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.
CHAPTER WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC SCENES OF VIOLENCE! PLEASE BE WARNED IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED OR UPSET - THIS IS NOT EASY READING!
She woke slowly, mercifully not feeling hung over. She paused as she showered, wondering if Jareth had done something in the night as she slept to cure her hangover. It was thoughtful of him if he had, after last night she would have preferred to be completely numb regardless of what she had to take to achieve that effect. Her hand had begun throbbing again as the hot water ran over it but she tuned the pain out. Dressing in a comfortable shirt and skirt she padded with still wet hair about the apartment, pottering as Anita called it doing not much of anything.
She picked up her sketchpad and then put it down again, unable to make her mind up about what she wanted to sketch. She tidied idly not really putting much effort into it and eventually gave up, sitting down on the sofa to vegetate for a while. Her mind seemed to be a blank, refusing to dwell on anything of any importance leaving her wondering if she had consumed far too many antidepressants in the night, but when she forced herself to get up and check she found she had not touched them, or her sleeping pills.
Perhaps she was suffering from withdrawal rather than overdose. Huffing in annoyance with herself she headed back into the lounge leaving the tablets on her dresser untouched. She packed away Toby's things on the table and scattered across the sofa, rolling her eyes as she noticed he had left his homework. It made her suddenly realise just how used she was to having her brother stay with her and she missed his infectious laugh when he was gone. For a time things had been better with Ollie staying with her as well but that had lasted only a few months. It was hard not to regret the loss of companionship yet she censored her own mind telling herself over and over it was better this way.
Taking her own paperwork from her bag over to the table she began to work through the sales receipts from the previous night, rather overwhelmed that Ambrose's entire collection had been sold to no more than a handful of delighted customers. She frowned at Jareth's lazy scrawl on the bottom of one piece, his handwriting as smooth and sleek as the king himself. Absently she ran a finger over his signature. Surely even a goblin king wouldn't renege on a signed bill. She felt her face flush as she remembered his kiss from the night before as they had stood in the small store room that Anita and Chris had transformed for her to hang her paintings in. How he had spent the entire time complementing the guests at the launch using all his charm and charisma to delight and entertain them whilst staying constantly by her side. Attentive Anita had said remarking that he seemed to enjoy making her blush as he teased Ambrose about making her his muse.
It still rankled that he had managed to make everyone instant fans, further succeeding when finally he had twisted her arm into selling him the other paintings of both himself and the labyrinth to go with the one he had already won off her. If only her friends knew the real truth, but then she could imagine them saying anybody was better than Ollie and he was a king to boot. Shaking her head in annoyance of being sidetracked again she put the bill to one side with the others intent on finishing up so she could go start a new painting when the scar on her hand spasmed in pain. Snatching it to her chest in a fist she breathed in deeply trying to control the urge to cry before finally reaching over to her bag to find some pain killers. Still rooting around she heard the main door open and close.
"You forgot your homework." she said pulling herself upright expecting it to be Toby coming home in his lunch hour.
"No, I think you forgot something though." Ollie said dangling a spare key in his fingers as Sarah froze.
"You're the last person I expected to see today." She managed to say eventually as she watched him cross the room and place a folder of documents on the table.
"Really? I didn't think you were that naive, I told you we weren't done yet." He said opening the folder and placing papers before her. Looming over her he tapped the top document. "You are going to sign this." he said reaching over her and dragging her pen across the table.
Picking the papers up she leaned back in her chair in a semblance of casual ease before beginning to read. In stark amazement she realised they were legal documents signing over her father shares in the gallery to Ollie.
"You must be joking!" She spluttered slamming the papers back down again and glaring at him.
"You were caught red handed screwing Cassandra in my office and you've been embezzling company funds for which I fired you with good cause!" She laughed and shook her head in disbelief.
"You think I'm going to let you rob my fathers shares from him for what was it... 'years of loyal work for the company'?! You must be fucking insane!" His response was a full armed slap that sent her reeling across the table.
"You are going to sign them and then you are going to give me everything else I want." He snarled grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her back towards him. "You are going to behave like a good little bitch or I am going to teach you a lesson you won't forget about obedience."
"Fuck you!" Sarah spat trying to pull herself away from him.
"All in good time." He spat pulling her out if her chair and across the table scattering papers across the room.
She fought like an animal, biting and scratching at him but he was stronger.
As he planted his fist across her cheekbone again she vaguely wondered if he had broken her jaw as she saw stars.
"I think I am going to enjoy teaching you your lesson." He smirked tearing at her t-shirt and skirt making her scream again. Her kicking caught him in the stomach temporarily winding him but before she could think of moving herself he was back on top of her fighting to immobilise her hands.
In a rage he threw her to the floor, the vase of flowers from Ambrose smashing and cascading flowers across the marble. In a daze with her head swimming she struggled to rise, a flower entwining itself in her fingers sticky with her own blood. Thinking of nothing else but the pain she cried out again as he backhanded her.
"Please stop!"
"I told you but you didn't listen! We are done when I say we are done!" he snarled tearing at her skirt as she tried to stop him.
"Nobody breaks up with me Sarah and you are a silly fucking bitch if you think you're going to be the first!" She struggled madly again trying to fight him off and only succeeded in receiving another blow across her face. The world swam again and without further thought she wished herself away from him.
In the infinite seconds between here and there with a surreal clarity she looked on in terror as Toby let himself into the apartment, then she was tangled in rose vines that caught her skin and clothes as she struggled to stand up. Slamming her fists against the stone wall she wailed.
"Take me back please, please take me back! I have to save Toby!" The wind tore her breath away but she didn't care, all she wanted to do was take Toby to safety. Her entire body shuddered in pain and adrenaline and fear but she didn't stop clawing at the wall even as Jareth appeared behind her in a fury.
"I warned you! Ignorant foolish girl I warned you!" In a white rage he didn't even notice the blood and her torn clothes and her bruised, tear-stained face until she turned only half hearing him. Stumbling towards him she begged again for mercy.
"Please Jareth! I have to save Toby I..."
The rage in his eyes changed as he caught her and realised what a state she was in.
As he took in her injuries his heart broke, any remains of his anger and hate was once and for all devoured by his love for her. In the same instant his wrath was redirected at Ollie. The man would pay for his crimes. He held Sarah upright as she staggered again.
"You came here even though you were forbidden to do so. Your life is forfeit. Mine to do with as I please." he said struggling to control his emotions as she gaped at him in confusion mutely shaking her head.
"No! You can't! Please, I have to go back for Toby." she whimpered. "You promised to keep him safe!" She accused him.
"It is the law." She looked up into his eyes and saw deep sadness, and as he gazed back at her he finally saw understanding and horror dawn in her eyes.
"There must be something..." She pleaded. "Please Jareth, I'm begging you."
"Submit to me as your King. You will be a subject of this realm, bound by my law."
"And if I said no?" She whispered.
"All ties will be broken. There is no third chance Sarah. You would be placed in the darkest deepest oubliette this realm has, and left to die."
"Please don't do this!"
"The Labyrinth would be destroyed without a Champion, and your brother would have to look after himself as best he can. I can not change the laws." He said talking over her as she begged him, his stare turning icy as she looked away trying to work things through in her mind.
"Anything to save him, I couldn't bear to see him hurt..." She looked up into his eyes.
"I submit, to you, as my King,.. to save them both." At her words, magic began to swirl around them both, making her gasp again.
In another place and time Jareth would have rejoiced, instead it felt like defeat all over again. This was not how he wanted it to be. This pitiful young woman, barely able to stand on her own two feet before him, was a shade of her true self.
Looking at her forest green eyes, now dulled in pain it cut him to the core as she accepted his offer, they both knew she accepted not because she wanted to, but because she had no other choice.
"Do you trust me Sarah?" He whispered placing a hand on her tear stained and bloodied cheek making her refocus on him properly until she nodded.
Holding her as he drew them both to their feet he took a calming breath, then whispered in her ear weaving the magic around them as he spoke, binding her to him with irrevocable finality.
"Sarah Isabelle Williams I forbid you from ever entering my labyrinth without my permission. You no longer have sanctuary in these walls or this kingdom unless I bring you here myself or invite you directly and take back these words." he resolutely pulled himself from her embrace as her face mirrored her shock and distress.
"This time, it will be twice as bad. Forgive me." Her hand reached out for him in a desperate plea for help as he pushed her backwards between the veils and touched nothing but air.
"Jareth!" Her voice echoed into the darkness.
Opening her eyes she saw Ollie reach out and grab her arm forcing her back to the table, scattering letters and pens across the wooden surface.
"Fuck you!" Sarah spat trying to pull herself away from him.
"All in good time." He grinned pulling her out if her chair and across the table pushing the chairs across the room.
She fought like an animal, biting and scratching at him but he was stronger. Planting his fist across her cheekbone again she vaguely wondered if he had broken her jaw as she saw stars.
"I think I am going to enjoy teaching you your lesson." He smirked tearing at her top and skirt, making her scream again. Her kicking caught him in the stomach temporarily winding him but before she could think of moving herself he was back on top of her fighting to immobilise her hands. In a rage he threw her to the floor the vase of flowers Ambrose had given her smashing and cascading the delicate blossoms across the marble. In a daze with her head swimming she struggled to rise, a flower entwining itself in her fingers sticky with her own blood. Thinking of nothing else but the pain she cried out again as he back handed her.
"Please stop!"
"I told you but you didn't listen! We are done when I say we are done!" he snarled tearing at her skirt as she tried to stop him. "nobody breaks up with me Sarah and you are a silly fucking bitch if you think you're going to be the first!" She struggled madly again trying to fight him off and only succeeded in receiving another blow across her face.
The world swam again and without further thought she wished herself away from him. Nothing happened. Bile rose in her throat as she opened her eyes to find Ollie standing over her laughing.
"You are such an idiot believing in fairytales Sarah. Welcome to the real world." He spat grabbing hold of her foot as she tried to crawl away from him. Crying out in pain her hand found a shard of glass from the broken vase and wildly she slashed at him. He moved out of her reach and instead kicked her in the stomach making the breath woosh from her lungs. In a haze of agony trying to breathe again she was helpless to stop him as he dragged her by her hair to her feet.
Her wrist was slammed against the edge of a bookshelf making her drop the piece of glass before he pushed her back against the wall where the back of her head connected with an abstract sculpture with a sickening crunch. Daylight vanished into pitch black as she felt her legs give way and the floor rush up to meet her. His laughter ringing in her ears.
"Sarah I forgot my homework!" Toby yelled as he let himself in with his key, the goblins merrily bouncing in before him like a herd of pets. The scene he was met with made him drop his bag and scream. "What have you done you bastard! SARAH!" He ran across the room towards his sister who lay half naked in a pool of blood on the floor.
In 2 strides Ollie had left his game and turning to Toby punched him hard across the face. Toby fell to the floor cracking his head on the edge of the table leaving him in a daze but not before he had screamed in his head for Jareth, and for the goblins to get Ollie as he ran from the room towards the stairwell. The goblins leaped into action, flowing like a wild untamed beast after Ollie as Gob scuttled over to Sarah, whimpering and patting her cheek like a confused child.
An almighty sense of déjà vue washed over the goblin king as he reached across his desk for a map. His hand paused in mid grasp as his sense of time reasserted itself. Without knowing why, he knew that he had reordered time. Finding out what for was now the priority. Summoning a crystal orb he searched for Sarah but couldn't find her, that in itself alarmed him. Something else niggled at him, a promise. To save Toby. The orb changed and showed the young man walking down the street towards Sarah's apartment. Nothing amiss however with a click if his fingers he summoned a group of small goblins who normally spent time with the boy and ordered them not to leave his side and to protect him should he need it.
The goblins were gone in an instant and in the orb he saw Toby greet Gob and the others as he strolled on towards the apartment block. The orb flickered at an unspoken command showing Anita and Martin locking the gallery up. Meaning Sarah must be at home. Without sparing further thought on what he should be doing Jareth walked through the veils and followed Tobys footsteps giving him enough time to enter the building and go up the stairs before him. Finally entering the lobby he smiled and walked over to the security desk, introducing himself as an old friend of Sarah and Tobys. Catching sight of the game on the small tv set in the corner he broke into an easy conversation with the security guard professing to be a fan himself though he doubted Sarah would want to watch the game on her tv. He didn't know why he paused to talk to the guard, only that it felt right. He was used to listening to his instincts.
"Toby's a fan but you know women." Jareth said laughing sharing mutual misery with the guard. In his head he heard Toby call him, at the same time his goblins shrieked in fury over Toby being attacked and from the stairwell came the sound if pounding feet. Both he and the guard immediately turned to watch as Ollie slammed through the stairwell doors straight into Jareth who managed to keep upright but with a deft twist sent Ollie sprawling.
"Christ man, are you all right?" the guard shouted running round his desk. "That your blood or his?!" He gaped.
"Neither! Call 911 and tie this bastard up with something til they get here I need to check Sarah and Toby are ok!" he shouted retracing Ollie's footsteps back up the stairs two at a time his goblins swirling round him urging haste.
"Toby!" he yelled seeing the boy slumped by the door to their apartment bleeding from a cut on his head and his cheek already swelling. He sagged in relief as with a little urging Toby roused and sighed as he recognised Jareth.
"He hurt Sarah bad!" Toby wailed catching Jareth's hand as he helped him sit up.
"I know. I'm going to help her I swear. Stay still til the paramedics get here ok?" Jareth waited only long enough for Toby to nod before entering the apartment. The lounge looked like a bomb had gone off and against the far wall scattered amongst bloodied papers, with a smear of blood down the wall giving away her location lay Sarah. Her bruised and bloodied body looked like a dolls, her face pale beneath the blood. Grabbing a blanket off the sofa he gently covered her over hiding the torn garments and cuts from sight.
With as much delicacy as he could muster he removed his gloves and took her face in his hands searching for some sign of life. Finding a weak pulse he filled her failing aura with energy whispering to her that Toby was safe and that he was there with her. How long he cradled her on the floor he didn't know but suddenly there were people all around him demanding to know what had happened. Time slowed as the activity of the people around him faded to a distant hum. He watched dispassionately as they loaded Sarah onto a gurney, attaching several machines to her and wrapping her in blankets. The frenzy of activity increased as for one moment her heart stopped beating, and the machines bleeped in increased urgency.
He kept her hand in his, pumping all his strength into her body, willing her to live, for her heart to beat again. The paramedics performed CPR insisting he move out the way as they shocked her. A terrible calm settled over him as her heart started beating once more. Irregular, but beating. They covered her over again and ushered them into the lift, and beside him, in a wheelchair Toby caught hold of his hand. Jareth squeezed it gently moving closer to him to ruffle the boys hair, trying to ease his tears. In the lobby the paramedics rushed Sarah and Toby to the waiting ambulances.
"Go with Sarah Squirt and I'll be there as soon as I can. Be brave for her." Jareth whispered as Toby hugged him. On the boys lap Gob lay trembling in fear. "Stay with them both." He instructed the little thing praising the goblins who surrounded them in their own language.
He turned and watched as police officers force marched Ollie out of the building into a waiting police car. He wanted to crush the mans head in his fists and break every bone in his body for what he had done, but instead with the most self control he had ever used, he turned and went to speak to the officer who beckoned him over to the security desk, swallowing his rage.
"I'm sorry to have to ask this Sir." The officer began taking out his notebook and pen. "We need to verify events here before we can release you to the hospital." He flicked through his previous notes and then back to an empty page.
"Can I take your name and your relationship to Miss Williams and her brother please?"
"Certainly Officer, my name is Jareth Talamar." Jareth said glibly using an old surname. "I've known Sarah since she was little, and Toby since he was born. You could say we grew up together. I've been in England for several years though, and only a few weeks ago came back to the States on business, it seemed the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends." He lied amicably.
"Can you explain what happened here?" The officer nodded noting down the details.
"Sarah had spoken to me earlier in the day, we were at a launch party last night at her gallery and she wanted to get a few close friends together this evening to celebrate its success. I came a little earlier as I have some good news I wanted to share and also to pay her for the artwork I bought last night. The game on the TV.." He said gesturing behind the officer to the security desk.
"Sidetracked me for a moment. Sarah's not a fan so she doesn't watch and I wanted to catch the last 5 minutes of play. I spoke to the security guard briefly and then we heard somebody running down the stairs towards us." Jareth again pointed to the stairwell behind him.
"The man you've arrested was Sarah's ex boyfriend, she only just split up with him. I didn't recognise him until after he had slammed into me knocking himself to the floor in the process. Most of the blood you see on me is his or..." His voice caught as the vision of Sarah's mangled body fresh in his memory surfaced as he looked down to his own blood stained hands.
"I ran back up the stairs and found Toby knocked out on the floor just inside Sarah's apartment. I managed to get him conscious and told him to wait for the paramedics to arrive. Then I went to help Sarah. Her heart stopped. The paramedics managed to get it going again but they said she was critical." Jareth stopped speaking. Rage making his eyes darken.
"Thank you for your statement. Where can we get hold of you if we need further witness statements?"
"At the Hilton. The concierge service can get hold of me, or I will be at the hospital with Sarah and Toby." Jareth sighed in frustration. How he hated being out of control.
"I could have stopped this. Whats going to happen to him?"
"Not your fault Mr Talamar. Nobody was to know. Mr Hall has been charged. He will be remanded in custody pending a hearing, and then hopefully a trial. If you can think of anything else that will help the case please just let us know."
"I will. Can I get some things for Sarah from her apartment?"
"You'd best go and check with the crew up there." Jareth nodded to the officer who strode from the building in time for Jareth to watch the police car drive off with Ollie.
Clenching his jaw and his fists Jareth imagined a thousand terrible things he would do to the man before turning and taking the lift back to Sarahs apartment trying to work through in his head where he had gone wrong, how much more time he could have risked reordering. He shook his head, furious with himself. He knew the consequences, she was his for the first time and yet once he returned to the Labyrinth he would forget it ever happened, now his future was in her hands once more.