Sarah awoke the next morning slightly startled. Her memory of returning to the Underground seemed like nothing but a wonderful dream. She sighed in relief when she realized it was not just a dream, but reality. A smile spread across her sleepy face and she stretched her arms and legs across the four post bed. As she began to sit up, a knock came at the door. Her heart rate began to speed up as she thought Jareth would be standing at the other side of the door. Quickly, she leaped out of bed and ran toward the door to open it.

But to her disappointment, it was just Ms. Winthrop standing on the other side.

"Good morning, dear," said Ms. Winthrop. "May I ask how you slept last night?"

Sarah smiled. "Oh, yes I slept wonderfully. Thank you for asking." She peeked her head outside of her bedroom door hoping to find that Jareth would be wandering around the halls. However, she just found herself disappointed again. She looked down at the goblin standing in front of her. "If I may ask, where would the Goblin King be this morning?"

Ms. Winthrop walked into Sarah's room and headed for the tall dresser. She pulled out a step stool that sat under the dresser. "He is still preparing for the day in his bedroom chambers. You may find him out on his balcony. He usually spends a bit of time out there in the mornings." Ms. Winthrop continued to climb up onto the step stool and pull out some clothing for Sarah to wear for the day.

"Oh Ms. Winthrop, you do not have to do that for me. If I may, I would like to pick out my own clothing." Sarah walked over to the goblin standing over the dresser drawers.

Ms. Winthrop looked over at Sarah and began stepping off the stool. "As you wish, Ms. Sarah." She began to walk over to the door and stopped to speak. "Would you like me to inform His Majesty that you are looking for him?"

"No, but thank you," Sarah answered pleasantly. Ms. Winthrop finished her walk out of the door and shut it behind her. Sarah continued to rummage through the dresser just as Ms. Winthrop had been doing. What she found was unexpected. There was no Underground clothing to be found. Nothing that may have remotely looked as if it was created here. No, all of what she found seemed to come from her own personal wardrobe at home. She wondered how he had managed to bring her clothing here to her, but knew that it had to do with magic from the Goblin King.

After finding what she had wanted to wear, she slipped on a pair of blue jean shorts and a red tank top. She brushed her long hair, which delicately flowed down to her mid-back. Her one desire at this moment was to find Jareth, but for what reason? Just to see him? Or maybe she wanted to confess her reason for returning? She knew she shouldn't. It would end with Sarah wishing to come home and never return, or Jareth sending her back against her will.

However, she still wondered where he would be.

Outside her balcony door, a snow white owl flew onto the balcony railing and stared inside the window at Sarah. Watching the owl, she walked over to the door and opened it slowly, trying not to startle him. She continued her caution as she walked out onto the balcony, inching closer and reaching her hand out to touch him. To her surprise, the owl inched closer to Sarah until his head was settled under her palm. She giggled and watched as the owl nuzzled his head under her hand. After a few minutes of this, the owl quickly flew away toward the direction of the balcony just a few feet from hers.

Had that balcony always been there? Sarah stood, puzzled what seemed to her as a newly created balcony. She didn't remember seeing this when she stood on the balcony the first time. And an even better question is, whom does it belong to? Her first thought was that it may have belonged to Jareth, but she laughed that idea off. He probably has a secluded room somewhere where no one can ever find him except for those who clean the room. He wouldn't have his room so close to a guest, at least. She looked back at the balcony and saw the owl was gone.

Things aren't always what they seem in this place, Sarah thought, recalling a certain worm who guided her through her first turn when she bested the labyrinth. She sighed and walked back into her room, shutting the door behind her.

A knock sounded at the door which startled Sarah out of her deep thought process about the random balcony appearing out of no where. She walked over to the door and opened to find the Goblin King standing in front of her with the smile that sent Sarah's heart racing like two stallions heading toward the finish line.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Sarah gracefully said, smiling.

"Sarah, dear," Jareth began. "You know very well that you can call me by my given name. As a matter of fact, I insist on it." His smile widened and his eyes softened as he stared into Sarah's gaze. His hand reached over to take hers, and he brought it up to his lips for a gentle kiss. "Good morning, Sarah. I trust you slept well."

Her pale cheeks blushed to a light pink shade. "Yes, very much so. Thank you again for your accommodations. It really has been wonderful so far." Sarah's blush faded away, and she had hoped he had not seen it.

"You are quite welcome. And what a choice of clothing you have chosen today. I must say, they have an interesting taste in clothes Aboveground." Of course, he was talking about the red tank top and blue jean shorts that may have been a bit short which Sarah had on.

"Oh, stop picking on me." Sarah giggled and observed the clothing Jareth had on. His beige billowy shirt opened at the chest, and his black pants hugged every bit of him leading all of the way to his knee where his black riding boots started. His hands, as always, were gloved in black leather.

"I'm not picking, dear. Just admiring." She watched as his eyes traveled from the hairs on her head down to the hem of her rather short blue jean shorts. A smile spread across his face as he brought his eyes back up to meet hers. "May I come in?"

"Oh. Yes, of course," Sarah replied, gesturing for him to enter in. He began to walk into the room, but stopped short of her bed and turned to face Sarah who still stood at the door.

"Now for the reason I am here this morning," Jareth began. "I will be out of the castle for the majority of the day. There are some things I have to take care of with the High Courts, but it should not take me too long. You are more than welcome to explore the castle if you wish as well as the gardens outside of the castle. However, I do urge you to not go beyond the gardens into the Labyrinth. There are certain places where even I couldn't protect you."

Sarah stared as he began to slowly walk to her, moving closer and closer. "Jareth, I wouldn't go back in that Labyrinth even if my life depended on it. I've been through once, and that was enough."

"Very well, Sarah." He stopped within inches of her. She wanted to take his face in her hands and join her lips to his. She wanted his hands to wrap around her waist and pull her as close to him as possible while she tangled her fingers through his long blonde hair.

The silence was deafening. It was almost as if you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. But it they just stood there, face to face. Their eyes on one another's. Sarah's breathing was heavy, her chest rising then falling deeply. Jareth brought his hand up to caress her cheek, but a sudden knock at the door startled them both and he lowered his hand before making contact with Sarah.

"Yes, what is it?" Jareth asked, not taking his eyes off of Sarah's. An armored goblin opened the door and peeked his head in.

"Yer Majesty," he began. "It's time tuh make yer way tuh the High Courts."

"Oh. Very well," Jareth responded as his head turned facing the goblin at the door. He faced Sarah once more. He took her hand into his and brought it to his face, his lips meeting the top of her hand. "I must be on my way. Please remember what I told you, Sarah."

"Jareth, I won't go back into that Labyrinth," Sarah quietly stated. She had no intentions into going back into that Labyrinth. The first time was not pleasant, so why would the second time be any different?

He smiled and began for the bedroom door. Before walking out, he turned to face Sarah once more. "I hope to see you once I return," he added. "But until then, enjoy your first day back in the kingdom, dear Sarah."

And on that note, he was gone.

A/N: Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows, and favorites! And I am sorry it has taken me so long to update! I have been super busy. I hope you are enjoying the story so far. This story was something I had done before when I began writing fanfics, but the detail was lacking and so I thought I would rewrite the story with better detail. However, I am going to go a different route with the story than I had done previously because I became stuck in a rut that I couldn't find my way out of. Right now, I don't know where I am going to go with it, but I have so many ideas! Thanks again for the reviews, and if I am late or something on a chapter, please forgive me! I am a graduate student and a graduate assistant so I am constantly going and always try to find time to write. Keep checking back for more! – MemoriaAmo