DISCLAIMER: If it's a character, setting, scene, idea, etc, from "Labyrinth," then it's (c) Henson, Lucas, Froud, Lee, Bowie, Connelly, etc, and NOT MINE.

Stay tuned for A/N at the end of the chapter.

**Big thanks to startraveller776 for beta**

A/N – Flower link: en. wikipedia wiki/ Language_of_flowers

Saturday, June 23rd

~morning~

Sooooo glad that I was able to fall asleep right away last night, because it's early, and I'm wide awake. The sun is already up, but it doesn't sound as though anybody else is.

I called Ludo after I calmed down again last night. He's really the best teddy bear EVER: fiercely protective, cuddly and soft, and BIG. Just make sure that he gets regular baths… Okay, so I'm glad that I can't smell through the mirror because I know that he doesn't bathe frequently. But that's okay.

Anyway, I was so excited about today that I couldn't sit still. Good thing that Ludo doesn't look at me weird for dancing around the room even when there's no music playing.

But here's the thing: Today's my 16th birthday, and my friends are coming over soon (or eventually. I didn't realize just how early it is!), and THEN my boyfriend and his uncle are coming over!

~later, mid-morning~

I'm glad that I thought to put on David's ring before I went downstairs for breakfast. I don't know why, but I feel less worried when I wear it. Plus Toby does like to play with it too, and it doesn't seem like the kind of thing to rust or have pieces flake off. I played a bit with Toby after breakfast; he's about ready to take off running! He was crawling, then pulling himself up and kind of walking. Okay, so he's a little shaky on his feet, but still!

And... I checked the front porch, and there it was. The other reason that I was glad that I'd put on the ring this morning. I wonder if the ring has some kind of not-rusting iron in it, because it makes me feel safe from the mischief that THAT RAT gets into. Yeah, there were two moonflowers, attached to yet another deceptively-unsigned card. But the message… ugh…

A/N: The card read "One to complete the year, another to start anew."

I put the card with the others… I'm not really sure why I'm keeping them, except they might be dangerous since I don't know how to get rid of them safely. I wonder if Hoggle would know how to deal with them? I don't think that a paper shredder like Dad has for those legal documents would do it. Maybe I could burn them with some herbs or something. Or some of these flowers that he sends.

~late afternoon, before the family dinner-and-dessert portion of the celebration~

David called me this afternoon, because he didn't want to wait any longer to say "happy birthday"! Okay, so he actually used that other word. The "w…" word... But I could hear his smile, that almost lop-sided smile, and I know that I grinned back.

He said that he was also confirming that he'd be here tonight. When I asked about his uncle, I thought I heard him mumble something under his breath, but I don't know what it was. And then I heard a deeper voice, with an accent like David's, rumble in the background.

And… Yes, his uncle is coming, too!

Anyway, the girls are still here, but I HAD to write all that down before I forgot it. The girls think that I'm just putting something away.

A/N: Yes, her birthday is FINALLY here! But no party yet. Did you visit the wiki link for the meaning of the flowers? Who is David's mysterious uncle? What will happen when they arrive? What will Jareth do?!

You know the drill: comment, review, ask questions, spot typos!