Last chapter of the night, or I guess morning at this hour. I've got the rest of the story split up into chapters, and all I've got to do is write out the last few. I can guarantee that this story will be completed within the next few days. I'm intentionally only releasing one chapter every several hours, or longer. I want a few reviews before I put the next chapter up, to reply to reviews in the next chapter's AN. Or, you know, correct grammar and spelling that may be pointed out.

As for this chapter, I'll just point out that the first sentence of this chapter is the same as the last sentence of the last because I wanted to put the chapter break there, but the way I wrote it, it didn't flow well in two separate chapters. So, there we are.

I don't own Labyrinth. Hope you like it!

I didn't speak another word to him for six years. But I certainly didn't ruin the book again. True to his word, the creatures never bothered me again. By the end of elementary school, I was satisfied with my lot again. Going to the park with my new dog, whom I'd named Merlin, was a regular thing. By the end of middle school, I babysat Toby, now six, every Saturday up until midnight. Every passing year, I still remembered my friend, but he became more of a memory. I had nothing to prove he was real, and I was starting to doubt even the wicked creatures' existence by high school.

I still read my fairy stories, and the little red book, I wonder if my mother got it for me? I did have such an active imagination when I was younger- not saying that I don't still -so who's to say it wasn't all just a great, elaborate dream? Or nightmare? Now, certainly it was real. Jareth was such a great friend- and I wished that we would meet again. I just... I just don't know when. Will he be as kind as I remember? Will he be just the same, or will he have changed? Will that wish even come true?

I was soaking wet in my bedroom, fuming over Irene's and my argument. I just can't take it! She's constantly made things hard on me since before I turned seven, and she's gotten Dad so distant from me that he can't even come in my room and talk to my face!

Uhhg!

There was a knock on my door- Toby.

"Do you want to play a game?" He asked. Dad and Irene had already left, half an hour ago, and there was still about an hour of daylight outside. Well, there would be if it wasn't raining.

"Not right now, Tobes." I shook my head.

"Oh, come on. We can do a puzzle- you like those!" He enticed. I didn't answer. "Please? I'm sooo bored."

"Go put a movie on, then. I'm busy." I brushed him off.

"Oh, fine. You booger-mizzer." He grumbled, walking away from my shut door. I smiled at his antics, but went back to looking through the bookshelf. I had about ten books, far more than before, but I'd read them all a million times. It's too bad that it's raining; we could have walked down to the library.

Eventually, I did go downstairs to start dinner. Toby ran forward as soon as I left the stairs.

"How about now?"

"No, Tobes. I'm just going to make some dinner." I smiled, and turned the corner. "How do you feel about chicken?"

"Again? How about pizza?"

"We don't have any sauce." I denied. He whined. "I can make chicken alfredo."

"Allll riiiight." He sighed, plopping down in a chair by the table. "So, we should play after dinner."

"Toby..." I gave him a look. I just don't want to play today. He sighed in irritation.

"When does Dad work this week?" He finally gave up and leaned up over the table to stare at the calendar on the refrigerator.

"Two to eleven." I answered easily.

"Awww." He moaned. "How about Mom?"

"She'll get off at five all this week."

"Awww." he sighed, and leaned back. "No one's ever home together."

"They're both off on Saturday." I pointed out, and started to fill a pan with water.

"But you go to the park all day on Saturday." He played with the glass of water I'd set out.

"I'm home with you all week." I rolled my eyes. He has such a terrible life; a doting mother and a father who plays catching him on the weekends. Homework help, fulfilling birthdays and Christmases, friends he can spend the night with, someone he can go to when he needs help or sad. Bad Sarah; don't be ungrateful.

"I just wish that we all spent more time together."

I smiled over him and dried my hands on my pants. "That'd be pretty cool." There was something off about what he said, and it bugged me in the back of my mind. What is it? There's something off here...

"What was that?!" Toby jumped to his feet all of the sudden, grabbing my arm. I raised an eyebrow and followed his gaze. There was a cockroach scurrying under the counter.

"You're still scared of bugs?" I laughed.

"Don't laugh at me! You know those things creep me out. Come on, Sarah. Get rid of it!" He hid behind me.

I laughed and pat his shoulder. He was scared of that thing beyond ration. I remember being that scared. Just terrified... what of? Those... those creatures that only came out in the night. With red eyes...

"I'm going." I assured, and started forward. Fear isn't really a laughing matter; not if it's real. It was far from a hiding place, so I managed to catch it easily, squishing the bug under my shoe. I cleaned it up and tossed it out, then got back to dinner. How did a cockroach even get in? Irene keeps this place cleaner than a doctor's office.

"I hate those things." Toby whined.

"I know it. Don't freak out on me."

He eyed me cautiously, before deciding I wasn't going to make fun of him. "Do you need any help?"

"Sure. Get out the-"

The instant the phone started to go off, Toby ran out of the room and pulled it down. I sighed and rolled my eyes. Like he was actually going to help me- the kid hadn't cooked a meal on his own in his life. I was cooking for myself since I was younger than him.

I listened in while he spoke.

"Hey Dad!" He stopped for several moments, before his tone changed. "Completely off? Wow, how'd that happen?" Pause, and I hesitated. What's going on? "No, no. Sarah's already cooking dinner." Pause, "Alright. I'll tell her. Bye."

Click, and he hung up. "Sarah! The power at the restaurant Dad and Mom are at went out. They're on their way home, so you better make enough for four."

Of course they are. Why not? I sighed and pulled another two chicken breasts out to thaw.

An hour later, while I was taking the chicken out, Dad and Irene still weren't home. They only went about ten minutes away- what's taking them so long? Dad would call if the power went back on. Toby was worrying more than I was, because I figured they just forgot or didn't bother to tell me they wouldn't be here for dinner after all. Toby isn't used to being ignored.

I put the other two pieces of chicken in a container with the leftover pasta in the fridge before ushering Toby upstairs to brush his teeth. An hour of television before bed- that's how it usually was on Saturday. I'd spend the day at the park while Toby spent time with both of his parents. Then I'd rush home to babysit while Irene and Dad went out on date night until midnight. I'd have Toby in bed by ten, and I'd stay up an hour or two longer reading.

But I let him stay up another hour, to see if Dad and Irene would come home. At eleven, I drew the line and nearly had to push him up the stairs and to bed.

"I hope they're alright." Toby had been freaking out the last hour and a half.

"They're fine." I rolled my eyes. "Now off with you! I want to get some decent sleep myself."

"You sleep all the time." He scoffed. I took that as an insult and playfully kicked him in the back. He snorted and just shut the bedroom door in my face.

Well it isn't really my fault I have an appreciation for a good night's sleep. For half my life, I got crummy sleep. A little over, I guess. I got my first proper night's sleep when I was eight, a few weeks before my birthday. I'm sixteen now. So, about half my life.

I stayed up half an hour later, to make sure he did, in fact, go to sleep. When I heard no movement inside of his room, and the lights were all off, only then did I pull my nightgown on and slip into my own bed.

"Hhhmmm, mmh, hm." I hummed in memory. "Hmmm, hmmm, hhmmh." For some reason, this tune always floated into my head around bed time. I vaguely remember my friend here, and the evil creatures, but the memories weren't very clear. Nevertheless, until Toby was ten, I always went in there at night to make sure he was alright. He never got visits from evil creatures, however.

I closed my eyes... and when I opened them it wasn't morning. No, it's still pitch black outside, and even darker in here. The darkness still made me shiver and it raised goosebumps on my arms, but without the evil creatures here, it was bearable.

But, what woke me?

There was a scratching, slow and creepy. It stopped, and I tensed all over. I was facing the wall, and the hair on the back of my neck was standing on end.

The scratching started again, coming closer, and a low hiss threatened me. I sat up, looking slowly across my bed to the open floor.

A dozen or so creatures, about a foot tall and creeping around on four dark legs, filled my room. Red, piercing eyes and slithering tails. Fangs, talons, spiked spines...

I let go of my breath audibly, heart beating a million miles an hour. No, no, no, no, NO! NO! He said I was too old now! That I wasn't an easy enough target anymore! He said they'd leave me alone!

"No, no, no, no." I cried, pushing myself back against the wall like a child. They climbed onto the headboard, with no reason to stay far away from me. "Please... please..." I shook my head. I couldn't even say his name, asking for help, it's been so long. Did I know it right? Did he still care? Would he still hear me? He said he couldn't come, but he also said they wouldn't!

There was a dark chuckle from the darkest part of my room. I looked up, eyes already swimming with terror. Bad memories and the utter knowledge of what these creatures could do, it scared me more than anything else in this world.

A man stepped forward, about the same age as my old friend. Only, he had black hair pulled back with a tie. He held a cane, with a silver point at the bottom of it. His entire appearance reminded me of the cockroach-like creatures at his feet.

"Sarah Lillian Williams." The new man approached. "I've been searching for you for a very long time. I'm sure you already know how mortals may effect magic."

I was unable to find my voice. I only nodded- the more you believe, the more intuned you are with it. But the older you are, especially at the mark between child and teen, the more difficult it is for an outside force to manipulate the magic you're in tune with.

"Your belief is strong, you've been my prize mortal for many years now." He stooped down to come face-to-face with me. "But you've always seemed to elude me. Now tell me, Sarah, why is that?"

"I- I- I-" I couldn't speak, shuddering in terror.

"You what? Such a ripe young woman; your magic is stronger than any childs'. I suppose I should thank you, for hiding so long that my prize may become plumper."

He obviously wants to use me to get to magic. And I knew this wasn't a good thing. I should get out of here, but, my muscles were frozen. Even thinking of Toby, right in the other room, couldn't budge me.

But it did give me back my voice.

"Don't you touch my brother."

"Young Tobias? Oh, his belief is weak. I care not for him, but he was of great help. Strong or weak, his belief still exists." He stood upright. "When you see him again, thank him for the wish. Thanks to him, I've finally found you."

He already had Toby.

"Let him go-"

He lunged forward and gripped my neck. I held my breath, heart skipping a beat. "Hold your tongue, mortal! You are my snack, and I will not have you talking back." He didn't let me go as he leaned away again, pulling me with him. I struggled to get free. "I've waited long for this." He chuckled, then opened a dark, shadow pit in the middle of my room. He swung his arm around, tossing me down through it. The evil creatures jumped in after me, and the last thing I remember was that creepy sensation of having my eyes shut when I couldn't possibly open them any wider...

And I dreamed while I was knocked out. I dreamed of a dark pit, with Dad, Irene, and Toby. I dreamed of a lighter place, with the same people. I had a dream that my kidnapper was angry. I had a dream there was a loud noise. Then I dreamed there was a funny dwarf with large ears and a giant nose.

So we finally meet the one responsible for Sarah's hauntings when she was younger. She's been rather brave and altogether better off in the past six years, but at this terrible reminder of her greatest fear, she's reverted back to similar mentality to what she'd had the last time she felt such fear. She can't help herself, to react the same way as an eight year old would, because she doesn't know how to handle the situation as a sixteen year old would. She never overcame her fear, it just disappeared.

But... why didn't he give up on her like he had so many other children once she became ten and was no longer an easy target for magic? Hmm...

R&R!

P.S. I've got a poll up for what subject my next FF to post will be. All pre-written as this one is, and not all are for Laby, though if you're reading this, I know you do like Labyrinth FF.