Thank you DemonGoddess061 for showing me the ling to the HTML tags. ^^

Chapter 1.

Into the Labyrinth
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“You have no power over me…”

Those words had haunted Sarah for what seemed like a lifetime, but what were really only a few short years. Fifteen years, to be exact. Which, over the course of those years, she’d tried to convince herself that the Underground was something brought on by her overactive teenage imagination and the workings of a very good book. That ‘The Goblin King’ was just a fictional character and that he didn’t try to steal her brother. That Hoggle and the others weren’t really in her room when she got lonely or depressed about something. They’d all left her after so many years of being ignored and treated as if they weren’t really there. Everyone left. Even Jareth.

Sarah knew that, even if it wasn’t real, Jareth never wanted her. He’d always wanted her brother, Toby. It was never Sarah that mattered, Jareth could have cared less about Sarah, it was Toby he needed. It was Toby who he wanted. Sarah didn’t know how many months she lied awake thinking about Jareth wanting her, and only her. She’d lied awake for so many nights when she realized the mistake she made when she turned down Jareth’s offer. She’d turned him down. And that was the single stupidest thing she’d ever done.

Sarah rolled uncomfortably in her bed as she thought about things that hadn’t crossed her mind in some years. Maybe it was because she was back in her old room after such a long time. Maybe it was because she’d found her beloved book in the arms of her brother just a few hours before. Or maybe it was the soft owl feathers she’d seen in her brother’s room before going to sleep.

Toby hadn’t mentioned anything about owls, or Jareth or any of the Goblins since she’d been back. Maybe he couldn’t? Maybe Jareth had sworn him to secrecy? But that couldn’t be, because it wasn’t real. Jareth wasn’t, Goblins weren’t and neither was the Underground. It’s not real…It’s not real…

Sarah has told herself that for many years, but now she was having trouble believing it. It all just seemed so real! How could she have imagined something so real? How could she have imagined Ludo and Hoggle and the cute little blue worm? It wasn’t possible. Sarah had a nice imagination but not that nice.

“…I can’t go this time, Sarah just got back.”

Sarah’s head snapped up with such ferocity that it could have snapped her neck. Was that Toby talking? Who was he talking to this late at night? Where would he have been going if she hadn’t come home for the weekend?

“My dear Toby, you’ll be back before sunrise just like always.”

No. It wasn’t possible. Sarah quickly jumped from her warm bed and ran for her door. She threw it open, it hit the wall with a loud bang (good thing her parents were out) that would have woken anyone up, and ran down the hall to her brother’s room. She swung his door open, rage in her eyes, breathing heavy, eyeing the snow-white blond man and her brother standing together too close for her comfort. “Get away from my brother, Jareth.”

Toby looked utterly terrified as his sister burst into his room, whereas Jareth looked somewhat pleased. “Sarah.” Jareth said plain as day, like nothing was wrong. Sarah glared back at him, not only because it looked like he’d been doing something to Toby he shouldn’t have, but because he was supposed to be doing that to her. Toby moved to stand behind the tall, blond, man, blushing a deep crimson, looking down to the ground like a dog that’d been caught doing something bad.

“C’mere, Toby. Get away from him.”

Toby just clung to the man, sinking further away from his sister’s sight. Sarah’s mouth opened wide in shock. Her own brother had chosen Jareth over her. She could see the triumphant smile that was on Jareth’s face. “Jareth, please, let’s go.” Toby whimpered behind the blond man. “As you wish.” Jareth told him as he pulled the boy around, putting his face in his chest, and twirling his cape around them both.

“No! Toby!”

Sarah tried to yell for them to come back, but they were already gone. Sarah felt herself loosing it all over again, but worse this time. She felt the rage of being rejected by the man she loved, and her brother. Her brother who got everything. And now, he even got her Jareth.

“Jareth!”

Sarah screamed at the top of her lungs, eyes closed, in one large breath. When she opened her eyes the familiar sight of the Labyrinth was in front of her yet again. She knew, deep down, what was coming.

“We meet again, dearest Sarah.”

Sarah stared straight at the once thought fictional man who she loved, with tears threatening to overflow at the corners of her eyes. “Why?” She managed to choke out. She wasn’t sure if he’d heard her at first, but his smirk confirmed that he had. “Why what, my dearest Sarah?” Jareth shot back with a hit of humor in his voice; he knew what she was asking, of course he knew, but he wanted to watch her suffer just as she made him suffer.

“Why my brother? Why not me?”

Sarah felt one hot tear run down the side of her face, down to her cheek, and then down her neck. Jareth’s cackle from beside her made the rest of her tears flow freely now. “You’re the one who rejected me, Sarah. Don’t make me out to be the bad person here.” Jareth told her, the same smile he always wore on his face.

“I…I didn’t mean it. I didn’t know!”

Sarah tried to defend herself, tried to gain back Jareth’s affections, but from the smile playing at Jareth’s lips she knew it wasn’t helping at all. “You’re too late, Sarah. It’s your baby brother I want now.” He told her.

Sarah could see his eyes flash with lust, love, longing…all for her brother. The eyes that once only belonged to her now belonged to Toby. Sarah looked down and thought about her options for a moment. She could leave here; leave her brother here in peace with Jareth. Or she could get her brother back and make him as miserable as she now was. She smiled at the last one.

“It’s not too late.”

Jareth’s brow quirked at her words. “I want my brother back, Jareth.” She told him flatly, no sign of emotion left in her voice though her tear streaked eyes betrayed her. Jareth laughed, louder than before and much throatier than before. “Do you expect me to just hand him over to you, silly girl?” Sarah shook her head at his question and looked back to the Labyrinth.

“Same rules still apply? Thirteen hours, right?”

She asked, still looking at the Labyrinth knowing that Jareth would know what she was talking about. Sarah could almost hear Jareth’s nod from beside her. “Yes, yes. Same rules, dear one.”

“But,” Sarah started as she looked back to the Goblin King’s face, only determination left in her eyes now. “I want to stay here if I make it this time.” She said looking down, as if she were embarrassed. Jareth didn’t laugh this time, his face was rigid. “In the end, it’s up to Toby. Even if you do make it through.” He said looking at the castle where he’d left Toby to sleep until he’d gotten back.

“I understand” she couldn’t just leave without a fight, though. She had to try and get her brother back home, and try to get back the man she loved. Even if he was fictional.

“Very well, thirteen hours.”

Jareth stated flatly and then turned without another word, and then he was gone.

Sarah stared at the place where he once stood, and then at the Labyrinth in front of her. It had changed since the last time she was there. It looked bigger, more monstrous, than before. She sighed; there went her plan of trying to remember the path she’d taken the first time.

Sarah put on a straight face, braced herself, and began to walk back into the Labyrinth. The on that she’d solved so many years ago. The one she’d made such a big mistake in. The one her life was ruined in.

And now she was going back to make it right.