One last Wish

"Cianan! Leave her be! This is between you and me; she has nothing to do with this!" Jareth argued as he struggled to his feet, his hands bracing himself up against the wall. His body ached and his muscles screamed in protest.

When he was steady enough to stand on his own two feet, he let go of the wall and slowly made his way towards them. He stilled when Cianan grabbed a handful of Sarah's hair and yanked her head back, causing her to whimper from the pain.

Cianan shook his head in annoyance, the medallion around his neck swinging with the motion. He laughed his dark spine-tingling laugh again. "You fool! Your precious champion has everything to do with this! Unless you wish to trade something of just as much importance? You know of what I speak."

Jareth's eyes widened in shock and his body started to shake. He glanced briefly at the medallion and then locked eyes with Sarah. His right arm burned and his hand clenched and unclenched in reaction. *No, he doesn't mean...*

Cianan jerked his left hand and twisted Sarah's right arm behind her turning her towards him and trapping her left arm between them both. Sarah turned her face away, not wanting to look at the monster that had ahold of her.

"Look at me caoimhim!" She didn't listen to him, she instead kept her gaze on Jareth. A harsh jerk from his hand in her hair snapped her head back, forcing her to look at him.

"Good human, good! You sure picked a beautiful one, my boy!" He leaned close to her and took a deep breath, inhaling the air surrounding them in through his nose. "She smells divine, Jareth! The scent of peaches and magic with a sweet undertone of virginity, I wonder if she tastes as sweet as she smells."

A feral grin turned the corners of his mouth as he leaned closer to Sarah; Jareth's heart sunk as he let his head drop, when a pained groan caught his attention. He quickly looked up and smiled at the sight.

*Good girl!* He inwardly cheered.

There Sarah was, her face but a few scant inches from Cianan's, with a well-placed knee between his legs.

"It seems even evil bastards like you are still susceptible to groin shots." Sarah coldly stated, shoving at him; breaking free from his grasp and slowly backing away.

Cianan groaned and then growled at her, "You little bitch! You will wish that you hadn't done that!" His eyes shone red with barely contained rage as he advanced on her.

She kept backing away from him, fear evident on her face. Once she was close enough to him, Jareth grabbed her and placed himself between her and the enraged fae, finally making a choice. One that will change everything.

He put his hands up, the palms facing Cianan, in a calming manner.

"I accept your terms, Cianan. I will trade the item in exchange for her safety."

Cianan's grin broke out into a full-blown smile that showed his fangs. He nodded his head in agreement, the haze of rage surrounding him dissipated into a cloud of evil glee.

"Good boy! Finally thinking with your head. This won't take long."

Sarah prodded him gently in the back and he tilted his head back and slightly to the left, indicating to her that he was listening.

"Jareth, what are you doing? He already has the amulet, what else does he want?"

"The only source of power hat can control what the amulet possesses. The amulet is a gift given to the new Goblin King when he is crowned by the preceding King. It is to insure peace and prosperity in all the Underground. It could also be used as an instrument of war. Cianan could very well use it to lay waste to my lands."

"What else does he need, Jareth?"

"Never mind that now." he stated solemnly, "Now go."

Shock made her voice shaky as she argued with him. "No! I'm not going to let you do this! There must be another way, Jareth! There has to be! Don't do this, not for me!"

He turned to the distraught girl, his saddened eyes locking with her tear-filled ones. "There is no other way. This way you will be safe and whole, untouched by that monster who dares to call himself a fae."

"Jareth, don't-" Sarah's words caught in her throat as his teeth nibbled at her lips. He pulled away to place his forehead against hers.

"Sarah, my dear, I would make this choice again and again, if only to keep you safe. When will you realize that you are more precious to me than anything I already possess. Now go. I want to get this over with as soon as possible, and I do not want you here for this."

"How sweet. Saying goodbye to your little mortal? This won't kill you, Jareth. At least I don't think it will."

Jareth put his hand on the small of her back and steered her toward the demolished doors, glaring at Cianan. He made sure to keep himself between Sarah and Cianan the whole time; he didn't want to chance him getting ahold of Sarah again.

He pushed her gently through what was left of doorway, whispering in her ear, "As soon as you get in the hallway, run. Run and don't look back. I do not trust Cianan's words, so I want you to run as fast as you can. Call your friends as well. They will help."

"Jareth-"

"No time now. Go!" he pushed her through the doorway. She stumbled, and catching herself on the opposite wall, started running down the hallway.

Tears stained her cheeks and blurred her eyes.

---

The Goblin King turned to the other fae, anger present in his features, "Very well, Cianan. I've kept you waiting long enough. Let's get this over with." He raised his right arm, palm facing the blackened ceiling.

"Good." Cianan approached him as magic crackled in the air.

The lights exploded and everything was swallowed in darkness.

---

Sarah didn't know which direction she was running in anymore. She just kept moving forward, feeling like she was back in the labyrinth once again. She was about to turn a corner when a loud crack filled the air and the lights suddenly went out, immersing the hallway in black.

A blood-curdling scream filled the air and made Sarah's legs feel like jelly.

"Jareth!" She screamed as she made to turn back down the hallway.

She stopped a few feet down the hall, his words coming to her mind.

*There is no other way, Sarah. I would make this choice again and again, if only to keep you safe. You are more precious than anything I already possess.*

His voice faded as Anna's voice replaced it, "He made his choice, Sarah. Now you will have to make yours when the time comes."

She gasped as the tears fell from her eyes and she slumped onto the floor.

Before darkness took her, a single sentence fell from her lips.

"Hoggle, I need you."