AN: Ok don’t pass out or anything, but I finally updated this story. About time, eh? And you thought that I wasn’t going to finish this story. Shame on you! Have some faith in me. Yes it has been hard to get back into this story. ‘One’ carried me away. I’ve decided that this will be the last sequel that I will write to a story. I’ve found that I tend to lose interest in my sequels. From now on I’ll be writing long stories that will have some resolution and conclusion at the end. Ok I’m babbling. Just go read the chapter and review it! This isn’t the last chapter. However it is the second to last.

Mind Link…

The wind whipped Sarah’s hair back from her face. She felt a growing panic take a hold of her soul.

‘We will find them, child." Came Elmora’s soothing voice.

‘But what if we don’t find them in time?’ Sarah sent back in return. The growing worry made her feel nausea along with the quick, erratic movements that Elmora made as the wind tried to carry her in different directions.

‘I sssensse them!’ Elmora suddenly took a dive and Sarah had to hold on with all of her might to keep from falling off the old dragon.

They dove towards the ground and to what appeared to be a broken down cottage in one section of the Labyrinth. Elmora landed quickly and helped Sarah down.

A shadow appeared at the entrance to the cottage and Megmora slowly stepped into the light. Tears were running down her scaled cheeks and Sarah felt fear of the unknown grip her tightly. Her breathing ceased as she held her breath.

"I’m sso ssssorry." Megmora sobbed. "There wassss nothing more that I could do."

Sarah shook her head. "No…no he can’t be…" She collapsed to her knees on the ground and began to sob. The baby was protesting within her from all of the recent activity and she purposely ignored it. Jareth…no…he couldn’t be dead.. She sobbed loudly and cursed the child that grew within her. She wanted to hate this child for making her journey so difficult. Were she not pregnant she might have reached the dragons faster, Gorgin might not have known who she was and wouldn’t have stalled her. But try as she might, she could not hate the baby. This baby was a gift from Jareth, a piece of him. She would cherish that gift always.

Her sobs were wrenching and ugly as she buried her face into her arms. Megmora rushed to her, afraid that she would hurt herself or that something might happen to the baby.

"I’m ssso sssorry. He folded sssso quickly. But there wasss no further pain. He went peacefully." She told Sarah.

Sarah gripped the dragon tightly, so Jareth was dead…which meant that she was dead as well. She would raise her children, but she would not live while she did so, not truly.

"Your emotion cloudsss your magic, young healer." Came Elmora’s booming voice.

Meg raised her head. She was so caught up with the Goblin King’s death and the Queen’s arrival that she had barely noticed the dragon that had brought Sarah to the cottage. It had been so long since she had seen a member of her own race. "What do you mean? The Goblin King issss …dead." She choked over the word. "My magic sssenssed hiss passsssing."

"He appearsss dead, my young one, but in fact he livessss. The Goblin King issss much ssstronger than any of usss would think. He livesss, though barely." Sarah’s eyes widened. "Yess, Sssarah. He livesss."

"That’sss impossssible." Meg nearly cried out. She had sensed Jareth’s passing from the world quite clearly.

"He hasss found the ssstrength to hide within himssself once more. Hisss lassst effort to fight what tormentss him. He waitsss in the darknesss of hisss mind." Elmora’s large golden eyes fell upon Sarah. "He waitsss for you."

Sarah let out a shuddering breath, just now aware of how long she had been holding her breath. She stood immediately. "Link me to him, before we lose him."

"My Queen, that isss not wisse." Megmora told her.

"I never claimed that it was wise. But if I let him die, that will not be wise. I know for a fact that I do not possess the strength to raise my children and run the Goblin Kingdom. I will be a far too easy target. Jareth isn’t needed only by me. He’s needed by his Kingdom. If the death of myself and my child allows him to live then I have done all that I can."

Megmora smiled. "You have much more ssstrength than you realize, my Queen."

"Go to him quickly, Sssarah. I will ssstand along sside the window to provide the link." Elmora told her.

"What must I do to link to him?" Sarah asked. She felt a small amount of hope rush through her. She had been given a last chance to save Jareth. She needed to be certain that she knew her place.

"Sssit bessside him. Take hisss hand into your own and clear your mind of everything but the Goblin King. I will do the ressst."

Sarah nodded and rushed quickly into the cottage. She gasped as she saw Jareth, lying deathly still on an old tattered bed. She swallowed as she realized that he did look dead. He didn’t appear to be breathing. She forced herself to look past that. Elmora said that he was alive. She sat beside him and took one of his bare hands into her own. She was surprised to feel the warmth from his skin. Remembering Elmora’s words she closed her eyes and cleared her mind of everything but Jareth.

Memories of their reunion, his declaration of his love for her, their first physical union, his hands as he touched her swollen belly and his eyes that showed he thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She smiled at these memories and slowly she began to feel a tingling sensation. The physical world around her seemed to fade away.

Sarah nodded and slowly she opened her eyes. Everything was dark and cold. Empty and lifeless. Colorless and drab. The only color was the blood stains along the cold stone gray walls. There was silence, deathly silence and it frightened her.

"Jareth?" her voice echoed and she was given no response. She trembled. She was afraid of this place where ever this place was. She heard the sound of laughter, a child’s laughter and she followed the sound. She turned a corner to find a meadow. A young boy with golden hair and a baby dragon were playing hide and seek behind large, old trees. Sarah’s brows furrowed in confusion and then she realized what she was seeing.

The young boy was Jareth and the dragon was Megmora. She was seeing one of Jareth’s memories. Just as quickly as the laughter and the scene had presented itself, it vanished, leaving the empty cold stone corridor. She continued on her way hoping to find something, anything that would lead her to Jareth. The hallways suddenly began to tremble and she heard the distant fading sound of a laugh. It was not a pleasant sound. The halls shook harder and Sarah had to lean against the wall for support so that she wouldn’t fall.

The laughter grew louder and then she could make out words. She hurried along the stone walls in the direction of the sounds. She entered a frightening room. Chains with shackles, bright red, blood stained walls and a body. She cried out in alarm as she drew closer to the body. Staring back at her through dead eyes, was… herself.

She cried out and jumped back. "It’s not real, it’s not real." She told herself, remembering Elmora’s words. She opened her eyes and the room was empty. The blood stains on the wall were gone and sitting with his head in his hands in a shallow shaft of light ….was Jareth.

"Jareth?!" Sarah rushed toward him. He didn’t acknowledge her at all. He just sat there on the cold stone floor in his own little world. He looked horrible. His hair was dead and lifeless. His beautiful clothes torn and tattered. Blood stained his white shirt and cuts and bruises marred his handsome features. She slowed to a walk as she neared him. He was ignoring her completely.

She fell to her knees just a few feet from him. "Jareth, please…please look at me."

Jareth sighed deeply but did not look at her. "Why should I….when you are not real?"

‘I am real Jareth." She reached to touch him and he pulled away, leaving the comfort of the shaft of light and slipping into the dark shadows. Tears streamed down her face. He thought she was an illusion, a dream.

"I am real Jareth. What must I do to make you believe that I am?"

"There is nothing you can do. I have not the strength to fight you and send you away, but I beg you to leave me to die in peace."

‘No!" she shouted at him. Her cry echoed through the empty halls. "I’m not leaving you Jareth! I’m not going to let you die."

He shook his head, still refusing to look at her. "Please go, before he comes and kills you again. I can’t bear to watch him kill you again…I can’t."

"Who are you talking about?"

"The man with the hood." He said quietly. There was fear in his voice.

"He appears and kills me?" She asked him. Jareth nodded. "Let him come. He can’t hurt me here."

‘He can and he will and I will not be able to watch again. Please let me suffer alone and in some peace. I don’t want to go with her death as the last thing my eyes have seen. Let me remember the joy with her." Jareth jumped as warm gentle fingers touched his face. None of the other illusions or dreams had touched him before. They all had tried to get him to believe that they were real, yet none of them had touched him. He pulled away harshly. No doubt his enemy had gained some power over him and he used the illusion of Sarah to trick him. He would not be tricked.

Sarah frowned as Jareth pulled away. Tears streamed down her face as he pushed himself into the wall to get away from her touch. ‘I came too late…" she sobbed. "I came too late…" She sank to the floor and buried her face into her hands. "I’m going to lose him…"

A hand gently brushed back her dark hair from her face and Sarah peered up through blurry, tear filled eyes. Jareth had moved away from the wall and he was touching her and looking at her. His eyes were filled with fear. He was afraid that she was a dream like all of the rest of them, yet he very much wanted to believe that she was real. "Please don’t cry." He let out softly.

"I can’t help it." She told him. She reached up to touch his face and she watched as he rolled his cheek into the palm of her hand. "I don’t want to lose you."

"I don’t want to lose you, either." He told her softly. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. Even if she was an illusion, he would rather die knowing he had forgiven her for leaving him when he needed her. "I…I forgive you."

"For what?" She asked confused.

"For leaving me, when I needed you the most." He told her quietly. He kissed her hand again, revealing in the feel of the warmth he felt. None of the other illusions had felt so real.

She began to sob. "I’m sorry that I left, I’m sorry that I broke my promise. I couldn’t let you die."

"She must have died out on the road….she may have never even made it to the dragons…who will rule my kingdom…? Who will take care of little Ary?"

Sarah pulled back from Jareth. She thought he believed that she was real. Apparently he didn’t! He believed that she was an illusion and that the real Sarah had died. He was only taking comfort in her because she was something and something was better than nothing.

Jareth was startled by her actions. None of the other illusions had pulled away from him at his words. They had only fallen against him.

"You don’t think I’m real…do you?" She asked him.

"I know you are not."

Sarah pulled away from him and stood. Jareth gazed up at her in confusion. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because the real Sarah is dead."

"No, she isn’t! She’s alive! She’s right here with you! I am the real Sarah!"

Jareth sighed. Disappointment stabbed at his heart. She was like the other illusions. They all claimed to be real. The room began to tremble and Jareth keeled over, gripping himself tightly. He couldn’t block the incoming vision.

"You’re no match for me, Jareth. You never were." The hooded man stood before him once again. Jareth knew what would happen next. The man would kill Sarah and Jareth would be forced to watch, again. The hooded man turned to Sarah. "Ready to die again?"

"You can’t kill me here, Gorgin." She spat his name. Jareth glanced up, despite the pain that wracked his lithe body. Gorgin? Could this man be Gorgin?

The hood was gently lowered from the man’s head. It was indeed Gorgin who stared back at both Sarah and Jareth. "Ah, so the lady has figured things out well before her lover has. And this unexpected bravery will get you no where, my lady. I can kill you and I will."

Jareth fell against the wall, closing his eyes to block out what he knew would come. Sarah watched in horror as Gorgin pulled forth a large iron blade. He walked toward her and raised it above his head, ready to strike her. She closed her eyes and made herself remember.

"What the?" Sarah opened her eyes to see the blade travel through her body yet it disappeared when it should have been cutting open her flesh. "Impossible!" Gorgin called out again. He raised the blade once more and again the blade disappeared when it came into contact with Sarah’s flesh. Gorgin growled.

Sarah looked to Jareth, hoping that he had seen this. Gorgin couldn’t hurt her as long as she believed he couldn’t. But Jareth had hidden his face, afraid of watching her die again.

‘Fine, if I can’t kill you, I’ll kill him!" Gorgin rushed at Jareth and Sarah cried out in alarm. The blade ran through Jareth’s side, cutting him open. Sarah fell to her knees and began to sob.

‘No, I’ve come so far….he can’t die."

Gorgin only laughed and he grinned as Jareth’s body slumped toward the floor. Gorgin’s evil laugh echoed through the halls as he disappeared.

Sarah rushed to Jareth. "No.. please…please this wasn’t how it was supposed to end…Please don’t die. Please don’t leave me." She sobbed.

Jareth slumped against the wall, his eyes focusing on Sarah. "He didn’t hurt you…how..how is that possible?" She didn’t have a scratch on her.

"Because I am real Jareth. Nothing can hurt me here unless I allow it…"

Jareth groaned as the pain of his injury overwhelmed him. He tried to focus on Sarah but the pain made it difficult. He brought one hand to her face and lovingly stroked her cheek. "At least I was able to see you….one last time…"

The tears rolled over Jareth’s hand as Sarah cried. "Please don’t leave me…please…"

"It’s too late now, Sarah… would you do…one thing before I go…?"

Sarah nodded. The tears streamed endlessly down her face. "I’ll do anything for you.. You know that."

He smiled. "Would you kiss me…one last time?" She nodded, trying to smile at him, but it wasn’t working. She leaned toward him and she allowed her lips to touch his. His mouth rose to meet hers and he kissed her eagerly. She had intended to give him a light kiss and then hold him in her arms before he passed yet she found she could not lift her mouth from his.

Jareth lost himself in her kiss and the pain from his injury was nearly forgotten. Such love emanated from Sarah that all that had happened to him seemed to be forgotten. He felt love from her as if he had never felt before. The pain nearly forgotten, he reached for her, hungrily kissing her mouth, surprised by the strength that suddenly filled him. His hands began to roam, seeking her soft skin. Sarah moaned against him, losing herself in his touch.

Jareth’s hands continued to roam and as he brushed over her swollen belly he gasped.

"What’s wrong?" Sarah asked alarmed.

‘The baby….I sense it’s presence here with us." He smiled and then kissed Sarah’s lips. "You are real…and the baby is real…I can sense him."

‘Him?" Sarah questioned.

Jareth nodded. "Close your eyes." He gently took Sarah’s hand into his own and then positioned her palm over her belly.

Her eyes shot open. "I can sense him, but how?"

Jareth smiled. "You are linked to my mind, aren’t you?"

Sarah nodded furiously. "Yes…yes I am. I tried to tell you."

"Ssssh." Jareth smiled and kissed Sarah’s lips lightly.

Suddenly Sarah felt herself grow lightheaded. The world around her and Jareth began to fade from her eyes and senses. "Jareth, what’s happening?"

"The link is closing…You’re returning to the physical world."

"Jareth?? Jareth??" Her frantic voice echoed through Jareth’s mind and then there was silence….