Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth in any way, shape or form. No amount of wishing will ever change that. I'm just another fan who thinks the story should be continued.
AN: I've had several ideas bouncing around in my head for the last few days, and suddenly I was seized with true inspiration that just wouldn't let me go until I acted upon it. Translation--I skipped class to write this story. For now consider it a ficlet, but there's a chance that I'll expand and continue it in the near future, depending on any feedback I get. Thanks in advance for your reviews!
The mortals had decided to set aside a day for love. Normally, Jareth, King of the Goblins, found the whole ordeal rather amusing. What wouldn't humans do to prove their love when an ultimatum was given? Said ultimatum being a holiday imposed by those wishing to earn a profit, as he understood it to be, it all seemed a rather ridiculous affair.
This year, it was different.
Sarah had been gone for several years now. In all actuality, she had only spent a few hours in his Labyrinth, less even than a full day. And yet she had left her mark, and in every way possible.
The first few years since her unprecedented defeat of the Labyrinth and its King had flown by without any events of real note. Jareth had ruled and reigned, taken away wished away children and given the defeated wishers their dreams at a terrible price. No one ever looked for the fine print when offered their dreams; no one, that is, before and after Sarah. She alone had stood firm, determined to defeat him and return her baby brother back to her home.
Only six short, mortal years later and he was beginning to feel the true scourge of defeat, the agony of a dream refused that could have given him pleasure beyond words. She was human, she was young, she was naïve—but he loved her. He could not help it, nor could he explain it. He could rage about like a wild animal all he wanted, kick aside a goblin or two when he felt the need, but he could do nothing to ease the terrible unrest that ate away at him. He was helpless to resist the all too human pains of enduring unrequited love.
Valentine's Day, what a laugh! Why, then, did he feel the loss of Sarah more keenly than ever? Dressed all in somber black, he had emptied his throne room of its goblin inhabitants with one ice cold sneer, and now he paced furiously. The warm sun that fell onto the bare stone around him mocked him. The birds singing in the trees beyond laughed at him.
One human girl, and you could not have her, they seemed to say. For all your great power and glory, one slip of a girl laid your proud heart bare and then forgot all about you. How mighty are you now, Goblin King?
He growled like a predator, conjuring a crystal in his gloved hands. Already the scene played before him; Sarah, with her friends, at a party perhaps. She threw back her head in laughter, her dark and gloriously unbound hair falling smoothly behind her and framing a pale, exquisite face that had only grown lovelier with age.
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," he sighed, and with little else to soothe him, he watched.
"Yes, actually, it is possible to get too drunk on Valentine's Day. Even if you are single." Sarah Williams spoke with such life and abounding humor that the whole room laughed along with her. She passed the proffered bottle of champagne to Lily on her right then slugged Matthew lightly on her left, grinning at his failed attempt to get her to drink just a little more.
"I've had more than enough for one night, thank you very much," she laughed, and unsteadily rose from the carpet she'd been sitting on.
"This is a Single's Awareness Day party, Sarah!" Matthew burst out with a grin, rising to follow her. "The point is to eat, drink and be merry!"
"Single's Awareness Day, ha," she remarked dryly, already wishing she hadn't been so overly friendly to him. She liked Matthew well enough, but he was all too persistent at times. She was twenty-one, old enough to make her own decisions about life and men, but sometimes she wished that fate would do all the deciding for her. She hated delivering crushing set downs to overeager boys. It was nothing personal, really, or so she thought. She just didn't find that boys her age had much to offer.
Whirling on him, she folded her arms across her chest and smiled kindly at him. "Matthew, I'm going to go see if Erin needs any help in the kitchen. Go eat, drink and be merry with everyone else." He looked ready to protest, but Sarah quickly assured him, "I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise. Then maybe I'll take you up on that other glass of champagne you're so anxious to have me drink." She smiled sweetly, and with a lopsided grin he acquiesced and turned to join the rest of the party.
Sighing in relief and feeling a little guilty for giving him false hope, Sarah pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen. Erin was there, the hostess for the evening and Sarah's best friend to boot. "How are you holding up in here?" she asked, hopeful for some task to distract her from the party.
"Terrible," Erin sighed dramatically, slaving away over a meat and cheese tray that apparently just wasn't going her way. "Could you do me a favor and slice up some more ham?" Sarah nodded, relieved, and took up her task beside her friend.
"I hate Valentine's Day," Erin groaned right away, unaware of Sarah's small smile. "Every year it's the same damn thing. My mom calls and says, 'Why aren't you married yet?!,' and then my sister calls and tells me about how wonderful things are with her perfect boyfriend, and all the while I'm thinking, What's the point? I'm never going to be swept off my feet and carried off into the sunset by Mr. Wonderful, am I? I'm just going to stay in this awful little college town forever, never get my degree, always stay single…"
Erin's rant continued uninterrupted. Sarah had heard it several times before, almost to the point where she could more or less recite the entire thing by heart. She didn't mind, not really. Valentine's Day had never bothered her for some reason. Candy and hearts, an excuse to wear dramatic reds or vibrant pinks, and a fun night with friends…what was so wrong with that? Besides, for whatever reason, Sarah hadn't really entertained thoughts of love since…well, for the last few years. For one reason or another, they just never crossed her mind.
A chill ran down her spine. Sarah stopped what she was doing, frozen for several moments before Erin seemed to notice something was wrong. "What's up?" she asked slowly, worry written on her face. "Sarah, you okay? Sarah?"
Something was coming. He could feel it, pulsing inside of him and gathering strength with each passing moment. It couldn't be…she wouldn't… Yet he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that his opportunity was arriving on swift wings. He hadn't dared to hope, couldn't even begin to imagine that the chance would ever be given to him to turn things his way, but now…
"Yes, Sarah," he purred, stroking the crystal. "Do go on, my dearest Sarah…"
"I'm fine," Sarah sputtered, free from whatever strange spell she'd been under. "I just felt a chill."
"Upstate New York isn't known for its warm weather in February," Erin responded lamely, trying to inspire a laugh. Sarah smiled unenthusiastically, determined to change the subject.
"You've been reading too many of those trashy romance novels, Erin," she laughed softly. "If you're waiting around for your prince charming to carry you off, you're going to be waiting for a long time."
"Oh, well all right, Miss Perfect," Erin returned sarcastically, not quite angry but ready to be. "And I suppose you've never dreamed of a perfect man to ride away with you into the sunset?"
Long, long ago she had. Sarah had other ideas now, but her friend was waiting to be placated. "Of course I wish to be carried off by love," she responded dramatically, lying through her teeth but eager to get Erin off of her back. "Who doesn't?"
Erin rolled her eyes, grabbing the squares of ham Sarah had cut and throwing them on the tray. "I'll be back in a sec, all right? I'm just going to run these out. Cut up some more carrot sticks while I'm gone, okay?"
"Sure thing." Sarah mock-saluted her, then went to the cutting board where several carrots and other vegetables had already been sliced up. As soon as Erin was gone, cold filled the room. She frowned, dropping her knife and stepping away from the counter. Exhaling quickly, she was stunned to find that she could see her own breath. That wasn't right…
The lights flickered, and then went out completely. Sarah gasped, grabbing up the knife on instinct and whirling around. She could hear the wind moaning outside the window over the sink, and jumped when the branch of a nearby tree scraped at the window panes. "It's just a power outage, Sarah…get a grip." Then why was there still light and life in the next room?
Fear surrounded her like a shroud. She had to leave, get away, get back to her friends! She bounded for the door, almost made it--
A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind, spun her around—
"Hello, Sarah." That voice. That face. He was here, here, in her friend's kitchen, grinning at her, grasping her by the shoulders…
She screamed.
He laughed.
They disappeared.