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.

Sarah paused to catch her breath as she reached the top of the staircase and turned right to see what was around the corner. As she expected the hallway in front of her was much like the one on the floor below, and the one on the floor below that, following an unreasonably logical pattern in a castle filled to the brim with chaotic corridors. Glancing at the map on the letter again she walked down the large hallway just a few steps, stopping as she reached a set of grandly carved doors, similar to those adorning the throne room and library. It took some effort to push them open so she could peer inside. The room had a now familiar gloomy atmosphere that was slow to dissipate when the lamps lit themselves as she walked further in.

"So this is his gallery." She whispered to herself, stuffing the letter back into her pocket to take a closer look at the huge frames adorning the walls. Most were darkened with age, their colours faded and dull with a thick layer of dust clinging to the gilt frames. Each seemed to be similar to the next until she realised that they must be Jareths ancestors, or at least previous occupiers of the castle. On a particularly fancy painting she took the time to gently rub away the grime on the plaque at the bottom. High Lady Bevendine. Sarah snorted, as she looked up at the high lady looked back down her long nose at Sarah. Her attention was drawn to the many beautiful sculptures and statues in the center of the huge room.

"What did he do, steal half of Athens?" She spoke again to herself examining some of the older works of art.

"Oh." She turned and was faced with the 3 sculptures that Ambrose had hand crafted. They looked stunning surrounded with equally beautiful pieces of sculpture work, but as she drew closer she saw with anger the same marks across the face of one that now marked her own face. Gingerly she reached out to touch her fingers gently along the stone scars, feeling like she was looking at herself in a mirror.

"Why did you do this. The sculpture did nothing to you. Punish me if you must, its my fault this happened. Ambrose would be devastated to see what you have done to his work." She couldn't stop the tears of shame and dismay from falling as she stepped away from the lonely, damaged gaze of her stone self. She brushed her tears away in anger, wincing as she caught her own scars. Walking on past the sculptures she made her way down to the far end of the room to where a large desk sat at a slight angle with a beautiful array of partially stained glass windows behind it.

Sitting down in the large comfortable chair she helped herself to one of the beautiful antique writing pens and paper from a large stack. At the bottom of each sheet bore the same crest she had seen all over the castle. His mark. Checking the draws she found other piles of paper, but they all bore the same crest so she assumed that this was the paper that Anyetta had mentioned for her to use. She settled herself and began to write.

Day 20

Starting on day 20 simply because I am really not quite sure how long I have been here. He always did say that time moves differently here compared to the aboveground. I've spent most of the day exploring the castle which is far too big to discover all its secrets in so short a time. I do not feel entirely comfortable in here yet - the Long Gallery as Anyetta called it. I might cover over Ambroses sculptures again, as lovely as it is to see them in such a grand location I can't bear to see the damage thats been done to it, and to me. I can not fully explain how miserable this entire thing has made me. Tomorrow I will go exploring again and take along some pencils so I can put down on paper some of the things that catch my eye.

I am heartsick for the damage I caused this land though my ignorance. All these years I have been dreaming of it and painting it as it once was, not knowing how much destruction there really was. I swear it here, on this paper, that I will find a way to make this right. There must be a way.

Day 21

Did not sleep well last night at all. Not sure if it was my hand or my face. The castle feels so lonely and neglected. I have not gone exploring, just too tired. Instead I have come out to sit in my garden and admire the roses. I should try to water them but there seems so many now. I wish it would rain and give them all a drink! Will try and nap for a little while. Such a headache. I hope Anyetta will come back soon and heal me! I must remember to ask her about the garden, and the rest of the Labyrinth.

Spoke too soon, its raining like nothing I have ever seen. I hope it doesn't damage all the roses! Really don't like thunder and lightning - I never used to be scared of it, but somehow here in this place it is much more dangerous.

Day 22

The rain continues so I am going to explore some more. No sleep again last night and I only just noticed that the mirror I broke in the bathroom has been fixed, so I hung a towel over it instead. The castle feels particularly strange this morning, like its waiting for something.

Going around in circles is only fun for so long. It seems the castle is as much a labyrinth as its outside counterpart. Have retreated to the Long Gallery where I shall ignore all these stuffy old aristocrats in their fancy paintings and try to pretend my hand isn't hurting at all. The veins from the scar seem to be digging their way into my chest to my heart but at least for now they have stopped spreading.

I hope Anyetta doesn't mind me using all the paper that was in this desk!

Its stopped raining finally and the ground seems to be drying out a little. Am going to go for a walk whilst the moons are out. They make the roses glow beautifully! I would dearly like a camera to capture just how magical this place is, Toby would love it, its very creepy right now as there is a ground mist forming as well though I suspect such a mundane device as a camera would not work here. Maybe I can find some paints and paint it instead.

Day 23

I think I have a little helper in the garden! I didn't see them on my walk, but I could hear them. They were singing! The rain has returned this morning so I am back in the Long Gallery at the big desk at the far end. The lighting is just right here even though it is dull outside. Missing Toby and Chris and Anita so much. They would love exploring the castle with me. Better not let Chris see what happened to Ambrose's sculpture though, he would be so angry. Took me awhile but I managed to cover the damaged one back over. They are taller than I remember them being in the gallery!

Day 26

Anyetta has returned. She has my eternal thanks for taking away the pain from my scars. She says my wrist and ribs are fully healed now after. Well. That. I am frightened though. My hand and arm to my shoulder is now numb. I hope to god Toby is ok and that he didn't get hurt when that bastard attacked me. Still can not contemplate what happened. I got my period this morning, was starting to really worry that maybe I was pregnant, its been almost 2 months as far as I can tell. Not sure what I would have done. Perhaps Anyetta could have helped or something. Too frightening a prospect to even dwell on. I've been sick the last few days, do not know if it is the scar or something else.

Day 28

Bad headaches which Anyetta can not heal away. In good news I have found my little helper! She is very shy, took me 2 nights to convince her I wasn't going to turn her over to his royal pain in the ass. She is a tiny little dwarf like Hoggle. She looks after the castle gardens like he does in the Labyrinth. Have asked her to help me find my dearest friends. She didn't know where Ludo or Didimus might be but she has promised to try and get a message to Hoggle. I will keep my fingers crossed!

Day 40

Tilly came back last night, have been going out to the garden every night to see if she was there. Its been too depressing to write with no news. Jareth has not returned to the castle. Tilly says she thinks she has found Hoggle and if she can she will bring him back with her in a few days. I hope she can! I feel like I am running out of time. Constant pain in my chest now around where the veins from the scar are. This castle might be my prison after all. I miss everyone so much. No energy to do anything any more.

I asked Anyetta about the garden, and trying to fix the Labyrinth, for the first time she looked angry with me. I think she thought I was joking about trying to fix it, but she said she didn't know of a way to stop it. I'm not sure I believe her. The garden has definitely grown in the last few days. I tied a ribbon from my dress around one of the rose bushes that was growing next to the wall yesterday, and today there are 4 rose bushes between it and the wall. Maybe its just one of the goblins having fun with me, but Tilly said they wouldn't enter the garden because of the magic. It scares them apparently, though I am not sure I understand what she said about the garden being magic. I thought all of the underground was magical, and the Labyrinth was made of magic. Maybe its because Jareth isn't here.

Day 44

Hoggle came to see me last night. We spent so long catching up it was dawn by the time he left. He looked very worried when he left through a small door at the end of the garden wall. He wouldn't tell me what was on the other side, but I know its the rest of the Labyrinth thats all ruined. I want to mend it all. He has promised to come back every night to see me which is wonderful! He doesn't know where Didimus is either but he thinks Ludo is in the mountains somewhere so he can't send either of them a message.

Dear dear Hoggle, he doesn't realise how much I need his companionship right now. So lonely, I must have sounded pathetic when he had to leave.

Equally as worrying is Anyetta, I think she is getting more concerned that Jareth has been away for so long. I overheard her talking to what must be her husband in the throne room this afternoon. I only caught a glimpse of him but he looks so much like Jareth. She told him that "he" can not stay away for much longer else things will start to fall apart even more than they are already. I feel so responsible. This is all my fault, everything is a mess because of me. I must find some way to mend the Labyrinth. Maybe Hoggle knows something that might help, tomorrow I will go to the Library and see if I can find any books that I can read.

Day 45

No luck in the library and it is raining again. So frustrated. Anyetta won't tell me where Jareth is, and she won't answer any of my questions about the Labyrinth…

She sighed and put the pen down in annoyance and sat back in the chair, stretching to try and ease the knots in her neck and back from sitting in the same position for so long. She had been so annoyed she had shouted at Anyetta earlier and felt guilty about it. The fey woman was clearly under orders from someone not to tell her any more information, and Sarah suspected it was not Jareth calling the shots.

"Where have you gone to Goblin King? Your kingdom needs you." Sarah whispered, sighing again as she turned to watch the rain cascading down the windows.

Days went by with the weather growing steadily worse. Howling gales and rain battered the castle making Sarah worry for her garden. She had spent so much time trying to bring the plants back to life seeing them torn apart by the wind was upsetting. Her weather enforced confinement made the castle feel increasingly claustrophobic and more lonely at the same time as she wandered the seemingly endless hallways and empty rooms.

It was the absence of sound that made her sit up from where she was daydreaming in the Long Gallery. Turning she realised that the storm had faded, the rain gone in an instant with the heavy clouds breaking, allowing the sun to shine down on the waterlogged Labyrinth. Picking up the sketchbook that Anyetta had given her a few days before and some pencils Sarah immediately hurried towards the grand stairs hoping she would find her garden in one piece. She took the steps as quickly as she could without tripping herself up in the summer dress that was a little too long and her hands full of sketchbook and pencils.

It was at the top of the last flight of stairs that she realised something was terribly wrong. Pain lanced through her scarred hand into her heart making her stumble, the world going black around her. Somewhere in the distance she could hear her pencils clattering down the stairs at her feet, clacking on the marble and the fluttering of paper as her sketch book followed to fall at the feet of none other than the Goblin King himself, who turned at the noise and watched her as time seemed to stop. She felt herself falling as she closed her eyes in shock and agony, clutching her hand to her heart.

She could never remember later if she had whispered his name as she fell or if she had only dreamt it.

The sudden noise from the staircase made him turn in annoyance as he removed his soaking wet cloak, waiting for Anyetta to appear to give him a report. He was furious at the disturbance, expecting it to be a goblin or one of the servants. Instead he found himself looking up into the eyes of his enemy. She looked sick in a pale sundress that exaggerated the darkened threadlike veins that ran up her arm, and the livid red scars across her cheek. Her expression changed from a half smile into one of dismay as she looked up at him, at the same time suddenly clutching at her chest, pain making her face even paler. Her pencils and sketchbook fell from her grasp, scattering down the stairs towards him. She seemed to collapse like a rag doll but before he could even take a step towards her Anyetta was pushing past him and running to catch her.

"Jareth! I can't hold her!" She shouted as he stood there and stared at her. He forced himself forwards up the stairs avoiding the sketchbook to take the girl from Anyetta, picking her limp form up to carry her back towards the room she had been given.

"Can you do anything?" Anyetta asked as he placed Sarah onto her bed.

"This magic is not mine Anyetta. Maybe you should ask your "friends", they seem to have caused this ridiculous situation in the first place." He spat running his hand reluctantly over the scar on Sarahs hand. She stirred, muttering something he didn't catch as he backed away from the bed.

"Keep her out of my sight. I warned you already." He said stalking to the door.

"Jareth, I have to talk to you." Sarah whispered trying to sit up, her head pounding. He paused at the threshold and turned to stare at her.

"You can have nothing to say that I would wish to hear." He stalked away before she could respond.

"No wait! You don't understand!" She cried trying to push her way past Anyetta but her head felt like it was about to implode and Anyetta's firm hold of her shoulder stopped her from getting out of bed.

"Leave it Sarah, he is in no mood to be spoken to like this. You must rest."

"But.."

"Rest. I will return later to check on you." The fey replied overriding Sarah's complaint.