Chapter 1- Tick, Tick, Boom

BRRRRRRRIIIIIIINGGGGGGGGG!

"Zzzzz-what…!"

Sarah Williams was no longer a child at the fine age of twenty. Legally, she was an adult and was expected to act like one, most of all behave responsibly. For these reasons, her father had trusted her to be alone in the house for the weekend; Toby would stay at a friend's house while he and Karen went to an inn. Sarah remembered being honored by such trust, knowing full well that other college kids stuck at home would invite their friends over and get absolutely wasted. That lifestyle was for, as Sarah described them, people who had to become adults because of the time they were born, but maintained a childish mentality and took advantage of their "adult" title. She was thrilled at having the house to herself so she could completely relax without any stress or worry.

This particular December day, however, found Sarah to be in the most childish of states. After hearing the alarm sound, she proceeded to bury her head beneath the pillow and whine, "It's not fair!" Sarah kept her eyes tightly shut, knowing that after a minute the alarm would automatically go to snooze. She waited for what seemed the longest minute of her life and began to feel drowsy. Her eyelids un-tensed and Sarah felt as if someone was beckoning her back into her dreams. She was so close to drifting back to sleep…

Is that alarm STILL going? Sarah thought. Fine, Mr. Alarm Clock, have it YOUR WAY. Sarah's hand formed a fist and came crashing down on the snooze button. For a moment, the clock was silent. Hah she thought, rolling over.

BRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGG!

"W-What?" Sarah said aloud, "Didn't I just shut that thing off?" Reluctantly, she lifted her head to check the time. In the darkness, the numbers appeared bright.

"Thirteen o'clock?" Sarah's eyes opened wider, and blinking several times, she looked back at the clock. "Two in the morning? How on earth did I get thirteen o'clock from that? I think I need to get my eyes checked. Or sleep more," Sarah mumbled.

Wait…

"I didn't set my alarm for two in the morning!" Sarah whispered. The clock continued ringing in response. She sat up and scratched her head.

"I guess I'll turn it off for now. I can afford to sleep in." Sarah drifted back into her dreams.

She found herself wandering around a masquerade; she was searching for someone again, but it wasn't who she sought originally. The colors of the ball seemed to shimmer, and at each turn a new and horrible mask appeared. She was not easily frightened. For a brief second, the dancers moved away, revealing a path leading directly to a tall blonde man (was he man, or a Fae? She couldn't be sure). She began to run, calling to him. He had an important title. Duke? Prince? He was turning towards her, but now the dancers blocked her path, laughing silently at the guest without a mask. Discouraged, she began to drift back into the crowd when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

BRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!

"AUUUUUUGHHHH!!!!!" Sarah yelled in frustration. Why did her dreams always have to end with cliffhangers? Just once she'd like to get through a dream and have it end properly. Staring at the ceiling, she pondered in her head. Maybe one day these dreams will make sense. Maybe one day…I'll find out who that man is. Sarah's heart skipped a beat. She thought she knew who he was—a face from a past she deemed as fantasy. Why would she be dreaming of him five years after all that happened? Oh well, she would worry about the dreams another day. For now, there was the issue of a certain alarm clock that wouldn't stop ringing.

Sarah sat up, and grabbing the alarm, stared at it for a few moments. The time glowed like neon: 6:30. She sighed deeply. The clock, it seemed, was determined to make sure she was sleep deprived. Didn't she turn it off? She checked the side, and sure enough, the switch indicated OFF.

"O-Okay…so I have a haunted alarm clock. Great!" Sarah laughed nervously. "You know, I'd really, really like it if you would be quiet so I could get some sleep." The clock continued to ring. Then a thought passed through Sarah's mind. If her adventures in the Labyrinth had been true, couldn't she simply wish the clock away? No way am I asking the Goblin King to take it she thought, shuddering. I suppose there's no harm in wishing for it to shut off. She closed her eyes.

"I wish the alarm clock would stop ringing…right now."

The alarm clock stopped its ringing. Sarah opened one eye and waited. After five minutes, she let out a whoop and threw the covers back over her head. I guess there's something to be said about wishing. Time to dream again…

BRRRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG!!

Sarah breathed out heavily. She wouldn't get angry. It was just an alarm clock, right? A silly haunted alarm clock. Was it her imagination, or was that clock ringing louder than ever?

"STUPID CLOCK!!!" Sarah cried in anger. Tossing the covers off, she grabbed the alarm clock and blindly hurled it across the room. She threw her head back into the pillow and waited for a resounding crash. All was silent; the alarm clock, it seemed, had not touched the ground. Oh God, it really is haunted!

Suddenly, she heard a soft chuckle, and her entire body froze.

"Such a pity…you treat your things so carelessly."

That voice.

Sarah pulled the covers down below her eyes, and then she saw him, tossing her alarm clock back and forth between his hands. He stopped when he saw her staring at him.

Jareth.

He smiled at her.

"Hello Sarah."

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Post-Chapter Notes: Yay it's Jareth! But why has he returned? Was he the one causing that alarm clock to ring at bizarre times? What does he look like after all these years? All these questions (and more) will be answered in the next chapter!

I hope you enjoyed this! It's my first Labyrinth fan fiction, so please be gentle!! Please review and let me know what you think! Look for CHAPTER TWO, coming soon!

-Tracy