Fooled Heart

Fooled Heart



Chapter 11: Help



"Jareth," Sarah said, looking into the mirror, "I need you. Please help."



Sarah waited, looking intently into the mirror. A few minutes passed and she stood, pacing the small room. 'What did I expect? He won't just come here because I ask,' she thought. 'And for all I know, this could be part of the dream. Or this could be a dream Jareth gave me and I'm still in the Underground.'



"Sarah?" his cool voice sounded softly in the room. Sarah looked to the window, seeing him standing before her with his eyebrows pinched together as he watched her.



"How do I know this is real?" Sarah said hesitantly.



"I don't follow, Sarah," Jareth said, looking at her with a puzzled look on his face.



"You're not real. This isn't you," Sarah said, circling the handsome man, "If you even showed up, you would have been angry to be called on."



"Sarah-" he began.



"You're not real! How do I wake up?" Sarah said as she distanced herself from him.



"Sarah," Jareth spoke, looking at the terrified girl tenderly, "You asked me for help. I came."



"The real Jareth wouldn't be here," Sarah spoke, backing away from him.



"Sarah," he said, reaching for her arm. She quickly yanked it back.



"No! You can't trick me again. This isn't real. I just need to wake up." Sarah said, pushing him away. She sunk to the floor and began repeatedly pinching herself.



"If you don't trust me, I can't help you," he stated calmly. He stepped toward her and offered his hand. "Just calm down, Sarah. Explain what happened."



"You're not real. You wouldn't be so nice if you were real," Sarah said as she swatted his offered hand away.



"Sarah, you obviously need help. Let me help you," he said, extending his hand again.



"Stop it! Get out of my head, whoever you are!" Sarah yelled angrily.



"Sarah stop. There's no one in your head," Jareth stated, obviously becoming aggravated.



"That's just what you would want me to think," she spat at him.



Jareth kneeled to her and roughly grabbed her chin in his hand. "If you don't want my help, then I will leave. If you call, I will not return. Choose your words carefully, Sarah. You only get this one chance," he hissed, looking the distressed girl in her watery eyes.



Sarah studied his face for a few moments with wide eyes. "I don't know what's real anymore," she said finally, letting her tears overflow.



"I know. I was able to figure that one out on my own," he said, letting go her chin with a chuckle.



"How can I be sure you're real?" Sarah asked as she looked up at him.



"You can't, Sarah. There's no way I can really prove it to you. You just have to trust me," he stated, rising to stand.



"I can't do that, Jareth," Sarah said, looking at the floor.



"Then I will leave," he threatened.



"No! I..." Sarah paused. "If you are real," she said finally, "Then why did you come so easily? Why are you being so kind?"



"Sarah, you forget. Everything you asked for, I have given to you," he said, offering his hand to her once more.



"But you've never been like this," Sarah asked with suspicion heavy in her voice.



"Do you want my help or not, Sarah?" he hissed at her. He still held his hand stiffly to Sarah. She hesitated, but took his offered hand. He pulled her to her feet. "Now, tell me what the problem is."



Sarah breathed deeply and offered him the chair at her vanity. He brushed it off before taking the seat and looked at her with interest.



"I'm not entirely sure of what is going on," Sarah began, pacing the room again. Jareth's eyes followed her. "I woke up this morning from a strange dream. At least, I think it was a dream. It felt so real."



Jareth sighed. "All of this for a dream. I'm surprised, Sarah." Jareth stood.



"Don't leave!" Sarah protested. "I need your help."



"I don't know what I can help with, Sarah. You simply had a nightmare."



"But I felt pain, Jareth. I couldn't wake up. So many terrible things happened. It felt real," she said, stopping her pacing to look at him. "I spoke with Hoggle. He told me about Dimonis." Jareth's eyes went wide. "He was in my dream, Jareth. He seemed so nice in my dream. Too nice."



"That's how he starts," Jareth stated softly.



"It gets worse?" Sarah asked, stepping toward the Goblin King. "Please help. I don't know what to do."



"Sarah, its not that easy. He's in your head now," Jareth stated sadly.



"Hoggle said if you bring me into the Goblin Kingdom, he can't get to me."



"I can't just take you because you ask me to, Sarah," he said determinely.



"What else can I do?" she asked, stepping closer to him.



"You have to be wished to me," Jareth said, not looking at her. "Or accept my offer," he said quietly.



A loud knock sounded on Sarah's bedroom door. Sarah sighed deeply. "There's another problem," she said, gesturing to the door, "I can't leave Toby here by himself."



"His parents?" Jareth inquired.



"They're on vacation. I don't know exactly where at this point. They're traveling," Sarah said, slumping onto her bed. Toby knocked again on the door.



"I can't take him, Sarah," Jareth stated. "He won't be able to come back. Could you live with that?"



"No," Sarah said softly.



"Stay here until his parents come back. Then accept my offer, and I will take you with me." Jareth said as he stood.



"But what if it happens again?"



"If you know it isn't real, Sarah, there is nothing he can do to you. You just have to live with it," Jareth said shortly before he disappeared.