Author's Note: I do not own Jareth, Sarah or anything that rightfully belongs to Jim Henson. Enjoy :)
Brothers In Arm
Chapter One
"It's Been Far Too Long…"
Sarah could hear the sound of the music before she had even stepped a foot into the club.
She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet summer air, the music already washing around her.
She glanced at her room mate, Madison, who was already dancing around in circles on her thin stiletto's, waving her arms from side to side, going with the beat of the song until-
Madison grabbed Sarah's hand and began squealing hysterically.
"Oh fuck, Sarah! He's here!"
"Well, he did promise you," Sarah replied, muffling a few giggles and gently easing her hand from Madison's grasp.
Madison poked her head out of the fast moving queue and began waving at the approaching figure.
"Dominic! Dominic! Over here!" she shouted. Her voice carried on the breeze and the hunched figure picked up the pace.
Sarah smiled and gazed up at the full moon overhead. It had been a full moon that night too. The night her life had changed forever. The night which her fantasy world met her reality. The night she had met…
Him.
Five years ago, Sarah had been a shy, fifteen year old schoolgirl. She had experienced so much already; her mother had walked out on the family to pursue her acting career with her on and off-screen partner, Jeremy, prompting her father to re-marry. Not easy to adjust to anyway.
Karen had not never disliked Sarah but she always got the distinct feeling she wanted Sarah out of the way.
A month after the marriage, Karen discovered, much to Sarah's surprise, she had fallen pregnant. When baby Toby had been born, Sarah had kept out of the way. She didn't want to be under her stepmothers feet anymore than she already was.
But all too soon Karen began to miss her evening's out with Robert (Sarah's father) and their small circle of friends. Which often meant Sarah had to baby-sit each weekend, no matter what her plans were, even if she didn't have any.
The night had begun the same, with Karen and Robert feeding Toby and putting him to bed, before leaving the house. That night, thanks to the brewing thunderstorm, Toby had not shut up crying, no matter what Sarah did.
She had begun telling him a bed-time story, re-enacting her favourite fantasy story ("The Labyrinth") word for word, until she had walked out of her parent's room, saying, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away… right now!"
(Well what else was she meant to do when the child wouldn't shut up crying?)
With that Toby had been taken to the Underground by the incredibly nasty, stupid goblins and their devilishly handsome and mysterious Goblin King.
Sarah had pleaded with the king for Toby's return, putting aside the dreams he offered her. Instead of giving him back to the distressed teenager, the Goblin King challenged her.
Complete the Labyrinth within thirteen hours and she could have her bouncing baby brother back, safe and sound. Should she fail, Toby would be turned into a goblin and spend his life in the Underground, forever.
She shivered as she heard HIS words come back to haunt her (and not for the first time either):
"Such a pity…"
A soft tugging on her chestnut hair brought Sarah out of her past memories.
Madison and her (now) boyfriend, Dominic, were already at the club's entrance. Sarah caught them up, shaking away the voice as she went.
After flashing the bouncers their student ID's, they quickly moved into the hot, packed club. Even though it was early summer, the breeze outside was fresh and it was a relief to feel the warmth rush over their skin.
Dominic wasted no time in claiming them a table near the bar.
"What are we drinking tonight then ladies?" he asked, pulling his wallet from the back pocket of his baggy jeans and giving Madison and Sarah a dazzling male model smile.
"You know the order Dominic. We've been coming here too often for you not to know," Sarah said, pulling the light denim jacket from her shoulders, as Dominic placed the order.
She flung it onto the table top and swung round, her mouth opening slightly at the sight before her.
Madison followed her friend's gaze. She smiled. Maybe tonight, Sarah would finally leave this place with a boyfriend. A real one at that.
Madison had begun to realise from the start that Sarah lived within her fantasy stories, writing and reading them. They nearly always revolved about a confusing place she had dubbed "The Underground" and it's Fae Goblin King. From what Madison had read, this Goblin King-guy seemed to be Sarah's dream man. From what she could determine, he was handsome, mysterious with a strange sexual allure. She'd often asked Sarah was he influenced by anyone and all Sarah would do, would give a small smile…
Sarah couldn't believe this.
The guy she and Madison had been staring at was lent with his back to the busy, lively bar. He had been staring at something intently in his hand, probably a watch or a cell phone, Sarah thought.
Madison nudged Sarah forward slightly and her heels gently clicked on the floor. It was as if the small noise had brought the guy to his senses. He closed his palm and turned his head, his eyes meeting Sarah's.
They were a piercingly icy-blue; cold and pale. They bored into Sarah's own dark brown one's and she dropped her gaze immediately. She didn't like the idea of this guy staring into her soul.
She spun on her heel to face the waiting bartender who was currently unscrewing a bottle. She took her drink from the side, thanked Dominic shyly, and before she had even raised her glass to her lips, a cool British voice floated over;
"I'll pay for you guys."
Sarah let her eyes drift to the owner of the voice. It was that same guy.
"Oh, cheers," Dominic mumbled, completely surprised.
"Least I can do," the cool voice said.
Sarah lent her arm on the cold rail of the bar so she could face the stranger head on. She wasn't cowardly- she had proved that years ago.
The pale pointed face was framed by long locks of black hair. He held out a hand and Sarah noticed his red shirt was sleeveless. Open slightly too, revealing a black pointed crystal on a cord. He was obviously into this new age hippie stuff, she decided.
"Aren't you going to shake my hand?" he asked innocently.
Sarah hesitantly shook it. The guy didn't seem to notice her clamminess against his coolness.
"They with you?" he prompted, nodding his head towards, the now cuddling Madison and Dominic.
"Yeah. Madison's my room mate at the college. Dominic's her boyfriend."
"Waiting for anyone, yourself?" His manner unnerved Sarah. He seemed like the Gob- no, he isn't real!
"No." Sarah shook her head.
"That's good," the guy answered as he stepped closer. "I won't have to make myself scarce when your fella turns up."
Sarah looked at the ground. This guy was hitting on her. It was that obvious. This had happened to her every time she came to the club and she was sick of it. But this guy was… different. She noticed he also wore boots. His tight, dark jeans were covering them.
She felt his fingertips on her chin, lifting her head to meet his gaze. He moved his hand away when their eyes met.
"I'm Sarah," she said with a sudden impulse.
"I know."
The guy smiled.
"I know a lot about you, Sarah Williams. About you and your little Connecticut family. How you've auditioned for every single college play with pathetic results, since they don't know talent. Your unsuccessful past relationship- if you could call it that. Your humiliation of the Goblin King."
He raised his own glass to his lips and took a swig.
Cogs whirred in Sarah's mind. She had never met this guy in her life so how could he know this much! She had never seen him on campus so how he knew her name and about the plays, she would never guess. If he had been one of Carl's friends, she would understand that comment, but she knew all of his friends and he definitely wasn't one of them. But the one that unnerved her the most and which nearly made her throw up her Barcardi-and-coke was how he knew about the Goblin King!
"What?" she shouted, over the now pumping fast music beats.
She swirled her head to where Madison and Dominic had stood. They were now dancing together near the DJ booth, so neither could help Sarah with this "charmer".
"Oh, your famous in the Underground. The mere mortal girl, who brought the high and mighty Goblin King to his knees in defeat. The mere mortal, he spins crystals for and hopes upon hope that she will someday return to him. The mere mortal he claims… to love."
"How do you know all this?" she asked shakily, slowly attempting to move towards the exit.
Her back hit the wall and before she knew it, he was facing her directly, arms either side of her, barring her escape route.
"Knowledge is power," he said, smirking. "And I have both." His eyes began to rake her over.
"I must say, you're quite beautiful. I can see why the Goblin King would choose to give you his heart. If only you could give him yours."
He sighed.
"C-c-could?" Sarah stammered.
"I'm more than willing to take it, if you're offering-"
"Which she's not!"
The sharp voice appeared from nowhere and Sarah was amazed to see the Goblin King. Even in this state of affairs, Sarah could not help but smile.
He had not changed at all. The same pale, silvery blonde hair, the mis-matched burning eyes, the sharp nose, the thin mouth… His usual white poet's shirt crept out from underneath a heavy black leather jacket. His pendant glinted in the club light. Those ever present black gloves. The tights framed his tall, strong legs and his boots shone like the first star of the night. This was undeniably…
"Jareth…" she breathed.
Around her the music stopped and was replaced by the silence of the evening. And instead of warm, sticky, sweaty air, there was a cool gentle breeze. Looking around she could see that they were stood outside the club. The bouncers were already inside and nothing stirred. No cars sounded, no owls hooted, no-one breathed at all. The moonlight fell upon the three figures and Sarah's heart beat faster.
"Jareth," the guy spoke softly. Her stepped away from Sarah ever so slightly. His tone grew more serious and took on an edge. "It's been far too long…"
"Not long enough," Jareth snarled. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask the same of you dear brother."
"Brother?" Sarah's grew wide with shock.
The guy seeming to be Jareth's brother turned to face her. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled hard, despite her screams of pain, so that she collapsed on the road, in front of Jareth.
Before Jareth could make a single move, his brother put a hand of the back of Sarah's neck.
"I don't want to have to break your pretty little neck, so I suggest you stand. Now!" the guy hissed, as he squeezed the back of her neck.
Sarah winced in pain, but silently obeyed.
"Don't you dare harm her!" Jareth snarled angrily.
"Why would I harm her Jareth?" his brother asked sweetly, as he continued to hold her neck. With his free hand, he traced the side of her face. Sarah shivered at his touch.
"Who are you?" she whispered in fear.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," he taunted, like an infant. He turned his attention back to Jareth. "Now what to do with her? I suppose I could take her to my kingdom, but then again I'd sooner take her to my bed. What do you suppose she taste's like Jareth? Peaches, perhaps?"
Sarah's breath grew frantic as her captor began to trail a hand between her breasts and further down. How she wished she had worn sensible clothes!
"Please stop!" Sarah gasped, as the hand stopped at the waistband of her skirt.
"Oh I'll never stop my sweet- Argh!" Jareth's brother let out a horrific scream as a small clear crystal made contact with his flesh.
He let Sarah go momentarily in pain and she took her chance.
She pulled herself fully away from him and stumbled as her shoes caught on a manhole cover. She had expected to feel cold, hard tarmac but instead warm leather clad hands.
"Jareth!" she gasped, for what seemed like the thousandth time that night.
"Sarah," he whispered her name in the breeze.
"You want to play the game like that, do you? Always did want to live up to father's expectations, didn't you?" roared Jareth's brother.
Sarah turned her head in time to see him start to conjure a small ball of fire.
"Jareth, do something!" she yelled.
She spun to Jareth and closed her eyes, letting her head fall against his well muscled chest. She felt the sharp edge of his pendant dig into her cheek, but it didn't matter.
"I wish the Goblin King would take me away right now!" she screamed.
And with that, sparkling glitter surrounded her and Jareth as they began to fall… fall into what she only knew as The Underground.
