He would wait forever
By Lady Geek Chic
Summary: When Jareth first offered Sarah his heart she was too young to truly appreciate such a precious gift, ten years later she's ready to love him but can she break down the walls built after his defeat?
Disclaimer: Anything you recognise does not belong to me. If you don't recognise it from film, music video or novel then you can make the assumption I've created it from my own imagination but I don't claim to own that either.
Part Three
"Marry my Lady?"
Sarah nodded; balancing her cup on her knee she massaged her temples wearily. "He asked me to marry him and I threw it in his face then put the boot in when he was down. I am a terrible human being."
"And Jareth is a rat, everythin' balances out." Hoggle said with a shrug, he didn't seem too perturbed to hear that Jareth had proposed he did shrink back slightly from Sarah's narrow eyed stare. "What?"
"You knew he…cared about me, didn't you!"
"Well he didn't dump us in the bog because he felt contrary!"
"Hoggle how could you not tell me?" Sarah glared at the dwarf who once more shrugged; he didn't seem particularly worried by her annoyance and carried on drinking his tea nonchalantly.
"Would it have changed your mind Missy?"
"No!"
"Then what was the point in telling ya?"
Didymus and Ludo had watched the argument with a level of fascination Sarah found a little disconcerting; finally she turned to them and raised an eyebrow.
"What do you guys think?"
"My Lady perhaps my esteemed colleague is correct. Your knowledge that his feelings were not just a way of distracting you from taking back Toby might have ultimately led to your failing in your task."
"Sawwah friend!" Ludo rumbled happily and Sarah smiled as she stroked his arm gently.
"Okay I'll concede you guys are probably right besides he probably doesn't even remember me. I mean loads of people must have beaten the labyrinth, right?"
"Just you." Hoggle commented, he picked a chocolate chip cookie off the plate and sniffed it experimentally taking a bite he made a happy noise and ate the rest of the cookie with glee.
"No way!"
"It is true my Lady, you are the first and last to beat the labyrinth. As for King Jareth, my liege is not himself since the event ten years ago."
Sarah paused her teacup half way to her mouth, "What do you mean 'not himself'?"
"He withdrew to his rooms ten years ago and assigned his advisors to run the kingdom. He hasn't been seen in public ever since." Didymus stared down at his paws anxiously, it pained him to give Sarah such news knowing that she would be upset. It was in his code however, to not lie, especially to a lady. "I'm sorry my Lady, this news must be painful for you."
It was, more painful than Sarah had realised it would be. Fighting back tears she placed the cup on the coffee table and wiped at her eyes. "I'm not special; I'm nothing, why would he do this?"
"He's a rat an' ya turned him down, he's sulkin'."
"For ten years?"
"Sarah, he's Fae, they live thousands of years ten years can pass in the blink of an eye."
"Why would he want to be with me then? I'd grow old and die and he'd still be young and beautiful."
"Beautiful fer a rat." Hoggle muttered and Sarah rolled her eyes.
"Hoggle, enough, you don't like him, we get that." Sarah said with a sigh and Didymus grinned as Hoggle rolled his own eyes. "The point is I would die, it's what mortals do we die."
"Mortals who live in the Underground age at a slower rate and as Queen you would have magic of your own as you do as Champion of the labyrinth."
Blinking Sarah turned to Didymus who grinned at her; the little fox knight seemed to be amused by her confusion. "I don't have magic."
"Of course you do."
"I'd know if I had magic."
Didymus turned a bright eye on her and Sarah frowned, she didn't have magic she would know if she had magic…wouldn't she?
"Do you think anybody could call us through a mirror? Jareth may have been heart sick but he knew you deserved a reward for your bravery, loyalty and intellect. That reward was his allowing you passage through mirrors and wishes should you desire it with all your heart."
"I get wishes?"
"Yes; and the labyrinth will endeavour to fulfil your wish. Of course it cannot bring people back from the dead or make someone fall in love with you but it has powers aided by the Goblin King."
Sarah leaned forwards eagerly sweeping back the mane of chocolate hair that fell over her shoulders, "Is there anything else I can do?"
Didymus slumped in his seat looking at Sarah apologetically, "I don't know my Lady it was at this time he took himself into seclusion."
"Then I'm going to have to ask him myself."
"Are ya crazy? He won't speak to ya!" Hoggle exclaimed and Ludo nodded sympathetically.
"Well I'll make him talk to me!"
"I'm tellin' ya, it won't work he leaves notes for his trusted advisors; the girl who ripped his heart out will not be warmly welcomed."
"I was young; I didn't know what he wanted." Hoggle snorted and Sarah glared at him, "We don't all live for hundreds of years, I was just fifteen and not ready for him to declare his love for me."
"Can you say you're ready now?" Didymus asked and Sarah ran her hands through her hair pushing it away from her face with desperate fingers.
"I think I am."
"Think aint gonna cut it little lady, if you're gonna court the Goblin King you need to be sure it's what you want. I don't think he can handle another heart break."
"I thought you hated him?" Sarah spat out crossing her arms over her chest, she knew Hoggle was right but it didn't mean she liked it.
"I do, he's a rat but he's also my King. Like him or not he rules the kingdom I live in and without him the kingdom will fall. I've heard rumours of neighbouring kingdoms sniffing around, they're looking for weaknesses and right now you're one of 'em."
"What do you mean?"
Hoggle sighed, he hated getting involved with affairs of the heart but as Sarah's friend he felt duty bound to protect her. She needed to know what she was risking and that included dangers she hadn't even known about. "Not many people know why Jareth has gone into seclusion, his advisors just said that Jareth was mourning the loss of a friend but was continuing to rule from his chambers. They put a lot of emphasis on the fact that he was continuing to rule. The thing is not everyone believes the story and there are a few of us who know the story and some who have put two and two together and the answers are ranging from four to forty." Hoggle paused and Sarah nodded for him to continue, he could see her mind was working overtime trying to fully comprehend what he was telling her. "This situation is decidedly risky, people are desperate to find a pawn to use against him and if you suddenly reappear well people aren't stupid, they'll figure out that the best pawn to use against him is the one woman he ever loved. If that happens Oberon himself won't be able to protect ya."
"What do you mean?"
Hoggle chewed his lip awkwardly and opened his mouth to speak but it was Didymus who finally spoke. "What he means my Lady is that the vultures will go in for the kill."
It was an hour later and Sarah was alone in the apartment, Brad was due and her mind was so torn up over Jareth and her defeat of the labyrinth that she hadn't even considered how she was going to handle her boyfriend. She had meant to ask her friends for advice but had found herself side-tracked, now staring at the clock on the wall she was hit by a feeling of anxiety that twisted her stomach.
"Sarah, what the heck are you going to do?"
"Do about what?" Jumping Sarah found herself facing her boyfriend; apparently he had a key to her apartment. Brad was holding a bottle of wine and Sarah eyed it apprehensively, did she even like wine?
"I think we need to talk." Brad smiled affectionately and kissed her on the forehead.
"You talk; I'm going to put this in the fridge it needs chilling."
"Brad, we really need to talk."
"I can hear you!" He called from the kitchen and Sarah growled in frustration, apparently if he had any flaws it was an inability to pay attention to what was being said.
"How long have we been together?"
"Two years but you know that babe." He called her babe apparently. Sarah wrinkled her nose unsure how she felt about the nickname, he had called her Precious and that seemed nice, Babe was a film about a pig who thought he was a sheep dog.
"Brad, I feel like I've just woken up from this really long sleep and I don't even know who I am."
"That's easy, you're Sarah Williams."
"But who is she? What do I like? I used to love fairy tales and theatre and stories and drama, now I'm a banker!" She spat out the occupation as if it tasted bad and Brad came to face her confusion written across his too handsome face.
"Sarah what are you going on about, you love your job."
"The old me did, but I don't."
"You're not making any sense."
Growling Sarah pounded her knees with her fists and spat out bitterly, "You think I don't know that?" Taking a deep breath she pinched the bridge of her nose trying desperately to alleviate her growing headache. "I feel as if I've spent the past seven or eight years in a dream and today I woke up and I don't like who I am."
"I like you."
"Do you even know me?" Sarah asked softly and Brad chuckled.
"Of course I do, you're calm, organised, level-headed Sarah."
"You don't know me at all, that's not me, that's someone else, someone I don't like." Looking up at her boyfriend Sarah tried desperately to find some feeling of love for him, closing her eyes she took a deep breath and tried to centre herself an image of the Goblin King popped in her head. It was in that final moment before she was sent home after defeating Jareth, the look on his face a mixture of longing and despair, it pierced Sarah's heart and wincing she opened her eyes. "I'm sorry Brad, a long time ago I made a huge mistake and since then I've been paying for it. It's time to make right what I did wrong."
"What?" Brad's voice cracked and Sarah found that she was crying.
"I'm so sorry, you deserve to find someone amazing who can give you everything you ever dreamed of but that just isn't me."
"You're breaking up with me, did I do something wrong?" His face crumpled and Sarah felt her own heart break, he had truly been a great guy and in different circumstances she would have been blissfully happy with him.
"No, no you're great! I'm just not for you and one day you'll see that and you'll forget I ever existed."
"I can't forget you, I love you!"
"I am so sorry."
Wiping at his eyes Brad grabbed the jacket he had flung over the back of a chair and turned to leave, at the door with one hand resting on the door handle he choked out "Goodbye Sarah" before leaving Sarah alone in the apartment.
Holding her head in her hands Sarah could only sob.
A/N: I could have gone the easy route and painted Brad as the bad guy, the guy who is holding Sarah back from her true love. Unfortunately in real life great guys get hurt in the name of love. Don't feel too sorry for Brad though, he would later go on to meet a Chiropractor in a bar and they would marry and have four kids, but his story isn't important here so that's the last we'll see of Brad (last name unknown).
Sorry this update took so long I came down with tonsillitis and didn't feel like writing much. Thank you to every single person who has read my little story so far and especially thank you to those who reviewed, they all mean a great deal to me!
In case anybody is curious and I'm sure you're all dying to know the ins and outs of my mind, I have no idea how long this story will be. I also have a feeling Jareth might show up in the next chapter…I'm not promising anything but stick around and we'll see when his royal crotch bulge will make his melodramatic appearance.