XX

Her brother was dead.

Sarah sat on the window ledge leaning against the stone wall. A cool breeze blew in bringing with it the smell of cinnamon and cloves, the smells of magic. She took a deep breath. The scent was comforting.

Far below in the court yard goblins practiced their defensive training which was little more than running at each other with full force and seeing who could knock the other unconscious. Some attempted a better advantage by arming themselves with pots, frying pans, and sticks; one goblin had what certainly appeared to be garden hoe in hand. Crash! Two trainees collided and stumbled about dizzily.

Sarah normally would have grimaced and shook in her head quiet exasperation. But not today. In her lap she held her bear Lancelot, the one toy of hers that Toby had constantly wanted for him self. Lancelot. Toby.

It had been three days since Jareth had brought her home. The rooms and halls of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City were a mixture of angst and welcome to her. Her memories of those last few hours right before the spell had been cast made it hard for her to be angry. They had spent that one special evening together; she had finally trusted him; they had finally trusted each other. They had made love as husband and wife for the first time. The following morning, draped in nothing but a bed sheet, standing at the balcony's open doors, Jareth had whispered to her, "Remember, no matter what happens, I love you."

Then nothing. She had woken up in her little apartment and gotten dressed for work at the diner. On her table had been her scattered mess of writing notes for her novel that had been nearly two years in the making. She knew her brother had died, but the details weren't important. She had to move on with her life.

Sarah looked at the bear in her lap. Her vision blurred as she fought back the tears. "I hope that wherever you are now that you're happy and safe," she whispered. "Whoever gave me this bear, well, I'm glad that they did."

From a distance Jareth watched her. He had expected her to be angry with him, treat him with indifference, perhaps even cruelly. During the last three days though, she had been cordial with him, dulcet even on occasion. She had even come back to their chambers. Jareth refused to engage her romantically though; she was still healing. It wouldn't be right of him to assume anything about their relationship. If she desired to eventually return to her own private chamber, he would allow it; anything just to keep her here with him.

He ventured to move near the window ledge. As he sat opposite of her they exchanged brief smiles. "You will be pleased to know," he began to say bending his leg up to lean upon. "that Sasha Grimwall has officially been absorbed into the mundane. Absolutely not trace of magic around her."

"Good," agreed Sarah with a curt nod. "No chance of her being reminded?"

"None whatsoever. She shall be guarded just in case though. Her landlord is a cleverly disguised fiery, and we both know what they can do when provoked."

Her scoff sounded half amused, half frightened.

They sat in quiet for a spell, during which Jareth struggled to find the right words to say to her. How many times could he apologize? How many ways could he apologize? The hurt he had caused his Sarah was a guilt he would carry with him forever. "Sarah," his voice was quiet. "I hope that you can find it within your self to forgive me." When she turned her green eyes on him, he ducked his head unable to meet them. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I know that Jareth." She reached out and laid a hand on his leg. "I've just been trying to reconcile my two lives. There was the life of Sarah Williams who believed one thing for two years and there's the queen in me who stills thinks that just twenty-four hours ago she went to bed with her king for the first time. My mind can't quite wrap its self around it all."

"I should never have made that bet," he confessed.

She shook her head. "No you shouldn't have."

"I was just so confident that I could never loose you."

"And you haven't. Never fear that you could loose me Jareth." Her hand squeezed his leg in emphasis.

Below the training had stopped. Someone had secured what resembled a large pot and roasting spit. Several goblins were in the process of gathering wood. The two watched them. "They simply couldn't hold off the welcome home feast a day longer," explained Jareth. "They are so excited to have us back."

"I couldn't imagine Sasha being a very good ruler."

"No." He stiffened as one goblin lit another on fire. His companions promptly began beating him to put the flames out.

"Right before the spell was cast and we were thrown into our new realities," Sarah said her voice sounding strained. "Do you remember what you said to me?"

He smiled at the memory. "That no matter what I would always love you."

There was something significant in that statement. It gnawed at Sarah's conscience. "As Jay King you said the same thing. Jareth what if I had said no? Had never stayed in your room? What if I had never agreed to stay with the Labyrinth?"

"Wouldn't matter- I would never stop loving you." He rearranged his legs so he could lean towards her. He could feel his heart accelerating. "Sarah I told you the Labyrinth wanted you because I wanted you too. I asked you to stay with me that night because I was being driven mad with desire. Jay King is part of me and whatever he said was because I felt it." He took Lancelot from her so he could hold her hands. "Sarah I love you. I would gladly stand before any court, any persons and say just that."

Scooting away from the wall Sarah folded her self around him. He pulled her close, arranging her on his lap. "Oh my king," she murmured against his shoulder.

"I can never apologize enough, but I want your trust again Sarah; I want to be able to make love to you, and be with you as we were before." He took a shaky breath. "I love you," he whispered his voice strained.

Sarah moved to look him in the eyes, those wonderfully mismatched eyes. "And I love you."

That night they went to bed together and made love as if it was the first time- desire and love overriding need or lust. It was their time together to begin rebuilding their life as they were supposed to be. Cradled against him Sarah joked about wanting sliced apples and cheese; Jareth teased her that he was going to retest his art skills by sketching her nude.

Drowsily he wrapped an arm around her stomach as she settled into sleep. Across the room the teddy bear Lancelot sat toppled on his side on top of bureau. He wondered if Sarah had ever figured out just who the anonymous gift had been from. He smiled. As sleep took him Jareth thought, 'You started it all you know.'

The End.