Far Away
Disclaimer: I own neither Labyrinth or the song this is based on. Labyrinth belongs to Jim Henson and "Far Away" belongs to Nickelback. I'm borrowing them and I can't possibly make any money from it.
Ok so once again I'm posting a song fic when I should be focusing on Darkness and Window of Opportunity. It struck me whist I was washing the dishes and it will not leave me alone. So I give it to you. As with "Snow White Queen" Sarah's thoughts are in standard italics, Jareth's thoughts are in bold italics
Far Away
This time, this place,
Misused mistakes,
Sarah packed a box, her face blank and her eyes misty with unshed tears. This room was where it had all begun, a room where she had played out her fantasies and lived her dreams. This room was where she first read of the Goblin King. The first man she had ever truly loved. Soon it would be decorated by someone else, someone with no idea of its significance to the former occupant.
Too long, too late,
Who was I to make you wait,
She had left it for so many years. She had tried to forget him and move on with her life. Now Sarah was in the bedroom of her childhood, packing away dusty and forgotten things, reliving thirteen terrible and delicious hours with each toy and figurine that she picked up.
Just one chance, Just one breath,
Just in case there's just one left,
'Cause you know, you know, you know,
Her gaze fell on one particular figurine. A statue of a man, his cloak billowing around him and his pale blonde hair seemed to move in the wind. She stopped and gazed at it, taking in each little detail, from the coloured markings around his eyes to those very mismatched orbs. A trembling hand ran down the figure's face, a single tear splashing onto it's unmoving chest.
"Is this really all that you were?" She whispered.
I love you,
I've loved you all along,
I miss you,
So far away for far too long,
She had fled his promises and his veiled lies. Trembled under his heated gaze and felt the hot and cold of infatuation and hatred as she stared up at him. He had been all that she had feared and all that she had loved. Idly, Sarah wondered when a childish crush had become love, despairing and destructive.
I keep dreaming you'll be with me,
And you'll never go.
She stared at the figure for what seemed like forever as a desperate plan formed in her mind. Just to see him one last time, to see if he still cared, if he had ever cared. Sarah turned her face to the window and looked at the brilliant, crystal full moon that hung above the old tree. The barn owl that had once watched her there was gone. It was strange how comforting she had found it, how much she needed the owl's wisdom now.
"I wish Jareth were here, right now," she breathed to the moon. For a long while nothing happened.
I'd stop breathing if I can't see you anymore.
Sarah let her head fall into her hands, sliding down the bed to the floor. She had been so sure, so certain that he would come if she had called him. The tears that had threatened for so long began to trickle out, the salty liquid making her hands tingle.
"Hello, Sarah."
On my knees I'll ask,
Last chance for one last dance,
She looked up from her kneeling position on the floor, her cheeks stained with tears, her eyes sparkling. He was as terrifying and beautiful as he had been the first time she had seen him. His arms were folded over his chest and it took her a moment to remember why she had called him. In the background soft music played and the tears turned to a soft smile. He held out his hand to help her stand, as attractive as a kneeling opponent was, Sarah did not belong on her knees.
'Cause with you I'll withstand,
All of hell to hold your hand,
She took the offered hand willingly, relishing in that small sign of acceptance, even as she felt warm leather enclose her fingers. He let go of her hand as soon as she was upright and once again folded his arms over his chest. He wore a simple, black poets shirt, half open and his usual, tight, trousers. There was no cloak, no coat, no armour, just a man. Yet he did not need the cloak or armour. All that he needed was to be who he was. He intimidated her and yet she was fascinated by him. He was her King and she knew it as sure as breathing.
I'd give it all again for us,
Give anything but I won't give up,
'Cause you know, you know, you know,
Sarah thought carefully as he watched her, not speaking, seeming to be endlessly patient, waiting for her to tell him why she had called. She wondered if she would do it all again, if she would wish Toby away again, if she could go back six years. If she could, would she have done it any differently? The answer was, of course, no. she would never have given up Toby, she would have refused her dreams for her brother.
"Why did you call?" He asked finally, weary, worried.
I love you,
I've loved you all along,
How desperately she wanted to tell him the truth, how much she wanted to say those three, fatal words. Instead she asked a question.
"If we were in the past, six years ago, would you have done anything differently? Would you change anything that we did?" Her voice was subdued and he knew that it was not the question she had wanted to ask. It had not been what she had wanted to say.
I miss you,
So far away for far too long,
"No." His reply was short, sharp and impatient. "That is not why you called me." Her answering look was desperate. She wanted to tell him, but she need him to give her an opening. He needed to make it easy for her to tell him the truth.
I keep dreaming,
You'll be with me and you'll never go,
I'd stop breathing if I can't see you anymore.
She had dreamt of this day, the day she saw him again, yet it had never occurred to her that he might be cold, distant. It was almost like he did not know her. The distance between them was almost an insurmountable obstacle
So far away,
Far away for far too long,
He had waited six years for her to call, waited and watched as she called on her friends, as she tried to forget him. He had felt the distance begin to call his heart away from her, yet standing in front of her, looking at the tear stains on her cheeks and he felt his feelings for her reemerge with a vengeance.
So far away,
Far away for far to long
But you know, you know, you know,
Surely he had to know how she felt. He had to know that she had wanted to stay with him but that she had been obliged to save her brother. Yet Toby was not the only reason. She had felt forced, pushed out, like he really had not wanted her. She felt that he had lied to her.
I wanted
I wanted you to stay,
He watched her silently, watched her struggle with herself as she tried to find the words to tell him what she wanted from him, even as he struggled to tell her what he had always wanted. He wanted to tell her that it had only been her, that she was the only one that he had ever fallen for.
I needed,
I need to hear you say,
As hard as she tried, the words would not come. She fought so hard to say them, opening and closing her mouth as she tried. Still nothing came and she hung her head as she finally realised that she could never say them. She needed him to say the words first. He had to say them first because he had to feel as she did. If she looked hard enough she could almost see it in his eyes. Sarah blinked against her tears and once again they began to fall.
I love you,
I loved you all along,
He wiped the tears away with a gloved thumb, his expression gentle and his eyes holding a measure of softness that was both unexpected and undeserved. She smiled up at him bravely and he returned it, his own smile was surprisingly shy, as he tried to tell her with his eyes what he could not tell her with his voice.
I forgive you,
For being away for far to long,
She had left him behind, broken his heart and torn out his soul, yet in those moments that he spent gazing into her eyes, he forgave her everything. It was like they had gone back six years, to that moment when they had danced in the crystal ballroom, the moment when the only kiss he had ever desired had been stolen from him by a memory. He held her face as he closed the distance between them, stopping just before his lips touched hers.
So keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it,
She hesitated for a second before closing the remaining space between them and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. He pulled her close and held her tight against him, just happy to be able to do this without her over reacting. Happy that all his years of watching had paid off.
Hold on to me,
Never let me go,
Feeling his arms around her made her feel so safe and secure, she just wanted to stay that way forever, let him hold her for all eternity. She broke the kiss and looked up into his mismatched eyes, the same eyes that only moments before she had despaired of ever seeing again.
Keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore,
Believe it,
She was in his arms, gazing up at him with an intensity and a love that he had never dared to hope she could feel. Even though neither could say the words, he knew just by looking at her what she felt. He wondered if she could read his feelings in the same way he could read hers.
Hold on to me,
Never let me go,
Looking up at him, to be held in this way was like a dream come true. All she wanted was to stay this way forever, yet in the same instant the thing that could jeopardise it that the most shouted up the stairs.
"Sarah, how's it going?" Karens voice startled both of them as she called through the door. Sarah looked up at Jareth with wide eyes, begging him not to leave. "Would you like some coffee?" The handle began to turn.
"Take me with you," she whispered up to him, holding him tighter.
Keep breathing,
He nodded and pressed his lips to hers again.
Hold onto me,
Never let me go,
Karen pushed the door open, expecting to see her stepdaughter putting childish knick knacks into boxes. Instead all she saw was a flurry of glitter and heard the last few notes of a song.
Keep breathing,
Hold onto me,
Never let me go.
Argh!!! I just don't seem to be able to get it just right!! It's the end, I can't seem to get it together. It's short too, but never mind. Ah well, I've posted it anyway, so let me know what you think. Just please no flames, I don't like those!
Artemis