Epilogue- the Concluding chapter to this story. I think I wrapped it up nicely. Thank you all for reading and all your support. This was out of my comfort zone and in a style I wasn't used to writing in. But I did it!

Not sure what is next for me, I guess we shall see!

The song is forgetting me not by Marianas Trench.

The wrap up of Jareth's feeling and how he deals with the aftermath.

Sat down at the piano

And played some of your songs

You don't know how the words go

But you sort of sang along

And I'm here to remind you

What's lost is never gone

You will

Forget, forget, forget

Forget me not

The aftermath left Jareth numb to the world, how had he not noticed? He knew she was unwell and he had a feeling that if it wasn't for the child, she would have done it sooner. The first days seemed unreal to him, dressing her and brushing out her hair and pulling it aside in a long braid. She used to say one of her favourite fairy tales was sleeping beauty, and now she was sleeping beauty. She was everywhere in the castle with him, he turned a corner he saw her there. Her room remained a shrine, refusing to change anything in case she awoke.

He placed Poppy in his own room, feeding and changing her himself when he was available to. The nanny on hand helped when he was busy for court matters but he never wanted her to feel like she was never not wanted. Even children aged slowly here once they past the first year, a single year in human terms could a hundred to their kind. Even if Sarah didn't wake for centuries the chances of Poppy still being a child was great. It was mostly just a game of waiting for Sarah to wake up, waiting for the roses whatever that meant.

Poppy's first few months were long and tiring but extremely worth it for Jareth, eventually he placed her in the nursery when she was sleeping through the night. But found himself creeping in the middle of the night to make sure she was getting along by herself, tucking in the kicked off the blankets, and placing the one stuffed bear in her crib that he had made from one of Sarah's cloaks, allowing her the comfort of her mother's scent in her early days.

He had to be strong for her, he pushed back his emotions, not ready to feel just yet. It wasn't till his own mother came to visit hearing about her grandchild, but not the aftermath of the birth.

He broke down to his mother, he hid the extent of Sarah illness from his own mother even the court. It was the first time he let go of all the guilt that surrounded him, to speak of the truth the horrible episodes that plagued them for centuries.

She pushed him to make amends even to a sleeping immortal, and he did feel a weight lifted after that first visit which lead into routine long after she left to go back home.

I'm not ready for what's to come

Does that make me

My mother's selfish son

But I wanted you to know

I still need you my friend

From the lines to amend

To the cradle again

I'll be your

I'll be your

I'll be your

Forget, forget me not

Poppy grew and it was no lie that she was the apple of Jareth's eye. She was only weeks old when Jareth began telling her about his many stories of her mother. Those stories when she full of laughter and when a smile reached her eyes. That's how Jareth wanted to think of her mother, he knew one day he would have to tell her the truth if Sarah never awoke, but till that day happened he was adamant that she would see her mother in a positive light.

She was walking by the time she was a year, and speaking shortly after beginning her appearances in court. Dressed in the small court gowns and robes, sent by his mother who spoils the child to no end. She was adored by all, which wasn't hard as she was a precious child, a little troublesome as she had her mother stubborn streak at times. Though with the talking, came the questions something Jareth was not ready for, despite mentally preparing himself for the inevitable that was to come. Though she had her own room, she was often found scampering down the halls to crawl into her papa's bed for morning snuggles and stories. Which prompted Jareth to wearing lounging pants to bed, after many years of sleeping in the nude.

Still, in the dark evening, you could hear the anguish coming from the still room. The tears begging her to wake up, to the eventual anger for leaving him with a motherless child. Next came the pleading and bargaining for her to wake up, to see how much she was missing in her young daughter's life. How dare she take her own life when she left so much behind, he promised he would be the best man, better lover and companion if she would just wake up. Finally, it was the way it was he accepted it, eventually Poppy would join him usually falling asleep as he spoke of their day , or the latest event or milestone Poppy achieved in her young life.

If memories are shadows

We'd best not waste the light

Echoes of aphasia

Have haunted you tonight

But I will watch you sleeping

And make sure you're alright

And you will

Forget, forget, forget

Forget me not

Jareth sat in the chair he pulled near the bed, she never changed even after two hundred years of being in this everlasting sleep. It took four hundred years to destroy her mind, how long would it take to build it back up?

"Poppy is really something Sarah, she adores you and you always picking flowers for your bedside. She always holds them up to you hoping you can smell them. She's beginning her training in magic, I'm teaching her to harness her inner owl. I have a feeling her hair will dictate her colouring, she so much like you Sarah with your spunk and vivaciousness. She begs me to take her around the Labyrinth, I've taken her in on a few occasions. Hoggle's not the same without you he quite grumpy actually, he blamed me for doing this to you, and he was right it was my fault. Ludo asks about you and Sir Didymus is holding a nasty grudge, but they come and visit you when they can." Jareth spoke softly, looking down to the pillows on the floor that held the sleeping toddler. "Poppy asleep at my feet, she likes to say Goodnight to you. She's so curious about you, I have a hard time answering her questions about you. She knows that you were ill, and seems to be content with that answer for now, but I know one day she will want more answers. How do I explain us, that's what I put you through for my own selfishness? I bought you here, I did this, how you do you explain that to someone Sarah? How do I explain to our daughter that I essentially destroyed her mother. You were so close, but I know that the desperation to make it end, was just too strong. Still, you gave me Poppy, after everything I put you through and I didn't deserve that. I guess I should go put our little one in her bed," Jareth concluded. "I love you Sarah," he whispered, leaning over and kissing her forehead before bending to pick up their daughter who clutched her blankets and bear who mumbled, her eyes cracking open.

"Papa?"

"Say Goodnight poppet," Jareth gently told her, leaning her so she could give her mother a goodnight kiss.

"Night Mama," her sleepy sing song voice chimed as she yawned and cuddled back into her father.

I know you're not quite here

But you're not quite going

Sometimes the night gets darkest before the dawn

Maybe life's too short

But the end is long

I won't leave you my friend

I will ease you back in

To the cradle again

"Papa!" Jareth turned his head as he heard the familiar footsteps behind him before a small body crashed into his legs.

He raised an eyebrow, looking down at his daughter. She reminds him so much of Sarah in her looks, those green eyes, the streaks of dark brown that mixed with the blonde that she had since birth. She had the body and mentality of a four year old, despite being over 400, but she reminded him of the old Sarah, vibrant and ready to take on the world. The Sarah the once ran his labyrinth, calling it a piece of cake.

He turned to look over to the castle picking out the rook where Sarah lay resting smiling sadly. "Are your ready for your lesson Poppet?"

"Do I really get to transform outside?" She bounced on her feet in excitement, she had been regulated to the classroom learning how to fly till now.

"Would I lie to you?" Jareth asked her feigning hurt as he placed his hand over his heart.

"Now concentrate and remember you will be able to hear and talk to me through our link, if anything happens land and transform back and I will follow, got it?"

Poppy nodded and within a moment, both were barn owls, she was smaller and more streaked variety than her father. She flew slightly under him, glee filtering through their link as she screamed into his mind. He was going to make her wait till her five hundredth birthday, but her quick mind and eagerness to learn made her master the transformation quickly.

They were flying over the Labyrinth when she squealed diving down, he was about reprimandher, but followed as they landed and transformed back into their form finding them in admits of the garden with blooming roses, white roses among the red for the first time in centuries

"Papa, it's beautiful!" Poppy gushed, "May I pick some for Mama?" She asked, looking around in amazement, he nodded, handing her a small dagger while he stood in amazement, the last words he forgotten over the years. "Wait for the Roses,' came to mind and how the white roses hadn't bloomed since Sarah was alive. Hoggle once spoke of how the roses came and went with Sarah but he never payed much attention to them.

He watched Poppy use the small dagger to cut the roses off, before putting it back at in its sheath and handing back to him

"Come Poppy," He spoke firmly as she held a dozen or so of roses, "I will shift us back." Poppy nodded and took his hand.

They arrived in the foyer, Poppy running off to get a vase and to head to the toilet in a hurry , his heart pounded as he walked towards Sarah room. A part of him believing she would just be lying there, that it was all a coincidence. He opened the door, stepping in he stopped in his tracks at the figure looking through the window.

"Really Jareth, how long have I slept?" She spoke up, teasing him stepping closer to him with a playful smile on her face. Her eyes shined bright as her laugh rang out "I don't think I've ever felt this rested." He sniffed, no magical scent surrounding them, could it be? He reached out to caress the side of her face, waiting for a reaction of some sort. But she the usual symptoms did not show.

"Sarah?" He spoke breathlessly.

"Papa!" Poppy came running through the door, "I couldn't find a vase, but I got Rhea to tie some ribbon-" she looked up suddenly frightened at the sight in front of her. She couldn't comprehend what was happening in front of her so she tucked herself behind Jareth. It was one thing to have a mother who was sleeping, but to find her suddenly up, walking and talking way a lot to process for a young child.

"Jareth, is that? How long?" Sarah breathed, clutching a chair in response before sinking to floor as she felt her legs grow weak.

"Poppy, yes and its best you don't know till we figure out things," Jareth replied wanting to protect and guard her mind from time, telling her, her own child was over four hundred years old, almost five hundred despite only looking four or five years old was to risky at the moment.

"GO ahead Poppy Poppet," Jareth nudged Poppy who peaked behind her father with one arm.

"Mama?" She said unsurely, stepping closer taking in the long dark hair, realizing the same green eyes she had starred back at her.

"Poppy," Sarah said breathlessly, reaching out to touch the two toned hair. "I remember that," she said softly.

Poppy let her guard down as she wrapped her arms Sarah, the roses falling away as Jareth watched, trying to appear strong but the tears leaked from his two toned eyes. They had much to figure out, but for today they could just savour the moment.

I'll be your

Forget, forget me not

Life's too short

But the end is long

Life's too short

But the end is so long

Thank you all again!

Tina