Labyrinth 1. Chapter 1

AN:   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth or this college...just Jareth :P  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He's BaaAAaack!  
  
(Part I)  
  
The teacher droned on at the head of the class, but I stared out the window remembering that day...so long ago it seemed. It was a few years now, I guess. I was never quite sure if I should try and forget the experience or if I should remember, so I could learn from my young mistakes. I was away at college now, away from home where every time I looked at Toby I remembered what I did to the poor boy. Of course, he did't remember, but I did. My lips pursed as I thought, I shouldn't feel guilty. I was not the one who kidnapped him and tried to make him into a stinking goblin!  
  
I shook my head free of the thoughts and turned to look back towards the door as I heard the door opening. Someone was a bit late, eh? I chuckled to myself, but my breath stopped in my throat when I saw who it was walking through the door. I ducked my head low behind the person in front of me. What was he doing here? After all this time?? How dare he???  
  
The teacher stopped and turned to look at him, "Yes, sir?"  
  
"I had a schedule change and am in this class now," Jareth stood there looking slightly punk in black leather pants, heavy black boots, and a form fitting black shirt. I would have laughed if it wouldn't have given me away. His hair was the same as always, wild and soft looking. Bad Sarah, no admire his looks! He looked at the woman intensely, "I believe someone told you I was coming. You are also my advisor, I was told."  
  
The lovely middle-aged woman's face changed as if turning into a totally different person. She suddenly smiled. I really did not like this, I did not like this one bit. I think he just bewitched the teacher! "Ah, yes. You must be Jareth Kobold, the new international student at our school. I was told you came from a fairly small country in Europe. What is the name of your country?"  
  
Jareth's mismatched eyes had been roaming over the class, no doubt searching for lil ole me. "It's called Unter Graunt." He looked back at her and put that intense, bewitching look in his eyes again. I bit my lip to keep from letting the groan out at his obvious puns. Kobold was the German word for goblin and Unter Graunt, you have got to be incredibly dense not to get that one. His next words froze me in place. "Where is Sarah Williams? I was told she was in this class, too, and we are old friends. She could help me get around in this foreign country."  
  
The teacher nodded. "If Sarah knows you then she should be the one to show you around. She's right over there." Her hand swung in my direction and I toppled out of the seat onto the floor. Owie to me...I rubbed my rear end and started gathering my notebook, pen, and purse that were dumped on the floor with me. I should make a break for it now. I turned after getting all my things, preparing for my flight when I see a pair of heavy, black leather boots stop in front of me. Oh me, oh my...  
  
"May I help you up from down there?" he purred down at me with a chuckle. My eyes traveled up the boots, up the black leather pants that hugged him deliciously, up the muscled torso, and up to his smirking face. He extended a hand down to me.  
  
I brushed my hair from my face and stared at him in a mixture of horror, fear, fascination, and shock. I got to my feet shakily and moved back from him. Everyone in the small class was watching us, they were more interested with the display than with the US History lesson. I backed away from him and headed for the door.  
  
He spared a glance towards the teacher once more. "I think I will take her to the nurse and make sure she didn't hurt herself from that fall she just took." The teacher nodded in agreement dazedly. Yup, he definitely bewitched her or something.  
  
I fleed from the room and took off in a mad run down the hall way of the building's first floor. I had to get away, he had come back to exact his revenge. I was sure of it. I got outside and round the corner to go behind the building and there he was. I gave a shriek of terror and surprise before he took me by the arm.  
  
"Surprised to see me, Sarah?" he said with amusement.  
  
================  
  
I glared at up at him with my best shooting daggers look. Wouldn't that be awesome if I could really do that with my eyes? Jareth-ka-bobs, anyone?? My hands went to my hips and my chin lifted indignantly. "Why are you here? The college crowd doesn't seem your scene." I motioned to his punk clothes. "But at least you got *SOME* fashion sense since I last saw you. Or should I say, defeated you."  
  
His lips tightened in a frown of disapproval and I almost laughed. Point for me, woohoo. He tried to stare me down and when that didn't work. "Well, to exact my revenge, of course. What else do us big bad wolfs do?"  
  
"Well, really, I don't remember the bad wolf coming back to exact his revenge on the three little pigs," I smiled unnervingly up at him. "I think he died of an asthma attack after blowing at a brick wall like an idiot. And was that your way of calling me a pig?"  
  
"I don't know...do you consider yourself my pig?"  
  
I looked at him dryly. "That was sooooo lame, let me tell you." I turned and started to head back towards the parking lot. "You know, I think I am going to switch schools. Yeah. You can have this college, get your god damned degree in fashion of all things. Just go ahead, see if I care."  
  
Oooo, that guy really fried my bacon. He came back to exact his revenge, by what...embarrassing me in front of a few kids at my school and mesmerizing the teacher?? I felt a hand on my shoulder and I screamed while nearly jumping out of my skin. Good job, Sarah.  
  
"Where are you going, Sarah?" Jareth asked from behind me and moved into view.  
  
I pasted a smile on and grinned absurdly. "I'm going to see my BOYFRIEND."  
  
"You have no boyfriend. You know I can see everything you do through my crystal orbs and I know you don't have a boyfriend."  
  
I growled. Couldn't I just have one good moment here, one? "Well then I am going to find one!"  
  
"I don't think you'll find one immediately. And even then, I will make doubly sure you don't."  
  
"Is that your revenge? That if you can't have me, no one will? Well don't worry, you don't have to try to accomplish that...no guy wants me anyways."  
  
"Now you are lieing to yourself, Sarah. You are beautiful, you have gotten even more beautiful since you came to the Underground. I am sure a lowly Goblin King," he said with a smirk and for once I didn't feel like punching him. Sucker for a compliment, who me? "isn't the only one who thinks that."  
  
"How is flattering the hell out of me exacting your revenge?" I demanded to hide that breathlessness I had felt coming on. Never let the enemy see you swoon. I think that was right...so sue me if it wasn't.  
  
"Would you rather me be throwing you into the bog? Having you chained up in some oubliette?"  
  
"Not really...would there be a bunch of cute guys in the oubliette with me?"  
  
"Maybe," he paused and I knew he was cooking up something. "I would put 10 dashing guys in there that all looked exactly like...me."  
  
"I think I'll pass." I smiled widely. "Now, if that is all the revenge business you have at the moment, I think I am going to continue on my way. Should give you some time to think of something utterly horrible and nasty." I waved and started off across the lawn to where my car was parked. And may I point out that it was a BEAUTIFUL baby blue Ford mustang.  
  
Jareth suddenly was in front of me again. I blinked up at him. His voice lowered. "I did not come back for you, just to have you run off."  
  
I quoted to him. "Well ain't thems the brakes." He obviously wasn't amused by that and I sighed. "Look, for one, I can't stand out here in the open having a heated discussion with you; especially about the past without someone hearing us and thinking we are nuts. Secondly, I have a life...it may not be the best of lives...but I am not going to drop everything just cause you dropped by and embarrassed me in front of my US History class."  
  
"Then Sarah, I shall become a part of that life," he smirked, but this one seemed a bit touched in darkness. "As I said up there, I am going to be joining this prestigious college and get myself an education," he looked at me pointedly. "Right by your side."  
  
"Oh, great revenge, really it is." I stormed off towards my car and this time he didn't stop me.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I was in gym class the next day, actually it was volleyball. I went up for a spike and lost my footing. Why do they make gym floors so slippery? Is it just me or does it just scream liability?? I was preparing myself for the fall when I was suddenly in warm, strong arms held against a firm expanse of chest. My eyes turned upwards above that chest and I was looking up into mismatched eyes above a large smile.  
  
I extracted myself from his clutches. "Thanks." Part of me wanted to purposefully trip and see if he'd hold me again. Bad hormones, bad! Sarah good girl, Sarah not fling herself at beguiling Goblin King.  
  
"See, I can come in handy at times," Jareth purred with a smirk. "Now what would have happened if I hadn't been here exacting my revenge?"  
  
"I wouldn't have landed on my ass yesterday?" I said dryly and rotated since it was what the others had done, and was waiting for me to do instead of chit-chatting with the new boy.  
  
After gym, I drove to my apartment for a quick shower before heading back for theatre. I wondered if Jareth was going to try and weasel his way into this class, too. I couldn't see that guy acting, he smirked too damn much to pretend to be anyone else! I grumbled to myself while thinking of those awful smirks and got dressed. I pulled on jeans, white keds, and a white blouse before dashing back to school.  
  
I sat beside a friend of mine I had made who was also a theatre major. Her name was Jana and she was in many ways my opposite. She was Nordic in appearance if that gave you some clue, except she wasn't classically tall like most were. She was barely over five feet tall with long blonde hair and big blue eyes. We were talking about the auditions today for the new play when Jareth dropped into the seat beside me.  
  
Jana looked over at him. "Are you that international student from Europe? The country was some funny name I had never heard of."  
  
"Unter Graunt," He looked past me to my friend. "I am Jareth Kobold, an old friend of our dear Sarah." He gave my shoulders a squeeze and I nearly puked on his new punk attire. Today he was in the same black leather pants and boots, but with a sleeveless black shirt that was taught over his chest. Okay, who was dressing this man?  
  
"I'm Jana Schmitt," she giggled. "Your name is Jareth Goblin? That is a very interesting name."  
  
Woohoo, someone finally got the pun. And, of course, it was going to be a friend of mine. Can I pick them or what? I looked at Jana. "Yeah, weird name for a weird man. And Goblin sure does fit him, for that is what he is." I smiled widely and am hiddenly jabbed by the man on my left.  
  
"I thought you two were friends," Jana's eyes got big.  
  
"Oh, we are," I missed the look that had went with that comment, which was a bad thing because next thing I know he takes my chin in his other hand to turn my face towards him so he can lay a big, deep kiss on me.  
  
My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. What the hell did he do that for? I am so not getting this man. Making out in the middle of class is revenge? It will be if we get kicked out for it. I pressed my hands against his chest and pried his lips away from mine. I looked over to see Jana had slipped away, she was now chatting with some other girls. Probably spreading the news that me and Jareth were an item. He was going to pay dearly. First child ever, signed in blood, dearly.  
  
"What the hell was that for?" I hissed.  
  
"Cause I felt like it, I didn't get one before," he smirked that damnable smirk again. He should be a frickin clown if he liked smirking so much.  
  
"Well ya know why?? Huh?? Ya stole my brother!!" I waved a finger under his nose. "And I know what you're doing, yeah I do. Jana is over there spreading the news about me and you. Everyone will think we're a couple, and isn't that what you want??"  
  
Jareth just sat there smiling and shrugged.  
  
"You are so dead, goblin man." I seethed and slumped in the seat.  
  
========================  
  
It was supper time and I decided to eat up at the cafeteria tonight. A free meal, who can put their nose up at that? Well, it really isn't FREE since you pre-pay for it as part of your tuition, but at the time you are eating this school meal you don't have to have money on you. Actually, the cafeteria food was very good. Tonight I hardly noticed, though. I was swirling around my fettuccini alfredo and doing a mixture of pouting and fuming.  
  
None of my usual friends were sitting by me tonight. I think they were still wondering about my odd behavior lately and somehow they knew it had something to do with this new student, they just didn't know what was up between us. But, they had gotten a big tip-off, or so they thought, in theatre class! I was also sure my closer friends, like Jana, who we told everything to each other, were mad that I had kept HIM a secret. As much as I loathed to say it, I was even surer some of them were just jealous. Well they were welcome to him.  
  
A tray was set down next to mine and I didn't have to look up to know who was settling himself into the chair next to mine. I picked up my glass of coke and took a sip, ignoring him...or at least trying to. He leaned in close beside me and I tensed. Ignore him, Sarah! Think of puppies...kittens...goats...pigs...horses...cows...  
  
"Sarah...you having fun yet?" he purred in my ear.  
  
I swatted at him. "Get your own farm."  
  
"What?? My dear Sarah, is my presence driving you batty?" I could practically hear the smirk there. Yeah, if I could hear a smirk he must be driving me batty. "Why don't we end this all right now and go back to my castle."  
  
I turned and looked at him. "Fine. Go back to your castle." Bad idea, his face was right there. Close enough that our breath mingled between our mouths. I was staring into his mismatched eyes, oddly beautiful.  
  
"I meant *WE* go back to my castle, Sarah," Jareth said slowly, as if the move had affected him, too. Yeah right...nothing could unsettle the almighty Goblin King. Could it? "Just say yes and all these games can end."  
  
"And if I say when monkeys fly out of my butt?" I lifted eyebrows at him and gave him my own brand of smirk.  
  
He frowned and finally pulled back enough that I am not in danger of going cross-eyed from looking at him. "That can be arranged, but I am not in the habit of causing you serious harm."  
  
"Do you mean emotional or physical? Cause one of those would be a BIG lie..."  
  
"Sarah," he said my name with a sigh. Only with him could that still sound sexy. Please someone shoot me now. Put me out of my misery. "If I did there is no way to tell you how deeply sorry I am." He held up a hand between them. "Maybe we should call a truce for the time being?"  
  
I looked at his hand and then frowned up at him. "I thought you wanted to exact your revenge on me..."  
  
"I do, and then I calm down," he chuckled. He then leaned in close again to say. "But I would much rather spend my time close to you. And in its own way, wouldn't forcing myself into your life as your friend...or more...be an odd sort of revenge, after all that happened?"  
  
Well, I hated to admit it, but he had a point. Except for the "or more", there was no way in hell of that part ever coming true, and I believed in faerie stories of goblins and evil, sexy kings. "Okay, truce...but I swear, if you're hiding something up your sleeve..."  
  
"Oh come on, would I deceive you?" he purred.  
  
"Uh, yeah." I looked at him dryly.  
  
"Well that's in the past, though I recall being painfully truthful with you the whole time." He smirked, keeping his face eerily close still. "Think, Sarah, did I really lie to you?"  
  
Damn him. "No." I said a bit breathlessly, despite myself.  
  
"Good, now that we have that all out of the way...there is something I have to tell you, but not here of course. Finish eating and we can go talk." His face had turned serious as he looked into my eyes.  
  
"Wha-" I glanced at my food. "I'm done with all that. Just tell me what this is about."  
  
"Not here." He stood and pulled me up beside him.  
  
"I guess we can go to my apartment...that is, if I can trust you to behave." I followed him to the door, eager to find out what the sudden seriousness was all about.  
  
"We did call a truce, didn't we?" He grabbed my hand as we walked outside. He already knew which car was mine and headed for the blue mustang. "What else do I have to do in your Aboveground custom to gain your trust?"  
  
"Nothing, I'll...trust you," I shook my head, never had I thought I would utter those words to him. Or be letting him into my car so I could drive him to my apartment. Smart move, Sarah.  
  
======================  
  
I turned on the lights as I walked into my apartment, feeling a bit nervous about letting HIM into my private sanctum. I waved a hand towards the couch and headed down the hall, doing one of those checks everyone does of their home when they receive an unexpected guest. You know, the one to make sure no dirty underwear is on the floor or that the toilet seat is down.  
  
When I was satisfied it was all in order I turned to walk back towards the living room. I came up short as Jareth had been following me and I nearly ran into his delightful chest. He placed his hands on my upper arms to steady me. All I could do was stare at him openly and feel my heart beating its way out of my chest. Does anyone smell deer meat?  
  
"I'm sorry, Sarah," he looked down at me with that odd seriousness again.  
  
"That's okay," I took a deep breath, then stepped past him towards the living room. "I just want to know what you were so serious about at supper. You piqued my interest and now you have to tell me everything."  
  
I sat down on the couch and did my best to compose myself as he followed me into the room. "Everything..." I heard him murmur thoughtfully with an emotion that was hard to read in his voice. He snapped out of whatever it was and motioned to himself. "May I change first? These clothes were only so I could look somewhat like a college student."  
  
"I guess...the bathroom is down the ha-"  
  
Before I could finish he had used magic to change his clothes right in front of me. I blinked as the punk clothes melted into tight gray breeches, soft leather boots, and the open white shirt. I had always thought that this outfit made him look like a demented pirate. I smiled at this.  
  
"Something wrong with my attire?" He quirked a brow at me.  
  
"No, you look fabulous El Capitan," I gave him a mock salute that only confused him further.  
  
He waved it away, though, and dropped into a crouching position in front of me. I watched him and his eyes met mine intently. "Sarah...as much as I did enjoy having a good laugh at your expense as some sort of revenge for you making quite a fool of me, also...it was not the real reason I came here."  
  
"Jareth...you are really starting to worry me." I frowned at him.  
  
"You should be," he took my hand and ran his thumb over my knuckles gently. I was too much on pins and needles at his cryptic remarks to care about this, though. "I believe it is always best to start at the beginning. Quite awhile ago, maybe even before you were born...I used to allow every sort of creature imaginable into my Labyrinth. That included a few vampires, werewolves, and the like...as you can imagine they started to feed on the other creatures, though. I let it slide, but then they turned on my goblins. I finally cast them out and only allowed passage to the sorts of creatures you met while you were there."  
  
"I am sorry to interrupt...but why the history lesson? I agree that this was a horrible thing, but what does this have to do with me?" I looked at him with head tilted to the side.  
  
"All these creatures...they had a leader, a very powerful vampire named Kolteq. He of course did not like my actions against his people. He has been waging a silent war on and off with me since then." Jareth's eyes dropped to my smaller hand laying within his much larger, stronger one. "It was peaceful during your visit, but shortly after he learned of the incident and started planning to use it to his advantage." His eyes came back up to gaze into mine with much intensity. "I should have come sooner, but my wounded pride prevented it. I am only lucky he and his minions haven't tried something already."  
  
"You think he's gonna come after me to get to you?" I searched his face, and I already knew the answer. He may be a trickster, but he wasn't a liar. For once, though, I wished he was. "So...what now?" 


	2. Chapter 2

AN:   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth...just Jareth :P  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He's BaaAAaack!  
  
(Part II)  
  
"What are you going to do about this?" I asked curiously. He had to have a plan. Hold it, when did I start seeing him as my knight in shining armor. A little voice says, when you realized he wasn't the monster you had thought he was. He knew more about this threat than I did and I would have to be half blind to not notice the signals he had been sending out.  
  
"You're coming back to the Underground with me," Jareth stood, keeping his hold on my hand. He gave a gentle tug as his signal he wanted me to stand next.  
  
I yanked my hand back. "What?? No!" My eyes became steely upon his face. "You cannot just order me to drop everything to go back with you."  
  
"Sarah..." he sighed in exasperation. "You asked for my plan and that is it, to keep you safe and protected with me."  
  
"And what would be the difference between that and me being a prisoner there?" I did my best to keep my eyes cool. Though, part of me trembled at the thought of going back there. I was not sure the exact cause, though. Was it the bad memories it would rehash...or an excitement at being there, with HIM.  
  
"Well, if you WERE a prisoner you would be in a dungeon cell...or in the bog." He smirked and then knelt again in front of me. "Honestly, Sarah, you will be free to go as you wish. But, down there I will be able to take care of you and when you do decide you want to come back here I will be with you."  
  
"So, I get to have a Siamese twin, is that it?" I lifted a brow, ignoring the barely suppressed shudder at the thought of him keeping close company with me. "How long will this have to be?"  
  
"Until I get a hold of him and make sure he nor any of his people can never hurt you. Once he finds out I spirited you away I am sure he will get bolder, and all the better for me to weed him out."  
  
"I take it you want us to leave now..."  
  
"Preferably. I don't want to give him time to learn of my involvement."  
  
"And you swear I can come and go as I please?"  
  
"By my heart, which you stole those many years ago." He purred.  
  
"Too much cheesiness makes you constipated." I stood up from the couch with a groan.  
  
He straightened before me with a puzzled look. "What??"  
  
"Never mind. Lets just go...I concede."  
  
He looked at me for a moment before suddenly taking me by my upper arms. I wondered vaguely if I had worked that last nerve and he was going to shake me to death for the offense of my smart mouth. I surprised even more when he then bent over and pressed a kiss to my mouth. It wasn't a tonsil tickling one like he had given me in front of the theatre class. (Because of course I didn't have my mouth open this time.) But, the intensity was as strong as ever as he smashed his soft lips against mine. My toes were curling, oh heck so were my feet, ankles, calves, and knees! I am sure if he hadn't been holding me I would have been a boneless pile on the ground. He pulled back just as suddenly, leaving me standing there dazed and blinking at nothing.  
  
He chuckled. "Is that what it takes to shut you up?"  
  
"Why you-" I turned to glare at him, but he placed a hand over my mouth. He produced a crystal with the other and we were transported to his castle. He waited a few moments before finally removing his hand. I turned away from him in a show of disapproval at my treatment.  
  
I took the chance to have a look at my surroundings. We were in a bedroom, which was obvious from the large bed in the center. The décor had a feminine touch to it. I took it this was to be my room then. The bed was dressed in pale lavender silk with darker violet silk pillows. There were four doors in the room, two were open. One I could see led to a bathroom that looked quiet modern and out of place in a castle. The other led to another bedroom that had a much darker...masculine décor. I assume it was Jareth's; he was very serious about wanting to me keep me close. As for the other two, I assume they were the outside door and the closet. I hoped there was something in the closet since I obviously had not packed before we left.  
  
"Is it to your liking? I can change it if it is not," Jareth came up close behind me. He rested a hand gently against the small of my back. "The bathroom is stocked with everything imaginable, everything you could ever want."  
  
"The bedroom is lovely," I turned halfway towards him so he was at my side and somewhat in my line of vision. His hand remained on my back and I didn't really care. "I assume that is your room through that door?"  
  
"Yes, and I know you are smart enough to know why that is." He smirked and purred slightly, "You are always welcome there, Sarah."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind." I said dryly and that was when I decided to step away from his touch. I opened the door nearest to me to find that it was indeed the closet. It looked to be full of dresses and dress slippers. "Anything in here a bit more casual??"  
  
"Not really...but I guess I can arrange...something." He had retreated to leaning against the doorway to his bedroom. He was watching me with solemn eyes now. "If you need anything, you have but to ask."  
  
"Thank you, really." I looked down for a moment and then back up at him. "Do you have anything to eat? I sort of ditched my supper earlier cause I was so curious of what you wanted to talk to me about."  
  
"I shall get us something right away. I was distracted from my meal, also." He held out his arm for me to take and looked at me with a smile.  
  
===================  
  
I walked back into my room later. It was late, Jareth had shown me around the castle and the grounds after we had eaten. We had actually talked civilly for once. There were miracles out there! He hadn't once made another move on me, either. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed! It was mostly catching up, polite small talk. I knew he had been watching me and did not need to be caught up, but he told me of the Underground. Things I never cared to learn on my first visit.  
  
I closed the joining door and briefly saw Jareth preparing for bed. I decided on a warm bath before going to sleep. I went into the bathroom and took a quick look around. Large bath that was like a small pool with a shower in the back corner. The toilet was off to the side and also a large sink. There was also a closet here almost as big as the one for my clothes filled with towels, robes, and many bathing supplies. I grabbed some bath oil, soaps, a towel, and a large robe before drawing my bath.  
  
Nearly an hour later, I stepped out of the bathroom in a fragrant mist. I headed towards the bed and started pulling down the covers when I heard a noise from the next room, Jareth's room. I paused and listened, there it was again. It was a sort of groan mixed with a whimper, something that you pretty much only got from haunting nightmares. I crossed to the adjoining door and pressed my ear against it. Now I could also hear his restless thrashing about on the bed.  
  
I quietly opened the door and stepped inside. It was just as I had thought. I padded over to the bed with a frown. What could be so awful as to be giving *JARETH* nightmares? I sighed as I stood next to the bed looking down at him in fitful sleep. He looked so much less imposing and frightening, almost vulnerable. My heart gave a lurch. I reached out to softly touch his arm.  
  
He jerked awake and sat up staring out into the darkness with wild eyes. Then the world came into focus and he relaxed. He turned to look at me. My hand was still stretched out as I looked at him dumbly. He took that hand and tugged it so I sat on the edge of the bed beside him.  
  
"Did I wake you?" he asked quietly with concern.  
  
"No, I was about to head to bed when I heard you," I cocked my head to the side. "May I ask what you were dreaming about? Was it so utterly awful as to give the mighty Goblin King nightmares?"  
  
"It is the same haunting dream I have had for years. Ever since a beautiful young woman defeated me and made a mockery of my power. Who denied my love." He looked away. "Yes, it is so very utterly awful."  
  
I withdrew a bit and nearly stood up until he stopped me. "No, stay. Help me stop the nightmare."  
  
===========================  
  
The next morning I awoke in Jareth's bed instead of my own. I had warm, muscular arms wrapped around my waist and my back was pressed against a solid wall of chest. I looked around and sighed. My life just kept getting stranger and stranger. And get your minds out of the gutter, we didn't do anything! I had just become somewhat of a human teddy bear to him.  
  
I sat up and pried myself from his grasp. Behind me I heard him groan as I suspected he was waking up, too. I straightened my robe; yes, by some act of god it remained on me all through the night. The bed shifted as he sat up behind me and his hand touched my shoulder. I turned slightly to look back at him.  
  
"I am sorry about last night," His eyes were guarded. "Rest assured I will not make a habit of it. It is not a ploy to get you into my bed and hopefully with you back, and with us at peace now, they will end."  
  
"Hopefully," I flashed him a smile. "And I was there, I saw with my own eyes your torment at the hands of this nightmare. I believe you. You have nothing to be sorry for." I stood and tossed my hair over my shoulder with a smirk. "Well...except for being a pain in my ass, but I'll deal."  
  
"I'll just have to make it up to you then. To begin with, I shall have your friends here to see you. They are of course welcome in the castle whenever you want them here with you." He slid out of the bed gracefully to stand before me. "But of course after breakfast."  
  
=====================  
  
I finally found something in the closet that didn't make me feel like a life-size porcelain doll. It was a sleeveless green silk dress that was all simple lines and fell to mid-calf. The upper half had embroidery in the same green thread to give it texture. I had grabbed a pair of green silk slipper and carried them out with me. I dropped them onto the floor so I could step into them. With that done I crossed over to the vanity to brush out my hair and then tie the locks around my face back with a bit of green ribbon.  
  
I inspected my appearance and approved with a sort of nod. I turned as there was a knock on the door and went to answer it. Jareth stood there in the demented pirate's outfit again. He smiled, no smirk this time, and stepped in towards me.  
  
"I brought my promised offerings," he stated and motioned towards the hallway behind him. Hoggle's head peered around the door frame at me warily.  
  
"Sarah! You really has returned!" he exclaimed and hurried into the room.  
  
"Hoggle! Oh how I've missed you!" I fell to my knees to hug him while he looked uncomfortable with all the emotion.  
  
Jareth cleared his throat. "I have things to do, the others are on their way." With that he disappears.  
  
Within minutes Sir Didymus and Ambrosius came trotting through the door. I looked past them after greeting them in the same way I had greeted Hoggle. A frown furrowed my brows. "Where's Ludo?"  
  
"My lady, I do not know. He has been missing for some time now."  
  
"Why didn't Jareth tell me??"  
  
"Maybe didn' know." Hoggle said and shuffled his feet.  
  
"We have to go look for him." I stood and headed for the door. The others hurried after me. I didn't stop until we got outside the castle, which took some time. "Now to go back into the Labyrinth...even standing here I can see it's different from the last time. But, with you guys to help me I am sure there won't be much trouble. Of course, Jareth is there for me to call too." I surely hoped I didn't, though. He might not like that I left without telling him.  
  
We traveled down the paths for some time with no sign of my furred friend. How could a guy as large as Ludo be lost?? Surely someone had to have seen him. No one had, though. I sighed and leaned against a wall. This was beginning to get hopeless and I was getting tired.  
  
"You sure you have no idea about where he could be??" My two friends only looked up at me with sad expressions and shook their heads. "Oh great. Just great."  
  
I turned to go, but not without hitting my fist against the wall with a little bit of frustration. I didn't get far when suddenly there was no ground under me and I was falling. I distantly heard Hoggle calling my name, but the sound became distant and faded away. What had I gotten myself into??  
  
After falling for what seemed like days, I came to a soft landing on a pile of large, silk pillows. I sat there looking around in the darkness. My eyes wide, trying to see my surroundings. Could it be another oubliette?? Would Hoggle or Jareth come and get me soon?? Someone was bound to come for me, right??  
  
"Oh my dear Sarah, that dwarf can not get you out of this one," a voice purred in the darkness. It sounded so familiar to me. I searched the area it came from the best I could.  
  
"Jareth?? How could you, I thought we were starting anew," I could hear my voice breaking in disbelief. "Show yourself to me and stop hiding in the dark you coward."  
  
The came a faint glow in the center of the room and standing against the wall was a man looking very similar to Jareth except for the hair. It was very dark, and when the light hit it there were red highlights to it. He was in a black silk shirt left open over black leather pants. His arms were crossed over his chest as he studied me insolently.  
  
"I am not the horrid, Jareth," he straightened and took a few steps in my direction. "I am his cousin, Kolteq." He gave a slight bow. "I am sure he has told you about me by now."  
  
"Yes, he has told me quite a lot!" I struggled to stand, and finally got my baring. "What is this about? You going to kill me...use me as bait??"  
  
"No, you are going to do my dirty work for me."  
  
"Never!"  
  
"I think you may want to reconsider." He waved a hand to one side covered in darkness still. It lightened to reveal a much larger space. I gasped as it also revealed figures slumped against the wall, chained and gagged. Ludo...Jana...Toby... "Would you risk them too?"  
  
"Grr...what do you want me to do?" I gritted my teeth and glared at him.  
  
======================  
  
Hours later I appeared on the steps to Jareth's castle. I slumped to a sitting position. What was I to do?? Could I go through with this? Could I risk the ones I cared about?? Either way I would! Jareth...or Ludo, Jana, and Toby... Sadly, saving three or saving one seemed to make the choice for me. And all the grief losing those three would touch far beyond them. Jana and my family, our friends... I guess I had to do this...or find a way to rescue them without risking them, too.  
  
"SARAH!" Jareth roared seconds before I heard his boots come stomping down towards me. "WHAT IN THE BLUE BLAZES DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING GOING OUT INTO THE LABYRINTH WHILE KOLTEQ IS AT LARGE??!!" He stopped in front of me, a few steps down from where I sat blinking at him.  
  
"I had to find Ludo," I said doggedly, I was not up for this fight. "I was wrong, can we please just not fight. My head hurts and I'm a bit tired."  
  
"Hoggle told me what happened," his eyes softened. "How did you get out?"  
  
"Uh..." I thought for a moment. Surely with such an imagination I could come up with something. "I found some tunnels and followed them back here." I smiled tiredly and stood up. "I need nourishment, lets go inside." I ended the conversation by jogging up the steps and through the front doors.  
  
=======================  
  
I sat in my bedroom cross-legged on the bed. I tapped the brush against the calf on top of my lap while thinking. There had to be some way to save my friends along with Jareth and his goblin kingdom. There just had to be! I tossed the brush aside and sighed. I stood and started pacing as I thought to myself about my predicament.  
  
There was a light tap at the door and Jareth stepped in. He looked me up and down longingly it seemed. I stopped and turned to look at him. A light bulb went on in my head and I smiled. I strode over to him and touched his arm lightly.  
  
"Jareth...you said I could come and go as I pleased," I said and he nodded. "Could I please go back to my house, I expect you'll want to accompany me of course."  
  
"Why do you need to go back?" he asked.  
  
"We did leave kind of in a hurry. I would like to get some things."  
  
"Anything you could want I could get you easily."  
  
"There are some things I want to get from my apartment, though." I turned up the wattage on my smile and leaned into him. "Please, Jareth."  
  
That seemed to do him in. "Okay, fine."   
  
He pulled out a crystal and transported us to just outside my apartment. I looked up at my apartment and then turned to walk down the street. Jareth of course came hurrying after me. He caught me by the arm.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asks a bit harshly.  
  
"To the park, it's a lovely day and we can sit on the grass together," I lean into him yet again and practically batted my eyes up at him. "Maybe get a little friendly."  
  
This time he frowned intensely and twisted my arm roughly. "What game are you playing at, Sarah?"  
  
I winced. "I don't know what you mean. Will you please release me, you're hurting me, Jareth."  
  
"Do you take me as a fool??" He gave me a little shake and my teeth rattled in my head. "I know you, I know you almost better than you know yourself. I have been watching you most of your fool life, girl."  
  
"What, do you want an award?" I growled. I was getting frustrated, why was he acting like this. You would think he wanted to get friendly with me in the park. Can we bash my ego a little bit more?  
  
"Now that is more like the real you. You aren't normally all sex kittenish and coming on to me here and there. I let it slide back in my castle...but I know you would never offer yourself to me just like that." He leaned in close, glaring into my eyes. "What gives, Sarah?"  
  
Maybe I could tell him and he could help... I sighed. No...no, I had to do what Kolteq said. I set my jaw and glared back at him. "I have no idea what you mean. If you didn't want to kiss me you could have just said-" suddenly I was pressed against him and his lips were against my roughly. He stopped twisting my arms so he could hold me by my small waist and press me closer. I melted in his arms and my mind turned to mush. He finally released me and I was blinking up at him, trying to catch my breath. "-so."  
  
He kept me pressed against him so I couldn't fully regain my senses and he looked down at me with a very intent look in his eyes. "Tell me what is going on here, Sarah."  
  
My resolve exploded into a million pieces. Tears welled up in my eyes and my throat burned. "Its Kolteq...that's where I was earlier. I fell in that hole and he got me. He told me about being your cousin and all." I shook my head and looked down at our feet. "He has Ludo...and Toby...and my friend, Jana, who you met the other day in class."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" he said softly now and was running his hand over my back soothingly.  
  
"He said he would hurt them...or worse...if I didn't do as he said. I am to lure you into a trap." I muttered dejectedly.  
  
"You do realize this is the perfect time to go rescue them, don't you?" He lifted my chin with his finger. "He and his army are waiting for us in the park, I assume. Leaving the hostages unguarded."  
  
"But I don't know where I was yesterday..."  
  
"I do."  
  
======================  
  
We were quietly walking down the hall of Kolteq's castle. Jareth was right, his cousin had taken it for granted that he had scared me into going along with his plans. Jareth held my hand reassuringly as we made our way down to the dungeons.  
  
When we got down there, there was the trouble and figuring out where my friends and brother were being kept. Jareth looked at me and nodded. He pulled out a crystal and used it to locate the cell. Then he turned the crystal into a key for opening the cell.  
  
It was barely open before I rushed in. I knelt besides Toby and touched the young boy's cheek. His eyes opened slowly to look up at me, when he recognized me his whole face lit up. "Sarah!"  
  
This brought Ludo to attention beside him. "Sarah? Sarah help Ludo?" This made me smile as Jareth went to work unchaining them.  
  
"Sarah..." a plaintive voice sounded from the far side of the room. I hurried over to Jana. "What is this place, Sarah?? Why have I been brought here??" My friend's eyes were wild with panic and then they went to Jareth. "Him, I knew there was something odd about him!"  
  
"Jana...he's hear to help you...we both are, he's a friend of mine," I said soothingly. "We have to get out of here and then I can explain everything." As soon as Jareth had her unchained I helped her to her feet. "He didn't hurt any of you, did he?"  
  
They all shook their heads and I breathed a sigh of relief. Jareth took out a few crystals and juggled them before tossing them over our heads. When they came down we were back in his castle within the center of the labyrinth. I bent and scooped up the young boy who had been there before.  
  
Jana stood there looking around. "What's with all the medieval architecture lately?"  
  
"I think you can go help Jana clean up, the room to the other side of yours can be hers for the time being. They share the bathroom," Jareth walked over and lifted Toby from my arms with a smile. "I'll take care of the little one and send Ludo back to a safe part in the labyrinth where your other friends are staying at the moment."  
  
I smiled warmly. "Thank you." I turned and led Jana down the hall. I took her to the room Jareth had indicated and pointed out the bathroom to her.  
  
Once Jana had washed she came to stand in front of me with hands planted on her hips. "Spill it, Sarah."  
  
"Well, when Toby was just a baby, I wished him away. Jareth came to take him away as I had wished, only I hadn't known this would really happen. So I begged for him back, but Jareth told me to get him back I would have to run the labyrinth," I motioned out the window. Jana walked over and peered out.  
  
"You had to run THAT?" she blinked at me with big eyes.  
  
"Yup. Ludo and a few others helped me out. I did make it, as you can obviously tell and I returned home safe with Toby. Well, a few days ago Jareth arrived at school as you know. I thought he was just being a pain in the ass and trying to get some sort of revenge on me." I looked to the side. "Part of that IS true...but he also knew that Kolteq was after me; he's the one who kidnapped you. Jareth brought me here to keep me safe." I took a step towards my friend. "I am so sorry that bastard, Kolteq, brought you into this all."  
  
"Well..." Jana took a long breath and looked at the floor, then back up at me. "Now that I have been drawn into this mess...I say we make the jerk pay."  
  
"Of course," I smiled.  
  
I turned as Jareth walked in holding a cleaned up Toby. He stood there holding my little brother, totally at ease. The sight made something in my chest warm and my heart beat a little faster. I found myself smiling like a moron.  
  
"When shall I be sending Miss Schmitt back?" he asked.  
  
"For one, it's probably not safe...and two-"  
  
"MISS Schmitt doesn't want to go back." Jana stepped up beside me and crossed her arms across her chest. "I am in this now and I wanna see that jerk pay, too."  
  
"I guess I have more guests to clean up after now, what will I do," Jareth was smiling down at Toby as he said this. My brother, usually the type to only trust me and his parents, was smiling right back up at the goblin king. I learned more about this man every day it seemed. 


	3. Chapter 3

AN:   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth...just Jareth :P (Someone else can have Kolteq, blech...just someone take him...please)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He's BaaAAaack!  
  
(Part III)  
  
The next day I left Jana to play dress up in her large closet. I had yet to get dressed, but I didn't care. I had to go speak with Jareth, there were things in my mind about the recent events that weren't adding up well. I stepped into Jareth's room and looked around. He must be in the throne room. I turned to leave again, but stopped when I heard the bathroom door open. Maybe I could hurry out before he notices me. I made a break for the door.   
  
"Sarah?" I froze in the doorway at the sound of his husky voice. So well for beating a hasty retreat. I sighed and turned around. My breath got caught in my throat at the sight of him standing there in only his black tights, and I wished I had kept on running. I was very aware of the fact I was standing there in my robe still. "Close your mouth and stop drooling like Toby."  
  
My mouth snapped shut and I glared at his smirking face. Gah! He was a pain in the ass sometimes. I waved a hand in the air and turned to go, he could just forget about it.  
  
"No, wait. I'm sorry," Jareth started across the room to stand before me in all his bare-chested glory. I don't think I remembered him apologizing all that much, if ever. "What did you need, Sarah?"  
  
Besides you? I think to myself and nearly smirked, too, before shaking my head as I felt disgusted with myself. "I had a few questions about our situation."  
  
"Like what?" he crossed his arms and leaned against a bed post to watch me.  
  
"Kolteq, as I said, he told me about him being your cousin. Can you explain your history a bit better to me than you did before? You left out the cousin part, of course, and you just painted him the dark prince of everything dark and deadly. How did your cousin of all people come to be at such odds with you?"  
  
"I told you how," His eyes remained guarded. I knew he was keeping something from me and my questions were hitting close to the target.  
  
"Yes, the latest and greatest problems. Before, you said you allowed them to roam here. That doesn't explain your history before that time. How did the cousin of the goblin king come to be what Kolteq is now?"  
  
He kept his arms crossed and stood studying me. I expected him to give me more bullshit or simply refuse to tell me anything, but he sighed and seated himself on his bed. He patted the spot next to him for me and I sat quietly.  
  
"You're right. There is something I left out. He wasn't always a dark prince, as you put it. We were close growing up. But, one day he just seemed to turn into a whole different person. He left and started hanging with the vampires, lycanthropes, and other creatures he now rules over. That is how his affiliation with them began. As for becoming their ruler, I am not entirely sure."  
  
"I'm glad you were finally able to tell me everything," I smiled gently and touched his arm. "I hope you can continue to, since it seems I may be down here for quite some time. And for the sake of our truce."  
  
"You said you had questions...as in more than one," his hand covered mine and he looked down at me intently. "What else am I to confess everything about?"  
  
"Well...last night, when I saw you holding Toby. You looked so at ease...like you had done it before. And I know it's a silly question, cause of course I am not the only one to have wished their baby sibling to you...but still..." I held out my other hand in supplication, hoping he had gotten my point without me outright asking such a bold question.  
  
"You wonder if it is because I have children of my own." He said quietly. He looked at the floor. "I could easily say it is none of your business, but if things were my way it definitely would be. And, you wanted me to tell you everything, not my half-truths of the past." He turned his face towards mine, so close. "It would be pointless of me to deny that I have not sewed my wild, royal oats. But, as a king, I was ever aware of the issue of producing heirs and that if all my affairs produced children it would create problems."  
  
"So the answer is no, I take it," now why did my heart speed up and why was my stomach doing flip-flops?? Huh? Huh? Tell me that, please.  
  
"No, I have been waiting for that special one that I could make my Queen and produce my only 'heirs'. Or, at least HAD been."  
  
My breath caught in my throat and my cheeks flamed. I sat there staring at him with a mix of wonderment, seeing this whole new side of him, and fear, fear of what this was leading to. He turned on the bed towards me and drew my body against his. My hands went to his chest, running over his lean muscles as I looked up at him, too deep in hormones to really think properly at this moment. It really didn't matter anyways, who needed to think at a time like that, huh? His head dipped to meet mine and his kiss started out soft and tender. One hand was curled in my thick hair and the other was caressing the small of my back lovingly. Sensing no objection from me...why would I object, this was so...too much for words. He deepened the kiss and dipped me backwards onto the bed.  
  
====================  
  
I registered a scream first that sounded feminine. It came from the direction Jana's room was in. I sat bolt upright on the bed, the sheets falling to pool around me as I looked around and waited for any other sound to indicate what was going on. "JANA?!"  
  
This brought Jareth up next to me. He touched my shoulder comfortingly. "It would be very daring even for Kolteq to come into my castle to attack someone under my protection..." he paused, "unless he was desperate."  
  
"Well, let me see. His plan to attack me in the aboveground failed," I swung my legs out over the side and stood. "Then his plan to have me lure you into a trap failed." I bent over and grabbed my robe so I can put it back on, which I did. "AND we took his hostages. Yeah, I'd say he was desperate."  
  
I was already heading for the door as Jareth hurried after me. I was not sure how he got into those tight pants so fast...maybe magic? Not a time to think of that, though. I had a short distance to travel before I was banging on Jana's door. Jareth stood beside me, he waved his hand in the air and the door opened itself. He held me back so he could walk in first. I frowned and pushed in beside him. He wasn't going to play hero without me!  
  
Kolteq stood in the middle of the room holding Jana against him. One hand covered her mouth, the other was twisting her arm behind her back in an obviously painful position. I wanted to hurt him ten times as worse. Maybe a hundred thousand times for taking precious three year old Toby and harmless Ludo.   
  
"Kolteq, you know it is very unwise to be attacking one of my charges in MY castle," Jareth was saying. I always wondered how he could appear so calm in situations like this. It was disturbing...but then, I suppose it WAS supposed to disturb his enemies and that was the point of it. "Release her now and I will remember you are my cousin and let you go peacefully."  
  
"No, you got the girl you wanted...I want mine!" Kolteq held her tighter and I saw Jana's eyes go wide over his hand.  
  
"We are not prizes to be divided amongst yourselves!" I shouted and started past Jareth, only to have him place his hand on my arm to stop me. I guess he did know me all too well.  
  
"I have grown fond for this one, like you did with Sarah!" Kolteq continued to speak to Jareth over my head, this only made me angrier. Nobody treats me like that...  
  
"Well the aboveground is not like some animal shelter where you just pick out some woman you like to make off with!" I shrugged off Jareth's hand and stepped out of reach. "And please move past the caveman antics. Ladies prefer to be romanced, not attacked and carried away like so much meat."  
  
"And of course that didn't work on you when Jareth did it...right?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice. "That can't be the reason you've become his new little pet." He spat at both of us.  
  
That when I lost it. I hauled back and slugged him in the jaw. The events after that were pretty quick and my position in it all made it harder to tell what all happened. Kolteq's anger flared causing the white and black of his eyes to disappear into all blue so that his eyeballs were completely covered in that drowning blue. He let go of Jana long enough to haul off and hit me hard enough that I flew back into the wall. Jana took the opportunity to bring her foot up and back into Kolteq's crotch then her elbow into his face. With her momentary freedom she darted across the room and took a leap out her open window. I was too out of it to register it in time to call out to her. Kolteq roared and disappeared quickly. I knew he was going to go look for her. My eyes rolled wearily to the side to where Jareth dropped to his knees beside me.  
  
His hands moved over me in what I guess was him checking to see if I was badly hurt. His hands went over my abdomen and quickly withdrew, a strange look on his face as he studied me.  
  
"Jana...you have to find her first," I told him warily. "And what happened to him...his eyes and his strength...its like he's..."  
  
"He's a vampire, yeah. I guess I know why he suddenly turned to that realm of the Underground. And actually, out there is the safest place for Jana...one of my traps might catch her and keep her safe from him." He reached out to touch my face. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah...I guess, I just want you to go get Jana."  
  
"I have to take care of you first." He said solemnly.  
  
I shook my head and pointed to the window. "Jana's the one in immediate danger."  
  
"In keeping with the spirit of telling you everything, one, Kolteq won't go after her immediately as he is probably going somewhere to calm down and regroup," He laid a hand on my stomach and I found this odd. "Two, you know that even though we faeries look human, we are very different."  
  
"Of course, what's that have to do with anything?"  
  
"Not to be too graphic, but right after intercourse a female faerie can tell if they are...fertilized."  
  
"Your point? I am a little too concerned with Jana to be getting a faerie biology lesson. What does this have to do with anything?"  
  
If I didn't know any better I would think I saw Jareth blushing as he thought of how to say what was on his mind. This only piqued my interest more. What was making the mighty goblin king squeamish?  
  
"Well," he took a deep breath and looked into my face once he gained some composure. "Us males can tell, too, when we have...fertilized..."  
  
"And?" I prompted seconds before I got what he was alluding to. I gasped and sat up bolt straight. "No!"  
  
"Yes, is the thought that horrible?" He did look a bit hurt at my outburst.  
  
"No...just...VERY bad timing and issues that have yet to be worked out...and...and..." I sighed and slumped against the wall again. I looked at his face, his expression caught between that little boy hopefulness and wonderment, and apprehension at my attitude. "Let me guess...you wanna touch my tummy again, huh? I know all about that belly of public domain when you're pregnant...I guess it'll start sooner than normal for me." I smiled at him, trying to put him at ease...and really myself, too. We had to be able to work this new kink out.  
  
He smiled a genuine smile from ear to ear instead of that up-to-something smirk. It was infectious and I smiled back at him as he placed his hand over my belly. He kissed me lightly and then drew back as he remembered, and so did I, what the current situation was. He helped me to my feet and we looked at the window. I stepped over to it and looked out with a worried expression, I hoped Jareth had been right and Jana was safe out there.  
  
I turned and looked at Jareth. "I guess that means you're exiling me up here while you go retrieve her, huh." He nodded. "I'll go check on Toby then. Tell him that he's to be an uncle I guess." I smiled faintly and headed for the door.  
  
===================  
  
Toby sat beside me on Jareth's bed waiting for him to return with Jana. I had finally gotten dressed in an airy white dress with off the shoulder sleeves that billowed open wide at my wrists. There was no waist line and the skirt was multi-layered, falling to my ankles. I went barefoot with it. I left my hair down in silky waves nearly to my waist. It was a nice dress and not too fancy like some of the others. It made me feel like an angel...the light airy fabric and clean white color.  
  
I looked at Toby and wondered about what it would be like to have my own critter running about. Of course, it was also Satan spawn...err, Jareth spawn. Is there a difference? Oi...I take this to mean we would be spending a LOT more time together. I grimaced. This child will have an entertaining life. I hoped he doesn't pop out an ugly, stinking goblin. Oh, don't look at me like that, you know I would love the child all the same! I'm not a monster!  
  
Toby, obviously sensing my inner turmoil, crawled into my lap. I smiled down at him and figured it would be nice to have a little girl, but I had so many questions. What was it going to change, this child being faerie. Would I change? Already, I felt a bit weird, but it was probably nerves. Jana was missing, Kolteq was waging war with Jareth and now me, and to top it all off I was pregnant...at least according to Jareth. But, Jareth never really lied to me; so I might as well face the facts.  
  
I was obviously spacing out in thought when Toby tugged on the end of my hair. I looked down at him questioningly.  
  
"Sarah sad?" Toby questioned, his blue eyes large and wavering slightly.  
  
"No. No, Toby," I put a smile on. "I am just thinking. I can't wait to see Jareth and Jana again."  
  
"Jareth nice." He smiled and settled himself in my lap, content now. "I like him."  
  
The irony of it all caused laughter to bubble out of my throat. I threw back my head and let the laughter out. This was it, I had finally snapped. It had all finally gotten to me. All this stress had fried the last of my reserves.  
  
"What's so funny?" a familiar sexy, British voice purred from the doorway.  
  
I spun around, instantly sobered. "You're back? Where's Jana?"  
  
"Resting in her room," he said and walked over to sit beside me. He looked down at Toby, he had dozed off in my lap after settling in. "I didn't tell her about our little blessing. Yes, I think it's a blessing whatever you might think of the turn of events." He averted his gaze, I think a little afraid to see what might be on my face. "I left it to you to share this news with your best friend."  
  
"I agree...on both counts." I shifted Toby in my arms and stoodd to head for the door. Jareth reached out to touch my arm and I looked down at his genuinely smiling face. "I am just going to go put Toby in his own bed to continue his nap in peace." I smiled. "I'll be right back, don't worry."  
  
I walked out and crossed the hall to Toby's room. I laid him in the small child's bed in there. Every room seemed to change to fit its inhabitant, as if it knew who would be staying in it next and just knew what they would want. I was hardly surprised by anything in the labyrinth anymore, though. I tucked my young brother in and kissed his soft head of blonde curls before turning to walk back to Jareth's room.  
  
He was standing there just inside the door. I looked up at him, trying to read his ever elusive expression. He reached out to stroke my cheek. "Did my ears deceive me before you left the room, or did you agree with me that this child is a blessing?"  
  
"Of course the child is," my hands went over my belly protectively. "The father may not be, of course..." I smiled up at him and chuckled as he rolled his eyes. I walked past him and sat in a large chair by the fireplace that was like the ones in every room. Though, the one in Toby's room had disappeared. Once again, a case of the room changing to fit the occupant. "All that aside, though, you were in a hurry earlier and we didn't get to talk much about...my condition."  
  
"Let me guess, more questions from the Mistress Inquisitor?" he shot back his own teasing joke. "I'll do my best to answer any I can, considering I don't know it all first hand and that cross-breeding isn't as common as it would seem with such a small race as the faerie."  
  
"You at least know the basics right? I just need to know that. Like, will I change to with the baby being faerie? What are some differences between faerie pregnancy and human pregnancy...and once it is born there will be a whole new set of questions. Don't they have faerie OB/GYNs or pediatricians??"  
  
"We don't need them and if it is severe enough to need a doctor...we call a healer." He explained patiently. "And when you give birth we use a mid-wife...very archaic compared to the aboveground I suppose, but we are faerie and we don't have major medical problems because of our magic. You won't have a worry either, now, to answer the first question you will become faerie...not just by the act of being pregnant with a faerie child, but through our joining of a nature that is similar to human marriage."  
  
This caused me to blink. I held up a hand to stop his lecture. "Hold it...marriage? Who said anything about marriage??"  
  
Jareth's jaw set as I saw a flash of pain in his eyes, before they went cold. "I am good enough to bed, but not to join with?"  
  
"Isn't that the lady's line?" I attempted a lighthearted joke, but he didn't seem to take to it. I gulped. "I just mean...you err...didn't ask me, you just assumed we would." I wasn't even sure what the answer would be if he HAD asked me. This was all so much so fast! I put my hands to my face and tried to think straight. My life was quickly spinning out of control...what to do, what to do.  
  
"You wanted me to ask something I assumed was a given? That we should both be together since we were having a child?"  
  
I stood up and headed for the adjoining door that lead directly into my room. "I'm going to go to my room so I can think clearly."  
  
I didn't make it all the way there before he caught my arm. He turned me towards him and laid his hand gently on my waist. I looked up at him with a tired expression. I was tired of the arguing. "Sarah," he purred. "Will you join with me as my queen, not just to give this child loving parents...but because I have cared for you deeply since I first set eyes on your lovely face."  
  
I blinked up at him in shock. Well don't that just beat all? I murmured "Yes" cause I figured a surprising speech out of him had to be heartfelt. A smile spread across his face at that and he hugged me tight against him. "I guess I have double the good news for Jana now." I smiled. This happiness was infectious!  
  
"Do you want me to finish my lesson first on faerie mating habits?" Yikes...he actually cracked a joke, I think I'm finally rubbing off on him. All it took was a little rubbing. Yeah, see he gets the lame jokes from me... I chuckled and nodded. "Just as I said the faerie woman can tell right away that they are pregnant...they are very attuned to their child the whole time. They can tell if it's a multiple birth, gender, and towards the end what they will look like."  
  
"You said gender? Cause earlier I got this feeling and you said I was starting to get a bit of magic from the pregnancy, I know its soon...but..."  
  
"You going to tell me, Sarah?" He loomed over me.  
  
I sniffed and shook my head. "Nope, you'll have to find out like a normal human man." My hand absently caressed my belly. "I'll carry the child the same as a human?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I think that was all my questions, thanks," I stretched up to give him a peck before turning and hurrying to the door. "I really can't wait to tell Jana everything. I'll see you in a little bit." I called as I ran the short stretch of hall to Jana's door.  
  
I knocked and then entered. Voices were heard excitedly in the hall and even as far as Jareth's room. Then there was a feminine scream of excitement. Jareth nearly fell from his seat at the sound. He composed himself as the chatter continued, only to be unseated again when there was a second scream. He smirked and shook his head. The voices had suddenly become hushed.  
  
After a few minutes I walked in solemnly. I knew that half the labyrinth had probably heard Jana when I told her good news...and again when I told her more good news. Jareth was already in his bed so I was going to turn and just head to my room, but he stopped me and told me to come over and join him. I looked at him dubiously, but he smiled that smile that kept melting my heart over the last few days.  
  
I snuggled under the covers beside him and looked up at his face. "What are we going to do about Kolteq?" I whispered. "He's a vampire...but being turned into a vampire doesn't automatically turn you evil. There has to be something more to what happened to him. Maybe he was enchanted...if we could find out how to undo it..."  
  
"I know, I know, Sarah," he put a finger to my lips to quiet me. "I just do not know how to break the enchantment, but as long as he had not been causing serious trouble I wasn't worried. But now..."  
  
"Now's he gotten violent, very violent and bold." I finished for him.  
  
"And he hurt you, my future queen, and could have harmed my child," his hand moved over my belly. "And he hurt your friends, and your brother. All dear to me cause they are dear to you."  
  
"Maybe its like some sort of faerie tale...you are all faeries. He needs a pure hearted girl to fall in love with him...kiss him...something like that." I look to the side as if I could see through the walls to my friend's room. "Jana..."  
  
"Maybe...who knows..."  
  
========================  
  
It had been nearly a week with no show of Kolteq in all that time. I figured Jana and I were withdrawn from the college by now. I was also not sure how much longer this game of waiting would take so Jareth had gotten all my things from my apartment and I had informed the landlord that I was moving out. We also did the same for Jana, who was happy to have her things now.  
  
I sat in the garden, finally in my own clothes; a pair of jeans, canvas shoes, and a lavender tank top. My hair was pulled into two low, loose pigtails that hung over my shoulders. I tapped my nails on the stone bench beside me, a bit bored with the same every day life of the labyrinth. Jareth had went off to oversee his kingdom, he had to...he hadn't gotten to do it much since I had shown up. Jana had been wondering about the castle when I came out her for a bit of fresh air, I should go back in and find her. I didn't like leaving her alone for too long since we found out Kolteq WANTED her.  
  
What HAD happened during her imprisonment in his castle? I shrugged and stood up. The ground didn't feel quite solid under me and I nearly fell to my knees as my world spun. I felt nauseous and held my stomach. This was not right, didn't the morning sickness start after a month, not a week. Though, truthfully, I still did not know all there was to know about bringing a little faerie child into the world...especially... I smiled and wiped that thought from my mind. I didn't even trust myself to think about the details of my pregnancy, even when Jareth was away. I did not know all of what he could do in his own kingdom, and wasn't going to tempt the fates and take the chance of him finding out.  
  
As soon as I could, I hurried inside. I made it through the doorway and paused, something was making my new spidey sense tingle...or should I say faerie sense? I took a few more steps forward when a hand touched my shoulder. I whirled around to find the tip of a blade pointed right at the fleshy part under my chin. My whole body froze in fear, then my eyes rolled upwards to meet that face...so much like the man I loved, the father of my children...the face that yet was so different, filled with so much evil.  
  
"Kolteq..." I whispered in fear and surprise, my voice coming out a bit light.  
  
"In the flesh," he quipped and then something passed over his eyes as they go downward. It was quickly gone and replaced by the darkness they usually held. "I see my cousin has been busy, I was a bit too preoccupied to notice the last time we met. And, to think, I could have unknowingly caused harm to them, too." He sneered.  
  
"You came here for Jana again, didn't you?" I retorted, my hackles rising like a good mother bear with her cubs threatened. "So why are you down here playing games with me? Or did you already take her??"  
  
"I came to make sure I had you out of the way so I could take Jana without disturbance this time," Kolteq pressed the blade. "Maybe I'll take you, too. Jana will be easier to handle with you there and Jareth would do anything to get his new family back." He laughed that evil laugh that all villains perfect in their villainy school.  
  
When he laughed the blade moved a bit, also he had pushed just the right button...so without thinking, the next thing I knew my hand came swinging around and slugged him in the jaw. The action had the desired effect of rattling his teeth and making him stagger back. But, it was not without penalty as the blade sliced my lower neck and shoulder area pretty good. My right strap fell useless and my tank top hung at an odd angle. I dropped to my knees and pressed a hand over the flowing blood. Weren't you supposed to try and apply pressure in these kinds of situations? I gaped up at Kolteq, both of us in a state of shock from the quick event.  
  
That's when I heard a scream and turned to see Jana had burst into the foyer. She rushed over to my side and looked me over in horror, then she turned hate filled eye up to the man who was responsible. "How COULD you?? You monster!!"  
  
"Jareth..." I called his name weakly, someone needed to come and sort this out...and I wasn't feeling up to it at the moment, obviously. Within moments, the goblin king in question appeared. He dropped to his knees on the side opposite from Jana. "Do something about them..." I murmured, not wanting him fussing over me.  
  
His eyes flew up to his cousin and he straightened to his full height. "Kolteq, you have crossed the line! I have let it go...your strange behavior. But this...THIS...is too much."  
  
"I only came for the girl, she made it harder than it had to be," Kolteq waved a hand dismissingly.  
  
"He's lieing...he told me he was going to take me too...and blackmail you," I said from my position on the ground.  
  
"Save your strength, I'll handle this, don't worry," Jareth said without looking down at me. He couldn't bring himself to see my abused form, sitting weakly watching. He kept his hard glare on his cousin. "Jana is under my protection, you cannot just go around abducting girls for your own amusement."  
  
Jana was strangely silent beside me. She was somehow now the center of it all and she hadn't said a word in her own defense yet. I touched her arm and her gaze shifted to me worriedly. "Are you alright, Sarah?" She whispered nervously.  
  
"Yeah, you had me worried being so quiet through this all. You speak up for yourself, instead of letting a couple stubborn Neanderthals fight over you." I whispered, leaning back against the stone wall wearily.  
  
She glanced up at the quarreling men, then back at me before standing up between them with a determined look. "Jareth, thank you, but I think I can speak for myself here." She turned to Kolteq and raised a finger to shake at him. "And just because we had that thing at your castle, doesn't mean you can just come here, club me over the head, and drag me off again like you're some caveman!"  
  
Jareth and I looked at each other in the same instant, and I mouthed *What the fuck??* What HAD gone on there?? He knelt beside me again and moved my hand aside. Some fresh blood started to flow without my hand there, but he put his hand there. The pain started to ease and I knew he was using his magic to heal me, I smiled at him gratefully. I still felt weak, but at least wasn't getting worse by the minute. He removed his hand and laid a kiss on my forehead before standing again.  
  
Kolteq and Jana were still arguing. Jana was still looking infuriated, but his expression had become slightly confused and less...dark. I think I had been right, his feeling of love was breaking the spell. Right now he was indeed defending his feelings and his motivations for trying to spirit her away. She wasn't being convinced, I knew that if she pushed his passion button right about now it just might do the job...but I think I had done too well at working her up into a fury.  
  
I pulled myself up on shaky legs then waved away Jareth as he tried to keep me sitting and then helped me across the floor. I made my way over to stand beside Jana. Kolteq looked at me and no longer did that awful rage fill his eyes, yes he was close. I put a hand on my friend's shoulder and motioned to him.  
  
"If he were to make the change to good, would you consider meeting him halfway?" I asked, and she looked at me as I had gone mad. I deserved that look after telling her to tell him off and now trying to make a mate of him.  
  
"I don't know, I don't think he ever could purge himself of evil," Jana crossed her arms and lifted her chin to look at him stubbornly.  
  
I bit my lip in worry as I see the darkness start to creep into his eyes again. "Jana...but what if he could??"  
  
She glanced at me. "If he COULD, I wouldn't be able to keep myself from falling into his arms. I thought I had glimpsed a good man for a bit, it's how he lured me into his trap." She looked down. "It was all a trap, though."  
  
A hand went out to caress her cheek and then lifted her face. Their eyes met and I knew we had finally done it. He was smiling...a genuine smile devoid of wickedness. He pulled her close. "It wasn't just to lure you in, your love shown through the darkness of the enchantment." He drew her close for a kiss and then whispered something in her ear that caused her to blush. I lifted a hand and turned to Jareth. I did not want to know.  
  
The almighty goblin king smiled at me and then walked over to stand beside me. He laid a hand on my good shoulder comfortingly and then looked past me to his cousin. "How did you come to be under such an enchantment?"  
  
Kolteq looked up in thought as he held Jana close, as if not ready to give her up. "An old hag in the wilderness between kingdoms where my creatures sometimes roamed, after I became a vampire and then king...I went after a group of rogues who were attacking people living there. I retrieved them, but this hag thought I was one of them and cursed me to darkness until I found true love of a pure source."  
  
I lifted my chin and looked at Jareth triumphantly. "I told you, didn't I. Do I know my faerie tales or what?"  
  
Jareth just ignored my gloating and reaches out to touch my abdomen. "Is my child doing well after all that?"  
  
"Of course, it's related to you. It's gonna be a like a cockroach...nothing, not even a nuclear meltdown can kill it." I smirked at him. I felt another set of hands and my head spun to look who it was.  
  
Kolteq looked at me apologetically. "Sorry if I startled you, I just wanted to feel, too. And also make sure for myself that my repeated injury to you did not harm it, either."  
  
I smiled gently. "That's okay, obviously not your fault. You just owe them very good gifts." I chuckled and moved away from the two sets of hands. "We'll leave you two alone to get to know each other sans-demonic intervention, I need to speak to Jareth."  
  
Jareth followed me back to his room where I seated myself in the chair by the fireplace once again. He stood looking at me oddly. What could be putting such a look on his face now? It was a happy ending, he had his cousin back. His children were safe.  
  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked with a nervous half-smile.  
  
"You don't have to hide out in the Underground anymore...you are free to go back to your realm," he looked like he was sulking!   
  
"But, I accepted your marriage proposal did I not? Did you think I did that cause I had nothing else to do while I was stuck here??" I was a bit hurt now. He hadn't trusted my word.  
  
He saw the downcast look on my face and dropped to his knees in front of the chair to look up at me. "I was worried, I thought this was all too good to be true. I finally have you to myself, we're getting married, and you're pregnant with my child."  
  
"And I am very glad, too." I leaned forward and laid a kiss on his forehead. He lifted his face and gave me a deeper kiss.  
  
"So, you are staying down here with me, Sarah?" he asked a bit expectantly, with his eyes wide like a child.  
  
It warmed my heart and I nodded. "My stuff is already moved down here." 


	4. Epilogue

AN: Sequel is on the way! Soon, hopefully!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth...just Jareth :P (*sniff* I guess I shall have to keep Kolteq...oh well)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He's BaaAAaack!  
  
(Epilogue)  
  
It was about nine months since that day. I was in the throne room, lounging across my own new throne with a journal cradled in my lap which I was writing on one of my stories. The journal was perched precariously on the large bulge in my abdomen. My hair was in a super-long French braid that fell to pool on the floor. I was actually wearing one of the dresses in the closet, I had to since my normal aboveground clothing didn't fit me at the moment. It was a billowy pale violet dress that fell off my shoulder and came down to my knees. Of course, I was giggling to myself like a mad woman, because I had a bad habit of amusing myself with my bad sense of humor. And, it had only gotten worse with the onslaught of hormones. I didn't even know Jareth had entered the room until he laid a soft kiss on the back of my neck.  
  
"Jareth..." Lowering my pen, I smiled. I snapped shut my notebook and laid them both aside. Then I tipped my head back to look up at him. "Your child is really active today." It was true, at times my notebook had been bouncing so much it had made writing impossible until they calmed a bit.  
  
"That's a good sign, I guess," he moved around to kneel beside the throne. He looked longingly at my belly. I hadn't let him touch it any more, cause I wanted the birth to be a surprise and I knew the second he touched my abdomen he would know everything.  
  
"Yes, they are as healthy as a horse," I smiled and swung my legs back around to the front so that I was sitting normally. "Are you ready to go now? I am anxious to see Jana again."  
  
"Then lets go," he stood and helped me to my feet. He went for one of his crystals to take us to Kolteq's castle.  
  
I placed my hand on his arm. "Let me, I am still getting used to my new power and I want the practice." I pulled out what looks like a large pearl, but surprisingly it was as light as any of his crystals.  
  
"Just make sure we don't end up in a tree above the bog of eternal stench again." Jareth looked heavenward grimly and shut his eyes so he wouldn't see it coming.  
  
"Oh shush, you," I growled and spun the pearl. The next thing we knew we were on the steps outside his cousin's palace. "See, told you I was getting better." I jogged awkwardly up the steps, damn this belly.  
  
I was barely a few feet from the door when it burst open and Jana came running out with her own round belly, she was only 6 months along and a little less...big. We hugged the best we could in our condition. Her blonde hair was a bit shorter, coming to just after her shoulders now instead of her long tresses. She was all a-glow with her new found faerie power, and the pregnancy. She was in a blue shirt and overly large jean overalls.  
  
"Come in, dinner is just about ready...we can talk until it is," Jana took my hand and led me inside.  
  
We went inside and into the sitting room. Kolteq was in there and came to hand us both a drink of some fruity punch that I had only tasted since staying in the underground. The two kings were talking politics or some nonsense, leaving me to chatter with my best friend. A servant came in to call us to dinner and I absent-mindedly dropped my empty glass. I bent to try and pick it up, and stilled.  
  
"Jareth...?" I murmured worriedly, and half-excitedly. He rushed over to my side to see what was wrong. I straightened with his help. "It's time..."  
  
"Yes, the servant just said so. Come on, let's go join the others." He placed a hand on the small of my back to lead me to the dining room.  
  
"No, you spandex wearing Q-tip...it's time! I'm going into labour!" I smacked him upside the head. He didn't get annoyed, he was used to my mood changes after nine months.  
  
Instead, his eyes lit up and he let out a cry of joy. This brought the others running back in. "I'll call the mid-wife." Jareth started to pull out one of his crystals.  
  
"Oh no you don't! I want a hospital!" I stomped my foot and grabbed the crystal away from him. "You take me to a hospital now and get me some drugs!!"  
  
"Sarah..."  
  
"NOOOW!!"  
  
The others all covered their ears and then looked at me with big eyes. Jareth nodded in a shaky frightened way and then agreed to conjure us all to a hospital.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A few hours later we are in a delivery room, I had just given birth to a child and I was exhausted. They were cleaning off the child and then turned to Jareth, who had been hovering over them the whole time trying to get near his child.  
  
"You have a beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed girl, Mr. Kobold," the nurse handed him his daughter and he cradled her close.  
  
Right then I started screaming in pain again and the nurses ran back towards me. Jareth's head snapped around to look at me, puzzled. Another blonde head was starting to crest and he narrowed his eyes, not meanly...just slyly as he figured out why I hadn't let him touch my belly.  
  
A few minutes later Jareth was handed another little girl that looked exactly like the first one. He walked over to stand by my bed. "You little weasel, keeping this from me the whole time." He murmured with only love in his voice.  
  
I held out my arms to accept one of my baby girls. "I knew it would be a great surprise. Now what shall we name these little divas." Both babies had quite a set of pipes and had finally settled down in their father's arms. Being switched to her mother's didn't affect the child, she was still calm and blinking big blue eyes up at the woman who gave birth to her moments before.  
  
"Did you want to name them aboveground names...?" he asked slowly.  
  
I smiled and shook my head. "Name them whatever you wish, I want them to have names as beautiful as they are...you can't name a faerie something plain and over-used." I pressed a gentle kiss to the child in my arms. "It just isn't fitting."  
  
"Then I have just the names for them, they are old family names," He rocked the one his arms. "This shall be Blaethen and the little scamp in your arms, shall be Aeslen."  
  
"They sound perfect." I smiled up at him. 


End file.

Labyrinth, Drama, Fantasy