Underneath the Crystal Moon

a/n: I do not own labyrinth. Also, I wanted to remind some people of the ages of the characters based on APS. Aaron was about 18 months when he was brought to the Underground. So this makes him about 19.5 years now. Toby was 11 when he came down, so now he is 29. And the triplets, of course, are 18. Now shoo, go back to reading.

Part One: Phoenix

Chapter 4

While they were walking Aidan was trying to slowly get used to his surroundings. The castle was a puzzle. All he had to do was figure out how all the pieces went together, and he would be able to move around quite easily. He had a question though. The girl he had been seeing every time he closed his eyes had the weirdest, yet most wonderful eyes he had ever seen.

"Your Highness, how did you get eyes like that?" he asked her.

"Phoenix is fine. My mother has a power that makes her a Lady of the Flame. She can draw upon her inner flame and make it manifest itself as, basically, her becoming a flame herself. When she had my brothers and I in the womb she used the power, and it changed me. I am a Lady of the Flame also," she said to him. She held her hand up, and it became a living flame. She quickly extinguished it though as they approached the dining room. Phoenix could wield the power a lot easier than any other Lady, and she did not even have to think about it anymore.

There were so many people there. The king and queen were there. There was a male, in his late twenties, talking with a man in his early twenties with red hair. There were two boys of about his age. One had dark hair with pale streaks, and the other had hair like the kings with black streaks. They all turned and looked at him. He suddenly wanted to be invisible.

"This is Aidan Bishop. His little brother wished him away. He is too old to be adopted, so he is staying here until we figure out what to do with him," Jareth told everyone assembled. Sarah decided to make introductions.

"I am sure you will not remember all of this. To my right is my brother, Prince Toby, the boy who was taken in the story. To my left is our adopted son, Aaron, who serves as a knight and a diplomat for our kingdom. The two boys are Phoenix's other thirds. They were born triplets. The quiet one with the dark hair is Prince Damien. The cheerful one with the light hair is Eamon, the crown prince and heir," Sarah completed the introductions. Aidan felt like he was going to faint. He sat down instead. Phoenix sat down between the triplets, and Aidan found himself sitting next to Prince Toby. He stared at Toby like he had two heads.

Toby leaned over and whispered to him.

"I know, it's weird. But my mom died, and Sarah was the only one I wanted to stay with. So she brought me here. It took me a long time to get used to it. But I love it here. It is more home than Aboveground ever was. The wine should help dull the shock a little," Toby said as he poured a rich, red wine into a crystal goblet. Everyone talked incessantly through the meal. Aidan refilled the wine glass several times until he felt woozy. He was about to lay his head down on the elegant table when Toby put his hand on Aidan's shoulder. A second later they were in Aidan's room, thanks to Toby's timely transport. Aidan stumbled over to the bed. Toby sighed and started to pull off Aidan's shoes.

"Why did she have to be real?" Aidan asked, with a little drunken slurring.

"Who?" Toby asked.

"Phoenix. I have been seeing her face every time I close my eyes for years," Aidan sighed.

Toby was a bit startled by that comment.

"Funny thing is, I think she has seen me before too," Aidan muttered sleepily. Toby looked puzzled as he closed the door.

Toby went to find Phoenix. She was in her room. He knocked before entering. His young niece was brushing her hair. He took a seat in her sitting area and waited for her. She came over and flopped in the chair across from him.

"What's going on, Uncle Toby?" she asked him.

"Our new guest has been dreaming of you for years. He said he has been seeing your face for years now, every time he closes his eyes. Do you know what is going on?" Toby asked her.

"Stupid mortal," Phoenix growled.

"Phoenix, you know I hate that. Eighteen years ago I was still mortal, and so was your mother," Toby reminded her.

"I have no clue how he has been seeing me, just as I have no idea why I have been seeing him. Look!" Phoenix said as she showed him her sketchbook. Inside were various pictures, but all the sketches of males were doppelgangers for the young Aidan.

"Did you tell him you have seen him before?"

"No. I do not know why. I just don't think I am ready to deal with that right now," Phoenix sighed.

Toby thought he knew what was going on, but he needed to talk to Sarah. He gave his niece a kiss on her upturned nose and left her rooms.

Toby knocked on Sarah's study door. Sarah had needed her own space to study and work. Sarah opened the door and let him in.

"Sarah, those two have been dreaming of one another for years," Toby told her.

"Really?" Sarah asked curiously, even though her mother's intuition had already figured out that Aidan and her daughter already knew each other, even if it was from the plane of dreaming.

"When I was placing the drunk Aidan in his bed he told me that he had been seeing Phoenix's face whenever he closed his eyes for years. I went to Phoenix's room and she showed me her sketchbook. All the faces in that sketchbook look like Aidan's. What the hell is going on?" he asked.

"They are both strong dreamers. Phoenix dreamt of a man that would love her for who she was, and love the fire she had inside of her. Someone that would dream with her. Someone who understood she wanted more than balls and dresses. Aidan had dreamt of a woman who was intelligent, and thoughtful. Someone who had passion for something other than clothing and boys. Jareth and I were drawn together by both being strong dreamers. We shared a dream, yet did not know it. The strongest dreamers are always drawn together," Sarah told her brother.

"Are you saying that they are meant to be together then? Not that I am totally surprised. Nothing is what it seems," Toby commented.

"There is no one else for these two. They will only ever love each other. Once they realize it, it will be impossible to part them. We have to let it be. I am going to let Jareth know tonight. We will have to find him work as a stablehand or something. Keep his mind off of things," Sarah said.

"If she marries him, what will he be?" Toby asked.

"By the laws, he would become a Prince. Like you, he will be unable to lay a claim to the throne, but he will become royal, and let's not forget that it will not take long for him to become Fae, as you and Aaron are Fae " Sarah said.

Toby gave her a hug and took his leave.