A Promise to Keep
By Jade
Disclaimer: The Labyrinth and all within it belong to Jim Henson Productions with the exception
of Josie and Boona. Boona is mine and may be borrowed with my permission, and if anyone is
interested, is actually based on my sister Bobbi.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Standing by the window in the throne room of his castle, Jareth looked out across his vast
Labyrinth. His heart heavy with sadness, he pondered his next move. He had a promise to keep
but was uncertain of how to do it.
Thinking back many years ago, he remembered coming upon the poor distraught woman weeping
beneath a willow tree on his way to take yet another child. Her husband just killed in an accident,
her sobs drew his attention. Befriending the poor dear, she poured her heart out to him. She told
him of losing her husband and all that had gone wrong. Then she revealed her greatest fear yet.
Who was to look after her child should anything happen to befall her? Of course, that sparked
Jareth's interest. After all, children were his specialty so to speak.
He remembered giving the woman his word that should anything happen to her, he would come
for the child. The look on her face made him want to smile. It was a look of disbelief. He had
just offered a complete stranger to look after a child that was yet to be born. It was an intriguing
thought to him though. In all his years, he had never had the opportunity to take a child that was
not wished away. Perhaps one day this child could be and heir to his throne or perhaps this child
would not. The future is not set and he knew this but still knowing that one day he would have to
uphold his promise to the woman gave him a sense of duty.
Pulling a thin chain from midair, he handed it to the woman and told her that he will be watching
over the child. At the end of the chain hung a small crystal. It was his gift for the child that one
day might need him. An instant later he was gone, leaving the woman alone once again but with a
new refreshed hope.
As the years passed, he watched over the child as it went from infant, to headstrong teen, to now
a responsible adult. For twenty-five years he had sent the child gifts of sorts, watching over it,
growing attached to the idea that one day their paths would cross.
He appeared only once to the child since the day of his promise. It was a day he would not likely
forget. On the twelfth birthday, Jareth thought the child was old enough for a copy of THE
LABYRINTH. Coming to the woman's house during the party, he held the brightly wrapped
package out and the child tore into it. The look of surprise was enough for Jareth and he took his
leave of them, returning to the Underground to watch from afar.
Jareth produced a crystal and held it upon his fingertips. Peering into it, he saw the image of a
young dark haired woman leaning over a hospital bed. He could see she was crying. The
moment he had been waiting for was finally at hand but he found himself regretting the
circumstances. Tossing the crystal into the air, it vanished without a trace. Jareth resumed his
examination of his Labyrinth.
Inside the room, the dark haired woman was lost. "Please don't leave me," Josie whispered
between sobs. "You are all I have left," She leaned over her mother and cried, hugging her one
last time. She knew that the time had come to bid her mother farewell, but that didn't make it any
easier. Then the awful sound of the flatline hit Josie's ears. The most hideous sound she could
ever imagine echoed in her ears.
When the doctors rushed in, Josie moved to the corner, nervously fiddling with her necklace. She
watched helplessly as they attempted to revive her. Knowing that death had won this battle, the
agonizing fact of her mother passing away in her arms made her feel useless. She was all Josie
had to cling to and now she was gone. When the doctors left, she slowly walked to the bed.
Tears streaming down her face, she kissed her mother on the cheek and said her goodbye.
********
Josie walked into the empty house and dropped her keys on the table. Still in shock from the
events of the day, she was exhausted. Picking up a picture off the desk in the living room and
holding it to her chest, she could feel the tears swelling up in her eyes again. She felt her knees
grow weak and she collapsed onto the floor. Closing her eyes, trying to hold onto the precious
memories of her mother, she did not recall falling asleep.
Josie found herself back in the hospital crying over her mother's body. Raising her eyes, she
found herself looking at a stranger. A handsome man with blonde hair and the most mysterious
eyes was watching her. He took a step closer. Josie stood and faced him as he raised his hand
and extended it out to her.
Startled awake by the ringing of her phone, Josie grabbed the receiver, and raised it to her ear.
"Hello?" she said softly, her voice tinged with sorrow.
"Josie?" came the voice on the other end.
"Yes? Who is this?" Josie inquired, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"A friend," came the reply. "I just wanted to make sure you are alright and pay my respects. I
am sorry to have bothered you." Josie heard them hang up and still had no idea who it was.
********
Back at Jareth's castle, a small ball of light flew in through the window. Jareth watched as Boona
burst into human form, glitter enveloping her entire being. She smiled sweetly at the Goblin King.
"It is done your Majesty," she said with a small bow.
"Good. See to it that she will want to come here," he replied raising a stern brow. "Go now and
watch over her."
"Yes my master. It will be done," she responded softly, then once again returned to a ball of
light, flying off to do as she was commanded.
**********************
The day of the funeral, Josie could not shake the overwhelming sadness that consumed her. Even
with all her mother's friends surrounding her, she felt no peace. Josie watched in silence as the
mourners made their way up to pay their last respects to Josie's mother by placing a flower upon
the casket. As they left, they said goodbye to Josie with words of encouragement. After
everyone was gone, she still felt the sadness and the loneliness of what she had lost.
Walking toward the casket, her hazel eyes filling with tears of sorrow, she held a single white rose
in her hand. "I will always love you mother," she said, looking down and gently placing it on the
rest of the flowers.
Looking up, she met the gaze of a strange woman dressed all in black and holding a peach rose,
her blonde hair shining like spun gold in the sunlight. She slowly walked forward, gave Josie a
soft smile, and placed the rose on top of the others. Looking back at Josie one last time, she
turned and began to walk away.
"Wait. Please," Josie called after her. The woman turned and smiled again, her eyes flashing with
mystery. "Who are you?" Josie asked, needing to know.
"A friend Josie," the woman replied as she turned and walked off through the graveyard.
Josie stood there watching her walking away, still with no idea of who she was. Josie started
after her, wanting to find the answers, but feeling them slip away with each step.
"Josie," a voice from behind called to her.
Josie glanced back to see her mother's best friend, Joanne waiting for her by the car. Turning
back around to complete her task, she did not see the stranger anywhere. It was almost as though
she disappeared into thin air. Walking back to the car, she stopped and turned around one last
time in the hopes of catching a glimpse of her. When she saw nothing, she got in the car and
Joanne drove her home.
Joanne unlocked the door and walked inside, turning on the light. Josie solemnly walked in and
went to her room, closing the door behind her. Leaning against the wood door, Josie finally
released her frustration. Tears streamed down her face and her shoulders shook from the tension
she held within herself. A knock came on her door and she tried her best to hide that fact that she
had been crying.
"Josie dear, are you alright in there," Joanne's voice came through the door.
"Yeah," she replied, wiping the tears from her face. She looked at the crystal that hung around
her neck. So beautiful and peaceful. It reminded her of a story she got as a gift for her twelfth
birthday. She could barely remember who gave it to her, it was such a long time ago.
"Do you need anything dear?" she asked, breaking Josie's concentration.
"Not right now, thank you Joanne. I just need to get some rest," Josie replied soft spoken, her
voice shaky.
"Ok dear. If you need anything I will be right downstairs," Joanne said soothingly.
"Thank you," Josie answered, walking over to the bed. Stretching out, she realized that it was the
first time in the past few days that she felt relaxed. Pulling the covers up to her chin, she felt safe
as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~
By Jade
Disclaimer: The Labyrinth and all within it belong to Jim Henson Productions with the exception
of Josie and Boona. Boona is mine and may be borrowed with my permission, and if anyone is
interested, is actually based on my sister Bobbi.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Standing by the window in the throne room of his castle, Jareth looked out across his vast
Labyrinth. His heart heavy with sadness, he pondered his next move. He had a promise to keep
but was uncertain of how to do it.
Thinking back many years ago, he remembered coming upon the poor distraught woman weeping
beneath a willow tree on his way to take yet another child. Her husband just killed in an accident,
her sobs drew his attention. Befriending the poor dear, she poured her heart out to him. She told
him of losing her husband and all that had gone wrong. Then she revealed her greatest fear yet.
Who was to look after her child should anything happen to befall her? Of course, that sparked
Jareth's interest. After all, children were his specialty so to speak.
He remembered giving the woman his word that should anything happen to her, he would come
for the child. The look on her face made him want to smile. It was a look of disbelief. He had
just offered a complete stranger to look after a child that was yet to be born. It was an intriguing
thought to him though. In all his years, he had never had the opportunity to take a child that was
not wished away. Perhaps one day this child could be and heir to his throne or perhaps this child
would not. The future is not set and he knew this but still knowing that one day he would have to
uphold his promise to the woman gave him a sense of duty.
Pulling a thin chain from midair, he handed it to the woman and told her that he will be watching
over the child. At the end of the chain hung a small crystal. It was his gift for the child that one
day might need him. An instant later he was gone, leaving the woman alone once again but with a
new refreshed hope.
As the years passed, he watched over the child as it went from infant, to headstrong teen, to now
a responsible adult. For twenty-five years he had sent the child gifts of sorts, watching over it,
growing attached to the idea that one day their paths would cross.
He appeared only once to the child since the day of his promise. It was a day he would not likely
forget. On the twelfth birthday, Jareth thought the child was old enough for a copy of THE
LABYRINTH. Coming to the woman's house during the party, he held the brightly wrapped
package out and the child tore into it. The look of surprise was enough for Jareth and he took his
leave of them, returning to the Underground to watch from afar.
Jareth produced a crystal and held it upon his fingertips. Peering into it, he saw the image of a
young dark haired woman leaning over a hospital bed. He could see she was crying. The
moment he had been waiting for was finally at hand but he found himself regretting the
circumstances. Tossing the crystal into the air, it vanished without a trace. Jareth resumed his
examination of his Labyrinth.
Inside the room, the dark haired woman was lost. "Please don't leave me," Josie whispered
between sobs. "You are all I have left," She leaned over her mother and cried, hugging her one
last time. She knew that the time had come to bid her mother farewell, but that didn't make it any
easier. Then the awful sound of the flatline hit Josie's ears. The most hideous sound she could
ever imagine echoed in her ears.
When the doctors rushed in, Josie moved to the corner, nervously fiddling with her necklace. She
watched helplessly as they attempted to revive her. Knowing that death had won this battle, the
agonizing fact of her mother passing away in her arms made her feel useless. She was all Josie
had to cling to and now she was gone. When the doctors left, she slowly walked to the bed.
Tears streaming down her face, she kissed her mother on the cheek and said her goodbye.
********
Josie walked into the empty house and dropped her keys on the table. Still in shock from the
events of the day, she was exhausted. Picking up a picture off the desk in the living room and
holding it to her chest, she could feel the tears swelling up in her eyes again. She felt her knees
grow weak and she collapsed onto the floor. Closing her eyes, trying to hold onto the precious
memories of her mother, she did not recall falling asleep.
Josie found herself back in the hospital crying over her mother's body. Raising her eyes, she
found herself looking at a stranger. A handsome man with blonde hair and the most mysterious
eyes was watching her. He took a step closer. Josie stood and faced him as he raised his hand
and extended it out to her.
Startled awake by the ringing of her phone, Josie grabbed the receiver, and raised it to her ear.
"Hello?" she said softly, her voice tinged with sorrow.
"Josie?" came the voice on the other end.
"Yes? Who is this?" Josie inquired, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"A friend," came the reply. "I just wanted to make sure you are alright and pay my respects. I
am sorry to have bothered you." Josie heard them hang up and still had no idea who it was.
********
Back at Jareth's castle, a small ball of light flew in through the window. Jareth watched as Boona
burst into human form, glitter enveloping her entire being. She smiled sweetly at the Goblin King.
"It is done your Majesty," she said with a small bow.
"Good. See to it that she will want to come here," he replied raising a stern brow. "Go now and
watch over her."
"Yes my master. It will be done," she responded softly, then once again returned to a ball of
light, flying off to do as she was commanded.
**********************
The day of the funeral, Josie could not shake the overwhelming sadness that consumed her. Even
with all her mother's friends surrounding her, she felt no peace. Josie watched in silence as the
mourners made their way up to pay their last respects to Josie's mother by placing a flower upon
the casket. As they left, they said goodbye to Josie with words of encouragement. After
everyone was gone, she still felt the sadness and the loneliness of what she had lost.
Walking toward the casket, her hazel eyes filling with tears of sorrow, she held a single white rose
in her hand. "I will always love you mother," she said, looking down and gently placing it on the
rest of the flowers.
Looking up, she met the gaze of a strange woman dressed all in black and holding a peach rose,
her blonde hair shining like spun gold in the sunlight. She slowly walked forward, gave Josie a
soft smile, and placed the rose on top of the others. Looking back at Josie one last time, she
turned and began to walk away.
"Wait. Please," Josie called after her. The woman turned and smiled again, her eyes flashing with
mystery. "Who are you?" Josie asked, needing to know.
"A friend Josie," the woman replied as she turned and walked off through the graveyard.
Josie stood there watching her walking away, still with no idea of who she was. Josie started
after her, wanting to find the answers, but feeling them slip away with each step.
"Josie," a voice from behind called to her.
Josie glanced back to see her mother's best friend, Joanne waiting for her by the car. Turning
back around to complete her task, she did not see the stranger anywhere. It was almost as though
she disappeared into thin air. Walking back to the car, she stopped and turned around one last
time in the hopes of catching a glimpse of her. When she saw nothing, she got in the car and
Joanne drove her home.
Joanne unlocked the door and walked inside, turning on the light. Josie solemnly walked in and
went to her room, closing the door behind her. Leaning against the wood door, Josie finally
released her frustration. Tears streamed down her face and her shoulders shook from the tension
she held within herself. A knock came on her door and she tried her best to hide that fact that she
had been crying.
"Josie dear, are you alright in there," Joanne's voice came through the door.
"Yeah," she replied, wiping the tears from her face. She looked at the crystal that hung around
her neck. So beautiful and peaceful. It reminded her of a story she got as a gift for her twelfth
birthday. She could barely remember who gave it to her, it was such a long time ago.
"Do you need anything dear?" she asked, breaking Josie's concentration.
"Not right now, thank you Joanne. I just need to get some rest," Josie replied soft spoken, her
voice shaky.
"Ok dear. If you need anything I will be right downstairs," Joanne said soothingly.
"Thank you," Josie answered, walking over to the bed. Stretching out, she realized that it was the
first time in the past few days that she felt relaxed. Pulling the covers up to her chin, she felt safe
as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~