A/N: I actually wrote this story a long time ago, just two days after the news about David Bowie, but then Alan Rickman died too and I was a mess, so I totally forgot about it. And then the life happened and just... Yeah, you get the idea. But I found this again and reread this about a dozen times, changing and rewriting things, to be able to post it. So here you go, let it be in the memory of David Bowie :)

The two armies clashed together with horrible yelling. Familiar silhouettes of goblins were attacked by strange tall creatures with dark blue skin and glowing eyes. Little goblins fighting with such a tall race could have been a funny sight but it really wasn't. It was horrible. Dead were falling on both sides. The battle continued for quite some time, the sense of terror steadily rising. Suddenly, a free space formed around a duelling pair in the middle of the battlefield. Goblins and the blue creatures still fought but the pair seemed somehow more important. The tall man with a wild blonde mane dressed in a dark armour swung his sword at the other person. A man, almost as tall as the first warrior, and dressed in a silver armour with a diadem on his head, raised his sword to block the oncoming blow, his long white hair falling in his face as he did so. The duel continued between the two men, the odds one moment in the favour of the blonde man and the other in the favour of the blue skinned creature. All of a sudden, an angry blow sent the blonde warrior a step back. It was a distraction enough for the white haired man to gain an upper hand. He quickly jumped towards his opponent and thrust his sword in the slit between the parts of the black armour of a blonde man, burying the blade half way in the other man's abdomen. The startled gasps echoed around the battlefield.

Everything seemed to froze for a moment. The creatures stopped fighting each other and turned to look at the scene in front of them. The silence reigned over the field. Slowly, smiles started to appear on the faces of the blue creatures while the goblins stared in horror at their king, currently impaled on the silver sword. But before anyone could really react in any way, the blonde man dropped his blade and shoved his opponent away from him. The blue creature stumbled back at the raw force of the push. The Goblin King grabbed the handle and pulled the sword from his body and before his opponent could regain his balance, he plunged the blade into the blue king's chest. The blow was so powerful that it pierced the silver armour with a sickening crack of scraping metal and breaking ribs. The man swayed on his feet and looked down at the blade burrowed handle deep into his flesh. Then he raised his head. Shocked yellow eyes met the emotionless mismatched ones and after a moment the blue king fell to the ground. He died transfixed with his own sword.

Wails of the blue creatures broke the silence as they all scurried to their king's side. The blonde man reached for his discarded sword and took several steps back. His own goblin subjects hurried to his side, surprisingly quiet, letting the enemy collect the body of their ruler. The Goblin King watched silently as the other army retreated, blood dripping from between his gloved fingers which he pressed to his own wound. The closest goblins eyed the dark blood worriedly. As the blue creatures started to disappear in the distance, the Goblin King suddenly slumped to his knees and the world was consumed by blackness.

Sarah woke up with a scream muffled by her pillow. She sat up hastily, the covers sliding down from her sweat covered form. Her heart was beating frantically and she looked around her in panic. A dream? She thought. But it looked so real. And really, for all she knew and experienced in her life it could have been very real. But than would mean that Jareth was... Not him, she thought in terror. Oh Gods, not him. She threw away the covers, jumped out of the bed and run to the her vanity.

"Hoggle, I need you!" She whispered urgently, not wanting to alarm her family, and desperately willing her heart to calm down. She waited for a moment.

"Hoggle! Hoggle, I need you right now, please," she tried again but when nothing happened she frowned at the mirror. She couldn't help the feeling of dread that welled up inside of her. Ever since her adventure in the Labyrinth five years ago she would call the creatures she befriended there. While Ludo and Sir Didymus were sometimes unavailable, Hoggle always responded to her calls, sooner or later. If he didn't respond now... Maybe he couldn't respond... She didn't know what to think. She desperately wanted to believe that it was only a dream but she knew, deep down, that it was more of a vision than just a simple nightmare.

During the last five years she learned that magic was indeed very real and present in her world just as much as it was present in the Underground. Humans just for the most part decided to be blind to it. They ignored pretty much everything what seemed even slightly magical. Once, when she talked to Jareth he said something which she agreed with wholeheartedly, that he was sometimes amazed by people's ignorance and ability to find a rational explanation to everything odd happening. Even when said "rational explanation" was even more ridiculous than the idea of magic. And yes, she did talk with Jareth. A few times, actually. And she saw a completely different side of him than the one he had showed her back in the Labyrinth. Oh, he was an arrogant prick and Sarah really wanted to forcibly wipe that smirk off his face sometimes. But he also turned out to be really kind and understanding when he wanted to be. He was certainly a very good companion to talk to. She loved her friends from the Labyrinth, she really did, but they just couldn't understand her as well as he surprisingly could. He even saved her once... All in all, she came to like their little talks, waiting impatiently for the next one, and to think that he may not be able to come to her anymore...

She tried one last time to call for Hoggle in her mirror but, when once again nothing happened, she gave up and chose to wait. She looked at her clock and decided that she can just very well start getting ready for her day. She went through her morning routine, took a long hot shower in hopes to ease some of her worries (it didn't work) and went down to grab some breakfast before heading out of the house. Her father mumbled sleepily a "good morning" and got a disapproving glare from Karen, who busied herself with making some sandwiches. She smiled at Sarah and asked her jokingly if she had any interesting dreams this night. During the years Sarah had many of them and she would often narrate them to her eager listener in a form of her beloved younger brother and Karen and her dad would half listen to it as well, shaking their heads in amusement. Today though, she just forced a smile and shook her head. Toby made a whine of disappointment and Sarah's smile turned a little more natural as she ruffled his blonde hair. Then she said her goodbyes and was on her way to the university.

The day passed in a blur. She didn't seem to be able to concentrate on her classes, the fear was just too strong. All day she was distracted with thoughts about her vision and what may have happened after the battle, now fairly certain that something had indeed happened. She couldn't explain that feeling in her gut but she knew something was very wrong. And when she wasn't thinking about her dream, she was thinking about Jareth and their previous encounters. The first time they met was about two years after she came back from the Labyrinth. During that time she used to call on her friends fairly often, she would play some scrabble or chess with them, well, mostly with sir Didymus, Hoggle would tell her all about a new mischief caused by goblins with Ludo gesticulating wildly to accent some points of the dwarf's story. Sometimes they brought news about other runners. Unfortunately they all failed even with the help they had from her friends. And not even because the Goblin King was being currish to them. They just weren't determined enough to win their wished aways back. Now thinking about it, she realised that her friends never really spoke about Jareth. Just some passing remarks about him being especially moody that day or that he was brooding somewhere in the depths of the castle and no one saw him for a while. But as the time progressed they stopped commenting on his behaviour and she just naively assumed that the King came to terms with his defeat and returned to his usual snarky self. Now she wasn't so sure. It was more like they grew used to him brooding more and smiling less than he used to.

They met the day after her seventeenth birthday. It was dark outside and she was in her room, playing scrabble with Ludo, sir Didymus and Hoggle, while Ambrosious and Merlin were munching on some bones that she smuggled from the kitchen especially for them. It was already very late but they weren't able to meet the day before so her friends popped in to see her and celebrate her birthday. It was around midnight when they were suddenly interrupted by someone clearing their throat. They all jumped and looked up to see a tall figure of the Goblin King leaning against the wall next to the open window and observing them with one eyebrow raised. There was no smile on his face but he didn't look particularly menacing either.

"And here I was wondering were my subjects disappeared without a trace when there is still so much work to do," he said fairly calmly but still he had the three creatures and a dog scurrying to their feet, telling a quick goodbye to Sarah, promising that they will see her soon, and returning to the Underground through her mirror without a backward glance at their King. Sarah glared at the man for making her friends leave in such a hurry. He glanced at her, then looked away and sighed.

"Sorry for interrupting your little merry party, but we are finally finishing repairing the city after your little raid at it two years ago. I told them they can visit you tomorrow. I need all hands available to install the new gates. Still they came here, I guess they just couldn't wait," he looked at her again, still no smile on his lips. Not even this infuriating smirk of his she remembered all too well. If anything he just looked tired. "Anyway, happy birthday, Sarah."

With that he turned to leave through the window. She didn't know whether she was more shocked by him apologising or wishing her happy birthday, but by the time she snapped out of her daze he already had one leg propped on the windowsill.

"Wait!" She almost screamed and then blushed when he paused and turned his head back to look at her quizzically. "I mean, I... well, thank you. For wishes I mean. You remembered about my birthday?"

A ghost of smile passed on his lips but then it was gone. He really looks tired, Sarah noticed absentmindedly.

"It's hard not to remember when the three of your subjects won't stop twittering about it," he said dryly and she couldn't help an embarrassed giggle that escaped her.

"Well, sorry 'bout that," she paused. They actually had a rather civil talk, well almost talk, and he wished her happy birthday... She spoke again quickly, before the courage would leave her. "Will you stay for a bit?"

For a brief second he looked just as shocked as she felt a few minutes back, then he schooled his expression and considered her for a moment.

"Why?" He asked quietly, still studying the girl in front of him. She shifted under his intense gaze but then summoned a smirk on her face and looked him right in the mismatched eyes.

"Well, you just sort of scared away my party. And I though... Well, I though that maybe you could use a moment of respite. You look like you need it," he looked mildly offended at that and she wanted to bang her head on the table in front of her. She really had no intentions at all to annoy the Goblin King. "And you know, well, I could use some company if you are here already. That is, if you don't mind," she was positively babbling now and she wanted to kick herself. Why was she acting like an idiot in his presence? Always saying the wrong things when he was anywhere near her, even back in the Labyrinth. She shook her head and then looked up at the blond man. The offended look disappeared and he hesitated a bit before answering slowly.

"If this is what you want, I will stay. A bit," then he smiled a first genuine smile since the moment he arrived. It was small, but still there. "I do have a city to fix, you know."

Sarah blushed again and looked away.

"Yeah, well, again sorry about that. But it was partly your fault, you know. Shouldn't have sent an army to blast us through the gates."

She heard him chuckle quietly and from the corner of her eye she saw him taking his boot down from the windowsill. He took a few steps in her direction and sat down at the opposite side of the low table.

"There is some truth in that," he admitted. She looked back at him and smiled. He smiled back, though something flickered in his eyes... Something akin to sorrow but it disappeared so quickly that she couldn't be sure. Then the thought suddenly stuck her.

"Goblin King,"

"Jareth," he interrupted her. She hesitated but then nodded.

"Jareth, you won't punish Hoggle and the rest for being here, right? You know, it was my fault they weren't there to help..."

"Sarah, Sarah," he raised his hands in a placating manner, interrupting her once again. "I have no plans of punishing them. It was never my intention."

"Oh," was all she managed. "Well, good. I mean I'm happy," Oh no, I'm babbling again, "thank you."

He just nodded. He stayed for about an hour or two, she wasn't sure. They talked about everything and nothing, and she found out that she enjoyed his company immensely. They played scrabble a bit. There were some moments of companionable silence, when one or the other was thinking about the next move. Sarah used those moments to observe him, when she thought he wasn't looking. He did look tired and worn off. He somewhat lightened a bit during their time together, but she could still trace that mysterious sadness in him.

Several months passed before she met him again, and quite by accident, really. She just spotted a beautiful barn owl while she was walking through the park. It was a middle of the day and she frowned at the owl. She came nearer, cleared her throat and startled a bird as it seemed not to have noticed her coming. She just looked critically at the owl and demanded that Jareth show himself. The owl looked around to see if any people were somewhere near and when it made sure that the two of them were alone, the owl flew down from the tree and before it touched the ground it transformed into the Goblin King. For a second he looked slightly embarrassed at being caught lounging on a tree but he quickly covered it with a smirk.

"Care to explain what were you doing on a tree?" Asked Sarah with a raised eyebrow.

"Sometimes the Underground gets..." Jareth trailed off, apparently looking for the best word to finish, "noisy."

"Aren't you a King of goblins? What other do you expect of them?" The girl inquired, rising the second brow. The blonde man scowled.

"Trust me, I know what to expect of that lot, and after ruling them for as long as I did I sometimes need a break. Am I dismissed now?"

"Dismissed?" She asked baffled, "Why would I dismiss you?" Jareth just shrugged. Sarah's eye twitched. "Don't you shrug at me, Goblin King!"

"Girl, I'm tired," said the man, clearly exasperated now. "I came here to find some peace and quiet, not to argue with some random humans about nothing, and certainly not with you."

"I'm not a girl anymore," she growled at him. Sarah then took a step back and really looked him over. He had the same dark circles under his eyes he had back when they met in her room. She sighed and decided to let his behaviour slide (this time, she promised herself), blaming his mood on his tiredness.

"Want to take a walk?"

"Pardon?" He asked confused by the sudden change in her demeanour. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Should I spell it out for you? I asked whether you want to take a walk with me."

He gave her the same appraising look he gave her a few months back and then he smirked a little and agreed. They had a stroll around the park and then they sat down under a tree in a secluded area near the pond and chatted for the next hour. She told him all about her school and people there, how they had little to no imagination at all and how it annoyed her. She described him Toby's first words and how she now had a better relationship with her stepmother. He in turn humoured her with a story about Sir Didymus' new adventure and about how goblins recently managed to blow up the seamstress' house in the city ("How they did it is still beyond me, there is literally nothing explosive in there," Jareth concluded). After that he had to go back to the Underground and she had to go home, before her father would go looking for her. Again.

It was quite some time before they met in person again. On her eighteenth birthday, when she went back to her room in the evening, after a long and joyful party she had, she discovered a single red rose on the vanity table. She curiously run her fingertips along the silky petals, then noticed a small black box lying next to the rose. She picked it up and gasped when she opened it. Inside, resting on a white velvet, lied a little silver pendant with a delicate chain attached to it. Little silver vines hugged a tiny crystal sphere, the leaves of the vine were so detailed that they almost looked real. It was a wonderful piece of jewellery. In the box there was a small note saying: Happy Birthday, J. She didn't need a full name to know whom she got the pendant from. That night she clasped the chain around her neck and wore it almost every day since.

They met a few more times in the course of the next two years. He was now a part of her life and though she was reluctant to admit it aloud, she came to cherish the time they spent together. They talked openly, they made each other laugh, she even cried on his shoulder once or twice. He became her rock, her saviour even. She still remembered that hideous night a few months back. She was coming back home from a birthday party of her friend, Lisa, late at night. It was not far from her home so she decided against calling a cab. Some of her friends offered to walk her home but, in their state of drunkenness, she declined with a laugh saying that she didn't want them to wake up her whole neighbourhood. She soon regretted this decision. Suffice it to say, she was assaulted on the street. Two guys stopped her on her way, and though she tried to escape, they were stronger than her. One of them held her in a vice-like grip and the second one punched her in the stomach. When she hung limply in the first one's grip, the second one tried to get into her pants. Her mind was screaming at her to do something, to call for help, and so she did...

"Jareth," she whispered, "Jareth, help me..."

"Oh, she's calling her boy, you hear tha'?" The one holding her slurred. The second one cackled.

"Yeah, so sweet, isn' it? Such a pity he won' come to his princess' rescue." They both chortled when a sudden voice interrupted them.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you."

The second guy never saw what hit him. The one moment he was standing in front of Sarah, the next one he was lying on the pavement, already unconscious from the raw force of the punch he got in the back of his head. Sarah lifted her head and looked into the mismatched eyes of her rescuer. Never before had she seen Jareth so furious. The guy holding her apparently came to his senses, released her and tried to run away. She would have just limply fell to her knees if not for a pair of strong arms that caught her and carefully lowered her on the ground. She just sat there with her head lowered and eyes closed and listened to what was apparently Jareth catching up to the running guy and beating the crap out of him. If not for the state of shock she was in, Sarah would have definitely felt satisfaction. After a one more minute she more felt rather than heard Jareth kneeling in front of her. She felt him put his hand on her shoulder and he gave her a light squeeze. She didn't react.

"Sarah?" He said quietly. The worry in his voice made her finally look at him. And then, just like that, the numbness passed and she recoiled at the thought of what might have happened to her. Without another thought she threw her arms around the Goblin King's neck and buried her face in his chest. She sensed a slight shift in the air and then she smelled the familiar scent of her room mixing with the scent of the man holding her. Jareth held her tightly for what felt like eternity, long after she finally stopped trembling.

"Thank you," Sarah whispered tiredly, without moving out of his embrace. All emotions left her, leaving only exhaustion. She felt him pressing a kiss into her hair.

"Everything for you, precious," he murmured back. She then fell asleep in his arms, feeling safe.

Afterwards neither one ever mentioned what had happened that night. It was too traumatic for her and he respected that. They returned to their routines, meeting sometimes and talking, like they did before. Everything was fine until almost half a year later. Sarah had an awful week, nothing was as it should be. Toby was sick, she had a row with her dad, her project was rejected at the university and she was in a foul mood. She was just coming back home and Jareth was waiting for her in the park. They had a small talk and he was his usual cocky self. However, considering her current sour disposition, she just got aggravated by his remarks and started yelling at him. She didn't even remember what had been said but she remembered vividly his hurt expression and she vaguely recalled screaming at him that she didn't need in her life someone who steals children and doesn't even feel bad about it, and that she doesn't even know if she can trust him and not to come again or something along the lines. He said nothing at that, just looked at her with a mix of hurt and anger in his eyes, then disappeared. She returned home fuming and cursing his name, but soon enough the anger left her completely and she suddenly felt ashamed of her behaviour. It all seemed petty and really childish. She decided she will apologise the next time they meet. But he never came back again and she was too proud and, in all honesty, too uncomfortable to call for him. It was three months ago. And now she had this dream.

When Sarah entered the house it turned out that she was alone. Her father was still at work and apparently Karen had yet to return from this meeting she was talking about the whole previous week. Something about reconnecting of her old high-school group of friends. And that meant that Toby was with David, his best friend from school. She couldn't help but be glad right now. She quickly run upstairs to her room and closed the door behind her. She threw her bag on the bed and went to sit in front of her vanity. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"Hoggle. Hoggle, I need you," she said, her voice trembling a little. She released a shuddering breath, peace was elusive the whole day and now it was even worse. She shook her head and called again, this time even more desperately, "Hoggle, please, I need to talk to you!"

For a moment there was no answer, and then suddenly the wrinkled kind face of the dwarf appeared in the mirror. Sarah squeaked, half startled and half relieved.

"Hoggle! At last! I called you several hours ago," she said, delighted to see her old friend.

"I know, I've heard," he grumbled. "Couldn't respond then."

Sarah noticed his gloomy behaviour and the way he nervously wrought his hands. She felt her heart sinking even further.

"Hoggle," she started quietly. "I had a dream last night." Then she proceeded to tell him what she saw. The dwarf's face turned more and more grim as her story progressed and that was all she needed as a confirmation that she indeed had a vision this night. It wasn't a dream. It really wasn't a dream. But it means... Oh no.

"It happened, Sarah," said Hoggle. "Things weren't bright recently, ya know. The Dark Elves declared a war on us and there were incidents on the border. It was decided tha' it'll be better to meet the blasted elfins outside the Labyrinth. To not let them in and destroy 'verything. So there was a battle. And their bastard of a king was there. He fought with Our Highness and lost. We won."

Spoken in such a voice, the words truly weren't comforting at all. Especially preceded by Hoggle using the King's title. Sarah never heard him calling Jareth by his title before. Not even once during all their talks. And that wasn't a good sign.

"Hoggle," she started in a small voice, really afraid of the answer. "What happened to Jareth? How is he?"

The dwarf looked at her sadly and then looked away.

"His Majesty is dying, Sarah," he said bluntly but quietly. The woman's heart missed a bit. "You saw what happened. He was plainly run through with that bloody spike. That he could stand after that and kill this scoundrel of an elf was a miracle. He saved us, the kingdom, everything." He was wringing his hands again and shifting uneasily on his feet. Sarah looked at him carefully. Something was not right.

"What are you not telling me?" She demanded harshly. The dwarf almost squeaked.

"Ya see, His Highness was wounded pretty seriously and lost quite a lot of blood. But ya know, he was always a though bast... I mean man, and he normally should be able to recover. With time, but still. But he does not."

"What do you mean?" Whispered Sarah, her heart was now beating frantically and she felt like something was tightly wrapped around her chest, making it ridiculously hard to breathe.

"He's still out cold, even if he should have regained consciousness by now. His wounds don't heal and he's still bleeding. It's almost like he's frozen in one state. He just dropped after the battle was over and stayed that way. Despite his condition at least his wounds should have closed by now, bu' he's still losing blood. The fact is, he's dying and no one really knows why. It's like he lost a will to survive. Looks like he jus' wants to die." At that Sarah froze.

"He lost a will to live? But why?" Hoggle shrugged.

"Who knows what sits in that puffy head of his?"

"But it doesn't make sense," she whispered. Doesn't it, really? A small voice murmured in the back of her head. Jareth's tired face flashed before her eyes and she shut them tightly. Sarah didn't know what to think. She still had problems with breathing, her insides clenching in terror. Why was it so hard to breathe? It wasn't like they were... Exactly, what were they? She didn't know. They became friends with time, but it was not like they were besties. And her friends were safe, Jareth saved the Goblin Kingdom and actually survived. He was strong, right? Surely he will recover? But what if he won't? Then she realised - she cared for the Goblin King. During all those years she grew to deeply care for him, and she liked his company. And now he is dying. And the last thing you did was to yell at him.

Suddenly Hoggle looked behind him startled. When he turned back to Sarah, there was a hint of anxiety on his face.

"Sarah, look, I have to go."

"What? Wait! Take me to the Underground, Hoggle. I need to see Jareth." The dwarf looked at her sadly and shook his head.

"I can't. The magic 'round here is diminishing. His Majesty is dying and the magic with him. I can only appear in the mirror, couldn't even make it to your room. I can't take you to the Underground, I have no power to do so, can't create a passage for you. Look, I hefta go," and with that the reflection of Hoggle disappeared from the mirror's surface.

"No!" Sarah yelled, "Hoggle, wait! Hoggle, come back!" But the dwarf did not reappear. She screamed in frustration and hid her head in her hands. She didn't know what to do. Or rather she knew - she had to go to the Underground. The problem was how to do it. Jareth had a power to transport her, but with him unconscious and wounded it wasn't possible. If Hoggle was unable to take her, it meant that all of her other friends wouldn't be able either. She stood up abruptly and started pacing. She was positively in a state of panic right now. She had to find a way, and quickly. She couldn't just let the Goblin King wither in this gloomy castle of his. She had to tell him she wasn't exactly in the right state of mind when she yelled at him those few months ago, she had to see him, see him breathing. But how, damn it!

"Someone, anyone!" She screamed. "Please, please, anyone, take me to the Goblin King! I need to go to him. Someone with the power to do so, please, take mi to the Underground!"

Sarah didn't know who she was begging, didn't know if anyone heard her at all, but she just had to try. Tears were falling freely from her eyes now but she didn't even bother to wipe them out.

"Are you sure about this?" Came the quiet voice from behind her. Sarah whirled around to face the intruder. Next to her bed stood the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was tall, fair skinned and definitely not human. Fiery red hair hung in soft waves well past her waist and she observed Sarah with guarded vibrant green eyes. She was obviously royal if her gown and silver tiara were any indication.

"Who are you?" Asked Sarah, angrily wiping out her eyes.

"My name is Titania," answered the lady with the same soft, almost ethereal voice. "You asked for me to come."

"I asked- Wait," her eyes widened. "Can you take me to the Underground?"

"I may take you to the Underground," Titania corrected. "I never said I would. I was just curious what was so special in a mortal girl my son was so fond of. I wanted to see your eyes. I wanted to see if what you did to him was on purpose, or if it was some kind of malicious revenge. For just doing his job, I may add."

"What job, what revenge? What are you talking about?" Sarah asked confused. Then what Titania said earlier hit her like a ton on bricks and she took a step back, her eyes widening. "You are Jareth's mother," she whispered. For a moment there was a silence between the two of them as the female Fae stared at Sarah appraisingly and the young woman stared back with desperation in her eyes. It was Titania who broke the silence first.

"You do know you were not the first, don't you?"

"The first friend or the first runner?" Asked Sarah, frowning. The lady quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Both, actually. But what I meant was that you are not the first one to ever win the run. Did you know that?"

"I... I wasn't? But I thought that... The way he behaved afterwards, it was like he has never failed before."

"Because it was never a failure," Titania stated, matter-of-factly. "Most of the children get wished away because they are not wanted. The run in the Labyrinth exists so that those who decide to win their whished-aways back may prove their worth. Sometimes they manage to do that. Is it really a failure to know that those children go back to someone who learned to cherish them, just as you did?" The lady paused. When Sarah didn't respond, she continued. "No, he failed not at keeping your brother with him. He failed at keeping you."

"What?" Sarah whispered shocked. She felt as if something heavy settled in her abdomen.

"Is that so impossible? Have you never noticed his feelings towards you?" The young woman just kept opening and closing her mouth silently, like a fish taken out of water. Titania shook her head and sighed. "You young people, really. You are all so blind. I don't know what transpired between the two of you after your run, but I know do my son. As many women as he had, he has never behaved like this. And you hurt him recently, didn't you? For a moment he returned to being his old self and I thought everything will be alright again. Then suddenly he came back from the Above all gloomy and refused to talk to anyone. Then the war broke out and there were battles to be won, so he fought. And won his Kingdom's freedom. But at what cost. His wounds should have stopped bleeding by now but..." Titania trailed off again and stared into the distance. Sarah bit her lip and tried to blink away fresh tears.

"Hoggle said that it looks like he lost a will to survive," she said quietly. "Is it because of me hurting him?"

Titania shot her a sharp look and Sarah had to fight an urge to take a step back. Instead of answering, the lady asked, "Why did you want to see my son? What do you want to do once you are there?"

"I wanted to apologise," said Sarah truthfully. "I wanted to tell him that I had a horrible week and that it doesn't excuse my behaviour. That I didn't mean any of the things I said, not really," she swallowed a thick lump in her throat and finished in a tight whisper. "And I want to tell him how much he means to me. I don't want him to die and I need him to know."

Titania looked at her as though she was trying to deduce whether she was being honest or not. After a long moment she finally outstretched her arm without a word. Sarah almost run to her and grabbed the elegant hand of the Fae. In a flash her bedroom melted away and was replaced by the entrance to the Castle beyond the Goblin City. The young woman instantly bolted through the gates.

She run up the stairs and through the corridors. She didn't know exactly how she knew where to go but something was guiding her to where she needed to be. Something was pulling her to him. She run around a corner and halted for a second. There was a little crowd gathered in front of a set of dark, slightly ajar, wooden doors. For a second Sarah was surprised to see that the crowd was composed not only of goblins. She could see a few other species, some looking like elves of sorts, some even resembling normal people, though she could feel this aura of unearthliness that spoke clearly of their certainly not human origin. A voice from behind her broke her out of her musings.

"Are you going to enter the room?"

Sarah whirled around to see Titania standing a few steps behind her, looking at her intently. Then the red headed Fae shifted her eyes to look at the half open doors at the end of the corridor and the silent gathering there.

"They are already mourning my son. Are you sure you want to see him?"

"Yes. It's all my fault, and I need to see him. I need to fix this," she said with determination but she couldn't help the feeling of dread that bloomed in her chest anew.

"You are aware that he is unconscious?"

"Yes, I know. I just have to see him. I don't know if he will hear me, I just... I need to see him," she said trying desperately to convey to the older woman what she felt. Titania nodded and Sarah turned towards the entrance once more. She already took a few steps when the lady's voice stopped her again.

"And, Sarah," the young woman turned her head to look over her shoulder at the Fae standing behind her. "It is not only your fault." Sarah swallowed thickly and nodded. Then, before she could lose what little courage she had left, the young woman turned back and started running again. When she reached the end of the corridor, the little gathering spotted her and the silence broke into soft murmurs. They shifted to the sides, allowing her entrance to the King's chambers. Sarah was sure she heard comments like, "Isn't it a Champion?",

"Is that this Sarah person?"

"Champion, the Champion's back!"

"And what is she doing in here?"

"Queenie came back?"

"She broke our King and now she has a gall to come back?"

The last few sentences would really got her thinking if not for the every thought escaping her mind at the sight before her. She took a step ahead, then another, feeling dazed. She vaguely caught Titania's quiet order to close the door. She heard a soft thud and knew that she was left alone in the room with the dying King. This thought broke her out of her daze and she quickly run to his side and knelt on the end of a giant four poster bed.

"Oh, Jareth," she whispered hoarsely, a lump already forming in her throat. He laid there, in the middle of the soft mattresses, emotionless and pale. He was always fair skinned but now he was as white as the pillow case his head rested on. There were dark circles under his eyes and his face was almost lifeless, save for a small frown of pain. Sarah noticed that he was covered only from waist down, and his abdomen was tightly wrapped in bandages which ended just below his sternum. One of his arms was also bandaged and laid alongside his body, the palm of the other hand rested flat on his stomach. Both bandages were stained with dark crimson. It was just like Hoggle had said, Jareth's wounds hadn't even closed by now. There was also a small horizontal cut on the King's cheek, just about two inches below his eye. It was still bleeding, the scarlet droplets seeped from the wound and trickled down his face, staining the white pillow, like some sort of horrifying tears.

Sarah could now feel her own hot tears trailing down her cheeks, but though her eyes were burning she didn't want to close them in the irrational fear that hewould disappear if she did. She knew it was stupid, but seeing the King lying there, deathly pale and unmoving, his normally lithe but strong body broken and bleeding... It just made her heart shatter in million pieces. Both Hoggle and Titania said that his wounds should have had started healing by now. And someone from the crowd stated that she broke him. Was it true? Was she really the one to blame for his condition? She knew of course that she wasn't the one holding the sword that ended up buried in his abdomen but maybe she dealt him a blow worse than this one visible, years before the blade cut his flesh open? Had her rejection of him in the Labyrinth affected him deeper than she thought? As Titania said, it was not her winning that upset him so. People got wished away from time to time and it wasn't uncommon for the wishers to try and win them back. Some succeeded and some not. Neither was she the first nor the last to win. It was just a game. No, it wasn't that she won but what she did after she won. In all honesty, she already knew all that, Titania just voiced what she herself was afraid to. It took her years to realise what he really had been offering her and she never really told Jareth that she knew. She was too ashamed to do so, too prideful to admit that she might have been wrong. He offered her everything, exposed his heart to her back then and she stepped on it, stabbed it and handed it back to him. Frankly, she was quite surprised that he forgave her so quickly and actually talked to her without any resentment.

Suddenly she felt a need to be closer to him so she shifted on his bed and scurried closer to his side. She folded her legs under her and took his unharmed hand in her own. His palm was really cold. A choked sob escaped her lips and she bowed her head so low that she was almost touching his chest, her dark hair contrasting starkly with his pale flesh.

"I wish the Goblin King lives," she whispered, her voice trembling. She curled up in a small ball at his side and clutched his hand tighter to her own chest.

"I wish the Goblin King lives."

"Sarah..."

The voice was barely above a whisper but in the heavy silence of the room she heard it very clearly. Sarah raised her head from his chest, where it rested, so quickly that her hair flipped, and looked directly into the familiar mismatched eyes that currently struggled to focus on her face. The eyes I love so much, said a little voice in the back of her head and she noticed that the comment haven't startled her as it would have in the past. It was just stating the truth and Sarah finally let the idea settle in. She grew to care for the Goblin King and he became more than just a friend for her.

"Jareth," she breathed, her voice holding a strange mixture of worry and relief. He looked at her quizzically as though he didn't believe she was there. She felt her heart break a little more at that. "I'm here, Jareth, I'm really here."

"Why?" He rasped, his pale lips struggling to get even that one word past them. Sarah noticed that they were no longer blue and a little bit of colour returned to his face.

"Why?" She murmured, feeling guilty at the thought that he felt so surprised to find her at his side when he lied in the bed, injured after the battle. "Why am I with my friend when he needs it? Oh, Jareth..."

She reached to him and cupped the side of his face, stroking his cheek and trying to wipe away the blood still leaking from the cut, even though she knew it was pointless.

"Your... friend?"

"Listen," she looked into his eyes and desperately wanted him to understand. "I'm really sorry for what I did five years ago. I'm sorry I have hurt you. I was a child, I didn't understand what you were offering me, didn't know what you've meant by what you said and didn't even try to think about it. I was so focused on getting Toby back that I just stuck to the roles I wanted us both to play and didn't look past it. I know now that it was I who made you into a villain and you've played along for my sake. I know that it is not who you really are, I saw the real you, back when we've met again after my little adventure. We've met a few times and I understood that you are not the bad man I thought you to be. You can be kind when you put your mind to it and I liked our conversations. A lot. I actually waited for them and I was a little disappointed that it always took you so long to meet me again. Now when I think about it, it's probably my fault as well, isn't it? You thought I don't want to see you so often, didn't you? And I'm so sorry for what I said the last time we've met. I was in a horrible mood and you were a victim of it. I didn't mean any of it. I do trust you and I need you in my life." She drew a shuddering breath and continued, "I used to think about what you said to me in the Escher Room, you know. I repeated it again and again, until my head hurt. When I grew up I understood. But that stupid pride of mine just wouldn't let me admit that to you. I knew I hurt you and I regret what I've said. Both because I caused you pain and because I desperately wanted to take my words back. But you said that before, what said is said, and I couldn't change that, no matter how I want it, and I was just so stubborn, I liked your visits and I wanted you to come more often, but I never told you and... and, oh gods, I'm babbling again," she let out a humourless laugh that changed into a choked sob. She looked away somewhere during her tirade and now she was afraid to look at the Goblin King, scared at what she may see on his face.

"I don't know my feelings anymore," she whispered. "I don't know what to feel and how to call my feelings towards you. But what I do know is that I care for you, Jareth. I feel happy when you are around. I feel important and respected. You make me feel that way. I consider you my friend, yet I know that you are more than just a friend. And I really don't want you to die," now her voice was bordering on hysteria. She wiped her head to stare him right in the face, her vision blurred by tears, panic evident in her expression. "I don't want it, not because of me of all things, not ever! They told me that you should have been able to recover but you didn't. That it looks like you have lost a will to live! I didn't know I've hurt you so much, I never wanted to! I was just so stupid. Please, Jareth, I don't want you to die. I would never forgive myself. I don't want you to die, I don't want you..."

She curled at his side again, still clutching his hand, now sobbing fiercely, her entire frame was shaking violently. Hours of fear for his life and years of shame finally got the better of her and she just broke down. After a moment, what for her felt like ages, a gentle hand cupped her chin and forced her to raise her head. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision and met a pair of eyes that looked up at her. Her heart skipped a beat at the raw emotions there, and none of them was what she expected. She thought she would see cold fury, disappointment or resentment but instead those beautiful eyes looked at her with sadness and love and such adoration that her breath hitched and more tears trailed down her face. Long slender fingers wiped them from her cheeks and Sarah noticed that they were not as cold as the were just a few moments before.

"Oh, my precious thing," he whispered and that was all she could take. She bowed her entire body, half lying and half kneeling, and hid her face in his chest, crying silently. She felt him running his fingers through her hair and down her back, his touch calming her somewhat, as her body gradually stopped trembling. He was murmuring soft words of comfort, and even if she didn't really understood them, they calmed her painfully racing heart. When she finally composed herself, she straightened a little and looked at him again. She smiled sheepishly.

"Look at me," she mumbled. "I'm sitting on a deathbed of a man I care about and it was him that needed to calm me down. How pathetic."

"You are not pathetic, dear," he said, his voice a bit stronger now. "I just wish you would tell me all this sooner."

"I wish that too," she whispered. "I was just so blind."

She reached for his face again and stroked the cut on his cheek. And suddenly the wound began to heal itself under her touch, blood stopped flowing and the skin knitted together. She gasped and a ghost of smirk appeared on the King's face.

"You know, I'm not dead yet," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"So you will recover?" She half asked, half stated. He grew serious once again.

"Is that what you wish?"

"Yes! Of course it is!"

"Then your wish is my command," he murmured and closed his eyes. He looked exhausted and Sarah wanted to kick herself for keeping him awake for so long when he was so close to death just an hour or so ago.

"Go to sleep," she said quietly. "You need your rest."

He opened his eyes and looked at her warily. She felt a pang of guilt again and she shook her head.

"Sleep. I will be here when you wake up again. I swear I will."

He nodded and closed his eyes once again and a small sigh escaped his lips. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave. She heard and old echo in her head, words that hunted her the last few years, making her wonder what would happen if... Your wish is my command. She felt a warmth spreading in her chest and the corners of her mouth lifted upwards. She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back. She would fix what she had broken all those years ago. Everything was going to be alright, she will make sure of it.