Author's Note: This is my very first fic (or ficlet), but I'm rather pleased with the outcome. This is an idea I've been toying with for a while now, but I hadn't really intended to put it to writing. I was listening to "Call Me When You're Sober" by Evanescence this afternoon, and the story sort of wrote itself. :D
"Sarah, honey, are you okay?" Hank Williams called to his daughter, knocking softly upon her door. "Go away!" she responded angrily, as her hand searched frantically for an object to throw at the offending voice. Her touch met with something strangely soft and she glanced curiously through her tears at the teddy bear clutched in her grip. "Lancelot..." she said softly, gazing at her favorite stuffed animal. She blinked as her head was flooded with memories of a far away land and its handsome ruler. A despairing sob escaped her lips and she flung the toy from the bed as though it had burned her. Her father shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, clearing his throat nervously. "You, uh, obviously want to be left alone so I'll just be downstairs if you need me, okay?" He glanced sadly once more through the crack in her door before retreating to the family den. "What is it this time?" Irene demanded with a disapproving scowl. "I... I don't know." he answered, sighing heavily. "I really don't know what's gotten into Sarah. She's been so irritable lately." "Humph." Irene responded, her eyes hard and narrowed. "You give that girl too much freedom. I think a good grounding every once in a while would do her some good."
Up in her bedroom, Sarah Williams sobbed into her satin pillow, occasionally muttering that fateful phrase, "It's not fair." Soon her moans became little hitching breaths as she fought for oxygen. "Jareth!" she finally called desperately. "Jareth, I need you!" Say your right words… "I wish the goblins would come and take me away right now!" Sarah exclaimed confidently. She glanced quickly to the mirror that hung over her vanity and the tree through her window on which she hoped against hope to see a snowy owl perched. To her despair the branch was empty and her mirror reflected only her reddened eyes. He hadn't come. "Please Jareth..." she implored softly. "I love you."
In the castle beyond the Goblin City, the king of goblins lounged upon his throne, glancing around indifferently at the various creatures that crowded his throne room. "Jareth..." A soft, feminine voice wafted through the air, and his subjects looked up from their activities with sudden interest. "Leave me." the king of goblins commanded, for he knew the voice well. A perfect crystal formed on the tips of his fingers and he gazed intently at the figure within. A malevolent smile formed upon the Goblin King's lips, but the derision didn't reach his eyes. Pain, regret, and a fierce longing were reflected clearly in their icy depths. "Ah, but Sarah," he sighed, "If you loved me, you would be here with me." He closed his eyes against the torrent of emotions that welled up at the sight of her so distraught. On some level he felt a perverse satisfaction knowing that she was utterly desolate and heartbroken, but even stronger was the urge to gather her up into his arms and soothe away her tears with his caresses. With one final, longing glance at her image, he blinked and the crystal which had balanced perfectly on the ends of his leather-clad fingers vanished. If only...