I... wish...

Sarah foggily looked around her, trying to place where she was. Sheer gauze and sparkling chandeliers floated around her, tugging at her memory. Music, so soft that she almost couldn't hear it, was playing as if from a distance. Ornate fans half-hiding grotesque masks surrounded her... why was it so familiar?

Moving slowly, as if through water, she pushed through the glittering crowd, not sure what she was searching for, and was surprised to see bubbles float and sparkle around her.

That's different, she mused, But different from what?

The crowding dancers shifted and she spied a hint of pale hair and a gaze of sapphire and ice locked on hers. Frozen in place by those eyes, feeling suddenly like small prey in the sights of an owl. She swallowed, feeling as though she should run or hide, somehow knowing that either option would be useless.

He glided closer and the crowd parted to let him through. She noted the rich blue velvet of his tailored jacket which glittered with jewels like stars. His ruffled shirt, jeweled pin and belt, then his sleek dark tail ending in a sharp edged, uneven fin.

Fin?

Sarah blinked several times trying to understand what she was seeing. The man/shark was still approaching, floating out of the crowd, hand extended, as if about to ask her to dance.

Dance? Float? Swim?

Finally he reached her and a small, crooked smile formed on his lips, which rapidly transformed into a smirk.

That smirk!

"Jareth!" The word was a startled whisper. She remembered.

The smirk only grew as he offered his hand to her, an invitation to dance. She hesitated, both from remembering who he was, and because of the strange appearance of his lower body.

The Goblin King only continued smirking as he noted her gaze.

"Join me for a dance?" he asked cordially, extending his hand further towards her.

"Dance?" she raised an eyebrow, indicating the shark tail where his legs should be, "How?"

"You'll find legs are not as necessary to dancing as some would have you believe" there was mirth in his voice. "Perhaps you should try it"

Following his gaze, Sarah looked down, and almost fainted. She was once again wearing the enormous puffy white gown that she remembered but instead of a hoop-skirt or crinoline, her shimmering skirts were floating, with long, slender white tendrils emerging, tentacles!

She was a jellyfish!

"What have you done to me!" She couldn't hide the hint of panic in her voice as she suddenly struggled to keep her balance.

"Nothing" the smirking king replied calmly, raising both hands to imply innocence.

"Nothing, nothing, tra la la? I wouldn't call this nothing!" she clenched her fists and said king was fortunate that the daggers in her eyes were only metaphorical.

Sarah hadn't thought it was possible, but the smirk only got larger as he answered, "Ah, but you see, you did this"

"M-me?" she stuttered, and bumped into a pair of dancers. "How?"

"Because this is your dream"

...

Authors note

I don't own the Labyrinth, nor it's characters.

Yes there is a reference to a certain Disney princess.

I'm new to this, so please let me know what you think :)

(If you would like to see the full drawing that inspired this, go to skydriane on deviantart, Dance or Dream)