Another which is only vaguely linked to the prompt. Sorry about that. Since it is so vague, I'll give you guys a hint: tampon bleeding bleeding hearts. Fear my thought process.

Oh and a fun fact; I kept writing 'me' a lot. Freudian slips, I think. Toby, let me wish myself away to you! …then again, Moppet wouldn't like that…oh well. :D

Also, I, like the lunatic I am, took up another prompt table from the original challenge list for Scorpius Malfoy/Lily Luna Potter. If any of you are HP fans, I'll be putting that one up soon enough.

Prompt: "Tampon"

Today had not started out well for Toby; earlier, around midnight, he awoke to the insistent tugging of someone Wishing away a child. He regretfully slipped out of bed without waking Moppet and quickly dressed himself before leaving with a group of goblins. He was surprised to find himself on the lawn of a very large estate, in front of a very expensive looking house. He sighed and waved the goblins ahead while he walked with a more sedate pace up to the mansion.

If it wasn't for the fact he knew instinctually where the Wisher was with the child, he would have gotten lost for sure. The goblins didn't have the same gift though, so he had to lead them through the house. He didn't bother to stop them from mischievously ransacking the place however as they walked to the child.

By the time they reached the child, a five year old boy at most unfortunately named Erin, the Wisher had left the room. The young boy looked up at Toby with tear tracks running down his freckled cheeks. "Who are you?"

Toby squatted down next to him. "I'm Toby."

"…are you the Goblin Queen?" Erin asked in horror.

Toby twitched and tried to be patient. "King. Goblin King, actually."

"Oh…have you come…to take me away?"

Toby sighed and kneeled on one knee to get more comfortable. "Afraid so; I have to collect children when they get wished away."

"But Dad, he didn't…" Erin bit his lip. "I know he didn't mean it! When mom was still ali…"

Toby quietly gazed at him as he trailed off in tears. "…there's still a chance for him to get you back."

Erin's eyes went wide. "…there is?"

"Mmmhmm. I'll tell you in a bit; first, I gotta send you ahead. Your dad will be back in a second, and I have to talk to him first," he explained, feeling the Wisher's presence drawing near. Erin reluctantly nodded. Toby grabbed one of the goblins before they could all disappear. "Wake Moppet and tell her what happened—but knock first before you go into the room. You don't want what happened last time to happen again, do you?"

The goblin shook his head vigorously then disappeared with the others. Toby walked over to Erin's bed and sat patiently on the edge, waiting for the Wisher to come in. When he did, Toby glared at him although he was mostly hidden by the shadows.

"Erin? Erin, I wanted to talk with you. I'm-" the Wisher, Steven Toby's magic supplied, stopped dead when he suddenly realized the figure sitting on the edge of the bed wasn't his son. "Who are you? How did you get in here? This isn't—Erin! Where are you? What did you do with my son?"

Toby stood. "Nothing that you didn't wish for."

Steven's eyes widened. "But I just…I didn't mean it!"

"You said the words. You Wished him away, and now he's mine." Toby paused. "But you can get him back, fair and square."

Steven looked torn between his horror and his desire to punch Toby's lights out. "How?"

Toby lifted his chin and began to explain, but he wondered if this man would actually be different from the others.

By the time Moppet woke to a goblin pummeling door, Toby had already returned. Moppet found him sitting on his throne with a young boy on his knee, both of them eagerly gazing into a crystal. "Toby?" she called. "What's going on?"

"He's actually trying, Moppet, he's actually inside the Labyrinth right now," Toby declared with a grin.

Moppet blinked at him. "Who is?"

"My Dad!" the little boy explained happily before returning his gaze to the crystal.

"Oh? Were you …Wished away then?" she asked, as she came to stand by them. Toby scooted over and let her sit next to him. She looked in the crystal and some 30 some year old running through a long corridor. He didn't seem to be aware of any of the turns or openings as he raced right past three consecutive openings. "How's he doing?"

"He made it in and he's still 12 hours and…" he checked the clock. "43 minutes left."

"Go, dad!"

"Toby, I…" she paused then tugged sharply on his sleeve to get his attention. Toby blinked and looked up at her. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

He finally nodded then handed the crystal to the boy before picking up off his knee. "Erin, do me a favor and don't wander about. It's easy to get lost in here, okay?" Erin nodded but never took his gaze off the crystal. Toby patted once on the back before standing and walking out of the throne room with Moppet to his office. "Something wrong? I know it's really early, but-"

"I don't mind that." Much, her brain added. "But, Toby, you must realize what could happen if someone beats the Labyrinth. You could lose all your power and-"

"End up like Jareth," Toby finished. "Which, all considering, isn't too bad off really."

Moppet frowned. "Toby, be serious."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "…even if I did lose…I'd rather lose and have Erin go back to his father than have the tear the two apart."

"Toby! You're saying you'd…" She bit her lip to keep from yelling. "…you'd give up everything? You magic? Your home? Your friends…?" she trailed off, looking betrayed.

Toby's eyes widened as he suddenly realized why she was so upset. "I-no, Moppet, that…" he paused and tried to gather his thoughts into something clearer. "Moppet, what I mean is…when I found out I was…Wished away myself, I felt so ill and Sarah…I didn't know if I could forgive her at first. I mean, I thought about it after awhile, I just, Sarah was always there for me and decided that I could forgive her but…to be Wished away…to know that you aren't wanted at all…it hurts so much… I know that that probably doesn't make any sense but-"

"No."

Toby blinked and looked up at her; her eyes looked distant and hazy, like she was far away from him. "…Moppet?"

"No, I understand…" she paused and shook her head, at what he wasn't sure. "Let's…just back out there before he tries to find his father himself."

Toby nodded reluctantly and walked out behind her.

Considering that Steven, the Wisher, the Runner, or whatever the goblins called him as well, had started running in the middle of the night the fact of the matter was he just wasn't getting anywhere very fast. Toby practically had to send anyone, be they fairy, goblin, or even a chicken once, to go help him out into new corridors. Finally, Toby gave up and went to go help Steven himself (which Spittledrum assured had never been done before and caused the Goblin Mayor to glare when he left).

"You're never going to get anywhere at this rate," he called down to Steven from his perch on one of the walls of the Labyrinth.

Steven gaped up at him. "Whenever I tried climbing up there, the wall dropped over!"

"Yeah, well, being king has its perks," he shrugged then mentally winced as Moppet's words floated back to him. "Anyway, you need to pick up the pace. You only have," he paused to look pointedly over Steven's shoulder, prompting the man to look at the clock that Toby had conjured there. "…five hours, twenty three minutes." He frowned. Sarah didn't take this long, did she?

"It's not my fault!" Steven snapped, rounded upon him. Toby was glad he was out of reach. "I can't find my way here and no one's that helpful and…" He paused and took a deep breath. "Look, please…is Erin…is he alright?"

Toby tried to look dispassionately about it. "He's worse off than what he was an hour ago," he answered cryptically.

"Well, what's that supposed to mean?" Steven asked, looking panicked. "For all I know you've already turned him into a…please…"

Toby cocked his head to the side like a curious cat. "Please what?"

"Please…I…he's the only thing of his mother I have left! I can't…I need him."

Toby frowned darkly. "'The only thing left of his mother'? If the only reason you're running is to try and maintain the memory of his mother, then just give up and get out! No wonder you haven't got anywhere," he spat, his expression shadowed. "If you want to get him back, you're going to want to get him back because you want him back, not some memory." Steven looked gob smacked up at him and Toby wondered about his outburst himself. He frowned and glanced back to the clock. "Time's running out. You need to decide now."

Steven finally stopped staring to scowl at him then turned and began to stalk off down the corridor. As he left, Toby closed his eyes and called on the Pathmaker, the heart of the Labyrinth. It told him that while Steven wasn't on the easiest path to the castle, (which he had missed two corridors back), he was now on one that could eventually lead him out to the castle. Satisfied with whatever help he'd manage to supply, he changed into an owl and flew back to the castle.

When he arrived back, he found Moppet watching him with a curiously blank expression. He took it to mean that she wasn't quite pleased with him, but since he couldn't really think of how he was supposed to make it any better, he joined Erin (along with Daniel and Ashley, who had woken up just a bit ago) and returned to watching the crystal.

After a long while, Toby looked up to the clock. He glanced over to Moppet to see her looking away from the clock to look at him. They shared an uneasy glance before standing.

"Erin," he began, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Come along."

Erin finally pried his eyes away to glance up warily at him. "But…Dad's almost here—he's at the City Gates, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," Moppet answered. "We need to go meet him."

"Oh," Erin said then handed the crystal to Toby. "That's a good thing, right?"

Moppet and Toby shared a look. "…let's hurry up and go," Toby suggested gently. Moppet, Erin, Daniel, and Ashley followed Toby out of the castle until they came to the town square. Goblins of all shapes and sizes, from the castle and from the town, came and joined them as they waited for Steven to run up to them.

"Dad!" Erin shouted as he saw his father race over; he would have run over, but Moppet kept a firm hold on his shoulder.

Steven paused in front of them, desperately trying to catch his breath. "Er-Erin?" he wheezed. He looked up at Toby. "Did I make it? Can we go back home now?"

Toby looked at him with a sad look, caught between bitter disappointment and regret. Finally he looked pointed over his shoulder to where a clock hung in the air. Steven followed the look with desperation mounting.

13: 25.

Steven moaned and fell to his knees, weeping bitterly.

Moppet glanced unhappily between him, Toby, and Erin, who didn't quite seem to get what was wrong. Ashley and Daniel, who didn't quite get it either but knew enough to know that the crying was a very bad sign.

Toby sighed. "Erin…" he called to the boy, not looking up. "You may…you should say …'goodbye' now."

Finally the gravity of the situation hit the little boy. He stared up with wide eyes as Moppet let go of him. He walked numbly at first to his father side then broke into a run and tossed himself at him. His father sobbingly clutched him close. "Erin…Erin…I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean…I never meant for any of this to happen…"

"I know, Dad," Erin cried into his father's shoulder.

Toby could only allow for this to go on so long—finally, Spittledrum grimly coughed to catch the king's attention. Toby glanced at him before looking up at the two. "Erin, it's time to go now." Neither of them appeared to hear so Toby nodded to two of the guard to separate them.

"Wait," Steven begged as they pulled his son away.

"Dad!"

Toby felt a hand grip his shoulder and he turned to see Moppet lean against him. Shortly after that, Daniel reached up to grab the hand on his free side while Ashley buried her face into Moppet's side. Sighing, he squeezed Daniel's hand, nodded to Moppet, and finally turned to go back to the castle, nearly forgetting about Steven altogether.

Not that that last long.

"I wish…I wish for you to return my son to me!"

Several goblins began to excitedly chatter before glancing up at Toby.

"We do not always get…" began a voice that Toby recognized as the Wiseman, the wandering goblin sage of the Labyrinth. "What we wish for."

"So there," his hat added.

Toby sighed; a part of him had wished it would work but had felt no power tug of a Wish. He moved to leave again.

"Then I wish that the goblins would take me away," he shouted. "Right now."

To his surprise, Toby felt the powerful tug of a Wish. He nearly bent over from the power of it, drawing a startled "Are you alright?" from Moppet. He turned to look at the desperate Steven before looking at the Wiseman.

Even the Wiseman looked baffled.

"Well…" his hat said. "Would that count?"

The Wiseman paused to consider it. "…there is…no rule forbidding someone…from Wishing themselves away," he said at last.

"Nonsense and balderdash, it's never been done before," Spittledrum spat.

Toby looked back to Steven and then to the Wiseman.

"…if someone believes enough…and wants to Wish away…someone. The Goblin King…must answer," he said.

"…would there even be anyone to run for you?" Toby asked uncertainly.

"No one," Steven answered swiftly. "It's just me and Erin…please…?"

Toby paused and looked at the goblins. "Well, guys, he Wished himself away…go get him."

The goblins cheered that they now had two people Wished away in one day and gladly began to tug Steven to the castle. The guards, at loss, let Erin go. The minute the boy was free, he ran over to his father side.

Moppet and Toby shared a look before walking home themselves.

"Does this mean we'll both be goblins?" Erin asked him as they caught up. Toby smiled.

Moppet separated from the impromptu celebration that had spontaneously occurred when everyone made it to the throne room, and left to join Toby on a balcony. Inside, she could see Erin and Steven sitting at the place of honor at the foot of the throne while the goblins happily partied around them. In the crowd, Daniel played darts with some goblins while Ashley danced with some others. It looked quite inviting really but at the moment, Moppet felt the need to talk to Toby.

"I would think that you would want to be partying in there too," she said, drawing his attention as she joined him at the balustrade that he was leaning upon. He looked back at her and smiled a bit. "Aren't you happy?"

"I am," he admitted. "But I was thinking…about what you said earlier…"

"I…didn't mean to be harsh then," she said quickly before he could continue. "I was just a little upset because-"

"I know," he replied, lifting one arm up to grab her hand for a squeeze. "What I meant was I was thinking about…having to give up my power and such."

"Oh…"

"I…could live without my powers," he said finally.

Her eyes went wide. "Toby-"

"No, let me finish." He paused. "I…could live without magic…or being King even…but I really don't want to live…without you."

She felt herself blushing like he himself was.

He cleared his throat. "That's why I've decided…in case I ever do lose it…I want you to become the next Goblin Ruler."

Moppet's jaw dropped. "But, Toby, I don't have magic or-"

"Oh, that's kind just part and parcel to the whole Heir thing," he answered. He squeezed her hand. "I just…if any were to happen, I know I can trust on you to take care of everything. …and even if I do loose, you could keep me around if you want," he explained with a playful grin.

"…you scheming little…" she started but felt a grin tugging on her lips to match his. She huffed finally and shrugged. "It would be an honor."

They kissed quickly before smiled and led her back inside. "You know," he began, address the party-goers. "This just isn't good enough. Skub!" he called to his friend.

The pig snouted goblin looked up. "Yes, Toby?"

"I think we could some of the elf wine." There was a great cheer from the crowd. "19… oh, 1992, if you have it."

Skub nodded happily. "Right away, Toby."

"1992?" Steven asked, confused. "Isn't that a bit…early."

Toby chuckled. "Time in the Underground just doesn't run at the same pace."

"And…that makes it better?"

Toby grinned. "Oh, much better."

Steven shrugged.

Toby turned to glance back at Moppet. "You won't be having any, will you?"

She glared good-humoredly and smacked his shoulder.