Sarah and Jareth exchanged horrified glances as the electronics in the house flickered.

Karen cried out. "What's happening?"

The room somehow darkened for a moment, when the light returned there was a swirl of glitter and Jareth stood in his full Goblin King regalia. And Karen and Robert had vanished.

Toby spun around searching, finally turning to face Jareth and Sarah. He backed up a step, confusion and fear on his face. "What happened to Mom and Dad?"

The Goblin King tilted his head and spoke softly. "I think you know where they are Toby."

Sarah grabbed Jareth's arm and whispered. "Please... don't do this."

Jareth's eyes were regretful as he shook his head. "I don't have the choice." Sarah clenched her hand in frustration, belatedly noticing that it was gloved.

She looked herself over, instead of her jeans and t-shirt she saw head to toe glittering black armour and cape, a feminine equivalent to Jareth's. She glared questioningly at Jareth, who sighed and indicated the pendant hanging low on her breast plate.

Toby's eyes nervously flitted between the dark clad figures. "What's going on?"

Sarah looked at him sadly. "You made a wish."

Realisation turned to panic. "No! Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" He began to sob. "Please, bring them back!"

Sarah's heart ached to comfort her brother, she stepped towards him, Jareth's hand gently but firmly held her back. She shot him a glare, he shook his head almost imperceptibly.

The Goblin King spoke softly. "Toby, I have brought you a gift." He a crystal appeared in his hand and offered it to the terrified boy. Sarah wanted to knock it out of his hands, throw it out the window, anything to stop what was happening. But she understood that Toby had set something in motion, she could not stop it.

Toby gazed wide eyed at the profered bauble. "What is it?"

"A crystal." He rolled it over his hands deftly, holding it up to Toby's face before curling his arm back. "It will show you your dreams."

"My dreams?" He tried to see within the crystal but Jareth lifted it higher before rolling it back down, presenting it just out of the boy's grasp.

"Do you want it?" Jareth taunted.

Toby seemed mesmerized by the spinning sphere, he began to lift his hand to take it.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat. Toby paused and regarded Jareth warily. "But... what about Mom and Dad?"

Jareth's voice was soft but had a mocking tone. "I thought you didn't want your parents around to tell you what do do."

Toby blinked and pushed away Jareth's hand holding the crystal. "No, I want my parents back."

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. "Let me r-"

Jareth placed a finger to her lips, there was a warning in his eyes. He turned towards the kitchen window which no longer showed the beautiful sunny morning. Instead a fiery orange sky illuminated the Labyrinth and the castle in the distance.

Jareth spoke. "They are there, in my castle... Are you sure you want to look for them?"

In an instant they were at the old tree overlooking the gate. A sense of nostalgia washed over Sarah despite the knot in her stomach

Toby squinted at the castle. "It doesn't look that far."

"It is further than you think and time is short." An ornate clock appeared in the tree. Jareth leaned and whispered into Toby's ear. "There's still time to turn back you know."

Toby frowned at him. "No, I can't. I have to get my parents back."

"Very well...You have thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth... before your parents become part of this world... forever."

As Jareth and Sarah faded from view she could hear Toby plaintively call out. "Sarah!"

...

Sarah and Jareth reappeared in the castle, but not in the throneroom as she had expected. They were in the room of stairs.

Sarah turned angrily at Jareth. "Why did you stop me from taking Toby's place?"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Because you cannot."

She recoiled. "Why not?"

He clasped his pendant and held it beside hers. "We are bound to our roles, remember what I said about your run?"

Sarah shook her head in denial, then she frowned, her eyes were like daggers as she poked his chest. "This is your fault! You're the one who told me to keep it!"

He sighed, shaking his head. "There has never been two pendants before, I could not have foreseen this!"

"But he's my brother! I can't do this!"

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "In this moment you are Keeper of the Labyrinth same as I. Whether we like it or not we must each play our roles until the scene plays out. If we do not... the whole game is forfeit... everyone loses."

Tears began to cascade down her face. Jareth wiped them away with a gloved finger. "We must wait and see what your brother expects of us... and play along."

She pushed him away. "It's not fair! He's only a kid!"

His voice was gentle. "I know Precious... but I don't make the rules."

Sarah slumped to her knees, a strangled sob echoing among the twisted stairs. Jareth knelt placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned her face away from him and he almost removed his hand, but she leaned into him and he held her, stroking her hair.

Wiping her eyes Sarah stood and took a few deep breaths, Jareth was relieved to see a spark of determination had replaced the despair in her eyes. "We will figure the rest out later." She took his hand. "Let's go check on the wished aways."

...

They appeared together in a poof of glitter, standing behind the throne.

In the pit Karen screamed in surprise and clutched at Robert, who was swatting his newspaper to keep the curious goblins that surrounded them at bay.

Robert scowled at the pair in black armour and then he did a double take. Looking them up and down he exclaimed. "Sarah! What is the meaning of this?"

Sarah sighed "I guess new introductions are in order. Dad, Karen meet Jareth... The Goblin King."

Karen blinked in surprise. "Goblin King? Like in the storybook you used to read?

Jareth bowed, smirking.

Karen's eyes widened and she spun to Sarah, pointing her finger accusingly. "That night... when you suddenly changed... you wished Toby away, didn't you?"

"Yes..." Sarah kept her voice level. "And I ran the Labyrinth for him and won him back."

Karen's face became downcast. "Now Toby has wished us away."

"Yes." Sarah nodded.

Robert scowled. "And is he running this Labyrinth right now?"

Jareth indicated the huge clock. "He started twenty three minutes ago."

Karen clutched at Sarah's shoulders. "You have to help him!"

Sarah's shoulders slumped. "I can't."

Robert bellowed. "What do you mean you can't?"

Jareth looked regretfully at the Williams family. "It is procedure. You are the wished away, We are Keepers of the Labyrinth. None of us can interfere with the runner."

"But he's all alone!" Karen's broken expression cut Sarah to the core.

Jareth cracked a small smile. "If he is anything like his sister, he will not be alone for long."

...

Author's note

Thank you so much to Guest 2020 and Mae-E for the reviews and to all those who have faved and followed.

I don't own Labyrinth or its characters.