It had been seven years since that fateful night when she had come to the realization that her life was still entwined with that of the Goblin King. He still haunted her dreams. She knew that sometime or the other she would be faced against Jareth, but what she didn’t know was the outcome.

Sarah had become some what of a recluse. She lived with her father and stepmother who hade been very concerned when overnight the Sarah they had known was gone and an unfamiliar person in her place. She finished high school, but with no intention of attending a university. Sarah spent her time writing children’s stories; the stories of the labyrinth and its’ inhabitants. Her books were published which brought her some kind of income, but she didn’t care. The labyrinth was all she thought of now. Dreams and daydreams, day and night, Sarah was trapped within the labyrinth of her own mind. She spent her time alone, usually walking the paths on the forest on the outskirts of town. Here she was free to be herself, to remember Jareth. Her old feelings for him still lingered on. She wondered at how she would respond when they finally met. Would she still love and hate him? How could she both love and hate the same man? What was the use;

“What will come will come” she told herself over and over “I’ll deal with it when it gets here.”

It was on one of these such walks through the trees that she came to a fork in the road. “Funny” she thought, “I don’t remember this being here?”

She stood for a moment deciding on her direction until her curiosity got the best of her. Turning down the new path she started on. The trees grew thicker here and the sun rarely shone between the leaves of the thick canopy. It was dark and getting increasingly colder. From up ahead came the sound of running water. That was another mystery. There had never been a creek or stream here before ether. As she rounded a corner she saw a little wooden bridge, half rotted with age. It didn’t look too bad. And even if it did break, Sarah told herself; the water couldn’t be more then a few inches deep at most. She carefully put her foot onto the first plank and gingerly transferred her weight to it. The bridge squeaked, bur did not break. Sarah cautiously continued forward and the bridge groaned and moaned as it supported her weight. At the center of the bridge she stopped to look down stream. The light that made its way beyond the trees danced off the water like faeries, the faeries from the labyrinth, Jareth’s labyrinth. Without thinking, Sarah leaned onto the railing to watch the scene before her… and it broke. Startled, she leaped back causing the bridge to bend, buckle then break. Down she fell into what should have been a small stream, but was now a raging river. She cried out, but no one but the birds could hear her. At her cry they scattered from the trees, robins, blue jays, woodpeckers, doves… Among their many colors she looked for a pure white owl as she struggled to keep herself afloat in the current. She saw none. The river pulled her down stream, smashing her against rocks. The water was icy as if it was the first spring melt. Down she went, tumbling with the flow to it’s destination of a lake. The lake itself was a perfect circle which was unusual enough, but the water in the lake was turning. Slowly at first then faster until it became a giant whirlpool drawing all the river’s contents towards it’s center.

“Help!” Sarah gargled, but the water consumed her and she spun down into the center of the funnel of water.

Sarah awoke lying face down on a sandy beach of the lake. She coughed, expelling the water out of her lungs and onto the ground. Gasping for breath she pulled herself to her knees and attempted to get the sand out of her wet hair and off her face. Her jeans were soaked along with her sneakers and t-shirt. He head pounded and she fought to regain control of herself. Sarah could feel the blood rush out of her head as he lifter up her eyes to see only trees. Where was she, again? What had she been doing? Sarah turned gray as she remembered the roler coaster ride down to river and being swallowed by the lake.

“Thank God I’m alive,” she said Turning her sandy face she took in her surroundings. She was still in the forest and there was the lake and the river that was now just a trickle of water. Slowly she got up, but the world spun so violently that she had so grasp the trunk of a tree to keep from falling. One Sarah’s vision cleared she started to journey upstream. It was only logical it she wanted to find her original path. It was hard work going up hill, but it was necessary. She made slow progress due to having to take many breaks to recover her wind. She must have traveled down the river quite far because try as she might she could not find the path. She should have crossed it a while ago. Giving up on her logic she decided to go southeast, that was where home was. Now where was southeast?

Sarah wondered among the trees, getting caught up in the enigma of the whole thing. Finding a patch of sun be sat on a rock in the clearing and waited for her clothes to dry. She was almost dry when she decided to continue. Getting up to leave Sarah turned around to be faced with a high stonewall. Somewhere in her mind Sarah recognized it, but could not place it.

“If I could only get over or around it,” she mused. Walking along the wall she came to a set of boulders, almost like steps leading to the top of the wall. Scrambling over the rocks Sarah was able to make her way to the top. She fell, exhausted, to the stone floor just a foot below on the other side of the obstacle. Steadying herself she turned to look back the way she came and was able to look out over the tops of the trees. Sarah went pale for beyond the trees was a maze made of stone and hedges.

“The labyrinth”

Jareth had been sitting in his throne room for quite some time now. Something was bothering him. There was a tug on his self-conscious that had appeared a few hours ago. He looked at the giant clock in the room, it showed twelve hours, unlike the thirteen when he had reordered time for Sarah’s journey through the labyrinth, with the short hand just past the five and the long hand on the two. Time seemed to be slowing, almost stopping. It was times like this, when he was alone, that his thoughts dwelt on Sarah. It was a painful memory that could not go away. He had longed to see her, to smell her, to hold her in his arms and love her, but it would not happen. Sarah hated him, she had proven it when she had left him. He had been so close, seconds away from getting her.

“Damn her!” He pounded his fists on the arms of his stone throne. It did no good. Emotions running high he needed to escape from the confines of his castle. He stepped through the wall to the entry hall, transformed into an owl and flew. It was good to be free of his halls. The goblins were no company. They were not intelligent enough to understand their master’s complex thoughts and emotions. His mind flew again to Sarah her face as he remembered it beautiful and haunting, yet so innocent. From somewhere inside himself came a voice, one he knew, one he had wanted to hear for seven long years.

“The labyrinth” It said. He knew then what had been bothering him. Sarah had come back. Jareth briefly wondered how she had accomplished this. She had come back. Why? Did she love him? Jareth’s heart beat faster. Or did she come for revenge? Landing gracefully, Jareth, in human form, pulled a crystal from the air and searched for her. She was standing above the forest in his labyrinth. His heart melted at the sight of her. Sarah, his Sarah. She was more beautiful then he remembered. Before she had been a budding teenager, now she was a woman.

“Perfect” Jareth whispered under his breath “She’s perfect, pure and now within my grasp.” Tossing the crystal up, it disappeared.

Sarah stood frozen. So it was now that fate had decided to play with her. It was frightening. She had no control over her world or the underground, so how could she get home? Jareth. The answer was perfectly clear. He was the only one who could return her to her world. It had been so long that his face had taken up permanent residence within her heart and head.

“Can I face him?” she wondered aloud

“You have no choice” came a voice from behind her.

Sarah paused for a second then asked “How did you know I was here?” not daring to turn around.

“Sarah, Sarah,” he said “Didn’t you think I would notice when a beauty like yourself waltzes into my realm?” pausing he let hid words sink in then he added in a soft voice “Did you not feel my presence?”

It was true. Sarah had felt him. She had felt him as he landed as the owl. Felt him become the man that stood behind her. She did not want to admit to herself how she had longed to hear his voice. Longed to look into his eyes, but now that the moment had come she couldn’t. Jareth smiled, as he understood her silent answer.

“Turn around Sarah.” She didn’t move “Turn around” his voice rising, but still she didn’t move. “I said turn!” He grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him. Their eyes met and held. Faces only inches apart. Jareth’s heart quickened under her stare. She had done some growing in the past seven years. The crystal orb showed nothing in comparison to her. Her milky white skin, her hazel eyes, flushed cheeks, red lips…His whole being cried out for her. Jareth repressed the desire to bend down a few more inches and press his lips to hers. He bend his head just a little lower, but paused just before his lips met hers.

Sarah had been longing for and dreading this moment. Dreading to see if her feelings remained true, but longing to be with him once more. As she gazed into his mismatched eyes she was sure they did. Both love and hate affecting her. She didn’t know whether to kiss him or slap him. Both were appealing. In the end she finally diverted her eyes to the ground. His hand still on her shoulder he said in a voice of false welcome;

“Hello Sarah” she said nothing, but kept her eyes on her shoes. Jareth’s mouth twisted into a smile. “Have a good trip” he continued then laughed. Her clothes told him of a rough travel. Sand in her matted hair, torn jeans, wet shoes. Sarah chose this moment to glare at him which only made the Goblin King laugh further.

Once his chuckles were over Jareth said “We’d better get you to the castle and get you cleaned up. He smiled again.

“I’m not going anywhere with you. I only want you to send me home.”

“Darling Sarah, I will do no such thing. If you want to go then you find your own way out.” Sarah gave a silent scream and began to sulk. “Come dearest, you need rest”

“I do not.” But she knew it was a lie. She was tired and hungry. Jareth knew it too.

“Come on”

“I can’t” she was weakening

“You can rest and relax…”

“Stop it.” She said. It all sounded so good, but she couldn’t give in

Jareth smirked and continued “Take a hot bath, have dinner…”

“Fine.” She interrupted him “Just fine.” Grinning he waved his hand; he and Sarah were gone.