DISCLAIMER: I don't own Labyrinth, Sarah or Jareth. I just borrow them occasionally for my own daydreams.

This story is based off the drawing by Pika-la-Cynique entitled 'Here's the Day You Hoped Would Never Come' at deviantart DOT net

Warning: This story is a darker look at the Labyrinth and characters. As such it deals with adult themes. Consider yourself warned.

Embrace the Darkness

Beware of Kings Bearing Warnings

Sarah growled low in her throat as she moved toward her vanity. Seeing the crystal and feather, she knew he had been here, the more pressing question was whether he was still lurking about. Her eyes scanned the shadows of the room, knowing it was in vain. If the Goblin King wanted to hide in the shadows, then a mere mortal like her wouldn't see him until he was ready to be seen. The only thing she could do was call him out.

"I know you're here Goblin King," she spat, her voice low, not quite a snarl but close enough to make her fury known, "You have no power here so you can bloody well show yourself."

A deep chuckle rumbled around the room, Sarah spun quickly, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound, her eyes frantically darting into the dark corners as the sound seemed to come from every direction at once.

"Now, now Sarah... I mean you no harm," came the somewhat bemused sounding reply. "In fact Precious, what I have to say may well save your life."

Snarling now, Sarah picked up the crystal from the vanity, preparing to throw it toward the sound of the voice. As soon as her gloved hand touched the crystal, an arc of electricity flew through her arm and into her chest, making her cry out. Staring in shock at the crystal, she noticed it began to glow brighter.

Jareth watched the crystal react to her touch with great interest, his angular features narrowing as he considered what that might mean.

"No harm?" she countered, a shrill note lacing her voice, "How is taking my brother not harmful? Give him back you Fae bastard!" Sarah demanded, her body tense as she waited to hear him speak again, praying he would give away his position and give her time to strike.

As her anger built, the crystal began to glow red, the light getting brighter with each passing moment. Squeezing the crystal tightly, she found that it was now burning hot to the touch, scalding the flesh of her hand through the leather glove. Without thinking, Sarah tossed it upward, gasping as it hung in mid-air, casting an eerie red glow around the room.

Hearing the rustle of material behind her, Sarah whirled around, the glowing red crystal momentarily forgotten as she watched the Goblin King step from the shadows near her closet door.

Jareth looked from Sarah to the glowing red orb now hovering above her head. "

"Hmm….you have changed, Sarah dearest," he drawled, his lips turned up in a mocking sneer.

"And you haven't," Sarah snapped hotly, her emerald eyes flashing darkly as she studied the Goblin King's movements. "You are still an arrogant, egotistical, child-snatching creep. Now. Give. Toby. Back."

Jareth stood near the vanity, his posture exuding authority and a careless grace, yet the way in which he glared at her, his mismatched eyes dark and foreboding, spoke of a malicious streak running just beneath his cool exterior. Her eyes washed over him, shivering unconsciously at the shimmer of his embossed, black leather armor, the breastplate and spaulders on his shoulders adding to his naturally imposing stature making him appear even more menacing than she remembered.

Squaring her shoulders, Sarah stood rigid, unwilling to appear weak before him. If it was a fight he was after, then by the Gods he would get it.

"I seem to recall having this conversation once before you with you, Sarah. It seems we are doomed to repeat our past…. mistakes," he said with quiet intensity, his tongue seeming to caress the last word, taunting her.

Sarah's eyes flickered violently at his jibe. "Yes, yes…I know very well where he is, blah, blah. Cut the crap, Goblin King…" she snorted dissmissively, only to be cut off by him.

"NO…YOU DON'T!" he roared, his face contorted in rage. "You have no idea what is at stake here, Sarah and unless you heed what I am trying to tell you, you will not only lose Toby, but your life and likely mine as well. So for once in your stubborn life, obey me because time, my precious, precious pet, is far shorter than you think," he hissed violently.

Moving forward swiftly he gripped her leather covered wrists tightly in his hands, making her wince as he squeezed them, before pivoting her around and flinging her onto her bed. "Now…SIT!"

Seeing her move her hands toward her waist, Jareth clucked his tongue at her, "Seriously Sarah, must you always be so rash? Attacking me with your iron blades would only end up resulting in your death at the hands of the High Council and you would lose your brother anyway. Keep your weapons sheathed girl, you'll need them soon enough, and not for me, I assure you."

Sarah frowned, stilling her movements as she glared at him. He should not have known she was armed. This confrontation was not going as she had hoped, but then again, she had hoped this day would never come in the first place.

"Fine then Goblin King," she muttered darkly, sarcasm edging into her voice, "Please explain why my brother is missing and the notorious, child-stealing prat of the Underground is in my bedroom."

Suddenly, Sarah found the Goblin King towering over her, a gloved hand flying out to grab the lapels of her leather jacket, hauling her bodily from the bed. Her body dangled in his hands as he pulled her toward him, his lips only inches from her own as he stared into her pale face. Glaring at her, he was pleased to see her eyes go wide with shock, a momentary flicker of fear clearly visible in their jade depths.

"You forget yourself, girl," he sneered venomously, his eyes darkening dangerously as he held her gaze. "If you want to survive this night, I strongly suggest you not forget who is king here and who is a mere mortal girl. A girl, I might add, who is currently wanted by the High Council of the Underground for treason against the Goblin Kingdom and an assassination attempt on its King."

Dropping her roughly to the bed Jareth stepped back, straightening his gloves as he watched conflicting emotions wash over her face. "You'd best adjust your tone…Sarah, or this will go very badly for you."

Sarah's mind raced in several directions at once. The feel of him so close to her sent shock waves through her body, as if it had awaked from slumbering far too long and she wanted him to touch her again. At the same time, his words bored into her mind, finally hinting at the seriousness of her situation.

"Treason…" she breathed, shaking her head. "What the hell are you talking about, Jareth."

Realizing that she had said his name, she cursed darkly, clapping a hand over her mouth sharply. Jareth raised a sardonic eyebrow at the sound of his name. For years he had longed to hear it from her lips, it was with a pang of regret that it had to happen now, when both of their lives hung in the balance.

"Yes, Precious. Treason. A charge that carries a death sentence in the Underground," he replied, his voice dropping lower, his fury giving way to veiled fear before he schooled his expression back to one of indifference.

Never taking his eyes from hers, he bent over and retrieved her satchel from where she had dropped it. Flipping it open, he pulled out the vodka bottle. Sarah watched as she opened the bottle, took a long draught then offered her the bottle.

"Here, Precious. I suspect you're going to need this before long. We don't have much time to get you prepared for what is coming and I need you calm and in control, for the moment at least," he said, his voice quieter now, almost gentle.

Sarah shook her head, "Why should I trust you, Goblin King?" she asked, giving him a wary look as she accepted the offered bottle.

"What choice do you have, Sarah?" he shrugged as he began to pace the length of the room, the rhythmic sound of his boots on the wooden floor seeming to sooth her nerves.

"I….I don't know," she admitted, defeat showing in her face. Sarah frowned, hanging her head as she hunched over her knees, glad for the chocolate colored tresses that hid her pain from view. She knew she was losing this confrontation and the thought of letting him see her pain at his winning was almost more than she could bear.

Leaning against her vanity, Jareth studied the young woman before him. She had changed, yes. Grown up and become a stunning woman, albeit still stubborn, willful and defiant, and by the Gods he wanted her more now than when she was 15. Unfortunately, if he couldn't get through to her soon, he would lose her for good this time.

"First of all, Toby is safe, for as long as I retain my throne at least," Jareth began, nodding encouragingly as she took a drink from the bottle. "The fact is Sarah, you were never supposed to reach the castle and neither of you were supposed to return home."

"I had to save Toby. I couldn't let you just turn him into a goblin," she protested, gesturing angrily with the vodka bottle.

Shaking his head, Jareth scowled at her, "There is so much you don't understand, Precious, and I don't have time to explain it all tonight. Toby was never in danger of becoming a goblin. I planned to make him my heir and while you were running the Labyrinth I made the mistake of declaring that intention to the High Council and that is partly why we, you and I, are in the predicament we currently find ourselves."

Jumping up from the bed, Sarah roared in outrage, "YOU did this, Jareth?"

Before she could think of what she was doing, Sarah lashed out at him, her hand flying toward his face, her fingertips curled toward his cheekbone. The iron needle embedded in her glove flickered evilly in the glow of the crystal still hovering above them. In one swift movement, Jareth blocked her arm with his, the force of her swing being stopped so suddenly jolting Sarah to her very core. He gripped her wrist in a crushing fist, before twisting her arm behind her back. Pulling her tightly against his breastplate, he snarled ferociously in her ear.

"Sheath those claws, Pet. You don't want to add another assassination attempt to your list of crimes. One more attempt like that and I will restrain you. And believe me Precious, I would rather restrain you for far more pleasurable pursuits, but that will have to wait until we have managed to save your life, because at the rate you are going the chances of you living through the next 48 hours are rapidly dwindling."

Jareth tossed her once more onto her bed, shaking his head in frustration as he looked at her. Reaching up, he rubbed the bridge of his nose against the headache that was threatening him.

"What is done, is done, Sarah. I announced my intention and then you, against all probable outcomes, defeated the Labyrinth a feat that had never before been accomplished," Jareth continued, running a gloved hand through his hair as he paced.

"So, I made it to your castle. I said the words. I won, fair and square. I fail to see how that means you get Toby back and I get charged with crimes against the crown," Sarah groused, her pale features knotted in aggravation as she drank from the bottle.

Sighing, Jareth shook his head as he gazed at her. Sarah's frustration faltered seeing the look on his face. He suddenly looked very tired, his lips pursed under the strain of an unreadable emotion.

"From the moment you set foot Underground, you were considered a citizen of my kingdom. Neither of you were supposed to leave once that happened. Toby was to be my heir and you… you were to remain with me, the Labyrinth had marked you for that fate as soon as you entered the gates. You were to remain, as queen, consort, paramour or slave, but you were supposed to stay," Jareth said, his voice laced with pain as he related a part of their story that she was never meant to know, one he had carefully hidden from her for the past 10 years.

Her eyes narrowed at this admission.

"I was only 15, Jareth. 15! What the hell were you thinking?" she spat indignantly.

"It was not my choice to make, Precious. You must understand, I am bound to the Labyrinth and my kingdom in a way that no other King of the Underground is bonded to their kingdom. As such, I have no say in matters of Queen-ship, it is for the Labyrinth to decide and it decided on you. I tried to get you to stay, in fact I begged that you stay, but you refused."

Sarah leaned her body against the wall of her bedroom, trying to force her brain to make connections with everything she was hearing. Thumping her head hard against the wall she grunted, her eyes shut tight as she considered this.

"No…no. That is not what you were offering. I remember your offer vividly and it wasn't 'Stay and be my queen'. That is utter bullshit, Jareth and you know it," she snapped viciously. "It was tantamount to a slavery contract. Fear me. Love me. Do as I say…."

"…And I will be your slave. The slavery of love goes both ways, Precious. You say so yourself in your thesis."

Snapping her head up, Sarah gazed at him sheepishly, "You…wha…..You read that?"

Jareth merely smirked wickedly at her.

Waving a hand dismissively at the Goblin King, Sarah grumbled petulantly, "We can argue about my thesis and your offer later. Stick to the point, Goblin King. Why am I being charged with treason and an attempt on your life?"

Jareth nodded, a sly smile shining in his pale eyes, "I look forward to that argument more than you can possibly imagine, Precious."

Sarah growled in irritation at him. How on earth can he make something like a debate sound like a proposition at a moment like this – she thought.

"The treason charge comes from something that I think you inadvertently took from the Labyrinth. In solving the Labyrinth you formed a bond with it and when you left, you took part of the Labyrinth's essence with you. The Labyrinth wanted you, so in order to help you, it bestowed some magic on you, part of the magic that kept the Labyrinth from being deadly. The removal of that part of the Labyrinth damaged it, twisting it into a dark, evil parody of what it was meant to be. Every runner who has tried in the last two years has perished before breaching the inner walls."

"Not only did removal of that magic destroy the once noble purpose of the Labyrinth, it weakened my powers as well. This meant that I was unable to fully repair the damage you did to the Goblin City or the castle, as I was trapped in the void between the worlds until the Labyrinth could heal itself sufficiently for me to return to my kingdom. Trapping me there without my powers, led to the assassination attempt charge."

"That isn't fair," Sarah protested vehemently, blushing faintly at the amused smirk that teased the corners of his mouth at her outburst. "Well….it isn't, " she continued. "I didn't do either of those things on purpose and you bloody well know it, Jareth!"

"I know that Precious, believe me, I know that. However, unlike what passes for a judicial system Aboveground, intent is not considered in Underground judicial procedures, only outcome. And that is where we are currently," he sighed quietly, reaching to pluck the bottle from her hands.

Taking another swallow of the bitter liquid, Jareth resumed his restless pacing.

"I have spent the last few years of your time, trying to appease the High Council, making the case that you could not possibly have known what you were doing. My arguments have been in vain, Precious. As of yesterday, the Council decreed that I had to retrieve my heir, or forfeit my throne. I had no choice in the matter, Sarah. My plan was to wait until Toby turned 18 Above, then make myself known to him and let the choice be his."

Sighing, Sarah nibbled her lip as she considered his explanation. She knew she had to ask, but she was dreading the answer. Swallowing hard, she fought to keep her voice steady.

"So what does all of this have to do with me surviving tonight and the next few days?" she asked, relieved that her voice only cracked slightly.

Jareth sat on the bed next to her, a leather-gloved hand lightly caressing her cheek as he turned her face toward him. Seeing the concern in his eyes, Sarah knew without a doubt that what he said was true. She was in danger.

"Because, Precious," he said softly, his tone gentle but firm, "The High Council is preparing to send guards to arrest you. How soon I do not know. It would be safer for you and help your case, if you would surrender to me as King of the offended lands, rather than waiting to be arrested."

Frowning, Sarah found herself imitating Jareth as she pinched the bridge of her nose, welcoming the sharp sting of the iron needle as it pierced her. Jareth watched her as she worked to digest all that he had told her. Tenderly he ran his index finger over the crimson droplet that was pooling in preparation to slide down the side of Sarah's nose. As he touched her, she felt a warm tingling, before realizing that he had healed the puncture.

"Jareth," she almost whispered, unable to look him in the eye, "Will my parents remember us?"

A wan smile passed across the Goblin King's face as he caressed her chin, a wistful look flashing in his mismatched eyes.

"That is one of the things I've always admired about you, Precious Sarah, the fact that even in the worst of circumstances, your first concern is for others," he sighed softly. "All traces of your existence will be erased. No one will remember you ever lived Aboveground."

Sighing sadly, Sarah hugged her knees to her chest. Laying her head against her knees, she tried not to give in to the fear that was threatening to consume her.

"I hope you appreciate the irony inherent in the fact that my childhood villain is the one trying to help me stay alive, because I'm not sure I can at the moment," she muttered bitterly.

Jareth chuckled softly glad to see that her sense of humor was still intact despite everything. He fervently hoped that if he could keep her alive for the next few days, that she might someday see him as far more than a villain.

"So how does keeping your throne and life figure into all of this?" she asked, a pained expression pooling in her eyes.

"Simply put, without an heir I cannot stand as King and the only way to formally remove a king is by their death, Sarah."

Sarah groaned, her hands clenching around the bedspread she sat on. Taking a deep breath, she sat up to lean against the wall.

"What is going to happen to me, Jareth. The truth now. All of it, please. I've got a right to know what I'm facing," she asked, her voice calm and quiet, although her green eyes were dulled by fear.

"If you surrender to my care tonight, I will keep you safe until after the trial, which in all likelihood will take place at my castle within the next two days. Having you in my castle means I can try to prepare you for whatever sentence the Council imposes. However, if you choose to wait, then eventually the High Court Guard will show up and arrest you formally. They will take you to the High Court of the Underground and there you will await trial in the dungeons."

Leaning her head back against the wall, Sarah's eyes fell shut. Swallowing hard, she wiped her eyes as several stray tears began their descent down her cheeks.

"Is there any way I can avoid a death sentence? Anything at all, Jareth? I don't care how remote it may be."

Without a word he reached out to her, pulling her close to him until she was nestled in his embrace. The feel of his arms around her, something she had longed to experience for so many years, reduced her resolve to tatters and the tears fell, their crystalline countenance shimmering as they glistened upon the royal regalia of the Goblin King.

Jareth let her cry for a few minutes. He had a plan, but he knew she wouldn't like it. In fact, he was sure she was going to hate it and would fight it tooth and nail, but in the end things would be set right. He would have Toby as an heir and Sarah too, regrettably not under the terms of his original offer to her, but at least she would be alive. In the end, that is all that mattered.

"I have a plan, Precious. But in order for it to work you have to do two things that I know will be difficult for you," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Sarah felt the air shift around him as his tone changed, his authority and power hanging in the air around them. It was then that she knew, without a doubt, that whatever he planned to do to give her a fighting chance, she was going to have to give him power over her. Groaning at this realization, she instinctively buried her face against his chest.

"You are going to have to trust me and obey me, Sarah – without question," he explained firmly. "Do what I tell you and trust there is a reason. If you can do that, then I think we stand a chance for you to keep your life. But you must know this, Precious, if this plan succeeds the life you will lead from here on out will not be anything like the life you have led or the life you could have led had you stayed with me when I first offered it."

Sarah sighed deeply, wishing fervently that this was all some horrible nightmare. Pushing herself away from his embrace, Sarah lifted her head to meet his crystal gaze, her eyes glinting with defiance and strength as she resigned herself to her fate at his hands.

"Okay then Goblin King… I willingly give you power over me to help save my life, if you give me your word that you will look after Toby and keep him safe for me."

Jareth looked at her, his expression serious as he nodded, "Precious, if this works, I give you my word that I will not only look after Toby, but you as well."

Stripping off her gloves, Sarah shoved them into her jacket pocket before holding out her hand to Jareth who took her hand tenderly, flipping it so her fingers curled over his as he brought her knuckles to his lips.

"Agreed?" he asked, his voice a velvet purr against her bare skin, as his lips brushed against her hand.

"Agreed," she murmured, the feel of his breath on her skin threatening to short-circuit her brain.

As soon as the word was out of her mouth, the room faded away, replaced with swirling black and blue mists as they moved through the veil between worlds.