Disclamer: As always I do not own Labyrinth nor its characters. Though I wish I did.
Two months had passed since Jareth had seen Sarah asleep in her bed. Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Diddimus had been keeping an eye on her for him as he had ordered them too. Sarah had not called on her friends since the night that she had completed the Labyrinth and got Toby back. She had had no need to. She thought that it had been all a dream. That was what her mind kept telling her after all. Sarah went to school, came home, helped her step mother around the house and did not complain about watching Toby on the weekends any longer. She enjoyed babysitting Toby.
She had put away many of the childish things that sat around her room but left many things out that she loved so very much. She still used her bookends that looked like Hoggle and the stuffed animal that resembled Sir Diddimus sat on a bookshelf.
Sun light shone brightly through the large windows in their living room where she sat in the window sill, with a book resting open on her lap. Snow fell outside covering the ground with its brilliance. She no longer cared if her little brother got a hold of her stuffed animals and played with them. She glanced up from the book and looked to Merlin, her old English Sheep dog laid beside her on the floor. She smiled and stood. She wore her hair up in a half pony tail and wore a pair of jeans and one of her poet shirts that she loved so much.
"Come, on Merlin, let's go for a walk." Sarah said kindly and put on her warm winter coat.
Merlin joined her at the door and waited for her to open it. Once the door was open Merlin ran out ahead of her. Sarah laughed and shook her head in merriment as Merlin rolled around in the fresh snow. She followed him down the street and smiled brightly. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and sighed. She was in a very cheery mood and did not think anything could dampen her spirits. She did not realize how long she had been walking with Merlin. She looked up to the sky as she noticed a street lamp turn on. She sighed and called for Merlin to turn around.
As darkness fell she picked up her pace and turned down an alleyway. Merlin walked by her side as she walked quickly. When she reached the middle, a man stepped in front of her while another stepped out behind her. She stopped and turned to see the other man behind her. She froze. Merlin stepped quickly in front of her and started to growl at the man before her. The man looked down to Merlin and laughed. The man kicked Merlin in the muzzle to get him to move out of the way before he stepped forward and reached for Sarah. Sarah tried to step away but bumped into the man behind her. He grabbed both her arms and held her still for his accomplice. She struggled in his arms as Merlin growled again and went after the man who had yet to touch Sarah and attacked his arm. The man screamed in pain. He pulled out knife and slashed at Merlin's muzzle.
"Merlin!" Sarah called out worried.
Merlin then turned and attacked the man again. The man sliced at Merlin in the chest before he could latch onto his arm once again. Merlin yelped but did not stop as he attacked the man's arm again. The man moved to slice at Merlin's leg trying to get him off his arm once again. The man that held Sarah dropped her and pulled out a knife to help his friend. Blood flowed from the three wounds that Merlin had received.
Sarah looked around herself as she tried to find something to use as a weapon. She found nothing. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the men slice at Merlin several more times.
"Help! Someone please help me!" Sarah yelled franticly.
Merlin fell to the ground and tried to pick himself back up once again. He did not pick himself back up however. He could not bring himself to his feet once more. Before the two men could turn back to go after Sarah however a group of people hurried out of one of the houses to see what was going on. The two men looked to one another then ran quickly down the alleyway.
Sarah quickly ran up to Merlin's side and knelt beside him. She lifted his head gently onto her lap and stroked his hair. Merlin whimpered in pain as she moved his head. She looked up to the onlookers her eyes pleading for them to help her.
"Someone call a vet! Do something please!" Sarah called to them.
One of the on lookers pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number only to get an answering machine. No vet was open and there was no time to take Merlin to a veterinary hospital. Tears started to fall down Sarah's cheeks as she looked back down to Merlin. Blood surrounded his body now and flowed from every wound. She slowly and carefully picked Merlin up in her arms and started to carry him home. She was careful not to move to quickly but wanted to get him home as soon as she could. She was not far from her house when Merlin stopped whimpering in her arms. She looked down to him and hoped that there was something that could be done once she was home. She walked up to the door and her step mother opened it for her.
"Sarah? What happened? Are you okay?" her step mother asked after seeing Merlin.
Her step mother moved out of her way letting her into the house.
"He was protecting me from these men." Sarah replied. "Karen can we help him?"
"Robert!" Karen called loudly. "We will see what we can do."
Sarah's father ran down the stairs quickly. He saw Merlin in Sarah's arms and froze.
"What happened?" Robert asked as he directed Sarah to put Merlin down on his dog bed.
Sarah explained what happened as she put him down and her father started to look him over. Merlin's breathing was shallow and his eyes were closed. He whimpered softly each time Robert touched a sore spot. Robert stood a few minutes later and looked to Sarah.
"I am sorry; there is nothing we can do." Robert said. "It looks like he has lost too much blood."
"Please! Don't say that!" Sarah begged as she knelt down next to Merlin once again.
"I am sorry, Sarah!" Karen said softly.
More tears flowed from Sarah's eyes as she dropped her head to Merlin's head gently. Her step mother and her father left the room, leaving her alone with Merlin during his final moments. She sat with him until he stopped breathing and then for a bit longer. She pulled his dead limp body close to her body and cried deeply into his blood matted hair.
Robert came in to check on her and saw that Merlin had passed on. He walked up to her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. Sarah looked up to him with red puffy eyes. She stood and wiped her cheeks clean of her tears.
"He is gone." Sarah said softly before turning and walking out of the room.
She walked past Karen who stood in the door way watching. Once in the hallway she quickly ran up the stairs and ran quickly into her room. She threw herself on to her bed and cried herself to sleep.
A few hours after she had fallen asleep a figure loomed over her. One of his gloved hands reached out to move a strand of hair out of her face. He could still see the streaks that her tears had made down her cheek. She moaned softly and rolled over. Jareth sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at her.
"Poor Sarah!" Jareth said softly and she opened her eyes.
"Jareth?" She said groggily. "What are you doing here?"
"Only making sure that you are okay." Jareth replied concerned. "I know about your Merlin."
Fresh tears filled Sarah's eyes at the mention of Merlin and she looked away.
"He was my best friend and only companion for many years." Sarah replied as she brought a hand to her face to wipe the fresh tears that fell down her cheeks.
"I know he was. I am so very sorry for your loss." Jareth said and pulled her into his arms.
She buried her head into his shoulder and cried. She could not help herself. She still feared him some but he was comforting her and that was better than what her family did. She cried herself out and looked up to his face.
"Why are you here Goblin King?" Sarah asked and pulled herself out of his arms.
"I do not have to explain myself to you!" Jareth said.
He rolled his wrist and a crystal ball appeared in his hand.
"But let me offer you this." Jareth said and rolled the crystal ball along his arms before tossing it to her.
Sarah caught a snow globe with a figure of Merlin sitting inside staring at her. Tears filled her eyes once again before she looked to Jareth.
"Thank you." Sarah replied and opened one of her drawers.
She placed the snow globe inside and closed it once more.
"Now get some sleep, Sarah! You are going to need it." Jareth said and gently pushed her down to her pillows. "Lay down and sleep, Precious."
Sarah did not fight him, she was tired after all that crying she had done. Jareth sat with her until he saw that she was sleeping easily. He stood slowly from the bed and glanced down at her once more.
"We shall see each other again, Sarah!" Jareth said and gently touched her cheek with his gloved hand. "Sleep well!"
He then disappeared in a soft blue light, leaving nothing behind that would show to her that he had been there. He wanted her to continue thinking that it had all been a dream and nothing more. She would find out soon enough that he was real and what he really planned to do with her.
Sarah woke the next morning to her alarm clock, her eyes sore from all the crying she had done the night before.
"What a strange dream!" Sarah said and shook her head.
She got out of bed and changed for school. Even though her father would most likely let her stay home from school she wanted to go, no she needed to go. She needed to get out of the house and away from all the memories that this house held of Merlin. She grabbed up her book bag and headed down to the kitchen for breakfast. Karen turned around and looked to her as she entered and took a seat.
"Your father is out back, burying Merlin for you." Karen said softly and noticed Sarah's backpack. "Are you sure you want to go to school today?"
"I need to go." Sarah replied as she looked to the plate of food Karen was placing in front of her. "I have a test today."
Karen did not say anything more but left Sarah to eat her breakfast in peace. She ate quickly and headed out to catch her bus. She waited quietly as other kids joined her.
"Sarah!" a female voice called from down the street.
Sarah looked over and smiled weakly.
"Morning Kelly." Sarah said with a halfhearted wave.
"Are you okay?" Kelly asked as she reached Sarah.
"Merlin is dead." Sarah said softly and fresh tears filled her eyes once again.
"Oh, Sarah! I am so sorry!" Kelly said. "What happened?"
Sarah quickly told Kelly what had happened the night before, leaving out her strange dream. Kelly listened in horror as Sarah recounted the story once again.
"Are you sure you want to be going to school after that?" Kelly asked.
"Karen asked me the same question today." Sarah said with a soft laugh. "Yes, I am sure. I have a test and I don't want to fall behind in my classes."
Kelly nodded her understanding. They stood the rest of the time in silence. Once at school, Kelly and Sarah went their separate ways.
I would like to say that it took me some time to actually write this chapter because of the fact that I did not want to write Merlin's death. But it is a part of what I have planned for this story.
Thank you toLabyrinth Addict and MistyShadow73 for the favorites. I am hoping I do not disappoint you with this story.
I will try to have another chapter up soon but I am visiting with a friend of mine so I don't know how long it will take me to work on the next chapter.
