Disclaimer: I do not own The Labyrinth, Sarah, Toby, Jareth or any other Labyrinth characters and I sadly and unfortunately make no money from these writings.

Chapter Five: Teleporting Touch

As soon as Jareth set eyes on Eve and Merrith when they joined him and Julian at the table he was surprised to see that she had brought someone with her and it angered him knowing that it was one of his own goblins. But it wasn't just any goblin, it was the only smart goblin in the entire labyrinth. Was he the one that helped her? He wondered noticing how he cowered a bit behind Eve's hair when he set eyes on him.

Eve noticed Jareth's glare and returned it as Merrith walked down her arm and sat next to her on the table. Her father smiled at them.

"Who's your friend?" Julian asked doing his best to ignore the hostile stares Jareth and his daughter were sharing.

"This is Merrith, the smartest goblin in the labyrinth." She said and he stood and took a bow blushing a bit. They ate in awkward silence as Jareth stole glances at Eve from across the table and she did the same to him. Merrith and Julian were both trying to figure out something to say to break the silence without starting an argument between the two of them.

"So Jareth mentioned you teleported away from him earlier." Julian said and Eve looked up at him.

"He was in my personal space and I freaked out and somehow ended up at Hoggle's house. I didn't even know I could do that." She explained getting an interested look from Jareth.

"Hoggle's?" Jareth asked and Eve ignored him.

"Jareth will have to teach you more about your power. Help you control it." Julian explained and Jareth watched as Eve's face contorted into confusion.

"Why not you?" She asked flashing an angry glare at Jareth before turning her attention back to her father.

"Because… I'm leaving tonight." He announced knowing he had to tell her sometime.

"What?! Why?" Eve demanded.

"It'll be better for you to adjust to the immortal world without me here to hold your hand. Besides Jareth is the one who decided to let you stay here so he's the one that needs to help you get used to our world." Julian explained as Jareth did his best to ignore Eve's icy glare. She was convinced that he had something to do with her father wanting to leave.

"Well fine then, why don't you just leave now?!" She yelled as she stood from the table placing a scared Merrith on her shoulder.

"If that's what you want." Julian said calmly and disappeared. Jareth stared where Julian was just standing as if he'd reappear any second.

"Julian that's not funny." He said out loud standing from his chair. All three of them stared at the same spot for a few moments.

"What did you say to him? I know you did something to make him want to leave." Eve accused.

"You really think I wanted him to leave? It was his choice. What makes you think I want to be stuck training a twenty three year old Halfling that has the potential to be more powerful than me?" He asked unknowingly stepping closer to her.

"Then tell me the real reason he left?!" She demanded making Merrith cover his ears from her yelling. A crystal appeared beside her and floated off with Merrith trapped inside. "What are you doing?!" She attempted to get the crystal to float to her but it disappeared.

"Calm down I just sent him home. He doesn't need to be here." Jareth explained taking a few more steps closer to her this time she took notice and started to back away eyeing him suspiciously.

"Yes he does. Why do you think I brought him with me in the first place? To avoid being alone with you." She said harshly becoming panicked noticing his small steps towards her.

"Well we're alone now and by the way it's what your father wanted! That's why he left. He wanted this! How else could we get you to even talk to me?" He said still slowly inching towards her. He knew he should have kept his distance but his body wouldn't let him. She was trying to teleport away but he blocked her attempts and he knew she realized it as her eyes went wide.

"Let me go!" She screamed getting frustrated that she couldn't get away and Jareth couldn't take it anymore.

"No! All your father keeps telling me is that I need to talk to you, get to know you. So I'm not letting you out of my sight until you start talking!" He yelled as he closed the gap between them and grabbed Eve by the shoulders teleporting them into her room and slammed her into the wall holding himself as far off of her as his arms would allow and quickly released her.

Taking a few steps back he fought himself and won holding back the urge to kiss her again. That was what he wanted, to touch her again and not let go. The feel of her un-awakened power was almost addicting. He'd never been around many Halflings and sensing her power the way he was, was new and a bit overwhelming for him. Eve shook her head to shake the electric feeling away that lingered from his touch.

"Will that ever go away?" She asked angrily as she made her way to her desk.

"Possibly. But I hope not. It's all I have to use against you for now." He admitted trying to clear his head of the thoughts he shouldn't have been thinking when he had her pinned to the wall for just those few seconds.

"Don't… touch me… again…" Eve warned as she sat in her desk chair.

"I can't promise anything." He said making her furrow her brow at him.

"Promise all you want I'm not talking to you. You had months to watch me and get to know me." She grumbled at him and went to work on her drawing. Jareth watched her for a few moments doing his best not to get annoyed with her. She really loved pressing his buttons.

"Ok fine you're right I didn't pay attention I was distracted by Sarah but how was I supposed to know who you were when your Mother hid you like she did?" He said sincerely wishing she'd just give him something. She slowly turned in her chair towards him her annoyed glared melted into anger.

"Alright fine you want me to talk? Do you know why I even wished myself here in the first place...?" She waited a moment making sure she had his attention. "Because my Mother would have rather had me committed to an insane asylum than be embarrassed by how different I was! Hell she even canceled all of my college classes, my one escape from her dreary uptight lifestyle, all because I cut my hair!" Eve explained and took a breath. Jareth was surprised at her sudden outburst and he thought she was done but she stared again.

"What kind of mother sends their ten year old to an asylum? All I did was refuse to wear my stupid brown contacts! I was ten! And so what I liked to draw monsters and play with the neat toys all the other kids got to play with! I was never allowed to be a kid! And then…" Eve went on and on. It was like everything she was holding in was stuffed into a small closet all those years and someone had accidentally opened the door letting all of its contents fall out for everyone to see. For Jareth to see. He was incredibly surprised at how much she had already been through for her age. So much pain and suffering for one person. No wonder Julian was angry with him for forgetting about his promise. He sat and listened intently while also noticing how incredibly strong she was for enduring everything she had and still be as stubborn as she was towards him.

For the first time in a long time he decided to remove his gloves and ran his fingers over her silk comforter as she continued on. He enjoyed watching all the different emotions play on her face as she spoke and was unsure what to do when she began crying.

"So now I'm here and finally free from all of that. I wish I could see the look on my Mother's face if she knew where I was and what I am, she probably isn't even trying to find me. She never really cared about me, I was always a burden to her… At least now I know who my real father is…" She sobbed wiping her tears away taking in deep breaths. He watched as she looked so vulnerable resting her face in her hands. He stood from her bed and she didn't even look up at him as he stood less than a foot away from her.

Jareth couldn't fight what he was about to do. He stood over her and could smell her sweet scent. She smelled like fresh ripe strawberries and her skin looked so soft, it made him hungry for things he never even imagined doing with Sarah. Her face was still in her hands and she had gone quiet. He knew he should have stopped himself but his hand removed hers from her face and he tilted her chin up towards him and placed both of his hands on either side of her face pulling her to her feet. Surprisingly she didn't fight back as he wiped the remaining tears from her eyes with his thumbs.

The feel of his hands on her face was so intense. Why did he take his gloves off? Was he overwhelming her on purpose? She couldn't move trapped by the powerful feeling coursing between them. She just poured herself out to him and now he's trying to kiss her yet again. She wanted to say something, push away from him, anything, but he had her trapped with his overwhelming touch and his lips met with hers. He tangled his fingers into her hair with one hand and pulled her closer to him holding her against him with the other. The power irradiating off of her with so much contact between them was engulfing him with all these new desires that she had created in him. It was so difficult for him to behave himself and not take complete advantage of the whole situation.

Eve concentrated on dulling out the sensation of his power, but it was no use and just when she thought things couldn't get worse a warm sensation shuttered through her body and she gained control of her arms again only they seemed to have a mind of their own. Her hands trailed from the sides of his shirt to his back making him take in a deep breath and part from their kiss. He looked at her questioningly wondering why she hadn't pushed him away yet before quickly being pulled into another kiss by her.

She didn't have a clue what had come over her but now she was the one kissing him. Jareth was tempted to go further but he knew he had to stop her. She had never done anything like this before and he knew she was just doing what her body was telling her to do. There was no way he could live with himself yet alone survive Julian if he allowed it to go any further. He enjoyed it for a moment before pulling away again. She tried to pull him back and he had to place his hand over her mouth to stop her from kissing him again.

"Eve, what are you doing?" She glared at him and attempted to move his hand from her lips wanting more. "Evelyn! Stop!" He yelled and quickly twisted away from her making her catch herself on the bed. His gloves appeared on his hands before he sat on the bed next to her. She lay on her side looking away from him. Her head was spinning from everything. What did she just do? Why did she attack him like that? Did he do something to her? She shook her head to clear it and stared at her pillows not wanting to look at him.

"Get away from me. I don't know what you did to me to make me want to do that but if you ever…"

"That was all you. I can't control you remember? It's called hormones. You've never been in this kind of situation before I take it. It happens to everyone." He explained before she could finish threatening him.

"I know what hormones are!" She yelled at him sitting up glaring at him with her arms crossed. "Just get out of my room! Now!" She screamed pointing at her door.

"It's ok. I did kind of cheat by overpowering you the way I did." He admitted flexing his hands in his gloves and reached over to her to move a stray strand of hair out of her face making her flinch away from him.

"Don't touch me. I'm mad at you. I open up to you, then you go and take advantage of me?! What in the hell is wrong with you?! No wonder Sarah never wanted you…" Eve said coldly.

"That's because I wasn't meant to be with her, it's obvious I was supposed to be with you all along. And I'm sorry I forgot about your father's promise to me. You wouldn't have been through all those horrible things that you had to endure in the mortal world if I hadn't been so obsessed with Sarah and took you in instead like I was supposed to. But I want to fix it… you…"

"Ok you want to fix it? Then take me back to the mortal world so I can confront my Mother."She interrupted him a bit afraid to hear more from him also knowing that he'd agree to whatever she said at this point.

"Ok but you'll have to wait it's the middle of the night there." He explained wondering what she had in mind.

"Alright I'll wait till she's at a social event or something with all of her snobby friends and we'll both go." She said firmly sitting at her desk and stared at her unfinished drawing for a few moments before continuing on it ignoring Jareth watching her intently.

"Are you sure you want me to go with?" He asked leaning on her desk.

"Yes because otherwise I might do something drastic and stupid." She replied not looking up from her work.

"I thought I was the one that made you do stupid things." He laughed and her pencil stopped for a second then continued as she ignored his comment. "What not going to kick me out?" He taunted curious as to why she hadn't kicked him out the second he snapped her back to her senses after he had stopped her from kissing him again.

"Only if you hover over me while I finish this. Plus everyone around here is convinced that we need to be together and that I need to give you chance. So don't push your luck." She warned and he sat in the window closest to her desk.

Eve was surprised, but she was actually starting to like him a bit. The fact that he stopped her from doing something incredibly stupid that she knew he wanted to happen was comforting. She continued to work on her drawing as he watched her. He was enjoying watching her as her face changed between emotions as she drew. Time was lost on him as he watched her admiring everything about her.

"Done." She said interrupting the silence looking rather pleased and Jareth stood from the window and walked around her desk standing unnaturally close to her testing her boundaries as he looked down at her drawing. "Personal space." She mumbled angrily and he politely took a step away from her.

Now standing in the center of her picture was her as she was with her father on one side of her and Jareth on the other only he was dressed in more modern clothes similar to her father's. He was drawn in a cream colored silk shirt and had on black silk dress pants with gloves that matched wearing his necklace. Beside Jareth stood a short man dressed in brown trousers with white hair and brown vest with matching slacks and a hat who looked an awful lot like Hoggle. A small dark skinned boy stood beside her father with spikey hair and a grin on his face dressed in red resembling Merrith. The large house behind them had little faces peeking out the windows and a few in the garden all with red eyes and crazy hair just like the goblins of the labyrinth.

"Interesting." Jareth said eyeing himself in the drawing. "Can I put this in my room?" He asked and she eyed him up and down noticing he was now wearing what she had drawn him in.

"Er… if you really want to. You like it that much?" She asked taken a bit by surprise.

"Of course. No one has ever drawn my kingdom before. I love it." He said picking it up off the desk and put a hand on her shoulder teleporting them to his room. Eve was confused by the sudden room change and found herself sitting on a large canopy bed made of dark wood. The sheets were made of dark burgundy colored silk. When she realized whose bed she was on she quickly stood to see Jareth hanging her already framed drawing just across from his bed on the wall just below a small candle lit chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

"Why am I in your room?" Eve asked looking around the room. Large windows overlooked different parts of the labyrinth with the drapes all open to let the sun light in. Several small chandeliers lined the ceiling and a single candle was placed between each window.

"To let you know that you're welcome in here whenever you want." He turned and smiled at her deviously. She rolled her eyes at him and started to head for the door. He couldn't help but taunt her and went after her. "Where are you going? I was hoping we could work on a few things before dinner."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked crossing her arms giving him a somber look.

"I don't mean it like that. I mean I want to teach you a few things about your powers." He explained and Eve let her arms fall to her sides as she glared back at him.

"Does it involve you touching me?" She asked.

"Only if you want it to." He replied trying not to smile.

"Alright fine. But no touching." She said loosening up a bit as a crystal appeared on Jareth's finger tips.

He had her practice controlling the flight of the crystal around the room and told her all the different things you could use them for. After they teleported all over the castle and Eve understood how to take things and people with her in the process they went and had dinner. She could tell that he was really trying to contain himself around her and give her some space. He was thankful that she hadn't pushed him away at all especially since they had to touch several times during teleporting. She had only been in his castle for less than forty eight hours and he was beginning the find that he really liked her. He knew it wasn't easy for her to put up with him yet alone just up and accept who she really is when she was hidden from the truth her whole life.

After dinner Jareth walked her up to her room before returning to his own. He didn't press to join her since they spent most of the day together knowing he should give her some space. Eve sat on her bed and stared at her door for a few moments sorting her thoughts. Unfortunately she had to admit to herself that he wasn't as bad as she thought he was. He had helped her out a lot and was patient with her whenever she messed things up. Earlier she had accidentally teleported them into a small closest somewhere in the castle and despite the situation he still behaved and was extremely patient with her.

She sighed remembering the last time they kissed wishing there was a way to dull the electric feeling between them when they touched. It would be nice to even just hold hands with him and not become overwhelmed and just enjoy the feel of his hand in hers. She knew he'd probably think it stupid but it was something simple that she wished she could just experience and enjoy for the first time. Her own mother wouldn't even hold her hand when she was little if she felt scared or intimidated whenever she was dragged to her events.

Thinking about her mother reminded her that Jareth had promised he'd take her back to the mortal world to confront her mother. She summoned a crystal and saw her mother arriving at one of her friends houses. It seemed like all of her hoity toity friends were there. They all sat in a large room around a table sipping on tea. Her mother was greeted by several of her friends who gave her their condolences on her running away. One of the women whispered in her ear telling her that Sarah would thankfully not be joining them since she was spending the day out with her husband. Eve closed her hand over the crystal as it disappeared.

Jareth was sitting in the window facing the goblin city. Torches were being blown out and everyone was quieting down getting ready for sleep. It had been over a millennium since the last time he slept, luckily as an immortal he didn't need sleep. Sleep was one of those mortal comforts he grew out of early in his immortal life. Though he wouldn't mind attempting it if it meant he could share a bed with Eve. Just thinking about it sent a warm shiver through him. He was startled when he felt Eve's power and a hand on his shoulder.

"I want to go now." Eve demanded with anger in her eyes. Jareth stared back at her for a moment before figuring out what she was pertaining to.

"Are you sure? Maybe we should wait a few days." He suggested knowing that throwing her back and forth between both worlds probably wasn't such a good idea.

"No now. The sooner I confront her the sooner I can forget about all the horrible things she's put me through." Eve said standing her ground.

"Alright." He sighed knowing she'd fight him till she got her way. As much as he didn't want her back up in the mortal world she did deserve to confront her mother after everything she had been through. He was about to put his hand on her shoulder to teleport them when she quickly grabbed him by the hand and did it herself. They were standing right outside the house her mother and her friends were in. Eve had released his hand and was holding her head in pain.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow." She mumbled to herself as a shooting pain filled her head. "Was it supposed to hurt like that?"

"Yes! Halflings shouldn't be teleporting between worlds! What were you thinking?" He yelled and caught her as she almost fell while holding her head. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist and pulled one of his hands to her forehead and held it there for a moment.

"That feels better." She said releasing his hand as the pain subsided.

"We should go back." He suggested and she glared at him as she backed away from him.

"No, we're already here. I need to do this." She said firmly and went inside. Jareth grumbled and followed after her making sure to stay out of sight. Eve made her way through the house and slowly entered the room her mother and her friends were in. They were all talking amongst themselves and after a moment one of them looked her way and gasped.

"Who are you? How did you get in here?" She asked in a nasally voice and everyone turned their attention to Eve gasping and gaping. Her mother was silent with a look of remorse on her face.

"Hi mom, nice to see that my absence hasn't affected you at all." Eve said non chalantly as she walked across the room to her.

"Evelyn is that you?" One of her mother's friends asked.

"Of course it's not. She ran away. She doesn't look anything like her." Her mother denied.

"Really Jennifer? If I can call you that. You weren't much of a mother hiding me from everyone never letting me be who I really was and now you're denying that I'm even yours. God forbid you get embarrassed in front of your friends. I found Julian my real father and he told me everything. I'm sorry it had to be this way. But you left me with no choice. I'm not meant to live in your world. You did this to yourself. You should have treated me like a daughter instead of like a pawn in your little fantasy world that you and your so called friends live in. Hope you enjoy your out of date lifestyle without me. Goodbye." She said firmly and turned and left the room as he mother's friends whispered amongst each other. Her mother called out to her and she ignored her pleas of sorry. As she walked past Jareth she grabbed him by the arm and teleported out of there and back to the castle's throne room.

The pain from before returned and she quickly grabbed both of Jareth's hands and placed them on either side of her head. The tingling sensation from his power made the stabbing pain subside. He ran his hands down her face and tilted her head to look him in the eyes.

"Don't do that again. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep teleporting between our worlds." He warned staring into her. She stared back up at him dazed from his touch. She heard what he had said she was just enjoying the numbing feeling of his touch. Jareth hesitantly removed his hands from her face and she gave him an un-amused look.

"Ow. Why'd you let go, it was making my head feel better." She whined rubbing her temples. Jareth huffed staring down at her.

"So now you like it when I touch you?" He asked trying to hold back a smile.

"Not like that." She corrected rolling her eyes. "I think I'm going to bed now."

"That's probably a good idea." He agreed and walked her to her room. "Here drink this." He handed her a warm cup of herbal tea.

"What is it?" She asked with a raise eyebrow.

"It'll make you feel better. Just drink it and go to sleep. You've been awake for almost twenty four hours." He said concerned.

"Ok dad." Eve rolled her eyes at him.

"That's not even remotely funny." Jareth replied drearily.

"Alright, alright." She groaned taking a sip of the tea then quickly gulped the rest of it down and handed the empty cup to him. "Good night." She said abruptly and quickly closed the door not wanting to deal with the awkwardness that could have been. She sighed and fell into bed kicking her shoes off. Once her head hit the pillow she fell asleep on top of the comforter still dressed in her clothes.

Jareth sat in her window and watched her sleep for awhile and drew the curtains when the sun came up. He finally went down to the throne room and sat in his throne for awhile watching the younger goblins play in the pit in the center of the room. Since when did the throne room turn into a day care for the younger goblins? As he watched them play he started to wonder about having a child of his own. He'd always wanted one, but never found anyone he thought was good enough to do so with. Eve was twenty three and her father was twenty six when he turned immortal. That gave him three years to win her over in the hope she'd want to give him a child. He laughed out loud to himself as he imagined proposing the idea to her. Making the little goblins laugh hysterically with him.

Eve was awoken by a small tug on the back of her shirt. She sat up in bed to find Merrith standing beside her on the bed looking incredibly frightened and worried.

"Eve, oh I ran as fast as I could to get here!" Merrith said out of breath. "It's Toby! He's about to wish Sarah's baby Lillian away!"

"Not if I can help it!" Eve said determined and teleported to the mortal world to stop him.