There will be a quote from a movie in this chapter and see if you can guess what movie it is from.

Disclaimer: (Mutters under breath about death, pain, fire, blood, Mord-Sith, and Chain-Saws) Grr, I don't own Labyrinth.

Sarah let out an irritable sigh and spun around grabbing the hand of the Goblin King to quit his poking on her back. "Enough already!" she nearly screeched. Jareth just simply smiled, one that Jared had once smiled. The girl felt a pang in her heart at that thought but pushed it aside. She glared into the mismatched orbs that were Jareth's eyes and wished with all her heart she could just hold him like she wanted to too. "You're Jareth, remember? You're not Jared anymore. You can stop pretending to be friendly. I know you're not a friend, so stop trying to act like one."

The Goblin King's eyes darkened and he pulled his hand away from her touch. His face took up his impassive mask. "Of course, you have no friends. I forgot."

"Alice is my friend. Hoggle is my friend."

Jareth interrupted her before she could mention her other two Labyrinthian bosom companions. "Was your friend, remember?" he asked savagely.

Pain, hurt, and betrayal lit her eyes. "Thank you," she said coldly. "I almost forgot why we could never be friends." I almost forgot why I can't love you. "I almost forgot why we never got along." I almost forgot why you could never love me. She closed her eyes and turned back around to hide the tear that managed to escape. "Shouldn't you be off tormenting little babies right now?" She opened her eyes again and began continued her journey.

"Shouldn't you be wishing away little babies right now?" he asked right back.

And thus Sarah did what she had wanted to do and what she was going to make herself do in the play; she hit him. Clenching both her teeth and her fingers in a fist she swung around her white knuckled fist met Jareth squarely between the eyes. Said Goblin King, who was much startled, fell back. He lay flat on his back staring up at the sky eyes wide with shock. Slowly his gloved fingers touched his nose and pulled away so he could look at their tips. Suddenly the air surrounding them got heavier, darker, and colder. He was up in an instant.

"That was a very unwise thing to do, Sarah," he said softly but deadly.

Sarah glared openly at him teeth and fists still clenched. She saw the blood trickle from his nose but didn't feel an ounce of regret. "Then keep your damn trap shut, Your Highness," she hissed back.

"You are making an unhealthy choice here my dear."

"Don't you dare call me 'dear'," the girl growled. "You have no right to rub that back into my face."

"And you have no right to hit me," snapped the king.

"I have every right!" Sarah yelled back. "You've made my life a living hell in just a few hours! I hope you're happy. I was fine with my pitiful existence where I have a huge secret that I won't even let myself know and I was all alone! I could lie to myself and keep myself from hurting! But then you came along and ruined everything! I wished my brother away! Fine, I admit it! I'm sorry I did but it brought us closer together in the end! It helped me realize many different things that you can't even begin to fathom! But now, because of you, my brother is gone, Alice is gone, and I can't lie to myself anymore!" she cried. "But still you are so cold and cruel that you still can't even comprehend that there is more to me than just a spoiled, selfish, ignorant child!" she screamed the last few words. "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" (Quote)

"That's all fine and dandy Sarah, but I do not need to put up with your abuse," he growled.

"Then leave." Her glare never lessened. "I never asked for you to be here. You just showed up. If I'm such a hassle why didn't you just let me take that nice little tumble off the cliff? It would have solved all your problems," she spat not wanting the hurt in her voice to show. She always prided herself in being good at acting and pulled it off.

Jareth glared straight back at her, but his mind and heart softly said 'Because I love you.' "As you wish," he said simply and in a flash of glitter he was gone.

Sarah stared at the empty space where her Goblin King once stood before she broke down in tears covering her face with her hands.

"You ungrateful ass!"

Jareth's head swerved around as he appeared in the throne room to stare the person who had spoken to him in such a way. Sure, the words were something he didn't like hearing, but what troubled him the most was who spoke them. Toby glared up at the Goblin King arms crossed. "Does your sister know you speak such words?" the king asked the boy.

"This is the first time I ever needed to," the boy said back. "What happened? You were fine and teasing and playing and then you are fighting and you get hit and then you yell at her and then you make her cry!" Toby's face winced. Oops, he wasn't supposed to say Sarah cried. Maybe Jareth didn't catch it.

But he did. "Sarah cried?" Jareth asked in a soft voice his anger leaving him.

"Yeah, and you made her do it!"

This was not what Jareth had wanted. He had just been upset when Sarah had said they weren't friends. Sure, he wanted to be more than friends but that wasn't the point. That was one of the reasons he was so rude to that damn dwarf during Sarah's run; he was jealous. He kept trying to push the dwarf's ego down to make himself feel better. What would a beautiful young girl see in a stupid dwarf over the Goblin King? So many girls fawned over him but she wouldn't give him anything more than a disdainful look and, most likely, a stucked-out tongue. Oh, how he loved her.

"You made Sarah cry?" Ganith exclaimed in shock and outrage as he strode into the room. "What the hell was going through your mind cousin?"

"Oh gee, here comes back my favorite cousin," Jareth deadpanned. "And where the hell have you been Ganith? And what has happened to Alice?" demanded the Goblin King his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, uh, around and about," the fire lord said nervously. "Alice? Who's Alice? Oh, the blonde? Oh, yeah, I thought you had her? Isn't she with Sarah? Well I gotta go." Ganith tried escaping but Jareth grabbed him by the shoulder glaring at him. "Oh, uh…hello."

Toby rolled his eyes and slumped down. If things continued on like this he would never get his sister and that annoying Goblin King together. He watched as Jareth kept drilling questions at Ganith who, in turn, kept side-stepping them. He couldn't get a word in edgewise so he just contented himself with humming the song Jareth had sung to him the few years prior.

"…as the world falls down," Sarah whispered softly as she trudged down the broken path. Her cheeks still held evidence of her crying via the trails down her slightly dirty face and the red puffs that were her eyes. Her hands where clenched into fists at her sides and her head was held high. Her last encounter with the Labyrinth she got out without a single smudge of dirt and/or scratch but this time she was dirty, tired, and utterly alone. She ached all over but she was glad that at least the royal pain in her ass brought her decent clothes and shoes. Now if only he would bring her food… Sarah suddenly stopped walking with wide eyes. Nooo, that's okay. He didn't have to bring her food. She wouldn't trust him to bring her regular food. "I do not in anyway wish to revisit Peachville thank you very much," she said biting her lips afterwards and heading on her way again. She wished she could stay with her Dream Jareth but if she went the second her time ran out the real one would break the dream and laugh at her for falling for the same stupid trick twice before throwing her into an oubliette or worse.

A soft rhythm found its way into her ear and she knew immediately she had heard it before. She then realized it was the song Toby had sung that day before school (How long ago was that now, she wondered. Oh yes, it was just this morning) and then she realized that it was Toby who was singing it again. "Oh, I'm coming Toby!" she yelled wiping the tear-trails off her cheeks and starting off in a run. "My baby will not cry. And he will not get slapped!" she added as an after thought.

"You will bring back Alice or I swear to you I will be cousin-less by the end of the day."

Toby sighed finishing his song knowing that neither of them noticed or remembered he was there. Getting up he walked around the bickering Sidhe to stand by the window looking out. It was a horrible sight but Sarah was out there somewhere and he would make her happy if it was the last thing he did. And her being happy meant being with the one she loved. "Sarah, why won't you admit you love him? Why don't you tell him?"

"You're just jealous!" Ganith bit back.

"Of what?" an incredulous Jareth scoffed.

"Well, my good looks for one. And that my mortal actually likes me!"

The room suddenly felt very colder. "One, she is not your mortal. Alice will be returning home after Sarah loses and you will do nothing to hinder it. And two, get out," he snarled deadly.

"What?" the fire lord asked face drooping.

"Get out of my throne room, out of my castle, out of my Labyrinth, and out of my kingdom!" the Goblin King said working up to a yell.

Ganith stared at his cousin for a moment before disappearing in a puff of red glitter.

"Ganith, you're back!" Alice smiled. But she was met by an empty face and took an involuntary step back. "Ganith?"

The fire lord took a seat by the fire in his little escape cavern not looking up at the blonde. "I don't know who that fool is kidding but she's going to win. And when she does he'll be hell to live with. If he doesn't profess his feelings soon it'll all be over."

"They will get together Ganith," Alice said sitting across from the flame and him. "Me, you, and Toby all know that they are supposed to be together. And if it's not destiny yet, why, I'll make it!"

He couldn't help but smile to that. "Alice, sometimes I wonder how you could be mortal."

"Thank you. Wait, hey! That's an insult to my people!"

"Do you deny it?"

"No."

"Okay then," he smiled.

"You're just a big jerk, you know that?"

"I'm told that everyday…mostly by Jareth."

And Ganith made a face to that statement that Alice couldn't help but laugh. "Ganith, you are so weird. Now tell me everything that's happened."

"Stupid rock," Sarah muttered. "Stupid shoe. Stupid…stupid," she said not finding a good enough word. She was looking down and was kicking at the small rocks near her feet. She had a frown on her face her forehead wrinkled. "I wished that I knew how much time I had left," she sighed mournfully.

"Exactlytwo hours,nineteen minutes, and fifty-three seconds, beep."

Sarah spun around hands balled up in fists glaring at the owner of the voice. "I thought I told you to leave," she hissed at the Goblin King who stood behind her. She glared even harder when she noticed he was wearing yet another different outfit. He wore black leggings with a design similar to snakeskin on them a color of dark gray. A shirt of almost the same charcoal shade graced his upper body with the buttons undone to his waist, which held a black leather belt whose fastenings looked similar to his pendant (which was hanging loosely on his bare chest as always). His gloves were made of black leather as well as his knee-high boots. Sarah didn't want to think how similar this outfit was to the one he wore in the passageway with the Cleaners.

"This is my Labyrinth in case you have forgotten. And you said you wished to know the time so I gracefully came to tell you. But I should have known that you wouldn't be happy with your wish granted; it seems you never are," Jareth replied kindly.

"I don't get all my wishes," she muttered under her breath suddenly not having the strength to fight him anymore. She turned around and began to walk mournfully on letting out a mournful sigh once more and dragging her feet at a mournful pace. "The one I want the most I'll never receive."

Now Jareth, ever since going Above for a while and spending so much time with our dear Sarah, had not been so good at keeping his mouth shut like he used to. "I would give you your hearts desire if I could," he said before he could stop himself.

Sarah spun back around thinking for sure that the sincerity she had heard was just him playing a joke on her and teasing her. But what she saw made her heart skip a beat. Jareth looked utterly dejected staring at the ground stealing her mournfulness. But then he must have realized and remembered she was there because the look quickly disappeared and he was the impassive Goblin King again. "Jareth, you could never give me what I want. I'm selfish and inconsiderate of others and nothing else could be enough. I'm just a stupid mortal with stupid wishes. I'm sorry that you are burdened with me. But I will win and you will never have to see me again. I'm sure you won't come after me again because that would be stupid. I don't even know if you would be able to," she admitted almost to herself as she turned back and continued to walk.

"Well now, what am I supposed to say when you take the very insults from my mouth? Most unfair," he grumbled good-naturedly crossing his arms and pretending to pout.

"Well tough nookies Goblin King; life ain't fair. Now watch out or the floor will open from under you because you said one of two distasteful comments." Sarah smirked a little seeing in her minds eyes the startled King falling through a hole to land in one of his oubliettes or worse. "Hah, see how you like it," she mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" the Goblin King quirked an eyebrow.

"Nothing," the mortal replied innocently. "So, how 'bout them fairies," she said in a vain attempt to change the subject, which, rather sadly, worked.

"As you should very well know by now Sarah," Jareth snarled, "they are gone." At this remembered fact Sarah's face fell and she looked over her shoulder to the Goblin King. "Don't give me that look Sarah."

Sarah wanted to say what look or I don't know what you're talking about but she was too depressed by the news. "You have to believe me Jareth; I'm really sorry. I never meant for anything bad to happen. But I had to have my brother back. I was young and didn't understand that he wouldn't really be turned into a goblin. I was fifteen and scared; what more could you expect. But you saw how much I love him now; you saw how we reacted to each other. When you were Jared–" Sarah broke off turning back around and continuing on her path for what seemed like the hundredth time. She watched the castle loom nearer as she tried to push the memories of 'Jared' away. They weren't real; they were another game of Jareth's to try to unsteady her. She dared not think of how much joy she felt when she received the single rose on her birthday.

Her birthday!

Sarah had forgotten it was her birthday…or, was her birthday. She knew that time Under passed different than Above but how many hours was it is since she last saw her family and her little room? How long ago did she turn nineteen? How long ago was it since her and his lips were barely millimeters apart?

"Tights wearing royal pain-in-the-ass drag queen," Sarah muttered under her breath as her light steps became stomps. "Making me so goddamn moody; it's like I'm freakin' pregnant or something." She paused for a split second to think about Jareth making her seem like she was pregnant before her thoughts turned to think of Jareth making her pregnant…period, which made her blush.

…and all she wanted was a simple kiss!

But with the Goblin King nothing was ever simple. But with the man behind the impassive mast of the King of the Goblins…even the Labyrinth on a good day would seem like a stroll in the park, a walk down the lane. And for two brief moments in time Sarah thought she had that. Once, when Jareth was simply Jared, and then again upon the cliff when her dream of being with the man she loved was about to draw her to her death. Sarah had the fleeting thought that death might be better than the abysmal void left within herself at being separated by the only man who ever truly held her heart.

"…and then I gave Haggle a pear and he dreamed he was a mermaid in a crystal tank with the beast and Sir Didymus as his little fish friends…" Jareth said eyeing Sarah cautiously to see if she would take notice of his nonsense. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sarah, you're not paying attention to me!" he cried in an almost whiny voice. He growled in distaste at what a few days Above had done to him, what SHE did to him.

"I'm sorry Jareth but I can't be with you right now," she mumbled only half aware of him. "I have to do something…"

"Sarah!"

Startled out of her thoughts Sarah jumped slightly. "What?" she asked in exasperation. She looked at Jareth with a small look of sadness to her eyes. "What do you want?" she spoke softly passing a hand over her closed eyes.

I want you, the goblin King so eagerly wanted to reply. "Dance with me," he instead said.

This, obviously, was not what Sarah was expecting and threw her off. "Excuse me?"

"We never truly finished our last dance. Finish it with me now." He held out a hand.

Sarah didn't know what to say. She looked at his hand to his face and back again. She knew that she only had a few hours left and this was probably just another stupid trick he was trying to get her to fall for but involuntarily her feet moved towards him and her hand snaked into his own. The other she placed on his shoulder as his other was placed upon her lower back. She looked up into his eyes swallowing the lump in her throat before casting her look down dejectedly at her feet.

"Look at me Sarah," he whispered as he gently began to sway her around.

Obediently she looked up into his beautiful eyes. How she could loose herself in them. Why did he hold such power over her? She realized with a start then that he did have power her, if only her heart. And right now her heart was making her lean in to kiss him…

Sarah's gaze darted from his lips to his eyes as they leaned towards each other. A kiss, a simple little kiss…how she wanted to hold him in her arms and drink in his essence. How she wanted him to hold her…

But she had to save Toby…

She couldn't fall for another trick, not now. She had too precious time to flounder it on this…this…creature. This monster that stole little children. This beast that lied through his teeth. This animal whose eyes were so cold. This beautiful man who granted dreams…

No! She couldn't! She had to save Toby because of her own foolishness. Would she never learn? A man like Jareth could never love, especially not someone like her. Right now Toby needed her and she would always give up her own happiness for his. Because of her both Toby and Alice were in trouble. She needed to be strong and cast her silly childhood dreams aside for reality. Jareth couldn't love her…could he?

Silent tears coursing from her eyes she looked once more from his approaching lips to his eyes. She thought she saw something in them, some hidden emotion he was trying to keep secret. An equally silent sob racked her back and she pushed away from the man she loved once more shaking her head. Again they almost kissed, and again the truth kept them from it. They would never finish their dance. Turning away Sarah now sobbed openly as she ran towards the direction of the castle and away from the dejected Goblin King meaning now more than ever to end this.

Finally, I finished this chapter! I have wanted to do this but never had the pull to it. I wrote a little bit here and there so some of it is good and some of it is crappy. But at least I finally updated. I made another story so check it out and tell me how awful it is. I love Metallica. Anyways…story almost over. Possibly only one last chapter to go…oh dear…