Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth.

In Search Of New Dreams

Sarah Williams scrambled to clean up the mess from her victory party. Solving the Goblin King's labyrinth was not an easy task, yet she had done it. Now, after dancing with the Fire Gang, and several games of Scrabble with Sir Didymus, not to mention solving the Labyrinth in about ten hours, Sarah was exhausted.

Sensing she was being watched, Sarah turned quickly to the mirror, which seemed to be the only way of communication between the Underground and Aboveground. Sarah was a surprised to find her own reflection staring back. As she remembered Jareth's other form, the fifteen-year-old spun around to look out her window. She couldn't help but glare at the owl perched on the tree right outside her window.

After gazing fondly, yet sadly, at the girl, the owl flew off. Sarah stood glowering at the spot where it, he, the Goblin King, had sat. She jumped as she heard her father's voice call up from downstairs.

"Sarah!"

"Sarah!" Karen, her stepmother called through the girl's bedroom door. "Get up! Your Father and I are going out for the day, and you're going to watch Toby." Karen's voice grew impatient as she said, "I'm not going to tell you again! Get up!"

Sarah groaned inwardly, but responded with, "All right! I'm up!" Turning to look at her alarm clock, Sarah groaned aloud this time. "Six thirty on a Saturday morning and I'm already babysitting," she thought. "It's not fair." She pushed back the blankets and pulled herself out of the bed. Putting on her bathrobe, Sarah trudged out to wave her father and stepmother off.

As soon as her parents had left, Sarah quietly walked into Toby's room. Finding the boy asleep, Sarah began to think about the incident that had occurred almost two years ago. Toby had been almost a year old, and Sarah had been fifteen. She still couldn't believe she had actually wished her brother away. At the same time, she was glad she had. If it hadn't been for Jareth, and her own stupidity, Sarah may never have learned to truly appreciate her baby brother.

Karen, however, was another story. Sarah had tried to get Karen's approval, but nothing she did worked. The woman was insufferable, making Sarah cook, clean, do all the laundry, and anything else Karen didn't want to do herself. Sarah was tired from all the housework Karen gave her. Her stepmother was still upset that Sarah rarely went on dates, but even if Sarah had wanted to go on a date, she had too much work to do. The girl did everything that was asked of her, without ever hearing so much as a simple "Thank you."

To tell the truth, Sarah was fed up with it all. Her father didn't help. Her counselor just told her to try harder. Well, Sarah had tried her hardest. She had done what was expected and more, yet it still wasn't enough. Sarah couldn't handle it anymore. Not even for Toby.

"Tonight," Sarah whispered, kneeling down and kissing the boy's forehead, "I leave for good."

With that, Sarah left Toby's room. She quietly walked back to her own room, only stopping to grab her backpack from the hook in the hall closet. Sarah began packing her bag, tears in her eyes. She didn't pack much, just what she would need. A couple changes of clothes, hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste…only the necessities. Then her eyes fell on a small book. It was bound in red leather. Picking it up, she ran her hand over the gold lettering that read Labyrinth. Without a second thought, Sarah put the book in her bag.

"Sarah," The girl turned to see her brother standing in the doorway. "I'm hungry."

"All right, Toby," Sarah said. She stood up and scooped Toby up in her arms, "What would you like for breakfast"

"Mickey Mouse Pancakes!" Toby said excitedly. Sarah smiled. Today, she would be extra nice to the boy.

"Hoggle," Sarah said quietly. "I need you." She was seated at her desk, looking at her mirror. Her parents had gone to bed about an hour ago, her bag was completely packed, and she was ready to leave. All that was left to do was to tell her friends she as leaving. Just as she was beginning to think he wouldn't respond, Sarah saw the face of her old friend and smiled.

"Sarah!" Hoggle said, smiling. "What can I do fer ya? Is Karen upsetting ya again?" he asked sincerely.

"No, Hoggle," Sarah replied, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill. "Not anymore. I'm leaving. Tonight. I'm taking my compact so I can keep in contact with you."

"But, Sarah!" Hoggle said, almost too loud. "It's dangerous out there. Even more than in the Labyrinth. You go running off like that and you're gonna get yourself seriously hurt."

"I'm hurting more here," Sarah said. Her tears won the battle and started sliding down her cheeks. "And I'm leaving." With that, Sarah made her way quietly to Toby's room, leaving Hoggle to his worries.

Quietly opening the door to her brother's room, she saw that the boy was awake. He looked up at her with big eyes. "You leaving?"

Sarah quickly walked in and shut the door to Toby's room. "You heard that?"

"I wanted a nu-night song. You was talking to Hoggle," Toby said, trying hard not to cry. "You come back?"

"Toby," Sarah said soothingly, kneeling down beside the boy's bed. "I'll always come back for you."

"Be caweful. I won't tell Mommy and Daddy." Toby said, hugging his sister.

Sarah returned the hug and quietly left the room. She made her way down the stairs, careful to avoid the squeaky stair, and out into the night.

As he heard the front door close, Toby went to Sarah's room. He opened the door, and seeing Hoggle on the mirror, went to talk to him. "Help Sawah?" He asked the dwarf, raising his teddy bear, Lancelot, to the side of his head.

"I's thought you was listening," the dwarf responded. "How do I help her?"

"Jareth!" Toby said, lowering Lancelot quickly.

Hoggle frowned. "You're probably right. Maybe he'll let me see him, seeing as how you's sent me?"

"Go!" Toby said. "Help Sawah!" At the boy's exclamation, the dwarf left to ask the help of the person who scared him the most – the Goblin King.