I Can Be Cruel
Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or have any ties to the geniuses who created it.
A/N: So it's valentines day…woohoo. (maybe not since i'm a few hours late, lol, but anyway...) It's not my favorite holiday (that's Christmas) but I do feel that I should post a little something for you guys. It was running around my head last night and I couldn't sleep until I got it down on paper. I'm warning you though. Jareth is dark in this…or he's supposed to be dark, you can decide when it finishes. I guess I should say kind of dark. Anyway, enough of my rambling…onto the story!

When he said he could be cruel, he had not been lying. Then again, he never lied to her, ever.

Once again, in a ballroom, she searched for him, and once again he evaded her. Watching from afar.

She was old enough, now, not to feel out of place in such an adult environment. She could see both beauty and lust, desire and hatred. She even guessed that was why his eyes were not quite the same. Both blue, but one gentle, the other dangerous…and danger was what she always found.

Suddenly he was there, right in front of her, just as before. His eyes lusting, but his expression devoid of emotion. He took her in his arms and began to dance. He did not sing though, instead he remained completely silent, holding her captive in his arms.

She did not protest.
He pulled her nearer, tempting her with his closeness and gentle touch, causing her to whimper just enough to satisfy his cruelty. Then he would pull away. All the while, their dance continued.
Then finally, he pulled back completely, disappearing amongst the crowd of dancers.

Sarah pushed and shoved, searching aimlessly throughout the ballroom. The dancers blocked her way. They cackled and laughed, pushing back at her, backing her into the corner until she herself backed away in fear. Sarah felt herself curl into a ball on the floor, covering her head with her arms.

Then it was like a sea being parted right down the middle. Sarah looked up to see that they had made a clear path to where Jareth now sat on his throne.

Pulling herself up slowly, Sarah made her way towards him. She never took her eyes off him, for fear of him disappearing again. Finally she found herself standing before him. Thousands of wishes, wants, and desires swarmed through her head. All of them led back to one thing…one man…one king.

Jareth began to lift up his arm. His eyes still on hers.

Just when she thought he was going to grant the only wish she wanted, he snaked that arm around a beautiful blonde fae woman who stood almost directly behind his throne.

Sarah's heart stopped as she watched as he pulled the blonde closer, his eyes holding her captive right up until his lips came in contact with the lovely woman's neck.

The blonde purred, stretching her neck back, allowing him access. Sarah watched in horror as his lips traveled the woman's neck up to make contact with her own ruby colored ones. She felt a stabbing pain shoot through her stomach. Instinctively her one hand flew to her stomach while she covered her mouth with the other.

Tears streamed from her eyes as she turned to run.

Once again, the dancers blocked her way, pushing and shoving her back in towards Jareth. Sarah fell to the floor at the foot of his throne. Her eyes betraying her by looking up at him.

He stared back down at her, his expression still cold and unfeeling. The blonde still stood behind him, leaning on the throne, and him, possessively.

The pain that coursed through Sarah was almost unbearable now, and yet she forced herself to stand. The dancers did not block her now. She reached the outer edge of the bubble and turned looking for something to smash the illusion.

She found nothing.

Sarah pounded her fists against the wall, now knowing there was no escape. She couldn't accept it. She wouldn't accept it. She pounded and pounded until her fists were raw with blood.

Defeated, she slid down the wall until she sat sprawled on the floor. She was exhausted from crying, from running, and trying to escape. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face tearstained. Did he really hate her so?

She did not look up when he finally approached her. She didn't feel him heal her injured hands and dry her tears. She didn't want to…

…but his voice, his voice was impossible to ignore.

"Poor, poor, Sarah." He said in a gentle yet mocking tone. He pulled her into his arms.

At his touch, more tears began to fall, and Sarah wept silently.

Jareth held her in his arms and kissed her forehead gently. "Oh Sarah, I warned you. I can be cruel."

A/N: FYI i will update Fairy Dust for you guys on Saturday. But yeah lemme know whatcha think with this little oneshot. the rambles of a tired mind confused me. Hope you guys do/did have a great Valentines Day. (even if i don't like it for me. )