Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the characters herein. I also don't own any of the songs I'll be using. Just the idea. Thought I'd explore why Hoggle seemed to recognize Sarah when she first arrives in the Underground. And I've never seen a "Hoggle's origin" fic before, and DEFINATELY not one like this.
Five year old Sarah Williams sat up in her room, listening. Her parents were fighting, again. Robert and Linda fought about everything lately. She knew there was another woman her daddy had been friends with, and apparently her mommy didn't want him to be friends with him. But Sarah had met her. She liked Daddy's friend. So what was the problem?
Momma please stop cryin
I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down
She heard the door slam, then. And then there was the sound of Mommy crying. It was something she heard a lot, lately. That and loud crashes every time something got thrown. That was something else Sarah had noticed. Mommy bought a lot of new dishes, lately. Especially glasses.
I hear glasses breakin
As I sit up in my bed
I told Dad you didn't mean those nasty things you
said.
You fight about money
Bout me and my brother
And this I come home to
This is my shelter
Sarah heard the door downstairs open again, then heard the lighter footsteps of her older brother, Harold. He was sixteen, and had a job that got him home late. Sarah always stayed awake until he got home. He always told her a bedtime story. Her favorite was about the king that was in love with the beautiful princess and would do anything she asked. Sarah loved Harold's bedtime stories. They always helped take the pain away.
It ain't easy growin up in World War III
Never knowin what love could be, you'll see
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done
my family
The door to Sarah's room opened and closed silently as Harold stepped in. "Hey, kiddo," he said, smiling at her. "I brought you something." He held out a red book with gold lettering. "It's called 'Labyrinth.' It's got the story in it that you like so much."
Can we work it out?
Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better.
Mommy I'll do anything.
Can we work it out?
Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better.
Daddy please don't leave.
Sarah grinned. "Will you read it to me?" she asked. This was what it used to be like all the time. Just a few months ago, they had gotten a family picture done. They all looked happy in it. Sarah kept a copy in her room, to remind her of the good times. She had promised herself many times that she would do anything, and be the perfect daughter, if her parents would just stop fighting.
Daddy please stop yellin'.
I can't stand the sound.
Make mama stop cryin'
Cause I need you around.
"Sure thing, kiddo," Harold said, sitting on the bed next to her. And he opened up the book, reading it outloud. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess, named Sarah. And the princess Sarah had a little brother, named Toby, whom she loved very, very much..."
My mama she loves you.
No matter what she says, it's true.
I know that she hurts you,
But remember I love you, too.
"But it was only after rescuing Toby from the Goblin King that the Princess Sarah realized how much the King loved her, and how much she loved him, as well. And so she called on him again, so that they could live happily ever after. And that is exactly what happened," Harold finished, hugging Sarah.
The little girl looked up at her brother. "Can I tell you something?" she asked.
I ran away today.
Ran from the noise, ran away.
Don't wanna go back to that place
But don't have no choice, no way.
"I ran away, today, after kindergarten," Sarah said. "I ran off to the park, 'cause I didn't want to come home. But a policeman saw me there by myself about dusk, and he made me come home."
It ain't easy growin' up in World War III
Never knowin' what love could be
Well I've seen
I don't want love to destroy me like it did my family.
"You shouldn't have done that, kiddo," Harold said. "Something really bad could have happened to you. Promise me you won't again?"
"I promise."
Can we work it out?
Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better.
Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out?
Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better.
Daddy please don't leave.
Harold tucked Sarah in, then went to his own room. He had to do something. Sarah was so young, so innocent. She didn't deserve this. But what could he do to save her from his idiot parents?
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Let's play pretend
Let's act like it comes naturally.
I don't wanna have to split the holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want a step-brother anyways
And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name
He wished it was as simple as a wish, as playing at make-believe, as he and Sarah often did together. True, he'd lost all of his own faith long ago, but Sarah still believed in miracles. And then he remembered the wish in the book, the wish that had allowed the baby to be taken away when the princess was angry. But if it worked, it wouldn't be because he was angry. It would be because he wanted to save Sarah.
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
We look pretty normal
Let's go back to that
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Let's play pretend
Act like it goes naturally
Harold stepped into Sarah's room. The little girl was already asleep, and he smiled sadly at what he was about to do. If it didn't work, noone would ever know. And if it did, he'd be doing her the greatest thing he could, sparing her a life of misery.
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal
Let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better, Mommy, I'll do anything)
"I wish....I wish the goblins would come and take you away...right now," he said, with all finality in his voice. He could feel his heart breaking already. But maybe, if the Goblin King took her, he could ask him to make everyone else forget Sarah had ever existed.
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
Let's play pretend
And act like it comes naturally
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy, please don't leave)
Thunder crashed outside, and it started to pour. Sarah and Harold both loved the rain, and they loved watching thunderstorms. But nothing else was happening, and Harold knew the wish had been made in vain. It was, after all, just a fairy tale, wasn't it?
In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal
Let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better. Daddy please don't leave.)
Daddy don't leave. Remember that night you left you took my shining star.
Just as Harold was about to leave, the windows burst open, and a tall, blond man wearing tights and far too much glitter to be straight burst into the room. "You're him, aren't you?" Harold asked. "You're the Goblin King."
"Is this the child?" Jareth asked, motioning towards Sarah.
Harold nodded. "Please take her," he said. "She deserves better than what she has here. At least with you, she won't get hurt. Just, please, don't let anyone but me remember her."
Mom will be nicer
I'll be so much better
I'll tell my brother
I won't spill my milk at dinner.
"No harm will come to her," Jareth said. "But I won't take her. I'll cast a spell of protection around her. If she comes with me, she'll be a goblin. But if she stays here, I see great things for her. But in exchange for my protection, I'll ask that you come and serve me. She won't remember you. Noone will. And over time, you'll lose your memory of home, but,"
"I'll do it. I'll do anything for Sarah," Harold said, quickly. Jareth nodded, and Harold slowly took the form of a dwarf. "Come with me, Hoggle," Jareth said. And the two left.
I'll be so much better
I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll go to sleep at night
A/N-Don't worry. It doesn't end here. I have great things planned for this fic.