A/N: Now originally I was going to wait before putting this chapter up but I've finished it already so what the hell? My writing muse is totally hyped up at the moment and it's passed the point of being a good thing. I'm a little worried that if I stop typing then my arm might fall off. It would be a good conversation starter, certainly, but not too handy (handy…yes, well at least I made myself laugh .) Anyhoo, chapter information is at the bottom. I just wanted to make a point of saying that unlike some adaptations my Jareth is going to remain the same cocky, arrogant, chicken-kicker Jareth that I fell in love with, so don't expect him to be leaping about handing out daisies any time soon. Hope you enjoy!
Sarah tried very hard to remain calm, but in her defense a whole loads of memories had just come flooding back, resulting in her feeling very shaky
Sarah tried very hard to remain calm, but in her defense a whole loads of memories had just come flooding back, resulting in her feeling very shaky. There was a figment of her imagination in her bedroom and he'd just declared he was here to see her brother. She put a hand up to her forehead and sunk onto the chair by her vanity table. The Labyrinth…She hadn't thought about that place in three whole years. Waking up the morning after she'd assumed it was all a dream. She'd told her father afterwards and his amused expression had been enough to make her wary of mentioning it out loud again. She remembered now about Hoggle and all her other friends. How she'd helped Ludo get away from the goblin guards, how bad the Bog of Eternal Stench smelt, and even how tasty the drugged peach had been before dancing with Jareth. She couldn't help but smile when she thought about all the different creatures she'd met. Hoggle…who'd tried to trick her but then become her loyalist of friends, Ludo…who saved her from the bog by summoning those stones, and Sir Didymus and his loyal sheepdog who helped her get to the castle. She remembered running along those outer walls for what seemed like hours before she found an exit and the little blue worm that'd helped her. She'd been so surprised at its greeting. She recalled how he'd invited her to "meet the misses". All her adventures there…how could she have forgotten about it so easily? It had been the most trying experience of her life; merging reality with her dreams. Thinking about it now, it sounded too strange to be real but it had. The evidence was right in front of her.
She watched Jareth carefully. She was frightened he would jump up and rush to take Toby at any minute. Memories of the Goblin King himself weren't far behind the others. She remembered the first time she'd laid eyes upon him…To a fifteen year old girl he'd been impressive. With his romantic clothing and careful flirting he'd been her idea of the perfect lover. He looked like he'd come straight out of the romantic novels she read. Back in the days when she could still play dress up she would always play the princess or beautiful fairy…isolated in her bedroom so her family wouldn't laugh. She would act out cheesy romantic scenes and always there'd been an invisible presence there playing the prince. To her imagination the prince was just like Jareth…but then, she reminded herself, that was just what he wanted. The drugged peach proved it. Sarah remembered dancing with him in that crowded masquerade…one hand in his whilst his other held onto her waist. She's been mesmerized by his eyes and his singing…but then that golden clock had started chiming and she'd realised what she was supposed to be doing. He'd purposely played with her imagination in order to distract her from finding Toby.
Well, she thought, he'd failed. I wasn't distracted and I did find him. I won…and he lost.
"Well you can't have him!" she replied firmly, crossing her arms. She knew she probably looked quite ridiculous in her too short shirt but she didn't care. Damn if she was going to let him take Toby again. "Why do you even want him? Haven't you stolen enough children this month to make your monthly quota?"
Jareth ignored the quip, "I need an heir."
Sarah blinked. "An heir?" He was joking right?
"Yes, somebody to take my place in the Goblin City when I become King of the Underworld. Somebody to ensure my claim is…what is that phrase you mortals use? Airtight?"
"Why Toby?"
"He has my eyes," he chuckled.
"He is also mortal!" she pointed out crossly, her voice rising. She had to calm herself. The last thing she wanted was to have Toby wake up and start calling out for her. "If you want an heir so much then why don't you go out and make one the old fashioned way? I'm sure you could find a woman willing enough to have your spawn."
He grinned. "Sarah, Sarah…I do hope that wasn't an offer. The answer to your elegantly phrased question is that…well, I'm lazy. I don't want a crying baby in my castle when there is a ready-made child here. He's exactly right to rule my kingdom."
"You can't have him!" she repeated.
"I didn't ask for your permission," he pointed out.
"He's my brother! Do you honestly expect me to let him be taken?"
His eyes flashed. "You have before."
Sarah felt her cheeks flame in anger and embarrassment. Usually she could be quite calm but if you really ticked her off then this was the consequence, and the Goblin King knew exactly how to push her buttons. "You know I didn't mean what I said! I regretted it straight away," she glared.
"You still said it."
"You didn't have to steal him though!"
He raised a black gloved hand elegantly. "Actually I did no such thing. The goblins took poor Toby last time."
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "You're the Goblin King, they do what you say."
"How much about Goblins do you really know?" he countered smartly. When she didn't reply he went on. "Exactly. When somebody says those words they are bound by magic to do it. It's old magic that's been around longer than you or even I."
She didn't know what to say to this, obviously he knew more about Goblins than she did. However, they were getting off the point a little bit. "Still, you aren't taking him."
Jareth sat up and leant forward, facing her. He regarded her for a second and she felt uncomfortable under his gaze. If only he wasn't so unpredictable. "I'm curious to how you would stop me."
At this distance she could easily have reached out and struck him but doing something like that to this man seemed strange. His skin was so…pale and smooth…like ice. It would be like slapping a statue. Not that she would anyway. She'd never hurt anyone before in her life. There had been an incident back in High School where another girl had accused her of flirting with her boyfriend. She hadn't listened to Sarah's denial and had pushed her. Before she knew what she was doing, Sarah had pushed back. It was lucky for her that a teacher had chosen that moment to pass and intervene. If he hadn't then she'd probably have gotten a black eye. She rose now, intending to give him a piece of her mind, but the chair she'd been sitting on moved back into the dresser and bottle of her perfume fell off the edge and smashed.
Toby was tucked snugly into his bed and was fast asleep. The only way you could tell he was dreaming was the fact that his little leg kept twitching every few moments as though he was running. In fact, he was having quite a strange dream. He was in a large room full of staircases and couldn't tell which way was up or which was down. The ceiling was sometimes the floor and the floor was sometimes the ceiling. He was running as quickly as he could to catch the little silver ball that always seemed to be just out of his reach. He could see his sister on the opposite side of the room and she was shouting at him to hurry. A tall man with strange hair was standing behind her and was holding onto her wrists. He had to catch the ball. If he didn't then he would be thrown into a smelly bog. He was panting and then suddenly his legs started to grow! He got taller and taller, so tall that he had to crouch so that he wouldn't hit his head on the ceiling…or floor. It was no use. He kept on growing.
Smash!
He jolted awake and sat up, looking around breathlessly. Breathing out, he was relieved to see that he was in his bedroom. It had all been a dream. The goblins decorating his walls seemed to be laughing at him. He frowned. "Sarah!" he called. He kicked off his blankets impatiently. He wanted her right now. He knew she was awake because he could hear her voice. She could make him a drink and he'd tell her about his creepy dream. When Sarah held him it always made things better. "Sarah!" he tried again and this time his door was opened by his sister. To his surprise she rushed in and scooped him up into her arms. He was about to speak when he realised that somebody had followed her in. It was the man from his dream! He peered up at his sister's face and saw fear there.
The man was smiling at him in the same way his playschool teacher did when she wearily cleaned up spilt paint. "Still the little tyrant."
He could feel his sister shaking. "Go away!" she shouted. "You're not having him."
"Sarah, what's goin' on?" he demanded. Why was this silly man making his sister mad? "Who is he?"
"This is somebody bad, Toby," Sarah murmured quietly, stroking his curls.
"He was in my dream," he informed her. She was looking at the man so he tugged on her sleeve to get her attention. "Sarah? He was in my dream, and you were too. There was lots of stairs and I was chasin' a silver ball."
Sarah glanced down at him in shock. "Stairs?" she repeated curiously.
Toby nodded, feeling glad now he had her attention. The man in the corner was watching him too. "Yeah. And the ceiling was sometimes the floor. You were both watching me and you kept shouting at me to hurry."
Sarah listened as her brother revealed more of his frightfully familiar dream. She didn't think he would remember anything about the Labyrinth, let alone Jareth. She held him close and closed her eyes briefly. Maybe this was a dream? She opened them and was disappointed to see that it wasn't. Up until now she'd only been thinking about how she'd feel if Toby was taken away…she hadn't considered his feelings on the matter. She'd automatically assumed he didn't want to go. However, as she looked around his room there was no denying that the child had some sort of fixation of goblins. There were laughing goblins painted onto the wall, some dancing, some squabbling and others pulling faces. A few stuffed toys that resembled them were scattered about the room too and one was even on his bed. She remembered the cartoon they'd watched earlier and recalled it was also about the creatures. Her father had even written to her about it a year or two ago in his weekly letters! How could she have forgotten that? Her father mentioned that Toby was acting like a little pixie and then gone on to say how he'd seen a goblin toy in the toyshop and screamed the place down until he'd bought it for him.
"This is your fault!" she hurled at Jareth. She picked up the closest fluffy toy and threw it at him but he easily caught it. "You're doing this to him."
Jareth didn't even have the grace to look ashamed. In fact, he looked quite relieved. He moved towards them and Sarah stepped back but found she was already against the wall. He stopped just in front of them and leant down to look Toby in the eyes. He searched his face and then held up the toy. He held it gingerly as though he might catch something from touching it. "Do you remember me, Toby?" Jareth asked quietly. "I am the king of all goblins…Not pretend ones but real, living, breathing goblins. I can make your dreams come true."
Toby pouted, his chubby cheeks making him look younger. "Prove it!" he ordered.
Jareth grinned and tossed the toy onto the bed. He raised a gloved hand and then suddenly a crystal looking orb materialized out of nowhere. He made it circle around the back of his hand and then it began to glow. Toby took it from him and looked into it. It was kind of foggy but after a second or so he could see a little castle. The scene shifted and showed a stone room with…he breathed in…dozens of goblins dancing around. Real goblins! He smiled.
"I want to see them!"
"No Toby!" Sarah held him tighter and then, without hesitating, pushed Jareth back with as much strength as she could muster. She didn't see his shocked expression nor hear Toby's squeal of surprise as she rushed out of the room. She didn't know where she was running to but she knew she had to get them away. She grabbed her father's spare set of keys off the hook as she went passed, as well as her wallet from the kictchen counter, and was outside before she could blink. She didn't even shut the front door. She almost threw Toby into the backseat of her father's new car in her panic. If her father knew what she was doing he'd go ballistic. He'd only bought this car a few months ago and he was one of those men who treated it like it was a precious jewel. She'd seen him spend an entire afternoon cleaning and polishing it. But on the other hand, if he knew a Goblin King was trying to steal his child he'd probably not complain. She knew that at any second Jareth could just teleport beside her but moving felt good. It felt like she was doing something. She'd seen Toby's look of wonder and knew that he'd accept an offer to go to the Underground. He was only four after all; he didn't know what he was thinking. He'd accept and then a few minutes after whine to come back. It wasn't fair tempting a naïve child like that. Stupid child snatcher.
"Strap in tight," she said to Toby, who silently did as she said. She opened the driver's door and glanced back at the house. In the upstairs window, where Toby had waved goodbye to his parents, was Jareth, watching her. She knew he would be smirking. She slid into the car, shut the door, and strapped herself in. She didn't have a drivers licence but had taken a few lessons before from her father. "Oh god," she murmured and started the engine. A few seconds later they were speeding down the road and she had to force herself to slow down. Causing an accident wouldn't help. She drove blindly in any direction. Toby hadn't said a word up until now but he knew he was responsible.
"Sarah? Where we goin'?"
"I don't know, Toby…Just away."
"Was it 'cause that man?"
"Yes."
"Did I do something bad?"
"No, of course not," she assured, glancing up at him in the windscreen mirror. He was crying. "Oh, sweetie, I swear. You haven't done anything. It's that nasty man who did something wrong. Now, we'll find a hotel or something and stay there, okay? Are you tired?"
"'M okay," he mumbled, looking down. He was still holding the crystal orb. He turned it around but the castle was gone.
Jareth didn't chase after her. He didn't make any sign of following her. He'd gone to the window to watch her drive off but that was it. He would be able to find her wherever she went. As soon as she fell asleep he would be able to track her using her dreams. He'd been expecting Sarah to pose a problem and knew she would kick up a fuss. It was only natural. If her brother was in trouble then she would try and protect him. Jareth didn't need to remind himself that this was the girl who'd entered the Labyrinth for the same reason. She'd entered it, and conquered it. Jareth couldn't help but shake his head admiringly when he remembered that moment before he'd set the Cleaners on her and that ridiculous dwarf Hoggle. He'd asked her what she thought of his Labyrinth, expecting her to plead with him to let her have Toby back or to give up entirely. She wouldn't have been the first. But no, she'd looked up at him, her green eyes defiant, and told him that it was a "piece of cake". He'd loved her for that.
How did that verse go again? "But what no one knew was that the King of the Goblin's had fallen in love with the princess…"
Sarah was a lot of things, but a princess was not one of them. Jareth knew that Sarah regarded him as the enemy and he had been… and technically was now. She'd stormed through his Labyrinth with more confidence and hope than anyone else, and as it's ruler he'd done everything in his power to stop her. Not hurt her, of course, but stop her. He'd even tried seducing her himself, singing promises and offering her everything she dreamt about. Jareth's face clouded as he sat down on her bed, twirling an orb through his fingers. He'd even offered her a place at his side. He'd asked her to fear him, love him, and to do as he said…and in exchange he was willing to be her slave. He remembered part of their last exchange three years ago as though it was yesterday.
"What have you done that's generous?"
"Everything that you wanted I have done! You asked that the child be taken…I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time, I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?"
Had it been part of the game? He'd asked himself the same question continuously ever since she'd left. He'd been her adversary, yes, but at the same time he'd been toying over the idea of being in love with her. Who'd whispered those promises to her? The seductive enemy rooting for her to loose, or the king who meant every word? It didn't make a lot of difference either way. She'd been young and a child herself in some respects. She'd played the game as she saw it, with him as the opposition. He excused her for it and yet resented her at the same time. He was a king after all; he was never rejected for anything.
He had to stop obsessing over this. He'd spent too many hours thinking about her. It was time to think about the now. He needed Toby. Their encounter today was enough to prove to Jareth that he would make a worth heir. He'd demanded answers in that little firm tone and pouted until he got what he wanted. He hadn't been joking about the tyrant remark. He closed his eyes and then cursed; she was still awake. No matter, he would wait. She couldn't go without sleep forever. The idea of springing up in Toby's dreams wasn't even an option. Besides being more difficult, the child was still very young and he wanted the boy to eventually trust him. That would be harder to do if he scared him. No, he would have to wait for Sarah. Besides, dropping into her dreams was easier. He'd done it so many times before…
They drove in silence for an hour or so. Sarah was desperately tired. It must have been about midnight. She chuckled to herself; and she'd planned to have a quiet night! One check told her that Toby was asleep. It wasn't fair to him what she was doing but she hadn't really been thinking clearly. Perhaps she should have stayed and argued it out. Surely he couldn't take Toby if she kept hold of him. He wouldn't use force… would he? She'd spent thirteen hours in his damn Labyrinth but she didn't have the first clue what he would or wouldn't do. Still, she kept glancing up every now and again to check that no owl was following them. Soon she saw a small off-road motel and decided to stop. She could go no further. Her body was aching and she was scared of falling asleep at the wheel. She parked and tuned the engine off. Running a hand through her hair, she opened the door and was immediately chilled by the cold air. Oh god! She whimpered. She was still in her short shirt. She'd forgotten to grab a coat in her haste. She was barefoot too. What the hell must she look like? Thankfully it was late so there wasn't anyone else in the car park. She got out and locked the door before going around and lifting Toby up carefully so that he wouldn't wake up.
Hesitantly she walked through the entrance of the motel but thankfully there was only one person behind the counter. He looked quite old with white fluffy hair and was reading a newspaper. She coughed to get his attention. "Just the two of you?" he asked, looking up. He raised his eyebrows at her lack of dress but didn't say anything; working in an all night motel got you used to seeing a lot of weird things.
Sarah nodded. "Only for the one night."
"Paying cash or card?"
She paid cash to hurry the process up as her arms were starting to hurt. He gave her a key and pointed towards the stairs in the corner, dismissing her. She clenched her jaw and went up to the room. It wasn't big and it didn't look that clean, but it would do for the night. The sheets on the bed were thankfully freshly washed and she sighed in relief. There was a cot in the corner but she knew Toby would kick up a fuss; he said cots were for babies. Instead, she slipped him into the double bed gently. That done, she made sure the door was locked and went into their tiny bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and splashed some cold water into her face to try and wake herself up a bit. She looked terrible. She hadn't brought anything either; no spare clothes, no hairbrush…not even a toothbrush. Even though she was shattered she didn't want to get into the bed. She felt as though she should keep on her feet and be alert in case something happened. She wandered over to the window and peeked out of the curtains at the empty parking lot. What was she doing here? Had she actually gone insane? How did Jareth do this to her? How did he provoke her to this extreme? Sarah started when Toby gave a little snore and she managed to smile. He was safe for now and that was all that mattered. She eyed the bed and bit her lip. A few hours wouldn't hurt…and besides she would need her sleep if she was going to be driving again tomorrow. Slowly she slid into the bed next to Toby and looked up at the plain ceiling. Within minutes she was sound asleep.
She woke to the sound of traffic and sighed. This was the second time in a row she'd woken up feeling like crap. Maybe it would be third time lucky? She stayed where she was for a few seconds to gather her thoughts. Should she go back home? Surely it was no more dangerous there than here. She should get used to the fact that sooner or later he would find them and then she'd have to hold onto Toby for dear life even if meant going back to the Underground with him. She moved her hand to wake him up- but felt nothing….She propped herself up to see if he'd moved in his sleep but the curly haired boy wasn't there.
And then she heard Toby's laughter coming from by the window, followed by a horribly familiar calm voice.
"You're right; she does have a very bad case of bedhair."
A/N: And it's up! Hope you enjoyed reading. Any criticism, ideas, questions, tips…all that jazz…feel free to review. I hope I've made Toby realistic enough…I haven't been around a four year old child in years so I have no idea. I didn't even know you could talk at that age but apparently I'm wrong…yeah, my kids are going to be so slow / Ummm yes, the Jareth thing: Yeah he's already half in love with Sarah here as I'm following the Labyrinth tale. Just thought it was pretty romantic as it was. You'll get more about that during the following chapters.
Reviews: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it made smile as I was writing. Especially hazlgrnLizzy, who reviewed first. Just quickly: Broadwaybabe: The book she was reading was Tess of the Derbyvilles, it's very good. I haven't seen that TV show, sorry.
Ciao X
