A/N: Here is chapter three, I once again apologize for the lateness, but I have been more involved with my Draco/Hermoine fic. But, since I felt bad I decided to pull out my notebook and type up the chapter I wrote for you guys weeks ago. But anyway, thanks to those who stuck with me. Just hang on, because I will not abandon my fics. Remember to submit a review and keep me motivated!

-Brachel

-Sarah P.O.V-

If one were to look up the definition of fear they would find nothing that would come close to what I felt right now. What they would find, are cold clinical words. Nothing could express the dread I was feeling.

Dad and Karen are gone.

Trapped inside our burning home. The thought made me cringe, the image, so vivid. With nowhere for them to go, my father would have done his best to protect his wife, but there was no way to guard her against the flames. Both of them should have suffered a dark fate. Eyes cooking in their sockets, skin turning to ash, bones turned black. My over active imagination did nothing to console me.

Although those images were terrifying, they were not what frightened me the most. What I was most afraid of was that Toby and I were alone now. I had no doubt I could care for him, after all he was my brother and I loved him. The courts however, did not felt I was too young to provide sufficient care for a child, let alone one who suffered such a traumatic experience as he did. They also claimed I was not suitable because I was also traumatized. Of course, when I told Toby that he might be taken away he reacted with horror.

"No!" He screamed "I don't want to live with anyone else. I want to stay with you, Sarah."

I wrapped him in a tight embrace. "I know, Toby. You and I have to work really hard if we want to stay together."

"But Sarah," He gazed up at me "What can we do?"

"Well," I stopped to think "I have to get a job and a place for us to live, for starters."

"Why can't we stay with Katie?" He asked "Like we are now?"

"I can't show them that I can care for you if I'm asking for our friend's help all the time." I ruffled his hair.

He just nodded. "What can I do to help, Sarah?"

I stroked his cheek. "You need to start talking to the other kids again. Prove that you will be okay. Can you do that for me?"

He nodded once again "I can do anything if it means they won't take me away."

"There's a brave boy." I smiled at him.

"You're brave too, Sarah." He returned my smile.

I sure didn't feel brave. I just wanted to run away and disappear into my paradise. But, I had to be strong for him. We needed each other. I couldn't imagine my life without him.

It had been a month since the fire. Things were starting to get back to normal, or as close as they could be to normal. Toby had gone back to school after an extended absence, and even began playing with the other children, though he still wasn't himself. I droped out of college to get a job. It was the hardest decision I had to make, and yet it was also easy. If it meant keeping Toby with me I would have done anything. I now had two jobs, the first in a casino, it didn't pay much, and it was annoying having drunks rub up against me all night long, but I loved the loud obnoxious atmosphere, and the second was a waitress in a diner, seeing people laughing and smiling helped to keep me in a sense of reality.

I had a short break between jobs that I would use to take Toby to school, eat, and take a short nap. After finishing at the diner I was time to pick him back up. As always, he was excited to see me. "Hi Sarah!" He exclaimed as he wrapped me in a hug.

I returned is embrace. "Hi, Toby, how was school today?"

"It was okay, " He replied "We just did the same we always do, but we did get to write a story. The teacher still has to grade them though."

I helped him into the backseat of the car. "You have a wonderful imagination. I can't wait to read it!"

"It was all about you," He buckled himself in as I climbed into the driver's seat. "You were the hero, Sarah."

I twisted around to look at him. "Why did you pick me to be in your story? Why not you?"

"I wanted the other kids to see you like I do. " He smiled "as a hero." It made me feel a little better to know that Toby saw me that way.

When we got back to Katie's house I was surprised to see her spring green Prius in the driveway. She is home early, I thought as I pulled in behind her. "Hey, look Sarah. Katie's home!" He barley waited for the car to stop before he made a mad dash for the front door. I put the car in park and turned off the ignition. I climbed out of the car slowly, as my feet ached, and made my way to the house. I was greeted by the sound of Toby's favorite T.V show.

Just then Katie emerged from the kitchen, she was wearing an apron with a pretty pink floral print, and was drying her hands on a dish towel. She looked very much like a houswife, it made me smile. "Sarah, hey doll-face." She warped me in a hug. "Surprised to see me?"

"Well, yes actually." I replied "Did something happen at work today? Why are you home so early?"

"No no! Nothing like that!" The she waved her hands in front of her face as she she spoke. "It's just that you've been working so hard, and when you come home, instead of resting you have to watch Toby. So, I changed my schedule around a bit so I could watch him after school."

She was so sweet. "You didn't have to do that."

A sad look made its way into her eyes "I'm worried about your health Sarah. You never sleep properly, and you are not eating well either." She had already done so much to help me, and still she only did more for us. I couldn't help but feeling like I was taking advantage of her. "Toby has suffered enough. He needs you, and you need to stay healthy for him. I want to keep you around for both of us."

I could feel the sting of tears behind my eyes. "You are so good to us."

She smiled. "You're my best friend. You've done a lot for me. I'm just retuning the favor. " She reached up and stroked my hair. "Now go get some sleep sweetie. You look like a raccoon."

I nodded, knowing there was no point in pushing her to return to work. I hugged her then Toby, wishing them both a goodnight, knowing they would be asleep when I got up for work, and made my way to the room Katie had set aside for me.

It was a pretty bedroom, decorated with a big bed with a brass frame, elegant, old looking wooden furniture, including a dresser a bedside table, and a large wardrobe. The room was painted a pale spring green and sheer white curtains covered three large windows, including a bay window with a window seat.

In one corner was the entrance to an ajoining bathroom, where I headed now, pajamas in hand. Steam filled the small room as the water in the shower heated. I peeled off my close quickly, glad to be rid of them, and climbed into to shower. The water helped to wash a away not only the stress knotted in my bones, but also to calm my racing brain. It was little moments like this that meant so much to me these days. So, I bathed slowly, enjoying the sent of my shampoos and soaps. I felt refreshed and renewed when I pulled on my jammies a few minutes later.

Once back in the bedroom, I went to my knees beside the bed. Reaching under and pulling out a small wooden box. Its contents were all the things that were pulled from my parents house. It consisted of a few photos, Toby birth certificate, a stuffed bear, a porcline figure, and a book.

Toby and I pulled it out a few times to steal a glance at our past. His favorite thing was the bear. We were both glad to see it survived the fire. After all the day I gave him Lancelot was the day I really grew up. I can't remember what caused the change in me, all I know is that I was glad it happened. I became a better person, a better daughter, and a better sister because of it.

The photos were two of many taken after I embraced my role as a big sister. Karen loved taking photos of us all together, I think she saw that we were truly happy in these compared to our fake smiles in the ones we had from before. These two were taken on the same bright summer day. The first was of me sprawled out on my belly on the grass of our front yard engrossed in a book. In the background you could see my father chasing Toby around. Karen had taken that one and had once told me it was one of her favorites. The second was my favorite. It was of Toby and I sitting on a picnic blanket relaxing in the summer sun. He sat on my lap with his fingers tangled in my long hair, while I held my arms around him protectively and smiled down at him.

Although I loved that photo, my favorite thing was the book. I had hound it buried in the ashes of my bedroom. I never told anyone the details of the story, and my fear of being labeled crazy told me I never would. I felt a strong pull to that part of the room and didn't understand why until I found the book. It was cool to the touch and was covered with a glowing blue light. It was as if it was guarding a great secret meant for me to find.

Since then I have read at least a few pages from the book every night and soon my deep obsession with it found its way into my dreams. Now it seems it has found its way into my waking hours as well, I was seeing little green creatures darting in and out of dark corners, and grotesque looking monsters conversing with normal men and women who seemed completely unaware of their companions horrifying appearance.

Of course, I never talked about these hallucinations. It all went back to that fear of being dubbed insane and an unfit guardian. As it was the county court was already trying to put Toby into a foster home. Its better not to give them anymore reasons to take him away than those they have already established for themselves.

I traced my finger tips over the letters spelling out the title Labyrinth. When I found you I thought you would help me. Show me some kind of deep power within myself. I sighed and opened the cover. Reading the title page I observed that there was no author listed. "Maybe you were sent as a sign of the hardships we would face. What do you think?" I realized the absurdity of what I just said and yanked open the drawer of the bedside table and dropped the book inside. "I really have gone crazy." I climbed under the covers. "Like you could really answer me. "

- Jareth P.O.V -

The magic that I poured into my book had succeeded in protecting it for hundreds of years. That same magic protected it from the fire that took Sarah's home. "I'm sorry Sarah. It wasn't meant to be a sign. But I'm here. I'm listening. If only you would wish it, I could take you away from that world. Let you forget." I sighed and dropped the crystal to my side. Who was I fooling? Even if she did wish herself away if wouldn't make the pain stop. No magic could bring her parents back.

Just then I was interrupted by an intrusion of my chamber. One of my soldiers stumbled through the door, his armor clanking noisily. "Sire -" He began.

"You are supposed to knock." I was annoyed by his lack of respect. "How many times must I repeat myself?" I summoned a crystal containing the image of a boiling pit of black tar.

It was clear he was afraid when he spoke. "I'm sorry Sire. It won't happen again."

I generally preferred not to seriously harm my subjects. There were exceptions of course but lucky for me a couple threats and a few well-placed kicks usually got my point across."It better not." I willed the crystal to dissolve. "Now, what do you want."

The goblin bowed so low he nearly tipped over from the weight of his armor. "Sire, you have a guest." He stepped aside to clear the doorway.

I don't know how I didn't notice the woman standing there before. Her face was one I'd grown up seeing every day. She had pale blue eyes which stood bright against the contrast of green eyeshadow, and pink paint on her lips. Her skin was pale as was her curly blonde hair. Her gown was made of a sheer fabric that matched her eye make-up. While the whole effect was quite pleasing to the eye, she could easily have passed for a mermaid that crawled from the sea.

I was aware of the smile that curled my lips as she approached. "Hello, sister."

"Still cruel as ever I see." She gestured a dismissal to the goblin and turned to me with a grin.

I went to her and embraced her, I only then noticed her bulging belly and pulled away. "You're pregnant?"

She lovingly stroked her stomach. "This will be the first true blood Fae born in a hundred years."

I took her hand and led her over to an armchair near the fireplace and sat down across from her. "What about your human children?"

She paused for a moment and then smiled again. " You are so concerned for the children you cared for. You would make a wonderful father." She swooned. "But, as it is we all knew that none of them would make a proper heir. It would require a child that was at least half Fae."

"Don't misunderstand me sister." I began " I am happy for you, however I am just concerned for how your adoptive children will be treated."

"This child will receive no special treatment from me. I will love it just the same as I do its brother and sister." She stroked her belly again. "I know it is not me you are concerned about."

"Indeed. Gabranth is not exactly a loving man. He didn't want your adopted children as it was, how will he treat them now that he has an heir of his own?"

It was plain to see that I was upsetting her. "Jareth, please just be happy for me. My husband was beginning to bed mortals. If a child had resulted from those unions I would have lost all respect as queen and would have been frowned upon by father. You can not understand the extent of my joy."

I understood why she was so happy to be having a child. It was very hard for Fae to conceive, nearly impossible really. Because of this many Fae Kings wed mortals, however a mortal never is given the title of Queen, that belongs only to a Fae bride. As such, Kings tend to have many wives and usually only the mortal ones will bear children. This means that even though the Queen carries a high title, she is little more than a pretty face for the King's formal arrangements and is often looked down upon and mistreated. By bearing the King's first heir my sister was securing her place in his kingdom. "I'm sorry, Adelaide. I really am happy for you."

"Thank you. " She looked toward the window, no doubt seeing the chaotic storm clouds over the Labyrinth. "Its been six years since she rejected you, and yet that storm still rages."

I didn't have to gaze out the window to know what she was talking about. Everything about the Labyrinth is directly linked to my emotions, the weather was no different. "My heart still yearns for her."

"I wonder how your subjects are fairing. No doubt all this rain has been hard on the crops. I'm sure even you wouldn't mind seeing a bit of sunshine every now and then." She contemplated the clouds for a moment longer. "Still it seems worse recently. Tell me, has something happened?"

I stood to face away from her. I wouldn't let my litter sister, in a time full of so many of her own troubles, see mine. "Addie..." I began. "Sarah's parents died recently."

A/N: Well, there is chapter 3 for you! I hope you enjoied it. This was pretty much a filler chapter and I know some of the information in it is a little confusing, but I promise I will go into more detail later. When Sarah understands, so shall you. Spoiler for the next chapter, Sarah's comes to the underground. Motivate me to type it faster by reviewing!

Till next time,

-B