DISCLAIMER: I do not own Labyrinth or anything affiliated with it.

WARNINGS: Allusions to sex.

A/N: Well, here's a plot twist for ya. I needed something fresh. Here ya go.

THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER

Well, tonight should be great. I'm so excited to see Emmett. He looked so dashing in his suit the other night. I'm glad he switched out of that wishy washy magic business into...well...real business. He knew that my favorite place for dinner was The Wine House. Me and Karen have speculated that a special question might pop up on tonight's date. We're almost graduated from college so it could just be a celebratory occasion for that but I sincerely hope it's a proposal. I love him. I really do.

Actually, I feel the happiest I have ever felt in a long time. Emmett was my only friend for so long and it only took a couple months to figure out that we were a pleasant couple as well. He was so smart and talented. I knew he could do something besides silly magic tricks. He cared about me and my little brother. He never complains when we have to take him with us somewhere because my parents need a babysitter. I've pretty much taken over as a mother to Toby and I'm glad that I did. I managed to go to a college close by to get my Bachelor of Science in Biology in order to further my learning and become a doctor. Because I'm so close, and Emmett is understanding, I've really taken a happier role in my life. I even have a close relationship to Karen thanks to Emmett. Even though she still does not take the upper hand with Toby, I've learned to be grateful. I love Toby and it makes me feel like I already have my own little family already. It makes me think that a marriage with Emmett would be very rewarding.

Agh, well. I must get going. I smiled to myself.

Tonight will be splendid.

"Hey, there, gorgeous." Emmett said, walking up to hug me.

"Hey, you." I took a step back to look at his apparel and whistled with a wink. "You look good."

He laughed. "We better get inside before someone steals our spot."

He grabbed my arm and walked us inside.

He seemed sort of off but I summed it up to nerves. It only made me more excited about the question he was about to pop.

We sat down. The waiter took our order and served us drinks. Since it was a special occasion, I wanted to relax and completely take in the moment without any stress, so I ordered a Long Island. I needed a buzz because today was a tad stressful at school.

I took a big long sip then looked at him with a smile as I felt the sweet liquor working its magic.

"How was your day, hun? You seem a little off tonight." I inwardly laughed because I think I knew very well why he was a little different tonight.

He pulled at his necktie, making a weird face while he did it. God, he was cute when he was nervous.

"Well, I have to ask you something."

Here it is. I pretended to look at him, concerned and unknowing.

"Oh, honey, what is it? Are you not gonna be able to make Karen's party? Don't think I'll be mad. It's really okay. You deserve to skip events once in awhile." I was totally pulling his leg and making things up out of the blue. I was so sneaky.

"Well, actually, in a way...I won't be making it to Karen's party."

What? That is not what I expected to hear. But I brought it up. Maybe he was telling me as a side note.

"Oh, well, like I said, that's perfectly fine. You've been to enough of those."

"Well, that leads me to the next thing I gotta say," he said. "I know we're almost graduated and everything has been so exciting with us and Toby and school. It's been really great."

Here it is. The moment I've been waiting for!

"Unfortunately, I don't know that I can do it anymore."

I looked at him, struck and dumfounded.

"You see," he said. "Sometimes, you just know that you're not supposed to be with someone. It's not something that you can explain all the time. It's just something you know. I really had wonderful times with you these last several years but the more I know you, the more I realize I might have been a tad infatuated with you. I didn't realize until too late that we were better off friends. I want to still talk to you and be friends if you let me..." He ended on an awkward pause.

All I could do was stare. The odd part is that I didn't even want to cry. I just felt broken.

"Please say something, Sar..."

I looked down. All I could say was, "I thought you were going to ask me to marry you tonight."

Then I got up and left.

I finally arrived at my lonely apartment. I got up to my lonely steps on my lonely welcome mat then opened the door with my lonely key.

I still don't understand what happened. We were so happy. Why can't I be happy? Why does everything have to end in hurt? Tears? Pain? Whatever happened to Once Upon A Time's and Happy Endings? That's the old Sarah talking.

I felt like Emmett really understood me. Did I force it too quick? He was all I had. Did I pour too much on him because the Goblin King abandoned me out of nowhere? Did I unknowingly cast my childlike frustration on him? Maybe having me and Toby was too much. I was too clingy. I was annoying. I was aggravating. Too stupid. Too talkative. What was it?!

I was going crazy. I needed to take a break. The problem was that I couldn't turn on the TV without flipping to a channel that reminded me of him. Our favorite pastime was watching TV after sex. It was our ritual. Our routine. A routine I would have been happy marrying into.

I can't look at any of my family after this. I'm supposed to watch Toby in a couple of days. I don't think I can bare to do that right now. The world is crashing around me.

I feel like an idiot. My mother told me just as much when it comes to love. Did I listen? No. Of course I didn't. I didn't want to be like my mother but maybe she spoke the truth. All I could do was cry that night.