AN: So, I've seen eight million of these where Sarah forgets her memories of Labyrinth (which sometimes I have trouble seeing, unless it's due to some kinda trauma/brainwashing. You have to admit, it's kinda an unforgettable thing to go through...), but there are absolutely ZERO where Jareth loses HIS memories of what happened. Don't worry, it's still SarahxJareth. I'm not going to Mary Sue up my favorite fantasy movie of all time.
Disclaimer: Labyrinth is sole property of the Jim Henson Company, not me. I'm borrowing all the goblins and such, as well as the Goblin King for an undisclosed amount of time. I'll be returning him soon enough.
Unforgettable
By: DemonSaya
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Hoggle and Sir Didymus looked up, stunned when the strong scent of peaches filled the air and a wind whipped through the air, shaking the Labyrinth at it's foundation. The pair scrambled up a wall, looking towards the swirling darkness and stared. The darkness had fully halted.
Aboveground, the scent filled the air and caused panic to surge through Jareth and he rushed towards the door her surgery was being held in. As he pushed through the door, nurses and doctors trying to halt him, he saw Sarah take a final, shuddering breath and go limp on the table.
The beep of the heart monitor was long and steady. "No..." He whispered, his heart shredding in his chest. He felt the others bump into him from behind and ground his teeth together. "NO!"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Chapter 3
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Whole/Hole
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Mithryl winced, holding her arm as she moved into her throne room. Blood poured between her fingers, but she simply ignored the worried glances of her healers. Good. She'd taunted the fool bitch to use her magic again. She laughed faintly, only to moan in pain. God, everything hurt. Why was she so strong?! Growing up in the human realm, she couldn't have been trained in magic and it's use, so WHY could she hurt her? Mithryl, Queen of the Marshlands had been injured.
She, who thought herself better than so many, did not notice her subjects whispered speculation, and the few who had seen the one who had struck Mythril were suggesting that the Queens present obsession, the one that was now over one hundred years old, was falling, her powers weakening.
After all, she'd been nearly destroyed by a single human girl.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Ludo looked up when Hoggle came towards him, followed by Sir Didymus, his face very pale. Ludo lumbered towards them. "Fwiend?" Ludo asked, touching Hoggle's shoulder.
Hoggle lifted his eyes. "Ludo, can you reach Sarah still?"
Ludo smiled in an unintelligent manner and waved for them to follow them. They watched as he moved through the piles of garbage, stopping in front of a door. Hoggle held his breath and opened the door. He recognized the room well enough. It was a mirror image of Sarah's. Except the mirror that was usually where they could contact her was broken, from Sarah's escape, the return of her memories, while she fought her way through the Labyrinth.
In those cracked shards of mirrored glass, Hoggle felt horror rush through him.
Sarah, laying on a table, pale, covered in blood. The faint scent of peaches still hung in the air. "Oh, god..." Hoggle whispered, tearing his eyes away from her still form.
Sir Didymus whipped off his hat, tears filling his already watery eyes. "My lady..."
"Sawah fwiend..." Ludo began bawling, his noise calling boulders.
Hoggle moved closer to the scene in the mirror and saw was there, pale, having fallen. The scene was oddly still, and suddenly, Hoggle realized why. Time was frozen. In all his years of life, he'd only known one person with control over time, with the ability to stop it for more than just a moment. Jareth could re-order time, true enough, but it was an inherited power, one that paled in comparison to that of his mother's. The Lady Elspeth.
That knowledge made him breath easier.
"What do we do, Hoggle? Sarah was our only hope at returning Jareth's memories!" Sir Didymus cried, moving towards the suddenly silent dwarf. He could no longer look at the scene of a dear friend, lying there in death. Hoggle, however stared at it through assessing eyes.
"Didymus, I suggest ya get to work on that antidote." Hoggle said quietly. "Because I think someone has bought us some time." When Didymus didn't move, he grabbed his shirt, giving him a quick shake. "Damn ya, fool! Get to work! I'll keep watch...Just hurry. I don't know how long we'll have enough time to get this done!"
Didymus nodded slowly, pulling a deep basin from a garbage heap and setting up to begin the potion.
Ludo moved to sit next to Hoggle, resting a heavy hand on the dwarf's shoulder. Hoggle took a steadying breath. "Don't worry, Ludo. It'll be alright. We just have to believe in that." He patted the lumbering creatures hand and kept his eyes trained on the still scene in the mirror.
Until it's proven otherwise, they had no choice.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Why was it so bright here? She trembled in fatigue, staring into the bright white light. She felt cold, alone. But at least the pain was gone. She looked around, standing slowly, looking around. She shivered, rubbing her arms. "Where am I?" She wondered aloud. Her voice echoed.
She spun in a circle, trying to determine her location. It was so bright. The last thing she could remember was rage, so hot it burned through her soul, she could remember the scent of peaches, then nothing. She frowned, resting a hand against her chest. She could barely feel the beat of her heart. "Am I dead?"
"Do you wish it?"
She blinked, turning towards the voice. A woman stood there, tall, slender, long, platinum blond hair and bright blue eyes. That same blue as Jareth's one blue eye. High cheekbones, a lovely gown, a gown fit for a Queen. Sarah suddenly realized who she was seeing. "You're Jareth's mother." She said, in realization.
A faint smile. "In his soul, yes. Not by birth." She moved forward. "My name is Elspeth."
"What happened to me?" Sarah asked, turning around, looking around the room.
Elspeth closed her eyes in pain. "You saved Jareth, at great cost. Magic channeled through an untrained body is very dangerous. Twice, in rapid succession, you channeled through that magic. You would have survived, been able to be trained if not for that second release."
She fell to her knees, eyes wide. "Then...I am dead?" She felt tears pierce her eyes. "And Jareth?! Is Jareth okay?!"
The woman pursed her lips, pondering the answer. "No, Sarah, he is not. He is preparing to do something foolish and reckless. I stopped time, stopped him from sacrificing himself to save you." She saw pain in the girls eyes and offered her hands. "The Goblin Kings magic is not made to heal. That ability resides inside you. But he will try to heal you, and he will. To save you."
"NO!" Sarah objected. "Jareth can't die! If he dies, the Labyrinth will die with him!"
The woman smiled sadly. "No, Sarah, it wont. The strong, fond memories of two people have been fighting the darkness tooth and nail. One is the girl who conquered the Labyrinth, it's mistress, recognized by it's walls as it's Queen. The other is Jareth's heir." She saw the confusion on Sarah's face and smiled. "Your brother, my dear."
"TOBY?!" Sarah gasped. "But..." She shook her head, unable to reconcile the facts with her own knowledge. Then, she realized something and her eyes widened. "He has a Fae face...his eyes..." She blinked. "But Jareth said he was going to make him a Goblin..." She lowered her eyes, trying to understand. Then they flashed wide once again. That meant that it wasn't actually the last desperate move in a game. He wanted Sarah and Toby to stay. She felt tears pierce her eyes. "He really did love me, didn't he..." She whispered, lowering her head in shame.
Elspeth smiled faintly. "Yes, child. When his memories were fading, he threw out a wish so desperate, so potent, the Labyrinth's magic granted it. His wish was to be with you."
Tears were falling down her face. "Jareth..." She whispered.
"Do you wish to die? I can stop Jareth from attempting to use his magic, and you can simply die, or you can make another choice."
Sarah lifted her face. "What's the choice?" She asked softly.
The woman smiled. "It should be familiar. Your world, your family, or Jareth. As you've pointed out, the Labyrinth needs it's King. Without Jareth, the Labyrinth and it's occupants will die."
Sarah closed her eyes. When she opened them, there was a pained smile on her face. "Then my wish is for Jareth to live happily for a very, very long time."
The woman's eyes softened and she reached for Sarah's hands. "Then take my hands, Sarah."
Sarah set her hands in Elspeth's and the bright white light grew brighter still.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Jareth fell to his knees, feeling tears pierce his eyes as the doctors declared time of death. He covered his mouth, swearing silently at them, himself, the world. Why? Why had she so foolishly unleashed her power again? What had made her do this? He couldn't lose her, he wouldn't survive the pain of the loss a second time. He moved towards her, making a choice. No, he wouldn't lose her, even at the cost of himself. He had an heir. If he could save her, it would be fine. Just to see those jade green eyes one more time. "Sarah..." He rasped, creeping towards her, pulling up his magic, knowing if he did this, he would die.
It didn't matter.
All that mattered was her.
His life was over without her, regardless.
He was just about to touch her, give his magic to her, heal her, when suddenly, the steady beep broke and began beeping steadily once again. He restrained his magic, pulling it back, putting his hands on her face. "Sarah..." He whispered desperately. "Darling, please, don't die..." He begged. "Wake up, you wonderfully brave, foolish thing...you precious thing..." He squeezed his eyes shut. "Don't leave me alone again..." He begged.
He felt the doctors pulling him away, moving to check her, the notes being scratched out, rewritten. He strained towards her, needing to touch her, needing to see that she truly was alright. Just as he was shoved from the room and the door closed in his face, he saw her hand flex and he fell to his knees outside the room. With a desperate laugh, he dug his hands into his hair. She was alive. He knew there were tears on his face, but couldn't find it in himself to care.
She was alive.
Toby walked towards the man, saw him shaking with laughter and tears and smiled slightly, looking at his mother and father, who'd paled when the man burst into the room in a panic. "Sarah's okay." He explained. He saw them look at him in confusion and he simply walked over to Jareth, smiling broadly. He leaned over him and gave him a warm smile. "Right?"
Jareth didn't look up. He simply nodded.
Not much later, a doctor came out, pulling off his mask, looking relieved. He moved towards Jareth, smiling faintly. "Your girlfriend is fine. We were worried for a moment. You should not burst into a surgery like that, you gave the nurses quite a fright."
Robert and Karen looked at Jareth, who was not looking at them. He simply stared at the doctor. Something had happened within that girl, something that had nothing to do the physicians in that room.
The doctor then looked at the parents. "She's being moved to the third floor, for long term care. We're going to run some tests, make sure she really is out of trouble, and when she's back to normal, we'll release her into your care." He looked towards Jareth, his eyes smiling. "She's asking for you, I can take you the quick way if you'd like."
Robert opened his mouth to object, but Jareth simply held up his hand. "If you show me and not her family, I'm certain there will be issues that I'd rather not have to deal with later." He said calmly. "I'll walk up with them." He saw surprise on her father's face."
Toby smiled broadly, taking Jareth's hand and dragging him along. "Mom, Dad, come on!" He called over his shoulder. They entered the elevator before Karen and Robert and Toby looked at Jareth with a knowing smirk.
Jareth arched an eyebrow at the boy, an almost identical smirk on his face. Karen and Robert joined them, noting the almost eerily similar expressions, and the way the boy held Jareth's hand in a trusting manner. They wondered what exactly Sarah had told Toby that she didn't consider important enough to share with her own parents.
They rode the elevator down the stairs, and reached the room as the nurses were hooking Sarah up to another machine, smiling patiently, listening to her objecting to all these machines and tubes. Jareth saw the color had returned to her lovely face and hung back as the others pushed their way into the room. He didn't bother trying to stop the surge of superiority when she looked at them in disappointment.
"Sarah, you're alive!" Her father finally crumbled, holding her hand and crying. "We were so worried."
Karen sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a hankie. "Oh, Sarah..."
Finally, he decided, enough was enough. He stepped into the room, looking at her with that arrogant smirk. "Welcome back, darling." He teased lightly. He saw that there was something he couldn't name in her eyes, but it was akin to fear. His eyes narrowed and brow creased. "What's wrong?"
She looked around at the other's desperately. The nurses simply moved around, doing their duties and she wanted to swear soundly. She saw Toby and her breath caught. His eyes were as sharp as Jareth's catching her distress. She heard her step-mother and father voicing their concern and squeezed her eyes shut. Dammit, why couldn't they just shut up for a second?!
Jareth saw she didn't want to speak in front of her parents and looked sharply at Toby, who nodded.
"Hey, why don't we leave the lovebirds alone?" Toby suggested, grinning when his sister blushed darkly. He ignored her stammered objections, leading his parents to the door. The nurses were on their way out, due to some swiftly planted ideas from Jareth.
Once the room was empty, save them, Sarah grabbed Jareth desperately. "Jareth, it's dying." She gasped, her voice a painful rasp. "You have to go back. The Labyrinth is being consumed by darkness, and it's because your memories are gone." She saw his eyes widen and then narrow.
"I wont leave you." He snarled in frustration. "You wont chase me away simply because-"
"Damn you, stubborn thing!" She sat, grabbing his face, pulling him so that all he could see were her eyes and looked deep in his eyes. "Your memories were stolen from you! It's killing the Labyrinth. And everyone in it. After the castle is consumed, the rest of the Underground will follow!" She searched his face, seeing the stubborn set to his jaw, the frustration in his eyes.
"I lost you once, nearly twice, I will not let you go again!" He nearly yelled at her.
She felt her frustration grip her and closed her eyes, counting to ten. "I'm not asking you to." She said quietly, lifting her gaze to look at him. There was a surprised confusion in his eyes. "I'm healed, Jareth. In my...near death, I met a woman called Elspeth. She taught me what I needed to do. My body is as good as it can get, but if we wait until the hospital releases me, it will be too late." She saw the door open and shut and Toby appeared. "We have to go, Jareth..."
"You're going back too." Toby said, knowingly. Those bright blue eyes were sad, but understanding. He looked down, upset. Why could she get away from here, but he couldn't?
Jareth looked at her in surprise as she nodded at her brother. "Sarah..."
"I have to. I had to make a choice, Toby." She explained, smiling at him knowingly. "I'll need your help. The only way I know to contact those in the Labyrinth is my mirror. Is it still where I left it?"
He smiled. "Karen tried to throw it out. I threw a fit until she caved. Sometimes I can see the Labyrinth reflected in the surface. Sometimes I see your friends, but they can't hear me. Sometimes I saw him." He pointed at Jareth. "So I guess I'll see you, too. Even if you're gone." He mumbled the last part, unable to look at him.
Sarah felt tears in her eyes and she smiled at her brother, nodding. "All you have to do is call me when you need me."
Toby nodded. "I'll unlock the door tonight after Mom and Dad go to bed." He headed towards the door, pausing to look up at the very stunned Jareth. "You'd better take care of her." He said quietly, then headed out the door.
Jareth stepped uncertainly towards her, seeing tears in her eyes. "Sarah...?" He extended his hand.
She took the hand that was reaching towards her. "Let's go back together." She said softly, smiling up at him, opening her heart to him. "Let's go back to the Underground, let's go back to the Labyrinth, to your Castle."
He sat on the edge of her bed, cupping her face. "Is this truly what you want? This has always been your home, and this is where your family is. You truly want to let this go?" He searched her eyes, seeing no indecision, no fear. Nothing but firm resolve.
She forced herself into a sitting position, looking at him; her lips parted, allowing a sigh to escape her. "Jareth, that was the choice. The Labyrinth needs you. You can't stay here. And I can't live without you." She gave him a gentle whack on the back of his head. "Really, do you still think I'll make the same decision I made as a child, knowing what I know now?"
He inclined his head in interest. "And what is this new knowledge you possess, my dear?"
She soothed the place she'd struck with a gentle hand. "That you truly love me. Enough to sacrifice yourself to save me. You fool. You could have killed yourself..." She shook her head, pained. "Jareth, you idiot. I love you. I always did-"
He lunged forward, claiming her mouth in a desperate kiss. He'd heard enough. He cupped her face, threaded his hand in her hair, held her close. He released her lips after a moment, his breaths ragged. His head hurt. His memories were pounding against his skull, fighting to be released. It was so painful, but he didn't care. Let them destroy him. He had this one moment of true joy in an otherwise empty life.
She cupped his face. "We'll go back together, we'll save the Labyrinth. And I'll stay at your side. Forever if that's your wish."
He laughed joyously. "My dear, Forever is not long at all."
"Then let it be longer." She said, smiling.
He pressed his nose against her neck, breathing in that faint scent of peaches off her skin. "You precious thing."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Karen and Robert left around nine, deeply unnerved by their daughter's quiet suitor. Between the hair and those pants, Karen was quite certain he was not the kind of man their daughter should be with. Toby was ignoring their incessant questions and after several, he simply looked at them in disgust and finally spoke. "What bothers you the most? That he isn't suitable to you, or that Jareth is perfect for her?" Toby stormed into the house and slammed his bedroom door in a fit of teenage temper.
Robert walked upstairs and opened the door, looking at Toby in concern. "You really think he's suitable for your sister? He's arrogant, self-centered, and-"
"He loves her." Toby said quietly. "Would you prefer she was with someone calm and reserved, who didn't? Just because he might be able to make the bills? Making the bills is over-rated. What matters to me is that he loves her and she's happier with him than when she was living here." He turned his back on his father, looking into the mirror, knowing his father couldn't see what he could. After a moment, he heard his father sigh, and Robert quietly closed the door.
When it was shut, Toby rested his hands on the mirror, concentrating. Something Jareth had taken the moment to teach him before they'd left the hospital. He tapped that strange, warm, fresh-cut grass scented power inside him and closed his eyes. "Hoggle." He called softly.
When he opened his eyes, he saw blue eyes staring back at him, wide-eyed. Toby smiled brightly, waving. "Hi. I'm Toby."
Understanding filled Hoggle's eyes. "Is Sarah alright?"
"She's okay. Jareth and Sarah will be on their way here soon." He glanced towards the clock, seeing the hand nearing midnight. Only a half-hour left. He looked up at the dwarf. "Sarah told me a lot about you and the others." He said, smiling.
"She told me a great deal about you as well..." Hoggle said, arching an eyebrow. "Why is Jareth bringing Sarah when she's in such bad shape? She shouldn't be moved. She was nearly dead-"
"Not nearly." Toby said solemnly. "She flat-lined on the table. From what Jareth told me, she's got power. Like Jareth's, but different. Someone called Elspeth helped show her how to use it without hurting herself and she healed her body."
Shock showed on the dwarf's face. Then what could only be called cool calm. "Elspeth showed her to use Magic."
The boy shrugged. "I don't know the details, just what they told me, and I'm sure there's a lot neither of them really know for certain. But I know this, Sarah decided to stay. And..." Toby lowered his gaze, pulling out a pen and paper. "I want to, too."
"This isn't no playground, Kid."
"I know." Toby looked miserably towards his window. "But neither is this. I'm being shoved down a path I don't want. Just like Sarah. She's been miserable since they made her leave, made her get a job that would pay her bills but not let her actually live...I don't want that life."
"What are they making you do?"
His lips turned into a twisted frown. "Computer programming. I like computers, and I'm good with them, but I hate that crap. For gods sake..."
His door opened. "Toby?"
He turned, finding Sarah and Jareth standing there. Sarah was still in her hospital gown. He stood, moving towards the closet. He found her old poet's shirt, and some jeans and handed them to her. "Go change. Maybe they're not fit for a Queen, but mom threw out all your old costumes."
Sarah saw Hoggle in the mirror as she took the clothes. "Hoggle!" She ran towards him, her eyes bright with happiness. "Is everyone okay? Is the Labyrinth okay?!"
"The darkness stopped swallowing it, last time I checked, but...there's still not much time left. Time moves different here, ya know..."
Jareth spotted the bag near the dwarf and the crystals in it. "I know something you can do to slow the progress further. Those crystals. One at each castle entrance. They must be held by someone who has strong memories of the place..." He eyed the others. He inclined his head in consideration. "Four would be best, but since there are only three, I suppose there is nothing else that can be done. We'll be coming from the North, so go to the other three entrances."
"I can hold the fourth." Toby offered, meekly, after Sarah had left the room to change. He was pinned by Jareth's sharp gaze. "Please, let me come along." He begged quietly.
Jareth frowned. "Let me discuss it with your sister."
Then, he left the room.
Toby penned a quick note to his parents and drug a hand through his hair, praying that his sister would agree. When they reentered the room, he saw a serious expression on Sarah's face. "Toby..." She said, approaching him, kneeling beside him. "You know you couldn't see Mom or Dad anymore, right? You couldn't live here and just travel back and forth?"
He nodded, his face equally serious. "Sarah, I'm not happy here. They're pushing me just like they did you. I don't want this. I want to be allowed to make my own decisions about something. Even this. And I can help you. You need one more person. I can hold the fourth gate."
She touched her brother's brow gently and kissed him on his forehead. "Toby, if you really want it, then yes, by all means, come with us."
He smiled brightly at her.
Jareth stripped off the shirt that he'd been given at the hospital, taking one Sarah had kidnapped that belonged to her father, which had been resting on a pile of neatly folded clothes. "Alright, Hoggle, you know what to do. We'll be there as soon as possible. If you have to sacrifice the Labyrinth, even the town, do it. I should be able to get them back. Just hold the castle."
Hoggle nodded, and the mirror returned to being just that, a mirror.
Jareth extended his had towards both Sarah and Toby. "Your memories will be what draw us through the mirror. Mine are still too weak to bring me back, so be sure not to let go of my hand." And with a deep breath, they stepped through the mirror.
Moments later, Robert burst into the room, finding it empty, and a note on the desk. He moved towards it, lifted it in his hand.
Dad,
Sorry, I just can't be what you and mom want me to be. It's not who I am. Just like Sarah wasn't meant for the mold you pushed her into. I made a choice. I want to live with Sarah and Jareth. Don't bother trying to find me. When I'm ready, I'll contact you. It might not be how you expect, or when, but I'll send word. I love you, dad, and tell mom I love her too. Sorry.
Toby
Robert sank into the chair, closing his eyes in pain. The hospital called and said that during rounds, Sarah's room was empty, and no one could find her in the hospital. In under an hour, he'd lost both of his children, because his concern for their welfare, had led to them feeling so smothered, that they felt the need to flee. He covered his face and tried to wipe the grief from his mind. "I'm sorry, Toby...Sarah...I'm so sorry..."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
AN: Another chapter gone. This was actually originally longer, but I'm fixing the ending a lot. I'm simply not happy with it. Well, not happy with ALL of it...anyways, per usual, let me know what you thing. I'll see about getting the next chapter up soon.
