Disclaimer – Grrr! Did I ever mention how much I hate these? I do not own anything related to the Labyrinth but I do own all original characters.

Rated T for language

Sorry for the wait on this but it couldn't be helped. Also, sorry for the shortness and rubbishness. I had serious writers block on this chapter so I just got it out of the way as soon as possible.

Chapter 7 – Broken hearts through anger

J-lea ran up the stairs to the Escher Room but stopped in the door way and simply gaped.

It was huge! There were so many platforms and doorways. Stairs connected walls and ceilings.

'How the hell are you supposed to get through that?' J-lea thought to herself as she walked in looking at all the platforms.

As she kept looking she heard a familiar tune start up.

'WHAT! He can't sing this to me. I don't fit the profile' J-lea thought. And she was right. The original lyrics didn't fit her but when Jareth started to sing, she didn't hear all the words she expected to.

As Jareth started to sing, J-lea spotted him on a ledge over the other side of the room.

"How you turn my world, you precious thing. You surprise and near confuse me"

He disappeared through an archway and reappeared right behind her for the next line, but she didn't turn around.

"Everything I've done, I've done for you"

J-lea felt Jareth's arms wrap around her waist from behind as anger boiled up inside of her.

"I would move the stars for you. You've run so long, you've run so far"

Suddenly, he was in front of her, hands cupping her face.

"You're eyes can be so cruel"

Jareth let his hand fall away as he stepped backwards.

"Just as I can be so cruel," he sang before he turned and threw a crystal, which eventually ended up in Kiara's hand.

"Kiara" J-les whispered as she looked at the baby briefly before returning her gaze back to Jareth.

"Oh, I do believe in you, yes I do"

J-lea stepped away from Jareth, anger coursing through her. She blocked out the rest of his singing as she tried to reach her sister.

J-lea ran down some steps and leaped over a gap onto another platform. Kiara was a few levels down and J-lea couldn't see anyway straight down.

'Time for more acrobatics' thought J-lea before she jumped onto the side of some rotated steps. She back flipped backwards and landed on a platform one level down. She ran down some more stairs and saw Kiara. She was on the wall that joined as a corner with the floor that J-lea was standing on. J-lea ran forward and just as she was about to reach Kiara the room changed.

J-lea was standing on part of the floor with blocks of stone floating around her and Kiara was nowhere in sight.

As J-lea looked around for Kiara, she saw an archway. As she gazed at it, Jareth emerged from the darkness within it.

"Where is she, Jareth?" J-lea asked as soon as she saw Jareth.

"J-lea, beware. I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel," replied the King.

"Look, Jareth, I'm pissed off, I'm exhausted and I just want to know where my sister is. Tell me, Where. Is. She?" J-lea ground out.

"Little Kiara is somewhere away from here" was all Jareth said. J-lea sighed in anger.

"What is it with you and being annoying?" asked J-lea, her anger getting the best of her, "And what the fuck was that song about anyway? You didn't take Kiara away for me, Elektra wished it. Not I"

"No, but you wanted it. I could feel your frustration"

"No. I may dislike Kiara because she is going to grow up just like my mother but I did not want her to be taken away," J-lea near shouted at Jareth, "I'm not like that, Jareth, you of all people should know that!"

"And why would I know you? Maybe you just put a mask on with me as you have everyone else," said Jareth coldly as he span a crystal on his hands. J-lea's mouth dropped open. She could not believe he had just said that.

"Jareth, give me Kiara and let me leave. I don't want to say the words so don't make me" she replied, her tone as icy as his.

"Did that strike a weak spot, dear J-lea?

"Jareth, I'm warning you. Don't make me say it"

"Say what, J-lea?" mocked Jareth, "Are you strong enough? After all, you aren't strong enough to stop Eric beating you" J-lea span around, eyes blazing in anger.

"Goddamn it, Jareth, YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!" she screamed at him.

Jareth's eyes widened slightly before he threw the crystal up into the air. J-lea caught the crystal but it didn't pop as it had for Sarah, it stayed solid.

As she watched Jareth transform into his owl form, she felt a tear trickle down her cheek as she realised what she had just done.

J-lea's surroundings changed again as Jareth flew out of the window.

J-lea closed her eyes for a minute trying to get used to the pain that was coursing through her, both in her heart and body, before she opened them and looked at the clock.

12:25.

She had about half an hour to clean herself up.

J-lea ran up the stairs two at a time and reached the landing.

"J-lea?" she heard Elektra call questioningly. Instead of responding, J-lea opened Elektra's door and stood in the doorway.

Elektra ran at J-lea and threw her arms around her. J-lea stiffened in pain and hissed. Elektra released her quickly and checked her over.

"You're hurt," she stated.

'No shit, Sherlock' J-lea thought before she replied.

"It's fine. I've had worse" Elektra looked down at this.

"I know" she said quietly, "I tried to tell mum what dad was doing to you but she wouldn't believe me. He is the perfect husband to her"

J-lea raised Elektra's face to look in her eyes and she was surprised to see tears.

"Hey," J-lea said softly, "It's alright. I would take it all a thousand times over if it meant that he never touches you. Or Kiara" J-lea put in as an afterthought.

"Speaking of Kiara" J-lea said thoughtfully before she released Elektra and jogged into the nursery.

There was Kiara, safe and sound, sleeping in her cot. J-lea smiled and brushed a small lock of hair off her face and gently kissed her forehead before making sure she was tucked in properly. J-lea walked out and closed the door. Elektra was waiting for her outside.

J-lea smiled at her.

"Elektra?" J-lea asked.

"Yea?" returned the teen.

"I'm not mad or anything but… don't do that again"

"I won't. I promise" Elektra declared vehemently. J-lea smiled.

"Good. Now go to bed. Your dad will kill me if he finds out I let you stay up this late"

As Elektra went to bed, J-lea went to the bathroom. She took a quick shower and cleaned her wounds. Her hands were unbelievably scratched and grazed. She was thankful that she wore gloves most of the time, which meant that they wouldn't be noticed. The gash on her arm was quite deep so she bandaged it thinly so it wouldn't be noticed. She did the same with the gashes on her ankle. Problem was, the wound on her stomach hurt like hell. It would be easy to hide physically, but it would test her limits to keep any one from noticing anything. Also, the cut on her face was going to take some explaining. She hoped that she could keep it out of sight until tomorrow afternoon when she could blame it on a fight.

J-lea sighed as she walked back to her room, fully clothed and towelling her hair dry. When she walked it though, she saw a barn owl perched on the tree outside her window. J-lea's eyes became sad, as she knew who it was.

"You got me angry. I didn't want to say it" J-lea said to him. He just hooted and flew away. J-lea closed her eyes and sighed. She checked all the doors and windows in the house to make sure they were locked before she went to bed.

Tomorrow was just going to be another day.

Same shit, different day.

Okay, please don't kill me.

I know I said that she wouldn't reject him but I had a flash of inspiration. They will get together believe me. They WILL. It will be either next chapter of the one after. Depends.