Ch 1. I Wish…

Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth or it's residents. I'm just borrowing them.

Authors Note: I know it's a slow start but bear with me. It will pick up. Read and Review. Constructive criticism accepted and considered. Full out bashing will only irritate me. If you hate my writing enough to do that then don't read it. Enjoy the story. :D

Rhea stood in front of the mirror rehearsing her lines. The drama club was doing a performance of the story labyrinth and all actors were encouraged to work on their lines on their own.

"Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great. You have no power over me," as she finished the last sentence she heard a knock at the door.

Quickly she turned to answer it. The dark haired boy on her doorstep smiled when he saw her. She stepped aside and let him in. he immediately went to the small crib by the mirrored closet and picked up the small one year old standing in it. He held her close to him and she immediately began tugging playfully on his hair.

"I don't know how you do it. It has to be hard. Just you and Karen here. You shouldn't be doing this all on your own. I wish you would let my family help," he said rocking the tiny girl gently.

"It is hard but we live okay here. Besides your family already does help. They baby sit for free when I'm at school or at work. I usually join one of the neighbors for dinner and don't use electricity for anything but the phone. Really it's just the rent, the water, and the phone bill that need to be paid every month. The rest of my money goes to clothes and blankets or sits in my savings account," Rhea turned the knob on the oil lamp to allow more light in the room.

"Rhea I can see that you're getting by but we have offered to let you live with us through graduation and college if you choose to go," he set Karen, now sleeping, back in the crib.

"Bryan I appreciate the offer but I'm not ready for any more changes right now," Rhea sat on the bed recalling the event that got her into this mess.

"Listen Rhea, I know that your parents death took it's toll on you but it's been a year. You've been living in this trailer ever since and you seem so…distant. We're worried about you," he sat next to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What are you worried about," Rhea leaned against Bryan.

"We think you might be going into a depression," Bryan hugged Rhea comfortingly.

"I'm a nineteen year old girl raising her baby sister alone in a trailer park because both of her parents are dead. Did you expect me to be happy about it," Rhea sighed.

"No. You're just getting too distant. You ignore most of your friends. They miss you Rhea," Bryan rubbed her shoulders and back.

"Whatever. Change the subject," she pushed the boy off her and stood up.

"Okay," Bryan picked up the script from it's place on the bed as Rhea ran a brush through her hair, "I wonder where this story came from."

Rhea gave him a skeptic look, "Not again Bryan. It's just another made up legend like Bloody Mary and the Easter bunny."

"How do you know? Have you ever tested it," Bryan smirked.

"No. But still. There's no such thing as magic or goblins," she looked at her watch and saw that it was past midnight, "And I can prove it to you right now," she walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Rhea what are you doing," he raised an eyebrow.

"Bloody Mary," her voice sounded through the door.

"Rhea don't," Bryan said seriously.

"Bloody Mary," she said again.

"Seriously stop. You don't know nothing will happen. It could be real," Bryan whined.

"I'm perfectly safe Bryan. Bloody Mary," she said it a third time.

Bryan held his breath for five seconds before the door opened and Rhea stepped out of the bathroom unharmed.

"Okay so she isn't real but that doesn't mean the goblins are false," he stated firmly.

"Oh really? So if I ask them to take Karen away she'll really disappear," she smirked playfully.

"Rhea please don't," he was getting tired of this game.

"Oh I think I will," she turned toward the crib, "I can bear it no longer. Goblin king, goblin king, wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me," she waited a moment and Karen was still there, "See? It didn't work."

Bryan sighed, "That's the rewrite not the original words."

"Oh of course," she chuckled and looked at the crib, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now."

She returned to the bed looking triumphant and kissed Bryan. As she pulled back the door burst open and an owl flew in and transformed into a man with strange hair and even stranger clothes. Bryan stood fearfully and checked the crib.

"Rhea, Karen's gone," he stated.

"What," she replied still being skeptical.

"She's gone," he said strictly.

"Not possible," she stood to go check, "There is no way anyone could have…" her voice broke off when she saw that the crib was indeed empty.

She looked at the man, "Who are you?"

"You know very well who I am," he replied.

"You took my sister," she accused.

"You asked me to," he smiled.

"Give her back," she demanded.

"What's said is said," he crossed his arms and gave her a 'too bad for you' look.

"I didn't think it would work. It was just a joke," she stepped toward him, her tone edging toward hysterical.

"Hm," he mad a show of trying to understand her humor, "I don't get it," he said simply.

"Well now that I think about it it's not that funny," she said sadly.

"Should have thought of that before," Bryan muttered.

Rhea gave her boyfriend an irritated look and returned her gaze to the goblin king, "Please, your majesty, I'll try anything to get her back. Just give me a chance."

"You should just forget about her. The labyrinth has only been solved twice," he told her.

"That means there's a chance. Let me try it," she said hopefully.

"I've brought you a gift," he said making a small clear sphere appear out of thin air.

"What is it," she sighed tapping her foot.

"It's a crystal. Nothing more," he began playing with it by letting it roll around on his hands and wrists, "But if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show you your dreams but this is not a gift for and ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby," he held it out to her.

"Karen does not scream your majesty. Let me try the labyrinth," she stated firmly.

The king rolled his eyes, "Do you honestly think you can solve it in less than thirteen hours," he pointed out the window at a vast labyrinth surrounding the goblin city.

"Rhea this is a bad idea. Even if I help by going with we're both terrible at this kind of puzzle," Bryan stepped forward.

"I know that Bryan. Failure is almost guaranteed for this task. However, she is my baby sister and my responsibility. Besides, my parents would turn in their urns if I don't try," she said sadly glancing at the matching urns sitting side by side on the bedside table.

Bryan sighed, " Am I allowed to go with her," he looked at the goblin king.

"If you wish but you still only get thirteen hours to solve it," he replied.

Rhea ignored this exchange and ran toward the labyrinth. Bryan ran after her saying she should slow down so she won't get tired out too fast.

TBC…

AN: Don't forget to review. Feel free to ask questions. I will be glad to answer them.