Yes, this is my first fanfiction. No, I do not own Jareth nor the Labyrinth. I have been slowly adding to this story as time progresses. I have decided to go back and slowly update chapters. I haven't change the story line, merely made corrections and did a little rewording. Please, enjoy.
Chapter 1: Where the Curb Ends
Staring blankly at the screen, Sarah sat at her desk in the little cubical. She had so much work to do, but had no interest in doing any of it. Financial reports to complete for a meeting Friday, emails to answer, and a mound of paper work to go through. Within 30 minutes she would be leaving work. There was no point in tackling any of these tedious tasks. She knew if she started now she would get caught up and end-up leaving late again. Today, she didn't want to give this place anymore of her time.
Sarah didn't hate her job, but she didn't love it either. She started working here straight out of college with enthusiasm and passion. Within three years she was over it. All of it. She was bored. Bored with work, life, home, friends, etc.
She had always loved puzzles and turns out she was really good at math. Thinking the best occupation for her would be the combination of the two. Math + puzzles = accounting! She was wrong, obviously. Being a great accountant didn't make up for years of boredom. Looking at the solid numbers left her feeling…empty.
Lately she had caught herself drifting back to the day she had conquered the Labyrinth. The day she own against the Goblin King! So much power and triumph. There was so such wonder and excitement in that day. She had done her best remember every detail, but with time the memory faded. Now all she had was a dream she had many, many years ago.
She sighed.
"I wish I had known then what I know now." She said to herself. She shrugged and turned off her computer, gathered her things, and headed for the elevator. It wasn't a huge building, but it was tall. Her cubicle was near the top where the richies could easily traverse from the top floors to her floor, the financial floor, to bug her with questions on how much money they made or spent.
The elevator dinged and the doors closed. Inside was quiet and the only other person in the elevator was her reflect in the high polished doors. She smirked at the reflection of the young women before her. They wore a navy blue pencil skirt and a light blue sweater. Her brown hair was pinned up in a nice neat bun and she worn navy heels to match. The smirked was because she looked so stereotypical. Like any other business women in the building. If she was to venture a guess she was positive every other women in the building owned a similar skirt. 'Ugh. How have I turned so average?' she thought to herself 'At least I look nice. I have that.'
As she stepped out of the building heading and toward the subway again, she let her mind drift back to labyrinth. She thought back to the moment when the Goblin King tricked Hoggle into giving her the peach that sent her to the bubble dream. There, she had dance with the Goblin King. He was so… Nope not going there! No reason for her to get all hot and bothered to end up in a bed alone for the night. Instead she let her mind turn toward other memories. Her dress… that peach dream dress. She had never worn anything as grand as that in all the 10 years after that night. Here she was nearly 25 and yet to don even a wedding dress, as her step mother would remind her almost daily.
Not that she hadn't tried. She had a few relationships in her past, but none to take that final dive into a long term relationship. She still went on dates here and there, but none she wanted to repeat. She had just recently given up looking when Jason made an appearance. He had stepped out of the elevator onto the financial floor one day announcing he would be taking over the recently retired Bob's position as financial director.
Sarah had applied for the director's position, but she had only been with the company for a couple of years. She wanted to get her face out there for future positions and this was a nice step to let her higher ups know she was interested in moving up. She had no bitterness when the position was given to another who had more long time qualifications from another company.
That's when she had seen Jason Collen, the whole 6"1 of him, and she didn't care if she had even been a candidate for the position. He had worn a deep blue business suit that first day as he was ushered from introduction to introduction. She just knew the suit had to have been tailored to him. It had fit him so very well and he filled it so very nicely. Sarah's eye couldn't help, but to follow him across the floor. When he approached her with his hand out and an openly friendly smile, Sarah knew here was opportunity knocking. She couldn't even remember who was introducing them all she thought was how lucky that she had taken an extra effort to look nice today. Taking his outstretch hand, she looked into his hazel eyes to return his warm smile or greeting. Jason was that clean cute, boyishly handsome type, with brown hair cut and styled in that boy next store look. She found herself attracted to him right then!
Since then, they had gone on a couple of dates, but things were moving slowly between them. She got the impression that he was the kind of man to plan and think before letting emotions propel him forward. Six dates and they hadn't even slept together. Her first impression of him was accurate, he was the good boy next store. He was funny and good humored. She surmised he was the type that didn't become handsome till later years. He didn't have that confidence good looking men had. At the moment Sarah didn't mind spending time with him, she only saw his good qualities and those are what attracted her to him. That and he was quite handsome.
Sarah thought about all this as she stopped on a street corner to wait for the green man to appear to signal it was safe to cross. It was a cool winter's day, but her sweater kept her warm. The streets were busy as everyone else headed home after completing yet another work day. They would all go home to their loved ones, eat, slept, and then repeat. Sarah had hoped her roommate was home so they could eat dinner together and maybe catch a movie. She hated the idea of eating alone again. She tucked her head down as a small breeze pushed against her. She took one step off the curb as the light started to flash and bumped into someone. Looking up to excuse herself she realized no one was there. Instead before her stood a large, strangely glittered wall. Behind her she a heard voice say "Ello."
