Note: All rights go to the real creators of the Labyrinth. I don't own any of this. Tis but a fan fiction.

Chapter 4

A long hallway stretched out before her. The walls were bare and white with black and white tiled floors and dim lights hanging from the ceiling. A set of doors was locked behind her leaving her no choice but to go forward.

She took a few uncertain steps, unsure where she was and how she had gotten there? Before she had looked into her computer when she changed locations. Dust from a book couldn't do that.

As she walked down the hall the lights behind her turned off once she exited their reach. Eventually a figure came into view standing before a small window. She didn't need anyone to tell her who it was.

"Why are you doing this?" She called.

He glanced at her mildly. "It's part of the game."

"What game?"

"Our game," he says simply.

She stopped a few feet short of him. If he was going to try to touch her again he would have to move on her.

"That means nothing to me."

He smiles. "I would like to propose a prize for our game."

"What is the game?"

He abandoned his spot on the wall to step towards her.

"One more maze, one more prize."

She just glared at him.

"Don't look at me like that," he pouted. "It's different this time."

"Different how?"

"Last time, you had no choice in joining the game. This time you do," he offered.

Sarah frowned, "Then why the hell would I play?"

"Then you would lose," he said.

Sarah gritted her teeth, turning away from him so she could regain her composure. She couldn't deal with him this way.

"I'm not playing and I'm not losing anything," she told him.

He shrugged. "Wouldn't you at least like to hear the rules?"

She sighed but said nothing.

"Another Labyrinth. But this time you don't fight me. You have to win on your own."

"Win what?"

He looks at her sternly, "hush now, dear, I am getting to it."

She waited as patiently as she could. While she waited she made a show of studying the tiles on the floor, counting each black one and each white one.

Finally he went on. "You see, Sarah, since you left my game I have had a rather hard time moving on. I've never had an opponent beat me before. Especially not one so young. It left a lasting impression in my lonely heart."

"Your lonely heart," Sarah echoed.

"Yes," he shot her a sharp look, "And for two years now I have been trying to get over it. But, well, I can't seem to do that. So what else am I to do but create one more game?"

"You could find someone else," she suggested.

"Can't do that. All that's left to do is try again. Which brings us back to our little game. Like I said, one more Labyrinth, only this time I won't be giving you the luxury of having your friends along," he paused for a moment, waiting for her reaction. When she maintained a straight face he continued with a pout. "You will face seven challenges. If you can beat them all you win."

"And what do I win?"

He smiled mischievously at that. "Your freedom."

"You're going to hold me captive if I lose?" She asked, horrified.

"No, no," he assured her, "Not in the sense you are thinking. I want you and you want to be free of me. If you win you get your wish. If you lose… I get mine."

That stopped her from saying anything more. If she didn't win she would be tied to Jareth. That's what he was saying. But what did that mean? Did she have to go out with him? Did she have to marry him? She didn't know if she liked either option.

"What if I say no?" She said quietly.

He shrugged elegantly, "Then you lose. If you want we can skip all the trouble and go to dinner. I'm a great cook…"

"No!" She shouted, "I beat you before and I will beat you again."

"That's what you want?" He honestly looked disappointed. His eyes trained downwards then and he refused to look at her.

"Yes. I want to decide my own way in life," she told him.

He said nothing. His eyes remained fixed on the ground. For a long moment a soft silence hung in the air. Sarah said nothing.

Then, without warning, he flung his hand up. Sarah flinched, afraid he was going to hit her. Instead the tiles peeled from the floor around her, caving in. The floor fell out beneath her.

Before she could scream or reach out to him she blacked out.

PS: Please be patient with the uploading of chapters from now on because I got a puppy and it is taking a lot of time out of my day.