Author's Note: I don't own Labyrinth.

Hello everyone, I know its been a long time. Too long! But I've been in New York and celebrating my birthday, too many distractions to write well. I have to admit I'm a little concerned about this story, I have a good idea of where I want it to go but I'm having a little trouble getting it started. I think I'm figuring it out though, besides the lovely thing about fanfic is if I turn down a path that isn't working out I can always return to the drawing board. Hope you are all well and thank you to those to wrote about nightmares. I have another request, I've been doing some research but I have another write in for you. Do you know of any dark figures from different cultures around the world that have to do with nightmares or dreams. Melinoë good example of what I'm looking for. Thanks, enjoy!


Chapter Two

Day 360

"Sarah." He called. His voice calm, barely above a whisper, but it surrounded her. He always whispered to her, a way to pull her in, lure her close enough to touch. A spider luring a fly.

"Sarah." He repeated.

"What do you want?" She called out, as she turned in circles, searching for him. She was swallowed by darkness. If the ground hadn't felt so solid beneath her feet she would have thought she was floating in space.

At last he appeared in the distance.

"What do you want?" She called out, her voice so loud in her head compared to the soft lullaby of his.

"Don't you know?" He replied. She could still see him in the distance but his voice seemed to come from close by, almost as if it was in her head.

"What?" She whispered.

"What I want, precious thing, is to give you everything." He answered, amusement clear in his voice.

"Everything?"

"Everything you desire."

She closed her eyes for a moment to try to clear her confused mind. When she opened them he was in front of her. His gloved hand caressed her cheek. She realized she was leaning into his touch, teetering on the edge of letting go, of letting him give her what she wanted most…

"Sarah! Wake up!"

"Huh?" Sarah's eyes snapped open, disoriented and blinded by the harsh light, she looked around. She had fallen asleep in class, again. This time it was chemistry, last week it had been Algebra II. All her classmates had left for their next class, leaving her alone with the teacher.

"Did you stay up late reading again?" Mrs. Carter asked, slightly sympathetic.

"Sorry, I haven't been sleeping well." Sarah apologized while collecting her books and purse.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

Sarah stilled as panic and embarrassment flooded her, she knew what, or who, her dream had been about. What had she said out loud?

"What did I say?"

"You kept asking 'what do you want'."

"That's all?" She asked, feeling a little relieved.

"Just before I woke you, you said an unusual name. Jareth, I think it was." Mrs. Carter answered.

Sarah did her best to seem nonchalant, "That is an unusual name. I don't know where I got that from." She gave a forced laugh before ducking out into the crowded hallway, headed to her next class.

She kept her eyes on the floor as she made her way through the hall. She was going to have to be more careful, she couldn't keep falling asleep in the middle of her classes. For one, most teachers were not as understanding as Mrs. Carter, and second and most important, she couldn't start blabbing about a goblin king around a class full of sixteen and seventeen year olds. She would never live down the embarrassment.

She had never really cared that she wasn't the most popular girl in school, she had her friends, but she was not so immune that she could easily handle the hell her life would be if certain secrets came to light. Having a sex dream in the middle of class was embarrassing enough. Having a sex dream about a magical king that arrived in showers of glitter and wore more makeup than she did was mortifying.

It had been nearly a year, almost to the day, since she first came face to face with him. She had thought it was her mind being difficult, unable to let go of the odd pull she felt to him, so it came out in her dreams. Now, she had different thoughts, he had to be behind it somehow. It wouldn't be the first time he had given her a dream.

Sarah sighed as she opened her locker. She supposed it was some sort of punishment she had to deal with for beating him in the labyrinth. She should have expected that she wouldn't get out of that mess without some punishment for escaping. If she was completely honest with herself she could think of much worse forms of punishment than the type of dreams he was giving her.

It needed to stop, though. She wanted to move on with her life, including living in her world of fairy tales. That would be nearly impossible until the dreams stopped. She had to figure out a way to end them. Even if that meant calling for him, again.


Jareth watched Sarah go on with the rest of her school day. It would almost be too easy at this point to win the second challenge. He just wanted to wait until she was a little older, a little more familiar with the world. He couldn't help but admit his dreams did give Sarah a lovely blush to her cheeks.

Lost in his thoughts as he watched his target he didn't realize he was no long alone until Mara's shadowy reflection met his gaze in the crystal. He immediately dissolved the orb, guarding Sarah from Mara's gaze. Though, he knew full well she could watch the girl just as easily as he.

"Mara." He said curtly.

Mara gave a throaty chuckle, it was as unpleasant as glass breaking, "Hello, Jareth. Having fun with our little toy?"

"She's not our toy." He bit out.

"True, so far you have had all the fun. But in five days you'll have to share." Mara's smile was bone chilling.

"Yes, I'm aware. I've been meaning to renegotiate the terms." Jareth said hesitantly, depending on her mood Mara could be impossible. His simple request could lead her to turn the world inside out.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, "How so?"

"Give me another year, she still a child. When she's eighteen she'll be an adult, then you can have your fun."

Fire flashed in Mara's dark eyes, "No! Don't tell me you're trying to get me to go easy on the girl! Don't you remember how she bested you? How she rejected your offer!? Why on earth would you want me to go easy on her!?" Mara's voice was a screech at this point.

Jareth opened his mouth to speak but Mara continued, "You're getting soft! You used to be as ruthless as I am, what's happened? Don't tell me that little offer of love you gave to that girl was real!"

"Of course, not! You know it's all part of the game." Jareth shot up from his seat, the accusations of actually having feelings for the girl were ridiculous.

"Then you'll have to prove it. In five days, I'll begin. You have until then to win without me even having a turn. After that its fair game." Mara hissed, meeting him eye to eye.

Jareth turned away from her, he didn't like being so close to her. "Very well, Mara. Have it your way, but know if I think you've gone too far…" He trailed off.

"Yes, I know exactly what you can do. You remember the rules, you may be Goblin King but you're not above everyone." She reminded before vanishing.

Jareth looked out the window, across the labyrinth. Five days, he supposed he could go ahead and end round two, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Dread filled him as he knew what was waiting for Sarah in her sleep. He could only hope Mara would start slow.