Toby was fine, asleep in his crib and Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. But what now? She’d saved her brother but sacrificed her dreams. Running across the hall she went into her room and threw open her balcony windows. Scanning the sky Sarah saw the shape of a snowy owl flying away. ‘No! Not this time!’

“Jareth! I’m sorry. Please come back!” Sarah called after the white bird as it flew into the moon. ‘Don’t let him leave, make him come back.’ The moment stretched on for what seemed like forever, breaking her heart a little more for each second that passed by. Sarah thought her heart would fly from her chest it was beating so fast from fear and hope.

Sarah watched as the owl gracefully turned and flew back to her, being silhouetted by the full moon. Hope filled her as the delicate looking creature floated down on moonbeams to land on a branch by window. Keeping silent Sarah stepped back, welcoming him into her room. It fluttered somewhat clumsily in the closed area before settling on the back of her chair, looking at her blankly.

“I’m sorry.” The owl blinked its mismatched eyes frustratingly at her. She knew he wasn’t going to make it easy, so she reacted the only way she knew how. “Well I am you inconsiderate spandex Nazi.”

With a cloud of swirling glitter Jareth transformed before her eyes, still wearing his pale vanilla outfit under a cloak of pure white feathers. His dual gaze studied her shrewdly, mouth smirking slightly. ‘Why does he have to look so damn appealing like that?’ Her heart sped up from the aura of power that radiated off his, making her melt to his will.

“Is that all Sarah?” Jareth asked coolly in a voice that made her name sound like a purr. He oozed sex appeal and Sarah had a hard time fighting it. She gulped, knowing she would never be the same after she said what she needed to say. She would lose the world she now knew in favor for a magical existence. How would Toby live without her to give him the advice and love he needs? ‘Give into it, he’s your dream.’

“No.” Sarah spoke quietly, shaking her head. “It’s not.”

“Oh really?” Jareth’s upturned eyebrows cocked in a mocking position. She couldn’t understand how he managed to look so superior when he knew she was making herself vulnerable?

“Yes.” She wouldn’t be intimidated by him. “I was blind not to see before. I care for you.” He opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it. “I’m not calling it love, not now. I’m only sixteen.”

“And I’m a fool for falling for a child.” Jareth’s voice was different, softer. Intimate almost. Sarah trembled. “But such a perfect match.”

Sarah was speechless. Why was Jareth being so nice all of a sudden?  She didn’t know what to do, afraid that if she said something she would scare him away. Jareth came closer to Sarah, pulling off his white leather gloves to reveal pale, slender hands. Not knowing what to do she remained still as he reached out and touched her face softly, electricity in his touch.

“So beautiful.” He murmured as if her were in a daze, gazing at her thoughtfully. “What do you want my darling?”

‘What do I want?’ Sarah honestly didn’t know. All she knew was that she wanted to be with him. She wanted the dream of his love, of his kingdom, of his children.

“I want to go home.” Sarah whispered. “Take me home.”

“Home.” Jareth echoed. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” He seemed to genuinely want to know.

“Absolutely, as long as I can come back to visit.” She smiled up at him, so very close. His changeling eyes bored into hers, dark with passion and love.

“Anything.” He leaned downward and Sarah lifted her face. Jareth slowly kissed her, as if he were asking permission. She returned his kiss and she felt her world melt away. His lips were velvet against hers, softly stroking. Sarah returned his kiss, twinning her fingers into his satiny platinum blonde hair.

Breaking apart Sarah saw that they now stood in the throne room that was now devoid of goblins and filth, scoured clean. To her it barely looked like the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, all the darkness and gloominess gone. Besides Jareth’s throne sat another, more feminine seat. Her throne. Looking up at Jareth she saw a true smile on his lips. ‘So I’m Queen.’ She could live with that. She could also live with being Jareth’s wife and lover.

Forever.