Hiyall! Sorry I haven't updated but my Mum took away my internet AGAIN! It took some major sucking up so I could update so enjoy this chappie while it lasts. SHOUT OUTS!

ItsACrystalNothingMore- Here you go (just don't hold your breath for another one)

Moonjava- Always there, always grateful

atsuibelulah- She wasn't running, per say… what is muah?

KatieT- NO! HE SHOULD LOVE ME! I hate the thing with Toby, too…

satta- WRONG! DO WRONG! But you'll have to wait and see…

Solea- yeah, I always like an un-dysfunctional (not really 'functional', coz he can still function) Jareth. But, well, you may wanna change your tune in later chapters, coz like Smeagol, some stuff just lies inside waiting, waiting, until… POW!

Morrigana- No, just needles.

RoshLupin-Black- EWWW! That is so eww. But these maids are okay.

Eleanora Rose- it is in the chapter that Sarah has an irrational fear of any type of surgical needles. Right there… no, there…

lilpyro600- JARETH IS NOT A CRAZY BONDE! He is a dumb blonde- BOWIEgirl knows what I'm talking about, nudge nudge.

Chapter Eleven

Just a Little Nap

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Sarah, lulled and soothed by the Goblin King's calming aura and constant backrubs, eventually stopped crying.

Jareth had receded into comforting silence and was resting his chin on Sarah's head. He was too busy breathing in her absolutely unique scent, toying with her beautiful brown hair, imagining what it would be like if she were his- well, as is as she would have been had she not been such a feminist- to notice that her tears had ceased.

Oh, how he loved her- so much it hurt. And now to be this close to her only to have

to let her go again- that pained him more than that troll's blade in the ambush of '98 (1298, that is).

He subconsciously thought she had fallen asleep in his arms (being to distracted by her beauty for anything to register in his rational mind), but was content to hold her until she awoke.

But Sarah was wide-awake. Wide awake and thinking. And she was thinking about a very large amount of things; he friends, her family whom she had just walked out o, her job, Angus, her injuries from his drunken rage, and, finally, Jareth, who was holding her as though she would smash like so much glass if he let go of her for even a single moment.

Sarah remembered the things Hoggle and Sir Didymus (not Ludo- he didn't really understand much about these matters. All he knew was when to grin at the formidable-looking king or run away in fear) had said about Jareth; that he had wanted to speak to her and that he had missed her…

Then Sarah's thoughts dwelled on that night, not so long ago, but it seemed like an aeon had passed since, when Jareth had appeared to her in her bedroom. She realised now that Jareth had been begging her to come with him, trying to make her see that he…he loved her.

Now Sarah thought how quickly he had come to help her last night, and how protectively he was holding her now. She felt all warm and fuzzy inside. Like she was…loved? Wanted?

No-one had ever really wanted her before- except maybe her brother, Toby. But even though Sarah adored her little sibling more than life itself, being wanted by your bother is quite different to being wanted by the Goblin King.

Everything was crashing around in Sarah's head, making any decipherable thought impossible. All she knew for sure was that she was in the arms of the Goblin King, and that he was acting as her anchor, keeping her from floating away.

Sarah curled herself into a tighter ball and snuggled herself more securely against Jareth.

Her movements completely startled Jareth as he had assumed that Sarah was asleep. He manoeuvred her body so that she was on her side, then he turned over to clasp her again to him.

Sarah kept her eyes closed until she felt Jareth's warm body against her again. She wrapped her arms around him and tucked her legs underneath her.

One of the more daring maids crept into the room an hour later, then scurried back to the scullery to tell her friends that the mysterious woman who had sustained so many terrible injuries (as Gwyn had told them) was sleeping with her arms around the Goblin King!

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Sarah woke up feeling warm and secure. Then she realised that she had fallen asleep in Jareth's arms. Strangely, though, she couldn't bring herself to move away from him.

Jareth felt rather than saw Sarah wake up. He smiled then, for no apparent reason other than that she was voluntarily in his arms.

'Good morning, Sarah,' said Jareth softly.

Sarah's head jerked up. 'It's morning?'

Jareth chuckled. 'No. I just said that to see what you'd do.'

Sarah scowled and hit his arm.

Jareth raised his eyebrows as if to say 'Well, I didn't think you'd do that'.

Sarah, seeing the surprised and arrogant look on Jareth's face, realised, to late, what she had done (oh just struck a member of FEY ROYLATY!) and put her hands over her mouth. 'Oh, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean… I didn't realise…'

But Jareth just started laughing.

Sarah tried to get up, but failed when Jareth's warm, comfortable embrace became a vice-like grip, refusing to release her.

'Not unless you say 'please',' Jareth teased.

'Okay, 'please',' Sarah sighed.

Jareth grinned. This promised to be interesting. 'Please what?'

'Please let me up,' said Sarah irritably.

'Hmmm,' said Jareth, as though seriously considering the proposition. 'Why should I?'

Sarah narrowed her eyes. 'Because,' she said quietly.

''Because' why?'

'Are you ticklish?' asked Sarah abruptly.

Jareth looked at her cautiously. 'What has that got to do with-'

Sarah didn't even let him finish: she began tickling every bit of him that she could reach.

Jareth began to laugh and let go of Sarah, concentrating mostly on trying to keep her hands away from him (it turned out that he was ticklish).

Sarah seized her chance at once, slipping off the bed and running for the other side of the room. 'Because,' she said as Jareth recovered himself and prowled toward her, 'I'll tickle you.'

Jareth jumped for her, but Sarah, ignoring her cracked ribs, leapt lightly away, toward the window.

Jareth had a smirk on his face as he wheeled to face her again.

Sarah giggled and spun around, but as she did she got a glimpse of what lay beyond the window, her first look at the Labyrinth since she had defeated it years ago. But how it had changed! Sarah did a double take, her face a mask of absolute horror as she looked out at the desolate Labyrinth.

Jareth saw what she was looking at and stood up straight, knowing that she was not in the mood for more games, looking sadly at her, the girl who (inadvertently and to an extent) had caused his kingdom's decay.

Sarah turned to him, tears of grief sparkling in her eyes. She had not realised that she cared for the Labyrinth so much; she had only been there for a few short hours. But it had been beautiful, magical, alive… once.

'What happened?' she asked, her voice shaking dangerously.

Jareth sighed and looked at the clock. 'It's time for dinner. I will tell you while we eat.'

'No,' said Sarah, one lone tear sliding down her cheek, 'I want a closer look. And you can tell me now.'

Jareth bowed his head solemnly in ascent. 'Only for a short while, though; the Sun is going down.

Sarah nodded and caught his arm, wiping away her tear.

Jareth sent them both down to his dying kingdom.

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