A/N: Updating early because I couldn't wait to get this chapter out, it's nice and long, and also because your reviews have been so great- please don't stop keeping them coming!

Aunt Gail isn't entirely my own character, she's actually from "Seven Minutes In Heaven", a 1985 movie also starring Jennifer Connelly. It's one of those underrated movies and it should be up there with "The Breakfast Club", "Sixteen Candles" and Labyrinth. But of course Labyrinth will always be the best. Anyways, I suggest if you haven't watched the movie, that you do! It's so good.

This is the first chapter where Sarah's thoughts get just a leeetle naughty ;) It's not a lot yet, but remember, I do plan to put this story to M-rating as it progresses, so there's no backing out from here on in!

Enjoy and please do remember to give feedback. It really is so motivating :)

AUNT GAIL

"Sarah, are you awake?"

Karen knocked tentatively on her closed door, her voice sounding faint to Sarah's waking ears.

She was still upset with Karen and quickly she sat up, opening tear swollen eyes and shaking her groggy head.

"Yes." She replied flatly, folding her arms across her chest defensively as Karen opened the door. She was already dressed- dressed to go out and Sarah shot a glance at her bedside clock- it was already 10am. Last night she had gone to sleep at who knows what hour and she was actually glad she had slept in for once. She hoped to god her parents weren't going out yet again and that Karen had come to tell her to look after Toby. If she's going to ask that... Sarah thought, gritting her teeth.

"Did you sleep well?" Karen asked, giving Sarah a smile that seemed almost forced as she came over to the side of her bed and sat down. Karen never acted like this- Sarah could see there was a whole lot more coming from the way her stepmother spoke.

Sarah ignored the question, only regarded her stepmother with cold eyes.

"If you've come to tell me to look after Toby..." She began, but Karen quickly cut her off.

"Oh get over yourself, Sarah." She told her sternly. "Stop acting like it's the worst thing in the world I could ask of you. And no- I haven't come to tell you to look after Toby, I know you hate him."

Sarah looked down, feeling a slight pang of guilt. She didn't really hate Toby- she had said that last night out of pure frustration. In fact, she hated her stepmother far more.

"Well, what a surprise." Sarah shot back, sarcastically.

"Watch your tongue, young girl. I don't need your cheek. You won't be seeing much of Toby for a while anyway, you'll be pleased to know."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, her brow knitting together in confusion.

"What I mean to say is that your father and I have talked, and we have decided that we think it's best you stay with your aunt Gail for a while." Karen replied simply, a smug look on her face. "I'm sick of your attitude."

"What?" Sarah cried, sitting up further and becoming rigid.

"You heard me. We just don't think you're handling things too well and think it's best we both took a break from one another for a while. Your father phoned your aunt this morning and she is looking foward to you arriving."

Sarah couldn't believe they were just kicking her out but she realised that it had been something inevitable and that it was bound to happen sooner or later. She just didn't think it would be Karen telling her.

"Well then, when do I go?" She asked, jutting out her chin and giving her stepmother a typical bratty Sarah look as she tightened her crossed arms.

"Whenever you're dressed." Her stepmother said, ignoring Sarah's attitude and getting up. "And do try to not take your time." She said, as she walked out her room and closed the door behind her once more.

"Ohh." Sarah muttered to herself, fuming. Just great. Aunt Gail...

Gail was a sweet woman and she really did care for her niece, but she could be so irritating and prying. Sarah knew she would have no time to herself at her house- although she had a spare room where Sarah would no undoubtedly sleep, she almost always wanted to do something together with Sarah, right from when she woke up to until she went to sleep.

Sarah let out a long built up frustrated sigh. At least I won't have to be stuck with them and the baby. She thought icily, glaring at her door.

Too many things had been going on in her life right now, she couldn't let something like this bother her too much. Perhaps taking a break from everything really would do her a world of good- it wouldn't do any harm to stay with Aunt Gail for a little while.

"Oh Sarah, my sweetie!" Aunt Gail exclaimed, running down the garden path to the car where Sarah's father had just pulled up outside. Sarah got out, and gestured for Merlin to follow- she had refused to go unless she could take the big shaggy dog with and her father had been forced to phone Gail to see that it was alright. She lugged a big bag behind her and gave her aunt a smile, stepping onto the pavement.

"I haven't seen you in ages! My, how you've grown! My little Sarah!" Gail gushed, flinging her arms around her niece. "We are going to have such a good time."

Sarah sighed inwardly, allowing her aunt to embrace her but making no attempt at trying to be enthusiastic. Here we go.

Gail seemed to just then notice Sarah's father because she quickly pulled herself together and cleared her throat.

"Robert, it's good to see you." She said, giving her brother a small smile. "Would you like to come in for some tea?"

"I'd love to Gail, but really, I must be off. Karen is at home with Toby and I should just get on with my drive back home. Thank you so much for agreeing for Sarah to stay with you for a while, it really does help and I'm sure she's glad to see you. You have a lot to catch up on!" Her father said, leaning out the car window and starting the engine once more.

"Oh, all right. Typical Rob, always in a rush off to tend to his wife and baby!" Gail said teasingly.

Sarah rolled her eyes and shifted the weight of her bag from one hand to the other.

"Be good Sarah." Her dad said. "See you soon. Thanks again Gail, I'll phone you later, I really must be on my way now."

Sarah ignored her father and looked away, busying herself with keeping Merlin at heel.

"Well, we aren't keeping you from leaving!" Gail said. "Goodbye!"

"Bye." Robert called, waving his hand out the window as he drove off. Sarah watched as her dad drove down the road and out of sight. I'm so over all this. She thought.

"Right dearie, lets get that bag unpacked shall we?" Aunt Gail said, putting her arm around Sarah's shoulders as they started walking up the path to the front door.

"Come on Merlin." Sarah called. This was going to be an interesting stay.

Sarah had barely had two seconds to herself since she had arrived at her aunt's house an hour earlier. She had been showed to her room and had been insistently helped by Gail to unpack her bag as she had been told all of her aunt's latest news (Most of it incredibly boring and irrelevant.) She had been told about people she didn't even know- this man told a woman called Mags this, Mags had told Gail that, and this and that had happened. Sarah listened with only half an ear and barely spoke a word the whole time. Her mind was someplace far else and what went in one ear pretty much went out the other.

When they had done unpacking- which hadn't taken too long, Sarah had been ushered to the kitchen for some tea and biscuits- which she didn't really want but thought it would be rude to say no to. They were sitting on the couch sipping the hot Earl Grey her aunt had brewed and eating homemade butter biscuits when her aunt suddenly realised she hadn't asked Sarah anything about her life at all.

"So, any boys in your life, Sarah?" She asked, giving her a naughty wink. Sarah nearly spluttered her tea but managed to keep her composure. The question had been so out of the blue- she had not been expecting it.

"Uhm, no, haha." She said, giggling incredulously. No boys in my life, only a man but he seems to be gone now. Sarah ached inwardly. She had been trying to ignore what had happened all day and it had been so incredibly hard.

"Oh, I see." Her aunt said, giving her an unconvinced look.

"No, really, there isn't. I'm not interested in anybody." Sarah said, looking up more confidently and taking a bite of a biscuit.

"Well, that's actually for the best my dearie. Boys are so full of complications, you don't want to get into all that until you're older anyways. You must just live your life and have the most amount of fun you possibly can, while you still can. There are a lot of heartbreaks involved with boys. You don't want your pretty little heart broken- it's awful." Her aunt trailed off and seemed to focus on a point in the distance as though she was remembering something. She shook her head and looked back to her niece, smiling.

If she knew what I've been through...Sarah thought. If she just knew.

The next day went by incredibly slowly and Sarah was already getting sick of her assiduous aunt. She had been dragged along to go shopping and walking and the times that they were at the house she had been caught up with her and couldn't escape. Her aunt could talk for hours and chew anyone's ear off if given half the chance and for Sarah she definitely had that chance. I swear she just needs a husband or someone to talk to...Sarah thought. It was clear she hardly ever got to talk about anything to anyone because Gail certainly told Sarah everything and poured out all of her problems and life stories to her.

By the second night Sarah had to fake feeling sick just so that she could go to her room and have some time to herself. She had hardly had any time to think about what she was going to do about Jareth and she really needed to just think and mull over her thoughts in quiet. She had slipped off to her room claiming she had a headache coming on and that she would just have a little lie down. She closed her door and let out a heavy sigh. It was nice to be away from her father, stepmother and Toby, but it really was mentally tiring being here too.

She sat down on the double bed with a thump. It was great that she had a double bed all to herself here- not like her little single bed at home, but she wished she could spend more time in it. The room she was staying in was really pleasant and anyone could get comfortable and feel at home straight away. The drapes were a light blue and the windows looked across her aunt's vegetable patch at the back of the house. The room was bright and airy. However she did miss her own room- just a little bit. She wondered when she would be allowed to go home, but for the time she was reasonably content here, giving that she would be able to have at least some time alone. There was just one thing she needed and that was her mirror- but she didn't even think there was a point since Jareth had blocked all contact to the Labyrinth. Still, she missed her friends and her heart felt heavy...and not just for them. As cruel as he had been to her, Sarah missed Jareth...missed him more than anyone.

"Oh, Jareth..." She found herself saying aloud, into the emptiness of the room.

She didn't understand the way she felt, after all he had done to her, she should rightfully resent him...like she used to. But I never did really fully resent him. She thought. She didn't know what it was but there was just something about him that she was drawn to. She thought of his perfectly angled face, his mismatched eyes that invited her in, while at the same time warning her off. She thought of his quintessential lips, always lilted in a half smile...she thought of his sharp, dangerous teeth, so perfect in their own way. She thought of how he dressed- those black leather boots and grey tights that hugged his skin so tightly they hid nothing. Nothing...

"Oh stop it, Sarah!" She tutted to herself irritably. How can you be thinking about all that now? He's gone.

She lay back, her head landing in the soft downy pillows. She looked up to the ceiling, far off in thought.

No. She thought. I will not let that be the last time I see him.