A/N: This idea for this story would not go away no matter how much I tried to focus on anything else. Thus, unable to deny my inner muse, I present you with this story. I hope this is a slightly different Labyrinth story, and that it pleases you all as much as Jareth's pants seem to do. Please review! Thanks.
Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth or the characters created there in by the Jim Henson company. I do however own this plot and the characters that you do not recognize from the movie.
Stay With Me: Chapter One
The gentle tinkling sounds of a music box soared through the room, eliciting a smile from the woman perched in front of her vanity. Pale white hands worked a brush through long dark hair streaked with gray before finally resting the silver plated object on the surface of the vanity. Reaching forward, she grabbed a crystal perfume bottle and sprayed a little on her pulse points. She exhaled deeply, her fingers closing around the delicate silver crescent pendant hanging just above the neckline of her black shirt as if searching for strength.
"Mom? Mom are you home?" Called a woman's melodic voice from downstairs.
"I'll be down in a moment, Kate."
Staring into the mirror one last time, Sarah Williams-Llewlyn smoothed her shirt. Rising, she slowly strode to the large ornately carved chest at the foot of her bed, and placed the music box which had stopped playing its serene melody back amongst the rest of the contents. Locking the chest with a large antique brass key in her pocket, she headed downstairs to greet her daughter.
"Sorry sweetheart, I was just finishing up something." Sarah said embracing her only child.
"Don't worry about it, after all I'm a wee bit early."
Kate, like Sarah, was tall with a slender but curvy body and long hair. The major difference between them, was that Kate had long rusty colored hair and gray blue eyes where as Sarah was dark headed with green orbs.
"How was the drive?" Sarah asked as she put her daughter's pea coat away in the hall closet.
"A little hectic, but not that bad considering. I hope Thomas doesn't get stuck in the traffic though, especially with Connor in the car."
"I'm sure they'll be fine, would you care for some tea?"
Kate sighed with relief and nodded, following her mother into the spacious kitchen. Kate had always loved this kitchen, it always smelled like home and felt cozier than most of the other rooms in the old colonial.
"Let's see I have plain black, green tea, raspberry and chamomile, which would you like?" Sarah said rifling through a box on the counter full of tea bags.
"Chamomile sounds good right about now," Kate responded sinking into the stool at the island.
Sarah pressed a kiss to the top of Kate's head wrapping her arms around her daughter and resting her head on the top of hers.
"Stressful day at work?"
"Something like that, I just am a little worried, I guess…"
"Worried? About what?" Sarah said pulling away to look her daughter in the eyes.
"I shouldn't really talk about it…"
"Nonsense, I'm your mother, you can tell me anything."
"Thomas and I have been having some money troubles, he just got a pay cut at work and I'm working all the time. Then there is the matter of Connor's day care expenses and hiring a sitter if we work over time, our mortgage is still due… its all just falling down around me and its taking its toll on Thomas and myself."
Sarah stared at her daughter, pushing her coppery hair from her face as she soothingly stroked her cheek.
"Kate, you listen to me, don't worry about anything. I'll always be here to help you, no matter what. And Thomas loves you; he'd do anything for you if you asked it of him. That kind of love is rare, and you hold on to it for as long as you can." While she spoke, Sarah got a far away look to her eyes.
"You miss Dad don't you?" Kate said sniffing slightly.
Sarah tensed, snapping back to reality as she stared at her daughter.
'How could Kate possibly know, I never told her the truth of anything, so Kate would only assume I was speaking of Nicholas.' Sarah thought her hand straying to the chain around her neck.
"Of course I miss your father, Kate…" Sarah said moving away from her daughter to move the kettle off the burner.
"It has been a year Mom, almost to the day. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You live in this big house all by yourself, and I know you are stubborn and will never admit to being lonely… I worry about you."
"Well don't worry. And yes, I do get cabin fever sometimes which is why I decided something."
"Yes?" Kate said looking up from the steaming mug her mother set in front of her.
"I think I'm going to go on a vacation of sorts, see the world and the like."
"Wow, this is a surprise, how long have you been planning this?"
'For twenty or so years…' Sarah thought.
"Just since your father passed. I was thinking about how life is short, and we never know what moment may be our last. So we should live it to the fullest, or something. One of my dreams has always been to explore…see places I've only dreamt about. So I thought, no time like the present."
"This is a bit of a shock still, do you know when you want to leave? I mean this is going to take some planning, talking to travel agents and the like—" Kate listed before Sarah cut her off.
"I'm leaving tomorrow. Everything is all set."
"Tomorrow? Mom, that's a lot sooner than I expected."
"Honey, I've been waiting for this a long time." Sarah said her voice almost breaking, but she hid it well from her daughter.
"Well I guess at least, Connor will get to say goodbye to his Grandma before you leave. He's gonna miss you, you know. Apparently nobody tells bedtime stories like you."
"When you remind me that I'm a grandmother, I feel exceedingly old."
"Mom, fifty-two is not old. They are saying fifty is the new forty now…"
"That makes me feel a whole lot better, really. And I suppose they are also saying gray streaks and expanding hips are in also?"
"No…those are way out." Kate replied with a smirk which earned her a playful swat from her mother.
"Well are you going to help me start dinner or not?" Sarah said finally with her hands on her hips taking a firm stance, she learned long ago.
"I guess, since you asked so nicely."
Several hours later, they had the table set and the majority of dinner cooked, a nice roast with fresh mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and a warm apple pie for dessert. Just as Sarah was untying the gingham apron she wore when cooking, the doorbell rang, echoing throughout the house.
"Ah that must be Thomas and Connor, I'll let them in." Kate called from the dining room where she was busy lighting candles.
Kate's hair swung back and forth as she walked, pulled into a sleek business like ponytail that she utilized to keep her hair from falling into the pie filling earlier. She wiped her hands on her black trousers before opening the door to see a tall man with short white blonde hair in a sweater and slacks holding a miniature version of himself in his arms.
"Mommy!" Connor cried throwing himself around her legs and begging to be lifted into her arms.
"Hello sweetie, did you have a good day today?" Kate murmured into his ear.
"I drew a picture of an airplane, and Ms. Elderslie said it was the best drawing of an airplane she'd ever seen!" Connor beamed.
"It is quite good, I think our son may be the next DaVinci." Thomas said holding out the drawing in question.
For a four year old, it might have been the equivalent of DaVinci, but the blue blob that was the air plane still wasn't quite practiced enough to be called a work of art. Putting Connor down, she reached up to kiss her husband full on the mouth. Thomas wrapped his arms around her, smiling into the kiss. Kate had been touchy around him lately, but to have her like this made him think everything was back to normal. They broke apart when they heard a squeal of glee as Connor discovered his grandmother.
"Gwandma!!" He shouted flinging himself into her awaiting arms.
"Oh, there's my favorite little boy. I missed you so much." Sarah kissed his chubby cheek and squeezed him tight.
Connor was perhaps one of the most adorable boys she had ever seen, and that wasn't just her grandmotherly pride talking. With fine blond hair, and bright blue eyes he was a perfect combination of Kate and Thomas.
"Now, Sarah, squeezing the life out of my son isn't allowed." Thomas said wandering into the kitchen with Kate in tow.
"Oh pish-posh, I'll do what I like. Its good to see you too Thomas." Sarah said coming forward to give him a hug as well.
"Now are you all ready to eat? Because I think I might have made an apple pie…"
"Oh boy, Gwandma!" Connor said hopping up and down in excitement before rushing into the dining room.
"You were never that excited about my pie as a child."
"Yes, well I got it all the time. Its different when it's a rare treat." Kate replied.
"Absence does make the heart grow fonder, or so they say." Thomas chimed in as he helped his son into the seat at the table.
'Too true.' Sarah thought before heading into the kitchen to bring out the food.
Dinner was a jovial affair, with Sarah as the matriarch presiding over her small family. Yet Kate couldn't help but notice the distant look her mother would get in her eyes when Thomas would say something romantic, or oddly when Kate talked about her new peach scented shampoo.
"Mom, you look tired. Maybe you should get some sleep if you are traveling tomorrow." Kate said reaching over to squeeze her mother's hand.
"Oh, sorry. Yes, I suppose I am quite tired."
"Traveling? Where are you headed?" Thomas said through a mouthful of pie.
"Kate would you explain it to him, I think the day has caught up with me." Sarah said kissing the top of Connor's head before disappearing from the room.
"Mom's going on a trip around the world, help her to get out of this house I guess. She's decided to leave tomorrow. I kinda wish we had more warning, but I worry about how she is now that Dad's gone. He was the love of her life, you know." Kate said with a sad sort of smile.
From outside the dining room, Sarah listened to her daughter and felt guilt wrench up in her stomach. Kate was so far from the truth, and she had no idea how it pained her. Resolved, to set the record straight, she headed up to her room. Sarah would have a bit of writing to do before she left, and she doubted sleep would come easy that night.