Disclaimer- Well, after crying, praying, and begging the answer was still no. Security at the Henson Associates, Inc. told me that if I ever came back they were going to make me sit and listen to "The Song That Never Ends" for a full year. So I guess I will never own the Labyrinth. Sucks, doesn't it? Let's make a deal... I won't sue you for reading, if you don't sue me for writing.

AN- Welcome to the party Dark Wolf Flame always nice to know someone else has joined us. Norehnka and unwritten I love you guys and all your reviews, you keep me posting. I think we may have lost Princess of the Fae along the way. And this is the time that I call out you lurkers: ChioneTheMetroid and xSugarcoatedxStarlightx come on guys… show me some love and say hello. Lol… how can I have 250 hits and 12 reviews? (Shrugs) C'est la vie. As I said before… I post this for you, my wonderful dearly loved readers and reviewers. And now the moment you've all been waiting for…

Insanity Takes Its Toll

Chapter 7: Deceitful Truths and Honest Lies

Larizel walked slowly down the long corridor. She could see Sarah's room up in the distance. Her door was wide open, something Larizel found rather odd, but then again what did she know. Her mind was invaded by a now familiar voice. 'Let me tell you this now before you get any closer. The closer you get to Sarah the weaker I get. I've already explained to you how she can over power me. When you enter that room you will no longer be able to contact me. I had a feeling this may happen, but I wasn't sure until now. So once you get to her, you are on your own.'

'WHAT!? I don't believe this. I'm turning around right now. I am not being left alone with a girl that puts people in therapy just with words. Forget it." Larizel turned around on her heel and was heading for the door.

"Don't leave!" The voice came from a distance. It was firm and enchanting. It held the tone of a request that demanded your obedience. "I know why you have come... Larizel."

Larizel felt herself pale and nearly choked on the knot in her throat. She knew whom the voice belonged too. 'Jareth. How does she know my name?'

'I told you Sarah and I are connected by the Labyrinth, what I know, she knows. You will do fine. You aren't scared are you?' His voice was antagonizing her.

'No, of course I'm not scared.' She could feel the sickness in her stomach.

'Good, then why is she still waiting?' She hated the way she could feel his arrogant smile in her mind; it was giving her a headache.

The voice called to her again. "Please come into my room. It really is hard to yell through these walls."

Larizel walked slowly to the door and hesitated before walking into the room. 'Jareth if you can still hear me, I swear to God if this psycho puts me in therapy, you're paying for it.' She took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

She was overtaken by what she found in the room. Sarah was not tied to her bed as the doctor said she would be. Instead she was sitting in the corner of the room in a straightjacket. Her hair was knotted as if it had been neglected for years, and it probably had. Her skin was sickly pale, but her hazel eyes gave almost a glow from underneath her clustered hair. Her face held a devious smile, which set Larizel off guard.

Sarah spoke in a whisper that's sound carried much further than Larizel would have believed possible. "So you are Larizel? I have been waiting for you all day. What took you so long?" The question seemed so harmless.

"You aren't exactly an easy person to get access to." Larizel tried to give a slight giggle, but failed at the attempt. Sarah took no notice.

"I see." Her voice rose from her whisper to a voice she recognized from her dream. It became kind of a sing sang voice teasing her. "So you have come here to save poor Jareth from losing his power over the Labyrinth. Why do you wish to help him?" Sarah's stare burned into Larizel. She swallowed hard and realized she didn't have a reason for helping him. "Oh I see. He didn't give you a choice. He's pretty good at that. Well little Larizel, let me tell you a little secret. Jareth is not the good- hearted person he seems to be. Don't believe his lies, and pay no attention to his truth. You are just a pawn in this game as I was; only he lost. He didn't want me to get control of his Labyrinth, yet here I am holding the key to his world." Her words held scorn in them. "I take it he showed you a vision of the Labyrinth now, but has he taken you there? Have you seen it with your own eyes?"

Larizel went to answer, but Sarah cut her off. "I didn't think so. How do you know if what he is showing you is true? I have done nothing to the Labyrinth. I'm sure that he has made me out to be some sort of monster, but I assure you this is not the truth. He is just upset that he doesn't have the power he is use to and it irritates him. He's like a child that had his favorite toy taken away. The Labyrinth has always been dark and murderous. The lie is what you and I have seen, and thought to be true. The orange sky, the colorful creatures, and enchanting landscape; I assure you that is not the way it is. The Labyrinth is full of such hate and anger. Jareth is full of hate and anger. Do you want to know how to save the Labyrinth from itself and him?" Larizel could do nothing but nod. The information that Sarah was telling her just made so much sense, but at the same time it was completely ludicrous.

"There is a tree in the center of a garden. That garden is a gateway to the Labyrinth. That tree is the source of the Labyrinth's power in the Aboveground. It is what you could call a tree of life. Mix Jareth's blood with its soil, and all shall be restored."

"Wait, I have to kill Jareth to save his kingdom?" Larizel couldn't believe her ears. "I can't do that."

Sarah cocked her head at an awkward angle and spoke with a hiss. "You stupid girl. You are already falling for his tricks. He has shown you that side that melts your heart, but only in your dreams. Did you not think that I heard his thoughts in my mind the night of the ball? Oh I heard him going on and on about his love for me. Only in the dreams Larizel will you see that side of him. He was trying to prevent me from gaining power over the Labyrinth. A creature like him knows nothing of love, compassion, or sympathy. He only knows passions of pride, hate, and arrogance. I loved him. I spent years trying to get him to understand, but." she let her sentence trail off. "You aren't going to listen to me. I can see it in your heart; you think I'm crazy. Poor Larizel. Don't know whom to trust, and you're afraid to make a wrong decision."

She stood to her shaky feet and that made Larizel step closer to the open door. "You made the wrong decision last time didn't you. You chose to live with your mother rather than your father after the divorce. And what did she do to you Larizel? Even better, what did her boyfriend do to you?"

Larizel shook her head in disbelief. "You can't know about that. I've never told a single person about any of this."

"Oh but I do know Larizel. I know how she would beat you until you passed out. All the way up until the day she died when you were fourteen. She hated you for your talent and beauty. She had heard from a neighbor that you had seduced her boyfriend, and she nearly strangled you. But you didn't seduce him, did you? No he raped you and you couldn't tell her because she would have never believed you."

Larizel was in tears now, holding her ears. She finally took what energy she had left and ran for the door.

"Oh and Larizel?" She called out to the corridor. "Do tell Jareth I said hello." Sarah smiled and let her head hit the back of the wall as she slid back to the floor.

Larizel ran down the corridor. She could hear Sarah laughing behind her. Her hands were waving in the air as she ran. By the time she reached the door the doctor already had it opened, but she didn't stop when she made it out of the wing. No she kept going. She ran down the halls trying to find her way out, but every door was locked. It was only minutes before Dr. Corgan caught up to her. She was sitting against the locked door crying. The doctor knelt down next to her.

"Are you okay?" He tried to comfort the girl, only able to guess what could have possibly happened.

Through sobs her voice could barely be made out. "How did she know? This can't be happening."

Her mind was interrupted by Jareth's soothing voice. 'I see she got to you after all. I'm so sorry Larizel. Don't listen to her. She can see into your mind as I can. She's using your past to scare and hurt you, so that you can't beat her."

"SHUT UP! I'm not doing this anymore." Larizel screamed out loud.

The doctor jumped back in surprise. "Not doing what anymore?" the doctor stared at her in concern and a thought ran through his mind. 'Perhaps insanity runs in the family.'

Jareth voice flowed through her trying to calm her down. 'Larizel. Please calm down, if you don't that doctor is going to lock you up. You must gain control of yourself.' Larizel nodded at Jareth's words. She knew he was right, and she certainly didn't want to be locked up in this place. She composed herself and looked up at the doctor. "I'm sorry." She gave a slight smile. "I guess I didn't expect her to play with my mind like that. I think I should get home and get some rest. Thank you for your help today." Dr. Corgan smiled, but his concern still showed in his eyes. "Very well, please allow me to walk you out."

He walked her through the many halls and they stopped in front of his office. He walked in for a quick moment then came back holding a card. "This is my card, it has my office, cell, and home number. If you need to talk, please feel free to call me."

Larizel took the piece of paper with a smile and slipped it into her back pocket. He pointed her to the exit, and she found herself out in the fresh air in a matter of minutes.

She inhaled the mid-afternoon air in deeply. Feeling herself finally relax again, she headed for her car. The drive home seemed to fly by. Larizel just couldn't focus. What was she to believe, whom was she really helping, and how the hell was she suppose to figure out who was telling the truth?

AN- Who do you think is telling the truth? Hard to know, huh? Thoughts? Comments? I know that some people hate when CAPS are used for screaming, but I like to use it and I believe it makes an impact on what is being said. Now the stage is set. All characters have come into play. 10 chapters to go…