Disclaimer: Of course I own none of this, and today's chapter title is from "It's Been Awhile," by the unrivaled Staind.
Never and Forever
Chapter Two
Everything I Can't Remember
Must get up and clean. Must get up and clean. The mantra ran clearly through Sarah's head as she lay in bed, her eyes clenched shut though she was awake. She knew she had to get up and get moving, otherwise Karen would have a total panic attack when she walked through Sarah's door. You'd be surprised how big a mess goblins can make, especially since they aren't supposed to exist. Sarah thought to herself. Eyes still closed, she stretched lazily. Her bed was far too comfortable for her to get up, the silky sheets wrapped around her body – wait a minute.
The fact that I have cotton sheets is not important, she rationalized to herself. I am not going to panic.
Sarah's eyes shot open and she choked back a scream as she looked around her. She was in a dark oak bed, with dark blue sheets and a room with many more elegant details that Sarah failed to care about. All she knew was that this was most definitely not her room.
Scrambling out of the bed, heart pounding a mile a minute and the back of her head throbbing, her eyes widened to the size of small dinner plates as they locked on the stone walls, which looked distinctly medieval.
"No." Sarah stumbled to an open balcony, faintly wondering why her legs were so wobbly. She gasped when she saw the expanse of the Labyrinth, stretching out before her. "No!" She cried, stifling a sob.
Sarah ran to the first door she saw and wrenched it open, running out into the open hallway before her. She held onto the wall for support as she raced to some unknown destination, she only wanted out and away, away from this waking nightmare. She had not gotten that far when she heard a sound all too familiar to her ears. A sound that made her hyperventilate, that made her heart beat so frantically she thought it might beat its way out of her ribcage. The sound of a crystal, rolling across the stone floor.
"Go away." She ordered the crystal as it softly struck her foot and bounced up into her hand. Wanting desperately to throw the crystal far away from her, Sarah was suddenly mesmerized by the picture she saw within its depths. A scene began to play for her, one she recognized at first.
She saw herself, on what she thought was the night before, standing at the entrance of the Escher Room. The crystal-Sarah ran up and down the stairs, while that contemptible Goblin King got in her way. She saw herself jump down to her brother – and then her heart lurched as she saw herself strike the ground with a harsh blow. Sarah dropped the crystal as though it was burning hot, and it rolled back down into the hall's shadowy passages.
"No." Sarah whispered softly. "I defeated him, I did." She gingerly touched the aching part of her head, and found her hair to be rigid and crisp with dried blood. Looking down at herself she discovered she was not wearing the sweatpants and tank top she had donned the night before, but a white nightgown that hung around her knees.
"We did not know you were awake, Miss." Sarah goggled at the cheerful elf that had appeared before her. "You will come back to your room, yes?" A thousand thoughts ran through Sarah's head, but nothing made sense. "Is Miss all right?" Enquired the innocent elf.
"Where is he?" Sarah growled thickly.
"Where is who, Miss?" Asked the elf, with the distinct air of someone avoiding the question.
"That damned Goblin King." Sarah demanded, her hands shaking at her sides, and a thin bead of sweat across her forehead.
"Have you forgotten my name already?" Came an archly superior voice.
"What the hell is going on?" Sarah yelled, forcing herself to focus on the fae that had come stepping out of the shadows that he seemed to bend upon his will.
"My, such coarse language." Jareth commented dryly.
"Jareth –"
"Ah, so your fall didn't addle your brains. Pity." The elf slipped away down the hall, clearly not wanting to be involved in the argument that was about to ensue.
"I defeated you! I said the words, I went home... Toby! Where's Toby?" Sarah shouted, leaning heavily against the wall now.
"Sarah, did you not see what happened in the crystal? You very nearly killed yourself."
"But I remember saying the words."
"You were dreaming." Jareth said offhandedly, as though he dealt with this sort of thing every day.
"You have no power over me! I said it before and I'll say it again."
"I'm afraid you're forty-eight hours too late. You're here to stay."
"I have to get Toby!" Sarah cried, trying to force her way past Jareth but too unsteady to get far.
"Calm yourself child. You lost a lot of blood and are obviously rather hysterical. Don't force me to do something you'll regret." Jareth said warningly, grabbing Sarah by the shoulder to prevent her from going anywhere.
"Stay away from me!" Sarah screamed, tears threatening to break down the walls she had built up. She backed away from Jareth's grasp and stumbled. He pulled her back by her elbow, not as gently as before. "Stay the hell away!"
"Sarah," Jareth said, and his voice had gone cold and dangerous. With a wave of his free hand he conjured a crystal and held it out for her to see.
"What have you done with Toby?" Sarah demanded. "You haven't..."
"I'm afraid I've been too busy with other occupations to attend to that particular task." Jareth answered, chuckling.
"You have to give him to me." Sarah pleaded desperately. "You have to."
"You cannot always have your way, Sarah. You asked me to take the babe, and I did so. You asked to traverse my Labyrinth, and I allowed it. I let you live out your fairy tale, but now the game is over. Don't fret," he added as an afterthought, "I'll let you say good-bye to him before he changes."
"Monster!" Sarah screeched, slapping Jareth hard across the face with the hand he was not holding. At that Jareth let his crystal drop, and grasped Sarah roughly by the wrists, pushing her up against the wall.
"Must you always be this difficult?" He growled. The room flashed before Sarah's eyes and before she could blink she found herself back in his bed, with Jareth standing menacingly over her. "Stay." He commanded. "Sleep. No harm will befall your brother, and that I swear."
Sarah, head aching miserably and skin drenched with a fever-induced sweat, had used up all her remaining strength in this confrontation and could not fight that sickening King any more, and collapsed against his pillows, falling into unconsciousness.
Jareth brushed his hair back from his forehead, sighing. "This will not be easy."
~
Sarah awoke feeling cooler, and calmer. A barrage of memories flooded to her instantly, and her hands clutched frustratedly at the silken sheets around her. The sound of Toby's laugh forced her to open her eyes and face whatever it was that she would find.
Toby had a big smile on his cherubic face, laughing and innocently toying with a perfect crystal. Jareth was lounging comfortably on the end of his bed, holding Toby in his lap and making the crystal turn different colours. Neither of them looked at Sarah as she sat up in his bed.
"I told you I'd let you say good-bye." Jareth said shortly after a moment's silence. He glanced up at her briefly, a strange look in his eye, as though he were waiting for her to do something.
"You can't do it." Sarah pleaded, and though she was no longer feverish she fell back on the same persuasions as before. "Please, there must be something. You just can't."
"Why not? You forfeited the game, Sarah, leaping off the ledge like that." He said it coldly, and the look in his eyes told her he expected more of her. "Never happened before." He added.
"How was I supposed to know that that would be the one time the Labyrinth chose to obey the law of gravity?" Sarah spat angrily.
"I'm afraid I don't follow you." Jareth replied, though no look of confusion broke through his mask of disinterest.
"When I fell into the oubliette I wasn't hurt –"
"I put the hands there to help you." Jareth interrupted, waving off her statement, only briefly considering the deeper meaning his words carried.
"When I fell into the bog –" Sarah started again.
"That was a slide, not a five story drop."
"Out of the ballroom!"
"That was an illusion. You cannot get hurt from an illusion."
"This whole place is an illusion!" Sarah cried angrily. "You aren't real, you're from a fairy tale."
Anger flashed in Jareth's eyes. "I am very, very real, Sarah." He said in a low, sharp voice. Sarah fought the urge to hide under the covers, reminding herself of how important the stakes were of this game.
"Well nothing else hurt me in your damned maze, how was I supposed to know? You were the one walking on walls."
"How true." Jareth commented slowly, apparently thinking things over. "Are you truly willing to bargain?" He asked.
"Yes." Sarah said quickly, jumping out of his bed and reaching out for Toby.
"Fine." Jareth said, carefully picking Toby up to keep him out of Sarah's reach. He plucked the crystal from the babe's grasp, much to Toby's dismay. "Find this crystal in thirteen hours, and your brother shall go home." A mocking smile spread across his lips as he tossed the crystal out through the balcony doorway. Sarah rushed out onto the open balcony, watching the crystal as it sailed over the Labyrinth and fell down through the trees near some sort of river. She turned back to Jareth, and found Toby nowhere to be seen.
"Just another example of your generosity." Sarah snapped, before brushing past Jareth, out of his chambers and into the hallway she had traversed a few hours before.
"My thoughts exactly." Jareth replied softly, though Sarah was out of earshot.
~
An hour later, Sarah was lost. Lost inside Jareth's castle, with its many twisting hallways and locked doors. In fact, Sarah had yet to find a door that was unlocked, and was beginning to feel quite defeated.
"This is not at all how this is supposed to go." Sarah muttered under her breath, stomping down the hallway and practically tripping over a goblin that had been walking calmly and precisely toward her.
"Art thou lost, Lady?" He asked politely. Sarah stared at the goblin. Granted, she hadn't met many goblins in her life, but this one seemed to contradict all she had learned about them in the past, well, it had actually been days since she had first entered the Labyrinth. Oh no. I wonder how much time has passed back home? Sarah thought anxiously. The goblin smirked at Sarah, and tapped his foot sharply against the floor, capturing her attention. "Doth the Lady require a guide?" He pressed.
"That depends on where you'll guide me." Sarah snapped, frustrated at her situation and confused on this goblin's excellent manners and hygiene.
"That depends on where you wish to go."
"Well I want to get the hell out of this castle." Sarah sighed exasperatedly. "If you could take me out to the Goblin City, I'd appreciate it."
"But of course." Smiled the goblin, and started walking back the way Sarah had come. She stared after him for a minute, but being unable to think of any course of action other than to follow, she ran to catch up with him.
They walked for half an hour at least, the goblin striding so briskly with his little legs that Sarah practically had to run to keep up with him. She stopped dead, however, when they came to the one door she recognized in the castle.
"You little sneak!" Sarah cried angrily. "You took me back to the bedroom of that King of yours!"
"Must you be so suspicious of all?" The goblin asked calmly. He stopped just short of the Goblin King's door, and lightly tracing his fingers over a stone slightly darker than the rest. A great section of the wall jumped backwards, and opened up a dimly lit passageway. Sarah followed the goblin through, and within five minutes they were standing outside in the sun, in a garden separating the castle from the city.
"Thank you." Sarah said sheepishly, turning and walking away from the castle. "And I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"Not at all." The goblin replied, but sounding not quite like he did before. His voice sounded strangely cultured, and much older than he did before. "But Sarah?" And at this, Sarah whirled around to find the Goblin King himself in the goblin's place. "Not everyone here is out to deceive you." He laughed with a superior tone, before stepping back into the castle, the door they had came out of shutting, and then disappearing all together.
Sarah stared at the wall crossly. "Yeah, only you are." She said softly, before walking out into the Goblin City. It was shortly after dawn and two hours into her time, and the city was relatively quiet. The gravel road rubbed harshly against her bare feet, and she felt more than a little uncomfortable roaming the streets in a skimpy nightgown. She found a solution to these problems, among other things, when she saw a familiar face bent over a flowerbed.
"Hoggle?" Sarah called, running up to her friend, and quickly regretting this decision as the gravel ripped at the bottoms of her feet.
"Sarah?" Hoggle looked up uncertainly. He didn't seem as surprised to see her as Sarah thought he would.
"Hoggle, I need your help. I'm trying to – "
"I know what yer tryin' to do." Hoggle said, cutting her off. "But I cannot help yeh."
"What?" Sarah cried, looking insulted. "Did that vile Goblin King say something to you? What did he –"
"It's not that." Hoggle said, squaring his jaw determinedly. "It's jest, yeh have teh defeat him yerself, like yeh said."
"But this is different." Sarah said, her heart slowly sinking at her friend's refusal.
"Yes it is." Hoggle agreed, but he still didn't seem to change his position.
"Fine." Sarah spat. "Can you at least help me get some decent clothes or shoes?"
"Now that I can." Hoggle said, brightening. Sarah had no idea where his sudden burst of integrity had come from, but still felt certain that a particular fae with a golden mohawk wasn't far behind. "Follow me." Hoggle said, beckoning her toward a strip of just-opening shops.
As the town began to wake up, Sarah realized that the Goblin City was not made up entirely of goblins. Or at least not the comical, miniature ones she had seen on her way into the castle. The streets were also bustling with dwarves and elf-life creatures, and some nasty species that Sarah could only call demons.
"Ay, Taria!" Hoggle called out as they entered a small seamstress shop. An elfish woman stepped out from behind a curtain, smiling when she saw Hoggle.
"Hoggle, how are you this fine day?" Taria asked, eyeing Sarah's nightgown and bare feet.
"Ah've been better." Hoggle said shortly, then turning to Sarah, continued. "D'yeh think yeh could fix this little lady up with some propah clothes?"
Shortly thereafter Sarah and Hoggle left Taria's store, Sarah now dressed in a simple medieval dress of a deep wine colour, and matching slippers, which she had been assured were extremely durable.
"Yer on yer own now, Sarah." Hoggle said gently, as though he was having quite a time agreeing with himself.
"Thanks for your help Hoggle." Sarah said, almost adding on "and I'll call if I need you." That was just a dream. She had to remind herself. It still seemed so real...
Glancing up Sarah's eyes fell upon a clock tower. "Great." She said, to no one in particular. "I've spent my first three hours being lost and socializing." With that she broke into a run, trying to find an entrance to the Labyrinth that might take her in the direction of the river she had seen the crystal fall over. Finally coming to a wrought iron archway, through which stone walls towered, a clear sign of the Labyrinth, Sarah paused at the entrance. Can I really get through this again? The doubt flitted uncalled for through her mind.
"Afraid you cannot get through this piece of cake again?" Asked a voice in her ear. Sarah jumped, spinning around to find Jareth mere inches from her, his telltale smirk spread across his face.
"Don't do that." Sarah said, not that she expected him to listen to her.
"Allow me to give you some sporting advice." Jareth continued, with a superior air. "Do not go in the river."
"And I'm supposed to believe you, why?" Sarah snapped, becoming very frustrated that the Goblin King kept appearing at every turn.
"Believe what you wish." Jareth said nonchalantly, striding past her and into the Labyrinth, fading as he walked until he disappeared completely.
"Doesn't he have anything better to do than harass me?" Sarah sighed, reluctantly tracing his footsteps into the Labyrinth, and taking the first turn she saw, to get as far away as fast as possible.
~
The changeling owl flew briefly over the Labyrinth; spying the girl as she marched down the corridors, not minding what direction she was going. She is positively exhausting. He thought to himself, before turning back to the castle. Other matters to attend to, other women to deal with. He sighed silently.
~
"Sarah?" Robert Williams called out as he and his second wife walked into their home, sometime shortly after midnight. "We're home!"
"Did you like the ballet, dear?" Karen asked him teasingly.
"I don't understand what it is with you women and ballets. Sarah loves to go to them too – maybe next time you can bring her with you. I promise she won't fall asleep."
Karen's smile faded at that comment. "We'd kill each other before intermission." She said grimly.
"Sarah? Are you home?" Robert called, rather than acknowledge what his wife had said. There was no answer. Karen and Robert glanced at each other uncertainly. The house was lit, but quiet.
Robert bounded up the stairs, Karen following quickly in his wake. He ran down the hall to Sarah's room, quietly opening the door, in case his daughter was asleep. The room was empty.
"Robert! Robert, hurry!" Karen yelled from their bedroom. The room was dark, their son's crib was empty, and the window was wide open, a soft breeze blowing in and tossing the curtains about.
"Sarah!" Robert yelled, fear clutching at his heart as he ran back down the stairs. "Karen, call the neighbors and see if they've seen something. I'll check around outside. Sarah???"