Title: Between the Stars
Author: Etsuki-chan
Summary: It's been one year since Sarah's return, and every aspect of her story she has related to her cousin Amber. So when Sarah accidentally wishes her away, Amber finally gets a chance at healing the Goblin King's broken heart. Jareth/OC. Sarah/OC.
Pairings: Jareth/OC. Sarah/OC.
Warnings: Rated M for language, possible violence, and possible mature content. (Possibility of attempted rape) I'll let you know before hand, 'kay?
Disclaimer: Honestly, if I owned the Labyrinth do you think it would have ended the way it did? (I don't own the Labyrinth…obviously)
Chapter 1: A Fatal Mistake; Back to the LabyrinthAmber watched her cousin sing Toby gently to sleep with the same song she had heard tell of Jareth singing back in the Labyrinth.
"There's such a sad love,
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel
Opened and closed within your eyes
I'll place the sky within your eyes"
Sarah moved gently to the beat, rocking Toby in her arms the whole time. Her eyes were closed and a slight smile played across her face as she sang. Amber watched in distaste, her jealousy over her cousin's adventure gripping her deeply. Sarah got everything she wanted, all the time any time, and it was really beginning to grate on Amber's nerves. After all, everyone always chose Sarah.
"There's such a fooled heartBeating so fast in search of new dreams
A love that will last within your heart
I'll place the moon within your heart
Sighing, Amber lay her head back against the soft pillows of her bed and listened to the gentle melody imagining it was Jareth singing instead of her perfect cousin Sarah.
"As the pain sweeps through
Makes no sense for you
Every thrill has gone
Wasn't too much fun, at all
But I'll be there for youAs the world falls down"
"That's enough, Sarah," Karen called softly through the door frowning at Sarah's choice of songs, "Toby's asleep now you can stop singing that dreadful song. And in the future I would appreciate it if you would refrain from filling your brother's head with that useless fairy tale about trolls."
"Goblins," Amber and Sarah said in unison. Karen just frowned and walked away.
Sarah sighed heavily and placed Toby in his bed pulling the covers up to his chin and kissing him softly on the forehead.
"Come on, Amy," she whispered to me through the darkness, "Let's go to my room. I don't want Karen spying on us anymore then necessary." Amber nodded and followed her older cousin out of the room and across the hall.
Sarah's bedroom had changed a lot in the past year, ever since she had returned for her encounter with the Goblin King. No longer was it framed in stuffed animals and storybooks, but college applications and historical novels. It looked like a normal teenage girl's room, though both Sarah and Amber knew it wasn't.
"You shouldn't have told anyone about the Labyrinth," Amber announced as Sarah closed the door and the girl plopped down on the bed, "At least, you shouldn't have said anything to your parents, that's the reason they act so weird now, they think you've lost your mind."
"I know," Sarah said with a shrug, "but I don't really care. I know what happened and I'm not going to hide it. I have no reason to."
"Hmm," Amber said, giving her cousin a quizzical glance, "I bet Jareth would disagree. He probably doesn't like you blathering on about how you stumped the Goblin King."
"And we all know what sensitive tender feeling Jareth has," Sarah smirked venomously, "I hope her hears every word of it and is mad as hell over it too!"
"The way you're always singing those songs," Amber began hesitantly, "it sounds more like you love him then hate him."
"I don't!" She snapped glowering down at the other girl, "I just can't get those damn songs out of my head."
"Whatever," Amber murmured, "Personally I'd love to be taken away to the Labyrinth. Then you can stay here and have your nice orderly life, and I'll take the Goblin King."
"Don't even joke that way, Amy," Sarah moaned putting her head in her hands, "You have no idea what a monster Jareth is capable of being. If ever you do meet him, which pray to God you don't, don't say anything to upset him. He's evil Amber, remember that."
"Uh-huh," Amber answered not really listening. "But, do you think it'd still work, Sarah? I mean if you called him, and asked him to take us away to the Labyrinth, would it work?"
"Probably," Sarah answered with a shudder, "but why the hell would I do that?"
"I dunno," I mumbled, "Would…would you do it…if I asked you to?"
"No!" Sarah said in alarm jumping to her feet, "Don't say stuff like that Amy, I could never. Jareth would rip you to shreds!" But all that seemed to do was light Amber's anger.
"I can take care of myself, Sarah!" Amber practically shouted jumping to her feet, "I don't need perfect little Miss Priss to take care of me! I'm sixteen I could handle Jareth perfectly fine on my own. And don't call me Amy! My name is Amber."
"Oh please," Sarah snapped her own ego flaring up, "You could never defeat Jareth. If I could barely do it there's no way you could even get close, Amber."
"Oh, you witch, you don't know anything," Amber screamed, "You had everything right in front of you. Everything, and you refused. You're a stupid moron, and I bet I could do twice as well as you did. I…I could do just as well as you in anything!"
"Oh yeah?" Sarah shouted her temper flaring.
"Yeah!" Amber shouted back with just as much venom.
"Fine!" Sarah yelled, now screaming at the top of her lungs, "We'll just see about that. Jareth? Jareth! You hear me? Come on Jareth I know you can. Come here Jareth and take my know-it-all cousin to her dream castle. See if she can handle it. Come on Jareth, I dare you. I wish you would come take my cousin away right now!" Silence.
"Well this is interesting," came a quiet voice behind them. They whirled around to face the intruder. Sarah screamed.
Jareth sat at the back of Sarah's room leaning heavily against the door. His usual mop of hair had seemed to have gotten longer over the past year and his placid smile reflected his surprise at being summoned once again by a temper-tantrum throwing Sarah.
"Wow," Amber whispered staring at the man before her eyes. He was… magnificent. His mismatched eyes were resting gently upon her cousin and his hair waved gently though there was no breeze.
"Jareth!" Sara gasped, "Oh God, what did I say? Quick Amber I don't remember, what did I say?"
"Why don't we take a look," Jareth suggested lightly pushing away from the wall and approaching the two girls. Holding open his hand, the cousins watched in awe as a crystal appeared and began replaying the last few moment's of their fight.
Fine! We'll just see about that. Jareth? Jareth! You hear me? Come on Jareth I know you can. Come here Jareth and take my know-it-all cousin to her dream castle. See if she can handle it. Come on Jareth, I dare you. Come take my cousin away right now!
"Oh, that's cool," Amber whispered staring down into the crystals depths.
"It's not cool!" Sarah snapped, "Don't you realize what I've done, Amy? I just wished you away!"
"So?" Amber asked. Both Jareth and Sarah stared at her.
"So," Sarah said slowly, "Don't you know what happens when I wish people away? He comes and takes them." She motioned to Jareth at this, who bent forward in a mock bow.
"I know," Amber answered with a shrug. They both continued to stare at her.
"Look," she attempted to explain, "I know this is goin to shock you, Sarah, but I hate my life. I H-A-T-E, that's right hate, my life! So the choice is my life, or Jareth's castle. Which would you choose honestly?
"Your life," Sarah said.
"My castle," Jareth said. They both turned to glare at each other.
"Well doesn't matter either way," Amber said dismissing their words, "Because, to quote Jareth, what's said is said. We can't go back now so might as well go forward, right?" Sarah stared at her cousin aghast, then turned to glare at Jareth.
"This all your fault!"
"My fault? I'm not the one that wished her away!"
"But if you hadn't taken me in the first place-"
"Oh not this again-"
"Yes this again you-"
"No One can blame youFor walking away
Too much rejection
No love injection
Life can be easy
It's not always swell
Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl
'Cause it hurts like hell…"
"Oh? Are you done?" Amber asked the two still figures from the bed. "Do forgive me, I was just trying to entertain myself while you guys fought like children."
"How do you know that song?" Jareth asked curiously
"Sarah," was the answer he received.
"So you were thinking about me," he said with a sneer as he turned to look back upon Amber's silent cousin.
"I couldn't get them out of my head!" She snapped glaring daggers at Amber for beginning the song in the first place.
"Don't glare at me!" Amber snapped, "I happen to like those 'damn songs,' so I'll sing them whenever I feel like it!"
"She has your attitude," Jareth murmured glancing at Sarah.
"I'm not Sarah," Amber suddenly shouted jumping to her feet, "I'm not Sarah!"
"Trust me, I know," Jareth snapped back. "Sarah's much quieter!"
"Well excuse me, Your Highness, I didn't realize I was being disrespectful! But seeing as you two wouldn't give a damn if I was here or not, I'll be as loud as I want!"
"What do you mean, we wouldn't give a damn whether you were here or not?" Sarah asked curiously.
"You guys just want an excuse to see each other. That's all you've been after Sarah, always singing those songs. You wanted Jareth to hear, you wanted him to come to you. And Jareth wanted the same. I'm just the excuse you both needed!" Dead Silence.
"I think I hate you," Jareth said seriously looking down at Amber with blatant contempt etched on his face.
"There's a club for that," Amber stated flatly.
"Whoever started it should be knighted," Jareth said cruelly.
"That'd be my parents," Amber said, suddenly loosing her edge and turning away, "They have trial memberships if you want. Though it's all pretty much a lifetime guarantee." More Silence.
"Amber," Sarah began softly.
"Don't," Amber interrupted harshly, "Just…don't. I don't want your pity."
"Well that's good," Jareth said, "Because people who indulge in self-pity annoy me."
"Asshole," Sarah and Amber muttered in unison. Jareth just grinned.
"Well then," he said with a smirk, "Let's get down to business, shall we?"
"Business?" Sarah asked innocently.
"This is not a game," Jareth said crossly glancing down into Sarah's eyes, "You made another serious wish, Sarah. And now, I shall uphold my end."
"Works for me," Amber put in lightly. No one seemed to hear her.
"Let me guess," Sarah groaned, " 'You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your…er…cousin becomes one of us forever.'"
"Not exactly," Jareth said with a smirk, "No, my dear Sarah, I'm afraid the Labyrinth you remember no longer exists. No, I shall give you…let's see. Thirteen days? Yes that sounds about right. Thirteen days in which to solve the Labyrinth before…hmm, before your cousin disappears entirely."
"Excuse me?" Amber stated indignantly.
"The rules change in life I'm afraid," Jareth said still looking purposefully down at Sarah, "The Labyrinth is longer, my patience is shorter, and my magic is…exemplary."
"But…" Sarah began, "Disappear? What happened to 'one of us forever'? Won't you turn her into a goblin?"
"No," Jareth said in amusement, "No. I don't like the goblins I have now, why would I want another one? No, disappear as in…gone. Forever."
"Not long at all," Amber said trying to lift the mood. Both Jareth and Sarah stared at her.
"Are you out of your mind?" Sarah cried, "He just said he's…well he's going to kill you, for Christ's sake! And you…you're joking about it?"
"Well," Amber said slowly, "It's not like anything can be done about it now, right? So, might as well try and lighten the situation. No use dwelling upon it."
"You probably won't be saying that thirteen days from now," Jareth pointed out.
"Probably won't be saying much of anything, according to you," Amber agreed with a smile. Sarah just rolled her eyes.
"Jareth," she said sharply turning to look at him with hard, angry eyes, "Why would you do that? Amber really has nothing to do with this. So, why would you drag her into this?"
"It's not me, Sarah," Jareth said shrugging, "It's my cousin."
"Your…cousin?"
"Yes," Jareth began gently, "You see, I no longer rule the Labyrinth. Well I do but, ever since my…ahem, defeat, I have had to share temporary rule with my delightful cousin, Kira. Until I prove myself worthy, or some such nonsense. He's the one that thought my original rules were too soft. You'll have to ask him to change them. There's nothing I can do about it."
"You…you lost your rule over the Labyrinth?" Amber asked in astonishment.
"Temporarily," Jareth said firmly.
"I…see," Sarah mumbled glancing down at the floor, "because…because of me, then?"
"No!" Jareth snapped, "I wouldn't give you that much credit. You're just the excuse my brother needed to override the council! So don't flatter yourself."
"I wasn't!"
"Oh, please we all know how you can be, Sarah."
"Hey, now that's not fair!"
"Oh, here we go again, Sarah's favorite line!"
"Well you should know you stupid-"
"How you've turned my world, you precious thing
You starve and near exhaust me.
Everything…
"Shut-up!" Jareth screamed turning on Amber with the force of a thunderstorm, "You don't ever sing that song in my presence again, do you understand? Never again!" Sarah and Amber both stared at him, agape.
"I…I'm sorry, I was only trying to…um…I won't…I…" Amber mumbled trying not to cry. Jareth just stared at her in cold fury.
"Jareth," Sarah began, "Don't be so cruel. Amy was just-"
"I don't care," Jareth snapped, "Let's just get this god forsaken game over with!" And with that they disappeared in a rush of smoke and glitter.
When they reappeared they stood in front of a large stone maze, twice the size of the ones Sarah had earlier faced. And no castle could be seen in the distance.
"Thirteen days, Sarah," Jareth said harshly, glaring towards the Labyrinth, "You have exactly thirteen days to reach the castle before she disappears."
"She has a name," said Amber bitterly. Jareth ignored her.
"Understand?" He asked coldly. Sarah nodded.
"Good," and with that Sarah was left standing alone to face the desolate maze that began the Labyrinth.
