Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth of any of its original characters, they belong to Jim Henson.

Sorry its taken me so long to update, I have been sick

Chapter 17: The Stairwell

It had been months since Jareth and Sarah had returned from the aboveground, in that time Sarah had grown noticeably larger in her mid section, everyday also growing more uncomfortable. Anytime that Jareth could see Sarah second guessing her appearance he was always there to support her and tell her just how beautiful she was to him.

Since their trip back from the aboveground, Sarah's nightmares had become increasingly worse. They had argued many times , tooth and nail about confronting Nick, Sarah had told Jareth that she needed closure from what had happened to her, she had tried to explain to him about humans delicate mental health, although he tried to understand he couldn't quite seem to grasp it.

To Jareth the idea of her confronting Nick made him feel physically ill- his pregnant wife within close proximity to that monster.

Over his dead body.

However he did want to make her happy and to do that he would have to put his own feeling aside. The confliction came from another issue.

Jareth worried if Sarah did it before she gave birth it could bring on too much trauma to her and cause harm to both her and their baby. -Or worse kill them. Having that thought in mind he had decided that waiting would be the safest option and he would just have to deal with her anger and resentment towards him. There was also a devilish part of him that wanted to leave Nick in his incoherent state, he knew that leaving him alive in the castle would not go down well with Sarah.

However on this day, an entirely different topic of agitation had somehow been approached and Jareth did not appreciate it.

"What do you mean he tried to get you to abort our child?" Jareth shrieked.

"I thought you knew?" Sarah replied .

"No?! Had I known I would have shoved his head right into the bog of eternal stench and held it there a little longer than normal!" Jareth yelled, even angrier than before.

"I am going to have to go have a chat with him." He said leaning in to kiss her goodbye.

"I thought you didn't like travelling to other kingdoms." Sarah said raising an eyebrow.

"I'll be back a little later my love, I'm too angry to let this slide. To think of the audacity, he didn't even bother to look further into it to see that it is the bond that the babe and I share. He will not be welcomed here."

" While I'm gone, please rest, I know you like to keep busy during the day, but you are looking tired precious. You need extra sleep in your condition." He said vanishing, stroking her cheek goodbye.

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Once Jareth left to go and see Rowan, Sarah decided to freshen up for the day. She started with a warm bath where she soaked her sore feet and back. As she laid there she massaged her sore separating muscles with her palms trying to rearrange her baby into a more comfortable position.

"Would you just get out of my ribs already." She said frustrated.

She took the sign of becoming "pruney" as her cue to finish up in the bath, once she had exited the tub she walked into her large closet, she chose a purple silk dress, the colour resembled that of an eggplant; it was fitted around her bust but skimmed past her hips and flared out, it had a long train that drug on the floor as she walked. Then she brushed through her long dark tresses and pulled them to the side to form a simple braid .

Next she placed a long wool shall over her shoulders, the castle had become increasingly cold as winter approached. Jareth had explained to Sarah that in the underground they did not celebrate Christmas but yuletide instead.

Once she was satisified that she was decent, she exited their room and made her dash down the castle hallways, in the direction of the library, the stone floors and wall of the castle made it feel even colder than normal. Sarah had hoped that their baby would have been born by the falling of the first snow, her midwife had not been able to give her an actual time period as to when they could expect the arrival of their bundle on account of the child being half human and half fae. Sarah knew in her gut, that their bundle wasn't coming anytime soon, it had made itself a very comfortable humble abode inside her womb.

As Sarah entered the library she was pleasantly surprised to see that her favourite chair for reading, was placed next to the roaring fireplace, She smiled when she realised that Jareth knew her so well now that he had predicted that she would head the library as soon as he left. And as always was ensuring her comfort and happiness- such a good husband she thought.

She curled up onto her chair with her newest novel choice, she had read dozens of books since being in the underground, it was a pastime that she never tired of. Sarah had initially thought that when Jareth had first shown her the extensive library that there had to have been a million or more books, now she could see it was an exaggerated thought but obvious as to why she had thought that.

The room was large and the book shelves went all the way to the high ceilings. She honestly could have spent every waking moment browsing through the mountains of books. Unless of course she craved fresh air then the castle gardens were her go to place, reading, daydreaming it really didn't matter everything seemed just a little bit more simple out there. It was like nothing Sarah had ever seen, the flowers were all so exotic by sight but also the smell of them was often indescribable to anything aboveground.

As she sat comfortably reading, she felt her eyes become heavy, she could feel sleep claiming her, she tried to pry them open as long as she could not wanting to have to admit that Jareth had indeed been right about her "condition". Before she knew it she felt her eyes close and she found herself in a deep slumber.

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Jareth had rematerialized in Rowans study. Absolutely livid.

Rowan was standing up behind his desk fondling through a bunch of papers, when he looked up startled, to see Jareth's sudden appearance.

"Jareth, I didn't see you there. What can I do for you?" Rowan said nervously.

"It has come to my attention that you recently made a completely uneducated decision to try and abort my unborn child." Jareth said coldly.

"Well, I advise your wife that if she didn't, it may cause her to loose her life as well as the child." Rowan retaliated.

"You should have consulted me first you fool!" Jareth scowled.

"Well you were no where to be found. You wife was rolling around in pain and I could not find any other reason for her illness besides her recent condition." Rowan explained.

"Honestly Jareth, You should be thanking me, you could have perhaps lost your queen and then where would you be? You wouldn't have a human woman around to bear you children. It's one weaselly little child." Rowan added harshly.

Jareth sneered at Rowan, fury clearly present across his face, his eyes black pin holes, his lips were thin as a line. He began to walk slowly to Rowan's desk. Soon he had approached the front of it, the look on his face said that he wished it wasn't there so he could spit in his face. Rowan looked at him nervously, he knew himself Jareth could kill him with one magical strike and he had done it to some for a whole lot less.

"How dare you make a decision like that, you almost cost me my family. If there wouldn't be a whole lot of consequences for ending your life, I would kill you in an instant. Instead I'll be sure to spread the word of the quality of your services."

"I also want to inform you that you are no longer welcome in my kingdom, if I see you there again, or near my wife or unborn child, I might just be bothered with those consequences." Jareth said coldly.

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"Tell me you love me Sarah, all of this can stop if you just say it." Nick said pulling her chin up to look into his eyes.

"Please don't do this to me." She cried.

Sarah sat perched against the concrete wall, nick was squatted in front of her, looking at her like a predator who had cornered their prey.

Suddenly her legs were abruptly pulled out from beneath her causing her to smack the back of her head on the concrete, warm blood soaked her dark hair, her vision became foggy, so foggy she couldn't work out where Nick had gone.

She felt her dress rip from her feet up to her chest and cold hands vigorously pull her legs apart, the hand began to work its way up her leg, grasping so hard she could already feel the bruises form.

"Just say it Sarah and I'll let them both live."

Sarah awoke, shaking in terror, covered in sweat, disoriented by her surroundings, angered by yet another nightmare plaguing her mind.

She slowly eased herself out of her chair and began to walk back towards the bedroom. She was tired and hungry and just wanted to get into bed and be in Jareth's arms. Just as she was about to leave the library she saw a note on the desk near the door it read: My love you looked so peaceful, I couldn't wake you, I have gone to go flying to blow some stream off. I love you. -Jareth

Annoyed Sarah continued her walk to their shared bedroom, but as she walked down the dark cold hallways, she stopped at the stairwell. The stairwell that led to the Dungeon. She sighed to herself.

"It's time to let old things die and new things live."

End of chapter 17!