IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: Hello dear readers! It has been a while since I touched this story. I originally began Bound & Delivered back in 2009 (seems like such a long time ago now!) and quickly wrote myself into a corner. Back in those days, my writing habits were very different than today. At the time, I believed good writing must spring from impulsiveness; now I think that a good plot must be preplanned and outlined at least a little, or you're doomed to fall into a trap sooner or later.

ANYWAY, I went back to Bound & Delivered recently and started to rewrite it, outlining carefully. I'm finally at the point where I think I can start putting up the rewritten chapters 1-4, and then continue until the story's completion. So, if you have read up to Chapter 4 already, I implore you to go back to the very beginning again. My rewrite has changed the story immensely. I hope you enjoy the new, "old" story! :)

And at the end, please leave a review and let me know what you think! How's the rewrite? What are your comments/suggestions? I'd love to hear from you!

Chapter One: A Taxi Ride for the Goblin King

Sarah muttered darkly as the taxi honked for the fifth time. It was just her luck that when she had actually planned to do something this Friday night, she'd get off of work late and the taxi would arrive early. When did a taxi arrive early, anyway? What weird, parallel galaxy was she in?

She swabbed lipstick over her lips and rolled lip gloss over that, giving her a nice sultry affect. Next, she ran to the shoe closet, grabbed some strappy red high heels, and hopped around trying to put them on while shrugging into a coat.

The taxi honked again. "I'm trying to be as fast as I can, you obnoxious bastard!" Sarah yelled, even though she knew he couldn't hear her.

Once her shoes were on and the coat was, at least, half on, she ran down the steps of her apartment. She exited the building just in time to see the taxi drive away. "Hey! Where are you going? Stop! I'll even take back the 'obnoxious bastard' comment!" She tried running after it, but the strappy heels were meant to look pretty and be useless in anything else. She had to stop running pretty quickly when pain began shooting up from her arch.

"What kind of taxi leaves a potentially paying customer? What does he have to do that's more important than his job?" Sarah threw up her hands and began walking towards the subway. She was hoping she wouldn't have to take it. She was wearing a very sexy, red dress with straps and a low V-neck and it was past eight o'clock. The unsavory sorts on the subway would no doubt want to get touchy-feely, which would force her to ram her very nice shoes in very not-so-nice places.

Maybe I'll get lucky and see another taxi, she thought, her shoes beginning to pinch her toes as she rounded a corner. Hell, maybe I'll get really lucky and see a taxi before my feet fall off.

And then, like a wish come true, a taxi appeared and Sarah's shocked mind had just enough time to think, Hey look, a taxi! Before she was waving her hands like a crazy person and hoping that the taxi was empty.

The taxi stopped and the door opened. Even better luck, whoever was the fare was getting out. Sarah briskly walked towards the cab. She rested a hand on the door, holding it open for whoever was getting out. They seemed to be struggling. Suddenly, fluffy blonde hair appeared. The face was still obscured, since he seemed to be looking down and cursing at something, but Sarah knew who it was. Her stomach seemed to drop to her feet.

There's only one person who'd have that hairstyle in today's day and age, Sarah thought.

Jareth, the Goblin King, turned and their eyes met. Bemused, Sarah realized that her expression probably was a mirror image of the Goblin King's. His mismatched eyes were wide, his mouth was slightly opened, and he looked a little desperate, like she'd just caught him at something.

"Hi Jareth," Sarah said, her voice dripping cheer. "What are you doing in my neck of the woods—again? And why the hell are you taking a taxi? Are the goblins on strike or something?" She bent and peeked into the taxi, half expecting it to be filled with goblins, but it was disappointingly empty.

"No," Jareth said, and then more firmly, "No. I'm afraid this is most awkward and I…er, that is, I'm not here for you, Precious. This is all just a large, cosmic joke of a coincidence, I assure you."

"Oh, I feel all my worries have been eased," Sarah answered, rolling her eyes. Jareth scowled at her and walked forward a step.

No, Sarah realized, watching him, he was limping. She looked down at his feet and gaped anew. "You—you have a cast on your foot!"

"Thank you, I didn't notice until you pointed it out to me," Jareth said, glaring.

"But you have a cast on your foot!"

"Hey," the taxi driver said, "you need a ride? Otherwise close the door!"

"Ah, erm." Sarah floundered. On one hand she had plans, but on the other hand, how many times would the Goblin King step out of a taxi with a cast on his foot? He was already turning away and trudging to a nearby apartment building that looked almost identical to Sarah's. Turning back to the cabbie, she said, "Sorry, but I'm staying," then closed the door. Almost immediately, the taxi drove off, probably making its way to one of the busier streets.

Sarah whirled and half-walked, half-ran to catch up with the Goblin King—not that he was walking very fast, which her already sore feet appreciated.

"So, after ten years, you can't really expect to just show up with a cast on your foot and not explain anything," Sarah said, clasping her hands behind her back and strolling beside him as if this was nothing but a pleasant outing.

"I didn't 'show up,' " Jareth said. "I am here for a very specific purpose. There is a summons, someone has wished away a child—on the twelfth floor." Jareth looked up at the building with a sigh. "I don't suppose you know if it has an elevator?"

"Um, if it's anything like my building," Sarah said, "probably. But, it'll be broken."

"Excellent," Jareth muttered, through clenched teeth, "a wonderful addition to an already wonderful day."

"So, can I ask two questions?"

"What?"

Sarah opened the door into the apartment building and Jareth's scowl only grew as he walked in. The elevator wasn't broken, much to the Goblin King's evident relief, and he pressed the button marked with an upward arrow.

"Well…one, if you had to take a taxi into the city, how long has this kid actually been waiting for you?"

"Only fifteen minutes. I, unfortunately, cannot teleport with quite the same promptness as I did when you wished away your brother," Jareth said. When he saw the curiosity in Sarah's eyes, he sighed. "There's a 'soft' spot about three blocks down. It's where the boundaries of the Underground and the Aboveground are weak—a 'portal,' if you will. I used that and then simply hailed a taxi to take me the remainder of the way."

"Oh, okay, and my second question…why do you have a cast on your foot? Can't you, like, spontaneously heal or something?" Sarah asked, wiggling her fingers to indicate that Jareth had magic.

The elevator doors slid open and they stepped into the elevator. Jareth pressed the button for the twelfth floor, stood back, and muttered something under his breath.

"I beg your pardon?"

"My magic has been bound. There, I said it." Jareth threw up his hands in frustration. "My magic has been bound. It's like there's a magic cork keeping all my magic locked away from me. I can't even conjure up one measly crystal, let alone heal any of my injuries. I have realized that being around goblins without the ability to heal oneself is like having a death wish. Two weeks ago, the bothersome creatures were having a chicken tossing contest and one chicken got away from them, hit me in the face, and I fell down the stairs. Happy? Why are you even here, if I may ask? By your shockingly red attire, you had something planned for tonight."

"Yes, well, I thought this was better."

Jareth's eyebrows rose, but he didn't reply. A moment later, the elevator doors slid open and they stepped out onto the twelfth floor. Before Jareth could walk away, Sarah reached out and grabbed his arm, turning him back towards her. "Who bound you, Jareth?"

"What does that matter now? I have work to do, Sarah." Jareth shook off Sarah's grasp, but at her insistent looks, he sighed and said, "Just follow along, alright? I am already late."

He twisted a ring off his finger. It had a simple band with three tiny garnets embedded in the silver. Sarah took the ring when he offered it to her and Jareth said, "Read the inscription."

Sarah held the ring close to her face. "There isn't an inscri—oh." The ring flared and then on the inner band, glowing words began to appear. As Sarah spoke each line aloud, they would fade and the next line would appear:

"Since the bulge in your pants has gone to your head,

And you think you are the best thing since sliced bread,

Until you get down on your knees

And say 'I love you' and 'please,'

You shall be bound and magic-free,

Even if that means for all eternity."

Sarah passed the ring back to Jareth, who stuck the piece of jewelry back on his middle finger with a curl of his lip.

"Harsh," Sarah said, her lip twitching in her effort to keep from grinning. Bulge in his pants, huh? She managed to keep a straight face, barely, and asked, "So, who did that to you?"

"A witch," Jareth said. "Some women just can't take 'no' for an answer."

"Some men can't, either," Sarah muttered, thinking of one specific moment in her life which had caused the whole world to fall down.

Jareth glared at her. He had stopped in front of a door that had 42 painted on it in bright, red letters. "I don't suppose I can tell you to bugger off, can I? You'll probably follow me into this apartment anyway."

"Damn straight."

Jareth sighed. "Well, then, at least let me do my job uninterrupted and unhurried, alright? No talking, no touching anything—in fact, don't make any noise at all. If there is a way to achieve it, don't even breathe."

"Fine, fine," Sarah said. "How are you going to get in?"

Jareth shook his head. "I can't believe this is happening to me…" He took out a lock pick and set to work on the apartment. It unlocked a few moments later with a click. Jareth turned the doorknob and pushed open the door.

They entered a nice apartment. If the décor was anything to go by, upper-middleclass; Sarah noticed quite a lot of paintings and a few family photographs as they walked down the hallway. Sarah's general tendency towards curiosity made her take in everything. She found other people's homes fascinating; the little things they kept out, the way they tidied, the spots they missed. Her own home life had been so besieged with strife for so long that she couldn't help but wonder about other people's families.

The kitchen nook was spotless, if on the small side. She wondered if a lot of family meals were cooked there. They passed it and the hallway opened into a living room with huge, bay windows that showed off the meager views of another skyscraper across the street. Some sky peeked through, though, at the upper edge. Right now, it was just dark and starless.

The television was on and by the drone, Sarah knew it was the news. A girl sat on the sofa, but she didn't seem to be paying attention to the TV. Instead, she sobbed quietly and, to Sarah's surprise, she looked maybe twelve at the oldest.

Sarah glanced at Jareth, but he gave her a glare and walked forward. The girl looked up, gasping.

"Ohmigod," she said, sucking in air to scream.

"Wait." Jareth held up a hand. "I am the Goblin King whom you just wished your brother away to."

Not as impactful without the billowing cape, the blowing wind, and the glitter, Sarah couldn't help thinking. She felt a stab of pity for Jareth as she watched him square his shoulders.

"You're the Goblin King?" the girl said, her eyes widening. Obviously, despite Jareth's lackluster approach, she was still impressed. After all, Jareth still had the otherworldly features which worked so well with the hairdo and the clothes, and he had appeared in her apartment. How would a kid know he'd picked the lock, after all?

The girl's gaze shifted to Sarah, but Jareth moved slightly to block her from view. Sarah frowned, then noticed, despite herself, that Jareth had a surprisingly broad back despite being so slim.

"I—I want my brother back," the girl said.

"Your actions have consequences. You made a wish, and I fulfilled it. Why should I give your brother back to you?"

"Because I didn't mean it!" the girl sobbed, and Sarah's heart clenched. She thought of a similarly foolish girl who'd wished away her own beloved brother. She was even younger. "I love my brother, I do! I was just frustrated…for a minute…"

"A minute? A minute tra la la?" Jareth mocked, and Sarah stiffened at the tone. She felt anger simmering in her belly. Jareth, oblivious, continued, "And that will be a minute you will regret for the rest of your life."

Sarah couldn't help it; she gasped. How cruel! Despite everything that had happened to him, the Goblin King hadn't changed at all. His words were true, though. She still regretted the moment she wished Toby away.

Regret it for the rest of her life? Yes, but she wouldn't have changed the experience. However, looking at this young girl, not even a teenager yet, she knew that the girl would find a very different experience. And how could she win? She didn't have the resilience; even now, Sarah saw a hopelessness in the young girl's eyes that spelled defeat. Hopelessness had no place in any challenge issued by the Goblin King; only determination could work in one's favor.

Sarah licked dry lips and said, "Jareth?"

Jareth stiffened, she saw it in the way his back tensed and the muscles locked, but he ignored her. Instead, he said to the girl, "Would you really like your brother back, silly girl?"

"Oh yes! Yes!"

"Jareth?"

Ignored again. Jareth said, "A challenge is in order, to prove you really deserve your brother back. Silly, stupid girls who don't realize the power of words should not be rewarded. True heroines—"

Sarah grabbed Jareth's arm. "Goblin King!" she hissed.

Jareth whirled. "Can you not listen for once in your life, Sarah?"

"Jareth, don't do this," Sarah said. "Look how young she is."

Jareth snorted. "So? I have had younger wish away children."

Okay. Sarah's mind churned trying to think of something to say. She blurted, "Let her have her brother back, please. It's cruel to do this to her. She's too young to appreciate the journey of self-discovery. She'll lose, you know it," and by the smirk he gave her, he did know it, "and then she'll lose her brother for all time."

"And that's the rules by the Labyrinth," Jareth hissed. "I'm as much a servant in this—as much a humble player—as the runner. I cannot bend the rules without giving the Labyrinth something in return."

How could he look so intimidating without any magic? Sarah stared at the Goblin King. For a moment, she didn't see the lack of glitter and magic, she just saw a straight stance, inscrutable eyes, and lean features. She didn't know what he was thinking; she never knew what he was thinking. That's what made him a formidable enemy—anything could happen.

Sarah blurted out, "Then give something back!"

Jareth raised his eyebrow. "Are you offering, Precious?"

Sarah stiffened. "I…"

"Hm, I thought as much."

He began to turn back to the girl, but Sarah grabbed his arm again to stop him and blurted out, "Fine! I'm offering! If it's in my power, if it doesn't hurt me or anyone else, I'll—I'll help in any way I can."

Jareth sucked in a sharp breath and stared at her, eyes wide, disbelieving. He whispered, so softly that Sarah wouldn't have heard if she hadn't leaned close, "Stupid, foolish Sarah."

She frowned, but before she could berate him for insulting her—and when she was playing by his rules, no less—Jareth said, "Deal."

A feeling of dread instantly bloomed in Sarah's stomach. She touched her stomach, took a deep breath ready to take it back. What did I just do? Instead of focusing on the fact he'd insulted her, she focused on the content of the words, and then what she'd just done. Suddenly, it came to her in a blinding flash—she'd made a promise. She'd given her word to the Goblin King. Sarah wasn't a fool—although these recent actions meant she certainly was foolish. Making a promise to a magical being? She'd read enough fairytales to know that was a big no-no.

Sarah closed her eyes for a moment, then glanced at the young girl. No, she'd done the right thing. She'd beaten Jareth once before, she could take anything he threw at her. And she was older now, didn't that mean she was wiser? Okay, maybe her impulsivity to make a deal with the Goblin King said "not so much," but she still was braver and more resourceful than a little girl.

Jareth lifted a hand, but nothing happened, and with a frown he muttered, under his breath, "Damn." No crystals for the magically cursed Goblin King, obviously.

Instead, Jareth closed his eyes and for a moment, it looked like he was sleeping standing up. Sarah cautiously put out a hand and touched his shoulder, then with a hiss, she jerked her hand back. He was feverish! And underneath his skin was a slight luminosity that hadn't been there a moment ago.

Sarah glanced at the young girl, whose eyes were wide, fearful, and yet hopeful that she could get her brother back. She was clutching the sofa pillow to her chest, as if guarding herself against the Goblin King.

What magic is this? Sarah wondered, watching Jareth. He'd said he couldn't do any magic! But it would be like Jareth to lie. Hadn't he given her thirteen hours to run the Labyrinth, then taken it away? He wasn't fair; she couldn't trust him. And yet I've just made a bargain with him…

The sense of dread hardened into a round stone in her stomach. What had she done?

A moment later, there was a loud pop and suddenly a goblin was standing next to Jareth, only a few inches from Sarah. She jumped back, her heart pounding in her chest. She'd seen these creatures before. There had been an army of them which had come after her, Ludo, and Sir Didymus.

Sarah took a few more steps back.

The goblin raised his twig-like arm and wiggled some fingers at Sarah. It had a pot on its head, greenish skin, and a burlap sack with holes for its arms and legs. It waddled over to Jareth and said, "Wassup Boss Man?"

Jareth pointed at the girl. "Return the brother to her. Watch over the portal, we're heading home."

"We are? Good, this place is too rainy today. Gives me hives!" The goblin said. "You takin' a taxi, Boss Man?"

"Of course, what else is there?" Jareth grumbled. He began walking out of the apartment, the goblin trailing behind. He didn't acknowledge Sarah at all, and she frowned, irritated. Great, now she had a stone of dread and a fire of irritation in her stomach.

She turned back to the girl, who looked wide-eyed at Sarah. "Is…is it over?" she whispered. "Do I get my brother back?"

"Yes."

"Will you be okay?"

I don't know, Sarah thought, but she smiled and said, "Oh yes. I've beaten him once already."

Sarah didn't think it was possible, but the girl's eyes widened. "You beat the Goblin King?" The girl regarded Sarah solemnly with those huge eyes. She looked so young that Sarah was glad she'd made the sacrifice. So she owed the Goblin King a favor, how bad could it be? She'd managed to save a life—two lives, if you counted the girl's. Now, she wouldn't have to live with the guilt of wishing away her brother, and her brother wouldn't lose his family.

A good day's work, Sarah thought, smiling.

And then the girl said, "Are you the one in the story?"

"E—Excuse me?" Sarah blinked.

"The story." The girl picked up a book off the sofa table. It had a familiar red cover and Sarah's heart skipped a beat seeing it. Her own copy was safely ensconced at the back of her bookshelf. After she turned eighteen, she hadn't really read it ever again. She looked at the cover every now and then as she plucked another book from her shelf; Lord of the Rings or maybe Pride and Prejudice. She'd pause, thinking about her youth and her journey through the Labyrinth, then turn away. Now, here was another little girl with the same book, and Sarah was surprised by a pang of disappointment that sharply erupted through her.

She wasn't the only one. Right, she had to remember that. Other people wished away children, perhaps other people had won too, and other copies of the book were out there. She didn't like thinking that, though. She didn't like the reminder that she wasn't special.

The girl flipped through the beautiful illustrations on the first few pages to point to one of the beginning lines. "Are you the girl the Goblin King fell in love with?"

Sarah blinked. Oh yeah, she'd forgotten about that part in the story. She snorted and said, "It's just a story."

"But he's real, which means the book has to be real, right?"

"Every story has bits of it that's true…and bits that aren't," Sarah said, shrugging. "That part just makes the story better."

"Do the words work?"

"Oh yeah, they work."

"I always forget them," the girl said, solemnly, "but I love this part, the part where the Goblin King falls in love."

Sarah snorted again. "That's not the important part. Remember those words, every bit. 'You have no power over me.' You never know when it'll come in handy." Sarah stood. "And don't wish your brother away again. I did the same thing and even though I got him back, I still regret it, because…he turned into a pretty awesome brother."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Just takes a bit of growing up."

Sarah turned and walked out of the apartment, unsure if she'd made any difference in the girl's life, but she just hoped the kid wouldn't wish anyone anyway ever again.

The Goblin King was annoyingly absent, so Sarah took the elevator down herself, where she found him in the lobby of the building. He looked at her impatiently. "I was afraid you had run away from your little deal."

"I keep my word." Sarah stopped in front of him. "Although, I had a thought. I'm not giving you Toby in exchange, so if that's your angle, you can forget it."

Jareth snorted. "Why would I want him? Besides, you made your terms already, remember?"

"My terms?"

"Tsk, already so forgetful?" Jareth shook his head. "Age has not been kind to you." Sarah frowned, but before she could retort, Jareth continued, "By your own words, you offer help as long as it's 'in your power and it doesn't hurt anyone else.' Now, I could be nitpicky and point out that you didn't specify what type of 'hurt,' emotional or physical—when making promises with magical beings, Sarah, you must always be extremely precise—but as taking Toby will get me nothing, I will overlook your ignorance."

"Oookay," Sarah said, slowly, "so what do you want? What's in my power to give the oh-so-wonderful and mighty—sorry, not so mighty now, right?—Goblin King?"

Jareth sneered. "Well, it's not in your power…yet."

I don't like the sound of that, Sarah thought. Her dread-stone was back in her stomach with a vengeance and she said, carefully, "Jareth, what do you want?"

He was silent for a few moments, looking at her thoughtfully. For some reason, Sarah had to look away, or risk blushing under that scrutiny. Stupid kid, Sarah thought. All that talk about that story and love, now I feel self-conscious. It's just a story, he doesn't love me because if he did, he wouldn't have treated me the way he did.

Jareth said, softly, "I need a substitute."

"Excuse me?" Sarah looked back at him, frowning.

"I am useless with this curse on me—"

"Wait, speaking of that, you did magic in there!" Sarah pointed an accusing finger at him. "You said you couldn't do any magic, but you clearly did something!"

"Yes, I summoned a goblin," Jareth said, dryly. "Which isn't that impressive, Precious. Of all the powers to keep, that one I could do without. It's actually more of a goblin magic that affects me as well. Goblins are inhabitants of the Labyrinth, almost like stewards of it, really, and they are intrinsically linked to the monarch and keeper. It is because of their link that I can summon them, therefore it isn't something related to my magic, and isn't blocked by the spell. Understand?"

"I—I guess." Sarah eyed him, suspiciously. "So…no magic?"

"Can't even boil water," Jareth said, almost cheerfully. Her adjusted his gloves and then said, "Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"To go back to the Labyrinth, of course. Our transaction must be done there."

Sarah stared in surprise, then shook her head, taking a step back. "Oh no! No way am I going back to the Labyrinth!"

"Sarah," Jareth said, softly, "you made a promise."

"Screw that!"

"Breaking a promise has repercussions—"

Sarah said, "No, it doesn't. I break promises sometimes. Yesterday, I promised I'd go on a diet. Today, I had a pink frosted donut and I'm still standing."

Jareth rolled his eyes. "A magical promise."

"I didn't—!"

"You did when you made a promise to me. Rules tend to be slightly different with magical beings." Jareth paused. "Oh, come now, Sarah. You know these rules—or you did. Did you grow up and forget everything?"

Sarah winced. She didn't like the tone of Jareth's voice. It was a mix of gentle scolding and…disappointment—and for some reason, it was the latter that made her skin itch and her heart tingle unhappily. No, she hadn't forgotten the rules. Sarah may have grown up and put aside the book and the toys, but she loved fantasy still. The majority of her books and movies were fantasy. In her free time, she dabbled writing fantasy, herself. She still loved playing princesses and heroines, even if it was just with her amateur theater group. But, she knew the rules of fantasy creatures; it was all about trust, loyalty, and power. Words had power. Promises, when spoken, held power.

She shifted and said, "So, I'll repeat myself: what do you want?"

"I already told you, a substitute. I'll speak more of it when we're away from this infernal place and back in my realm."

"I can't just disappear—"

"You won't. You know time is relative. You'll be back before anyone misses you."

Sarah chewed her lower lip, thoughtfully. If she broke her promise, something bad would happen to her; the rules of magic and fantasy seemed to say that. She wasn't really willing to risk it, so she had to go with Jareth. Despite a bit of fear, she also felt confidence. She hadn't been lying to the girl; she'd beaten Jareth once before, she was pretty sure she could do it again. Except…except he was kind of being reasonable, wasn't he? He'd never asked Sarah to join him, she'd followed him; he never suggested Sarah make a deal, she'd done so on her own; and if he wanted something bad to happen to her, why not just let her break the promise and wait for the consequences? And she hadn't been completely foolish, she'd set her terms pretty well. Jareth couldn't hurt her or anyone else, and he'd already said he wasn't interested in Toby.

"You promise nobody will miss me?" Sarah raised her chin in a defiant stare.

Jareth smiled, pressing a gloved hand to his chest. "Cross my heart, Precious."

"Okay then," Sarah took a deep breath, "lead the way."