Greetings readers, I'm back! so I've decided to do a bunch of short fics based on 'Labyrinth', these fics will be set as if Sarah didn't win the Labyrinth, the bargain she makes with Jareth and how their relationship develops, all these short fics will be a series on their interactions and will lead up to an ending fic of the series, thanks for reading!

disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth movie or book, characters, materials, songs, or anything.

The Offer

Sarah was focusing to find her right words, trying to imagine the words in her head just wishing they would appear on the tip of her tongue as Jareth observed her in anticipation waiting for her to accept his crystal "Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I shall be your slave" this beautiful being was offering her dreams, everything she could ever ask for he could give and everything she asked him to do, he did.

"My Kingdom is as great..."

the words flashed to her

"You have n-..."

BONG BONG BONG

"You're too late, Sarah" Jareth smirked

the great clock struck thirteen, she had lost.

Sarah watched Jareths face twist into a sadistic smirk as the crystal popped "I've won" he said with a mocking triumphant tone.

Sarah's eyes widened in realization, shock appeared on her face with flowing tears streamed uncontrollably out of her eyes as her body began to shake "no..." she whispered, she fell to the ground defeated too busy to notice that Jareth was silently sniggering to himself underneath his gloved hand 'perfect'.

"oh Toby no, I'll never see you again and it's...all my fault" she sobbed, her body started shivering to try to comfort herself still convinced she was in a nightmare.

Jareth stopped his malicious sniggering as made his way over to Sarah muttering to herself about how 'this isn't real' and 'it's all a nightmare', he positioned himself so that he was stood directly above her then crouched down to her placing his hand over the whimpering child's shoulder "Oh dear Sarah, you have lost and I can certainly assure you this is all too real" he purred into her ear with a slightly mocking tone making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, she continued crying as he went back to standing over her.

"it seems you overestimated your ability" he coldly stated.

Something washed over Jareth, a small sea of guilt. Enough to not eternally punish her however not enough to let her walk free but she had to learn not to trifle with the Goblin King. He wanted to stand over her and gloat at his victory as he won over this foolish, spoilt child however, unfortunately, he had grown to quite like her and Toby. As King, he decided to be magnanimous. Sarah stood back up still rubbing the tears away from her eyes with the cuffs of her shirt which were now all damp from her tears with Jareth just looking at her.

This was the first time he'd seen Sarah crying in person, he'd seen her cry a few times when he watched her aboveground especially after verbal wars with Irene or when Sarah thought about her mom but he'd never seen her cry in person, he truly saw the sorrow and anguish on her face even though there was always a small tint of sadness in Sarah's eyes. It still tortured him. Sarah always looked beautiful to him even when she was upset but seeing her cry felt like he had a pride of lions viciously chewing on and ripping apart his heart as if they hadn't eaten in weeks but he'd rather that happen to him than see his Sarah cry. He'd seen her face before countless times in a crystal and during her time in the Labyrinth but he tried his best not to just gaze at her. He hit him. She's merely a child herself.

As Sarah cried and whimpered he observed the childlike roundness of her face, the small freckles dotting nose, her hair was untouched with dyes and chemicals as he knew humans liked to do that with their hair nowadays nor did it look like she fussed with it, she wore cheap hair barrettes and plastic jewelry, there was no trace of makeup on her face and her lips were slightly chapped, Sarah's eyebrows were full and bushy as she didn't mess about with them yet and half of what she was wearing looked like it came from a child's fancy dress box. At the peach ball, He'd fashioned her to look as she wanted to in her dreams, she dreamed herself to look more adult by wearing makeup, having her hair styled like a princess, the top of her dress being slightly form-fitting with a sweetheart neckline and the finest jewelry in all the kingdom but she was still a child playing dress-up. One thing, he couldn't change nor could he try to hide were those eyes, those damned innocent eyes.

The attendants at the ball could smell her innocence like a pack of wolves.

Jareth snapped out of his momentary analysis of her and quickly hatched a plan 'the lost and the lonely belong Underground' he thought stepping over to her, Jareths next actions caught Sarah off guard when he came to the side of her and greeted her with his warm embrace whilst she continued sobbing in a confused shock with her hands clasped awkwardly under her chin not knowing where to place them, Jareth's arms delicately wrapped around her bringing her closer towards him with his chin placed softly on top of her head but Sarah was frozen, she didn't know how to react to this man.

'What is he doing? he's...he's hugging me?! this strange man is hugging me! GET OFF ME YOU CREEP!' Sarah was fighting the urge to push him off her as she wanted to hate him but there was a small voice in the back of her head saying 'let it happen', she felt nauseous and vulnerable but yet she also felt protected and safe, the safest she felt in a long time in fact like he was going to protect her from all the bad in the world even though she knew he himself was bad.

The softness of the billowing fabrics from his clothes was tickling her face and nose, She could feel the warm metal of his pendant pressing on her left temple with some bare skin of his chest touching her too, the weight of his head nestled in her hair and his lean yet strong arms snaked around her upper body as the masculine smell of him teased her nose 'he smells so good and his clothes are soft, like, really soft. my stomach feels...fuzzy, I feel sick but...good? why...why do I always feel like this when I'm around him?' while she was standing perfectly still, her mind clouded over and her inner being was melting.

Sarah temporarily let her body ease with this Jareth smiled feeling her relax in his arms, it was short-lived as Sarah tensed again at her mental turmoil, 'NO Sarah! this is some sick trick he's pulling. He thinks it's okay to hug me and all is forgiven?! Heck No! He's the bad guy, He's the villain of this story and He stole Toby from me! Are you kidding me? Don't let your guard down!...but he's so...so..." the warmth of his skin and the smell of him was sending her mind into a frenzy as her eyes began to dilate, her body was wearing a coat of goose pimples with thousands of butterflies in her stomach and her face turning a shade of scarlet. It scared her how her body was reacting to him as this hug was the most intimate thing she'd experienced so far.

Everything about Jareth tantalized and terrified Sarah all at once, he is the first man other than her father to hug her and Jareth knew it, no man had ever hugged her like how Jareth was currently hugging her. No matter how much she flippantly brushed off his comments, the false confidence, treating the Labyrinth as a 'piece of cake' and how she pretended that she was the courageous hero like a child playing make-believe or a lonely girl rehearsing in a park, Jareth still scared her. this terrifying beautiful man.

He was her nightmare and her dream.

"Oh Sarah, what are we going to do?" he broke the silence whispering into her hair with Sarah still being too dazed to move but his inclusion of the word 'we' both terrified and intrigued her. Jareth finally let go of her only to place his hands on her shoulders "perhaps I've been a little too cruel" he smiled at the weeping girl, her face now red from crying and embarrassment but his tender smile gave her some form of comfort, 'is he really a villain? can villains be...nice?' she pondered wiping her puffy eyes "b...b-but I-I lost" she continued wiping her eyes with the cuffs of her shirt.

'Perhaps if I show her kindness, maybe in time she'll love me'

"yes, you did and I've won" he reminded walking away from her but that sentence alone made another tear fall from her eye, "I've lost my brother and I'll never see him again" she sobbed. Jareth conjured a crystal "Oh really?" he cocked his eyebrow as he continued "have a look" He offered Sarah the crystal only to see Toby was fast asleep, safe in his crib at home "What? Toby was supposed to be..." he cut her off "Yes, he was but when the clock struck thirteen he was immediately brought home, back in his bed, safe and sound as if nothing happened" Jareth flashed a devilish smile as she looked up from the crystal bewildered and nervous.

"But why?" she questioned, 'this must be some kind of trick, Toby is probably a goblin already and has been replaced with some kind of changeling or something. Hmm...but let's listen to what he's got to say before I make a judgement because everything here isn't as it seems' the suspicious feeling in her gut began to rise trying to find malice in his intentions.

"Well Sarah" He felt he had to be honest as much as it would wound him, he let go of his ego and bravado, his 'goblin king' character dropped as he wanted her to see Jareth, not the 'goblin king' monster who she feared. 'I must bend her to my will so I can keep her, no matter what it costs, have her wrapped around my fingers as I am wrapped around hers' it pained him that her will was as strong as his and he was her slave.

"I'm quite lonely here in my kingdom, I'm surrounded by idiot goblins and damned chickens all day, that blasted dwarf is petrified of me, the fox is too preoccupied with his own matters, the rock callers aren't capable of any decent conversation, fireys are infuriating, the majority of my own kind are off running their own kingdoms and the only time I have any bloody amusement is when there's a runner" he paused agitated, grasping the bridge of his nose with his fingers then slumped his shoulders in exhaustion "I just want a friend" he sighed. His whole aura changed, Sarah could feel his loneliness radiating off him and she gave a quick look deep into his eyes where she found his sincerity.

Sarah still remained silent not knowing how to react to this information, this man who put her through dangers untold and hardships outnumbered was openly admitting he was lonely, she said the only words she could muster "but what's that got to do with me?" she nervously asked, "well Sarah, I would like to make a new offer which would require you're acceptance as I'm being very generous and this is not something that would be taken lightly if you refuse to accept" his face turned sinister as he began circling her looking at her up and down.

"what's the offer?" she whispered

"that you Sarah, take Toby's place" he stated.

Sarah's eyes went like plates, "What?"

Jareth analyzed Sarah's face again, then quickly scanned over her body, taking in her stature and maturity, 'too old to turn but too young to keep' this thought frustrated him to no end. He still saw a still scared expression on her face and those eyes, those enchanting emeralds sparkling with dreams now dewy from sadness. those damned innocent eyes.

Jareth stopped internally cursing himself and sighed then collected himself.

"here's my new offer Sarah" he conjured a new crystal with Sarah just apprehensively nodding with an 'mhmmm'

"You will now become a citizen of the Labyrinth, you will visit the Labyrinth every day to see me along with all your little friends and when you are of age, say 21, you will stay with me in the Labyrinth as my...companion" Jareth refrained from using the words 'wife' or 'queen' because he knew that would scare her even more than what she already was "and you'll stay here with me, forever" He said nonchalantly as he smiled presenting the crystal to her.

"forever?" Sarah gasped as new tears formed in her eyes

"Yes, Precious thing, forever. Not long at all" He reassured her, his nonchalance made her feel anxious.

"bu-but? what about my family? Toby? my dad and step-mom? my friends? school? everything? You can't expect me to visit the Labyrinth every day that's crazy!" she exclaimed, there it was, the fire Jareth loved so much about her. He got little joy from seeing her upset so seeing that her fire was still there brought him joy and his companion certainly couldn't be spiritless.

"I thought about that Precious, that's why I said 'visit' as in you visit the Labyrinth every day after you've been to school or been to the park or whatever it is that you do and when you're old enough you will live here with me in the Labyrinth permanently" He could see Sarah in the middle of struggle in her mind however he continued.

"you'll get to see your friends that you made here every day and be able to live your normal life aboveground, you could either visit here all day or just for an hour after your schooling even bring little Toby in time, all you'd have to do is call for us in any mirror and you'll be here, it's that simple" he flashed a grin at her whilst he twirled the crystal

Sarah mulled it over and puzzled 'that's not too bad I suppose, I just have to visit the Labyrinth every day that should be easy enough, I still get to do my regular stuff, I get to see my friends, I could explore more of the Labyrinth, bring Toby on magical adventures when he's old enough but...' she paused her thought for a moment looking at Jareth offering her the crystal 'he wants me to be his companion when I'm 21, I'll have to stay here with him forever, is this another trick? am I going to be turned into a goblin? what does he mean by a companion? what will happen if I refuse?'

He snapped her out of her internal argument "however Sarah don't forget, to not take advantage of my generosity as I can be just as cruel" Sarah gulped, he continued "You must visit the Labyrinth every day until your 21st birthday and I will come for you. For some reason you miss your daily visits without just cause, the deal will be off, if you need to miss a visit then you must inform either myself or one of my informants"

"and what if I miss?" she finally spoke

He warped his mouth into a devilish grin "I'm glad you asked" he made the crystal momentarily disappear and came slightly toward her causing her to take a step back, terrifying her with his intense gaze. Mismatched eyes burning into her emerald green.

Jareth's face twisted more serious and menacing "Should you miss any of your visits to the Labyrinth without just cause, I will take Toby, take him and wipe everyone's memories of him as if he never existed however only you shall remember he ever existed and you'll live the rest of your mortal life knowing that it was you who wished him away, you who didn't win him back, you who turned him into a goblin and that you're the reason why no one will ever know who Tobias Williams is" He turned away from her as he felt guilt showering him again for he was putting in such a threat in his offer but it was the only way he could keep her.

Sarah began tearing up again from what she just heard "you would take him?" she squeaked, he faced her again "yes..." Jareth said quite stoically "I would take him, turn him into a goblin who'll polish my boots, cook my dinner and kick him as much as my heart's content however I'll allow him to keep his human memories so he will forever remember his sweet, selfish sister who didn't love him enough to even try for him" Jareths words stung her like nettles as he coerced her.

Sarah was shaking again at Jareth's cruel words 'how could he do this? all if I miss a visit without a good reason? He'll traumatize us both with our memories if I forget one measly day and he wants me to stay with him?! but what choice do I have, stay with him forever or toby be a goblin who'll hate me and I'll be the only one who remembers him, it's not fair!' her thoughts were interrupted as she felt Jareth's arm loom over her shoulders drawing her into him, crystal placed in his hand just waiting for her to accept.

"So what do you say, Precious?"

Sarah silently gulped as she knew even then, at the tender age of fifteen that her life was never going to be the same.

She looked up at him then looked back down at the crystal watching its colors sparkle and dance, she reached her hand for the crystal and inhaled whilst thinking about what her new life was going to be "for toby" she exhaled as her fingers touched the crystal, she placed the crystal fully in her hand still fixated on it whilst he was looking at her for an answer.

"Jareth, I accept your offer"

"Good".

Wow! this is my first fanfic in a long time so I'm a little rusty.

this is the first in a series of short fics about Jareth and Sarah's relationship during their deal, how they cope with it, and what happens. I don't know what to call the series yet so name suggestions are welcome and of course reviews!

Please note, these fics might take some time to make as I'm taking my time with these rather than just whipping them out in a few hours so please be patient and as always thank you for reading!

Razzlekid95