A/N - I hope everyone is enjoying this - it's a bit different than what I've done before. I'm trying to go for the fact that Jareth is not human and really doesn't understand what love is yet. But this *is* a romance so don't be too disappointed when Sarah realizes that she does love the idiot.

Sarah couldn't sleep. He'd left her room an hour ago and she could still remember his scent, the look in his eyes as he came close to kiss her forehead so gently. Why had he come to her if not to gloat over her misunderstandings? He had nothing to win, nothing to prove. There had been no reason for him to come to her in her room. A song haunted her and she stared up at the ceiling, troubled.

There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes...

Sad love? Sarah sighed, lost in the memory of their ballroom dance. She had been sad, but not over losing Toby. A part of her had known the baby was safe. She'd been sad over the Goblin King himself.

She'd realized that Jareth was a overgrown child in some ways, but he was not malicious no matter how cruel he (or Hoggle) said he could be - at least - not to Sarah. He'd seemed so lonely somehow and she'd wanted to protect him which was ridiculous, he didn't need her and she didn't need him. Then she remembered how she'd felt safe and protected in that ballroom dream and she knew that was really why she'd run away from him. Nothing made sense.

She didn't want someone else to make her feel safe. What if it didn't work, where would she be then? Alone and miserable. It was better to stay alone in the first place than to be fooled into a love that couldn't last.

She sat up - love? Where had that thought come from? She didn't love him. She didn't really know what she felt for him and that alone was enough to make her not want to see him again. But somehow...just a little, she missed him.

Throwing the covers off, she put on her favorite dark green satin slippers and made her way down to the kitchen. Hot cocoa always made her feel better, and she really needed to feel better right now. She was a bit surprised that at three in the morning there was a light on downstairs.

Entering the kitchen, she saw Karen sitting at the large table, two steaming mugs of cocoa in front of her.

"How did you know I'd be down here?" Sarah smiled, remembering now all the times Karen had somehow known when she'd needed comforting as a child.

"It's a gift, one of the few I was allowed to keep. Humans call it the Sight."

"So, you can see the future? You knew I was going to go to the Labyrinth?" Sarah sat across from her stepmother and took one of the mugs, drinking slowly.

"I knew that you had a quest to complete and that you would come away from it with more questions than when you started. But - that is the way of quests, Sarah." She shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "You never really win, you only build the foundation for the next adventure."

"Does my mom know about you?"

"She does. She never cared for me, but she and I have our own relationship. It's - complicated. But she doesn't think of me as the enemy anymore if that's what you're wondering. She's happy in her life as am I in mine. It's an uneasy truce. I have always been happy with my decision to remain here with your father and with you. But I never wanted you to think I was trying to replace her."

"And now there's Toby," Sarah said quietly. "How much does he really understand?"

"He understands that you were jealous of him because you missed your mom. And maybe I thought that you felt Toby's existence meant that Linda had no real reason to think she could come back to you and your father. He may have picked up on that."

"He's a genius, huh?"

"Well for a human, yes. For a Fae, he's about average I suppose. Not that I'd ever tell him he's less than perfect. Fae males have a certain pride about themselves."

"Jareth certainly does," Sarah groused and blushed when Karen laughed.

"He's a king, Sarah - and a rather indulged one at that. But he's not a monster, no matter what your father would like to believe. He's just a man looking for someone to love. It's really not that hard to understand. He's been alone for quite some time."

"He asked me to love him," Sarah said, not looking at her stepmother. Karen took the now empty mugs and placed them in the sink.

"And how do you feel about my nephew? Still thinking he's the villian?"

Sarah squirmed a bit under Karen's scrutiny. How could she tell Karen how she felt when she didn't understand it herself? She took a deep breath and tried to relax.

"I don't hate him," she said slowly. "I don't know what he wants from me. I don't want to be some sort of toy for him to play with or a slave or something."

"Jareth doesn't keep slaves and I'm fairly sure he doesn't want to start now." Karen's grin was infectious and Sarah started to giggle.

"I know, I'm being silly. But he's just so," she started waving her hands around wildly. "And I'm so...not. I don't think I can make you understand."

"Oh Sarah, your magic is just as stong as his, if you'd only let it out. Trust your feelings and don't be afraid of them. It's all part of growing up."

"If I grow up, I'd lose the magic wouldn't I?" Sarah asked, grinning. Karen laughed again.

"You, my dear, are a rare treasure - a human who will never give up on her dreams. It gives you powers you cannot begin to imagine. But you have to learn to trust your instincts more. I saw you in the Labyrinth - you stood up to Jareth and you claimed your brother. You have the makings of a strong woman. Believe in that and the rest will follow."

Sarah hugged her stepmother, "Thanks, Karen," then yawned. "At this rate, I won't sleep at all tonight."

"Don't worry about it, just stay home tomorrow. Maybe I'll take you on a little trip."

"Shopping?" Sarah asked, excited.

"In a manner of speaking," Karen winked. "Off with you now. I think we both need our sleep or your father will think we've been up all night."

JSJSJS

The High Queen hummed to herself, arranging flowers in her sitting room. It was her favorite room in the castle, right next to her husband's study with an adjoining door hidden in the wall for when one of them wanted to see the other without being accosted by servants and visitors out in the corridor.

King Logan watched her from the doorway separating their retreats. She was up to something, he was sure of it. She'd spoken with Kareena this morning and giggled like a young girl. Part of him wanted to close the door and get back to the comfort of his treaties and politics. But she was smiling and that always made him wish to be near her.

"What has you so pleased, my dear?" Logan asked from the safety of his study. His wife glanced up and smiled.

"Kareena is coming for a visit and you know that always makes me happy. She is bringing Sarah with her this time. It will be the first time Sarah comes to us knowing that Kareena is one of us."

"And what is the purpose of this visit? Does the girl come to see our son?"

"No, I simply wanted to meet the child. The Labyrinth finds her worthy of becoming Jareth's bride. I wish to find out why. And Karen wishes to see her sister, to perhaps rebuild the bridge a bit more between them. Sasha has never quite forgiven her for going Above Ground. Perhaps they can work past it a bit."

"Why now?" the king loved his queen, but knew enough to know that timing was everything. Things were moving a bit fast lately and that meant secrets and planning were afoot. He wondered if he really wanted to know more.

"Because of Sarah of course. She's key to everything." Seline stopped her flower arranging to look up at Logan. "It is a time for healing, my husband. Jareth has been alone for so long and his heart reaches out to Sarah though he does not fully understand. Karen was meant to go above to be there for the girl, to help her learn more about our world. It was always fated to be so. The fact that she fell in love with the girl's father was a bonus of sorts for her. But Karen was always fated to be Sarah's guide to this place. Who am I to fight fate?"

Logan pondered this for long moments, then came into the room to hug his wife, kissing her temple softly. He drew back to look into her clear grey eyes.

"And who am I to fight my queen's logic?" he asked as her arms came around him.

"A wise king who knows to trust his queen," she laughed and he growled, kissing her senseless.

JSJSJS

Robert did not like this idea, but Karen was so logical about everything when she'd explained it to him. How could Sarah make a decision about Jareth if she knew so little about his world? Sarah had every right to make an informed decision.

"But pulling her out of school," he'd said. Pulling her away from normal, away from me.

"She was tired, Robert. And it's not like she's failing her classes. One day is not going to ruin her chances for a good college." She'd looked at him then, warily. "Are you going to object to every part of this? Because I don't want to constantly argue with you."

"What? No - I mean. Ah Karen, I'm an overprotective father when it comes to Sarah because she's just been through so much. And she's all I have left of Linda."

"What?" Karen's eyes had sparked and Robert took a step back.

"Not like that - I mean, Sarah is all I have of the good things about Linda. From before she changed into someone I don't recognize anymore. Sarah helps me remember that good can come out of bad situations. And she's my little girl. I couldn't be the man Linda needed, but I can sure be the father Sarah deserves. And if that means I'm a little overprotective, then I can't help that."

"All right Robert, I do understand. And no one is trying to steal your daughter away from you. But if you can't accept any of this, tell me now. I will not fight you, Sarah is still your daughter. But she loves Jareth, I know it and somehow I think you do too. He only has a year."

"Are you more worried about him dying than Sarah living?" Robert asked.

"I'm more worried about Sarah and Jareth never finding an everlasting love like we did, Robert. And they can't do that if other people's insecurities overrule what is best for both of them."

Robert sighed. "Fine. You're right - Sarah is chosen or something - I get that. Just promise me that no one will try to trap her or convince her to marry Jareth while she's there with you."

"Sarah's choices are always her own, Robert. Just like yours are and mine have always been. Trust your daughter to make the right choices for herself. She's not Linda."

And there was the real problem.

"I know she isn't Linda," he sputtered.

"You are afraid she'll leave you like Linda did and I'm here to tell you that it won't happen. Sarah loves you - loves all of us. But her heart is big enough for Jareth or whoever else she chooses. And that is largely because you have been such a good father. Trust yourself as well as your daughter. You're both worth it, you know."

Robert kissed her. "Thanks Karen, sometimes I just need to hear that."