Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Labyrinth.
A/N: This is a product of Insomnia, writer's block for what I'm supposed to be writing, and an idea that wouldn't leave me alone. Like I said, it is a product of Insomnia, so please ignore what I'm sure are a lot of mistakes. I wrote it all in the dead of night. I hope you like it though.
Choices Made
The dreary weather outside matched the dreary atmosphere inside the dreary hospital room. On the bed, were two siblings, the Williams kids. The oldest, Sarah, was the patient. She had once been a beauty. Her soft skin had been a beautiful complexion. Her eyes had been so beautiful and cheerful you could get lost in them. Her raven hair was once long and soft. Now, though, she looked completely different. She was deathly pale, and maybe even a little yellow. She was too skinny from being unable to keep anything down. She lost her hair to the battle for her life, to chemo. And her eyes held so much pain, it hurt to even look in them. In her arms, she held her seven year old brother, Toby. He was a heartbreaker even at such a young age with the cutest haircut for his blonde hair and his big blue eyes.
At the moment, though, those eyes were filled with tears as he stared up at his big sister. "Sarah, please."
She looked down at him with sorrow as she denied his request. "No, Toby."
"But I don't want to lose you," he said, crying harder.
"You won't lose me. I'll always be with you, here," she weakly moved her hand up to his head before moving it to his chest. "And here."
"But I want you here, not just in my memories."
"I'm sorry, Toby."
He scrambled up further on the bed to be eye level. "He loves you. I know he does. If you would just call him, I'm sure he would…"
Sarah stopped him before he could even finish the thought. "No, Toby. I made my choice five years ago. I must deal with the consequences."
"But you're dying," he said, his eyes begging.
Sarah sighed. She knew this was tough for beloved little brother, but he had to understand. She couldn't call on him. "I know, but it wouldn't be fair for him. He would never be able to know if I called him because I love him or if it was because I was afraid to die. He would live forever with that on his shoulders. I can't do that to him, Toby."
"But you do love him."
"That's not the point. How would he know for sure?"
"I could tell him for you," he offered hopefully. "I could tell him all about the stories you used to tell me. Those would be more than enough proof that you love him."
She hugged him as best she could. "Oh, Toby, I'm afraid that just wouldn't be enough."
"But…"
"No, Toby, enough. This is just the way things have to be okay. We don't get a choice in this. It must just be my time." She smiled sadly at him. She reached over to the nightstand beside her. "I need you to do me a favor. When I'm gone, I need you to summon them. Best to summon him last. I need you to give them these letters for me."
Toby shook his head and pushed them back towards her. "No, You can give those to them yourself and maybe save your life."
"Toby, please," she pleaded. She hated to beg, but she really wanted them to get the letters. "I really need you to do this for me. Please."
He looked into his sister's eyes. They were desperate. He knew he couldn't let his sister down, not with something this important. He just didn't want to lose her. He sighed, something no seven year old should do. "Fine, Sarah, I'll do it."
She smiled in relief. "Thank you, Toby. I love you."
"I love you, too, sis," he replied, tears starting up again. "You're the best sister anyone could ever ask for, even if you did wish me away when I was little. I'm going to miss you."
Sarah felt tears fill her eyes as well. After all, she didn't want to leave him anymore than he wanted her to. She was just resigned to the fact. "Shh. Remember, I'll always be watching over you," She told him as she pulled him closer to her, to share comfort with him. They stayed in that position until their parents came to take him home after work. They promised to come back the next day. However, it was never to be. Sarah passed away that night in her sleep.
Toby had been inconsolable. He had always been close to her sister, even though she had been sick. She would let him up in the bed with him and read him story after story all day long. When she was able to be out of bed, she made up the best games to play. She wasn't meant to die. She was meant to stay with him, forever. Or maybe, if she had to go away, she would be with the Goblin King. Then it wouldn't really be good bye because she could always contact him like she use to do with her friends. Speaking of which, he had a job to do. Sara had trusted him to do this for her, so he would.
Toby wiped the tears from his eyes. He went up to his room, closed the door, and gathered the letters from the place where he had hid them. He first called on her three friends, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo, just like she suggested he do. He didn't tell them anything. He just hand them the letters and told them they were from Sarah. He gave Ludo's to Sir Didymus since he wasn't sure Ludo could actually read. They quickly left to read them since he wouldn't tell them anything.
Toby took a deep breath. Now, it was time for the harder one. He remembered how Sara always described him. Dangerous, intimidating, with a secret softness hidden underneath. He hoped the King wouldn't do anything to him. He didn't think he would. He vaguely remembered the man singing to him. Someone who sang to him to keep him entertained when he had taken him couldn't be that bad, could they? Toby hoped not. "I wish the Goblin King was here, right now."
"Ahh, little Toby Williams," he heard from behind him. "Didn't your sister ever teach you not to wish for me?" He was almost exactly like his sister described him, long blond hair falling across his elegant face as he leaned majestically against the wall like he had never done anything else with a smirk on his face. The only thing missing was a crystal ball.
"She only ever told me to be careful what I wish for because I may get it and find out it isn't what I want." Toby noticed a pained look cross the older man's face.
"Sound advice," Jareth commented dryly. "So what is it you wish of me, Toby?"
Sarah was right; he is intimidating. "I-I just needed to give you this." He held out the envelope with Jareth's name on it. "I already gave the others theirs."
The Goblin King eyed it suspiciously. "What is it?"
"It's a letter from Sarah," Toby replied, looking down to keep the Fae from seeing the tears starting to build up in his eyes again.
Jareth glared at it. How dare she? After all this time? And to use her brother? He turned and summoned a crystal before telling the boy in clipped tones, "Well, I don't want it. You can give it back to her."
Toby jumped in front of him and grabbed his arm before he could do the magic required to take him back to the safety of his kingdom. Tears were pouring down his face and his eyes showed his desperation. He couldn't let him just go. He had to read the letter. It was the last thing his sister had asked of him. He couldn't just let her down, not now. "No, please. You have to take it. Please. Just read it. You'll understand when you do. Please, take it. Please."
Jareth just stared down at the boy pleading with him so desperately. What was in that letter that was so important? Why was Toby so worked up about this? Wasn't this missive from his sister? Whatever it was, he didn't actually have to read it. He just had to take it because he couldn't just ignore the boy. Silently, he reached out and took the letter before gently extricating himself from the boy's fervent hold before returning to his castle.
The moment he arrived back in his castle, Jareth knew that something was wrong. It only took a second for him to figure out what. The stone of the very castle were shaking. All the goblins had taken cover, or were currently trying to kick someone else out of a hidey place in order to take over the spot. What could possibly have such an affect on his castle that had survived thousands of years? Then a thought struck him and he looked out the nearest window. Sure enough, there was the fur ball Sarah called friend howling in misery. He was about to go down there to tell the other two to shut it up or it was the bog with them when he noticed something that made him uneasy. The other two were crying…over letters. He remembered Toby saying he had already given them theirs.
Thankfully, they were able to quiet the beast down some so that stones were only quivering a bit while he was thinking. He could deal with that. Now, he was infinitely curious as to what Sarah had written him. Their punishment could wait. He quickly made his way to his private study. Once in the one place where no one would dare bother, which sadly was not his bedroom he momentarily lamented, he stared at the letter in his hand with trepidation before opening it.
Dearest Jareth the Goblin King
I bet you never thought you would hear from me again, did you? Especially not after I broke contact with my friends barely six months after our adventure together? Well, don't worry yourself over that. You won't be hearing from me ever again after this letter so please take the time to read it in full.
I'm writing you from my deathbed. Oh, the doctors all say there is still a chance, but I know better than to believe them. I can feel it. My time is drawing near. Still, it is a strange feeling knowing that by the time you get this, I'll already be gone. It's cancer, just in case you were wondering. I was diagnosed about six months after our encounter. Yes, just around the time I stopped calling on my friends. Better that they remember me as I was and hate me than have them mourn as I got sicker and sicker.
I did go into remission for a short while, but I relapsed by my eighteenth birthday. For two years now I have been fighting as stubbornly as could. There is still so much I still want to do, so much I still have to say to everyone. It's not fair. However, life isn't fair, is it? I know I won't be doing anything other than stay in this hospital bed. Like I said, I can feel death coming for me; I feel it and I welcome the freedom from pain it will bring.
You most likely are wondering why I am writing you of all people on my deathbed, right? After all, we didn't part on the best of terms when I defeated you and your Labyrinth. Well, I have a few things I have to get off my chest. Don't worry, none of it is bad, or insulting. At least, I don't think it is.
The very first thing I wish to say is thank you. You did so much for me. You really were very generous. I asked and asked and asked, and you gave and gave and gave. Not once did I thank you for what you did. You gave me a wonderful adventure, a better appreciation for life and family, friends, and so much more. So, however late it may be, Thank you Goblin King for everything.
I also wish to apologize. As I stated, you continuously gave and not only did I not say thank you, I threw it all in you face. I blamed you for everything. My only excuse is I was too young to understand, no too childish. I did not understand your true motives. I hope that one day you can forgive.
And finally, well, I Love you. There, I wrote it. I love you, Jareth. Oh how good it feels to finally get that off my chest. Don't worry. I don't expect you to return my feelings. Any feelings you may have had at one point most likely turned to hate when I mistreated you so. Its too late now anyway. I just needed to let you know.
Well, that's it. I've said everything I have to say I think. Oh, have a great life Jareth. I hope you find love if you haven't already.
I love you,
Sarah Williams
Jareth stared down at what he had just read in shock and horror. No. No, no, no. It couldn't be. There was no way she was dead. This was just a bad, horrible joke. There was no way his Sarah was dead. No. He only had one more year, just one more year until he was to go to her to begin to court her in the way of mortals. She was going to be more than ready for him. He couldn't have lost her, not when he was so close. Sure, he was going to get little revenges on her for her initial, but they were going to be together forever.
Absently, Jareth noticed some wet on his face. He lifted his hand to wipe his face. Tears. He was crying. He never cries. Not for as long as he could remember. He had never felt anything worth crying over. This slip of a mortal girl gets him to do what no other could, and he had lost her.
She loved him. The thought suddenly popped into his head. In an entire paragraph, she had written that she loved him. He really had been so close. He suddenly stopped crying and his eyes turned determined. No. He hadn't. It was just a matter of tweaking time a bit. It hadn't been that long, assuming Toby had called them soon after her death. It's not like he hadn't done it before for her, reordered time.
It took a while to prepare for the spell. This wasn't as simple as what he had done for her the first time. He was messing with time on a much more massive scale. It would drain him of much of his power for a long while. It would be worth it, though. His precious Sarah would be by his side again, not dead.
He was excited even though he was exhausted when he felt the spell take affect. In just a few seconds, he would be seeing his Sarah, alive if not well. When he got her back to the underground he could fix that though. The healers he employed were more than capable of keeping her alive long enough for her to change and then it wouldn't be an issue.
He was suddenly in a bland and dreary room. All that could be heard was muffled crying and comforting shushes. He turned quickly and saw her. She didn't look like she used to, but she was still his Sarah. He took a step toward her, and she looked up.
"Jareth?" she asked, obviously baffled as to why he was there and a little horrified at him seeing her in that condition. "What are you…?"
He cut her off by quickly going to her side that wasn't occupied by Toby and taking one of her hands. "I reordered time for you once. What made you think I wouldn't do it again?"
She looked confused and tired while Toby looked on in joy. "I don't understand."
His eyes softened as he gently held her face in his palm not holding her hand. "I read your letter, Sarah. Did you really think you could just tell me something like that, and I not do something about it?"
"I-I" she stammered turning slightly red with embarrassment.
He stood up while still holding her hand. "Now, come, we have to be going."
It was Toby who excitedly asked, "Going?"
"Yes. Sarah is going to finally take her rightful place as my wife, and the Queen of the Goblins." Jareth smiled fondly at the pair on the bed.
Sarah snapped out of the daze that touching Jareth had put her in. "B-but…I can't. I made a choice so long ago. I have to suffer the consequences of my decisions."
He looked at her sternly. "Sarah, we are not held to simply one decision, one choice. We even get times when we can choose again, a second chance to change our minds and set things right." Seeing that she was wavering, he knelt again with his face close to hers. He pleaded, "Please, Sara, for both our sakes. I don't think I could continue without you."
She relented, nodding tiredly. Jareth swiftly pulled her in for a kiss that was both gentle and passionate and more than loving. When they pulled apart, Sarah was briefly tackled in a goodbye hug from her brother. Afterwards, Jareth pulled her into his arms, making a replica of her for her family to bury, Toby being the only one she was going to have contact with from then on. As Jareth took Sarah to her new home, they heard Toby call out, "I told you he loved you!"