Sarah was biking as fast as she could, making record time to her house. She practically threw her bike to the ground and made her way to the garage. As the door rose up, she looked for a friendly, furry face to greet her. But she didn't see one. Guess he's sleeping.

Walking into the garage, Sarah looked around. "Merlin, I'm...Merlin?" Where is he?

Maybe Karen warmed up to him and let him inside. Yeah, I bet that's it.

...Wait...

Sarah looked over her shoulder at the driveway and noticed for the first time that Karen's car wasn't there. There's no way Karen would let Merlin inside if she wasn't home. Then where's my dog?!

She ran into the house to call her father and the local animal shelter. But before she'd even taken three steps into the house, something caught her eye. ...Whose shoe marks are these on the rug? Nobody wears high heels here. They hurt like hell! I can't believe that Natasha woman could drive in those...

Natasha.

Her words echoed through Sarah's mind again: "But he wants to hurt that owl. And he wants to hurt you."

Panic rose up inside of her live lava in an active volcano. He's in you room, she thought. Sarah repeated that with every step she took up the stairs. He's in your room, he's in your room, he's in your room…"

Sarah gripped the doorknob to her bedroom until the knuckles on her hands were white. "Jareth, I'm back!" She yelled through the door. And with that she swung it open. "Ready to work on those…"

Sarah Williams' scream could be heard by the next door neighbors.

The crate was open. And she was the only one in the room.

She honestly didn't remember walking back down the stairs, but with the tears flooding her eyes it was probably more like stumbling. Yet somehow she managed to get a hold of the phone in the kitchen and dial a number.

"Hey, Sarah, I'm glad you called," Fran said. Lulu's going to the zoo tomor...Are you crying? Sarah, what's wrong?"

Sarah was choking back sobs at this point. "...Th-they took him," she quivered. "I dunno how but...Karen left...nobody was here and they got in."

"Sar, hold on. I don't understand."

"Na-Natas did it! He got into the house and he….he took Jareth. And they took M-Merlin, too. I saw Natasha's footprints."

Silence filled the other end of the phone.

"I don't know what to do. I have no idea where they could've gone," Sarah sniffled. "There's nothing for police to go on." She paused to try to catch her breath. "It's over, Fran. ...I failed. Jaret's never gonna go home. And I'm never gonna see my dog again." After that final sentence, she let the tears consume her. The next few minutes were filled with only the sound of her sobs.

"...Is that any way for the girl who beat the Labyrinth to talk?" Fran asked.

She sniffled. "Hmm?"

"This isn't the first time you've lost someone important. When Jareth took Toby what did you do?" Her voice was strong and determined.

"Fran, this isn't like that. Jareth is nothing like Na-"

"I'll tell you what you didn't do. You didn't cry about it. You didn't say that you failed. Sarah Williams, you got to the castle for one reason and one reason only. You did not. Give. Up! You solved all the riddles, got through every obstacle, and beat the Goblin King! You did the impossible!"

Sarah wiped her eyes and thought.

"The only question is...what are you going to do now?"

Sarah's lip stopped quivering. Her eyes had finally cleared. "...I'll tell you what I'm gonna do," she began. "I'm gonna call the police and tell them what kind of car Natasha drives. I saw it yesterday, and I know she was here. She might not have Jareth and Merlin but she has to know who does. Then I'll call my Dad and let him know what's going on. And leave a note for Karen. I'm not coming back home until I found my dog and my friend!"

"That's the Sarah I know and love! And I'm helping! What's the plan for us?"

"We're biking all around town looking for either Natasha's car or Nata's van. One of them has to have them."

Good thing I just ate half a box of Twinkies! I'll be right there."

"Alright. And Fran?"

"Yeah?"

"Bring the crowbar."

The road to execution was long and winding. Jareth had no clue how long he'd been in the passenger seat of the van, but it felt like hours. Natasha was silent the entire time. The only sound other than the engine was Merlin barking. He may not be the smartest animal, but at least he knows when there's danger. Not that it's going to help.

She finally stopped the van and put it in park. Jareth could hear the sound of water nearby. He looked at the woman next to him. Natasha was gripping the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. She was staring into space. She began to speak quietly, but didn't look at him. "...I'm not like him, you know. Natas."

Jareth didn't know what she meant by that. She'd brought him to the Facility, she worked there…

"I didn't know what I was signing up for," Natasha whimpered. "I thought...I thought I would be doing good. I thought I was going to try to cure disease, save lives."

Hold on...are you giving me your life story right before you murder me? That's a little strange. Yet he continued to listen.

"I didn't mind so much about the animals, honestly. Not when I took the job. My parents never had pets. I thought it would be alright. I didn't...I didn't realize…" Tears were starting to fill her eyes. "Not until I started working for Natas. I've seen him do...horrible things. Sometimes for no reason at all. No reason apart from he's angry and decides to take out some rabbit's spleen to make himself feel better!" Lines of black mascara began to run down her cheeks.

"Once I saw how bad it was...I wanted to leave. I still want to. That was three years ago. But...I can't. He knows I've seen him do what he does. He's afraid I'll tell someone. He could go to jail for a very long time if I did. He's threatened me time and time again." She started to shake, her lip quivering. "I'm so afraid…"

And before he knew what was going on, Natasha began to sob loudly into her hands. Her body began to shake and tremble as she cried. Hey eye makeup smudge until she resembled a racoon. "I don't know what to do," she said in shaking breath. "He carries a gun...all the time. And he knows where I live. That's the only reason I do any of this."

Jareth thought for a moment. So she only started this because she wanted to help people. She didn't realize what that really entailed. That right there actual proves her point, she is very different from Natas. The more he thought about it, out of the three former doctors, Natasha was the kindest in comparison. She was the one who made sure all of the animals had food and water for the day. Jareth had never heard her yell at any of the animals. And when Natas was planning on deafening and blinding me, she spoke up and did what she could. Granted, I still would have been blinded, but it's not like she could've stopped that.

Natasha sniffled and started to talk again, finally looking at him. "Natas isn't wrong with his suspicions. I warned your friend Sarah so she could be prepared for something like this. Clearly it didn't work but...I tried. When he would make me go check the traps every day...every other animal, I would let go. Evens were set free, odds I had to take." She slowly reached between the bars of his cage and stroked the top of his head with one of her long nails. "You were unlucky. Number thirteen that day."

Why am I not surprised?

"I tried to help you get out though. Remember who it was who suggested Natas take you to the high school. I knew you were a smartie. I was hoping you would find a way to get out."

If that's true, which it certainly sounds it...then without your help, Sarah never would've known I was even in her world to begin with!

"And that key...the one I lost….it wasn't an accident."

...What?

"I put in in the woods hoping somebody would find it. Then I pretended to look for it the rest of the day to make him think I was still loyal to him. I just hoped somebody would find the key and do something." Jareth saw her smile a bit for the first time. "And they did. Your friends Sarah and Francis figured it out, and now Natas can never hurt animals again. Or Cane."

Just as quickly as it came, the smile became a frown again. "But it didn't do much for you, did it? Not to mention that poor girl is gonna lose her dog." Tears began to flow again. "I don't want to do this...but I'm too afraid of Natas. I wouldn't do any of this if it wasn't for him.

"Every night, I go to my bed...but every time I close my eyes, all I see are sharp tools and animals in pain. Every time there's silence, I hear animals screaming." She paused to wipe her eyes. "It's the most ironic thing in the world...but ever since I began working for him, I've made sure to only buy cruelty-free makeup brands!"

And we're back to sobbing again. Miss Banks, I have no idea what you're trying to say.

In shaking breath, he heard her whisper, "I don't know what to do….so afraid….I need help…so scared."

A minute passed with only Natasha's cries and Merlin's howls. Realization stuck Jareth like a punch from a pro wrestler. 'Rescue the damsel in distress from the dark tower she has placed herself in.'...My God, it's you! You're the damsel! The dark tower you're stuck in is Natas. Even though you don't work for him anymore, you still can't escape him. He's scared you too much for you to try to do anything. And you placed yourself in the tower because you took the job, but you didn't realize what you were really doing! I figured it out!

But how in the world am I supposed to help you? I can't even talk! And if I could, what would I say?

You've got to do something, though. You can't just live the rest of your life under his thumb. In that moment, Jareth realized that Natasha was very much like the dwarf from the Underground. Always living in fear, doing whatever you're told just to avoid the consequences. But you can't live that way. One day, you just have to do what you know is right. You need to face your fears. You've got to….wait a moment. That might work. She just has to understand.

Jareth began to write the two words on the floor of his cage. About halfway though, Natasha stopped crying a bit and looked at him. "...How are...how are you doing that?"

He had her attention. Once the final letter was written, which wasn't easy upside-down, he looked up at her. The woman's eyes got very large at the sight of what he'd written:

STAND UP

You're the only person who can stop Natas. You have evidence against him, you were a witness. You know he followed Sarah home. You know what he's doing is wrong. Natasha, you have to face your fears. If you don't, you'll just be like the dwarf, or…. Or like a certain king who really never leaves his castle and keeps to himself because…because he doesn't want to get attached to people who can leave him like his family did…

But the problem is that when he needs somebody, no one is there.

A minute of quiet passed with just Jareth and Natasha just staring at each other.

Everyone does bad things, sometimes without even realizing. We all make mistakes. Believe me, I've committed my share, Jareth told her mentally. But it's not too late to fix it, Natasha. It's never too late to change. I think that's what these clues are trying to show me.

I really wish you could hear this, because it's pretty inspirational.

Yet the look in her hazel eyes told Jareth that somehow, some way, the message had been received. And to his great joy, that idea was reinforced as Jareth watched Natasha take a key out of her pocket and free him. He jumped onto her leg, scarring her just a little. But after a few seconds, Natasha smiled and stroked under his chin. "You're a very smart bird."

So I've been told.

A/N: Who knew it was her? Be honest now.