Disclaimer: I don't own Jareth or Sarah or any of the other characters from Labyrinth. I just wanted to have some fun while sick! So I decided to put Jareth through what I'm going through. Set a few years after the movie.

Of All The Things I've Lost, I Miss My Voice The Most

By Danalas

Jareth was sick. His cough was awful. His throat was sore. And worst of all, he had lost his voice. The first thing Sarah did when Hoggle told her was to laugh. "It serves him right," she had said. After all, Jareth had oft used that voice to try to give her orders or to intimidate her just a few years ago. Soon, Toby, whom Sarah had told about her trip to the Labyrinth and had let meet her friends over the years, came in to investigate. "What's goin' on?" he asked. Then he saw the dwarf. "Hoggle!" he yelled, running over, hugging him. "It's good to see you, too, Toby," Hoggle replied. "Sarah's laughing because Jareth's sick and has lost his voice. But it's really not that funny. It's actually quite serious, and he's specifically requested your sister to help run his kingdom while he's unable to give orders."

Toby nodded, understanding. Hoggle wondered how a four year old could understand the concept better than an eighteen year old, but then he also wondered how Sarah could keep hating Jareth when it was so obvious they loved each-other. This, he had decided, was the perfect excuse to get the two together again so they could figure out their feelings for each other.

"Now Sarah," Hoggle had said when the girl had calmed down. "I know he wasn't the nicest of guys, but he needs your help. He's asked specifically for you. He's not in the best of moods as it is, mind you, and if you don't come, God help the entire Underground. Do it for me and Ludo and Didymus, if not for Jareth." Sarah couldn't turn down her friends. After all, they had helped her so much when she had had to rescue Toby. "Alright," she said at last. "I'll help." "Thank you, Sarah," Hoggle replied, leading her to the castle.

As Sarah entered the Goblin King's bedroom, she could plainly see he was not happy. He also wasn't watching her. At least, not immediately. When he did turn to her, he tried to speak, then remembered he couldn't. This sent the girl back to laughing, leaning against the wall to support herself. Jareth sighed, knowing very well what she found funny. Then he dropped onto his bed in another coughing fit. This concerned Sarah, who had never seen the Goblin King with a slight sniffle, let alone this ill. She went over to him, helping him to lie down and covering him up. He looked annoyed at this until Sarah sent him a rather nasty look. "You need to rest if you're ever going to get your voice back," she said firmly, her arms crossed.

Before she knew it, Jareth had her down on the bed next to him. "I did not ask for you, Sarah, so I could rest," he told her, his whispering barely audible. "I asked for you because you are the only one who has ever defeated my labyrinth and therefore the best one I could think of to give my orders until my voice returns." With that, Sarah pulled away from him. "Fine," she said. "Just so long as you realize that I'm not here because I care about you. I'm here because I care about my friends." He didn't answer, only handed her a crystal. "Use this," he told her. "With it, you can see anywhere in the labyrinth you want. It will help you." Sarah took it reluctantly in her hands, unsure if it was a trap or not. But it was too late to ask. The Goblin King was well asleep.

Later that day, Sarah slowly explored the castle. She had felt different when Jareth had pulled her close like that, earlier. It was like she was nervous, all of a sudden, and it surprised her. She had never been nervous in his presence like that since she had confronted him and won back Toby. And he had bugged her countless times since. Until now, though, she had just brushed him off, like he was no more than a fly. Now, though, he had left her feeling confused, in a daze. It was not a pleasant feeling.

Goblins were all over the place. The castle, especially the throne room, was mess. No wonder Jareth was sick! Any descent health department would have cited this place for every neatness violation in the book. She set the goblins to work cleaning everything up. It would, she decided, definitely help Jareth back on the road to wellness. The sooner, the better, thought Sarah. She enjoyed seeing her friends, but the longer she had to be around Jareth….

Great. The feeling was invading her if she even thought of him.

Meanwhile, Hoggle was trying to explain his plan to Toby in terms the child could understand, and he seemed to be getting most of it, so far. "So do you understand why I wanted to put those two together?" asked the dwarf. Toby nodded. "Sarah talks 'bout him in her sleep," he said, giggling, knowing his sister didn't know that fact. Hoggle laughed, as well. "But if Jareth ever finds out about that potion I put in his food," he said, "he'll probably tip me head first in the Bog of Eternal Stench."