Hello! I haven't published a fanfiction in a long time, although I still write them constantly. This is something I've had rattling around my head for a few months and I decided there's no time like the present. I know there are a million different Labyrinth Fanfics but I'm hoping my take is interesting to someone
Warning – Rated M for mature content –Expect explicit language, abuse, smut, dark themes and a dark Jareth at times

Disclaimer- I do not own anything Labyrinth or Jim Henderson Productions related, this is just purely my own take on these beloved characters.

Apologies for the formatting, I tried uploading it originally and everything went a bit weird, hopefully this upload looks correct!

Sarah stared at herself in the mirror, trying to hold back the tears that came to easily of late. She couldn't will herself to say the words, to even muster a whisper that she knew would go unanswered. It didn't matter how many times she said she needed her friends. Whether she screamed, begged or cried there was no longer any response.

It had been around two and a half years since Sarah had run the Labyrinth. She was just two days away from her eighteenth birthday but not a day went by that she didn't find her thoughts drifting to the Underground. Initially her friends visited regularly. She could speak directly with them through her mirror if she wanted to. She would often find their reflections in the lake by her house or catch them out of the corner of her eye, just out of vision. It was comforting to know her friends were always there, her guardian angels, watching on and cheering for her. Of course she'd also catch a glimpse of a mischievous Goblin pulling pranks. She'd seen them stealing unimportant things from students around school, pick pocketing people on the street, riling up animals. Sometimes she would see them seeming to hover around a pram and she'd get a strange chill but she knew they couldn't really hurt anyone, could they? Either way they'd never bothered her directly, and she'd never seen anything other than a few mean spirited pranks. Her biggest issue with seeing them was that it drew her thoughts to Him, unable to stop imagining those mismatched enchanting eyes on her just out of sight.

But as time went on she saw her friends less and less. No longer did she catch any Fae in the corner of her eye, the world was back to the mundane. No longer did her friends show up spontaneously in her mirror just when she needed them, she would just stare at her own hollow face for as long as it took for her tears to blur her vision. It started gradually, not being able to reach them for a few days, then weeks and then months without contact. Slowly they faded from her life and for six straight months there had been no signs at all.

A deafening silence filled the room but Sarah could still hear was her broken heart beating painful in her chest. In those cold lonely moments doubt crept in like a parasite. What if she was insane? What if her imagination has truly leaked over into reality and she was broken. She looked broken. Sarah had never been vain, but it hurt to see how she looked now. Gone was her dark flowing hair that had served to highlight her pale flawless skin. Gone was her knowing smile, full of mystery and confidence. Gone were her piercing green eyes, once full of passion and joy. Now her hair was unkempt and dull. Her skin had gone from pale to nearly translucent, she just looked sickly. The only real colour on her face were the dark circles under her eyes that had become a permanent fixture. Even her large almond shaped eyes looked small and sunken in her hollowed, pained face. The light in them was going out.

Rather than torture herself with the silence and watching the hope drain even further from her reflection, instead she went into that draw. She had to keep everything hidden as Irene was always on a warpath to deliberately upset her. No matter how much Sarah begged her father, it was apparently impossible for him to deny his precious wife anything. The thought of Irene getting her nosy hands on her precious memories filled Sarah with such dread.

Instead of ever risking that, Sarah had put a false bottom into her vanity tables draw. She had the draw locked at all times despite the way Irene would stare coldly at it any time she intruded into Sarah's room. Thankfully she had never pushed the issue because Sarah wasn't sure she would win.

In truth she probably didn't need to go to such extremes, but they were so precious to her she couldn't bare the thought of anyone else seeing them. Hidden in the draw was a little oak box that held the few things that reminder her she wasn't losing her grip on reality. At times like these, where her memories grew hazy and her doubts grew, she pulled them out to remind herself that not everything is as it seems.

The oak box itself was a gift. The night after she had ran the labyrinth she awoke to find it laying on the bed next to her. She should have been scared that someone was able to get so close to her when she was so vulnerable but her mind was to intrigued by the beautiful present. The wood was so soft to the touch as Sarah lovingly caressed the lid without even realising her hand had moved. There had been something hypnotic about the box that even now Sarah could not explain. It was covered in intricate cravings that seemed to move of their own accord if she stared at them to long. Sarah has assumed it had been a gift from one of her wonderful new friends, possible Hoggle who seemed most likely to make something like this. However one glance inside showed exactly who had sent her the gift. Inside was a single crystal ball and a note that read

I can be generous Sarah

She had instantly hide the crystal inside a small velvet bag, for fear it would allow him to watch her. She could not get rid of the box though. It was so beautiful it seemed almost a crime to destroy. Originally she had hidden it under her bed, but with every reminder of the Labyrinth it seemed to most logical place to store her treasures in. But in nearly three years she still had not once removed the crystal from the bag.

She pulled out the little oak box that she kept everything hidden within and ritualistically pulled everything out one at a time.

First was a little red plastic bracelet, covered in scuff marks. Hoggle had returned it to her that first evening after she'd beat the labyrinth. She'd begged him to keep it and explained that it really wasn't anything precious at all but he just wouldn't listen. Even just looking at the bracelet bought back the memory of that night, she could practically hear his voice echoing.

"I aint no scoundrel, just wouldn't be right. I trickes you out of it Sarah, just don't feel right to me. I mean after….all I did, I don't deserve it" He'd stammered, and no matter how much Sarah laughed at his strange sudden moral code he wouldn't hear of it.

Next was possible the most ordinary looking thing in the box, a plain rock. It seemed silly to keep but it reminder her so much of Ludo she had to save it. One evening Sarah had joked that Ludo should try and teach her to speak to rocks. After many hours of failed attempted Ludo comforted her in his normal sweet manner that the rocks did like Sarah, they just could not understand her. She hadn't really expected a different outcome, but had kept the rock all the same. She liked to imagine that one day, just maybe, she could make it understand her.

She pulled out the owl feather from the box and felt a shiver go down her spin. The feather she'd kept not as a reminder of her adventure in the Labyrinth, but a warning to herself not to repeat the same mistakes. A week after she'd won Toby back, she'd been tucking him into his crib when heard a strange sound coming from the balcony. Still on edge after what had happened, she rushed to the balcony to find a single feather left on the railing. It felt like a threat, that He was still watching even if his gift was covered, waiting to whisk Toby away again at the slightest slip.

There was also a little sketch pad full to the brim with all of Sarah scattered thoughts in the weeks after she'd escaped the Labyrinth. Some pages were failed attempts to sketch what she'd seen but sadly she had no real artistic talent. Other pages were smudged descriptions of what she'd seen and what she was still questioning. Her hands had exploded along the page to capture every detail as quickly as possible in an almost panicked state. Each page was messy, in fact as Sarah looked at them now some were nearly impossible to read. But what could be made out filled her with such longing and regret because she would never be able to feel such amazement and wonder again. She could not bare to look through the notebook because right now it only reminder her how dull her future would be in comparison to those thirteen hours.

Sarah felt the wave of loneliness overwhelm her. She'd always been on the outside. She loved losing herself in stories and had always preferred her own company. Irene might like to make endless jabs at Sarah's lack of a "normal" social life, Sarah really didn't mind. While Sarah had matured since the Labyrinth, her little plays and make believe seemed so childish once she'd experienced the reality, she still felt apart from the world. It was as though she did not quite exist in the real world, she was only ever half present while her mind was occupied with a desire for something…more.

However she was by no means a hermit. She also had amazing friends who tolerated her strange ways. They didn't care when she spaced out for hours on end, didn't mind how dramatic she was when she did pay attention or most importantly judge her because she would rather babysit her kid brother than go out. Sarah had even given into peer pressure and tried dating, even though no one ever really caught her attention. In the last two and a half years she'd had a handful of flings and one serious relationship.

Taylor was the only guy who'd she'd ever had real interest in. She'd been drawn to how simple and genuine he seemed to be. He had mid length brown wavy hair that constantly fell into his eyes, and a smile that was infectious. He wasn't classically handsome, he just exuded kindness and charm and normal, unlikely a certain Fae whose otherworldly beauty was more than intimidating. People seemed to gravitate towards him, he always had a sarcastic comment and a permanent smirk, but was never mean spirited or cruel.

He had been the one to approach her. She had been sat alone deeply engrossed in a book when he'd noticed her. She was lent casually against a tree, sat in what must have been an uncomfortable and possible damp spot on the ground. Her dark hair was falling down over her face and yet she seemed so completely unaware. The intensity of her eyes as though the rest of the world outside of that book didn't exist, well Taylor realised he had overlooked possibly the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. Sarah on the other hand has no real interest in Taylor initially. When he sauntered over to try and catch her attention he had had to pretend his pride wasn't completely shattered when she'd told him she was busy without even looking up.

Taylor was persistent though, he wouldn't let her drift away, he pursued her relentlessly. He took every opportunity he could to find some way to be around her, or to keep the conversation going till Sarah was drawn in. They'd met a year earlier, just before Sarah seventeenth birthday, when her friends were slowly disappearing from her life but with him, life didn't seem quite so dull. Sarah had felt like they were compatible in a way that she has never expected. After everything she'd experienced with Him, she never imaged she could have a normal relationship but with Taylor there had been a spark she hadn't experienced since. There were times when she was laying next to him that Sarah felt truly at peace. She was filled with a warm, unusually happiness that felt simple and uncomplicated. He did not fill her with dark, primal feelings that she'd experienced before that confused and scared her. He was human and he made her feel human again.

But the less Sarah saw of the Fae world, the more she withdrew. It was easy to forget she hadn't spoken to Hoggle in a few weeks in the beginning when she was busy with Taylor, it wasn't until she stopped hearing from them completely that Sarah realised just how bad things had become. She felt as though she was going crazy and could talk to no one so she just pushed them away. Taylor and her friends would never understand the pain she felt. It was like the most vibrant part of her life has slipped away, and left a gaping grey hole behind. Part of her felt guilty, as though she was being punished for forgetting her friends. Or maybe it was worse, those moments of feeling more present in this world meant she had chosen it over her friends permanently.

She'd ended things three months ago, after nearly a year of dating because she could not bare the hurt in his eyes every time he looked her. But part of her knew it was because she wanted to punish herself.

As Sarah put away the oak box, gently tucking it back away to its hidden spot, she noticed a piece of paper on the table she'd not paid attention to. She noticed the writing on the paper immediately, it one of Irene's passive aggressive notes.

"Sarah Please can you call Linda to find out what time she'll be arriving in town on Friday"

Sarah couldn't help but roll her eyes at the pettiness. Irene or her Dad could have called but no, leave it to her to deal with everything. Not like they were the adults or anything. She bite her lip, deciding if it was worth the fight to tell them to do it themselves, but Sarah really wanted her mother to come and didn't want to do anything that might risk her cancelling.

She took out her phone and held her breath, waiting for the inevitable voice mail message.

"Oh Sarah! Are you okay hunny, what is it?" Came her mother's flustered voice down the phone, but Sarah was to shocked that her mother had actually picked up the phone to pay any attention to her mums tone.

"Hi Mum, everything's fine here I actually just needed to…"

"God you have no idea how busy I've been Sarah! I kept meaning to call you but rehearsals have been hectic. I'm so glad you called I have so much to tell you" Her mother cut across her, business as usual.

Linda had left Sarah when she was twelve to pursue her career. Sarah parents were childhood sweet hearts, but Linda got pregnant too young. While Sarah's mum had tried to stay, one day she could bare it no longer and simply left. She'd moved into the city to be with Jeremy, a man she claimed was her true soul mate. She'd even gained moderate success on the stage and although delayed she was on her way to the life she'd always wanted. All she had to do was sacrifice Sarah to get there.

Sarah didn't resent her, well not entirely. She had dreams of her own. When she was younger she'd dreamed of being an actress but the Labyrinth taught her she was stronger than simply copying her mother. She'd spent hour upon hour writing her experiences and it made her realise her real passion was in words themselves. She still loved the theatre but more of the beautiful prose, the intricate words bought to life, rather than the attention of being on the stage her mother craved. The thought always made her smile, after all He had taught her the importance of words and now she'd found her own path in life with them. She could not imagine a world where she would have to give up writing, to never attempt to publish her own novels before she'd even had a chance to try.

That didn't stop her wishing her mum showed she cared for her as much as her dreams. Whenever she visited it always ended in arguments, and Sarah had definitely got her temper from her mother. Whenever she was with her mother she felt unwelcome, unwanted. When Sarah looked into her mother's eyes, she could see a hint of pain that let her know she was her biggest regret.

"Sarah, were you listening, you're awfully quiet?" Linda questioned, breaking Sarah out of her self-pitying train of thought.

"Sorry mum"

"You could be just a little bit more excited for me Sarah, this play is going to be a major deal. The director is phenomenal, every play he does is an absolute hit. A starring role in a such an amazing show. This is just want I've always dreamed off! All these sacrifices are finally paid off!" Her mother put on her injured puppy voice but Sarah had no sympathy as she one of her mum "sacrifices".

"Sorry mum, just quite tired tonight." She replied, trying to keep her irritation out of her voice, and not succeeding.

"Well then why bother calling me if you didn't want to talk" Her mum bit back

I don't know mum, maybe your daughter wanted to speak to you, maybe I want your affection, maybe I'm struggling or maybe not everything's about you she felt like screaming down the phone but she knew it would be pointless. Years of screaming matches had taught Sarah that her feelings only fell on deaf ears no matter how loud she was.

"I needed to check what time you're getting in Friday? Irene's being a nightmare with organising everyone so I'm calling round to get her a list of people." Sarah tried to win back some points by insulting Irene, which wasn't exactly hard for her to do. Despite the fact it was Linda who had abandoned the family for a fancy man in the city, she still hated Irene with a passion.

"Wait this Friday?" Linda asked hesitantly

"Well that…was the day I was born, pretty sure you should remember that"

There was an awkward silence on the line, the longer her mother didn't respond, the more Sarah vision started to go red.

"Well I just assumed it would be on Saturday night instead, seems like a way better option don't you think?" The question hung in the air and Sarah was so enraged she could not even manage to choke out a response, thankfully Linda carried on when she didn't get a reply giving Sarah a moment to collect her composure.

"I've got rehearsals all Friday night and Saturday morning." There was no remorse, no apology and no accountability.

"Mum I can't belie.."

"Sarah please don't start. I have to make my career a priority, if they need me on Friday I have to be there. I promise as soon as we are finished on Saturday morning I come straight to you. Just think we can spend the whole of Saturday just me and you. Won't that be a lot better than some stuffy party Irene's planned?"

Sarah had always had a weak spot when it came to her mother. She'd idolised her for so long, even when they fought viciously she always caved because she was scared to lose what little relationship they had left. But Sarah wasn't a push over. In that moment she remembered her younger self, someone who was defiant in the face of everything. When did she lose that fire? If she could beat the Labyrinth she could absolutely stand up to her mother.

"Firstly don't cut me off. I get that your career is important. I have always always got that. But its not about you for once in my life. I don't want to come second yet again" Sarah didn't raise her voice, she didn't shout but she had a forcefulness in her voice that made it clear she was done.

"Sarah that isn't fair, you know"

"Well Mum, someone taught me a long time ago is that life isn't fair. I'm your daughter, maybe sometimes you should act like it. Or don't, because honestly I am done trying. I have put up with your selfishness all my life. I am happy that you've got the life you want now, but you don't get to just wish away your previous one. Hell even if you want to wish it away and pretend I don't exist you'll have that on your conscious not mine. Either be here on Friday or don't bother coming at all"

"Why can you not understand that I have my own life. You do not get to judge me or guilt me you're still just a child! I gave my everything to raise you, and now I finally am where I was always supposed to be. Why now Sarah, why can't you let me be happy!"

Sarah hadn't raised her voice, but her mother certainly did. Sarah listen silently until she slowed down, and then simply end phone call. A small, childish part had hoped just this once, Linda would choose her. She'd been an idiot to hope yet again. Sarah just let the phone slip out of her hand and not caring at it hit the floor with a clatter.

Exhausted with everything Sarah just flopped straight into her bed, clothes still on, and buried her tear streaked face into her pillow. Sarah tried to stop the tidal wave of hopelessness she felt but the tears kept falling. As she sobbed she was oblivious to the sound of flapping white wings outside her window and did not hear the triumphant screech that accompanied it.