AN: Okay, this is super old. It's been sitting half-typed, half-written for literally years. Not my shiniest work, but I figure'd post it anyway. You've gotta love the Labyrinth. Soooo much potential there.
I am working on a Thranduil/Kagome fic and if I ever finish it I'll get it up. It's alternately extremely fun to right and like beating my head against the wall.
He had faded, Sarah remembered reluctantly. He had burst into her life in a maelstrom of glitter and flashing crystals. Even dressed so terrifyingly, wonderfully somber in the black armor, he was vibrant. He commanded attention; would own her eyes whenever he benevolently graced her with his presence. And his eyes? His eyes slashed her to pieces. They tore through every mask she wore-every barrier she possessed. She hated him for that alone.
Your eyes can be so cruel.
But there was amusement there, as well. His faey eyes danced with a challenge so different from the one his mouth proposed. Would she accept? Could she? Perhaps, had Toby been safely sleeping in his crib. Perhaps, had she not been fifteen and so very prickly, independent, blind. It didn't matter either way; Toby hadn't been safe and there was nothing Sarah wouldn't do to get him back.
Nothing.
Tra la la.
She didn't notice it during the actual adventure. It was only long after-when she finally allowed herself to relive every single magical memory-that she remembered. By the end of the game, Jareth had faded. He had stood before her with pale skin and white feathers showing the dry bones beneath. His hair no longer glittered and those haunting eyes snapped wounded from behind his final fire. Sarah had been filled with a confidence she'd never known at that last standoff. She could do it; she could save her brother! And that closed her eyes to the sight before her. He was so changed from the man who'd brought them both to that place.
It's just a crystal, nothing more.
Sarah felt the words spill out of her and begin to rip the world apart. Still he stood there, with his hand out and her dreams waiting.
Love me, fear me, do as I say…
And this fear was nothing like hanging precariously from a limb over a life of stench. It paled the fear she felt running through filthy tunnels with knives swirling behind her and death forcing her to literally bust down a wall. This fear even trivialized the fear she knew when Jareth first stormed into her small world like an avenging devil Lucifer forgot to-couldn't-chain.
Careful, Sarah…
The fear that shook her as she woke in her bed froze her bones and flattened out her eyes. She was a selfish girl with selfish dreams and wants. But there was a compassion in her that allowed that fear to feed the guilt and the shame of destroying something she could never understand. Selfish, yes, but not heartless; not completely.
I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me.
And she knew it-could see it-there in her memories of that time. She had drained the life of the Goblin King.
Sarah shook her head to dispel the thoughts coming home always stirred. It had only been a game; a freak adventure that meant nothing-to him or to her. A cynical smile twitched at her lips. Except it had meant something to her. As she turned into the drive of her childhood home, Sarah allowed herself to indulge in a small bit of selfishness. Selfishness that permitted her to blame the Goblin King: drained, dead, or alive, for everything that had happened since then. She felt guilty and angry in equal measure towards him. She hated herself for not being able to just freaking let go.
What's said is said.
With a sigh of resignation, the woman now in her mid twenties pulled her luggage from her car and strode slowly up to the door of her childhood home. Hearing paws thump against the porch, she turned with a smile, only to have it slide from her face. Merlin had died years before. It was only her imagination conjuring up the familiar sound of the beloved dog.
What a pity…such a pity.
"You would say that," Sarah mumbled with a half smile, "bastard."
She turned when the door was thrown open with a cry of "Sarah!"
"Oomph!" Sarah exclaimed as she caught the whirlwind that threw itself into her arms. Laughing, she hugged him closer. "Oh, Toby, you just saw me two weeks ago."
The boy grinned and wiggled to be put down. "I know, but that time I was staying with you. This time, we have all of my toys to play with! Come on," he urged, grabbing one of her suitcases.
Sarah lugged up her duffel bag and followed the lumbering boy into the house. His face was turning red from the strain of carrying the load, but he was determined. His sister hid a smile and let him carry it to the foot of the stairs.
"Toby, why don't you let me take my stuff upstairs and you go let Dad and Karen know I'm here?"
He looked unsure for a moment, but after a quick glance at the looming staircase, decided that was a good idea. "Okay, but I'll be right back. Dad said he would grill something if you got here early enough."
A reply was rendered useless as Toby was already disappearing around the corner. With an affectionate smile, Sarah gathered her things and trudged up to her old room. It had undergone transformations along with its inhabitant. The only thing that stayed the same was the white vanity and chair. Some part of Sarah wouldn't let her sever that last tie to the Labyrinth.
The suitcases fell to the floor at the foot of her bed. Standing back up, Sarah stretched out her shoulders and back before drifting over to the dressing table. Hesitantly, she trailed a hand over the edge as she took a seat in front of the round mirror.
It's only forever, not long at all.
Arms around her shoulders had her nearly leaping into the air. Toby shrieked with giggles and scrambled around to stand in front of her.
"Scared ya! What'd ya bring me?" His blue eyes twinkled merrily at her.
Sarah sniffed haughtily and rose to look down at him. "I don't know that you deserve a gift."
Toby grinned, "Come on, Sarah! I know you've got something for me. You always bring me something."
Arching a brow, the older girl peered at him. "I do, do I? Well maybe I realized what a horribly spoiled little doorknocker you are. Isn't a visit from me present enough?"
"Well, I do like it when you come to play with me," he hedged, not wanting to hurt her feelings lest she take back what he knew she had brought him.
Shoulders slumping, Sarah fell back onto the bed. "I'm just not good enough unless I've brought you something, though, right?"
Toby jumped on the bed and smiled down at her. "Please? I'm a horribly spoiled little doorknocker," he said in his cutest voice using his most pleading puppy dog eyes.
Rolling her eyes, Sarah laughed. "All right, all right. Here," she said with a flourish of her hands. A crystal appeared and gyrated around her fingertips as she stood and glared at her brother.
Toby grinned, bouncing on his knees. "Say the words!"
"You have to start it," Sarah answered, still playing with the orb.
The boy nodded. "What's that?" he obediently began.
Sarah glanced nonchalantly at the crystal. "It's just a crystal, nothing more," she rumbled in a deep voice unlike her own, "but, if you turn it this way, and look into it, it will show you your dreams." Pinning him with a look, she offered the crystal to him. "Do you want it?"
Toby reached out to take it eagerly, only to have his sister snatch it back. "Then forget the baby," she finished.
Standing bravely, Toby frowned and pointed at her "Never, Goblin King! Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city, to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great; you have no power over me!"
Grabbing her chest, Sarah gasped dramatically and flopped back onto the bed. "No! You got me!"
Giggling, Toby held out his hand expectantly. "Fork it over, Sarah. And you know the Goblin King would never say that."
Sarah arched a brow. "Since I'm the one who created that story and the Goblin King, I'd say he'd do whatever I made him do." Seeing his still outstretched hand, she relented and tossed the crystal at him.
The moment it touched his hand it popped and became the latest video game he'd been wanting. Shrieking in glee, Toby hugged his sister and began doing his victory dance around her room.
Just as he was finishing, the door opened to reveal Karen wiping her hands on a towel and smiling. As soon as she saw what Toby was so excited about, however, her smile faded.
"Sarah," she said with disapproval, "I thought I'd asked you not to bring him so many video games. He spends enough time inside as it is."
"It's just one," Sarah answered with equal disapproval. "And, I haven't gotten him one in a few months."
Karen sighed and motioned for Toby. "Go wash up for supper."
He cast a short, apologetic look at Sarah before moving to do as he was told. Sarah stood and straightened her clothes before arching a brow at her stepmother. Stepping forward, Karen shut the door.
"I don't mean to jump on you, Sarah," she started, rubbing her nose. "Toby's been having some problems at school and I don't want him to hole himself up with video games as his only friends."
Sarah frowned. "What kind of problems?"
"The teachers say he's not paying attention in class and I think a few of the other kids are picking on him because of his drawings."
That hit particularly close to Sarah. "I'll see if I can get him to tell me about it. Are his grades slipping?"
Karen shook her head. "No, but he's not putting much effort into his studies, either." Visibly, she shook herself. "Enough of that, though. I'm glad you could get the weekend off. Your father brought a whole slew of fireworks. You know how he gets."
Grinning, Sarah followed the woman down the stairs. "Is Toby going to get to light any this year?"
With a long-suffering sigh, Karen nodded. "The two of them tag-teamed me."
Sarah laughed and walked out onto her family's patio.
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Later, Sarah braced herself and stared into her vanity mirror. It had been ten years since she'd run the Labyrinth and she could no longer deny the changes happening to her. She needed answers.
"Hoggle, I need you," she said quietly.
A moment later, he was smiling at her from the other side of the mirror. "Sarah! I wondered if you'd get a chance to call this weekend."
She smiled back. "I can for a bit, but I have something important to talk about."
He nodded and eyed her suspiciously. "You ain't thinkin' 'bout gettin' back together with that moron, is you?"
Blinking, Sarah looked at him in confusion. "What? Jeff? No way!" Rolling her eyes, she shrugged off that unrelated train of thought. "No, this is about me, Hoggle."
She bit her lip and decided to go with the most flamboyant example. Raising her hands, she conjured a crystal and waved it around her hand.
"Don't tell me this is normal."
Hoggle goggled at her and the crystal before sputtering, "H-how did you do that?"
She shrugged and made the orb disappear. "I don't know. It came to me a few years ago-this ability. It took me a long time to be able to control it."
Drawing herself up, Sarah looked straight into Hoggle's wide eyes. "I think I need to talk to Jareth. He's the only person I know that can do that."
Recovering himself, Hoggle ran a hand over his eyes. "Oh, missy, I don't know if he'll answer you. You's the only person who's ever beat his game. He won't be happy with that, no matter how long it's been."
"I know, Hoggle, but I don't think I have any other choice. Do you know anyone else who could help me?"
Hoggle shook his head. "Jareth is more than just the King of the Goblins, Sarah. He's High Prince of the Underground and the premier Mage. No one knows magic like he does."
A sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. "I guess all I can do is try. If he doesn't come, I'm no worse off."
The Dwarf hesitantly nodded. "Just watch your words, Sarah. They have power by themselves, but if you's wieldin' magic, they could be very dangerous. Don't lose your temper."
Sarah took a shuddering breath. "Okay. Keep my cool and try not to piss off a High Faey who sort of hates me. Piece of cake."
Let's see how you deal with this little slice.
Hoggle chortled. "Let me know what happens."
Then, he disappeared. Sarah debated putting it off and fixing herself up, but decided against it. He'd seen her begging for her brother. She doubted she could look worse now than then. Fortifying herself, she stared again into her mirror.
"Jareth, King of the Goblins, may I speak to you?" She figured it couldn't hurt to be overly polite.
After a long moment, Jareth's unearthly face appeared in the mirror, making her breath catch. Ten years was a long time and she'd forgotten how beautiful he was.
"Well, this is a surprise," he sneered. "To what do I owe this honor?"
Clenching her hands, Sarah steeled herself to show him. Reaching out, she conjured another crystal.
"I needed to know what's happening to me," she answered, meeting his suddenly serious gaze.
Jareth's eyes narrowed as he then focused on her face. "What else?"
Swallowing, Sarah pulled her hair back to reveal ears that were starting to point at the tips. With a tissue, she wiped off her makeup that had been covering the shimmer of her skin and markings around her eyes.
When she finally looked back to him, his brow was arched incredulously. "How long has this been occurring?"
Sarah rolled the crystal absently before banishing it. "The crystals started a few years ago any time I got overly emotional. The other started so gradually I didn't notice for a long time." She shrugged. "It took me a long time to even control the appearance of the crystals, much less make them actually turn into something."
"And, it never occurred to you to ask for help sooner?" he drawled.
With a flush, she stayed silent. Jareth rolled his eyes and straightened.
"I'll see what I can find. Until then, don't do any more magic."
Sarah nodded and then couldn't stop herself from asking about something that had bothered her for years.
"Are you sending me dreams?"
He blinked and then a slow, sexy smirk stole across his lips. "Why do you think I would do that, Precious? Have you been dreaming of me?"
"Not exactly," she hedged. "I dream about the Labyrinth. I have every night since I came back. Sometimes, I even dream about other runners."
His brows furrowed. "A most unusual riddle."
Leaning forward, Sarah met his eyes squarely. "What price will you demand for your help?"
A deep chuckle blossomed from his chest. The sound sent a shiver of desire up Sarah's back. Jareth was sex incarnate; she would have to be very, very careful with him.
"At least you learned something from your sojourn into my domain," he half-complimented. "However, as this seems to stem from my lands, I'll forego a price until I learn more."
Sarah relaxed slightly and smiled. "Thank you."
He looked at her curiously for a minute before nodding and disappearing.
For a long while, Sarah simply sat hugging herself and trying to calm her racing heart. She was pleased with herself and couldn't imagine the meeting going better. With a relieved sigh, she got ready for bed.
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Jareth, meanwhile, stepped away from his mirror with churning thoughts. He'd known the Labyrinth had allowed Sarah's friends to visit and that she'd managed to keep her memories of her time in his world. He'd never really thought about it or dared to ponder her ability to call him. Her summons was more of a request and that had set the tone for the visit. He couldn't deny he'd been curious. His crystals couldn't show her to him since she'd beaten him and returned Aboveground.
The reason for her summons was serious, however. Jareth had no doubt that if she progressed as she was, she would bare only a passing resemblance to humans in a few years. Her ability to perform crystal magic was another problem.
Rubbing his chin, Jareth decided to bypass the library and head straight for the heart of the Labyrinth. A swirl of glitter later and he disappeared only to emerge in a large cavern. In the middle, from floor to ceiling, was a mammoth multi-faceted crystal. Strolling to it, Jareth nodded respectfully.
"Well, my girl, what have you done now?"
Inside the crystal, broken images of a fifteen year old Sarah appeared. She smiled sweetly and spoke in a voice entirely unlike the real Sarah.
"You don't like my new anchor?"
Jareth narrowed his eyes. "Explain yourself."
The images laughed and twirled around. "The Underground's magic comes from humans' dreams and belief in something more than themselves."
"I know this," he gritted out.
She scowled at him. "Our magic has been dwindling the last century. We need someone to strengthen the ties between our worlds."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jareth let out a pained sigh. "What does this have to do with Sarah? We've always had humans who are more in tune with us. We simply feed more magic into the dream world."
The image nodded. "And that in turn would come back to us two-fold." She huffed and spread her hands. "Humans are forgetting how to dream. I know you've felt it, Goblin King." Turning, she was abruptly wearing the outfit Sarah wore during the masquerade.
Jareth clenched his fists. "Perhaps."
She sneered and glared at him. "Sarah Williams solved me. She is the Lady of the Labyrinth-my Champion. You even secured it by giving her that peach to eat."
Jareth growled and slammed his hands against the crystal, causing the image to take a step back. He smiled nastily at her reaction.
"I am your sovereign, Labyrinth. You've never worked against me. Why risk my wrath now?"
She shrugged and picked at a pearl on her dress. "I am not working against you. It's been many millennia since an action such as this has been a necessity, but there is a precedence." Looking at him, her eyes were blue-so different from Sarah's. "The Underground needs a Dreamweaver."
The King's eyes widened in shock. "That's a bit extreme and here are many Faey that would beg for that honor. Why Sarah?"
She smiled softly. "The Faey have lost touch with humans and their needs, Majesty. Sarah became part of both worlds ten Aboveground years ago. She will be perfect."
Rubbing a hand down his face, Jareth paced in front of the crystal. "You want an untried child to become the most powerful sustainer of the Underground."
"She's no longer a child and she has so much to offer. You cannot reverse this, Jareth. It will happen," she warned him.
Waving her off, Jareth turned and strode swiftly down the exiting corridors. "And pick a different form!" he bellowed back as he disappeared.
"But you're so fond of this one," she answered impishly, making certain her voice carried to his ears.
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Two days later, Sarah had just flopped back onto her couch when she was startled by a drawling voice.
"Such poise, Very impressive."
Jumping up, she was startled to find Jareth's image in her living room mirror. With a frown, she moved closer.
"I just got home from a particularly difficult day at work. Cut me some slack-I thought I was alone."
Jareth arched a brow, but didn't comment as she sat in the recliner closest to the mirror.
"Were you able to find out anything?"
"Perhaps. I have a working idea, but I'll need to test it."
Sarah nodded. "Sounds like a plan. What should I do?"
"Invite me in."
She blinked and then eyed him suspiciously. "Why? Can't you just 'poof' into the house?"
He looked up, as if for patience. "No, you silly girl. There are very specific rules in place to keep our realms separate."
Understanding dawned. "Ah, the first time, I had wished away my brother. Very well, I invite you into my house for this one visit with the agreement that you won't kidnap me."
Rolling his eyes, he appeared before her in black breeches and boots with a white poet's shirt. It was the most casual thing she'd seen him wear.
Standing, she motioned to her furniture. "Please, have a seat."
He waved it off. "Drop your disguise," he commanded.
Snorting, she walked to the bathroom and washed off her makeup. When she returned, Jareth was studying the pictures on her walls.
"He's becoming a fine boy," he stated before turning to her.
She glanced to the picture of Toby and nodded. "He is. He doesn't remember anything about the Underground, but I think it's left its mark. He draws pictures that are amazing."
The King didn't answer as he focused on her facial markings. "Have you changed your hair?"
She shook her head. "No, it does this on its own. Sometimes, I think magic makes it respond to my emotions." Holding out her hands, she drew his attention to them. "And these marks showed up yesterday."
Taking her hands, he examined the faint shimmering streams winding around her fingers and up her wrists.
Clenching his jaw, he released her and rubbed his chin. "You are becoming more than human, Sarah Williams. What do you know of my world's power?"
Forcefully, Sarah pushed aside her panic at hearing she may be losing her humanity. "Not much, really. I know about supernatural folklore, but I don't know how much of that humans have convoluted."
He smirked at that and prowled around the room as he spoke. "Our worlds are connected, I'm sure you've realized. You humans and your dreams, your wishes and your yearning for something more is what lends the Underground its magic. In return, our world nurtures those feelings and aspirations."
Understanding dawned as she took her seat back on her couch. "All the artists and creativity."
"Yes," he answered, stopping to lounge against her mantel. "It is a symbiotic relationship. However, the last century has seen a remarkable drop in dreamers and wishers."
"Okay, but wait a minute. Where does the Labyrinth fit into all of this?"
His grin was sharp and predator as he tipped his head to her. "Learning the right questions, aren't you?"
Her eyes narrowed, but she remained silent and he continued after an amused pause.
"The Labyrinth acts as a…filter, if you will, for the power that feeds our magic. Runners are especially important because they become tangible manifestations of their wish."
"So, wished away children become batteries for the Underground?"
He puzzled that for a minute before working out what she meant. "That's crude, but somewhat accurate. However, the Underground isn't parasitic to them, Sarah. The ones who stay have no memory of their life here and are happy with their families."
Sarah frowned. "I thought I was the only one to beat the Labyrinth."
Catching her meaning, he snorted. "Really, Sarah. The runners who show genuine remorse are sent home with whomever they wished away. For the record, though, you are the only person to complete my Labyrinth. And that brings us to your situation once more. You are the Lady of the Labyrinth. You won back not only your brother, but the memory of your time in the Underground." He met her gaze tauntingly. "You also ate Faey food."
Sarah wrinkled her nose at that non sequitur before the reference slammed into her. She'd eaten a bite of that peach-Faey food- and now the Faey world had a legitimate claim on her. Groaning, she dropped her head into her hands.
"Don't tell me that's what this is all about."
He chuckled, but shook his head. "Not quite. You are tied to the Labyrinth now and she to you. She's the one that is changing you."
Shoving herself to her feet, she ran a hand through her hair and glared at him. "What the Hell does that mean?"
Disliking her tone and the situation to begin with, Jareth sprawled gracefully in one of her armchairs. He rolled a crystal around his gloved hands as he defied her question.
Gritting her teeth, Sarah felt lightning race through her blood and an invisible wind lift her hair. Jareth smirked.
"Careful, Precious. You have no idea what constitutes Faey courting rituals."
That was as effective as a bucket of cold water. Sarah huffed as the wind died. "And I've gotten myself into entirely too many situations because of Faey ignorance, it seems."
That drew a hearty laugh from him as he tossed her the crystal. She caught it, but it remained intact.
"The Labyrinth is turning you into a Dreamweaver." At her confused look, he continued. "A Dreamweaver is a rare kind of Faey. There hasn't been one in thousands of years; we haven't had the need."
Something inside of Sarah put all the pieces together. "Humans aren't dreaming and so you need someone to spin them dreams."
"It is a rare gift, Sarah, to even be capable of doing it. And you unknowingly set the stage for this very outcome all those years ago."
"I ate the peach and won Toby," she muttered.
"It's more than that, though. You also broke any power I had over you."
Pale, Sarah leaned back. "I said my right words."
His jaw was tense, but he agreed. "Those words would have been meaningless had you not had the power to bind them."
Silently, Sarah walked to the window, still clutching his crystal. "So, what do I do?" she whispered.
"You need to go back with me and speak with the Labyrinth before anything else."
"You can't be happy with this," she muttered, glancing to him over her shoulder. "I was fairly certain you wouldn't even answer my call."
That made him still from rolling another crystal around his hands. "Ah, I have been informed that I have rather no say in the matter. I sense that you were expecting a great deal of animosity on my side."
She blushed and turned back to the window. "I was a brat, Jareth. I'm not so arrogant as to think that I really destroyed your castle at the end there, but as you said, I pretty much exhausted you with my expectations."
An unreadable expression flickered on his face, she saw in the window's reflection. Looking at his crystal, he sighed heavily and stood.
"Sarah, the stronger the runner, the stronger the magic he or she brings. You were the strongest I've ever faced and the magic you poured into the Labyrinth is miraculous."
Brows furrowing, she turned to face him as he drew closer. "You were pretty pissed at me at the end. You can't deny that."
He grinned. "No, I don't suppose I can with any honesty. You do try my patience, Precious. I haven't truly lost my temper in hundreds of years and yet one little girl manages to do what hordes of goblins can't."
Huffing, she crossed her arms. "So why are you being so accommodating?"
Tipping his head to the side, he studied her. "Am I? Precious, when have I not accommodated you?"
Her face paled as she remembered his words from the Escher room. "I cowered," she mumbled.
"I was frightening," he finished, watching her intently. "You asked that the child be taken."
"And you took him," she rasped, her hands tightening on the crystal and her arm. "You reordered time."
"Turned the world upside down," he smirked. "All for you. So, tell me, Precious, why I should be angry."
Swallowing, she dropped her eyes to the crystal. "I was fifteen, Jareth. You can't say those things to a fifteen year old and expect her to get it." Dragging her gaze determinedly back to his, she said, "Besides, you ooze sex. That makes me uncomfortable now much less then."
That caught him off guard, making him laugh at her sheer audacity. Frowning, she rolled the crystal between her hands.
"You don't know me and I don't know you," she pointed out.
One side of his mouth quirked as he began plucking off his gloves. Shimmering ribbons similar to her own wound around his fingers and up his wrists just as hers did.
"I'm not mortal, Sarah," he drawled, "and soon you won't be, either. We have vastly different ways of determining our partners."
The crystal popped, taking with it all the aches and pains of the day and the exhaustion she'd felt. Surprised, she opened her mouth to ask when he pressed his bare hands to hers. Her breath froze as she felt his magic and everything that made him Jareth wash over her. Her heart felt too full as something inside her that had been missing suddenly clicked into place. For a moment that stretched into forever, they stood gazing into each other's eyes and feeling their other half finally home.
She whimpered when he laced their fingers together and drew her to his chest. A foggy thought managed to wiggle to the forefront of her addled mind.
"In the tunnel," she whispered hoarsely, "I thought you were going to kiss me."
His eyes darkened. "Had I not begun to realize you were still a child, I would have."
"And the masquerade?"
He smirked. "Applaud my restraint, Precious. Brushing your lips with mine is not a kiss."
Her face softened as their magic twined. "I thought it was. Counted it my first."
That unreadable, tender expression returned to his fair features. Before she could analyze it, he bent and caught her mouth with his. Despite the power coiling between them, the kiss was gentle and slow, making her toes curl at the amount of feeling dancing between them. Jareth released her hands, only to slide his up her arms and into her hair. It quite shut down her mental facilities and caused her knees to buckle. Smiling, he caught her against him and drew back to meet her wondering eyes.
"That, Sarah Williams, is how Faey determine their other halves," he told her in a low voice that should be illegal outside the bedroom.
Bringing a hand to her tingling mouth, she smiled at him. "Still offering me my dreams, Goblin King?"
Amusement settled on his face as he carefully righted her. "Perhaps. Are you ready to take them now?"
With a deep sigh, she looked around her apartment, seeing her life and her past. When her eyes found Jareth again, she could see her future spread out before her. Swallowing the emotion in her throat that he'd always evoked, she finally nodded.
"Yeah. Yeah, I am."
Delight lit his eyes as he pressed a kiss to her brow. "Come then, Precious. I have so much to teach you."
In a swirl of glitter, they were gone.