Is This Love Real?

A/N This is my second fan fic, and first for the Labyrinth. I haven’t read much of what is out there, so I apologize if this is unoriginal. This is a definite Jareth/Sarah romance. I tend to make my stories drawn out, so Jareth doesn’t even make an appearance in this first chapter. Rest assured, though, Sarah and Jareth will be the main characters. To all readers, please review! I think I’ll continue with this story for some time, since I have a real drive to write it, but regardless I’d like to know your opinion of whether you think I should continue.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Labyrinth, except my original ideas for this fan fiction. I ask that my plot and words not be used by others. If you really want to use something, contact me and we will discuss it, perhaps work together to make it similar but your own words. I don’t think it should be necessary to put this copyright bit in, however I’ve recently had issues with this very topic, so please, nothing done without permission or credit.

Chapter One
Life Aboveground Continues

“Sarah dear, won’t you reconsider? I mean, having you home is so nice, and Toby will miss you so much. And, you’re eighteen, hardly ready to live on your own. If I know you, you’ll stay up all night reading and writing. You’ll miss your classes. Perhaps if you must leave here, then be in the dorms with other people.” Karen Williams almost pleaded. Her stepdaughter was always brash and finding a new way of getting into trouble. In fact, she’d considered writing the dean of admissions and explaining before hand that while odd happenings occurred around the young girl, she always meant well and it was usually some freak accident.

Sarah Williams took a cringing glance at her stepmother. Still nagging to the very end, “Karen…” she began, knowing exactly how to play this up and sooth her worrisome mind. “You know I’ll miss you, right? You and dad and Toby?” she asked softly, while warmly hugging the woman.

Perhaps she’d played things up a bit too much, as Karen burst into tears and clung to Sarah as if this were her last day on Earth. “Come now, Karen!” she tried to say over the sobs and mumbled strings of words that didn’t make any sense, “I’ll be back for dinner tomorrow night. And if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll come and visit every weekend.”

“Make it every other day, and I might consider It.” the woman choked out.

‘Oh, bother’ Sarah thought, mentally rolling her eyes. “Yes, of course. I suppose for the first semester I shouldn’t just fly off and leave everything behind so suddenly.” Sarah reasoned, knowing the woman had bested her with her tears. If there was one thing Sarah couldn’t fight against it was a person crying on her shoulder. ‘Damn tears! Get me every time!’ she chastised herself for the weakness.

Sarah thought for a moment, wondering how she could extricate herself from this situation. Yes, tears were her weakness, but that only meant she couldn’t stand to console the sobbing woman all the more. “So, Toby starts school next week, right?”

This seemed to do the trick, as Karen immediately pried herself off Sarah and beamed with excitement. “Oh, Toby’s first day in kindergarten! You’ll be there won’t you?”

Giving her stepmother an incredulous expression she sighed, “Of course.” How could she even question that? As it was, she doubted Toby would set foot in the classroom if Sarah weren’t holding his hand.

“Come on Dad!” Sarah called up the staircase, while edging her way to the front door. Her closest friend Mina was waiting in the car, and had been for the past ten minutes.

A distant reply came down, “I can’t find Toby!”

A prick of fear stung Sarah’s mind. Every time she lost sight Toby, she always worried. Usually it was Karen who was overly obsessive compulsive about this stuff, but when it came to her younger brother Sarah jumped the gun to the worst possible conclusions. While outwardly she appeared unchanged and not worried in the least, she felt panic rising within her.

Karen seemed unaffected, oddly enough considering how she usually was, “Have you checked Sarah’s room? You know how he loves it in there!” she called to her husband up the stairs. Toby was always wandering off; this was nothing new, especially considering in the circumstances. Toby was five; his beloved older sister was going off to college and leaving the house. The boy probably figured that if he hid himself away, so that he couldn’t say ‘goodbye’, then Sarah wouldn’t leave.

A knock at the front door, told them a different story, as Sarah opened the door to find Mina standing there, holding Toby in her arms. “Little guy thought he’d steel away in the back seat.” Mina explained.

Sarah listened for the car’s engine. The car was off, which meant Mina had conceded for a long farewell with the Williams family. Sarah gave her a thankful look, before reaching out and taking Toby off her hands. For a five year old, Toby wasn’t that big, so he was still easily manageable as far as carrying around went. But, Sarah didn’t think it was healthy to baby him, so she had made a point to not pick him up and carry him about in the last year or so. Karen, along with every other female acquaintance she knew acted oppositely. Mina was a perfect example. For all the time she and the young brunette had been friends, Mina took a liking to Toby. Every mother and friend she had ever had took a liking to Toby. If they saw an opportunity to pick him up or give him a hug, they did. Sarah couldn’t blame them though; Toby was truly an adorable kid. Still, she didn’t encourage it, lest her brother become some ten year old still drinking from a bottle.

So, Sarah took her brother off Mina’s hands and set him down to stand on his own two feet.

“Really Toby!” Karen chastised. “How in the world did you manage to get out there?”

Sarah knew the answer, which would send Karen flying off the handle. Toby was honest, however, and with a grimace at his looming punishment, he opened his mouth to answer.

“Do you really want to come along so badly?” Sarah interceded in a jovial and amused voice.

Closing his mouth, more than happy to not get in trouble, he nodded vigorously.

Karen didn’t seem to notice any intentional steering of the conversation, so she just clucked her tongue in disapproval and went upstairs to tell Robert where his son currently was.

Once Karen was out of earshot, Sarah rounded on Toby, “Toby! I told you about climbing down from the second floor!” she scolded.

Mina’s eyes widened in shock, not sure how the little five year old could possibly manage that.

Toby, however, regarded his older sister, who couldn’t for the love of her be intimidating in the least, with watery dark blue eyes. While part of him was trying to use his apparently ‘precious’ looks on his sister, the other was truly woeful at the moment. Sarah was going to leave him.

Letting her shoulders sag in defeat, Sarah knelt down before the boy and proceeded to wipe the tears spilling over onto his cheeks. “Oh, Toby. Please don’t cry, you know I can’t stand it when you cry.” she pleaded softly, willing to let him off scot-free for the dangerous stunt, if only he’d stop crying.

In the next moment, Sarah found herself thrown off balance by a very desperate and dramatic tackle. Toby had taken the opportunity presented to him when she knelt to his height, to jump at her. Sarah rolled backwards, doing her best not to thrash instinctively to regain balance, but instead cradle Toby so he didn’t hit anything. While Sarah fell back, Toby clung to her waist, managing to clasp his small hands around her tiny midriff.

“You can’t leave me!” he cried into her stomach.

“Toby… honestly. What if Karen sees you?” she was concerned Karen would walk down the stairs and witness Toby’s tantrum. If that happened, several things would invariably result. For one, Karen might speculate at the true depth of the half siblings relationship. Karen knew they hadn’t gotten along at first, and then it seemed everything had changed over night. What Karen didn’t know was that Sarah was more a mother figure and care giver to Toby than even she was. Second, the older woman would grab for the opening of a distressed young boy, waving the fact of psychological abandonment in Sarah’s face, and thereby forcing her to remain home.

“I-d-don’t ca-care.” he wailed in an even more muffled voiced as he shook his head and wrinkled Sarah’s shirt into folds beneath his face.

Trying to stifle her laughter from being tickled by Toby’s movements, Sarah caved as she heard footsteps in the hallway, “Would you have me take you then?” Sarah asked, patting the boy’s head.

All his motions ceased immediately. There was stillness, and silence, except for a few final hiccupping sobs. Finally, Toby raised his blotchy face and running nose to look into Sarah’s emerald eyes. “Really?” he asked, already getting excited and raising his hopes.

“Well, you’ll have to ask Mina first.” Sarah joked, grateful Toby dashed from her quick as lightening to tug at her friend’s pant leg and beg to come along.

Standing, Sarah laughed inwardly as Mina dropped to her knees and hugged Toby, saying, “Of course you can sleep over tonight! We’ll buy a pizza.” While Toby tried to jump up and down, limited by the brunette’s arms, Mina cast a reprimanding glare at Sarah. ‘You’re wicked’ she mouthed.

Raising her eyebrows at this, Sarah chuckled, before blowing on her fingers and rubbing on her shirt, mouthing back, ‘I know’.

“Go ask your mother if it’s alright.” Sarah told the boy. As she heard him thumping up the stair she regarded her friend, “Come on, I’ll fix you a snack.” Sarah gestured for Mina to follow her into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, as Mina sat down, she said, “So this is why you had me come four hours before we needed to leave.”

While Sarah moved about the kitchen, from the pantry to the refrigerator, she replied, “I had a feeling something like this might happen. It panned out better than I expected though.”

“Oh? How so?” Mina asked, detecting that Sarah had some underlying fears about what might have been.

***

Mina had known Sarah for two years, having been in the same English class during their junior year. Whether Sarah Williams had been the type of person, one Mina Saint Clair would befriend didn’t matter. Mina was quite possibly the most popular girl in school. She had everything; looks, money, decent grades, and a good personality. Ok, so she was slightly conceited, but she had been the most popular since fourth grade, which might have aided in her growing ego.

Sarah wasn’t new to the school, but Mina had never met her before, or at least remembered seeing her. And, Sarah wasn’t exactly the type of girl you forget. Simply put, Sarah was breathtaking, and Mina could admit it without qualm. Sarah had a beauty category all to herself, an appeal like finding an entrancing painting and being moved by it. Forget blonde bimbos and Barbie dolls, Sarah was a modern day princess from some fairytale. Long raven hair, silky and straight. Impossibly bright emerald eyes, which almost seemed to have something magical about them. Soft pale skin, not a blemish in sight. Delicate features, small frame. Had Sarah been more sociable, she’d have dethroned Mina in a heartbeat. As it was though, Sarah was a very isolated girl, not shy, but distant.

Oddly enough, her unsociable air didn’t come off as arrogant or snotty, no one thought of her that way. No one could think of her that way. Everyone seemed to know that if you had a problem or ever needed help, they could count on Sarah. She did have a few friends, all who spoke nothing but praises, but who, upon being questioned, didn’t seem to know much about the Williams girl.

Mina was drawn, like everyone else to Sarah. Off in her own little world, Sarah had a magnetic aura around her, which drew curiosity. It was a wonder how she could find any alone time. But, alone was how Mina first saw her, sitting in the back of the room, reading silently.

Within the first week of school, Mina knew her share about the girl. It seemed weird at first that she should go around asking people about Sarah before actually approaching herself. But, she was afraid to disturb her. There seemed some fierce importance about the girl as she sat and read during the few minutes before their class would commence.

Mina remembered everything so clearly. It hadn’t been until the second week that she befriended Sarah. It had been a Monday, second period, still too early in the morning for most students’ want. The class had received a weekend assignment to write a freelance paper. There were no restrictions, no guidelines, except proper grammar of course. It was meant to be an icebreaker, for the start of term and also give the teacher an idea on where come students stood academically.

Most everyone had written something roughly a paragraph long about his or her summer vacation, and Mina suspected some people had already prewritten the assignment before school even began. The procedure was for each class member to stand up and read their piece aloud. Sarah was one of the last to go, Mina herself having yet to be called upon as well.

The girl’s dark hair was twisted up in an English twist, with auburn wisps framing her slender face. With delicate hands, Sarah held her paper. Every pair of eyes turned on her as she slowly and leisurely stood up. Obviously, she had no qualms about public speaking. But, her confident and comfortable air wasn’t the only thing about her that demanded everyone’s attention. Now, they all had an excuse to look at her, where otherwise it might be considered rude staring.

As Sarah walked to the front of the room, Mina noticed she glanced at the clock, as if to make sure she had enough time.

That entire class was a memory, which had plagued her terribly for the remainder of the day, before pushing her to finally speak with the girl. Even now, Mina replayed Sarah’s words over and over. She wouldn’t be surprised if Sarah had made a deep impression on each and every soul listening to her that random Monday.

In her clear, sweetly pitched voice, soothing to listen to, Sarah started her bit by requesting the teacher’s permission.

‘Mr. Denton, I think my piece may take slightly longer than most, is that alright?’ she was most courteous and respectful.

A please smile had graced their teachers face, much as it continued to do each and every time Sarah read her work or simply handed it in throughout the year. The smile was to be taken as tacit permission, and the modern princess carried on.

Clearing her throat, though Mina suspected all of what Sarah did was for a dramatic effect. And, all of what she did had worked seamlessly that day. They were all juniors in high school, and yet once she had finished, the bell had rung a good ten minutes prior and each person sat entranced and awed with a want for more.

‘I think, perhaps, I should explain that this was not something I put together in this one weekend. I haven’t written any of down before, except for journal entries after a particularly vivid dream. For two years now, I’ve been walking the line between what I’ve come to call reality and my questionable reality. I think on that night, two years ago… I wasn’t dreaming, but to this day, I don’t see how it’s possible. It had to have been a dream, I know that, but at the same time, it was real and I know that also.’ she regarded her peers for understanding, reaching to them for a connection and impressing upon them how she felt, ‘can two realities exist at once? I’m not insane, and yet I know the impossible to be possible. Well, anyway, before Mr. Denton starts making appointments for me to see the counselor I’ll get on with it.’ while her spell was already steeling into the hearts of the attentive listeners, many recognized her joke and laughed.

‘Mind, this is a very, very bridged version. And, I suppose if anyone was truly curious, I could tell all some other time. But, for now, I’ve summarized the events of that night, only thirteen hours.’ she paused, taking in the silence and feeling all eyes on her, she looked down at her paper, and then thought better of it. A story was best told like the bards, if not in song, then at least not from a prompt.

Letting her hands rest at her side, she spoke on the spot, if not word for word from her assignment, then something close to it. ‘My stepmother and I had fought again that night. We still don’t get along too well, though Toby and I do. Toby is my little brother, half brother if it’s all the same to you. I’m sure you guys know how it can be, I was a freshman and here Karen, my step-mom, was having me baby-sit again. Each and every weekend, I would baby-sit, but in all honesty, I didn’t have anything better to do. I can look back now and analyze things differently, since I like to think I’ve matured some.

I was spoiled and bratty to Karen, though she wasn’t about to win any awards for mother of the year. But, I was upset that night, in an overly dramatic mood. I spoke harsh and cold words to my brother. I asked the Goblin King to take him away, well, I wished it, and there in was the key to having my wish granted. None of you seem to know who the Goblin King is, well I’ll tell you…’

Sarah had proceeded to give them a historical account of the Goblin King and his kingdom. Then she had given a shortened version of her adventure through the Labyrinth and encounter with said king. While a short tale in comparison to the length of the actual events, it was all she could push herself to do.

When she was finished, one girl burst into tears and began asking, ‘didn’t you love him too? Why’d you leave him?’

There seemed a similar sad silence about most of the female students, as her description of the handsome king had caused them to sigh and their mouths to water.

‘What would you have had me do? Leave Toby?’ she defended herself, feeling very sore about that particular aspect.

Their teacher had to call order and give excuses for each student’s whereabouts when they were ushered to their next class. Sarah had been asked to stay and speak with Mr. Denton in private, Mina wanted to hold back and speak with Sarah, but she too was ushered out and told not to be later than she already was for her next subject.

Sarah’s story haunted her mind the rest of the day, and Mina, was lowered to stalking Sarah en route home. It was then Mina introduced herself, and their friendship forged.

Now, two years later, they were both enrolled at New York University, just a short distance from East Hills, Long Island, so they could visit back and forth with ease. Lucky for them, Mr. Williams was as financially secure as Mina’s mother, which meant they could afford an apartment together. They’d have jobs of course, and pay rent in conjunction with their parents.

Since that fateful day, when Mina first heard about the Labyrinth, she’d had Sarah tell her every detail she could remember. As it was, she knew Sarah was withholding various parts about it. It also pained Mina, as she grew closer to Sarah, to recognize the forlorn love she held for the king known as Jareth. Sarah was beautiful, and could have any guy she wanted, though few approached, for the mindset of being unworthy. And yet, she subtly remained completely unattached. Mina had come to suspect Sarah for this, various reasons being her basis.

It was Mina’s conclusion that Sarah was unknowingly in love with a man she’d know for thirteen hours, hell, he might even be a mere figment of her imagination. And, worse, was that the raven haired beauty seemed to be forgoing any relationships in some hope that the guy would come back, or perhaps the despair that she’d never find someone to take his place.

There was sense of pride in knowing that among all the people in Sarah’s life, only she and Toby knew of Sarah’s adventures. And while Mina was a very level headed young woman, she couldn’t help but have some twisted faith that Sarah’s story was more than just make believe. Toby felt the same way, but he was also a five years old and just as likely to believe he could fly.

Now, Sarah’s writing ability had taken her far, as she had a full ride to NYU. It was always a battle for Mina, whether to know the Labyrinth to exist or to classify it as one of many fairytales Sarah wrote and talked about.

At her tender age of eighteen, Sarah already had two novels published, under pen names. And, it was because of that, that there were frequent doubts in Mina’s mind. Truthfully, there were just as many doubts in Sarah’s mind about the reality of it all.


***
“Mina! Earth to Mina…” the star of Mina’s reverie stood before her now, two years older and appealingly filled out, waving a hand in front of the dazed girl’s eyes.

“Huh? Oh yeah” she said, coming to and snapping from her memory. She smiled, always enjoying replaying that particular memory back in her head. “What were we talking about again?” she played it off as another ditzy moment she often had.

Laughing, Sarah answered, “Well, nothing much. I just mentioned that this whole morning turned out better than I expected.”

Mina though back a minute, then remembered, “Oh right. Why is that?” she reiterated.

Setting a poppy seed bagel down in front of Mina, knowing they were her favorite and delighting in the fact that they had just been bought fresh from the bakery early that morning, Sarah thought a moment. “Well…” she said, looking into Mina’s dark blue eyes, and furrowing her brows slightly, “Be honest now. I know what some people have said… well, I know the rumors at least.”

This caught Mina’s attention; it was rare for Sarah to show such concern over anything spoken behind her back, which sadly was an awful lot. It wasn’t that people didn’t like Sarah, but she was different from them. Her mind still held a powerful imagination, resulting in her successful story telling, and her appearance was almost too pretty. “I promise.” Mina assured, taking the first bite of the bagel, loving that it was her favorite.

“Toby and I are close. We always have been since… well you know. And, even I can’t deny that it seems he is-” she paused, trying to find the right words, “more attached to me, than to Karen, and she’s his mother. I don’t think I thought much of it, until I heard the speculation that I was actually Toby’s mother. I mean, that’s just not possible, but some people believe it.”

“What do you care what people say? We’ve graduated. You won’t see them again. Besides, even if we did, it’s not like you to care either way.” Mina said.

“I know, but, if my own class mates were talking like that, then I can only wonder how Karen and Dad feel. They don’t seem to notice anything, but what if all along, Karen has been feeling like… you know, not a good mother or something.”

This caused Mina to snort with laughter. She had to finish chewing before she could reply. “Sarah, are you kidding me? Not even you could act the part of a happy go lucky woman, when inside you truly felt like a failure as a mom. If your step-mom felt bad that Toby loves you more, then she’d be showing it, trust me.”

Sarah half frowned, mulling it over, before shrugging it off. She hadn’t actually wanted to put it as blatant as Mina had, but there it was, a matter of who loved whom more. ‘Ridiculous really’ she thought. What does it matter? It was a good thing she and her brother had a good relationship. Besides, he had years ahead of him to rebel and distance himself, like the teenage angst phase everyone spoke of.

Sarah and Mina spent a few more minutes chatting away, Mina finishing her bagel and Sarah simply looking at the blueberry muffin before her. They were anxious about starting classes, unsure of themselves, but excited all the same. Mina still had no idea what she wanted to major in, but she didn’t care. It would be nice to get away, live on her own, well, with Sarah anyhow.

Shortly after, Toby came bounding into the kitchen, backpack sloppily being dragged along behind him. Throwing himself onto Sarah’s lap, he used her as a booster seat and devoured her untouched muffin. Through a mouthful he explained, “Mom said I could go, packed my things for me.”

With more hugs and kisses, the three of them were off. Mina bit her lip as she drove, and Sarah and Toby once again pondered for the millionth time, what Sarah’s Labyrinth friends were up to at the very moment. From an outsider’s perspective, which was what Mina was, no doubt about it, Toby seemed to be under the impression he was coming to live with Sarah. When tomorrow came and he had to return home, Mina didn’t want to be around for those tears.

Toby’s voice broke through Mina’s imagined scenarios of how ‘breaking the news’ would go, “Do you really believe that Sarah? Did he just lose a game? Or was everything destroyed?”

Sarah shook her head, sending her dark hair cascading, “I can’t believe that for a second. If I thought I could have destroyed the Underground, I’d never forgive myself. I think the Goblin King just never lost before. I’m sure things are back to normal, as if I was never there…” her voice trailed off slightly, “Bet they’ve forgotten about me completely.” she spoke softly and sadly under her breath.