Hey folks! Thanks again for reading and reviewing this quick (and I would say somewhat unoriginal and cliche) little story. I do believe that these two incarnations of our favorite duo may make a few more appearances. As always, the GK does what he wants in my stories and I cannot quite contain him.

Without further adieu.

Open my chest and colour my spine
I'm giving you all
I'm giving you all
Swallow my breath
And take what is mine
I'm giving you all
I'm giving you all

How had I missed my erstwhile foe? Nothing about him had changed, but I was terribly different. My fifteen year old heart had known him simply as an obstacle, a gamekeeper, and cheat. Yet my adult eyes measured him by a different scale.

The Goblin King was dashing in crimson. His blood-red coat brought out the angles and planes of his face while drawing attention to his fierce eyes. To look at him and remember to breathe was difficult. Mesmerized, I watched the threatening smirk that he wore slip into an openly dangerous smile. In the blink of an eye he melted into the crowd and I was left with a belly full of knots as I attempted to remember how to move my feet in time with the changing music.

The tune had shifted and the steps were rearranged. Circles became pairs and partners were passed rapidly to and fro. With every turn I expected to be thrown into the waiting arms of the Goblin King. But, he was ever elusive. Here and there I'd catch sight of a crimson jacket only to find the owner possessed dark hair or green, brown, or even amber eyes. I more closely resembled the immortals than Jareth did with his pale hair and flashing blue eyes. He should have stuck out like a wolf in a fox den.

Every tick of the clock sent shivers up my spine. It was nearly impossible to keep from stumbling—I was so intent on spying him in the crowd. I needed to know where he was. At one point the music hit a crescendo and a strong pair of hands seized my waist launching me into the air in a graceful twirl of skirts. Butterflies swarmed in my gut as I looked down certain that I had fallen into the clutches of the Labyrinth's master. But, it was just another step in the dance. Three more times I was lifted into the air just to be set back down on my own two feet. Each and every time I feared the moment that I'd see my partner's face. It was never him.

On the fourth such lift I took the opportunity to search the crowd as I was hefted into the air. I was beginning to believe that I'd imagined seeing him at all. Perhaps, I was losing my sanity. Was it possible that I had already spent too much time in the land of twilight? Was I slipping away? Most of all, was that a more comforting thought than actually encountering the King of the Goblins?

My questions came crashing down around me as my feet hit the soft earth and the smell of broken dreams assaulted my senses. More precisely, it was the smell of stolen glances, moonlight, and half-empty wine glasses. Crimson filled my vision, but my feet kept dancing. The music had changed once more and the couples had not separated, they dashed about the clearing in swirling clouds of color.

"You precious thing, what whim of fate brought you spiraling into my arms?" His laughing voice sang softly into my ear. Fear and anticipation hollowed out my stomach and sent my heart beating against my ribcage.

And I run from wolves
Breathing heavily
At my feet
And I run from wolves
Tearing into me
Without teeth

Words fled me. Thoughts were completely abandoned. I was made up entirely of sensation and nerve endings. His hand grasping mine, his fingers curled perfectly into my waist, the brush of his hair against my neck. My heart was slamming in time with the tick of the clock at the far end of the clearing. Before I could utter a syllable, everything stopped.

The dancers turned toward the ivy throne as the clock chimed out a tune of its own. Jareth held my wrist firmly with his gloved hand but his attention, like everyone else's was on the glittering swirl of mist swallowing the empty throne. Slowly it twined about the ivy chair, sinking slowly to the forest floor where it spread, and covered the feet of the still audience. As the mist traveled across the landscape a hearty chuckle chimed through the clearing like a morning bell. I caught only a glimpse of the Winter King. He was tall and fair with auburn hair that curled merrily about his youthful face. But, all the other revelers had sunk into deep bows, so I followed suit. Through the corner of my eye I watched Jareth direct a friendly nod in the direction of the Winter King.

"Friends" boomed the voice of the Winter King, "stand, dance, love! Get on with the celebrations. There will be time enough for petty courtesies." I raised myself up and watched as the jolly fellow grabbed a dainty dark haired woman who he quickly pulled into the reawakened dance.

"No decorum, that's the problem with the Autumn Court, although the Summer is much worse. Once the season matures, however, we will see some real formality. The Winter Court is serious business." Chuckled Jareth.

How had I forgotten him? His voice gave me a violent start. "You didn't even bow." I blurted out in rattled confusion.

"Of course not—he is king for but a season. I am always a king." His grinned as he deftly pulled me back into the dance.

"The real question is how you came to be a spectator of this glorious advent?" An eyebrow arched skyward.

"I'm allowed my amusements you are not my king. I owe you no explanation." Bravery was returning to me. He may have set my heart racing, but he was still the Goblin King and I was still Sarah Williams, champion of the Labyrinth. I held my head higher and played the part of a good courtesan.

"Oh, of course, I have no power over you whatsoever, darling." His leer belied his words as he expertly maneuvered me into a dip and held me there just long enough for the position's tension to creep along my spine. It was hard to understand why he was so civil, so unaffected. I'd beaten him, surly that had rankled his pride, abused his ego. Shouldn't he be furious with me?

"No harm done then? You're not harboring any hard feelings, your majesty?" I narrowed my eyes. Tension radiated from my back to my shoulders as he continued to hold me in the precarious dip.

He frowned for only a moment before a heart-stopping grin enlivened his face. "That's ancient history, dear girl. Besides, all is fair in love and war."

"Exactly," I said as he righted me, I didn't pause to consider his words carefully, dancing was more fun than worrying. It was curious how easily we moved together. Never did he step on my toe or snag my dress. The Goblin King was grace incarnate, I suppose I should have known that, but I'd only ever danced with him once upon a peach induced dream.

"We've been dancing for hours you know." He stated casually.

"It's only been a moment." I replied lightly. But how long had I been there? Was it hours or days? Could I have been dancing in the twilight for honest centuries?

"You've got that doe-eyed, punch drunk look about your eyes." He smiled.

"Oh?" He was right. I felt the blood singing in my veins. I was nearly feverish.

"Miss Williams, I believe it is time for you to go home." Jareth pulled me to him and whispered in my ear.

My eyelids felt heavy and my thoughts were faltering. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right.

"I suppose." I drew back and gave him my best impression of sobriety.

"Do you wish to go home, Sarah?" A gloved finger tilted my head up to stare into his ice blue eyes.

"Yes." I leaned back into him. The world was crimson.

You hover like a hummingbird
Haunt me in my sleep
You're sailing from another world
Sinking in my sea
You're feeding on my energy
I'm letting go of it
She wants it

Cold. That's the first real thought that I had. It was absolutely freezing and I stood outside my house shivering barefoot and wrapped in red gauze like some absurd present.

"Damn!" I rasped. My entire body was sore and my head ached. Thirst made my throat and mouth dry. I scampered to the front door and tried to turn the nob but it refused to budge. My backpack was nowhere to be seen so I was keyless.

"Curses…curses…curses…" I muttered each time my abused feet danced upon the frozen ground. The backdoor was rarely ever locked, I just had to climb a tree to get over the fence to gain access to it. It was all very tedious, but after what felt like an eternity, I reached my bedroom.

I scared myself to death as I pulled open the bedroom door and glimpsed a pale figure. It was only my reflection in the mirror across the room. Sighing out what would've been an embarrassing shriek, I moved closer to the mirror shocked by what I saw there. Wild hair and bright eyes. A mad women bedecked in finery. I was beautiful. A smug smile curved my lips. What must Jareth have thought of me?

Carelessly, I flung the dress off and over the back of a chair and pulled on a huge t-shirt with Ziggy Stardust's face printed across it. I was so happy to collapse onto my bed.

Do you wish to go home, Sarah?

My eyes flashed open.

Had I been foolish enough to allow the King of Dreams* to grant me a wish...again?

Yes.

I rolled out of bed and hurried to the crystal covered window that overlooked the street. He was nowhere in sight, but I couldn't miss the swirling note written in frost across the window pane.

What's said is said.

I can see through you
We are the same
It's perfectly strange
You run in my veins
How can I keep you
Inside my lungs
I breathe what is yours
You breathe what is mine

*The King of Dreams is a title Subtilor uses to refer to Jareth in Thrice Upon A Time (I believe, I'm too lazy to check, but it is one of the shorter stories). I just really like that imagery. And, our favorite GK does dabble in dreams, so it works for me.

The song is Wolves without Teeth. It is a great song. You should be listening to it!