Spider and the Fly

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Labyrinth. The rights belong to Jim Henson Company and all the lovely souls who were lucky enough to get them. cough cough lucky bastards cough cough

Aaaanywhoooo, enjoy.


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Sarah... Sarah...

The voice whispered persistently in her head. Sarah... hear my voice, Sarah. Say my name.

"Why?" she asked, sitting in the dark. "Why do I have to say your voice?"

"You called me here Sarah, in this black hole of dreams. Your heart is aching, Sarah, and I can make that ache disappear... forever." The voice was closer to her now, and different. It was caressing her, sending delicious chills down her spine.

"Forever?" she whispered to herself, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Yes, my dear girl, forever. An eternity without that pain. Without ANY pain. And all I want from you, Sarah, my Sarah, is for you to say one word and undo the spell."

"What spell?" she asked, panicking. The voice was next to her ear now, honeyed and rough at the same time. She trembled as a phantom hand ran lightly down her arm.

"The spell you cast over me when we last parted ways. Come now, dear Sarah, have you forgotten everything?" the voice gently mocked. She gasped as a pair of teeth nipped her earlobe.

"When I said..." she struggled to remember. It was so hard to think with that voice so near. It frightened her, thrilled her, and made her yearn all in one.

"Yes, Sarah. When you broke my heart, and my world. Say my name, Sarah, and you'll have no more pain. You have my word." The voice was insistent now, the hand, no longer lightly touching her, but sliding around her waist.

"No more?" she said, closing her eyes against the emotions welling up from the pit of her stomach. The hand was creating sensations she had only felt once before, in HIS presence.

"No more, my beautiful girl." The voice soothed, a pair of phantom lips kissing her neck.

Sighing, Sarah tilted her head back to allow the lips more access. The hand and arm it was attached to pulled her against a body, and her head now rested on a shoulder. The lips continued to gently touch her skin, making her shiver and ache.

"No more pain... an eternity without..." she said softly, tasting the words.

"Would it be so dreadful, to spend forever with me?" the voice said, stopping at the curve of her throat. She could feel the lips just hovering over her neck, and she cried out unknowingly.

"No!"


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Sarah sat bolt upright, her eyes wide open with fright and her chest heaving. She looked around in a panic, searching and waiting for a familiar blonde figure to appear. After a few minutes had passed and he hadn't appeared, she calmed down enough to look at the clock.

"2 am! Great, today of all days, I get woken up with a nightmare." She sighed and looked around her cramped and cluttered apartment. "Happy birthday to me." she whispered bitterly to herself. Sighing, she got up and walked into the tiny bathroom, her old cotton nightshirt hanging barely to her thighs. "I really have to get new clothes." she sighed. Only at nighttime could she see the stains and rips it obtained that night five - no, six years ago. No one else could see them, she just assumed they were memories forcing themselves into her world. She sighed again and looked in the mirror.

Her face had slimmed down some, but her eyes were still the same light green color that always darkened whenever she thought of HIM. She had gotten taller, and her form filled out more, and her hair was longer, to her waist. Her lips were still the same pouty fullness that she had when she was 15.

She studied her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles under her eyes and mussed hair showed her lack of sleep. Sighing again, she bent down to run some cold water and splash it on her face. She stood up – and screamed.

He was behind her, watching her with those same beautiful eyes she dreamed of. The same smirk, the same look of arrogance and cruelty and beauty she remembered every night and every day.

She whipped around – and no one was there. She turned around to face the mirror again, and she was alone in the room.

Standing up, she opened up the medicine cabinet behind the mirror and pulled out a small orange bottle. Unscrewing the cap she shook out two small white pills. Back to this again... She filled a glass on the sink with water and drank, then popped the pills in. Swallowing, sinking to the floor, she stared at her wrists. Clear as day, she saw her self hatred and her regret marked. She cried out and buried her face in her hands.

Six years... and I still regret it.


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Unbeknownst to Sarah, someone watched her intently in her bathroom. A tall, lean man, with hair the color of crème and tossed by the wind, and two mismatched eyes, one the color of ice, the other the color of chocolate, was seated on a window ledge, staring into a crystal ball.

"Yes, Sarah." he whispered almost lovingly to the crystal. Tonight was a rare occasion. He had been unable to watch these past six years, something blocked his crystals. But tonight... tonight she had called to him, in her dreams, and he answered, his voice full of regret and longing.

"It has been six years. Six, long, painful years. But I have waited long enough. You regret what you have given up... and I will make you regret it more."

With a flick of his wrist he vanished the crystal and got up. He went to his rooms, ignoring the goblins running around underneath his feet. 300 years and you got used to that sort of thing. Sighing, he opened the door to his rooms, decorated in blacks and midnight blues, with a few dashes of crimson and white. He fell onto the enormous bed covered in black silk, removing his shirt and dropping it on the floor. He lay on his back, one arm behind his head, the other by his side. Bored with the moment's peace, he summoned another crystal – and growled.

The familiar blackness was back. He hadn't been able to reach Sarah for so long because of this thing. It was all encompassing, hiding everything that was Sarah or related to her from his view. Hissing in impatience, he tried to delve into what was causing that blackness. There was no magical aura, no taste of a spell. It was cold, inhuman, merciless. There was a faint medicinal smell, one he couldn't place. Withdrawing from the crystal, he threw it into the air where it disappeared. With a careless flick of his hands, the black curtains surrounding his bed snapped shut, and he fell into a restless sleep.


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Sarah woke up at the sound of her alarm going off. Groaning, she got off the bathroom floor and walked to the bedroom to shut it off.

5:00 am. it blinked. 5:00 am.

Stretching, she looked out the window at the sun, just barely peeking over the apartment building across the street. Her entire home was bathed in gold... and a phantom presence.

She gasped and spun around. No one was there, but her heart was pounding and her neck was tingling. Like someone had lightly touched her with warm hands...

"God! I have to get out of here." she muttered, stalking to the bathroom. She turned on the tub and slipped out of her nightshirt. She folded it lovingly and placed it on the sink. "At least I still have you." she whispered, closing her eyes at the sense of loss that welled up inside.

Faces welled up in front of her. Hoggle... Sir Didymus... Ludo... Toby... HIM.

She gasped and wrenched her eyes open. She had felt that presence again, and it was doing something to her. Her body felt electrified, her skin sensitive to the slightest breeze. Standing in her bathroom naked, she felt terribly bare to the eyes of someone... and it thrilled her as much as the presence.

Closing her eyes, she stepped into the warm bath water and smiled. "Mmm... perfect temperature." she said softly, grabbing a rag and a bar of soap. She hurried through her bath, stepping out of the tub and shivering. It was still dark out, but that couldn't be helped. She had to get to work on time today. She hurriedly dried off and went into her bedroom.

Grabbing a black skirt and white button down shirt, Sarah paused by her vanity table. There, is a small white velvet case, was her favorite possession. She opened it up and breathed a sigh of wonder.

A silver and gold owl with sapphire, perched in flight, with a delicate gold chain, was nestled among the white satin inside. She lightly touched it, feeling a sense of courage. "I told myself I would wear you today." she whispered to the owl. The sapphire eyes stared up at her. "But my boss doesn't approve of big jewelry... hmm..." she stood up and replaced her shirt with another white button down. This one had cascades of lace at the throat and wrists. "Yes... I think I will wear you today." she smiled, reaching for the owl.


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Her phone screeched at her. She dropped her hand from the owl with a sigh and answered it. "Hello?"

"WILLIAMS?! Where the hell are you?!" her boss shouted into her ear.

"At home, sir, I'm getting ready to leave."

"What the hell are you doing at home?!" he snarled.

"It's still 5:30, sir; I don't have to be in for another 30 minutes." She said, trying to be reasonable and calm with him.

"Bullshit! Its 6:32, you ignorant twit! Or did you forget about Daylight Saving's Time?"

Oh shit. Sarah smacked her palm against her forehead. "I'm so sorry, sir, I didn't-"

"Of course you didn't, Williams. I want you in my office in 10 minutes."

CLICK.

Forgetting everything else but her purse and shoes, Sarah ran down the stairs, leaving the owl pendent sitting on the vanity.


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After she got into her car and raced off, the curtains fluttered in a slight breeze.

"Ah, Sarah. You haven't forgotten, have you?" The blonde man appeared in front of her closed balcony doors, walking to her vanity and lightly touching the pendent with a gloved finger. "No... not when you wear my symbol around your neck, and speak to it so lovingly."

Jareth looked around her apartment. It was small, very small. None of the things the old Sarah had were in display. There was only a picture of her and a small boy. He picked it up and gazed at it. Sarah was there, holding onto a small, blue eyed boy. His hair was gone and he appeared sick, but he was smiling at the camera. He turned his attention to Sarah, and her eyes caught his breath. Eyes of sadness and pain. She was holding onto something deep inside, and it was hurting her.

He put the picture down and moved on.

Business like clothes, nothing fanciful or fun. She was boring, dull. Even her books were gone. It was the home of someone who had nothing, no one. The picture with the sick boy was the only one in the apartment. There were no toys, no dolls. Her makeup was dull and boring as well.

"Sarah... this world is nothing like you thought, is it? The ones you loved turned against you... they left you... and now, you are nothing as well." he said softly, mournfully. "You don't even dream anymore, do you, my dear girl. You relive your mistakes and your pain..."

Striding to the window, he stopped. He conjured another crystal, but this time, he placed it next to the owl. Smiling, he walked to the windows... and disappeared.

A small white rose lay on the table, still tingling with his touch. A bit of gold glitter lay on the leaves, sparkling in the morning light.


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"Well, Williams, yet another WONDERFUL display of arrogance on your part." Her boss, Mr. Cunely, snarled at her. "And what the hell are you wearing?!" he snapped, pointing at her lacey blouse.

"I wanted to wear something different today, sir. That's all." she whispered, her face lowered.

"Well, congratulations, you did! This isn't a fashion magazine, or a boutique, Williams! This is an insurance office! This isn't a dream or a place to play!" he snapped, stalking back to behind his desk.

Mr. Cunely was a short, squat man who had lost most of his hair. What little bit was left was a greasy stringy grey. His ideas of "proper dress code" meant dressing like the bland grey filing cabinets that lined the walls of the building and his office. He often berated anyone who wore something that was "unprofessional"- meaning it had color.

"What disgusts me more is your complete lack of regret in this matter, Williams." he continued.

"Sir?" she looked up, surprised. "Sir, I-"

"You what?" he snapped. "Third time this month you've been late, Williams. Last month you had five. The month before that-"

"Toby." she whispered, tears threatening to fall. "My little brother was-"

"I've had enough of your excuses! You're FIRED!" he stood up, planting his hands on his desk.

Sarah looked up at him in shock. "Sir-"

"Get out!" he screamed, motioning to the door. "10 minutes to clean out your desk and get out!"

"Yes, sir." she whispered, standing up.

"Oh, and Williams?" he spat as she reached the door. "Happy birthday."


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Sarah drove home, numb. She didn't have much in her desk, Cunely had a habit of going through and taking anything that took away from the professional atmosphere. She packed it all up in a small bag she had in her desk and left without saying a word to anyone. She hadn't needed to. They all knew she had been fired on her 21st birthday. In all reality, no one cared about it. They only thought of how they could get her insurance cases. Even Sarah didn't care about it, in the end. She hated working at that place, which oppressed everything and everyone in it. She only worked there to get money to pay her rent – which, unfortunately, due today, she remembered. Sighing, she went into her apartment and grabbed the envelope of money near the door.

Fighting back the urge to cry and burst into tears, Sarah knocked on her landlord's door.

"Sarah? What are you doing?"

"Paying my rent, sir." She said, fighting to keep the trembling smile on her face. She handed him a packet with money inside.

"It's not due for another month, girl, you know that."

"WHAT?!" she sputtered.

He smiled kindly at her. "Besides, why are you still here? It's your birthday, you should be celebrating!" he continued, trying to hand her back the packet.

"I was fired today." she said flatly. "I want to pay my rent now because I many not be able to next month, and this money is yours."

She smiled sadly and turned away. Watching her go up the stairs to her apartment, the man sighed. "Such a pity..." he muttered, shuffling back into his own apartment. "Such a kind girl... to be given such a lot in life... such a pity..."


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Still fighting the urge to cry, Sarah walked into her apartment and shut the door. Leaning against it, she slid to the floor, ripping her skirt seam as she did so. She buried her face in her arms and felt the tears threatening to overwhelm her.

Sarah... the voice was there again, tremulously, weak. Sarah... you know what you have to do, Sarah. You know what you have to say to make this all better.

No... not yet. She whispered back. Standing up, she undid the buttons on the lace shirt, and slipped it off. Next came the ruined skirt and then her heels and stockings. Never did like the corporate look anyway. She thought, and far off, she heard the voice laugh.

That's my girl... the voice whispered.

"This is still my birthday. No matter what, if I can't have my loved ones here with me... I can imagine them here."

That's the spirit, my girl. The voice whispered, each word a caress sliding over her. That's my Sarah...

Sarah walked to her closet and pulled out her most luxurious purchase. It was a spaghetti strap white silk nightgown that clung to her in all the right places and flowed where it didn't. It felt good against her hands. Smiling, she hung it up and went into the bathroom.

She filled the tub with hot water and scented soaps. Smiling, she went into the other room and collected various candles from around the house. White, dark blue, red, grey, black, tan. She arranged them around 3 corners of the tub and then nodded to herself. Sighing with pleasure, she sank into the steaming water, and pulled her hair out of the bun on top of her head. It tumbled down in dark stands into the water. She reached over to a small table next to the tub, and pulled out a box of matches. Striking one, she lit the candles around the rim of the tub, and relaxed into her dreams.

Almost like a princess, getting ready for her prince. she thought dreamily. Like the ball... that lovely night, six years ago, when we danced... I was so scared... the look in his eyes was terrifying, but... beautiful in it's cruelty. Just like him.

"Was it always this way between us, Sarah? Was it always regrets and longing?" the voice murmured silkily in her ear.

"Maybe... you were my dreams, come to life. My prince, personified. And I... I was a child who didn't know what she wanted, who was lost in how the ways the world actually worked."

"Ah, my darling Sarah... how you've matured." The voice no longer seemed to be in her head, but next to her, kneeling behind the tub.

Sarah leaned her head back, lost in her dreams. For the first time in a long time, Sarah Williams dreamed. She dreamed that her dark prince, the love she denied so many years ago, was coming to her that night, to take her away. She could almost feel him behind her...


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Jareth stared at Sarah as she leaned her head back onto his shoulder. She felt him, he knew she did, but she also thought it was part of her dream, a dream of them together. He smiled a feral smile and reached, lovingly, and touched her bare shoulder with his gloved fingertip.

Sarah sighed, her eyes still closed, her head turning so her lips were near his throat. His pulse quickened. She wasn't supposed to be making it so easy for him... His eyes trailed over the tub, where bubbles covered her naked form. He could see the tops of her breasts, but then the foam covered her. Her hair, longer and free from its bindings, was wet and sticking to her neck. He gently brushed it away, his fingers lightly touching her throat.

"Oh my king..." she whispered in her dreams.

Jareth stood up and backed into nothing. He would wait, until she was ready. She was almost there... just a little more time... six years wasn't as long as he thought it would be, but it was still long enough.

"Tonight, Sarah, my beautiful dreamer... tonight I take back what is mine." He whispered as he summoned another crystal. This time, there was no blackness. This time, Jareth sat, entranced, and watched her dreams take place.


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AN: I was planning on writing the entire story out before I posted up part of it, but that kittenish bit of me that loves curiousity happened to be in control today, so here it is. I would love to hear what you have to say (and hopefully what I can fix.)
I hope to have the complete thing finished and up soon, simply because it's taken on a life of it's own. It feels wonderful to write again, and I hope you enjoy my writing as much as I do.

Thanks for reading, darlings.