Baby Brother
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my computer, and I definitely don't own Labyrinth.
Summary: Toby is kidnapped and then brutally killed by a criminal that's let out of prison and on parole. Sarah is baby-sitting Toby when it happens, and feels overwhelmed with guilt and grief. Seeing no other option, she goes after Toby's killer, but that seems impossible in itself. Calling upon the Goblin King once again for help, she learns a few things about life and love she never would've expected. Also that life just isn't fair no matter what.
Author's Note: OK, just a warning, this story is violent and very sad at some parts. If you can't stand violence and adult situations then I suggest that you don't read this story.
3 years later, and 2 years after the Labyrinth incident
Toby sat on the beige living room floor, amusing himself by building blocks into high towers, as high as he could stack them without falling over, and then knock them down with a powerful blow from his tiny fist. The falling blocks hitting the floor were usually accompanied by his excited laugh as he watched them crash to the floor. "Sarah, your father and I are leaving now," Karen yelled up the stairs to Sarah's room. Opening the door of her room, Sarah poked her head out and said, "Are you taking Toby with you?" she asked hopefully.
At Karen's negative response, Sarah sighed and finished what she was working on, and then put her art supplies away, and hurried downstairs so Toby wouldn't be alone. Even after the Labyrinth incident, as she called it because she still wasn't sure if it was a dream or not, her parents still made her stay home with her brother almost all the time. Before she had gone through the Labyrinth to get Toby back, she would've minded staying home. But, now she didn't take him for granted at all. If anything she had learned to appreciate her brother and the time she spent with him.
After all, she was going away to college soon, and then she wouldn't be there to see him everyday. Sighing, she watched him knock over his blocks again. "Don't you ever get tired of that game?" she asked wearily. Toby laughed and clapped his tiny hands, "Brocks fall," he explained. "Right, well, how about we go outside instead," she suggested happily. Raising his eyebrows, Toby said, "Huh?" Sarah laughed; she knew this game by now. "You heard me silly, let's go outside." Once again, Toby responded with a, "Huh?"
Sarah knew the only reason why he kept saying that word was so she would keep repeating herself. She had learned this during summer vacation. Eventually she had caught on to him, and now she found that it was easier to ignore it. Grabbing his favorite red ball, Sarah ushered Toby outside.
Their front lawn was spacious enough for them to play ball together without going into the neighbor's yard. Merlin was outside with them, barking at the passerby's and cars. At first, Toby just ran around the yard, not understanding how to use the ball yet. Finally, Sarah started to bounce the ball and kick it with her feet, and Toby walked curiously over to her and asked, "What doin'?" Giggling at his words, Sarah replied, "I'm playing the ball, pal. You wanna play too?" Toby nodded his head emphatically.
Spacing them so they were about four feet apart, Sarah would roll Toby the ball, and he would kick it all of two feet in front of him. It took him awhile, but eventually he got the hang of it and he was able to kick the ball further and further, until finally it went past the bushes and into the neighbor's yard. Sarah sighed in frustration as Toby kept laughing. "Yeah that's so funny," she said sarcastically.
"Go get the ball, Toby," she ordered. Seeing that his sister was serious, he walked sullenly over to the bushes and disappeared behind them. "Hurry up," she called, tapping her foot impatiently.
Toby discovered the ball easily enough and stooped down to pick it up. He saw a man across from him working on the lawn, but had stopped to watch him. Toby, being only three and curious, walked over to the stranger and asked, "What doin'?" The man, eyeing the little boy sinisterly said, "None of your business boy." Still, not having a very broad vocabulary, Toby questioned, "Huh?" The gardener, not being used to Toby's game, repeated, "I said, it's none of your business. Now why don't you go and get on outta here."
Instead of leaving like he should've, but being only three, Toby kept pestering the man. "Huh?" he asked again. Thinking the man would find it funny like his sister had, Toby started to laugh and giggle. But, the man wasn't his sister. Thinking that this little boy was mocking him, the man felt his anger rise and his blood boil. The rage was upon him.
Sarah, thinking that Toby was taking way too long to get a ball, she walked resignedly over to the bushes and through them. Her mouth fell open in horror and her eyes went wide with shock as she saw a man strike her little brother so hard it made his head fly backwards. Then she saw the man pick her little brother up in his muscled arms and put him in the back of his blue pick up truck. Sarah wanted to scream, but all she could muster was a cross between a pant and a sigh. The tires screeched, which broke her reverie as the truck sped away.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my computer, and I definitely don't own Labyrinth.
Summary: Toby is kidnapped and then brutally killed by a criminal that's let out of prison and on parole. Sarah is baby-sitting Toby when it happens, and feels overwhelmed with guilt and grief. Seeing no other option, she goes after Toby's killer, but that seems impossible in itself. Calling upon the Goblin King once again for help, she learns a few things about life and love she never would've expected. Also that life just isn't fair no matter what.
Author's Note: OK, just a warning, this story is violent and very sad at some parts. If you can't stand violence and adult situations then I suggest that you don't read this story.
3 years later, and 2 years after the Labyrinth incident
Toby sat on the beige living room floor, amusing himself by building blocks into high towers, as high as he could stack them without falling over, and then knock them down with a powerful blow from his tiny fist. The falling blocks hitting the floor were usually accompanied by his excited laugh as he watched them crash to the floor. "Sarah, your father and I are leaving now," Karen yelled up the stairs to Sarah's room. Opening the door of her room, Sarah poked her head out and said, "Are you taking Toby with you?" she asked hopefully.
At Karen's negative response, Sarah sighed and finished what she was working on, and then put her art supplies away, and hurried downstairs so Toby wouldn't be alone. Even after the Labyrinth incident, as she called it because she still wasn't sure if it was a dream or not, her parents still made her stay home with her brother almost all the time. Before she had gone through the Labyrinth to get Toby back, she would've minded staying home. But, now she didn't take him for granted at all. If anything she had learned to appreciate her brother and the time she spent with him.
After all, she was going away to college soon, and then she wouldn't be there to see him everyday. Sighing, she watched him knock over his blocks again. "Don't you ever get tired of that game?" she asked wearily. Toby laughed and clapped his tiny hands, "Brocks fall," he explained. "Right, well, how about we go outside instead," she suggested happily. Raising his eyebrows, Toby said, "Huh?" Sarah laughed; she knew this game by now. "You heard me silly, let's go outside." Once again, Toby responded with a, "Huh?"
Sarah knew the only reason why he kept saying that word was so she would keep repeating herself. She had learned this during summer vacation. Eventually she had caught on to him, and now she found that it was easier to ignore it. Grabbing his favorite red ball, Sarah ushered Toby outside.
Their front lawn was spacious enough for them to play ball together without going into the neighbor's yard. Merlin was outside with them, barking at the passerby's and cars. At first, Toby just ran around the yard, not understanding how to use the ball yet. Finally, Sarah started to bounce the ball and kick it with her feet, and Toby walked curiously over to her and asked, "What doin'?" Giggling at his words, Sarah replied, "I'm playing the ball, pal. You wanna play too?" Toby nodded his head emphatically.
Spacing them so they were about four feet apart, Sarah would roll Toby the ball, and he would kick it all of two feet in front of him. It took him awhile, but eventually he got the hang of it and he was able to kick the ball further and further, until finally it went past the bushes and into the neighbor's yard. Sarah sighed in frustration as Toby kept laughing. "Yeah that's so funny," she said sarcastically.
"Go get the ball, Toby," she ordered. Seeing that his sister was serious, he walked sullenly over to the bushes and disappeared behind them. "Hurry up," she called, tapping her foot impatiently.
Toby discovered the ball easily enough and stooped down to pick it up. He saw a man across from him working on the lawn, but had stopped to watch him. Toby, being only three and curious, walked over to the stranger and asked, "What doin'?" The man, eyeing the little boy sinisterly said, "None of your business boy." Still, not having a very broad vocabulary, Toby questioned, "Huh?" The gardener, not being used to Toby's game, repeated, "I said, it's none of your business. Now why don't you go and get on outta here."
Instead of leaving like he should've, but being only three, Toby kept pestering the man. "Huh?" he asked again. Thinking the man would find it funny like his sister had, Toby started to laugh and giggle. But, the man wasn't his sister. Thinking that this little boy was mocking him, the man felt his anger rise and his blood boil. The rage was upon him.
Sarah, thinking that Toby was taking way too long to get a ball, she walked resignedly over to the bushes and through them. Her mouth fell open in horror and her eyes went wide with shock as she saw a man strike her little brother so hard it made his head fly backwards. Then she saw the man pick her little brother up in his muscled arms and put him in the back of his blue pick up truck. Sarah wanted to scream, but all she could muster was a cross between a pant and a sigh. The tires screeched, which broke her reverie as the truck sped away.