This is a collaboration with Catherine Morgenstern. Although it is posted on my account, Catherine Morgenstern wrote half of the fic and contirbuted to the storyline and ideas. The delightful NDMC was kind enough to read through this story and give us feed back. Thanks lovely.
Smoke and Mirrors
Sarah opened her eyes to watery sunlight. It streamed through her window and caught on the dancing dust-motes that pirouetted through the air, occasionally catching the light and sparkling like glitter as it drifted down to the carpet. Like magical rain. Magic. That word triggered something in the back of her mind. A gasp burst free as the memories of the previous night came tumbling back upon her. They settled on top of her shoulders like sticky cobwebs. Hundreds of images of impossible creatures and gravity defying staircases dripped into her mind. Toby, stolen in the night. Time reordered. And him. Jareth. The Goblin King.
A triumphant smile curved her lips. She'd beaten his Labyrinth. She'd beaten him. That look of utter disappointment that had crumpled his sharp features would stay with her forever. Sarah let loose a delighted chuckle as she jumped out of bed. Her hair spun around her shoulders like strands of midnight. She felt alive, full of manic energy as she skipped out of her room and down to the kitchen.
Her dad, Karen, and Toby were already there. It was a scene that would have irritated her yesterday. But today Sarah grinned and took a seat at the table. She saw her dad and Irene exchange a bemused glance when they thought she wasn't looking. She merely grabbed a piece of toast and smiled at Toby. He giggled and threw down his spoon. A huge glob of porridge landed on his cheek and Sarah laughed cheerfully at the sight. The world was as it should be. How she wanted it to be.
-OOOOOOOOO-
In the castle beyond the Goblin City, Jareth was lounging on his throne in a foul mood. His feathery hair was glinting like pale moonlight in the fading sun. His mismatched eyes - one glittering like starlight and the other darkened by greed - were staring with utter contempt at his Sarah. He was spying on her through one of his crystals. It floated in front of him, glowing with his magic.
Unable to stop thinking about her, he watched his precious having breakfast with her unsuspecting family. His gaze caught on her heart-shaped face, framed by those silky tresses he longed to run his fingers through. Mortals. They were so frail, so easily manipulated. All except her. She'd triumphed over him and had the gall to deny him when he'd offered her the world and all her dreams on a silver platter.
The throne room's messy interior with its scrambling goblins that tried to stay out of his way as much as possible faded away as he plotted his revenge and focused solely on her. Thinking of ways to shatter her completely and force her to submit. She would be his. Luckily he'd been cunning enough to think of a backup plan. That peach he'd made Hoggle give her did more than just induce a fever dream and attempt to make her forget everything but him. Imbibing food offered by the fey had consequences. He smirked. Soon enough she'd start wilting away like a flower giving in to winter's frost. Accepting the help he'd so graciously offer her would be her only salvation.
At that thought his smirk widened into a smile that was as chilly and cruel as the everlasting ice.
-OOOOOOOOO-
The air outside was crisp with the promise of winter. It smelt faintly of wood-smoke and cut grass. Every tree was desperately trying to hang onto their curling leaves. Most had already fallen down in a beautiful assortment of red, yellow and brown – like a blanket that was spread out over the sidewalk. They made a delicious crackle as Sarah squashed them beneath her feet. She was taking Toby to the park, but it took far longer than usual as she kept bending down beside his stroller to point at the decorated houses. Halloween was just a week away and the neighbourhood was full of fake graveyards, skeletons, and pumpkins.
Irene had packed them some lunch so they could have a pic-nic by the lake. Sarah had planned on showing Toby the flowers that looked like tufts of candyfloss, but she found that her legs were aching and so instead made her way to the water that looked like glass reflecting the sky. It was little wonder her legs were sore, she'd spent hours wandering the Labyrinth after all.
"Now Toby, you look at the ducks whilst I get everything ready." Sarah pointed to the squat birds who were pecking at the grass at the water's edge.
Toby gurgled and clapped his chubby hands. Putting the break on the stroller, Sarah pulled out a blanket and the pic-nic basket. She carefully arranged them on the damp grass before sitting down and stretching out her legs. Sighing, she tipped her head back and watched the scudding clouds make patterns. She only managed to watch for a few seconds before she lost interest and pulled Toby from his stroller. In the distance there were several children, running and leaping in a game that appeared to have no rules.
"You sit right here, and I'll get us something to eat." She reached across to pull the basket between them.
Inside she found sandwiches, sliced fruit, and several cookies. She grinned at Toby and handed him one of the chocolate biscuits. He cooed and proceeded to stuff it in his mouth. Sarah laughed and reached for one herself. The moment she bit into it she grimaced. It tasted bland, like the sugar and chocolate had been replaced by dust. Spitting it out, she frowned and glanced at Toby. He was quite happily eating his, although there were more crumbs on his cheeks and hands than in his mouth.
Shrugging, she dropped her cookie and glanced across the park. And that's when she saw it. A softball size orb floating towards her. The breath hissed out of her lungs as it drifted nearer. The light caught the surface and made it shimmer with iridescent colours. He'd come for her. Jareth. Sarah narrowed her eyes and reached forward to pluck the orb from the air. It popped before she could even touch it.
She jumped to her feet and glanced around. It was then that she noticed the park was full of them. They were all different sizes and seemed to hang suspended, as if frozen, before lazily falling to the ground to pop and disappear. She immediately turned to Toby, ready to snatch him up and take him home. Only before she could, the sound of laughter filled her ears. She looked to the side and saw the children she'd spotted earlier frantically running back and forth, one hand held above their head. Streams of bubbles erupted from the wands they grasped. They filled the air like snowflakes.
Even as she watched, they stopped moving to dip the brightly coloured wands into a tube before once again dashing back and forth.
"Stupid, Sarah," she muttered. "He isn't coming back. He can't. He has no power over you."
-OOOOOOOOO-
Hidden between tall fir trees, a snowy barn owl was perching high above. The evergreen boughs overlooked the park that was ablaze with fiery colours and fallen leaves. Jareth watched his Sarah and the babe he'd grown quite fond of. Already, she seemed paler and a bit thinner. Witnessing her scrunched up face as she bit into the sugary confection made him wonder if his peach was already working its magic, making everything she ate or drunk turn to ashes in her mouth. Time worked differently Aboveground, after all.
Amused, he observed her jumping to her feet as the soapy bubbles floating from the wands of the silly children reached her. So she hadn't forgotten him quite yet. Good. It wouldn't do for her to disregard his existence, considering all that he had in store for her. Oh, what fun it will be to hear his willful Sarah pleading for his mercy. He could hardly wait.
As she started packing up the provisions and her baby brother, he couldn't help but feel pleased. That little reminder of him had obviously unsettled her far more than she would dare to admit, even to herself. For a second he debated whether or not to let her spot his owl form as he lazily drifted above them on feathery wings, but decided against it. She'd see him soon enough. Now that she'd started feeling frightened and apprehensive again it would be all too easy to infiltrate her dreams tonight. Like smoke crawling through the tiniest openings, a glimmer of uncertainty and his presence in her thoughts was all he needed.
How had she put it in the oubliette? Ah, yes. It would be a piece of cake.
-OOOOOOOOO-
That night he spun her a nightmare reminiscent of the feverish dream he'd sought to capture her with during her run in his labyrinth. The same ballroom encircled by flames that gave off a cold heat and seemed to emit a bluish light despite their fiery glow. It tinged the room in the colours of faded ink, indistinct and out of focus. Crystal chandeliers reflected the sparks and cast eerie shadows on the surface of the glacial lake that served as a dance floor. Otherworldly creatures were frozen in death beneath its cloudy surface. Faint mist was drifting up from the ice and danced languidly over the ground. Blurry, humanoid shapes wearing masks and evening attire were swirling at the edges. From a distance, as though coming from the depths of the lake, the distorted sounds of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" could be heard.
He let tendrils of his magic reach out to his sleeping beauty, drawing her into his creation. She emerged from the flames, looking befuddled. Greedily, he drank in the sight of her. Clad in layered, white tulle from which intertwining vines seemed to reach upward and form an intricate off the shoulder bodice that was glittering like one of his crystals, she took in her surroundings. Her long ebony hair fell loosely down her back and over her pale shoulders.
Slowly strutting towards her, he emerged from the dancing mist like a figure out of the pages of one of her fairy tales; a remnant of a time when the world was golden and creatures of legend had free reign over the earth. Luckily for him her colourful imagination had kept her from being blinded by science like so many others. He couldn't help but smirk at her wide emerald eyes that were now solely trained on him. For a moment he saw himself through her eyes; cold and cruel as only the fey can be and wholly unmoved by the plight of mortals.
Arching an eyebrow at her, he drawled, "Hello, precious."
-OOOOOOOOO-
Sarah stopped breathing at the sound of his voice. It had a hypnotic quality that seemed to pull her towards him. She'd already taken three steps before she was even aware that she'd moved. As soon as she realized that, she clenched her teeth and forced her feet to remain in place. Jareth smirked and cocked his head, crossing his arms over his chest. His silvery hair entwined with the feathers sprouting from the shoulders and back of his jacket, glistening like oil. It almost seemed as though he was about to transform and take flight on dusty wings. His thighs were encased by black trousers that were so tight they made her blush. Just as he had done in the Labyrinth, he emanated raw masculinity and seemed to glow with magic.
"What do you want?" she hissed.
Jareth's eyes darkened at her petulant tone. "Want, Sarah?" His voice was low and icy as he stalked towards her. "I want your obedience. I want your love." He stopped so close to her that only a sliver of air separated them. "I want you."
His words made her recoil. "Well, you can't have me!"
She took another step back, flinching when his gloved hand snapped out to grasp her wrist. The soft leather felt slick and warm against her skin. She glanced down and trembled at how effortlessly he held her. Beneath their hands, she could see herself reflected in his black riding boots. She looked dazed, on the edge of panic and so very frightened.
"This is a dream. This isn't real," she murmured, as he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her into a dance.
Her hand automatically came up to rest on his shoulder, beneath the stiff feathers. They were sharp and scratched her skin. The rest of his jacket was made up of midnight-blue velvet that was so soft it felt like whipped cream beneath her fingers. His ruffled shirt was as white as snow and flowed down his chest in sinuous waves. The hand holding her wrist slipped up to link his fingers with hers.
Jareth stared at her the entire time, his predatory eyes feasting on her befuddlement. Sarah blinked as she was spun in a circle, her feet instinctively knowing which steps to take. The dress felt lighter than smoke as it brushed the icy floor.
"I...stop, you can't be here," she whispered. "I've beaten you and your Labyrinth. It's not fair!"
Jareth chuckled, the sound reminiscent of sliding rocks. "Life very rarely is, precious."
Sarah glared at him and prepared to speak the words that had earned both her and Toby's freedom last time. The layered, wispy strands of his hair caught on the high feathered collar, emphasising his sharp features.
She pulled in a breath of earth-scented air. "You have no-"
Her words were cut off by Jareth's lips. She gasped, her fingers clutching at his hand and shoulder as he pressed his mouth more firmly against hers. A warm, moist tongue eased into her mouth. It nudged past her lips and began to stroke firmly against hers. He tasted like cold winter nights and the deepest part of the forest. Sarah felt her bones melt at the exquisite sensation. It felt like she was falling and flying at the same time.
Jareth continued to spin them around the mist-shrouded room, adding to Sarah's confused state. Her eyes closed when he used his teeth to nibble her lower lip and she moaned into his mouth. He swallowed the sound, forcing her mouth open and kissing her with brutal force. She felt lost...lost. Like Toby.
Her eyes snapped open and she shoved him away.
Jareth's face twisted in anger. "Sarah."
"No!" She backed away towards the blue flames. "You have no power over me."
His mismatched eyes glowed with cold fury. The sight made her lift her chin defiantly as the gap between them increased. Cool air brushed her shoulders and the edge of her vision filled with blurry blue light. The ground beneath her feet disappeared and she fell into darkness.
Sarah snapped awake with a jolt. The pale smudge of her ceiling met her wide-eyed stare. She immediately reached across to switch on the bedside lamp. Warm, amber light chased away the shadows. For a moment she just sat, her chest heaving. She could still taste him as she touched her kiss-swollen lips with her fingertips. Then her eyes dropped down to her hand and she gasped. The back was covered with tiny blood-filled scratches. Almost as if she's been playing with a cat. She closed her eyes and saw the oil-black feathers surrounding Jareth's face.
Thumping the bed, she opened her eyes and glared at the room. It was then that she saw the mirror above her vanity. It looked blurry. Frowning, Sarah climbed out of bed and made her way towards it. The reflective surface was covered in a fine layer of frost. She could see where the ice had made swirling lacy patterns. Lifting her hand, she placed it against the glass and rubbed. The frost brushed easily away. She dropped her hand and stared at the cleared section. A flash of mismatched eyes appeared before the glass once again turned white.
Sarah shivered and turned away. She made her way to the door and into the hall. For a moment she stood, undecided, before finally making her way to Toby's room. It was the only place in the house that didn't contain a mirror. She entered as silently as she could and made her way to the rocking chair in the corner. She remained there for the rest of the night, listening to Toby's soft breaths and frantically thinking about what she should do.
When the morning light trickled into the room, she still didn't have an answer.
-OOOOOOOOO-
Jareth fumed as he watched Sarah fade away, leaving him alone in the nightmare he'd so carefully crafted for her. Once again she'd dared to defy him. His anger made the flames at the edges of the dance floor spit and flicker. Turning sharply, he dissolved into red smoke and left Morpheus' realm behind, returning to his throne room in the Underground.
The memory of her supple flesh pressed against him made him shiver. He could still detect the taste of her on his tongue; sweet and delicious like the peach he'd given her. He materialized several crystals, only to instantly throw them against the wall in anger. He had to have her. That kiss wasn't nearly enough to sate his appetite now that he'd tasted her. He should've known she wouldn't be convinced by a pretty dress and his charming self. But, oh, that kiss! Kicking the goblins that didn't have enough sense to stay away from him, his rage intensified.
Pacing up and down, he tapped his riding crop against his leg in agitation. How could he make her submit. She wasn't yet weak enough to have him save her, but he intended to make her beg for him far before that. Suddenly he froze, before a sly grin spread across his face. Her insipid friends still dwelt in his kingdom. He'd just have to use them to convince her that acquiescing to his will would be her only option.
Transforming into his owl form, he flew over the expanse of his Labyrinth to the very entrance of it where he knew Hoggle would most likely be found. In a swirl of feathers and glitter he stood up. Hoggle was busy spraying the fairies as Jareth approached.
"Hogwart."
Hoggle turned in surprise, "Your Majesty!"
"I need your help," said Jareth, leisurely walking towards him.
"Of course, your Majesty. How may I help you?" Hoggle hunched his shoulders, slightly shying away from his King.
"It's your beloved Sarah, Hogweed. You see, she's starting to experience the symptoms of the tainted peach you gave her -"
"Only because you commanded me!" Hoggle interrupted.
"Silence!" Jareth ordered, his eyes flashing in anger. Seeing Hoggle drop his head, he continued, "As I've said, she's suffering from symptoms the peach induced. Soon she'll waste away and die. I'm the only one who can help her. But, as you can imagine, she's too stubborn to let me save her. So I need you to convince it's best for her to not reject me again."
Hoggle was quiet for a moment before asking, "What do you plan on doing to her if she accepts?"
"That's none of your business, Higgle. If you know what's good for you, you'll talk her into complying or you'll find yourself confined to the Bog of Eternal Stench!" Jareth spat.
Sighing wearily, Hoggle nodded his head.
"Splendid! You'll come to the castle tonight and speak to her through her mirror. She'll be so excited to see you," Jareth said with a devious smirk.
-OOOOOOOOO -
When Hoggle arrived in the castle, Jareth was concentrating on creating a connection. He was standing in front of a window that overlooked his kingdom. Sarah's rejection of him in the dream had made it more difficult for him to get through to the her since he didn't have an explicit invitation. He could sense the dreamcatcher she'd hung in her room, seeking to banish him from her world. Few people still believed in trinkets like that and merely used them for decoration, giving them no power at all. But his precious proved to be the exception once again. Her belief of its protective powers induced the multicoloured contraption with magic and did a remarkable job of blocking his advances. But he managed. No mortal trinket could stand against all his might for long.
Aboveground, Sarah saw her mirror's surface ripple and glitter with an otherworldly sheen as its edges darkened and seemingly dissolved, shrouding her room in mist. Slowly an image of the Labyrinth appeared from its depths.
Motioning for Hoggle to step in front of the crystal, Jareth took a step back.
Hoggle seemed uncertain before Jareth reminded him with a sharp look of the part he was expected to play.
As Sarah's fearful face appeared in the crystal, Hoggle couldn't keep the smile from spreading. He'd missed her terribly.
"Hoggle!" Sarah exclaimed, smiling warmly at him.
"Hello, Sarah."
"How did you manage to do this? I didn't expect to ever see you again!"
"I heard you were in trouble. Can't an old friend check up on you?"
She already had slight purple rings under her eyes.
"Thank you. I'm okay. The Goblin King visited me and tried to convince me to come back with him to your world, but I've managed to -" A yawn disrupted her speech. "I'm sorry, Hoggle. I'm so tired today, can I talk to you tomorrow?"
"Sarah...remember the peach you ate?" Hoggle asked quietly.
Frowning, she answered, "Yes, why?"
"Well, eating food provided by the fey has consequences."
"What kind of consequences?"
"It's said that mortals wilt away after accepting food or drink from the fair folk."
"Wilting away? Do you mean...dying?"
"Yes. Coming back here might be your only chance. Maybe...maybe you should take Jareth up on his offer." Jareth looked far too pleased so that Hoggle couldn't quite look Sarah in the eye.
"Hoggle...couldn't you bring me food from the Labyrinth somehow? That would surely at least slow down the process so I can come up with a plan!"
"Uhm...I..." Hoggle looked over the crystal at Jareth who had narrowed his eyes at him. "No, I'm afraid that wouldn't work."
"What are you looking at? Is there someone there with you?" asked Sarah, guardedly.
"No, of course not..uhm...why would you think that?"
"Hoggle!"
"I'm just trying to help you, Sarah," he said, trying to assuage her suspicion. His gaze kept darting back to the Goblin King.
Sarah pursed her lips and lifted her chin before saying, "Jareth. You can come out now."
Pinning Hoggle with a murderous glare, Jareth sighed and stepped in front the crystal.
Hoggle squealed out a "Sorry!" at Sarah and scurried away.
"I should've known you were behind this," Sarah spat viciously.
"Ah, precious, since you refuse to listen to me, I had to get creative, didn't I?"
"Well, stop! I don't want to talk to you or see you at all, just leave me alone!" she yelled at him.
"Come now, precious, don't be so petulant, I merely -"
Before he could finish his sentence, Sarah had taken the chair from her vanity and smashed the mirror.
Blinking in astonishment, Jareth' crystal popped and his face darkened with wrath.
"So that's how you want to play? Fine."
-OOOOOOOOO-
Sarah began to feel sick the next day. It started in the morning after she'd tumbled out of bed. Her head felt fuzzy and when she tried to breathe, her lungs wouldn't fill properly. She was so tired her eyelids kept drooping, but whenever she tried to sleep, her stomach would churn and cramp. Her head was filled with images of Jareth and Hoggle, faded and distorted by the mirror's rippled surface. She should have known that he'd try and use her friends against her. The look of fear on Hoggle's face still made her furious. She glared at the blank space where her mirror had been. At least Jareth wouldn't be able to use it to spy on her again. Or any other shiny surface for that matter. After she'd smashed the mirror, Sarah had removed the shattered pieces along with every single reflective item in her room.
Fuelled by anger, Sarah pulled on some jeans, a long sleeved top and after a moment's hesitation a thick green jumper. It wasn't particularly cold in the house, but she felt chilled to the bone. Shivering, Sarah made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. She could hear her family, chatting and laughing, but it sounded distorted. It was almost as if her ears had been stuffed with cotton.
Sarah mumbled a greeting and sat down at the table. She reached for a piece of toast and spread a thick layer of strawberry jam on top.
"What are your plans today, Sarah?" Irene asked.
"I don't know, yet." She licked some jam off her thumb and grimaced. It tasted rancid. "Ewe, that's awful."
Her dad frowned and looked at his own half-eaten toast. "Mine tastes fine."
Sarah leant away from the table and pressed a hand to her queasy stomach. "Maybe I'm coming down with something." She knew the words were a lie the moment they left her lips.
It was Jareth and his damned cursed peach. She knew it was. If she didn't do something soon, she would wither and die just as Hoggle had said.
"I think I might go to the library." She pushed to her feet.
"But you just said you weren't feeling well," Irene said.
Sarah felt a flicker of irritation rise at her stepmother's words. "Well, maybe the air will help!" she snapped.
"Sarah," her father warned.
"What!?" The room spun as she turned to leave. "I'll see you later," she muttered, heading for the door. She grabbed her coat on the way out and stepped into a light drizzle.
Shrugging into her coat she made her way to the library, intent on finding every book she could on the Fey. If Hoggle couldn't help her, then she would just have to help herself. By the time she made it to the library she was freezing cold. Her teeth were chattering and she was exhausted. The quiet building at least helped to ease her headache.
Sarah found seven books that mentioned the consequences of eating fey fruit. They all said the same thing. She was screwed. Feeling light-headed she replaced the books and made her slow way back home.
The colors that had looked vibrant yesterday, now looked faded and out of focus. She felt encased in ice. Brittle. Like she might shatter at the slightest tap. The walk home was a blur, everything ached and breathing became an effort she wasn't sure she wanted to make. As soon as she stepped into the house, Irene sent her to bed. Sarah didn't object. She felt awful and incredibly tired.
"I've brought you Tylenol and orange juice." Irene placed them on the bedside table. "Are you still cold?"
Sarah nodded beneath her bundle of covers. Frowning, Irene left to retrieve another blanket, returning a few minutes later to tuck it around the still shivering Sarah.
"Try to rest. I'll check on you in a few hours."
There was little point. She wouldn't feel better until she'd eaten some of the Fey food. For a while all Sarah could do was stare at the ceiling, cursing her inability to sleep. Each second seemed to stretch into eternity. Her symptoms intensified. She could feel her body getting weaker and weaker as her life force slowly drained. Irene and her father came in to check on her several times, but all she could do was stare numbly and try and swallow the liquids Irene was forcing down her throat. What she did manage to choke down came back up seconds later. They'd just left moments ago and Sarah could hear them talking outside the door.
She thought she heard the word doctor but her hearing was so dim that she honestly wasn't sure. She continued to stare at the ceiling and wondered how long it would take for to die.
-OOOOOOOOO-
Jareth was perched outside in owl form when he heard Sarah's parents debating whether or not they should call a doctor. He could barely believe his luck. He was sure he'd be able to convince her to come with him this time. Slowly, he let his magic snake towards them, muddling their minds and making them believe they'd already called a doctor who was expected to arrive at any moment. He flew into the garden behind some trees and transformed into a human version of himself. Transfiguring a stone into a medical bag, he strode towards the front door.
After ringing the doorbell, he examined himself in the glass panes on either side of the door. Short, dishevelled pale blond hair and angular but not too sharp features stared back at him. He was wearing fitted dark jeans, a white shirt and a dark blue jacket. A few seconds later Sarah's father opened the door.
"Hello, Dr..." Robert Williams looked befuddled and frowned, searching for a name.
"Regis. Dr Jareth Regis," Jareth provided with a disarming smile.
"Dr Regis, of course! Excuse me, I don't know where my head is today. Please come in."
"Thank you and don't worry. Since you've told me of your daughter's most troublesome state, it's perfectly understandable."
"Yes, we don't know what's wrong with her," he said, leading Jareth up the stairs and towards Sarah's room.
Knocking lightly on her door, Robert opened it and called out gently, "Honey? We've called a doctor to examine you. This is Dr Regis."
His precious didn't even look up at him. She looked as white as freshly fallen snow with bruised looking rings under her eyes. Her normally vibrant dark hair seemed dull and lifeless. Irene was sitting on her bed, helping her drink a sip of juice.
Addressing Robert and her stepmother he said, "I think it's best if I examine her in private. I'll come talk to you as soon as I am done."
Robert hesitated for a second before agreeing, motioning for Irene to join him in leaving the room.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Jareth smiled cruelly and stalked towards her bed.
"My, my, dearest Sarah. You don't look too well," he said gleefully.
For the first time Sarah really looked at the newcomer. Taking in his clothes and the brown bag in his hands, her eyes caught on all too familiar mismatched eyes.
"Jareth!" she shrieked, scrambling out of bed and immediately crumbling as her knees gave out. But before she could hit the floor, strong arms wrapped around her.
Pulling her close, Jareth murmured against her hair, "I didn't know you were into role play, precious. All you had to do was ask. Next time I'll even wear a white coat and a stethoscope." She could hear the smirk in his voice.
She strained against him, demanding to be released when Jareth unceremoniously let her fall onto her bed.
Sitting down at her bedside, he crossed one leg over the other and leaned back.
Sarah crawled as far away from him as possible, gathering the covers up to her chin in the process. Crouched against the headboard, she inquired hoarsely with apparent exasperation, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"Manners, Sarah. Is that any way to greet your good doctor who came all this way to help you?"
"Go to hell!"
"I'm afraid I can't oblige. You seem to be awfully close to death, though. Aren't you, precious? Since I'm such a good friend and have no other desire but to help you, I brought you a little token." Waving his hand in a motion so fluid it looked like spiralling smoke, he produced a peach.
"A peach? Really, Jareth?"
He smiled at her mockingly. "Is it not to your liking? I thought you'd appreciate the memory."
"I'd rather die!" she spat, petulantly.
"And you will. If you don't eat this you'll be in death's realm within the day." He sounded sombre now.
Pursing her lips, Sarah tentatively reached out for the blasted peach.
Jareth held it out to her, making sure to touch her hand, which caused her to let out an annoyed huff. Examining the fruit, she kept glancing up to Jareth, trying to catch him in a lie.
"Go on, precious. I promise it won't hurt you," he said and added with a wolfish grin, "and it'll taste almost as sweet as you." He chuckled at her annoyed expression.
Biting into the peach, she let the sweet tartness flood her senses. She'd almost forgotten how good food could taste. Almost instantly, she felt better. Stronger. More alert. It took her not even a minute to devour the peach.
"There, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Jareth murmured. He'd leaned forward while observing her. Greedily, he watched the color creep back into her cheeks and her hair become shiny again. "You see? I never meant to harm you. But it won't be long before the symptoms set in once more. The only cure is to come with me to the Underground."
Sarah sucked the juice from her fingers and then slowly leaned towards Jareth. Looking up at him from under her lashes, she whispered, "You still have no power over me."
Letting out a howl of rage, Jareth was forced to transform back into an owl. He flew at the closed window, his wings beating against the glass until it opened and allowed him to escape into the dying sun.
-OOOOOOOOO-
Sarah was amazed at how quickly she'd recovered after eating the peach. Almost instantly she'd felt her strength return. She grinned and looked over at the window that Jareth had flown out of. A single snowy feather was lying on the sill, the soft curve glinting in the pale sunlight. Sarah shoved the covers aside and padded to the window on bare feet. Narrowing her eyes, she pinched the feather between her thumb and finger. She held it out with a scowl, letting the wind carry it away on airy wings.
She was able to sleep that night, although when she woke the next day she had the feeling that she'd been chased by confusing dreams. Irene and her dad kept her off school and she was grateful because it gave her time to think up a plan. After hours and hours, the only solution she'd come up with was to...wait. Jareth decided to keep her alive by bringing her a peach and she was convinced that when the time came, he would give her another. And if not him, then Hoggle or one of her other friends.
She spent the day helping Irene create a Halloween costume for Toby. After much debate they'd decided a ghost would be a good one. Sarah was busy unpicking the seams of a pillowcase so that Irene could sew it into shape.
"What costume will you be wearing, Sarah?" Irene asked, squinting as she tried to thread a needle.
"I'm not wearing one." She glanced up to see her stepmother blinking at her in surprise.
"But you love dressing up!"
Sarah frowned. "That was before the Lab...I mean, I've grown up. Costumes are for kids," she quickly amended, praying that Irene hadn't noticed her slip.
"Not on Halloween! Everyone is allowed to dress up. Toby will be heartbroken if you don't."
Sarah winced. He really would be. She'd been promising to take her little brother trick or treating for weeks. Her costume was already waiting in her closet upstairs. She'd decided to be Morgan Le Fey from Arthurian legend. But after her time spent in the Labyrinth, Sarah really didn't feel like dressing up any more.
"I don't know," she muttered, "I really don't want to."
Irene chose not to comment. But Sarah knew that when Toby saw her without a costume he'd be upset. Sighing, she knew that she'd wear the outfit, if only to stop his tears.
-OOOOOOOOO-
Two days later Sarah was pulling on the long black dress. It matched the color of her hair perfectly, the silky strands blending with the soft material and giving the illusion that she was wearing a cloak. The arms reached her wrists and formed a point that touched her knuckles. She'd circled a silver chain around her waist and completed the costume with a wire crown. At first sight, she looked like a medieval princess and no doubt if anyone asked she would have to tell them who she was meant to be.
But on closer inspection people would see the dark smudges that circled her eyes. The too pale skin and tired expression. They would mistake her for a vampire or witch. Sarah was getting sick again. Although this time she'd been able to hide most of the symptoms from her parents. She wasn't sure how long that would last for. She was growing weaker with every passing hour.
Toby was dressed when she got downstairs. The white pillowcase covered him from head to foot. Sarah smiled and kneeled down to peer into the eyeholes.
"Ready, Toby?"
He muttered out a reply in toddler speech and pointed to his tiny bucket, shaped like a pumpkin. Irene took a quick picture and sent them on their way. Sarah didn't plan on taking him far. He would only walk a little bit before he would start fussing and wanted picking up and there was no way she'd be able to carry him. They made their slow way along the neighborhood, Sarah leading Toby up the decorated paths to knock on the doors. Her smile felt forced as she fought the waves of dizziness that assaulted her. She pulled in greedy breaths of cool air, cursing her tired lungs.
The day was blurring into night and Sarah could barely think past her muddled thoughts. From the corner of her eye she thought she saw red mist creeping along the ground but when she turned to look, it was gone.
"I think we should go home now, Toby," Sarah murmured, blinking as she glanced up and down the street in confusion. She didn't know quite where she was.
Toby whined and pointed to a house across the street. The lawn was decorated with tombstones and skeletons. Long looping strands of fake cobwebs hung from the bushes, windows, and porch. At least fifty pumpkins lined the path. The door was open and children were walking in and coming out seconds later with fistfuls of candy.
"Okay, but this is the last one," she said, carefully leading him across the street.
-OOOOOOOOO-
Unbeknownst to his precious and little Toby, Jareth was following them along the crowded streets. Sneering at the ridiculous costumes some of the mortals, especially the young women, were wearing, he was nonetheless amused at the effort they put into this holiday. Of course, most weren't aware of the true meaning of this sacred day and fewer still knew what powers it bestowed upon beings such as himself. The day when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest. Truth be told, he'd probably have had great difficulty getting to the Aboveground after Sarah's latest tantrum. He hadn't forgiven her for throwing those blasted words into his face again, but knew that he had to be patient.
She was probably already weakening after taking his peach, which meant he wouldn't have much time left to bring her to his kingdom. Once there she'd be...punished. A low chuckle escaped him at the thought of how exactly he'd do that.
She looks magnificent in that costume, he thought. Especially the twisted crown met his approval.
He smirked as he continued stalking them from a safe distance until they reached a house that was set up to look haunted. He could feel the energy emanating from that place and knew at once that it was sitting on a ley line. A perfect place for a confrontation with his dear Sarah. She'd be even more vulnerable to his will in there.
Using his power to lure Sarah inside, Jareth creeped closer to them.
-OOOOOOOOO-
Sarah pulled Toby up the rickety steps. They creaked ominously and instantly made her tense up. She tightened her grip on Toby's small hand and fought to remain upright. She felt like she was about to pass out, the creepy music she could hear sounded echoey in her ears and the edges of her vision began to blur and spin. She sagged against the wall, pressing her throbbing head to the peeling paintwork.
The air felt dry as she sucked in several calming breaths. Her eyes were clenched tightly closed against the tears she could feel forming. Don't cry. Don't cry, she silently chanted to herself. Laughter sounded to her right and she opened her eyes in time to see a group of children enter the house. They knocked into her in their excitement before rushing further into the depths of the house.
Sarah watched them with a dazed expression. Sighing, she glanced down and froze. Toby was gone. Her gaze darted up to the children and she saw a flash of white. Toby. She stumbled towards them almost tripping over the hem of her dress in her haste.
"Toby?!"
No reply but the hysterical laughter of terrified children.
"This isn't funny, Toby. You come back here right now!" Sarah yelled.
The children were just ahead of her, Toby's small figure at the back. They were about to enter a room, where she assumed the candy was being dished out. Lunging forward, Sarah grabbed for Toby. She caught the top of the costume and pulled. The white material slid off the figure and Sarah screamed.
It wasn't Toby beneath the sheet. It was a squat, warty goblin.
"No!" she screamed.
"Where is he?" The goblin chuckled and scuttled away.
Sarah twisted around to grab it and came face to face with Jareth.
-OOOOOOOOOO-
Following her into the house, he summoned his goblins and switched one with Toby. He laughed as he saw her frantically searching for her brother. Little did she know that Toby had already been whisked away to the Labyrinth. The little one remembered his time there fondly. Jareth couldn't wait for Sarah to join him.
He began to stalk her slowly through the narrow corridors, indulging his flair for the dramatic by letting red mist invade the house. He'd done so earlier in the street and was sure she'd seen it.
Watching her grab for the sheet covering one of his goblins he stood behind her and crossed his arms. When she whirled around he couldn't help but take in her form appreciatively. Even with dark circles under her sparkling emerald eyes and ashen skin she was a vision.
Jareth cocked his head and drawled sardonically, "Hello again, Sarah. Have you lost something?"
The look she gave him was venomous. "Where is Toby? What have you done with him?"
"Done with him?" He pressed a gloved hand to his chest. "Was it not you who lost little Toby? Once again you try to cast me as the villain in your story."
He watched with malicious spite as Sarah's face crumpled in anger.
"Don't play innocent with me, Jareth! I know you've done something!" she spat.
"If I told you he was waiting for you in my castle, would you agree to leave with me?"
Sarah felt the room sway at his words. "Never!"
"So you'd leave him there? Is the thought of living with me so unbearable you wouldn't even consider it?" he murmured with genuine interest.
Jareth watched as she began to sink to her knees. "Not feeling well, precious? I'm afraid I don't have another peach for you."
Sarah looked up in surprise and panic. She'd been sure he would supply her with another token.
"Come with me. Love me, fear me, do as I say and I will be your slave," he pleaded.
The dark-haired girl before him looked broken as she stared down at her clenched fists. "Why won't you just leave me alone?" she whispered.
"Don't you remember? What no one knew was that the Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl…Everything else is true, why would you assume that part isn't?"
"Give me back Toby," she said in a wispy voice, "and I'll believe anything you say."
"You'll have to come get him, I'm afraid," he said. "But I promise you, he's well taken care of and wants for nothing. You, on the other hand, are dying. Don't be a fool and agree to come with me!" He was getting angry now at her stupidity and stubbornness. Holding out a hand to her, he arched his eyebrow and waited.
Sarah was as pale as snow as Jareth awaited her decision. She could feel her heart slowing with every passing second. When she tried to lift a hand it wouldn't move. She tilted her head to look at the Goblin King through eyes that had gone misty. It was too late. She could feel death seeping into her bones.
Hearing Sarah take in a last rattling breath, he crouched down next to her and watched the light fade from her still defiant eyes.
Jareth balled his fists in anger and grief. So damn stubborn. Why couldn't she have just submitted?
Heaving out a disappointed sigh, he pushed to his feet and looked down at her still warm body. Before he turned away, he unfastened his feathery cloak and draped it over her.
He needed to get back to his Labyrinth. After all, he had a new goblin to create.
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