Me: Well, back for another chapter. Wonder what's gonna happen to poor Sarah?
Sarah pouts: Why did I have to be wished away? It's not like it counts; Toby didn't know!
Jareth and I at the same time: What's said is said.
Sarah: …Just get on with this! I wanna rail and rant at Jareth already, or whatever it is I'm gonna do to him.
Me: Watch it missy; I can have you licking his boots and professing your undying love and devotion with just a few taps of my fingers…
Jareth: Interesting…*glances at me* Groveling Sarah aside, am I to be a Dark Jareth in this story or no?
Me: Umm…well, I don't have you beating Sarah or being maliciously and absolutely horrible to her, but you're by definition not a nice, fluffy guy your majesty. But do you do anything else in this story that would label you a Dark Jareth? No. You're more like Sorta-Nice-But-Still-Bad Jareth.
Sarah: Wait, what do you mean "bad?" I'm not about to be mistreated am I?
Me, rolling my eyes: Think of it like this; you won't be any more mistreated than you were in the movie, okay? Except for the whole having the cleaners sicked on you bit; that actually could have gotten you killed, and at the moment I don't plan on endangering your life.
Jareth, now pouting: Well if she had just flirted back with me…
Sarah: You were trying to intimidate me! How am I supposed to flirt with someone who's doing there darndest to be scary and powerful? *pause* Besides, I was the heroine; we're not supposed to flirt with bad guys.
Me: Okay children, moving on. I imagine there are people who would like the chapter to start now…
Enjoy!
"Good to see you again, Sarah."
Sarah squeezed her eyes shut tighter, her hands curling into fists as she sat there, feeling the goblin king behind her.
Oh no oh no oh no oh no...
"Gobbin king?" Toby said, and Sarah's eyes popped open. Sure it had been Sarah who'd been wished away, but Toby had been the wisher; did that give Jareth power over him? Sarah felt more than saw Jareth's head turn to look at the boy. She could practically feel his pointy smile as he studied the child.
"You remind me the babe." He said, a laugh in his accented voice. Toby stared at him confused. "What, Toby? Don't you remember me? And to think of all the fun we had back in my castle…"
"Leave him alone, goblin king." Sarah said quietly but firmly, eyes on Toby's bedspread; blue with yellow dump-trucks all over it. She clenched her jaw when a gloved finger reached around her face, trailing down her cheek in a swift motion down to her chin, where it caught ahold and jerked her to face towards Jareth.
He looked exactly the same as when he'd approached her after she wished Toby away; same wild blonde hair, same angularly attractive face, and in his strange black armor, complete with cape and the fanning collar. And of course, glitter fell in a nimbus around him. His smile was sharp and predatory, and one long brow was arched in cruel amusement.
"Now, Sarah, why so quiet? You didn't seem to have any problem speaking in my presence before." His eyebrows winged up in feigned shock when she didn't respond; what good would throwing insults do her? She was already about as screwed as she could get. With Toby not being able to run the labyrinth, and Jareth probably not about to let bygones be bygones and allow her to go on her merry way…she was probably about to become a goblin or be thrown into another oubliette.
She didn't like either option very much.
"Oh well; they'll be plenty of time for talk later." He held up a hand, conjuring a crystal identical to the ones he'd conjured in the labyrinth and when he'd offered her dreams to her in exchange for Toby. He offered the pretty thing to the boy, who stared at it.
"What is it?" he asked, his voice small and filled with awe.
"It's a crystal; nothing more. But if—" Sarah interrupted before he could finish his little speech, a tiny furrow appearing between her eyebrows. Did he really need to go through the whole routine? It was obvious that Toby wouldn't—couldn't—fight for her, so why couldn't Jareth just gloat and get this over with?
"Jareth, just give him the crystal and turn me into a goblin already; this is pointless." She said, and Toby's eyes widened.
"Don't want Sawah be gobbin!" Toby cried, blue eyes widening as he realized what he'd just done and the consequences his actions. "Didn't mean to wish Sawah away!"
Jareth tsked at Toby. "What's said is said. Sarah precious will be coming with me, and you my boy shall have your dreams."
"No! Want Sawah!" he said, tears coming into his eyes. Jareth shook his head.
"Now now, none of that, Toby. The only way you could have her back is if I let you try and solve my labyrinth, but you're far too young for me to even consider allowing in there."
"Am not." Toby sniffled, "I could do it."
"Nevertheless, I won't allow it. Now, take the crystal, Toby." His voice became soft and hard to resist…and exactly like how it had been when he'd tried to convince her not to fight for Toby. She hoped Toby gave in; she didn't want him anywhere near that damn overgrown maze. She could imagine all too well how many different ways he could get hurt…and besides, he was only two for crying out loud! The labyrinth had stumped her and she had been fifteen! What chance did a toddler have of solving it within the thirteen hours? "Go play with your cars and crayons…let me take Sarah."
She saw the struggle on her brother's face. "Don't want Sawah a gobbin."
Jareth smiled in a way she figured he thought was reassuring. "Fear not, Toby. I have other plans for Sarah."
Oh goody…he has plans for me. Sarah thought, her mouth twisting ruefully. She was frightened, of course, but mostly it all felt too surreal for her to be well and truly scared. Toby's lower lip stopped wobbling almost immediately, and he looked at her, his expression clearing as the threatening tears disappeared.
"Oh…" he said, watching Sarah, apparently waiting for her approval. She figured that her stricken expression was about the only thing stopping him from lunging for the crystal, and placed a small smile on her mouth that was more just the barest upturning at the corners of her lips than anything else. Might as well have the kid be happy; no sense in them both being miserable. His big eyes switched back to Jareth. "Okay, I take cree-stall."
Jareth's smile became an evil grin. "Perfect," he said, lightly tossing it to Toby. It landed in his pudgy hands He stood up behind Sarah, a hand resting possessively on her shoulder again, slowly moving her long hair over her shoulder, gloved fingers lightly caressing her neck. Much like she had earlier, she shivered at his touch. She knew he'd seen her flinch, and got the idea that he took satisfaction from her cringing. "Say your goodbyes, Toby."
A single tiny tear fell from his baby blue eyes, and Sarah's throat went tight. "Bye-bye Sawah. Miss you."
"Bye, Toby. I'll miss you too." Bye Dad, bye Merlin, bye Irene, bye room, bye books, bye park… She bit her lip, trying hard to not fall apart, but to instead convert her despair into cold hard anger at Jareth. Once they were out of Toby's sight and back in the labyrinth, she was going to give his goblin king butt a piece of her mind, and the consequences could go royally screw themselves. He probably wouldn't do anything worse to her than what he already planned on doing.
And maybe she could throw her six little words back into his face, just to show him who won the first time around. Who knew; they might work like they did last time.
There was no flash or poof of glitter as they disappeared, it was just as if they were there one second and the next they weren't. A few tears escaped Toby's eyes as he thought of never seeing Sarah again, but they stopped coming as he gazed into the pretty crystal, almost already forgetting his pretty, dark haired sister…
Me: Ooooh, another cliffhanger! Aren't I evil? Don't fret though; I already have the third chapter in the works, but I broke it off here for continuity purposes. It starts right where we left off, so don't worry about missing out on any potential fun-moments between J and S.
Jareth: Well well…Sarah now completely at my mercy… *smiles evilly*
Sarah and Me simultaneously: Knock it off, Jareth!
Me: I might give you some romantic inclinations, goblin boy, but trust me when I say could just as easily make you evil and completely unsympathetic and unfangirled! So unless you want to be a Dark Jareth, I suggest you wipe that perverted look off your face. It ruins your pretty features.
Sarah snickers: Yeah, Jareth. Ruins your pretty features.
Jareth glowers: Miss MadzieGray, I highly suggest that you refrain from calling me demeaning names. I AM a king you know.
Me, snorting: Yeah, of diminutive dimwits. Granted they're cute and all, but still.
Sarah: I still feel bad for Toby…but at least he got a pretty crystal.
Me: Yeah, and I had Jareth wipe his memories. He didn't want memories of Sarah to upset or confuse him.
Sarah grumbles: Still don't see why I had to be wished away…
Me: Cuz you're the idiot who decided to relay your adventures to a toddler, now scoot! I'm wrapping up the chapter!
Jareth sighs and leaves in a glitter-poof, and Sarah sulks as she walks away, mumbling about bossy writers.
Me: Bye! See you at the next chapter!
