DISCLAIMER - I don't own Sarah or Jareth or the Labyrinth (unfortunately) they belong to Jim Henson & Co, and I'm definitely not making a profit from this.
All other NPC's are a figment of my own imagination.
The week before the launch seemed to drag endlessly, for Sarah the days merged, she slept each night dreamlessly and woke each morning feeling more and more exhausted. Ollie had taken to hanging around the studio like a poltergeist getting in everyone's way and causing chaos as he tried to take over the preparations for the launch. Sarah found him sitting in her office at her desk looking though the bills and other documents more times than she liked and had taken to locking the door when she wasn't in there. It was awkward but she couldn't think of any other way to deal with his weird behavior. Anita had taken to walking in the opposite direction as soon as he approached her and Chris had turned from his usual bubbly self into a sullen silent version which worried her more than Anita's avoidance tactics.
Something had to change, and as the week progressed the only real answer that sat in front of her like an unmentionable stain was to sack him. Their relationship was practically nonexistent after the weeks he had been spending practically living in Cassandra's apartment. As she sat for a moment quietly in the embracing darkness of her office she came to the conclusion that really, she was relieved. She grimaced to herself as she automatically compared how she felt when she was with Jareth compared to the feeling she had when she was with Ollie, they barely compared, despite how little time she had actually spent with Jareth. She knew she was stupid for even thinking about "being" with Jareth, but she could always...
"Sarah, you're an idiot." She said out loud, chiding herself for thinking about dreams and wishes where Jareth was concerned. Whatever she was stupidly thinking was out of the question for all sorts of reasons - most of them making her angry and frustrated and sad when they ran through her brain in a virtual list. Sighing she reached across the expanse of her desk and switched on the desk lamp making her squint. In front of her lay a folder of photocopies from her accounts. She truthfully hated stuff like this, she was no accountant, but the figures told no lies, and she had had them privately checked after Anita flagged up the anomalies and the results she had been given on a single sheet of paper now sat in front of her made her feel nauseous.
How did you ask somebody about missing money from the company accounts? How did you work out what the hell they were up to other than sabotage or fraud. What the hell had he been doing speaking to her dad who was in no fit state to be discussing anything to do with the company shares. Her head felt like it was about to explode and reluctantly, having come to no real solution she gave up. Locking the folder away in a filing cabinet in the corner of the office she picked up her sketchbooks and worked her way through the building, checking windows and doors before letting herself out the back door.
In the parking lot Gob appeared from behind a pillar giving her a mild heart attack before accompanying her home and small though he was she was pathetically glad of the company making her heart thump sadly as she remembered how her old dog Merlin had been her constant companion.
She was almost grateful when Cassandra waltzed in on the Friday sporting a lime green pantsuit to drag Ollie - all be it more reluctantly than usual - out of the building for an extended lunch after she ranted at Chris about the fact that her art had been moved to the first floor. Behind her Anita heaved a sigh of relief as the main door closed and sat down with a thump on the chair next to her. Chris appeared only moments later his usual chirpy self handing out mugs of hot coffee.
"You know..." He began only to stop as Sarah held up her hand.
"I know, and I'm sorry. I know I have to deal with it, and I will I promise, lets just try and get this weekend over and done with."
"Actually I was going to say that I've never seen the gallery look more beautiful, but we have 4 of you in here, so naturally it's going to look 4 times better." He smiled looking over to the 3 exquisite sculptures that had been delivered at 7am and placed into the large open space in the main gallery area. Under the soft directional lighting the facets of the polished stone sparkled faintly. Sarah turned and regarded the gallery and nodded. She ignored the slightly odd feeling of having so many paintings and sketches of herself on the opposite wall near the sculptures, but she had to agree despite that. The sculptures, now finished to perfection were exquisite, and the amount of detailing Ambrose had managed to craft and imply in the folds of the cloth left you slightly speechless and his refinement of the faces and hands was lifelike to the point of being uncanny. Frankly they were the kind of sculptures Sarah half expected to come to life at night and wander around the streets kidnapping people, and that was mostly down to Toby making her watch Dr. Who. All of Ambrose's work seemed to have a natural flow and form to them and now framed they looked even better and helped accentuate the other artwork in the room.
"Magic." Anita said sipping her coffee making Sarah bite her lip and turn to look at her sharply.
"Except the caterer phoned before to tell us they would be delayed delivering those extra glasses. They said they wouldn't get here til mid afternoon. It's no biggie though really." Chris shrugged.
"OK, I'm going to go back to the apartment then. I will see you both tomorrow, my bath and I have a date!" Sarah said nodding and picking up her bag. "Really great job guys, you are miracle workers!"
"See you tomorrow!" Anita waved her off. She missed Chris grinning mischievously at Anita before scuttling off.
"So, yesterday I had a perfectly acceptable dress in here..." Sarah said walking slowly out of her office holding onto a dress bag. "..and now it contains a completely different dress which I don't have time to change."
"Hush, Chris chose it and you absolutely MUST wear it." Anita said standing up from behind her desk where she had been fixing her makeup after she had primped and preened Sarah's. "Go, shoo and put it on before everyone's here!" She said ushering her into the loos.
"You look stunning!" Anita squealed in delight as Sarah appeared from the cramped staff bathroom having rushed into the gallery running ridiculously late after battling with Karen on the phone ranting and the traffic. Truth was, Sarah was stunning, but anybody who wasn't blind could see that she was also pitifully thin and looked sick. The figure hugging long black dress with lace detailing, plunging neckline and exposed back did everything it was supposed to, but Sarah looked haunted, with dark circles under her eyes that no amount of makeup could mask.
"You're just being kind." Sarah whispered as Anita hugged her. "I can't believe there are so many people here this early."
"Chris and Seb are working their magic not that they need to, Ambrose's work is outstanding and is practically walking out the door."
"Good! We could do with some good news."
"I have something to show you." Anita said as they walked down the glass stairs into the milling throng of glamorous and impressed art critics all admiring the beautiful display of Ambrose's work. Sarah paused and frowned noticing several red "sold" stickers on paintings, sketches and the breathtaking sculptures.
"They sold? Already?" She hissed at Chris as they walked past him.
"All 3 to the same collector. They were quite adamant that they should have sold stickers on them immediately." He grinned.
"Ok, what's this thing you wanted to show me?" Sarah asked as they walked towards the rear of the gallery.
"Please don't be mad. There's somebody who wants to buy some of your paintings." Anita said turning away from the crowd and dropping her voice.
"How would somebody want to buy any of my paintings? We put them all away."
"Not exactly..."
"Anita."
"It was Chris's idea! Anyhow, this err gentleman, he won't take no for an answer and is demanding he speak to you about them directly." Anita had the grace to blush slightly.
"Where is he, and what have you done with my paintings?" Sarah asked again trying not to get irritated.
"In here." Anita said pushing open the ajar door to what was once a small storage room.
"OK, I'll speak to this man and you can go and do something that's not related to my paintings please."
"Right! Good luck!" Anita grinned and skipped off into the crowd. Sarah took a deep breath and steeled herself.
"I'm ever so sorry sir, but you've been given the wrong imp..." Sarah stopped mid sentence as she stood in the doorway and stared.
What had been a storage room was now brightly lit and painted white, her paintings hanging on the walls seemed to glow in an inviting, subtle way. The man stood on the far side of the room with his back to her in a black shirt and suit; but she recognised him instantly without him needing to turn.
"You came." She said quietly closing the door behind her. "They still aren't for sale though"
"Everything has a price Precious," Jareth replied still examining a portrait of himself.
"and I could hardly refuse a personal invitation." He finally turned and regarded her with a critical eye. "Clearly there is a need."
"A need? A need for what?" Sarah flushed as he walked towards her.
"An intervention before you speak to anybody in public."
"What?"
"Did you look at yourself in the mirror?" He watched her as she immediately put her hand to her hair to check it.
"Is there something wrong with me?" She whispered. He stood there and watched her squirm then laughed as she huffed in exasperation. "Why do you enjoy taunting me so much?" She asked again turning away from him.
"Because I can. Not to worry Precious, there's nothing wrong with you that I couldn't fix if I wanted to." He whispered in her ear as he placed his gloved hands on her bare shoulders.
"But you won't. If you could fix everything you'd fix the Labyrinth."
"I said you, not the Labyrinth." Jareth sighed turning her back to face him. "You look like death my dear."
"Wonderful, thank you." She said folding her arms. "My paintings aren't for sale and I'm not interested in your compliments if that's how they are going to be." She frowned as he smirked and walked away from her to look at another painting. Her hand tucked away between her arm and her side throbbed making her want to faint. "I look fine thank you."
"Yes, but why look just fine when you could look perfect?"
"You really don't know me do you. When have I ever wanted or asked for perfection? Don't laugh at me or you can leave the way you came."
"Ahh my dear Sarah. I'm not talking about how you see yourself, I'm talking about how others see you, and right now there is a girl out there practically falling out of her garments to make sure she looks better than you do, because everyone knows your 'boyfriendonabreak' is having an affair with her. Doesn't that make you want to be perfect? To prove them wrong? You don't really want to be called the dowdy little home girl do you?" He watched her as her face fell into sadness.
"I don't want to compete with Cassandra. I'm just as bad as she is. I'm having an affaire with somebody who was a figment of my imagination." Sarah said sitting down on the bench in the center of the room.
He continued to watch her, frustrated by her complete lack of willpower and desire to fight for herself.
"I have a gift for you." He said sitting down next to her and taking out the small bottle of perfume from inside his suit jacket. She turned and looked up at him.
"Will it make me forget everything?"
"No."
"Will it make me invisible?"
"No."
"Will it make me better?"
"No. It might make you feel better though."
"And the price of feeling better?"
"You sell me 2 of your paintings."
"Thats it?" She said taken aback.
"You sound disappointed."
"I just. Why are my paintings so important to you?"
"I like them." He said candidly. He frowned as she stood and walked to the door and opened it.
"Anita, please could you fetch me the sales forms for my paintings please, and a pen." Anita saluted her and hurried off from standing guard at the door.
"Two, and thats it. Choose two and you pay for them like any other client with real money. Your magic potions can't make me feel better Jareth." She said walking back to him. They stood there staring at each other until a tap on the door announcing Anita's return broke the trance.
"Here they are!" Anita chimed popping her head around the door waving a pile of documents. "Which ones have you decided to buy? I can't tell you how excited we are to finally meet Sarah's "Goblin King" in the flesh! So how long are you staying in the states? You must stay tonight for the party Chris is dying to meet you." Anita chattered sorting through the papers and not really giving Jareth a chance to reply. Sarah said nothing as he pointed out the 2 largest oils, one of himself and one of the labyrinth, dutifully signing the sales contracts giving Anita a sly grin as he handed the pen back to her.
"Wait!" She gasped dashing out the door and returning a moment later with 3 champagne glasses. "A toast!" She said handing Sarah and Jareth a glass each before raising her own.
"Good friends and a successful party!" They saluted with their glasses and drank, Jareths eyes not leaving Sarah.
"Say you will stay for the party!" Anita begged as she gathered the papers back up again.
"Thats up to Sarah, I'm gate crashing really." Jareth smiled.
"Don't be silly of course you are welcome to stay; isn't he Sarah! You've not seen each other for such a long time." Sarah nodded quietly.
"Could you give us a moment?" She asked ushering Anita to the door.
"Of course, don't take too long though, Ambrose still wants to see you. Here, stick these on." Anita grinned passing Sarah a strip of red "sold" stickers.
Suppressing a sigh a she turned and resolutely walked past Jareth to stand in front of the painting she had done of the labyrinth, serene in its golden light. With a sense of defeat she stuck a sticker next to the title plaque and turned to go to the portrait finding herself in front of the real version. Silently he took her hand to examine the scar, a frown creasing his forehead before he reached into his pocket and drew out the bottle of perfume, placing it in her upturned hand.
"Hoggle made it for you." He said watching her face light up in almost childish delight.
"He did?"
"With some direction, and misdirection from the knight and the rock caller. I'm surprised it made it to me in one piece."
"You sure this isn't going to make me forget everything?" She asked skeptically unstopping the bottle.
"If it does I will punish him most firmly." He watched as she dabbed the perfume on her neck and wrists, his senses reeling from its intoxicating aroma that reminded him in all the right ways of the woman who stood in front of him. Sharp, lustrous, delicate and ridiculously addictive all at the same time.
"I don't really look terrible do I?" She whispered not looking up at him as she asked. Her lack of self confidence touched him enough for him to regret his earlier comments. Instead of replying he touched his hand to her chin, turning her face to his and kissed her. It was almost with relief that she eventually pulled away from him, her face flushed Jareth vaguely wondering how long he could have carried on kissing her without throwing caution to the wind and kidnapping her on the spot. He stood and watched her as his glamor worked its magic, resisting the impulse to pull her back to him to press his lips to the pulse in her throat.
"You owe me for that."
"The kiss or the glamor?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"I've not decided." He smirked straightening his suit jacket and reaching for her hand again. The livid scar looked less livid, he only hoped the pain she felt from it had lessened as well.
"I must go and speak to Ambrose. Do I pass the test now?" She stood and glared at him as he gave her the once over.
"You pass." She shook her head in exasperation then paused and reached up to wipe some of her gloss from his lips.
"If you stay you behave. No matter how pressed you are to kill Ollie."
"Is this a new bargain?"
"No. Its a rule." She replied walking to the door and taking a deep breath before stepping out.