AN: A few months ago I wrote my first Labyrinth fanfic in over two years. Many people asked me to continue it, but it just felt to me that it worked best as a standalone piece...for now. To make up for that, I am now pleased to offer you this newest story. A tiny bit of background info on this one:

Camping with my family a few weekends ago, I made the brilliant decision to take a stroll through the lovely woods around us...right before a storm. (And did I mention I'm afraid of lightning?) Naturally, for the first time in my life as an outdoors enthusiast I found myself totally lost, soaked through, and nearly paralyzed by fear as lightning flashed above me.

Nice time to come up with an idea for an (hopefully) original Labyrinth plot, right? I thought so. For the record, I did make it back to camp safely. The lightning didn't get me. (It will someday...I just know it. Ah, the life of an astraphobe. But that's another story.)

Anyway. Back to the point. This story is a step outside of the box for me, seeing as it starts quickly and will definitely be on the far side of the fantasy genre...for me. I would appreciate any and all comments and reviews (no flames, darlings) and hope that you enjoy what I have to offer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth and its original characters in any way, shape or form. I'm just a fan.

It was a strange day for the world, as she knew it, to disappear completely. Strange because it was such an average, nondescript day, the kind where it was difficult to believe that magic still existed, even as it rampaged unannounced through her life and deposited her in another plane of existence.

Sarah Williams was no stranger to the magic of fairytales, the power of dreams and wishes. She was, however, completely unprepared for magic to appear so forcefully in the middle of a boring psychology lecture on a Tuesday.

It happened, as magic often does, without warning. Professor Coles was lecturing in his usual fashion, clicking through slides on a rickety projector and droning on about some form of psychosis or another. A boy in the row in front of her had fallen asleep, his head thrown back and his mouth wide open. Two girls behind her had been talking since the lecture began, and Sarah was wishing she had someone to talk to, if only to save her from old Coles' dreary old lecture.

There was a sudden lurch. Her stomach dropped, colors swirled around her—it was like a page was being turned, and she was merely an illustration upon it rather than the one reading the storybook. Everything changed. The auditorium was gone. There were no voices, no slumbering students, no ancient professors--not even a projector. In their place were thick, somber pine trees, as tall and as dark as the sky that towered high above their prickly foliage. It was raining wherever she was, and thunder rumbled ominously from somewhere in the distance.

"No." It was all she could think to say, a single word of denial uttered into the wet solitude around her. "No! No!" Sarah was screaming now, turning in a circle and spitting out whatever angry words she could think of. "You think this is fair? You think that after six years you can just magic me away?"

Her words were full of pure malice, for she was waiting for him to arrive. Him—the one who was undoubtedly responsible for this unforgiveable affront. Let him try to explain it to her. Hell hath no fury like a Sarah scorned, and she was ready to unleash all the fury she could muster on that crystal-bearing, glitter-loving, no good very bad—

The anger mounting inside of her suddenly bled away, draining through her feet and into the ground beneath them. Something was wrong, and terribly so. She could feel it in her bones, in the essence of her being and the depths of her soul. Her emerald eyes swept the landscape that surrounded her. Mist hung lightly in the air, dabbling around tree trunks and swirling at her feet. It wasn't the mere fact that she had been transposed into another reality that disturbed her so. Something was coming, someone was—

The caw of a raven sounded from high above her. Her head jerked up as she searched desperately for the source. There, on a branch many feet above her head—a solitary raven, black and slick like oil and peering down at her with eerie comprehension in its eyes. Her experience with ravens was limited, but to her it seemed enormous, at least the size of a well-fed house cat.

The raven turned its head at an odd angle, one bright eye fixed on her. Watching. Waiting.

Those eyes. There was something terrible about them, something altogether too human and comprehending. What was it waiting for what? Sarah wasn't about to find out. Backing up a step, then another, she spread her fingers in the air in a defensive gesture. Still the raven watched her. It cawed again—a warning. She continued her cautious retreat.

Stop, the eyes seemed to say. Whispered words fluttered in her mind, confusing her, commanding her to halt and obey. But she would not. Sarah Williams had learned not to fear birds—Owls—long ago, and if she could help it, she wasn't going to begin now. Then again, this was no ordinary bird. Whatever it wanted, it would not be pleasant. After gaining a few feet, the brunette turned on her heels and broke into a run.

The raven dove from its perch, its massive wings beating powerfully behind her and warning her of its approach. The terrain declined before her, the scraggily underbrush growing thicker and impeding her progress as she raced through it. Rain pounded down on her, running in rivulets down her face and arms and soaking her hair and clothing. The cadence of her breath increased, her heart pounded violently against her ribcage. She could feel the raven brush by her shoulder, one sharp talon violently ripping at her shoulder and tearing through fabric and flesh.

Gasping in pain, fueled by fear, Sarah pressed on, increasing her speed and ignoring her burning lungs. "Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" The monstrous bird was swooping in for another attack, and in a desperate attempt to keep it away from her she threw her arms into the air, striking haphazardly behind her at thick feathers and the steel body beneath them. It was even larger than she had supposed before, easily half her size. The raven cawed triumphantly, effortlessly breaking through her meager offense and latching its talons into both of her shoulders.

A scream erupted from Sarah's lips, echoed by thunder booming all around them. The bird was lifting her from the ground, taking her with him in its flight. Lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating the brutal bird and its newly caught prey. She struggled desperately, ignoring the burning, pulsing pain in her shoulders where the raven held her, knowing that everything rested on her escape.

"Help me!" she screamed to the heavens, to whatever gods would listen to a pitiful young woman's cry for help. "Help me, please! Please!"

And as if in answer to her prayers, the long branches of a pine reached for them. She couldn't believe it at first, sure that in her hysteria she was imagining things. She knew when they collided with the thick branches, however, that it was indeed true. The bird screeched, enraged, as it lost its hold on her and was forced to retreat from the entwining branches. Sarah felt herself falling with impossible gentleness from branch to branch until she was deposited on the ground, safe for the moment beside the wide trunk of the pine.

"Thank you," she panted, unsure who it was her thanks was due. But there was no time to think anymore on her rescue. The raven was back, its fierce eyes locked onto her as it swooped in for another try. She rolled to her side, searching for anything to use as a weapon against it. There, not two feet from her, was a small boulder, heavy enough to be wielded as a weapon but small enough to be grasped in her hand. Scrambling towards it, her fingers clasped onto it just in time. Coming around and swinging her arm with her, she grunted as the rock connected solidly with the side of the raven's head.

It screeched again, falling back and giving Sarah another chance for escape. She forced herself to her feet, willing herself to block out the pain from the wounds in her shoulders. She did not get far, for she was weary, wounded, exhausted. Having crossed worlds and fought with an outrageously overgrown bird, her stamina was understandably running out. Falling to her knees, the last of her strength ebbed away as she collapsed against the gentle incline of the forest floor.

"Help me," she begged again, her voice strained. She could feel rain water falling on and around her, mingling with the warm blood pouring from her shoulders. "Please, please, please, help me." Sarah was only vaguely aware of the increase of rain. A moment more and she was slipping, her body propelled by a burst of water. The flooding water bore her along, passing around trees and over the undergrowth, never once letting her slip beneath its surface. Her mind dipped in and out of consciousness, fighting to maintain its fragile hold on reality. There was a tingling sensation on her skin, like she had passed again through some kind of a barrier. Was this what it was to die? To slip unnoticed from life into a world beyond even the reach of magic? Feeling the scourge of defeat, Sarah waited for death to claim her.

Yet death stayed its hand. Awareness slowly filled her. Blinking slowly, she managed to raise her head, surprised to find she was no longer surrounded by a river of water. There was soft, damp grass beneath her, made wet by the gentle fall of rain above them. The clouds were a lighter gray and there was no more thunder or lightning punctuating the rainstorm.

Summoning whatever strength she still possessed, the sodden woman rolled to her hands and knees, steadfastly ignoring the fierce pain that filled her. She was in a clearing, a valley safely ensconced inside an impenetrable wall of unyielding pines. In the distance was a cottage, whitewashed and welcoming and waiting for her arrival. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. Instinctively she knew there would be warmth and safety there, a place for her to rest and care for her injuries. Stumbling through the tall green grass, she discovered she had arrived at the cottage much sooner than she would have thought possible.

The rounded wooden door opened easily to her, allowing her entry and shutting agreeably behind her. Sarah had no time to take in any immediate details; her vision was beginning to blur as exhaustion once again reared its determined head. Fortunately she could see a bed not far from her, covered in clean white linens and with an old quilt folded over the carefully carved footboard.

She moved as if in a dream, going to the side of the inviting bed and collapsing on top of it. Had she remained awake just a moment more, she might have noticed the dry, warm quilt that obligingly crept over her from her feet, tucking itself in around her. But sleep had already seized her, relieving her of her pain and exhaustion. For the moment at least, she knew no more.

Hmm. Just what is going on here? Guesses, anyone? I'll give you one hint: Jareth has nothing to do with it. Yet.