**I do not own Labyrinth or any affiliated Characters**

Chapter Two

An equally unexpected departure.

The small clock in her room started to chime, and Sarah jumped at the sudden sound. She glared at the offending clock that was striking midnight. Not quite awake, she rubbed her eyes as the chime rang out thirteen times.

Sarah woke completely from that. Reality rushed in, and she glared at the clock again. Digital clocks didn't chime, and no clock had thirteen hours on it.

Jareth stirred, pulling her attention away from the bizarre clock issue. He was shifting and groaning as though every muscle was aching. Sarah slowly stood, padding across the floor on skippered feet and watched him closely as he shifted like one having a nightmare. Daring to get a little closer, thinking to wake him she instead jumped back with a startled squeak as his eyes flew open and he threw his arm up as though to defend himself. His bright eyes flicked around the room for a moment, his body tense.

"You?" He began, his face screwed up in confusion. He then looked around and relaxed somewhat. "Where am I?" He demanded.

Sarah, still unsure about everything, glanced around too. "Um, my room?" She offered.

Jareth scanned the room again and wrinkled his brow. "This is not your room." He informed her.

Of all the things she thought he might say, that was not it.

"Um, I think I would know," she huffed, before his words sank in a bit more. "How would you know what my room looks like?" She demanded.

He ignored her question. "Why am I here?" he demanded instead.

Sarah almost laughed, "As If I would know?" When he didn't answer, she wondered if maybe he had amnesia. "You are the one who showed up at my door." She added.

"Why would I do that?" He snorted and rubbed his hands through his hair. "Did you wish me here, precious?" He asked, tipping his chin and raising an eyebrow in what she assumed he thought was a seductive look.

Sarah could actually feel the heat on her face at that insinuation. "If I was going to wish a man into my bed, you would certainly not be my top choice!" She bit out at him.

"Such a pity," he shrugged, pushing himself up from the pillows as he looked around again.

"What are you doing here, Goblin King!?" Sarah demanded, taking a defensive stance as she crossed her arms. He was the one to show up. She did not invite him. She had not really thought of him in years! He was her villain, her nemesis. He was a horrible fey who stole babies. Hoggle told her as much, often in fact.

Sure, there were those small moments where she thought of the ballroom in wonder and a bit of lust. But that was just a childish fantasy that was no different from any silly crush any girl might have.

"What do you want, Goblin King?" Sarah demanded again, knowing she couldn't trust him, "He never did nothin without a plan and a purpose" Hoggle had once told her.

"Sarah, something is wrong." He said, again dodging the question as he swung his legs off the bed.

"Obviously," she snorted, not really caring until she looked at his face. Jareth was pale, not like normal either; he was almost ghostly. He was staring at his hands like they were foreign objects. "What?" She asked as she watched him flick his wrist in an oddly familiar way. He glared at his hand and then he pulled off one of his gloves, repeating the motion.

Jareth smiled at the crystal that formed, only to frown a moment later.

"What is it?" She wondered.

"A crystal, nothing more." He began, and she froze in a mild panic at the memories that stirred. But Jareth didn't offer it to her; he simply stared into its depths for a while.

"So, you have amnesia or something?" she wondered, trying to remain calm, but he was freaking her out. So many emotions and long forgotten fears raced through her as his words echoed the past.

Jareth glared at her. "I was..." he began, looking around, and then his face relaxed with what she assumed was a realization of some kind. He rubbed his hand over his face "I need a pathway." He spoke.

"A pathway?" She repeated, more than a bit confused.

Jareth glanced her way and opened his mouth, only to shut it. He glared at the crystal again, as if it had offended him in some way, before waving it away again. "There is no magic here." He said, suddenly standing and looking around.

"Well, it's a house rented by college students so yea, a bit low on magic." She grinned.

"I need nature." He said, moving to her door.

Sarah's panic returned full force at the thought of him roaming free. What kind of havoc could he cause, to her life if left unchecked? In a rush to block him she grabbed at the soft leather of his jacket and with a sharp tug slowed his steps.

"How dare..." Jareth began, jerking his jacket from her grasp as she maneuvered between him and the door.

"Whoa, wait a sec!" She said standing in his way, "It's past midnight and my roommates are asleep."

"I said I need Nature, not your mates!" He complained, pushing her away from the door and was in the dark hall before she could recover her balance. The goblin King stalked down the dark hall. "Where the devil is the way outside of this hovel?"

"Jareth!" she hissed out as she ran after him. Annoyed at his intrusion on her life, annoyed at his referring to her perfectly fine living arrangements as a hovel and annoyed that he was basically ignoring her at every turn. Sarah grabbed his arm "If you don't lower your voice, you will wake everyone up!" She whispered, though he didn't seem to care that that was possibility.

At the cold look in his eyes, it dawned on Sarah that of course he wouldn't care! "This way, backyard." She said, pulling him the opposite direction, desperate to keep him quiet as she complied to his demand.

He followed her down the hall, and into the small backyard the home had. It wasn't much, a small lawn, three large trees and a barbecue pit surrounded by a tall wooden fence. The late spring night was warmish yet humid from the recent storm. Sarah couldn't resist breathing deep, the clean scent of rain heavy in the air.

"You call this nature?" He scoffed, moving out into the yard.

Rubbing her arms through her night shirt Sarah rolled her eyes, "Well, for a fairly big city, it's better than most. I mean it's not a park but," she shrugged.

"It's pathetic." He mumbled as he crossed the small open lawn to the three trees.

"And you are loud!" Sarah complained as loud as she dared, as she crossed the damp grass to his side. Her slippers would be wet now, she mentally noted and then added the growing list of problems that were his fault. He was standing before the trees as though assessing them. Jareth lay his ungloved hand against the tree and closed his eyes. "What are you..." she began.

"Silence!" He commanded, not taking his hand off the tree he glanced her way. "Do you still maintain contact with Higgle?" Jareth asked.

Sarah glared at him. "His name is Hoggle, and you know it." She said, folding her arms in defiance.

"Yes, and?" he sighed.

Sarah bit her tongue and frowned at him. She didn't want to help him yet dreaded what he might do if she didn't. "Not recently," she admitted. "I've been at college; my mirror is at my dad's house." She informed him, hugging herself against the cold.

"I remember the place." Jareth nodded, but still looked perturbed. "It's still not enough," He mumbled and then began removing his boots.

Sarah could only watch, weirdly fascinated, as the Goblin King removed his footwear. "What are you doing?" She wondered, but he did not answer her, only handed her said boots. "What?" She wondered.

"Hold them," He commanded. Sarah's mouth fell open as she looked from the slightly muddy boots to his face and back. "Please?" He added, though it sounded like the word was poison in his mouth. Sarah huffed and took the offending footwear and watched him. It was so bizarre to be standing here in the middle of the night watching the king of the Goblins stand barefoot in her backyard. He was touching the tree like some nature communing hippy. She would have laughed if she wasn't sleepy and somewhat confused.

A grin spread across his face, and he glanced at her. "Got it." He said as he reached out. She assumed to take the boots. She held out his muddied footwear, but he instead took her wrist in his hand.

A sound somewhere between a sizzle and a pop echoed around her, followed by a wave of vertigo, as she felt like she was falling.

If anyone had been watching, they would have witnessed the strange scene that ended in both Jareth and Sarah disappearing from the backyard in a poof of magic and glitter.

o0o

Sarah lost her balance and landed on her butt, dizzy and disoriented. Their surroundings had changed, and the deep dark of midnight was now a faded twilight. Sarah looked up at Jareth, who was putting his boots back on. "What the hell was that?"

Jareth grinned at her and pointed toward the rising sun. "Time and placement shift." He offered a hand, pulling her to her feet again.

"What...?" Sarah turned on the spot as the surrounding area registered in her mind. They were no longer in the backyard!

"Come along." He said cheerfully and held out a hand.

"Where are we?" Sarah ignored his hand and looked around at the shrubberies and thick copse of trees. "Did you just kidnap me?!"

Jareth snorted, "Technically? No." he admitted, then took her wrist and began pulling on her again, "Hurry along, precious I'm a bit pressed for time."

"Like hell I will!" Sarah yelled, pulling free of him. "Where are we, for one, two what do you need me for?"

"I require your mirror; therefore, I need you to take me to it." He smiled.

At his words dread sank into her gut and she pushed through the plant life around them and found herself in the park of her childhood. "You have got to be kidding!" Sarah almost yelled. She was hundreds of miles away from where they started. "You take me back!" She demanded.

"I am afraid that's out of the question." He said, brushing off his shoulders as he emerged from the bushes as well. "Until I have access to your mirror, that is."

"You think I am gonna just take you to my home?" Sarah demanded. "Why the hell should I help you?"

At that, the King of the Goblins stared down his nose at her in the most arrogant yet somehow regal manner. "Sarah, do you have any idea what I could do to disrupt your life?" He asked, hands on his hips. "I can see to it you are never given a moment's peace."

Sarah huffed and folded her arms "Ever heard of a restraining order?" She wondered.

"No," He admitted, then grinned, a wicked look in his eye. "But tell me, Sarah, did you know I can make myself unseen by any but those I choose?" Her mouth fell open at that. "I can haunt you as an unseen enemy, harass you at every turn until you are quite mad." He smirked as she failed to rally at his threat. "Or" Jareth continued with a slight shrug, "You can take me to the mirror, and I shall be gone in a trice, never to be seen again."

Sarah rolled his words around inside her head, looking for the lie, for the underhanded threat. "What about getting me back to school on time, we just traveled hundreds of miles!"

Jareth huffed, "Fine, I will return you as well."

"And all you want is access to my mirror?" she pressed, convinced he might be trying to get something more, like her little brother, who was still rather young.

"Yes, yes." He said with a dismissive wave. "As I said, I am pressed for time."

He did seem a bit agitated, and as much as she did not trust him, it sounded easy. "Fine, but we can't be seen." She insisted, brushing past him as she hurried toward her childhood home. "Let's get this over with." she added.

Jareth said nothing as they walked. Sarah never did well with silence. She always seemed to want to fill it up, about halfway there, she couldn't take it anymore. "So why the park?" She wondered, shivering in the chill morning air. "Not like the front yard or something, that would be easier."

He shrugged, "Making do with what I have." He said vaguely.

Sarah took his words and mentally looked them over. "Okay," she began, then stopped walking, worry wrapping around her. "You can use the mirror but stay away from my family." She insisted.

"What would I do with your family?" Jareth wondered that smirk back on his face.

"I don't know," Sarah huffed, "Just leave my family out of this."

"You have my word, Sarah, now lead the way!" He agreed and with no better plan, Sarah did just that.

Sarah folded her arms against the morning chill and trudged on. This day was fast becoming one of the most bizarre days she could recall. Her childhood villain shows up and then kidnaps her. He demands access to her mirror with no reason given. And frankly, Sarah thought, stealing a glance at him, He looks terrible. He looks ruffled. Sarah thought as she stole glances his way. No, more harassed, tired... Like a criminal in a movie running from the law. Sarah smiled at that. A villain who lost a fight. His shoulders slumped a bit too much and his steps, while fast, were heavy.

"How are my friends?" She asked, hoping to get a hint of what was going on.

Jareth glared at her. "As if I have time to keep track of every leach in my realm!"

Sarah smiled at the indignant look on his face, as if the question was an affront to his majesty. So, he didn't know, or he didn't want to tell her. Part of her thought she should be worried about that but, at the same time, she imagined he would like to taunt her with bad news. So, my friends are most likely safe. She concluded. Still, something was wrong, that much was for sure.

Her father's home was less than a block now and only the early risers were out. Some jogging or walking their dogs. A few cars passed as people headed to work. An idea popped into her head, one that could help them avoid her family all together.

Sarah changed her course. She was at first leading them to the front door, but now she headed for the small alley behind her childhood home. At this time of day everyone was heading into the day for lots of reasons, work, school...

"Shit!" Sarah said, slowing her steps again.

"What?" Jareth wondered.

"I'm missing classes!"

Jareth just stared at her as if to say, so?

Sarah huffed, "And my roommates are gonna wonder what happened to me!" she complained. "Why did you change the time?" She wondered if it was still midnight, she wouldn't be missing her morning classes.

Jareth grinned. "Even I am not so powerful, precious. I moved us in time, I didn't change time."

"Sorry," she mocked, "Didn't know there was a difference."

"Not surprising."

Sarah glared over her shoulder at him, Arrogant ass... "Yes, well, I'm really not that surprised you aren't that powerful." She bit back at him.

She hoped to get a rise out of him, but he only shrugged, "No one is Sarah." He sighed like she was a fool for even thinking such a thing.

"I never knew how limited you were, Goblin King. Is that why you couldn't just magic us right into my room, if that's all you needed?"

"Not that simple." He sniffed in distaste.

"Oh?" Sarah grinned at his obvious discomfort. "Please enlighten me!" She challenged.

"Rules. Complicated, annoying rules..." He mumbled.

Sarah wanted to ask what they were but her back yard fence now stood before them, and she was suddenly full of anxiety.

"This is your home?" He asked, looking over the large white two-story house.

"My dad's." Sarah corrected. Then his words sank in. "Don't you recognize it?" she added. Surely, he should remember it.

"Sarah, I only saw the inside before, and that was years ago." His voice was heavy with annoyance. "Shall we?" He asked.

Sarah shook her head. "If we wait just a bit, the house will be empty." She explained, "Dad works, Toby has school and I know Karen doesn't stay home all day."

Sure enough, within about thirty minutes, the house was empty as each family member left for their daily tasks.

After a few minutes passed, just to be safe, Sarah approached the back door, glad she knew where the spare key was kept. Jareth stood behind her on the porch, tapping his foot. Sarah glanced over her shoulder at him and grinned. "Are you going to be late for something important?" She wondered as she fit the key into the lock, turning it with a click.

"Yes, in fact, something monumental." She heard him huff as she entered the back hall of the home.

"Well, I am only missing my history class, but the longer we take, the more I'll miss so..." Sarah turned and stopped at the sight of Jareth standing just outside the door. "What are you doing?" She asked, confused, as he just complained about being in a hurry.

He didn't answer. He simply stood just outside the door frame and glared at her.

"Well?" she said at his unmoving position.

Jareth folded his arms, body tense and mumbled something under his breath that Sarah couldn't quite hear. "What?" She said again.

"Invite me in." He said, throwing his hands wide in annoyance.

More than a little confused, Sarah shrugged, "Uh, come in?" She offered at last, to which Jareth sighed in relief and stepped through the door. "What's that about?" She wondered.

"Rules." He complained.

"You have to be invited in?" She asked, just to clarify. Sarah grinned at his body language as he stood in stiff agitation and embarrassment, his eyes looking everywhere but at her. "Jareth, that makes no sense. I've seen you do it before." Sarah laughed, "Twice in fact."

"I was invited Sarah, you called me, and I came." he sniffed, looking down his nose at her.

Sarah opened her mouth to dispute it, but found he was right. When she wished Toby away, she did kind of ask him in. But the second time? "I most certainly did not invite you last night!"

Jareth stormed past her and up the stairs, heading for her room. "Yes, Sarah, and what happened last night?" He demanded as he reached the top of the stairs.

Sarah paused just behind him and thought it over. "You passed out, for a few hours." She said, not sure what that could mean. If that was the price for breaking a rule, he must have been more desperate than she first thought.

Sarah walked up behind him as he stood in her door frame. This is it. She thought he would leave, and she would return to school. Only one class missed. The thought was liberating and sad at the same time.

Jareth had not moved into the room. "You can go in; I give you permission." She said, still amused by the rule.

Jareth only stepped aside to give her a view of the room. "That's not the problem." He sighed and gestured at her childhood vanity.

Sarah followed his gaze and froze in shock at the sight. Her mirror and link to the underground was shattered. Fractures ran all across the surface as though it had been hit hard in the center.

**End**

***Up next, Jareth scrambles to find an alternative, and Sarah just wants some coffee and some sleep. Stay tuned and please review.***