It's been a week since Bowie left us, but man, it only feels like yesterday, doesn't it? I'm not really sure what to say-it's all been said and thought-but I'll go with that it's just incredible of how great of an artist he was that he could connect so deeply with so many people. He's a true example of what it means to dedicate one's life for the love of their craft, and I'm so overjoyed that he shared his talent with us. He's an inspiration to me, and one that will be dreadfully missed. Rest in Peace David Bowie.

Much Love, Mpenguin.

When Sarah returned to a state of consciousness, the first thing she noticed was the immense pain throbbing in the back of her head. Then she noticed the dark and the cold, and that's all that there was: pain, dark, and cold. Shivering, she curled herself up into a ball, pulling her dress hopefully over her knees. Her hands, she noticed, felt awkwardly large and clumsy; when she felt the top of her head, there was a soft little puff. She scowled, feeling the tight twisting of her muzzle; she had become a goblin again.

"Where am I?" She whispered to herself, holding herself tighter and looking around, but it was impossible to see through the darkness. Sarah sat there waiting for a light, but none ever came.

"Stacey, do your parents fight?"

"Yeah, like all the time—especially when it comes to who's changing Mikey's diapers."

"No, I mean, like, do your parents ever get so angry that one of them barges out of the house?"

"Oh. Um, no. Why? Is that happening a lot with yours?"

"Sometimes."

"Well, I'm sure it's nothing. Things will get better, Sarah. I mean, don't they have to?"

"I guess. I just wish they would stop. I don't know what to do. What am I doing wrong?"

"I'm sure it's not your fault, Sarah. You know how weird grown-ups are…"

"Yeah."

" Do you wanna stay for dinner tonight?"

"Could I?"

"Yeah, let me just let Mama know."

Sarah shuttered, blinking away the memory and clutching at her pained chest. I got to get out of here, she thought.

Getting up on shaky legs, she tried feeling around, but her hands couldn't grasp anything. She took a step forward, then another, but she couldn't feel anything other than the ground beneath them.

"Did I fall into an endless dark abyss?" She laughed to herself. Her lighthearted laughter seemed to rebound off the thick silence, bouncing rapidly around her, and in this perverted back and forth, it morphed into something diabolical. Sarah gulped.

A giant crash clanged out from somewhere in the distance. Sarah gasped, turning her head every which way, trying to figure out the source. There was the low muttering of someone swearing, and then came a little bright hiss.

A tiny flame awoke somewhere. It's light explored around the walls, and it shyly glanced into the place where Sarah stood, exposing the light brown stone and glittering cobwebs that engulfed her. The clanging and jangling resume their conversation, and Sarah cautiously tiptoed towards their source. Peeking her head around the corner, she quickly wrenched her head back for there, fumbling with buckets, mops, and other cleaning supplies, was none other then Hoggle the dwarf.

"Stupid fairies, hiding my sprayer." He grumbled, "They ought to know by now that I always got another one, so why don't they make it easier on themselves and just go away."

Then he pulled from the pile a large gun-like sprayer and chuckled to himself. Hoggle kicked everything back, shutting the closet door, and taking out a ring of keys, the dwarf put it through another keyhole and reopened the door; this time, light spilled from it. He extinguished his candle.

Quickly, Sarah took hold of a rock and threw it across the room. It hit against the wall, and its collision echoed throughout. Hoggle froze.

"Uh, who's there?"

No one answered, and Hoggle, gulping, took a step closer into the darkness. While his back was turned, Sarah slid past him and through the door, breaking out into a full run.

"What the—" His rough voice said, "Hey! Stop! Get back here. You ain't suppose to leave. Oh, darn it!"

His grumbling eventually faded, and Sarah soon found herself lost in a grey sea of twists and turns. It seemed endless, but Sarah's feet didn't slow down in remorse. There's got to be an exit somewhere, she thought. Eventually there has to be.

"Don't go on."

Upon the noise, her feet rapidly arrested, and Sarah frantically looked around. "Who said that?" She cried.

No one responded, so she decided to keep going.

"Go back while you still can."

She stopped once again. "Who's there?"

"For the path will lead you to certain destruction."

"That's nice and all, but where are you?"

Suddenly, someone grabbed her wrist. Sarah let out a high-pitched screech, and looking behind her, she saw a smug looking Hoggle dragging her back from where she came.

"Let go!" She cried, struggling to wrench her small goblin arm free.

"No," He replied, somewhat out-of-breath. "I said you ain't suppose to leave. Things are supposed to stay down in the oubliettes 'til Jareth says otherwise."

"No, I won't. I won't. Oh, come on; let go. Let go, Hoggle. Please, Hoggle let me go."

"No. It's your own fault that you got Jareth angry, and I ain't gonna be the one to disobey him and—"

Poof!

Hoggle's jaw dropped. His eyes seemed to shake as they traveled upwards, and upon seeing the annoyed face of a much taller human female, he let go of her hand and jumped back, letting out a mangled yelp.

"Now that's not very nice; I don't look that hideous." Sarah said, her lips twitching into a smile.

"B-b-but—wait, but just now, you-you-you were—" He eyes grew wide, "You!"

"Hello again Hoggle."

"B-b-but how can that be? You were just a goblin a second ago and—Hey! How do you know my name?"

"Why, we all know your name Hoggle."

"W-w-we?"

"Yes, us goblins."

"B-b-but you ain't a goblin."

"No. No I'm not anymore." She answered, walking determinedly down the corridor.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Hoggle cried, and she could hear his frantic footstep scrambling to catch up.

"To get out of here."

"But you got to go back to the oubliette."

"No, I'm not going to."

"But you have to."

"Oh, what is with everyone needing to do what he says? His commands aren't written in stone, you know. I mean, don't you just get tired of it, Hoggle? Tired of always doing everything your told by him, without question?"

"Well, I guess. But I don't want no trouble."

"Well, don't you have that now?"

Hoggle halted, his face scrunched up; not wanting to waste her precious time, Sarah went on without him.

Suddenly another voice cried, "Beware!"

Sarah froze, her eyes looking around until it locked onto the wall beside her. It blinked.

"Yeah!" Hoggle suddenly cried out, running to her side, "Yeah, I got nothing but trouble. Jareth does need to be taught a lesson b-b-but—" He faltered.

"What?" Sarah said sharply, preoccupied with staring the wall down, trying to see if it would blink again.

"He's scary."

"Well I'm not scared of him."

"Why, you must be a little scared of him. How can't you? He's a Fae."

"So he's got magic, big deal."

"M-magic? Not a big deal? Why, you must never have been on the wrong end of a kicking curse, but that ain't the worse of it; like I said, he's a Fae."

"So?"

"A Fae?" Hoggle said again in disbelief, "Have you never been around Faes before?"

"Not for very long." She answered earnestly, finally looking away from the rock (who blinked in relief) and focusing on Hoggle.

"Lucky you."

"Why?" Sarah laughed, "They can't be all that different from anything else."

"Well, just don't say I didn't warn you." Was all that Hoggle grumbled, and no matter what Sarah tried, he wouldn't say any more.

"Well, no matter." Sarah said, "I'll find a way to fight him; I've got to. Only," She looked back down the path, "which way do I go Hoggle?"

"Oh, you were going the right way; they're false alarms." Hoggle said tapping his foot against the rock, who gave out an indignant "Hey!"

"Oh!" Sarah said, watching as the rock glared down at Hoggle and blinked, "Thanks." Then she went on, but only a moment past until she heard the now familiar heavy footsteps scampering rapidly behind her.

"There's no way you'll be able to fight Jareth, you know."

"Well, Hoggle, you don't know me; I'll find a way."

He went silent, treading along after her. He didn't speak another word for a very long time, and just when Sarah was beginning to wonder if he would become a problem did he suddenly exclaim, "Oh, alright. Stand still for a moment, will you?" He went over to a strange notch in the wall and, knocking on it, it opened to reveal a closely spiraling set of stairs.

Sarah couldn't believe it. She rushed over to it, feeling the rough stone. Turning around, she beamed down at him. "Oh, thank you Hoggle."

He shrugged, "It ain't nothing. It's the only thing I can help with—and while I'd like to see Jareth beat for once, don't get your hopes too high. He always wins from what I see."

"I'll keep that in mind Hoggle." Sarah replied, putting her foot on the first step, but she halted. "Hoggle, why do you keep calling the Goblin King Jareth?"

"Well, that's his name, ain't it?"

"Yes, but we, I mean us Goblins, never call him that. Or at least from what I can remember."

"Yes, well, I suppose many things don't call him Jareth."

"Why do you?"

"Well," Hoggle ducked his head in embarrassment, "I always hoped that if I called him by his person name, I got no reason to be scared of him. It was, eh, something my mom told me."

Sarah let that sink in a moment before starting to climb up. Suddenly, Hoggle called out, "What's your name?"

She stopped, looking back at him, "Sarah. But you have no reason to be scared of me, Hoggle."

"Oh, I know." Hoggle said quickly then added bashfully, "I just wanted to know, that's all."

"Yes, well, it's nice to finally make your acquaintance, Hoggle." Sarah smiled, "I hope to see you again."

"Yeah, that would be nice." He replied then scurried away, taking timid glances back, watching the young woman until she disappeared from view.

As she climbed the seemingly never-ending staircase, Sarah thought about everything that Hoggle had said. It was true that the Goblin King had magic, and that he was smart, resourceful, and always did seem to win, and she, well, she wasn't much of anything, unless you wanted to account for being a pain in the ass. Yet instead of her heart sinking in despair, it seemed to grow stronger. I will find a way, she thought. I know I will.

Her head suddenly hit something hard, and rubbing her head gingerly, Sarah felt the ceiling above her. There was a strange groove, and as she gripped it, the ceiling suddenly slid open. Sarah flinched away from the downpour of brightness and bracing her, she climbed out into it.

Settling her feet onto the soft ground, Sarah was shocked to find herself by the shores of a beautiful, serene lake with soft, brightly green trees relaxing all around the shore. The clear water's blue had a hypnotic calming call, like a promise of peace that it wanted to deliver, and Sarah found herself locked in this tranquil spell, gazing at the scene. She had never known anything this beautiful existed in the Labyrinth; she had never even heard a breathe of mention to anything resembling it. Is this even real?

Suddenly a little alarmed chime sounded right behind her. Turning around, Sarah was shocked to find herself gazing back at the castle, which was startling close. The chime rung again, sounding sadder this time, and Sarah found herself frowning.

"I'm sorry that he's mad at you." She told the chime.

It rang a melancholic note that seemed to settle in her bones. Then, it suddenly sang a shy little note of hope, of persuasion.

Sarah scoffed, "Oh, I don't think my arguing for you will do you much good."

It rang a more solid note this time, a note that egged her on some more, and Sarah sat there in contemplative silence, wondering if she could help the Labryinth and rethinking once again on what Hoggle had said.

Surely Fae can't be all that bad. I mean they must feel happiness and sadness like we do or at least have the basic needs that everything else has. The Goblin King has to have some sort of soft side that I could appeal to, doesn't he?

He does steal children, though. A dark whispering voice in her head said. Can you actually appeal to a monster like that?

Sarah frowned, gazing broodingly at the castle. Then suddenly something caught her eye. Walking over to a nearby tree, Sarah reach up, and with a reluctant shake from the tree's branches, she soon found a ripe peach sitting snuggly in her hand. Realizing how famished she was, Sarah took an eager bite, exclaiming in delight at how good it tasted. She took another bite, examining the peach thoughtfully as she chewed. A sly little smile then tugged at her lips, and with another large bite, Sarah reached up for more.

The sight of him chilled her bones. He sat there like so many times before, yet now he poured over not a document, but a book, and his expression was as she had never seen before. His eyebrows were scrunched together, and his forefinger rested upon his thinned lips; it looked as if storm cloud were gathering, gaining strength, waiting eagerly for the ammunition that would enable them to strike. Well then, I guess I'm just going to have to steal his thunder.

Sarah dropped her load onto his desk, and while dumping an armful of peaches on his things brought about a twisted delight, it hardly competed with seeing his expression change to one of pure shock. His miss-matched eyes, however, quickly clouded, and then, roughly pushing back his chair, the Goblin King stood to his fullest height.

"How did you get back here?"

"Well, Jareth," Sarah said, watching in savage enjoyment as he jolted, "you're just beginning to find that I'm simply full of surprises. And you know, you shouldn't be too angry with the Labyrinth. She was only doing what she thought—"

"Don't. Don't you dare speak another word, as if you had the right—"

"And why don't I? Huh? What makes me not have the same right as you?"

"Everything," He snarled, and suddenly he was in her space, leering down a mere inch away from her face. "You're nothing—only what I say you are—and right now, you're getting awfully close to—"

"What? Being turned into a dung beetle?"

He smirked, "Why, I don't have to; you're already there."

"Oh, really mature."

"Oh please, you turned back into a human for one month, and now you think you have any idea of what's mature, of what's real."

"I've always known what was real; and that's just a fantastic insight into how you view your subjects, Jareth: as insignificant stupid playth—"

Suddenly his hand flew up, covering her mouth. "Don't you dare call me that ever again." He said through clenched teeth. "You are not my equal, never will be, so show some respect. You need to learn to fear those who can smash you to dust, especially," He dug his fingers painfully into her face, "the one who hold your tiny little goblin life in his hands."

He let go of her then, gazing down at her coldly, but Sarah paid little attention to the eyes staring at her now. No, she thought about his eyes moments before, how they burned into her, telling her quite a different story. They had seemed manic, almost insanely so, yet what shook Sarah most was not that. She thought she had seen something else, something hidden deep within them; it seemed impossible, though, that he would feel that. How could the Goblin King feel fear, unless—

"So why haven't you?"

"What?" He snapped, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Why haven't you turned me back?"

"Oh, so now you want to be turned back into a goblin? You really are the most fickle of creatures."

"No, no, no—you should have done it by now. Yeah, you would have done it as soon as I walked in, without hesitation. So why haven't you, unless—" Her eye locked down at the book lying buried on his desk. She lunged for it, but the Goblin King was too quick; he wrenched it away from under her fingertips, and pulled it protectively to his chest.

"What? You didn't get enough information from before?" He mocked.

"I did no such thing, and I don't lie unlike you. Now out with it, what's going on?"

"You seem to forget, this isn't a democracy. I don't need to share anything with you." He said, snapping the book shut, and suddenly it disappeared.

"Hey! That's not fair."

"Welcome to the real world, Sarah."

She sharply looked at him, "You remembered my name?"

He stiffened, "Oh, don't take it as a compliment; I only remember the names of those I hate."

He then started twisting his wrist in a funny motion, and Sarah found herself watching; it was a little hypnotic, seeing the crystal ball form in his hands. Watching it roll. Gliding about as if having its own free will. Like swimming. Swimming calmingly.

Then something clicked, her mind snapped to attention, and Sarah quickly chucked one of the peaches at his head; it hit with a victorious plunk!

"Ow." He snarled, rubbing his head and glaring at her.

"I am not being sent back there."

"You don't have a choice; you do as I say."

"Since when have I ever done that? This won't end differently; let's just discuss this like rational beings."

"This is not a matter of negotiation."

"Well, you can't always get what you want." Sarah said, and sat herself stubbornly onto his desk before continuing, "Look, just admit it: I'm a problem that you can't control."

"I'll admit that you're a problem, but I can control anything."

"Come on, don't be a sore loser: you can't control everything."

"Watch me." He said, then exclaimed in annoyance as another peach hit his head. He glared at her, and his upper lip twitched as he watched the young woman smile wickedly back at him.

"Welcome to the real world Jareth." She repeated mockingly, earning a royal scowl.

"Come on though," She continued after a harsh out-breath of air, "in all actuality, let's just talk this out."

Jareth, however, only remained silent. He looked down at his hand and began forming a crystal again. It danced along his forearm, side to side, like a snake's head gathering the confidence to strike. Sarah gripped another peach, her back tensing.

Finally he spoke. "There are several complication to your, em, condition."

"Care to elaborate?" Sarah asked, her grip on the peach slowly loosening.

"No. I mean," He pinched his upper bridge of his nose, "The key point of the matter is that, whatever you did, I cannot undo it until you are once again in a pure state."

"Could you make that any less clear?"

He gritted his teeth, and tightly shut his eyes. "I can't turn you back into a goblin until you are fully human again."

"Oh." Sarah said, and Jareth just grimaced. He effortlessly rolled his crystal into the palm of his hand, letting it sit there for a moment before crushing it into dust. Sarah sighed.

"Look, " She said, standing back up, "while this may be hard to believe, my initial intention in coming here had little to do with pissing you off." The Goblin King scoffed, but Sarah ignored him, continuing, "I came here with a peace offering; surely we can figure out something that would benefit us both. I mean look, I brought peaches."

"You think you can restore my good faith with peaches?" Jareth said, looking down at them skeptically. "Especially after you threw two of them at my head?"

"Well, I tried searching for the tears of puppies and kittens, but alas, I could only find peaches." Sarah said with a small smile before continuing " Go ahead, have one; they're really good."

He rolled his eyes and looked away, "you probably poisoned them."

"I did not. I'm not a cheat."

Jareth glanced back up at her and scoffed.

"Oh, honestly!" Sarah exclaimed, her hands going to her waist, "I did not touch your damn magic books, I am not trying to kill you, but I am trying to make this work—that's more than you can say." Jareth merely turned his back on her, and Sarah, throwing her hands in the air, said, "They're not poisoned. See."

She picked one up, taking a big bite out of it. He glared at her from over his shoulder while she chewed it smugly. When she went to swallowed, however, she suddenly began coughing.

Jareth's eyes widened, turning back around to face her, and as he watched her cough harshly into her fist, cautiously he said, "So, not poisoned, huh?"

Sarah swallowed, tears in her eyes, "No, only—it went down the wrong way."

Jareth quickly covered his mouth, and turned away her from, but even through his valiant effort, he couldn't prevent his laughter from bursting out.

"Well," Sarah said with a smile, "glad my almost death brought you amusement."

"It didn't," He said, his laughter still escaping from his muffled mouth, "It's just—you're an idiot."

She shrugged, "Fair enough. But still, going back to the point, you must give me some time to persuade you. I can be as good in human form as I can in goblin. I swear it. Just give me until I become fully human again. If I can't convince you by then, then fine. Do as you wish. Do we have a deal, Jareth?

He stiffen once more, and turned back slowly to face her. His eyes had hardened again, and his mouth wrenched open, but before the Goblin King could give his answer, Sarah felt a violent surge ripple through her bloodstream and suddenly—poof!

Rubbing her throbbing heart, Sarah felt footsteps coming closer; then suddenly there was a giant, shiny, black leather boot in front of her. She craned her head as far back as it would go and gulped. There the Goblin King stood, towering over her, a smug smirk plastered on his malevolent, leering face.

He bent down, and then he purred, "Now that's much better. I can easily kick you."

Sarah scowled. "This isn't the end, you know."

He frowned; his hand suddenly came up, and he twirled a new crystal in his hands. "No, perhaps not. But I will be able to forget about you for the time being."

"Then you'll find yourself disappointed," Sarah said, glaring up at him "I'm not one to be easily forgotten."

He paused, halting the crystal in his palm. He gazed absently at it, as if having a silent conversation with it. A twisted smile then snaked onto his features and he looked back down at her, "No, you're right. You're not." He suddenly crushed the crystal, its dust sprinkling down upon her, "You can go."

"What?" Sarah stammered, gaping up at him, watching him stand to his full height.

"Go on," He repeated, hardly giving her another look as he withdrew back to his desk. "Before I change my mind."

What else could she have done beside follow the command?

As Sarah let the door close behind her, she took one last look back, watching the Goblin King calmly examine a peach. His face looked far too wickedly thoughtful, and then, with a sly smile, he took a bite.

What have I gotten myself into?

Man, long chapter right? You guys still there? (Haha, my horrible sense of humor)

I'm not sure when the next chapter will be put up, but I'm aiming for March (It'll probably be May though). Sorry for the wait, and thanks so much for reading!