Disclaimer: Again for the hundredth (that's Lauralye-language for third) time I don't own the Labyrinth, but I do claim to wish I did, (along with Jareth * drool * )
I do however claim any original characters that might pop up, there shouldn't be any In this chapter but just incase. And as always If you happen to be Jim Henson, or George Lucas and nothing on Earth would make you happier than to donate your creation to a poor, over worked fanfiction writer (I mean me) I am here to make all of your dreams come true. (In a strictly non-creepy way)
Author's Note: * singing and dancing around in large uneven circles* I have a beta reader, I have a beta reader, I have a beta reader hey hey hey HEY! *she trips over the proverbial jungle that comprises the floor of her room* (i.e.; imagine the junk cavern in the Labyrinth, only with clothes, books, art-pads, and stupid belt buckle that keeps stabbing her in the foot, don't feel sorry for her, she's just to lazy to pick it up.) Okay…..I think it's time to stop doing that. As you can tell I have a beta reader! Her name is Celestia Jadeblaze and she is a saint! And a brave one at that. So, Celestia in honor of your bravery and saintly goodness this chapter is for you!
The Irony Of It All
Chapter three: Inevitable Archaism
'Any second now I should hear a scream…any second now….why is there no screaming?'
Sub-consciously another part of Sarah's mind registered the fact that standing in the center of her room with her eyes shut was probably not the most mature reaction in the world, but come on… What would you do if you had an unknown, and uninvited intruder who was walking into your room while you had a short, lewd, extremely odd-looking, supposedly 'imaginary and mythical' dwarf in said room with you? Exactly.
"Sarah?….are you awake?" Karen's head peered around the door.
Sarah's eyes flew open when she heard her stepmother's inquiry. Quickly she scanned the room. There was no sign of Hoggle, still, as nosy as Karen was, where ever he was hiding could be found out. She had to get Karen out of there and fast.
It was all too natural for her body to tense for the oncoming fight. Not only as a reaction toward her stepmother, but also as a remembrance of the Labyrinth, where she had just spent thirteen hours of not-so-fun-yet- all-together- wonderfully-exciting- search time trying to get to her little brother before he would have supposedly been turned into a goblin.
"Sarah?" Karen took in her stepdaughter's stance, 'Why does she always move like she's going into battle when I enter a room?' she wondered to herself.
In response her own body subtly shifted to the position that was best suited to carry the burden she inevitably knew that her almost unavoidable fight with her stepdaughter would bring. Followed by the pounding headache, and barely suppressed frustration that she always felt after dealing with Sarah. 'Why does she have to fight me so? It's almost like she is her mother, God, why does she have to look so much like her? It makes everything so hard… '
While Karen knew that this mindset wasn't exactly fair to her stepdaughter, she couldn't bring herself to change it. It was almost as though her discontent with Sarah was a long buried maternal instinct that subliminally reminded her of the fact that she had come second, and as such, so had her child. Traditionally that shouldn't matter, but the conflict was always there, and the archaic and asinine reflex was too strong to be overridden when neither side was willing to give any ground.
"Sarah? What are you doing?" Karen asked accusingly. "I came into check on you and ask if you had any problems with Toby tonight." Cautiously, she stepped around the barrier that was Sarah's door and made a hesitant step toward her stepdaughter.
'Trouble?' mused Sarah, 'How could I answer this one? Let's see…Oh no Karen there was no trouble at all, well not unless you count the slight disappearance of your son into a Labyrinth that I accidentally on purpose wished him to be taken away to. But don't worry…I got him back by defeating this really arrogant king who reigned over the Goblins and only took him away because I asked him to. By the way he was also drop-dead gorgeous, and then….'
'Wait a minute. Gorgeous? Where in the Underground had that come from? If I remember correctly he stole my baby brother.'
But only because you asked him to…. Taunted a voice in her mind. 'That's not what I mea-'
"Sarah?" Her stepmother once again questioned, snapping Sarah back to the current, impending disaster.
"I'm sorry Karen what did you ask?"
Karen let loose a deep sigh. It was almost as though she thought Sarah had deliberately ignored her.
"I asked if you had any trouble tonight." Came the impatient repetition from her stepmother.
'This will be the biggest lie I have ever told in my life, and yet the truth is so much more unbelievable, how weird is that? Although I think lying is definitely the best thing to go with in this…uh…'
Disater waiting to happen? Sing-songed her mind. Mentally Sarah kicked herself for allowing herself to acknowledge the obvious.
"No. Everything went fine…" She stammered hastily. Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and hugged herself.
"Just peachy as a matter of fact." Her last bit of answer was mumbled as she trailed off. 'Peachy…yep. That's definitely one way of not putting it out there at all'
" Did you say something else Sarah?" Came Karen's exasperated question.
'Uh-oh. I know that tone. That's the, My-improper-unrefined-stepdaughter-just-did-something-I-don't-approve-of- tone. Here we go.' Sarah's mind had picked up on the double meaning of Karen's voice.
"No Karen. Nothing of importance to you"
There was another long-suffering sigh from the blond. "I do wish you'd stop doing that Sarah. Mumbling is so tasteless, and it implies that you know something that someone else does not, which is rude to express publicly, and-"
"But we're not in public, and it really wasn't anything you would have cared to hear!" Sarah interjected defensively.
"I know that but if I allow you to do it here then-"The very irate blonde was once again cut off by Sarah.
"Allow me!?" Sarah demanded, " You can't stop me! I don't know why any of this is so important to you anyway! I don't want to fit your definition of a 'proper young lady', more importantly why would you think that I'd want to? Has it once occurred to you Karen that I'm not you! I don't want to be you. I'm quite happy as I am!"
"As you are? A immature-"
Sarah continued as if Karen hadn't spoken. "If you want to the truth, I wish you'd stop trying to push the stepmother thing. You do not own me! I am NOT Your daughter!
"And thank heavens for that! I wouldn't have a child such as you! If you weren't-" Karen broke off as she realized the words she had just uttered. She needed only to glance up to see conformation of their meaning in Sarah's eyes. Quickly she started to cross to Sarah, only to stop and back up a step, soon understanding that Sarah would not want to be close to her right now.
"Sarah, I-" She stopped not knowing how to correct her mistake. As of that moment Karen knew that whatever chance she might have had to build on her relationship with Sarah was rapidly on the decline, but she also knew that she couldn't just step in to stop it.
Sarah had to let her first.
"No" said Sarah, quietly, firmly. "What's said is said." Sarah's voice had grown distant, as though she was somewhere else entirely. "I think it's time for us to say good night, Good night Karen." She turned her back toward the older woman and gave no indication of relenting.
'I can't undo this' Karen realized regrettably, 'This will always be between us, and there's nothing that can be done about it. Every time we speak from here on out we'll look at each other and remember this night.' She turned toward the door and away form what ever chance she had at a normal relatioship with her stepdaughter with this knowledge in her mind, and then she did the only thing she could do.
"Good night Sarah."
Ducks behind large shield * I know I know. I said this one would be from Sarah's p.o.v. I'm sorry. It just didn't work out that way. * Peeps around edge and sees the mob is still not satisfied and they're waiting for other answers as well. Okay. Like I said I'm sorry this chapter didn't turn out like I had planned. Don't hate me. Please? At least I have learned from my mistake. I realized that as an author, You can't say how something is definitely going to evolve. It's ironic that the fic' actually ends up writing you. Again sorry. I will say that Sarah's p.o.v. chapter is coming up soon. Either in chapter four or chapter Five. Depends on what my new wonderfully irreplaceable, brave, and saintly beta reader, Celestia, thinks about it's appearance placement.
Again I'm sorry that this chapter took two additional days to post, but it kinda had a mind of it's own. There was little I could do about it.
And last but Never least I have to thank everybody who has reviewed. This of you who I have already mentioned, a great big hug and humble thanks for your continued support. And for the new ones, I have to thank you for leaving a review. So this thanks goes out to: Melissa Johnson (I was very touched by your reviews)