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Chapter Text

"[Love is] not two broken halves becoming one.

It's the light from a distant lighthouse bringing you both safely home

because home is wherever you are both together."

-Neil Gaiman on love

He took to the skies as he often did after taking a Wished-Away child. His wings sliced through the air, leaving a current of magic trailed behind him.

He did not take them with pleasure, for a Wished-Away was an unwanted or a sickly child whose caretaker had no other choice. He saw so much pain and suffering, weighing on him every second of every day. Not even the parties he hosted at his castle could drown out the agony emanating from deep within his bosom. The burden of his crown cut deep into his very being, eating away at his soul until the day when he would waste away, leaving his burden to another poor soul, for he had no one to share his burdens with.

He found that his wings took him to the human world, the Aboveground. Despite the resentment he felt for the responsibility that he had towards these people, he couldn't resist the pull that this world had on him. The people were wonderful and creative, ever changing unlike his own. They lived such short lives but burned so brightly and with purpose.

Looking down, he saw a park, vast with lakes and flowers embedded in the bridges. There was magic in the air, diffusing from a source. He could smell it, could practically taste it on his beak. It was pleasant and sweet, with a sharp and wild edge to it.

It intrigued him.

Flying down, he handed on a stone column. Now, he could see the origin of that magic: a girl.

No, a woman.

She had hair as dark as the midnight sky, skin as clear as the rivers, and a blush as gentle as a rose's petal. She had a circle of delicate flowers in her hair and a little red book in her hand. She captivated him, holding his attention as no other being had ever done before. Her smile caused his heart to beat quickly, and he wanted nothing more than to be the cause of that smile.

She raised her arms up, twirling around in a sort of trance, bowing before a nonexistent audience.

Well, almost nonexistent.

He transformed back into his fae self, clapping as he strode towards her. She gasped, unaware that there had been a spectator. It was then that he was able to get a good look at her eyes.

Eyes as magically green as the moss on trees. Eyes that carried a kind of sadness that he couldn't name. They were also full of curiosity, of fearlessness that was so uniquely her.

"Thank you," she said after a moment of surprise, bowing once more for him. She took a step towards him, her pale-green dress swishing by her ankles.

For once, the Goblin King was speechless. He had never been so smitten over someone before, and certainly not at first sight. It took him a moment to regain that power of speech, going slowly as to not make a fool of himself. "Who might you be, My Lady?" He held out his hand.

Her eyes shined for him. Had he ever seen anyone so purely delightful? She extended her hand so that he may take it. "I am called Sarah, Sir."

"Sarah." He tested her name on his tongue. It was a pleasant sound, like that of spring and tasted of lavender. "A beautiful name to match a beautiful woman."

The moment his lips touched her hand, he could feel the current of magic beneath her skin, growing stronger by the moment. His own magic reached out to her, interlinking as it never had for another being.

She rolled her eyes a little at his attempt to woo her, but did not seem bothered by it. If anything, she seemed to enjoy it. "And your name, good sir?" she inquired.

"I am Jareth.” He offered her his arm. "Would you like to take a stroll with me?"

Smiling tentatively, Sarah accepted his invitation, sliding a hand on his bicep. "I would like to, Jareth."

And they spoke. They spoke of family, of the people in their lives that have shaped them. They spoke of memories that brought the spark to their eyes and memories that hurt their souls. The spoke of the smallest insect and the mighty sun, unable to fathom how amazing it was to have someone to match them so much. They talked so much that they lost track of the time.

"Oh no!" Sarah exclaimed, looking at the sunset. She faced him with regret. "I must be getting home before my family worries. Would you not come with me, Jareth? Meet my family and dine with us."

He so desperately wanted to, but at that moment, his duty was calling for him. He could not ignore the pull of wishes, inwardly cursing the bad luck that he had two wishers in one day. "I cannot, my dearest. But perhaps tomorrow, if I may?"

She beamed. "I would be delighted."

He took her hand and kissed the back of it once more. "I wish you the most pleasant of evenings and the sweetest of dreams tonight. I shall meet you here, same time tomorrow."

What no one knew, was that the Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl, and had given her certain powers. Powers that only amplified her own magic. Powers that would make her his equal, to be his queen.

Turning around, he transformed into a barn owl, taking to the skies.

The moment Sarah laid eyes on Jareth, she felt an overwhelming feeling of love surrounding her. She had always thought that love at first sight did not exist, that it was a result of fickle emotions. Only through time and really knowing someone could love happen.

And yet, in her mind's eye, she knew that she could never love another.

Sarah looked at the magic twirling around her fingers, the threads of power stronger today than it ever was before. Perhaps it was a result of her intense emotions. In her curiosity, she turned to look at the man who won her heart.

Jareth had his back to her. He enveloped his arms around his body, shrinking into a small and majestic-looking barn owl. Spreading his wings, he took flight.

Sarah put a hand to her mouth, horror striking into her heart. "Oh gods, please no…"

The reason for this horror was not that he could transform, or that he was different. It was because he was one of the faerie.

She could not allow him to come back to her, no matter how much her heart desired him.

"I must be strong," she said out loud, though her voice was anything but strong. Bitter tears fell from her cheeks, causing the grass it touched to die. "I will give this foolish dream up. Even if means that I cannot love another. It is a sacrifice I must make."

This will pass, she was sure. She was fine before him and would be fine long after him. After all, there was much more to life than romantic love. She would just treasure the smile he gave her in her heart, bottling it up to save for a rainy day.

At least, she could rest easy knowing that someone loved her once.

Just as he had promised, the Goblin King was at the park the next day, waiting for the woman who he would make his queen.

He would court her slowly, taking their time really getting to know each other and their families. He wasn't sure exactly how it would all work out, but he would figure out a way. He would not give up on being with her even if the world fell.

Waiting with a bouquet of flowers from his royal garden, he waited excitedly as Sarah walked up the path to meet with him. "My beloved-"

"No," Sarah held a hand up, standing a good distance from him. She had resolved to lie and tell him that she wasn't interested, that she didn't want to see him. But she couldn't find it in her heart to do so when he held flowers, gazing with hope in his eyes. "Jareth, we cannot do this."

A thousand arrows pierced his soul, flowers falling to the ground with a plop. "Sarah-"

"Please, don't make me say it again!" she pleaded, tears prickling her eyes. In her panicked state, Sarah took off running.

Not that it did her any good when her pursuer was faster than any human and could even fly. He caught up with her, standing in front of her. The confusion and pain on his face was almost too much to bear. "My love, why do you run from me?" He took a careful step towards her, afraid of making her flee. He did not think that his heart could take it if she ran from him one more time.

"I run from you, because I love you," she said breathlessly, unable to lie to him. Her mind screamed for her to run once more, to run until she died if she needed to. But the moment she looked into his sky-blue eyes, she could not disobey the need in her heart to be near him. "It is not permissible for humans and fae to love each other. Nothing good comes out of it. And you, you are The Goblin King, your sigil tells me so. That is even more reason for us to cut this off."

Conceiving children, becoming lovers, those were all permissible. Even some marriages for convenience and alliance was granted. But not love.

Love is something else entirely. Love involves the heart and a person's very soul. Fae and humans were not allowed to live together in the same realm anymore, for too much magic would kill a human and being too far from magic would weaken and deteriorate a fae. Even the Goblin King, who could visit the human world for much longer than most fae, was still bound by certain rules and could not thrive on a relationship where he could only visit her.

To be apart from the one who holds your soul would tear you apart, and that must not happen to the King of Goblins.

He smiled, for she had confessed her love for him. And he knew that she meant it. "You have won the heart of a fae king, that is no small feat. Imagine what we can do together. You and I, we could change this horrid situation with our love."

"You place so much faith in love," she whispered quietly, desperately, as his gloved hand came to cradle her face. He was so close that she could smell the peaches and spices scent on him. "You are the king of goblins. We must be apart."

"Do you truly wish to be apart from me?" He caressed her hair, finding that she did not move away. "If you do, then say the word. I will leave. I will not chase you if you do not want me. Can you truly say that the love you have for me will fade with time?"

Sarah sighed, leaning against his chest despite her earlier resolve to stay away from him. "You know I cannot. From the moment I looked into your eyes, I know that I cannot have another."

"Then please, at least allow me to visit you here, in your world, in your home. Allow me to love you, to find a path for us to be together." He draped his robe over her, surrounding her with his warmth. "My Precious Sarah, do you not know that love moves mountains? Allow me to court you, to know you properly. Let me show you that I mean what I say, that my word is my bond."

Her head swam, all logic fleeing from it. She should be thinking carefully, she should talk to him more, but knowing that he was in earnest, she did the only thing that she could do.

She kissed him.

It was not a kiss of passion that governs every living thing, but a kiss of the heart. He held her close to his bosom, savoring the sweet taste of her lips and smiling into her hair as he whispered his love into her ear.

Sarah clutched him close as he told her that he loved her, that he merely survived and wandered through life, fulfilling his duties. He did not have a true reason to live due to his isolation and unsavory job that was far from the rest of the fae civilization. Now, with love, he had something to look forward to.

In turn, Sarah told him that while she believed in love, she did not think that she would feel so fulfilled until now. That love was something she would witness and read about, not something that would really happen to her. She told him that she wanted to comfort him in his darkest days and dance with him on his brightest ones.

"Let's start now." She took his hand, leading him to her home. "Be a part of my life. Meet my family."

Jareth held her to his side, where he wanted her to always be. "I am honored, Love."

A year passed, and Jareth was getting ready to ask for her hand in marriage.

Well, quite not yet. The High Council allowed him to take a human wife and make her live as long as he, but only if she successfully ran his labyrinth. Only then could she be transformed into a fae, for one who would run the Labyrinth was granted powers.

He would ask her if she was willing to try, then ask for her hand after she won.

Or, if she refused or failed, he would give up his position as king. He would train another in his stead and live a human life. He was willing to do this for love.

"Jareth!"

The sound of his name falling from her lips took him out of his thoughts and into reality. She practically jumped into his arms as he swung her around, kissing her lips with gratitude that he had such a wonderful person by his side. "It has been so long since I last saw you."

"Only a fortnight, my love." He brushed the hair out of her eyes, tipping her chin up so he could see her face better. "But it does feel like forever, does it not?"

"Indeed," Sarah agreed, resting against his chest. "I have missed you."

"And I you," he kissed her forehead. "Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of time. I have many duties today but I wanted to give you this gift before I must go."

He handed her a small box. Curiously, Sarah opened it to find a garnet necklace. It was this elegant thing, special to him as it had come from a crystal he fashioned himself after many tries. "This, Sarah, is a charm I fashioned for you and you only. If you say my name with intent, I will be by your side immediately in case of any danger."

"Oh, it's beautiful, my love," she breathed. "Thank you. Won't you put it on me?"

He did as she asked, looking at the jewelry with pride as it sat on her neck. "I regret that I must take leave now. I shall see you and your family tomorrow night for dinner?"

"We look forward to it." Sarah sweetly, kissed his cheek, grinning as he preened for her. "My family loves you. Good day, my love."

She sighed as he flew away. If he had been human or she a fae, they would be married by now. She must have faith, faith that love could change their situation.

Taking her basket, she went to the market to buy vegetables and other goods.

On the way back home, Sarah took a shortcut that she often took. She whistled merrily, thinking of the latest book she had read, her head in the clouds as she subconsciously touched the necklace her beloved had gifted her.

Sarah wasn't sure when the world seemed dark and dreadful, but she was feeling it now. The trees did not breathe life and smiles, but exuded a sinister energy to it. Staying still, Sarah tried to listen.

Nothing. Not the birds singing, not the river flowing or the insects chittering. Not even the wind was blowing through the trees.

Then, footsteps. Skittering footsteps that became louder and louder, eerily coming closer to her even as she saw nothing.

Sarah bolted into a run, blood pounding against her ears. She tasted salt in her mouth and her eyes swam, unseeing. She tripped over a branch, her basket of goods spilling out.

On the ground, she turned on her back and saw a ghastly creature grinning at her. Its teeth were sharper than that of the sharpest knives and individual claws that were larger than her hand. Its slithering tongue curled around its teeth. "Gotcha."

Sarah screamed, holding onto the necklace. "Jareth!"

But alas, she was not fast enough. The creature pierced her heart with its claw and descended to take a gruesome bite out of her throat.

Before it could take another bite, the creature was thrown backwards. Its attacker shocked it with glowing, horrifying eyes grabbing it by its neck and lifting it in the air. "You, you are a demon."

The attacker had a mass of messy blond hair and the strength of a god. He threw the demon down and used the heel of his boot to choke it. "Why have you killed her? Why?!"

His shouting came from the very deepest part of his being, for his soulmate had been ripped away from him. All the Goblin King wanted to do was to burn the world, for there was no world worth living in without his Sarah.

"I thought-" the demon choked.

Jareth lifted his boot from the demon's neck. "Talk!"

"I was looking for an enchantress! Once with black hair and silver eyes-"

"Her eyes are green," Jareth said with a deathly calm. "Green as the moss on the northern side of a tree. If you have taken mere moments to check before devouring her, you would have seen it!"

He squeezed the demon's neck again, almost enjoying when he made it faint. "Killing you is too kind. I will send you back to Lucifer, where you can suffer the repercussions of your mistakes. The Devil does not take his servants' mistakes lightly."

Strangely, Sarah did not feel pain. Sheer terror ripped through her as the creature descended upon her throat, but she felt nothing.

She looked at her hands, seeing that they were fine. Everything felt strange, like she was dreaming.

"My child, you are not dreaming. That would be my brother's realm."

She whirled around, seeing a kindly-looking woman. She had a strange symbol curled under her eye, skin as pale as snow, and hair as black as the blackest thing in the universe. She wore a simple black dress and a necklace of a figure that looped at the top.

She was Death. Sarah knew not how she knew, but she did. She did not feel fear, for Death was kind and gentle. She felt safe with her. "Brother?" She tilted her head to the side in question.

"Yes, my brother, Dream," Death responded. "Dreams are his jurisdiction. You are now under mine."

"Sarah!"

She turned, finding that the demon that murdered her was gone and replaced by her beloved Jareth. He gently picked up her torn body, cradling her close to his chest. "No! Sarah please, come back to me. I cannot live without you."

His entire body shuddered from the pain. He rarely cried, especially in public but his tears were now flowing freely down his cheeks and into Sarah's dead body.

"Jareth!" Sarah She reached out for him but could not, for she was no longer alive. She turned to Death, pleading. "Please, send me back. He needs me. My family needs me. Please."

Death just pulled her close, embracing her like the older sister that she never had. "Sarah, I cannot do that. I'm sorry."

"But, I love him," she whimpered. If she had merely died, she wouldn't feel so distressed, but seeing her love mourn for her so openly was worse than being eaten by that demon. Jareth, like any other being, had emotions and feelings. He showed her these deep emotions in private but rarely did he express him so openly. His screams and cries broke her. "I don't want him to suffer. Why must this happen?"

Death brushed her fingers through Sarah's hair. "He suffers because he loves you. Grief is the price we pay for love." She turned Sarah away from the scene now that her younger sister, Despair, was coming to Jareth's side. "Come, my dear. I'm sorry. You are safe with me now, and I will care for you."

And together, Sarah and Death walked away into eternity.

A wail deep within his heart escaped his throat as he screamed into her hair, anguish that could not be quenched. He rocked her back and forth, as if the act itself would bring her back. "My Sarah, my Precious Love. My very heart. I cannot go on without you."

In his grief, the King of the Goblins called upon the only being who could help him. "I call upon Morpheus of the Endless, The King of Dreams, Prince of Stories, Lord Shaper, and Monarch of the Sleeping Marches."

Holding Sarah as he often did when she lived, The Goblin King did not strive to hide his tears as Dream materialized before him. Dream, or Morpheus as he was also called, cloaked in stars with flames dusted at the hem, strode towards the Goblin King. He was barefoot, his hair matching the darkness of his cloak and his dark eyes reflecting twin stars.

He spoke as if they were old friends meeting for lunch and not as if the fae man was clutching his dead beloved to his chest. "Greetings to you, Jareth, King of Goblins, Lord of the Labyrinth, Master of Wishes, Guardian of the Borders, and Delegator of Dreams. Why have you called upon me?"

The words fell out of Jareth's mouth, as if they belonged to someone else. "When you and I last met, I had taken up the mantle of Goblin King, do you recall what happened?" His eyes full of unmatched sorrow, one that Dream had never seen before in a royal fae as they suppressed their emotions.

Morpheus' dark eyes flickered momentarily to the dead woman then back to the king. "I do," he said simply.

"I was named the Delegator of Dreams, like every other monarch who held my throne before me," Jareth recalled, trying to slow down his thoughts and bring them to focus. "That title means that we are allowed power to offer dreams for we are taking up some of your responsibility. In exchange, you are to grant us a boon." He did not blink the entire time he was speaking. "Am I correct?"

"That you are." He was not a man of many words.

"Then I would like to use my boon." His voice did not waver as much this time, growing stronger with every syllable. "Lord Morpheus, my beloved was taken too soon, just a month shy of her twenty-second birthday. She was taken mistakenly by one of Lucifer's demons. I ask that you breathe life back into her, so that she may live the rest of it in peace and by my side."

Morpheus's face might as well have been cloaked in the shadows. It was near impossible to read what he was thinking, for he was not a living, breathing person. He wasn't even a god but an anthropomorphic creature of the Endless. He was woven from the hopes, fears, possibilities, and wonder of every living creature.

When Morpheus spoke again, he did so slowly. "That is not a boon I can grant. My realm is that of dream, the alternate worlds that exist in the minds and beyond."

"Then, can Death?" Jareth pleaded, his voice breaking.

"Your Sarah was mortal, you know this," Morpheus said sternly, the same way he had spoken to his son, Orpheus, when his bride Eurydice died on their wedding day. He did not wish to see a repeat of that event happen to The Goblin King. "They die all the time. Not even Death can help her, for she takes them to the Beyond. Mourn her as you should. You have made her happy in her short life. Grieve and move on. Do not be foolish."

Even as he said the words, he knew that it fell on deaf ears.

"She is my very heart!" Jareth shouted, not caring that he was screaming at his best hope. "She is not replaceable and never will be."

For a split second, Morpheus's eyes shone with sympathy. Perhaps it was because he was remembering his past with a woman he had pursued until she was condemned to hell. Perhaps he was thinking of his son and how Orpheus's life was wasted when he failed to properly mourn Eurydice.

Or, perhaps, it was because he had a shred of empathy in him after all.

"Is there nothing you can do?" Jareth's voice tapered, much calmer now that he had unleashed his anger. "No advice you can give me? No direction? It was not her time. Those demons should not have killed her."

"Even if I could, that is beyond me." Morpheus's tone was a bit softer, not so jagged and harsh like he had been. "I do not run hell, after all."

And just like that, the anger came swiftly back to Jareth. "Are you suggesting that she is in hell?"

"Is that not what usually happens to those who were killed by demons?" Morpheus raised an eyebrow.

The Goblin King paused for a moment, thinking. Sarah's blood continued to stain his hands, his clothing, but he did not care, for another idea entered his mind. "My boon, Lord Shaper, is to have the ability to enter the dreams of an individual of my choosing."

Morpheus never had anyone be so daring to him before. "You are wasting your boon on foolishness, Goblin King. She is dead. You know you cannot-"

"That is my wish. You will not change my mind. I will get her back and I will use this boon then."

Morpheus could not refuse a boon when it is in his power to grant it "Then I am obligated to honor it. Give me an empty crystal."

With shaky hands, Jareth formed a perfect crystal. The most perfect crystal he had ever formed. Morpheus, now with dream sand in his palm, blew it into the crystal. Inside, Jareth could see the sand swirl until it collided together into a bright light.

"Here, in this crystal, contains magic that will allow you to do as you wish to the dream," Morpheus explained. "But be warned, you cannot enter Sarah's without her consent. Or anyone else's dreams without their consent."

"I'll take my chances, Lord Shaper. Thank you for your generosity."

Chapter Text

"Tell us, what power have dreams… in hell?"

-Lucifer Morningstar, from The Sandman comics (created by Neil Gaiman)

Jareth did not want to go to Sarah's funeral, wanting to instead work on a way to bring her back. He only did so to comfort her family, for Sarah would have wanted them to support each other after she was gone. He could live with the hope that she would one day come back into his arms, they could not. They would be long gone by the time she could be reborn and they deserved that closure.

Her mother hugged him, telling him that she appreciated that he was there. Her father said that Jareth should not blame himself for appearing too late to save her. Her brother told him that he was glad that Sarah could find love in him. Her sister gave him a blossom from Sarah's peach tree, her favorite fruit and some seeds from the same trees.

These seeds would later be planted all over the Castle Beyond the Goblin City as a constant reminder of the woman he loved and lost.

The moment Jareth got home, he made sure that any last-minute affairs were in order. He was fully expecting to come back, but he had to make sure. He had responsibilities, and it would do no good to shirk from them. His secretary knew where he was going and had a letter to be sent to The High Council just in case he was gone forever.

And with that, Jareth took his flight down to Hell.

"Lord Morningstar!" A demon bowed before him. "There is a visitor at the gate."

"Which gate?" The Devil asked lazily, slowly standing. "We get visitors all the time, though the term should be used loosely, seeing as they become permanent occupants." He said this last sentence more to himself than to the demon.

"The main gate, Sire," the demon bowed again, trying to not show fear at his master's sharp tone, for the wrath of Lucifer was most unpleasant. "He is a fae and demands an audience."

"A fae?" Lucifer raised an elegant eyebrow. He couldn't recall the last time a fae willingly came to hell, and alive at that. "And demanding an audience? Fascinating. Let him in."

Every atom in Jareth demanded for him to leave at once. This place reeked of misery and suffering, unnatural and dreary. Even his magic had been dampened, no longer coming to him as easily as walking. He had to concentrate to even feel it.

He dressed in his black armor, both for protection and for intimidation. He was not expecting to make Lucifer quake in fear, but at least he would feel more confident. He pushed thoughts of grief from his head, replacing it with anger, for anger was often a mask for sadness. He needed that anger to provide clarity to the unfairness of the situation. He needed it to get Sarah, and he could not afford to fall to despair.

While Dream was one of the seven Endless (along with his siblings Destiny, Death, Despair, Desire, Destruction, and Delirium who used to be Delight) and would exist long after even the gods have died, he was not nearly as powerful as Lucifer. Save for his Creator, Lucifer was perhaps the most powerful being in the universe.

Jareth had never been in the presence of such raw majesty before and it unnerved him.

Lucifer sat in his throne, cloaked in white like the angel that he was. His wings were folded behind him and were mightier than the wings of any other angel. His eyes were pools of amber, the brightness comparable to the sun itself if he allowed it to be so. "Jareth, son of High King Brian, King of the Goblins, to what do I owe this visit to?"

Jareth bowed carefully. He was used to being in control, for he was powerful in both the human and faerie realm. But this, this was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He was entirely at the mercy of the angel before him. "Lord Lucifer, King of Hell, I have come to discuss with you the demon that had wrongfully slain a mortal woman. Accidents happen, but she was under my protection and I require retribution for the act."

Lucifer hummed thoughtfully. "Tsk. A shame that happened. Well, you needn't worry. That particular demon is already being punished. It is our specialty here, you know." He smirked, making Jareth's skin crawl.

An image of Sarah being punished in this place appeared in his mind and he had to shove it down deep before he lashed out. "I appreciate the swiftness of the punishment, Lord Morningstar," he said politely. "However, there is another matter. She is my beloved, and we were to be married. She has not done wrongs that should send her here to your realm. I implore you to set things right and to release her soul."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow at such a bold request. To release a soul was to ask for it to be reborn, something that happens only in the rarest of circumstances. If Jareth had asked for her soul to move to the right place, he would have obliged immediately.

It seems that this Goblin King was quite ambitious. Who was he to make demands of the devil?

Flicking a hand, Lucifer created a wine glass and filled it with wine. He slowly drank from it, taking all the time in the world to acknowledge the Goblin King's request. Time that was on his side, for he wasn't the one whose very heart was wracked with sorrow. "What are you willing to do for her soul?"

Anything, Jareth's mind begged to answer. Absolutely anything. If he did not know the power of words, he would have answered that immediately. "What do you want from me, Lucifer?"

The Devil smirked, as if invisible string was tugging on one corner of his lips. "If you eliminate every suffering soul from here, then your Sarah may live once more by your side."

"All these souls?" The Goblin King gestured beyond the castle's balcony in disbelief. "You want me to eliminate all these souls, in exchange for one?"

Morningstar shrugged, as if the two were merely talking about the weather. He clicked the wine glass with one finger, the glass refilling itself. "You are asking for her to have another chance at life. Did you expect the price to be any less steep than that of the tallest mountain in the world?"

Jareth changed tactics, deciding to ask for clarity instead of answering Lucifer's question for fear that the devil would raise that price. "What did you mean by eliminate?"

"Precisely that." Lucifer took another sip, wetting his finger to circle around the glass's ring, creating a disturbing echo that made it quite difficult for Jareth to remain passive and unreacting. "I am tired of endlessly overseeing the torture of souls. If they are gone, then I wouldn't have to worry any longer about them."

He stood up straight, no longer sitting in his throne. He leisurely strode towards Jareth. "You'd be doing them a favor, Goblin King. They would simply cease to exist and would no longer be tortured."

Jareth remained still as Lucifer circled around him like a vulture. Finally, the Fallen Angel leaned next to his ear. "Are you willing to do that for your Sarah? Is she worth that much?"

If that was all there was to it, yes. Yes he would. He was not noble like his parents or elder siblings. Or Sarah herself. Once upon a time, he composed a song for his love, telling her that he would be there for her as the world falls down.

He failed to tell her that in exchange for one last kiss goodbye, he would burn that same the world down. Without question.

Oh, he wouldn't take pride or happiness from the act. He readily admitted how selfish he was, how little he cared for the world around him save for a few things.

But Sarah, now, she cared. She would not want him to do that. She would resent him and wouldn't be happy. She would tell him that those tortured souls still had a chance to go to a happier place, to be redeemed if they felt that their sins had been punished enough. The souls knew that they could walk out at any moment and yet they chose not to. He would be robbing them of that chance.

For her only, he would not take that offer.

Besides, Lucifer was The Devil. Even if he spoke truth, he used words impeccably crafted to ensnare even the most careful of bargainers.

He chose his next words carefully. "No, I would not do that. For people and other beings die every minute of every day. My task would be endless. I would not do such a thing, as generous as it is for you to offer me the opportunity."

Lucifer smiled, but his eyes told another story. He was most displeased, and when one displeases The Devil in any way, only bad things could come their way. "I see." He tipped the rest of his wine down his throat and waved the glass away. "It's disappointing to see the Guardian of the Border act in such a brash way, coming down here to hell only to refuse my offer. You are nothing but a pathetic child that is bitter that his toy has been taken from him."

If he had not been so tired or wracked with grief, perhaps Jareth would not have taken the bait.

But he was tired. And so, so full of grief and torment. "Sarah is not a toy," he snarled. "She is a living, breathing, beautiful woman who was taken far too early because of the work of your demons."

Lucifer's smile only widened. "I think you mean, was living."

The Devil hardly flinched when The Goblin King hurled a crystal at him. All Lucifer had to do was to flick a couple fingers, sending said crystal right back at his face with a touch of his own magic.

Jareth howled in pain, the searing burn rendering his left eye blind and his cheek blistered. He fell to his knees, clutching his face.

Lucifer got down on one knee in front of him, clicking his tongue in mock pity. "I should skewer you right now. I wouldn't even kill you, I would just make you get tortured for all of eternity, regenerating like Prometheus. I would play the memory of your beloved's screams for you over and over. Now yours is a soul I would enjoy torturing. I'm almost impressed of the audacity, attempting to strike me in my realm."

Jareth knew that he had pushed too far. He knew that he should grovel, should keep quiet. But he just couldn't. "Then why don't you?"

Lucifer just chuckled in amusement. He yanked Jareth's hair back, the latter barely holding in a whimper at the sensation searing into his scalp. "Because it's no fun kicking a puppy when it's down. And I'm most entertained by your brashness, but only because you rarely lose control, Your Majesty."

He let go of Jareth's hair, making him collapse to the ground in a very undignified way. "You want her back? Then mark my words, King of Goblins. She will be reborn again in a thousand years. She will not remember you or care for you, so you must start over."

"A thousand years?" He rasped, still clutching his eye. "That long?"

"Who knows?" Lucifer tilted his head to the side. "Maybe by then, you will have found someone else to pay attention to. Another pretty thing. Or perhaps, endless pretty things to keep you company. Your Sarah would fade into oblivion. Maybe she will take one look at you and run away in fear."

"Enough!" Jareth stood, regretting his decision as his head throbbed from the sudden movements. "Just name a reasonable price, Morningstar."

"My price?" Morningstar said in a sing-song voice. "For you, Goblin King, a soul for a soul since you want to be fair. Should you fail to woo her, you will serve me for eternity." He held a hand up as Jareth was about to ask his next question. "I am not in a hurry for you to die. I will not be the cause of it. Whenever it happens, you will serve me. Do we have a deal, Your Majesty?" He held his hand out.

With only a slight hesitation, Jareth shook the hand of the devil. "I've won her love once, I'll easily do it again."

Lucifer chuckled. "We'll see about that."

The Goblin King flew back to his realm, still with a heavy heart but with the light of hope shining his way. He was sure that not even death could separate Sarah from him.

Not when their very souls were meant for each other.

As he flew off, Lady Death appeared next to The Lord of Hell. Lucifer raised an eyebrow at her, but Death just waved him dismissively. "I am not here for you, I'm here for the demon that is about to expire thanks to your torturing." The same demon that killed Sarah.

Lucifer shrugged. "I was hoping to torture him longer for failing his mission, but we have too many demons for me to care. Do what you must."

Death did not move away from his side to fetch the demon. She stood next to Lucifer, looking out from the balcony with him. "Why did you do that for him, Lightbringer?"

Lucifer had his motives questioned more times today than he had in the last century. Still, he was too amused to hold his reasoning back. "Perhaps," he drawled slowly. "I just want to see how far this will go. Will The Goblin King fail when he becomes too impatient and woos her too early? Will he ruin it by being too prideful? Will she hate him because he's too pushy? Will she develops a relationship with someone else, unable to remember her past with him and leading to immense jealousy or resentment? Will he get angry at holding out hope for so long that he tortures himself? Will he forget her entirely? All of those are bound to happen. Knowing that he failed will torment him so much more than if I outright deny his request, as the fault would lay with him and not I. I will be most entertained to see what the future has in store for him."

And, for the first time since Sarah died, Death smiled. "I believe that it's because you secretly want those two to be victorious, to find happiness. Happiness that is rarely seen in your realm. You do have a soft spot, after all."

"Death?"

"Yes?"

"Shut your damn mouth."

Chapter Text

"All my violence

Raining tears upon the sheet

I'm bewildered

For we're strangers when we meet"

-David Bowie, Strangers When We Meet

A millenia later

Jareth manipulated the crystal between his gloved fingers, the face of Sarah Williams reflected upon the clear orb. Once, he had looked upon that face with adoring love, her eyes haunting his dreams over and over.

Now? Now, all he felt was resentment.

She had called his Labyrinth "a piece of cake." The little brat. She wore the face of his beloved, but was she her? His Sarah was not so immature or so selfish as this one. This child wished her brother away just because she wanted to play in the park a little longer.

His Sarah was defiant, but she was polite. She knew how to speak to him, to comfort him when he showed her the hurt in his eyes. Her intelligence matched his and she spoke with clarity that made him proud to call himself hers. That Sarah had died, leaving a hole in him and all who loved her. He looked after her family, visiting on occasion, paying homage to his love and to support the family that should have been his. When they inevitably passed, he had nothing left save the memories of the only woman he would ever truly love.

And yet, he could not take his eyes off of this woman-child. Just in the twilight of childhood and womanhood, she occasionally proved herself resourceful and quick in the way she got Hogwedge or whatever his name was to help her. Or the riddle she solved with the two doors. She showed remorse in wishing her brother away, but she still wished it.

He couldn't tell if there were remnants of his Sarah in her, or these were just qualities they shared. Nonetheless, he could not help but admit that she caught his attention. He hated himself for it, for she was too young and so irritating for a king like him to supposedly care.

When he came face to face with her for the first time, he smirked and played the part of the evil goblin king that he was supposed to play, bending reality to fit her perception of things.

Because as much as he wanted to pretend that she wasn't the woman he loved, the pull on his magic and soul was too strong for him to deny.

Sarah delightfully took a bite of the peach that Hoggle gave her. They were her favorite fruit, the sweet nectar soft and easy to consume. This particular peach had something else in it, something she could only describe as magical.

Her head swam, and she asked Hoggle what he did. He damned himself then damned Jareth.

In the space of a blink, the dark forest transformed into a bright ballroom. Strings of pearls and iridescent curtains lightened the magnificent place. In the middle was a pit of pillows where dancers were lounging, eating food and drinking wine of the fae.

Sarah felt out of place, feeling like a child in an adult situation. She looked down at her clothing, finding that she was wearing a ballgown. With hair swept up and adored with silver leaves, she looked every bit like the princess in fairy tales, reminiscent of Cinderella dressed in her finery at the ball.

She felt herself floating through like she was in a dream, her mind clouded and her body aimlessly gliding through the magnificent ballroom.

And yet, she had never felt so alive.

As the crowd parted slightly, she looked up and caught a glimpse of the most desired person there.

The King of the Goblins.

He had on a coat made of the evening sky, his lips painted and his cheeks highlighted as if the stars themselves blessed him. He looked absolutely dashing, more than any Prince Charming in her stories. All thoughts of his antagonizing nature dissipated, leaving Sarah staring at him in awe.

He lowered his mask. His unblinking eyes locked with hers, sending a pleasant shiver up her spine.

Then, he disappeared.

Still in a trance, Sarah ignored all the other dancers who were staring at her. They whispered amongst themselves, wondering why this woman-child caught the attention of their king.

Jareth stood afar, dancing here and there with glamorous people who all wanted just a taste of his touch. At one point, he even danced with two women at the same time. All the while, his eyes were on Sarah. She was searching, searching for him even if she did not know it.

It made sense, after all, for she allowed him to stay in this dream. The dream of her desire, forged from the sands of Lord Shaper and a peach from her peach tree from her first life.

Jareth kept telling himself that he was just merely curious, but every step he took towards her was a testament to the hope that burned inside of his soul. The hope that perhaps, he could one day love this Sarah. That this Sarah would one day love him back.

For hope was the backbone of dreams.

The feathery fans parted, reuniting the two former lovers. Sarah's eyes widened, her mouth opened in disbelief as she found two voluptuous women pressing their bodies against the Goblin King. If looks could kill, Sarah's glare would have singed the ladies into ash, disintegrating into absolutely nothing.

Jareth removed his arms from the women, walking towards the vision in silver. As if in a trance, Sarah placed her hand on his shoulder as he took her by the waist. Even though the layers of fabric, The Goblin King's hand burned her skin, causing Sarah to breathe heavily, her head spinning.

Jareth had, of course, looked into her eyes earlier. But they had been clouded by fear or anger, obscuring him from really seeing the striking personality that was hers. Now, in this dream, her soul was stripped bare for him to gaze. She displayed the exact same fire that he had known, the same curiosity and the same sad love reflected in his own eyes.

Opening his mouth, Jareth did something he hadn't done in a long time.

He sang As the World Falls Down.

Sarah's eyes scrunched close together. There was something so very familiar about this. As if this song had been inside her, dormant until it could make an appearance in her dreams.

And those lips. Her eyes kept flickering towards Jareth's lips, mesmerized by the words that flowed from them, knowing what it would be like to kiss him.

That thought made her shake her head in confusion. Knew? Why would she know what kissing him felt like?

Jareth had composed this song for Sarah, back when they were courting. He hadn't sang this song since her death, unable to bring himself to even try. Today, he was able to put his whole heart in soul into it, never taking his gaze off of the girl in front of him.

As they danced, a feeling of peace filled them, for this was a sacred space. A space where their dreams meld into one. It did not feel like something new and exciting, as most dreams may hold. This felt more like something of the olden days, with the comfort of holding each other as they danced by the crystal lakes or the bonfires.

Unfortunately, it was not Jareth's dream to control.

From beyond their dance, a clock rang, signaling the hour. As for Jareth, he just smiled at Sarah, not caring about the clock.

His beloved, on the other hand, looked around in panic. Wrenching herself free from his grasp, Sarah fled from his embrace. He feebly tried to reach after her, sorrowful as she avoided his gaze. He had given his whole heart to her, and she was intent on breaking it.

Jareth was tired, tired of his duties as king. Tired of the self isolation that he had inflicted upon himself.

But most of all, he was tired of living up to this Sarah's expectations.

Dressed in lavender and ashen gray, he moved from the shadows to face her one last time. He would still do anything, anything for her.

For she had won the moment she leapt from the ledge, taking faith in herself and her love for Toby. Because of that alone, she was worthy to be the Queen of Goblins.

And he hated that. Hated that this Sarah ran from him. Hated that she destroyed the Escher Room. Hated that he bargained with not just the devil himself, but one of the Endless in order to bring her back. Hated that this was supposed to be the same Sarah that he loved so long ago, the one that he had been waiting for.

In his exhaustion, he reverted to his grieving self. The grief that he had experienced when she died, for this felt like a death all over again. He told her that he was generous to her, not realizing that she could never understand how her expectations shaped the way he interacted with her or realizing what he had actually done for her.

He told her that in return for fearing his power, loving him, doing as he said to accept her dreams and ruling her, he would be her slave.

Those moss-green eyes shone defiantly at him. Six words that would break his heart once more.

"You have no power over me."

He fell. He fell for what seemed like years, until he transformed into his barn owl form for self-preservation. He watched from the outside of her window, seeing her put away newspaper clippings of her mother and other "junk." She kept the family photos and a figurine of the goblin king that she had created, something that did not escape his notice.

Only the important things were left on her vanity.

"I need you, all of you…" she said to the creatures in her mirror.

Maybe, just maybe, she meant him as well?

He knew that he had more than messed things up. That as much as he wanted to blame it on her, he couldn't. She had her own faults, that was for sure. But she had atoned for them.

In contrast to him, for it was his own fault that he fell from grace.

Jareth didn't even have to turn to see who it was that materialized next to him in the garden. He took another swig from the bottle of wine, the finest that he had in an attempt to show how little he cared for this intruder.

He smirked, not buying it. "You have failed to woo her, I see."

"Bug off," Jareth waved his wine bottle angrily, still nursing his hurt pride. The amount magic emanating from the fallen angel was just salt on his wound as the monarch of the goblin kingdom would be significantly weakened should a runner beat the Labyrinth. "And no, I haven't failed yet, Morningstar. As long as she is alive, I still have a chance to court her." He gazed longingly at the oldest peach tree, the very same one that had grown from Sarah's garden. "She's too old to turn, too young to keep."

As soon as the words left his lips, his eyes widened in epiphany, for The Goblin King now realized his fatal mistake.

When he first met Sarah, she was young but was already an adult. This Sarah, she had different experiences, a different point of view. But most of all, she was still an adolescent.

That was why she seemed to be a mere shadow of the woman he loved. She was still a child, not yet having the chance to grow into the woman that he loved.

"Damn me," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And no, not yet," he said before Lucifer could respond with snark. "You have not won my servitude yet, Lucifer."

"No need to be so short with me," the angel said lightly, sitting next to Jareth. His piercing amber eyes bore into him, but Jareth didn't shirk back from his gaze. "You know, I should congratulate you. I thought that you would have forgotten Sarah or wasted away. I'm amazed you made it this far."

"I made a promise, and I intend to keep it." Jareth slammed the empty wine bottle down at the angel's biting remark.

Jareth stood, surprising both him and Lucifer that he was able to even do so without falling over. "Besides, it would be a disservice to her memory to wallow in sorrow all the time. She's the one who taught me to enjoy the little things, to live to enjoy life instead of merely letting it pass by. She taught me how to improve my relationships with my family, with my subjects. My Sarah helped me find who I am and the joys that I take of life. My heart still longs for her, but for as long as I live, I shall always take the lessons of love that she gave me, for our love is a bond that lasts beyond death."

And it was true. Though Jareth had little hope now that he could woo this Sarah, he would always hold the love that the first Sarah had given him. A part of her will always reside in him.

Lucifer looked almost impressed. "Huh, I had not realized how poetic you are."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," Jareth countered.

"Well, enjoy that life, Goblin King," Lucifer said, unfurling his wings, a mocking smile gracing his lips. "I will be looking forward to seeing you in hell."

Jareth shook his head, then regretted it for the wine had made its way into every crevice of his brain. "Cocky bastard."

Yes, she was still young. But he would wait for her to grow up. For this was Sarah, his Sarah. He had waited this long, what was a few years if it meant being with her again?

The next day

Now that he was no longer drunk or being foolish, Jareth had a long think on his actions and those of Sarah.

He had acted rashly, treating her horribly due to his frustrations. He never should have sent the Cleaners after her, even though they would have stopped before hurting her. His job was to be her obstacle, but in his brashness, he had ruined not only his chances to woo her, both he and Sarah caused damage to his kingdom. Damage that was going to take a while to repair.

A glimmer of magic filled the room, magic that wasn't his or one of the denizens of the kingdom. He sensed it immediately but did not move to react, both because he felt no danger and because he was afraid he would collapse from exhaustion if he did.

Footsteps treaded across the floor, the sounds getting louder until they landed directly to his right. The tormented goblin king did not turn, choosing instead to lift his head just slightly at the night sky.

"Have you come to gloat then?" Jareth scoffed. "First Morningstar, now you."

"I don't gloat, Goblin King," Morpheus said sternly. "And I didn't come anywhere near you. You came to me."

Jareth looked around, finding himself in a throne room of sorts. The largest throne room he had ever seen, with stairs winding down from an high entrance from outside. The light scattered through the windows like a prism, giving the impression that the place was made of light if one looked at it a certain way. The ceiling was taller than any ceiling he had ever seen, the regality of the place nearly left him speechless.

He was in the Dream Lord's castle.

"Then, I must be dreaming," Jareth said simply. "I apologize, Lord Shaper."

"No need," Morpheus replied without much emotion. "You are always welcome in my realm as The Delegator of Dreams."

Jareth, having lived for so long, hardly felt awed by anything grandiose anymore. He was the son of the High King, having been afforded the finest sights that the faerie realm had to offer. He was the Guardian of Borders, observing humanity for many of their lifetimes, watching as their world changed. He had even been to Hell itself.

And yet, Morpheus's castle was by far the most breathtaking thing he had seen. The amount of magic that commanded an universe of dreams, the wealth of knowledge in the library and the ever changing aspect of the castle was something only he could dream of.

Literally.

Seeing the interest in Jareth's face, Morpheus called someone over. "Lucien," Morpheus gestured to a serious looking man carrying books. "This is King Jareth. Please make sure that His Majesty is appropriately accommodated."

"As you wish, My Lord," Lucien said. "King Jareth, would you like a room set up?"

"Actually," Jareth stared after Morpheus as he walked away. "I would like to dine with Lord Shaper, if I may."

Morpheus paused, the flames on his cloak dancing higher. He turned, facing the fae king. "Whatever for?"

Jareth just smiled. "To discuss dreams."

When they sat down to dine, all Jareth requested to eat was a simple peach, making Morpheus's star eyes reflect in open bewilderment.

As expected, Morpheus stayed silent, not initiating conversation. Most would find this unnerving, but Jareth was used to this tactic. It was usually better to keep quiet unless you really wanted to speak on something. "Lord Shaper, what its he difference between the dreaming and the waking world?"

Morpheus chewed slowly, taking a long drink from his goblet after swallowing his food. "Why do you ask?"

"Humor me," Jareth said. "Please," he added.

Morpheus put down his silverware, interlocking his fingers together. "The dreamworld is just as real as the waking world. Dreams are not governed by the same laws that your physical world allows, but it does have laws. Dreams are woven from the very fabric of the spoken and unspoken desires that everyone holds. They are also formed from fears. In short, dreams are what the world has been, what it could be, and what it really is. The difference is that dreams have infinite possibilities."

"But those dreams, they can become reality, can they not?"

"If by reality you mean the waking world, then yes. If enough dreamers dream the world the way it should or could be, then the waking world will reflect that dream. In contrast, the dream of one person can alter the course of the world and change it for better or for worse."

Jareth couldn't help the amused smile that crept on the corner of his mouth. "Surely, you're not implying that we choose our own destiny? That destiny is not predetermined?"

Morpheus was not amused, for Jareth was bordering on the line between curiosity and offensiveness. "That would be my elder brother's specialty. If you want to know about Destiny, it would be best to ask him yourself."

Jareth's smile faded just slightly, but did not disappear. "While it's a very attractive course of action, I would prefer not to. I just want to know how predetermined Destiny really is. I know that your brother often speaks in dualities, that reality is often in opposition."

"It is true," Morpheus agreed. "No one knows exactly what will happen. Only Destiny would know, as that is his responsibility. Even so, sometimes his book rewrites itself. It is his burden until the end of the universe itself, only to be outlived by our sister, Death."

Jareth pursed his lips together. His eyebrows knitted in thought and concern. "Can realities change course?"

The twin stars in Morpheus's eyes flashed, and Jareth knew that he had asked too much. "What are you really asking, Goblin King?"

Jareth remained silent. An answer unto itself.

"Ah," Morpheus understood now, the lights in his eyes dimming. "You are thinking of her. I told you a millennia ago to give up on this foolishness."

"I recall," Jareth responded dryly. "But she is back now."

"And you want to know if it was worth the effort?"

Jareth stayed silent once more.

"My advice, Goblin King," Morpheus stood, signifying the end of their meeting. "Is to live your life as you would like to live it. You have come this far, and if you want to abandon this mission, then do so. If you want to continue pursuing her, then do so. Fretting over your destiny does not do anyone good."

Jareth's smile crept on his face again. He raised his goblet towards Morpheus. "I thank you, Lord Shaper. That is very sound advice, perhaps the best I've ever received."

Jareth's eyes burst opened. He had dreamed, he knew it, but this dream was slipping away. He tried to grasp it, though it was as futile as attempting to hold flowing water in his hands.

He couldn't remember much of anything, save for a peach and that he had been surrounded by magic.

He was sure of one thing though.

He wasn't going to give up on Sarah. She had won the Labyrinth and was worthy of being the Goblin Queen. He was going to win her heart, to enter her dreams and bring them to reality.

Chapter Text

"In this age of grand illusion

You walked into my life

Out of my dreams

Sweet name, you're born once again

For me"

-David Bowie, Word on a Wing

At age sixteen, Sarah Williams made the decision to focus on the important things in her life. She put away superficial things like newspaper clippings of her mother, wanting to really get to know her. She now talked to her about ideas and the world rather than the shallow fame that Linda Williams had garnered as an actress. Sarah started to see the world the way it was rather than molding it to fit her narrative. She now understood that while her stepmother could be frustrating, she was doing her best and wasn't the evil stepmother from her fairy stories. She played with her baby brother, loving him the way she wished had done when he was born.

This was also the age when she put away dreams of her childhood, believing that she needed to grow up.

As a result, she stopped dreaming entirely. Not even those dreams where she knew she dreamed but couldn't remember them.

At age eighteen, Sarah left home and went to college to gain knowledge. She studied the history of the world and the science of the mind. In her history class, she found that there were so many voices missing from the narrative. Voices of the common people, of women, of the ones who were often overlooked. She took an extra interest in those people, wanting to give voice to the people who were often overlooked.

She dated, had fun, but there was still something missing from her life. Even as she was participating in school clubs or spending time with the people she loved, Sarah still felt aimless and empty if she thought about it hard enough. When she expressed this feeling of loss to her advisor, all she was told was that it was normal and it would pass as she got busier.

At age twenty, Sarah found herself taking courses on mythology and legends. Her parents joked that she was finding her way back to her fairy stories and her peers didn't understand why a history and psychology major would take such a class. Her reasoning was that they would explain the way regular people of the time saw the world and could give insight to how people today saw the world.

But, deep in the recesses of her mind, Sarah felt that these legends held some truth to them.

She still didn't dream.

At age twenty-two, she graduated college and broke up with her boyfriend. He was nice enough, she supposed, but there was something that just didn't work. He was a little too level-headed, not reaching for the stars or caring about the world beyond what was presented in front of him. He didn't make an attempt to understand her and she felt it was best for them both to go their separate ways. They didn't keep in contact but wished each other the best.

She found a nice job, contemplating on possibly going back to graduate school because said job wasn't exactly something she was interested in. That empty feeling still stayed with her.

At age twenty-four, Sarah went back home, not long before she was to start graduate school. She took that summer off, wanting to spend it with her family and friends from her childhood, to unwind a bit before the next phase of her life. She spent a lot of time with her little brother, Toby, who was closer to her than ever.

One day, her stepmother wanted to deep clean the house, so she and Toby went to help her organize some things together.

"Woah! This is all your stuff?" Toby rummaged through a box of her old things. "A book!"

He held up a small, red book. Its edges were adorned with black roses and the title embossed in gold.

Interestingly, it did not look old and worn as it should have. It looked brand new, as if fresh from the press. Not that it surprised her. Sarah took it from his hand, her fingers thumbing through the pages.

How could I have forgotten this? She asked herself. How could I forget the most amazing adventure I ever had?

She slowly handed the book back to Toby, who asked if he could read it. She found herself nodding even though she should have maybe thought it more carefully as the book was clearly a thing of magic.

That night, she dreamed for the first time in eight years.

She found herself by a lake of crystal, gleaming purple under the last rays of the sun before night would inevitably take over. Peach blossoms from the trees fell to the earth, creating a canvas of petals by her bare feet. A solitary star graced the early evening sky, twinkling knowingly.

Sarah breathed in the crisp, clean air. There was a sense of comfort about this place, as if she had been here before. As if there were happy memories attached to it. Memories that she did not possess.

Though she heard or saw nothing, her intuition told her to turn around. Behind her, she found the Goblin King standing a few feet away from her.

He looked the same as he had when she ran his labyrinth, perhaps a bit more tired and melancholy. Age did not touch him at all. He held out his gloveless hands towards her, eyes pleading for her to take them. As if afraid that she would run from him.

Slowly, without even realizing that she was doing so, Sarah placed her hands on his.

The Goblin King gave her a small smile. Not a sneer, a real smile. He placed one of her hands on his shoulder and slid his hand around her waist, up to her shoulder blade.

There, in the twilight of dreams and reality, the Goblin King and his Champion danced. The constant fluttering of the trees gave music to their dance and the petals softened their steps as they twirled by the crystal lake. Their hearts beat in time as the night settled in, the blanket of stars shining over their heads, glimmering just enough to give them light to see each other's hopeful faces.

Sarah's hand slowly left his shoulder, coming to carefully touch his brow. His only reaction was to swallow, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as she gently traced the high arches.

Jareth held back a moan as her fingers found their way inside his hair to where his pointy ears were. Her eyes shot up in surprise at first, but she did not move away. She just traced around the lobes, mesmerized by him. He could see the confusion and familiarity in her eyes, her lips opening and closing in thought.

He grasped her wrist gently, turning her arm so that he could press his lips to the inside of her wrist. All the while, he gazed into her moss-green eyes.

Sarah could not reconcile the differences in their meetings. Here, he was pleasant, gentle as anyone had ever been with her. Back then, he was cruel and conniving, hell-bent on making her miserable. "I thought you hated me. Or still do."

Upon reflection, it was not the wisest thing to say, bordering even on dangerous. She did not know this man, as much as her heart told her she did. What if this was a front to get revenge or to hurt her?

"Hate?" His voice broke at the very word. "Frustrated, irritated, a bit of resentment, yes. But never hate. Not towards you. Never towards you."

She allowed him to kiss up her palm and her fingers, the nerves firing as she felt her cheeks heated at her childhood villain touching her in such an intimate way. Not the way casual lovers would, but the way a happily married couple would. Her soul and heart told her that this was right while the logical side of her mind told her that it was wrong. "Goblin King-"

"No, do not call me that," he beseeched her, his voice low and husky. "You know my name. Use it."

She nodded slowly. "J - Jareth," she said, realizing that this was the first time she ever said his name out loud. "How could you say that? You were cruel to me. By your own admonition, that's exactly how you behaved towards me."

"I know." He dropped her hand but pulled her close to him. She did not resist, placing her hands on his chest to balance herself. "It is what you humans call a defense mechanism, for you intrigued me. I am beyond smitten when I shouldn't have. I am sorry for putting you in that situation and causing you undue stress."

He longed to tell her that he loved her, only restraining because he had to tread carefully. He wanted to respect that this Sarah, while she still had the same spirit as the woman he loved before, still was different in her own way due to her different life experiences. He wanted to get to know her, to love her all over again. And she deserved to fall in love with him on her own timeline too.

Sarah's heart raced, scarcely believing this. But, there was still something that bothered her. "I was a child."

"I know, and it wasn't one of my finest moments, believe me. Hence the defense mechanism and me saying that I shouldn't have been so smitten," he said shamefully. "And you were occupied with saving your brother. Even if you were a full-grown woman, I still acted poorly. I did not lie when I said that I was living up to your expectations of a villain, but a lot of how I reacted was also out of pride."

"That I rejected the dreams you offered me in my brother's room?"

"No, though that reasoning is sound. There is something else."

He did not elaborate, so Sarah took another risk. "Is it about… what no one knew?"

What no one knew, was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl…

"Sarah," he said with a warning. "Do not ask questions you are not ready to hear the answer to."

He wanted nothing more than to tell her, but it may come as a shock, leading her to not love him organically. He wanted her to love him for who he was and not because of a past relationship that she could not remember. He could not bear it if she thought she loved him and then learn that she in fact, did not.

Sarah thought on his ominous answer, feeling that there was more to the situation than meets the eye. She chose to ask another question. "Why haven't I dreamed in so long?"

"That's your own doing, I'm afraid," he placed a careful had on her face, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "You chose to not dream, whether consciously or not. Tonight, you made the choice to dream. To allow me in."

"I allowed you here?" she repeated, still skeptical.

"I came in on my own, but you allowed me to stay," he clarified. "Lord Shaper would not allow me here if you did not give your consent."

"Lord Shaper?"

"That is what he is known to the faerie, though he has many names. He is most commonly known as Dream of the Endless and sometimes is called Morpheus.

"So, he's the god of dreams?"

"No, he is dream." Jareth brushed a stray hair from her eyes. "He is everywhere at once, a passenger as we wander in Dreamland."

"A personification of dreams…" she mused. The idea was a bit difficult to wrap her head around. "I've heard that before. Does Oneiros ring a bell to you?"

The way she talked with him, asking questions and making such quick connections was exactly the same thing she had done a millennia ago. For a moment, he almost forgot that this was Sarah reborn. "That is a very old name of his and very few use it anymore, but yes."

"I learned about it while reading The Iliad," she told him. "So he is real, huh."

"And confers some of his responsibilities to me," Jareth said. "I have many responsibilities and titles, one of them being the Delegator of Dreams."

Sarah nodded, amazed that this all somehow made sense to her. "And so, you're here in my dreams. Because he allows you to and because I allow you to?"

"Correct." He took her right hand and placed it over his heart. "Sarah, would you allow me something else? Would you allow me to get to court you properly?"

Sarah felt his heart quicken when he asked her. He tried to look confident, but she could see straight through the mask over his eyes. Had she been awake and not leading with her heart, she would have bombarded him with more questions. Questions about what that would entail, as he was not only a fae but a king. Would she be queen? What of her family? How could they even go on a date?

In this dreamland, however, anything was possible. All she had to do was to say what she wanted. "I'd like that very much."

Jareth's eyes shone with delight. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. He resisted the urge to kiss her lips, only withholding because they were in dreamland. He wanted to do it in reality. "Until tomorrow, my Champion. I look forward to our date."

Sarah's snapped opened at the banging sound on her door. "Saraaaaah! You woke up late!" Toby's voice rang through.

She rubbed her eyes, groaning. To her surprise, she remembered everything of her dream. Every little detail.

She could even skill remember the sensation of his lips on her hand.

"He said he would come tonight," she said with a bit of panic and excitement in her voice. "But, it was only a dream, right?"

On the other plane of existence, Dream of the Endless looked into the mirror in his throne room. "Sarah Williams, nothing is ever 'only a dream.' Especially when it comes to King Jareth."

He waved his hand, Sarah's face disappearing. He could not watch her all day, though he was curious to see what would transpire between his Dream Delegator and the young woman who caught the fae king's heart.

Dream had responsibilities, after all.

Sarah had a feeling Jareth would be here at six o'clock sharp. She wore a nice sundress, put on some light make up, and told her parents that she would be stepping out with someone soon. She said that it was an old friend, one that she hadn't seen in a long time. That was all she said.

Right at six, she heard the doorbell ring. Smoothing down her dress, Sarah went to answer it, her heart pounding against her ears. She opened the door to find a very attractive, human-looking Goblin King. He wore a nice light blue, button-down shirt that he rolled up to his elbows paired black jeans, his hair swept up to one side. In his hand was a single sunflower.

"Good evening, Sarah," he took her hand and kissed the back of it, making her blush. "I hope you had a good day so far."

She nodded. "Yeah, it's been… pretty uneventful. Until now, anyway," she said with a shy smile.

This was definitely not what she had in mind should she ever meet him again. But, she supposed that she grew up. She was no longer kicking and screaming like a child, but wanted to meet him in the same mind space. She was his champion, his equal when she was only a teenager so it only made sense that she would be held in a higher regard as an adult. He had no power over her unless she allowed him. Still, she had not expected for him to be so openly romantic.

"For you, my lady," he handed the sunflower.

Sarah couldn't help but beam as she took it from him. "Thank you, these are my favorite flower."

"They have become my favorite as well," he agreed. It was true, for Sarah in her past life also loved sunflowers. Whenever he saw sunflowers, he thought of her.

Before Sarah could say anything else, Toby zoomed in the room. He was holding The Labyrinth book, staring at Jareth in awe. "Umm, hi."

"Hello, Toby," Jareth greeted him. "It's nice to meet you."

Toby looked at Jareth. Then Sarah. Then the flower his sister was holding. Then back at Jareth. "Nice to meet you too," he said cautiously, giving Jareth the side-eye. "How do you know my name? Have we met?"

"Why do you ask?" Jareth countered, flashing his sharp teeth.

How very fae of him, Sarah thought. Answering a question with a question.

Toby seemed to struggle with an answer. "You just look familiar," he settled.

"Sarah, have you left yet? Oh!" Karen walked into the living room with Robert. "Why, hello there!"

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Williams." Jareth went to shake both of their hands. "It's so nice to meet Sarah's parents."

"I had no idea Sarah is friends with such a dashing young man!" Karen blushed, clearly enamored with him.

"Your accent, are you British?" Robert asked curiously. "And I don't think Sarah's talked about you before."

"I attended Oxford University, sir," Jareth answered the truth, skirting the real question. "I met Sarah a few years back and we only recently reconnected."

"Yeah, I heard he was in town and we're just catching up," Sarah added.

"Well, you two kids go and have fun!" Karen exclaimed, before her husband could bombard Jareth with questions.

"We will, thanks Karen," Sarah said with gratitude.

Toby still stared at Jareth with suspicion as they left. Sarah though she heard him mumbling something that sounded like "magic dance."

"So, what should we do?" Sarah rubbed the back of her neck, a habit she picked up on from her mother, doing so whenever she felt nervous. "I mean, I wasn't sure if you had a plan or not."

Jareth just offered her his arm, looking nervous but otherwise unbothered. "How about we go for a stroll, and see what happens?"

Sarah slid her hand in the crook of his elbow, unable to shake off the feeling of déjà vu. She pushed that feeling away and focused on walking with Jareth. "So, now you've met my family."

"Indeed."

"Want to tell me a little of yours?" Sarah nudged him playfully, glad to see that he smiled back at her.

And so, he told her of his family. He told her of what it was like to be the Goblin King and how he came to inherit that throne. Sarah asked him about magic, and he explained all that she wanted to know. He asked her what she had been up to these years apart, so she told him about her college experiences.

Soon, they found themselves at a night market. Sarah offered to pay, Jareth agreeing on the condition that their next date, he would pay.

"Already planning on a next date? You're really confident in yourself, aren't you?" Sarah teased him, now feeling comfortable by his side.

"Of course I am, it's an endearing trait of mine, don't you know?" He winked at her, causing Sarah to laugh. She felt so carefree, her guard let down around him even though they had been together only for a few hours.

She rather liked this side of him. The side that was smiling and kind. Yes, she would definitely enjoy getting to know him. There was a kind of ease she felt around him that she had never felt around anyone else. It wasn't because of magic confusing her either, it was real and pure.

They sat on the grass, still talking and eating food that they had found. Jareth found a few interesting trinkets that he said some goblins would like, though he really indulging them too much. Sarah found some gifts to give back to her brother, a few games that they could play together.

As for Jareth, he couldn't be happier. It really felt like Sarah had just walked out of his dreams and into reality. Her eyes were bright and curious, her voice sweet and welcoming, her disposition kind.

There was no question about it, the Goblin King wasn't falling in love. He already was there. He could see that Sarah was letting her guards down, but was still holding back a little.

He didn't mind. What was a few more years? He knew in his heart that he had to be patient, that this woman was his soulmate. His true love. While he did not have power over her, she had power over him. All he had to do was wait until she dreamed of him again.

It was frustrating, for there were so many times that she almost dreamed but did not. It made him a bit sad, as he would have given her the most beautiful dreams. When she finally did dream, he took his chance and was delighted to see that she had dreamed of the crystal lake where they used to spend hours together, stargazing. She felt safe with him, and that was his first priority.

"Why are your eyes like that?" Sarah asked once they got more comfortable and moved closer to each other. "I thought they were two different colors at first, but I see now that one of them is just very dilated."

Jareth's hand reached up to touch his left eye. "I had a meeting with The Devil. We got into an… altercation where he rendered my left eye like this. I'm surprised that's all he gave me after the way I spoke him."

"The devil? As in, Lucifer the devil?" Sarah looked at him, incredulous. Of all the things he had told her of his world, of all the fantastical things, this was the most shocking revelation to her.

"That would be him."

Seriously, how could he look so damn calm about it? "And you picked a fight with him?"

"He pissed me off, I attacked him, and he did this to me." Jareth shrugged with an air of superiority that he survived making said devil pissed off. "I'm lucky that all he did was deflect my crystal, he didn't even leave me blind. He told me he was tempted to have me shackle to a rock and get eaten for all eternity like Prometheus."

"Jeez, remind me to not piss him off." Sarah shook her head. "What did he say to make you risk attempting to hurt him?"

It was a rhetorical question, a light one, but the way Jareth's eyes darkened from hurt at the memory made her both curious and regretting asking him.

"That is a story for another day," he said quietly. "There's a lot of trauma that I carry from that day." He stood, offering his hand to her as the band started a slow jazz song. "I want you to leave tonight with only good memories. Won't you share another dance with me, once that is in the waking world and not the dream world?"

Sarah took his hand, her heart going out to him. He had that melancholy in his eyes that touched her very soul, for she often saw it in herself.

This was more swaying than dancing. They didn't their eyes off of each other, content to be at each other's side.

Sarah was resolved to be cautious, to go through this relationship very carefully, more than all the others. Not just because of who Jareth was, but because of her heart. And yet, she never felt safer than by his side.

She supposed even when she was running his labyrinth, she knew in her heart that while he was being antagonizing, he would never cause her harm and would even go so far as to protect her from harm.

Maybe one day soon, she could allow herself to fully love him.

She looked up at him, making sure that he could see her face. "Jareth?"

He pulled her just a little closer. "Yes, Sarah?"

She tiptoed up and kissed him. Jareth kept his arms around her, letting her take the lead as their lips met for the first time. She wasn't exactly sure what prompted her to do this, as she wasn't the one who was used to initiating kisses.

But with him, she felt like she had to know what it was like.

The kiss was unlike anything Sarah had ever experienced. She had her fair share of kisses with other men, but this was different. She wanted to blame it on Jareth being fae, but in her heart, she knew that wasn't why. She felt the hard planes of his chest, her hand sliding up to grasp his hair. Yes, all of this should have brought her heart rate up due to novelty instead of calming it. In Jareth's arms, she felt whole, safe, and treasured.

Kissing him felt like… like something she had experienced before. She knew exactly how to touch him, how his embrace felt so familiar to her.

As if she had done so a thousand times before.

She stopped kissing him, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes. Jareth didn't continue the kiss, respecting her boundaries. He just looked into her eyes with a kind of yearning that she had only read about in books or seen in others.

Never had her past boyfriends looked at her with such gentle desire as Jareth.

"Is something wrong?" he asked gently, but made no move to stop holding her, seeing as she was still holding him. He longed to keep kissing her, to never stop. He kept his restraint, afraid of offending her.

This really was Sarah. He only had to wait for her to grow up. She looked just as beautiful, her soul belonging to him as it was a thousand years ago. Even her body felt the same against him. He couldn't be happier to have this second chance.

She shook her head. "No, nothing is wrong. It's just… well… It sound a bit silly to say out loud. It just feels like I've done this before. With you, I mean."

Jareth carefully threaded his fingers through her hair, twirling a strand around his finger. His heart broke out of the self-inflicted cages of pain that he had encased it in, being free to love once more. "Not silly at all. I assure you."

He held her close, even with knowing that she could not comprehend how much that meant to him. That even if he hadn't known her in her previous life, he would still love her now.

One day, he would tell her. He would tell her of how her love gave him the will to live for himself. To live outside of his duties and superficial instances of pleasure. One day, he would make her his queen, to live and love by his side for all of forever.

Today, he would hold her, enjoying the small moments where his dreams became reality. After all, dreams were made of hope.

Chapter Text

When I live my dream, please be there to meet me

Let me be the one to understand

When I live my dream, I'll forget the hurt you gave me

Then we can live in our new land

-David Bowie, When I Live My Dream

Eight months since the first date

Sarah couldn't concentrate at all on her work. She signed off the computer and took a long walk, trying to clear her mind of a certain fae king.

She loved him, that much she was sure. It was wonderful, frustrating, and infuriating all in the same breath. He had been kind and adoring to her this whole time. She felt so comfortable beside him, felt safe and loved, more than she ever had with anyone else she had dated.

So why was there anxiety in the pit of her stomach?

She had tried to push it away, to not think on it. After all, they were still in the beginning stages of their relationship. But, with the anxiety threatening to bubble over and it taking over every free thought she had, Sarah finally decided to confront it.

Come to think of it, Jareth sometimes seemed to be holding something back. His eyes would glaze over, sorrow flickering for a mere moment before he schooled his face, a smile on his lips as his eyes spoke of untold truths that hid inside his soul.

It didn't happen often, but she saw it enough to ask him. All he said was that he had been lost in thought, nothing to worry about.

Then, there was also the fact that he never outright said that he loved her. There were a few times when she thought he was going to, but he never did. Why?

To be fair, she hadn't either, but still.

We should talk, she realized. But how to even bring up this conversation? It never went well for her with her exes. They said that she put too much pressure, too much stress. But, that shouldn't be an issue with Jareth, right? He answered her questions about his past and his current role as king with transparency and clarity.

When she got home, she picked up the crystal that Jareth had given her as a way to communicate with him, much like she would do if he had a regular phone. "Hi Jareth. If you're not busy, I was wondering if you're available to talk?"

He "picked up" right away. His face appeared on the crystal, smiling sweetly for her. "Hello. You look beautiful today."

Sarah broke out into a large smile, despite the anxious turmoil of her heart. "Thanks."

"It's a good thing you called. I have something to ask you," he said, looking a tad nervous. "Would you like to come to the Underground? To visit my kingdom? Just for a weekend. It will be very, how do you say it? Low-key?"

"Yeah, that's it." Sarah felt a flutter of excitement in her stomach. Maybe she had nothing to worry about after all. She did know that he sometimes found it difficult to speak freely, due to being used to keeping information to himself for safety, but he really was trying.

"Excellent," Jareth beamed.

Everything was going horribly.

Oh, but it didn't start off that way. At first, it was really nice, though she felt a little out of her element, being here in a big castle. The castle workers were all very nice to her and the goblins adorable. Her friends even came to visit while Jareth was working. During the afternoon, Jareth took her to a market to see what the kingdom was like. In wanting to take things slowly and avoid gossip, he introduced her as the Champion, telling people that they were just friends. Only the castle workers and his immediate family knew of the true nature of their relationship.

Then, Jareth's aunt came over for a visit in the evening, having caught wind that the Champion of the Labyrinth came to visit. Sarah had been nervous but excited at the prospect of meeting his family members, seeing as he had met almost all of hers during the holiday season.

Jareth, however, was not pleased, and Sarah would see why.

"Ah, Jareth!" She kissed her nephew's cheeks. "It is good to see you."

"Welcome, Aunt Helena," he said politely, though without a real smile. "This is Sarah Williams, Champion of the Labyrinth."

Helena took one look at Sarah and raised an eyebrow. "A human?"

"Yes, I am human, ma'am." She wasn't really sure where this was going, but she tried to not react too much to it. She had expected some people to be prejudiced towards her, and it wouldn't do if she would someday take her place next to Jareth as his queen if she had thin skin.

"Hmm," Helena hummed. She turned to Jareth, a look of disapproval still on her eyes. "I see a pattern here with you and human women."

"Pattern?" Sarah asked lightly, though her question held a hint of danger in it. It was so subtle yet so strong that Helena actually paused, looking a little apprehensive at the young woman.

"Auntie," Jareth stepped in, eyeing his aunt carefully. "She is the Champion of the Labyrinth. It is her right to come here and visit the kingdom, to have an official position here. That is why she is here."

"Do not deflect, nephew," Helena said with disdain. "There is more to your relationship than meets the eye. I visited your parents last week, and I overheard your sister talking about this special young lady. You clearly have a type, and I daresay, she looks like your former betrothed."

Sarah's head swam as a pile of rocks landed in the bottom of her stomach. She could hardly breathe as the word "betrothed" echoed in her head over and over like a never-ending nightmare.

Of course, she knew that Jareth had relationships long before he met her, just as she had her own relationships. She never wanted to really know about any of them, but betrothed? That was something he should have told her. She specifically asked him if he had been engaged and he had said no.

"I was never actually betrothed," Jareth said through clenched teeth. "You know this. Now if you'll excuse me, I was in the middle of showing Sarah a tour of the castle."

"No need," Sarah said, her smile cutting into Jareth. "I will leave you two be. I'll have Samuel escort me around the castle."

Even if he hadn't been actually betrothed, he still should have said something. Why hide this from her? She wouldn't have thought any less of him or been bothered by this revelation. Even if it was too painful to talk about, he could have just left it at that.

Right now, Sarah was trying to clear her mind and listen to Samuel, one of Jareth's advisors, as he told her about the different parts of the castle and explaining its rich history. But her heart wasn't really in it.

"Samuel," she asked when he asked her if she was feeling alright. "Has Jareth been betrothed?"

"Betrothed?" Samuel looked a bit uneasy at this. "Why do you ask?"

"Just answer the question," Sarah snapped, tired of the evasive answers that she received from everyone.

Samuel sighed. "My Lady, he has never been betrothed, no. But he was almost, once."

"What happened?" Her voice did not leave room for defiance.

Samuel flinched, not able to lie to her as the fae had a code of honor to not outright lie, but he didn't want to tell her the truth either. He hoped to placate her, otherwise he would face the Goblin King's wrath. "I believe you should ask him yourself, it's not my place to say," he answered. "I'm sorry for not sharing any more than that, my lady."

Sarah shook her head, letting out a long exhale. "No, I'm sorry for putting you in that position. You're right, this is between me and him. I should talk to him about it myself."

Samuel visibly relaxed. "Do not worry about it, My Lady. It is normal to worry about these things. Shall we continue our tour?"

Later that evening, Sarah got dressed in comfortable clothing and laid down in the bed. She still couldn't stop thinking about this woman that Helena had mentioned.

Helena said that Sarah looked like her. Was this woman someone Jareth was pressured to marry? Was she someone he loved very much? Did Jareth love Sarah for who she was, or was it because he was trying to put her in place of his betrothed?

Still lost in her thoughts, she barely moved when Jareth walked in. He walked quietly to her side, a concerned look on his face. "Sarah?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She wished the hurt in her voice wasn't so damn obvious. "Why didn't you tell me about the woman you were almost engaged with?"

"Why does it matter? It's in the past." He said it all in a quick breath, as if he was ready for this very question.

"But it's a part of who you are, so of course it matters," she said quietly. "It doesn't bother me, except that you're not being completely honest. How would you feel if I held something like that back? Because I know for a fact that it would bother you."

He paused, and she knew that he was considering the truth of her words. It wasn't fair for him to hold something like this back but expect her to be honest when asked about questions like this.

It wasn't fair, and this time, she had a basis for comparison.

Jareth remained quiet. He faced the fireplace, standing tall. He was the vision of elegance, of royalty in his whole countenance.

And yet, Sarah could pick out the little things in his posture that showed how tense he really was. Little things that would escape most people's notice. She saw the tension in his shoulder, the slight twitch of his pinky since he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Please," she pleaded with him. "I don't want to force you to tell me anything, I'm not asking for that. But can I at least know why? I want you to trust me, to feel like you're safe with me. You listened to me, and I want to listen to you. To know who you are, the good and the bad. The things you are ashamed of and the experiences that made you feel hopeless and heartbroken. That's what an equal partnership is."

She walked up to him, feeling incredibly vulnerable and afraid. Afraid that she would be pushed away by him. She gingerly put a hand on his shoulder. "Let me in. Let me understand you. I, I love you, Jareth. I'm here for the long run, if you'll let me." And, in a smaller voice, "Please."

Jareth turned around, finally facing her.

She loved him. Just as she had loved him a thousand years before.

With shame, he realized that both times, she was the first one to say so. That's how she always was, more keen on expressing how she felt inside than he was. She was the one who coaxed him into revealing the deepest parts of his soul. In his desire to let her take the reigns, to not burden her, he had forgotten that she needed him to do just that.

Even now, when she could have shouted at him and barged out due to jealousy, she did none of that. All his Sarah did was show him her love. All she wanted was to know him.

He turned around and held her face in his hands, speaking gently. "And I love you, my Precious Sarah, for who you are. More than I have ever loved anyone, this I swear to you. Forgive me for being evasive, for giving you reason to doubt that I love and trust you."

He placed a kiss on her forehead, taking her hand and placing it on his heart. "I will tell you everything right now. Everything you need or want to know."

The cloud of gloom did not go unnoticed by Sarah, but at least, he was willing to tell her. At least, he loved her.

And he would never lie.

She put her hand on his, smiling softly at the man who held her heart. "Thank you."

"No, my love. Thank you."

He sat her down and told her of a story that was a thousand years old. How he had been smitten by a human woman, how she had captured his heart and he hers. How the situation was impossible, but he was determined to make her his queen or give up his throne for her. He told Sarah that because of her, he learned to really enjoy life. To stop existing and to truly live.

He told her of how they met each other's families, how he longed to take her Underground but couldn't as she would die.

"But how come I can?"

"Because you are the Champion. You are unique, as you possess enough magic through the Labyrinth that losing it would not kill you but you could live Aboveground for the rest of your life without issue as well as you do not need magic to thrive."

He told her that they wanted to marry, but they had not been officially been betrothed. He gave her a necklace to call upon him, should she ever need him.

The whole time, Sarah listened carefully. He spoke so fondly of his former love that she started to wonder if she was going to ever going to measure up to her, trying to shake away the feelings of insecurity. At the same time, it was nice to hear how Jareth treated her, for it showed his sincerity towards Sarah.

Then, he told her how he arrived to late to save her as she was wrongfully killed by a demon. How he held her body as he screamed for her to come back to him. How he felt like he had died.

At this point, Sarah understood. She understood why he held back at times, why he wanted her to call on him whenever she felt even a little unsafe. He didn't want a repeat of the past. And that woman, she didn't even get the chance to be happy with Jareth, to marry him. She couldn't help but feel compassion for her.

"Oh, Jareth." She held him to her chest. "Poor girl. She must have been so scared. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. It's okay to grieve, you know, that trauma doesn't really go away. Even though it's been so long."

Jareth had a strange look in his eyes as she responded. As if he was seeing a ghost. Without a word, he moved to the vanity, opening a drawer and pulling something out. He walked back to her and placed it in her hand.

Sarah thought it was a pocket watch at first, but upon closer inspection, it was a locket. Jareth nodded, signaling for her to open it. She carefully did, finding a photo of a woman inside. "Is this her?"

"Look closely," he told Sarah, his face gravely serious and frankly, scaring her a bit.

Sarah gave him a look but did as he asked.

Then promptly dropped it like a hot potato.

Jareth caught it before it could hit the ground, cradling it as if it was the person herself and not a tiny painting.

Sarah trembled, looking back up at Jareth, a turmoil of emotions crashing her harder than the waves of the sea. "She looks exactly like me."

She had the same moss-green eyes, dark hair, a knowing smile in her eyes that spoke of excitement of the world around her. Even the mole right above her lip was the same.

"No, Sarah." Jareth took her hands in his, fearing that she would barge out. She had run from him so many times, and each time he felt lost and broken. "This, my love, is you."

Sarah stared at him, blinking a few times. "What?"

"Please, let me tell the whole story," he pleaded with her. She still did not look convinced, but at least he had her attention. "In my grief, still holding her - you - in my arms, I made a plea to Lord Shaper."

Once more, Sarah allowed him to speak, nodding even as she sat there in shock.

He told her of how he tried to use his boon for Dream of the Endless to bring her back to him. When he refused and casually mentioned that those killed by demons went to hell, Jareth asked for a different boon to be able to enter her dreams. He chronicled his time in hell, meeting Lucifer and making a bet with him.

He stopped speaking, seeing that Sarah had tucked her chin on her knees, deep in thought. "Precious?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think," she said. "It's just… it's a lot, you know?"

He nodded, looking a little guilty. "I know."

They just sat by the fire in companionable silence as she took time to process all that he said.

"That's why you didn't say anything and was holding things back before," Sarah realized. "You wanted it to be real. You didn't want me to feel like I had to love you, to feel pressured. That's also why you acted so weird when I ran the Labyrinth, even though I was young. You had known me as someone in her twenties, not this bratty teenager."

"And I believe it's why you say you feel some familiarity when we kissed that first time," he added. He looked at her a bit closer. "Are you alright?"

"Me?" Sarah asked, incredulous. "You're asking if I'm okay? Yeah, this is a lot, but you're the one who had to see someone you love die in an incredibly traumatic way. You're the one who made a deal with not only Dream personified, but the freaking Devil! And got your eye hurt."

She stood, walking towards him and sat herself on his lap. Jareth put his hand around her back to hold her in place as she held him to her, emotions surging within his chest. Even now, she was thinking of others and their feelings instead of her own. She kissed him deeply, letting him know that she was there, no matter how his past had treated him. Her sweet scent and soft touches were uniquely her, making him smile as she gently moved her lips with his.

If he had any doubt whether this was the same Sarah, he didn't now.

"You did all of that, for me," she said quietly, tracing the outline of his lips. "Oh, Jareth…"

"I love you, Sarah," he said firmly "Some, like Lord Shaper, say that I should have mourned you like anyone else, and maybe I would have had you not been killed so wrongly. You deserve to live a full and rich life. I want you to be happy, whether it's with me or not."

"You say that, even though you made that deal with Lucifer? You literally sold his soul to him."

He waved it away dismissively. "The deal was to 'woo you,' as he put it. As far as I'm concerned, I've already done that. You love me. If you decide that we shouldn't be together, I will not serve the devil when I die. I know that our relationship isn't a normal one, but I'm willing to do all I can for it. And to make you happy."

"And that's noble and all, but remember, I love you too," Sarah kissed the top of his head, playing with his feathery hair. "If I had known about it back then what you were going to do, I'd try to stop you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," he said lowly, kissing the underside of her chin.

Sarah leaned into him. The anxious feeling she had felt earlier dissipated, the knot in her stomach untangled itself. She knew that going forward, even with the obstacles that would surely be in their path, their love and trust was strong. They could face anything together. "I want you to be happy too, Jareth. That's what you want when someone loves you. And since we've talked about your past and established that we love each other, it's time to think about the future where we're together."

Jareth's eyes shined with adoration. Even after making the bargains and falling in love with Sarah did he dare to truly believe that she would say these words. He had her ripped away from him before and now, now was the first time he truly believe that he could be happy forever with her. It was, in many ways, selfish of him to bring her back but he didn't regret it.

He would bring the moon to her if it were possible. "My Love, I want nothing more than to see the future with you by my side."

Chapter Text

"This is everything I have to tell you about love: nothing.

This is everything I've learned about marriage: nothing.

Only that the world out there is complicated,

and there are beasts in the night, and delight and pain,

and the only thing that makes it okay, sometimes,

is to reach out a hand in the darkness and find another hand to squeeze,

and not to be alone."

-Neil Gaiman on love and marriage

The marriage between the Goblin King to his Goblin Queen was one of the most anticipated weddings in the Underground, as King Jareth had once sworn off marriage.

It was also because Queen Sarah was human. She had accepted Jareth's proposal to stay by his side for as long as they both will live, caring for the children who were wished to them and for those who were seeking refuge. It was not easy, especially as she had to face the faerie courts often, for many felt inferior to the human woman who bested the labyrinth when none of them had.

However, there were also many who were very happy for the couple, but none more than Jareth's family, who remembered the girl who had captured the Goblin King's heart so long ago. They welcomed her with open arms, helping her get settled in. The couple had courted for several years until they decided to finally marry, allowing Sarah the chance to visit the Underground often and Jareth coming to the Above to get to know her life. Anyone who knew them agreed that there was no better matched couple than them.

After the ceremony, Jareth and Sarah had a brief moment to be alone. Jareth could scarcely believe that she was there with him, almost afraid that would disappear, that maybe she would run again.

And, as always, Sarah knew just how to comfort him. She placed a hand on his heart, the other cradling his face so that her thumb could slowly brush against his soft lips. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," she whispered. "You have endured a thousand years without me. You have used Lord Shaper's boon for the chance to be with me. You have descended into hell, risking your own eternal soul just for the hope I could be here, standing beside you now, injuring your eye in the process." She tilted her head up, her nose right under his chin. "I'm here now, and I will always be. Tell me, my husband, was it all worth it?"

Jareth grasped the back of her neck, kissing her fervently. "It was worth everything. And I would do it all over again."

Sarah still did not really remember anything from her past life, something she would always lament. All she had were slips of memories, the ghost of emotions left over from the last time she walked this earth. But, the most important thing was that she remembered how much she loved Jareth. It was a bit strange to learn, but in the end, she didn't mind, for she loved him too, glad for this second chance.

They had a grand celebration with close friends. The goblins all adored her, forming a line to get kicked by their new queen. Sarah was a bit sad that her family couldn't be there in the Underground as they were humans, but at least they had another ceremony Aboveground a month prior. They feasted, dancing the day away.

That night, when they went to sleep, Sarah was to participate in one more ceremony to fully make her a co-ruler with her husband. They laid in bed, holding hands as they waited for Dream to take them.

Almost instantly, the blackness behind their eyes dipped past a veil into the realm of dreams. Stars whirled around them, settling them down on the soft grass before cascading back up to the sky to stay.

Sarah gazed at the castle in awe, amazed at the oval windows and tall spires. It was in the very heart of the Dreaming, its power and influence nearly leaving her speechless.

A very tall man walked down the stairs of the entrance, his hair black as a raven's and his cloak made of midnight, flames licking at the hem. Sarah knew exactly who he was without Jareth having to tell her. She had read about him many times in Jareth's books, her husband even recounting his own experiences. She curtsied low to him as her husband bowed. "Lord Shaper, it is an honor to meet you," she greeted him.

"My congratulations to the both of you." Morpheus said. He looked exactly as Sarah would have imagined, regal and stoic, with pools of night for eyes, glimmering with twin stars. "Nothing but the best of wishes to your union."

"We are most grateful for the well wishes," Jareth thanked him.

Morpheus escorted them to the throne room, where the Goblin King and Queen were instructed to kneel before him. This was the first time that there would be co-rulers to the Goblin Throne, for all the other spouses had been simply consorts, which drew the curiosity of the other citizens of Dreamland.

Morpheus held out a handful of sand in his hand. The sparkling grains wove together to form a necklace. It was almost the perfect replica of Jareth's sigil.

Sarah hung her head low low out of respect. Morpheus draped it over her head and around her neck where it rested against her chest. The magic exploded from the sigil, wrapping around her before dissipating into the air.

"Sarah, Queen of Goblins," Morpheus introduced her in a deep voice. "I now name you one of two Delegator of Dreams. You are to go forth with my blessing in using this power in my name along with your husband. With this authority comes great power and great responsibility. Use it well."

She and Jareth rose together, hand in hand, going to meet the denizens of Dreamland, congratulating them on their wedding and how they would be working together.

As Jareth spoke with some very interesting creatures (one of them even had a pumpkin for a head), Morpheus wanted to have a few words alone with Sarah. "Queen Sarah."

"Lord Shaper," she said politely, curtsying for him.

"I am obligated to let you know that you have a boon you may request of me, anything that I can grant. You and your husband are also welcome to my realm when your time in the land of the living has ended instead of following my sister, Death, to her realm. But only for a time, since everyone eventually will join in her realm once the universe ends."

"Thank you, my lord," Sarah inclined her head. "I have no boon to ask of you for now, but a question. Won't you walk with me?"

Morpheus tilted his head to the side. "Certainly, Your Majesty."

She walked beside him, looking very queenly and sophisticated even next to the towering being beside her. She waved to Jareth as she passed him. He blew her a kiss, proud that his new queen was taking charge of her new role, establishing herself as someone of authority in her own right.

In silence, they walked to the large library, the books stacking high, illuminated by the moon in the tallest window. Outside, Dreamland was starry, showing the galaxies of the universe twinkling down on them. In the library was a man organizing books, moving away to give the two privacy as he bustled here and there.

Sarah sat herself down on a ledge, beckoning Morpheus to sit across from her. She leaned against the window, amazed by the beauty of the place. Still, she found that it was not comparable to her home in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, for that was where her home was. "Lord Shaper, do you still think it was foolish of Jareth to bring me back to life?"

The twin stars in Morpheus's eyes flickered in confusion. Was she here to tell him he was wrong? To embarrass him? Well, he wasn't going to allow that. He answered her honestly. "Foolish? Yes, because it was very risky of him. He is lucky that the consequences are in his favor. It wasn't worth the decision at the time."

"And now? Do you think it was worth it, in hindsight?"

He didn't like these mind games, as they reminded him of his sibling, Desire. Besides, he wasn't a being of much humor or time for nonsense things. "Why are you asking me this?" His voice rose sharply, with no sign of it tapering off.

"Curiosity, Lord." Sarah interlocked her fingers together and placed them on her knees, not looking intimidated by him at all. "I don't disagree with you, for I would have told my husband not to do that had I had that chance to. I just want to know what you think, as this is what my second chance has brought me to. I am a queen, and I seek to do well by my people and the beings who dream. So, I ask you again. Do you think that I'm worth bringing back, now seeing that Jareth has chosen me and not someone else to be his co-ruler?"

Ah, now he understood. While this woman was brave, powerful, and wise, she still held the worries that she would not do well in her role. So many would have just pushed their way to her position, seeking power. At the same time, she wanted to know that she at least had him and his servants on her side as she took up the mantle of goblin queen. To make sure that she had a true ally in this realm.

She wanted to be responsible. That was something he could relate to. "Yes, I do, Goblin Queen."

Sarah smiled at him, and Morpheus understood right then and there why Jareth chose her to be his bride, why he went to hell to get her back. She was a great beauty, one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Her smile made his very essence feel calm and reassured.

Yes, the Goblin King and Queen were a good match indeed.

"Lord Shaper," Sarah said, shaking Morpheus from his thoughts. "I know you were obligated to grant my husband his boon, but I'm still forever grateful that you granted it. If you had not, I wouldn't have been reunited with him."

"You are welcome."

"I vow that I will do my best to serve you and the realm of dream, to aid you and my husband to make our responsibilities lighter. That is how I will do my best to repay you for your kindness." She stood up, curtsying to him. "I will not take any more of your time, Sire. I shall head back to the throne room and find my husband."

"Sarah, wait." He sat up a little, holding his hand out to touch her elbow.

Sarah paused, a bit surprised at the casual way Dream addressed her. "Yes, Lord?"

For most of Morpheus's existence, he had been cold and cruel to those who defied him. He had wronged many for petty reasons, blamed things on others when he shouldn't have. He rarely showed affection to anyone, and even then, many of his relationships turned sour. Even relationships with his own family.

Just as some people had said to him, he recently changed, no longer seeing people as creatures that dream or characters in stories, but as their own entity. He wanted to do some good in the world, to see someone actually be truly happy.

"You and Jareth have received a unique chance, and I know that you know this. But to put it in perspective, in all the dreams and ideas everyone has, no one has been more ambitious than your husband to challenge me, Morningstar, or my sister Death, in the way that he had. He did it with the full knowledge of the consequences of his actions. I had considered him reckless in the past, but now I know that it was bravery and love. You have a second chance to live the happiest of lives."

He eyed the crown of stars on her head, touching it gently. "Do it boldly and without shame, my child. May your happiest dreams meet you in your sleep."

Sarah's smile widened. "I thank you once again for your blessing, Lord. Take care."

As she walked away, Lucien the Librarian and Morpheus's most faithful servant, approached him. "I must say, I quite like this Goblin Queen."

"As do I, Lucien," Morpheus agreed, watching as Sarah gazed longingly at his books before excitedly returning to her husband, giving him a kiss. "Jareth chose his queen well. I look forward to working with them."

When they woke, it was almost dawn. Jareth took his bride's hand, leading her to one last spot that he had yet to introduce her to.

"A secret?" Sarah teased him as he lead her to the spot. "I thought that I knew everything about you."

"Of course you don't, I need to keep *some* secrets so you'll continue to be interested in me," Jareth said lightly. His heart felt so full as he took her hand and led her to the place he had been concealing. Undoing her blindfold, he revealed his secret.

It was a mini paradise, cloaked with vines of ivy at the entrance. Moss covered the floor, little flowers growing here and there. It was not neatly manicured, but well-kept to take care of the life that grew inside. A small pond was centered in the middle with stepping stones surrounding it in a beautiful, swirling pattern. Leading off to the side was a covering made of stone where they could sit and talk or eat. Trees covered the place, creating a canopy that provided them shade but still allowed a good amount of sunlight through.

"Oh, Jareth," she breathed. "This is gorgeous."

"I'm pleased you like it," he preened, slipping a hand around her waist, pulling her close. "I made this for you. This is our sacred, special place, purely dedicated to the love that I have for you."

He pressed his lips to hers, tasting her, loving her as she loved him. The feel of her body against his, as warm and comforting as a spring afternoon. He would do anything for her, doing all he could to make her life filled with the utmost joy. Just as he told Lord Shaper a thousand years ago, Sarah didn't just hold his heart, she is his heart.

He took one of her hands in his and swayed back and forth, dancing to the rhythm of the nature, to the beat of their hearts.

Finally, the Master of Wishes was granted his greatest wish of all: to live the rest of his existence with the woman he loved.

Years later

"What - Oh, it's you," Lucifer said boredly as Death once again came to his realm.

"You say that like you're surprised," she folded her arms, looking like an oldest sister chastising a younger sibling. "You're the one who ordered for that demon to be tortured."

"A place in your realm is a gift. Mine is, well, Hell," he smirked. "You know, if you weren't Death itself, I would have claimed you and your domain a long, long time ago."

"I know, Lightbringer," Death said without much emotion. She looked out into his kingdom, seeing all the tortured souls who were crying in pain from their torment. A slow smile crept up on the side of her lip. "You are ambitious, but at least still wise enough to understand my role, thank Heaven."

"There is no reason to thank Heaven for anything." His demeanor instantly changed, his eyes glowing with darkness. "You should watch yourself, Death, for using such trifling words."

"As I was saying," Death continued, not at all bothered by his threat. She tossed her short, black hair out of her eyes, playing with the ankh charm around her neck. "It seems that you have learned that your ambition should have limits. You wouldn't want to have a repeat of what happened to the Goblin King."

Lucifer gave her a sideways glance, the muscles in his hands tensing up. "Hmph."

"Or, maybe," Death was now on the railing, swinging her legs in the air, as if she was playing with a child and not speaking to the Devil. "You secretly want them to win, to be happy."

"The Goblin King and Queen are not my concern." He shrugged it off, as if it didn't bother him that he had been bested by the fae king. "Happiness is subjective anyway."

"Aww, you are happy for them! So sweet," she teased, flashing a large smile. She put something in his hair. He pulled it out, finding a small peach blossom. "Do you know that they just had their first kid today? All thanks to you."

He clenched his teeth together. "Do what you came here to do and get out of my sight."

Death clicked her tongue in disapproval. "For a guy who goes by Lightbringer, you sure need to lighten up. See ya around, Morningstar."

Lucifer didn't respond, still holding the peach blossom, admiring it. Without even needing to check, he just knew that this just had to be from the Goblin Kingdom. He looked around, making sure that no one was there watching him.

Taking the blossom, he placed it in a vase next to his throne, flaring his fingers out to make it perk up. With a snap of his fingers, the blossom was encased in glass, keeping it alive for all time. He smiled as the fragrance of peaches filled the throne room.

Perhaps, he was rooting for their happiness after all. Even if he didn't admit it to himself.