AN: I'm back. I'm really sorry it took so long. See AN at the end for a bit more info. In the meantime, to anyone still interested, here's chapter 15...

I was right. The next day was absolutely buzzing with gossip. Immediately, the dirty looks started and I found myself pressing closer to Jareth in the hallways, afraid that one of the girls was going to attack me. He, of course, seemed entirely amused by this, as did Leslie, that is, until she pointed out that I wasn't the only one getting dirty looks. After that, Jareth would pull me a little tighter to him, a smirk on his features as he walked with me around campus. I was still shy about publically displaying my feelings, but Jareth certainly wasn't and I found I truly didn't care as long as he started it.

Lunch passed quickly and it wasn't long before we were on our way back to Leslie's and my house. Leslie started telling stories about what she'd heard so far in the hallways concerning Jareth and I. Some of them had me giggling. Some of them had me really irritated and possessive. Jareth seemed to like the latter. At least, if the way he was looking at me every time I kissed him was any indicator.

When we made it there, I'd managed to calm myself down a little and Leslie changed the topic, out of nowhere, hardly giving me a second to switch mindsets, "So, Sarah, I've managed to talk to you quite a bit about your memories, but Jareth, you haven't been included, so, what's going on? Do we have a game plan for regaining her memories?" she directed the question to Jareth.

He laughed, "Not a thorough one yet, no. Mostly we are just figuring out what brings the memories, still."

"So, it all seems to be attached to the crystals. Sarah, have you told him the theory about the play?"

I thought back. Had I mentioned it to Jareth? I shook my head, "So much else has been going on, I forgot about it."

She turned to Jareth, "When I first found out about all of this, I helped her remember the tune to that song she sang to you. This was on the night you helped me with the bookshelf. I knew the tune because when we were younger, there was this one night that she changed on."

Jareth nodded, "The night she gave her little brother Lancelot. The one she can't remember."

"Right," Leslie went on, "from that night forward, I would catch her randomly humming the song, but she never realized she was doing it."

Jareth leaned forward, obviously interested.

Leslie smiled, "When she remembered the tune, she hummed the rest of it and I got this really weird feeling, like it was an extremely special song. It seemed almost like it pulled at my soul, but it wasn't meant for me. It was really weird… anyways, after it was over, she told me about her memory. I listened and then commented that it sounded an awful lot like a book she had always carried around with her. we talked about it for a minute and finally remembered the name. It was actually a play, called 'Labyrinth.' She was completely in-love with the story, but I only saw it once or twice after that night."

Leslie took a breath to keep talking and Jareth took his chance to speak, "You said you had a reaction to the song? Do you think you have something to do with that night?"

I shook my head, answering for her, "Leslie was out on some summer vacation the night that happened. Her parents owned a cabin in the woods out in the middle of nowhere and they went there every once in a while. We wouldn't be having this problem if I had been able to call her, because she would know all about it. She came back a few weeks later and I guess I had already forgotten about what happened that night."

Jareth nodded, "I see. Go on Leslie."

"Right. Anyways. We figure this out and then Sarah goes all loopy on me and zones out. When she comes to, she mentions that she had another memory, that would be one about when that night 'officially' started, I guess. It was about her acting out a scene from the play in the park with her dog, then she realized what time it was, rushed home, fought with Karen and ran up to her room. Then, after they had left, she realized that Lancelot was missing from his shelf. That's when she came back to earth and I questioned her."

Leslie paused and looked at me, so I took it up from there. "We came to the conclusion that whatever happened that night is tied up with you, your crystals, and that book. Leslie had a theory that you were actually there and that's why it comes back when you are around, but I pointed out that it had been years since that night, so you wouldn't have taken so long to come after me if that was the case."

"I see," Jareth murmured, "So, if this is tied in with the book, where is it?"

"In a shoebox on the top shelf of my closet, hidden behind some old acting gear."

"Well, what are we gonna do about it?" Leslie asked, obviously excited.

"Nothing yet," Jareth decided, glancing over at me. "let me think on it a little. I have a few ideas."

After that, he excused himself, saying that he had things to do before he went to bed. I kissed him goodnight and went to finish my hour's worth of homework.

The next morning, before English, Jareth pulled me aside. "Sarah," he said seriously, "I think I know how to get your memories back."

My eyes widened.

He nodded, "I've been thinking about it and it's all tied in with that book and my crystals. If we put the two together, it might bring back your memories. Would you like to try?"

I nodded eagerly, "Definitely! I really want to know what you have to do with my memories!"

He smiled, "Then we will do it after school. I will be slightly late, because I have an errand to run, but I will meet you at your house, if that's acceptable?"

I cocked my head, "Why wouldn't it be, king?" I kissed him before the teacher came in and we sat down.

I could hardly make it through the day, I was so excited. I rushed through my tests, for once not caring how I did. Finally, I made it home. I rushed to my closet and pulled down the 'special-box' that Karen had helped Toby make for me before I moved out. It was a very prettily decorated shoebox. I smiled as I remembered when he gave it to me. quickly, I looked through it until I found the little red book I was looking for. I pulled it out, replaced the box, grabbed the cloth-bag of crystals, and brought them all to the living room. I laid them all out in rows, smiling as I noticed there were many more than I had anticipated. He had been giving me at least one a day for the past three weeks. Oddly enough, I could still pick out the one that I traded a kiss for. My fingers strayed to the book, opening it about halfway through, the memories suddenly drowning me as I began reading.

I was walking through the forest, starving. "ugh, I'm so hungry," I said out loud.

"Sarah?"

I glanced back at Hoggle.

"Here…" He held out the most perfect peach I had ever seen and I took it, biting into it with a murmured word of thanks.

Almost immediately, I begin to feel odd. "This peach tastes strange… Hoggle," I looked at him, "Hoggle, what have you done?"

I was searching. Searching frantically. I didn't know what for, except that every time I saw that elusive face, I became more frantic.

The next feeling was of being held in someone's arms. We were dancing and when I glanced up, I recognized the Goblin King as my partner. He began to sing and in that moment, I felt embarrassment and glanced frantically around for something to use as an escape. I spied the clock on the wall and my mind grasped onto it like a lifeline. I had to save Toby, I had to get away from Jareth before I did something that would mortify me. Quickly, I spun out of his arms and raced to the wall. I grasped a chair, and with a last look over my shoulder, I threw it at the glass, breaking the bubble and sending me tumbling down.

The memory changed as my hand flipped the pages, eagerly reading,

There were pieces of stone stairs and arches floating around in a dark emptiness. Jareth walked out from behind one, looking regal and kind in white. He was dressed in breeches, boots, a poet shirt that hung open to the middle of his chest, and an amazing fur-trimmed cloak that looked as though it was woven of owl feathers, opposite from the dark colors he had worn before now.

"Give me the child," I spoke, knowing my objective, even if I didn't like it.

"Sarah, beware. I have been generous up until now, and I can be cruel." He spoke, advancing toward me.

Bewildered, I simply looked at him, "what have you done that's generous?"

"Everything!" he nearly cut me off, sounding irritated now as he began to slowly circle me. When he spoke again, his voice was slightly softer, "Everything that you have asked, I have done. You asked that the child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me. I was frightening." His voice began to raise slightly, "I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you. " his voice turned almost pleading, " I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me."

As I looked closer I could see he was telling the truth, his face looked tired and his eyes had bags under them already. I felt sad that I was the cause of it, he shouldn't have to look this way.

But he continued talking, "isn't that generous?"

I nearly asked what he wanted of me, but I was frightened of what he might say, of how he might break character more than he already had. Wondering what to do, I stared for a moment before lines came to me, seeming much longer ago than a mere ten hours. I began to speak, my voice growing louder as I did, "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered… I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the Goblin City." Confidently, I began to walk toward him, a part of me delighted when he backed away, "For my will is as strong as yours, and my k—"

"Stop!" he commanded in a whisper, making me jump, "wait." Like me, his voice gained strength as he spoke, "Look, Sarah. Look what I'm offering you," he held up his hand and a crystal appeared on his fingertips, "your dreams."

I kept my eyes on his face and continued, feeling as though I was in a dream, "and my kingdom as great," I advanced again.

He backed away, slowly, speaking when I wavered, "I ask for so little," he kept the crystal extended to me, "Just let me rule you… and you can have everything that you want."

I paused for a moment, wanting to consider his offer, but not wanting to seem weak. "and my kingdom as great?" I murmured, stalling. If I stayed, I could have anything I wanted. I could send Toby home, I could get away from Karen, I could… could… I could feel his triumph rising as I hesitated, and he extended his hand to me further, offering the crystal, a look of hope on his features. "damn. I can never remember that line," I murmured, still stalling. If I stayed, I could say I wanted Toby to go home, if I stayed I could… let him rule me? Did I want to be ruled? And could I trust him to do as I asked and send Toby home?

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say… and I will be your slave."

I stared at him and my mind caught up, he wanted me to love him? I was only fifteen!

"My kingdom as great—my kingdom as great—" In the moment when he last spoke, I lost the next line. I struggled through it, realizing that as soon as I said it, this would all be over, I would leave the Labyrinth. I couldn't help but be sad, sad for my friends who I would never see again, sad for myself because I would never come back, and even sad for The Goblin King, who might be sincere in his offer.

The words dawned on me as I thought, and I spoke them in wonderment, "You have no power over me. You have no power over me!"

His face crumpled in what looked like agony and sorrow as he tossed the crystal to me. When it popped like a bubble against my fingers, he transformed himself into a white barn owl. I could hear my words echoing all around me as I heard a clock strike the thirteenth hour. I was in my living room, safe and sound. The white barn owl that was Jareth flew out an open window and the clock tolled a thirteenth time. I glanced at it quickly to find that the hour hand was pointing to the twelve.

"Toby!" the realization hit me and I raced upstairs, flinging open the door to my parents' bedroom and slumping in relief as I saw his little form curled up in the crib. "Here you are," I grabbed the stuffed toy and tucked it against him, "I'd like for Lancelot to belong to you now," I whispered before I walked back to my room and sat at my vanity, mentally exhausted. I began to put my make-up and music box away. I picked up the little red book that started my adventure and carefully placed it into the drawer.

I caught a glimpse of Ludo standing behind me as he spoke, "goodbye, Sawah…" quickly, I turned to look, but saw nothing.

When I turned back, Sir Didymus was there, "And remember, fair maiden, should you ever need us…"

Hoggle stood up from behind my bed, "yes, should you need us… for any reason at all—"

"I need you, Hoggle."

"eh, you do?" he sounded surprised.

"I don't know why, but… every now and again in my life, for no reason at all, I need you. All of you." When I said that, I couldn't help but include Jareth in it. Despite everything I had done to him, I needed him. I needed him for, at the very least, a basis for comparison.

"You do?" I nodded, "well, why didn't you say so?" Hoggle cried and I heard it from behind me this time, instead of the mirror. As I spun, smiling, I glimpsed a white barn owl, sitting on the tree-branch outside my window, and then I was engulfed in my friends, including the wild gang. For the rest of the night, I forgot about Jareth, losing my head while trying to keep it firmly attached.

I slammed back into myself and lay there, shaking. It was all so real. It couldn't have happened, though. I reached out to pick up the crystal he gave me that I kissed him for and as I touched it, it transformed into a peach and I heard a knock at the door. Shocked, I slowly got up and walked to the door, the peach still in my hand. I knew already that it wasn't Leslie, she lived here so she wouldn't have knocked. That left only one other person.

I opened the door and found the person I both dreaded and needed to be here. "You… you… you're him, aren't you? you're the Goblin King!"

AN: After re-reading the reviews you guys sent me and thinking about whether I could finish this or not, I have at least two or three more chapters written out (mostly from bits and pieces I wrote before I went on hiatus), but I don't know if anyone is still following this or not. I really hate when authors hold reviews over readers heads as a reason to update when they already have the next chapter written, but this once, I'm afraid I'll have to. I need to know if there's anyone still interested or if I should just dump the story entirely. Review, please, so I know if it's worth it to continue!

~Blue.