Disclosure: I do not own The Labyrinth or any of its original characters

Chapter: 6 The Gift

"What the hell is it?" Jareth said angrily.

"It's a kitten." Sarah said in a surprised voice.

"It's from him isn't it? Why did you bring it back with you, I don't want anything from him." She whispered.

Jareth looked at her with anger stricken eyes

"I had to bring it back with me, he wished it away. Bloody twat knew I had to take it back with me. I am sorry Sarah, if you wish I can turn it into a goblin right now?" He said remorsefully.

Sarah turned away from him so that he would not see the sadness in her eyes. "No, as much as I despise him, this little animal has nothing to do with it, it shouldn't be punished, just can you please put it somewhere were I don't have to see it and where it will be taken care of?" She asked desperately.

Jareth stood behind Sarah, he placed the kitten down on the ground and waived a hand to form a crystal. He placed the kitten in the crystal for safe keeping, where it would be safe and have all the amenities that it would need. He then proceeded to come in behind Sarah and wrapped his arms around her. He raised a gloved hand up to her face to wipe her tear stricken eyes. Sarah flinched at the contact, her eyes still sore from her attacker. She relaxed a little and placed the back of her head against his chest.

"Sarah I know you may not wish to talk about it, but I think we need to discuss what happened to you in that dungeon, I promise you that I will deal with him accordingly, a Fae can never break a promise and I vow to you right now, That he will suffer like no man has ever suffered." Jareth gently said.

There was a long pause between them, Sarah broke away from him, and headed swiftly towards the side of the bed. She sat down and pulled her knees to her chest, sitting in the foetal position, attempting to hide her vulnerable and uncomfortable state.

Jareth sighed and began to walk over to her, he stopped in front of her and knelt down and took her hands into his. She looked up into his eyes, her green eyes shining like emeralds as they were slicked with tears. He looked at her with mismatched eyes, his normal crease in between his brows present.

"I've tried to heal all of your physical wounds as best as I can, but the ones in here, I can't help you with unless you speak to me. I fear that beautiful fire in your heart will go out if you don't address it." He said in a gentle voice.

Sarah looked into his mismatched eyes, the worry was so evident on his face.

"I was so wrong about you, how was I so wrong about you. I trust you, so I will tell you what happened... although I thought you would have already known, I had seen you in your owl form around all the time before, did you not already know it was happening?" She softly said.

Jareth paused for a moment and looked away from her, annoyed and angry with himself.

"No. I stopped watching you. Once I realised that you weren't coming back to me." He whispered under his breath.

Sarah looked at him dumbfounded, a feeling of guilt struck her, when she realised she wasn't the only one who was hurting.

She sighed deeply and looked away, her long dark hair falling over her shoulder.

"He was my drama teacher. I could feel something wasn't right for a long time, but I ignored it. I suppose in a way it was my fault." She said Shamefully.

Jareths face turned to anger, he thought about stopping her and telling her how completely stupid that comment was but decided to keep quiet, in case it stopped her from opening up, which she was beginning to do.

"I was in the library, it was dark- I just wanted to read my book away from Karen and my dad, they always get so angry at me that I'm locked away in my room, so involved in my books. I thought I was alone, but he was there- he grabbed me, I tried to get away, I bit him and I kicked him- but he was just too strong. I couldn't get away"

"When I woke up, I was in that basement. He forced me to say that I loved him and when I wouldn't he did this to me."

Jareth continued to listen intently he still held her hands in his, to show his support he pulled her hands to his lips and kissed them, then he looked up at her as if to say,

"Continue."

Sarah hesitiated for a moment but then continued feeling the obvious non judgemental support from Him.

"He ripped my clothes off of me and mauled me. If you hadn't come.. he would have rap..ed...me." she trailed off.

"When I got angry and stood up to him, he slammed me onto the ground and kept kicking me over and over again, that's when I called you. I'm so sorry Jareth for dragging you into this." She said quietly.

Jareth paused for a moment, his brow creased, his mismatched eyes focused on her. His hair in perfect placement as if hair sprayed into place but as sarah had closely examined it was just the way he was. Perfect to look at, she thought to herself.

She paused for a moment and then looked back up to him.

"Jareth can we just let this go, I don't want revenge on him, that makes me no better than him. I just want to forget about it and move on with my life." She said with obvious pain in her voice.

Jareth looked as if he had considered what she was saying for a moment, but quickly came back to his senses.

"Absolutely no chance, Sarah I can be cruel and you have not seen the beginning of it." He coldly replied.

Sarah looked into his eyes, like a deer in head lights and Jareth couldn't help but be reminded that she had the exact same look in her eyes that night in the ball room. The electricity that had ignited between them, the way she had searched for him and looked at him with such innocence, the devotion in her

Eyes. That was the moment it stopped being a game and it became blankly obvious to him that toby wasn't the prize to be won. It was Sarah.

Sarah leaned forward and leant down to hug Jareth, he embraced her happily.

"Ah, I just don't have the energy at the moment to argue with you about this, we can talk about it later." She said in his ear.

Jareth smirked nuzzled into the hair around her neck, he suddenly sat up still squatting in front of her, and conjured up a crystal and held it with a smile on his face.

"What's that for?" She curiously asked.

Jareth looked at her so please that she had asked.

"Oh this crystal, This isn't for just any ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby. This is for a queen." He said smirking.

Sarah rolled her eyes into the back of her head.

"Oh you stop it! Really what's the crystal for?" She replied playfully.

Jareth handed the crystal to her, it was surprising warm to the touch and heavier than she imagined.

"This crystal when you are ready, will provide you with the immortality to stay here with me forever. I had thought of forcing you to stay here, but I do feel you would resent me for it and I do not desire that. Please think on it Sarah, I would love for you to stay in the underground here with me, I feel that you belong her. I will take care of your every desire. I will be your slave- you would be the only one in my labyrinth that could say that I might add." He explained.

Sarah looked at him shocked, it must have come off as being afraid because Jareth felt obliged to add into his speech in the most noble voice that he had, deep and true

"I will never lay my hands on you in anger Sarah, you have my vow as a King of that and there will never be another in my bed or in my heart." He added.

Sarah's cheeks ran hot she felt flushed.

"I never thought that you would. -may I have a little time to think on it? Immortality just seems so intense to me." She timidly replied.

"Of course love." Jareth smoothly replied.

"Shall we go to the dining hall and have some supper? Its very late now and i've seen that you didn't touch your breakfast. Were you not hungry? He added curiously.

"I keep feeling really unwell. I suppose it's the shock of everything that happened..." she trailed off.

Jareth nodded in agreement

"You know I'm feeling a lot better now though, dinner sounds great. You wouldn't by any chance have anything for me to wear. As comfy as this dressing gown is I wouldn't mind some underwear to leave this room in." She shyly said.

Jareth laughed and with a flick of his wrist open one of the other doors that was in the bedroom, Sarah got up to look into the room and found that it was filled to the brim in gowns, shoes and luxurious jewellery. The walls of the room were a beautiful dark red wood and the carpets were a fluffy deep purple. At the end of the "closet" was a beautiful gold vanity it looked to have little diamonds all around the mirror. She went to sit down at the chair and Jareth follow behind her.

"Enjoy my love, everything in this room is for you. Call for me when you are ready for dinner. And I shall come and grab you." He said gently kissing the top of her head.

And with that he was gone in a puff of glitter and smoke.

End of Chapter 6! Is there anyone reading? Anyone have any thoughts on this chapter?

My next chapter will be a naughty one, stay tuned.