Disclaimer: I own nothing, not a single thing. (pouts) Wish I did, but I don't so...don't forget it!
Chapter 1
Sarah stared out the class room while the rain pounded outside. She was waiting for the day to end. It was raining outside and today was her little brother's fifth birthday. The young woman wasn't sure why, but she was terribly excited. Toby was turning into a smart boy, "Ms. Williams?" her teacher, Mr. Bentley, spoke making her jerk her eyes to the front of her government class.
"Yes sir?"
Her teacher gave a dejected sigh and pointed to the question on the overhead, "Can you answer this question please?"
Her eyes scanned over the question, what is one of the vice presidents jobs? She glanced down at her notes then up at her teacher, "To wake up each morning and decide if the President has gone mad yet."
Mr. Bentley smirked, "That is way to put it," he answered before turning back to the board.
This year Sarah was a senior and she was a month away from graduating. Truth was she could care a less. Her mind had been traveling away from school lately and into her art work. The spring play was over and so she was left to her sketches and her stories. Ever since the Labyrinth, whether it was real or not, she had gotten more into writing and art, aside from her acting. Her notebooks proved it. There were random sketches along the borders of her notes. All of them of her friends, and some occasionally of Jareth. The man, who even now, would occasionally haunt her dreams. She wondered, sometimes, how he was, but would never dare ask Hoggle or the others when they visited.
Her head jerked up when the end of the day bell rang. With in a fleeting moment she got up, purse and books in hand, and shot out to her locker, "Hey Williams!" a voice called making her pause. "Wait up!"
She turned to catch a tall young man with pail blond hair and red streaks walking toward her, "Jason," she spoke when he caught up to her. They began to walk in unison toward her locker.
"What you up to this weekend?"
She glanced at him before she began to enter her locker combination on the old lock of her pail blue locker, "We're going up to the cabin this weekend. My parents are picking me and then we're off."
"What's the occasion?"
"Toby is turning five," she explained pulling up the small metal latch and let the locker swing open. On the door were some random drawings that she had rather liked, and others were of her friends and her family. "Why?"
"Oh…" Jason scratched the back of his neck, "I was just wondering if you wanted to catch a movie this weekend. I dunno if you're into scary movies but I was hoping that…well…"
Sarah gave him a smile, "Your sweet," she told him after putting her books onto the top shelf of the tall locker and looking back at him, "and if I didn't all ready have plans I would love to. How about next weekend? If you're still open to the idea?"
His eyes lit up, "You mean it?"
She nodded her head, "Yep, don't usually joke around stuff like that."
"Great… I'll see you on Monday?"
Sarah laughed gently, "Yes, unless I magically disappear, which shouldn't happen."
She turned back to her dark blue back pack and began to place the books she needed into it, "So you and Jason huh?" Carol leaned her head against the side of the locker next to hers and examined the sketches her best friend had taped up, "Still think that king guy of yours is hotter."
Sarah looked over at Carol with a raised eye brow, "Do you now?" she looked back at the sketch she had made of Jareth. It was when she had eaten the peach and dreamt of dancing with him. She sometimes wondered what would have happened if she had never broken the bubble, or would have just accepted his offer. She shook her head, "Just some silly girl's fantasies. I've been drawing them since sophomore year, you know that," Sarah sighed pulled her backpack onto her back and slammed the locker.
Carol tossed her blond hair behind her back and nodded, "Where did you come up with such a good looking specimen?"
The two began to walk out of the school, "I knew someone who looked a lot like him," Sarah shrugged. "I… I guess we were…" she couldn't put a word to it. "He was different…that's for sure."
"Ever wish you could see him again?" Carol asked opening the front door for them to step out into the spring rain. "I mean now that you're older, that you're eighteen."
Sarah looked at Carol studying her best friend. Carol had moved here their sophomore and had become Sarah's first real friend since the Labyrinth had occurred. Of course she had told Carol about it, but she told her that it was a dream, "I dunno," she answered truthfully shrugging her shoulders. "I was such a child then…just fifteen…" she looked out into the rain for her parents white van. They had to pick up Toby from Kindergarten before they picked her up. "What would he think of me now? I still have childish fantasies but I think I've grown up quite a bit since then. It wouldn't be the same."
Carol laughed gently and Sarah looked at her with that expression, "You only get that look on your face when we talk about him."
Sarah touched her face, "What look?"
"That look," Carol shrugged. "Its almost…wishful…as if you could just wish for him to be here. As if you want to scream, I wish that Jareth was-!"
Sarah quickly covered her friend's mouth before she could finish the sentence, "Don't be ridiculous," she spoke trying to recover from her strange reaction. "If he wanted to be…" Sarah looked down at the ground. "If he wanted to find me he would…I haven't moved yet…"
Carol frowned, "Sarah… your dreams were just dreams, you even said so yourself."
"What are you talking about?"
"When you dreamt about wishing Toby away and having to face a Labyrinth to rescue him," Carol insisted. "You said that the Goblin King looked just like this Jareth guy. Wishing him here wouldn't work."
"I know," Sarah insisted attempting to look serious, "I was just joking you goof," she nudged her. "I tell you, are you are much too serious for me my dear friend."
Carol laughed out loud, "and you are horrible at joking! You always look so serious!"
"Its one of my neat little quirks!" she turned her head when a horn honked, "Well there they are. I'll see you on Monday okay? Have a good weekend!"
"You too!" Carol called just as Sarah pulled her sweatshirt hood up and ran toward the white van trying to dart away from rain drops.
Jareth stared at the crystal orb floating in front of him while Sarah darted to her car and the image began to fade away. He only got to see her when her, or her friend, would speak of him. The moment the conversation was through, though, he would have to return to his life of ruling the Goblins. It was rare that Sarah's friend, Carol, would mention him. When she did, it always seemed to be because of this boy who wished to court Sarah.
The Goblin King gave a great sigh and glanced out the window at his once beautiful Labyrinth. It wasn't the full glory he once knew. When Sarah left, she had taken a small part of him with him. At first he thought it was too small to be noticed, how wrong he had been. Even though only four years had passed on the Aboveground, so much more time had passed below. Time was such a fickle thing, but it seemed to be slowing down more and more the last decade. The Labyrinth knew something was becoming terribly wrong. It had never been defeated before, and the person who had defeated it was changing. He looked down at the small ring that he now kept in his pocket. It was the ring that she had given to the man with a bird for a brain.
He closed his eyes and clinched his fist, "This isn't right," he muttered pressing his fist against his forehead, "She was a mere girl. Barely anything to trifle with and I let her best me because I thought if I offered myself then I would win. It was always a last resort…it was supposed to be infallible," he stood up and leaned against the wall next to the window to stare at his kingdom. "Even now, when decades have past in my realm I cannot escape the thought of her! No woman can even tempt me from the Fae…I used to be able to distract myself so easily," he whispered to the wind. "What changed? What is so important about this one? Why is she so important?"
Only the whistle of the wind answered him and he gave a sigh of disappointment, "I'll never escape her will I?" he asked looking around as if expecting someone to answer.
He turned when someone did, "Only the one meant for such a great King can best you."
In front of him stood his little sister; Jade. Their parents had a fascination with J names. Her hair was blond white like his and reached her waist. Her eyes were black and a dark blue; mismatched, "You shouldn't be here," Jareth spoke moodily returning to his throne and gracefully plopping back down.
Jade tilted her head in curiosity. Since he spent so much time away from the Fae he was so different from what she was used to, "And why not dear brother? Mother has been worried, no orb, not even a pigeon to let us know you're still sane," she glanced around at the mess that the throne room was, "I question your sanity myself."
"I'm perfectly sane. Should you not be gossiping with that little Cassandra on the welfare of the Prince, your future husband, instead of talking to your brother on how sane he is?" Jareth asked with a sneer.
The young Fae looked out the window to the Labyrinth, "This place really is a mess," she commented. "Might want to fix this place up before something terrible happens."
"Like what?" he asked with arrogance behind his voice.
She was instantly kneeling next to the throne, whispering into his ear, "There is a rumor spreading that Sarik is interested in your kingdom. He has been watching it closely, he has been watching you closely dear brother. There is talk of an uprising, that the Goblin King should be stronger," she pulled away and looked at him carefully. "Or at least married."
Jareth grunted in response but said nothing.
Jade sighed, "I suggest you find this girl that torments your mind," she told him tapping his head. "Or your world may truly turn upside down. I would hate the thought of you being banished."
With that said she disappeared just as she had appeared. Jareth glared at the spot his sister had been standing and quickly stood up, "Damn these women!" he snapped before storming out of the throne room
Sarah smiled at her little brother while he ripped open the next present from his parents. He squealed in delight at more legos. Sarah could see herself now stepping on a Lego and hurting herself. Toby looked over at his older sister expectantly, "Oh, well now," Sarah cleared her throat, "I suppose you expect something from me?"
Toby nodded his head with a bright smile.
Sarah laughed and looked over at her father and stepmother. They were watching them with identical grins. Sarah pulled the thin picture like package from underneath from her seat.
Jareth paused from his rage when another one of his clear orbs appeared in front of him. A smiling Sarah was handing Toby his birthday present. Jareth frowned, "What has a present got to do with me?" he asked out loud.
Unlike the other presents, Toby began to carefully open this one. He had the most curious look on his face as he peeled the paper back. The moment the wrapping paper was gone he flipped the picture over and suddenly hugged his sister with a happy laugh.
Jareth stared in wonder as the orb showed the picture. It was a painting of him, Toby, and Sarah all together. They looked happy too. Jareth was sitting on a couch with the two, Sarah had her head rested gently on the crook of his neck while he read a story to Toby who was on his lap. The orb shifted to Sarah who was smiling at her little brother.
"I love it Sarah!" Toby cheered hugging it. "When we get home Sunday will we hang it up?"
"Of course, silly," Sarah answered scuffing up his blond hair. "Why wouldn't we?"
He batted her hand away, "I dunno… Mom and dad think they're weird."
She looked at her parents, "Do you think they're weird?"
"Of course not dear," her father answered. "I think they're excellent. The man that you constantly draw does puzzle me some."
"I told you," Sarah sighed. "He was in a dream and its just one of those faces you can't forget."
"Toby had the same dream though," her stepmother added. "Or at least he seems to know the man."
"He's in all the stories Sarah reads to me," Toby pouted. "I like them."
Both parents glanced at one another, "All right then… If you two like him then he can be hung up in Toby's room. Besides, this is her best drawing yet. Not many people can catch themselves so truly."
Note: hmmm….oooo… I like it… It's a long…weird…intro thingy! WOOT! Anyway, review…you know the drill… I'll update…when I can… I feel like renting the movie so I think I might just go do that. I just have this great urge to watch this movie! Woohoo!