Hello all, This is my first attempt and fanatic and I hope you like it please please please tell me what you think!! Disclaimer: Jareth and the Laby people, etc., as much as I would like they don't belong to me. Phantom is from ALW and the Beauty and the Beast Lyrics belong to Tim Rice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter One
In the light of a flickering computer screen saver Sarah Williams sleeps after working on her term paper for 7 hours. She stirs in her sleep her. Dreams flash before and through her head. Dancing, dancing twirling in the eyes of a King who loved her. Flashing falling the look in his eyes as she denied him. Her hand reaching out for the gift her offered, the shimmering crystal ball. Suddenly there is chimes thirteen chimes.......
Sarah rolled over in her bed. She hears the phone coming awake with a start. Muttering she turned on the light grabbing her glasses and her watch. For a brief second the watch face says thirteen o'clock "What the ...."" Sarah looks at it again and breaths a sigh of relief. The clock is normal and it reads 3:32. "Toby" she says with a start and reaches frantically for the phone picking it up.
"Toby?" she says her voice full of concern. " Did you have a bad dream?" "Sarah, he was here in my dream him " Toby's voice sounds scared but OK.
"He said that the 'Wheel has turned Seven years and the power has returned." What in the world dose it mean?" Sarah gripes the phone tightly almost in shock. Seven years since she had denied Jareth. Seven years of dreams and half-forgotten wishes. Sarah sighs *so that explains why I am so jumpy*!
"Toby, it is OK did he say anything else? " Her voice is reassuring.
"No, Sarah. It just kinda scared me a little. So many things that I thought I had given up. Nightmares and odd dreams I am 8 now. I am to old for this kinda thing." His voice sounds earnest.
Sarah smiles. *Toby don't be in such a rush to grow up this time is important to who you become* but instead she said softly "Toby are you all right now? It is getting late. You should be in bed."
"I'm fine Sarah I just warn you, I mean tell you about it. I am going to bed now. I just wanted to let you know. Goodnight I love you." Sarah smiled
"It's all right Toby if you need me you can always call. I love you go to bed you have school in the morning!" At that there was the click of the phone hanging up. Sarah rolled out of her bed and sighs. "School my paper. Why do I always do this to myself? I need coffee lots of coffee Starbucks her I come!" She looks to the posters around her room so different from her child hood room ever since the night she has returned from the Labyrinth. It was almost as if the fun dreamer part of her had died. She threw herself into her work, getting straight A's and majoring in family law. Now she was in her first year of law school.
With a sigh she pulled a pair of black jeans over her boxer shorts and a blue jean shirt over her white rubbed tank top. Her feet sought her white canvas tennis shows and shoved into them. Pulling her back pack over her shoulder she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, her hair in disarray. Muttering she picked up and brush and pulled it roughly through her hair. Grabbing her shruchy she pulled her hair into a ponytail. Glancing behind her she caught a movement with the corner of her eye. Sarah swung around quickly seeing a wiggle move from under her blanket. More squiggles followed and soon the room was alive with them.
"What the hell is going on here!!" Sarah spun around back and forth as if she was going nuts or in a dream. Suddenly there was tapping at the window Sarah recalled it. She pulled her arms above her face to protect it as the owl burst in and turned to Jareth.
"You have no power over me." The words tumbled out of her mouth as if on an instinct. She looked towards him in anticipation. He laughed.
"Surely Sarah you did not think that would work again. You of all people should know that! You disappoint me." He stood there framed in the computers glow and the moon light streaming through the window. There it was the same old voice. The same old eyes.
*God he looks good. * Sarah thought but, instead she said, "What is it you want Jareth? Do you need to be busted down a peg? Do you enjoy being defeated are a masochist or something? I defeated you once and I can do it again!" Her voice shook with a timber of steel.
"But Sarah dear I have a new game this time for something you have already lost and miss very much. You see I have held it near to me for seven years but the wheel has turned and I well, I pitied you really..."
"You pitied me?" Sarah interrupted. "Well now that is something The King of the Goblins pities me the one who beat him. Well, now I am deeply touched. Thanks but no thanks Jareth. I'll sit this one out."
"Don't you even want to know what it is? Don't you want to know what you are missing?" His smile seemed to dance as he spoke his glee evident.
"No, not really. I don't give a damn my dear."
"Well, now let me explain child. At our last meeting you accepted of your own free will a crystal even after you said your words. Though the crystal shattered it took some of you out of it. In a word your fun the dreamer of you the little girl who wanted to be wished away. And I my dear Sarah hold that part. That is the price. The normal rules apply of course."
"I have gotten along fine without that part of me Jareth for seven whole years. I am pretty sure I can do it still. I will not play your game this time I will just sit it out."
Jareth clicks his tongue. "Sarah I expected more of you. By the way if you choose to forfeit this game then your previous victory is forfeit as well. I shall just be off to collect my heir." He turns from her and walks to the window slowly.
"You cannot do that! I beat you fair and square! You are an awful loser! Leave my brother alone you bastard!" He turns to her a delighted look upon his face. "Good then let's go" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Two
In the sight of the old tree Sarah stood with Jareth her shadow in black leather. She looks down towards the Labyrinth thinking * and so it has grown yeah! * of course she could not say that to Jareth. Without a word she walked towards the gates of the Maze as it glowed she was amazed that she found them so easy. As she reached them Jareth voice rolled like satin towards her.
"This is the only time it will be easy Sarah. There will be no friends no one to help you. If you do not reach my castle in thirteen hours you will belong to me. If you give up you belong to me as dose the lovely Toby. Poor Sarah, it is a pity you know. It didn't have to be that way........" A look of profound sadness crosses his face as Sarah cuts him off.
"Spare me Jareth. I really don't need this I have a game to win. And a part of me to get back." Without looking on him she walked towards the gates. Sarah pushed on them. They didn't budge. "Damn it!" She pushed on them with her arms turned and pushes on it with her back muttering with the effort. Suddenly with a screech of anger she turned and drop-kicked the door. It opens.
Sarah looks at with glee. She walks through the doors and looks for the openings in the walls. Twists and turns she follows the path as if she knows it with her heart. Suddenly she comes to the place where Ralph and Alp once stood. In there place there where two simple plain doors. Sarah looks between them, trying to choose one. Suddenly she hears a faint sneer in a voice,
"What will it be Sarah eniney mineey miney or mo? Or will you just give up her. I mean we can have a lovely dinner or something with your time. My offer from before still stands. I would be you slave if you would only obey me." His face light up as he talked almost as if he could picture it in his head.
"Actually Jareth, I think I'll take drawer number 2, " Without another word towards him she pushed the door open and walks through after 3 steps a hole appears before her.
"Sorry Sarah wrong choice."
With a scream Sarah fell into the prison. "Damn Damn Damn! OK hands help me out here. Hellooooooooooooooooo" Sarah called as she fell deeper. Then almost as if out of the darkness the hands clasped her.
"You again?" said one.
"One would think one would learn!" put in another
"You know the drill." entered a third
"Yes, up or down" five cried at once.
"Will considering what happen last time" Sarah replied, "I'll go up."
"Up she choose up?" a group of six chimed in.
"What how can that be wrong?" Sarah yelled as she shot up the hole desperately grabbing the hands. " It's not fair" Without another word Sarah ended up in an oubliette with the door slamming shut from below. There was no light and no sound and she knew that Hoggle would not becoming to save her. Sighing she felt around with her hands. She knew that the hole she was in was 6ft tall by 10ft wide. The walls where slimy and Sarah grimaces as she touches them.
"Ewwww" Sarah flopped to the floor in misery. *Now what? * Sighing she leaned back and felt her backpack. She had totally forgotten about it. Slowly as if afraid someone would take it from her, Sarah eased the backpack from her shoulders. With nimble fingers she sought the cigarettes she was holding for her friend Kim and the lighter with them. With a gasp of pleasure she pulled the lighter out and flicked it. A small flame light the space and her hope with it.
"I wonder what else I have in here." Sarah said aloud to give herself some comfort. Shaking out her bag things rolled out. A pencil a bottle of Evian, some peach Bath and Body works towlets, and a bag from Yankee candles. With a gasp Sarah grabbed the Yankee candle bag and opened it. She pulled out two votive and light one. Holding the candle she once again went over her prison. Finding nothing she turns back to the door.
Packing up her bag she looked stepped on the door. With a grunt she kicked it hard with the heel of her foot calling her chee. Again and again she kicked until the wood splintered between under her heel. Without thinking she dove through the hole.
As the light grew she hit of the wall and made a made scramble towards the hallway and gripped it, pulling herself up. She glanced at her watch. *Ten hours and change plenty of time*. With that she set off towards the castle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 3
Sarah seemed to have walked forever in that inky blackness. No turns no ways out just that corridor that seemed to go on forever. Sarah sighed * Ok Jareth or the cleaners or something awful should have happened by now*. After a few more steps Sarah finally came to two ladders. One stood there proud and strong it's stainless steel glittering in the half light. The other lied there weakly looking like rotted wood. Graying decaying ready to fall apart at the touch.
Sarah stood there musing over the choice. Suddenly she recalled the lesson she had learned from her last trip through the Labyrinth :Nothing is what is appears to be. However she also knew that Jareth would know she would think that. This went on inside her head back and forth. "Enough!" she cried holding her hands over her ears. Suddenly her hand reached for the first rung of the wooden latter. Hand over hand she climbed reaching not looking down only up but somehow not seeing the end.
While climbing she began to think on her situation. Jareth his eyes his mouth oh god his hair. The look in his eyes when she called him a bastard. Then to her amazement her thoughts turned to the show she had taken her brother to see last month. Beauty and The Beast. Toby loved it the songs the show. Sarah had sat there listening trying to block the feelings she had thought long dead. Listening to the Beast's song after he had let Belle go. With out a warning she started singing it softly to herself.
No words have been spoken
No spell has been broken
No point anymore
If she can't love me
No hope she would so
No dreams to pursue so
I finally know that I will always be
In this hopeless state and condemned to wait
Wait for Death to set me free.......
Far away in his castle Jareth watched and listen to Sarah's song. It reached into him and wrenched something he to thought was long dead. His love for her. Her voice brought tears to his eyes. He had been there watching her watching this show. He had seen her face as she had watched. The look in her eyes, sadness, longing, loss of hope, had given him this plot. Suddenly this was no longer revenge it was a war for his very happiness.
Sarah burst through the pot smiling as the sun hit her. * Finely progress*. Sarah jumped out of the pot then stop putting a hand to her nose. "God the Bog of Stench" she yelled. Holding her hand to her face she walked around looking for the bridge to take her across. At once she heard a strange yelling and it chilled her bones to the marrow. The Furies.
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Chapter Four
Sarah whirled around facing the Furies hoping against hope they have short memories. No such luck.
"Hey pretty lady! Come back to play? Let's play. I wanna toss your head!!" All the furies cried in a great chorus. Sarah knew that there was no help coming she had to get herself out of this one.
"You guys like games right?" she asked keeping her voice calm and cheerful. "Well, how about I teach you a game?" She looked around with a dazzling smile.
"What kinda game?" The furies asked excitedly. Their childlike curiosity growing." I wanna play Pretty Lady's game!" They all agreed.
"Will this is what you do. OK are you all listening? Good! Now the first thing you guys do is take and all lie down and close your eyes with your hands over them."
"What kinda game is this Lady?" They asked as they lied down on the ground.
"It is called Hide-and-go Seek. First you all lie there until I yell come and find me. The person who finds me first gets to hide next time OK? Now just lie there so I can hide." As the Furies lied down Sarah ran as fast as she could looking for the bridge. She didn't find it. Muttering she looked to the high rock ledge before her. With a look of determination Sarah pulled off her denim shirt and tied it around her waist. Slowly she took and placed her hands upon the stone and hand over hand climbed the face off it.
Jareth watched her knowing that it was an impossible task. He never allowed mortals to climb to the top. But watching her determination a smile spread across his face. Such grace such elegance such strength made her perfect for his queen. Never before had he had felt that he had found and equal. With a smile he decided to allow her to reach the top. At that moment her grip slipped.
She was falling. Her life flashed through her mind Toby. What would become of him now? Somewhere deep inside her she knew that Jareth would take care of him for her. With that smile on her face the world dissolved into blackness.
Jareth was there in that instant. His strong arms wrapped around her breaking her fall. The damage was already done. Sarah had hit her head on a loose rock. Cradling her in his arms, Jareth lied her in a wooden glen far away from the Bog. With a great fear he took and examined her. Pulling a crystal out of the air he placed it to the bump feeling it heal. He smiled as a small bit of color returned to her dirt smudged face. Pulling a wet scented cloth from the air he bathed her face arms and scratched hands. With a small sigh Sarah awoke looking into his eyes. A smile puzzled look crossed her face as she tried to read his eyes.
Was that fear? Was he afraid for her? Jareth? Her mind fought this questions telling her that it was the bump talking but she knew it wasn't. She smiled weakly. "I'm fine really" He looked to her with a small nod his eyes turning cold once more.
"Good" he replied in that arrogant voice. "Then the game goes on" With that he disappeared leaving her alone. Sarah sighed she hadn't wanted to make him angry. In a small simple voice as if fighting the manners of a life time trying to overcome the anger she felt.
"Thank you Jareth," and it was enough said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Five
Jareth sat on his throne his heart pounding in his chest. That fear had never happened before. His hands where shaking as he studied the crystal ball before him. She was alive. She was ok. His eyes narrowed a little at the look on her face. Was that a tear falling down her face could she really be crying over him?
Sarah sat where he had left her . She held her knees to her chest and buried her face in them. She had no idea what to do next. She rose to her feet startled to find the path straight ahead of her. No twists no turns it just was there well light and neat.
With a trembling foot Sarah started out along the path. She didn't know where it would take her or what would happen. She trusted Jareth and that was enough.
As she walked images rose up around her. The ball, Hoggle, Toby, all where there in true living color. She paused for a moment watching herself and Jareth dance. With a sigh she walked on singing again to herself. Suddenly she caught a picture of herself but not herself. She was wearing a lovely dress and looked more like an angel then the mortal she was. Suddenly out of the darkness she heard a soft voice. One she loved.
"That is how he sees you Sarah. He thinks if you every moment of everyday. He makes certain you are never hurt. He always goes to you when you are afraid. He loves you Sarah and as much as you deny it to yourself, You love him too."
Sarah twisted looking for the owner of the voice. "Toby" she cried "Toby where are you how do you know this?"
"I am not the Toby you know Sarah. I am the child that he once was. He has out grown me now. I just wanted to tell you this before I vanish." Then without another word he was gone. Sarah was flabbergasted. She searched for him but knew in her heart it was hopeless. The child he was gone.
Suddenly out of the darkness came the Goblin City. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Six
Sarah trekked through the trash heaps and through the gates of the Goblin City. No problems she faced indeed there was no soul along the roads in. As Sarah approached the Castle doors the opened all on their own and she walked through them slowly. Once again she meet with no problems. As she began her acet. up the stairs another song filled her head.
Pitiful Creature of Darkness
What kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you
You are not alone....
With a sense of foreboding the song rang through her head again and again. Sarah entered the throne room. There was no on there. Through rooms and rooms she looked not finding him. Without reason or explanation Sarah found herself in a small rose garden where she had not been before. Jareth sat there alone simply dressed for once. His long black cloak seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. He simply stared into the black silk bag in his hand. For an instant she doubted of he knew of her approach.
"Jareth I have come." Sarah's voice carried over the silence of the garden. Without looking up Jareth replied his voice full of weariness, "Yes Sarah I know you have just as I knew you would have." His eyes stayed locked on the bag, as if trying to compose himself. Or as if he was steeling himself for a deeper hurt and loss. "You have come to reclaim your prize. And you have every right to it. I shall not beg you this time, not even for your love. Perhaps it would have been best if I had never brought you back here at all."
Against all rational thought Sarah's desperate voice rang out" No Jareth don't say that! Don't ever say that! Can't you see how you've changed me? Strange how I finally see. I found home, you're my home, keep me." Without even relishing it Sarah had fallen into Belle's song from the end of the show. Then a small gust of wind and Sarah was left in her apartment holding the small black silk bag.
With trembling fingers she pulled the draw strings on her bag. Sarah shook the bag and small pieces if glitter that she knew was once a crystal ball she had been offered. A tear running down her face she held the bag to her cheek, knowing in her heart what it meant. "No please" her desperate voice rang out "Don't leave me I love you!!" Nothing happened. There was no golden light no sense of happy ending. Sarah's dreams had returned, but nothing else. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Seven
Sarah glanced up knowing what she must do. Clenching the black bag in her fist she picked up her car keys and raced out into the stormy night. She hoped into her Saturn and peeled out of the parking lot. Her foot locked to the gas, Sarah hopped on the highway doing 90 all the way. At last Sarah came to her exit and raced through the darkened streets to her family's old house. She looked at it knowing that this wasn't the right place. Closing her eyes she recalled the park where the owl had first seen her. Sarah slammed her foot on the gas trusting enough in her love not to kill herself or get pulled over before dawn.
The owl sat on the bench staring into the storm and back into his past. It seemed that memories of her has all that he would ever have. He had proved both to her and to himself that he wasn't the villain. He had loved her enough to let her go. For some reason that didn't take away the pain the heart ache it was still there. Lighting flashed thunder roared and the wind howled. Still he watched her in his mind no longer the child but the strong woman she had become. And he saw her coming towards him smiling. That hurt him worse then anything else. Perhaps he should return to his home watch her for a little while..... No, that was insane. She would never see him as anything else.
Sarah ran through the park her memory not failing her. Getting soaked slipping in the mud she ran for the bench. She reached it looking around pushing her heavy dark hair from her face. Taking a deep breath she pulled herself tall and walked to the owl. Speaking very softly she said" Jareth I am no longer a child. I no longer expect the storybook. There is no need for heroes or villains. I just want to know something."
"What is that?" He asked changing into his normal form in front of her eyes.
"Do you love me really?" She asked uncertainly keeping her eyes on his. Without backing down he replied softly.
"Yes, I do and I have always and always will."
"I love you too." And walking slowly towards her with no care for the rain he took her and kissed her deeply. Without words he asked her and she answered. "Will you stay with me?"
"Yes." And slowly the disappeared into the darkness a small shower of glitter coming to rest on the ground.
The End