Epilogue

Sarah woke to pounding on the front door. She lay sprawled on her bed, her box of Labyrinth treasures spilled on the floor.

"What time is it?" she wondered.

The banging came again, followed by a frantic, "Sarah!"

"Oh crud," Sarah said, as the memory of her frantic call to her father returned to her.

Slipping on photos and letters, Sarah ran to Ashley's room. Her little daughter lay in her crib, sleeping soundly.

"Thank you, Jareth."

Sarah jogged to the front door and threw it open to find her father, step-mother, and two police officers standing there in the rain. Had it really only been a few minutes?

"Dad, I'm so sorry," she said.

"Where's Ashley?" her father asked, pushing past her and into the house.

Sarah stepped back so Irene and the officers could come in too. "She's asleep in her crib."

Irene gaped at her as if she'd gone mad. "After that phone call—"

"Honey," her father interjected gently, shooting his wife a quelling look. "You sounded awfully upset on the phone."

Sarah could see the worry in his eyes. He thought she was losing her mind.

"I'm so sorry, Dad. I had a nightmare, probably brought on stress." She looked at the police officers. "My husband passed away a year ago, and the anniversary of his death was yesterday."

The both nodded sympathetically. She could see them writing her off as a hysterical woman. Not their problem.

She turned back to her father and step-mother. "I sorry. I'm so sorry."

"If there's no problem here," the bulkier officer said, "then we'll leave you folks to sort this out."

"Yes, thank you," Sarah's father said.

Irene showed the officers to the door.

Sarah and her father went upstairs to check on Ashley.

"You were talking about the Labyrinth again," her father said, after closing the nursery door.

"I know, Dad. Like I said, it was a nightmare. I didn't think to check the nursery before I called. I just panicked. I can't apologize enough."

"Do you want us to take Ashley again, honey? Maybe you need another day or two to yourself."

Sarah hugged him. "No. Really. I think that dream was the last bits of anxiety leaving. I'm feeling a lot better now."

He hugged her back. "You know Irene and I are here for, anytime, right?"

"I know, Dad. Thanks."

After a few more minutes of reassuring Irene, the two of them left. Sarah spent a long time standing by Ashley's crib, watching her sleep.

She knew the moment Jareth appeared in the room, though she didn't see him right away. His presence had an indelible effect on the atmosphere. She smiled and held out her hand. The Goblin King stepped out of a shadow, his fingers closing around hers. He still looked thin, but the dark circles were gone from under his eyes, and his clothes were appropriately resplendent, if not quite as flamboyant as usual.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"For being you. For trusting me. For . . . everything." He let out a breath. "I'm sorry about Richard."

Sarah's throat tightened, and she had to take a deep breath before she could speak again. "Thank you."

Jareth looked down at Ashley. "She would have made a terrible goblin." He looked at Sarah with a twinkle in his eyes. "She's far too lovely."

Sarah didn't know what to say to that. She giggled.

Jareth chuckled and kissed the back of her hand, then let her go. "Farewell, Sarah. You've saved me yet again."

"But . . . aren't you going to ask me to come to the Labyrinth with you?" Her voice betrayed her surprise. She'd been so sure he would ask.

And she wanted to go.

He smiled. "That wouldn't be fair. I seem to recall you being very determined that things should be fair. You have a life here. A daughter. Parents. Surely you aren't willing to give that up, just to be Queen of the Underground."

Sarah folded her arms over her chest. Yes, she had people here, but they all thought she was crazy. And she wasn't doing much to dispel that idea. It would be easier to go to the Labyrinth and leave all her problems behind.

Wouldn't it?

"What was it you said to me?" Jareth mused. "Ah, yes. 'When you lose someone you love, you cry and scream, and fake a smile. But you have to move on. You have to let yourself heal.' I believe you've started to heal, dear Sarah. You need to continue your healing, and the Labyrinth isn't a place for that."

Tears stung Sarah's eyes. "But I was just starting to like you."

Jareth threw his head back and cackled. "Oh, you truly are a treasure." He wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "This isn't goodbye forever. The gods know you'll need me again someday. Or I'll need you. Either way, we'll see each other again."

Sarah wiped her own eyes. "So this is more of be-seeing-you-around, than farewell."

"However you need to phrase it. I'll be there when you call."

Sarah stepped forward and threw her arms around the Goblin King. She felt him tense in surprise, then his arm slipped around her waist.

"I'll be there when you call," she agreed.

They stood like that for a moment, just holding each other as the rain pounded down outside. Then they parted and Jareth melted into the shadows until only a little crystal ball remained floating where he'd stood.

"Just call me, if you need me," Jareth's voice whispered around her.

The crystal ball floated to where Sarah stood, and she took it without fear. The glass was cool in her hand.

"Please tell my friends I love them, and I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye."

The crystal ball warmed in her hands, as if in agreement. Sarah walked into her room and placed the crystal in the drawer of her nightstand.

"Until next time," she murmured.

Five Months Later

Sarah knelt in the dark earth of her flowerbed, digging a hole for the petunias she was planting. On the porch, Ashley played with a doll, babbling half-comprehensible stories to herself.

A moving van pulled into the driveway of the house next to Sarah's, and she paused in her digging. The house had been vacant for almost a year now. It was about time someone moved in. The movers began lugging furniture and boxes into the house and a few minutes later, a green sports car pulled into the driveway. Sarah wrinkled her nose. The car had parked on the wrong side of the moving van for her to surreptitiously spy on who was moving in.

She heard men's voices, but not the words. Trying not to be nosey, Sarah went back to her flowers, still hoping she'd catch a glimpse of the new neighbors. After a few more minutes, Ashley started crying, and Sarah took her inside for lunch. Then she put her little girl down for a nap and stepped back outside.

The moving van was gone, and the green car too. She shook her head at her own curiosity. All she had to do was walk over there, knock on the door, and say hello. She could even take a plate of the cookies she'd baked yesterday, or something.

"Hello, there," a mellow, heart-breakingly familiar voice said.

Sarah spun around and stared into blue-and-green eyes. "Jareth?"

The slender man in front of her wore a dark Armani suit. His platinum blond hair was short and combed back from his face.

"No, sorry," he said. "It's Garrett. Garrett King."

Sarah blushed. "Sorry, you just look like someone I know."

She paused and stared into his eyes.

He stared back. Then grinned.

"Of course, it's me, you silly girl."

He swept her into a fierce hug. She buried her face in his neck, holding on just as tightly.

"Garrett King?" she said when they released each other.

"Do you prefer Jareth?" he asked.

"Actually, I do. I know Jareth . . . mostly. But Garrett? He's new. He could be . . . dull."

The Goblin King gaped at her.

Sarah laughed. "Or wild. I don't know."

"Do you want to find out?" Jareth asked.

Sarah nodded. "Very much." Her expression turned serious. "How long are you staying?"

Jareth looked at the house next door. "I bought a house."

"Yes, you did."

"I'm planning on staying for as long as you need me, Sarah."

She raised an eyebrow. "And who's watching the Underground?"

He grinned again. "Hoggle."

Sarah snorted with laughter. "Hoggle's the Goblin King?"

"Hardly. He's regent in my absence. I'm taking some time off to find myself. It could take years."

Sarah held out her hand.

Jareth took it, his fingers warm around hers.

"Well then, Garrett King. Welcome to the neighborhood."

A/N: Whew! All done. It only took . . . six years.

Thanks for reading!