Muahaha. I have enticed you with my story and now you crave more. Oh yes, I rock. Oh, and look at that Lucky Chapter Thirteen. Why is it lucky? Because now I shall have it explained why Sarah didn't realize the whole Jared/Jareth thing. Yea. Now are you happy you little buggers?

Disclaimer: Damn you all for making me relive the hurt and pain of this. I don't own Labyrinth! (Sobs overdramatically and flings self to floor) Ooh, but I do own a Jareth tee-shirt that has him holding out a crystal with the words "Fear me, love me, do as I say" on it. Oh yes, I hella rock.

"A desert."

"Yep, a desert."

Sarah and Alice stood at the mouth of the cavern hands on hips staring out at the vast wasteland before them. Sarah looked over Alice. "Why a desert? Last time there was a freakin' everglade and a damn forest with weird little orange things that tried to decapitate me!" A pause. "Then again I might like this better. Can you say 'sweat drop'?"

"I dunno," Alice shrugged. "Can you say 'anime fall'?" A hint of a smile tugged at her lips as Sarah looked back to the inhospitable surroundings. But her coming smile fell when she saw the distant look in Sarah's eyes. "Sarah?"

"Huh?" the brunette asked snapping back into reality.

"Are you okay dear?" Alice asked quirking a brow.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I am. Just thinking," her friend answered as if far out.

"Yeah? About what?"

Sarah did her blushing-yet-blanching thing again before shaking her head. "No-no-nothing important." She winced as she realized she sounded like Hoggle. Then she thought of Hoggle. Then she thought of the circumstance that which Hoggle had spoken that word; being interrogated by the King in disguise. Then she thought of the King in disguise. Then she thought of the King no longer in disguise. Then she just thought of the King.

"Sarah? Sarah? Sarah, dear, are you alright? You got this look in your eyes and you look like you're about to start drooling any minute now." In truth Alice knew what her friend was thinking about. She may have been blonde but she wasn't that stupid. (I know I keep making dumb blonde jokes but they're not all bad. I have many blonde friends. Just redheads do it better.)

Sarah wiped her mouth self-consciously and glared daggers at her blonde friend. "You know sometimes I really hate you."

"Oh, what a lie! You know you love me all the time," Alice laughed skipping along Sarah following doggedly. "But I also know someone else you love," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah, Toby" she muttered. "Lying bastard. I'll kick his ass again and show him who's boss," she growled angrily.

"I wonder if Jareth likes dominate women," Alice mused to herself…rather loudly.

"I'll throttle you!" Sarah screeched chasing after her laughing friend. "I'll dunk you headfirst into the Bog of Eternal Stench and then cram you into the smallest oubliette I can find!"

"Ooh, already acting like the Goblin Queen!" Alice shot over her shoulder.

"Get back here you coward!"

After a few minutes chase in the scorching heat both girls were barely dragging themselves along panting like dogs.

"You…can't…catch…me…" Alice gasped out sweat rolling down her brow into her eyes blearing her vision.

"You…" gulp "…wanna…" pant "…bet…" Sarah wheezed looking very much like the first Homo sapiens to walk the earth with her back bent over and her arms hanging lifeless at her side like a bald orangutan.

"Come an'…get me…you old…hag…" the similar blonde croaked.

They both simultaneously dropped to the ground in an exhausted heap.

Gasping and panting for breath the two stayed still for a moment regaining their strength. Sarah finally lifted her head and began to slowly crawly over to Alice's crumpled body and latched onto her arm with as much strength as she could muster, which wasn't much. "Gotcha," she panted and Alice groaned back at her. But Sarah just collapsed next to her friend.

After gulping several times and licking her lips just as much Alice finally had a wet enough mouth to form a few words. "Well, that was fun." Sarah looked at her incredulously. "What?" Sarah shook her head. Alice, taking in Sarah's exhausted state found it the perfect time to question her. "Why didn't you let yourself know?" Sarah looked at her and knew immediately without having to ask what she meant. "He did leave…enough signs." She wet her dry lips and winced slightly as it stung. "And then when you did find out you were all…un-surprised."

Sarah rolled over on her back staring up into the blazing sky. She was exhausted. But not just physically, no, she was exhausted mentally as well. She lied to herself too much and now she couldn't take it anymore. So she gave in without a fight. "Because I didn't want to be right," she whispered closing her eyes in sadness. Alice had to strain her ears to hear. "I didn't want him to be the Goblin King. I didn't want him to be Jareth." She spoke a little louder this time but her voice held the hint of tears. "But I knew deep down, in my very heart and soul, that he was. But I wouldn't let my brain know. My subconscious fought hard to show my conscious but my conscious, my brain, was stubborn and wouldn't let myself think it. I didn't want to think it was possible."

"Why?" Alice asked after Sarah had stopped talking.

"Because I love him," Sarah cried the tears falling from her closed eyes as she curled up her body. "Because I love him," she whispered taking an intake of air to try to stop the tears. She opened her eyes and stared at the remorseful blonde before who looked at her sadly. "I have always loved him but I only just realized it not a few years ago. It was about six months, or was it a year, after my first trip through the Labyrinth that I realized it. I loved the one man I could never have." She let out a shuddering breath full of tears as she closed her eyes once more. "Don't you remember the ballroom scene? In every other scene the Goblin king had his wonderfully cruel pendant but in the ballroom scene he didn't. He was just a normal man I could love. Just a normal man who would love me back." Alice stayed silent as Sarah took a few moments to regain her self. "That was why I wouldn't let myself believe that Jared was really the man that was supposed to be my sworn enemy." She finally opened her eyes again to look at Alice with reddening puffy eyes. "As Jared I was able to be with him, to love him. But as Jareth I can't. As Jareth I must continue to fight him and hate him. As the Goblin King I must be cruel to him and he me. Oh how'd I love only to run my hand through his hair and capture his lips with my own," she spoke softly and gently softly touching her lips with her fingertips as her eyes got that far-off look in them again.

Sitting up Alice wished she could help her friend but she was unable to. To love thine enemy was hard, especially when you thought they hated you in return. "But Sarah, what if he loved you in return? What if he thought the same way?"

Sarah looked back at her. "Why would he? I'm just the spoiled selfish brat that beat him at his own game. I'm just the child that defied him." She closed her eyes briefly. "Do you know how hard it is to love the man you're supposed to hate? He stole my brother away for goodness sake! I'm supposed to despise him, loathe him, but instead I dream of holding him in my arms again and dancing the night away. I dream of kissing him." She blushed. "About a month after my first run through I had a dream that was leading up into something other than just kissing," she admitted a coy smile on her lips.

"Why you vixen you!" Alice teased a playful smile on her lips.

"But I was a hormonal teenager…and you saw his pants." Sarah blushed just thinking about them. She sat up as well and looked sadly into her friend's eyes. "How can you love someone who stole you're baby brother away? How can you love someone who's so cruel to you? How can you love someone who purposely annoys you just because he takes sick pleasure in it?" She let out a little laugh. "And how can you love someone who wears more make-up than I own?"

Alice laughed as well. "Well, at least you will always have make-up around if you need to borrow some."

"Oh, gee, what luck," Sarah rolled her eyes her voice dripping with sarcasm. She then sighed and looked off in the direction they had to head in. It looked endless.

"But nothing is as it seems in this place," Alice said sensing her thoughts. "Come on, let's go kick the man you love's butt," Alice said softly getting up and holding her hand out to Sarah. Sarah took it and they both continued on their way again in silence.

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

Because damn it!" the Goblin King yelled at the little boy before him. The little boy looked innocently up at him with big puppy-dog eyes.

"Because why?"

The King groaned slouching in his chair and rubbing his temples. "Can I have my crystal back now?" Sure, he could make a new one, but that was saying that the Goblin King gave up. And the Goblin King never gives up.

"No."

"Why?" he groaned in frustration.

The boy's grin grew. "Because."

"You are so lucky that you have a few more hours or else I would throw you in the Bog right now," Jareth muttered.

"No you wouldn't," Toby smiled in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, wouldn't I? And what makes you so sure of that?"

"Because one, you like me." He grinned triumphantly as Jareth snorted. "And two, because I'm Sarah's little brother." Toby watched the King's face as emotions skirted past. He grinned knowing he struck something. "And you won't hurt me because of it just like you wouldn't have turned me into a goblin." Toby paused dramatically a trait he learned from his sister. "Because you loooooooooooove her."

"What?" the Goblin King roared shooting to his feet. "No such thing! The Goblin King does not love! Especially not some mortal brat," he hissed glaring down at the little boy.

"Yeah, sure," Toby rolled his eyes. "That's why you won't stop watching her. That's why you continually mutter her name when you think no one is looking. And that is why you broke the rules and laws and everything else so you could trick her into forgetting about me so you could bring her back. You had every intention of letting her run for me just so you could watch her. You knew I would wish myself away because I had felt safe here." He snorted. "So stop lying, it's unbecoming of you." A pause. "And you stink at it."

Jareth stood there trying to glare at the boy but finding his self unable to do so. Damnable boy.

The boy tsked at him wagging his finger up at the Goblin King in a scolding manner. "The water springs up from the ground." He nodded his head before what he said sunk in. He scrunched up his nose. "No, wait…" The Goblin King quirked a brow. "That's not what I meant…" The Goblin King's lip twitched. "What I mean to say is this. Say 'I, Jareth; Goblin King of the Goblin Realms, do not love Sarah Williams; mortal of the Aboveground and Defeater of the Labyrinth'." Toby crossed his arms over his chest and beamed triumphantly at the scowling Goblin King.

"I don't have to say what you tell me to," the King said indignantly. He scowled at the little boy who tapped his foot. "Fine! I, Jareth; Goblin King of Goblin Realms do no-o-," he rambled off unable to finish the sentence. He glared at the boy. "I don't lo-o-o-o-," he had to stop again. Clearing his throat he scrunched up his eyebrows. "Between Sarah and I there is no l-o-o-o-o-o-o-," he chocked out. VERY damnable boy. He stood there crossing his arms and glared at the boy. "I don't have to prove myself to you little boy," he snorted.

"Thought so," Toby grinned.

Jareth finally took time to look around. "Where did Ganith go?"

Sarah and Alice had continued on and on through the deserted land silent since Sarah's outburst how ever long ago. They really had lost track of time, and direction for that matter, but they trudged faithfully on hoping against hope they weren't lost.

"Sarah?" Alice finally tentatively spoke out in a near squeak.

The brunette turned her head to look her friend in the eye her own full of thought. "Yeah Alice?" she croaked out. Her throat was dry so she swallowed and licked her dry lips. Alice did the same. Sarah read the emotion in her friend's blue eyes and shook her head. "I'm fine, really. I'm barely nineteen (has my birthday passed yet?) and so I'm sure I'll have lots of loves in my life. This isn't so special. He's just another notch on my bedpost," she said trying to laugh to prove to her friend it was nothing. "No biggie. He's just another guy. Just...another...boy…" By then the tears started slipping down her face again she had to pause to hide her face in her hands. After a few moments she wiped the tears away and started on again. She didn't look at Alice who followed behind her.

It was a few more minutes later when Sarah finally spoke again. "Alice?"

"Yeah babe?"

"Do you believe in true love? Do you believe in 'The One'? In soul mates?" She still didn't look over to her calculating friend.

"Hmm, I don't know. I guess if the right man came along then yes. Is there someone perfect for you just waiting over the horizon…or in another world entirely? I believe that is something everyone has to find out for themselves." She smiled reassuringly when Sarah looked at her. "Don't worry kiddo, nothing can stop true love if it is meant to be…and sometimes even when it isn't," she smirked. "Seriously now, have you read the tabloids lately?" she rolled her eyes sighing.

Sarah actually laughed and punched her friend in the arm. "You are such a twit," she muttered.

"True, but you know you love me," Alice grinned.

Rolling her eyes Sarah walked faster. "Come on you twit, let's go rescue my little brother from the man I want to both kill and rape," she grinned wagging her eyebrows causing the blonde to laugh joining in with her.

"If you start singing Thoughtless I'll throttle you," Alice said as her laughing fit settled.

"Whaaaaat," she whined. "It's an awesome song."

Alice sighed. "Sarah, who sings that song?"

"KORN."

"Good, let's keep it that way." Alice grinned devilishly at her friend before sticking her tongue out.

"Oh, you brat."

"Oh, look at the burro calling the donkey an ass!"

Sighing once more and rolling her eyes again Sarah pretended to mutter darkly as they made their way in the continuous, never-ending, constantly the same, wasteland. No, wait, that tumbleweed is different.

It was a few moments after that Alice, who had been a few steps behind Sarah, felt eyes boring into the back of her skull. Sweeping around she saw no one. "Sarah, do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Sarah asked mouth dry once more. She really needed some shade pronto.

"Like someone is watching you…"

"Alice, look around; we're in a desert! Ain't nobody watching us…except maybe a prick of a Gobli-," GASP! Sarah spun around staring at Alice with eyes wide with fear. "Oh…my…god…" She breathed hands hovering over her lips. "Do you think he heard me saying I…I…you know?"

"I think if he had he would be down here gloating. He seems to enjoy doing that…I don't think he was loved as a child. Maybe he didn't get hugged enough." She wagged her eyebrows. "But I'm sure you'll help with that." Sarah made a chocking sound and Sarah's eyes bugged out even more. If looks could kill…Alice would have been dead a loooong time ago. "Or maybe he was hugged too much?" she pondered. "You know, you'll have to ask him."

Sarah glared at her and whipped back around and stormed off. Alice laughed after her. She was about to call Sarah's name when she felt cool hands wrap around her. Her eyes bugged out much like Sarah had done just a few seconds earlier and she tried screaming but a hand clasped over her mouth and then she was gone along with her mysterious captor.

Sarah walked a few dozen feet and realized that she didn't hear Alice's feet coming after her on the hard ground. (God, how her feet hurt!) She didn't hear Alice at all. "Alice?" she asked turning around. But she wasn't there. "Oh my god, Alice!" she shrieked. No! She couldn't have lost another friend. (Oh, dear lord, please don't let her be in the Bog…) She had found her friends later during her first crusade in the Labyrinth but Alice didn't have one ounce of magic in her and she didn't know what could have happened to her in a place where magic was dying to begin with. "Alice, no! Where are you!" She was greeted only by the dead air and hazy ground. It was so hot there and Sarah doubted it was by magic. This must be how hot it was because the magic was gone or something she figured. She wondered briefly if the desert, or at least this particular one, was supposed to be here. It seemed familiar to her but different also. "Alice!"

Spinning around circles she tried to catch any sign of anything and soon Sarah found herself lost in direction. Which way had she come? Which way was she going? She couldn't tell anymore. "Goddamn it!" she yelled. She then crouched on her feet to examine the ground to see if she could find any footmarks. She began crawling on her hands on knees on the hot earth trying to find any mark of her presence or where Alice had gone and soon came upon booted feet; high heeled booted feet. Her gaze traveled up those feet past the knees up well shaped thighs (Goddamn it, don't drool Sarah!) to a taunt stomach and muscled chest to a sharp chin to beautiful mismatched eyes.

"Hello Sarah," the richly accented voice purred down at her. Her eyes drifted to his lips but she shook her head and got to her feet brushing of the dirt from her knees and hands. "Having fun?"

Her lips twitched into a smile not unlike his own. "Well, I would say 'it's a piece of cake' but there really is no sense when your Labyrinth won't listen to you," she sneered.

Jareth's smile turned into a scowl. "No, but my balls are still at my disposal."

"Let's hope so," Sarah snorted trying to suppress a laugh.

"My crystal balls! Get you're mind out of the gutter!" Jareth mentally smiled, not cruelly but a real smile, to see Sarah laugh and smile again. He had 'accidentally' listened in from Sarah's window when she and Alice had talked about boys they liked. Sarah had made a comment about them handling their balls half as good as he, he did not know how to feel at this comment, and so used this little joke thing to try to make her smile again. It worked. It made the Goblin King almost…happy to see her grinning face. But he'd be damned to let her know that.

"Hey, you're the one in the gutter because I didn't say I thought you meant it like that. You just assumed. And you know what they say when you assume?" She paused noticing the confusion that skirted past his eyes in a brief second before fading away into nothingness. "It makes an 'ASS' out of 'U' and 'ME'." And thus she had to laugh again.

The Goblin King smirked also. "So, you're an ass?" This caused Sarah to stop and get a calculating look on her face. Jareth made a show of looking around Sarah to her behind. "And what a nice one you are too," he grinned.

"You know what; I think the tube sock is cutting off the circulation to your brain," she said crossing her arms. Her eyes lingered on his blue eye that reminded her so much of the ocean…and water…and coolness…and water…and then her eyes drifted to the brown that reminded her of the dry, hot desert she stood in. She glared at him.

And he glared right back. "I have no idea what you mean," and really, he didn't (poor Goblin King…not too bright apparently), "but I assure you; my brain is just fine." He held back the 'so there!' for another time…or maybe never. Most likely the latter.

"Yeah, sure. You don't have a tube sock…and that's not a mullet." Sarah rolled her eyes for what seemed the hundredth time.

"It is not a mullet. And at least I don't ruin my dream dress," he sneered eyeing her tattered dress.

"Bastard. I hope you rot in hell," she hissed.

"Only if you'll join me," he grinned. He put his hand back and Sarah was for a second afraid he would throw another snake at her but instead a golden goblet appeared. "You look parched my dear." His grin widened as Sarah half glared at him half stared longingly at the goblet. He brought it close enough so she could see the fresh, cool, clear water inside. "Thirsty?"

Sarah never took her eyes off the water. "Is it poisoned? If it is give me five more minutes out here and I won't care."

"My dear, dear girl! Now why would I poison you? You still need to run the Labyrinth. I can't kill you yet."

"Gee, that's reassuring," she muttered out the side of her mouth. Her mouth would have started watering but it was already far too dry. Jareth finally handed her the goblet and as she drank she felt relatively cooler. She was still thirsty after the water was gone but as she pulled the cup from her lips it refilled itself again. She drank greedily. Finally after nearly five cupfuls she handed the goblet back to Jareth. Wiping her mouth on the back of her arm she realized that Jareth was staring at her intently. "I know, I know, I'm a pig. Forgive me, oh Your Royal Highness, but I was dying of thirst," she said sarcastically.

The Goblin King lightly shook himself out of his trance and nodded. "Well, we can't have that can we?" His voice sounded distant but he quickly got over it. "Sarah, where is your dear friend?"

"How should I know, you're the one who stole her," snapped the agitated brunette. If he was going to play innocent then she wouldn't make it easier on him.

"I did not 'steal' your friend Alice," he stated a bit peeved at the young girl. Why was she making this so hard?

"My friend? Just my friend? I'm glad you are able to get someone's name right, but if I remember correctly when you were Jared she was your friend too," growled out Sarah. Just like him; mess with hearts and minds and then leave them in the dust. "Remember when you were a loving, caring human-being/Fae thing, albeit it was a lie but whatever?" She glared at him. "Or was just another one of your little tricks to get me to run your damn Labyrinth again? Were we ever truly friends?"

"I wanted to be your friend Sarah. But it seems you hold our past against me. I thought you had grown up but it seems you haven't. You are still the little girl you were when you broke…my Labyrinth." Jareth mentally kicked himself. He was going to say 'when you broke my heart' but that would have just been plain stupid now wouldn't it? "But I don't have any friends, remember? I'm the mean, cruel, evil Goblin King." He glared at Sarah who looked a little sad and he thought it served her right. "And I have no idea where Alice is. She was with you last time I checked. Did you loose her too? Seems you can't keep hold of any of your friends now can you? I wonder if that says anything about you," the King mused with a cruel smirk upon his face.

Sarah clenched her teeth and tightened her fists. She wanted so ban to just deck him right then and there but that would solve nothing. "I least I have people who love me and respect me for who I am and not because of the fear I instill into their hearts. At least I actually have friends," she finally managed to get out although her voice sounded a little strain. She closed her eyes for a moment thinking I have people who love me…but I don't have you so she did not see the look of hurt that fluttered passed Jareth's eyes and facial features. When she opened them again Jareth was slightly glaring at her.

"You've gotten lost in here. And now you have no little dwarf to pull you up. In fact you don't even have the Fieries you need to be saved from."

"That was in the Enchanted Forest place thing. But now that you mention it…this desert does feel like that place a bit…"

"That's because this is the Fieries' Forest 'place thing'. It has many names depending on the person passing through it," he said in answer to Sarah's confused look.

"I see. But what do you mean it is he forest? This is a desert love," she stated as if she were talking to the Village Idiot.

Jareth ignored the flutter in his chest when Sarah said the 'L' word saying to his self that it was meaningless. "Dear, have you not been paying attention?" he scolded softly tapping her on the nose. Sarah swatted his finger away. "This was the forest but when the Labyrinth's power died so did it. It is not a wasteland."

Sarah's eyes widened. "No," she breathed out. Did she really destroy that glitter-filled forest (J-Man must really like glitter…)? The poor creatures… Sarah hung her head unable to meat the gaze of the Goblin King any longer.

Jareth, sensing her sadness, placed a hand on her shoulder. Sarah looked up feeling space shift around her and gasped when she saw that she was no longer in the desert. "Go Sarah; try to save your brother again. Forget about Alice, I'm sure she will be fine. But you only have a few more hours left to find your little brother before he is mine for good." His smirk returned. "I believe I better get back to my little Goblin Prince now. Ta-ta," he grinned disappearing.

"That man has serious issues," Sarah mumbled looking at the land around her. She hoped that Jareth hadn't tricked her and led her astray but she would trust him for now. Even if she wanted to spit out curses and damn his very name…but her heart wouldn't allow. "Stupid traitorous heart," she grumbled under her breath beginning to walk the broken path along the distorted marshlands that surrounded the small hills she must climb over.

Alice was first aware of one thing as everything slowly faded into reality again; the smell of fire and smoke. She opened her eyes and saw she was in a dark room with only a small fire in the center of the room giving off the only light. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she saw the faint sign of wood walls carved beautifully to match the design of fire or the flow of lava with a smooth, straight stone floor, save for the small put the fire was in. By the pit she noticed large (very large) dark red pillows, satin if her eyes played no tricks on her. For its simplicity it was beautiful Alice found it a perfect place to be alone and think. She took in all this in a few moments time before she was startled out of thought by movement behind her.

"I see you enjoy my little alcove I have by the Labyrinth," a cool voice said from behind her. It sounded so familiar but yet so different at the same time. Turning around she saw the face of a man she swore she knew somewhere with the light of the fire casting shadows upon it. "Hello Alice."

The blonde startled back. "He-hello!" she exclaimed.

"No need to be afraid Alice. I just wanted to talk," the man said flashing her a smile that could make any girl melt (unless they were already in-love with said flasher's cousin) and which it did to Alice.

"Oh, okay," she giggled. But then it hit here. "Gary!"

"Uh, well, actually it's Ganith, but yes." The man, apparently the 'young boy' she had become smitten with during the earlier Masquerade, flicked his hand and torches on all the walls lit up. Alice saw that the walls were mahogany and that there was really no door or exit of any kind. She suddenly got very scared. Ganith, sensing this, put his hands up in defense. "I mean in no way to question your honor but this is simply the place I go to meditate and think. Only dear old Cousin Jareth knows about besides me but he knows only to come here if it's an emergency. This is my safe place. And I just want to talk to you."

Alice looked from him to around the room to him again. "Wh-wh-what d-do yo-you want-t?" she stuttered.

"I am here on behalf of Tobias Williams of the Aboveground and younger brother Sarah Williams of the Aboveground and defeater of the Labyrinth," he stated putting his hands behind his back and standing up straighter in a professionally manner.

"Toby?" Alice exclaimed not sure what was going on. "What about Toby? Oh my god, did Jareth hurt him? What--"

"You mortals sure are funny," Ganith commented amused. "You talk ever so fast." He shook his head. "Toby and I have a proposition."

"What kind of a proposition?" Alice asked skeptically.

"One that Jareth will surely be against seeing how it involves him and the Williams girl," he answered grinning.

Alice grinned back. "Well then, count me in!"

Hah! It was longer than usual. Hmmm…interesting. I'm too tired but I really wanted to finish this chapter so it kinda sucks as it ends because I'm half asleep but whatever. I know that it isn't as explained as some might have hoped but it's better than nothing. So if you continue to gripe at me it will be a while 'til I update. And no one wants that, right? Oh, and I just watched Liar, Liar a few days ago and even though it is utterly stupid and makes no sense and is un-Jareth-like I had to put in the stuttering on his part.