A/N: Look! I'm inspired! I'm writing again! Yay!
Disclaimer: I do, in fact, lay claim to my Jareth fantasies. Unfortunately, that is about all I can claim. Don't sue me.
Sarah fidgeted nervously in her seat, an overstuffed, paisley-print armchair across the desk from her psychiatrist. Dr. Ako watched her intently over red square-framed glasses. Then she cleared her throat and began her speech. Sarah was sure she had it down pat by now.
"Now Sarah, dear, how are you?" she smiled, showing all of her teeth.
Sarah shrugged. It was the same routine, one hour, once a week. As long as she didn't talk, the woman usually let her leave early. Even though Sarah hated being confined in her room, anything was better than being trapped with this needling doctor.
"We are going to try something new today, Sarah, how would you like that?" Dr. Ako eyed her in a way she had seen Karen look at the wives of her father's coworkers; polite disapproval. Sarah was mildly surprised that the psychiatrist intended to deviate from her usual custom, but she was determined not to show it.
"Whatever."
"Okay, Sarah, here's what we are going to do," she continued, straightening her glasses as she spoke. "We are going to find out where your happy place is."
"Excuse me?" despite her intentions to keep her voice neutral, Sarah felt the disbelief seeping through.
"This is a place in your imagination" the psychiatrist plowed ahead, as if she hadn't heard, "where you are absolutely happy. In this place, you feel secure, protected, loved, and warm. In other words, happy. Close your eyes, if you please."
Sarah decided to humor her and closed her green eyes. She had learned long ago that cooperation was the best way to escape.
"Remember the criteria and try to think of a place like this. Please tell me about it, Sarah."
As much as she hated to think of it, an image started to piece together, unconsciously, in her mind. Soft music, sparkling ball gowns, dim white light, the feeling of floating…
"Usually, someone's happy place depends on the people who are there. Can you tell me about the people in this place?"
Sarah shook her head, but the images kept flowing. A dance partner, tall and lean, in a glittering blue jacket. Large, strong hands, one at her waist, the other entwined with her own, his blonde hair shimmering…
"Does your dance partner have a name, Sarah?"
Sarah's eyes snapped open. Had she been speaking aloud? Why was she even thinking about that?
"Sarah?" the doctor peered at her, false concern in her voice. "Are you alright?"
"I want to go now." She stood abruptly, shoving the chair back several inches.
"But we still have fifteen minutes…"
Sarah ignored her and strode out the door. The orderly that was supposed to take her back to her room wasn't back yet, so she dropped into the chair outside the office and held her head between her hands. She knew Dr. Ako wouldn't bother following her.
Why had she done that? She hadn't even meant to come up with any happy place, much less that ballroom. And she had told her therapist about him. What was wrong with her?!
Sarah heard movement and lifted her head off of her arms. The hallway was empty. She had been sure she had heard something. But Sarah caught sight of that stupid mirror across from her again and she forgot the noise.
Leaning against her chair, his head propped up on his arm, stood the Goblin King, dressed in his ballroom finery and blue jacket. Sarah groaned ran her hand through her hair.
"Go away!" she hissed, taking care to keep her voice low. "I don't want you here."
He made no reply, but his smirk became more pronounced. Sarah scowled.
"Fine." she whispered. "Two can play at that game."
And she turned her chair to face the wall. Fifteen minutes later, when her orderly returned, she was still sitting that way; ramrod straight, her arms crossed over her chest, staring determinedly at the wall. Sarah saw one of the man's eyebrows go up, but he said nothing. She followed him back to her room without complaint and sat on the bed as he closed and locked the door. And Sarah found herself glad, for once, that her room had no mirrors.
Hoggle flew through what seemed like a long, colored tunnel at high speed. If this went on much longer, he was gonna be sick. He hated traveling this way. Only love for Sarah would have him doing it. But he had been moving a long time, longer than it usually took to arrive in Sarah's bedroom. Hoggle was starting to get worried when, finally, it stopped. He stumbled a bit on the landing before getting the chance to look around.
His first and obvious deduction was that this was not Sarah's home. He had landed in a long, white hallway, lit up by overhead, fluorescents. There was a mirror on the wall behind him, and paintings of ugly pastel flowers along the other walls. His second guess was that Jareth had sent him to the wrong place. But that couldn't be right. Surely he knew where Sarah was. Maybe she was just visiting this place. Whatever the case, it gave him the creeps, so he hurried down the hallway in search of his friend.
A/N: Short, I know, but bear with me. The next chapter is going to be longer. R&R!