Sorry everyone! Life got busy but I hope to have more soon! I'm not giving up yet!
Here's the second half of that scene. Thanks again for the reviews! MayRaven
The hours that followed the loss of the compass were quiet and bleak. The Labyrinth was surprisingly disserted. There weren't any signs of goblins or their kin of any kind. Jareth lead the way at a steady pace, Sarah reluctantly fallowing behind him. The former Goblin King had done his best to raise the young woman's spirits, but a part of her had already been affected by a dark magic and the damage was done.
Sarah felt a new, sorrowed understanding of herself. She'd been forced to see inside herself and how alone and lost she'd been all these years. Even now, here with Jareth, she felt distanced and distraught. Knowing she should be concerned about her brother, the best part of her life, Sarah couldn't help the desire to give up that now filled her heart.
Suddenly, Sarah stopped in her tracts and leaned against a green hedge. Jareth stood by her and looked to the sky. The clouds were turning violently and a wind was picking up. This made him uneasy and Jareth tried to get Sarah to move along. As he touched her shoulder she shrank to the ground.
"Come, come now!" he urged. "We can't give up. We've come so far already. Toby is counting on you."
"Why should he?" Sarah questioned with a shrug. "How could he even know I'm coming for him?"
"He knows you'll always come for him. Of that I'm certain," he smiled. "Now," he continued hastily, "we'll make it to the Dark Forest before that storm hits, but only if you come with me now."
"What's the point?" Sarah sobbed. "He doesn't really need me. No one needs me. I don't even need me." Her tears flowed openly once more and she hid her face in her hands.
Jareth shifted on his feet and looked around. Then, quite indignantly he crouched next to the weeping woman and pulled back her matted tresses. "Trust me, please," he begged, "you are indeed needed." Sarah continued her sobbing and after a pause he added, "I need you."
Stopping mid sob, Sarah lifted her head and wiped her tears. Her eyes narrowed maliciously. "Why? Why do you need me?" she demanded. "I know you were just taking advantage of me before."
"What?" Jareth breathed in disbelief. "I did no such thing."
"Sure you did. You got your way with me after all these years. Finally, you bedded the one foolish girl who broke your heart and got away." Her tone took a sardonic curve and Jareth stood to create some distance between himself and the cruel words that stabbed his pride.
"You can't believe that. Your feelings have been turned rotten by that enchanted thing you praised so well. I would never treat you so poorly. Everything I did on your last trip through this Labyrinth was for you. And yes, you may have broken my heart, but I promised myself then that I would never do the same to you no matter how badly you'd ruined me."
Sarah was dumbfounded. "I broke your heart?"
"Well, yes," he answered plainly.
Sarah got up off the ground and stared intently into the fair man's mismatched eyes. "I didn't mean all those nasty things I said," she whispered.
"You know that's the second time that's happened," observed Jareth with a smirk. "Either you start watching what you say, or I'm going to have to stop forgiving these angry outbursts."
"Oh, Jareth, I'm so sorry," she said kissing Jareth deeply. Although her heart still ached with feelings of loss and abandonment, Sarah did feel safe once more in this man's embrace.
More soon!
