I do not own The Labyrinth or its characters. The purpose of this story is for enjoyment and no profit is being made. Quick thanks to the readers, you guys are wonderful.

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Sarah walked confidently up the familiar front door, knowing more or less what to expect. Family members would already be there flocking the William's household. Toby would be at the front door, greeting family members and taking their coats. He would offer beverages as they entered, and Karen would be nothing less than the perfect hostess. Her father's job was welcoming the men into his study and offering them a stiff drink before the meal was to be eaten.

So it was no big surprise to Sarah to see them both waiting at the front door. She gave a quick hug and hello to Toby and then to her father. "Hello. Toby. Robert." Stephen extended his hand to them both, and Robert had the same reaction as Toby. Robert was just able to compose himself better than his son. "Stephen! We weren't expecting you this early. Come in. Come in." Robert said rather nervously.

Aunt Agnes gracefully walked past the couple, and pinched Toby's cheeks. "Give Aunt Agnes a kiss!" Robert made a disgusted face, touching his cheeks unconsciously, and quickly took coats of his guests."Aunt Agnes! I am too old for that." She settled for a hug. "I've met your young lady, Tobias." Toby looked at his Aunt Agnes very confused. He was only called by his name when he was in trouble.

To his knowledge, he had done nothing wrong, nothing she would know about. Carla walked up to Toby, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Sarah said nothing as she saw all this unfold before her eyes. "Carla brought food Toby, why don't we go take it to Karen." Toby appeared very grateful, while Stephen followed behind Robert.

"Hello! Karen!" Sarah shouted, on her way to the kitchen. Aunt Agnes limped her way to the kitchen behind her. Carla looked at Toby in confusion, who just shook his head and continued to the kitchen. "In here! I am so glad you are on time! Aunt Agnes! It is so good to see you again!" The women greeted each other, and began chatting quickly. "Carla! So wonderful of you to join us! Toby! Go take the extra chairs to your father's study. Leave us women here to finish." Sarah looked at Toby, putting her finger to her lips, silencing him. Toby nodded, "Yeah. I finally get to hang out in the study this year."

"Sarah, you look lovely." She rolled her eyes, but kept her mouth shut. "What did I say?" Leave it to Karen to play the fool. "You say lovely like when a prom date shows up in a powdered blue suit." Karen wiped her hands down, about to answer, but Aunt Agnes interviewed. "OH! Hush Karen, 'tis a different generation, what is considered proper attire in your day no longer applies today. Take the stick out your arse, Karen."

Karen and Aunt Agnes went around and around. "I am just saying, I would love for her to date. She isn't as young as she used to be, no matter how young she appears. For crying out loud, she is starting to get crows feet! What man would look at her and not wonder why she isn't married?" Sarah's emotions were all over the place, but she said nothing. "Maybe a man that is more interested in her, and would gladly take the time to get to know her." Aunt Agnes rebutted.

Sarah sighed as she watched the two squabble in the kitchen. Irene, Karen's sister, walked up besides her giving her a half hug. "She never changes. Let's go into the dining room, and set the table." Sarah thankfully followed, taking plates in hand. Carla snuck out behind them, trying to get away from them all as well. "Karen was always like that. Even when we were in high school, she was very 'involved' in my social life." Irene said.

"I'm glad Aunt Agnes is here to keep her on her toes. I would never have a moment's peace." Sarah said. "She set me up with a guy with a wonky eye. We called him Wonky eyed Willie." Irene jokes. Sarah laughed and Carla just stared with shock. "She set me up with a guy with a lisp. Lispy Larry." The girls enjoyed their laugh at Karen's expense. It took about an hour to have all the plates served and the dishes set. Karen kept looking out the front door, but never said why.

Finally, the men went and joined the women at the table. Sarah was very happy to see Karen's face when she saw Stephen walk out of her dad's study. "Stephen! When did you get here?" Karen asked in mock shock. "Hello Karen." He walked up and shook her hand. "I got here earlier, thank you for inviting me." Karen smiled, blushing and began introducing him to the rest of the family. Sarah blushed, not knowing why.

"Sarah, let Stephen sit next to you." Stephen sat next to Sarah, both sitting close to each other, whispering into each other's ears. Karen looked very pleased that her 'plan' was working. Soon she would be having the wedding she always dreamed of….for Sarah. Little did she know what was in store for her.

Sarah stood up, glass in hand, clearing her throat to make a speech. "If you will excuse me, I just wanted to thank Karen for this wonderful meal. She outdoes herself every year, and this year is no different." Everyone cheered lightly, some clapping, in agreement. "Karen, I know we have not always gotten along, and for the most part I was at fault." Karen stood, appearing to get emotional. "I accuse you of meddling in my affairs, trying to set me up on dates with guys that I would never even look at."

Karen at least appeared embarrassed, Toby looked nervous, Aunt Agnes had a gleam in her eye, and Robert was serving himself another scotch. "This time, it worked." Karen looked happily shocked. "Stand up, baby." Stephen reluctantly stood up, capturing Robert's attention. "Robert and Karen, I just want to say that I never had imagined meeting someone as special as Sarah. We have been talking to each other on and off since the day we met, and decided to take the next step."

Robert stood up, while Karen and Toby looked on in shock. "He proposed!" Robert said after a few minutes of shock. "Stephen, you know very well that I am old fashioned. I am very strong in the belief that a real man would ask a girl's father for her hand and then ask her." Robert was now red in the face, if from the scotch or anger was anyone's guess.

"Sit down, Robby. As if you asked Karen's father after you knocked his spinster daughter up. Sit down or pass the peas." Leave it to Aunt Agnes to make a point. "Daddy, he has not proposed to me yet." Robert sat down, "That's good. Irene, pass the gravy." Neither Sarah nor Stephen sat down. "We have decided to move in together." There was a hush over the dinner table. Everyone looked from Sarah to Stephen. "Actually," Stephen began, "we have already been living together. I moved in with Sarah."

After one minute of silence, while everyone processed what they heard, all hell broke loose. "What?! No wedding?!"

"Somebody's in the family way" "Who shacks up that quick unless she's PG" "I'll kill him, I don't care if he is an associate, I know shady people Karen. Trust me, people who can get rid of a body faster than you can believe." "There is no way. It has to be a prank. She wouldn't…" And on and on it went. Everyone chiming in, Karen is upset not wanting to believe her ears.

"What about children? Do you want your children to be bastards?" Karen stage whispered the last part as if it had been a dirty word. "Oh! That's simple," Stephen began, "we aren't having any." Karen stood, looking behind her, and then fainted. Lucky for her, her chair was right behind her.

The whole house was talking about the situation. Karen was shocked but kept quiet for the most part. Someone finally had enough sense to take the alcohol away from Robert. Dinner finally ended, and Sarah decided to help make coffee.

She also noticed that Toby and Carla silently went out the front door, winter coats and all. Oh well. The women were all still in the dining area, but no one said much worth repeating. Finally Karen seemed to snap out of it. "Will someone say something please!" Aunt Agnes, as usual, was the first to respond. "Dearie, what can anyone say? Sarah is a grown woman, you and Robert did the best you could. She is a wonderful young woman, full of life and love. Despite what Linda did to this family, no offense Sarah, but you were a better mother than she could ever be." Aunt Agnes didn't stop there in spite of Karen and Sarah's obvious discomfort. "Linda was and always will be a very selfish and self absorbed woman. Sarah resembles her, but is nothing like her."

Sarah was about to say something, but Karen stopped her. "She is my daughter, even though I did not give birth to her. I am very proud of the woman she has become. What kind of mother would I be to stop worrying about her happiness now?" Tears trickled down her face, as she looked lovingly at Sarah. "I am sorry I pushed you to date, it's just the way I was brought up."

At that moment Sarah wanted to cave, but her pride didn't allow her. She smiled at Karen and silently thanked her. The rest of the evening went smoothly, except when Toby walked in the front door white as a ghost. No one seemed to remember about Carla or assumed she went home.

Sarah went home that night, feeling slightly freer and happier than she felt in a long time.

Sarah and Stephen both drove home in silence, both holding each other's hand. Once they pulled in the driveway, one stared at the other, they sat enjoying the silence. Five minutes passed before a noise could be heard in the distance. Sarah looked up, and saw her bedroom light on and a shadow quickly running away from the window. Stephen didn't seem to notice, as he was staring at Sarah. "We should probably go inside." She said, He nodded, following her to the house. Sarah tried to walk a few steps ahead of him.

"How about you put some coffee on, and we can finish up the pie. I am going to put something more comfortable on." Sarah carefully began to drop her glamour, as she quickly and quietly trotted up the stairs. "Sure thing!" Stephen replied. Sarah felt a defensive crystal forming in her hand, she had no idea what could be in her room. Sarah was also sure that she did not want to find out.

From the bedroom door, a shadow could be seen, quiet movements could be heard. Sarah quietly reached for the bedroom door, holding her breath watching the door in shock as it opened on its own. It was now or never, the element of surprise now gone, she pushed the door open fully.

What she didn't expect was to have a body about half her size tackle her with the strength of a linebacker. Her crystal fell from her hand, causing a rather loud explosion of dust and glitter all around. Both parties forgot each other as footsteps could be heard running up the stairs. Sarah got up quickly, opening up her window trying to clear the air. "Sarah!" Stephen yelled. There was nothing she could do to stop him from entering the room, she couldn't breath and neither could her attacker.

Sarah turned around quickly, trying to do something, anything when her assailant called her name between hacks. "Sarah. Its (cough cough) me (cough). Ha..cough cough" He couldn't get it out. "Sarah!" Stephen slammed the door open, and saw the dwarf getting closer to Sarah. Sarah turned around, seeing the confusion all over his face. Hoggle had yet turned his head, as he was now leaning outside gasping for air. "Sarah? Is that you?"

At that moment Sarah realized she had removed her glamour. He was now seeing her, the real her. She had a soft glow to her, no wrinkles of frown lines. "What are you?" He asked, moving closer to her. He put a hand up, as if to touch her face, but put it down quickly. "Yes. It's me. Have a seat Stephen. It's going to be a long night."

Hoggle came in, turned around crossing his arms. "Can ya's do something about the smoke your highness? Or is we going to be fumigated like fairies?" She quickly formed another crystal orb, throwing it in the air, and watched as the spell cleared the room. She looked at Stephen, he was very pale and slightly shaking.

"Hoggle, can you give us a minute? Bring us some coffee, please." Hoggle hobbled along, smirking. "Ya's going to need something a lot stronger than coffee girlie." He gave Stephen a glare, seizing him up as he left.

Neither of them moved until Hoggle was making his way downstairs. Sarah walked up to her night stand, and picked up a red book with gold lettering. She walked slowly towards Stephen, scared of what was to happen next. "Have a seat Stephen, I will tell you all that I can. I imagine you have a lot of questions, but this book can help. Do you have any immediate questions you want me to answer?" He took the book, but refused to sit. "Explain who or what is a Hoggle."

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Now we are in the swing of things. A quick honorable mention, to my favorite stalker, you know who you are, so you think this story is a piece of cake? Well, how about this slice. (Maniacal laugh)

Thank you for reading, I have been waiting to post this part of the story. What will Stephen do? Will they have to memory wipe him? And what could be so important that Hoggle couldn't wait?

And to Mrs. Bowie: Toby a daddy, writing that was not in my original plans. Thank you for the review, I hope this story meets your expectations.

To the person just named Guest, we shall see if B gets chosen.

Guest 2022: I have played with the idea of Hoggle finally getting the love he deserves. My idea of the story is that Sarah is grown, she dates who she wants according to her standard. She does have feelings for Jareth, but does not act on them. She tries not to act on her feelings at least. Sarah has childhood trauma that was more or less explained when she was telling Stephen of her past. More light shall be shed, she wants to believe that she can find her forever, but has serious doubts. While in the movie Jareth was a temptation to overcome she faces her now what. Confusing times for Sarah Williams.

Thank you all for your reviews and reading.