A/N: Well, I'm going to continue putting up chapters, reviews or no reviews. So yeah. Sorry if you don't like the way I'm characterizing Jareth.
Disclaimer: Nothing from the original Labyrinth is mine. Too bad, I really like that dress from the ballroom scene with Sarah.
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Revenge is Sweet. Isn't It?
Jareth stood and smiled at Jessica. She was finding that she liked that smile. She stood as well. She felt a bit clumsy as she pushed back her chair.
"It is a nice night out," Jareth said. "Would you care to see the view from the balcony?" Jessica nodded. "Follow me then." He strode off. Jessica followed him, trying to keep up. His legs were longer than hers and he took longer steps. She increased her pace to keep up with him.
They passed through the throne room and Jessica saw the balcony he had mentioned. He strode out onto it then stopped abruptly. Jessica tried to stop too and miscalculated. She tripped over a stone in the floor that was jutting up more than it should have. She flew forward.
The railing on the balcony was low. She fell over it, landing and hitting her chest, knocking the wind out of her. She slipped forward and she turned, trying to grab a hold of something, anything. Her right hand grasped the railing as her legs slid over the edge and caused her to swing back and forth like a pendulum in a clock. She felt her hand start to slip.
She screamed out one word without knowing where she got the air to do so.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
JARETH!!!
Jareth was astounded by the power of her mind-call; she not only was able to shout it but there was emotion expressed within it. The fear became terror and cut into his mind, momentarily blurring his thoughts. She should not have been able to do that, not so soon. He jumped forward as he saw her fingers begin to slip and realized her cause for terror. He grabbed her arm and she grabbed his back. Her fingers latched onto it and her grip was so tight for a moment he feared she would cut off circulation.
"Hold on," he ordered unnecessarily. She nodded, apparently unable to talk. Jareth wasn't surprised; he had seen her hit her chest on the railing. Her eyes were wide, her face pale. Slowly, carefully, he pulled her up. As he pulled her over the railing she began to cry, something he had not expected.
"Oh, God," she sobbed. "Oh God." Her tears came harder and faster. "I almost died! I almost died!" She swayed like she was going to faint and Jareth grabbed her arm, steadying her.
Jareth felt guilt shoot through him. It was true and it was his fault. He had needed her trust yes, but, nearly killing her to get it? Human telepaths were rare, so rare it had taken forever just for him to find her. What had he been thinking?
He felt the guilt dissolve. He had needed her trust badly. She had almost died. Not she was dead. There was no point in worrying needlessly about what had almost happened. The terror from her mind-call was clouding his thinking. Yes, that was it.
"Jessica, it's ok, you're fine," Jareth said. He pulled her into a hug. Never mind the fact that he didn't care for her in that way; if he was going to try and gain her trust he was going to make absolutely sure he had it. She sobbed like a child as he held her, not like the fifteen year-old she was. Her eyes were still wide and she was shaking.
After a moment she pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. "You saved my life," she said softly as though this had just occurred to her.
Jareth looked right back into her eyes. "Why wouldn't I?"
The mistrust she had harbored for him, the doubts, the suspicions, they all disappeared from her eyes. The look that she gave him was one of absolute trust.
"Thank you," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.
Jareth shook his head and said, "Don't thank me." He looked at her for a moment. "Do you need help in getting back to your room?"
She nodded. He held her up as they walked through the passages to her room. When they reached it he opened the door and cautiously let go of her.
"Will you be all right?" Jareth asked. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to faint the moment he left.
"I believe so," Jessica said. She took a few steps into the room then turn and nodded.
"Goodnight," he said, closing the door. A smug smirk crossed his face as soon as it was shut. Jessica trusted him. Completely and absolutely. Thing were starting to fall into place. She would be ready in less than a week. Then it would be time to call on Sarah.
He felt the anger stir. It always did whenever he thought about Sarah. It had been three years since she had defeated him. Three years since he had offered Sarah her dreams…and himself. And she had thrown it all back at him using her own magic to override his own. How he hated her for that! He had offered everything she had ever wanted and she had made a fool of him. She had mocked his generosity. And he had indeed been generous.
Jareth walked off down the hall towards his own chambers. Once inside he conjured a crystal and summoned Sarah's image to it. There she was, talking gaily with her family.
"Sarah," he said softly. "You'll very soon regret the decision you made three years ago." He stared at Sarah's image in the crystal. "Very soon." He laughed.
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Yeah, I know it's kinda short but I hope you liked it anyway! Please R/R!
