Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or any characters associated with Jim Henson and company. Just a little reminder. The one thing in here that I do own, however, is the character of Garrett.
A/N: This is my first Labyrinth fic so please be gentle. I hope you guys enjoy reading this. :)
Peaches and Crystal Dreams
Sarah Williams was now twenty five years old and it had been ten years since she defeated the mighty goblin king, Jareth. She still wore her brown hair very long. Her beautiful green eyes sparkled, but at times the sparkle dulled and no one knew why. But Sarah did. She still found her mind wandering to the very night she uttered those horrid words, "You have no power over me.", but the thing being, he did have power over her. In desperation to get her brother, Toby, back, she'd have said or done anything to get him back again!
Sarah had followed in her mother's footsteps. Stepping into the acting field, she'd become rather prosperous and famous. Just like good old mom. She remembered a few months ago, when her mom and her current boyfriend had died in a fire. Their screams had obliterated her peaceful dreams turning them into a fiery nightmare. Her nightmare had ceased when a voice whispered on the wind, "Peaches and crystal dreams, Sarah." Inconspicuously, the voice when speaking didn't identify it's owner much to Sarah's chagrin. One day she hoped to discover the one who'd spoken to her in dreams.
Things aren't always what they seem. That lesson the brunette girl, now a woman, learned several times over from her journey in the labyrinth. It had proven true for Aboveground as well as Underground. Thinking about the Underground led her into reminiscing about her friends and how she missed them. Closing her eyes tight against the glaring sun, she mentally counted the years since their last visit. Seven long years had passed since that night! Seven years carried great significance amongst the supernatural believers. For every mirror broken, the perpetrator suffered seven, long, horrid years of bad luck. Maybe that's where her life had gone wrong. Her mind recalled it just like yesterday...
Flashback:
Sarah had actually gone out on a date with a guy from school. Upon returning home, she found every light in the living room glaring brightly welcoming her home. Before she opened the door, the girl sensed something was wrong, so very wrong.
Stepping through the thresh hold, Sarah gasped at seeing her step-mom, Karen, perched on the couch and scowling furiously. Attempting to be an adult about whatever confrontation was about to occur, Sarah softly smiled. "Good evening, Karen."
Angrily, Karen growled,"Good evening? Don't you mean Good morning?" Karen's brightly colored pink fingernails tapped a rhythm on the end table beside the couch. "And just where have you've been and why are you late? You were supposed to be home by eleven thirty, young lady and it's now," glancing at the clock and smirking, "one thirty am...IN THE MORNING! So what justifies the breaking of your curfew by two hours!"
Sarah inhaled deeply. She'd need all the patience she could get. Unfortunately, their little "chats" always escalated into full blown screaming arguments. Sarah couldn't help but hate her stepmother. She compared her to the bitchy, hateful, wicked stepmother in the stereotypical fairytale stories. "Karen", she began patiently, "Daniel and I went to a movie and then we went stargazing. Nothing more, I promise."
The older blond woman snorted, "Yeah. I'll just bet you did."
Incensed, Sarah fired back, "What? Do you want to submit to a physical or something? My damned virginity's intact, thank you very much! Hell, I don't even like Daniel THAT much. Jeez, give me some credit for respecting myself." Sarah felt a smirk of her own cross her face. "Besides, I'm not like you were ,Miss Cheerleader, on the popularity wagon, who'd fuck anything that walks!" God that felt so good to tell her off like that! Relief flowed in her mind and body for the tension released!
Karen yelled at her indignantly, "Why you ungrateful bitch! Everything we've done for you, your father and I, and this is how you repay us...repay me? Insulting me at every turn and showing me nothing but disdain...well, it will stop and it stops tonight!"
"I only give what I'm given. What you're accusing me of...isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black? I wonder...does Dad know about your little liaisons during the week when he's gone...just like the one you had earlier. No, Karen, I'm not stupid and I have eyes. So piss off and leave me alone!" Turning, Sarah stomped up the stairs, but careful not to wake her sleeping brother. Course, if their yelling didn't do it she doubted anything else would.
Slamming the door to her room behind her, collapsed on her bed wrinkling up the quilted cover in her balled up fists. All she could think was, I have to get out of here, and someday I will. Swearing to herself she'd make something of her life and escape from this hell!
Tears falling from her eyes, scalding her cheeks until she'd cried herself to sleep. Passing between the waking and dream worlds, a voice whispered to her, "Peaches and crystal dreams, Sarah." Too exhausted to pay heed and attempt to figure out its puzzling meaning, she fell completely into the dream world. A certain blond, Fae, Goblin King with mismatched eyes and spiked, hair arranged in a messy arrangement stared intensely at her. It seemed he was willing her to hear his thoughts and know the real him. Not the sadistic, cruel ruler of the goblin realm, but as a man who had needs. One who needed compassion and love.
Hearing a whispering voice and breath gently blowing against her ear, Sarah abruptly sat up and looked around her darkened room. Nothing. No one was there, but her and her alone. If she was alone, then why did she have the all too familiar chills traveling her spine? Swallowing hard, she shrugged, lay down and went back to her world of dreams.
End of flashback
Sardonically smiling, Sarah remembered the hell she had to endure for the next four months due to her defiance. Karen had made up lies and informed her father that she'd been extremely difficult during his travels. Why he'd believed her Sarah would never know.
She'd been grounded forever it seemed. Sarah, prisoner that she'd become, wasn't allowed any extracurricular activities, no friends coming over or hanging out, no phone privileges. Basically, the mighty girl who'd defeated the Labyrinth and the even more mighty Goblin King, had been reduced to the heroine in one of her favorite stories. How cruel life could really be! Especially when Karen's involved, life often became more complicated than necessary.
The happiest thing in her life at that time was the weekly and sometimes nightly visits from her friends in the Labyrinth. Viewing them in her mirrored surface, she expressed such joy at seeing and talking to them. Informing them of all the events that had transpired, Sarah touched the mirror. "I wish I could see my friends again."
The mirror's reflective top rippled for a moment and lo and behold, there stood her friends! All of them! "Sir Didymus! Hoggle! Ludo! I've missed you guys so much!" All of the tension melted away and tears slipped silently down her cheeks at the familiar faces before her eyes.
"Sarah, we've missed you, too!" Hoggle still looked the same as the last time she'd seen him.
"My lady. You've grown even more lovely since our last meeting." The little furry knight always knew how to turn a pretty phrase and that hadn't changed either.
"Sawah! Friend!" Her huge friend, Ludo, still as jovial as ever. Reaching out to her, he wanted a hug. But right now, it was something she couldn't give. They were separated by a mirror and god alone who knows what else.
Hoggle watched her sad face. "Sarah, you have to come back to the Underground. There's something happening here. We don't know what yet, but there's so much unrest and Jareth-"
Sarah's heart jumped. "What about him? Is he alright?" Worried, she hoped nothing had happened to the gorgeous Fae king. He still held a special place in her heart and probably always would.
"He's just not himself. Hasn't been since your departure from the Underground. Some thing's bothering him and he's not talking about anything. He used to talk to us, Sarah, and now even that's over." Hoggle's head dropped missing the brief camaraderie that the three of them shared with the formerly cruel Goblin King.
Sir Didymus bowed to Sarah. "I apologize, my lady, but we must go. Our time has run short. Goodbye, sweet maiden."
Hoggle and Ludo bid their farewells also and then the surface rippled again and they were gone.
Damn! Why did they have to come and go in just a few short, precious minutes. It wasn't enough time. But then again, would it ever have been enough?
Her thoughts turned to the Goblin King. She could not under any circumstances say his name. It always brought him running every time she spoke the cursed word. Not that it was really cursed, but she just couldn't face him as of yet.
Lately, she'd noticed a lot of strange things happening around her. One thing that frightened her the most, a sensation of being followed. No matter where she went or who she saw, that feeling ate away at her. She never felt comfortable anywhere anymore. Sarah couldn't even relax in her own home, the presence was there too.
Wanting to clear her mind, Sarah threw on a pair of nylon workout pants and a sleeveless workout shirt, both green to match the color of her eyes. Green had always been her favorite color ever since she was a little girl. Slipping into her tennis shoes, she grabbed her keys and pocketed them. Locking the door, she was surprised to see that it was dark already. Glancing at her watch it read eight thirty. 'Well, feet, let's get moving.'
Running down the block, Sarah noticed that instead of running towards civilization, she was running away from it. "What?" Stopping, she looked around. Fear sent her heart into overdrive pushing adrenaline into her body. Nothing was recognizable anymore. No houses, hell, there was nothing but trees and darkness. The moon, itself, gave enough light for her to briefly survey her surroundings. A male voice snapped her from her viewing reverie.
"Hello Sarah."
Eyes bulging, there stood a man with long, dark hair flowing loosely around his shoulders. His eyes were as green as hers. The natural beauty he exuded was unreal, it was all so ethereal. His voice so magical and surreal. He reminded her slightly of a king she once knew. Fighting her fear down so she could speak, Sarah inquired of him,"Who are you? Do I know you?"
"I am Garrett. And no, you do not know me, but I know you. I've watched you for years. Now I've come to claim you for my queen. Now come." Stretching his hand towards the shaking girl, she shrank back further.
Unwilling to accompany him because she didn't know him much less want him, her brain ransacked itself to find an answer to get her out of this sticky situation. Shaking her head, she replied, "No."
"You don't get it my fair Sarah. You don't have a choice. Come willingly or by force. That's it, take it or well, you can't do anything else, can you?" Chuckling evilly at her predicament, Garrett walked forwards toward the confused girl. He'd almost reached her when she opened her lips and screamed one word. The one word that he, alone, feared. It could very well bring about his destruction. Smirking, he spoke in silken tones,"Perhaps later, Sarah. I'll be waiting." Fading away, his voice echoed and then died away.
She'd found her way out of this mess with Garrett. Breathing in as deeply as she could, she threw back her head and let his name tear from her lungs. "Jareth!" Her body weaving, she began to fall only she never hit the ground.
The name she'd thrown out into the night brought him here. Dressed in his glittering dark blue robe, white poets shirt, extremely tight stretch pants and black heeled boots. Catching her falling form, his eyes glinted and narrowed. He'd wondered why Sarah had called to him and now he knew why. Damn that Garrett! He'd kill him if he laid so much as a finger on her!
Gathering the unconscious girl in his arms, he mentally swore vengeance on the one who called himself Garrett! He'd pay tenfold or more by the time he was done! Deciding on the best course of action, Jareth, merely thought the necessary words and disappeared, with the sleeping Sarah in his arms, leaving behind a shower of glitter.
A/N: This is it for chapter 1. This being my first Labyrinth fic, I hope the beginning starts off well for those of you reading. Just read/review letting me know your thoughts. It's all appreciated! Trust me! L8r