DISCLAIMER: I don't own Labyrinth, or any of the characters in it (UNFORTUNATELY!) I do however own Seth :P Labyrinth is the property of the Jim Henson Company and all that jazz…
Jareth watched Sarah poke away at a small, green ball on a string. It seemed a rather strange pastime, but he knew that she enjoyed it. There was always something calm in her calculating eyes when she picked up the blunt-tipped sword. Jareth had much approved of the sport as it had truly complimented her personality. Using her quick mind to outwit her opponent, and her lithe body to strike them down. This swordplay had driven her to accept more interesting roles on the stage as well, often playing a passionate youth fighting against some injustice. Jareth could not help but note that this interest in fighting and maintaining power had likely stemmed from the incidents in the labyrinth so many years prior. Jareth grinned sardonically. Sarah had long since given up playing the damsel in distress. Winning her would require much more than a fancy dress and a masquerade. The game at hand was becoming interesting. He could see that something was troubling her; something was gnawing at her insides. She was becoming clumsy at poking the little ball, occasionally missing it altogether. He sent a thought her way, a gentle nudge towards her old bedroom, still full of all her dreams. She'd left them behind physically, but he knew that her heart would never truly let them go.
He was aware that the thought had hit her when she suddenly stopped poking at the ball. Unfortunately, her redheaded companion appeared in the doorway. Jareth was noplussed by his presence. The boy was important to Sarah, that was obvious, but Jareth sensed no threat in him. Sarah valued this boy's friendship more than anything, and would do nothing to harm it, including building a romance with him. Besides, when it came to Sarah, Jareth felt that fate was on his side. He had often discounted fate, ignored its presence, mocked it, and denied it, but this was different.
Sarah had discovered the book in her deceased mother's belongings when she was fourteen. She had become engrossed in the story, infatuated with the paper Goblin King, obsessed with playing the damsel in distress. The key to all of it, the key to Jareth's interest in her, had begun when he realized that this human girl, beautiful in body, mind and spirit, would never be held under his power. Not then, not ever. Of course, he had known this, but she hadn't – not yet. He had known it was only a matter of time, with the new stepmother and baby brother, that the little seed of her obsession would bloom and she would say the right words. It was a little cruel on his part to play his little game with her when she was so young, but how else could he expect to win? He wanted her, and more than anything, he wanted power over her-simply because he knew he could not have it. He had wanted to trick fate. It had been cruel to him, to leave him with such a set of subjects. Now, to place this girl in front of him and tell him he'd never have power over her? It was too much. But, fate had won, and he'd failed. However, having power over her was not in his interests anymore.
Sarah had called home the next morning to let her father know that she would be coming home. Karen had answered the phone. Sarah smirked at her stepmother's reaction.
"Home? In the middle of the semester? You're not pregnant, are you?"
"No, no, unfortunately not," Sarah had replied, knowing that it would drive Karen into ballistics.
"UNFORTUNATELY? Listen here, Sar…"
Sarah cut her off with a sweet tone, "Kidding! Wow, you need to CALM DOWN! I just feel like coming home is all."
"Nothing is wrong?" Karen sounded unconvinced.
"No, but you're mighty suspicious, aren't you?"
"Well, can you afford such an unnecessary flight, Sarah?" Karen asked, finally in a normal tone.
"Yeah, I've had a few gigs last month that paid pretty well. Since I don't have to pay tuition next year, I thought an unnecessary visit was financially viable," Sarah answered. When she stated that she wouldn't have to pay tuition, that same dread filled her again. Growing up sucks, she thought while pouting.
The phone call had ended not long after that. Sarah was alternately pleased and annoyed at the thought of seeing Toby so soon. She loved the little rat, she'd have to after all the trouble she went through to save him from a goblin's fate. But, after all, he was a little brother and one can only take so much of them. Sarah smiled as she packed. Toby. Again she began to run through the possibility that the labyrinth was all just a really elaborate dream of a confused adolescent. She'd never asked Toby if he remembered any of it, she was afraid of what the answer might be. And a seven-year old boy was hardly the most reliable of sources. For some reason, she felt that going home would answer all her questions. She hoped it would put an end to her nasty dreams as well.
Sarah glanced at the clock. Her flight would leave in three hours, which means the taxi should be here any minute. A horn honked outside.
"Like clockwork," she mused.
She grabbed her backpack, her stay would be short and she still had clothes at home. Sarah giggled at the prospect of wriggling into her old jeans. When she reached the cab, she was shocked to recognize the driver.
"Seth! Since when do you drive a cab?" she exclaimed.
"Hey, hun, not all of us are beautiful models, okay? Gotta make a livin' somehow," he smiled. "Get in, I took this call special." Seth winked at her, which made her laugh heartily. For a second, she couldn't help but feel that she'd miss him. That was ridiculous, though. She would only be gone four days, right? Something inside her turned, she began to feel that going home would change the course of her future. Maybe, although she doubted it because she'd only be gone four days, but maybe she would really miss Seth on a more long-term basis. She just couldn't shake the idea, no matter how hard she tried.
