jareth to appear in front of her and forbid her to go any further, she cautiously moved down the steps, and into the Goblin City.

The streets were quiet, and this confused her. Her last venture through the city had looked much the same, but that was due to the goblin army that had been hiding, waiting for them. She glanced down at her watch – and gasped in surprise.

The hour hand was just before the ten, the minute hand close behind, near the eight – twenty minutes to ten. But there was an extra number on the face – a thirteen, situated where the twelve should have been. She gaped at the altered watch – why had it adopted the twenty-six hour system used in the Underground?

Tapping the glass of the face, she frowned, before looking up at the empty streets. Despite the change in her own perception of time, it was still rather late in the morning – there should have been goblins around.

Shrugging, Sarah began walking through the seemingly abandoned city, pondering the world she was trapped in. Goblins were strange creatures – misshapen and small, none of them looking alike. Even so, Jareth looked nothing at all like any of the goblins, with that wild blonde hair, that sensuous mouth, those penetrating eyes…

She pinched herself viciously. "Get a grip, Sarah – he's a complete asshole, remember?" she snapped aloud, looking up at the approaching walls of the Labyrinth. Why did Jareth look so different from his subjects – wasn't he the Goblin King?

"Sarah, my dear, I am Fae. Leanan Sidhe, to be exact..."

His words echoed through her head. "Fae?" she said aloud, trying to remember her grandmother's stories of the fairyfolke – not to mention her university course in mythology. A vision of the textbook pages devoted to the Leanan Sidhe floated in front of her eyes.

"An extraordinarily beautiful, but extremely dangerous creature, the Leanan Sidhe originally hail from Scotland and Ireland, the Isle of Man in particular. Known as the Fairy Sweetheart, they are notorious for ensnaring humans in a romantic relationship, and their attentions are rumoured to be virtually irresistible. When linked to an artist, the Leanan Sidhe provides inspiration and genius, but at a price. While the relationship is going well, all is fine. However, if the liaison turns sour, the Fairy Sweetheart will ultimately destroy the mortal…"

There was more, but she couldn't remember it. "Well, she said dryly, pausing on the outer edge of the Labyrinth. "He's certainly beautiful…and dangerous. I just doubt he's as irresistible as they say."

"Oh, I assure you, I am." The silky voice seemed to be coming from above, and Sarah whirled around. Jareth was lying casually across the top of one of the Labyrinth's stone walls. His seemingly trademark smirk was in place, and his eyes glittered down at her with a very self-satisfied air.

She scowled up at him. "You really do have an ego, haven't you?"

His expression didn't falter. "Yes, I do," he replied calmly, lazily adjusting a leather glove.

Sarah threw up her hands in disgust. "You're impossible. And I'm out of here." She glanced up at the wall, but the Goblin King was gone.

Making a face at the wall he hadoccupied– an immature response, to be sure, but a gloriously satisfying one–Sarah stepped into the Labyrinth. The sounds of birds andthe gentle rustle of leaves had vanished once she was past the first row of walls, and all she could hear was her own soft beating and steady heartbeat.

"I wouldn't go any further, if I were you." The low voice broke the silence, speaking in her ear. Coupled with the touch of gloved hands on her waist, the shock caused Sarah to gasp, turning to face Jareth. She found herself staring directly at his throat.

While the desire to wrap her hands around that smooth column of skin and squeeze until his stupid gorgeous face turned blue was very strong, it was overpowered by his closeness. She could smell him – how could she not, with her face practically pressed against his chest like it was?He had an interesting scent – the wild odour of leather, the woodsy perfume of trees, a subtly masculine fragrance, and a softer, slighter smell of feathers – like a feather boa. Something in the back of her mind pointed out that he could transform into an owl, thus explaining that light aroma.

However, something stronger and louder in her mind was screaming that he was far too close for comfort. His hands were still resting on her waist, his leather covered thumbs making slow, lazy circles on her hipbones. She lifted her head, meeting those mismatched eyes that had haunted her dreams for ten years. They scintillated with a lusty haze as he pulled her a fraction closer, causing her breasts to brush against his leather encased chest.

"Why not?" Sarah managed to choke out, recalling that he had spoken.

His eyes never left hers. "It's dangerous in there." One hand left her waist to move unhurriedly, teasingly up her side, brushing just shy of her chest, over her shoulder and along her neck to catch her chin firmly. He slowly lowered his head, his breath warm on her lips.

The voice in her head reached record volume, and she took a deep breath, shoving herself away from his warmth, his touch, his stare.

"It seems pretty dangerous right here," she said breathlessly, wrapping her arms around herself – subconsciously trying to recreate his hold on her body. He laughed, pinning her with a genuine grin. "Indeed," he responded, eyes sparkling with mirth. "Nevertheless, you would do well to take heed of my warnings, Sarah. I'm certain you have no desire to run the Labyrinth again, and it is far from necessary – or useful. You would not reach home by traveling backwards through the maze. You should simply accept the fact that you belong to me."

The hazy desire in her eyes drained away, replaced by a sad, regretful resentment. "Why do you have to ruin everything?" she whispered. She could not say anymore. Her eyes filled with tears, and she ran past him.

He remained where he was, a hundred thoughts running through his head. His dark musings were interrupted by a high, piping voice, issuing from one of the branches that twisted up the walls.

"Well, that was brilliant," the voice commented. Jareth narrowed his eyes at the speaker – a tiny, purple worm, no longer than his middle finger. He hesitated for a second, trying to decide whether or not to obliterate this insolent creature with a blink of his eyes.

He settled for swooping out of the Labyrinth, his cape swirling behind him, biting out a terse "Shut up," over his shoulder.

Sarah ran through the still empty streets, trying desperately to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. It seemed she was always running away from the Goblin King.

Tossing that thought aside, she kept running, not stopping until she reached the castle. She dashed quickly up the stairs, somehow finding the corridor that led to her room. Once inside, she slammed the door, and hurled herself on the bed, biting her lip to keep from crying.

Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she sat up, staring around the room. It was a lovely chamber, but it lacked the personality that her matchbox bedroom in her own tiny apartment had boasted. She wondered silently if she would ever feel at home in this room, this castle – this world.

'I need music,' she thought absently. Sarah was a great fan of all things musical – she had taken band all through junior high and high school, playing the flute. She had minored in musical theory and history in university, and she had an extensive CD collection.

"I wish I had my mp3 player," she said softly, brushing her hair away from her face. The assorted songs on the player never failed to calm her when she was upset. But the player was far away, on her bedside table, all the way back in New York.

Turning to the side, she was shocked to find the small red and orange electronic device – complete with headphones – lying on the bed next to her.

"The hell?" she asked the room, reaching out for the player. 'It probably won't work here,' she thought wryly, fitting the earpieces in and pressing the Play button.

The familiar strains of David Bowie's "Golden Years" filtered into her ears, and she closed her eyes in delight, breaking into song.

Her obsession with David Bowie was a strange one. She had discovered the singer soon after her return from the Underground, and she had immediately fallen in love with his voice. She plastered her bedroom walls with posters, not failing to notice his slight resemblance to a certain Goblin King.

With a jolt, she realized that "Golden Years" hnd ended, and the beginning of "Underground" was audible. She listened absently to the music, but it was the lyrics of the bridge that caught her attention.

But down in the underground
You'll find someone true
Down in the underground
A land serene, a crystal moon

'That's weird,' she thought. 'It almost sounds like he's talking about this Underground.' The next words made her sit up and stare.

It's only forever
Not long at all
Lost and lonely
That's underground
Underground

Snorting in derision, she switched the songs, turning up the volume to the sound of Lifehouse's "You And Me".

"Not long at all, huh?" she said aloud, voice rising over the music. "I doubt that."

The next day found Sarah in a better mood. She had successfully avoided Jareth all morning, and the joy of having her favourite music with her had significantly brightened the prospect of spending the rest of her life in the Underground.

She was walking through the hall, her headphones on securely, when "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani came on. Feeling silly, and with a quick glance to make sure she was indeed alone, she began to dance. Eyes closed, she bounced her way across the blue carpeting, feeling happy for the first time since her return to the Goblin City.

So caught up in her song and dance routine, she did not notice the eyes of the Goblin King following her movements with an amused expression. As the song drew to a close, she opened her eyes to find Jareth leaning against the wall, watching her.

She flushed violently, mortified at being caught. Lifting her head high, she assumed an "I don't care" air, and made to walk past him. His hand on her arm made her stop and turn to face him, chin still lifted haughtily.

"What is that thing?" he inquired, openly displaying his curiosity. She pulled the headphones off. "What?" she questioned, her face still imperious.

He smiled slightly. "I said, what is that thing?"

She blinked at him. "This?" She held up the device. He nodded. She frowned, trying to think of a way to explain it.

"It plays music," she said slowly.

He stepped towards her, plucking the player from her grasp. "This tiny box plays music?" he said, confusion evident in his voice. "How does it work?"

Sarah shrugged. "I don't know, really, it's quite complicated, and it's hard enough to explain to people who know what computers are."

"Computers?" His expression was growing more and more bewildered, and she smiled, amused at seeing the mighty, all knowing Goblin King at a loss. "Yeah, computers."

He flicked his eyes from her face to the player held in his gloved hand. "May I hear this music?" he requested. Sarah nodded, wondering how he would react to her very modern music.

He slipped the headphones on over his head, making a face as it mussed his hair slightly. Sarah pressed the button, turning the volume down slightly.

He listened for a few minutes, before removing the headphones and patting his hair back into place. "That is considered music?"

Sarah nodded. "Yup," she replied, turning the player off. "Modern music."

He frowned slightly. "I see that much has changed in the mortal world," he commented, returning the player to her. "I must make an effort to update myself about Aboveground customs."

He set off down the hall, a pensive expression on his face. It was such a pleasant alteration to his usual scowl and swagger, and Sarah found herself trotting along behind him, forgetting yesterday's events in the face of this change. "I could tell you some stuff, if you wanted."

He faced her. "I believe the question should be 'would you'," he said. She nodded, following his slowed walk. "I'm no expert, though," she warned him. He smiled fractionally. "You certainly have an advantage above myself."

"Okay, let's go," Sarah enthused.

They moved down the stairs, not walking together, but not quite apart.

A/N: Please review!