Skye Says: This is it, guys.

The end comes at the conclusion of this chapter.

Thanks for hanging in there for so long.

Chapter Three- Love is a Verb

NO MORE THAN two minutes pass. Jareth fulfills his duty as Goblin King. Sarah is taken away.

But this time, he selects a different location.

Sarah, sitting beside him on the couch. In his apartment.

Jareth, marveling at this turn of events. Marveling at her.

Marveling at life.

Seconds passing. Ticking into minutes. Silence.

"Now what?" Sarah asking, leaning against his side.

Jareth, putting his arm around her.

"Jareth." Her voice sharp. Annoyed.

Jareth grunting.

"You haven't said a thing since you spirited me off." Her arm sliding around his waist. "Don't tell me you're regretting your decision."

Jareth, stifling a laugh at her suggestion. Regret? Ridiculous. He regretted nothing.

Including his decision to bring her here.

"Not at all, Sarah."

Pouting. Tilting her head at him. "Why are you suddenly so... distant?"

Distance? Hm. They were as close as any two people could be physically.

Any closer, and she'd be in his lap.

Or... his bed.

Jareth inclining his head slightly. Reaching out to brush her cheek. Frowning. "I just... I'm not entirely sure about what I thought I heard you say back at your house."

Wanting, more than anything, for what he thought he'd heard to be fact. To be reality. Wanting, more than anything, to hear her say those words again.

Sarah resting her head on his broad shoulder. Trusting him.

For now.

And, hopefully, forever.

Not long at all.

"Well... what do you think I said?" Her words careful. Selected. Hand-picked.

Jareth, staring at her. Unable to answer right away. Unable to do anything but look at her.

Unable to believe that she was here.

With him.

Right now.

"I... I thought," Jareth coughing. Clearing his throat. The words pressing at his larynx. Difficult to voice. "I thought I heard you say that you... er, loved me."

Sarah staring back at him with unparalleled intensity. A smile slowly turning the corners of her lips. Lowering her voice. "I said... I loved you?" Batting her eyelashes. Feigning ignorance.

Driving Jareth nearly over the edge.

"Yes." Hissing through suddenly gritted teeth. Clenching the sofa's armrest. Death grip. "You did." A trace of doubt lingering in his voice. Barely convincing himself.

Swearing internally.

Wasn't she aware of what she did to him?

"I did, didn't I?" A hint of awe in her voice. Surprise, wonder, and something else.

Joy.

Jareth, staring at her again. Astounded. Utterly and completely spellbound. Madly, truly, deeply in love. In love with a woman. In love with a mortal. In love with a child.

Never wanting to be away from her.

Knowing he never would be.

"Sarah," Him, saying after nearly an eternity had a passed. "Marry me."

Sarah beaming up at him. Wide-eyed. Cheeks flushing.

Radiant. Ethereal.

His, all his.

Leaning closer to him. Lifting her chin. Her lips an instant from his.

"Jeez, Goblin King. I was wondering how long it was going to take you." Eyelids slowly shutting. "It's not like I asked you to move the stars or anything..."

Jareth, taking her in his arms and finally kissing her full on the mouth. Enjoying every minute of it. Extraordinarily pleased. Blissful. Jubilant.

Knowing, in that moment, that Merriam Webster was a liar.

Love. Not a noun. Not something that simply waited around for you until you found it.

Love. An active being. Pursuing, hiding, teasing.

Pouncing.

Obviously not a noun.

Jareth, breaking the kiss. Reluctant. "Sarah, do you happen to know a Mr. Webster?"

Sarah, puzzling at this. Her brow furrowing. "No. Why do you ask?"

"It's just... his dictionary proclaims that love is a noun, but it isn't a noun. It can't possibly be a noun."

Kissing her again. Unable to help himself.

"Love..." is a verb."

Sarah surrendering to him completely. Her heart melting. Her will breaking.

Both of them knowing he was right.

Skye Also Says: Like Jareth, I was also a bit confused to find that the word "love" is never mentioned in the dictionary as anything but a noun- an odd thing, considering the fact that it is, indeed, an action as well.

I firmly believe that Merriam Webster was either lying or ignorant to this fact.

Either that, or Jareth the Goblin King knows more about mortal emotions than mortals do themselves.

Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed this story. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.