Wow, I am alive, and I am still writing Labyrinth, who knew? I SHOULD update 'You'll never' or MMO, but I have no idea where to go with those, I know the ending, but that's it.

Disclaimer: I do not own the movie the Labyrinth.

Unwilling Liaisons

"Hey Williams, Assistant Director Dean want to see you in his office. ASAP." The speaker leaned on the doorframe of Sarah's office.

"Thanks Jacobs. Know what the lecherous bastard wants?" She rose from her desk and headed to her superior's office.

"Don't know, something about the Underground? Maybe he wants to talk to you about subways or something?" Jacobs didn't notice that Sarah froze; he continued walking, pondering the possible topics to which 'underground' pertained. After a moment, Sarah pulled herself together.

For crying out loud Sarah! Like the FBI would be involved in something like that. They probably don't believe in magic. Besides, you're not as unprepared now as you were then. She knocked on Timothy Dean's door and was commanded to enter.

"Ahh, Agent Williams." His eyes traveled up her form from her feet and stopped a moment on her chest before finally reaching the brunette's own eyes. "So, good to see you again, please sit." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. When she had seated herself, he continued. "I'll get strait to the point. I am aware of your choice of reading materials and the store in which you purchase these books." He tossed a picture across his desk, showing Sarah walking into a store called Doorway to the Green. The façade was old and peeling paint, various old books lay in the windows. "Have you, in your readings and 'travels' in this store come across a place called the 'Underground'?

"Did…did you mean the subway sir?" She was pale and her hands were clutched so tight that they were white.

"I believe that you know exactly what I mean. Not that it matters, you're going either way. The Department of Supernatural Affairs needs a liaison. They requested that I send one from my department, the last liaison was from the CIA and we need to keep the numbers even. You were officially transferred," He looked at his watch. "Ten minutes ago, a transport will be here to get you in twenty minutes. A crew has already packed up your things; you will be living in the same house as the monarch you will be assisting. Your new supervisor will explain everything." Dean reached into his desk and withdrew a file; he slid it across the desk to her. "This is the information about your mission; don't read it until you're in your new superior's office. Go clean out your desk, Agent Jacobs will be taking over your present cases."

Sarah rose silently, too stunned to protest or question. She took the file from the desktop and headed back to her office.

(LATER)

The moment she entered her new supervisor's office Sarah spoke. "Please tell me that this is all a big joke." She declined the invitation to sit.

"This is no joke Agent Williams. Assistant Director Dean informs me that you will adjust well to this situation." Liaison Coordinator Shel, as Sarah had read on the door plaque, walked around her desk and sat on the edge. The blonde picked up a folder from her desk and opened it. "Lets see, a minor in Myth and Symbol, excellent that should help, and you frequent Doorway to the Green. Then I suppose that you are well informed about the war with the Karish and their dark dimension." Sarah's attention was caught.

Since when did the national government know about the Karish? The champion of the Labyrinth gave a small nod.

"Good, less to explain. You are here to act as a liaison to a monarch from the Underground. He will be here for war talks; they need us as much as we need them. You job is to keep him out of trouble and make sure that he gets everything that he needs. If you open your folder you will see who it is you will be working with for the duration of the talks." Sarah did as instructed and immediately dropped the file.

"No FUCKING way am I working, let alone living, with that jackass!" She might have stormed out of the room then, and fled the country, if a familiar voice hadn't stopped her.

"What jackass would that be, Sarah?"

He was surprised to see her there and briefly wondered about her presence, briefly.

"No FUCKING way am I working, let alone living, with that jackass!"

(CHANGE POV, Jareth)

He smirked at her outburst; this would be far more entertaining than he could have hoped. The meetings were a necessary annoyance; the Fae could not defeat the Karish on their own. Knowing full well of who she had been talking; Jareth asked the question.

"What jackass would that be Sarah?"

(CHANGE POV, Sarah)

Sarah froze, her eyes widening.

"You two know each other?" At Shel's remark Sarah snapped out of her paralysis.

"Sadly enough, yes." She refused to turn around and face him. If I don't look at him I can pretend that he's not real.

"This is perfect then!"

"No, its not." The young agent protested. "We hate each other." The Goblin King stepped forward then; he stopped when he stood even with Sarah. He's not really there, you're hallucinating.

"I don't hate you." The statement made her start, but her response was no less severe for it.

"Well I hate you. Coordinator Shel please get someone else, or switch me with another liaison. All we'll do is fight."

"I doubt…" Sarah interrupted the monarch.

"Shut up; and look, I'm disrespectful. What if he leaves on my account?"

"I will."

"What?" She hadn't expected him to agree with her.

"I will leave on your account." He turned his attention from Sarah to the Liaison Coordinator. "Madam Shel, I will leave if Sarah is not my liaison." He turned his head slightly, to smirk at Sarah.

"You bastard."

"Agent Williams! That is not how you address visiting royalty. I do not care what your history with him is like." Sarah's eyes narrowed at the reprimand.

"Bite me. You're going to force me to stay with this asshole; I'll treat him how I like." She turned to face Jareth. "You chose me, so you only have yourself to blame." She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. She addressed the man who had brought the kind to the Coordinator's office. "Do you know where my office is?" He gave a nod and pointed to her left.

"First hallway on your right, third door on the left. Your stuff is in there already." She gave him a nod of thanks and followed his directions. Once inside she leaned against the door, eyes closed, and sighed. Why me?

"You dropped this." She nearly groaned in response.

Can't a girl catch a break?

"Fuck off." She didn't move, didn't even open her eyes.

"I was simply trying to be helpful." There was a mocking note in his tone. The sound of a paper hitting a table told her that he had brought her folder with him.

"Thanks, but I remember the last time you tried to be helpful."

"You wished for it."

"I never said that I didn't, but it wasn't what I needed." She kept her eyes closed, hoping that it would deter him from talking to her.

"But it was what you wished for. And you can't say that you didn't mean it."

"I wasn't going to. I meant it then as I would have meant it many other times, if I hadn't restrained myself. I learned my lesson, which, I suppose; was the point of the exercise." There was a pause; she opened one eye, hoping that he had left, but found that he had moved closer. He was less than a foot away from her, and the proximity was slightly disturbing.

"It was never about the baby Sarah." He raised a hand, and brushed her hair out of her face. Her breath caught and she fought the urge to swallow. She had no idea what he meant by the gesture, and it frightened her slightly.

"So that torture was just that, to torture me?" She hid her confusion and fear behind sarcasm, hoping that he didn't see past it.

"Not at all. There was a reason for it." He moved closer, there existed only a breath between them.

"And what, pray tell was that reason?"

"We can discuss that later, you have a visitor." He disappeared as a knock came at the door. She opened it to Coordinator Shel.

"You haven't by chance, seen the Goblin King, have you? He seems fond of popping in and out of places."

"You noticed that huh?" The comment was toneless.

"How do you know him anyway? If you don't mind my asking that is." Sarah rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch that lined the left side of her office. Shel took a seat in the chair that sat in front of the desk.

"Did you read the story in the book 'The Labyrinth'?" The champion queried.

"It was required reading for my postion."

"I did that."

"Read it?"

"You could say that, I read it out loud. Ok, I yelled it at my brother."

"Oh dear," Shock covered the coordinator's face. "I knew that you didn't get along with your family, that was one of the reasons that you were perfect for this position. You had no concrete ties to other people. However, I had no idea that you'd done that." Her eyes were the size of saucers.

"Oh calm down, I got him back. Head to run that stupid maze, but I did it." She hoped that Jareth was listening. I wonder how he'll take the maze comment, bastard. "Wait, you chose me as a social representative, because I'm anti-social. How does that work?

"You're the one they were talking about!" The comment was sudden and unexpected.

"Come again?"

"The other monarchs, they were talking about you, the only one to beat him. They say that what you did was amazing." Shel composed herself quickly, a pink tinge on her cheeks from embarrassment. "Please excuse my outburst. I originally came to tell you that a car is waiting to take you to your new accommodations. I would say you and your charge, but he seems to posses the ability to teleport, thank goodness they all can't do it." The statement gave Sarah an idea.

"What can the other liaisons do?" It had been bugging her since Dean had shown her the pictures. How much did the government know about the Empowered, as humans with magical gifts had come to call themselves, and how many had they employed?

"What do you mean? All of you are excellent marksmen, we made sure of that, and several excel in martial arts and field medicine. We also have two linguists. Why?"

"Just curious. I think I'll set my office up very quickly,"

"You do that, but don't get too cozy, you'll have an office at your house and will mostly likely do the majority of your work there, it will be up to the Goblin King. When you're finished find the car, it's a blue van. It looks old, but don't let that deceive you. Sit in the back; with this new information there's no way that we're going to risk losing you." Shel left Sarah's office, shutting the door behind her.

How do they expect Liaisons to help or survive their charges without being Empowered?

"They have no idea that you exist, just that you are different and well informed."

"You read my mind?" She didn't act offended as she moved from the couch to her desk, no matter what her tone portrayed.

"That is not one of my gifts. I can receive, but I do not read. You were broadcasting." He picked up a candy dish from Sarah's desk, examining it. Sarah snatched it from his hand and fixed the gaps in her mental shields.

"Why did you do it? Why did you give them to me?" She stopped taking the items from her box, putting her hands on the desk, her knuckles going white at the pressure.

"I don't see why you're so upset about it; they've saved your life and the lives of others on two occasions. I didn't give you the powers, the Labyrinth did." He picked up a figurine of a barn owl, and held it up, amusement in his eyes. She glared and took it from him, putting it back on her desk.

"You spied on me?"

"Only when you used your powers." The comment pacified Sarah until she remembered one important fact.

"I did most of my practicing in the shower to ensure that it wouldn't be walked in on."

"Did you?" His gaze traveled her form. "Ah yes, now I remember."

Sarah's eyes narrowed and her iris changed from hazel green to a dark blue. Out of the box of her office supplies three objects rose. Her dragon paperweight, a sword shaped letter opener, and her framed picture of Merlin flew straight at the king. Eyes widening, he ducked just in time. The three items hit the door, the letter opener stick in the wood as the other two items crashed to the ground.

"That blade is made of iron!"

"I know. I bought it ten years ago. It will be exactly ten years ago tomorrow." The end of the sentence was more to herself then to the king. Waving a hand distractedly, the rest of the items moved to their spot on her desk. "It's the ten year anniversary tonight." The picture and paperweight that lay on the floor returned to the desk. Sarah stepped around said piece of furniture and retrieved the letter opener from the door. Ten years, ten years since I first met him. And now, here he is again. "If you visit me when I'm 35, this…"She held up the letter opener. "Will not miss." It flew from her hand and came to rest with the rest of the materials. "Now come on. You will ride in the car."

There you go, chapter one.

"Please leave a contribution in the little box." Preferably a piece of candy or cake, just not chocolate.

Draco