Title: A Faded Memory

Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)

Published: 07-20-03 (Re-Post 9/21/2015)

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, Jareth or Sarah. Nor do I in any way resemble Jim Henson, The Jim Henson Company, Henson Creature Shop or Disney.

A/N: Revised 9/21/2015. This is the last revision of the old chapters. Everything posted from here on out is new content and will take longer to post. I need to write it, re-write it, and then edit it.

Chapter 7: Running the Wrong Way

Jareth was still and silent. It was not possible that Sarah had just agreed to let him help. Sarah wouldn't do that, would she? Disbelief passed over his face and then a slow smile spread across his lips. His head dipped so that he could press his lips to first one of her hands and then the other. Despite the joy that Jareth felt at her declaration, a pool of dread settled deep in his belly. Sarah, his Sarah, would never have given in so fast.

After all, he had been expecting days of arguments to get his way. He had expected hot, angry tears and denials with heated arguments but neither had come. He had expected to be storming off to calm down before dealing with the infuriating woman. Instead, it had only taken hours and Jareth was left only to figure out how to help. There was a glimmer of hope that Sarah was not convinced that her dreams were not real and he could revive her spark. And yet, the dread feeling that she was so broken she'd given in without a fight. What if she never recovered?

"Good. We will find this path together." His lips pressed to her hands once more before blue eyes lifted to hers. "I will help you, I promise you that."

Sarah would never be the Sarah that Jareth remembered. He forced himself to understand that. It did not mean that she couldn't be herself again though. There were times in the last hours that it had been hard to see that spark of life in the woman sitting before him. Sometimes, he fancied if he turned his head just the right way, he could see it. It was just a tiny spark but Jareth was certain he could fan those flames once more.

There was a pain in that odd region of Jareth's chest that anyone else might call his heart. A man who had never doubted for a single moment that his course was true now doubted. What if he could not help her in the way she needed? Would he be content to lock her away in a gilded cage and hope some glimmer of her soul returned? There was always a way and Jareth would find it. After all, once the Goblin King had given his word, there was no going back on it. Well, unless the situation called for it.

There had to be a catch. Sarah had learned that there was always a catch when someone offered advice or help. She expected that Jareth would laugh and tell her that it would not be that easy. No, she would have to do something for him first and then he would fulfill her wishes. Or maybe there would be a price that she would have to pay afterward that was far too high. So, when Jareth fell silent and gazed at her in disbelief, she found herself unable to react. He was serious in his offer of help. Was she so bad off that even Jareth had given up pretenses?

She did need help. It was a sobering thought and not one Sarah liked admitting to. She was quick, almost too quick, to fill the hole left behind by Chris the night before. Of course, there was a part of Sarah which whispered that Chris had only ever been a plug himself. The hole had been there since she'd left the Underground all those years ago. She had always felt as though something were missing after that night but never known what.

With Jareth here, the hole had begun to fill itself. If he were here it meant that dreams were real and that her friends might still be alive. It was a pity that this particular Knight didn't have shining armor. That and his flair for the dramatic could rival most full tilt divas; Sarah was unable to help her giggle. Jareth was hardly good material for saving a damsel in distress.

Sarah glanced about them a moment to get her bearings. "I suppose we should think about breakfast." She murmured, because there was nothing left to say on the other subject; he would help.

A hand lifted to brush dark hair back from her face before Sarah pushed herself upward. His hands released as she moved out of the vanity chair to stand on her own. Jareth rose with her but took a step back to let Sarah have her space once more. Her laugh was sudden as a hand swiped across her eyes and cheeks. Sarah knew what to say to him now, of course, as being a good hostess came to mind.

"Well, our options for breakfast are take out, cold pizza or I might have everything to make us a sandwich." She said with a grin on her lips after she'd presented the options. It was an interesting image, one of Jareth eating mortal food.

The puzzled look which crossed Jareth's features would have been endearing on anyone else. Did he have no idea what those foods were? Well, he was a King, what did a king eat anyway? The desperation and pleading that had been in his eyes earlier had now vanished. The need for food had become some sort of odd priority in his mind. For her part, Sarah enjoyed seeing the cold, mocking mask gone from his features. He must be much older than her but like this he looked young still.

The smirk which curled his lips upward had Sarah taking a step back. He looked so much like the Goblin King she remembered in that moment. "What? No turkey legs or rack of lamb? Oh, very well, common food." He replied haughtily; his arms folding about himself as his back straightened to give him a regal pose. The pose faltered at the look in her eyes and Jareth deflated slightly. "A sandwich will do just fine." He murmured.

There was nod to show Sarah's acceptance of his choice and a faint upturning of her lips betrayed a smile. Perhaps she had not been as intimidated as he'd thought her a moment ago. It was tiresome always having to consider the feelings and opinions of others in this way. He had forgotten, in a mere span of moments, that Sarah had been damaged and needed careful treatment.

He smirked in return; his voice full of soft teasing as he spoke. "You act as though you thought you'd stumped me with your choices. No, Sarah, I have been around the mortals a long while now." On occasion, Jareth had been known to amuse himself by stalking a particular mortal or two in a twisted recruiting scheme to add new members to his kingdom. "I've even been known to kidnap a child or two."

It would be a point of contention between them later. Sarah had forgotten that one of his pass times was to turn children in to goblins. Did he do that? She made a mental note to ask that question later. Beyond that, the idea of goblins breeding and making their own children felt wrong. They were fairy tale creatures; didn't their children just magic in to existence? The idea that every single goblin had been created out of a human child was sickening. What sort of depravity had it taken to warp so innocent a creature?

Sarah sighed and shook her head before saying, "Alright, on that note, I need to get dressed." She glanced between Jareth and the door waiting for him to get the point and give her privacy.

Either denizens of the Underground had no modesty or he was enjoying this bit of power over her. Jareth made no move to leave, his lips curling upward as he murmured, "By all means, get dressed." A flash of something in those blue eyes; clearly it was about the power.

"Out!" Her voice rising as a clean t-shirt was flapped at him.

Jareth laughed and made his escape, not teasing her more. It was best to keep the banter between them easy and lighthearted. If he pushed too fast too soon, Jareth was certain that he would lose her again. Patience was not his strong point but something that was getting a lot of exercise today. A nice breakfast would allow a bit more talk and he would have more time to plan what came next. He needed time.

There had been no plan last night when he'd stepped through the mirror to save her. There had been no plan this morning when Sarah had awoken groggy and disoriented. Now he had gained her acceptance but not her trust. Her trust would only be gained if he could show her he had a plan to help her. How was he going to help her through this? This most obvious answer was to convince Sarah to return to the Labyrinth. There he could show her what she had only dreamed of.

For Jareth to convince her to return to the labyrinth, he needed her trust. To gain her trust, he needed to show her that he was serious about helping her. She still thought that this was a trick and he could hardly blame her for that. After the last meeting, Jareth wasn't certain that Sarah wasn't having a bit of fun with him in return. Well, except, the look in her eyes at times when they'd been talking. She had this lost look that he did not like seeing.

It all would have been so much easier if he could just snap his fingers and make her obey. Or a peach, she could eat a peach or an apple and forget this world. He could make her forget that any of this had ever happened. That thought died away sharply as the door to Sarah's bedroom opened and she stepped out. No, Jareth was certain he couldn't do that to her. He still wanted her as she was. She would be even less of herself if he made her forget. As harsh as this world was, it had created Sarah.

"So, food. Sandwiches. I think I have some ham and cheese...maybe mayonnaise." She was babbling because the realization that Jareth was actually here had settled in. He was here and he wanted to have breakfast with her. "Normally, I would make you eggs and bacon, but I don't have that."

He would follow her, half amused at her babble, in to the kitchen and watch as she pulled ingredients out. It was good to see Sarah's mind occupied by something other than her troubles. They would get through breakfast together and then figure out how best he could help her. It occurred to Jareth that if he asked she might give him a hint how best to gain her trust. After all, she had been the one to open up to his help.

Sarah doubted that Jareth kept a weekend apartment in the city. She had agreed to his help but neither of them had spoken about what that might mean. Would he need a place to stay? Did he have a suggestion for somewhere else they might go? She had to work at some point to pay the bills and feeding two people, instead of one, would definitely cost more. Did Jareth have money?

The most troubling part of all these thoughts was her easy acceptance of the situation. Jareth wasn't real. Her mind kept telling her this, screaming it at her so that her ears were ringing with it. No matter how often her brain told Sarah this, her heart and soul believed otherwise. Jareth was real and he was already bringing her long disused imagination back to life. She'd spent time while getting dressed daydreaming about fuzzy blue worms and biting fairies.

Sarah felt, again, that she had come home for the first time in years. Home, at the moment, was a pair of blue eyes gazing at her from the doorway of the kitchen. He had an odd little smile on his lips as he watched her which suited him well. It was better, in her opinion, than the haughty smirks and sneers that he was capable of. This smile at least made him look more human, approachable.

Jareth hesitated, before asking, "Do you need help?" Because it was not normal for him to offer help for menial jobs like cooking; He had cooks for that. Though, come to think of it, the goblins were not the best cooks. Scratch that then, he had magic for cooking.

"No, you can sit. The kitchen's small, so two of us in here will be crowded. You'll step on my foot, I'll step on yours." Sarah murmured as she laid plates out, going through the motions to make the sandwiches.

Silence fell between them; it was comfortable and Sarah appreciated that. Jareth took his time getting comfortable on one of the breakfast stools. His position of diva reinforced when Sarah glanced up to find him rearranging his coat tails to suit. She giggled again, unable to help herself. If only she'd known what a good sound that was for Jareth to hear. It was laughter and her laughter was like music. That smile which had been hovering about Jareth's lips widened.

It felt as though Jareth had already healed many of the hurts in her soul by being here. Sarah knew that it was only a brief interlude and given the chance the pain would return. This was dawn before the darkness but until the darkness came again, she would enjoy herself. The memories of this time with him might be the light she needed to get through it.

Her eyes would go to Jareth now and then to watch as he looked about himself. He always seemed so comfortable wherever he was. Oh, his clothes were out of fashion and his hair right out of the eighties, but that was a choice. There were actually rather a lot of people that looked like that on television these days. Come to think of it, Jareth might fit in with a rock band if he could sing at all. Hadn't he been singing in Underground?

Jareth's head turned and his brow furrowed but before Sarah could ask him what was the matter, a knock came. Someone was knocking on the front door. She leaned back to get a glimpse of the clock on the stove before her head shook. It was too early to be someone selling something and she didn't see much of that in this building anyway.

"Now who could that be?" The words had no sooner left Sarah's mouth than her mind went to Chris. He wouldn't come over this early. No, Chris would think she was at work and go there instead, wouldn't he? Her eyes went to Jareth who had made to slide out of his seat. "No, stay there." A finger pointed at him to punctuate her point.

He was her guest and she would not shy away from someone else seeing him. There was a flutter in her stomach because if it were Chris, he might get the wrong idea seeing Jareth. Perhaps she should have him step in to the bedroom. No, that was also a bad idea. It was best if the man was out there in the open for anyone coming by to see. Jareth was a friend which was the only good explanation. He was a friend she had called to come over.

Sarah peered through the peephole in the door and took a soft breath. The door pulled open with the chain still on, gazing through it at her visitor. "Hello, Chris."