Summary: Jareth tricks Sarah with a poisoned peach, magic, and force. When faced with the loss of her brother, what price will Sarah pay? A/U, slightly OOC.

Rated: T, likely for future bad language and possible violence…and because I just like to keep my options open. Rating may change in the future.

Author's Note: First off, this is my first shot at Labyrinth fan fiction! I hope it's not too bad! Just keep in mind that I edit everything myself, so I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me for my dumb grammar mistakes or whatever errors you may find! Happy reading!

--Also please consider Sarah a nice, healthy 18-19 year old age, for the sake of things not getting too creepy later on.

NEW (as of December 27th, 2009 ) I just edited this chapter! Majorly because it was not up to par with what I am imagining for the story, not much of the action actually changed. I tried to go more into detail and whatnot! As sad as it is...I might still do it once more!

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or any of its characters.

Chapter One: The Calm Before the Storm

The last thing Sarah remembered before succumbing to the poisoned peach was her hand desperately digging into an old elm's bark, praying somehow she could stay there, stay on course to saving Toby.

Oh Hoggle, how could you?

Sarah kept her eyes closed and tried to keep her breathing steady as she felt herself distinctly somewhere else. Counting her breaths, she hoped, was a way to mentally prepare herself for yet another of the Labyrinth's tricks.

You can beat this, you can! Just breathe, in, out, in, out…

A soft music began—startling her. Her eyes flew open and she could not help but gasp with amazement.

I know this room; I've seen it thousand times before.

It is the room she had dreamt up for herself, filled with faceless, dancing pairs in brilliant silks and her dashing, magickal Goblin Prince. She had spent countless summer days at her park, building this room, carefully placing chandeliers and hanging ornaments. She'd spent long hours at school hidden away here, milling about, painting masks.

It was all so real now, not a made-up fantasy of a lonely, over-imaginative girl.

She felt the silky brush of chiffon against her bare arm as a woman in a simple black masked pushed roughly past her. She could hear the mournful music, music she herself had painstakingly chosen, that filled the room—supplied by a hidden orchestra. The taste of peach was still lingering in her mouth-- bitter, unnatural, and dangerous.

Above all, she could sense him here in her room. His presence was tangible in the very air she breathed. But, he is not her imagined handsome Goblin Prince; ready to magick her into another beautiful dream. He was the real Goblin King, cruel and malicious, a far cry from anything she had ever dreamed. Her own personal villain, invading all she had so lovingly created.

A rush of flame-colored fabric and a fleeting glimpse of those strange, icy eyes behind it all was all it took to send her stumbling back, trying to find a way out, away from him.

This is a trick, just another trick of the Labyrinth. I have to get out! I must save Toby before time runs out!

He was closing in fast, his oppressive presence seeming to invade her very being. He appeared everywhere around her and yet nowhere at once, grinning, mocking her, lazily twirling his fingers in intricate patterns, casting a spell that would ensnare her.

She pushed through the crowd and found a solid, glittering wall to rest her face against, trying desperately to catch her breath, rationalize, not let him work his tricks on her. The wall was cool against her feverish skin, the sensation calmed her and she focused on warding off the Goblin King's attacks.

She sensed him in her mind, slowly picking apart what natural defenses were there.

Damn, damn, damn! How do I stop him?

She attempted throwing up mental walls, but he moved through them as if they were no more than vapor, she tried to convince herself she could beat him, but nothing she did stopped him. Again, she was gasping for air—eyes wide open, scaring horrified at the blank wall as she felt him overcome all her barriers.

"Got you, my love," the soft words reverberated in her head and, of their own accord, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

He pulled her worries from her mind and they began to drift from her mind, suddenly she wondered what she was so anxious about the moment before.

He was there, real, behind her. She could feel his hungry gaze on her and his presence in her mind, scorching. Sarah spun slowly, hoping to delay the inevitable anger she had grown to know too well, but instead she found something else entirely.

His imposing figure was completely still, quiet for the first time. Under the twinkling lights, he looked… almost beautiful. His harsh face softened by the shadows, his wild hair pulled back, and his clothing smooth and formal.

"Sarah," he whispered both aloud and within her mind, a command as he stretched his black gloved hand towards her.

Lost, she had no choice but to accept and move into his tempting embrace. Daringly, she looked into his mismatched eyes, attempting to return that powerful gaze with equal force, but was overwhelmed by a pressure in her head. Instead she twisted her head away from his gaze and tried to clear her foggy mind, but now all she could see were masks, spinning, confusing further her sluggish thoughts.

"Your dreams, my love, come true," a seductive whisper across the plains of her mind.

With those words, she lost control of her body and was overcome by his presence. The colors of the room began to swirl together into an overwhelming commodity—turning into an angry, malevolent charisma.

Sarah's head began to drop back, her eyelids fluttering, but he steadied her, pulling her too close to his body. She found her face pressed, almost lovingly against the Goblin King's chest.

Normally, the contact may have sent a tiny thrill through her body, but she was surprised by a strong, foreign spice that threatened to pull her even deeper into the woven spell—a wild, musky scent that threatened total abandon. It dared her to flee, even knowing that she would be caught in an instant. But there something underneath the enchanting scent, something darker that made her want to gag.

She pushed away slightly, gazing into his impassive face, trying to place the smell. At her look, he smirked and yanked her back hard.

"Shh, shh, relax," he whispered soothingly into her ear, ruffling her hair and raising gooseflesh against her neck. She never recollected him being gentle much less calming, his voice always seemed so arrogant…so…frustrating…

Nodding, Sarah complied and leaned in closer to him, resting her weary head against his shoulder. The soft fabric of his shirt was oddly comforting, for the first time since she had entered the room, her heart rate slowed. Finally, there was peace in this never ending puzzle of a world!

"There, that was not so difficult."

His grip on her tightened and he swung her into the center of the complicated dance that morphed from her dreamy music to something wilder, faster, unfamiliar. Her brief tranquility was gone with the jerky movement; she glimpsed a smile on his face, slightly macabre due to his sharp teeth.

"What am I doing?"

At her expression he chuckled briefly, deeply, charmingly. His eyes, though, remained glacial and withdrawn. Sarah turned her head away from his mysterious face and let him lead her in the intricate patterns of the dance.

Round and round we go, like my thoughts…always following him….

Something glimmered behind him and Sarah lifted her weary head for a moment to catch what it is. A mirror-wall! She remembered dreaming that up!

The reflection shows an enchanting Princess—exotic and beautiful, waltzing the night away with her achingly handsome Prince. The two look almost in love, pressed together the way they are.

Except there is something is wrong with the Princess that stared back, she's too pale, her eyes are dazed and unfocused, and her whole body slumped over. And the Prince's eyes are not on hers, but somewhere behind her, not quite present in the scene...

Everything came crashing back. The sudden outpour of emotion allowed Sarah to regain control of herself once more.

"Wait," she cried desperately, violently disengaging herself from him mentally and physically, "no!"

The Goblin King is not deterred; he is all smiles, moving quick to clamp his hands roughly onto her shoulders and digging into the material there.

"Sarah," he murmured sweetly through his clenched grin, "calm yourself."

"No, no! I only have an hour, oh God!"

"Sarah," he sighed sadly, but his face was pulled into a grim smile.

Sarah yanked hard and somehow managed to escape his grip. She spined around, fully intending to push through the crowd that has gathered around but something hit her on the back of the head hard, momentarily stunning her.

"Stars?" she murmured when she opened her eyes a moment later, before realizing that the twinkling is coming from the little lights across the ceiling.

Throwing her arms out, she tried to scream and call for her friends, but she could find no air. She looked up at the Goblin King was bent over her, holding her tight around the waist with one arm and the other clamped over her mouth, cutting off her oxygen. The music had stopped and the masked faces pressed closer and closer.

Her eyes darted wildly around the room, trying to find a familiar face to come to her rescue, like it has always been so far.

This can't be the way it's going to end!

Finally her eyes drifted almost lazily back to him, pleading, but it is too late. His impassive face showed no mercy as the edges of her vision begin to fade. Finally, there was nothing but the Goblin's King face smirking in victory.

"But…but…it's not fair."

"You gave me no choice…"

Second (Lengthy) Author's Note: Ha, sorry. I feel a little sketchy about this chapter, but I hope some will hold on for the continuation! It was hard to try to put what seems like a mainly emotion-based chapter into words, but I tried! Oh and hopefully it shall be longer next time too! I just really wanted to get myself out there, so please forgive me my many mistakes!

I honestly feel like there are about six ways this story could go at this point. I have no idea which I will choose, but instead of agonizing over details like I usually do, I'm going to try to let the story run its course!

Please fill me in with what you like, dislike, or whatever can be improved! Keep everything constructive!

Hope you all enjoyed!

-Labyrinth Wanderer