Chapter 6

"Your Highness! Honestly! We didn't know!" pleading the Red sentry.

"Aye! No one tells us anything!" whined the Blue. Jezebel fixed Isaac the scarf around her body as she looked in her full length mirror and said,

"Well, if he is seriously hurt as a result of your shinnanagans, you'll have to deal with me, understand?" They nodded and left her room bowing.

"So let me get this straight. You're going to flirt with this Captain Sparrow and just when he wants you, you crush him right?" asked Danny the fox Stoll from her vanity table. As she adjusted Isaac, she said,

"That's the plan!"

"How brilliant!" said Isaac from where he hung on her.

"Aw who asked you, you dish rag!" insulted Danny.

"Your mother you flea motel!" said Isaac. Danny stuck out his tongue and Isaac stuck what appeared to be a tongue out as well. As she placed her earrings in, she said,

"Now boys, behave yourselves!"

"Jez, seriously though. Just between us. You wouldn't go to all this trouble if the guy wasn't handsome and intelligent would you?" asked Isaac. Jezebel scoffed and said,

"Well!..Well...well?" Hearing her voice end in hesitation, Isaac continued,

"Sweetie, I've known you since I was your mother's scarf. You don't play around with peoples emotions. That's not your style. If you ask me, I think you're scared that you like this guy, and you're trying to keep him away. But you can't help but wonder, 'What if?' What if part of me is trying to tell me that this guy is special? What if I try to charm him?' If that's what you're thinking, you'll never charm him by acting like the women he usually hangs around. You got to make him see you're special too." Jezebel contemplated this and stuttered,

"That's...that's silly! I don't have feelings for him at all! And who says I'm playing with peoples emotions? I'm sure he feels nothing but lust for me. So I'm playing to his body not his heart...if he has one!" Isaac sighed,

"Whatever you say sweetie! And I'll keep quiet during this whole thing!"

"Good. Thank you!" said Jezebel. A moment of silence passed before Danny said,

"I agree with Isaac!" Isaac gasped and Jezebel glared at him and said,

"Traitor!"

&&&

Jareth continued on in the Oubliette. Soon he came around to huge craved faces down a hallway. As he passed them, they spoke,

"DON'T GO ON!"

"GO BACK, WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"

"THIS IS NOT THE WAY!"

"TAKE HEED, AND GO NO FURTHER!"

"BEWARE! BEWARE!"

"SOON IT WILL BE TOO LATE!"

"FOR THE PATH YOU TAKE WILL LEAD TO CERTAIN DESTRUCTION!" Jareth stopped and yelled,

"Shut up!"

"Gees!"

"Soorrry!"

"Just doing my job!" they muttered before Jareth glared at them. Then he saw something on the ground ahead of him. He picked it up and recognized it as the beggar's costume he used to surprise Sarah and Hoggle during her first visit here. He laughed to himself bitter sweetly. He remembered her apparent hate for him with only the slightest hint of desire. But now he had ruined everything. When she saw him again, she would never want anything to do with him. But oh, how he just wanted one more moment with her. He began to sing softly and slowly to himself,

'When the night won't fall and the sun wont rise
And you see the best as you close your eyes
When you reach the top as you bottom out
But you understand what it's all about

Nothing's ever what it seems
In your life or in your dreams
It don't make sense, what can you do
So I won't try makin' sense of you

Love just is... whatever it may be
Love just is... you and me
Nothing less and nothing more
I don't know what I love you for... love just is

He stood up, dropped the costume back on the ground, and continued,


When you ask to stay and disappear
It seems you're gone but you're really here
When every move seems out of place
But every kiss is filled with grace

Some things never get defined
In your heart or in your mind
It don't make sense, what can you do
So I won't try makin sense of you

In another part of the Oubliette, Sarah slowed down, because she heard singing,

"Jareth?" she whispered.

Love just is... whatever it may be
Love just is... you and me
Nothing less and nothing more
I don't know what I love you for... love just is

Don't ever ask me for reasons
I can't get to you
Don't ever ask me for reasons
Why I live for you... I just do

When you ask to stay and disappear
It seems you're gone but you're really here
When every move seems out of place
But every kiss is filled with grace

Love just is... whatever it may be
Love just is... you and me
Nothing less and nothing more
I don't know what I love you for... love just is'

As he finished the slow, sad, sweet song, he turned a corner and came face to face with Sarah. Shocked, he just stood there looking at her, taking in how she had changed. Gone was the round face of youth and in it's place the slim face of a young woman. She was taller, and curvier and looked more beautiful to him than any sunset. As shocked, thrilled, and scared as he, she said,

"What are you doing here?" He gulped and smirked.

"Oh you know. Just getting lost in my own Labyrinth. And yourself?" he asked. She trembled. He still had that same cultured, British sounding voice that sent chills up her spine. It excited her and terrified her all at the same time.

"About the same." she said looking down. What do you say to the man who ruined happily ever after for you forever? She stole a peek at him and saw him smiling, not in an condescending way like she was used to. But in a kind, and hopeful way. It was a smile that made his slight crow's feet more pronounced. It went all the way up to his ears. Then she did a double take.

"You've cut your hair!" she exclaimed. He combed a hand through his hair as if trying to feel his long locks again,

"No, that was my dear sister." he said sarcastically.

"I...I like it. I never noticed you had pointy ears before." she said. He fingered the slight point and said,

"Well, the Fae are related to Elves so it only makes sense."

"Yes, I suppose." she nodded.

"Sarah...I want to apologize." said Jareth. Sarah snapped her head up at this.

"What?"

"For all I did to you. I'm sorry." he said.

"For what?" she asked.

"Everything!" he said.

"Say it!" she said.

"Why? You know all that happened so why should I?"

"Because I want to know what you're sorry for!" she said.

"So you're going to make me grovel?" he said his voice rising.

"You made me run the Labyrinth!" she said matching him.

"I gave you every opportunity to turn back before it was too late!" he argued.

"You know I couldn't turn back! I had to save Toby!" she said.

"From what? A fate you gave him?" he asked.

"Oh! At least I wasn't beaten by a mortal girl!" she said.

"Now that's hitting below the belt!" he said.

"Yeah 'cause you're still an arrogant egotistical dictator!" said Sarah.

"Well you are an naive shrew who can't make up her bloody mind!" he yelled.

"Oh!"

&&&

Jack awoke slowly, his head throbbing. He heard something shift in the dark and ready to respond he demanded,

"Who's there?"

"Just little ol' me!" said Jezebel as she stuck a match and lit a candelabra. Jack stood up and saw a round table covered in linen with piles of rich delicious looking food on top, the table set for two. Then his eyes got even wider as he scanned Jezebel. She was in a high necked, long simple white gown that hung off her hips and straight to the floor. Around her chest and neck hung a rainbow colored scarf shimmering in the candlelight. Her hair was slightly pulled back with a piece of black ribbon, and diamond chandeliers hung off her (surprisingly) slightly pointy ears. She looked almost as good enough to eat as the food. She smiled at him.

"Do you like it?" she said as she spun around. When Jack saw the low cut back, his eyes threatened to go out of their sockets.

"Just a little number I picked up in New York City." she said.

"There is no New York City." he stated curiously. She smiled.

"Not yet! Well...at least from where you're from!"

"Ah yes. The whole 'not limited by time' business Sarah was talking about." he said. She pulled out a chair, and sat down saying,

"You must be hungry!"

"Not at all!" he said. He was about to say something else when his stomach growled loudly. She smirked,

"That is your stomach is it not?" Sheepishly, he nodded and said,

"I suppose it tis!" She pulled out the other chair and said patting the seat,

"Come. Sit down...Have something to...nibble on." She said the last part slowly and looked up at him.

"And waste precious time not running the Labyrinth, right?" questioned Jack.

"No! Silly! I just thought a intelligent soul like yourself should keep up his strenght. After all, we want our wits about us, don't we?" she said.

"I must agree with you there. So where are we?" he asked scanning the room.

"This is the Oubliette. You do know what an Oubliette is, don't you Jack?" she said.

"Aye. It's French. Nice place to put people to forget about them, don't you think?" questioned Jack raising his eyebrows.

"Quite. You're so clever Jack. You don't mind I call you Jack, do you?" she said batting her eyelashes. He leaned his hands against the back of the chair and said,

"Stop." Batting them a little more nervously, she said,

"Stop what?"

"This feeble and useless attempt to charm and seduce me. I don't know if you're trying to make me give up, or to lose, or even to get me back for insulting you. But stop this foolish, ridiculous attempt to make me want you." he said.

"I'm only responding to the signals you've been giving off that you're attracted to me!" she said.

"Why would I be attracted to a cold, cruel, manipulative witch hmm?" he said. She shut her eyes at his stinging words. Then she opened them when he continued,

"So if you don't mind, time is short!" She threw her napkin on the table and stood up.

"If you think time is short now, watch this!" She pointed to a corner and he saw the all too familiar clock he had seen throughout the Labyrinth. As she started to twirl her finger, the hands of the clock twirled forward three hours.

"Hey!" protested Jack. He stepped back though, when Jezebel whipped her head back with angry eyes red and threatening to water.

"Are you crying?" asked Jack surprised that he was concerned.

"Of course not! Why would a 'cold, cruel, manipulative witch' cry? I hope you enjoy the next six hours Captain. For I'm letting the Labyrinth do whatever it wants with you!" she said. She then produced a crystal and threw it at him. It carried him with a great force that propelled him through the wall and into the inner tunnels of the Oubliette.

&&&

Sarah and Jareth had stopped arguing a long time ago. They just walked the path together in tense silence. Frustrated, Sarah said,

"Do you have to keep following me?"

"After that pirate tricked you almost leaving you to rot in that dead end? Not likely." he said. Sarah sighed,

"I wonder where he is anyway?"

"He must be almost to the castle by now. By telling me about you, he made me go back and lose precious time."

"Why did you come back for me anyway?" she asked. Jareth stopped her and looked into her eyes.

"I would have thought it obvious. Because I cared for your safety." he stated. She scanned his eyes trying to find the evil Goblin King that had caused her so much grief five years ago only finding instead a caring, cunning individual named Jareth that totally fascinated her. She cleared her throat and said,

"That Captain Sparrow certainly was a clever fellow. I had no idea he was manipulating me until it was too late."

"Hmm. Same here." said Jareth scanning her lips.

"So do you really think he's almost to the castle?" she asked. Just then, Jack burst through the wall and onto the ground.

"Either that or he's stuck in the Oubliette with us!" said Jareth dryly.

"Ow." said Jack from where he lay on the ground. Sarah crossed her arms and said,

"What's the matter Captain? Fall down and go boom?" Pretending to share her laugh for a moment, Jack soon shot glares at her.

"If you two would be soon kind?" he said. Sarah and Jareth looked at each other and sighed. Soon they were helping Jack up to his feet.

"Are you alright?" asked Sarah brushing him off.

"I'll live." stated Jack.

"Good...'cause I'm going to kill you!" said Sarah advancing towards him. Jack stepped back and Jareth held her by her shoulders and said,

"Sarah!"

"Jareth! Don't you see? He's in with your sister! And she sent him to trick us again!" said Sarah struggling in Jareth's arms.

"Then why would she try to catapult him through a stone wall?" he reasoned.

"I think it's safe to say she's done more than 'try' mate!" said Jack rubbing his head.

"What?" asked Sarah.

"I know my sister. She would not send someone through a wall unless he did something incredibly stupid to make her angry. I should know. I learned the hard way when I was about twelve hundred! So the question is Captain, what did you do to get under her skin this time?" asked Jareth.

"Well I called her a 'cruel, cold, manipulative witch'." Jack said sheepishly. Releasing Sarah, Jareth said,

"That's would do it. Jezebel never could stand to be called names."

"If you're not in with Jezebel, then why are you here? Surely it must be for more than stealing her pendant!" asked Sarah.

"I WAS in with Jezebel..." Looking at the glares he received, he continued quickly, "but only a little! She's holding me Pearl hostage unless I beat the Labyrinth and the two of you Savvy? And she also wanted me to keep you from beating the Labyrinth so there you go. But now that I have thoroughly hacked her off, I doubt she'll care if I do that now, Savvy?"

"Who's Pearl?" asked Sarah thinking Pearl to be Jack's lover or something.

"She's my ship. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, Luv. And I didn't spend ten years of me life chasing down me mutinous first mate to get her back for nothing." Seeing Jareth's quirked eyebrow, he added, "Long story."

"Well, I for one am tired of playing Jezebel's game. So I suggest, we team up to beat the Labyrinth. For if we all consent that there is no one to beat us, then Jezebel can't hold over our heads that we didn't now can we?" said Jareth.

"Now hold on mate! What profit would I get for teaming up with the two of you?" asked Jack.

"Your ship is rather un-catch-able I suppose?" question Jareth.

"Nigh un-catch-able, mate. There is reason why she's called the fastest ship in the Caribbean!"

"Help me rescue Sarah's friends, and to regain my powers and my throne, and I'll place a few magic charms on your ship to make sure that she is never caught! Agreed?" stated Jareth. Jack stroked his beard and Sarah was surprised Jareth remembered her friends. Then Jack held out his hand and said,

"We have an accord! Your Majesty!" As Jareth shook it his hand, he looked to Sarah and said,

"Well Sarah. Are you in?" Sarah looked to both of them and said,

"I don't trust either one of you!"

"Peas in a pod, Luv!" said Jack as he still hold Jareth's hand.

"Sarah, my love, what choice do you have?" asked Jareth. Sighing, she placed her hand on top of theirs and said,

"Agreed!" Then she pointed a finger at Jareth and said, "I'm not your love!" As she walked down the corridor, Jack saw Jareth's eyes grow sad at that statement before their mask came back and he continued after Sarah.

'Sort of looked like Jezebel for a second there after I told her she was a witch. I wonder if I hurt her more than she let on? Wait...why do I bloody care?' thought Jack. Sarah stopped and her eyes grew wide in recognition of a sound from the past.

"Jareth?" she called. Jareth joined her and listened as well. Jack came up to them and said,

"What's that noise?" Suddenly, a metallic image flashed down the long hall corridor.

"The cleaners!" yelled Jareth backing up.

"The what?" asked Jack as Sarah pushed him and said,

"JUST RUN!" They broke into a run and Jack looked over his shoulder to see a large, spinning rapidly approaching device with several sharp, rusty blades protruding at them. He picked up speed as Sarah yelled,

"It's faster than I remembered!"

"The goblins like to tinker with everything to try to make things go faster!" yelled Jareth back. Jack ran past them yelling,

"Why don't we do less talking and more running, Savvy?" But soon they came to a locked door.

"Oh no!" yelled Sarah looking back as Jack shook the doors and Jareth tried his shoulder against it. The cleaners coming closer, Jareth pointing to another closed doorway to the right and said,

"Let's try that one!"

"But it's locked!" yelled Sarah eyeing the lock. Jack pushed Sarah behind him towards Jareth and pulled out his pistol yelling,

"Stand back!" He cocked the trigger and shot the lock off. Then he kicked the door in and dived in. Jareth pulled Sarah in with him just as the cleaners passed by, the goblins controlling the spinning motion of the blades as they went up and down in time. The three of them lay on the kicked in door side by side. They looked up over their shoulders at the cleaners as they passed.

"Well, that was a close shave." said Jack. Jareth and Sarah turned their heads to glare at him.