The Labyrinth of London
Jareth's Experiment
A Sherlock/Labyrinth Crossover
Inspired By
"The Thin White Sleuth…"
By
Pika-la-Cynique
The Almighty Disclaimer
Oh Moffat and Gatiss,
Henson and Doyle,
To you belong all the characters
And none so for me!
Summary: Now that Jareth and Sarah are together, Jareth wants to run a little experiment… Established J/S.
A/N: This story was inspired by "The Thin White Sleuth..." by Pika-la-Cynique of Girls Next Door fame.
&%&%&%
Mrs. Hudson
Jareth had woken up, confused by the warmth covering him. He vaguely remembered that the case was solved, Moriarty was back, and something else. Something…
Sarah moved slightly and held him tighter. Suddenly, everything came back to Jareth. Her confession. Her kiss.
Jareth clung to Sarah and kissed her forehead. "Mine," he whispered, "Mine and no one will ever take you or harm you. I promise."
Sarah shifted and opened her eyes slightly. She smiled at Jareth and moved to kiss him. Jareth flipped Sarah over and kissed her deeply, causing Sarah to wrap herself around him. He loved how she smiled in the kiss and how she was holding onto him as tightly as he was holding onto her. He tried to rest his weight partially on the arm he had under Sarah's back. His other hand was tangled in her hair. Sarah had one arm around his mid-back and the other running through his hair. When Sarah broke off the kiss for air, Jareth rolled over again to allow Sarah to move.
"Morning," Jareth gasped.
"Morning," Sarah said, smiling. She sat up and laughed. "You still have your shoes on."
"So do you," Jareth said. He sat up as well and straightened his shirt. "We had a very long day yesterday, precious. You were almost sleep walking when we came off the roof. I was tired as well so I did not think about shoes."
Sarah was about to say something when they heard a knock at the door of 221b.
"Jareth, Sarah, why are there flowers from Mycroft?" Mrs. Hudson said.
"Can you go answer that, precious? I need a moment," Jareth said.
Sarah kissed Jareth again before leaving his room. She opened the door of 221b for Mrs. Hudson.
"I am always worried when Mycroft sends me things. Generally, that means something bad has happened," Mrs. Hudson said.
"We had a little bit of an incident last night, but it was all taken care of. I am surprised you didn't hear anything," Sarah said.
"Oh, you know me and my herbal soothers," Mrs. Hudson said, "Have you had breakfast yet?"
"No. Just woke up. We will have to go out to get…," Sarah said.
"I'll just fry up some more eggs downstairs. I'll start the tea then," Mrs. Hudson said as she went back down the stairs.
&%&%&%
Jareth entered Mrs. Hudson's kitchen a few minutes after Sarah, looking refreshed and wearing a different suit. As he sat down, Mrs. Hudson poured some tea and said, "So, did you two sort things out and finally get together?"
"What?" the couple said in unison.
"Well isn't it obvious?" Mrs. Hudson said, "Jareth has his arm on the back of your chair and you're leaning towards him."
"Interesting deduction, Mrs. Hudson," Jareth said.
"It's obvious," Mrs. Hudson said.
"But generally people are so… dull," Jareth paused before the last word and began to smirk.
"Oh no. What evil plan do you have now?" Sarah asked.
"Now Sarah, do you have such little faith in me?" Jareth asked.
"No. I just know you very well," Sarah said.
"Oh, fine. It's not evil merely… an experiment. A social experiment, if you will," Jareth said.
"I have a bad feeling about this already," Sarah said.
"Hear me out. We see how long it takes people to realize that we are together. We act however we decide to act. We do not hide anything. We just do not go out and put a banner in front of 221 Baker Street or put out news bulletins saying that we are a couple," Jareth said.
"… You were planning on doing that, weren't you?" Sarah said.
"… It might have crossed my mind…"
"People are rather dense, Jareth," Mrs. Hudson said, "It might take them awhile."
"Yes, thus the experiment. I wish to see how long our colleagues and family take to see our change in relationship," Jareth said.
Sarah looked up at the ceiling for a moment before answering. "Fine, but we do tell my family since they are on the other side of the ocean and I can tell my friends in the Labyrinth since they don't really understand romantic relationships in the first place. We don't hide our relationship. We just don't say it."
"A deal, Sarah," Jareth said, giving Sarah a brief kiss.
"I think you are forgetting something," Mrs. Hudson said, "I know of your little experiment."
"Ah, extortion is it, Mrs. Hudson?" Jareth said.
"Indeed. I will keep quiet on this on one condition."
"Name it," Jareth said.
"If you two have children, I am Grandma Hudson."
"That was the plan anyway," Sarah said.
Mrs. Hudson smiled broadly. "Well then, your secret is safe with me."
It was good Mrs. Hudson knew, or else she would have been very confused as over the next several hours Jareth and Sarah argued (quite loudly at times) what their relationship meant.
"What do you mean you are not going to tell me the number Jareth? This isn't something you can't tell me now!"
"You want how many children? And yet you would wait until it is more dangerous for human women to have children to start our brood?"
"You plan to do WHAT with our children's futures? Was that your grand scheme in all of this?"
"If we can't compromise on take out, Sarah how can we compromise on anything?"
"Because of a very, very small statistical possibility we can't have…"
"Hush Sarah! That might make poor Mrs. Hudson's heart go out if she heard you say that!"
"YOU KNEW THAT I WAS STEALING YOUR SHIRTS AND YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!?"
&%&%&%
Christiana
Jareth was half asleep on the couch when he felt Sarah curl up next to him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "How are you precious?"
"Wondering if watching TV will bother you," Sarah said.
"Hmmm… as long as it's not the news or one of those horribly inaccurate crime shows, I won't mind," Jareth said.
Sarah moved up and kissed Jareth. "Thanks," Sarah said. She moved off him and went to rummage through her DVDs.
"How do you feel about Merlin?" Sarah asked.
"He gets confused very easily," Jareth said, "Oh, you meant the television show. I do not mind."
Her back was to him, but Jareth was fairly certain Sarah was rolling her eyes. After a few more moments adjusting the electronics to play the DVD, Sarah was back in Jareth's arms and nestled against him. She slid her hand under his shirt to rest her hand on his heart.
"This shows magic is quite silly at times," Jareth said.
"We have goblins sticking shoes to the ceiling with Nutella," Sarah said.
As if the word "goblin" alone caught her attention, the Goblin King appeared in Jareth's seat, causing a large cloud of glitter to disperse. Christiana was bent over and her clothes were worn and dirty.
"What's wrong?" Jareth asked.
"I do not wish to break the news to you, but the Gremlin King is back," Christiana said.
"We know," Jareth and Sarah said together.
"Well… good. Just… be careful," Christiana said, "We don't know where he is right now or what he's planning so… yes. If you need me, just call."
The Goblin King poofed out of the room.
Five minutes later, the Goblin King poofed back into the room.
"You two are cuddling," Christiana said.
"I do not cuddle," Jareth mumbled.
"Stop acting like a five year old," Sarah said.
"You two are cuddling," Christiana repeated.
"Yes," Sarah said.
Christiana gasped. "No. No. No. And no. I refuse to pay Mom."
"What?" Jareth said.
"I'm just going to um… leave. Bye," Christiana said.
&%&%&%
Joanna, Rumpelstiltskin, and Dante
Jareth had decided to walk Sarah to and from work after Moriarty posted the video. He knew it would do little if Moriarty truly wanted to kill Sarah, but it felt better than doing nothing. Also, he quite liked the content smile Sarah had when he talked to her on these walks.
As they exited the Baker Street station, they saw a short blonde woman wearing a red and gold dress as well as a ridiculous tea hat as she walked down Baker Street carrying a large plate of cookies. Jareth ran ahead and stopped his sister.
"Why is the High Queen of the Seelie Court making house calls?" Jareth asked.
"My daughter gave me some interesting news on my baby brother. I just wanted to see if I won the bet with her, my husband, and my son," Joanna said. She smiled as Sarah caught up with them. "Hello, Sarah. Here, Jay. Take the cookies. I will walk with Sarah."
Jareth begrudgingly took the large platter and raised a slanted eyebrow. "Is there every cookie in existence on this, Jo?"
"Don't be daft, Jay," Joanna said, "There are only twenty-five varieties there."
"You're trying to bribe Sarah," Jareth said.
"Well, more like interrogation than bribing," Joanna said as she gave the best human impression of a goblin grin.
&%&%&%
Sarah was smiling as Mrs. Hudson and Joanna swapped Jareth horror stories over tea in Mrs. Hudson's parlor. Jareth was slumping lower and lower in his seat. Sarah took another mint chocolate chip cookie.
"He set the fountain on fire?" Mrs. Hudson said.
"Oh, yes. Even my husband was impressed," Joanna said.
"Has anyone ever told you about the microwave incident?" Mrs. Hudson asked.
"No," Joanna said.
"This was before Sarah. Back when Sherlock and John were living here," Mrs. Hudson said.
"Joanna, what are you doing here?" Jareth interrupted.
"I wanted to see if my daughter was correct," Joanna said, "Since Sarah is wearing mother's cross, I will assume that it is true."
Sarah unconsciously touched the black jeweled cross. Jareth had given it to her after they had worked out what their new status was. She gave him her jade necklace that she received on the Banker case since it was the only "trinket" (as Jareth called them) that she valued. It was not necessary since Jareth was not a Fae, but she knew that it made Jareth pleased to have some obvious way to show that he and Sarah belonged to one another in a way the Underground understood.
"It is. Sarah is my betrothed and I am hers," Jareth said, "Fiancé is it not in modern terms?"
"Correct," Sarah said before drinking some more tea.
Jareth nodded and turned his attention to his sister. "I was wondering…"
"None of us can place that request, Jay," Joanna said.
Jareth's eyes flashed with anger. "Why not?"
"Do you really think the High King would allow you any sort of happiness?" Joanna said. She fidgeted with a rosary without a crucifix that was wrapped around her wrist. "He may be more willing if we are able to bring the Gremlin King to trial and show that we only wish for his reign to go smoothly."
"Off a cliff," Jareth added.
Joanna glared at Jareth. "Jareth, he will not permit this marriage without some sort of gift that he will have to repay."
Mrs. Hudson poured some more tea for herself. "Why can't they get married in London through mortal means?"
"The Underground would not recognize it as a valid marriage. It has to be blessed by one of the three courts or else any children Sarah had with Jareth could not be recognized by anyone. Not our family. Not even Jareth himself. Since Jareth is a citizen of the Goblin Kingdom, he falls under the High Court's jurisdiction. The High King has no love of Jareth," Joanna said, "I am sorry, Jay, but we have to be patient."
"That has never been my strength," Jareth mumbled.
Joanna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't I know it."
&%&%&%
Molly Hooper
"Do you have a foot you could lend me, Margret?" Jareth asked when he entered the morgue one morning.
"Molly," Dr. Hooper said, rolling her eyes. There were times when Molly thought Jareth was doing it on purpose.
"Yes, Molly. A foot?" Jareth said.
"No. I do not have a foot you can test on. I do have some spare ligaments though," Molly said.
Jareth shrugged, causing a jade pendent to slip out from under his shirt. "If they are just going to be tossed, I will take them. Otherwise, I see no need for them."
Molly leaned towards Jareth and squinted. "Isn't that Sarah's necklace?"
"Yes," Jareth said.
"Why are you wearing it?"
"She gave it to me," Jareth said.
"Why?" Molly asked.
"It is a Fae favor," Jareth said.
"Wait, you're together, are you?" Molly asked.
"A bit more than 'together', but yes," Jareth said. It was his turn to squint at Molly. "You are a bit more observant than you let on, Dr. Hooper. Text me when you have a foot available."
"What? No details?" Molly said.
"I am sure Sarah will want a girls' night out soon and tell all the details. I would not desire to interfere with her fun," Jareth said.
&%&%&%
Lestrade (and the Rest of Scotland Yard)
Peter Ricoletti had been number one on Interpol's most wanted for over twenty years. Now Jareth was claiming that he could connect a banker's kidnapping to Ricoletti. Lestrade just wanted to put Ricoletti out of business but Jareth was being stubborn about the case… again. They were arguing about it in Lestrade's office.
"No. You cannot just invite the man. He will not tell you anything," Jareth said.
"We have reasons to question him but not to have a warrant. We do not have a positive identification on him. We have to keep by the book, Jareth," Lestrade said.
"We are playing by the book, but we are just not tipping our hand," Jareth said.
"You just want a chase because you haven't got any leads on Moriarty," Lestrade said.
"I do have leads!"
"Then go and follow them instead of bugging me all day!"
"Fine! I won't help you! I'm leaving!"
"Go ahead!"
"Boys, sit down before I make you sit down," Sarah said from her corner in Lestrade's office.
There was grumbling, but the inspector and the detective did sit down.
"Now, Lestrade, Jareth did bring you that new information."
Jareth was smirking.
"However," Sarah said, glaring at Jareth, "this is Lestrade's castle and you have to play nice, Jareth."
Jareth whined, "But I was…"
"No, you weren't," Sarah said. She placed her hand on Jareth's shoulder. "You still have a case. Just relax. We do not want this guy back on the streets. Are you in agreement with this, gentlemen?"
"Yes," the two said.
"Good," Sarah said. She absent mindedly placed her hand on the back of Jareth's neck. "Do you think you will have more information in a couple of hours, Jareth?"
"Six at the most," Jareth said.
"All right, how about this. We have six hours to find more information on Ricoletti. If nothing promising shows up, we have a polite conversation with him. How does that sound gentlemen?" Sarah asked.
"I will acquiesce to that," Jareth said.
"I think we can risk that wait," Lestrade said.
After a moment of silence, Lestrade said, "Are you two dating?"
"I told you Lestrade would be one of the first to guess," Sarah said, gently slapping Jareth's back.
"An idiot would miss such and Lestrade has some intelligence," Jareth said.
"Some?" Lestrade said.
"Sherlock hasn't guessed yet, if that makes you feel better," Sarah said.
Jareth spoke up. "He hasn't spent any time…"
"Jareth, he is being oblivious," Sarah said, "You're just upset because your little protégé is not living up to your expectations."
Jareth slumped in his seat and mumbled, "Like you're one to talk about expectations."
&%&%&%
The rest of Scotland Yard found out through Sally Donovan accidentally overhearing a conversation between Jareth and Sarah after the press conference on the capture of Peter Ricoletti.
"I am not wearing the hat out of the station," Jareth said as he gave a forced smile to a few wandering photographers.
"You look quite dashing, Jareth," Sarah said. If Sally had not been seeing Sarah on a regular basis for a year, she would have thought that Sarah was genuinely smiling instead of putting on a show for the press.
"I look like a bootlegger," Jareth said.
"The only way I can see that is if you burst into a tap dance routine," Sarah said, "At least wear it until we get into the taxi. I doubt the paparazzi will be lying in wait at Baker Street."
"Your faith in humanity astounds me sometimes," Jareth said.
"No. I rely on human greed. There would be nothing for them to take photos of except you helping me out of the taxi," Sarah said.
Sally noticed that Jareth was gently holding Sarah's wrist, making small circles with his thumb. "Hmmm… I might agree to it if we get take out."
"You have a new body part in the fridge, don't you?"
"I swear, you can read my mind sometimes, precious. Yes. Mary finally found a foot for me to use."
"Her name is Molly."
&%&%&%
The winner of the "Will they or won't they and when?" pool at Scotland Yard was, surprisingly enough, Anderson.
&%&%&%
John Watson
It was before eight in the morning when John and Sherlock arrived at 221b. They had some business to deal with in London and decided to stay with Mrs. Hudson and company. Jareth did not bother greeting them as he tested something on a foot. Sherlock collapsed on the couch. He had a minor crisis with the bees the day before.
"Should I put on the kettle?" John asked.
Jareth grunted his approval.
As the kettle was beginning to boil, Sarah came in with groceries (including extra milk). Noticing the passed-out Sherlock, she moved quietly around the kitchen. She kissed Jareth's cheek before unpacking the groceries.
"GAH!" John said.
Sarah gave a gentle smack to John's chest and pointed towards Sherlock. John nodded, wide eyed. Being British, he dealt with the sudden shock to his system by focusing on making tea.
"When did this happen?" John asked in a hushed whisper as he poured the tea.
"A few weeks," Jareth mumbled as he finished his experiment.
"The day after Baskerville. Would you like some toast?" Sarah asked.
"I'm… sure. Jam, please," John said.
John could not help but smile as Sarah seemed to be floating with how happy she was. When Jareth finally finished his experiment, he looked more relaxed than John had ever seen him. The former Goblin King seemed to view Sarah as something to be protected, nurtured, and watched. Sarah seemed to be drawn to Jareth once she had finished something in the kitchen, either holding his hand or wrapping an arm around him. They reminded John of watching his secondary school friends falling in love for the first time.
"I'm sure Sherlock has known for weeks and didn't bother telling me," John said.
Jareth glared at the sleeping beekeeper. "No. He has deduced nothing. I fear he is slipping."
"He just doesn't notice those things as much as he likes people to believe he does," Sarah said, "Sherlock really doesn't care about romantic relationships. He is satisfied with deep friendships and doesn't understand why everyone else doesn't do the same. He does try though."
"Hardly. He gets upset every time I get a new girlfriend," John said.
Sarah smiled a little. "Sherlock doesn't like his world being changed and you do have a lot of girlfriends, John. Plus, you are his strongest relationship. He achieves intimacy (not that kind, Jareth you pervert) through his friendships with you and Jareth. I point back to my earlier point on not needing it."
John blinked a few times and then nodded. "That actually… makes sense. I've known him longer than you and I never got that."
Sarah shrugged. "I have several friends who do not have the need for romantic relationships. I know what to look for."
&%&%&%
Sherlock Holmes
It was the last night of Sherlock and John's visit and the former detective was still unaware of a change in Sarah and Jareth's relationship. Jareth was sulking over his fried rice.
"Has Lestrade done something?" Sherlock asked.
"No," Jareth said. He seemed to be counting the individual pieces of rice.
"Has Moriarty done something?" Sherlock said.
"No. That is a tiny bit of the problem," Jareth said.
Sherlock tilted his head and blinked a few times. "It cannot be Sarah unless she has refused you again."
"It's not Sarah," Jareth said through gritted teeth.
"Jareth, give Sherlock a break," Sarah said.
"He should have noticed. It was not subtle," Jareth said.
"Neither were your pants and I didn't notice them until I was half-way through my run," Sarah said.
Jareth sputtered at that, clearly insulted.
Sherlock blinked rapidly. "I don't understand."
"It's simple Sherlock," Sarah said. She then started snogging Jareth.
It was now Sherlock's turn to sputter.
"I told you that he wouldn't notice," Sarah said when she pulled away from Jareth.
"How could I not detect this?" Sherlock asked, at a loss at what he just saw.
"It is not something you are familiar with on a personal level," Sarah said, "You wanted your friend to be happy thus why you kept pushing us to snog."
Sherlock returned to his nonchalant sprawl. "Hardly. I thought it would release tension from him and allow him to work better."
"Same. Difference," Sarah said, "Jareth does better when he has a puzzle. I am glad you recognize that need in Jareth. It took me awhile to realize that. You're actually a good friend, Sherlock."
Sherlock laughed. "Sociopaths don't have friends."
Sarah rolled her eyes. "None of you are sociopaths. Do you like two-year-olds? Definitely. Sociopaths? No."
They continued eating as if nothing had happened until Sherlock said, "Who found out before me?"
"That is why I was so disappointed in you," Jareth said, "Even Meredith found out before you."
"No!" Sherlock said.
Sarah groaned. "Her name is Molly."
&%&%&%
Jareth and Sarah
A little after Sherlock and John left for home, Jareth and Sarah were returning from a solved case walking down Baker Street hand in hand.
"I have an afternoon shift tomorrow but work until the next morning. Then I have two days off. Do you have any cases in the works that I don't already know about?"
"Just poking around some unsolved ones," Jareth said, "Not mine, of course. I am speaking Jack the Ripper and earlier cases."
"Not a Fae who did it?" Sarah asked.
"No. Entirely human," Jareth said, "The question is which human."
Sarah kissed Jareth's gloved hand and smiled. "Good. I don't want to come back from work and find out you stabbed Jack the Ripper and tore apart our home in process."
Jareth stopped walking and Sarah stopped with him. "What's wrong, Jareth?" Sarah asked.
He blinked a few times and carefully held Sarah's face. "It is our home, is it not?"
Sarah smiled and touched Jareth's hands. "Of course it is. I love you Jareth. You are my home along with all of our insane friends and family coming in and out of the place. I'm yours and nothing will change that."
Jareth gave Sarah a chaste but long kiss. "And I am entirely yours precious."
A wonderful warmth covered Sarah when Jareth said that. She gave Jareth a far less chaste kiss to show how happy she was with him. Mine. Mine. Mine. Home. My home. He's my home.
Jareth suddenly broke the kiss off. "I might have left something in the oven."
"It's not the foot, is it?" Sarah asked with a sigh.
Jareth nodded and they both ran down the street to make sure 221b was not on fire… again.
&%&%&%
A/N: I really needed to write some fluff. I wanted to see people's reactions to Jareth/Sarah being a thing but I did not have room for it in "Up or Down?". I have completed three out of eleven chapters so far and I seem to be running on schedule. *knocks on wood*