Ahh, well I found this in my archives, have no idea where I was going with it, but I love it so let me know if you want more and any ideas you have are well appreciated! I love reviews!

The crisp autumn air turned her breath into a cloud as Sarah wandered empty streets in her neighborhood. She brooded as the chill crept into her from the damp air. Clouds hung in the sky and a mist glistened on everything in sight. She couldn't quite define her feelings only that nothing felt right. She couldn't bring herself to care. Feeling numbness creep into her fingers and nose, she headed back to her house, feeling no more at ease than when she had begun her walk an hour earlier. A whoosh of warm air greeted her when she pushed open her front door. On the couch in the living room, her father and Karen sat curled up together under a fleece throw, watching a news channel. "Hey, dad, Karen, I'm home."

The television screen turned black with a ringing click and both turned to face Sarah with serious faces. Sarah's defensive walls slammed up and she warily eyed them. "Sarah, I'd like to talk to you." Her father stated simply. His tone didn't sound aggressive or upset in the least and Sarah's curiosity began to wonder where this might head. "Would you sit down for a moment?"

Karen stood and relinquished her half of the burgundy fleece to her husband as Sarah moved to sit across from her father. "I'll go busy myself in the kitchen." Richard nodded to her in thanks. He'd told her already that he'd need some time alone with his daughter.

Sarah watched Karen get up and wondered what her dad needed to talk to her about alone. She couldn't think of anything. After all, Karen had quite taken over as the disciplinarian in the household. She turned her full attention to her father.

Richard let out a heavy breath. "Sarah, you're growing into a fine young woman."

"Dad, I've had the sex, talk thanks" Sarah cut in briefly, hoping to spare herself an embarrassing moment with her father.

Richard laughed a bit nervously. "That's lovely to know, but that's not where I was headed, sweetheart."

Sarah blushed momentarily, reprimanding herself for jumping to conclusions. She listened intently as her father bumbled on. He seemed to have an idea of what he wanted to say but just couldn't quite find the right way to say it.

"Sarah, you're everything I could have dreamed of you to be and I love you very much. I know I haven't been the best father and throwing Karen at you out of the blue was not one of our grandest moments, but we have been able to make a fine family together."

Sarah felt that he was stalling until he could find the courage to say what he needed to say. He focused on his hands and hadn't really looked at her face. She didn't like the tension hanging in the air and decided not to let her father stall any longer. "I know you love me, daddy, and whatever this is about, just tell me straight up."

Richard met his daughter's eyes and saw the sincerity there and strength. He knew she liked to face her issues rather than skirt them. He nodded resolutely. "Your grandparents have invited you to live with them for a while."

Sarah sat back in shock. She barely knew her grandparents. She remembered bits and pieces from when she was very little. Her mother always stayed behind when she and her dad went to visit his parents. Her memories were broken though and seemed more imagined than real. She figured they were responsible for her wild fantasies. Her costumes were all sewn by her grandmother and sent in packages for holidays. Her grandfather sent her books. Strangely, Sarah only knew her grandparents through their sporadic gifts. She hadn't seen either of her father's parents in over a dozen years. So why now, after so long, would they send for her, and her alone. She asked as much of her father.

"Well, Sarah," Richard began, twisting the blanket in his hands, "they feel it is time you got to know the family. I'm not a very good father you see, because I've been terribly selfish with you and your upbringing. My family has a rich history and many wonderful traditions. Once family members reach a certain age, however, certain things become expected of them. I wanted to spare you the responsibilities that my family might press upon you, at least until you were old enough to decide weather or not you wanted these obligations thrust upon you. My parents stand as your sponsors in the family and they have been kind to let me keep you so long, but they feel that it is long since due you learn our customs. I would like you to grow into yourself more on your own, but if you decide your life before you meet everyone and know the truth of us all, I think you might end up more devastated than anything. I won't force you to go, but know that if you don't go there, they will come here."

Sarah sat in silence, trying to make sense of her father's explanation. He danced around some secret like politicians danced around media interrogations. She realized that whatever family secret her father had kept from her, he'd try to keep from Toby as well. She couldn't let her grandparents come and teach her with Toby around. Why did her grandparents have to teach her at all? "Why don't you show me all these family traditions yourself?" Sarah asked.

Richard nearly choked. He knew he should have expected that question but for some reason he hadn't. "Well, Sarah, um…certain…traditions are handed down only to the men or women. Also, it's the sponsor's job to explain all this to you. Some things a parent can't teach properly. You'll see soon enough."

Sarah wondered what sort of things a parent would be unable to teach their child. She had so many questions and so many strange feelings about this. "Dad, what aren't you telling me about all this? It seems fishy to me. Why aren't you telling me just what grandma and grandpa are supposed to teach me?"

Richard sighed. He didn't want to tell her like this and then send her off, but it seemed he would have little choice in the matter. It would be unfair to send her to the lion's den unprepared. "Sarah, my family carries a secret of blood. I can't explain it very well to you, and it's a lot to take in. I won't just send you to your grandparents alone. Karen and I are both going with you. Karen's sister is going to keep Toby while we are all gone. Karen isn't blood so she doesn't have to know as much as you and I. She already knows what she needs to. I know you'll do wonderfully with them, Sarah. I've seen so many signs in you. You carry our gift strongly in your blood."

Sarah barely heard her father continue. Her heart raced within her chest. Her father sounded like he was talking about something Sarah had experienced before. Something she feared enormously. Quietly, she asked her father, "Are you talking about…your family…this gift in our blood…" She couldn't string the sentence together. Her father saw her pallor and moved to hug her. The warmth brought her a small measure of comfort, enough to say the word. "magic?"

Her father blinked in surprise. "Sarah?"

"Once in a dream" She whispered, recalling the horrid night she'd spent in a magical realm of violence and warped mind games.

Somehow those words confirmed his fear, that he hadn't protected his daughter as he'd hoped to. Her father swallowed, the revelation a deep one. "Tell me what happened?"

A tear rolled down Sarah's face. "I didn't think it would be real." She choked on a sob, the memory surfacing too real for her to keep her emotions in check. Everything flooded her mind at once. It had been a dream, or so she'd though upon waking in her bed. Now with the memory burning so brightly to her, she knew it wasn't. She'd actually walked the Labyrinth nearly a month ago. Her father hugged her tightly. He knew something had troubled his daughter for a while. He didn't know it had to do with her heritage. His parents had known, though, or they wouldn't have sent for her. "Sarah, tell me what happened. I have to know."

Sarah forced herself to calm enough to tell her father her story. "I was upset with Toby. I had been acting out the play in the last book grandpa sent me and I was still caught up in the imagining of it all. I…I wished him away. I wished the goblins would take Toby. I didn't mean it, but they took him!"

Richard forced his heart to calm. Goblins…this story could go one of two ways. She might have struck a deal with the goblins, an easy feat as goblins rather enjoyed shiny things. He had a sinking feeling her story turned down a different path, a very dangerous path in the shape of an unconquerable maze. He let Sarah continue, holding her tightly to him.

"I wanted him back…I remembered the book. The goblin king would make a deal so I called him. He came, he gave me the chance to get Toby back and I took it. The Labyrinth." Sarah shuddered and trailed off.

Her father let the silence go for a bit then it hit him. He shouldn't be holding Sarah at that moment. Both Toby and Sarah should be lost to him. The Labyrinth did not let a person leave its walls once they trespassed. Not without exacting a heavy price. "Sarah…how did you get Toby back?"

Sarah recounted her journey through the maze, and the friends she met there. Then she reached the castle and she noticed the tenseness in her father. She continued, carefully gauging her father's reactions. "and my kingdom is as great as yours! I remembered the words just in time! I saw the king turn into an owl and then everything went black. When I woke up, everything was normal again." Richard's face had gone stark white.

Karen walked in with a tray of warm milk and honey. She noticed her husband's worried face. "Is everything alright?"

"Karen, would you be able to take Toby to your sister's tonight?" Richard asked, carefully controlling his voice. "I have to take to Sarah to my parent's house right away."

Sarah looked from her father to her step mother, trying to read the looks rapidly flashing across their eyes. Karen nodded a second later. "Of course, Richard. I understand." She turned and went upstairs without another word.

Richard turned to his daughter. "Sarah, grab your coat and wait for me in the car. I'm going to call my parents and let them know we're on our way."

Sarah paused and looked at her hands. "I'm sorry. I've caused trouble haven't I?"

Richard looked down at his daughter, realizing that he had worried her. "Sarah, it is not your fault. I fear, however, that my keeping you from the family has put you in great danger. I didn't expect you to be able to innately use your legacy without any sort of training or knowledge of it. I do not know what to make of this, only that the Labyrinth and the Goblin King are both terribly dangerous. I want to be sure you're safe. You will be at my parents' home."

Sarah nodded and moved to grab her coat as her father called her grandparents. Merlin padded over to her and suddenly offered his affections. She gladly accepted them. Her father caught sight of the pet and interrupted his phone conversation to tell her to bring the dog along as no one else would be around to care for him. Sarah smiled gratefully and leashed the dog. Moments later they were on the road to her grandparents' estate.

Well what's in store for Sarah now?!! I have some ideas to go with this, but its not stuck to any specific plot line which means I'll likely finish with a phenomenal story! Lemme know what you think!