Chapter Two: New Life?

Sarah shivered and shook the snow from her hair as she entered the building. She wasn't sure if this was the correct course of action, but she was desperate now. Seeing that book lying in the bottom of the fireplace, completely unharmed, chilled her very soul. Immediate action had to be taken. There was a toy and book drive for less fortunate children every year during the holidays, and the city's public library hosted it. Today was the final day to donate before the bins would be taken to City Hall to be sorted and the toys distributed.

It was so early in the morning that only a few librarians were there, so she had privacy in which to say her final goodbye. Sarah pulled the book out from her fur coat, caressing its leather cover one last time. "I'm sorry," she whispered against it, before tossing it into the book bin. Quickly she left without glancing back. Outside the snow had stopped momentarily and the sun had started peeking through the buildings. It was going to be a beautiful day. The first day of Sarah's new life.

Later in the morning, Sarah found herself entering the law offices of Paris & Stewart, where she worked as a secretary for Mr. Thomas Lee Paris and Mr. Jonathan James Stewart, two of the most successful defense attorneys in the city. While most people would strive to achieve more working in a law firm, Sarah was quite content just being a secretary and assistant. It paid fairly well, and the work wasn't bad either. All she had to do was bring her bosses their morning coffee and bagel, answer phones, make appointments, file paperwork, mail various items to prosecutors, judges, and clients, and type memos. Today, however, there was to be none of that work because it was the annual Holiday party, held between Hanukkah and Christmas. Traditionally the party began whenever people started showing up and ended sometime after midnight. Of course, as soon as Sarah walked in, she was nominated as president for the decorating committee. Sarah would have a terribly long day ahead of her.

It was late in the evening and the party wasn't even half over. Sarah was absolutely dog tired. She had been running on empty the whole day, and now she being forced to stay by her bosses.

"Mr. Paris, please, I'm exhausted, couldn't I just…"

"Nonsense! Now you know I can't let you leave until that boyfriend of your's shows up."

"Boyfriend! Sir, Eric is not my boyfriend!" Sarah slammed her glass of punch onto the nearby desk, infuriated that her boss of all people knew about her and Eric. Eric was a prosecuting attorney in a rival law firm that was down at the other end of the street. When Sarah first started working at Paris & Stewart, Eric only made an appearance whenever his law firm was in a trial against hers. But then their eyes met while sorting out complicated legal documents, and he had been coming to the office every week since then, with no particular reason.

If Sarah could have chosen a Prince Charming or Knight in Shining Armor, Eric would have been the one. Unfortunately for her, he was married. Eric was the most wonderful man she had ever met; possibly one she'd be content in spending her life with, but all he seemed to be looking for was a mistress. He refused to divorce his wife. Sarah never technically had a relationship with Eric, they had never gone out, but they had talked quite a lot in the last year and hesitantly kissed a few times. But quite frankly the man had broken what little of her heart she had given to him when he said three weeks ago that he wouldn't divorce his wife and she 'had to get used to it'. And now her boss was going to force her to stay here all night until that man showed up, and no doubt that he would as it was tradition to invite rival law firms.

"Mr. Paris, I don't care what you say, I am not staying here." Sarah grabbed her purse off her desk and made for the exit, when suddenly Mr. Stewart came out of nowhere and blocked her path.

"Sarah! There you are! Listen, I'd like you to meet this…rather remarkable man I just met," the old man shouted over the music before pulling over another man who was speaking to some others by the punch bowl. "This is uh…sorry, what's your name again?"

"Everett Collins." The blond haired, blue eyed man extended his hand towards Sarah. "Pleased to meet you Miss…?"

"Williams. Sarah Williams. Very nice to meet you, Mr. Collins." Sarah politely shook his hand, noticing he was quite strong compared to his appearance.

"Mr. Collins is here from um…" Mr. Stewart interjected.

"Europe," Mr. Collins finished for him.

"Yes, Europe, and he's here to…what was it again?"

"I'm observing American law practices for my law firm back home. I heard this was the most successful firm in the city." He spoke rather quickly, and his expression was stoic, and to Sarah it seemed as if he had been saying that particular line numerous times already.

"Well you heard right," Sarah pretended to be enthused; "We've won seventy-two cases this year."

"It should have been seventy-three! If it weren't for that damned boyfriend of yours," Mr. Stewart drunkenly shouted before clasping his hand to his mouth and rushing to the restroom. Sarah rubbed her forehead in embarrassment before turning back to Mr. Collins, who looked very disappointed all of a sudden.

"Oh, I hope you don't get the wrong impression of Jonathan, he really is a well-to-do man, he just forgets who he's around during our parties."

"Quite alright Miss Williams," he replied coldly without even looking at her. Soon enough Mr. Paris walked over, having noticed the scene his partner made.

"I thought you were leaving Sarah. Who's your new friend?"

"Oh, Sir, this is Mr. Everett Collins. I'm sure he can tell you all about himself; I have to go home now. It was nice to meet you Mr. Collins." Both men simply nodded before moving away to the buffet table. Sarah pushed and shoved her way through the crowded office to the door, when suddenly Eric walked in.

"Oh, Sarah! I was just coming up to see you. Can we…talk somewhere private?"

"Erik, I really don't think that's a good idea. I need to go home anyway." Sarah tried to move past him but he grabbed her forearm.

"Come on Sarah, there's something important I want to tell you. Please? It'll only take a few minutes." The sincere puppy-dog look in his eyes wouldn't let Sarah refuse. She nodded, and he led her into an empty office. Once inside he closed the door and all the shades, turning and winking at Sarah. Outside, Mr. Collins, listening to Paris ramble about all the recent wins they've had, was the only one to notice the couple enter the office.

"Okay Eric, what's this about?" Sarah leaned stoically against the desk as he advanced on her.

"I'll just come out and say it Sarah. I want you. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and I'll never be happy again if I can't have you." Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Eric, for god's sake, I told you that we can't be together unless you divorce Veronica. Why can't you understand that?"

"I don't think you understand what I mean, Sarah. I want you. And I always get what I want." Now Eric was uncomfortably close to her, her hands automatically going up against his chest as he moved in to kiss her.

"Please Eric, I know you, you won't do this. Go home to your wife." There was panic in Sarah's voice that only seemed to encourage him, and soon he was forcing himself upon her and she was powerless to stop him. She hit him and scratched him and tried to push him away, eventually making them both fall onto the floor, taking the objects on the desk with them. Something hit her head in the fall and she suddenly felt very weak. The whole situation seemed unreal to Sarah, and she didn't know what to do. None of the retaliations she managed thwarted him and her weak cries could not be heard over the loud music in the lobby.

Suddenly the office door burst open so intensely that the window shattered, and in ran Mr. Collins to her rescue, punching Eric in the face as he stood. Eric hit the floor unconscious, pants around his knees. The people outside the office swarmed around the doorway and watched as the stranger gently pulled Sarah's skirt back down and asked her if she was alright. A strange expression came over her, and she fainted. The man picked her up and carried her out of the office. Before anyone could contemplate what had just happened, he was already taking her home.

When Sarah awoke, distressed and sweating, it took her a few minutes before it sunk in that she was in her bed, in her apartment. Perhaps it had all been a dream, and she had actually been allowed to go home during the party, she thought. With a loud thump she rolled onto the floor, her legs feeling too weak to stand. After a few seconds of massaging her temple until the room stopped spinning, Sarah noticed bruises on her arms and legs. As she stood to examine them better in the light, she heard a sigh from the doorway. Turning towards the sound, she saw the European man she had met at the party leaning against the doorframe, gazing at her with a fond smile.

"Sir, what are you…how did I…what happened?" He didn't answer. He just stood there watching her with a fond yet concerned look. "Wait a minute…you don't know where I live! What's going on here?" Panic set in and Sarah began searching for something to protect herself with. She was reaching for the drawer to her nightstand when the man appeared behind her and grabbed her wrist.

"I'm surprised you don't recognize me, Sarah."

"Let go of me!" Sarah struggled and beat against the man's chest, but he managed to catch her other wrist and shove her against the wall.

"If you don't calm down Sarah I may have to do something regrettable. And after your ordeal tonight, I don't want to hurt you." His grip loosened as she calmed down, but he still held her against the wall. She finally looked him in the eyes, and he allowed her to study him. When realization dawned upon her face, he let her go.

"What are you doing here," she whispered. Suddenly the man before her transformed into his true appearance and Sarah let out a small gasp.

"You know very well why I'm here." He began to advance on her again but she escaped and ran out of her room. "Where's the book Sarah?" His voice remained calm when he called after her. Sarah stopped in her living room, the memory suddenly coming back to her. 'He knows the book is gone…oh my god, what is he going to do to me?' Sarah leaned against the arm of the sofa, dizziness and panic overcoming her.

"I admit…" The suddenness of Jareth's voice behind her caused Sarah to yelp and fall over backwards onto the sofa, where Jareth happened to be sitting. She let out another shriek as she scrambled to sit up. "Are you alright?" he asked, as if she had gone crazy. Sarah blushed and straightened out her clothing, but she didn't answer. Jareth stared at her with a furrowed brow before continuing. "I admit that I had quite a sinister plan for you tonight, that's why I was at that party." He stretched his arms across the back of the sofa and gazed in the direction of Sarah's fireplace. "But after what that man tried to do to you…"

"You're not going to kill me?" she interrupted.

"Kill you? Honestly, Sarah, do you think I would do such a thing?" He turned to face her but she didn't meet his eyes. "You really thought I was here to kill you?" Sarah nodded. "Well, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not going to kill you." He lifted his arms off the back of the sofa and charmed up a crystal, tossing it up and down in the air. "Getting to the point, where's the book Sarah?"

"I'm not going to tell you." Jareth looked awfully disappointed at her answer.

"Exactly eighteen hours ago, you did, or tried to do, something to the book. It distressed my subjects greatly."

"I tried to burn it. You're telling me you felt that?" Sarah forgot to think before she answered, and immediately regretted it.

"You did what?" The crystal disappeared and he rose from the sofa to stand in front of her.

"I tried to burn it…but it didn't work."

"Where is it?"

"I'll never tell." Sarah whispered, her eyes burning with defiance.

"Well, that's quite unfortunate. I'm afraid I'll have to take you with me then." As suddenly as it had come, all the light left Sarah's eyes, and Jareth's began to glow.

"What do you mean?"

"If you're not going to tell me where the book is so I can take it from you, the only way to keep it safe is to take you from the book. If you want to take anything with you I suggest you get it now."

"Wha…"

"No? Very well then." Jareth grabbed Sarah's hands and roughly pulled her too him, her body becoming flush with his. For several moments Sarah's mind was blank. The only thing that registered was that Jareth seemed terribly excited by this situation. Before she gained sense enough to struggle against his hold on her, they were already somewhere inside his castle in the center of the Labyrinth.

"This will be your room, for now." He pushed her away from him and she bumped into a canopied bed. Turning around to quickly survey her surroundings, she was almost horrified to see that this room seemed to have been furnished expressly for her. Everything was in her favorite colors, and had somehow managed to pull off a fusion of Renaissance and modern décor. It was exactly what she had always wanted.

"How long do you plan on keeping me here," Sarah's voice trembled.

"Forever, of course." Jareth began walking towards the door.

"What! But you can't do this!"

"I beg to differ, Sarah. I can do whatever I want." He closed the door behind him and Sarah heard it lock.

All over the Labyrinth, every living creature was awakened by a angered scream that seemed to echo throughout the kingdom. Hoggle got up out of his bed and walked outside his tiny hut. Gazing towards the castle, he immediately knew something was amiss. His senses told him a human woman was here, but he had not been informed of any visitors. 'Jareth really must've done it then,' he surmised. Quickly he dressed and gathered his things. Sarah would need him soon.