Labyrinth 1. Coming Home

Toby sat at his desk, intently staring at the computer screen before him

Author's Name; JediK1

Rating; G

Disclaimer; They aren't mine, sadly enough

Author's Note; This is only the first part…don't worry, there's more coming!! Also, thanks to SkItZoFrEaK for helping me out with names and ages! Oh, and Jareth WILL be in later, don't worry folks! 

Make Her Happy

By JediK1

Toby sat at his desk, intently staring at the computer screen before him. He had finally convinced his parents to buy him the newest computer game, and the thirteen-year-old boy had been unable to tear himself away from it. 

The game was interrupted, however, when the incessant knocking on his door grew loud enough to rise over the explosions.

"Toby? Toby! Turn that thing down!"

With a sigh, Toby Williams lowered the game's volume. When the noise level had reached a bearable level, the door swung open to reveal his mother.

"What is it mom?"

"Toby, turn off your computer and come downstairs. Sarah's home."

Karen Williams laughed softly as she watched her son leap from his chair and run out into the hall. As she listened to him fly down the stairs, she walked over to Toby's computer and shut down his game. The only time she could ever get him to move that fast was when Sarah came to visit.

Sarah watched as her brother ran down the steps, and moved forward to envelop him in a tight hug once he reached the bottom.

"Hey kiddo," she said, ruffling his wild blonde hair, "how's it going?"

Needing no further prompting, Sarah listened as Toby launched into a detailed description of everything he had been doing since his sister's visit last month. 

"Whoa, Toby, slow down! I'll be here for a few weeks while I look for a place, so you don't have to tell me everything yet!" She smiled at the disappointment on her little brother's face, and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"Help me get settled in, and I'll give you the present I brought for you."

This brought the light back into his eyes, and Toby hurriedly began taking some of Sarah's bags up to her old room. Thoughts of what his sister had in mind danced in his head as he slowly dragged the bags up the stairs. 

"Hey mom, Sarah brought me a present! Isn't that cool?" The boy grinned up at his mother as he passed her, and his excitement made the older woman smile. 

After helping her son deposit the bags in his sister's old room, Karen turned to help Sarah with the bags she carried. Once the last bag was settled, Sarah turned to her step- mother.

"Karen, thank you so much for letting me stay here while I look for a house."

"Don't mention it, honey. I'm only sorry that your father couldn't be here to greet you. He was called into work this morning. But he said to tell you that he has a special surprise for tonight."

One black eyebrow rose questioningly, as Sarah wondered what her father had in mind. He probably wanted to take her out to dinner tonight, in honor of the family being under the same roof again.

"Thanks, Karen. Hopefully by then I'll have some of this stuff unpacked," she sighed, motioning toward her bags.

Toby, who had been listening from the hallway, poked his head in eagerly. "I'll help!"

Both women laughed at him, but were suddenly interrupted when Karen's watch beeped.

"Oh no! I completely forgot! I have to run a few errands before your father gets home. You don't mind if I leave you two alone for awhile, do you?"

Sarah smiled. "Karen, I'm twenty-seven; Toby's thirteen. I think we can handle it." 

The woman looked at the two siblings then shook her head. "Yes, I suppose so. Well, I guess I'll see you two later then!" As she turned toward the door, she gave Sarah a light kiss on the cheek. "Welcome home, dear."

An hour later, Sarah and Toby were buried beneath piles of clothing and other articles that Sarah hadn't the heart to put in storage. Toby anxiously dug through every suitcase, searching for the present that his sister had promised him. He had been through everything, except for one final bag.

Sarah, meanwhile, had been watching her brother's search in quiet amusement. He reminded her so much of the way she had been at that age; smart, creative, and naive. And just like his sister, he was introverted, and instead of playing basketball in the park like other boys his age, he chose to remain in solitude. Toby mostly liked to read his sister's old books, but, as he was still a boy, he made a show of snubbing the romantic titles. Sarah knew, however, that every once in awhile, she would catch him reading something involving romance. She smiled as she remembered that last time. He had simply told her that he liked the action in it the best.

Sarah, meanwhile, had changed a little from the headstrong girl she once was. While she was still a dreamer at heart, her experiences in the Labyrinth had taught her how to control her imagination. She had learned to wield it in a different way, and began writing stories based on her time in the labyrinth. While the world saw her works as pure fiction, Sarah knew them to be bittersweet memories.

She shook herself from her reverie when she realized she was being watched. "Yes, Toby?"

"Can I have my present now?"

Sarah laughed, and it was a rich, beautiful sound. "Yeah, sure. Just let me find it."

"Ok." Toby paused for a moment, as though remembering something. "Oh, yeah! I have something for you, too!" He stood, and carefully making his way through the crowded room with a promise to come right back, he crossed the hall into his own room.

For the second time that day, Sarah's face reflected the question in her brown eyes. She wondered what her little brother had up his sleeve as she removed the package she had hidden in the last unopened bag. 

Moments later, the blonde headed popped through her door. He began to slowly wind his way back into the room towards Sarah, all the while keeping his hands behind his back.

"Ok, I got it."

Sarah smiled at her brother's antics, then held the brightly wrapped gift out to him. "Well, I'll go first. Go on, open it!"

Toby reached one small, eager hand out and grabbed the present. However, Sarah noticed that the other arm was still hidden behind his back. 

Within moments, he had somehow managed to rip off the wrapping paper. His blues eyes grew to an amazing size as he gazed at the contents of the package.

"Wow! Sarah, it's a…it's a…"

"It's a Gameboy, slick. I thought you'd like that, since you guys are going on that long bus trip next month to see grandma. Look, I even bought you a few games to go with it."

"Aw, thanks Sarah! You're the best!" He ran toward her and threw his arms around her. That's when Sarah noticed something red in the hand he had been trying to hide.

"Toby, what's that?"

The boy drew back shyly, and held the book out to his sister. "I was digging around in the attic with Dad the other day, and I found this. He said it was your favorite book when you were a teenager, but that for some reason you packed it away. I thought you might want it back."

Sarah gently took the book from the boy's hands. "Toby…did you read it? Any of it?"

"Well, no. I was hoping you would read it to me. You tell the best stories, sis!"

Toby watched as his sister's expression changed. He didn't know why, but she wasn't happy anymore. "Sarah? Why are you sad?"

Brown eyes rose to meet blue, as Sarah tore her gaze from the small red book. The gold lettering on the front gleamed in the room's light, but Sarah didn't need to read the title to know what it said. She knew all too well that Toby, of all people, had just placed The Labyrinth back in her hands.


	2. The Consequences of Eavesdropping

"Sarah

"Sarah? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, Toby. I'm fine. Um…can you just give me a minute, please?"

Toby looked at his older sister, wondering what was wrong. "It's not the gift, is it? I thought you'd like it…"

He was relieved slightly as Sarah grinned up at him from the floor. "Yes, I do. It's just that…well…it brings back some memories, that's all."

"Ok. Well, I have to walk Merlin anyway." As he turned toward the door, he cast one last glance at his sister. "Girls," he said, as he finally disappeared into the hallway.

Sarah returned her wide eyes to the book; one hand cradling it gently while the other made it's way over the smooth cover. The lettering had faded a little, she realized as she traced the gold words, but it still shone brightly. Cautiously, she opened the book, and after gathering her courage, she flipped through the pages. It still held the same story it had all those years ago. She glanced over the beginning, where the girl was offering her brother to the Goblin King. Captivated once more, she continued reading until her breath caught in her throat. 

Her eyes lingered over the description of the Goblin King. The words, however, could never do the man justice. His image filled her mind until it preceded all thought. Once more, she found herself, a young, foolish girl, staring fearfully into those commanding eyes. His smile, his manner, all came flooding back to her as she sat in the cluttered room she called home.

Forcing her shaking hands to move, Sarah turned the pages until another name caught her eyes. Hoggle. Now, there was a face she hadn't seen in awhile. She still kept in contact with her old friends, and talked to them at least once a month. If something was troubling her, she knew that all she had to do was look in her mirror and ask for them.

The urge struck her, and she stood, clutching the book to her chest. She walked over to the door, making sure it was shut before she made her way across the room to her bureau. Even after all these years, it was still in the same place as it had been while she was growing up.

As she sat down in the wooden chair, Sarah wiped the unbidden tears from her eyes. "Hoggle…Hoggle, I need you."

Toby shook the rain from his hair, which happened to cover his face the moment he did so. He impatiently shoved the dripping locks away from his eyes, which were silently pleading with Merlin. "Come on, man! It's pouring out here!" When he received no response from the dog, which happened to be wandering around in search of a tree, Toby growled in frustration. "Will you hurry up all ready? Geez! For an old dog, you sure do take enough time to do your business!"

Finally, Merlin found a piece of shrub to his liking. When he was finished, Toby all but ran back to the house, only slowing down slightly when the elderly dog seemed to have trouble keeping up. Merlin was in good shape though, for his age, so Toby did not have to pull his speed much.

When they reached the house, Toby headed straight for the garage. He turned on the small heater they kept in there for Merlin, then unleashed the dog and headed for the house. 

"Sarah? Hey, are you almost done up there? I wanna show you the new computer game I got!" After entering the house, Toby wandered up the stairs. Why wasn't Sarah answering him? _Well_, he figured, _maybe she just didn't hear me_. He went into the bathroom to grab a towel, and began to dry some of the rainwater off. That task accomplished, he went to Sarah's room.

__

Huh, I wonder why she shut her door? Deciding not to risk walking in on his sister while changing, Toby opted for the usual approach; eavesdrop until he knew it was safe.

"Sarah," a deep, gravely voice said, "if ye still care about 'im, let 'im know. Call 'im, already."

"I can't, Hoggle, what if he-"

Toby pulled his ear from the door. Hoggle? Who was Hoggle, and why was he in his sister's room? The boy bent to listen again, but the conversation had faded to a whisper. He leaned in closer, but as he did, Toby lost his balance. Arms flailing, he fell through the door, and landed with a thud on Sarah's floor.

For a moment, no one spoke. Toby looked up to find a monster sitting beside Sarah on her bed, and leaped to his feet, a scream dying on his lips. Sarah, meanwhile, jumped to her feet as well, and ran over to her brother.

"Toby, how dare you-!"

"Sarah, what is that-?"

Hoggle, meanwhile, watched the siblings in amusement. Despite their physical differences, the two looked remarkably alike as they stared at each other. The dwarf found that he could not contain himself, and began chuckling softly at the sight.

Sarah managed to overcome her shock, and pointed at her friend. "You, be quiet. And you," she twisted to glare at her younger brother, "should not be spying on me! What did you think you were doing, Toby?"

The young teen's eyes were glued on the laughing figure that Sarah had been talking to. "I didn't mean to…I heard voices, and I got curious, and…and…"

"And?"

"And what _is_ that?"

Forgetting her anger for a moment, Sarah took at her brother's expression. Suddenly, she too found herself laughing. "Oh Toby, I think we need to talk." She placed a hand on her brother's back, guiding the stunned boy from the room. When he was out the door, she called to her friend over her shoulder. "Hoggle, thanks for coming, but I need to explain a few things to my brother. I'll call you later?"

"Sure Sarah. I'll tell everyone ye said hello." The dwarf was still chuckling as he slowly faded from the room.


	3. Unanswered Questions

After Sarah had managed to drag Toby into his room, she seated him at his desk

After Sarah had managed to drag Toby into his room, she seated him at his desk. She thought about what she was going to tell him. Taking a deep breath, she found her resolve, and looked the bewildered boy straight in the eye.

"Toby, I-"

"Sarah, Toby! I'm back!" 

Silently cursing her stepmother for her untimely return, Sarah decided that the story could wait until later. "Ok, listen Toby. Not a word about what happened, all right? Dad and Karen can't know about this."

"But why, Sarah?"

Frustrated, the young woman ran a hand through her long, dark hair. "Toby, what does Karen do when you tell her exactly what she doesn't want to hear? And besides, she won't believe you anyway, without proof."

"Oh. Good point. Ok, I promise not to tell, as long as you promise to tell me what the heck's going on."

With a smile, Sarah reached forward to mess up her brother's hair. "Deal. But I can't tell you now. How about I tell you tomorrow, when Karen and Dad are at work?"

That seemed to please the boy, and he leaped from his chair. "All right. Now, get outta my room, cause I have to get dried off before Mom sees me dripping on the carpet."

Sarah smiled at her brother again, then went back to her own room to see what else she could unpack before her father got home.

An hour later found Sarah and her family sitting in a local restaurant, sheltered from the raging storm outside. Conversation between the Williams' was light and cheerful, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the evening.

Everyone, Toby noticed, except Sarah. He probably wouldn't have picked up on the sad look in her eyes if he hadn't seen it earlier. It was the same expression she had had when he gave his sister the book. Now, every time his parents mentioned Sarah's writings, the sadness returned. Resolved, Toby decided that he was going to read that book tonight, along with the copies he had of Sarah's stories. There had to be a connection, and he was determined to find it.

It was late when the Williams' car pulled into the driveway. The storm, which still howled around them, was supposed to last all night, and hopefully clear up by morning. Sighing, Sarah opened her car door and ran toward the safety of the house, her family not far behind. 

Once she reached the porch, she waited as her father unlocked the door. A yawn escaped from her lips, as Sarah realized just how tired she was. The day had been a full one, and with her belongings now unpacked and put away, Sarah could find no reason to avoid getting some sleep. Even the storm, which almost shook the old house with its thunder, was not enough to keep her awake.

The door swung open, and the family quickly ushered themselves inside. Each person removed their wet jackets, placing them on a coat rack next to the entrance. After hanging up her own coat, Sarah quickly bade everyone goodnight and headed to her room.

As she walked through the door, lightning flashed outside. It was so bright that it illuminated the entire room, causing her to blink. Unbidden, memories of another storm came to mind, and Sarah froze, letting the door shut behind her as the room plunged into darkness once more. 

She could almost hear the goblins quiet snickering again, rising above the frantic beating of her young heart. The lightning flashed in her mind, revealing the snowy owl above the balcony outside her parent's room. It was trying to get in, and Sarah watched as the glass doors flew open. She ducked, lost in the memory of so many nights ago when this intruder had broken into her home, winging down to attack her. And as suddenly as the assault had come, the bird pulled back toward the window, changing its shape to reveal…

Sarah shook herself from the memory, and turned on her bedroom light. As she changed out of her soaked clothing and into her nightgown, she fought to control her racing heart. Why had she let herself become so caught up in the vision? She wondered as she turned off her light and climbed into bed. Maybe, she reasoned, it was because of the book. She had never expected to see it again. Even in Sarah's own writings, the Goblin King had not seemed so vivid as he did within the pages of that old book.

Pushing the matter aside, Sarah finally gave in to her exhaustion, and let her mind wander off into the dream world.

"Sarah…"

Toby poked his head through the door. After waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he peered toward his sister's bed. Noting that she was fast asleep, the teen silently made his way across the room. He headed straight for the bureau, tiptoeing across the carpet so as not to wake his sister. 

"Jareth…"

Toby threw himself to the floor when he heard Sarah. He crouched there for several moments, but heard nothing else. Cautiously, he risked a quick glance at his sister, but apparently she had just been talking in her sleep. As he stood, Toby wondered whom she had been talking to. Who on earth was this Jareth guy?

Now, the boy was more determined than ever to read his sister's book. He took the last few steps to his sister's bureau, and lifted the book from its smooth, wooden surface. Even in the dim light that filtered in from the hallway, the letters still gleamed.

Toby cast one last glance at his sister. He silently wondered what she could be dreaming about to make her look so sad and yet so happy. As he looked back down at his prize, the boy realized that unlike Sarah, he wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. Toby sighed, and crept down the stairs to grab a soda before heading back to his bedroom. He would need the caffeine to stay awake long enough to read this mysterious book. By morning, he would know who all these odd people were, he was sure of it.

~*~*~

Author's Note: Ok, I know this is getting kinda boring, but I _promise_ things will pick up within the next chapter! =D


	4. Do You Dream of Me?

Sarah looked around in wonder

Sarah looked around in wonder. A moment before, she had been on the edge of sleep. Therefore, her adult mind reasoned, this place must be a dream, right?

She took a careful step forward, running her hands along the familiar stone walls. The first corridor of the Labyrinth spread before and behind her, as it had all those years ago. It seemed too real to be a simple dream…she could feel the coolness of the stones beneath her hands, and the debris as it scratched at her skirt.

Her skirt? With that thought, Sarah glanced down at herself. She was wearing the beautiful gown from the masquerade ball. _What on earth?_ Casting another look around, Sarah decided that whether this was reality or a dream, she would never find the answer just standing here.

"Well, come on feet." Even though she was confused, Sarah found herself smiling at the comment that had started her journey twelve years ago. And, like her previous trip through the Labyrinth, Sarah was not sure where to head. She continued walking for several moments before she suddenly remembered the trick of this passage. With a tentative hand, Sarah reached for the wall to her left. When it connected with the cool stone, she sighed in frustration. 

Sarah strode forward, always keeping her hand in contact with the wall. Finally, after several more agonizing steps through the debris in her heavy dress, her hand passed through the illusion. 

"Yes!" She quickly made her way into the opening, examining both directions. "Now, which way?"

"How about right?"

The young woman froze at the sound of the masculine voice. Slowly, she turned toward the source, but she already knew who was behind her. 

"Were you looking for me, Sarah?"

A sharp retort found its way onto her tongue, but was quickly forgotten as she felt the world give way. Everything turned black for a moment, and in the sudden weightlessness, Sarah found herself falling forward into the arms of the Goblin King.

Sarah closed her eyes; in part to help still the dizziness she felt, but mostly to avoid the laughter she knew would be in Jareth's eyes. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard the rich sound wash over her.

"Now, now, Sarah. You know all you had to do was ask."

Anger welled inside of her, and Sarah roughly pushed herself from Jareth's arms. Though part of her wanted to stay locked in that accidental embrace, her anger refused to justify his amusement. She had already freed herself from the Goblin King and had begun to walk away when she finally noticed her surroundings.

Silently cursing herself, Sarah realized what had caused her momentary vertigo. Crystalline walls had replaced the rugged stone, and with a start the young woman recognized where she was.

It was the ballroom.

Memories from her last visit fueled her anger, and Sarah whirled around, demanding to know why she was there.

"My dear Sarah, you should know very well. After all, you are the one who wanted to come here."

"Me? I never said anything-"

"But you thought about it, didn't you? Just before you drifted to sleep, you thought about the Labyrinth, about this ball…about me." While speaking, Jareth had stalked closer to Sarah, until she could feel his breath hot against her cheek.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." She avoided his eyes, disgusted at the obviousness of her lie. 

Jareth lowered his face until Sarah was sure she could hear his quiet breathing. She raised her brown eyes once more, and found that the Goblin King's face was nearly pressed against her own.

"Of course not," he purred, running a gloved hand through Sarah's hair. "You don't miss me at all, do you?" Sarah's heart pounded in her chest as he inched even closer. Her harsh breathing and wide eyes revealed her true feelings even as she shook her head slightly. With her movement, something imperceptible passed through Jareth's eyes, effectively trapping her. Suddenly lost in the moment, she leaned into his body, closing her eyes as Jareth dipped down to cover the remaining space between them.

But at the last second, when Sarah was sure that his lips would connect with hers, he whispered, "What a pity," and Sarah found herself falling into the empty space where the Goblin King had stood seconds before.

***

Sarah jolted awake, and quickly shielded her eyes from the morning sun. As she pulled her hand away, she was surprised to see the tears staining its smooth surface. She wiped them away, not realizing for a moment why they were there.

The thought triggered her subconscious, and the memory of her encounter came flooding back to her. When she remembered what had happened, Sarah was convinced that it had not been a dream, or at least any ordinary one. No, his touch had been too real…

The tears began to flow once more, and Sarah scrubbed them away with the sleeve of her nightgown. She stood, making sure that her eyes were clear before heading off to the bathroom to shower. When she grabbed a clean set of clothing and made her way to the door, she never noticed that the book was no longer on her bureau. 


End file.

Labyrinth, Romance