A/N: Still need a beta!

The door opened and her step-mother walked in. Trust Karen not to knock, Sarah thought darkly to herself. "Yes, Karen?" she asked serenely, resettling the blanket on her shoulders.

"I want you to stop filling Toby's head with nonsense." She said bluntly, not bothering to sit down she towered over Sarah as she sat on her bed, hands on hips.

"What nonsense?" Sarah replied innocently.

Karen's eyes narrowed and Sarah could tell she'd pushed her far enough for an outburst. "Goblins!" She waved her hand agitatedly "Fairies, mazes and that rubbish."

"I don't see the harm-" Sarah started slowly

"Don't see the harm?" Karen said, cutting her off "He needs to concentrate on the real world, on his schoolwork, not gallivanting off to play at being a goblin king in the park."

"He's seven years old!" Sarah protested. "Enjoying his imagination won't ruin his life."

A cruel glint entered Karen's eyes, like a shark scenting blood she went in for the kill, "Look at you, no husband, no job, not even a boyfriend. What do you have to show for yourself? A worthless degree and sat amongst your childish little toys at twenty-one."

Sarah gaped, unable to come up with a suitable retort before her step-mother strode triumphantly from her room and shut the door behind herself.

"Yeah...well knock next time," she muttered to herself as she picked her phone.

"Hello, this is Linda Williams, how may I help you?"

"Hi...Mom, it's Sarah." She started hesitantly.

"Sarah! How wonderful from you to hear from you darling, can we keep this quick, I'm waiting to hear back from a casting director."

"Well...I was wondering if I could come live with you for a while?" she asked, wincing at her own bluntness, she had hoped for more time to gently ease her mother into the idea.

"Oh honey, you know I don't have room in my life to look after a kid..." her mother replied sorrowfully.

"I'm twenty-one, I just need somewhere to stay for a bit." Sarah wheedled.

Her mother laughed lightly "I'm still passing for thirty here sweetie, can't have the press getting hold of something like that. Now, talk to your Father I'm sure he can let you stay. Got to go busy, busy! Kiss, kiss, darling!"

Her mother drowned out her attempts to speak and the line went dead, Sarah flopped back on the bed, the sting of rejection drawing tears to her eyes. Homelessness was looming unpleasantly. She thought back to her roommate Pippa, she had offered Sarah her couch if she ever needed a place to stay, but how would she explain her visit to the Underground? Pippa lived in San Francisco near her parents, it would be convenient enough for the park, perhaps she could claim to have taken up hiking. She wasn't sure her friend would buy it but it was as good a plan as any and it meant she had somewhere to stay after she had seen her friends in the Labyrinth

***

"I'm so thrilled you came out, it's been just so weird living by myself!" Pippa piped chattering happily, her voice still held some of the melodic rhythms of her native Ireland though she hadn't lived there since she was young. Her small car was so loaded with Sarah's bags that she had worried that it would topple over, but it sped from the train station without a problem. Philippa Flynn, or Pippa as she insisted on been called, was a small waif-like creature with deep red hair and pale skin to match, her eyes were a bright blue.

"How long are you staying?" Pippa had always been painfully honest and blunt, it annoyed some people but Sarah found it refreshing. "I mean, well I have a spare room you can have...if you want it?"

Sarah blinked at Pippa's kindness, "I'd love that, I'll pay half the rent of course..."

Pippa laughed "Oh it's owned by my parents anyway and they'd be pleased I'm not out there on my own."

"Yeah... all of thirty miles away..." Sarah joked.

Her friend rose her eyebrows "I could be throwing wild parties and snorting pot!" she said looking slightly indignant.

"I'm pretty sure you can only smoke pot Pippa. And you run at the first sight of parties."

Pippa grimaced "Well they're so full of people...and noisy..." Sarah's roommate had always preferred the retreat of painting, in the same way that she preferred her books and writing. It had been a good day when they had been assigned to each other.

"I'll only be around for a week or so at first." Sarah said, unsure of how to bring up the topic. It was ten days to be exact but Sarah didn't want Pippa to question why she had to be elsewhere on a specific day.

Pippa's face fell slightly then brightened "But you'll be back? Where are you going? Anywhere fun?"

"Oh just hiking for a week or so, I have a book forming in my head and I need some time to think it out by myself." Sarah hoped a week would cover it; she wasn't sure how long she would be allowed to remain in the Labyrinth.

"Ew, well if that's what you need to inspire you..." Sarah giggled at Pippa's lack of enthusiasm.

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