AN: Sorry it had taken me so long to update! I've had a serious case of writers' block but I'm slowly getting back into it again :)

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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I Wish

Chapter 13

Music In The Moonlight

Sarah cradled the crystal ball in her hands, her reflection gazing back at her. For weeks she'd wanted nothing more than to speak to her family and yet now that she finally could she was nervous to do so. What would they say to her? What would they ask her?

She pulled her shawl tighter around herself as she forced down those feelings. She had no reason to be nervous. They were her family and she truly did want to see them.

"I...I wish to see my family." Sarah watched as a mist appeared in the crystal but no image of her family appeared to her. Confused, she turned the crystal, peering into it from a new angle.

"Hello? who is it?"

Sarah gasped when she heard the familiar voice of her Father coming from the orb in her hands.

"Dad?"

"Sarah? Is that you?"

Tears filled Sarah's eyes and a small smile turned up her lips. "Yes, Daddy, it's me... I'm sorry it's taken me so long to call."

Robert was quiet for a few moments before he replied. "It's taken you a year to call, Sarah. So don't act like it's only been a few months. I trusted you. I trusted that you would be a responsible adult and keep in touch with us. That's why I let you go!"

He was angry and hurt. There was no mistaking the pain in his voice and it made her want to cry to think that she had hurt him. It had only been a few months for her. Why hadn't Jareth explained to her about the time differences?

"A-a year?!" She stuttered, "Daddy, I'm so sorry..." She bites her lip, anxious for his response.

Robert sighed sadly. "It just hurts because I trusted you..."

"Please forgive me, Dad...I did tell you that it wouldn't be easy for me to contact you..."

"I know, Sarah, I understand that you're busy and that we are probably the last thing on your mind right now, but I hadn't expected a whole year to pass without hearing anything from you! Not even for birthdays or the holidays? Do you have any idea how hard it has been for me to live with myself knowing that I agreed to you leaving?!"

"I...I don't know what to say except I am sorry. I never meant for so much time to pass without contacting you..." She choked on a sob, allowing the tears to fall freely down her cheeks.

Hearing his daughter's sobbing through the telephone made him regret how harsh he'd just been with her. Perhaps he had been unkind to assume that she hadn't thought of them at all while she'd been away. After all, had he not been young once too? He knew he should be the last person to judge her given that he left home and moved into a small apartment with Linda when he was only seventeen years old.

"Oh, honey... Don't cry, sweetheart. It's okay. I'm sorry I got so irate. Tell me about what's been going on with you?"

Sarah wiped her tears from her face with the back of her hand. "Well..." she sniffed softly," Nothing much has been going on... I've been busy with work mostly."

"You're working? that's great! What are you doing?"

Sarah nibbled her lip, wrapping a strand of hair around her finger. "Well... it's just cleaning work right now. I just... needed something to give me a bit of money."

"Honey, if you needed money then you should have just asked for it. And besides, I thought Jareth would be taking care of you financially?"

Sarah didn't have to see him to know his eyes were narrowed protectively.

"Jareth IS taking care of me. I get my meals for free, I get a bed to sleep in and Jareth has treated me with new clothes... I guess I just want to be independent."

Robert chuckled softly, "Well, of course, you do. You are so much like your Mother..."

Sarah swallowed hard at the mention of her mother and the wistful way her father mentioned her. "I am?"

"Yes... I had money and everything she could need but her desire to be independent was so strong. Did you know she worked in the office right up until her due date with you?"

Sarah smiled sadly, shaking her head. "I would say that was a little extreme of her..."

"I agree! but nobody could tell her to stop. She was a strong-willed woman just like you are..." he chuckled again, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. "I miss your spark, honey. The house isn't quite the same without you."

"Oh, Dad..." She gazed into the crystal, wishing that she could see her father but the smoky mist remained. "I miss you... all of you."

"Me too," He cleared his throat, "As long as you are safe and happy then that is all that matters to me. Just... try and stay in touch a bit more?"

Sarah nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Yeah, I promise to try and call more. Dad, is Toby there?"

"Toby's at school and Karen has just gone to do some grocery shopping. I'll tell them you called, though. And maybe you can ring again another day and catch up with them both?"

She felt a little disappointed not to be able to speak with Toby but she understood that there was nothing she could do if he was at school."Okay. thanks. Oh, how are things with work? Aren't you working today?" she asked, frowning.

"I've got a little cold so I've taken a day's rest. I'll go back tomorrow, of course."

Sarah couldn't help but feel a bit concerned. Her Father never got sick and he certainly never took the day off. She swallowed hard, nervously nibbling her lip, "Just... don't overdo it if you still don't feel well, okay? Just rest while you can." Had she been at home right now, she would have made him some chicken soup and some tea then she would have made sure he got into bed and stayed there until he felt better.

"I'll be fine, don't you worry." He said, gently reassuring her. "You're not to worry about me, Sarah, I'll be fine it's just a cold."

"Ok, I will try not to worry..." she sighed, deciding to change the subject again. "Daddy, what about Diane? Hav- have you seen her at all?" She asked nervously as visions of her nightmares filled her mind.

Robert was silent for a few moments before he replied. "Well... funny you should say that. Diane has been living with us while you haven't been here."

Sarah blinked in surprise, "Huh? She's living at home? In my room?"

"Yes... Diane's parents got divorced a few months after you left. They sold the house and Diane and her mother moved into a flat in town. Unfortunately, their relationship was a little rocky and they ended up having a fight which resulted in Diane getting kicked out. She had nowhere to go so we welcomed her into our home. She's been living here about five months now."

"Oh, my god..." Tears filled Sarah's eyes as she imagined just how hard it must have been for Diane to go through all this alone. "I feel so bad that I wasn't there for her..."

"Diane is fine now, honey. She's got a little job in the coffee shop and she is happy to babysit Toby at the weekend so that me and Karen get a break. She's been a great help to us..."

"Oh..." For a few minutes, Sarah felt a little jealous. Like she was being replaced but she quickly shook it off. How could she be so selfish? She should be happy for Diane and her family not jealous. If their arrangement was working for all of them then that was all that mattered. It had been her choice to move to the Underground, after all.

"I'm glad things are working out for everyone." She told him honestly.

"Thank you, honey. And things are good with you and Jareth?" He asked. From the tone of his voice, she could tell he was desperate to hear more about her life.

"Things are fine, Daddy. Like I said before, he is taking care of me."

"Good, that's what I like to hear," He said before coughing softly.

"Go and rest, okay? We'll talk again soon I promise."

Robert didn't really want to end the call with his daughter, but he had to admit that he was starting to feel like he needed a lie down again, so regretfully he agreed. "I will."

"I love you..." She whispered.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Sarah sighed heavily as she turned the crystal and ended the contact with her Father. She wished she could have talked to him for longer but also knew that he needed to rest if he wasn't well.

She got up from her seat by the fire and walked to her wardrobe, opening it up she carefully wrapped the delicate crystal orb in one of the velvet scarfs she had laying around in her drawer, making sure it was safe and wouldn't crack.

She would make sure she called tomorrow or the day after to check on how he was feeling and hopefully get to talk with Toby and Diane as well. No doubt Karen would try to talk to her and try to find out what was going on in her private life. Not because she cared, but because she was nosey and liked to know business that didn't concern her.

Sarah got into her bed, thinking about everything that had occurred this evening. She had been so close to throwing herself at Jareth when he'd given her the crystal. To her, it had meant more than he would ever know..

She hadn't been lying when she'd said she'd forgiven him. She had. All she wanted was for them to be friends again. She just really hoped that Jareth had listened to everything she had said over the last few days and that he wouldn't take it for granted, because if he did use her again she wasn't sure she would get over it so easily.

She would be lying if she said it didn't hurt her anymore because it certainly still did. Lilium wasn't here right now, but if she was would she be in Jareth's bed right now? The thought was scary to her because she wanted him more than anything but if he hurt her again she couldn't take it. Still, Jareth had proven to her tonight that he was doing all he could to make her feel better and that meant a lot to her.

Feeling sleepy, she snuggled into her bed, wondering what the future held for her and The Goblin King.


Jareth stood on the sandy hill overlooking the Labyrinth. The sun was just starting to rise and the orange glow was shining on the castle in the distance.

After realizing his feelings for Sarah, Jareth had had to get out of the castle for some fresh air and to think things over. Was he really in love with her? or had he misunderstood his feelings of lust for love?

But as Jareth watched the moon disappear and the sunrise, he realized that his feelings were true and that he was indeed in love with her. He realized that he had been falling for her since he'd be trying to get her to fall for him. Is that why he had become so tired of Lilium so quickly? Because the woman he really wanted was in the next room cleaning the floors? Is that why he hadn't been able to sleep properly since he'd realized Sarah was sad and that the cause of her sadness was him?

Sitting on the stump of a fallen tree, Jareth rested his elbows on his knees and his face in his gloved hands.

Perhaps he had been in love with her longer than he realized. Had she not enchanted him before when she had run the Labyrinth, trying to win back her little brother?

Had he not watched her with anticipation as she got closer and closer to the castle? Despite what everyone else thought, Jareth had been rooting for her all along. Perhaps he wouldn't have been if he had realized that her win would result in such a terrible way for his Kingdom and his subjects.

Sighing, he conjured a crystal, watching as Sarah slept in her bed.

He didn't know how it had taken him so long to realize how much he loved her because now that he had come to terms with it, he couldn't imagine not loving her. Was this the love that his father had told him of? Was this the undying love that would one day be his demise?

Sarah was a mortal woman. He knew she would not live forever even if he wanted her to. One day she would pass and he would be left to live a life without her. Would he be willing to do as his Father had and choose to pass over to the other side to be with Sarah's soul forever? He realized that he would.

He shook his head, chuckling at this sudden change within him. For years he had blamed his Father for everything wrong in his life. He had been so angry with him. He had left him to rule this unpredictable Kingdom alone. Long before he had been ready to be King. But now he understood.

His father had lived for three hundred years after his mother died and now Jareth couldn't believe how his father had bared the pain of not being with her for that long. He was certain that if he had lived a life with Sarah and she died, he wouldn't be able to be apart from her for a day let alone three hundred years.

"I understand now, Father..." He whispered, his eyes still fixated on the image of Sarah sleeping in the crystal. "I'm sorry that I did not understand sooner..."

For the second time, the ground beneath his feet became warm and that strange feeling of something similar to a heartbeat pounded beneath the soil. Was it the Labyrinth approving of his recent discovery? Or was it his imagination?

Whatever it was, Jareth took it as a sign that he was on the right track. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about fixing the Kingdom and his connection to the Labyrinth now – but what he was certain of was his love towards Sarah. And he knew he needed to show her even if it was too early to tell her just how strongly he felt about her.

With a flick of the wrist, the crystal vanished and Jareth stood once more. The cool breeze caused his cloak to swish around him, some of the shredded pieces of fabric blew out around his body, lightly whipping at him. He took that as a sign to leave and head back to the castle.

He transformed into an owl and had a long flight back towards the castle. The whole time he thought about how he could truly show Sarah how sorry he was for causing her pain. He never wanted to be the man to make her cry again and he would work hard at getting himself under control. He would not allow himself to be the cause of her discomfort anymore.

The day came and went as fast as any day did for Sarah when she was working hard and before she even realized it, it was getting dark. But Sarah was still busy emptying ash from the fire.

She carefully shoveled some of the ashes from the fire into the bucket beside her. Little particles of soot floated in the air, causing her to sneeze more than a few times.

With the back of her hand, she wiped some of the soot from under her nose. She felt so dirty and gross right now. She couldn't wait to take a nice warm bath after her chores were done.

Thinking of how the warm water would refresh her skin and relax her sore muscles, she didn't even notice as Nugan approached her until he was standing right beside her, tapping his foot against the stone floor impatiently.

"Is yer deaf?" He snapped, folding his arms over his chest. "I've been callin' ya over n'over again."

Sarah sighed as she sat back and glanced up at him. "Sorry, Nugan. I didn't hear you come over. What is it?"

"His Majesty asks me to bring ya this," he passed her a small folded note which was sealed with the symbol of the royal seal.

Sarah took it from his hands, smiling at him as she got to her feet. "Thank you, Nugan."

He nodded before he limped out of the room without another word.

Once Sarah heard the door click shut, she sat down on one of the wooden chairs, cracking open the seal she unfolded the note.

"Sarah,

I wish to show you something.

Please come to the ballroom. My magic will guide you to show you the way.

J."

She furrowed her brow in confusion. Why was Jareth asking for her to go to the ballroom? She folded the note, slipping it into the pocket cleverly hidden in her skirts. She had sewn those pockets herself one evening when she'd been sad and hadn't been able to sleep. That was one little thing about Karen that she could be grateful for at least. Karen had taught her how to sew when she had only been a child and it had finally proven useful to her. She was sure that if she asked Jareth he would have happily had his tailor add pockets to her gowns for her, but she liked being able to do something for herself.

She glanced at the fire, it still had a big pile of ashes that needed to be cleaned out but she would come back to that later.

She was just heading towards the door to leave when the huge mirror which hung on the wall opposite the fireplace caught her attention. She quickly ran over to it, checking out her appearance.

She was a little red and sweaty from all the work she had been doing. Her messy hair was up in a bun, there was a smudge of soot across her cheek, and her apron was stained and dirty from the day's chores.

"I can't see him like this!" she whispered to herself, quickly pulling the pin from her hair, watching in the mirror as it fell in soft waves down her shoulders.

She quickly untied her apron and wiped the sweat and dirt from her face and hands with it, throwing it behind the couch to hide it until later when she returned.

She gazed at her reflection again. She still looked a mess but a little more acceptable than she had before.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the little pot of strawberry lip balm that she had brought with her from home and applied just a little bit to her lips.

"I guess that will do..."

Sighing, Sarah left the room.

Once in the hall, Sarah looked both ways. Where on earth was this damn ballroom anyway? She'd been living here for months and was yet to find a ballroom.

As she wondered which way to go, Jareth's words suddenly entered her mind. 'My magic will guide you to show you the way.'

As if on queue, a crystal suddenly appeared in front of her, glowing in different shades of blue. Guessing that that was the magic of which Jareth had mentioned in his letter, she followed it.

Through the hall, up the stairs, through a door, through another door, up another set of stairs, and through one last door.

As Sarah approached the two large white doors, Sarah guessed that this had to be the ballroom Jareth was talking about. With effort, Sarah pushed open the huge double doors, gasping at the sight that was before her.

Jareth sat at the beautiful grand piano, his posture straight and elegant. The tall windows were wide open, causing the sheer fabric curtains to dance softly in the soft breeze.

It was extremely cold but somehow that only seemed to add to the eerie and mysterious feeling that the room seemed to carry, anyway.

She glanced down at her feet, noticing how she could see her reflection in the highly polished floor.

The huge ballroom was empty save for the piano and a few busts of elegant faces that she guessed to be Jareth's ancestors since many shared his likeness. Glancing up at the high ceiling, she almost gasped at the sight before her; the ceiling was painted perfectly with the night sky. Deep shimmering blue with little silver stars that seemed to twinkle despite being only a painting. If she didn't know better she would swear that it was, in fact, the actual sky and not a painting at all. Something else caught her eye, though; the impressive crystal chandelier which sparkled like a thousand stars as the moonlight hit it.

For a moment she allowed her mind to wonder. What would it have been like to dance in this room with all its beautiful guests watching or joining in with you? She imagined the life and laughter that must have once filled this room. Perhaps the laughter of people who no longer graced the earth. How many souls that had parted from life had had their first kiss in this room? Or their first dance?

She sighed at her morbid mind and turned her attention back to the Goblin King. His pale hair seemed almost white in the moonlight, somehow making him appear more ethereal than she'd ever seen before.

She watched as his fingers danced elegantly over the ebony and ivory keys with such ease. She guessed he must have played this instrument for many years to be able to play it as beautifully as he was right now.

As if sensing her thoughts, he spoke softly, his voice echoing in the almost empty room. "My mother used to play this instrument before I was born. My Father said she was an exceptional pianist. I was infatuated with the idea that she played when I was a child and I've been learning ever since then. I've played this particular piano for a very long time..." He lightly tapped the bench he sat at, inviting her to sit beside him.

She crossed the room in moments, her shoes clicking slightly against the polished floor.

She sat beside him, watching as he began to play once more. She was enchanted by the swift movements of his bare fingers as he began to play an entirely different tune.

Without looking up, he whispered in her ear, "I wrote this song for you, Sarah... I wrote it to capture your beauty, your innocence, your sadness, your kindness, and your strength."

Sarah's heart swelled in her chest as she listened to the beautiful melody. It started gently and then became more passionate right before turning soft again. Mismatched eyes met hers as he raised a hand briefly before returning it to the piano keys. Sarah's eyes widened as the room suddenly echoed with the sound of an orchestra playing along with him.

She glanced around, half expecting to see people playing instruments behind her, but was met with nothing but an empty room. She realized then that he had used magic.

Sarah could do nothing but listen in complete awe of its beauty as it became louder, more passionate again, the melody echoing loudly throughout the room. It was an extremely emotional experience, especially with the knowledge that it was written for her.

About her.

Tears gathered in her eyes, a few managing to escape and slide slowly down her cheeks. Nobody had ever done something like this for her before. Hell, her ex-boyfriends hadn't even given her flowers!

Jareth waved a hand over the piano keys and it began to play itself.

Sarah watched with wide watery eyes as the keys moved - It almost looked as though an invisible person was playing it.

Jareth rose from the bench and offered his hand to her, "Dance with me..." His voice was so soft, it was almost lost to the sound of the music playing around them.

Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his and he carefully pulled her up, leading her to the center of the dance floor. They locked eyes as he placed his hand onto her small waist while his other hand gently held onto hers, their fingers intertwined.

Automatically, she placed her hand on his shoulder and soon they were waltzing like they had done all those years ago in the peach dream. Only this time the dance was slower, more intimate.

The orchestra softened and eventually faded out until it was only the piano ringing out through the room once more.

Jareth twirled with her slowly, savoring every step, every moment with Sarah in his arms again. If it was up to him, he'd never end this dance for he could think of no better way to spend eternity.

Soon the piano began to soften as well, and Jareth gently pulled Sarah closer to him, closing his eyes blissfully as she rested her head against his chest.

Even as the music stopped completely they remained on the dance floor, moving slowly, locked in each other's embrace.

The clock chimed in the distant hall and Sarah opened her eyes, smiling against his lean chest. "Jareth... thank you." She whispered, gently tracing invisible lines on his chest.

"What for?" he replied, his voice slightly muffled against her hair.

"For this. For the song... it was so beautiful."

Jareth shook his head, pulling back slightly so that he could gaze down into her face, his arms still loosely wrapped around her waist. "You don't have to thank me, Sarah. I wrote it for you because I did want to prove to you just how sorry I am for hurting your feelings. I can be cruel but I don't wish to be that way with you anymore,"

Sarah leaned up on her tiptoes, closing the gap between them she kissed his lips softly. "I already told you I forgive you... you don't have to keep-"

"You forgave me out of the goodness in your heart not because I earnt it." He interrupted as he pulled some of her silky dark hair from her face. "I'm quite embarrassed to even think about my behavior towards you," he sighed, shaking his head. "As if something as silly as chocolates or dinner would fix things... it was out of my character to act so pathetically."

He didn't have to look at Sarah to know she was smiling. He felt his heart skip a beat when she once again traced her fingertips down his chest, lingering on the bare skin where his shirt was open.

"Even so, giving me that crystal to see my family was so kind and honorable..."

"That crystal was a gift for you because you were sad. So that doesn't count for an apology."

Sarah shook her head, speaking tenderly. "But your actions are showing me that you are sorry. That's all I ever wanted from you, Jareth..."

He traced her brow with his bare fingers, a small smile forming on his lips. "So... we're friends again?" He whispered, allowing his voice to show some vulnerability.

Sarah smiled up at him, her beautiful forest-green eyes shining in the reflection of the moonlight. "Yes..." She reached up, gently caressing his cheek with the back on her hand, swallowing thickly when he placed his hand atop of hers, his eyes closed as though he was relishing in the moment.

"You... are precious to me, Sarah..." He gazed at her longingly, his eyes searching hers, unspoken words lingering on his lips. He wanted to tell her how he felt but how? And what would she do with that information? Perhaps it was too early to tell her. He didn't want to scare her off when they'd only just began to get along as friends. He would just have to wait.

Sarah laced her fingers with his, her eyes looking directly into his. "You're precious to me too." She admitted with a smile.

Jareth felt the corners of his mouth turn upwards and he leaned towards her slightly, his lips brushing softly over her own again.

She wrapped her arms around him, allowing herself to enjoy their moment before one of them would put a stop to it.

A cool breeze filtered through the thin material of the curtains causing Jareth's hair to blow softly in her face and against her neck, tickling her sensitive skin, causing her to shiver at the sensation.

Just as thing's had the chance to become heated, Jareth pulled away with a soft regretful sigh. "I suppose we should stop..." he whispered, his face still close to hers, forehead to forehead.

Sarah gazed into his eyes, sliding her fingers through the ends of his pale hair. "Why?" She whispered.

He caressed her hip, his fingers so gentle she could barely believe it was him touching her. "Because we must." He replied simply.

They gazed at each other for a few moments before Jareth smiled at her again and Sarah watched as he lifted her hand to his lips, tenderly kissing her fingers before he vanished from the room.

Sarah glanced at the window and wasn't surprised to see the barn owl flying off into the distance. She approached the window, watching with a dreamy sigh as he glided through the air.


Aiden had been pacing his room for so long now, he wouldn't have been surprised if he'd worn a hole in the antique carpet that graced the stone floor by the fireplace.

With hands clasped behind his back, and his hand hanging low, he continued his pacing, still deep in thought.

Would there ever be any relief from these feelings that swirled around inside him, tormenting him? and how would he cope if these feelings never left?

Breathless from his rushed pacing, Aiden rested his arm above the mantle and his head against his arm, taking a moment to calm down and catch his breath.

How could he have done this? How? Had he not told his dear dead wife that she would be the only woman to hold his heart? How could he be falling for Lilium? He had known her for so many years and yet he had never felt anything other than feelings of friendship toward her. But after that evening with her, something had changed in his heart and now he knew he was falling for her.

Perhaps it was because she was always with Jareth before - maybe he had never considered himself with her because she was so madly in love with him. He knew Lilium still cared for Jareth, even now and she probably always would. If she was ever to be his, could he deal with that knowledge?

Glancing up, Aiden felt a dreadful wave of guilt consume him. His beautiful dead wife's portrait hung in pride of place above the fire. A place where he could always see it, even while laying in his bed at night. Having her portrait there somehow made him feel less alone and like her presence was still with him.

Her face was so beautiful, the painter had captured her likeness to the point where it was almost too much for him sometimes. Some nights he couldn't help himself as he crept out from the bed towards the fireplace, reaching up to gently trace his fingers against her painted face on the cool canvas.

"Oh, Veeranna, my darling wife... forgive me," he whispered, tears forming in his eyes as he glanced up at her portrait. "How I wish you were still with me... I never wanted my heart to be taken by anybody but you..."

Jareth was exhausted in more ways than one. He had spent the whole day in the throne room distributing food out from the castle kitchens to each Goblin that came in asking for it. He hadn't been surprised that almost every goblin in the Kingdom had sat at his feet and begged for food for their families today.

Each person was given a basket of apples, a loaf of freshly baked bread, fish, milk, and a few vegetables, carrots, and cabbage to name a few.

The huge barrels of apples and vegetables went down very quickly and soon they were down to the last few loaves of bread and yet the long line of goblins remained. Aiden had been surprised to see that the line of creatures lead right out the palace doors and halfway down the street and that was just from his view from the window. He imaged that the queue was longer than it looked.

When the last loaf of bread was handed out, Aiden had to turn away the rest of the Goblins and call for the guards to lock the castle doors once more.

Jareth watched with sadness as hundreds of goblins cried in the streets when they hadn't gotten any food. Many of them had children, and more than a few were elderly.

At this moment he had never felt quite so hopeless before. It was an awful feeling to give to some and not the others. It did not sit well with him.

Aiden watched as Jareth stood by the window, gazing out at his citizens with his hands clasped behind his back.

Aiden sighed and approached him. "Sire, you've done all you can."

"Have I? Have I truly done everything I can for my subjects?"

"Yes, sire... I believe that you are doing everything you possibly can." He told him as he poured out some mead and passed it to him. Jareth eyed the goblet for a few seconds before he reluctantly took it from him.

"I take it that things are still going well with Sarah?"

Jareth turned slowly and Aiden was surprised to see the amount of anger that staring back at him in his King's face.

"I'm tired of you asking me about Sarah all the goddamn time, Aiden! You act like she is the solution to everything!"

"She is!" He replied, a confused expression on his face. "Sire, You know she is the solution! Once you have regained your power over her-"

"No! No more! I've had it with you talking about Sarah like she is some sort of animal for us to slaughter when she's fat enough!" He raged, roughly placing his goblet down on the table in his fury, some of the red liquid spilling over the sides.

Aiden blinked a few times, confused and surprised at his King's outburst. Hadn't this been the plan all along? Wasn't that the whole reason for Sarah being here? so that he could regain his power over her and take control of his Kingdom once more? To have that connection with his Labyrinth that he had been missing for so long?

Then suddenly everything made sense.

"My god," He whispered, "You're in love with her..."

Without so much as a look back at his adviser, Jareth turned and stormed from the room, the doors magically slamming behind him.


Jareth knocked on Sarah's door repeatedly until she opened it.

He hadn't been prepared for her extremely moody expression gazing back at him - but he'd be lying if he said he didn't find it adorable. She had been napping. Her long dark hair a mess around her face.

"WHY?" She asked rather harshly, her voice still croaky from sleep, her eyes tired and bloodshot.

"I didn't know you were sleeping," he told her apologetically before taking her hand and pulling her to him.

"Wha-" She stuttered, alarmed when Jareth hooked his arm under her knees and swooped her up.

He leaned in close, "Shhh..."

Magically he transported a very surprised Sarah to his chambers.

"Jareth, what are you doing?" She asked, almost laughing as he grinned mischievously at her.

"I need you..." He told her softly, "I need the comfort of having you with me, please..."

Sarah's heart raced in her chest. Was he asking for sex? The thought excited and terrified her. As much as she loved him, she wasn't sure she was ready to take such a big step with him. Not right now, at least. But how could she deny him? What would happen if she did deny him? Would he be angry with her?

As if hearing her thoughts, he spoke softly, "I'm not asking for anything from you, Sarah. I just want your company..."

Sarah sighed in relief, although she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed as well. How did that even make sense? She had been ready to deny him any sexual activities.

Gazing into his eyes, she nodded, a small smile on her face. "I'll stay with you."

Jareth gave her a grateful smile and kissed her cheek as he carried her into his bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him with his foot.


"Do you eat mice?"

His rich laughter filled the bed chamber and Sarah blushed for asking him such a question.

"Do I really need to answer that, Sarah?"

"Well, it's a reasonable question given that you do turn into an owl sometimes." She said innocently as she played with the tassels on one of his velvet cushions.

He chuckled in her ear, "I suppose it's not such an outrageous question given that, but the answer is no - I do not eat mice. Not even when in owl form. Just because I can transform into an owl doesn't mean I am one."

"Right," She laughed softly, "Well, that's kind of a relief to hear."

Jareth raised an elegant brow. "Why?"

"Well, we've... made out a lot and the thought of you eating mice isn't exactly hot. Besides, I don't want essence of mouse on my lips."

Jareth shifted, turning her slightly so that she could see his face. "It didn't stop you from sticking your tongue down my throat, though, did it?" He looked like he was trying to be serious, but his lips twitched at the corners, giving him away.

She gasped and lightly slapped his chest, blushing from his use of words. "Jareth! When did I ever do that?"

"Many, many times! Don't act so innocent." He laughed, his eyes shining in amusement.

"You're the one who starts it!" She argued.

"Yes, usually, but not all the time." He grinned, showing her his sharply pointed teeth. "I do have a very fond memory of you caressing my ass, not that long ago."

Sarah rolled away from him, hiding her face in the soft velvet cushions as her face turned crimson. She wanted to die from the amount of embarrassment she felt. Jareth only laughed and scooted closer, spooning her and burying his face in her hair, pressing his lips to her neck. "Don't be shy... I love to see you blush, precious."

"Stop it." Came her muffled reply

"Never" He smiled against her skin before kissing the pulse in her neck, delighting in the little shiver that worked through her. He pushed the pillows away from her so that she could no longer hide in them.

"You're mean." She pouted.

"Not always... I have been known to be generous."

"Jareth, you're the only person that thinks of you as generous,"

"I beg to differ!" He said, rising slightly so that he could see her properly.

Sarah tried to hide her smirk when she knew he was looking at her. "Really? In what way do you think you're generous?"

He innocently smirked at her, raising his eyebrows.

Sarah rolled her eyes, unamused. "Should have known it would be sex-related."

"I have been generous in other ways, too... I did give you a crystal to see your family. I've brought you jewelry," He hooked his finger under her chin, tilting her head up to look at him. "I've written songs for you. I turned the world upside down for you... and I would again. For you."

Sarah's heart fluttered wildly in her chest. His voice was soft, so genuine it made her want to wrap her arms around him and never let him go. She resisted the urge, though, she did have her pride.

"I suppose you have shown me a 'few' acts of generosity."

Jareth shook his head, smiling lazily down at her, admiring her beauty as she gazed back up at him, a mischievous look in her forest-green eyes. "You're lucky I'm in such a good mood or I might try to tickle you for your cheekiness."

She fluttered her eyelashes at him innocently. "You like me being cheeky, don't you deny it."

"I won't deny it." He whispered as he leaned down again, softly capturing her lips with his own.

They kissed until the urge to rip each other's clothing off occurred and Jareth, not wanting to go against his words, regretfully pulled away. He lay on his back, with his head on the pillows, gazing up at the painted ceiling until he managed to calm down.

Sarah lay on her side, silently watching his chest rise and fall as he fought to catch his breath. It had meant a lot to her that he had stopped things before they got to carried away. She knew how much he wanted her and was grateful that he wasn't seducing her or coaxing her into something she wasn't sure she was ready for.

Maybe if she wasn't a virgin it wouldn't matter as much to her, but as she was, she couldn't help but feel like she had to be certain before she took any further steps with him. She loved him, of that she was certain, even if he was a pain in the ass at times. But did he love her? Probably not. But he did show her kindness, and was gentle and loving with her in a way which made her wonder if maybe one day he could love her. Only time would tell.

As she watched him, she noticed just how tired he looked. He was paler than usual and she noticed the fine lines on his face somehow appeared more prominent than they usually were, making him appear older.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, idly playing with the frills on his sleeve. "You look so tired."

"I am tired." He told her honestly, watching her play with his frilly sleeve made his heart flutter a little. It felt oddly normal to just lay with her in his bed, watching her amuse herself with something.

"Aren't you sleeping well?" She asked, the concern apparent in her tone.

Jareth sighed, shaking his head. "No, I'm not sleeping at all," He glanced at her, noticing how she was gazing at him intently, obviously wanting to know more.

"You already know about me distributing food out, don't you?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I was shocked to see just how many Goblins there were..."

"I confess, I knew the number would be great. After I visited the market the other day nothing would surprise me. I saw so many starving goblins..." He swallowed hard, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That is why I started distributing food. Unfortunately, not everyone got something today and I feel terrible because of it."

"Hey," Sarah gently rubbed his arm, trying to comfort the very solemn-looking Goblin King laying beside her on his huge bed. "You're doing your best... the supplies are low and the queue was too great... but you did your best."

He turned to look at her, sadness shining in his pale eyes. "I've made so many mistakes, Sarah. I've brought this terrible situation to my Kingdom, to my subjects, and I have no idea how I'm going to change it..." He stared at her, lifting his gloved hand to gently caress her cheek.

"It's going to be okay... you just have to do everything you can to fix things. I know you can do it, even if you don't know how yet..."

Jareth gave her a sad smile. Having her so close and having her speak so softly to him was making him wonder how he'd ever even considered regaining power over her. It was an odd feeling to look at her and feel nothing but fondness and love. No longer was there this desperate need to try and seduce her or try to make her fall for him for all the wrong reasons.

He felt his heart constrict in his chest.

But now there was an even bigger problem on his shoulders which he didn't know how to solve. How would he ever manage to save his Kingdom if he didn't take back his power? He hated to admit it to himself, but he felt stuck. Completely and utterly stuck and he had no idea what to do about it.

Sarah noticed his discomfort and she cuddled up to him, wrapping her arm around his middle and resting her head on his chest. "Don't think about it right now..." She whispered, "You've had a long, taxing day, and you need to try to get some well-needed sleep."

Letting out a shaky sigh, Jareth gently rested his hand on her shoulder, kissing her hair before resting his head back against the feather pillows once more. "Thank you, precious..." He whispered, closing his eyes which had suddenly become very heavy.

Only a few minutes later, both Jareth and Sarah were asleep in each other's arms. The worries of the day temporarily drifted away from him until he was woken up early the next morning to a thunderous knocking on his bedroom door.

He opened his eyes heavily. For the first time in many weeks, he'd managed to sleep well. Probably because of Sarah laying in his arms, her dark hair flowing over her shoulder and his pillows. He smiled to himself as he nuzzled her neck, sniffing her hair and delighting in the sweet scent of blackberry, peach, and something else that could only be described as 'her'.

The knocking got louder, more frantic and Jareth groaned in frustration before untangling himself from the sheets and Sarah, slipping out from the bed and heading to the door.

The banging on his door became louder as he got closer, making him more and more irritable. Who on earth was it banging their fists against his door before it was even light outside?

He pulled the door open furiously, glancing down angrily at the very breathless Goblin.

"Nugan! What is the meaning of this?" He asked irritably.

"Sorry to disturb ya, sire, but it be a serious matter! Come quickly!"

Jareth couldn't help the dreaded feelings of fear that began to stir within his heart. He nodded to Nugan and was about to follow him down the hall but Sarah's tired voice called out from his bedroom.

"Jareth?"

Jareth looked at the door which separated his bed-chamber from the dining area, considering going to her but Nugan cleared his throat again, "Tis' argent, sire...please..."

Jareth nodded, "I'll be right with you." He conjured a crystal, using his magic to leave a quick note for Sarah inside it and blew it gently into the next room before he rushed after Nugan, closing the door behind him.

Sarah sat up in Jareth's huge bed. The room was all in darkness - even the fire had gone out.

Being alone in his chambers in the middle of the night felt oddly unsafe without his warm embrace. She smiled sadly as she glanced at the empty space next to her. She had been sleeping so well with him beside her, she only wished that he hadn't left.

In the corner of her eye, she saw the glowing crystal floating in the air towards her. She reached for it, carefully taking it in her hands and looking into it, watching as a few words appeared inside it.

"Sarah,

I'm sorry I had to rush off and leave you without explanation or so much as a goodbye – I was called away suddenly for urgent business.

I will make it up to you later.

Make yourself at home. Use anything you want or simply sleep until I return.

Yours, J."

Just as she finished reading, the crystal popped like a bubble in her hands, causing a little gasp to escape her lips.

She sighed and rested herself back into the many pillows, yawning softly. She was still tired and no doubt Jareth wouldn't be back for many hours so she might as well try to sleep some more before her long day of chores started.

Turning on her side, she cuddled into the soft blankets and cushions, her heart leaping in her chest when she caught his scent on them. Leather, spice, cinnamon, pine, fire, and something else she couldn't identify but was just so uniquely him.

"Jareth..." She breathed, burying her face in the cushions and wishing that they were him.

She wanted this every night. The two of them talking, hugging and kissing, sharing their insecurities. It just felt so right.

Holding him felt right.

She cuddled the pillows, hoping that whatever this 'urgent business' was, wasn't anything too bad...

oxoxoxoxoxo

I hope you all liked this chapter!

I apologize for any little mistakes or if my writing isn't the best in this chapter – I've been struggling with writer's block, brain fog, and to be honest, with everything that is currently going on in the world. I hope that I will be able to get a few more chapters up while we are on lockdown and hopefully get back into the swing of writing!

If anybody is interested: I don't know why but in the scene with Jareth playing the piano to Sarah in the ballroom, I imagined that Jareth was playing something similar to Clair De Lune. It's such a beautiful piece of music and it helped me to write that scene so perhaps that's why. Here is a link to the version I listened to while writing if anyone wants to hear it: watch?v=CvFH_6DNRCY

I hope you are all well and staying safe at home! I send my love to any of you who are struggling through this time.

Thank you so much for reading! Please don't forget to drop me a review! X