Sarah wasn't sure how to respond. It didn't seem right to dance around and casually converse with her brothers kidnapper.

He only took Toby because you wished him away. her inner voice supplied, And it's not like you haven't danced with him before... plus you might get some answers while you are waiting to wake up.

Even so, she was still hesitant. "No tricks?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"No tricks." He seemed sincere, Sarah tentatively brought her hand towards his.

His face was still gentle, but serious, as he took her hand, and placed his other at her waist.

The sensation of floating in his arms was strange, there were no steps to this dance, only gentle turning, spinning, with iridescent bubbles spiraling around them. Sarah noticed that her tentacles were entwining around them both and blushed furiously, but couldn't do anything about it.

At first they did not speak, and Sarah avoided his eyes, feeling his gaze on her. She stared at the ruffle at his throat instead, trying (unsuccesfully) to ignore the closeness of him.

Finally, reluctantly, Jareth broke the silence, "I suppose that we should continue our conversation now, if I am to be able to answer your questions before you awaken"

"How long do you think we have?" her voice was tense, and she realized that she didn't want this dance to end, not yet. She looked up at his face.

"I do not know, but I would like to make the most of it" His eyes were dark, his normally uneven pupils almost matching.

The intensity of his gaze made Sarah shiver, she gulped and tried to remember her question. "So... how is it that you are here, if I didn't call you?"

He began, "You were dreaming of the Labyrinth again-"

Sarah was confused, "But I've dreamt about the Labyrinth many times... you never came to me then." She squinted at him suspiciously, "Did you...?"

"No, your dreams are your own, it takes certain conditions to allow me to enter" He seemed amused by her suspicions.

"So... what are the conditions?" Sarah continued, somewhat relieved.

"There can be some variables, but there must be some form of invitation..."

"But I didn't invite you!" Sarah blurted, belatedly realizing how rude that sounded and turning a bright shade of crimson.

Unperturbed by her outburst, the Goblin King continued. "As I was saying, you dreamed of the Labyrinth... and you spoke aloud in your sleep... you said 'I wish' "

Sarah had always avoided saying those words since that fateful night; she feared their power.

"What did I wish for?" her voice was tight, she was afraid of the answer.

Jareth looked almost wistful, "You didn't finish your sentence"

A breath of relief escaped her, as he continued "As Goblin King I am attuned to listen to wishes, so since you said those words aloud and were thinking of my kingdom, I was drawn into your dream."

"Do you realize how terrifying that is?" she shrieked, "My sleeping brain could have asked for anything, and you... you would have granted it?" Sarah blanched as she mentally reviewed a few mortifying possibilities. Some of them involving her current dance partner.

The Goblin King's smirk implied that he knew, or at least guessed, where her thoughts had just wandered off to. Thankfully he did not pursue it, he simply continued, "There are some guidelines, to help avoid accidents. If you had completed your wish vocally, while sleeping, I still would have entered your dream, to verify your wish, and determine the conditions"

"I suppose that that is slightly reassuring..." she coughed nervously, "I wouldn't want to wake up to purple dragons in my room. Or discover that I had wished away my boss..."

Or any other supremely embarrassing situations, her mind added.

Jareth smiled at that, but then he looked as if something had just occurred to him and the smile faded.

"Sarah, how much time has passed in your world, since you visited mine?"

Sarah's eyes widened. "You don't know?"

"Time flows differently in our respective realms, and your words to me at our last parting ensured that I could not see or contact you until you wished it" The king closed his eyes an instant, as thought pushing away the memory.

"Oh" she mouthed. But then remembered, "But you were there! When I got home... I saw you... as an owl... when the clock chimed!"

"I escorted you home, and I watched as you called your friends. But I was barred from joining you; and then, from seeing you at all" The words seemed to pain him.

"I-I didn't realize" she stuttered, then softy added, "It's been nearly nine years"

"Nine!" The up-swept eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline.

"Yes" her voice was quiet, and full of regret.

Jareth tilted his head and blinked, "Why the sad countenance? Is your life now not happy?"

"No, no! It's not that!" Her fingers on his shoulder fiddled with the lapel of his jacket, "I love my life, my family, even my job... It's just that you are reminding me that it has been far too long since I have spoken with any of my friends from the Labyrinth"

"Why is that?" He brought their clasped hands up to her chin, lifting it so he could see her eyes.

Sarah avoided his gaze. "I think I just got so busy, and then as time passed I began to doubt that it could be real. I thought that maybe my overactive imagination had kind of run away with me..." She looked up at him hopefully. "Are they okay?"

His expression took on a humorous glint, "They are all quite well... and supremely fortunate that I didn't bog them all for treason"

"I suppose you would see it that way." her smile was rueful, she took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. She was afraid to ask, but she had to know. "Do you hate me?...Because I-"

"Beat me? Literally reduced me and my kingdom to ruins?" There was a small quirk in the corner of his mouth, but his eyes looked almost as they had that moment she had refused him.

"I wasn't going to put it so bluntly" Sarah still felt guilty about how things had ended in the escher room, but she had to save Toby, no matter what.

"It is the truth… but no I do not hate you"

The words were spoken in almost a whisper, his hand tightened almost imperceptibly at her waist.

Sarah released a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. "So... where does that leave us?"

The Goblin Kings face became guarded. "As your vanquished villain, I expect nothing. I did not think that I would ever get to speak to you again."

"Yes, well, you won't get off that easily... you still have a lot of explaining to do!" Her tone was firm, but she was smiling.

Suddenly there was a loud cracking sound.

"You are beginning to awaken"

It was his turn to sound regretful.

Sarah's eyes widened. "What will happen?"

The Goblin King sighed, "I will return to my realm, and you to yours"

A current had formed, trying to pull them apart. "But... wait!" She clung to his shoulders, "Will I ever see you again?"

His eyes fixed on hers with fierce emotion as he breathed, "As you wish"

Another, louder cracking sound shook the room, and the ballroom dissolved into a glittering tsunami that washed over her, and she awoke in her bed, alone.

She was surprised to find her cheeks damp with tears..

…

Authors note

I don't own Labyrinth, it just takes up a lot of my headspace

To Guest 2019, thank you, and yes, Sarah looks for logic in strange places.

FelineNinjaGrace Thank you! Jareth does seem to have that effect on people.

notwritten, thank you! And keep smiling :)

(And can anyone guess what my other favorite movies are?) ;)