A Regular Romeo

Summary: To Sarah, it's just a play. To Jareth, it's much, much more. The Bard knew the right words, after all. JxS

By Literary Litany

Disclaimer: Labyrinth is a work of Jim Henson, and Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's. I claim only intellectual rights to the plot and original characters, and gain no financial benefit from this writing, only the warm fuzzy feeling reviews gets me.

FYI: There's a lot of Shakespeare in this fic, so it's helpful if you know the plot of Romeo and Juliet. It's not necessary of course, but it helps you understand some of the hints I drop. And is even more helpful in later chaps when I won't have time to write out the entire play.


Sarah leaned over Toby's bed and kissed the small boy's forehead. He smiled sleepily, snuggling into his pillow. The rain pattered in a loud but even beat outside his window, a sound that usually helped him sleep better, like the soft beat of small, invisible drums. A lullaby he knew so well, though not what from.

That is, until the loud screaming crack of thunder broke the tune, causing both of them to jump and Toby to whimper and fling the blanket up over his head. Sarah sighed. There would be no easy sleep for either of them tonight.

"Come on, Toby, come out." She urged, crawling into the small bed with him.

He shook his head under the blanket and made a stubborn noise. She couldn't help but smile. "If you come out, I'll tell you another story."

His eyes peeked up from the blanked, eager. "Stories?"

Sarah nodded gravely. "Yes, but you have to be a brave little Prince."

He tugged down the blanket, looking stubborn. "Toby very brave!"

The thunder struck again, and to his credit, he only cowered a little bit.

He was growing, every day getting older and more troublesome and more sweet and more brave. That was boys for you. She was growing too, but at just barely eighteen it felt like she was almost done. She was only so close to being on her own, being a full adult, but already she was being treated like one. Her parents and teachers ooh-ed and aah-ed at the transformation from the whimsical, distracted youth to the serious, enigmatic young woman.

She had her dreams to thank for that. The Goblin King and his Labyrinth. She had faced the allure of her childish dreams of fairy tale romance and easy solutions, and she had learned they were merely the illusion of happiness. Real happiness was hard-earned with perseverance and trust in a few good friends. Real happiness took time.

"What story do you want to hear, Toby?" She asked her brother, brushing a stray clump of hair from his face fondly.

Toby considered this. "C'n I hear the story Sawah's gonna be in?"

He meant the school play of course. Romeo and Juliet. She'd easily won the lead, and her parents must have been talking about it non-stop like last year if Toby knew already. "It's a romance." She warned him. "There's kissing."

He made a face as he considered this. "Is there sword-fighting?"

Amused, Sarah nodded. "And poison." Their parents probably wouldn't approve of her telling Toby all the gory details, but in her opinion it couldn't do any more damage than the fanciful Disney tales had to her.

"Yay!" Toby declared, snuggling into her. "Story!"

Sarah settled in next to him, and pondered where to begin…


Jareth sat musing in his throne-room, in his customary position of lazy grace and power on the throne, listening to Sarah's tale through the crystal in his hand. The first day of her eighteenth year had passed, and so his second chance had begun. At fifteen, the age of majority for Goblins, she had refused his attempt at a Goblin Courtship. Kidnapping and games and battles of wits were always commonplace among those of his Court, but it had not been enough to beat Sarah. To win her.

So now, when finally she was claimable in the Human Realm, he could seek after her again. This time, in the human way. So, in the human way he was studying her. Learning about how the young girl had changed to powerful young woman, earned respect and admiration among her peers and the pride of parents who were once ashamed. His Labyrinth had changed her. Molded her into something he wanted all the more.

Learning, he had also learned some unpleasant things though. Like the small throng of foolish mortal males also seeking to lay claim to her. Not that they were any match for him, but he did not appreciate their coveting eyes or hands or Darkness embrace them lips anywhere near his Sarah.

So he would have to win her more quickly than he'd first planned. By this strange Ball they called Senior Prom, lest any of her other suitors work up the nerve to ask her.

No, he would have to move before that, but it might not have to be final, just temporary. Make her allow him a claim before then, so that he could challenge any offer she received.

But how to make her say the words?

Perhaps he just needed the right Bard.


The day after the storm was sunny and bright, making Sarah the smallest bit disappointed she'd be missing the good weather for play practice. At least the day seemed to have everyone in good spirits, and it would make for a lively afternoon of backstage joking and enthusiastic line-mangling.

Sarah slipped into step next to Andy, the handsome and dark-haired boy who'd been delivering powerful performances as the romantic lead consistently for the past three years with her, and had also consistently remained her friend. He smiled at her the same smile they always shared, and they picked up their conversation just where they'd left it off the day before.

"I still think it's a beautiful metaphor for love."

Sarah sighed. "For moronic love, maybe. Romeo's a fickle idiot."

Andy shook his head. "He couldn't live without her! Love clouded his reasoning, it's a tragic and classic case of a man's fall in love."

"Maybe that could've been it." She raised a finger. "If he hadn't been swooning just as eagerly over Rosalind in the first scene. I mean, he sees another girl for five minutes and he drops this supposed love of his life like an old hat."

He frowned, but continued to shake his head. "Don't you believe in love at first sight? In the kind of love that draws you to a person for no reasonable, logical explanation other than the love itself? Don't you believe that certain people are… Destined? Connected? Isn't that what Romeo and Juliet is about?"

"Destined to die, maybe." Sarah pointed out. "Because Romeo felt the same way you do. If he'd take on my perspective, they'd both still be alive."

Andy laughed. "If people in Shakespeare had your perspective, Sarah, they'd all spend the play filling out personality profiles instead of just getting on with life!"

Sarah smirked. "And they'd all be a lot happier for it."

Andy shook his head. "No, no. Your view may be nice and sensible, but it only makes you happy if you're not already in love. When it hits you, Sarah, all the pros and cons lists in the world won't make a smidge of difference."

Her eyebrows shot up. "And a high school boy would know this how?"

Andy blushed, shifting a bit and shoving his hands in his pockets. "I just do Sarah. I mean, come on, how do you know your theory's so great?"

She crossed her arms and sighed. "Because I tried believing in the whole Princely Love bit. In the end, those Princes… Or Kings, or whatever, they only want the prize of winning you. They don't care about consequences to those around you, or even how you feel about it."

She felt Andy staring at her in intent curiosity and bit her lip. "There was this guy, alright? I was fifteen."

"Sounds like a pretty spoiled jackass to me." Andy said, voice careful as he seemed unsure about whether this would upset her. Andy was smart like that around girls. He didn't get smacked in the head with book-stacks nearly so much as the other boys.

"He was." Sarah assured him. "But he was also the embodiment of the fairy-tale love. The old fairy-tales at least. Where it's sudden and dark and glittering and… More an obsession than love."

Andy whistled softly. "Hardcore. Where'd you find this guy?"

Sarah sighed. "I wished hard enough."

There was a small pause of silence during which Sarah could tell Andy was struggling not to ask a burning question. His curiosity finally won out over caution. "What happened between you two?"

Sarah scowled faintly. "Nothing past a PG rating, but he made a lot of promises."

Andy furrowed his brow. "Trying to get into your pants?"

Sarah barked out a hard, highly amused laugh. "He wouldn't have stopped there."

Andy stared at her. "He wanted to marry you? At fifteen!?"

"What can I say," Sarah wished for one vicious moment that he was watching and could hear this conversation. "He was pretty off his rocker."

"How old was he?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Going by maturity, couldn't have been older than twelve." It was a bit harsh, but Andy's curious attention made embellishment an irresistible temptation.

"Sounds like you just didn't meet the right Prince for you, Sarah." Andy offered, something hopeful in his eyes.

She smiled at him a bit wearily. "Maybe."

They found their seats in the audience as Paris and Lord Capulet already on stage continued through their line exchange. At it's close, there was call from the other actors for the party scene, which Andy and Sarah had won their roles with. Both blushed.

Sheepishly and grudgingly they climbed onto the stage to take their positions. A certain Goblin King in his throne-room narrowed his eyes and scowled.


Author's Note: Enjoy the opening chapter? It's not much in the way of J/S, but don't worry, I'll get Jareth in the thick of it soon. I'm almost done with Chapter 2, so I'll have it up soon. Reviews greatly appreciated!