"It's Not Over"
A Labyrinth Fanfic
Disclaimer: Sadly still, I do not own Jareth or his Labyrinth, nor do I own the song "It's Not Over" by Daughtry, only my own characters.
Summary:Jareth, having found a new love of "mortal music", hears a song that inspires him to go to Sarah to beg for another chance to win her love, a chance that may cost him the throne and his immortality...
((Author's Note 3-31-11 : Yes, i'm finally back...and for real this time. I got a computer and will actually be able to write way more often. I'm just gonna tweak these chapters and then hopefully have the fourth chapter up soon. Thanks for sticking with me!))
Chapter 1
"What the bloody hell is that…thing?"
Jareth stared at the shiny little object in Hoggle's hand. It had a square shape, with what seemed to be strings that had little buds on the ends. Part of the object was lit, a small square in the middle of it, and it flashed mortal English words on it. Hoggle gave it to the Goblin King, who poked and prodded at t.
"Me thinks she called it an 'Em-pee-three', your majesty. It's 'possed to play mortal music," he replied.
"How so?" Jareth asked.
"The girl pushed the little button there and put those little bud things in your ear, and it plays the music," Hoggle said, then under his breath, "Simple enough even for an airhead like you."
"What was that, Hogshead?"
"Nothin', sire. I'll be takin' me leave now," Hoggle said, bowing so deep that his nose nearly touched the ground.
"You do that," Jareth said, putting the ear buds in his ear. He pushed the little button and immediately pulled the ear buds out.
"Mortals call that screaming music?" he said in disbelief.
"You'd be surprised what is considered music up there, my dear brother," a sultry voice from the doorway said.
"And what brings you here, Raina?" Jareth said to the woman, looking up from the little em-pee-three music maker to his half-sister.
"Can I not simply some to see my darling younger brother?" she asked so innocently, but it didn't fool Jareth.
"No…but I guess it's a blessing that your actually somewhat clothed," he commented, looking at the nearly sheer silk dress that left little to the imagination of the lacy undergarments she was wearing underneath. Raina just laughed and tossed her long silvery hair over her shoulder, walking towards Jareth with much swaying of her hips.
"Jealous?"
"Of what?"
"That you don't have a woman that looks as good as your sister," she said, conjuring a seat that she lounged across, the slit of her dress revealing a well toned thigh. There were men in the court that battled openly for her affection, and rumors flew that she slept with many of them. Raina neither admitted nor denied such rumors, and continued her Siren ways. It made Jareth secretly glad that she was only his half sister.
"The common street walker has more class than you, but that is well beyond the point. Do you know how to work this contraption?" he asked before she could comment on his insult.
She showed him how to use the music player, with much flaunting of her 'assets', then left the throne room, off-handedly commenting that she would tell their father that he sent his greetings. Jareth rolled his eyes, knowing their father, the King of the Fey, would not admit her entrance into his court dressed as she was, so he would have to send his own greetings.
Focusing his attention back to the little music player, which he named "Zen" since that was the name on the back of it, he went through the endless songs that were on it. There a few he couldn't stand to hear, and some that were too slow for his liking. But there was one that caught his attention, one that reminded him of his mortal, for it mirrored his own feelings after all this time…
I was blown away.
What could I say?
It all seemed to make sense.
You've taken away everything,
And I can't deal with that.
I try to see the good in life,
But good things in life are hard to find.
We'll blow it away, blow it away.
Can we make this something good?
Well, I'll try to do it right this time around.
Let's start over.
I'll try to do it right this time around.
It's not over.
'Cause a part of me is dead and in the ground.
This love is killing me,
But you're the only one.
It's not over.
Taken all I could take,
And I cannot wait.
We're wasting too much time
Being strong, holding on.
Can't let it bring us down.
My life with you means everything,
So I won't give up that easily.
I'll blow it away, blow it away.
Can we make this something good?
'Cause it's all misunderstood.
Well, I'll try to do it right this time around.
Let's start over.
I'll try to do it right this time around.
It's not over.
'Cause a part of me is dead and in the ground.
This love is killing me,
But you're the only one.
It's not over.
We can't let this get away.
Let it out, let it out.
Don't get caught up in yourself.
Let it out.
Let's start over.
I'll try to do it right this time around.
It's not over.
'Cause a part of me is dead and in the ground.
This love is killing me,
But you're the only one.
It's not over.
Let's start over.
It's not over, yeah...
This love is killing me,
But you're the only one.
It's not over.
Jareth sat there and thought about the lyrics as the song ended. He couldn't deny the truth within the words, couldn't deny his feelings. He still loved Sarah, as much now as he did when he first laid eyes on her. But what could he do? Did she think of him? Did she loathe him or love him? He wished for the lather, but had no way to know…wait a minute, he was the Goblin King. Why not just conjure her image in a crystal? Jareth shook his head, almost forgetting himself. He then summoned a crystal and willed it to show him Sarah.
She had her back turned to him as her form appeared from the foggy mists of the crystal. The mists cleared and Jareth saw that she was standing at the sink in a kitchen, washing dishes. He looked at the scene carefully, looking for tell-tale signs of what had happened in her life since their last encounter all those years ago. The kitchen was plain, save for some very colorful yet very crude paintings on the refrigerator door. Any other decorations were scarce, and as he watched her finish up the few dishes in the sink, he waited for her to turn around. As if on cue, she did so, and Jareth was taken away by her beauty as he was the first time her saw his dear mortal. Her eyes were still the mischevous emerald color that he admired so much, and when she took down her hair from the bun she had it in, he saw that her dark full hair was as long as ever. Sarah had lost all of her baby fat, and Jareth could clearly see how much of a woman she had truly became. He had a sudden urge to see her again, and acting on that urge, transported himself to the Aboveground.
He appeared in her living room, where the T.V. was still on, and for a few minutes he watched as mortals guessed the pharse that was half lit on a large wall. He didn't hear the footsteps behind him, or he would've stopped Sarah from swinging a cast iron skillet at his temple, effectively knocking him unconcious.
Sarah watched as the stranger dropped to the floor heavily, then she turned on the lights to see them better. The outlandish clothes seemed a bit odd, and triggered a memory that she caught for a second before it flew from her mind. She touched the fabric of the cape that was around the stranger's shoulders, trying desperately to remember where she had last seen such a beautiful material. As the memory slowly floated to the surface, she turned the stranger over, shooting back towards the wall behind her as she recongized his face.
"Jareth," she whispered to herself...
Jareth awoke with a steadly throbbing pain in his right temple. As he brought his hand up to touch his temple, a small feminine hand grabbed his and gently pushed back down.
"Sorry about that, Jareth. I didn't know who you were..." Sarah said, her voice full of concern.
"It's not the first time I've been knocked unconcious, and it probably won't be the last," he said groggly, trying to sit up, but Sarah wouldn't let him.
"Wait, let me get some ice for that. Gaia, bring mommy some ice in a bag, okay?" she called out.
"Okay, mommy!" said a cheery little voice. Jareth eyes opened wide in confusion.
"Mommy?" he said in disbelief.
"A lot has happened since I ran your Labyrinth, Jareth," she said.
"Indeed," he replied, watching as a little 5 year old girl with a mop of dark ebony curls on her head and bright blueish-green eyes came to Sarah with a small plastic bag full of ice.
"Is this good, mommy?" she asked, holding it up to Sarah. Sarah smiled and nodded.
"Yes it is, sweetie. Now go to the kitchen and wait for Mommy. Okay?" Sarah said to the little girl that resembled her so much.
"Okay," she said, and she skipped to the kitchen in her pajamas.
Sarah wraped the bag of ice in a towel an handed it to Jareth, saying, "Here you go, for your head."
"Thank you," he said, accepting it and placing it on his temple.
"You're welcome," Sarah said, secretly surprised at the attitude of the Goblin King. It had been a long time since she had last seen him, and she had all but forgotten Jareth. She got up from the couch.
"I'll be right back, I have to put Gaia to bed," she said.
Jareth nodded, closing his eyes as she left the living room. He listened to her foot steps as they went to the kitchen, and as they came back and went down the hall. Sarah and her daughter's voices carried down the hall.
"Mommy, can I have a bedtime story?" Gaia asked.
"Which one would you like, sweetie?" Sarah asked.
"The Lab...Laby..." Gaia struggled.
"The Labyrinth?" Sarah asked.
"Uh-huh, that one. I wanna hear about the princess and the King and the goblins..."she started, and Sarah laughed.
"Okay, sweetheart. I'll tell you about the Labyrinth, and then you go to bed. Deal?"
"Deal!" Gaia said.
Jareth listened as Sarah told her daughter about the Labyrinth. He didn't know that he was seen as such a dashingly handsome villian, and he was proud of it. He listen as she told Gaia about the Labyrinth's creatures, her friends, and the King himself. Near the end of the story, he got up from the couch and quietly made his way down the hall to the open bedroom door, standing in the doorway as she finished the story, tucking little Gaia into bed.
"Mommy?" Gaia asked sleepily.
"Yes?"
"Did the princess ever see the King again? Did they have a happily ever after?" she said, yawning.
"I'm not sure...I'll find out for you, okay? Now time for sleep," she replied after a moment, "Sweet dreams, Gaia. I love you."
"I love you, too, Mommy. Night-Night," she said, curling into a ball and hugging what looked like stuffed toy version of Sir Didymus in his younger years. Jareth smiled, and quietly moved to allow Sarah to close the door softly, following her down the hall.
"That was a good story," he commented as they went through the living room, and into the kitchen.
"It's her favorite," Sarah said, her back turned to the Goblin King as she reached into the cabinet for two mugs. They were just out of her reach on the top shelf, and as she streached to reach them, Jareth came up behind her to grab them, putting their bodies close enough together so that she could smell the scent of his skin, like pine needles and fresh leather. He didn't fail to notice this either, smelling the fading scent of the perfume she wore earlier, a swirling scent of lavender and vanilla. He turned to hand her the mugs, his face barely inches from hers. There was an akward pause as they looked into each others eyes, then they both remembered where they were and backed off from each other.
"Here," he said.
"Thanks," she replied, "Would you like coffee or hot chocolate?"
"Hot chocolate would be fine, thank you," he said, watching Sarah as she moved about the kitchen. Thoughts and questioned whirled around his head until he finally picked one.
"So, how have things been with you, Sarah?"
She sighed, and placed one of the steaming cups of hot chocolate in front of Jareth. "It's a long story...you sure you want to know?"
"Whatever you would like, Sarah. I have all the time in the world, my dear," He said, taking in her beauty agiain.
"I would know. Let's go to the living room so we can be comfortable, then I'll start," she said, picking up her cup and walking to the living room, Jareth following suite. They made themselves comfortable and Sarah began.
"Everything was going well at first...Irene and I were actually getting along, I had just graduated from college, and I was about to start a part-time job at my grandmother's flower shop. My boyfriend at the time and I were even planning to move in together...then Gaberiel came along."
Sarah paused for a moment, and Jareth asked, "Gaberiel?"
"Yeah, Gaberiel. We were introduced to each other by a friend of mine named Akira. She said he was a handsome guy, a real gentleman, and not that bad in bed either, according to himself. She said I should meet him and see if we click. At first I said no, and told her that I was already with someone. She said that what what he didn't know won't hurt him, and after several weeks of her mentioning him to me, I finally gave in and said I'd meet him. That's when things went downhill..."
"How so?" Jareth asked, taking another sip of his drink.
"Gaberiel and I really did click, and slowly I started falling out of love with my boyfriend and in love with him. He was everything that Akira said he was, and more. It was getting harder and harder to date both of them at the same time. So I made the decision to let go of my boyfriend and stay with Gaberiel. At first it was everything I could dream of, and we even started making plans to get married. Until I started having morning sickness."
"I first though it was just a cold or somthing, you know, nothing to worry about. My grandmother, however, insisted that I go see a doctor. That's when I found out that I was carrying Gaia. I was stunned, and for the first week after the doctor visit, I didn't say anything to anyone. After that I figured that I could hide it for a while, at least until I got into my own place. But somehow Gaberiel found out, and when I got home one afternoon...He was waiting for me."
Sarah paused here, the memory taking over her. Jareth watched the changes in her face for a minute, then asked, "What happened, Sarah?"
Sarah looked to him with pain in her eyes, and took a deep breath in a vain attempt to control the tears that were getting ready to stream down her face. It didn't work and she started sobbing uncontrobably, turning away from Jareth. Jareth sat down his cup and reached for her, pulling Sarah into his arms. She sobbed againstt his chest, and using his magick Jareth took the memory and relived it through Sarah's eyes.
"Gaberiel, what are you doing here?" Sarah asked as she approached the porch. She glanced at the other car in the driveway, seeing one of Gaberiel's friends waiting in the drivers seat. When she was within arms reah, Gaberiel grabbed her roughly, practically dragging her into the empty house. When they were in, he pushed her to the ground hard, staring down at her with hatred in his eyes.
"So, who did you fuck, huh? Who got you pregnant, you cheating bitch?" he said, kicking at her back. Sarah scrambled to get away from him, but he was too quick for her. He picked her up and punched her in the face, busting her nose and sending blood everywhere. Sarah kept clutching her stomach, trying to shield her unborn child from the fury of his attacks. He kept going and going, until someone burst through the door, grabbing him.
"Fuck this shit, man. The cops are coming...one of the neightbors must've heard something. Come on!" the driver of the car said, dragging Gaberiel through the front door, leaving a crying and bloody Sarah on the floor. She heard screeching tires an sirens as she crawled towards the door, which burst open as a group of cops ran in, guns drawn. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was grabbing a paramedic and saying, "My baby..."
Jareth pulled himself away from the memory, tears ready to fall down his own face. How could someone do that to Sarah, beat her like that while she was with child? He felt a buring hatred for this "Gaberiel" as he looked down at Sarah, who cried herself to sleep. He gently gathered her completely into his arms, then picked her up and walked down the hall to her room.
Jareth laid her down on the soft quilted sheets, covering her up. As he watched the sleeping woman, there was a little knock on the door. Jareth turned to see Gaia there, her Sir Didymus toy trailing on the floor.
"I had a bad dream," she said, not showing any sign of fear towards Jareth. "Just like her mother," Jareth thought.
"Come here, little one. I'll lay you down next to your mommy, okay?" he said.
"Okay..."she said, and she lifted her arms to him and he picked her up and laid her down next to Sarah. Gaia snuggled next to Sarah as he covered her up.
"Hey, mister...Are you the Goblin King?" she asked.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Cause you look like the pictures Mommy drew, and she said they were the Goblin King," she said.
"How about you go to sleep, and I'll tell you tomorrow?" he said.
"Pinky promise you won't leave? There are monster's in the closet and they want to eat me," she said, holding out her small pinky finger. Jareth chuckled and curled his pinky around Gaia's little one.
"Promise," he said, "Night-night, little one," he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead.
"Night-night, mister. Give Mommy a kiss so she will have sweet dreams too," Gaia said as she fell asleep. Jareth smiled as he placed a kiss on Sarah's forehead.
"Good night, my love," he whispered. Jareth then left the room and went down the hall to the living room, where he summoned a soft blanket and made himself comortable on the sofa. Then, after casting a spell of protection over the home, he laid back and fell asleep, the last thought being of Sarah and himself dancing...
