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.

Thank you to everyone who has left reviews and comments over the last few chapters! I'm really glad you are all enjoying it!

In the dark Sarah fumbled in Anita's top desk drawer to find her keys which she had not wanted to lug around with her all night. She should have turned the lights on but couldn't be bothered since she wasn't going to be up here for that long.
"Sarah, everything ok?" Anita said walking up as Sarah headed to her door.
"Yep I think so! Just getting those spare catalogues." She went to unlock the door but it was already open which was strange, but she headed in and flicked the lights on to stand and stare in horrified fascination as Ollie and Cassandra hastily tried to get up from the sofa and find their clothes.
"Oh." Anita said behind her just as speechless. Sarah folded her arms and stood watching them.
"I thought you said she wasn't going to come up here again tonight?" Cassandra hissed trying to get her dress back on. Ollie glared at Sarah as he pulled his trousers up and slowly started to put his shirt back on.
"Oh dear." Chris said joining them in the doorway witnessing the scene.
"Nothing to say for yourselves?" Sarah finally asked raising an eyebrow as Cassandra at least had the grace to flush more than she had already been.
"Least it wasn't your desk." She heard Chris whisper from behind her. She wanted to laugh at how absurd it all felt and had to struggle against it bubbling in her throat.
"Cassandra, I regret to inform you that your months probationary period on our books ends on Monday. Unfortunately the gallery has not been able to find a suitable market for your type of art and therefore we will not be renewing our contract with you. I had hoped to discuss this with you on Monday, but perhaps now is a more suitable time since I find you already in my office." Sarah stood and watched a flood of emotions cross Cassandra's face before she turned and hit Ollie on the arm.
"You said she couldn't do that you bastard!" She screeched. "You think you're better than everyone but we all know you're a frigid bitch, no wonder Ollie has to find somebody else to fuck." She hissed walking across the room and barging past Sarah, Anita and Chris.
"Anita, please could you make sure she leaves quietly?" Sarah asked calmly as she turned and saw Jareth stood in the hallway watching the proceedings. "We wouldn't want our other guests to be disturbed." She turned back to look at Ollie a mixture of relief and anxiety making her heart pound in her chest.
"You're fired." She said.
"What?"
"For gross misconduct and unauthorized use of company funds. You will be hearing from my lawyer when the company presses charges next week." They stood there and watched him as he tried to think a way though the situation.
"You must think we're all idiots. You're also dumped in case I need to make that clear." She said trying to keep her voice calm.
"You are an idiot if you think this is how it's going to go." He said with an evil look in his eye. "You and I will speak about this later." He whispered in her ear as he walked up to the door. "Move." He said to Chris in a tone that brooked no nonsense. Walking past Jareth he paused and then turned back to him without saying anything he laughed in Jareth's face then walked away down the stairs making Jareths blood boil. He forced himself to remain still, though the thought of tripping Ollie up and watching him break his neck falling down the stairs had a certain amount of crude satisfaction.
"Chris, please make sure they both leave. Call the police if you have to, tell Martin not to let him in. Shit, I should have taken his bloody keys off him." Chris saluted her offhandedly then trotted off down the stairs leaving her and Jareth alone.
"Now where the hell did I put those catalogues." She continued as though nothing untoward had happened as she turned and started rummaging on the big table by the window.
"Sarah." Jareth said from the doorway. "Breathe."
"What?" She stopped searching the table and looked up at him frowning.
"The catalogues do not matter. Perhaps you are in shock?"
"I'm fine. Really."
"I do not think that you are."
"Well I know I am, in fact I feel better than I have done in ages. I feel..." Sarah paused and looked at her reflection in the dark window.
"...I feel relieved, and free." She finished shrugging before turning back to him and spying the catalogues on top of a filing cabinet. Walking over towards them she gasped as Jareth stopped her mid way.
"I do not find it acceptable that you can so lightly brush this aside." He said firmly.
"Not lightly. Did you want me to cry and make a scene? Poor Sarah, always the victim, her heart broken by somebody like him? Is this what you were waiting for? Is this because of you wanting revenge for me not choosing you when I was 15 years old? If it is Your Majesty you chose a poor vessel to deliver it, and clearly have no idea who I am. I haven't loved him for a long time, if I even ever did. I did my crying years ago, when you weren't here to see it. All I am now is numb." She said brushing past him and picking the pile up. "And tired. Could you lock the door for me?" She said over her shoulder as she headed for the door waiting for him in the corridor firmly stamping on her thumping heart and the turmoil in her head. There would be time for that later. Alone. Shaking his head in consternation he did as she asked taking the keys from her hand and locking the door the conventional way not really sure how to respond.
Somewhere inside of him he was conflicted, did he want her to feel something of what he had felt? He couldn't deny it. He was vindictive enough, and angry enough to wish that she felt even half of what it had felt for him. At the same time he knew she was putting a brave face on it. Nobody when confronted with their "supposed" boyfriend or girlfriend shagging somebody else on their sofa could say it didn't upset them, surely she wasn't that heartless, or unfeeling. He wanted to shake her, to make her tell him what she thought, to confess to him how much it hurt to be cheated in some way. To be second best. Snidely a voice in his head remarked that he had come second best to a 6 month old baby rather than a low bred minx like Cassandra who had far more weapons at her disposal.
Instead he kept his mouth shut, now was not the time to have that discussion. Maybe one day in the future.
She had stopped at the bottom of the stairs and was talking to a couple who seemed quite fond of her, stepping up behind them he smiled carefully as she turned and touched him on the arm, introducing him to her doctor and his wife.
"Gerry, Melaine this is Jareth, Jareth, this my doctor and my one time therapist." Sarah said cringing slightly. "I really don't think theres a better way to explain that." She said apologising as Jareth shook hands with Gerry and Melaine.
"Well I keep trying to get you back into my office but you seem to be doing just fine." Melaine said smiling and hugging Sarah. "Thank you for the invites, those sculptures are beautiful. Ambrose told us that you posed for him?"
"Yes, for my sins." Sarah grinned.
"Well they are lovely, and the gallery looks wonderful! How are things with you and that young man you were walking out with?"
"We just split up." Sarah replied shrugging as Gerry looked at her sharply.
"I'm glad to see you are still doing ok. Hows that hand?"
"Please, Sarah ignore him he thinks we are always in his surgery." Melaine laughed.
"So how did you two meet?"
"Unfortunate family vacations in England. Sarah's mother and mine were friends. We were forced into mutual loathing of seaside towns." Jareth replied lying through his teeth.
"You never mentioned going to visit England Sarah, I'm jealous, I'd love to go but Gerry refuses."
"I was really quite young." Sarah said evasively wondering how the hell they were going to dig themselves out of this new pit.
"Ahhh!" Gerry said snapping his fingers "Thats where I recognise you from! Sarah's drawings!"
"He made a useful pose reference when I was practicing. I hope you won't mind terribly if I excuse myself though, I must get these catalogues to the front desk. Thanks ever so much for coming tonight!"
"Its a pleasure, thank you for the invites, now shoo! Take care!" They hugged again before moving off into the crowd.
"You invited your doctor to the launch party?" He raised an eyebrow as they headed for the glass staircase.
"They are more family friends than just being my doctors. Melaine, his wife,.. I spent a lot of time in counselling with her after... everything." Sarah turned away from him, shamed by her experiences in the real world. Jareth was struck again by just how much he had missed of this teenaged Sarah as she had struggled to deal with her adventures.
"Family vacations in England?" She eventually asked pulling him back from his thoughts.
"First thing that came into my head."
"Remind me to tell Toby not to ever believe a word you say." Reaching the front desk and she handed the pile over to Sebastian sighing in relief. "Thats all I could find." She said as he thanked her.
"Sarah." Anita whispered sidling up to her. "They both left. Martin had to act a bit tough but they've gone. Hes going to call in another member of his security team for tonight until we can get the keys back or change the locks."
"Thank you. I'm sorry you had to witness that."
"Don't you dare apologise!" She hissed in rage. "To be honest I'm glad we were there. God knows what either of them might have said or done if they hadn't had a disapproving audience." Anita frowned. "Take it easy ok, we're here for you and you should enjoy the rest of the evening!"
"I will." Sarah smiled picking up a fresh glass of champagne. She turned away as Anita started speaking to Jareth and took a huge swig trying to calm her frayed nerves. Truth be told now she had had a moment to digest what had happened, she was devastated to have found Ollie in her office with Cassandra. More than how upsetting it was she was humiliated and even thinking about it made her flush in shame. Far from being numb she was strung tight with raw emotions that threatened to overwhelm and consume her. She wanted to run and hide somewhere dark and safe but there seemed to be nowhere like that left. Instead she turned excusing herself and escaped to the ladies loo.
The girl who stood before her in the mirror seemed to be somebody else unconnected to the turmoil she felt inside. Outside she was for all intents and purposes a swan, since nobody could see her paddling frantically below the waterline to stay afloat. She drained the glass of champagne and then touched her lip gloss up rubbing her lips together mechanically rather hoping that nobody would bother her. She retreated into a cubicle. Moments later the outer door opened admitting several of Ambrose's student friends chattering. Did she wait in the cubicle til they left, or should she make a quick polite dash for the door. Indecision waged for what seemed like hours until resolutely she flushed the chain and gave her dress one last straighten before leaving the cubicle and walked over to the sinks to wash her hands. One of the girls tottered into the cubicle directly behind her still chattering to her friends as Sarah washed her hands and left. They didn't seem to notice who she was, which she was ridiculously relieved about. Entering the main gallery again she snagged a fresh glass and a few canapés which she quickly ate in case somebody pounced on her whilst she was eating. As she cleared her mouth with champagne she realised she was starving and almost laughed aloud at how pragmatic her body was.
"Something amuses you?" His voice whispered from behind her, making the hairs on the nape of her neck stand up.
"I'm hungry." She admitted shrugging. "I was thinking just how truly basic the human body is. Despite everything it still requires nourishment at the most inopportune moments. I'm almost jealous of Toby having a pizza party at Karens tonight."
"I'm sure he would rather be here. His mother is... an interesting woman."
"Ice cold bitch you mean."
"Well, perhaps something of that nature. She is very hard on young Toby."
"Not as hard as she was on me. She made my life hell. No wonder I was desperate to escape to a fantasy."
"Are you trying to call my kingdom a fantasy?"
"Of course not Your Majesty. Would I do such a thing?"
"OOH are we roleplaying? Can I join in?" Chris asked as he overheard Sarahs last remark.
"No, and I'm starving, are canapé's all we have?" Sarah changed the subject.
"Hmm, I should probably check. What time is it?"
"Almost Fairy Time." Jareth said with a straight face.
"Ahh Mr Shakespeare could woo me any day! Lovers to bed indeed!" He grinned. "Let me go see what I can find for you my petal. Also, did I mention? That perfume you are wearing tonight is divine darling. Suits you!" He trotted off again in the direction of the stairs.
"I do believe that Ollie's departure has made everyone feel more relaxed. I should have fired him months ago."
"Hindsight is an amazing thing." Jareth said pointedly. He said nothing further as several people approached them to discuss the gallery and some of the paintings with Sarah. He left them to it and sidled over to Anita who had ensconced herself on a stool behind the front desk. He leaned casually against the desk and stared at her thoughtfully until she squirmed.
"What? Have I got pen on my face?" She asked grimacing and rubbing her cheeks.
"No you are as fine as a rose my dear."
"Then quit staring at me, you should be doing that to Sarah." She replied sticking her tongue out at him and laughing.
"Is this entirely normal?"
"What?" She frowned in confusion at his cryptic question.
"Nights like this making people a little crazy."
"Probably just the champagne. Or wait, its a full moon, that always makes people fall off the crazy wagon. My father used to swear blind he went insane every full moon." She watched Jareth as he narrowed his eyes at her.
"I do believe you are whats the phrase, 'pulling my leg'."
"A little." She grinned again. In any other company people would remark how pretty she was, her pale blue eyes sparkled with mischief and her blue black hair curled seductively framing her face. He mused to himself that perhaps he should "encourage" Ambrose to make her his next subject. A sculpture of her would fit quite perfectly in his salon.
"You're doing it again."
"Sorry." He smiled at her charmingly. "Men can not help but look at beautiful women."
"Flattery gets you everywhere."
"I think you should concentrate on Ambrose." He taunted her as she flushed.
"Hes too young for me really, but he is rather handsome isn't he." She said turning her gaze back to Ambrose who was chatting to Chis and his tutor across the room. "Anyhow I think he likes one of his classmates."
"I'm sure you'd have no problem changing his mind if you wanted to." Anita blushed more as the man in question followed Chris back to the desk.
"I feel like I not sleep for weeks. So joyous. I must thank you my dearest Aneeta, you work so ard to elp me and make my paintings look beautiful. You are perfect 'ostess." He said reaching over the desk and claiming her hand to kiss the back of it.
"Really its nothing." She blushed furiously.
"Nonsense, eet not nozzing. Look ow appy everyone ees. Even my Professor ees appy! He say you spend time wif eem tonight to make sure everyfing perfect." Anita sat and stared at him watching his lips move. His Italian accent was heavier from more than a few glasses of champagne but she couldn't have cared less. She smiled as he kissed her hand again then moved off with Chris who was smirking like the Cheshire cat. Minutes later she shook herself and refilled her glass from a half open bottle she had hidden behind the desk.
"I know he was talking to me, but I have no idea what the hell he was saying. I hope it was something nice."
"You're smitten." Jareth pushed his empty glass at her so she could refill it. "Share a cab when you go home. That always works."
"Is that what you did with Sarah?"
"No."
"How do you know it always works then?"
"Because."
"Thats not an answer."
"Its a type of answer, have you been taking lessons from Sarah? Always asking questions."
"She learnt it from me. Everything she knows she learnt from me. Wasn't I a good teacher?" Anita laughed as Jareth smirked and shook his head in disbelief. "You are staying a while aren't you? In the city that is. Sarah was blown away that you came to the show tonight, totally wasn't expecting that. Not seen her so happy for... well ages. It must be bad if I can't remember the last time she was this happy to see an old flame."
"What makes you think I'm an old flame?"
"PERLEASE! We weren't all born yesterday. She paints huge pictures of you, if nothing happened when you two were teenagers I'll eat my hat. ANNDDdd furthermore, if nothing happened then it was not down to Sarah not being absolutely..."
"Sarah being absolutely what?" Sarah asked raising her eyebrow at Anita who grinned and shook her head.
"Fabulous and gorgeous of course!" Anita said sticking her tongue out at Sarah.
"Sorry darling, all I could find is a half eaten fruit basket. It was meant to be for Mrs P but catsknickers must have broken into it." Chris said arriving with a pink and purple basket of fruit bearing grapes, bananas, kiwifruit and of all things peaches.
"MMMmmm peach!" Anita said picking one out and taking a huge bite not noticing Sarah's suddenly ashen face as she almost opened her mouth to shout at her to stop. Standing right next to her Jareth leant in and placing a cool gloved hand on the back of her neck whispered to her.
"Unless Ambrose has spiked that peach she has nothing to worry about. Why must you associate everything with something bad?"
"Something bad? Isn't being drugged and losing all your memories a bad thing?" She hissed back. Jareth shrugged and reached over for a peach himself, taking a firm bite from the juicy pith.
"They are good. You sure you don't want any?" He asked holding the peach out to her.
"Oh Sarah doesn't like peaches darling, they make her sick." Chris said between a mouthful of banana.
"Sure?" He offered again. She looked at the peach baring a perfectly crisp bite out of its flesh and turned away before she gagged shaking her head.
"I'm going to go walk around make sure everyone is still happy." She said wandering off leaving Jareth frowning a little, a strange pang of rarely felt guilt making his heart thump heavily for a moment.

Authors Note: Really, THANK YOU to everyone who has commented, I'm sorry I'm keeping you all in suspense! Whilst I have written quite a lot of the next chapters you're going to have to hang on with me whilst I edit and review them to make them as easy to read as possible with what for me is a difficult subject to write about. (You will understand what I mean when you get to read them) Theres been a lot of plot setting going on rather than getting on with the whole point of this which is Sarah and Jareth's relationship and where its heading, but sometimes its nice to get lost on a side path and finding a pretty courtyard to have lunch in rather than reaching the center of the Labyrinth first time, I hope you guys brought snacks and string! ;) Lanny xxx