I: A Champion's Lament

Her name is Sarah Williams, and it has been 20 years since the incident in which a young infant child she was looking after…her half-brother, Toby Williams…disappeared while in her care. Her own consciousness was then subject to an amazing adventure in which the aspiring actress sought to free Toby from the devilishly handsome man who kidnapped him…Jareth…who made a bargain with the teenager: successfully navigate Jareth's labyrinth within thirteen hours, or Jareth will do more than just keep the boy. He was to add the child to his menagerie of goblins, which were the small, horrible-looking faerie creatures who called Jareth their King.

Although Sarah had effectively undone the impulsive proclamation she had uttered that led to Toby's kidnapping through her becoming champion of the labyrinth, the weight of having literally wished the goblins to take Toby away seemed to gradually increase over the years, with all the ominousness of storm clouds creeping over the horizon.

As much as Sarah attempted to move on and perhaps realize her initial thespian ambitions, her post-labyrinth dabblings in theatrical endeavors left her strangely unfulfilled, perhaps as a consequence of being considered a champion in the magical world she had tried to put behind her.

His name is Steven T. Graves, and he is Sarah's current therapist. Although Sarah's father and stepmother initially suggested that Sarah be subjected to therapy sessions, they had gone through a great many therapists prior to Sarah finding Steven. By the time Sarah did find Steven, it was on Sarah's own initiative rather than at the prodding of her guardians, and she had found employment as a librarian by this time.

Those other therapists were fine for the first couple of months or so, but when Sarah's musings went in the direction of her experiences in the labyrinth, that was when she realized…by their reaction…that they just weren't the right people to vent her experiences to for the fact that, well, they just wouldn't understand. One of them seemed like 'the one', though, for the fact that she had her child kidnapped, but she had gone into less detail about this occurrence, making it seem like more of an inroad to her apparent want to convert Sarah to her religion, which more or less ended their sessions permanently after a mere two weeks.

Graves, however, despite his being a couple of years younger than Sarah, seemed entirely different, and when it got to the point where she had no choice but to share her experiences of dealing with Jareth, Hoggle, and all the friends and enemies she had made during her adventure, Graves made no attempt to steer Sarah out of it. He simply listened to every word she said. He was a good receptor. He never interrupted the young woman and always encouraged her to share these experiences in as much detail as possible, regardless of how crazy it might sound.

This night, however, it came to a question from Steven…practically out of the blue…that forced Sarah to stop her stream-of-labyrinthine-consciousness and go silent.

"Do you miss him?"

The five minutes that followed seemed like an eternity as Sarah wrestled for an answer to that question. She had already mentioned Jareth, so she knew it was him Steven was referring to.

Sarah appreciated that Steven didn't rush Sarah's thinking, and she knew they had plenty of time in their session for her to think on this question.

"I…shouldn't be missing him, should I?" Sarah finally answered, turning her head to Steven after staring out the office window in her deep thought, staring at the falling snow adding to the 2-foot accumulation the overnight snowstorm had wrought four days ago. "Would it make me crazy to say that I do? After what he put me through?"

Steven smiled at that. "I'm a therapist, Sarah. Not a shrink. It's not my place to judge you over past decisions." Steven then leaned forward towards the couch where Sarah was sitting. "I'd rather hear about what you think. How you respond to these things."

Sarah sighed. "I think I'm crazy."

"Why?"

"Well…the whole thing was my fault to begin with, wasn't it?" Sarah noted. "Even if I did get Toby back. Twenty years since it happened. Toby's moved off to some new life somewhere, and I'm here playing librarian. Maybe I'll wind up an old maid, just like Mary Bailey if George had never been born. They can make a movie out of me, too…except they'll call it 'It's An Unusual Life'."

Steven chuckled. "I hardly consider your life unusual, Sarah. I can say that much."

"Why?" Sarah countered. "Here, I'm just Sarah Williams. But off where I once was, I'm the 'champion of the labyrinth'. I'm a hero, and I have friends there."

"And over here is empty by comparison." Steven then observed.

"Yes! Exactly that." Sarah confirmed.

"Which begs the question I just asked, Sarah." Steven paused in the writings on his long yellow notepad to look Sarah squarely in her eyes, temporarily removing his glasses. "Do you miss him?"

Sarah's gaze now angled downward to the carpeted floor. Another quiet minute passed before Sarah broke the silence.

"He showed me his world." Sarah quietly remarked. "How could I not miss him, in some way?"

"Despite what he did?"

"That was my fault." Sarah countered.

"Sarah…in our world, making the observation that led to Toby's kidnapping is no crime." Steven observed. "They're just words which, as you had said, were spoken in frustration. Don't condemn yourself over that."

"I'm sure Jareth is having a good laugh over what my life has become since I beat him." Sarah then mused aloud.

"Where do you think Jareth is now?" Steven asked, slipping his glasses back on. "Do you think he misses you?"

"I kinda doubt that." Sarah responded. "I think if I ever saw him again, he'd want to hurt me, as I had hurt him when I beat him. Make me his slave, perhaps. Obey his every whim." Sarah began to sound distant as her gaze returned to the window. "Peaches, Sarah. Nothing but peaches. Day in, day out. As my hand snakes through your hair. As I sit on my throne while you take your proper place at my feet beside me, where you belong. Behold, the champion of the labyrinth, who begged to come back to me without saying a single word…but I never forgot what I heard from your lips in our last meeting. Well, Sarah Williams…how sweet the irony, that I finally have power over you. Sweet as…peaches."

The silence that followed lasted two minutes, with Sarah continuing to stare out the window. Staring at the trees, and expecting to spot an owl somewhere upon the branches, staring back at her, for such was a form Jareth frequently used to eavesdrop on the champion of his labyrinth.

But the trees were bare. No birds. Just the snow that had collected upon them.

"Let's assume that I have placed a fresh peach in your hand, Sarah." Steven then remarked. "What would you do?"

Sarah slowly smiled, her gaze back on Steven. "Probably this."

She then gave Steven the finger.

"No offense intended." Sarah confessed as she lowered her hand, seeing Steven's eyebrow arch in response.

"None taken." Steven assured, smiling back. "I actually expected that you would crush it."

Sarah then giggled. "Not with my butter-muscles."

"But if you could crush it?"

Sarah now sighed, her gaze back on the carpet. "I wouldn't."

"Because…he knows you wouldn't?" Steven then mused.

Sarah looked back up to her therapist. "Damn, you're good."

Steven smiled at this. "And you won't wind up an old maid, Sarah. Not if you don't want to be."

Sarah kept her eyes on Steven. "That means going back."

"To him?"

Sarah hung her head down now, sighing. This was starting to frustrate her. "You suck."

"I thought you said I was good."

"Oh yeah, you are. It's just…" She tried to wave off her frustration, but it was too late. She lifted her head back up to rub at her eyes. "…you're fine. Don't mind me."

Steven smiled, continuing to scratch his pen on his long yellow pad. "Sarah…you don't think that your lingering belief in this…'underground'…has been a problem for you, do you?"

Sarah shook her head. "If anything, it's helped me. At least, when I'm reading stories to the children who come to the library. I mean…you have the average person who just reads the book out loud. I think a story becomes much more interesting to hear if you have someone reading it who has some belief in it."

"As you do."

Sarah nodded, smiling. "Not to brag, but I have my own little fanbase at the Library."

Steven leaned in towards Sarah now. "Sarah…I remember last week, when we talked about your experiences in the labyrinth, you were reciting from a story prior to Toby's kidnapping. Can you remember what that story was called?"

Sarah glanced down thoughtfully. "The Labyrinth."

"Have you thought about sharing that story with your…fanbase?" Steven asked. "Or perhaps, having it performed…"

"No." Sarah cut in, her voice firm.

Steven nodded in response, but followed up with the inevitable counter. "Why?"

"Because I…"

Sarah seemed to be struggling with a way she could explain her reluctance. The truth of the matter was that she didn't want to spread any notion that Jareth even existed. If he was going to be anyone's problem, she wanted it to be her problem alone.

"Because…you don't want what happened to you, to happen to anyone else?" Steven guessed. "You don't want anyone else to have to deal with the Goblin King, as you did?"

A long moment passed before Sarah finally answered. "More or less."

Steven nodded, glancing at the clock close to the ceiling of the room. He then rose up, placing the yellow pad face down upon his seat. "We'll have to leave it at this for now."

Sarah rose and stretched out. "To be continued, eh?"

Steven nodded, smiling. "I did have one more question, though…but it can wait."

Sarah frowned curiously. "Shoot."

Steven seemed, for a moment, to figure out a way to pose the question before asking it. "Whatever happened to that book? I can imagine what it could fetch on…ebay?"

"What, the Labyrinth book?" Sarah asked, to which Steven nodded in confirmation. "Oh, I dunno…probably still in a box of stuff I haven't unpacked yet. I wouldn't sell that book off, though."

"Would you be willing to tell me why when we meet next week?" Steven asked, quirking a brow.

Sarah seemed hesitant to answer this. "I'll think about it."

Steven nodded. "Until next week, then, Sarah. Drive safe. It's a bit icy out there."

Sarah covered up in her winter coat. "Oh, I'll manage. I'm the Champion of the Labyrinth, after all, right?"

"Of course. Oh, and Sarah…always remember this."

Sarah turned back to Steven curiously as she opened the door to the outer hall.

"He has no power over you."

Sarah smiled. "I know. Good night, Steven…and thanks." She then made her way towards the elevator, leaving Steven to shut the door behind him.

The elevator was quick to arrive, and when she stepped in, she found herself lost in thought and reminiscence. She was the only one in the elevator as well…

…although she did, at that moment, get the impression she was being watched. She thought about what she had said during the session. That the Goblin King was watching her every move. That he must be laughing over the kind of person she had become following her victory over his labyrinth. Alone, and empty, living a life in a world that was nowhere near as fascinating and as perilous as Jareth's.

It wasn't until she had gotten into her car that she opened the long-strapped purse she had picked up for herself at a Renaissance Faire, and pulled a small red book from it. Upon its cover, wrought in gold writing, was the name of the text.

"The Labyrinth".

She gazed at it thoughtfully for another quiet minute before slipping it back in her purse and then firing up the engine of her car, carefully rolling it out of her parking space and steering it out onto her side of the road.

Steven stepped back towards the yellow pad, picking it up to look upon the amazingly photorealistic rendering he had been drawing during the session. There were no written notes anywhere upon the pad's surface. Just the single, full-head picture he had been working on as he listened to every word the young woman had said.

A young woman whose exact facial likeness dominated the front page of the yellow pad.