Jareth vanished the crystal he had been holding and chuckled as Toby disappeared into the shadows. "That little detour should keep him busy for a bit."

Sarah shook her head to clear her thoughts, she wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. Besides, she needed to concentrate on Toby's run, everything else could be dealt with later.

Noticing her troubled expression Jareth took her hand, rubbing the back of it gently. "How are you faring?"

Sarah snorted, rolling her eyes.

"You know that I would spare you this distress if I could." He cupped her cheek as he leaned in for a kiss.

Sarah blinked at the sensation of deja vue, he was wearing exactly the same outfit as the first time he had leaned over in the tunnels. Her stomach fluttered at the memory. At the time she had not understood the thrill that his closeness and his smirk had stirred in her, had been bewildered by her desire to kiss that smirk off his face. And only a few days ago in these tunnels another Jareth had been so close that his hair had tickled her face. The only thing that had held her back was the realization that it wasn't really him.

Now... having him so close and having already tasted the magic of his kisses, a part of her longed to give in and kiss him here, to finally fulfill that little fantasy.

But... she couldn't do that... not when she wasn't sure if she could trust him. That realization hurt. She had trusted him, but now...

When she didn't raise her face to meet him he paused, sensing something amiss. Sarah pulled back, avoiding his gaze.

He frowned at her sudden reticence but didn't insist, his hands fell to her shoulders as he rested he forehead against hers. Sarah bit her lip, fighting the temptation to lean into him, to let him hold her, to find comfort in his embrace.

He lifted her chin to look in her eyes, his brow furrowing in concern. "Please Love, tell me what is troubling you."

Sarah turned away and glanced worriedly down the tunnel where Toby had fled. "Now is not the time for this discussion."

Jareth's gloved fingers gently guided her face back towards him, his voice was soft, reassuring. "Toby is not in any immediate danger and he still has plenty of time."

She shook her head. "I just can't right now Jareth, please."

"Dearest, I do not wish to push you." He sighed, pursing his lips. "However... there is a point of concern."

She frowned, suspicions flaring, "What, you said Toby was fine!"

He shook his head. "It isn't your brother... It is you. You have been unduly influencing his run."

Her brow creased in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I am sure you have noticed that despite having made a few different turns Toby has so far faced rather similar challenges." He made a sweeping gesture before pulling at the the lapel of his leather jacket. "Right down to the attire of the antagonists."

She looked down at her jacket, long and fitted, over a frilly blouse and grey tights, "I thought you did that."

He shook his head. "No, it seems you have been letting your nostalgia take over and the Labyrinth is living up to your expectations. You must let him have his own experience."

"Even if I was influencing his run, what harm is there in him facing the same things I did?"

"The Labyrinth is a test. He must face his own challenges... and you must let him."

Sarah sighed, shoulders slumping. "Fine. I'll try."

She did try to clear her mind for a moment, but Hoggle's words only bounced around her brain again, Fae rat he had said. She needed to know more. Pursing her lips she asked, "By the way, where did you send Hoggle?"

At Jareth's petulant expression she sighed. "I'll be back in a minute."

.

The smell registered before anything else did. Sarah attempted to hold her breath as she strode over to where Hoggle was stranded, dangling from a familiar crumbling ledge above the bubbling bog. Sarah snorted, sometimes Jareth was so predictable. As she approached she assessed the situation. It was high enough that Hoggle risked injury if he let go, as well as the possibility of stumbling into the bog. But if she tried to catch him he might overbalance both of them into the bog. She sighed, silently wishing the ledge wasn't so close to the edge.

A loud rumble made her jump, and she gaped as the wall shifted, tilted, the ledge leaning away from the bog's edge.

Her inner voice gasped. Did you just...?!

Hoggle yelped in surprise but held on tight until the wall immobilized. The new slope allowed Hoggle to shimmy to the ground safely. He sighed in relief once his feet touched solid ground before coughing on the stench, quickly shuffling away from the murky water's edge. When Sarah reached him he didn't look up, instead staring at the crumbling stone that had moved at her unspoken command.

She half knelt before him, trying to make eye contact. "Hoggle... why are you angry with me?"

He stomped his foot and finally looked up, she was taken aback to see his eyes were wet as he scowled at her. "Cuz I warned ya! An' I told ya 'bout the two kings ta keep ya away, not get muddled in deeper!"

"But why are you so against me being here?"

He sniffled and shook his head. "It ain't that... it's just... I don't wanna see you get hurt." He turned to stare at where the wall had shifted to let him down before frowning at her pendant and shaking his head again. "But it's too late."

"What do you mean?"

Hoggle's frown deepened. "The rat didn't tell you did he? The Labyrinth don't give nothin fer free. Yer bound here."

Sarah blinked back tears. Had Jareth tricked her? Could she never go home?

So many more questions bubbled up but she pushed them aside. According to Hoggle she was already bound, collapsing into tears won't change that. If Jareth has trapped her she will deal with him later, she had beat him before, there must be a way to do it again.

Whatever was going on she needed to make sure her family was safe first. "Hoggle..." Her voice trembled and she cleared her throat and tried again. "Hoggle, Toby is still in the tunnels, I need you to go check on him, Okay?"

Hoggle bowed sadly, "Yes... your majesty." He scurried away.

Sarah closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, wrinkling her nose at the stench. She would not confront Jareth immediately, she needed to know her family was safe first.

After a few more slow breaths she felt calmer and closed her eyes, picturing the tunnels. When she opened her eyes Jareth was leaning against the stone, spinning a crystal in his hand absently.

She frowned at the crystal. "Were you spying on me?"

"Sometimes a crystal is just a crystal."

Sarah frowned at his evasiveness but decided to play along. "Hoggle will check on Toby."

"Beware Precious, your efforts to help your brother could prove to be counterproductive."

It galled her that he dared use terms of affection while lying to her face. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Really? You sent a hurtling metal death machine after me and yet I can't even send someone to keep an eye out?"

"I already told you that I was only living up to your expectations."

She rolled her eyes, but a thought gave her pause. What were Toby's expectations?

...

Toby stared at yet another dead end and huffed in frustration. How was he supposed to get to the center in time with all theses detours and dead ends?

He thought of Sarah and frowned, what kind of a big sister made him run a Labyrinth to get his parents back? And she wasn't even trying to help him! Did she not want him to get his parents back? Did she not care?

Toby grumbled as he retraced his steps, he came to a crossroads and paused. He couldn't remember which one he had taken last time. Both tunnels were rather gloomy, glittery cobwebs their only decoration. Toby thought he saw a hint of light in the left one and stepped in.

Turning a corner he found the tunnel brightening and began to hurry. The tunnel was twisty but after a few more turns he was delighted to see daylight streaming through an opening. He ran towards it, flinging himself at the opening.

His momentum was unexpectedly halted in mid air right at the exit, his body waivered as if he had hit a trampoline.

He could see in front of him, a short flight of stairs leading up to a hedge garden with sculpted plants and decorative stone urns, but he was unable to move forward or even touch the ground. He could barely move at all.

As his eyes adjusted to the brightness he noticed the shimmery threads stuck to his face and hands. Holding him suspended was a fine glittery gauze in a dreadfully familiar pattern.

Panick gripped him and he began to struggle against the threads but they wouldn't budge. He sighed in frustration, even if he could reach his pockets he didn't have anything on him to break the web.

A thought caused him to shiver, what if whatever made the web came back? He swallowed. Or what if it never left? Didn't some spiders lie in wait until the jiggling web alerted them?

He froze and moving only his eyes tried to see past the edges of the web but the bright sun beyond made everything in the tunnel pitch black in comparison.

Straining his eyes he thought he saw something move in his peripheral vision. Panicking he called out. "Sarah! Help!"

Sarah's voice rang out, sounding distant but echoing in the tunnel, "Toby, I told you I cannot help you."

His eyes widened at her refusal. "But... please? What if-?"

She cut him off. "I told you Toby, you must make it through the labyrinth for yourself."

Toby's lower lip trembled and he blinked away tears. He yelled, "Go away then, I don't care!"

The echoes of his own words bounced off the walls of the tunnel and faded away. In his immobile state the darkness behind him was almost palpable, his back prickling with the thought of unknown creatures lurking.

.

The image of Toby's hurt, angry face vanished from within the crystal and Sarah crumpled, clutching the orb to her chest. Jareth caught her before she could hit the ground, gently pulling her into his arms. For a moment she gave in, laying her head on his shoulder as he held her.

Then she remembered. It was His fault this was happening, His fault that she was trapped in the role of villain to her own brother.

She pushed away from him roughly, turning so that he could not see the tears threatening to fall. "I'll go check on my dad and Karen."

...

Toby went limp in the web, tired from his struggles and from worry. A faint shuffling sound made his heart jump into his throat.

He froze, trying to peer out of the corner of his eyes into the darkness, the shuffling repeated and he thought he saw something move.

...

Author's note

Sorry this took so long, sometimes editing is like ironing... and sometimes it's like making a patchwork quilt with really tiny pieces that won't stay still.

Sigh...

Many thanks to Guest2020, Pixieb***h168, Dj, Eclipsemoonstone24, mae-E and Gloria47 for the lovely reviews, it is so encouraging to see the reactions to my story.