Disclaimer...I own nothing except for the characters that had never been
seen before. Okay basically the only ones who are in here that I don't own
are Jereth, Sarah, and Hoggle...I might add some of the others soon.
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Alex bent over to pick up another box from the items she had brought in
last night. Already she had counted three dragon figurines, one wizard with
dragon figurine, and even a couple fairy figurines. "I guess some people do
know that I like magical items." Looking over to the stuffed owl she set
another envelope by his side. "Know what Jay, I think things might just go
better in college."

The owl just sat there staring at her with his unblinking eyes. For as
long as Alex could remember she always had Jay. By some miracle he had
managed to survive 18 years and would probably survive even more. Sighing
Alex slowly stood up and stretched out, her back cracking once. "You know
what Jay...lets go find something to eat." With a small childish smile that
Jay was the only receiver of Alex picked up the owl and headed off to the
kitchen, trying to find something good to eat.

Twenty minuets and one full stomach later Alex went back to the task of
sorting through the items she had been given. Looking at some of the boxes
she noticed one over in the corner that was decidedly larger then the
others. Setting Jay down on the table she sat down on the floor and picked
up the knife cutter she was using. Carefully she cut the tape and raised an
eyebrow at the old fashioned card that rested on the top of the items.

Picking up the card she could feel her eyes start to water up. Wounds
being reopened as the words flowed like a melody around her.

My little princess,
On this day you have made me the proudest Grandfather in the entire world
or the worlds
surrounding ours. You are sunshine even when the day looks the worst. If on
this day I
am not there physically for you then I hope you still posses the strength
you had when
you were so much younger. I will always love you my little princess.
Remember the
stories I told you when you were younger and remember the magic of life
itself.
Grandpa

Touching her fingers to her cheek she barely noticed that they came away
wet. Since that day so long ago she had never cried, never smiled the same
way, never felt the magic. The date on the card surprised her, it was
written only a few days after her fifth birthday, obviously he had been
looking forward to this day ever since then. Setting the card down by Jay
she sniffed and wiped away some of the tears that still fell. 'Pull
yourself together girl. He's dead and not coming back. The magic is GONE'
Shaking her head she brought both hands up to cradle her head, trying to
make painful memories stop and to stop the voice in her head that begged to
be expressed, the happiness and childlike nature that she had pushed away.

Jareth, Sarah, Elia, and Corsair all watched from the corner of the room.
The three siblings looked at each other and Sarah slowly stepped forward,
looking down at the girl who reminded her of herself. Jareth moved over to
where Sarah stood. "I can almost feel her pain as if it were my own."

Jareth wrapped an arm around Sarah's side, pulling her close to him.
"Shh." Jareth knew that the pain Alex felt was probably the same that Sarah
had felt and still did feel. One was gone from their life that they had
counted on to be a stable substance. Sarah however had always felt the pain
while Alex had locked hers away, the key only coming with a card that only
barely started to show the love that Alden held for his granddaughter.

Alex started to wipe the tears away from her face. Taking a deep breath
she look over to the table for the box of tissues that normally set there.
Halfway getting up she pulled out a few, the small owl falling to it's
side. "Sorry bout that Jay." Picking up the owl she held it tenderly in one
arm while cleaning up her face with the other.

A hiccup caught her off guard and caused her shoulders to jump. Rubbing
her chest she made a face, "Come on Jay, I gotta get a drink."

Corsair slowly let go of the spell that was keeping the group invisible.
"She calls the animal Jay." An amused smirk fought to stay on his face, as
he tried to keep the area a bit lighter in spirit then the sadness that was
coming from the room.

Elia looked over and shook her head, "For that much pain to come she must
have remembered more then one thing."

"Yes and I don't know who any of you are." Alex leaned against the
doorway, Jay in both of her arms. Her eyes scanning the group, noting only
faintly that her and Jareth shared looks.

Jareth took a half step forward, "Hello Alexandria, it's been a long
time."

Alex raised an eyebrow, "Oh really and who might I ask are you?"

"You know who I am Alexandria, you couldn't have forgotten the times that
Alden brought you to my castle. You've been in the Underground more then
once."

Alex tilted her head to the side, "I don't know what your talking about or
even who this Alden person is."

Elia moved to appear beside Alex, laying a hand on Alex's shoulder and
pulling it back again when Alex pulled back as if something had hit her.
"Alden...your grandfather. We know you remember him."

Alex frowned when this person appeared beside her, but as Elia's hand
touched her shoulder a wave of sympathy, comfort, and warmth flooded
through that brief contact. Pulling back Alex's eyes widened, "Listen, my
Grandfather's name was Clyde not Alden. How did you do that?"

Jareth waved a hand almost impatiently, "So he changed his name. I know
you have to remember the night that you last came to the Labyrinth. When
your own Mother cried out for my goblins to take you away, and when your
Grandparents came to pick you up later that night." Jareth took another
step forward, his eyes flashing some old anger of what happened that night.
"You may have been young but I know you remember that night, I know because
you still have the marks on your side to remind you."

Alex's mouth closed as some realization started to dawn on her. That night
when her Father had gotten mad and started taking it out on her. The pain
from when she hit the wall like a rag doll. Running to her Mother for
protection and not finding it. Then when the lights went out and a strange
man came taking her away from her Father's drunken outrage.

Alex started to shake her head, "But it wasn't real..."

"Yes it was Alexandria." Corsair for the first time since she came into
the room started to talk. "Remember when we came to your seventh birthday
party. Well Elia and I that is."

Elia started to nod, "I brought you the locket and Corsair brought you a
small kaleidoscope made with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, and some other
stones."

Alex raised her hand bringing the small locket out from under her shirt,
clicking it open the five picture holders spread out. Two with her
grandparents and the other three with pictures that oddly enough looked
like these people in front of her. Slowly looking at the group she still
didn't look convinced, "So...who are all of you?"