A/N: I know I said I was going to write lots of different fan fictions. This will be my last Labyrinth fan fiction, I promise. I'm just frustrated with other Labyrinth fan fics right now – what is it with everyone trying to make Jareth softer? Or making Sarah love him? Or making Jareth love Sarah? What if Jareth held a grudge? What if Sarah was combatant? What if neither could escape Jareth's final edict?
Inescapable Edicts: Chapter One
Sarah leaned back from the computer and sighed. It had been a long week. One of the lawyers at the firm had had a nervous breakdown and it was discovered that he'd been committing fraud. Sarah had been part of the team that was working through his notes and files while keeping up with their regular case loads. Micah stuck his head around his office door.
"Hey, Sarah, you still here?" he asked her. Sarah looked up and smiled at him.
"Yeah, just trying to finish up this file before I go home," she replied. Micah grinned back at her.
"Got any plans for this weekend?" he asked her. Sarah laughed lightly.
"You know me better than that, Micah. What about you?" she replied.
"Well, I've been thinking about asking this girl out. She's pretty special. I thought maybe we could do something this weekend," Micah said speculatively. Something pulled at Sarah's heart. She'd been working with, for (she forced herself to remember he was her boss) Micah for around a year now. She'd only been in love with him for the past three months, but she'd liked him for a lot longer than that. It was very inappropriate, she knew. But she loved him. If she stopped working for him, she stopped having contact. Sarah knew she'd rather sit in the front row of his wedding quietly and work for him every day until he retired than lose contact with him. She smiled almost sadly at him.
"You should go for it, Micah. Any girl would be crazy not to go out with you," Sarah managed sincerely. Micah gave her a strange look.
"But there's other stuff to consider," he said. "It's slightly unconventional and could be considered harassment." Sarah frowned, she couldn't imagine Micah harassing anyone.
"I'm sure you wouldn't do it in a way that would make anyone feel uncomfortable. And you're not the kind of guy that's a potential stalker. So I don't see why you're so hesitant. Unless you're chicken," Sarah teased him lightly. Micah laughed.
"Oh yes, I'm very chicken. Like I said, this girl's special. I don't want to stuff it up," he said. Sarah rolled her eyes.
"You're being over-cautious and secretly want me to stay here to midnight, don't you?" she said, gesturing to her paperwork. She couldn't keep talking like this with him. It was starting to hurt a little. Micah looked uncomfortable as he came out of the office. He crossed the room and leaned on her desk, facing her.
"Really, Sarah, do you think me that cruel?" he asked gently. His words reminded her of something she deliberately did not think about anymore. She looked up at him cautiously, unsure of where this was going.
"I don't think you're cruel, Micah. If I did, I wouldn't work here anymore," she said simply with a shrug, deciding that he hadn't meant what she'd thought he had.
"Why do you work here? I happen to know that you've had offers from other firms," Micah asked her, as if changing the subject. Sarah smiled at him.
"Loyalty, mainly, and happiness. I can't guarantee I'd be happy where I was going; that I'd still love my job, love my boss," she replied, hating herself for saying it out loud. Micah looked pained. Sarah frowned, concerned.
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" she asked him, reaching out to gently touch his arm. She stopped herself short and dropped her arm back to the desk. Inappropriate Sarah, she chastised herself.
"Oh no, you said the right thing, just meant the wrong thing by it," Micah replied. Sarah looked up at him confused; she had no idea what he meant. She decided it was best to change the subject. Unfortunately, she could only think of one.
"So, who is the girl, Micah? Anyone I know?" Sarah asked lightly, teasing smile on her face. Micah looked pained again. She wondered if he were having some sort of cramp or something. The contorted look on his face was not one she'd ever encountered before tonight.
"Are you okay?" she asked. Micah let out a sigh.
"It's you, Sarah. You're the girl," he said finally. "I just had to say it. Please don't sue me." Sarah looked up at him in shock. That had to be the least eloquent and most scared she'd ever seen the capable lawyer in the past year. It also had to be the clumsiest confession of love ever. But it was the only one she wanted to hear. Micah was looking at her in wary expectation. She almost laughed at the fact he obviously assumed he was going to get his heart broken.
"How long?" she asked him. He looked a little shattered but answered the question.
"It started the day you remembered how I took my coffee, and got a hell of a lot worse about three months ago when I first found out people were trying to poach you. I realized that a day without you wasn't one I wanted to get through," he said simply. Sarah smiled.
"So you're in love with me then?" she asked him gently. More like she was being inquisitive than dying to know the answer. Micah looked like the world was falling apart on him. She was desperate to reassure him but decided she'd much rather have her answer first. Micah nodded mournfully.
"I'm sorry, Sarah. It's my problem. I shouldn't have said anything," he said. Sarah frowned slightly.
"But I'm glad that you did," she told him. He looked at her hesitantly.
"You aren't going to quit, are you? Please don't," he begged. Sarah laughed lightly.
"Oh, I might quit yet, Micah. I've got a very strict no-dating policy when it comes to employers, you see," she said, unable to stop the grin on her face. Micah looked at her for a moment while the words sunk in.
"You mean… you… I… you'll go out with me?" Micah stumbled over his words, brown eyes molten and grin on his face. Sarah nodded.
"Yes, I will," Sarah replied. Micah gripped her hand.
"You won't regret this Sarah, I promise," Micah said. Sarah shook her head.
"Don't say that, not yet," she said softly. Micah looked deep into her eyes.
"I wish you would come away with me this weekend," Micah said.
Sarah froze. He'd said the words. She gaped at him. Micah looked shocked that he'd said it.
"I'm sorry," he said. "It's to soon-," he started but he was cut off by a window being blown open by a gust of wind. Sarah watched in horror as an owl flew in the window. And then transformed into the one person who she never wanted to see again. She stepped in front of Micah, whose mouth was agape in shock.
"Sarah, what is this?" Micah asked. Jareth smiled cruelly.
"My thought's exactly, Sarah. What is this?" he said. Sarah narrowed her eyes at him.
"You… no one called you here. No one said their right words, Jareth," she spat at him. Jareth laughed.
"Oh near enough is close enough these days," Jareth responded.
"Your fight is with me; it's always been with me. I wish you'd stop using defenseless men as your pawns," Sarah spat at him.
"Do you know this guy?" Micah managed finally. Sarah turned to face him.
"Yes, we met once upon a dream when I was girl," she said softly.
"Once upon a dream," Jareth mocked. "How poetic of you to remember it as such. I remember it as a nightmare. You destroyed my city!"
"You stole my brother," Sarah retorted.
"You wished him away," Jareth responded.
"I didn't know it was real," she replied.
"Ignorance is not a legal defense Sarah. As I'm sure you're new plaything will tell you," Jareth said dryly.
"He is not my plaything! You cheated me in the Labyrinth," Sarah spat at him.
"You cheated me in the Labyrinth, Sarah. You beat it," Jareth said. Sarah smiled at him haughtily.
"Of course I beat it. Cheaters never prosper," she said childishly. Jareth laughed.
"Oh but we do. We do prosper and we usually win. We're just sorer losers. Well, Sarah, you've been wished away. And looks like I get to claim you. I don't think your boyfriend will survive the Labyrinth. Might get lost in an oubliette, not afraid of the dark, is he?" Jareth jeered. Sarah narrowed her eyes.
"Leave him be, Jareth. Your fight is with me," Sarah said.
"And now you're mine," he responded. Sarah shook her head.
"I know you don't like to play fair, Jareth, but this is ridiculous. I wasn't wished away to you or the goblins. I was wished away for a nice weekend," Sarah said angrily.
"I can give you a nice weekend," Jareth said seductively. Sarah shuddered, remembering when that tone had made her waiver and hating herself for it.
"Yes but knowing you, it would be followed by a swim in the Bog of Eternal Stench," Sarah replied. Jareth laughed.
"Only if you failed to please me. And I really don't think you would, would you Sarah?" Jareth said. Sarah shook her head.
"You have no power over me," Jareth replied. "And still I am your slave." Sarah narrowed her eyes.
"How are you my slave?" she asked.
"Was it so long ago that you do not remember? 'Love me, fear me, do as I say and I will be your slave?'" Jareth reminded her.
"But I do not love you, nor do I fear you," Sarah replied petulantly. Jareth laughed.
"You can lie to yourself, Sarah, and you can lie to me but you can not lie to the Labyrinth. You loved me once, and you fear me still, that is enough. I can not escape my edict to you, nor you escape yours to me. But I can fight you Sarah. And this time I will win," Jareth said. Sarah turned to look at Micah, scared out of his mind. She smiled at him apologetically. 'Sorry' she mouthed at him. She turned back to face Jareth.
"Alright, Goblin King, let the games begin," she said.
Micah looked around the office, empty of Sarah and Jareth, window still flapping open in the breeze. He sat down in Sarah's chair. Staring straight ahead he said aloud, "Obviously, Jerry isn't the only one having mental breakdowns."