Quick reminder the film Labyrinth does not belong to me but to Jim Henson, and neither does the song 'Once Upon a December' from the film Anastasia.
I have a habit of taking songs I like and changing the lyrics to suit me or for random reasons, and after hearing this song shortly after watching Labyrinth this plot bunny popped into my head and wouldn't bug off. So enjoy!
It was the night after she had the argument with her father and stepmother about babysitting Toby, but nothing occurred that night out of the ordinary and the next day it was the same except Sarah now loved her family dearly and changed for the better. She was more mature, more patient and kinder heartened with a deep love for Toby. But she dreaded the night.
Every night Sarah was plagued by dreams. Utter fantasy of course but yet they seemed so real. But if they were real why were they so vague? Only coming in flashes and fading when she woke up, the more she tried to grab onto them the quicker they slipped away. It was the man who haunted her the most. He was always there. In the beginning the dreams were filled with three strange creatures that came along with a strong feeling of friendship, but as the years passed they slowly faded out, their memory completely gone. Now only the man was left with other strange creatures she could only describe as goblins. He was tall with strange eyes, one blue and one brown, and a cruel yet gentle smirk. Though he struck an intimidating figure his eyes were full of sadness and longing that made Sarah want to comfort him, causing her own feelings of longing and affection to bloom in her heart.
Years passed and soon Sarah was a striking, beautiful young woman with her own career and home, yet the dreams persisted. They were only getting more intense each night. Fearing she would go mad Sarah finally wrote down what she could remember and soon a melody just weaved into her head intertwining with the words, forming lyrics and music. She sang her little song everyday and the dreams troubled her less letting her sleep peacefully. But in this song she had unknowingly placed a call in it. A call eagerly wanted.
The fearsome Goblin King sighed as he lounged on his throne, lazily twirling a crystal. Ten years had passed and still his love for the blasted girl remained, and to add to his pain she didn't even remember him because of his bloody law! Whenever a runner ran the labyrinth the Goblin King was required to send the runner and wished-away child, if the runner had succeeded, back with no memories of the labyrinth and their run. The only thing that would remain with them was the lessons they learned and any new emotions they gained. Erasing Sarah's memories was the hardest thing he ever had to do and so he delayed for as long as he could, at least till Sarah's victory party was over so she could spend some final enjoyable moments with her friends. As Sarah fell asleep that night exhausted, Jareth cleaned her room of any evidence (even fixing and cleaning her clothes so they were in the condition she was wearing them before she ran the labyrinth) and reluctantly modified her memories, making instead she had told a story to the crying Toby and, over the course of the night, played with him and realised she loved him. It was the best he could do. Then he tenderly stroked her hair and kissed her longingly before disappearing back to his kingdom.
As the years passed he had watched Sarah develop from a childish, whiny girl into a beautiful, kind-heartened woman. Many times Jareth clenched his jaw in jealousy whenever he saw other males attempting to court her, but they never succeeded he made sure of that. His heart ached again with the knowledge he couldn't claim her as his queen and love but at least he had forever to watch her and…what was that? A sweet, faint voice reached his ears and it obviously wasn't from any of the goblins. There was also unmistakably a call for him in it. Summoning a crystal Jareth stared into it, "Show me the singer of this song." The mist in the crystal cleared away to show a dark-haired woman with her back towards him washing dishes. Jareth mentally willed the woman to turn around and when she did Jareth gasped almost dropping the crystal. The woman was no other than Sarah! She was more humming the song under her breath than singing but it was the same song. Frowning Jareth cocked his head very puzzled. It wasn't that he was upset Sarah was calling for him; as a matter of fact he was ecstatic! But how could she remember him? He erased her memories, didn't he?
Going through his own memories he searched for any clues to why she remembered when it hit him. The peach and her ring! Eating something of the Underground would normally not do anything unless you gave something to the Labyrinth in return, otherwise all the runners would be forced to stay. Sarah not only ate something of the Underground but also gave her ring as a token to the Wise Man, which was essentially to the Labyrinth and to him. He grinned; it was time to pay his Sarah a visit, and he jumped out the window morphing into his owl form. Jareth flew silently over the town to the outskirts; it didn't really surprise him Sarah lived quite far away from the town near the forest. She had always liked her solitude. Seeing something moving near the house he silently flew down and perched on a nearby tree. Across not too far from him was a peach tree to his surprise and there was Sarah with a basket picking some, humming continually under her breath.
Sarah gently placed the last peach she picked in her basket. Wiping her hands on her jeans Sarah paused looking at the sunset sighing. With the delicious aroma of peaches intertwining with the soft wind, which had picked up, Jareth saw she had closed her eyes smiling slightly. Swaying her hips and putting the basket down at her feet Sarah began to gently swing her arms, it took every bit of discipline he had not to take her in his arms again. Then she opened her mouth and began to sing, dancing and twirling to her words. His mouth dropped.
'Crystal balls, white owl wings
Things I almost remember
And the songs, the man sings
In my dreams as I slumber'
'The man holds me safe and warm
Goblins charge like a thunderstorm
A labyrinth changing aimlessly
Across my memory'
Now just singing the melody Sarah waltzed with an invisible partner around the peach tree. Never knowing that the man from her dreams was watching her, and shaking with the struggle not to swoop down there and kiss her senseless. Just as Jareth was about to fly down and damn the consequences, Sarah began singing again and he immediately stilled, eager to listen to her voice more.
'The man holds me safe and warm
Goblins charge like a thunderstorm
A labyrinth changing aimlessly
Across my memory'
'Far away long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart long to know
Things it yearns to remember'
'And the songs, the man sings
In my dreams as I slumber'
As the song stopped Sarah then stood still looking at the heavens, "No bad dreams tonight" she whispered. Jareth was confused, bad dreams? Her memories were causing her bad dreams? The Goblin King straightened regally. Sarah wanted him and called for him, he would answer her call and never would they be parted again! As Sarah picked up the basket and went inside Jareth grinned as much as he could as an owl, "Oh precious. You will remember again."
A great aspect of living so far away from town was she didn't have to worry about eavesdropping and snooping neighbours, heck she could walk around in the buff and no one would see her. Sarah giggled at the thought. But it did mean she could sing and dance to her heart's content without anyone seeing her, and she did sing and dance her song every night. As Sarah started putting the peaches into her fruit bowl Sarah kept one out and bit into it. As the flavour spread across her tongue Sarah moaned in delight, eagerly devouring the fruit while savouring every bite. It was strange when you thought about it, she never really liked peaches before having the dreams and now she couldn't get enough of them. Almost like magic, Sarah instantly shook her head of the thought. Finishing the peach Sarah continued with her nightly routine of getting ready for bed and fell asleep quickly.
An ear-splitting crack of thunder woke Sarah up. As Sarah reluctantly got out of bed to shut her window she saw a dark figure in the corner of her room. Spinning around Sara only saw her empty room, but it was difficult to fully see in the dark. Reaching for the lamp she was greatly annoyed to find it wasn't turning on.
"Just great!" Sarah muttered, "I'll have to get the candles now."
Feeling her way to the door Sarah made it there safely except for a stubbed toe. As she made her way to the kitchen Sarah kept glancing around seeking any moving shadows, "Just calm down Sarah! No one is in the house except you! You've just watched too many horror films!"
When she finally got to the kitchen and lit a candle Sarah was heading back towards her bedroom when she stopped in the living room. Though it was still pouring outside the full moon shined through the windows illuminating the place and the lightning only added to it. Sarah carefully set her candle on the table before heading over to the window, wrapping her arms around herself. The storm pulled at something in her memory; a fierce storm, Toby crying, her wishing he would stop and then…nothing. Sarah shook her head when her neck prickled and she knew she wasn't alone. Reaching for the coffee table she found a brass figurine. Though it was small it was heavy, it would do the trick.
"Alright buddy. I know you're there. Come out so I can see you," Sarah cried hoping her voice sounded braver than she felt.
The response was a dark chuckle that sent shivers up her spine, echoing all around the room. "I know about your dreams Sarah," a dark, velvet voice said as a tall man stepped out of the shadows, "Now it's time for you to remember."
At that the man made a crystal appear out of thin air and threw it at her.
As the crystal exploded and hit her head Sarah gasped at all the memories flooding her mind. Dropping the statue and clutching her head, wave after wave of lost memories rushed through her.
"I really wish the goblins would take you away, right now."
"Sarah. Don't defy me."
"You have thirteen hours to solve the labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us, forever. Such a pity."
"I'm Hoggle."
"Ludo Sawah's friend."
"Sir Didymus at your service milady."
"Everything's dancing."
"…But I'll be there for you-oo-oo. As the world falls down."
"It's all junk. I have to save Toby."
"Should you need us…?" "I'll call."
"I can't live within you."
But the memory which stood out was the one of her and the man who was always in her dreams holding a crystal, staring with sadness and need in his eyes.
"Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave," the man urged.
And Sarah saw her fifteen-year-old self saying back clearly, "You have no power over me."
Anguish filled the man's face as he tossed up the crystal and disappeared, no not a man. He had a name. The Goblin King, Jareth.
"Jareth!" Sarah cried as the memories faded. Looking around she saw no one until arms slid around her waist pulling her against a hard chest.
"You called Precious," Jareth said amusingly.
Sarah pulled away but was pulled back, the arms becoming a vice, "Let me go Goblin King!"
"Jareth. I want you to call me Jareth."
Sarah huffed spinning in his arms, "Why are you here Jareth and more importantly, why did you erase my memories but leave me these confounding dreams?"
Jareth sighed before scooping Sarah up bridal style, ignoring her squeal of protest, and walked to the couch. Sitting down Sarah moved to get off his lap but Jareth held her firmly against him. He had gone so long without her in his arms, she wasn't going anywhere.
"Part of running the labyrinth Sarah is that with the runners I have to make sure they don't remember the Underground at all. Otherwise I'd have people all over either wishing away anything they don't want, leaving me with more of a mess to clean up. So when they go home I erase their memories of the labyrinth but if the runner had failed, modified their memories so they think they lost their child another way. But if a runner, in the rare occasions, succeeds I let them remember the lessons they learned and any new emotions they gained for their wished-away. I also have to erase the wished-away child's memories as well."
Sarah looked at him puzzled, "Then why was I different?"
"Because not only did you eat some fruit of the labyrinth, which leaves a permanent mark on anyone, you also left your ring in the labyrinth. So essentially you offered something to the labyrinth. This is why you've somehow been able to remember vaguely your run through my labyrinth causing your dreams."
Jareth looked at Sarah in her simple tank top and shorts before pulling her closer to him and started nuzzling her neck, "I've missed you Precious."
"Now wait a minute!" Sarah cried pushing against him, "What do you think you're doing?"
"What I've planned on doing a long time ago. Making love to you."
Sarah gasped as the nuzzling turned into nips and kisses. Swallowing a moan she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed against him. Jareth smirked and went to continue when he saw the hurt and sadness in his love's eyes, so he let her push him back.
"You have been gone from my life for years with these dreams making me think I'm crazy and now you come back to have sex with me!"
Jareth frowned, "Make love."
"Whatever," Sarah said waving her hands, "The point is why on Earth do you think you can do that?"
"Because you called for me." Sarah stared at him with a disbelieving look. "Precious in your song you composed to help deal with your dreams you placed a call for me in it, a calling of love and affection. I answered it and came."
Sarah let out a groan, which sounded suspiciously like a sob, as she suddenly jumped off Jareth's lap and walked to the window holding herself.
"Why do you deny it?" Jareth asked, "If you didn't mean it your song wouldn't have called me."
"It's not that Jareth," Sarah softly whispered, "In my dreams you were the one thing that always stood out and as I saw you and danced with you, I did fall in love with you. But seeing those memories just reminded me how I hurt you so much. You possibly couldn't love me. I'm the villain, not you."
In a flash Jareth was next to her. Turning Sarah to face him he saw her tears and immediately wrapped her in a loving embrace, "Don't ever say that my love. I have to be the person the runner wants and you were obsessed with being a heroine so someone had to be the villain. It was partly my fault too. I was already so in love with you that I forgot you weren't ready, still a teenager innocent of love. I should have waited till you were older to start courting you instead of offering my heart then."
Jareth tipped her head up to meet his; "I want you to be my Queen Sarah and more importantly, my wife. So will you give us another chance Precious? Will you let me hold you safe and warm?"
Sarah's heart swelled as she nodded. Jareth groaned as he crashed his lips to hers, hungry and passionate, pulling her closer to him as she molded her lips with his. When, after what felt like an eternity, they pulled apart Sarah rested her head on his shoulder.
"In my dreams as I slumber," she whispered, "Could this be another dream?"
Jareth scooped her up in his arms and kissed her tenderly. "This is no dream Sarah-mine. I'm really here and we're going home. Although," he added in a playful growl, "After the night is finished you'll definitely know this isn't a dream."
Sarah laughed as they disappeared, leaving behind a trail of glitter and the aroma of peaches.
When the house was opened again when Sarah's family came to visit dust covered the place and Sarah was no where to be found, except a note to her family on her bed saying she had found what was missing and wasn't coming back. Soon the house was sold to a new family who lived happily there. The only strange occurrence was on stormy nights if you passed the living room you would see faintly a smiling, beautiful man and woman dancing together under the moonlight. And a sweet woman's voice singing,
'Crystal balls, white owl wings
Things I almost remember
And the songs, the man sings
In my dreams as I slumber'