A/N: Guess who's back? Back again. Sarah's back. Tell a friend.
When the fog cleared, Sarah was kneeling on one of the numerous landings of the Escher Room.
A pair of moss-green goblin feet stood in her line of vision.
"Miss Sarah! Yer back!" A tiny body slammed into her, hugging her tight.
"Gookie!" She exclaimed, squeezing her friend back.
"Oh, I thought I'd never see ya again, miss!" The red head whimpered into her mistress's neck.
"Don't worry, Gookie." Sarah cooed, leaning away to give her servant's ear an affectionate rub. "I'm here for good this time."
Gookie clapped her hands in excitement before the sound of a throat clearing caught her and the human's attention.
"Um…Sarah?" Hoggle inquired, shuffling his feet nervously.
She had almost forgotten he was with her.
"I don't mean to be hasty, but if you wanna get everythin' straightened out, you should get goin'."
A determined smile graced her lips and she rose from her crouched position.
"You're right, Hoggle. Thank you again for all your help. Now, if you two will excuse me," she said, turning to face the staircase, "I'm off to commit regicide."
"Regicide?" Gookie repeated, tilting her head in confusion as her lady hurried down the steps. "What's that mean?"
"Err, le-le-let's just say it means she really loves the king." Hoggle stammered.
A soft blush spread across the gobliness's cheeks as she cast a shy grin at the dwarf.
"Ya know, yer a hero, Hoggle." She stated, slowly stepping towards him.
"Huh?" He blinked in surprise. "I-I am?"
"Sure ya are; bringing back our queen." She explained, coming closer. "It's the noblest thing I've ever heard."
Hoggle gulped at the way her tone dropped an octave in the last sentence and started backing away.
"It-it was nuthin'." He mumbled bashfully. "She called, I-I came. And she got back on her own, I j-just helped her figure out how, th-that's all. Oof!"
The dwarf froze when his back hit the stone wall behind him, preventing any means of escape as Gookie advanced further toward him.
"It was a very nice thing ya did for the king."
"I didn't do it for him!" He bristled. "I did it for Sarah and you!"
Her ears perked up at the confession.
"Uh, I mean…that is…um, uh…" He spluttered, trying in vain to formulate a coherent sentence as Gookie stood before him with barely an inch of space between them.
With a playful smirk, she reached up and grabbed his scarf, pulling his face down to her level.
Hoggle trembled as his face turned as red as a Firey.
"Wh-what are you d-doin', Gookie?"
"Committin' regicide." She giggled and then firmly pressed her little lips to his before he could say another word.
After a few minutes of running, Sarah skidded to a frustrated halt. She'd been shouting in her head for the castle to take her to Jareth, but what little patience she had dried up.
I don't have time for this! I need to get to him NOW!
Planting her feet on the ledge, she raised her chin proudly, and spoke in a low, but clear voice:
"I am Sarah Williams. As your Goblin Queen, I order you to take me to my king!"
There was a quiet crumbling sound at the bottom of the stairs to her left and when she looked, a new corridor had appeared.
Quick as lightning, she hurried down to the opening where the familiar owl-encrusted library door greeted her. With all of her might, she grasped the handle and shoved the door open, slamming the wood against the wall.
Jareth was leaning against the fireplace mantle as if he lacked the strength to stand. He looked exactly the same as when she'd faced him at the end of her journey fifteen years ago.
The same white fur cloak hung from his slouched frame as did the rest of his pale clothing. His face was thin and ashen, there were shadows underneath his eyes, and his lips were a sickly yellowish color.
As he looked silently at her, she saw that he even wore the same expression he had when she'd uttered those six terrible words: hurt mixed with disappointment, yet not entirely surprised.
Her initial wave of pity was immediately snuffed out by fury.
"You." She growled as her fists clenched with rage. "You bastard."
He winced but didn't answer.
"You stupid, stupid BASTARD!"
An angry scream echoed through the room as she then launched herself at the Goblin King. She punched his unyielding body repeatedly as she cursed at him.
He didn't even try to defend himself. He remained perfectly still, accepting every second of the assault.
"How could you do that to me?!" You son of a bitch!" She shouted. "How could you leave me?! Why would you hurt both of us that way?! You goddamned IDIOT!"
Tears brimmed in her eyes and her strikes dissolved into grasping hands. Emotionally and physically exhausted, she buried her face in his chest as she sobbed.
Jareth's arms wrapped around her after a moment and he began delicately stroking her hair.
"Sarah," he whispered after her cries began to subside, "you shouldn't be here."
Pulling back, the brunette glared hotly at him.
"Stop it, Jareth. I belong wherever you are, end of discussion."
"Please, Sarah." He begged. "I'm only trying to do what's best for you."
"Best for me?" She laughed dryly. "Best for me?! And you think the perfect way to accomplish that is to separate us and make us both miserable?"
"Somehow I knew it'd be a waste of time." He sighed heavily to himself. "You're so infuriatingly stubborn."
"Damn right, and you're a giant asshole." She agreed, giving a brief smirk as she poked him sharply in the ribs. "But I can't take all the credit for getting back here. I never could've done it without Hoggle."
"I don't know whether to Bog him or knight him for that." The fey male grumbled.
"Don't change the subject!" She snapped. "You owe me an explanation! Jareth, why would you send me away when it obviously made you unhappy? And don't say it's because you thought I was unhappy! I know I initially chose to live here to protect my niece, but the truth is…deep down…I've always wanted to stay here. When you made the offer to me the first time, and I refused you, I was so…so empty. I didn't feel like I'd triumphed over anything. It felt like I lost something, like I'd been split in two. Of course, I was just a stupid teenager so I didn't know why I felt that way. Actually, I did, I was just too afraid to admit it. All I did know at the time, was that I couldn't let go of the Labyrinth and everything in it. I didn't want to let you go then and I'm not letting you go now or ever."
Jareth's eyes reluctantly flashed with passion before he released her and moved to the piano.
"I haven't been entirely honest with you, Sarah." He muttered as he absentmindedly strummed a few keys.
She quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"When I told you that I built the Labyrinth as a means for humans to earn back the children they wished away, that part is true." He continued. "However, there's another reason why you were the only one to win. The Labyrinth is impossible to beat."
Her mouth fell open in astonishment.
"What?"
"For a human," Jareth went on, "the Labyrinth is too powerful and complex to solve. I didn't realize this when I created it, not until it was too late. Since I am a rauko, it is an extension of my power. Its magic is untamable and invulnerable. I can destroy it no more than I can destroy myself. That's why the only way for you to have become the Champion, was through my aide. But all the others, yes, plenty of them gave up as I said, but those that really tried with all of their might were still doomed to failure."
There was a pregnant pause before Sarah spoke.
"That's why you're so adamant about people forgetting." She concluded. "Because you knew there was no way they'd make it."
He nodded solemnly, awaiting her reaction.
"Well…you should've told me sooner," she noted in slight agitation, "but your magic is a part of you, Jareth. I've already accepted that."
"You said yourself you didn't know the Labyrinth was unbeatable at the time," she shrugged, "so it's not your fault."
He lowered his gaze as he crossed back to the fireplace.
She shook her head in annoyance.
"Frankly, I'm a little offended that you thought that'd be a deal-breaker for me. I mean, come on! Did you really think my whole image of you would shatter over that?"
"You're image of me is false." He murmured.
"Excuse me?"
"You don't know what I am, Sarah."
"Oh for God's sake! Why does everyone keep saying that?!" She groaned, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I already told you, Jareth, I don't care what Arkus or that stupid Fey Council thinks! And you shouldn't either!"
"They're right to shun me."
"No they're not, Jareth!" She insisted firmly. "You didn't do anything!"
"You're wrong."
"I am not! You said that-"
"I said that most, but not all raukos commit monstrous acts." He almost snarled, whipping his head around to face her. "But I never counted myself among those precious few, did I?!"
As his words sunk in, an icy chill crept up Sarah's spine.
No, he didn't.
The Fey Council must've sent Arkus sniffin' 'round to check up on the king.
Why is Jareth the only fey in the Labyrinth?
Did something happen to him, Gookie?
Please don't ask me, miss.
It ain't my story to tell…
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE IS!
I'm an outcast. A bitterly hated outcast.
Because they're afraid…Of what I'm capable of.
…driven mad by the rejection and isolation…
…they lose control and go on a rampage…
You don't know anything about that rauko.
"Jareth, what did you do?" She struggled to keep her tone even.
He turned his back to her, hiding his pained expression as he stared at the dancing flames in the hearth.
"Tell me, Jareth." She pleaded gently. "Tell me and let me decide if I can handle it or not."
His shoulders hunched in reply.
As the silence stretched on, her dread increased tenfold and a shiver ran through her.
"What did you do, Jareth?"
A/N: Dun. Dun. DUN!