Disclaimer: Me no own the Labyrinth.

The Incentive

by Fou Fou

Chapter 17 – Where Garith Feels That He Is The Only One Trying To Help The Situation

"I can't believe this. Jareth, I swear upon every holy being that might be listening, I am going to kill you," yelled Mara an hour later after Jareth, Rawthorn and Garith went over their meeting with her father. Everyone was standing around Mara's bed chambers (she hadn't yet been given leave to walk around) and judging by the ways things had been going so far, Jareth wouldn't have been surprised if he would have to deal with preventing multiple homicides by the next day.

"It's the council who is assigning Garith to be your body guard. I see no reason for you to take your anger about the situation out on me," said Jareth.

"You were discussing my virginity to not only my father, but some random gnome who heads the council, my uncle, and of all people, Garith! Are you going to tell the whole freaking Underground next?"

"I already knew you were a virgin, Mara. It was hardly a surprise to me."

Mara glared at Garith, obviously remembering some grievance that caused her anger level to go up a notch, though Jareth had no idea what it was. "A fact you weren't even suppose to know, you jerk," she said, promptly throwing a pillow at Garith's head, which he was barely able to duck from. "Only because you're a moral deprived, hormone driven, vampire who can't keep his powers to himself!"

Sarah leaned over to Jareth. "You better watch out. Once Mara starts throwing things, the projectiles only get more hazardous as she continues."

"They've done this before?"

Sarah nodded. "It seems Mara has an anger management problem where Garith is concerned."

"I didn't notice," remarked Jareth sarcastically. "Normally she only yells at me."

"I don't think the problem is whether or not Jareth mentioned your virginity, Mara," said Garith as he jumped behind a chair to ward off a flying book. "I think it is more of a matter of what we're going to do about Sarah here."

"I can't believe they're doing that," said Mara, her anger quickly switching to her other favorite subject. "Those over-controlling, sexist bastards . . ."

"I don't see why they feel they have the need to tell me where I have to go, either," said Sarah, joining in the rant.

"A prime example of men having to prove their dominance. . ."

"It's stupid!"

"It's unfair!"

"Oh, not that term again," moaned Jareth to Garith, as the two have them had backed away from the yelling duo. "I hate it when people say that."

"Something must be done!"

"A revolution! Vive la revolution!"

"I don't think the council would look kindly on a revolution," said Garith, looking at the two with a slightly worried expression. "We're talking about the possibility of banishment here."

Mara sighed as she slumped into her bed. "Well, there's got to be something we can do."

"Though perhaps it would best if I went back, for now at least," said Sarah with a glance at Jareth. "That way I can come up with some sort of plausible excuse about my disappearance."

"Well, the police already think that Garith kidnapped you. That could always work," suggested Jareth.

"I'd like to remind you that I might like to have a career in acting, and that might be hampered by being an alleged kidnapper," said Garith.

"Why are we even discussing this with Garith?" asked Mara suddenly. "I mean, he is working with my father. Who is, in this particular case, the bad guy."

"Hey, I've been charged with the duty of watching over you, and I intend to do so to the best of my capabilities."

"Wait, how much do they want you watching over me?" asked Mara, giving a worried glance Garith's way. "I mean, I'll be able to go to the bathroom in peace won't I, or take a shower? Please tell me you're not allowed in the bathroom."

"Well . . ." said Garith, a malicious glint in his eye.

"No he's not. As long as I'm your fiancé, this man is no allowed in the shower with you," said Jareth. "After that, you won't need his services anymore."

"Make me sound like a man whore why don't you?" asked Garith.

"As if you weren't already!" said Mara.

Garith shrugged, but decided it was better to change the subject. "So, do you and Sarah want some alone time before she has to go back to the Aboveground. Rawthorn and I can watch Mara. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

Jareth looked from Mara to Sarah then back to Mara, trying to decide if leaving his friend with the vampire was a wise idea. "I assume you'll be alright if your uncle is here?" he asked finally.

"Oh, go have fun, you two. I'll just sit here and plot from my bed. Could someone hand me a pen and paper?" asked Mara, while making shooing motions towards Sarah and Jareth, who were already halfway out the door.

Several hours later found Jareth and Sarah waving goodbye to Hoggle and his mortal enemy, Lady Isolde, at the gates of the Labyrinth. They were walking idly along the long passage that eventually led to Mr. Worm's humble abode, hands entwined casually. After a few minutes of companionable silence Jareth said, "I think you might be right."

"About what?" asked Sarah, all wide eyes and innocent.

"About . . . you know, the . . . um . . . Vampire," said Jareth, not entirely comfortable about admitting that he might be wrong on that subject. "I was joking with him for a moment about his intentions on Mara, and he suddenly got very defensive about how everyone says he likes her, and how she would never return any affections and um . . . yeah."

"I am a genius," said Sarah in a self-congratulatory manner. "I've been trying to get those two to hook up for a month. Mara has just been too stubborn to see that Garith might possibly be a nice guy." An evil grin spread over her face as an idea suddenly occurred to her. "Wouldn't it be a great giant kick in the butt of this Underground Council if something of the romantic nature happened between Garith and Mara? Imagine, their own agent involved with the girl he is suppose to stop. I asked Mara about the possibility of another one of those lifebond things, but she says that those never happen, except once in a great while. Which really kinda sucks because both of them are immortal, so the council couldn't use the same excuse they used with us. If only there was some way to get around that . . . though I don't want to be a vampire. The thought of sucking other people's blood is just a tad bit too disgusting for me. Though I guess if we had no other choice . . ."

Sarah was cut off by Jareth grabbing her by the shoulders and giving her great big kiss. "You, my dear, are a genius!" he said breathlessly after a moment.

"I thought we already went over that," said Sarah.

"No, I mean, if we could find some way to grant you immortality. There has got to be a way besides the traditional vampire way. I'm sure I could find out. Mara's uncle might know."

A slightly panicked expressions flickered across Sarah's face. "I didn't say I was ready for immortality now!"

Jareth stopped walking, and Sarah stopped as well. "What do you mean?" he asked cooly.

"I mean, come one, Jareth. I love you, I really do. More than anything really. But, Jareth, we spend most of our time fighting with each other. I don't care if we're supposed to be lifebonded or whatever it is, I don't want to spend an eternity fighting all the time. And what about my family?"

"You could go see them. I'm not saying we're cutting you off from the Aboveground when you become immortal."

"But in about 90 years at most, they'll be dead, Jareth! And all my friends, Eric, Andrew, Thom. . . we don't even know if this immortal thing is going to work! What if I become immortal, and the council doesn't care and still makes you marry Mara? What then?"

Jareth didn't respond.

Sarah sighed, running a hand through her brown hair. "Look, I'm not saying I'm against the idea. Just let me think it over, ok?"

"If that is what you choose, Miss Williams."

"See?" cried Sarah, hands on her hips. "You're doing it again! Whenever you get upset, you become formal, and push me away! I don't want a life like that!"

"Look, Sarah, I'm sorry," said Jareth, reaching out to put a hand on Sarah's shoulder. Sarah backed away, shaking her head.

"Jareth, not now. I just want some time to think, ok?"

Jareth withdrew his hand and nodded . "All right. Call my name if you need me. Otherwise, you'll automatically be returned to your home at midnight."

"I will," said Sarah, before walking off in the direction of Mr. Worm.

It was only after Jareth disappeared to his Throne room did he realize that, for the first time, Sarah said that she loved him.

"Is that suppose to be me?" asked Garith, looking at the sketch Mara was working on. It was a crude stick figure of a man with pointy fangs being tarred, feathered, shot out of a cannon. "And what are those?" he asked as he pointed to a pit filled with what looked a bunch of pointy sticks.

"Silver stakes. And yes to your first question," said Mara calmly as she drew in a stick figure Garith landing on one with blood gushing out of him.

Garith shuddered. "Um . . . you're not actually thinking about doing that, are you?"

Mara shrugged, adding in another drop of blood. "Maybe."

Garith looked around the room for help, but Rawthorn had left to go get dinner and use the bathroom. Actually, Garith had urged him to do that, so he could have some time with Mara. Now he wished he hadn't.

"How would killing me help you get out of your wedding?" asked Garith.

"It probably wouldn't, except I might get banished for murder. However, it would be very therapeutic."

Garith took another look at the drawing. "Is that supposed to be a meat grinder?"

"Maybe." Scribble. Scribble.

"Do you wanna play a game? Scrabble perhaps?"

"I hate scrabble." More scribbling.

"Clue? . . . no wait that involves killing people."

"We don't have Clue,"

"What about reading a book? I could read a book to you."

"If involves poetry, no. I hate poetry."

Note to self: don't read Mara poetry, noted Garith.

"Well, what would you like me to read?"

"Titus Andronicus?"

"You're not still going on about that pie thing are you?" asked Garith, referring to their conversation in the bookstore back in Christmas. He glanced at the sketch, and sure enough, his stick figure identity was being cooked in pie and fed to what looked like several members of the Underground Council.

Mara shrugged, but made no reply.

"Mara, are you upset something?"

"No, Garith, I'm not upset at all," said Mara sarcastically. "Never mind that my father, who made it clear years ago that he wanted nothing to do with me is now forcing himself into my life, making lifelong decisions for me. Never once did he accept me for who I am. Ok, so it's obvious that someone in my family screwed around and ended up throwing my genes into the gene pool, but I'm his daughter! Why can't he just deal with that, instead of all this pure elf shit?" Mara leaned back into her pillows, dropping her pen and sketch entitled, "The Maiming of Garith" onto the floor. "He didn't even come in here to see if I was all right."

Awkwardly, Garith reached over to place an arm around Mara, and was surprised to find her turn towards him and burry her face into his shoulder. He reached an arm around her, rubbing her back, suddenly remembering that day in the elevator. This thought process naturally led to the kiss in the elevator, then Mara's near death experience, all because she didn't want to get married.

"Maybe I should just accept getting married," said Mara after a while. "I mean, at least Jareth is my friend. And I already live here, so life wouldn't be that different. Of course, we'd be expected to have kids . . . ew . . . sex with Jareth . . . but you know, the kids might not be that bad."

Garith pulled Mara away from and looked into her puffy red eyes. If anything, this submissive side of Mara was even scarier than her homicidal side. "Mara, am I hearing you right? Are you actually considering giving up?"

Mara shrugged. "I can't think of anything else to do. I've spent the last four years planning for my first plan, and look how that turned out."

"Mara, you're tired. You just suffered a semi near death experience. You're being irrational. Look, just get some sleep, and when you wake up, you'll be all ready to have your revenge and all that."

"Maybe . . ." sighed Mara, looking towards her pillow.

"Come on, I'll tuck you in. Then, I'll leave, so you can have your privacy. We just won't tell the council ok?" said Garith, pulling the covers up around Mara.

"Mmm . . ." said Mara, already falling asleep. She barely noticed Garith run a hand through her red (if slightly greasy) hair, before he left.

"So I think I know why Mara likes causing problems in the Underground," said Garith when he found Jareth in the Throne room, surrounded by squabbling goblins and clucking chickens.

"Why aren't you with Mara?"

"I could ask you the same thing about Sarah. Isn't she leaving soon?" asked Garith. "In any case, Mara is sleeping. She started getting really moody, so I figured she's just tired. That, or bi-polar."

"And you're point is?"

"I think Mara acts all crazy because she wants attention from her father. Which she gets, just the wrong kind."

"So, what, are you some psychiatrist now?" asked Jareth rudely.

"No . . . I'm just saying . . . God what is up with everyone being so moody! And why aren't you with Sarah?"

"We had a fight."

"Another one? Bloody hell, what is it this time."

Jareth looked at Garith. "It regards Mara's plan to get the two of us hitched, to get her out of a wedding. Needless to say, there was a disagreement."

"But the council said you couldn't get married due to she mortal . . . oh . . . I see. You wanted to make her . . ."

Jareth nodded. "She's not all together fond of the idea. She's said she's not ready for immortality."

"Ahhh. Well, I can understand that. I had a hard enough time, when I changed."

"I'm not interested in your life story, Garith," said Jareth.

"I know you aren't, but I could at least talk with her. Give my perspective on what happened to me. I left friends and family to. I might be able to help."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"I'm not a complete bastard, Jareth," said Garith.

"Could have fooled me," said Jareth. "In any case, how do you plan on talking it over with her. She's leaving in less then a half an hour."

"I can at least try. Which seems to be more than you or Mara seem to be doing. You're moping around your Throne room getting drunk," Garith said, noticing the quarter full bottle of Elvin wine next to Jareth, "And Mara's off sobbing about how she should just give up and have kids. Mara! Kids! Sometimes I feel I'm the only one trying to get this to work, and I'm not even on your side, in theory!" Garith shook his head. "Where can I find Sarah?"

"I think she's with Ludo and Sir Didymus. I'll send you there."

The next thing Garith knew, he was in a very stinky swamp, standing next to what looked like a fox, a dog, a big . . . um . . furry thing, and Sarah.

"AH!" cried Sarah, jumping. "Give me a heart attack why don't you?"

"Sarah, we need to talk," said Garith seriously.

Author's Note: Ok . . . um, not much to say, 'cept sorry it took me a while. Life went crazy. Megs tried to send me the beta version, but it didn't work, and then she went on vacation and became unreachable. So this is beta read by me, so please, forgive grammatical errors. It was either this, or wait until late August. Take your pick.

THANK YOU REVIEWERS:

Jessica: Thank you! I love tension very much. I probably love it too much, actually, so characters are finding it hard to have some love scenes.

Goddess Nemesis: Well, I hope you like this chapter. I'm going to try and update sooner, but I have taken up another story (Labyrinth Academy), so I'm trying to work on that at the same time. Still, I'm glad you like my writing.

Nobody: I'm glad you like the story, and I'll try to be quicker with updates.

Seshou1388: I have a definite preference for vampires myself as well. Hope you liked this chapter.

Sarah: While I have a pretty strong idea of what is going to happen in the Mara/Garith relationship from hell (boiled down to about 2 different endings at the moment), I will keep your idea in mind.

Mirriam Q Webster: (that is a Q right?) I'm glad you thought it was interesting. Hopefully you'll like this one.

Kaichai: Thanks. Hope you like this chapter.

The Dragon Sorceress: next chapter button blinks frantically to prove that it does exist!

raynecloud: Climaxes are so much fun. Though I really don't think I want to be attacked by a hamster. Especially a kickboxing one.

Lucifer and Satan: Now, I'm not sure if your school appreciates the use of all that paper for story printing, but allow me to say that I appreciate that you found it saving you from school.

dreamoon: I'm glad you think it is funny. Thank you again SO MUCH for going through of this to translate it into French for me. I bow down before you with humble thanks.

Sarah H. : Sorry Sarah, really I am. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to fit Cory at the gym into this, but who knows? See you at FH!

CanaceErinn: Mara isn't that bright when it comes to some things. Kinda dense actually.

Ophelia Eternal: I'm glad you think that Hugo would be proud of my shameless Les Misérables. I put that in for my friend who is a big Hugo fan (she is also the one who came up with the tampon scene). It was a sort of a thank you to her.

draegon-fire: I think Mara hates them to. I would to, if I was her. And while Sarah is going back up, and still in a fight with Jareth, her talk with Garith might clear things up.

Cyber Keiko: Hope you liked this chapter, and it continues to get good.

jumping-jo: Glad you like it. I think Mara is happy that she's alright, too.

janine: Hey, I went to the midnight premier dressed up as Princess Leia. Complete with the buns; so if there is anyone who needs to get a life, it's me. Personally, I found the movie hilarious "Where's Padme?" "You killed her!" "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I can't believe Darth Vader pulled a "NOOOOO!" hee hee. A little obsessed.