Since You Been Gone

Sarah felt a little disappointed watching her friends disappear back into the mirror. It had been a fun party, and nice to say a proper goodbye to Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus….but Jareth hadn't turned up. Not that she really expected him to, of course, she had just defeated him after all…and he was technically the enemy, taking Toby from her to be turned into a goblin…but still, a part of her had hoped…..well she wasn't sure what she had hoped for, really. She sighed and got ready for bed, trying to put it out of her mind for now.

A few weeks later Sarah had summoned Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus over for a visit. She hadn't really got any other friends, and felt a bit lonely. She was surprised how much it cheered her up to see them. They chatted and laughed for most of the afternoon, but it was fast approaching 6 o'clock and she had to babysit Toby that evening. Sarah had something to ask her friends that she couldn't put off any longer. Trying to sound casual, she took a deep breath and began. "So I was just wondering…..have you seen or heard anything of Jareth lately?" Everyone stared at her, then, after a pause, Hoggle smiled and patted her shoulder condescendingly. "No nothing, nothing at all. Don't you worry about us Sarah, he hasn't been bothering us lately-and if he tries anything, well, I'll show him!" The dwarf shook his fist, acting brave but inwardly still terrified of the Goblin King. Everyone laughed, Sarah joining in half-heartedly, but feeling foolish, decided not to bring up the subject again.

Through the mirror, Sarah kept in regular contact with her 3 friends from the Labyrinth over the years, always feeling kind of out of place with other people. She was generally regarded as a bit of a loner. She finished high school with good grades, and went to stage school, hoping to follow in her mother's footsteps and become an actress, but had no gift for acting and failed miserably at every turn. She could never remember her lines and got bored with the constant rehearsals and re-takes. She had similar bad luck with dating, becoming bored very quickly with boys she was seeing, never feeling butterflies in the stomach or getting attached to anyone. And then there were the dreams…of the Labyrinth, the Goblin City, the Castle….and Jareth. She dreamed of him more often than she'd like to admit. He was always so handsome, charming, desirable…..always taking the romantic lead in her dreams, dancing with her, smiling at her with that trademark smirk, taking her in his arms, leaning in for a kiss….and even seducing her in some of her more erotic dreams. She woke up longing for him, feelings which were getting more and more difficult to shake off, much to her discomfort.

What Sarah didn't know, was that she was not alone in her predicament. Jareth was frequently tortured by dreams of her, as he slept far away in his castle beyond the Goblin City. The Sarah in his dreams loved him, wanted him and needed him, his happiness turning sour as he woke up alone and missing her again and again. Most days he managed to concentrate on ruling his kingdom, listening to his head and not his heart, but sometimes he would allow himself to lapse and gaze intently into a crystal, watching Sarah go about her life above ground. On rare occasions he took owl form and visited her, hidden from view in the shadows or the leafy branches of a tree. His chief advisor, wise for a goblin, disapproved of this, and encouraged the King to choose a bride from his many adoring female fans, and forget the raven-haired mortal girl who broke his heart.

"Sire, Sire," the goblin pleaded, "stop this madness, please, leave her be" Jareth looked up from his crystal and glared at his chief advisor. "What business is it of yours Squidge? If I want your opinion I'll ask for it!" "Spud, and it's for your own good, Your Majesty. There are so many beautiful girls here in your kingdom, if you'd just give one of them a chance, maybe you could find happiness." Jareth sighed. "Not again Spud, I've had enough. I have to see her again, one last time. It's been just over 13 years, for goodness sake." The goblin shook his head sadly. "Well if you must, Sire, I can't stop you." "That's right, you can't. It's her birthday soon-I 'll surprise her."

"So Sarah," Irene asked, as they sat eating their dinner and watching tv, "your father and I would like to throw you a party on Saturday, what do you say?" "Party, have a party Sarah!" cried Toby excitedly. "Erm, well I can't, I er…assignments to do, and I have to be up early to feed Merlin and take him for a walk, then….." "Sarah!" her stepmother interrupted, "You never go out. You never bring any friends to the house. You never seem to have any fun! Your last date was 2 months ago for god's sake! And don't give me that crap about assignments! I know your course has finished-not that you'll pass it, but that's why we enrolled you on the business studies one instead! I will see to Merlin, so you have no excuse! Let your hair down for once, can't you? It's your 21st, you should celebrate!" Sarah couldn't think of a way to get out of it. "Well if you really want me to, then I guess I could have a party….." "Good." Said her father, getting up. "No arguments, Sarah, you'll enjoy yourself whether you like it or not!" He winked at her and went into the kitchen to do the dishes.

Saturday rolled around and Sarah walked into her party with a feeling of dread. Her idea of a fun birthday was cake and wine in her room with Ludo, Sir Didymus and Hoggle. Her heart sank as she took in the scene at the fancy restaurant her parents had hired out. Most of the people she had invited hadn't shown up-not that they were her friends anyway, but Karen had insisted she invite all her college and school acquaintances. "Sarah!" Toby bellowed, charging towards her with arms outstretched. He'd been 'helping' set up for the party, and was excited that his big sister had finally arrived. She scooped him up in her arms and cuddled him. He was getting too heavy for it really, being 6 now, but she liked to make a fuss of him. There were decorations and balloons everywhere, Sarah's favourite CD was playing, and she could tell her family had made a big effort. She gritted her teeth and went to 'enjoy herself'.

The party was a washout and although she tried to pretend she was happy, Sarah was relieved to finally call it a night and head for her room. She gasped as she opened the door to find a huge bunch of red roses lying on her bed. She picked them up but could find no sign of a card or note saying who they were from. "Happy Birthday, precious." Cooed a familiar voice. Her heart thumping wildly in her chest, Sarah scanned the room. "It can't be….." she muttered, disbelieving, as Jareth stepped out from the shadows.

"Jareth! What are you doing here?" She stuttered, absolutely stunned. "I came to see you Sarah…..why so surprised?" he enquired , handsome as ever, and still wearing his pants so tight that she could feel herself going red. "My face is up here, by the way." He smirked at her. "Er right, I mean, why now? It's been more than 5 years since I defeated you, I thought…" "What, that you'd destroyed me? That I was crying in a corner all this time…which was over 13 years for me, incidentally." He leaned in so close she could smell his aftershave, and whispered "You have no power over me, Sarah." She was lost for words, outraged at his nerve on one hand, unwanted thoughts of throwing her arms around him on the other. He straightened up and pulled a crystal from inside his cloak. "Do you like your flowers? Because if you don't, I have another gift for you…." Remembering the gorgeous bouquet she was holding, Sarah smiled. "They're beautiful, Jareth, thankyou. I love them. In fact, let me go get a vase." She exited the room swiftly, before he could react. 'Oh my god,' she thought, sneaking into the kitchen, hoping not to wake her parents, 'Jareth, the Goblin King…..he's here! I never dreamed….well not really…what does he want?'

Returning to her bedroom, Sarah couldn't quite believe he was still there, sitting on the end of her bed. She put the flowers down on her desk, and sat down next to him. He was still holding the crystal, turning and twisting it in his hand with such flair that she found herself almost mesmerized. "So Jareth, is that all you came for? To bring me the roses?" "All?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. "No, I mean, did you, well, are you after Toby? Because you can't, it's not fair, I….." "No, Sarah", he murmured softly, "it's not Toby I'm here for." He gazed into her eyes and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her, her heart pounding, until he stood up and walked over to the open window. "I should go…" he muttered, clearly reluctant to leave. "Jareth…" she started, unable to finish. He interrupted her train of thought by tossing the crystal to her. "Here. If you turn it that way, and look into it…..it'll show you your dreams." Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but he was gone, an owl winging its way back to the Goblin City.

Waking up late the next morning, Sarah pondered whether or not her encounter with the Goblin King was just another dream, but there on her nightstand was the crystal, proof of the visit. She picked it up and examined it closely, but no matter how she twisted and turned it, she could see nothing. 'Just another one of his games' she thought, irritated with herself for being tricked by him.

Weeks passed and Sarah tried to put all thoughts of Jareth's visit out of her head, with limited success. The crystal was a constant reminder, but she couldn't bring herself to part with it somehow. Her family had asked her about the flowers, but she fobbed them off, saying she didn't know who sent them, which led to Toby teasing her almost constantly about her 'secret admirer'. Life was dull and boring now she was studying business instead of acting, but she needed to eventually get some kind of job, even if it wasn't a career she would have picked. Her visits from Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus were all she really had to look forwards to. Making friends at a new college was easier, but even so, she didn't socialise with them much, preferring the company of her friends from the Labyrinth. However she did have a date for the weekend, so maybe things were looking up.

Sitting across from Dave, Sarah was bored to tears. He had eaten his pizza like a pig, and talked non-stop about baseball. Plus, after the first 10 minutes, she had realised that although he was very handsome-she felt no real attraction to him. "I said, let's go partaaaay!" he repeated, poking her in the shoulder. "Party? What party?" "There's a kegger at Jonno's tonight, we'll just make it if we go now!" "Great." Sarah mumbled, picking up her coat and purse. An hour later, Dave was plastered, laughing loudly at a joke one of the guys had told, and Sarah was sneaking out of the front door, hoping he wouldn't notice she had gone until it was too late. 'I'm a cow.' she thought guiltily, ringing a taxi from a nearby phone booth.

"Sarah, is that you?" her father called from the lounge. "Yes, I'm home." She answered. "How was your date?" "Crap" she called back, hurrying upstairs. "Oh Sarah, you really should give this boy a chance, maybe he's not so….." she shut her door and flopped down on the bed. 'God, another moron' she thought, taking out her earrings and putting them on the nightstand, 'Why can't I find a decent guy? My life sucks!' Her hand knocked the crystal and it rolled off the edge, across the floor and under the windowsill. She went to pick it up, and to her great surprise, noticed tiny figures inside the crystal, dancing at some kind of ball. "My dreams, huh?" She murmured, intrigued, staring at the image. As she looked closer, the crystal began to change colour, shape and texture in her hand, until she was holding a peach.

'Well that's not very original,' she thought, 'does he really expect me to…hmmm…I wonder?' She walked over to the bed and set the peach down on the nightstand, regarding it thoughtfully. Memories of the time she ate a peach in the Bog of Eternal Stench came flooding back to her, and how she ended up dancing with the Goblin King at the ball. She remembered the beautiful dress she had worn, how nervous and out of place she had felt until she found him and those mismatched eyes met hers, and how right it had felt dancing in his arms. 'I must be crazy,' she thought, 'I can't believe I'm considering…..no.' She got up and paced around the room, trying to ignore the impulse to throw caution to the wind and take a bite. 'Let's be sensible,' she thought, 'what if I don't end up at a ball, but end up headfirst in the Bog of Eternal Stench? What if I can't find him and end up lost in the castle? What if I do find him and he won't let me leave? What if I turn into a goblin?' But none of these thoughts seemed to have any real impact, except for one niggling worry-'What if nothing happens?' Her mind made up, she reached out for the peach and took a bite.

Everything blurred around her and she felt as if she was floating. Suddenly Sarah's head felt clear, and as she took in her surroundings, she could see that she was back in the ballroom from her memories. A twinge of excitement shot through her veins. She looked down to see that she was wearing a gorgeous, if a little low cut, deep red ballgown, and reaching up to touch her hair, she realised it was adorned with flowers and ribbons. People everywhere were dancing in time to the music, masks covering their faces. She reached out and took a flute of champagne from the tray offered by the serving girl who stopped next to her, whose skin seemed to be painted gold to match her dress. Sipping her drink, Sarah made her way through the crowds, searching for the Goblin King. She felt different to last time, older, confident and assured, at ease with the silly, slightly suggestive behaviour of the other guests, attracting many admiring glances as she glided by. "Sarah." She turned around to find Jareth standing behind her, resplendent in tight black pants and boots, a white ruffled shirt and a glittering red jacket which complemented her own dress perfectly. He extended his hand and she took it gladly, pleased to be dancing at a sophisticated ball for once-not sat in the corner of a stranger's house, deafened by obnoxious rap music and surrounded by drunken idiots pawing at her, drinking beer until they threw up, as she had been earlier in the evening.

The Goblin King danced expertly, leading Sarah around the floor with style and grace as he gazed into her eyes, softly singing along to the music, as if he was serenading her. She was enjoying herself immensely, more than she had expected to, and was unable to tear her eyes away from Jareth's. She couldn't help noticing again how handsome he was, and how sexy his smile really was. He held her closer and she blushed, her pulse racing. He tilted his head and Sarah followed her instincts, closing her eyes as his lips met hers. He kissed her gently, slowly and sensually, and she responded, passion rising within her like she'd never felt before. Her heart pounded and she felt a rush of desire for him flooding her whole body, feeling almost high, as she lost herself in the kiss, never wanting it to end. Many of the women around them, who had up until now been ogling Jareth unashamedly, glared at Sarah jealously, as the couple smooched and slow danced in the centre of the dancefloor, all eyes on them as they swept past, absorbed in each other and the moment. Eventually he pulled away from her, leaving her breathless and flustered. He touched her face tenderly and smiled at her. "So beautiful…" She took his hand from her face and held it for a moment before she noticed that the room was beginning to empty. "People are leaving." "Yes, of course, the ball's over. Time for bed, I think." He smiled at her. 'Oh no,' Sarah thought, panicstricken, 'he wants sex! I don't have matching underwear on! Did I remember to take my pill today? What if he loses respect for me! Am I really going to do this?' Jareth kissed her gently on the lips and took her hands in his. "Goodbye Sarah." "You're letting me go?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. He frowned, looking hurt. "I'm not the monster you seem to think I am." Before she could protest, everything blurred and she found herself back in her bedroom, all alone, his words echoing around her head.

More than a week later, Sarah had heard nothing from Jareth. She felt awful that she'd insulted him, especially after their magical evening together. Thoughts of him clouded her brain and she could concentrate on little else. No-one had ever kissed her like that before. 'Should I contact him?' she pondered, before remembering all the dating books she'd read, advising never to contact a man first. The phone rang then, making her jump. Her heart leapt into her throat as she ran down the stairs to answer it. "Hello? Jareth?" "Who? No babe, it's Dave. Where've you been, haven't seen you round much lately." She sighed inwardly. "Oh, yeah…..I've been busy….studying." "Cool. So I was thinking, why don't we check out a movie this weekend? You game?" "No, not really. Bye." She snapped, hanging up on him, angry with him for daring to call her when he wasn't Jareth.

"Hoggle, my brother," Sir Didymus was saying, "you really should leave those fairies alone. Some might say thou art being cruel-and unchivalrous!" "Fairies pretty." Agreed Ludo, waggling a finger under Hoggle's nose. "Pah, what would you know anyway! Viscious little creatures, they are, right Sarah?" He looked up at his friend, hoping she'd recall the time she was bitten by a fairy and be on his side, but she was staring out of the window, a faraway look in her eyes. "My Lady," Sir Didymus addressed her, tapping her on the shoulder, "are you quite alright? Forgive me for saying so, but thou doest seem a little distracted today." "Oh sorry guys. It's nothing, don't worry about it, I'm fine." She smiled unconvincingly and her friends looked at her with concern. "Are you sure nothing's wrong, My Lady?" The fox asked. "Sarah sad." Ludo declared. "I'm sure. Just boy trouble, that's all." She said breezily, hoping they'd drop the subject. "You got yourself another new boyfriend?" Hoggle asked disapprovingly. "No. Definitely not. Now, let's have some more cookies and talk about something else!"

That night, Sarah went to bed early with a headache. She sighed as she pulled back the covers, then gasped with delight. There, lying under the covers lay a single red rose. "Jareth", she breathed, feeling elated all of a sudden and full of hope. "I wish…I wish the Goblin King was here-right now" she whispered. She ran to open the window, and was greeted by the sight of a familiar owl flying towards her. She stood back in awe as he landed in her room and transformed into the Goblin King-even though she'd seen it before, it was still impressive. "Good evening Sarah." He purred, hands on his hips. "You came." She said, relieved. "I wanted to apologise for what I said-I didn't mean it like that." "Oh, you didn't? What's said is said." He teased her, smiling. "Forget about it Sarah. It's behind us now." He gathered her into his arms and kissed her briefly on the lips. She gazed up at him, longing for more but not wanting to seem desperate. "Come back to the castle with me." "Sure, ok-just for a little while." She blinked and suddenly they were there, standing in the throne room. "How do you do that?" "Now that would be telling, wouldn't it, hmm? We'll go to my study-I have some wine I think you'll like." He led her up some winding stairs to a comfortable looking room filled with books, spacious yet somehow cosy, richly furnished and tastefully decorated. "Wow! This is so much nicer than your throne room!" She exclaimed. He raised an eyebrow at her and she continued awkwardly, "Not that your throne room's not nice, I mean….." "Yes, well, I don't let the goblins in here. Or the chickens, for that matter." He poured her a glass of wine and they sat down by the fire. After an awkward start, they ended up chatting and laughing late into the night, Jareth his usual flirtatious self, Sarah feeling relaxed in his company and somehow drawn to him, the sexual tension between them so thick you could cut it with a knife. Eventually Sarah began to yawn, and realised how tired she was. Jareth noticed, and stood up, pulling her gently to her feet. "You should go, I've kept you too long." She nodded and he kissed her, a long, slow kiss this time, she felt as though she were melting in his arms, her heart racing and her mind reeling. She couldn't resist him, and wrapped her arms tighter around him, never wanting to let go, but finally he pulled away from her, his eyes sparkling in the glow from the fire. "I'm thinking of hosting a feast soon- you will be my guest of honour." "When?" She asked, surprised, and a little irked at the way he just assumed she wanted to attend. She did, but that wasn't the point. "Soon." He promised. She blinked and he was gone, and she was standing alone in her room, bewildered at how he could be so arrogant and yet so charming at the same time.

That weekend, she had to babysit Toby again. She didn't mind, he was a good kid really, and at least she didn't have to change his diapers anymore. After walking Merlin together, she had taken him to the movies as a special treat. She worried that 'Beauty and the Beast' might be a bit girly for him, but he was going through a Disney phase and had been talking about it non-stop for weeks. She didn't have to worry though, he loved the film, especially enjoying the singing teapots and candlesticks. The movie soon finished and they had just managed to catch their bus in time. Walking home from the bus stop, Sarah was busy picking bits of popcorn out of her brother's hair and off his sweater, when he pointed at the sky. "Look Sarah, an owl!" "Hmm?" She replied distractedly, only half-listening, regretting buying him such a messy snack in the first place. "I saw an owl," Toby repeated, "a white one. Like we watched a video about, in school yesterday." Sarah stopped and scanned the sky, but saw nothing. Disappointed, she carried on walking, Toby chattering away next to her. As soon as Toby was safely tucked up in bed, she went to her room and sat by the window a while, trying to read a book and not stare out into the darkness too often.

Sarah tossed and turned in her sleep, dreaming vividly of being in a busy nightclub with a party atmosphere, packed with easy girls and horny boys out on the hunt, music pumping, alcohol flowing, and disco lights flashing, red, blue, green and back again. She could feel the excitement in the air as she wove in and out of the revellers, making a beeline for the dance floor. Her dress was short and tight, her heels were strappy and high, her make-up was sexy, her hair hung loose and silky down her back and her jewellery was just the perfect amount of sparkly. She felt like a goddess as she danced provocatively to the music, turning heads from all directions, men openly staring as she ground her hips, shook her ass, and jiggled her boobs in time to the hypnotic beat. She felt powerful and in control, and she liked it. "My queen." Came the seductive voice from behind her. Gloved hands lightly held her waist and she let her body move in sync with her king's, swaying and snaking together to the music for what seemed an eternity. He pressed his body tightly against hers, and she could clearly feel his erection, adding to her own sense of arousal as she tilted her head back to kiss him, his hands roaming over her feminine curves…

Sarah woke abruptly, and sat up in bed, flushed and sweating, her heart pounding. She was turned on, her mind buzzing and her body yearning for her lover. She looked over at the clock and saw it was 3 am. "Shit," she muttered, "now I'll never get back to sleep!" "Had a nightmare, darling?" Jareth sounded amused as he stepped out from the shadows and approached the bed. "Jesus Christ! What are you doing here? You scared me half to death!" she scolded him, the shock wearing off a little as she began feel embarassed about how dishevelled she must look. But that was forgotten as another thought hit her. "Were you watching me sleep?" She gasped, horrified. "As if I'd do such a thing!" he exclaimed, mocking her. "You should have known to expect me. I did give you some of my powers, after all." "I had no idea. Is the feast now? I need to shower first!" She grabbed her clothes and darted out of the room.

The shower refreshed her and soothed her frayed nerves. She came back into the room, dressed and feeling more like herself, and found Jareth waiting patiently, playing with some crystals, wielding them with such skill that she could barely take her eyes off the shiny spheres. "Some warning would have been nice, you know." She said ruefully, towelling her hair. "Allow me." He offered, taking the towel from her and hanging it on the radiator. She was about to argue when she realised her hair was completely dry, and she was wearing a lovely floorlength green dress. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and had to admit it looked amazing on her, even though she hadn't been given a choice.

The castle was full of goblins scuttling around looking busy everywhere she looked. As the guests emptied into what she assumed was the dining hall, a sudden attack of nerves gripped her, as it dawned on her that she had no idea what to expect, or even what they would be eating. Jareth squeezed her hand and led her into the great dining hall, where a portly goblin announced their arrival to the room. "Jareth, the Goblin King, and his guest of honour-may I present Lady Sarah Williams of the Aboveground!" Everyone applauded and she took her place next to Jareth at the head of the table, flattered to be made such a fuss of, and proud to be with such a powerful and clearly respected man. Sarah was impressed at how the goblins served the meal so efficiently, despite being unable to quite see what they were doing, as the table was almost out of their reach. Luckily the main course seemed to be chicken, and was quite delicious. The other guests seemed fascinated by her, and asked probing questions about her life above ground, and how she had met the Goblin King in the first place. "Well," she started, "I was looking after my baby brother one night, and he wouldn't stop crying, so I wished him away…" As she continued the story, she could see Jareth out of the corner of her eye, gazing at her adoringly as he held her hand. Her audience were captivated, some of the female guests sighing with envy at such a dramatic tale.

All too soon the evening was over, and Sarah stood on the balcony, looking up at the heavens, with Jareth's arm protectively around her. She shivered and leaned into him, glad of the warmth. "Look there," he whispered softly, pointing at the sky, "do you see it?" She did, staring open mouthed, wondering why she hadn't seen it until now. "Oh my God…..you moved the stars for me!" Completely swept off her feet, she flung her arms around him and kissed him passionately, catching him off guard. He laughed and returned the kiss, Sarah going weak at the knees, wanting him to bed her more than she'd ever wanted anything in her life….."Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" a goblin yelled, appearing as if from nowhere. "Go away, Snork, can't you see I'm busy!" Jareth growled through gritted teeth. "Sorry Sire, but it's urgent!" Snark pleaded, "We're under siege! The dragon people are attacking!" "Bloody hell! Call my army, get the horses saddled! Now!" he commanded. The Goblin King turned to his beloved. "Sarah, I'm so sorry, I'll be in touch as soon as I can." He vowed, sending her home before she had chance to protest.

Sarah fretted as she called her friends through the mirror. She was scared, and didn't know what else to do. Only Hoggle appeared, looking hugely stressed. "You called, Sarah? Now's….not so good." He looked down at his feet, failing to choke back a sob of fear. "Hoggle, what's going on?" "We're being attacked-Ludo and Sir Didymus have already left to join the fighting. It's bad, this time, really bad." "Oh no. Is there anything I can do?" She cried, anxiety churning her stomach. "No. I couldn't bear it, if anything happened to you. Goodbye, I have to run, hide before they find me." Tears trickled down Sarah's face as the image of the dwarf disappeared.

Sarah couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, could barely get through each day. Unable to concentrate on anything else, she worried constantly about Jareth and her friends. When awake, she kept imagining the worst, and sleep was plagued by dreadful nightmares of them hurt or dying. She had tried to contact Hoggle and the others through her mirror, but got no response. And there was no word from the Goblin King.

Until one cold afternoon that is, when she was all of a sudden aware of dark shapes moving about her room, popping in and out of sight. "Hello?" She called hopefully. "Lady Sarah?" An unfamiliar goblin hopped up onto the bed, a small crowd of goblins now visible behind him. "Yes-where's Jareth? I mean, the Goblin King? Is he alright? Hoggle, the dwarf who keeps the gateway to the Labyrinth, Ludo, the big orange monster who lives in the Labyrinth? Sir Didymus, who guards the bridge over the Bog of Eternal Stench?" Tears pricked the back of her eyes, threatening to fall. "Yes Lady Sarah. They are all well and resting at the castle. King made sure they were safe, before he sent us. The dwarf's arm is broken, but healing now." "Oh thank god! Take me to see them, please!" "That is why we are here, Lady Sarah."

Arriving at the castle, Sarah was ushered to the throne room, where Jareth was slumped in his throne, looking pale and tired. He smiled weakly when he saw her, arms outstretched. She flew to him and covered his face in kisses, hugging him tightly. "You're alright! I was so worried!" She cried, a lump rising in her throat. "I'll live, precious. My magic is spent, though. Otherwise I would have come for you myself." He murmured, running a hand through her hair. "And Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus? They're not hurt?" "Not badly. They're asleep in my guest chambers in the east wing of the castle. I can take you to see them tomorrow, if you'd like?" "I'd like that. Thankyou, Jareth." "They fought bravely, you know." He said seriously. Sarah got comfortable on his lap. "So was it awful?" She asked, wanting to know all the details. "Yes. I'd rather not talk about it." He kissed her softly on the forehead. "I missed you, Sarah." She held his hand, moved at his admission. "I missed you too." She confessed, feeling emotional. He kissed her properly, her heart fluttering as they made out passionately, not caring if the goblins were watching them or not. After some time, Jareth broke the kiss and got up, easing her gently to her feet. "I'll send the goblins for you again tomorrow. Where have they got to anyway?" He was about to shout for them when Sarah put a finger to his lips. "Don't call them. I'm not going anywhere." She played with the lace on his shirt and batted her eyelashes at him alluringly, hoping he got the message.

Jareth led Sarah up never ending flights of stairs, passing the Escher room on the way, until finally they reached his private chambers. Her heart hammered in her chest as they walked into a large bedroom, simple yet majestic. Black seemed to be the theme, black satin sheets on the four-poster bed, black drapes, a luxurious black rug on the floor. There were candles everywhere she looked, and beautiful hangings on the bare stone walls, depicting scenes from various locations in the Labyrinth. Jareth strode over to her and kissed her passionately, his tongue pushing against hers, making her knees go weak. Lip locked, they half-fell, half-stumbled onto the bed, limbs intertwined as they rolled around, lost in lust, not fully in control of themselves. The Goblin King undressed Sarah reverently, taking his time to enjoy each new inch of skin revealed, tossing her clothes carelessly into a corner as he disrobed her. She fumbled with his clothing clumsily, unbuttoning his shirt and casting it aside, biting her lip at the delicious sight of his bare chest, slender yet defined, muscles firm under her touch. She had a hard time pulling his boots off and he laughed at her, helping her out before abandoning her to peel off his skin tight pants by herself, hands behind his head as he watched her with interest. Jareth had never looked so exquisite to her as he did now, naked and unashamed, fire burning in his mismatched eyes as they drank in the sight of his Sarah in all her glory. He pulled her close, his hands running over her body, exploring every inch of her. Their lips found each other, kisses growing deeper as they were overtaken by their hunger for each other, undisclosed feelings being expressed without the need for words. She caressed his body tenderly, stroking his back down to his perfect ass, slowly working her way round to his impressive penis, which was fully hard by this point, and larger than she had imagined. They explored each other's bodies using their tongues aswell as their fingertips, the rest of the universe forgotten, satisfying each other being the only thing that mattered. She was overwhelmed at Jareth's expertise as he brought her to the brink again and again, his head between her thighs, his tongue flickering against her expertly, causing her pleasure so intense it was almost pain. She duly returned the favour, concentrating hard and giving the performance of her life, trying to match up to her lover's near-perfect technique. "Sarah, stop!" Jareth gasped, pulling out of her mouth all of a sudden. "Sorry." She mumbled. "No, darling," he reassured her, cupping her chin in his hands, "I just want to last for you, that's all-when we make love." Touched by his consideration, she clambered up his body to his face and kissed him, light-headed with anticipation. They kissed for what felt like an eternity, drowning in each other, before he gently rolled her onto her back and hovered over her, positioning himself. She groaned as he eased himself slowly inside her, closing her eyes in ecstasy as he began thrusting, slowly and tenderly to begin with, murmuring sweet nothings into her ear. She held him tightly as they made love, wanting him close as their bodies found a rhythm. Strong emotions flooded her heart and mind, and she touched his face tenderly, wanting him to be hers, like this, forever as they rocked together, time itself standing still as all their dreams came true in one glorious evening, the Goblin King's stamina exceeding Sarah's expectations. Sarah could swear the earth moved beneath them as fireworks exploded in her head, her muscles spasmed and she reached her orgasm, crying out with pleasure. At the same time, she felt Jareth's final thrusts, long and slow, as he pulsed hard inside her, moaning as he came. She was amazed that they had climaxed simultaneously on their first time. He crumpled on top of her for just a moment before withdrawing and rolling off her and onto his back, gathering her tightly to him. His arms wrapped around her as she lay with her head on his chest, sighing happily as she drifted off to sleep.

She woke early, Jareth next to her, still sleeping. She gazed at him besottedly, infatuated, knowing she had fallen for him hard, and hoping he still felt the same way about her, now he'd had his way with her. Though not exactly a virgin, such intimate emotions were new to her, and she wondered how many times he'd been in love before. He certainly knew what he was doing in bed and it gave her a little twinge of pain, realising how much practical experience he must have gained over the centuries. He could have any woman he wanted, and she knew a lot of women wanted him. He stirred and groggily opened his eyes to look at her. "Morning precious." He murmured, concern slowly creeping across his features. "Whatever's the matter, sweetheart?" She shook her head and smiled bravely, her voice wobbling a little. "Nothing…..nothing really…it's just…..I wanted to know….how many other women have you slept with?" "Sarah….don't, please." He stroked her cheek softly, eyes full of compassion, and something deeper. "In all my life I've never fallen in love before. You're the one and only woman for me, and that's the truth. I love you. You must know that?" "Oh Jareth…I love you too." "Sarah….." He breathed, overjoyed, beaming. "Be mine." He pulled her close, and she answered him, floating on air. "I'm yours." She paused and grinned at him, a flirty look in her eyes. "I want you again." He smiled lavisciously and kissed her, happy to oblige…..

After breakfast , they headed to the guest rooms to visit Sarah's friends. Ludo and Sir Didymus greeted her warmly. "Sarah!" "My Lady!" She hugged them one after the other, then noticed that her best friend was missing. "Where's Hoggle?" "He went out for some fresh air, I expect he'll soon return." Sir Didymyus explained. He regarded her thoughtfully, questions forming in his mind. "What brings thee to the castle, My Lady?" She hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to tell him. "I came to see you three, I heard you were here." "How didst thou hear?" "Er….." "I informed Sarah of recent events, knowing of her attachment to you." Jareth interjected, crossing his arms and giving the fox a look that dissuaded him from asking any more questions, before returning to his throne room, giving the friends some time to catch up. Ludo and Sir Didymus shared a look, already suspicious of why they had been shown such hospitality by the Goblin King. Sarah felt uncomfortable at hiding the whole truth from her friends as they talked. They told her of their battles, describing Hoggle's capture, his surprising bravery in the face of adversity, and how they had managed to rescue him. Eventually, Sarah tired of waiting for Hoggle and decided to go and look for him. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Jareth, sitting on his throne as she walked in, surrounded by goblins and chickens. "Had a good time?" "Yes and no. Hoggle hasn't come back yet." "I see. He's in the gardens." He stood up and extended a hand to her and she took it, feeling relieved as he led her out through the back gates of the castle. "Oh Jareth. It's so beautiful out here." She gasped, taking in the beautiful trees and flowers, the carefully manicured lawns interspersed with elegant statues here and there. "I thought you'd like it." He smiled, and she hugged him impulsively, pecking him on the cheek, leading into a proper kiss, as their feelings took over and they forgot why they were there…..

"Sarah!" Hoggle's horrified voice rang in her ears and she opened her eyes to see the dwarf standing just a few feet away from them, his left arm in a sling. She disentangled herself from Jareth's arms at once, but Hoggle was already fleeing, tears welling in his eyes. "Hegwort, if you don't get back here….." The Goblin King began angrily, about to stride forwards, but Sarah stopped him in his tracks, her hands on his chest gently holding him back. "No, Jareth. Let me go after him. Hoggle!" She shouted, running after her friend. She caught up with him easily and gripped him by the shoulders. "Lemme go! You're no friend of mine!" He spat, glaring at her. "Hoggle, let me explain…." "I ain't interested in anything you have to say! Now leave me alone!" No amount of pleading could get Hoggle to listen to her, and Sarah was forced to give up, watching sadly as he marched off in the direction of his home. "Dammit," she muttered to herself, "maybe he'll calm down in a few days."

Sarah had gone home after the fight with Hoggle, but returned every few days to spend time with Jareth. Her family had noticed the change in her, commenting on her frequent abscences, the dreamy look in her eyes and how much happier she was, often catching her singing in the kitchen as she mopped the floor, did the dishes or took out the trash. Irene could see her stepdaughter was in love, and was relieved, thinking now maybe she would soon move out and make her own way in the world. Convincing Robert that this was a good thing took a little work, he still saw Sarah as his little girl, just like any other father, but eventually he learned to accept it, as time passed by.

Sarah was sitting in her room with Ludo and Sir Didymus, talking about Hoggle yet again. "I just don't understand why he still won't talk to me. I know he's frightened of Jareth, but surely he's had time to get over it by now? I mean, you guys have, right?" "Ludo approve of Sarah and King." "I agree, My Lady, though it was a shock at first, I can see thou art very happy. But Hoggle…..he has his reasons." "What reasons? Please tell me, I don't understand." "I have taken a solemn oath-I have sworn my secrecy. I cannot." "Please, Sir Didymus. I have to know. Or we might never make up and be friends again!" The fox considered this carefully, for such a long time that she wondered if he even knew Hoggle's secret. "My Lady, I beg of thee, tell no-one. Hoggle….he's in love with you."

That night, in the castle, Sarah lay awake, unable to sleep. She couldn't get Sir Didymus's revelation out of her mind. Hoggle was one of her best friends, and she loved him dearly, like a brother, but the thought of being involved with him was incomprehensible. She shuddered involuntarily at the very idea of them as a couple. Not that she was available anymore, of course. The Goblin King was asleep beside her, exhausted after their love-making. She tenderly placed a feather-light kiss on his shoulder blade. Apparently Jareth was already aware of Hoggle's feelings for his girlfriend, but he had still reacted like a spoilt child when she brought up the subject, obviously a tiny bit jealous. She had secretly found it quite funny.

The next morning Jareth had insisted on her going with him to the highest turret of the castle, and she found herself looking out of the window, wrapped up in her lover's arms as he stood behind her, head on her shoulder. "You can see the almost the whole of my kingdom from up here." He told her proudly. "It's wonderful." It was a breathtaking view, even the rubbish dump looked different from this height. "Do you like it?" "Yes I do. I've always loved it here." "Do you want it?" "What?" As she turned to look at him, puzzled, he took her hand and dropped to one knee. "Sarah…everything you want, I will do. I will turn the world upside down for you. I can offer you your dreams. Just let me rule you and you can have everything that you want. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." "Jareth, what are you saying?" Her heart felt as if it would burst out of her chest, as she knew what he meant, but wanted to hear him say it. "Sarah. Marry me. Be my Goblin Queen. Share my powers, my kingdom and my life." He presented her with a beautiful ring, a tiny crystal in the centre which sparkled and caught the light like a diamond. Tears of joy sprang to her eyes and ran down her face. "Yes. Yes of course I will." His face lit up as he stood and took her in his arms, gently wiping the tears from her face. "Don't cry. This is a happy day." He said softly, sliding the ring onto her finger. "I know. I am happy." He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly, neither of them quite able to believe it was all real, that such happiness could finally be theirs.

Back above ground, Sarah was awoken the next morning by a bouncy Toby jumping onto her bed, waving a letter in her face. "Wake up, wake up, you got a letter from….Hog-lee!" "Oh Tobes! Do you mean Hoggle?" He passed her the crumpled envelope, addressed in shaky handwriting, 'To Sarah. From Hoggle.' She tore it open, desperate to see what the dwarf had to say. 'Sarah. It's Hoggle. We have to talk. Call me through the mirror. Hoggle.' She grinned from ear to ear, thinking maybe she was at last forgiven. She followed her little brother downstairs, into the kitchen where Irene and Robert were sitting at the table, eating hot buttered pancakes. She helped herself, starving. Toby was staring at her left hand. "That's a pretty ring. Where did you get it? Look at Sarah's ring, Mommy." Irene snatched Sarah's hand, studying it closely. "Sarah…Is that an engagement ring?" "Er…." She mumbled, not quite knowing what to say. "Yes." Her father stared at her, folding his newspaper and putting it down on the table. "Honey! This is all very sudden! Do we at least get to meet him?"

After what felt like hours of interrogation from her family, Sarah was relieved to have a bit of time to think. She had no idea what her parents would make of Jareth, or even if he would agree to meet them. She had forgotten she was still wearing her ring, and wondered if she should have hidden it, before it dawned on her that she had to tell them she was moving out anyway. 'And now,' she thought, suddenly apprehensive, 'I have to tell Hoggle.' Taking a deep breath, she called him through her trusty mirror. He was a sight for sore eyes as he appeared in her room, even if he did still look pissed at her. She hugged him tightly and he flinched, wounding her feelings. "It's so good to see you Hoggle." She said kindly, smiling at him. "I hears you're to be married. To him." The dwarf said, grimacing. "How did you know that? I mean, yes, I am. But how did you find out?" "Don't be stupid! The Goblin King, settling down? After all those centuries? With a mortal woman? It's all over the kingdom! It ain't exactly a secret!" Angry, Hoggle sat down on the bed. Sarah took his hand. "So…can we be friends again? I've missed you so much!" "Hmmph! Maybe." He sniffed, and looked at her, worry and pain etched on his wrinkly face. "Are you sure you're not making a big mistake? Jareth, of all the…..You could be with someone else….." He stopped and gazed at his feet, unable to bring himself to say the words 'with me'. Sarah understood, and her heart went out to him. "I know how you feel about me Hoggle…..and I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same way. We can stay friends. I really want us to be friends. You're my best friend, I care about you so much….." "If you cared about me, you'd break it off with that rat!" "Hoggle, come on, be reasonable…..I love him." Sarah said softly, knowing that the truth hurt, but was the kindest thing in the long run.

Hoggle had disappeared then, finding Sarah's words unbearable. She felt dreadful, sure she'd done the right thing, but devastated that things had ended so badly between them. Ludo and Sir Didymus seemed sure he'd come round eventually, but that wasn't much comfort right now. They were pleased at the news, seeing as it meant that Sarah would be coming to live so much closer to them. Sir Didymus's opinion was that she would make a just and fair queen, and a good influence on Jareth. She hadn't thought much about that side of things until now, ruling over the goblins and other creatures which lived in the kingdom. 'I hope I'm up to the job.' She thought, settling down to sleep.

The next hurdle was introducing her family to the Goblin King. Sarah had told them that he was an actor, originally from England, she had met him on her ill-fated drama course, and that they would be moving to England to live, after the wedding. She was surprised at how easily he had agreed to meet her family, and here he was, in her bedroom, going over the final details of her hastily constructed alibi. "So you're going to go down and knock on the door?" "Yes." "Er…" She stared at his crotch, "are you going to be wearing that? Those pants…." He tilted his head to look at her, amused. "And why not?" He vanished, and seconds later the doorbell chimed. Irene had opened the door before Sarah could reach it, and she was relieved to see her fiancé dressed conservatively, in a dark shirt and jeans, his long hair tied back. "Come in, come in," her stepmother greeted the visitor, "you must be Jareth. It's lovely to meet you at last." "The pleasure's all mine." He said charmingly, kissing her hand. His velvety smooth tones, handsome face and impeccable manners had the woman practically swooning already. "Hello, Jareth. I'm Robert, this is my wife, Irene." Sarah's father shook Jareth's hand enthusiastically and led him into the living room.

The couple returned to the castle beyond the Goblin City, relieved at how well the visit had gone. Jareth had acted like the perfect guest, and Sarah's family had been on their best behaviour. They had bought the made-up story, and Toby didn't show any signs of recognising him. Lying in her lover's arms, Sarah was already fretting about the wedding. "What are we going to do? How can we invite them? They'll freak when they see the goblins, Ludo, Sir Didymus, the Fierys, the fairies….." "You worry too much. Leave it to me." He interrupted, smiling knowingly at her, producing a crystal out of nowhere and vanishing it again, as if to remind her of his magical powers. She sighed. "I suppose. Just don't use too much magic on them, ok?" "I promise. Now, where were we?" He kissed her neck gently, starting just behind her ear, working his way down….and she forgot all her problems for a while…..

Irene sat on the couch, knitting, unintentionally eavesdropping on a phone conversation between Sarah and her mother. She could hear the pain in her stepdaughter's voice, and felt angry with Linda Williams for being so callous. 'After all, what kind of mother leaves her only daughter for a man?' She sighed, shaking her head. "But Mom, I'm getting married!" Pause. "But you could bring Jeremy with you, he's welcome too…" Pause. "Yes, Dad, Irene and Toby are coming." Pause. "I know." Pause. "I know." Pause. "I know you're busy working. But can't they spare you for one day?" Pause. "Yes but even if it is going to be a box office smash….." Pause. "Behind schedule? Already?" Pause. "I know." Pause. "I know." Pause. "Well I can't hear…." Pause. "Okay. Bye Mom, I love you." Pause. "Mom? Mom? Are you there?" Pause. "Guess not." The sound of sniffling was impossible to ignore, and Irene came out into the hallway. "Sarah, I couldn't help overhearing. Are you alright?" Her stepdaughter burst into tears, and Irene hugged her comfortingly. "She's not coming." Sarah sobbed. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. But you know your father, Toby and I-we wouldn't miss it for the world."

It was the morning of her wedding and Sarah felt nervous and excited. Admiring her gorgeous wedding dress in the mirror, she had to admit that it did bear a striking resemblance to a certain white dress she had worn, long ago…..She giggled at the memory, thinking how much everything had changed since then. Her train of thought was interrupted by Truckle, her favourite goblin, knocking at the door. "Lady Sarah, we're ready for you. King is growing impatient." "Coming." She called, stepping into her white high heels and opening the door. Standing there in the stone corridor was a sight for sore eyes. "Hoggle! You came! Oh thank God!" She cried, delighted, throwing her arms around the dwarf's neck. "Get off me! Don't want to end up in the Bog of Eternal Stench again now do we?" He winked, and Sarah laughed happily. "Am I forgiven?" She implored, mentally begging him to say yes. "It's me who needs forgiving. I'm sorry Sarah. Here. Something borrowed." He passed her a small plastic bracelet, the same one she had given to him to help her get through the Labyrinth years ago. "Thankyou. And of course I forgive you Hoggle." She said warmly, touched, hugging her friend and putting the bracelet on. Truckle gently tugged at her sleeve, anxious. "We have to go, Lady Sarah."

The ceremony was perfect and the couple radiated joy as they said their vows and exchanged rings. The guests burst into applause as they kissed tenderly, even Hoggle, who was sitting next to Ludo and Sir Didymus, on the front row with Sarah's family. Greeting the guests as they filed into the castle's great dining hall, the bride had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Before she knew it, the speeches were over and the meal was being served. "Sarah," Irene whispered, leaning past Robert to speak to the bride, "it's the funniest thing. I can't remember anything about our journey here at all! And the other guests….are they really from the theatre too? So strange that they'd wear their costumes to a wedding, don't you think?" "I think," Jareth cut in, "that your glass is empty, my dear. Let me get you some more of that peach champagne." He nodded to one of the goblins, who scuttled over with 2 bottles, champagne for Sarah's parents, peach juice for Toby.

"And now," announced Spud proudly, dabbing at his eyes with a tissue, "may I present, for the first dance-the bride and groom." Jareth took Sarah's hand and led her to the dancefloor, never taking his eyes off her. They slowdanced elegantly, holding each other close, lost in each other, as they revolved around the floor in a romantic waltz. All too soon they were joined by their guests, and the music changed to something a bit more up-tempo, in order to tempt everyone to dance. Toby grabbed Sarah's hands for a dance and she went along with him, bending down to twirl him round in circles and help him skid along the floor on his knees. She began to tear up a little, thinking how much she was going to miss him. She hugged him tightly and he squirmed out of her arms with a "Yuck!", running over to Irene and Robert and dragging them onto the dancefloor. Strong arms embraced her and her husband whispered into her ear. "You can visit them anytime, my love." "I know. But it's not the same." She thought for a while and squeezed him tightly, gazing up at him lovingly. "It's more than worth it though-to be with you. I love you, Goblin King." "I love you too, Goblin Queen." He kissed her as he'd never kissed her before, some of the guests 'Aaah-ing' in the background, and Sarah knew she had found her happy ending at last.