The hoot of an owl was not rare near his home. His parents told him owls began to come here when his step-sister, Sarah was a teenager. One in particular, large and white would often stay outside Sarah's window, surely enjoying whatever view it would receive from the room.
17 and quite proud of himself, he had grown to be a little thin, below average in height and careless about his appearance. Perhaps he got his attitude it from his sister, whom in the face he looked surprisingly similar to as well.
Almost 16 years had gone by since Sarah's rescue mission into the Labyrinth. She was actually quite similar to the way she was at 15, her age well hidden. A trait enjoyed to it's fullest in the family. Today, Sarah was going to come home. His childhood hero, his unknown savior was coming finally home.
Jareth watched the teenager scamper about his room, cleaning up a mess here and there, ignorant of the owl, stark in the daylight outside the boy's window. His wings bristled and then he drew himself up to fly away. Sarah, was coming back for another visit. This time… Jareth was ready.
"Toby! Come on, I need you to do these dishes! We don't need to look like pigs living here when your sister gets home!"
"Eh? Mom! If we live like that, then we live like that!" The shaggy haired strawberry blonde dodged a pillow from the living room. "What? It's true!"
A day like any other. The family had only grown closer over the years, and while Sarah was still there, the step-siblings had gotten along well after the unspoken incident. Her stories of it she told to Toby in the form of fairy tales, and Toby had never to that day forgot one. What of the princess who tricked the Labyrinth? The knights who she found on the way, the ones who saved her from certain death many a time before they finally made their way to the Goblin Castle. Jareth the Goblin king's dark castle.
"He is tall and pale. The best way to figure out who he is… would be by his eyes. One if brown, and the other is blue. Toby, if you are ever to see this man, please, run away as fast as you can. He will swoop you up and claim you a wished away if you stay with him!" A 17 year-old Sarah would tell the 5 year-old Toby.
"I sure will, Sarah! After I knock him flat!" The toddler swung a hand in the air, and Sarah caught it before it made contact with one of her stuffed animals.
"Toby. You mustn't argue with me about this one. He is a deceiving man, and he will trick you."
Large blue eyes eyed those of his sister's carefully. Something told him that this fairy tale touched Sarah deeper than the others. Toby quickly changed the subject, to drive away her distress. "Sis, can you tell me the story of the man who climbed the girls hair into the tower? Can you change it around like you did before?"
A much younger Sarah laughed at her innocent brother. "I would love to, you darling thing."
"Hey?…" The front door opened tentatively, and a short haired brunette took a small step in. Light flowed from the windows, and the house gave off the familiar warmth of her childhood.
"Sarah?" Toby peeked out from the kitchen, some soap suds sticking to his arms. "Sarah! You're finally home!"
Toby scampered back into the kitchen and returned again, this time without the bubbles. Sarah dropped her bags by the door and the two hugged each other swiftly. Toby's mother skipped into the room and threw herself into the hug before Toby could pull himself from it, and her husband laughed at the spectacle his family was.
Sarah smiled and made her way to one of the well used sofas. When her stepmother first came, everything had been very starched clean and Sarah had hated it. Now, the house felt more like a home than it had for her at Toby's age. She said a silent thankful prayer for her brother's wellbeing and then turned to her family.
"It's true, Mom I am engaged now." Sarah's step-mother was now Mom. She had been for many years now.
"Took you long enough." A rolls of large blue eyes told Sarah off with ease.
"Shush, Toby! Your sister is talking right now." As defensive as it was, of course the woman agreed with her son.
Her eyes sparkled as she laughed. "No, it's true. I've really taken my time, haven't I?" Her fiancé was a very good man. A little older than she was, and had a love for adventure. Something the two of them shared, (being Sarah had a knack of inducing adventure accidentally or with a little push into her life) and they often went on long hikes and swims with each other.
"I'm glad to hear that, Sarah. We were beginning to worry." Her father cut into her thoughts and handed her a glass of wine.
"What? Chu-think she was a lesbian or something?" Toby grinned and dodged his second pillow of the day.
"Honestly, Toby! You've been acting like this all day long! Did you drink a little bit too much caffeine or something?"
Toby rolled his eyes. "Mom, really… I'm not a kid anymore who freaks out over some soda. I'm just happy Sarah's home." Toby smiled and looked to his sister. All of Sarah's friends had been jealous of how much Toby loved Sarah. Unlike most siblings, the two rarely argued or tried to find ways to torture each other. Most people put it off to age difference, but Sarah knew better. Her little goblin of a brother was connected to her one way or another.
The phone rang. "Oh, Sarah dear, please excuse me." Toby's mother sat up and walked into the kitchen. The sound of the phone being picked up was heard.
"Hello! Hm? What? Oh my god!" She came running back in, the phone clutched to her chest. "Sarah, I'm so sorry, but I need to go. My sister's had a heart attack!" The distressed woman ran for her keys and was almost out the door when her husband stopped her.
"I'll go with you. I don't want you to have a wreck, and you're in no condition to drive."
"I'll go too, Mom." Sarah sat up and started to make for her own purse. Her father stopped Sarah as well.
"No, you stay here with Toby. We can't have all of us running right now. We're sorry this had to happen when you came to visit Sarah…" He put an arm around his wife and they walked out the door, shutting it after a short goodbye.
Toby sighed and put his hands to his face while sitting on the couch. Sarah walked back over and dropped down beside him, and sighed as well.
"You know Toby… Things happen on days like this. After all, this is my anniversary with Jareth."
Toby's hands uncovered his eyes. "What do you mean Sarah?" Sarah only raised both eyebrows and rubbed her temples.
"Do you honestly think I could create such fairy tales at the age I was, alone?"
The owl still remained outside the house, picking at it's feather's on a tree limb. It's head twisted up, and it turned toward the house. Sarah was there, and the foolish parents were out of the way.
Now, all he had to do was get Toby to wish his sister away to the Labyrinth's clutches.
:D yay! One chapter down! Nobody is dead yet! This is a feat from moi. .. erm. Yes.
CC appreciated. I wanna know what you guys think about this so far. :3 sure, It's early on, but writing style is in every chapter, pretty peeps.