A/N: Hello everyone! Well, I want to start off by saying that this is my very first Labyrinth fic. I've never before ventured beyond the Inuyasha fandom, but this plot idea took hold of me and I simply had to get it out. Please be gentle with me :) I hope you all enjoy this first chapter!

oooOoooOooo

Dreamscape

Part One

oooOoooOooo

"I've finally figured it out."

Nearly choking, I clapped myself hard on the chest and abandoned my milkshake as I coughed. "What?" I asked through teary eyes. "What do you mean, you've figured it out?"

Maddie smiled, blue eyes gleaming, and propped her elbow on the table to rest her chin in her palm. The way she was looking at me was decidedly . . . unnerving, to say the least. It was times like these when I was sure my friend wasn't entirely human. "You know exactly what I mean," she said airily. "Think about it for a minute."

Brushing fingers through my hair in a mock show of unconcern, I shrugged slightly and took another sip from my shake. "I really don't know."

Her smile widened, and I repressed a sudden shiver. "Sar-ah," she sang, "has anyone ever told you how abysmal you are at lying?"

"Only you," I sighed dejectedly.

The grin was now definitely more of a smirk. "Then there's really no reason for all this denial, when you know I know you're lying. But . . ." Maddie leaned forward and plucked a fry off her plate. "I think I'll tell you what I've figured out anyway, just for the satisfaction," she said before tossing the fry into her mouth.

"I'm all ears," I mumbled while taking a fry from my own plate. "Lord only knows what you've come up with."

She cocked her head to the side, eerie smile still in place, and pushed her food away to rest her forearms on the table. A tense moment of silence passed, and I resisted the urge to fiddle anxiously with my shirt. Maddie was a wonderful friend―she loved magic and fairy tales and hated socks with sandals as much as I did―but sometimes she could be extremely creepy.

I was almost positive she did it on purpose.

"A boy."

I jerked so violently I nearly sent my milkshake crashing to the floor. "Excuse me?"

"A boy," she repeated, a sly smile still curving her lips. "You're in love."

My mouth fell open as I gaped at her. "I . . . I . . . Maddie!"

"Don't try to tell me otherwise," she stated sternly. "All the signs are there. For the past six months you've been quiet, withdrawn and, dare I say it . . ." Shimmering azure eyes danced with amusement as she twirled another fry between her fingers. "Sulky."

"I have not!" Distantly I knew I sounded like a whiny child, but didn't dwell on it long. What she was suggesting . . . "Besides, that's not much for you to go on. You make it seem like I'm more depressed than anything else."

"You want me to break it down?" she offered, brow arched in question. "Fine. One," she began, and held up a finger, "the faraway look. Sometimes I have to say your name over and over before you hear me."

"That's not―"

"Two," she continued with another upheld finger, "the sighing. You sound like your soul is being tormented. I have to say it gets old real fast."

"Mad―"

"Three," she cut in, "the smile. That was the clincher."

I gave her a bewildered look. "Smile?"

"Yep," she answered with that same damnable grin. "I can't explain it well, but it's a smile that practically screams to the world you're thinking of someone special. So," she added in a conspiratorial whisper, "who is it?"

I had no idea what to say.

I couldn't lie, because I knew Maddie would just keep hounding me until I caved. Maybe if I somehow . . . stretched the truth, she would finally leave it alone. For weeks she'd been on my case, convinced there was something wrong with me and, frankly, I was tired of it. It wasn't like I didn't want to tell her what had happened, but how was I supposed to? Maddie was open-minded, yes, but even she would have me thrown in the loony bin if I were to tell her about the Labyrinth.

And Jareth, my subconscious helpfully supplied. I felt myself flush.

"Ah-ha!" Maddie cried triumphantly, and I silently cursed. "I knew I was right!" She reached across the tabletop and clasped one of my hands tightly. "The blush says it all! Come on, who is it? Please tell me! Please!"

I took a soothing breath and attempted to gather my thoughts. "Well . . ." I started slowly, "it's not a boy." There, I thought happily. That's definitely not a lie.

Maddie, however, was much too smart for her own good. Confusion passed over her face for a split-second, and then the devious grin returned full-force. "Not a boy," she murmured. "Oh, Sarah, you bad girl!"

I blanched. "What?"

"Not a boy," she said again, "but a man."

More heat suffused my cheeks and, after quickly checking my wristwatch, I decided it was time to make my escape. "Sorry, Maddie, I've got to go. Karen wants me home soon," I explained while throwing on my coat and swinging my bag over my shoulder. "Talk to you later!"

"Wait, Sarah―"

"Bye!" I called as I bolted out of the diner onto the sidewalk. Veering left, I raced along the concrete, swerving carefully between pedestrians. Stores and houses passed in a blur, and I abruptly realized I had no definite destination. I could go to the library, I considered briefly. Karen wasn't expecting me until seven―another small stretched truth on my part―so that left me with over an hour to do whatever I liked. A little less frantic now, I let my pace slow and took a moment to peruse my surroundings.

I was a bit shocked to see how far I'd come. The entrance to the park at the center of town wasn't fifteen feet ahead of me, its heavy iron gates creaking to and fro in the cold wind. I snuggled further into my jacket as the icy air nipped at any exposed skin and scurried hastily through the gateway. I wasn't ready to go home yet, and the park was one of my favorite places to visit, even in the middle of December. I could go to the library tomorrow.

I ambled along the walk, my naked hands buried in my coat pockets as I relished the peaceful quiet of winter. Long tree limbs groaning with the weight of snow loomed overhead, and icicles dangling from the branches glittered like rainbow-hued diamonds when they caught the fading sunlight. The grass was blanketed with white, and here and there I could see tiny paths animals had made leading into the woods. I continued onward, my boots seeming unnaturally loud as I crunched through the frozen slush covering the cement until I reached the bridge arching over the solid, shining surface of the pond. My breath escaped in a pale cloud as I sighed. It was all undeniably lovely . . .

And I suddenly felt sick.

In a matter of seconds agony overwhelmed me. The world tilted as my knees buckled and I landed hard on my hip. Sharp pain lanced up my side, but it was nothing compared to the incredible burning inside my chest. I cried out involuntarily, startling a flock of birds, and vaguely wondered if I was having a heart attack. Each breath I took was borderline unbearable, and my palms stung where I'd scraped them against the sidewalk. Wet coldness began to seep through my clothes then, numbing my skin, and I knew I needed to get up or risk developing hypothermia. There was nothing for it, and my options were limited, so I hardened my resolve and planted my hands beneath me. Trembling from the cold, pain, and effort, I barely managed to push myself to sitting before my arms gave out and I slumped forward, spent.

The world still seemed to spin, and I braced the heel of my hand against my forehead as my vision swam. What the hell is going on?! I thought in near panic. Thankfully the burning in my chest seemed to be receding slightly―it was now more of a throbbing―but the fact that I could hardly see sent my anxiety through the roof. Flinging damp hair away from my eyes, I blinked furiously, willing my sight to clear and―

I froze.

Everything suddenly came into focus, sending me reeling, and I viciously fought down the accompanying nausea that twisted my stomach. I closed my eyes and took a ragged breath, then another and another until I finally felt the queasiness pass. Once I was sure I wasn't in danger of fainting or losing my lunch, I cautiously peeled my eyes open and chanced a look up.

My heart leapt into my throat.

From the smooth wooden railing of the bridge, a beautiful owl stared back at me.

Only . . . it wasn't real.

The likeness flickered like a candle flame caught in the wind. But, hazy as it was, the intensity behind those dark, glimmering eyes was fierce. I waited, half-expecting some sort of . . . message or shower of glitter or . . . something, but it just sat, staring at me with eyes that gleamed with a too-intelligent light.

And then, in a wisp of smoke, the image vanished.

oooOoooOooo

"We're leaving, Sarah!"

"Okay!" I called from my room. "See you later!"

The thud of the front door slamming shut echoed up the stairs and I sighed. Finally.

Clambering from my bed, I leapt nimbly over Toby, who sat chewing on numerous teething rings in the floor, and plopped down in my vanity chair. I whipped the bath towel wrapped around my hair off and clumsily raked my fingers through the wet strands. "Okay," I murmured, "okay." I expelled a harsh lungful of air and gazed hard at my reflection in the mirror. "Hoggle, I need you."

As anticipated, there was no response.

I growled in frustration. "Come on Hoggle!" I tried again. "I really need you! Ludo! Sir Didymus! Please guys!"

My reflection remained alone.

"Ugh." I slouched against the back of my chair, frowning. I was irritated, but not surprised. I hadn't seen Hoggle, Ludo, or Sir Didymus in a little over four months.

"I hope you three are alright," I mumbled softly. I tried to tell myself they were just busy and didn't have time to visit. I knew they had lives outside of me, and it was unrealistic to expect them to show up every time I called. Nevertheless though, I still worried about them. When I left the Labyrinth I hadn't exactly been on good terms with its King. If something were to happen to my friends because of me, if they were in trouble . . . well, I had no way of knowing or helping.

With another sigh, I went to stand. "They're fine," I assured myself for the thousandth time. "They're fi―"

Searing cold shot through my left hand, and I jerked it to my chest with a pained cry. What the heck? Glancing down, I gasped at the angry red burn decorating my knuckles. "Some kind of day I'm having," I muttered while scanning the top of my vanity. It was clean, save for a few sheets of drawing paper and the towel I'd used for my shower. "Must've happened while I was at the park," I concluded. There was nothing here that could've caused an ice burn.

Writing the experience off, I started to turn away to go find some aloe―ice burns hurt―when my eyes landed on the right-hand drawer of my vanity.

The handle was coated in frost.

And my besetting sin got the better of me yet again.

I glanced between the handle and the burn mark along my knuckles. Logically speaking, this was probably not the brightest idea. Drawer handles did not freeze of their own accord. Something, or someone, was obviously trying to get my attention, and it was working. Reason dictated that I leave well-enough alone and do not open the drawer. I hadn't even touched it since stuffing it full of things that reminded me of the Underground . . .

But my curiosity won out, as it usually did, so I set aside common sense, twisted my discarded towel around the handle, and yanked before I could lose my nerve.

"Sawah!"

I shrieked and went careening wildly to the floor. Toby began laughing hysterically and I shot him an exasperated look from where I lay sprawled. "Thank you for scaring the crap out of me, Toby."

His infectious, gurgling laughter continued and I smiled despite myself before heaving my body upwards. Ever since the little bugger had learned my name, he'd taken to screaming it as loud as he could whenever the urge struck him. Usually, though, he didn't startle me quite so badly.

Shaking my head, I shoved myself to my feet and ignored the way my limbs trembled. I was unbelievably on edge. My nerves were shot and my body was thrumming with adrenaline. So much had happened in such rapid succession that I was surprised to be handling it as well as I was, and I had to wonder what would be next. A rational, normal person would sweep Toby up and hightail it out of here before the carpet spontaneously combusted, but . . .

I'd never been normal, and I had to know what was going on.

Perhaps the Goblin King was only trying to mess with me. It wouldn't necessarily surprise me, and I definitely wouldn't put it past him, but I didn't really think that was it. It felt more like there was something . . . wrong, though I wasn't entirely sure why I felt that way.

However, I also had a feeling I might find some answers in the drawer, which was now spewing chilly, white mist into the room.

I slowly reclaimed my seat, my brows furrowed in confusion as the mist ghosted over my skin. This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder, I thought idly. Thanks to my time in the Underground, I didn't believe in coincidences anymore, and there had been too many today for my liking. It's time to find out what all this craziness is about.

I swallowed my nervousness and took a cleansing breath. I could do this.

Using my towel to avoid further injury, I cautiously reached inside the enchanted drawer, searching with careful fingers. I couldn't see anything thanks to the fog so I had to rely solely on touch. After a few moments, I brushed something hard and metallic, felt soft fabric, and knew what it was before I even saw it.

My hand shook as I withdrew my music box and held it gently. Memories I had tried so hard to bury, to pass off as products of my overactive imagination, came rushing to the forefront of my mind in a riot of vibrant colors and hauntingly beautiful music. Dazzlingly-costumed people pressed in on all sides, sneering from behind monstrous masks as they taunted me and, in their midst, stood a stunningly exquisite man clad in sparkling dark blue who looked at me as though I were the most precious thing in his world . . .

Almost without thinking, I grasped the knob on the bottom of the box and wound it tight. The tiny figurine set atop it started to spin, its silvery white dress reflecting the low lamplight with every turn, and my heart leapt as an unexpected tinkling melody began to play.

How you turned my world you precious thing . . .

The box slipped from my hold and went clanging to the floor.

oooOoooOooo

An hour passed before I could bring myself to go back to my bedroom.

I sat on the couch in the living room staring blankly at the television. Toby was asleep upstairs and my dad and Karen were still gone. The house was eerily silent, save for the mindless droning coming from the TV as I flipped channels aimlessly in a vain attempt to drown my convoluted thoughts. A headache was beginning to pulse behind my eyes, either from the events of the day or the overly bright screen, and I eventually switched the TV off and threw the remote to the side. Six months. I'd seen not one Underground-related thing for six months―except for my friends during the occasional visit―and then all hell breaks loose out of seemingly nowhere. My temples throbbed and I could practically feel myself growing gray hair from stress. With a deep sigh, I left the sofa and headed into the kitchen for some Advil.

What could this possibly be about? I wondered as I rounded the bar and made my way toward the cupboards beside the microwave.It was glaringly obvious that something was not right. I was fairly certain this entire spectacle didn't pertain to revenge, but then what did I know? The Goblin King was underhanded, clever, and definitely seemed to be the sore loser type. He could very well just be trying to torment me. "Is this all because I beat his dumb Labyrinth?" I muttered while rifling through the medicine cabinet. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who ever has. It shouldn't be such a big deal."

I was suddenly, irrationally irritated. Finding the Advil, I unscrewed the lid and took two dry before throwing the bottle back in the cabinet. Spinning on my heel, I strode across the hardwood to the staircase and hastened up the steps. If the Goblin King was holding a grudge, fine. I'd face whatever he threw at me head-on. If not, well . . . I was sure I'd discover what was rolling around in that head of his soon enough.

I crested the top of the stairs and wasted no time scurrying down the hall into my room. I closed the door securely behind me and turned the lock into place to be safe. I wasn't sure what else to expect, and I really didn't want Robert or Karen walking in on something I couldn't explain, like why my room presently looked like a sauna.

After perching once again in my chair, I wrapped my hand in my towel and continued my search. At first, I found nothing of real interest: old scripts, newspaper clippings, the small statue that startlingly resembled Hoggle. I didn't give up, however, and kept on until the entire surface of my vanity was covered in clutter.

Now I was nearing the bottom of the drawer, and I felt my excitement mounting. While I was still slightly aggravated, there was no denying how much the whimsy, fantasy-loving little girl inside of me was enjoying this. For two weeks after my return from the Labyrinth, I'd thoroughly convinced myself that I must have dreamt the entire thing. I'd been positive that the Underground and all its inhabitants and events were nothing more than products of my subconscious: the Labyrinth and its king? Taken right from the book itself. Ludo, Sir Didymus, Hoggle, and the other creatures of the Goblin Kingdom? Too strikingly similar to my many stuffed animals. The crystal ballroom? I blamed that one completely on my music box and my obsession with beautiful, otherworldly men.

Of course, my firm belief that it'd all been a dream was obliterated when Sir Didymus, astride Ambrosius, fell through my vanity mirror one morning before school going on about how he'd just been in the middle of a great battle with some dragon or another.

I was shocked, to say the least, and mildly disbelieving about the whole dragon bit. It seemed much more likely the small fox had narrowly escaped becoming said dragon's breakfast.

Shaking myself from my thoughts with a small smile, I refocused on the task at hand. My fingernails scraped the bottom as I probed around the drawer and I immediately latched onto the first thing I came across. I had a sneaking suspicion I knew what it would be and, as I held it up, I was not disappointed.

The golden lettering stitched into the reddish leather-like cover was exactly as I remembered. I let myself caress the soft binding with my free hand and was unsurprised when I found it to be suddenly room temperature. On a whim, I flipped the slim book open and scanned the worn pages. Lord only knew how many times I had read these words, had wished to be part of such a fantastic adventure. I definitely got my wish, I mused with an ironic chuckle. At the time, I couldn't have asked for anything more. But now . . . now . . .

Now I wished this fairytale could've had a different ending.

As I turned to the last chapter, I felt familiar guilt and regret beginning to eat at me again. My stomach churned, and I swallowed heavily. "There's nothing in here," I said softly while flicking through the thin pages. From what I could tell it was the same book it had always been, right down to the elegant font. I wasn't sure what to feel about that. Relief? Disappointment? Maybe a strange mix of both? With a deep sigh, I kept skipping through the pages on the off-chance there was anything I'd overlooked. I don't know what I was expecting. The Goblin King is probably just screwing with my head―

. . . Wait a second.

Pausing in my search with fingers poised over the pages, I frowned.

Something was . . . off.

I shut the book and perused it critically. Outwardly, nothing had changed, but there was something I couldn't quite place that was different. It felt the same, it looked the same, but it wasn't the same. "What could it be?" I wondered as I weighed the novel in my grasp. If I hadn't known any better, I would've thought the book was . . . heavier.

I stopped dead. A sharp breath filled my lungs to bursting as, with now-trembling fingers, I peeled the cover back open and hastily turned to the last page of the last chapter.

Except it wasn't the last page. And it wasn't the last chapter.

How did I not notice this earlier? I knew this book like the back of my hand. Surely something as obvious as an extra chapter would've caught my attention?

My anxiety got the better of me, and I slammed the book shut. Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, after I'd relaxed and had a good night's sleep, I would look at it again. I'd had more than enough excitement for one day. Abandoning my chair, I went to my bedside table and set the book atop it gently before moving to my dresser to find my pajamas. As I headed to the bathroom, PJs bundled under my arm, I passed the open drawer of my vanity― now back to normal ―and unthinkingly went to push it shut.

A loud clunking sound gave me a start. Puzzled, I drew the drawer back open and listened as something rolled to the front and bounced against the wood.

Odd, I thought. I was sure the drawer had been empty.

Per usual, my insatiable inquisitiveness overrode all other senses, and before my mind could catch up I'd reached into the drawer and plucked whatever lay inside from it.

And nearly dropped it like a hot coal.

Smoothness was the first thing I noted, followed by a refreshing cool sensation. It was lighter than I would've expected, given its size, and the multiple colors it reflected were exactly as I remembered. Images swirled in its depths, and I found my eyes unerringly drawn to the pictures slowly being formed.

But if you turn it this way . . .

oooOoooOooo

A/N: I'd just like to say that I have NEVER struggled so much while writing a chapter. Good lord. I didn't think I would ever finish. I am so glad to be done! XD And please excuse any grammar mistakes. I went over it as best I could but I'm sure I probably missed something :P Thank you for reading the beginning of my first Labyrinth fic! I'm not entirely happy with it but I hope you enjoyed it, and please leave me a review with your thoughts! Thanks!