HEY! How is everyone! Wow, you guys are lucky! Another chapter so early on MY schedule… I must be an angel!

Antill- SCUNGE! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, YOU SCUNGY WAITER? You have quite a lot of gall to be reviewing my story without even reading the chapter; even JESSE does me that courtesy- and Jesse isn't courteous, Coolby. I can tell you didn't read the story because it would take you more than 3 hours to read the FULL story, and because it is a sappy romance story. And why are you calling me Emma? I mean, people only call me that because of my other story, the one with Jareth and the heroine I called Emma, and you haven't even READ that story (for which I am forever grateful- eyuk). And you should check on your spelling- there is a reason you only got 7 out of 20 last week. How was the test today? Did you improve? Sorry I wasn't there to rub it in if you didn't (j/k). How do you mean 'like'? You mean as annoying 'I keep on pulling out your bright red hair and then offering it back to you' sort of like? Or 'Movies and holding hands' kind of like?

DID YOU JUST DIS JARETH! I WILL STAB YOU TOMORROW! YOU WANT ANOTHER GOUGE MARK ON YOUR ARM? Good, coz, I'll give you MORE than one.

(Gabriel) Ouch, man. You got told.

(Jareth) you know, I'd go all Goblin King on you- if I weren't feeling so sorry for you, mortal. Oh, and do you see that zit on your cheek? You may want to do something about that.

Mord-Sith Raal- Thanks for telling me. Great chapter, by the way. AND I CERTAINLY HOPE YOU WERE JUST KIDDING! I DO NOT SUCK THE FUN! I am not a fun sucker!… and yes, It does make me feel all warm and toasty…

Petra15- Thanks

atsuibelulah- I looove it when Jareth has a temper- and when he had demons! It makes him.. Well, I dunno… different. YA HEAR THAT, ANTILL?

Moonjava- Thanks again.

fish- well, that's an interesting name. But, incidentally, can fish have seats? I mean, you can't be on the edge of yours if you can't sit… I'm looking to far into this, aren't, I?

Calendae- I do too. Princess (yeah, it is a she) (she used to be called 'Prince Mickey', now she's Princess Mickey) was taken on the 7th- I got home and she wasn't there… I just hope my vicious bird took a bite out of the bugger that did it… She was such a lovely cockatiel… sigh…

Willow-sama- thankyou. But I'll keep the theatrics to myself, Thankyoup! Hehe, that really is how I say thankyou in my posh accent… I was kidding, just now, though. I must torment you because that is how I get my kicks- that and pulling out clumps of Antill's hair.

jumping-jo- I know! Even though I'm too young to drink it… damn, being a minor STINKS!

Keta Divina- I love toying with Jareth's personality-

(Jareth) Hey!

It's like he's some sort of fantastic play-doh!

batteredchild- well, I'd do physical if I could- but then she wouldn't be so fun.

SmeagulTheWeasul- Thankyou, and that translates as?

Chapter 16

Out of the Wardrobe

'Sarah? Please let me in; I need to talk to you,' came Jareth's voice from behind the door.

Sarah just stared at the heavy oak portal. Well, maybe I would, if you hadn't "locked" my door! She thought bitterly.

There was a sigh of long suffering from behind the door. 'I won't pretend that this wasn't unexpected…' was Jareth's grumbling response to Sarah's answering silence. 'Fine. But I will still speak to you even if you have denied me your presence; I want to say that I'm sorry for… for blowing up at you this morning… it wasn't your fault.' There was an expectant pause. 'Will you let me in now?'

Again, Sarah made no answer. She looked dumbly at the door, thinking dryly; wow, Jareth apologising. What's next? A proposal? She smirked.

Jareth frowned. She's stubborn, he thought simply. And the normal rules don't apply; one false word and… he left the consequences of just one mistake unthought.

'Sarah, I'm being serious,' he said, trying to bully her into responding.

After a minute, Jareth continued; 'Sarah,' he sighed. 'I'm sorry about what I did,' he prepared to pull out the always dependable cynical reaction achiever; 'I didn't mean it.'

Sarah scoffed audibly. She found a piece of paper and a pen in one of her bedside table drawers and quickly scribbled a message, then she folded the note, slipped it under her door and went to hide in her wardrobe behind her shoe rack so she wouldn't have to listen to Jareth grovel anymore.

Jareth heard shuffling from inside the room. He hoped that it was Sarah getting dressed or something- until the note slid under the door. He quickly picked it up and opened it.

Oh, you didn't?

Jareth raised his eyebrows. Well, it had somewhat of the desired effect… She just didn't open the door… she has an amazing memory…

'OK, I deserve that,' he mumbled.

'SARAH, OPEN THIS DOOR!'

Even from inside her wardrobe, Sarah heard the command. She huddled under her dresses and pressed herself against the wall. She struggled not to cry out in fear, because that was what she was feeling towards the Goblin King. Fear. She felt like she was in a terrifying nightmare that just wouldn't end, that she just couldn't wake up from. It was like a she had a severe case of nostalgia; this was exactly how she had felt when she had run the labyrinth.

Sarah curled up into a foetal position and buried her head in her skirt.

Jareth rested his forehead on the door, trying to figure out his next move. It was very important that he talk to her; she couldn't stay mad at him forever.

And if he had to be aggressive to achieve his goal… So be it. It wouldn't be the first time.

Jareth took a step back until he felt the corridor wall against his back, then blasted the door open with a ball of energy so powerful that it caused the door to ricochet off the bedchamber wall.

Jareth strode into the room, not knowing that Sarah, still hidden in her wardrobe, was cowering at the sound of her door being thrown open. He looked around, fully expecting to see a glowering Sarah ready to fly at him in rage.

Instead, he was greeted with an empty bedroom.

Puzzled, Jareth (perhaps not too wisely) checked the bathroom. He stuck his head in, then retreated back into the bedroom when he affirmed that the bathroom was uninhabited by any except the marble dryad.

He turned to the wardrobe, opening the door hesitantly, every second imagining Sarah to yell and scream and attack him for entering her private domain.

'Sarah?' he asked, looking around in the dark wardrobe. His sight afforded him little as the only light came from the doorway that he had left open and all he could see, even with its aid, were large blobby shapes protruding from the shadows that seemed to be the silhouettes of the many garments that he himself had commissioned to be made for Sarah's use. Jareth pushed one of the dresses out of the way, remembering how he had spared no expense in the construction of his guest's clothes.

He was sure she was in here.

'Sarah, come out please.'

'No,' said Sarah dispiritedly.

Jareth sighed softly and closed his eyes. He opened them and closed the wardrobe door slightly, so that only a sliver of light penetrated the inky darkness.

Jareth located Sarah easily: he just had to follow her suppressed sniffles. He squatted down beside her and cocked his head, pushing aside the shoe rack so that he could see Sarah better.

'Sarah,' he began entreatingly. 'I do wish you'd forgive me. I really am sorry; I was angry at a lot of things and I took it out on you. And it was unfair.'

Sarah sniffled. 'Nothing's fair.'

Jareth sat down properly and cuddled up to her. 'Not much is,' he murmured, 'but we can still try to make some things fair.' He tucked a bit of hair behind her ear, at last finding the horrendous incision at the side of her head.

Jareth sucked in his breath angrily. 'So this is what Gwyn wanted to stitch up?' he asked.

Sarah nodded. 'But… but I don't want stitches. I don't like stitches,' she whispered pitiably.

Jareth hugged her. 'Don't worry about that. Will you look at me?'

Sarah blinked, then lifted her head out of her lap, looking at Jareth's silhouette.

He smiled. 'Now I can see your beautiful eyes.'

Sarah giggled. 'How? You can't see anything in here.'

Jareth looked away and breathed out through his nose heavily in mock annoyance. 'Hmm. Well, there goes my best pickup line.'

Sarah laughed properly this time, causing Jareth to hold on to her just a little bit tighter.

'Would you like to come out of your wardrobe?' asked Jareth.

Sarah raised an eyebrow. 'Your back up pickup line?'

'Maybe.' Jareth shrugged.

'Well, anyway, I think it would be a great idea… but what about my not leaving my room without anyone? Does that still stand?'

Jareth smirked lopsidedly. 'No, nor does the threat about locking your door. Let's just say I had a long, meaningful talk full of shouting with Gwyn.' He stood up and offered Sarah his hand. 'Here.'

Sarah took Jareth's hand and he pulled her up. They, together, walked out of the wardrobe.

'So,' asked Jareth as he shut the wardrobe door, 'what would you like to do?'

Sarah thought for a moment- then something that had been niggling annoyingly at the back of her mind hit her like a ton of… bricks… 'Hey, I haven't seen any goblins around here! Were are they?'

'I told them to keep quiet and stay out of your way; I wasn't sure how you would react to them,' said Jareth somewhat lamely. He had really wanted to keep them out of the way so that Sarah wouldn't be distracted from him- but Sarah didn't need to know that.

'Oh, I'm fine with them. Can we go see them? They dance like idiots, they're so funny,' Sarah giggled.

Jareth grinned and lead Sarah out of the chamber and into the hallway. He showed her through many different corridors and down many different staircases.

'You see,' explained Jareth, 'the trick to this place is having an idea of where you want to go. Usually the castle will take you there without too much fuss. It's really just an appendage to the Labyrinth, you know.'

'Wow, I didn't realise that.' Sarah looked around the stone passageway that was dotted with magnificent tapestries and adorned with spectacular paintings every few metres.

'Well,' said Jareth, stopping in front of a pair of double doors. 'This is it.' He looked at Sarah. 'Are you sure about this?'

Sarah laughed. 'You sound like we're about to step into a live volcano.'

Jareth's expression grew grim. 'That is, perhaps, a good comparison.' He pushed the doors with both hands. They swung open.

Everyone in the huge room beyond fell silent.