The castle loomed ever closer as you fought your way through the Goblin City. It had taken a while, but your memory was no longer fuzzy. You remembered why you were in the Labyrinth in the first place. The guilt ate away at you the closer you got to Jareth's castle. All your stress had compiled into one regretful sentence toward your sibling's child.

"I wish the Goblin King would take you away right now." The wish from the book you'd been reading since you were a child had passed your lips without a second thought. Now, here you were, fighting to save that child while your mind fought against your heart.

The dream in the ballroom kept coming back to you and how you felt when Jareth had kissed you. You should hate him. While he had granted your "wish", he'd also made you run his labyrinth to correct the mistake you'd made. You really should hate him, but you couldn't. There was something about the kiss you'd shared and the way he'd looked at you when you'd whispered his name. When he looked at you like that, you knew he wasn't evil. He was...lonely.

That thought screamed in your mind when you entered the castle. You suppressed a shudder. It was far too quiet for such a large place. Where was everyone? You rolled your eyes at the thought. Jareth had a flair for the dramatic so he was probably off hiding somewhere until he was ready to make some form of grand entrance.

Your footsteps echoed in the empty corridors while you searched for Jareth and your sibling's child. You opened a door and were greeted with a never-ending staircase. "Are you kidding me?" you mumbled. As you moved to close the door, you heard the baby fuss a bit. You looked above you and nearly screamed in frustration. One last test.

You climbed staircase after staircase only for the baby to move whenever you grew near. You wanted to cry. You took a moment to sink to the floor to breathe. "Surely you aren't giving up, precious thing," Jareth's voice made your head pop up. He was staring at you intently.

"No. I can't give up. I need to save the baby." You glanced around to find the child in question below you. It was a long drop and you hated falling. But you knew it was the only way. "You don't have to. I would not harm the child. Give in, Y/N." You glanced between Jareth and the child. "I-I can't." You went to place your hand on Jareth's cheek, but thought better of it. You turned and jumped down to the baby, but you hit solid floor instead.

You let out a howl of irritation. "JARETH!" you cried before you tore off in another direction to find the Goblin King. You were beyond done. You were tired of the tests. Tired of your emotions battling each other. Tired of fighting a fight that your head couldn't win. You wanted the baby, but at the same time, you knew what it would mean. It would mean you would have to leave Jareth behind.

You made your way to the ramparts of the castle with your heart beating faster than ever. This was it. You just knew. You felt a presence to your left and turned to see Jareth. Once again, he was studying you to see what you would do. "I beat your labyrinth, Jareth...where is the child?"

"Safe. I have come to offer you one last chance. One chance to make your dreams come true. I have given you everything you've asked for and yet you continue to fight against me. It's time to stop fighting. I know you felt the same thing I did in the ballroom."

"It-It wasn't a dream?" you asked softly and he chuckled. "I told you it was only a dream if you wished it." He took a step closer to you. You couldn't have that. Whenever he was near you, you couldn't think clearly. You took a step back. "Jareth, please. Give me the baby. Don't make me say it..." He frowned and took another step toward you. With a shaky breath, you began the saying the words you had long since memorized.

"Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City," you paused for a moment as tears began to cloud your vision. Jareth looked so broken and betrayed. "T-To take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is strong as yours and m-my kingdom as great."

"Stop," Jareth was practically begging. He stepped closer and took your hand in his. He was real. Not a dream. Not an illusion. He was there. "I can offer you so much more than your existence Aboveground. Just love me." You closed your eyes and let a tear fall. "You have n-no-" you cut off.

"I can't. I can't say it," you whispered. You let your eyes open and meet Jareth's. "Send the baby home. Let them forget this ever happened. Please. Send them home."

"And you? You would leave me to wither?" You sighed then laughed softly. "Did you not hear me? I asked you to send the baby home. I never said me. I can't explain it, but there's something drawing me to you. I don't know if it's magic o-or something deeper. But I can't leave. I don't want to. I want to stay. I...I want to love you, Jareth."

You closed the distance between you, reaching out to cup his cheek with your free hand. Jareth's free arm slowly moved to your waist, the way it had been when you were dancing in the ballroom. His eyes bore into yours, making you grateful he was holding you up as your knees began to shake. Was this what having and finding a soulmate felt like? Because that's what you felt this was. If soulmates existed, you explicably knew that Jareth was yours.

For a moment, you couldn't move. An invisible force held you in place, bonding you and Jareth in a staring contest neither of you could win. "Is this your magic?" Jareth smiled and shook his head slightly. "No, precious Y/N. It is yours. You have bewitched me when I believed no one could." He rested his forehead against yours for a second before you finally could take it no longer. You shifted your head and pressed your lips against his. Oh yes, this was definitely magic and you hoped you would never stop feeling it.