~*~ Again I do not own the Labyrinth. All Credit goes to Jim Henson and the lovely people who gave us this wonderful world. Any characters not in the movie are of my own making. There is a small reference to Twilight :Breaking Dawn here as a Locked drawer rattles. Again, no infringement intended.~*~
Thanks again to my Beta Joie Cullen! I love her notes!
3 Years Later
"Toby!"
Laughing, Sarah swung the three year old up in her arms and surveyed the damage. Karen's freshly painted hallway was now a wondrous array of what looked like a castle with several small creatures bustling about. A shaggy dog and rider complete with a large blob (a monster perhaps?) and a small little man graced the front of what she could only assume were the gates to the city. One eyebrow rose high as Sarah eyed the drawing, a familiar sense of foreboding rising in her stomach.
"Toby, Dad and Karen will be home anytime now. What are you doing out of bed?"
"My Sawah!
A woman of 17, grown into such a lush and beautiful creature from the once youthful prettiness that had been hers bounced the not-so-much-a toddler on her hip. Feeling watched her eyes sought out the very person to whom Toby spoke, a smile breaking her features.
"Now Toby, there is no one here but us. You must behave yourself. I have to get this mess cleaned up before Dad and Karen get home."
"Fwiends!" Toby pointed at the drawing, waving his little arms in fury and command demanding to be set down.
Smiling she set him down; he had a bossiness about him that reminded her of someone. A locked drawer in the back of her brain rattled and she pushed it aside, shoving it deeper within the fragile depths of her heart. It was not very often that she visited that place and she had no wish to go there this evening. After all, Toby and his crayons had quite the adventure and she had, at most, an hour before her Father and Karen returned home.
"Alright Toby, back to bed." Carrying him down the hall to his room she placed him back down on his toddler bed. Smoothing back his golden curls she chuckled as he gave a wide yawn then stuck his lips out in a pout.
"Tobee want fwiends Sawah! Huggie, Iddimus, and Wudo say he dunna pay wocks wif me!"
Had she not been up to date on Toddler talk she would have laughed at the silliness of his words. As it were her heart began to race in her chest and dark laced edges of panic danced within her brain. Slumping to the floor as her legs buckled beneath her she leaned against Toby's toddler bed panting in fear.
"Toby, where did you hear those names?" With a grin the toddler began to wave at his mirror as yet another yawn stole his breath. Laying back he snuggled beneath his covers, that apparently being the only answer she was going to get. Visibly shaken she stood and made her way to the bathroom to gather the much needed supplies to clean the hall. Once there she began scrubbing at the images now burning in her brain once more.
Tired and pale, the hallway scrubbed, Sarah drug herself to her room only to fall face down upon the bed. Groaning she turned and out of the corner of her eye saw her vanity. Summoning up all the strength she had she rolled from the bed and plopped down in the chair. It seemed ages since she had called upon her friends. As she got older perhaps her ties to the Underground were dying. She felt little of the magic that had once seemed her own. In fact lately she had felt tired and listless on many occasions. Sometimes it seemed that what little magic she had been given was being slowly drained from her and to make matters worse it seemed to be stealing her very life essence as well. Glancing at the mirror she remembered why she was sitting there and redirected her train of thought. Words from another time began echoing in her mind… "Should you need us…?"
"Hoggle, I need all of you. Right now."
Perhaps it was the tone of voice that drew their attention to her so quickly or perhaps it was the longing to see an old friend but whatever the case they were behind her within what seemed like minutes. As she whipped around the desire to throw herself into their hugs rather than scold them became overwhelming.
"What have you done Hoggle? Ludo? Diddymus?" She gave them her fiercest stare noticing how Sir Diddymus eyebrows nearly hit the top of his head, Ludo pouted and Hoggle scowled down at the ground kicking at imaginary stones. He was, as usual, her dearest friend and the first to answer.
"We're ain't done nothing wrong. We didn't mean the lad no harm. He seemed a bit lonely in your absence so we thought he might like to visit with us once in a while."
Concern turned to outright terror as the gravity of his words hit home. Not only had Toby been spending time in their presence but it had not happened in her home, her time, or her permission. Toby was visiting the underground!
"Hoggle!" Recognizing the look in Sarah's eyes they fled, before she could begin to throw things at them.
Pacing up and down in her room, mess cleaned, parent's returned, Sarah wasn't sure of the next step to take. She could call them back, but the odds that they would answer her in her current state of anger were doubtful at best.
A muffled sound outside her window caused her to turn, heading for the small balcony there she threw the door open wide and stepped into the clean night air. Taking a deep calming breath she nearly squealed in surprise as the white and tan feathered Barn owl, staring at her from just across the tree branch, hooted. "Whooo…."
With a laugh she shook her head. She wasn't falling for that again. The Goblin King may have been cunning but he had given up on her long ago. She was certain that he no longer watched her, cared for her, loved her. No, again, best not to travel that route. "I wish…..I wish…" Sighing she turned and went back in to her room, leaving the doors wide open. It was no use wishing. She could not, would not wish for him again. Giving up everything had torn something inside her soul and she'd lost her head over a cruel and arrogant king to whom she was nothing but a distraction for. She was a runner. Nothing more, nothing less. Dreams faded, besides, what would he do if he knew the truth of hers? That when she finally realized what a young girl had given up without thought or measure it had beaten the life out of her. She might have actually given up the very thing she had been wishing for. A fairytale, albeit one with a bit darker proportions. Frowning she lay down upon her bed and let the darkness that had been licking behind her eyes finally overtake her.
Jareth paced back and forth before the mirror in his room growling in frustration as she once again called his subjects to her. She was just a girl! 3 above years! Not one wish, not one word spoken. He should have felt nothing but indifference for this small chit of a girl. Offering her very dreams had been nothing to her. Now here he sat, exiled to watching her through mirrors as his not so faithful subjects scurried in fear from her. In a poof of glitter he was on his bed, crystal in hand, watching her through the owl's eyes sitting upon her balcony rail. A pity he wasn't a mind reader like his brother. An evil grin lit his face as she tossed and turned in her sleep.
Grimacing, he was reminded of a dreadful duty come morning that he had no wish to pursue, especially in his present state of mind. But what did one do when the parents and siblings came to visit? After all, he couldn't really leave the High King and Queen to sit out in the cold and bedraggled rain that was sure to accompany his foul mood. Looking back into the crystal he heaved a sigh, whispering the very name that was his constant torment. "Sarah…"
"Sarah…"
His voice echoed through the room causing Sarah to sit straight up in bed, nearly banging her head against the columns of her canopy. With a quick grab she managed to catch herself just in time to keep from falling over the side of her bed. Shaking from head to foot her eyes swept the room. Damn her if she didn't know that voice. Just as the thought occurred to her a wave of dizziness swept over her and she fell to the floor. Darkness engulfed her from all sides, washing her in waves that were eagerly lapping up her consciousness, welcoming her to take in it's warm embrace if only to escape the voice in the night calling out to her.