A voice was screaming deep down in Sarah's subconscious, half of her begged to rip the flesh from the arrogant tyrant. He was accusing her. He was calling her a tease and she wanted to fight back. But there was something else. Alarms sounding that told her killing him wouldn't solve anything; yet the blood pooled behind her eyes. She couldn't see him as he was now, standing below her with his hands up. All she saw was the bastard that had stolen her little brother. Tricked her and teased her.

"You're the tease. Not me." She spat out, stepping down and preparing to strike him once more.

All those dreams he dangled in front of your eyes; always just out of reach. The voice didn't surprise her but caused her to stop and watch the Goblin King closer. He was speaking but she couldn't hear what he was saying.

"Turn back, Sarah."

He tried to seduce you, make you forget. You don't want to forget Sarah. Did you want him Sarah? Were you too scared?

Sarah ground her teeth in response. She had been scared. Not scared that he would hurt her. Scared to go to places that adults went.

Poor little scared Sarah, poor little child.

"I'm not a child!"

No? Dear child Sarah, ignorant Sarah. Do you want him?

"I want to hurt him."

No, Sarah. Do you want him? Think about it now. Look at him. Begging you. Pleading for you.

"It's a trick."

Look Sarah.

Her body shook, chills swept down her arms and legs and the power was gone. But the voice lingered. Sarah could see and hear Jareth clearly now.

"Sarah. I need you to help me. We have to go to the center of the Labyrinth, they're resources I need. Please Sarah, listen to me. Sarah?"

Sarah nodded. Yes, she could hear him. She heard the sincerity. It sounded foreign on his tongue but honest all the same.

You could have him now.

Sarah nodded again. Jareth reached out to her, offering his hand for her to take. He didn't know it was the voice she was answering now.

Heat, different from the burning magic, flooded her face. Her heart beat fast, she was aroused. It wasn't as if she had never been turned on before, but this wasn't the type of situation she usually found arousing. A spot below her navel tightened and she was uncomfortably aware of her breasts.

"Sarah? Are you alright?"

She had been staring into his mismatched eyes. Blinking she looked away and tried to shake away the unwanted feelings.

A side-effect, that's all. She told herself.

Ignoring his hand she hugged herself and tried to look anywhere but directly into his eyes.

"I'm fine. I just got overwhelmed. What's going on with me?"

Jareth eyed her carefully. It appeared as if all was well, but he knew all too well how tricky magic could be and how well it hid from its host.

Satisfied she was truly herself once more he continued down the narrow stairway. They could afford no more loss in time.

His mind whirled as they made their way back to the throne room.

"As I was saying. You have changed, and the first thing we need to know is all of the facts." He tried to keep all accusations out of his tone and found it easier than he would have been led to believe. He tested himself for the toxin he now knew was buried within him. He found nothing.

"You said you were aware of the change. When did it start?"

Sarah was silent; he knew she was thinking but he was impatient for answers. He tried not to let his impatience show.

Finally she spoke.

"I joined a softball team. I was good but not perfect. At first I did alright but as I kept exercising I could feel a change. I pushed it out of my head. I thought the running and being around all those amazing girls was doing me some good. But it felt all wrong. It felt unnatural. I hurt a guy who- well, it's not important but I didn't mean to hurt him, just make him stop what he was doing. My hair is too thick and long. Even when I try to cut it, it grows back too quick. Then my eyes. People kept remarking on them. My mother thought I had taken to wearing contacts. She accused me of trying to change who I was. She said it was okay to play a part for a little while but that I had to accept who I was. It really hurt my feelings that she thought I thought so little of myself. I hated it. I just thought I could stop. Stop feeding whatever was changing me and I would go back to normal. I stopped seeing most of my friends. Quit softball. I wore sunglasses and even stopped washing my hair everyday. You're right. I stifled it. But only because I wanted it to stop. I didn't want it to change me in the first place. And why then?"

They had made it to the castle doors. Sarah had been walking behind Jareth. He turned to her now.

"Why didn't I start changing after that first night; after I had wo- gone home with Toby?"

He didn't have an answer for yet, but he felt soon he could tell her what had happened. He opened the doors.

The air left his lungs. Pain ripped at his heart and he gripped the door for support. The land was dead. The sky was dead. Nothing stirred.

"Jareth?" Sarah ran to his side. He was barely able to hold himself up. "What is it?"

"Time," he whispered.

"What?"

"I move the stars for no one."

Sarah's eyes widened. He had told her that once before.

"Live without the sunlight. Love without your heartbeat. I can't live within you."

"Do you remember those words so well Sarah?"

"I thought you were trying to trick me. Distract me from getting to Toby."

He shook his head slowly. He straightened himself and raised his head. The problem was more severe than he had originally thought. They continued walking. Absently he let his hands run over hedges and along stone walls. They were neither cold nor hot.

"Those words. They aren't simply a part of song. I move the stars for no one. I meant it. Plenty of others have come and gone. Many have lost. Those you lose they have choices. They can go back to a home void of the one they wished away. They can stay here, let the land and magic change them. Many, so many have lost. But a few have won. They're victory is so much simpler. They return to their normal lives. Most forget this place. Sometimes their adventures linger as a dream."

Sarah knew the shock of seeing his land had affected him severely, but she didn't understand what that had to do with the others who had come here.

"It makes sense. I never gave it much thought before," she said, "That there would be others. But what does that have to do with that song and what has happened now?"

He shook his head once more refusing to let her see the sadness he felt.

"You don't get it do you?" He asked sadly. "Like it or not. You were different. Never once before had I altered time to benefit or obstruct. But you made me- you infuriated me. So stubborn. We've both made mistakes. As it seems now though, we never intended to do so much harm. How could you have known? How could I have known?"

"Those words," he continued," as I said are more than just a part of a song. They're a spell. I didn't mean them as a spell at the time. I did think they would enchant you. So eager I was to impress you." He threw her a flash of his wicked smile before turning back to study the land.

"I didn't give them much thought as I said them. That was my mistake. There is a spell to bind to powers together. When I was- hmm- given the land of the Labyrinth and all the power and responsibility that tagged along I had to undergo a ceremony at the heart of the Labyrinth."

"That's where we're going now?"

"Yes, at its former glory the heart holds the most powerful and concentrated magic. It spills out of the ground like a natural spring. Left alone the surrounding land would go wild. Creatures beyond imagination would come into existence," he threw out his arms in emphasis. Sarah found herself liking listening to him speak about the land as so.

"Trees and plants would overtake everything. Those like me who know how to contain magic would not be able to control this wild magic. There are places in this vast world that sentient beings do not go willingly. The wild magic is too strong, too dangerous. When tapped into early enough it is still potent, yet not uncontrollable."

"That's what you do at this ceremony? You 'tap' into the wild magic?" He smiled glad she understood.

"Yes, I was bound to this land. Some wild magic still exists but it is small and harmless. I sacrifice very little. I must always live here. I must perform my duties until I am ready to relinquish my throne. I must attend to every creature, every plant. I must never let harm come to the land." His smile faded.

"And the spell?" Sarah prodded.

"A binding spell. I never intended it as a spell, Sarah. And if I did- well..."

"You might have bound me to you? Is that was you mean?" Anger swelled but Sarah shook it off quickly.

"That would have been my intention yes."

Sarah didn't respond for a quite a while. They were getting close to where she had left Hoggle. She recognized a familiar archway and was thankful that at least the walls couldn't change this time around.

Jareth finally took it upon himself to resume speaking.

"Instead I believe... I left the spell unfinished. With no two powers bound. But the spell was out there. Roaming and feeding off the wild magic. When you left me, there in the castle, I made a decision." Jareth balanced his thoughts on a sharp-edged dagger. He needed her trust, but he refused to expose how he had really been affected.

"I was going to step-down. I was going to retreat and let someone else come and take over."

"You were sulking, you mean."

He didn't let her see his grin turning to inspect a curious mound on the side of the path.

"Usually it's as simple as going to sleep. Someone else is chosen and when the new ceremony is complete I awake and am free to do whatever I wish."

"What were you going to-?"

"Ah! I think I had found your friend Hogsposh."

"It's Hoggle and you very well know it. Where is he? This is close to where I left him but I don't remember this hedge."

Sarah was stunned. He had been moved. Now the small man was bundled in a thin gray cloth, curled into a ball.

"How could he have moved?"

Jareth shook his head. "Try to wake him up again."

Sarah didn't hesitate to try. Kneeling beside the dwarf she pushed back the cloth to take a hold of one of his hands. As before he didn't immediately awake, but slowly came around.

"Sarah?" he groaned. "Wha? JARETH!?"

Sorry- so, so sorry for the long update. I am with... out WiFi! I have to load everything onto a USB at this point and transfer it when I get the chance of finding someone who will let me use their computer. A big shout out to my parents right now. So this chapter is a little shorter but I was eager to get something out there. Heads up I should be uploading multiple chapters next time, just no promises that it will be anytime soon... :(