Disclaimer:

Standard disclaimers apply.

The Labyrinth is the property of Jim Henson and its scriptwriters, including but not limited to Dennis Lee, Terry Jones, Elaine May, and A.H.C. Smith. Characters and concept are used without permission and not for product

Chapter 10- My World or Yours

"VERNA! VERNA MEADE!" The scream came from the sidewalk waking many neighbors in the secluded neighborhood. "YOU NEED TO COME DOWN HERE NOW. THE WHOLE TIME, VERNA, THEY WERE ONE STEP AHEAD OF US. COME DOWN. SHE MADE YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL." The voice was loud but extremely slurred. The light of her bedroom blinked on. The sound of Verna's voice as she argued with a man, probably her husband, made its way down to the extremely intoxicated Frank.

"Frank, what the hell are you doing?" Verna came rushing out, tightening her robe with an angry expession.

"The fuckers, you're not gonna believe this, the fuckers knew what I had planning. Sarah was the rat. Sarah, your fucking cunt of a secretary has been one step ahead of us the whole time." He started shaking in anger.

"Frank, you're drunk. How do you know?" Verna couldn't even believe what he was saying so she thought it had to be impossible. That little meak bitch, acting all troubled and pathetic, when she was really a conniving snake.

"I followed that prick, I trail him sometimes to make sure he isn't going anywhere and there he was, outside of her house. When he got out of her house he was yelling into his phone about something. This is all fucked up. I'm guaranteed best service when I come to you, and look what happens! I'm ready to just get a fucking gun and do it myself." Frank was mumbling to himself, not really realizing how much he was staggering back and forth. The bottle in his hand was almost empty, but he still brought it up to his lips and gulped the rest of it down. Verna took a breath to think this all through when something triggered a memory.

"Wait, Frank, wait…" She ran her hands through her hair again. Then it came to her, Sarah had asked her if she could leave a couple hours early because she had an early rehearsal. "A rehearsal for what?" The ignorant Verna asked, not even really paying attention, too busy sorting through papers. "Romeo and Juliet," Sarah said, but Verna didn't really hear her and so just waved her off.

"Sarah is in Mathew's production…"

"So?"

"So this is a lot bigger than I thought. I promised you guaranteed service and you'll get it, now if we're being watched right now, we're in a lot of trouble. Go home and don't do anything drastic, meet me in my office tomorrow morning, before 9."

"Yeah, yeah…" Frank looked calmed down as he slurred his words. His eyes were red and unfocused.

"Have you been…crying?"

"I can't really go anywhere, Verna…you see, I'm kind of fucking stuck. I totaled the car and live uptown." Frank sat down and put his head in his hands.

"I'll give you a ride," Verna finally said after a long pause.

"Can't do it. Just let me rest here, that's a good fucking plan, I'll rest here. Go upstairs Verna." Frank dropped his head back into his hands and starting groaning.

"I'm not a fucking idiot, Frank. This hit has nothing to do with money, I wanna know right now what's going on. You never get this involved with a case, you usually just shrug it off and trust me, now you're following him around…coming to my office at least twice a day…writing notes you want delivered, you better fucking explain."

"The bastard stole EVERYTHING FROM ME!" The voice seemed to freeze in the air. Verna just gave him a curious look. "How do you think he's so damn rich? All his money was supposed to go to me! It was my money from my father! He stole away everything from me, and that wasn't enough. He had to steal Candy from me too, and now he's making a fool out of me!" Tears started falling down his face. "Fuck, look what you did."

"Look, you know I don't do personal cases, Frank."

"He's gotten everything he's ever wanted. Success, money, women, EVERYTHING. I had to earn mine, but it was handed to him, and does that make him better than me? I don't fucking know. He's just as crooked as me, he fucking pays off more people than I've ever had to, but he never gets caught. I'm just a fucking low time goon and he's a fucking famous actor of the stage, but he doesn't deserve it. He's just as low as me, and yet he looks down at me like a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his show. I thought after he gambled away ALL of my father's money I'd get the kind of fucking feeling I should have, but no, he steals money from me, with no fucking intent on paying me back. He always has the fucking smug look, like hah, look at you Frankie, wouldn't your father be proud at what a fucking failure you are, does it matter how much money you have if how you make it isn't right? Cause than it's the same as how HE makes his money, by using people, manipulating, FUCK! I just want the fucker dead, I want him to die in the worse way possible, I want to look at him like a piece of gum on the bottom of my fucking shoe while he pleads for forgiveness." His voice somehow became strong, filled with a frightening amount of hatred and contempt, but something else was in it. Something Verna couldn't recognize. The truth though was that it was defeat. The tears on his face started to dry and became a kind of stingy comfort to his face. He wiped at it, but it stayed, a reminder that he could never win.

"Come to the office tomorrow, Frank…let's go, I'll get my car keys." Verna finally said.

"Forget about it. Go upstairs. I'm leaving." Frank said after a while. Then he stood and waved her off as she tried to help him. She watched him as he walked away, staggering down the street with an empty whiskey bottle in his hand.

Back in the Labyrinth-

"What is this place?" Toby asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Careful, a tree branch could fall and hit you right on the head." Jareth said. Jareth was leading the small boy deep inside a forest, past dead flowers and broken tree branches and away from patches of ice and snow banks.

"Are we going into the palace?"

"Yes, just stay close behind because there are a lot of dead ends and child tricks." Jareth had a smile on his face when he said that, but Toby didn't ask why. Jareth was remembering when Sarah fell in the oubliette.

That's when Toby saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was one rose that was still alive, still red and full. Still extremely beautiful as it seemed to glow. He went to it and looked at it. At his touch, the flower opened and revealed a ring. The ring was white gold with a huge diamond on top. He grabbed the ring and rushed to catch up with Jareth who was still walking.

"What is this?" Toby asked, the ring outstretched his hand. Jareth turned and looked at the ring.

"So this is it," He said with a stoic expression.

"What is it?" Toby asked, curiosity practically killing him.

"A wedding ring. You see, everything you see is something that Sarah has saw and it is tucked here, kind of like a subconscious." Jareth moved the ring around in his gloved hand. "She must be secretly wishing for Mathew to propose to her…" He took a breath. He handed it back to Toby. "Put it back where you found it, it's never good to take stuff." Toby nodded slowly, not understanding, but instead of putting it back, he tossed it in his pocket.

Jareth was eating an apple beside a tree when Toby finally caught up. Toby sat down at the trunk and started chewing on a piece of gum from his pocket.

"It has gotten a lot worse since I've last been here. Before at least there were some creatures around…they've all gone…" Jareth said softly. Just as he said it a dog bark was heard nearby.

"Goblin King! Goblin King! I, Didymus, am here to duel you, sir, for I will not let you destroy our home, nor our friend, Sir Ludo. On guard!" The voice was small but strong and Toby stood up in fear. Jareth had a smile frozen on his face.

"On your feet, Sir!" Didymus called, and then appeared. Toby almost laughed at the small animal and his ride, which was a sheep dog. The sheep dog looked very similar to Merlin, but he didn't say that.

"Hello Didymus, how nice to see you again." Jareth said calmly. "When did you grow such a back bone?"

"When I realized I had nothing else to lose, your highness! Ludo is back there, sick and can barely speak! I shall not let you destroy him like you did Hoggle!"

"You are mistaken, small friend." Jareth said with a entertained smile. The smile disappeared as he realized what this meant. "Take me to your friend."

"As you wish," Didymus said, and trotted off into the woods. Jareth and Toby followed in silence. Finally they were brought to the tree where Ludo's huge body was laying flat out. A groan was heard from the huge beast and Toby hid behind Jareth in fear.

"Ludo, it has been awhile. Can you speak?" Jareth crouched beside the groaning beast.

"Lu-do in payyne." The beast said slowly but still loudly. His voice was like a growl.

"Where is the pain, Ludo?" Jareth asked. Ludo looked over at him and a tear fell down the side of his face as his large hand reached to the spot that hurt. Toby moved over to get a better look and felt sadness wash over him. The hand was resting gently on his heart. "Your heart hurts Ludo?"

"Lu-do in payyne." The beast only repeated. Jareth reached up to touch his pendent, which was giving off very little warmth.

"This is not my doing, Sir Didymus." Jareth finally said quietly. "And I must inform you, there is nothing I can do here."

"Where is your honor? You'll let the giant die?" Didymus asked, his normally perky voice seemed sad and lost all excitement.

"There is only so much I can do, Didymus. He will disappear and never come back."

"There must be something you can do!" The small but loud voice came from Toby who was now crouched on the other side of Ludo. "He doesn't have to die!"

"Lu-do gooo…" Ludo whispered, his voice deep and drawn out.

"No Ludo! Don't go, I can help you! I know I can!" Toby yelled. "Sarah can help you! I'm sure if she knew what was going on she would help!"

"Sa-rah?" Ludo repeated. "Sa-rah fri-end. Sa-rah."

"Yes Sarah, I'll get her to come back!"

"You can't, Toby." Jareth finally said, wiping his forehead.

"Why not! If she knew…"

"Don't you think I've tried!?" Jareth took a breath and stood. "We must continue."

"I'm not leaving him to die." Toby said. His face resembled Sarah's when she had that determined expression. It was so similar it almost frightened Jareth. After a few moments Jareth sighed.

"Then…we'll just have to take him with us." He finally said. Toby ran up and hugged Jareth tightly making him flinch. He tensed up, but moved his hand to touch Toby's back. The sensation he received from such an embrace, he decided, would forever be remembered.

"Ludo, can you walk?" Jareth asked.

"Sir, if I may…" Didymus interrupted. "What if you used your magic?" Jareth exhaled. How could he tell them that his magic meant nothing in a dying world that didn't believe in such things? He only shook his head and told them it was impossible.

"Lu-do can walk with fri-end." Ludo said. "Toe-bee."

"That's right," Toby smiled, "To-by." A warmth flushed the boys face and he tried to help the gentle giant to its feet. With a lot of effort and sweat, he stood. He was very weak and shaky, his cheeks sunken in and his eyes tired. Ludo clutched his heart, where the pain was, and slowly they started walking again.

"Great, great! Rosaline will than enter the stage, where is Rosaline?" The director's voice was filled with stress. "Rachel Evans! Where is she! Oh my God, can nothing go right!? Sarah, where is Mathew?"

"He got an important phone call and had to go…" Sarah said softly. She was dressed in costume and they were ready to perform the ball scene, except both Rosaline and Mathew were both gone. Cecile didn't even make an expression, but she knew exactly where they both were.

Sure enough, feet away in the dressing room giggles were heard. Rachel Evans, a petite girl with long bleach blonde hair was there along with Mathew Deanly who was cupping her breast and kissing her. The thought had never entered Sarah's head.

"We'll do the scene without him then, let's go. I'll say his lines.. " Kelly said standing beside the stage. Sarah swallowed and looked around the stage at all the unfamiliar faces and suddenly felt so alone. As she said her line she felt completely empty. She closed her eyes and imagined she was looking at someone instead of an empty space. When she opened her eyes, there he stood. She hadn't seen him in such a long time that it almost frightened her, but there he was, Jareth. He only smiled, like a frozen picture. Sarah reached out to touch and him and realized that he wasn't really there- it was only her imagination. Then he disappeared and Mathew came rushing on the stage. Except it really was him, not just her imagination.

"Sorry, I'm back now." He smiled at Sarah and gave her a quick wink. As they went through the rest of the scene, Sarah noticed something about Mathew. She tried to keep her eyes on his, but she couldn't help staring at it. There, on his collar, was a smudge. A lipstick smudge.

"Cecile…" The voice came from behind her and she turned. As always, she was on guard so she kept her facial expression stone-like and invulnerable. That's how she was raised. As soon as she saw the face though, she couldn't help but freeze.

"Frank…" She whispered the name.

"I heard you changed your name…I came to find you, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Look, no one knows about-"

"I know…I wasn't going to tell anyone." He smiled and her heart froze. How terrible she was to him. How could she tell him the story, the true story, the story he could not believe. The story she longed to tell him.

"Well, after my whole rebellious stage against my father, I decided to change it for the stage." She chuckled and threw her hair over her shoulder.

"I figured it was something like that…are you married yet?" Frank, as usual was holding his suitcase and suit jacket. His long sleeved white shirt was wrinkled and his hair was messy, but Cecile didn't care. The question started her though. Did he truly believe she married that monster? The monster that pretended he barely knew her, even though just years before he convinced her to leave her husband for a lifetime with her.

"No," She answered. Her expression grew cold.

"Oh…how would you like to get a coffee?" He smiled again. Somehow that smile always made her heart jump. Especially now, when she needed him more than ever. He froze, moving close to her face. Her heart skidded in her chest as he brushed some of her bangs away. "What happened to your face?" She froze, she had forgotten all about it. The yellowing bruise on her forehead that she had spent all morning trying to cover up. She backed away and held the spot that was pulsating because of his warm touch.

"I hit it one morning on the kitchen cabinet," She forced herself to laugh, "I shouldn't be allowed to make coffee when I'm half asleep."

"You always were an amazing actress, Candy, but I'll always know when your lying."

"You know that's not my name anymore."

"You'll always be Candy to me,"

"Stop! Please just stop, that was so long ago…" She moved away, ignoring the glares of passing people. "Can we just go somewhere to talk? In private?"

"I live just up the street." Frank said. He tried not to let on all the mixed emotions as they walked together. It brought back so many memories. He wanted revenge on her for leaving him, but he loved her so much. He always had and always would. As they entered his apartment he quickly shut the door and locked it.

"You want a beer?" He asked, throwing his keys on the counter and walking toward the fridge.

"No, let's just get it out. Why are you here? To bring back old memories?"

"No,"

"To hurt me because I hurt you? I mean you locked the door."

"No," He almost chuckled.

"Then what, because I don't have time-" And her words were cut off as his lips met hers. The kiss was intimate and brought back memories of rainy nights, beaches and cocktails. Of passionate love making under the sun and of sweet promises made but never kept. They were both swept up in the kiss like a tornado overhead and they had no power, though they chose to believe they did. The kiss held all the power though, and it was unbreakable. Their bodies moved together and formed one as they moved to the bed. Clothes came off and soon they were both there, completely together with nothing holding them back. Only the sunlight came in through the dim room, lighting only what the blinds over the windows let in, illuminating only stripes of their moving bodies.

Soon they were cuddled together, her head resting in the nook of his shoulder. How could she express how much it meant to her that he was still there, not leaving her to feel alone and empty. She kissed his chest. How much she had missed him!

"What really happened?" He finally whispered. His voice was coarse. She dragged her finger up and down his chest.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"To your face. Did he hit you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Baby, you can tell me." His hand reached her forehead.

"Frank, stop."

"Why did you leave me anyways? Do you know what you did when you left me?"

"I'm sorry." She whispered. She wrapped her arms around his chest and kissed him. Their tongues met like velvet and it was hard to tear away. "I'm so sorry Frank." A tear slid down her face. "I was so upset with you." Her eyes met with his directly. "You…you were always gone, and I felt so used, you would come by at night and then be busy all day. You acted like I was a burden, like you regretted taking me with you…"

"Don't say that. That's not true."

"And then…then Mathew came. He was constantly telling me how you were doing stuff with other girls and I was only you're hooker. He told me I was gold…and I had never been called that before. I was Candy, the dirty stripper that would do anything that you asked-"

"-you never were that to me, Candy! I loved you more than I loved anything else in the world. You were everything to me."

"And then you were too busy at night. And he told me of a classy beautiful dark haired woman that you met, how you were so busy with her. So then, I allowed him to stay the night with me. I'm so sorry." She started crying, "If I had known who he was, how he lied just to hurt I wouldn't have. I loved you so much, Frank." He caressed her cheek and kissed away the tears that were sliding down.

"I love you so much." Frank whispered into her hair.

"Then after I moved out with him, he left me. He was constantly with a different girl and I was all alone. Still I believed I could fix it, I thought he still loved me, it was just other girls that were convincing him to leave me. Until he met this recent one…hah,"

"Sarah…"

"You know her?" She sat up in disbelief.

"I saw them together. I know Sarah from a mutual acquaintance." He tried not to show her how his blood boiled just thinking of her name.

"Well, she'll find out sooner or later how horrible he really is. I wish I could tell her."

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter…" She took a breath. "Let's just move on. Just take me away from here, and I'll be your Candy again, I just want to leave."

"Not until the end of the production."

"Romeo and Juliet?"

"Yes, I have some unfinished business, and I want to see you perform." He kissed her on the cheek.

"2 weeks…it feels like a year." She sighed, sitting up and lighting a cigarette.

"Tell me about it." Frank Freemont agreed. He remembered the meeting with Verna Meade that morning and almost sighed in relief. 2 more weeks would feel like forever , but at least he knew it was for sure going to happen. 2 weeks from now, Frank Freemont would be dead, and so would the rat, Sarah. He could hardly wait.

Back in the Labyrinth-

"So this is the palace? It's practically gone." Toby touched a brick that was falling out of the wall.

"Yes, well, it used to be a lot different."

"Where are we going in here?"

"Your highness, me and Ludo will rest here. I am getting very tired and so is my noble steed." Didymus yawned before sitting. Toby gave a panicked look to Jareth who simply nodded once.

They continued walking until they came to a large wooden door. The door had a taboo like design and Jareth slowly opened it, telling Toby to stay a safe distance behind him. When they entered Toby was in complete disbelief. The lighting was almost a green, which made the brick shine and the walls bright. The room was very long and led to a large mirror. The mirror was made from gold with swirls and intricate designs. Toby followed Jareth to this mirror, slightly hidden behind him.

"Mirror, do you still exist?" Jareth asked. His voice was noble and confident. The mirror did not answer. A breath escaped Jareth's lips. "If the mirror does not exist anymore, than the Labyrinth is doomed."

"Why, Jareth…don't you know that to say that is bad for your health…and mine too." The playful laugh came from the mirror.

"Ardimus, you frightened me. I thought you too were gone."

"I would be the last to go, as you well know…"

"Well, almost all the creatures are gone, including all the goblins. There are only a few left and they are dying as well."

"You think I do not know this? Ah," The mirror chucked, "you brought a friend." A face appeared in the mirror. The man was made from smoke and had long hair and playful eyes.

"Yes, this is Toby." Jareth said, a smile on his face. He pushed Toby forward.

"You think I do not know that? Hello Toby, you are one of the causes I exist." The mirror laughed. "And your sister thinks very dearly of you."

"Thanks." Toby said quietly.

"This is a very dark sight for a child to see."

"Yes, well I thought he could help save you."

"Jareth, I think we both know that I am past the point of saving…" Ardimus lost his smile.

"No, no you're not!" Toby stepped forward. "If Sarah knew she would believe…"

"It's more then just believing child…but alas, not all stories have good endings. And you my child, have the same spirit as your sister." Ardimus smiled.

"Jareth, you still believe we could save the Labyrinth, don't you?" Toby looked up at the man as if he had all the answers. Jareth felt the pendent on his chest. It wasn't even warm.

"How is the pendent, Jareth?"

"I wish I could say it's warm." He said quietly.

"Yes, well, that's how it works sometimes. I still can't believe she gave it to you instead of me." Ardimus laughed.

"What is the pendent?" Toby asked.

"The child is certainly a curious one." Ardimus said. "Curiousity is power. Curiousity is what fuels the world. Curiousity is what creates worlds…I'm surprised you don't have one."

"I could have a world?" Toby asked.

"No, I do not believe so. You are too much a part of a world…this one. If you were here 5 years ago you would see everything. All the creatures and all the beauty this place had. You would recognize most things as items around your house, or things you see at school, because that's were we get our imagination. It blooms from something small, such as…a book." Ardimus smiled.

"The Labyrinth…the book Sarah would read…" Toby said.

"Yes, where Jareth was the villain. That's how she saw him."

"Ardimus, we must stop with story time. I would give this place 1 week to live, if you can just help me out somehow…"

"And how could I do that? I'm only a vessel…I have no control over her mind. Only you can help her."

"I can't…" Jareth whispered.

"Ah, love. A double edged sword really. If she falls in love with you, the Labyrinth lives, but you lose your own world." Ardimus sighed. "So you either choose Sarah, or your world…"

"It's not as easy as that…my world has my powers. My world has been around for centuries."

"Yes, but there are no creatures. No friends, there you lived a lonely existence. What good is that? There was no beauty there. Nothing worth value." Ardimus kept his eyes on Jareth's.

"Look, I'll do what I can, but I know she loves someone else."

"Mathew?" Toby looked over at Jareth. "He's nice."

"Dear child, anyone can claim to be nice. It is really an easy guideline to go by, but what is his true character. Jareth knows. Do you still watch, Jareth?"

"Stop Ardimus," Jareth's voice became angry.

"Tell the boy the truth about Sarah's lover. I know you still watch her. I've seen it." Ardimus looked at Toby. "Mathew Deanly is not who he seems. Mathew Deanly is something else…"

"Ardimus, the boy will not understand."

"You see, Tobias, Mathew Deanly is the real villain. He will hurt Sarah in the end."

"I don't understand…" Toby whispered.

"Toby, I think it's time to go. I have stopped time for long enough. You must get back to camp."

"I DON'T want to go back there!" Toby almost yelled. "You can't make me."

"Toby…you must."

"I need to warn Sarah!" Toby said.

"Do what you must, but remember this child- curiosity is power because curiosity shows an interest in life. Without that, you are just a walking body without meaning. A life without curiousity is a life without interest, a life without dreams and a life without imagination. Remember this, boy."

And with that…Toby woke up.