Disclaimer: Labyrinth is not mine. I'm just having a great time playing in it

A/N: Wow, three chapters in a day and a half. (Don't get used to it!) So yeah, this story is sort of writing itself at this point. I was pretty happy with some of the things that just flowed out of my fingers without any real input in this chapter. I hope you like it too! Thanks to all who are reading, reviewing, and setting alerts! You make me smile! And yes, I am aware that there is a HP reference in this story.

Chapter 2

A Child No More

Sarah's POV

I sat straight up in bed, gulping air into my lungs as if I had been drowning. The dream was already fading away, though bits and pieces clung to the periphery like blurred edges of a photograph. A voice I'd long ago cherished and pushed aside rang through my ears; "You're mine now, precious thing."

"Just give me enough time to grow up. I-I can't be what you want; not yet at least."

"Say your right words, Sarah."

"When my childhood home is no longer my own, I will make my new home in the Underground as the Goblin Queen..."

My head fell into my trembling hands as I tried to calm my breathing. My chest felt like it was on fire, almost as if I had been branded. I hadn't had a dream this vivid in a very long time. I felt weak and exhausted and my heart pounded the same love-sick rhythm it had accustomed itself to six years ago. The only thing I could compare it to was ripping off a band aid to reveal a wound that had never completely healed; never even begun to heal. Why was this all happening again? Why now?

A soft rapping on my door broke me from my terrified spell. "Sarah, are you up yet?"

I checked a glance at my night table to notice it was well past nine in the morning. I was supposed to be doing something today, wasn't I? "Um, yeah…what do you need?" I called through the door.

A sliver of light poured in from the hallway, revealing the tall frame of my father, Robert. Laughingly, he spoke, "What do I need? Goodness Sarah, how much did you and that wild girl have to drink last night? Did you forget you're moving today?"

My head spun slightly as my disorientation drifted away. Oh right. Today was moving day. And last night I'd…

I frowned. My memories of last night were hazier than the dream I'd just experienced. I recalled something about a crowded restaurant and a blind date, but I had no idea if it had gone well, or for that matter, if I'd even met the guy at all! How much did I have to drink last night?

I forced a sheepish smile on my face and decided to play clueless with my father. "Sorry. Guess I forgot to set the alarm."

"Well, hop to it. Traffic will be bad enough as it is." He closed the door softly while humming to himself. He was far too cheerful in my opinion.

I flopped back down on my mattress and flung my arm across my face. The unsettled feeling was still coursing through my veins, but I didn't really have time to analyze it any further. I supposed it was probably just some manifestation of my anxiety towards moving out on my own. I was about to be my own woman, and even though I was excited, I knew it would be a huge responsibility. I was entering that strange territory between child and adult. I just hoped that I knew what the hell I was getting myself into.

The door to my room swung open forcefully just as I was making the decision to hoist myself out of bed. "OMG, Sarah! Was last night awesome or what?" Rachel's naturally high voice was even more obnoxious than usual. Compounded by her abrupt launch onto my bed, and she had officially earned the title of my least favorite person of the day.

"I don't really remember that much. Geez, Ray, why'd you let me get so wasted?" I spoke through grated teeth as I stood to stretch. One of my hands moved to massage my ribs; that burning sensation was really getting annoying.

She grinned completely unapologetically. "Sorry Chickee, but you really needed it after that a-hole stood you up." She turned to primp her long black hair in the mirror.

So the mystery date had been a no show. I guess that's better than not remembering him at all. "Is that so? I couldn't have been too heartbroken, I mean, I was only there for you anyways." I stifled a yawn and crossed the room to open the shade. My eyes caught on something white fluttering on the branch that barely scraped my window. I pushed up the glass and reached for it.

It was a feather. Nearly pure white, with a spot of brown on the tip, it was as long as my hand and incredibly soft. "I wonder where this came from?" I mused internally.

"Whatcha got there?" Rachel bounced over and plucked the feather from my hand. "Oh cool! It's an owl feather."

"And how may I ask do you know that?"

"Duh. I'm wicked smart, Sarah," she batted her eyelashes. She handed the feather back to me. "You should hang on to it; I hear they are good luck."

I brought the feather to my cheek and let it caress my skin, my thoughts once again trying to reclaim more fragments from the previous evening. I felt so close to remembering something I inherently knew I was never supposed to forget.

"Earth to Sarah…are you planning to get dressed anytime soon?"

I blinked and turned my attention back to my friend. She was waving her hands back and forth in front of my face. She giggled. "Sorry. I didn't sleep very well."

"I can't imagine why," she threw open one of my dresser drawers and proceeded to toss a t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts at me. "This couldn't be one of the biggest days of your life or anything," she retorted sarcastically.

"You're just happy you'll have someplace to crash when you and Scott go on an all night bender in the city," I laughed.

"OMG Scott! I forgot to tell you, we're getting married!" Her face exploded into a beaming smile. She continued pelting me with clothes – socks, underwear, bra – without missing a beat.

"Well, I mean, he doesn't know it yet, but trust me, he'll be treating me like the princess I am in no time!"

I was too shocked to speak. Here I was freaking out about moving out on my own while the closest thing I had to a best friend was ready to start picking out invitations.

"I know, I know, I've only known him for a week. But I'm telling you, Sarah, he's the one. And when you know, you know. Right?"

I certainly hoped not. Otherwise, I was relegated to love a figment of my imagination for the rest of eternity.

I found myself lingering over the few remaining memories I'd retained from my dreams as I slipped into the bathroom to get ready for the day. Ever since I banished my fanciful ways, the dreams had come fewer and farther in between, but I'd never forgotten his face, or the way my whole body seemed to react whenever he was near. Though I couldn't remember exactly what I'd dreamt last night, I knew he had been there. Snippets of promises and vows were scrambling to make sense in my brain, as if they were truly more than a dream.

I jumped as a loud bang resounded through the wall. Hurrying back into my bedroom, I found Rachel flat on her butt with the headboard of my bed laying half on top of her. She smiled sweetly and said, "Perhaps I'd better just stick to helping with those boxes."

Jareth's POV

I could scarcely conceal the grin threatening to break over my face as I replayed the scene again and again. Sarah's beautiful visage swam through the mist of the crystal. One of my feathers was clutched in her delicate hand, and she gently brushed it repeatedly over her cheek. I felt the match of the caress against my own skin as surely as if she had duplicated the motion on my face as well. The bond had taken hold much quicker than I had anticipated.

She'd awoken with hardly any memory of last night's events, as according to plan, yet she was well on her way to remembering the truth of everything. I felt a slight pang of regret when she became cognizant of the bonding, as I did not want to cause her any pain, though I knew it was necessary, and the heated sensation would only be temporary.

I'd stayed by her side as long as I dared, but as the sun rose, I'd been forced to seek solace amidst the shadows of a nearby forest. Though not directly deadly, the Aboveground sun was much harsher than the magic illumination of the Underground, and my kind did not tolerate it well.

Raelle had returned to Sarah in my stead under the guise of helping her move. I suspected I'd owe her even more than her dreams of mortal love after an afternoon of physical exertion.

A fissure in the surrounding air pressure alerted me to her return. She stood cautiously behind me, not speaking until I acknowledged her. "Raelle."

"Sire."

"All is well?" I inquired without turning around.

"As well as can be expected. She's practically dead on her feet, and the burn has been bothering her all day, though she won't admit it. Her father was bringing up the last few boxes when I left. She should be alone by now."

"You have done well, hobgoblin," I praised, though my voice was carefully devoid of any true emotion. It served no one to feed into her natural vanity.

She shuffled on her feet before speaking in a meek, respectful tone; "I've thought about my payment, and I think I've figured out a way for it to work."

"Oh? Enlighten me."

"I just need some gobsweed. Won't that start the transformation?"

I turned towards the relatively young hobgoblin with slight mystification. Here, in the mortal realm, she took the form of a beautiful temptress. By human standards, her willowy figure, long shiny coal black hair, heart-shaped face, and light brown eyes were the very recipe of desire. She could ensnare a human male with little more than a twitch of her lips, leaving them broken-hearted once her fickle nature revealed itself. Of course, that was the whole purpose of her particular race of goblin.

In a world populated by ethereal Fae creatures, the goblins needed leaders who could rise above the natural derision engendered by their usually gnarled faces and disfigured bodies in order to have a modicum of fairness. Hobgoblins were revered by their people, particularly because they were so rare and the goblin race had yet to discover any rhyme or reason for how one was created. So it was only natural that those of the 'lucky born', as they were affectionately called, considered themselves slightly above the rules of established society and thought little of the feelings of others. Just so long as they remembered their place in deference to their king.

"You wish to turn your beloved into a goblin?" I smirked humorously. "In that case, why not just wish him away?"

"Because then he'd belong to you, not me," her answering smirk held the promise of possession. I'd observed Raelle's tendencies for obsession over the past few decades, but she had never once fought so strongly to keep one of her lovers. I felt a small amount of pity for the unsuspecting human male that had caught her eye.

"And what will you do with him, cruel Raelle?" I teased. "Will you make him your plaything? Cast him aside once you've had your fill of him? What then of this poor…Scott was it?"

Her pouty lips turned down in a scowl. "It's different this time."

"Really. In what way?" I straightened to my full height and crossed my arms, affecting my haughty countenance with practiced ease. It wasn't that I was terribly interested in what became of the hobgoblin's latest treasure, but watching her discomfort was amusing and a tolerable distraction from the time I still had left to wait.

Her lip trembled, either in fury or despair, I couldn't really tell. I laughed. "Relax. I can see plainly that this boy holds higher interest for you. Though, I cannot allow you to turn him into a goblin. Would you not prefer to remain here with him for the duration of his human life?"

"But the Underground is my home, Sire. I…I don't want to leave it," her false brown eyes flashed an unnatural yellow – testament to her emotional state – before she regained her composure.

"We all must make sacrifices when it comes to love," I muttered softly, thinking back on my own six years of exile. My gaze drifted back to the happy scene in the crystal. "Soon, precious."

"So…you just gonna wait around until nightfall?" She asked, no doubt taking in my reaction to the crystal.

"What business is it of yours?" My brow raised in annoyance. Sometime she really did forget her place.

Her eyes widened. "Uh..nothing. Not my business at all, so sorry, Your Majesty." She curtseyed low and backed away.

I sighed and began spinning the crystal in my hand back and forth across my fingers. "Go to your human. Spend at least one full week Aboveground together. After that time, we will discuss the boy's future if, and only if, I am convinced he is not just another trifle of yours."

"Thank you, Sire. I take my leave?"

I nodded. She vanished as quickly as she had come.

I conjured another crystal – this one more like a scrying surface – to show me Sarah's present. She was indeed alone; sitting on a worn green chaise and flipping through a familiar red book. A genuine smile played across her rose-colored lips, making my own heart pulse with happiness. Her hands trembled slightly as she read aloud the last few passages of the updated story. It was clear from the immediate frown on her face that she was aware of the change in the tale, though she did not yet understand the catalyst. When she herself altered the course of the story six years ago, the Labyrinth saw fit to rewrite its own version.

For Sarah was never meant to be merely the princess in that tale.

A soft ray of fading sunlight filtered through the leaves of the tree I rested against, pulling forth a mixture of anxiety and contentment within my spirit. Only one hour until sunset.

I donned my summoning armor and waited.

Sarah's POV

"That's the end of it," my dad's voice expelled with a heave as he dropped the last box of books onto the floor of my new living room. "Thank God! I swear you should open your own library. I didn't think my back would take that last flight of stairs," he chuckled before running a hand through his thinning brown hair.

"Thanks for all your help, Dad."

"I can't believe you're finally out on your own."

Somehow the clichéd endearment's sincerity was lessened with the inclusion of the word finally. I knew my stepmother was probably crowing with delight, but I had hoped my father would've been at least a little bit upset that his first born was leaving the nest.

"Be sure to use the dead bolt when you're here by yourself," he warned. Perhaps he did have a trace of fatherly devotion after all.

"I will."

"And be careful who you bring home, there are a lot of crazies in the world…"

"I will," I repeated, rocking back and forth on my heels at the strained awkwardness between us.

"Good girl. Well, I'd best be heading back…Toby has a soccer game in an hour."

Once upon a time a comment like that would've sent me into a mental temper tantrum, crying out "It's not fair!" After all, he'd never come to any of my shows, or shown any interest in my activities, but everything had changed with that dream. It had taken a rather realistic fantasy in which my brother was in danger of becoming a goblin to make me appreciate him. Now, he was probably the one in my family that I would miss the most.

I stood frozen to the spot until I heard the click of the door closing and soft footsteps departing on the stairs. With a hollow sigh, I sunk into the cushions of my second hand avocado couch and stared numbly at the small room around me. The entire studio apartment was barely larger than my parents' living room. A kitchenette lined the wall by the door with a beat up table off to the side and a small writing desk that housed the various pieces I would need to reassemble my computer. I was currently sitting in the living room 'nook' which was barely big enough for my sofa and a small television. Behind me was the bedroom, though it was really nothing more than a corner with a bed and several book cases. At least Karen had bought me a beautiful screen to use as a room divider. A door between the couch and the bed led to the miniscule bathroom.

It certainly wasn't a castle, but it would have to be my home nonetheless. In a few days, I would start my new job as a member of the chorus in an off-Broadway show. Despite giving up my dreams, I'd never been able to set aside my love for acting. "You'd better love it, what with giving up that gorgeous house and free rent just so you could be closer to the theater!" my inner voice groaned.

And so I would play the role of a starving artist, and do so willingly! I pushed myself off the cushions and began sorting through the motley pile of 'stuff' that had been transferred from my childhood bedroom to my not-so-gleaming humble abode.

A spot of red peeking out from the last box my father had brought up caught my curiosity.

I smiled my first genuine smile in ages at the rush of happy memories that flooded through me in association with this book. Despite my recent bouts of anxiety over the very realistic dreams this story had inspired, I hadn't seen it in years, and its presence was like the return of a long lost friend. Days spent at the park in full princess regalia replayed through my mind, along with the smiling, comforting faces of my beloved imaginary childhood companions. What I wouldn't give to be able to spend just one real afternoon with the likes of the cowardly dwarf, the valiant fox knight, or…him.

This little story about a princess who defies a king and ultimately gains power over her own destiny had shaped my character so thoroughly it may as well have been tattooed upon my soul. Sure, I'd tossed it aside in an effort to grow up, but now that I was considered an adult, I found the call of my fantasies stronger than ever. Eagerly, my fingers flipped through the pages until I reached my favorite part; when the young princess bravely confronts the powerful, vain, beautiful, captivating Goblin King, and wins.

"I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous? Look what I'm offering you – your dreams! I ask for so little. Just let me rule you, and you can have everything that you want… Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."

With a steady hand and a welcoming heart, the princess reached forth and accepted the crystal, and with it, the mighty heart of the Goblin King and the fealty and admiration of all who dwelled within the Labyrinth. The child returned safely to the far away kingdom where he grew to be loved and respected by all around him, while deep in the heart of the goblin kingdom, the King and his new Queen lived happily ever after, together until eternity.

I frowned as I re-read the passage. This ending was different than the one I remembered in which the princess defeats the Goblin King's power by denying his temptations, thus returning to her kingdom with her baby brother safe and sound. Could the story be just as good if the girl didn't face down her adversary? I'd always thought that was sort of the whole point. How else was she supposed to grow into her responsibilities? And would the brother really have been allowed to go home if the girl didn't defeat the king?

I settled back against the cushions and let my thoughts wander. What a perfect fairy tale that would be; a deliciously arrogant Goblin King who turned out to have a kind heart after all, one that he would give to the princess simply to earn her love in return. Would the princess love him back? I suspected she would.

"Oh Jareth, how I wish you were here…" I sighed before closing my eyes.

A/N *cue dramatic music* So, I bet you can guess what the next chapter will be about…

I would be honored to hear your thoughts. I hope this chapter expanded on Jareth's character, despite Raelle's continued insistence to hijack everyone's scenes. I swear, she is incorrigible!

Review…please?