Sarah gasped. "What, are you serious?"

"Mhm. Actually my dear brother is outside in the hallway, judging by the sudden flash of magic, and the aura of anger that just flashed outside the door. I'd say he doesn't particularly want us talking." Astrith laughed.

"And why wouldn't he want us talking?"

"Well, you know how it is. Never leave the love of your life alone with your family. Too many embarrassing stories. You know."

"Uh-huh… Thanks for the information by the way. I think… I'll go talk to him now."

"No problem sweetie."

Sarah walked calmly from the room and up to Jareth, where she slapped him soundly on the cheek. "You monster!" she shrieked.

Jareth blinked, completely dumbfounded by her actions, ignoring the stinging palm print on his left cheek. He hadn't seen her in five mortal years, and the first thing she does is slap him? The first words out of her mouth are that he's a monster?

He cleared his throat. "My dearest Sarah, since when do you believe that Faeries are monsters?"

She blinked, not sure whether to give the reason of her actions, or make sure she had heard him correctly. She shook her head, "I'll get to the Faerie comment in a moment. And your species not withstanding, I said YOU personally are a monster. Astrith told me that technically you own me!"

Jareth sighed. So that's what this was about. He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he sighed again. "I am sorry to say, Sarah, that Astrith spoke true. You won your brother's freedom when you ran my labyrinth, however you failed to win your own freedom."

"That was never part the deal!"

Jareth sighed again. "Sarah.. I do believe that your friend hodgepodge-"

"HOGGLE!"

"Hoggle… mentioned this to you. 'Even if you reach the center, you'll never get out again.'"

Sarah shivered as her friend's words were thrown back at her.

"However," Jareth went on, "Since you managed to make it half way though, within the allotted time, and won your brother back, you won the right rule the labyrinth with me, as my queen. I was going to come for you today, to press the suit, and ask you to return to the Underground to marry me, Sarah. By rights, I could have kept you here, Sarah and groomed you as my queen. But I generously allowed you to return home, and to come back when you wished it. Five mortal years, Sarah. Had I come for you and you had refused me again, I would not have forced you back. But as it so happened, you wished yourself to me. Now," He said matter-of-factly, "Have you any questions?"

Sarah shook her head no, but answered in the affirmative anyway. "Uh yes… the um.. Faerie bit?"

Jareth chuckled. "Astrith told you we were Fae, correct?"

"Yes…"

"Well, my dear, Fae is short for Faerie." He tilted his head to the side, and said in a teasing manner, "But I thought faeries did nice things - like granting wishes!" He took a step closer to her, a positively wicked grin on his face as he picked her up in his arms, and started for the nearest window. He took a running start, and leaped, glowing gossamer wings like silken spider webs springing from his back as he took flight, the woman he loved safely in his arms.