Sarah stirred, feeling like a rock was sitting in her skull. She slowly opened her eyes to bright sunlight pouring through the window. Was that dawn's light? What day was it? She heard a door close, earning her attention to her door that was in fact close. Did someone leave? She tried to sit up, but sticking pain shot through her. That's right… She was stabbed. How long ago was that? She laid back in bed, lazily staring at the ceiling. Was Jareth alive? Of course he was… Otherwise she wouldn't be here. Right?

There was a quiet knock on the door.

She turned her gaze to it as it slowly opened to a familiar blond wearing a usual, low-cut blouse and golden necklace– The symbol of his rule. The King's faint smile was enough to make her heart leap in relief. "You're alive," she choked.

"So are you," Jareth commented, approaching her. "A friend let me know that you were awake."

A dwarf stepped from behind him.

Sarah wanted to jump out of bed and hug the dwarf, but was only strong enough to smile. "Hoggle. You're okay."

"Of course I am!" Hoggle replied, crossing his arms. "What did ya except?" He chuckled with humor.

"So that's it then?" She asked, starting to grow tired. "We won?"

Jareth smiled with a nod. "We won. Nalth is dead and you are alive."

"How long was I out for?"

"Twelve hours. Altha wanted to make sure you slept through the night." He then lightly frowned and looked down at the dwarf. "Uh, Hoggle, could excuse us for a moment?"

He glanced at the two of them. "Huh? Oh. Sure." He left the room, closing the door behind.

Jareth approached her with a strange emotion in his unique eyes that she once feared never seeing again. "Altha should not have brought you back, and because of it, you will have to stay here for another week or two. Your wound will take awhile to truly heal and I know you want to return home, but we can't risk it. You can't risk it."

Sarah took a deep breath, getting drowsy. "Don't be upset with her. If it wasn't for her…" She didn't want to think about it. "Did you kill Nalth?"

"Yes; with your sword. We'll talk more later and let you rest." He turned to walk away, but stopped. "And Sarah? Don't ever risk your life to save mine again. Ever." With that, he walked to the door, opened it, then left, carefully closing it.

Sarah just fell back asleep with a smirk on her face.

The recovery did take only a week and a half to heal– Thanks to Altha– but was bedridden for that time. At least Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo all dropped by to see her and in their company, it made her deep that didn't want to go, but had to. The homesickness was taking a toll and it turned out that she was missing for three weeks in her world. Her family must be worried sick and might be searching for her! What was she going to tell them when she goes back?… If she goes back.

After a few days of physical theory– That mostly consisted of strange potions to regain her strength– Sarah was back on her feet and the only thing left was an ugly scar on her abdomen. Other than that, she was feeling pretty good. After spending almost two weeks in bed, she was eager to walk around, but had to return home and put an end to her family's worries. However…

She loved Jareth and had feared for his life. She couldn't just leave, could she? He killed for her as she nearly died for him. She knew that there was probably another man for her in her own world, but not a man like the Goblin King. He was too loyal to betray her. He was too broken to hurt her. He would give her so much to not lose her. His heart would love her till the end and would protect her till the last drop of his blood. If she loved him, he could be her slave. She could break his heart and it would still beat for her. She could make him suffer and he would still die for her. She could make his own love turn into a living hell just by whispering false words.

She could make the Goblin King go to his knees and beg for mercy and no-one had that power but her.

She knew that when he killed Nalth, he had an anger in his heart that she never had seen. She knows him like the back of her hand to the point of what she can do to his heart. She has seen the way he looks at her since she was stabbed and cold rage that gleamed within as if he feared, dreaded, and prayed that was never going to happen again. She heard his silent promises that he would kill again if it meant protecting her. She could feel his defending heart beat within his chest.

Sarah's sword never left the throne's side– It had been cleaned and taken care of since the final battle and Jareth made sure that it was going to be return to its rightful owner as soon as she could walk on her own. For eleven days Sarah was bedridden and only five days ago Altha made her potions to gain back her strength. He understood the elder's reasons to bring Sarah back, and thanks to the human, he had forgiven her. He still trusted her, but if Sarah did die, it would have been a different story. Despite Sarah's long healing process, he was glad that it postponed her stay. He would check on her and tend to her, but now that she was growing stronger and her time here might be coming to an end.

He hoped it wasn't.

She couldn't just let everything that had happened slip away as if it never did occur, could she? She was stabbed, missing for three weeks, and fell in love with him. She wouldn't just sweep it under the rug, right?

Lounging in his throne in the late morning as the goblins were with him, Jareth just stared at the sword leaning against the throne in front of him by his boot.

If she did stay, he knew that she would defend him with that sword as he would protect her and his kingdom with his last breath. If it was not for that brave, clever woman, the Goblin Kingdom would be destroyed.

"Jareth."

The King averted his attention to the entryway and his heart lightened at the sight of the human. She was wearing her typical clothes of jeans and red shirt– A sight that made him uneasy. He stood up and approached her as the goblins around them were noisy as usual. Annoyed, he took her hand and lead her to the side staircase to the chamber of illusionistic stairs. He turned to her with a small smile. "Just to get some quiet. Also, I'm glad to see that you are well and able to walk without the help of a potion." He then frowned– Wanting the question out of the way. "Have you made up your mind?" He hoped to hear what he wanted, but it didn't really work out last time.

Sarah took a deep breath as her gaze drifted down with a slow nod. "I did."

He prepared his mind and heart for her words, begging her to make it quick like a dagger to the heart.

Her hazel eyes met his necklace with sad curiosity and gently picked it up; absentmindedly admiring it. "For fourteen years I've been in the back of your mind," she strongly began. "Now I am back and stayed longer than planned… I love you, Jareth," she looked back in his eyes, pain washing over her own. "But my family is worried about me and if it doesn't work between us, I might be gambling my family and life back home." She slowly lowered the necklace, leaving her hand over it.

Jareth just stared at her, feeling her twisted dagger now at his chest; over his beating heart.

"I can't have both lives." It wasn't just pain now– There was fear and heartache. "I know I will be the death of you," she continued, trying to be strong. "I know that you are capable of doing so much more than what I know of and that terrifies me. I don't want you to risk your all. I know I will get in your line of vision." Her grip over her little dagger began to loosen like an assassin losing the will to kill. "I know that I can break you like Nalth wanted to break you as a wife. I love you, Jareth, but I don't want you to sacrifice your all for me and I can't sacrifice my family for you. This love is hurting us both." She slowly turned her head away.

Jareth, amused by her words, gently took her hand over his necklace as he carefully summoned a crystal that was like a ball of lead in the other hand at his side. "You saved my life." She looked at him as he raised the crystal on the tip of his fingers. "Sarah. You saved me and my kingdom. If anything, you are my protector and, yes, I would die for you, but I will also kill for you." He took a breath, hoping for one last chance of keeping her. "Now, you won't be able to see your family all the time, but we may think of something." He couldn't see why there would be an issue of her returning home once a week or so, but the last thing he wanted was to give her false promises.

Sarah turned her gaze to the crystal.

His heart began to run in his chest, hoping that this was not going to end the same as it did fourteen years ago.