Title: A Faded Memory

Author: Devlyne (Originally published as BelleAngeli)

Published: 12/10/2015

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. Any recognizable quotes belong to the aforementioned.

A/N: I am moving over the date. It went well. I've said several times that it's not what this story is about; it's not. Yes, I linger on bits of their relationship that I feel are important. This picks up about a week after Jareth gave his orders to the goblins.

Chapter 15: Bits and Pieces of Truth

If anyone noticed the man crouched against the brick wall of the alley then no one reported him. He muttered to himself and stared at the crowds passing back and forth along the sidewalk. Now and then his eyes fixated on someone or something in the distance and he drew himself back in to the shadows to hide. The outfit he wore was shabby and had seen better days; his shoes were worn through at the heel. The man who observed this smiled; a feral upturning of lips which showed the sharp points of his eye teeth. One waggle of his fingers had the man shifting through the shadows to appear before the vagrant and gaze down at him.

"Hello, Christopher," Jareth murmured, the smile never fading from his lips.

He reveled in the cringe that Christopher gave and the way the man pressed against the brick wall. Christopher's head wobbled back and forth looking for any means of escape. There was none as Jareth blocked the only way in to the alley. This creature had him trapped here. His grubby hands lifted to shield his head and face as Jareth crouched before him, tossing his coat tails behind his tall form. How Jareth wallowed in the fear and confusion that twisted the man's face.

"Did you enjoy my labyrinth?" Jareth's gloved finger drew circles on the filthy pavement as he spoke in a soft, low tone. "My goblins enjoyed your company. I quite think that they would like to have you back, hmm?"

Tipping his head back, he looked Christopher in the eye. The man was shaking his head and babbling incoherently. It was undoubtedly a great, resounding 'no' to going back. He had seen others take their time solving the labyrinth but never one who had taken a full week to do so. What was that almost three weeks in Underground time? Never mind that Jareth could move time forward or back; that had to be a record of some kind.

With his smile widening as he spoke, Jareth continued. "In case it's not clear to you, Sarah belongs to me. Sarah has always belonged to me." He leaned forward toward Christopher and let his gaze harden. "I doubt you've learned your lesson. Men like you forget easily enough. If you haven't, though, next time it won't be a trip through the labyrinth."

The smell of urine permeated the area and Jareth wrinkled his nose in distaste as he stood. His frock coat smoothed with just the brush of gloved hands before he looked down at Christopher again. How pathetic. It was always funny to him how brave and fearless mortals were until they were faced with something they didn't understand. All of their fear and doubt would suddenly come rushing to the surface and produce amusing results. Sadly, Christopher was not the most amusing result Jareth had ever seen come out of the labyrinth.

"Oh, have some respect for yourself, man. There were just a few goblins, fairies and other creatures. You act like you saw the apocalypse." Jareth's hand pressed to the wall above Christopher's head so that he could lean closer, his voice lowering. "I have to go because Sarah is waiting but I'll be watching. Don't slip up."

Pushing up, he turned to leave the alley and the man in it in peace. Well, as much peace as Christopher could get. The man was left sitting in a puddle of his own fluids jabbering on about goblins and castles. He might snap out of it in a few days or he might not. Jareth didn't care either way. He passed through the shadows at the mouth of the alley and came out on the street again dressed like any other modern man. There was no point in making a spectacle after all. The alley fell quiet as he passed out of sigh around the corner leaving the man cowering against the side wall.

Sarah was finishing up the last of her errands. The decision to leave no longer weighed as heavily on her as when she'd first accepted the offer. Each day that went by made the decision look better and the weight of doubt began to lift from her. It was strange how the act of packing up her possessions could reveal so many gaping holes in her life. At least now, Sarah admitted to herself now that there were pieces missing. She hoped that finding those pieces would help heal a bit of her soul. And now she thought she knew who one of those missing pieces was.

He had been showing his affection in a variety of ways. Sarah had come to expect a certain amount of flourish and flamboyance from the goblin king; he now impressed her with small gestures. There were gentle touches to her hand or a soft kiss to her lips but never a demand or a push to go further than she wanted. If she wanted to order out, Jareth insisted that they eat out instead. He spent time making certain that she knew the world could see him. She was not insane and he was not a figment of her imagination.

There had also been gifts. For example, on Tuesday she'd come home from work to find a new leather bound journal embossed with a seal on it. Jareth had explained that the seal was the symbol of his kingdom and he thought that she might like to write her thoughts down. This would be a good coping method to get through the dark and light of what was to come. He had also finally suggested an occupation for Sarah while she stayed in his kingdom. The goblins needed someone to teach them about Overland, Sarah's world, and since she'd done so well with the groups at the museum, it would be a good fit.

Everything was slowly falling in to place for her journey to Underground. There were questions which Jareth refused to answer at times. Where were Ludo, Hoggle and Didymus? Did the labyrinth look the same as it had before? Were there other kingdoms to visit in Underground? She wondered if Jareth had done something to her friends and was afraid to tell her. Could she forgive him if he had? For that matter, could her friends forgive her for returning with Jareth after all they'd done to help her escape? These questions lay heavy on her mind.

As if summoned, Jareth murmured from beside her, "A penny for your thoughts?"

Sarah startled and he had to put a steadying hand to keep her from tripping over the table nest she'd been next to. His lips had been curled into a smile but it began to fade at the troubled wrinkle of her brow. As he stepped forward, his hands came to rest on her arms and rub up and down to soothe away her worry. It was strange to see how sensitive Jareth had become to her moods. She found that he would react to the slightest change from happy to sad. He was trying and that made her feel better.

"What's wrong?"

She smiled, shaking her head and murmuring, "Just a silly thought."

"It's not silly if it's bothering you," was the answer, as Jareth's hands continued to move along her arms, stopping at her shoulders. "Tell me."

How could she tell him that she doubted him again? The thought was so sudden and unexpected that Sarah was left reeling from it. She doubted him again after all he'd done. A part of her understood that days would not soothe the years of doubt she'd had about him. Nor would a few days of kind, tender gestures wipe away what he'd done all those years ago. Trust was easily lost and hard to gain; he was trying so hard and she didn't want to stop him.

"My friends…" Sarah began, looking up at Jareth.

Jareth understood the problem immediately and pressed another kiss to her forehead before replying. "Are fine. I won't say that I didn't punish them; that's a lie. Hoggle spent time dangled above the bog. The knight was a toll road keeper on a bridge where people seldom passed. And the beast, Ludo, was banished to the forest."

The look on Sarah's face was priceless. He had underestimated what Sarah thought wasn't a terrible punishment. Those seemed light, in comparison, to what he could have and should have done to her friends. They had disobeyed their king, after all. Jareth steered her away from the table she'd been shopping and toward the cashier so they could leave the shop. This was not a discussion he wanted to have in a room full of people. Some might assume that they were talking about a book but then others would question their sanity.

"Y-you…" She stuttered out before freeing herself and smacking him on the arm. "You dangled him over the bog? That smell never comes out!" Her voice rose steadily with each word.

There was a quick glance about the room before Jareth's head dipped and he whispered, "Sarah, you're making a scene…"

"What? Oh!" Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of red. Laying her purchases on the counter, Sarah turned her attention to the cashier. "So sorry…" Her head canting so that she could see Jareth again as she muttered aloud, "That's a bad ending to the story."

"It isn't over," was the counter Jareth made. He plastered a smile on his lips and waited for her to finish with the cashier. Once they were back on the streets, this could be talked about in hushed whispers or maybe she would wait until they were somewhere private. Was that too much to hope? Magic; he had magic. He could make it so that no one heard them. It was appalling how being around Sarah made him forget himself and resort to common ways. His hand cupped her elbow as he led her away from the shop and in to an alcove.

"I understand that they are your friends. I am more sensitive to that fact than you know, but they were my subjects." He cupped her chin and tilted it so that she had to look in to his eyes. "I know you think that I'm cruel but they had to be punished. Hoggle lives outside the goblin city, as he always has. The last time I saw your Knight he believed he was Don Quixote and was off to joust some windmills. And your beast wandered back after his punishment; it wasn't as if I could really keep him out. Rocks friends, my foot, probably could move mountains if left to his own devices."

As much as it might bother Jareth that she questioned him, he understood it. He was cruel at times and her friend's punishment had been out of anger over his defeat. The difference between a teenager and an adult was that the worst punishment Sarah had once imagined was the bog, but now she thought he had actually harmed her friends. Disillusionment was a poison and society was full of it he'd found out over the years.

"If it will satisfy you," Jareth continued, "then we will go look for them when you're settled in the palace; that very day if you wish it."

The answer was hasty. "I do. I just…" She grimaced lightly at the admission, "I want to make sure they're alright." She wanted to make sure he hadn't hurt them. "Don't be mad."

"I couldn't if I tried. I deserved that." His eyes closed and a deep breath was drawn. "Deserve…I deserve that." Her chin released so that he could pat her cheek before stepping back. "Now, if your fears are allayed for the moment, what other errands do you have?"

Guilt curled in the pit of Sarah's belly and she grasped his hand to pull him back to her. He had been working so hard to earn her trust for the last week. It would take time and they both knew it, but she was afraid she'd damaged him. 'I'm sorry' just didn't seem quite enough. There was never anything to make her think that he had caused someone true physical harm. It bothered Sarah that she'd jumped to that conclusion so quickly. The uncanny part was his ability to sometimes, like now, sense what she was thinking or feeling.

Jareth leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead and whisper against her brow. "Stop it. We have all the time in the world. I haven't given up yet." They both knew he never would.

There was a nod from her in return and for a time they just stood together letting the world pass by. At last, Sarah stepped away from him though her hand did not leave his. There were still errands to run and she was running out of time to get everything done. She still had not called her father or Carin to let them know she was going away. Toby would be heartbroken but of all of them, she thought he would understand the best.

"Come on, just one more stop and then I'll make you dinner for once." Sarah offered, glancing up at her companion before squeezing his hand. He was tugged in to the crowd as they headed toward their next destination. Still, her hand didn't leave his.

The smile returned to Jareth's lips. "Don't expect me to return the favor; that's what servants are for." And if he took a bit of delight at the irritated roll of her eyes, well who could blame him? The irritated moments were when she was the Sarah he remembered the most.

"You should learn how. It's soothing; you might even find you like it." She teased, poking at his arm lightly with her free hand, bags dangling around her wrist and hitting him. "Besides, even Kings have to have some skills."

"I have skills!"

The look she gave him was doubtful as she muttered. "Being irritating is not a skill, Jareth."

There was a certain amount of satisfaction to hearing him start sputtering in indignation. He had left her in the same state many times over the last week. In fact, he'd left her that way many times in the labyrinth as a teenager. Maybe he did have more skills than just being irritating. The thought brought a smile to Sarah's lips and she squeezed his hand. It made him stop sputtering long enough to look at her and what he saw made him smile. His indignation was forgotten as he swept her in to another alcove.

"No," he purred, "but this is."

And with that Jareth's head dipped so that their lips met. If she'd resisted, he'd have stopped immediately, but Sarah was pliant in his arms. This was not the gentle brief kisses of affection they'd shared but an expression of his passion. His hand tangled in the hair at the back of her neck while her hands gripped the front of his shirt. All of the distrust of earlier was gone despite the little voice in the back of her mind saying she should wait until she'd seen her friends. It didn't matter at the moment, only he did.

When the couple had broken away from one another, Sarah straightened her hair while he adjusted his shirt. She was breathless and her heart was pounding in her chest. This was what books described passion and love as; a hot, white whirlwind of romance. His hand found hers and squeezed it before drawing her back in to the crowd so they could keep walking.

"Definitely." She murmured, lips curling upward. "Wow…"

Jareth smirked in response and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. That was a skill indeed and one he hoped to show her more of. It would wait until later when Sarah was more comfortable. He kept reminding himself not to take advantage of her vulnerable state but she made it hard. There had been no breakdowns in the last week and that lulled him in to a false sense of her well being. No, he would remain vigilant and be there when the breakdown came.

"Just a few more days and you will have nothing to think about but relaxation and sleep." He glanced at her as he spoke. "And when you are ready, I will show you Underground."

"I'm ready to go now."

A shake of his head, as Jareth answered, "It's not time yet. Soon." He would make her keep her word to wait but he would also keep her on track with preparations. "Now, come, we have errands to finish. And you promised to fix dinner."

"I said I would, I didn't promise."

The couple did not see the man curled against the wall in the alley as they passed by. He stared out at the people moving up and down the street and muttered about goblins. There was a brief lull in his murmur as the dark haired woman and her companion passed by while his eyes followed them. A whimper escaped his lips and Christopher lay his head forward in to his hands, rocking back and forth slowly. No, he didn't want to go back or see those creatures again. The couple was already too far up the block to hear when the man's head was flung back and he let out a tortured howl.

I'll be watching.