The last resort.
Summery: Its 4 years later and Sarah feels her life could not get any worse. Will she ever find true happiness? How will going to a club with her friend one night shape her future. And does the man she meets have the same motives? Semi-dark Jareth.
Disclaimer: Jareth, Sarah and some other characters belong to Jim Henson. The rest are mine though. I make no money from this fic.
A/N: I'm looking for a beta for this fic. If anyone wants to just send me an e-mail, or review.
________Chapter One: "Four years later"_______
"Yes, he caught me."
"Didn't you give him the bromides?" A man, who looked in his early twenties asked in his thick Dublin accent.
"He spilled some of the whiskey, maybe he got sick, anyway they didn't work. I was at the safe. He got me with my hands in the treasure; didn't you hear him shouting like a bull?"
"W…I heared nothing. What was he shouting?"
The girl imitated an angry male British voice. "I'll give you death and nightingales…you'll fly from here, forever, with rooks, daws and magpies, you'll croak like scaled crows from now on with fellow…Um…" Sarah closed her eyes in thought. Damn. The man standing beside her whispered something hushed to her. Sarah smiled in gratitude."fellow thieves and vermin. Things like that." Sarah released a small-demented giggle, like the ones you hear crazy people hugging teddies make in a nut house.
"It's not funny…we're bogged now."
"That'll do for today. And…end scene!" Interrupted a man with a Spanish accent.A rotund, balding man with a multi-coloured tie-dyed shirt stood up from the theatres soft velvet seats. He applauded the two people on the stage with chubby hands enthusiastically. He turned to gather the script and battered leather briefcase from the chair next to his own; wiping sweat caused by the glaring stage light of his brow with a neon pink sleeve.
Sarah watched the director pack up from the raised and presently unfurnished stage. She tucked a loose strand of her unbound hair behind her ear and looked at her platinum Dolce & Gabbana watch, a present from her parents on her 18th birthday. Half eight! We should have finished at six. She jumped when a hand tipped her on the shoulder. Her co-star looked rather sheepish. "Sorry Sarah." He said in his normal New York tone.
Sarah looked at him; there was a blush on his handsome face. She laughed. "Barney, its ok."
"Are you ready for the big night? It's just one day away. My stomach is in knots already." He said while massaging his middle to try and calm what felt like tiny acrobats having competitions.
Sarah was nervous too. Although she often never showed it, and would get teased by her fellow cast members about it. The build up to the big opening night was always a roller coaster of emotions. Right now all she felt was anticipation, that adrenaline rush that made her wish 'Death and nightingales' premiered tonight, to get in front of the fully booked luxurious theatre as Beth Winters. A strong farm girl from the 18th century who gets led astray by her villainous secret lover. "Just take deep breaths. Its not like you haven't got in front of 2500 strangers before."
"Ahhh, Sarah, don't do that." Barney said nervously. He then groaned and fell to his honkers.
The director saw his two lead actors teasing each other. He huffed in annoyance and clapped sharply to get their attention. "Barney, stop acting like a mediocre actor. And Sarah!"
"Yes Roco?"
He took one step towards the stage and pointed an index finger at her and growled. "If you ever stumble on your lines again, especially at tomorrows rehearsal. Then I will have no problem getting Mary-Ellen to replace you. I have had too many successful plays to be suddenly brought down and shamed by one girl to tumbles on her lines. Got that?"
Sarah gulped; the last thing she wanted was her parents and Toby to come to the play, after not seeing them for 6 months and only to see her backup playing the lead. She had hoped Roco hadn't noticed her little slip-up, but as always, he did. "Yes sir. I will get my room-mate to practice with me."
Roco didn't even seem to register what Sarah was saying as he picked up his worn cobalt briefcase and daisy printed umbrella by the door. "Dress rehearsal; 11am sharp, be here or don't bother showing up Friday night." He opened the heavy stage entrance door and left. There was silence until the clamorous sound of the steel door shutting echoed in the nearly empty theatre.
"He's always an asshole coming towards the opening day. I've worked with him for a couple of plays."
"I know." Sarah remembered reading an article about their director in the 'Time' magazine before she came to New York.
~ Roco Fresco, formal name Ernie Jones, a 56-year-old British ex high school math teacher who discovered his niche in life at the ripe age of 36. A hard age to break into the theatre business. He has said in countless television, magazine and radio interviews he 'woke up one dreary Monday morning, in his derelict flat, dressed in his favourite pink and blue pinstriped sweats with the tear in the left knee, his morning latte (He finds it impossible to function without) and a scratch card sitting on the kitchen table in front of him (A joke present from his domestic partner of an award winning of its own 22 years, Oliver Creed, 42). He indulged in Creed's immature humour and scratched the ticket with his lucky penny, only to drop his latte out of shock. He pinched his side, but sure enough, there was four gold stars looking back up at him, the £500,000 ($810,000) draw prize.
After a low profile cashing of the prize, Jones sold his one bedroom apartment in South Bromley, London, changed his name, formally Ernie Robert Francis Jones, quit his job and set sail for America, hand in hand with Creed, a fortune in his pocket and countless boxes of tacky furniture, prized nik-naks and a long forgotten dream in his mind. Hollywood. But how to get there? A chance meeting with Elia Kazan in a 'Starbucks' in 1989 took care of that. That was just the beginning, Fresco is quoted "Elia is the light of my life, the butter to my bread, the Sonny to my Cher. That man has taken me under his wing and I am forever indebted to him. I have learned so much about the business from him." They remained close friends until Kazan's death in 2003.
Since directing his first play in 1989 (How the rat got stuck in the pudding) Fresco's career went from strength to strength. In the course of 20 years, Fresco has won 5 Tony awards, 4 Grammy's, 2 Academy awards, 1 Emmy, 3 golden globes and 7 Oliver awards. And has directed mega hits such as 'Having stones for dinner.' 'Tea time with Mrs Martha' 'The wind that shakes the oak tree" and 'Hairy Anne stalks the rhubarb'. He remains mum on his personal life though and not much is known apart from him being 'out' since 1970. ~
A fifteen-year-old Sarah threw the magazine onto the mahogany coffee table in front of her, her life hadn't changed since coming home from the labyrinth, and well apart from now loving Toby she still defied her parents, for lack of another word.
She sat at her vanity in her soft, fluffy, fuchsia night gown brushing her long damp hair, a picture of her mother caught her eye and she looked into her mother's smiling face, it was a recent picture she had cut of a gossip magazine from her latest movie premier. She was standing in front of the large cut-out print of the name (Scarlet letter's) in a red flowing gown that opened to the waist and gently pooled and shimmered around her gold high heels. Her hair, the same colour as Sarah's was pulled back into a bun and she was smiling at the camera. Countless fans, paparazzi and other famous actors surrounded her, but she stood out as the most captivating. She looked amazing, bathed in the studio lights and the slight glow of the setting sun.
She peeled the picture from the mirror and gazed at it. She decided she had two choices, stay here and be a teacher or lawyer or whatever her stepmother wanted her to be, or she could follow her real mother's path.
The day after she graduated high school she had a ticket booked for New York, her cousin had an apartment and offered to share her place. After a teary goodbye (with her father and Toby, and an awkward hug with Laurel) she got in a cab and set of, determined to find her own path in life. Granted she needed to get away, her relationship with her father and stepmother had become increasingly strained since she got back from, no, don't even think of there Sarah! As soon as Sarah arrived in the 'big apple' she researched the theatres and was stunned to discover that Roco Fresco had his own acting school and theatre just 6 blocks away from the apartment.
She had enrolled and by some random act by god had been accepted. Finally, after 2 years of studying and acting, Fresco himself had been walking by one her classes, just as she was doing her monologue of a homeless pregnant teenager and he had called her out of the class. She got her big break, finally, a leading role. No more being the best friend, or someone in the background. And it was all happening in just one day.
Sarah felt her breath quicken and she sat down on an amp and tried to force her breathing down to normal speeds. A brown paper bag was placed over her face and she had to force her stomach to settle as the smell of mustard and pickle invaded her nose, she finally calmed down after a moment. Sarah opened her eyes to see Barney looking at her with his worried brown eyes.
"What happened to Sarah, nerves of steel?" he joked.
"Shes just realised this could be her chance for the real deal." She grimaced. "As much as I like smelling your lunch, please take the bag away."
Barney scrunched up the bag and carelessly threw it into the row of seats. He then offered his hand to Sarah. "Why I thank thee for thine offer of chivalry Mr Barney. But I'm afraid I must disincline to acquiesce to your offer."
"What you just said didn't make sense Sarah."
"I know." She smiled. Sarah got unsteadily to her feet and poised herself on one of the stage curtain pulleys.
"I should go then. I have a long way to go. Well…bye and see you in the morning." Barney walked towards the exit, he held out and open palm to push the door open. Ask her you fool! He stood at the doorway and looked back at Sarah, she was packing up her own belongings by the front seats, and she had her cell phone in her hand. He took a deep breath and walked back over to her. Sarah is the most wonderful girl he has ever met, funny, smart, and very pretty. Her long hair reminded him of dark Belgium chocolate and her eyes of silver. Her perfect slim figure was always hid behind baggy 90's style shirts and loose jeans, and she always wore faded tennis shoes, but she is perfect in his eyes. He cleared his throat to get her attention. "Yes?" She smiled up at him with those pouty rosy lips.
Barney rested his back against some of the folded seats and crossed his arms. 'Whatever perfume she is wearing, It's doing its job. I'm captured.' "Hay, I was wondering. Why don't we go out sometime? Just the two of us, you know alone, just us two." Smooth. His inner voice sighed. Shut up, why don't you talk to her and you'll see it's not so easy.
Sarah fiddled with a black strap of the shoulder bag, she smiled at Barney's flustered appearance "I'm sorry Barney, but I already have a boyfriend, remember, Andy?"
Barney fought against looking angry and embarrassed. Heat crept into his cheeks and he couldn't tell which emotion caused it. "Oh him." He said trying to sound neutral. "A girl, no, woman, like you deserves better than a jerk like that." He tried with a bit of humour.
Sarah sighed, Barney was nice, and he was very handsome, but she made a deal with herself not to get involved with fellow actors. In seventh grade she did 'Sleeping beauty' (And played Aurora), she went steady with the boy who played Prince Phillip, well they broke up the day before opening night and to say a shaky, stiff performance was an understatement. Their drama teacher nearly had their heads for it. She didn't want a repeat of that. Especially in the big leagues.
"If it doesn't work out with Andy you will be the first one I'll call. Okay?" She smiled.
"Alright, thanks, well I better go, the subway's a bitch this time of night." He pushed himself from the chair and left the theatre.
Sarah packed up the rest of her belonging's and took her phone from her back pocket, Where is she? Naomi said she'd meet me at seven, it's now a quarter to nine.
"I hope that sour look isn't for me."
Sarah swung her backpack over her shoulder and walked over to her cousin, Naomi had her violet hair wrapped in a loose bun, rogue locks fell down onto her bare shoulders. She was wearing a black tube-top with a creepy looking skull on the front and a black and deep red chequered mini-skirt. She was also wearing black pumps.
"I see you went for the goth look today." Sarah commented.
Naomi's jade eyes lit up when she smiled. "Yea, I see you've gone for the 80's poster fashion…again. Anyway, I'm sorry I'm late. Here I'll take that. It's the least I could do." Naomi took Sarah's bag of her and threw it over her own shoulder.
"Thanks. It's ok, we only just finished anyway." Sarah pushed the entrance door open and held it for Naomi. They walked along the crimson carpeted corridor towards the exit.
"Are you coming opening night?"
"I wish, I have to work late Friday night." Naomi worked in a hair studio, one of the most popular in all of America. Sarah held back a sigh of disappointment. "But, I will be there on Saturday night."
They went threw the revolving doors and into the busy New York streets. Even though it was night, the various neon billboards, screens, buildings and cars lit the city up, casting everywhere in artificial light. They couldn't hear each other over the noise the car horns and people chatting and others shouting on their cell phones. Sarah saw a crowd gathered around a man that was playing a guitar, naked apart from a comic diaper, people were throwing coins into an overturned cowboy hat in front of him.
Naomi tapped her should and thumbed to the direction of their apartment. Sarah nodded and they started towards the direction of home. Sarah had to manoeuvre around the dense throng of people to catch up with her cousin. Even after a year, Sarah still wasn't used to the streets; she was more accustomed to the almost empty streets of her quiet hometown. Although she had developed the habit of tapping her right pocket (Where she kept her purse and cell) every 10 minutes to make sure nothing was stolen. She had learned the hard way to do that.
Her attempt to manoeuvre around the people going in the opposite direction failed and a man who looked suspiciously like Matthew Lillard bumped into her and she crashed into the side of an office building, scraping her back in the process. "Watch it, fucking ditz!" The man shouted at her and flipped her off; he disappeared in the crowd before Sarah could retort, and not that she would've. Sarah took a deep breath, she had now lost sight of Naomi, but that wasn't an unusual occurrence. Well, come on feet. Sarah pushed herself from the wall and followed its edge, maintaining contact with the ground and making sure to side-step people who wouldn't move for her.
The crowds began to eventually even out and Sarah felt confident enough to walk in the middle again. She caught a glimpse of Naomi in the distance just as she opened the door to their apartment building. Sarah rushed after her and up the small cracked steps the double wooden doors. It had an automatic lock so Sarah fished her keys out of back pocket and opened the door.
The interior was boring to say the least, light blue walls and cream tiles with black diamonds in the centre. There were 3 apartments on each floor, a public phone, notice board and letter boxes were to her left, Naomi was checking their box, she locked it and turned to face Sarah with a dozen letters in her hand.
"There's a letter for you, the rest is bills." She handed a small blue envelope over to Sarah.
They climbed the fourteen floors to their apartment (There was no lift) and Naomi unlocked their apartment door, she first dropped Sarah's bag by the coffee table then walked to the small end table by their plush lemon two-seater and threw the letters on it. She went into the small adjoining kitchen and filled the kettle with water. Sarah wondered into their home, turning the letter in her hands.
"Whose it from?" Naomi asked while taking two mugs from the cupboard.
Sarah plonked herself on the sofa and tucked one leg under her. "Toby." Sarah carefully opened the envelope (covered with dinosaur and high school musical stickers.) She took out the equally blue paper and unfolded it. A cheque fell onto her lap. Sarah picked it up, They don't call but they do send a cheque for $500. Sarah placed the cheque beside her and looked at the letter. She recognised Toby's messy scrawl.
~ To Sarah
How are you? Mummy boat me high school musakal dvd, its fun. I gave Lancelot a bat yesturday, he says hello Sarah, I miss you. Mummy shouted at me because I broke her good purfuem. I got a new dinosir, Im calling him sarah. Mummy and daddy wer shouting again. Mummy doesn't want to go to your play and daddy does. I want to c you.
Today it is raining and mummy woodnt take me to the park. You always did even when there was rain. ~
Sarah smiled to herself; she would always wrap up Toby really warm and take him to the park four times a week, whatever weather. She could easily picture her stepmother's vivid face as she stood on the porch, her arms crossed. She would grab Toby out of her arms and ground her for a week.
~ Merlin is still smelly and he missis you. We r goin on a plane to c you. I hop thar is no snakes. I dohnt like them. Bye. Daddys going shoping to get me a new game for my playsatayion 3. ~
The next part was written in a neat joined writing. Her fathers.
~ Sarah. I have enclosed some money for you, spend it wisely on bills and not the usual junk. Laurel, Toby and myself will see you Friday afternoon. I am sure you will not have the time to meet up for lunch, so we will see you Friday night, hopefully before the performance.
Best regards,
Dad ~
A steaming cup of tea was placed on the scratched glass coffee table in front of her. She set the letter on it and picked up the mug. She felt the cushion beside her sink with Naomi's weight.
"Wow. 500 big one's. I wish my dad would even send $20. You really had it good."
Sarah snorted and took a sip of her tea. "Yea, I really liked having a dad that treated me like a business associate, a step mother who didn't like me. The only good things there were Toby and Merlin."
"You still have that, mangy dog? I always hated him. Anyway, I meant your big house. It was like a palace."
"I guess." Sarah reached over a dragged over her bag from where Naomi had dropped it by the table. She opened the Velcro fastens and zip and took out her dog-eared script, worn from her looking at it over and over again. Naomi groaned and threw her head back.
"Oh come on Sarah. Come out with the girls and me tonight. They haven't seen you in weeks, we are going to that new club, 'The pulse'." She folded her arms and rested them on Sarah's shoulder and pouted. "Come on, pwease. They have this new hot singer tonight. And I'm talking sex on legs here."
Sarah shrugged the arms off her and curled her other leg up under her. "No. I have to study my lines. Its to late to go out anyway."
"It's only…" Naomi angled her head to see the 'hello kitty' clock in the kitchen. "Half nine."
"No, I have to do this. I'm sorry."
Naomi placed her now empty cup on the table and stood up. "Well I'm still going out." She sounded quite angry as she walked through the slightly cramped living room and into her own bedroom.
Sarah picked up Toby's letter again and reread it. She couldn't wait to see him Friday. She placed the cheque in the envelope and put it on the table and picked up her script again. She had all her parts highlighted in green pen.
It was twenty minutes before Naomi emerged from her room; her shocking purple hair was now cascading down her back in soft curls. She had what looked like a silver tin foil coloured mini dress with a hoodie attached. Her black high heels clicked as she walked over and sat next to Sarah. "Are you sure you don't want to come? Last chance."
Sigh. "Yea, I don't want to get fired for having a hangover at rehearsals tomorrow morning."
Suddenly the sound of the pussycat dolls 'When I grow up' started playing. Naomi fished into her side pocket and took out her pink cell. She flipped it open and held it to her ear.
"Hey Buster *Pause* No shes not coming *pause* Ok. I'll be down now." She closed it and put it in her pocket again. "That was Buster."
Sarah looked up from her script. "I know."
"He has a thing for you, you know?"
Of course Sarah knew, every blue moon when she does go out, the 20-year-old computer game programmer would often stare at her, and it made her feel uncomfortable. He was smart and cool, slim, tall and handsome, and as Naomi always points out, his parents are millionaires.
"He's ok. But Andy would freak out if he found me cheating on him."
Naomi groaned and began hitting her forehead on the cushioned top part of the sofa. "Come on Sarah, when was the last time you and Andy even did it?"
Sarah suddenly felt a wave of nausea as her vision flashed white. She clutched her stomach forced it to relax. Naomi saw her cousin suddenly go pale and she leaned over to rub Sarah's back.
"Hey, you okay? Was it something I said?"
Sarah took a deep breath and the room came back into focus. "I'm fine. We skipped lunch and dinner to practice."
"Well, have some soup-" 'When I grow up' started again. Naomi flipped it opened "What! I'm coming now." She hung up. "I gotta go. See'ya later." Naomi stood up, grabbed her small black handbag and exited the apartment, but not before blowing a kiss at Sarah.
Sarah sighed and threw the script onto the table. Am I missing out on life? She gently laid her head back and started massaging her temple. She didn't even realise her eyes growing heavy as she fell into a deep slumber.
~ A ballroom surrounded by Venetian dressed people dressed in masquerade gowns and masks. The sounds of laughing and people having a wonderful time filled the exquisitely decorated ballroom. Soft music emits from an unknown location; people are dancing in what looks like a waltz. She pushes through the crowd, instinct desperately tells her to find an exit. She shouldn't be here, but she doesn't know where she should be either.
She pauses to take a breath; its too hot in there with all the bodies surrounding her, her heavy dress wasn't helping either. A couple waltz's past her and she suddenly locks gazes with a man. At least she was sure it was a man. He stood not more than ten paces from her. His face was blurred but Sarah could tell he was looking at her. To her he looked like an unfocused video camera image. The sandy hair, peach face and sparkly navy jacket blended together. She needed to get closer to see who he was. She began the merciless task of pushing through the crowd again. He smiled and held out an azure, satin sleeved hand towards her, his hand open in invitation.
She desperately tried to reach him; a couple twirled by in front of her and the man suddenly disappeared. She turns around and starts desperately looking everywhere for him. There was a flash of gold on the dance floor and she sees the man now dancing with a woman in a red dress, with a goblin mask on. He is still blurry. Someone tapped her on her exposed shoulder and she whirled around to see an elegantly dressed man, perhaps a wealthy noble, holding out a hand to her. Strange whispers echoed in her head and she, as if hypnotised, reached for the hand and took it. He led her on to the dance floor. She placed one hand in his and the other on his emerald jerkin shoulder. His mis-matched eyes, one green and one amber looked comforting, and she was transfixed on them. His hand slipped around her waist and they began dancing.
She doesn't know how long they danced to the classical music, and only when her mystery man twirled her did she notice the flicker of gold and sapphire from the corner of her eye. She pulled away from the man's gaze and looked over his shoulder, the blurred figure was walking towards them, and he seemed to be emitting some aura of anger. The other guest's clumsily moved out of his way to create an open path for him. The brunette man she was dancing with seemed to sense the stranger's approach and he led her away from him.
They stood beneath a levitating gold clock that went up to 13 and the man placed his hands on her jaw, forcing her to look at him. She felt powerless as he began to lean over to kiss her when the sudden sound of glass breaking broke her out of her trance. She looked around to see the walls cracking. The guests were now screaming in panic, scrambling for the non-existent exit. She felt somebody slam into her back and push her to the floor. People trip over her crouching, bruising her ribs. She hears the sound of ringing; it comes from all directions and only gets louder. ~
Sarah jolted awake and scrambled to her feet. She looked at the ringing phone on the end table beside her. That dream took a stranger turn than usual. Normally she would spend the whole time chasing after the blurred man.
Sarah ran her fingers threw her hair and picked up the phone.
"Hel-"
"Why the fuck did it take about one hundred fucking rings to answer? Well!"
Sarah cringed at her boyfriend's angry tone. She sat down as she felt her stomach begin to unsettle. "I was asleep."
"Asleep? ASLEEP! What sort of half ass fucking excuse is that you fucking tramp? Do you have another guy over there? If you do you little slut I'll come over there and tear your stupid baggy clothes off and show you how a real man handles bitches like you. And it won't end pretty."
Tears began to roll down Sarah's face. She quickly wiped them away, as if Andy could somehow see them. Her hand began to tremble as she held the phone.
"Anyway." He sounded calm and happy again. "What time does your rehearsals finish tomorrow? I wanna take my little princess out for a meal. I miss you."
"Um…About five." Her voice trembled.
"Good. I'll drop by the theatre and pick you up. Love you babe." He made kissy noises.
"Yea. You to." They hung up.
Sarah pulled her feet under her and she sat as tightest into the corner as possible. She let her emotions rule her and she began to cry. She wondered how she got mixed up with a guy like Andy. He played Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde her constantly. One moment he's roses and wine, the next he's fists and anger. They met at the restaurant Sarah work's at. He was so charming when he asked me out. Oh why did I say yes? Stupid Sarah.
After she finally composed herself she wasn't in the mood to read her lines, so she switched on the t.v and began flipping through the channels to distract her mind. Will and Grace. Days of our lives. Edward Scissorhands. That's good enough.
It was at the bit that Edward was cutting the ice sculpture in the garden of the angel while Winona Ryder twirled in the excess 'snow' that came of it. Sigh. Where's my fairy tale romance. Her inner voice sneered back. You had your chance Sarah and you blew it.
Unable to take any more emotional stress for the day, Sarah turned off the T.V, picked herself of the sofa and went to her room. It was tiny, but not that she cared. The double bed not leaving much room for her wardrobe and vanity. The walls, a horrible shade of lemon were covered in play posters, schedules, pamphlets and pictures of her with past cast members. She walked over and closed her cream, flower printed curtains, the flimsy material barely enough to block out the bright New York lights. She changed into her 'Betty Boop' T-shirt and shorts and hopped under her cotton violet duvet.
'I know what happened in my life to make it bad. I should never of left.'
She set her alarm and snuggled deeper into her blankets. She felt her dreams were the only place where she could feel truly happy and free. She wondered if she would spend another night chasing after the blurry man in a room full of magic and dancing.
**
Ok. Thoughts? I admit I'm not the best writer but I really do try and improve. Please R & R.