Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Labyrinth. All other characters and the storyline are mine.

Chapter 27

"Will you grant me the honor of escorting you to the ball, Lady Serina?" His eyes pleaded with her for this one last request and she nodded, giving him a watery smile before reminding him that he wasn't dressed for the ball yet. Jareth dropped a crystal at his feet and when she looked up, he was wearing a cream shirt edged in tattered lace and an ultramarine violet colored jacket that glittered with gold dust in the candlelight. His tight pants were the same dark purple, while his boots and gloves were soot black. His wild spiky hair was streaked with gold and dark violet colors. He offered her his arm and she slipped her hand around it. Slowly they walked out of the room and made their way down the staircases to the ballroom.

Jareth wanted their walk to last forever, if only to keep her next to him, but knew that it was impossible. He could only hope that one day she would forgive him and return to the castle. When they reached the massive blackwood doors that led to the ballroom, he turned to look at her. He wanted to get down on his knees and beg her to stay, not to leave him. Instead he cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her face up so that he could see into her eyes. "I love you, Serina." He whispered before he leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

When the kiss ended, Jareth nodded to the guards and the doors opened for them. They stepped regally into the room and descended the stairs. Jareth led her to the center of the ballroom and bowed low to her. She curtsied before she let him sweep her away and into the steps of the dance as everyone in the room watched.

They danced the first dance together, then parted to dance with others. Many knew that Serina had been banished, that she had came back to kill Vanessa. They wondered why the king had accepted her back into the kingdom since banishment meant one could never return again on penalty of death. Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the room as people speculated that the king was biding his time before killing her, while others foretold him marrying her for saving the kingdom. None of them knew the truth, save five.

Ralir made his way over to where Serina was dancing with one of the kings whom she had created a peace treaty with earlier that month. After bowing to them both, he swept Serina from the king and danced her towards the edge of the room.

"How are you holding up, my Lady? You don't look as if you're enjoying yourself very much."

"I'm fine, Ralir. Just a lot on my mind." Her eyes landed on Jareth and Ralir saw the sadness in them.

"Something troubles you, I can see it." She looked up at the brown haired man and tried to smile.

"He…" She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

Ralir froze mid-step and looked at her. "You're leaving? But, I thought…" Serina shook her head.

"Jareth has granted me passage through the Labyrinth." The look on Ralir's face hurt her deeply. "You know I can't stay, Ralir."

"He cares a great deal for you, Serina." She nodded as she took another breath and released it with a shuddering sigh.

"And I for him. But I have to go, I can't stay here when it hurts too much."

He sighed sadly and looked away, realizing that several people were staring at them and they started dancing again. "Where will you go?"

"Back to the plains I suppose."

"Do you have to go so far away? What if you're needed again?"

"It's for the best. Besides, the kingdom doesn't need me. You, Kelgar and Jareth are here. You survived without me before I came here, and you'll do so again."

"You're wrong about that, you know. You've left your mark on us all."

"I'll never forget you. You and the others have been my friends since I arrived and I will always remember that. I couldn't have asked for better friends."

"We'll never see you again will we?" Ralir fought to keep his voice steady, when all he wanted to do was explode. As much as it hurt him to stand back and watch her leave again, he knew that the king was in hell over it. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen after she left. Would Jareth lock himself away again, or would he do something worse? Serina smiled sadly, her eyes watering again as she shook her head. Ralir leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead before stepping back. "May the fates keeps you safe, my Lady, always." He released the hand he was holding and walked away as the clock began chiming.

People watched the scene and wondered what was going on. They knew something was up, but had not been able to eavesdrop of their conversation. Serina stood where she was, her face wet.Slowly she turned and looked around, offering a strained smile to the people looking at her. Feeling Jareth's eyes on her, she looked in his direction to see Ralir and Kelgar standing on either side of him stiffly. Both men looked at her with sadness and she knew they weren't angry with her. She was grateful they understood.

Focusing her eyes on Jareth, her heart shattered again. His face was a mask of cold indifference, yet his mis-matched eyes showed his heartache. Serina gave him one last smile and whispered that she loved him; then turned to walk slowly from the ballroom. As the clock chimed for the last time, the doors closed behind her.

oooooooooooooooooooo

Serina lay back on her bed and wiped the tears away. She had just finished packing everything she was taking with her, which wasn't much. Mainly her armor and weapons, along with a few little trinkets that she had gathered over the past year. She would leave as soon as the sun rose in a couple of hours, hopefully before anyone noticed. There was no way she wanted to go through what she had last time again. A knock sounded on the door and she sighed as she slid off the bed to answer it.

Pulling the door open, she found Jareth standing on the other side. He looked at her silently for a moment before stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. Serina wasn't sure why he was there and could only hope he wasn't there to tell her that he'd changed his mind again. She turned and walked over to the window. When she turned back around, Jareth was standing close behind her. Without a word, he reached out to caress her cheek, watching as her eyes drifted shut and she leaned into his hand.

His hand slid down her arm and curled around her wrist while the other cupped the back of her head. She opened her eyes and looked at him as she stepped forward and placed her hands against his chest. When she opened her mouth to say something, he shook his head and lowered his mouth to hers. After a moment, he raised his head and looked into her face before wrapping both arms around her. He buried his face in her hair as he held her against him, her arms around his neck. Jareth wanted to beg her to stay, but knew that he couldn't. They stood that way for what seemed like hours. In the distance, the sounds of the guests returning to their rooms for what remained of the night drifted through the air.

When the sky outside began to lighten, signaling the coming dawn, Jareth sighed and stepped back slightly before releasing her. He raised his hands to his neck and removed the pendant he always wore. Giving her a sad smile, he placed the pendant around her neck and kissed her once more. Then he raised his hand and twisted it, creating a crystal which he pressed into her hand. Serina stared at him in confusion, but found she couldn't speak around the lump in her throat. When he faded from sight, she fell to her knees and sobbed.

Renoir followed her down the cobbled streets as she silently walked towards the city gates. The city was still sleeping, as was the castle. When she reached the gates, Serina turned and looked back towards the castle and it's tall spires. A lone figure dressed in black sat in one of the windows high above the ground. Jareth reached a hand up, bidding her farewell. She touched her fingertips to her lips briefly before raising her hand in return, then she turned back to face the gates which stood open before her.

"Why do you leave?" The Labyrinth's voice murmured around her when she neared the gates that led out of the maze.

Serina sighed and kept walking, "You know why, Labyrinth."

"Knowing and understanding are two different things, Lady Serina." White light coalesced before her.

"I don't think anyone understands."

"Stay, my Lady. We need you. You are a part of us." It was difficult enough for Serina and the Labyrinth wasn't helping. She groaned to herself.

"I haven't been a part of this kingdom in several months, Labyrinth."

"Untrue. You are part of the kingdom, part of the king himself. You take a vital part of us with you."

"I take my heart and myself, that is all." She stopped and leaned against one of the walls. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"The king has bade me to set you free of the maze, but we do not have to like it. You leave and you take life from us. The king is heartbroken, as are we."

"Do you even realize why I am leaving?"

We know the king hurt you, it hurt us all. Without you there is emptiness. The Goblin King will fade without you to fight with him, to give him life."

"How can I give him life? He lived without me before, he can live without me now."

"You wear his symbol."

She growled in frustration. "Do you have to be so blasted cryptic, Labyrinth?" She looked down at the pendant and touched it lightly, a warmth spreading through her fingers. "Why did he give this to me?"

"It is a gift of love, my lady. The king has given you his heart and the pendant symbolizes that. Even the Lady Vanessa never received his heart completely for you had already taken it. We knew, even though the king himself did not. You were meant to be queen."

"It's too late for that now." She closed her eyes and let the pain wash through her. The Labyrinth opened itself up and absorbed the woman's pain as her tears fell harder.

"The king released you so that you would be free to do what your heart desires. To stay or go."

"But…"

"The way forward is sometimes the way back." The Labyrinth's voice faded away and Serina was left alone. Wiping her eyes she slid down the wall until she was sitting against it. The Labyrinth's last words echoed through her head as she sat there.

oooooooooooooooooooo

When Serina finally stood, her eyes were dry and she felt renewed. Everything seemed clearer to her now. She stepped towards the gate and hesitated with one hand stretched out before her. Slowly, she ran her fingers across the gates then dropped her hand. Looking at Renoir, she smiled her first real smile in a long time. The horse walked over to his mistress and bumped his head against her chest which elicited a laugh from her. Wrapping her arms around the beast's thick neck and sighed.

"Come on Renoir, let's go home." Serina smiled at the horse's nickered response and climbed up on his back. When she was settled, he turned and pawed at the stones beneath his hooves. The Labyrinth rumbled as the gates before them opened to reveal the Goblin City before them.

Renoir reared up onto his hind legs and screamed as Serina laughed. The second the stallion's hooves touched the ground again, Serina yelled out and they shot forward. Their screams echoed through the city causing doors and windows to fly open as people stared out. Creatures of all shapes, sizes and breeds cheered as they spilled out into the streets behind them. Wind ripped through her hair, tearing it from the braid she had put it in.

Hearing the commotion within the city, Jareth had ran from his chambers and stood at the top of the castle's steps. He started down the steps then stopped in confusion when he saw the woman racing towards him on the ebony horse. When she leapt from the stallion's back before it had even stopped, Jareth stepped forward. She ran up the steps and threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving."

Serina leaned back some and smiled up at him. "I did leave, but when I got to the outer gates, the Labyrinth made me realize that I was leaving more behind than I had before. I can't leave you. I love you Jareth." He stared at her for a minute in disbelief. Slowly a smile of pure joy spread across his face and he laughed. With a purely un-royal abandon, Jareth picked her up and spun around with her. When he finally set her down, his eyes glowed with happiness. Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her with all the passion he had in him. Cheers rang through the air around them and Serina knew she was home to stay.

THE END

A/N: I'm sad to say that this story is now complete as I have enjoyed writing it. My thanks to all who have read this and took time to review. I hope everyone has enjoyed it. Special thanks to Etsuki-chan who convinced me to post this and has been a great source of encouragement with all of her reviews.