Msg from Merc: This was part of an adverse reaction to watching Labyrinth four times in one weekend. I'm sorry, please don't hold it against me. Even though I wrote it before I ever talked to ya, Dmentia, this ones for you!

I had waited for what felt like eons before Sarah said the words. Even now, I am still amazed that she said them at all. The look on her face when I appeared in front of the widow –horror, amazement and a touch of fore knowledge- it was something I'll never forget. That first encounter when she refused to give up her baby brother without a fight reminded me of why I loved this girl. I had to give her a chance to get Toby back, no matter how small. Sarah knew she had gone too far by asking me to take him away – although she hadn't expected it to happen – and she wanted to make amends. Despite her annoyance with the child, she clearly loved him and I wondered if she would ever love me half as much as she loved her brother. So I gave her a chance to save him, I figured that when the thirteen hours were up both of them would become a part of my world in some way. It still amazes me that not only did she get through the Labyrinth, but that she did it in such a short amount of time.

I cannot help but laugh when I think about quickly Sarah might have done it, but for the worms warning, "Never go that way!" She would have arrived rather quickly at the castle if she had of bothered to ask why. I put everything in her path that I could think of and she still beat me. Of course I hadn't counted on the gnome – what was his name, Hedgewart? Hogwart? Hoggle? Hoggle that's it! – I hadn't counted on Hoggle falling for her. I never thought that he didn't have feelings, but I never expected him to lose his head over the wonder that was Sarah. She was a smart little thing too. At the doors leading to the oubliette for example. She had figured it out, but what she hadn't counted on was that neither of the doors went to the castle. I had to send Hoggle to let her out – there was no way I would have let her remained trapped in there for too long! That could have broken her spirit and that was the last thing I wanted to happen to her.

The look on her face when she saw me next, it was a quick unveiling of fear across her face, followed by a flash of anger in her beautiful eyes, were masked abruptly. I tried to goad her into a reaction, but all I got was the by now familiar "It's not fair!" That was the only time I ever lost my temper with Sarah.

Later, I smirked as Hoggle, little coward he was, run off when he heard Ludo crying for help. I knew that Ludo would be no help to Sarah, he was less help than Hoggle, but just to be certain, I dropped him somewhere around the Bog of Eternal Stench. Of course when the beast went missing, Sarah called for Hoggle's help, which he was only too happy to give. Who didn't see that coming? So I intervened. Again. My threat to him about the Bog of Eternal Stench was made out of pure jealousy. I rarely show emotion, but I hated knowing that she cared more about the little scab than she did about me.

As for the peach, well, that peach was only time I indulged myself while Sarah was in the Labyrinth. It was my way of making own dream come true. Those few brief seconds when I held her in my arms as we danced…. Oh how I wished it would last a lifetime as I sang to her. Such a pity she saw that clock! She remembered, and bloody Hoggle had to be a frigging hero and help her get into the Goblin City. I nearly had them beaten, but then Sarah had to remember that Ludo could call the rocks.

I was a little worried when they all ran to help her after finding my throne room empty. Luckily for me (or so I thought then!) she told them she had to face me alone. I was sure that I could convince her to leave the baby. The look of fright on her face when she first saw me in the Escher room cut right to the bone. Was I really so terrifying to Sarah? It would appear so. At one stage, the cruel look in her eyes was nearly the end of me. I admired her determination. I didn't think she'd be brave enough to jump of the ledge to Toby, but when she did, my astonishment knew no bounds. She spoke the words that would be my undoing, despite my attempts to distract her. I felt a brief flash of relief when she forgot those last words, the words that would cause our brief time together to an end and that would – the worst part of all, at least in my eyes – destroy any chance of me appearing in a human form to her again. Unfortunately she remembered. And she was right. I had no power over her. The only place that I held any power over Sarah was in her own mind.

Sarah returned to her world, with her baby brother. I watched from outside her bedroom window as those from my Labyrinth joined her, from the ones she called her friends, to some of my own goblins. I was not amused.

She matured remarkably after our little encounter. She stopped living in her little fantasy world, became rather popular and, much to her step mothers delight and my irritation, started dating.

Sarah has moved on with her life, a life that I have no part. I am probably a distant memory to her now, perhaps she believes it was all a dream. She has found happiness, and I, all I have is my Labyrinth. What was once my pride and joy, my world, my life, seems empty and meaningless without her.