Shattered
Chapter One:13
Karen was unhappy about Sarah having no real S.O. At 29. Especially with six month old twins. What was Sarah to do? She had only ever felt alive with one man. No other man could make her heart beat that fast. Sarah had just stopped working for Target. She lived in an one bedroom apt with her cat, Lillith, and two babies. Their father was not in this realm.
Jareth probably not believe her if she was able to talk to him. Hoggle was now Jareth's chamberlain. Ludo and Didymus ran the Goblin army. So they had little time to talk. It seemed the only person/thing that wanted to talk to her was the labyrinth. Man was it angry with her.
Thirteen years. Thirteen attempts at a real life. Yet it was the labyrinth that fought to keep her to itself. Twelve break ups to be followed by eleven dream visits from its master or so Sarah thought. Until one month after the shower she found she was pregnant.
The eleventh man had never even been naked with Sarah before the violence started. Maybe that was why it start. As always she fought back. In the shower that night Sarah cried before Jareth came. At this point she had given up on her rule of no glove no love when it came to the Goblin King. It was all a dream anyway. He never stayed to talk to her afterward. That was the happiest mistake she had ever made. She wouldn't have gotten the only joy in her life.
One girl, Julianna Labby, blonde with green eyes, and a boy, Jared Lee, raven hair with mismatched eyes, slept in the same crib. Though they could not be a part for long they needed to be close to their mother. That was when the soft knock pulled her away from them. Through the peep hole Sarah saw the lilies. Attempt thirteen stood at the door. Before the twins were born Sarah had gone to a birthing class. Toby thought he could be Sarah's partner until he saw the video his father had shot of his own birth. Sarah was fine being alone. The coach asked her brother to join them upon seeing her alone.
Sam had been sweet at the classes and after. Taking Sarah for supper for her whole last trimester. She had been with him when her water broke. Now he was at her door. Sarah had not thought that he would stick around but here he was with flowers. Calla Lilies. Opening the door to Sam was the hardest thing she had ever done but life after Jareth had to continue. No matter how much she loved the father of her twins.
"I thought that you might want something pretty to go with the pretty glow that you have now." He whispered. Sarah smiled. All the other attempts began with sweet words. Sam had the same blonde hair all the others had. This time with green eyes like her own. With a smile that would not quit. Unlike all the others this one was not thrown off at the idea of children. Sam seemed to revel in the idea he was in some small part a father. If only as a birthing partner.
"Thank you, Sam." He kissed her cheek as he entered.
"Are they sleeping?"
"Yeah. I had to read to them to get them a sleep." Sam's smile turned wider seeing them asleep. "Watch out for the book when you sit." She said from the kitchen. Sam picked up the little red novel simply entitled The Labyrinth. No author's name. No publishing date. A small inscription from a mother to a daughter. "Do you want something to drink?"
Sam stared up at the woman in shorts and an over size tee. Brown waves cascaded down her back. Emeralds shone back at him though slightly dulled from the lack of sleep. "I could drink you right up."
"Sam." She warned. He chuckled as her slight annoyance. She was gorgeous in any mood.
"Just sit. I will get myself something if I want anything." Sarah sat down next to him. "So what is this about?" He felt her stiffen. "Sarah?"
"A stupid girl, a little brother, and a dumb ass man that doesn't get how to play fair." Sam laughed a little louder listening to her rant about the book. It seem like she thought that it was real to her. Sam's inner smile turned mischievous. Sarah would never know what hit her. Until she was too tired to fight him.
"Lay down, I will read it to you."
"No. I will sleep but please don't read it out loud." She laid her head on his lap. "It too heart breaking to hear it out loud." Sam bent to kiss her cheek. She really did love the Goblin King. Elixbeth was right. This will be fun.
"Okay you just sleep. I will read it silently." Sam said softly. Sarah sighed falling into a dream of the labyrinth. As always she was running the first long corridor. Stopping to feel the walls for the next turn. Weaving right and left until she stood at the doors of the city. On the other side of the door he stood as always calling to her.
"Love me do as I say and I will be your slave." Jareth said to her.
"No, don't Sarah. What about me? What about the twins?" Sam was now behind her holding two bundles. This was new to Sarah. Never had any of the other eleven made it here. Something was different about Sam.
"I am offering you your dreams." Jareth offered her the crystal orb.
"I am offering you your future." Sam replied. Jareth growled at the man. "I will take care of you and the kids. I don't care that they are not mine. I will be happy with you three in my life."
Jareth came closer. It was like they knew one another. Two best friends that were in love with the same woman. Sarah had seen the unspoken words fly as they glared at each other. "Stop!" She screamed. "Jareth, he is willing to be with me. Sam, they are his twins. You can't make me pick. I love you both. I love my babies more." Jareth threw the crystal up. Sam threw the blue bundle to the ground.
Sarah snapped awake to see Sam reading over the twins. "I wish the Goblin King would come take you two and your mommy away right now." He said playfully. Sarah felt her heart break as the lights were cut. "What the hell?"
"He is coming." She whispered. Part of her screamed for joy. The other cried in fear.
"I will check the breakers. Stay with them." Sam tried to kiss Sarah's forehead but she pulled away. "Sarah." She ran to the twins the second she saw the barn owl sitting on her window sill. "An owl?"
"You said the words. My words." Fear won out. Then joy for the possible card she held waiting for the owl to become the man.
"Sarah." His voice still stole her soul despite that it had been a year since she had last really heard it. "It is time, dear heart."
"Who the fuck are you?" Sam stood between Sarah and the Goblin King. Sarah watched Jareth scowl just as he had done in the dream.
"Jareth." Sam saw the king smirk. "He said MY words which means that you can't take us."
"I am fully aware what was said by whom. It was still said. You of all people should know the rules, Champion." Sarah blinked. Jareth had never called her that. Her friends teased her with the title. The way Jareth said seemed full of anger. That moment Sarah felt defeated.
"Wait. What?" Sam looked back at Sarah. She gripped his shirt.
"Sarah was wished away by you." Jareth stood up stiffer.
"I was joking with the twins." Sam stayed defiant. Fists in balls just as she had. "I will not her or her children go."
"Then find your family." They all blinked to see that they were on the hill over the labyrinth. In the thirteen years she had never wanted to ever to see this hill again. This time it was green. The tree in full bloom. Sarah saw it as a peach tree. Her son tried to reach one of the low hanging fruit. "You, like Sarah, will have thirteen hours to save them. If you fail she is mine." Sam glared. "If you win you may have a chance to win her heart back."
"Jareth." Sarah warned.
"I am playing fairly love." She sighed. Now he was. "The labyrinth may not." If looks could kill Jareth could have won right there and then. "You know how it feels about your men." Sarah growled. "And really, it knows about you and Elixbeth." Jareth suddenly rose and eye brow.
"It is okay, Sarah." Sam smiled. "What did you say when you have to get moving?"
"Come on feet." Sarah smiled back at him. Wishing Sam luck. There were too many things that Sarah was not willing to say to Jareth yet that she might have too. The longer she was here the more likely the chance.
"Wait for me, love." Jareth glared harder. Sam clenched his fists tighter. "Be warned Jareth. Whatever history you have with my love I will be the one that marries the girl of our dreams."
"Sam?"
"Just wait for me. Keep the twins safe. I will come for you for sure."
Sarah blinked and they were in a bedroom with two modern cribs. "Arrogant ass." Sarah put her, not tired, children down. Before turning on the king. She pushed him once as hard as she could. Jareth landed on the baby blue velvet bed. "What are you thinking? Sam is innocent."
"Samuel is hardly innocent. Are you still that naive?" The anger of the king had never been full of venom, even if it was against her other men. "He is not from your realm." Jareth, took advantage of her shock, pulling her on the bed. "Of all the men in your life why was it him Sarah?" Jareth's voice was softer now. His matched eyes close to tears.
"He was there." She said. Jareth collapsed onto her. "He helped me give birth to my babies. At the time I would have asked for any help that I could get. I was alone, scared, wounded and lost." Jareth sat up pulling away from her.
"Had I been there would you have asked me?" Sarah said nothing. "Fine wait here. You will be safe here. No one in the city would dare hurt you." She reached only to get thin air. "I will see that a maid will come help you with the children." He whispered before he left. Sarah ran to the door but it closed. She slid down the wood. Heart screaming for him as the tears created a puddle on the floor.
"They are yours." She whispered. An hour passed to find Sarah bathed. She feed the babies and dressed for supper. The maid, Lilypond, did up Sarah's hair as the twins played with a crystal. Sarah was not surprised to find Lily was great with the twins and they seemed to like the human sized Fae. Sarah knew Lily saw the true in the faces of the twins.
"Miss are they-"
"Don't tell him. It has to come from me." She nodded. "Jules is allergic to-" Sarah started but then realized why her daughter was allergic to certain metals. "Steel of any kind." The girl smiled.
"Not a problem miss. I have one about this age as well. Since the king has asked me to help you maybe I will have my husband bring my son. They might want someone to play with." Sarah thanked the girl. "Now go."
Sarah seemed to know the castle like the back of her hand though it was only the throne room she remembered. Some how she made it to the personal dinning room of the king. With him another couple. Similar blonde hair on the woman but Jareth's eyes were in the man. Were these his parents. All three wore fine silks, jewels that shone brightly, with smiles that could blind the sun. "Sarah?"
"Majesty." She curtsied in her green cotton gown.
"What are you wearing?" Sarah looked down to the finely embroidered cotton gown. It had been the only one that seem light and comfortable in the Goblin kingdom summer heat.
"Jareth be nice to her. She doesn't know about these things. Woman don't wear dresses like this any more." The woman said taking Sarah to another room. "I am sorry my child. My son can be rather dense." This room seemed to be a bed room. It smelled of him. Lilacs and the ocean. Odd smells since Sarah had never even seen water in the kingdom.
"I am sorry. I am not sure what is happening." The woman opened a wardrobe that lay on the left side of the four post bed. It was filled with dresses.
"Your maid let you leave in an under dress." It was too pretty for a slip. "That is made to put under a winter velvet gown. I gather that you wanted something lighter to wear." The silk and lace gown was more gorgeous than Sarah had ever seen in any magazine. Plus frankly it was something that she didn't think that she would fit either. "This will do. Jareth will be thrown for a loop." The woman winked.
"I am slightly larger in my chest since my children were born." Why would Jareth have dresses in his closet?
"Dear this is the Fae realm. Even the fabric is enchanted." Sarah undressed. "So how old are your children?"
"Six month."
"Thinking about Jareth and his sister at that age makes me feel your pain. Though Elixbeth," There was that name again. Who was this girl to Sam? "was a hundred years apart from her older brother they were both a handful. You have my respect for holding up this well." Sarah slid the dress over her head, careful of her perfect hair, letting it fall to the ground. It fit perfectly over her enlarged chest and hips. The black lace layer flowed into a train. This would make a beautiful wedding dress. Sarah thought.
"The twins get into mischief now that they are starting to show signs of the Fae." Jareth's mother was on the edge of tears when Sarah come out. "I know that Jareth gave me special powers but this is more than that."
"You, my dear girl, will have all the help you need." Sarah smiled at the matron. "I have nothing to do for a decade. I would love to help you with them. If you would allow it."
"I don't know how to use the magic that I have so any help would be appreciated." It was so easy to win over his mother. She had the air home all around her. A feeling of a mother, Sarah had never got to enjoy growing up. "I have to tell your son though. He is angry with me since I took help where I could find it."
"Pish posh hon. Once he sees you in this you will send him to heaven." She dried her eyes. "I have seen the trials of single mothers in your realm. I don't envy you. Especially with my stubborn son."
"Thank you-" Sarah didn't know what to call her other than madam.
"Erza. My name is Erza, dear one. I don't want to hear anything from your lips but that when addressing me."
"Okay Erza." The two women joined the men again. Jareth was talking to his father not facing the door. The open mouthed expression on his father's face made Sarah blush. Jareth turned.
"Is this more to your taste Majesty?" She asked. Jareth dropped his glass of wine as well as his chin. Not something she ever thought she would see. Her heart rose thinking, she a mere human, could floor the great king. Erza joined her husband. "Majesty?"
"Never call me that, Sarah." He said weakly just staring at her. Sarah's face was never going to be the right color ever again. "Say my name Sarah. Not my title. Especially while wearing that dress."
"Okay...Jareth." She didn't see Jareth move over to her. She just looked down at the stone and carpet floor. Suddenly he was there too. Jareth was standing over her. Hand on her chin. "Jareth?"
"You look everything I dreamed you would be." She smiled. "May I kiss the hands of the fairest lady in the room?" Sarah smiled as Erza cleared her throat. "Shut up Mother. I am trying woo her over here." Sarah laughed openly. They may not have been of her century but the scene was something she had seen in movies. "Sarah?"
"One kiss on my hands." Something cracked in his mind. Sarah saw it. What if she had said lips? Jareth took her hands bending over them. Everything she wanted in the world was here in the castle.
"Sire." Sarah pulled from her thought at the sound of metal. "He just passed the helping hands." The mention of Sam made Sarah freeze. What was she doing flirting with the king while her current boyfriend fought his way to the castle for her and her twins?
"Jareth?" The king stoop up straight looking over Sarah again. A smirk forming on his face. "Do you have a runner dear?"
"Not just any runner. The bane of my soul." Then the king was gone.
"What is going on?" Erza came to Sarah's side. She was now crying.
"I am a wished away. Me and Jareth's children. The man, my boyfriend, was playing with my kids when he said the words. Now he runs the maze to take us home. Jareth keeps talking like he knows Sam but I can't see how. Jareth hasn't been in my life since we conceived the twins."
"I am a grandfather?"
"Jellal!" Erza snapped. "Do something productive and get your daughter here now." The man smiled. "Now that he knows Jellal might let it slip. It is better that he is looking for Elixbeth." Erza sat Sarah at the table. "What do you know of this Sam?"
"He is the oldest son of the Blake Family. His mother is on her second marriage. His sister is a birthing coach. That was how I met him. We became friends. After the twins were born it became something more but not as much as Jareth and I are. It is like they are balancing each other. Sam is there helping me every day. I can feel Jareth's love through the veil. But he is here. Sam is there."
"Have you called Jareth?"
"While I was in labor but he never came to me." Erza held Sarah there as she cried. Until her son strode through the doors again.
"You are tormenting Sarah, while Samuel runs the maze." Erza snapped.
"Her Samuel." Erza tapped her foot. "Mother, it is not who you think."
"He means something to Sarah-"
"He said the words. The Labyrinth demands that he runs. You know the rules." Erza turned her back to her son. Sarah was sure that the woman winked at her. "I have sent for Elixbeth so that she can explain to Sarah who she is really sleeping with."
"I have never slept with Sam!" Sarah stood up. "Not after-" Jareth was glaring. "How could a man, that gave me a run for my money, and has lived for hundreds of years longer be so stupid?" Jareth softened his expression. "The last time I slept with a man was with you you fucking ass hole. Just because he is nice to me and loves to help me with your children doesn't mean that he wants in my bed." She was so angry at him.
"Me? Mine?" Sarah walked over to him. "Your twins are mine?"
"My God he can be taught." Sarah held her hands at her sides. "I called you before I gave birth. I wanted you there but you ignored me. I didn't feel any pain giving them life but I did cry because I felt abandoned by the man that has been telling me half my life he loved me. That was worse than all 11 ass holes before you or Sam. If it turns out that Sam is Fae all the better. He can teach our children how to deal with their magic." Jareth felt her dress pass him but she he went to reach for her she was gone.
"I don't think that is how she wanted to tell you." Erza stated. Jareth fell to his knees.
"She is gone for good this time." Sarah had appeared before him everything he had ever dreamed she would be in the dress he wanted her so badly to wear. Despite her angry tone she had given him another dream. Their children. Fae have issues having children that is why they steal them but Sarah had given him two. However she hated him. She rejected him and it was all his fault. If only he had gone to her when she called.
"I don't think that you lost her, Baby."
"No, I have. She has never been this angry with me and I deserve it."
"I will talk to her when Elixbeth gets here. When the twins were born you were in the middle of a battle with Titan. If you tell her that she might forgive you." No it would just be an excuse to her.
"You don't know her. At fifteen she rejected me. At sixteen she was date raped and I was sent from her hospital room because I wasn't real. All her breakups have been because of me and every time I tried to console her she sends me away. I have no power over her. She just doesn't realize that those rules still apply."
"Not every time. She conceived. You know what that means." Erza pulled her son to his feet. "She is here. Sarah must want to be here. Something understands."
"I don't think that she sees herself as my other half." Jareth looked up at his mother. "Did you have to put her in her wedding dress?"
"Was that what it was?" Erza played innocent. "I just knew that it was gorgeous. I had hoped she would knock your socks off."
"There is a reason that it is in my room not hers."
"If everything falls apart as least you got to see her in it." That didn't help. Jareth let the tears fall on to the Persian rug. "Trust your mother Jareth. You will get to see her in that dress again. Next time it will be on the way to the alter."