Too Far

Sarah leapt up and gasped when she saw him standing there.

"Why do you stare? It was you who called me" Jareth said, looking at her.

Sarah couldn't help but stare. Though it had been half a decade, Jareth's appearance hadn't changed at all. His hair still was golden platinum and his eyes were still enchanting.

"I…I…it's good to…to see you" she whispered, unable to find her voice. "He looks good" she thought.

Jareth smiled, as if he had read her mind. "Is it?" he asked, stepping closer, his smile gone. "Is it, really?"

He stopped directly in front of her, gazing deep into her eyes.

"Why else would I have called, if not to see you?" Sarah said, her voice low. "Does he not believe me?"

Jareth turned away, suddenly, and looked out a small window. He seemed to be struggling wit some inner conflict.

"What is it that you want, Sarah?" he asked at a length, refusing to look at her.

"I…I guess, I…" Sarah was stuttering, trying to figure out why she had called him. "I…"

Jareth turned to her, a sneer on his face. "Well?" he said, looking down at her.

"I wanted to see you? Sarah blurted out. She blushed when one of his eyebrows rose.

"Really, now?" Jareth said, still sneering slight. "And why is that?"

Sarah looked down, unable to answer the question. "I…I wanted answers and I t-thought that you could help!" she ventured to say. She felt like a little kid again, standing before a scolding parent.

"Answers to questions like 'why did all of your relationships fail'?" Jareth asked, his voice light.

"Because they weren't like y-" Sarah stopped herself, blushing furiously. She looked down and became silent.

"Don't shut me out, Sarah. Don't refuse to speak to me. You called me. Tell me, Sarah" Jareth said, staring at her hard.

"I had always compared them to my image of the perfect lover: you. And I always found the lacking greatly. None of them could even dream of living up to your shadow" she whispered, still staring at the floor, tears welling in her eyes at making such a large confession.

Jareth stared at her. "Still expecting much, I see" he chuckled.

Sarah glared at him. "You could be a little more respectful! I mean…you are the reason I wouldn't let myself fall in love!" she hissed at him, fire in her dark eyes.

"I meant no disrespect, Sarah. I am, in fact, rather flattered." Jareth laughed. His eyes closed momentarily and he took a deep breath.

Sarah was shocked that he hadn't become arrogant, like she remembered him to be.

"I wasn't arrogant. You made me out to be that way" Jareth said, his voice suddenly somber.

"Are you reading my thoughts?" Sarah snapped.

"No. it was obvious that you were recalling your brief visit to my Labyrinth and I just wanted to clarify any mistakes there might have been" Jareth said matter-of-factly. He smiled inwardly when he saw Sarah blush again.

"Besides me expectations of whom I thought you should be, you haven't changed a bit" Sarah commented, talking more to herself than to the King.

"Sarah, will you get to the point? Why am I here?" Jareth asked, his patience wavering.

Sarah looked down, her chest suddenly tight. "I want to go back to Underground. I…I want to go on my own terms. I…I want to…to see it all again. To make sure that it wasn't a dream. I want to see all my friends. I want to live there, where I know nothing will hurt me…" Her knees buckled and her head felt light.

"Sarah?" Jareth asked, his eyes full of concern.

"My…my he-head…it's spin…spinning…" Sarah said, trying to draw breath.

"Have you gotten any sleep?" Jareth asked.

"I'm…I'm fine" Sarah said lightly. "I want to live in the Labyrinth….where I know nothing can harm me…"

Se fell forward, darkness taking over her.

She fell, mumbling, "…as long…as I am…with you…"

"Sarah!" Jareth called, rushing forward to catch her.

He held her limp form to his chest, feeling her forehead. It was burning up. "Sarah…" he sighed. He set her on a couch and checked her breathing. It was normal. She was fast asleep, her fever sending out pulsing waves of heat. She was shivering slightly, though sweat was beginning to bead on her forehead and the back of her neck.

"Sleep well…" he whispered.

He turned back to the window and was about to go when something made him stop.

"I didn't want to fall back in love with her. I guess we've both gone too far" he thought.

Gently, the Goblin King placed one hand on her arm and the other on her forehead. Their surroundings blurred and they appeared in Goblin Hall, Jareth's throne room.

He picked up the unconscious woman, her head resting against his neck, and he carried her to a large room.

After laying her down on the large canopy bed, he covered her with the blanket.

"Sleep peacefully" he whispered next to her ear. She shifted slightly and mumbled something that Jareth didn't catch.

Slowly he walked out of the room, glancing back.

Once outside of the room, he summoned a goblin to him. "The Lady is not well. Do your absolute best to help her get better, or I'll tip you straight into the Bog of Eternal Stench" he hissed at the tiny creature, meaning every word of it.