Author's Note: I should warn everyone that this is JarethxOC fan fiction; I am a die hard SarahxJareth fan but I figured that it would be a lot more fun to write a JarethxOC instead.

Chapter Two

Sitting in my car, I stared in wonder at the house across the street- the house that had been my home since birth. It looked so different now, but the changes might have been considered subtle to someone who hadn't lived there. There was an older couple sitting on the porch, looking content in their rocking chairs. The garden I had planted as a little girl was gone, replaced with solid concrete.

I shook my head, not believing what I saw. This was impossible… No matter how carried away I could get, there was no way that my imagination could get this out of hand. If my parents had died when I was a child, then why could I still remember them so clearly? The way they sounded, the way they acted, it was all so clear in my mind. I had no doubt that they were real, and I knew that they hadn't died in a car crash. Proving it, however, was going to be difficult. Especially when all the evidence was stacked against me.

Tearing my gaze away from the house, I drove off. I needed time to figure this all out, to find them. But for some odd reason, I had the horrible feeling that I didn't have that time. I felt like I was fighting a losing battle, but against what, I had no idea. A part of me worried that if I didn't find them soon, I too may start to forget them. I could never let that happen; I could never let my parents down.

I got back to the college just as the sun was starting to disappear behind the horizon. Instead of digging out my keys, I knocked on the door. Alice opened it a moment later, pulling me inside quickly. I could see the concern in her eyes, and I could tell that she was serious- for once.

"Celeste, what the hell has gotten into you?" she demanded.

"I have to find my parents, Alice. And don't tell me they died," I added before she could speak, "because I know that isn't true."

"Celeste, this is crazy. I went online while you were gone and checked the obituary. They were hit by a large truck on their way home. They didn't survive the crash. I heard that people try to block out painful memories, but to actually create new ones… it's just crazy." I started shaking my head before she had even finished, and she seemed to realize that she wasn't getting through to me.

"Celeste, look. You're my best friend, and you know I only have your best interest in mind. I know it's painful, but you need to remember what happen. You need to accept that your parents aren't coming back."

"Alice," I started, looking away from her. "Please, I need to be alone."

She nodded solemnly before pulling me into a tight hug. "Please don't do something crazy, Celeste," she begged before releasing me. I nodded, and watched her leave the room.

I walked over and sat on the edge of my bed, pulling out my family photo. Well, the one that used to be my family photo. "I wish I knew where you are," I whispered. I sighed heavily and buried my face in my hands. This couldn't be real, could it? Or, was I really just making it all up?

"No," I said, not realizing that I had spoken. I knew they weren't dead. I didn't know how I knew, but I did. I had always trusted my instinct and my heart, and I knew what it was telling me now. My parents were alive, somewhere, and they needed my help. I had to find them.

I wiped away my tears and stood up. I found a hair bow and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. I knew that in order to find my parents, I would have to do some research. Myths, legends, folk tales, anything that involved people disappearing. I was heading towards the computer when something caught my eye. I looked over at my bed, curious as to what it was.

A small red book was resting on my pillow. I walked over to it cautiously. I picked it up, running my hand over its leather cover. The title was written out in two lines. It read, "The Labyrinth." Where had it come from? Well, I thought, I might as well see what it's about.

I opened the book and scanned over the first page. I instantly recognized the story- further proof that my mother didn't die when I was five. This book was the same story that my mother had told me so many times as I grew up. This was the story that had interested me the most; goblins, labyrinths, unexpected challenges and riddles, I loved it all.

After checking through the entire book, I found that two phrases had been underlined. The first was the line spoken by the main character, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now." I knew this line by heart- I had wanted so bad to say it to myself for so long. My mother had caught me just before I could finish though. I had never seen her so angry and upset with me. After that, she had made me swear that I would never repeat that line ever again.

The second thing underlined wasn't an entire phrase, but two words. "Goblin King." I knew who he was, but I couldn't understand why these two things had been underlined. Things started to click into place as I remembered the rest of the story. If someone failed to complete the Labyrinth, they lost whomever it was they had wished away. The person, usually a child, was then forgotten by everyone. It would be as if…

I gasped as the truth hit me. It would be as if they had never existed. But my parents couldn't be completely forgotten, because there needed to be an explanation for my existence. Death was certainly one way to erase them. But why, then, did I still remember them? Did the spell not affect me as it should have?

There was only one way to find out.

"I wish that the Goblin King was here, right now." I wasn't sure it if would work, but I had to try. I waited patiently for a few minutes before I realized that nothing was happening. He wasn't coming. Maybe I had been wrong after all.

I looked up from the book and nearly dropped it in shock. I was on my feet the instant I realized I wasn't alone in the room. A man, dressed in all black, was leaning against the window frame. His long silver-blonde hair was long and somewhat wild in the back, but in the front in rested just above his mismatched blue eyes. I couldn't help but stare at him for a moment, not sure if I should scream and start running, or if I should melt into a puddle where I stood.

Realization hit a second later, and when I was finally able to find my voice, I managed to say in a surprisingly calm voice, "I want my parents back."

He stared at me, and I could see the brief flicker of confusion in his eyes. It was gone quickly though, replaced by a cold indifferent mask. "What was that?" his voice was deep and had a touch of elegance that I have never heard in a man's voice before.

"My parents, Sarah and Stephen, I want them back." I couldn't believe how calm and collected my voice sounded. Inside, I was terrified. The Goblin King looked to be several inches taller than me, and I knew that he could probably physically overpower me. And besides, he had magic. That gave him a definite advantage over me.

He tilted his head sideways, and his eyes looked lost in thought for a moment. Then he looked up at me as if for the first time, his eyes traveling up and down my body. It made me slightly uncomfortable, and I felt he was staring a bit longer than necessary. Finally, he asked, "You wish to have them back?" He paused for a moment as he began to approach me.

I fought the urge to back up, not willing to show fear to this man. "I'm afraid that's not possible," he continued, a smirk on his face. I felt the melting feeling resurface as he got closer. Why the hell did he have to be so attractive? It wasn't helping my concentration any. Focus! I reminded myself. He has your parents. The melting feeling faded again, replaced by my more stubborn and defiant side.

"I want my parents back," I repeated in a calm, clear voice. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means solving that labyrinth of yours."

His smile widened as he repeated, "Whatever it takes?" The way he said it made me realize just how open ended I had left that statement. I could feel a slight blush work its way onto my face. At this, his smile widened more. I was about to rephrase when he continued. "And what should I get if you fail?" he asked.

"Umm…" I stammered, unsure. I really hadn't thought this far ahead. What would he want? "How about… me. You would get all three of us." I knew that was a dangerous offer, all things considered. But I felt confident in my own ability to rescue my parents.

He surprised me by laughing. I was glaring at him as he said, "My dear, what makes you think you are so special? What makes you think I need yet another useless mortal in my realm?"

I tried not to let my frustration show, but judging by the smirk on his face, I knew I was failing. A sudden idea came to me and, as I found myself doing a lot recently, I took that idea and ran with it. "Oh, that's too bad. But, I guess I should take that as a compliment. I mean, for the King of the Goblins to think that his labyrinth is no match for me…" I let my voice trail off for a moment before adding, "I'm honored."

It was his turn to glare at me as I clearly took the upper hand in this situation. He started walking again, and I finally got a look at my surroundings. We were no longer in my room; instead, we were standing on top of a desolate hill. I stared out at the maze in front of me. The labyrinth was a lot larger than I had thought it was going to be.

"Worried?" I jumped as his voice rang out from right behind me. He was so close now; I could almost feel him standing right behind me.

"No," I lied. "It doesn't look that hard."

He laughed lightly in my ear as he whispered, "It's harder than it looks." For a moment I couldn't breathe. Deciding it was better to get away from him as quickly as possible, I tried to take a step forward. He, on the other hand, had other plans. I felt his gloved hand around my wrist as he spun me around and pulled me closer to him.

"Hey!" I protested, struggling to break free. But my earlier assumption was correct; he was much, much stronger than me.

"Don't forget," he whispered, "you have only thirteen hours in which to solve my labyrinth. One can only hope you take after your mother if you wish to succeed."

Struggling to get a hold of my thoughts, I managed to ask, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Chuckling lightly, he pulled back but didn't release his hold on my wrist. "Your mother was the only person to ever solve my labyrinth. Your father, on the other hand, wasn't able to even make it halfway through before his time was up."

"Oh," I stated, sounding dumb. "Well," I said quickly, managed to finally break free of his grasp. I took a quick step back and stared defiantly into his eyes. From such a close proximity, I could finally see why one eye appeared darker than the other. One pupil was permanently dilated while the other was normal size.

"I can assure you, Your Highness, I will not only be able to solve your labyrinth, but I shall do so with more time on the clock than my mother did."

He laughed again, more darkly this time. "You say that with so much confidence, yet you've already wasted so much time." He pointed towards a clock that hung seemingly in midair, and I noticed that I had, in fact, wasted time. Not much, but time was precious here.

When I turned back to yell at him for distracting me, he was gone. I glared at the spot where he had been standing for a moment before I remembered I wasn't supposed to waste time. I had vowed to beat this labyrinth quicker than my mother had, and I was going to.

Making a quick mental note to ask my mom why she had to run the labyrinth in the first place, I started down the hill. I could beat this labyrinth, I knew. "It'll be a piece of cake."