Disclaimer: You CAN handle the truth. I don't own Labyrinth. Or Cheers.
Dedication: To David Bowie, for making such a beautiful predator. And to Jennifer Connelly for being my childhood hero. Also to the creators of Cheers for the basis of this chapter.
Author's note: Finally a conclusion. . .enjoy.
**********************************************************************************
"Do you ever think about it, Sarah?"
Jareth had returned, again as Sarah sat at her computer idly flipping through websites. She was avoiding the flames that Jaden was receiving. At last count, there were easily a thousand.
"About what, us?" He was going back to manipulative s-o-b mode.
"Yes." His mismatched eyes changed from stern to curious, almost endearing. "Do you believe the fans know something we don't?"
"What are you saying, Jareth?" She finally turned around.
"I'm *saying* that I never loved you as a child, this is true. But as an adult, perhaps. . ."
Without hesitation, Sarah stood up. And kissed him, in a matured, passionate way. The kiss flowed through Jareth, a yearning fulfilled since he saw her last, sitting in front of the computer, making nasty comments at him. He tried to surround her with his arms, but he just *couldn't*.
It wasn't love. It just wasn't. Period.
Her lips released and she stepped back, opening her eyes slowly. She said only one word.
"No."
"What?" he said, basking in the kiss.
"Your *responsibility*, I gather, was to find out about us? I suppose it was mine, too."
"I don't understand."
"Jareth, I know why you're pursuing me now. Because you've seen me be vulnerable again, just as I was when we first met. But I'm not that person. That's why we rejected each other. My will is as strong as yours, and you'll forever hate me for it. You haven't changed, I haven't changed. I'm sorry, but you still have no power over me."
Jareth looked at her with the same soft eyes. "I know, and dear Sarah, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."
With that, Jareth turned to the window to leave.
"Some other life, then?" he said, looking at her one last time.
Sarah kept her confident stance. "For you maybe."
Jareth nodded, and was instantly the snowy-white owl, flying off into the moon.
Sarah didn't cry, but she knew she might miss him if she never saw him again. He was the balancing to her life, and maybe that's what the fans saw. He made her grow. He made her strong. But that's not what he was doing. He was trying to make her small. He wanted to *take* from her.
She closed the windows, and proceeded with her life, as it was, just on schedule.
**********************************************************************************
Rage looked into her crystal ball, avoiding her email. She'd already been flamed to capacity, but it would pass. Instead, she decided to scry for a while.
"Jaden Rage."
"Jareth." She turned from the crystal ball to meet his eyes. "Don't be so formal. You can call me Lauren."
"Clever." Jareth kept his soft eyes on. "You know, I never got to thank you."
"Sure, whatever," she said, casting it off as the thanks were nothing.
Jareth shook his head. "Is that all you feel about it?"
"Not at all, but one does protect the things one loves. Sometimes without thanks. I certainly didn't expect it."
"I beg your pardon. Love?"
"That's right. I love you, *both* of you."
The Goblin King didn't say a word. In fact, he merely cocked an eyebrow at Lauren.
"I loved you because you were the beautiful, seductive predator. The powerful king, powerful enough to take me away from my parents and peers and teachers and siblings that rejected me. But more than that, more than *you*, I loved Sarah because she was beautiful and smart in all the ways I wanted to be smart and she *didn't need you*. She didn't need to be stolen away. She could face her problems. I always hoped I could grow up to be her."
"You are indeed intriguing, Lauren."
"Don't make a big deal out of it. I just wanted the world to see what I thought was true about you. Things that I thought were more true than what anyone else was saying."
"Even though I'm a manipulative bastard, you still love me."
"For all that you are, I love you, in no larger way."
Jareth looked intently at Lauren for the last time.
"I think you're exactly like the Sarah you saw."
He then left her leaving only an open window in the wake.
Lauren wasn't sad. She, in fact, smirked it off as she normally does. She went back to her crystal ball, stared at the crescent-moon shaped imperfection in the bottom and smiled.
Dedication: To David Bowie, for making such a beautiful predator. And to Jennifer Connelly for being my childhood hero. Also to the creators of Cheers for the basis of this chapter.
Author's note: Finally a conclusion. . .enjoy.
**********************************************************************************
"Do you ever think about it, Sarah?"
Jareth had returned, again as Sarah sat at her computer idly flipping through websites. She was avoiding the flames that Jaden was receiving. At last count, there were easily a thousand.
"About what, us?" He was going back to manipulative s-o-b mode.
"Yes." His mismatched eyes changed from stern to curious, almost endearing. "Do you believe the fans know something we don't?"
"What are you saying, Jareth?" She finally turned around.
"I'm *saying* that I never loved you as a child, this is true. But as an adult, perhaps. . ."
Without hesitation, Sarah stood up. And kissed him, in a matured, passionate way. The kiss flowed through Jareth, a yearning fulfilled since he saw her last, sitting in front of the computer, making nasty comments at him. He tried to surround her with his arms, but he just *couldn't*.
It wasn't love. It just wasn't. Period.
Her lips released and she stepped back, opening her eyes slowly. She said only one word.
"No."
"What?" he said, basking in the kiss.
"Your *responsibility*, I gather, was to find out about us? I suppose it was mine, too."
"I don't understand."
"Jareth, I know why you're pursuing me now. Because you've seen me be vulnerable again, just as I was when we first met. But I'm not that person. That's why we rejected each other. My will is as strong as yours, and you'll forever hate me for it. You haven't changed, I haven't changed. I'm sorry, but you still have no power over me."
Jareth looked at her with the same soft eyes. "I know, and dear Sarah, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."
With that, Jareth turned to the window to leave.
"Some other life, then?" he said, looking at her one last time.
Sarah kept her confident stance. "For you maybe."
Jareth nodded, and was instantly the snowy-white owl, flying off into the moon.
Sarah didn't cry, but she knew she might miss him if she never saw him again. He was the balancing to her life, and maybe that's what the fans saw. He made her grow. He made her strong. But that's not what he was doing. He was trying to make her small. He wanted to *take* from her.
She closed the windows, and proceeded with her life, as it was, just on schedule.
**********************************************************************************
Rage looked into her crystal ball, avoiding her email. She'd already been flamed to capacity, but it would pass. Instead, she decided to scry for a while.
"Jaden Rage."
"Jareth." She turned from the crystal ball to meet his eyes. "Don't be so formal. You can call me Lauren."
"Clever." Jareth kept his soft eyes on. "You know, I never got to thank you."
"Sure, whatever," she said, casting it off as the thanks were nothing.
Jareth shook his head. "Is that all you feel about it?"
"Not at all, but one does protect the things one loves. Sometimes without thanks. I certainly didn't expect it."
"I beg your pardon. Love?"
"That's right. I love you, *both* of you."
The Goblin King didn't say a word. In fact, he merely cocked an eyebrow at Lauren.
"I loved you because you were the beautiful, seductive predator. The powerful king, powerful enough to take me away from my parents and peers and teachers and siblings that rejected me. But more than that, more than *you*, I loved Sarah because she was beautiful and smart in all the ways I wanted to be smart and she *didn't need you*. She didn't need to be stolen away. She could face her problems. I always hoped I could grow up to be her."
"You are indeed intriguing, Lauren."
"Don't make a big deal out of it. I just wanted the world to see what I thought was true about you. Things that I thought were more true than what anyone else was saying."
"Even though I'm a manipulative bastard, you still love me."
"For all that you are, I love you, in no larger way."
Jareth looked intently at Lauren for the last time.
"I think you're exactly like the Sarah you saw."
He then left her leaving only an open window in the wake.
Lauren wasn't sad. She, in fact, smirked it off as she normally does. She went back to her crystal ball, stared at the crescent-moon shaped imperfection in the bottom and smiled.