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Last Resort	By : jinx1764 Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 7045 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, don't make any money, this is a work of fanfiction.

Chapter List
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"Jareth, can you come here for a sec? I want to show you something." Sarah called from the kitchen. He stood up from the couch where he had been relaxing watching Judge Judy, his favorite morning day time television show. He enjoyed watching the fiery, little judge cut ignorant people off at the knees; true entertainment in his opinion. Their Monday after her parents left had been rather boring for him so he wasted time like most normal humans and watched television.

"What is it, Sarah?"

She pointed to a grid-like chart hanging on the wall with several slashed pen marks on it. "I made this. It's a timeline charting your arrival and how much time is remaining."

"I see." He said in a flat voice, uncertain of Sarah's intention.

"See, according to what you've told me we've got twenty-one days left including today before the deadline."

"Sarah, I'm well aware of the time remaining. Why are you doing this?" He sounded peevish.

"I have an idea. If I've been wielding the Labyrinth's magic for years in my artwork; do you think you could teach me to use it properly in less than three weeks?" At first Jareth couldn't understand what she thought she might be able to accomplish in such a short time but he swiftly followed her line of thought.

"Sarah, you're brilliant!" He grabbed her shoulders his voice excited. "I can teach you the basics: how to focus, forming power crystals, and a few simple spells. You're control will be unstable and your goal will be difficult to obtain but with your affinity and years of instinctual practice, it's possible." Her grin brightened her entire face.

"If I can gain enough control in time I can create a Bond for Lizzie with the Labyrinth through my own Bond!"

"Yes! The idea is achievable; it'll be quite difficult but yes! We have to start immediately and work every moment possible but Sarah this could work." He kissed her and engulfed her in a tight hug which she reciprocated with enthusiasm. She might just get to have both of them after all.

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"Argh! Why can't I get it?" Sarah slapped the carpet with both hands frustrated with her lack of progress. They sat crossed legged on the floor facing each other in the middle of her living room. The coffee table moved aside to made room for them both.

"Sarah, Sarah...Calm yourself. We've only been working for a few hours. Learning meditation techniques took me weeks. You can't expect instantaneous results."

"We don't have weeks! I have to get this right and I have to do it fast." Jareth reached out and took both of her hands in his caressing her knuckles. He understood her frustration, meditation had been the most difficult lesson for him as well; neither of them possessed much inherent patience.

"Perhaps a break to clear your mind, besides Lizzie will be home from school soon."

"Yeah, okay, and I still need to drop that last painting off for Carol." He helped her rise from the floor, spun her around, and began massaging her shoulders.

"You must learn to relax, Sarah. I know it's difficult but without complete physical relaxation mental relaxation cannot follow. Your mind must be calm, not blank, not empty but inactive. Once you find that peace within then you can learn to passively control the magic as it flows through you. Your mind can grasp it like your hand grasping a bow string and you may apply any amount of pressure you need to create intensity."

"How do I make to do a specific spell?"

"As you apply the pressure with your mind you think of the specifics of what you want it to do. And you must be very specific. Magic, especially the natural magic of the Labyrinth, loves to translate your wishes into its own desires and its desires are very strong. That's why it requires a strong will to rule the Labyrinth."

"How long did it take for you to master your magic?" She glanced over her shoulder at him as he continued massaging her shoulders; she felt the tense muscles gradually release.

"No...I will not answer that." He smiled and touched his forehead to hers. "The comparison would only discourage you and our circumstances are not similar at all. Have faith in yourself as I do. This will work." She sighed closing her eyes taking advantage of the soothing sensations his long fingers generated in her and nodded.

"Now, Precious, why don't you take your painting to your friend's gallery and I'll wait for Lizzie to return. It'll be good for your mind to get some fresh air and once you're home we can start again."

Sarah chuckled, "You're going to pick up Lizzie at the bus stop?"

"Yes, of course."

"Alright, well then let me get out of here." She leaned in for kiss and tried not to linger for too long which Jareth did not encourage.

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An hour later, Sarah arrived at Carol's gallery with the last painting in her arms and a look of contrition on her face.

"Carol, I know I said I'd get this to you last week and I'm so sorry it took me this long." Carol met her at the front desk again shaking her head, lips pursed, and her hands on her hips. "I told you not to allow Mr. Distraction to get to you but you did, didn't you?"

"Don't blame Jareth. My parents dropped in for a surprise visit and I just couldn't get away. I really am sorry. I hope the client isn't too mad."

"I smoothed things over, Sarah. Just be glad your work is in demand otherwise he'd be getting a discount out of your percentage!" Carol admonished her but her stern expression didn't last long for her friend and favorite artist. She handed the painting to Daniel and gave Sarah a big hug. "I'm just glad to see you again and I have another commission for you!"

Sarah's bright smiled faltered at the news of another commission. Usually she loved taking custom work but with her future in question she hesitated to accept work that she may not be able to finish.

"Carol, I think I'm going to have to turn it down."

"Turn it down? I've never known you to turn down a commission. Why?" Carol stepped back her brow quirked.

"I just won't have time right now for new work. In fact, you should turn down any commissions for me for the next few weeks." She decided to commit herself while the bravery surfaced. Her friend eyes became more guarded and she crossed her arms.

"Something you want to tell me, Sarah?" She asked in her 'I may not be your mother but I'm a mother and you can't fool me' voice.

"I..." Sarah froze under Carol's ruthless glare. 'How does she do that?' She wondered for the 10,000th time. Sarah may not know her real mother anymore and barely had a relationship with her stepmother but she never felt motherless with Carol in her life. As she visibly cratered to the withering glare, Carol took a bit of pity on her, clasped her hand and pulled Sarah into her private office at the rear of the gallery. Steered onto the loveseat near the door, Sarah fell without resistance onto it while Carol shut the door behind them and sat next to her.

"It's just us, Sweetie. Okay?" Sarah nodded dumbly as Carol pulled her into a full embrace. "You know that I'm not just your business partner I'm your friend. In fact, I hope you know that I'm your friend first, Sarah." Carol made sure to give her the most sincere look she could.

"I know that, Carol, thanks." She sniffed as tears started.

"What's going on, Honey? Cause I know something is and I know it has to do with Jareth, right?" She looked up sharply at Carol when she mentioned him before she realized that she just given herself away.

"Uhuh...I knew that story was crap. Why did you lie to me? You're not eloping with him are you? He doesn't hurt you does he?"

Sarah coughed on a half sob, half laugh. "No, we're not eloping. And no he doesn't hurt me."

"But you two are up to something?"

Sarah internally debated if and how much she should confess to her friend. The stress and secrets of the last ten days made her feel as if she'd aged years with the burden. Not that she didn't enjoy having him in her life, but the circumstances wore on her and the looming deadline weighed her down. She met Carol's concerned brown eyes and dipped her toe in the water.

"Carol, what would you say if I told you that all of my paintings of the Underground; the Labyrinth, the creatures, the Goblin King himself were real?"

"Well, of course they're real, Honey..."

"You're not listening. I always told you that I painted from my imagination which helped my schizophrenia symptoms. What if I told you that the truth is that I paint from real life. That everything in my paintings I've seen in reality, I've visited in reality, and that another realm really exists, where magic really exists..." Sarah's voice grew more confident and passionate as she spoke to Carol while Carol stared at Sarah with a stunned, uncertain expression.

"What if I told you that Jareth really is The Goblin King? Would you believe me? Would you ignore everything you know about my past and believe me anyway?" They both were silent as they stared at one another waiting for the other to break the peace. Carol spoke first in a wary tone.

"Sarah, I believe that you believe it."

"Don't! Don't patronize me!" She sprung up from the couch and paced. "I know how this sounds and I know everyone thinks I'm crazy because the doctors say I am but what if I'm not? What if they're wrong? Haven't you ever wondered why my paintings sell so fast? What's the one word most critics use to describe my work? Say it!"

"Magical..." Carol whispered. "But Sarah that doesn't mean it's really magic."

"Why not? You don't know everything that's happened to me." Carol stood and tried to stop her pacing.

"You told me enough, Sarah, you told me what they did to you in that place."

"But I didn't tell you what happened before I got sick. There's a lot you don't know about me, Carol, and about Jareth. What if I could prove it, the magic?"

"Oh, Sarah...Please don't do this to yourself." She tried to hug her again which set Sarah's emotions firing. She backed away from her friend with her hand upraised and outstretched in front of her in the perfect crystal forming position. She felt her mind focus abruptly with a certain amount of aggression and before she could consciously define the specifics of a spell in her mind, a perfect crystal formed in her hand.

"Oh my God...How did you do that?" Carol's eyes widened at the instantaneous appearance of a glass sphere in Sarah's hand just a few feet from her face. Sarah wore short sleeves and her hand was fully outstretched away from her body with her hand completely open. Carol saw no manner in which Sarah could have used slight-of-hand to move a sphere that size to her hand without being noticed. One second her hand was empty and the next a perfect glass sphere rested in the center of her palm. Sarah smiled at Carol but her voice sounded vaguely hollow and her eyes bright.

"It's magic. Believe me now?" Carol stumbled the few feet back to the couch, sitting down heavily.

"Sarah...I...I...Is it real?" Sarah relaxed her stance and gently handed the crystal to her friend who hesitantly took it from her.

"Feels real, looks real. Does it do anything?"

"No, this crystal is empty. No power in it. I wasn't able to form a spell for it but the crystal is real enough." Her mind was a blur as she tried to have a rational conversation with Carol about the first crystal she'd ever manifested. Barely able to believe herself that she had been able to create it on impulse and now she was trying to convince Carol that it was an easy feat for her. As long as she believed her Sarah told her herself, she'd worry about everything else later. Awe in her eyes with a touch of fear, Carol gazed Sarah; the crystal gripped tightly in her hands which popped liked a soap bubbled a second later and vanished.

"What happened? Where'd it go?" Carol asked, startled.

"Something about my manifestation isn't stable yet. I don't know, Jareth is still teaching me, there's a lot to learn." She sounded a little overwhelmed.

"I believe you, Sarah. There's always been something special about your work and I'm not talking about artistic talent. I guess part of me always knew it but I just never had a word for it. I'm sorry I doubted you." Tears glistened in the older women's eyes and her lips quivered. Sarah flung herself around her closet friend hugging her tightly.

"Thank you, thank you Carol! I knew you'd understand. I haven't told anyone else so please don't say anything."

"No, I won't. Your secret's safe." The two women cried and held each other for several minutes.

"I want to tell you another secret. It's important that you understand everything about me."

"Alright."

Sarah proceeded to share her entire past with her dearest friend. She detailed her immature decision to call on the goblins to take her brother Toby away when she was only fifteen and the following journey through the Labyrinth in the Underground. She told her how she really met Jareth, the Goblin King and that the portrait in her gallery depicted that meeting. Sarah told Carol every relevant detail she could remember about the adventure leading up to her current life. She went on to tell her about the dire circumstances of Jareth's kingdom and why they were her fault. And what they were trying to do to repair the damage.

"I really don't know what to say." Carol stated numbly after Sarah finished her complex narrative.

"I know, if I didn't know it was real myself I wouldn't believe it either."

"You don't know what you're going to do yet? I mean about staying or going?"

"I'm not sure. But I'm hoping to reach a solution soon. If I can improve my magic and use soon then the answer should present itself." She smiled, shrugged, and stood from the couch. "Carol, I really should go. I didn't plan on staying so long and Jareth and Lizzie will be worried."

"Oh, yes...Sorry, I shouldn't have kept you so long."

"It's fine. I'm so glad I could tell you and whatever happens in a few weeks I want you to know how much I love you. You've always been a good friend and you've always been there for me." They hugged and cried again, patting each other's backs.

"Sarah, Honey, I love you, too. You take care of yourself and don't leave without saying goodbye, Understand?"

"Okay, promise."

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Night had fallen by the time Sarah returned home. She found Jareth passed out on the couch with a snoring eight-year-girl for a blanket, the television on mute, and a partially eaten pizza and its accessories scattered around the living room floor, coffee table and couch. Jareth's arm slipped from around Lizzie as Sarah approached and its jerking fall off the edge of the couch, onto the table, and into the remnants of the pizza box caused the box to tilt up and flip cold pizza into his face, waking him abruptly. Sarah covered her mouth with her hands in an attempt to stifle her laughter at the incredulous event she's just witnessed. She never did have a video camera with her when she needed it.

"Sarah?" He mumbled half asleep through cold pizza.

"Hey, it's me. Sorry I'm so late. Are you okay?" She snickered again.

"I'll have you know I've Bogged higher ranking persons than you for lesser offenses." He threatened quietly as he scraped the pizza from his face careful not to wake Lizzie.

"Promises, promises...Goblin King, by the way pepperoni and cheese pizza is a good look for you." That comment earned her an icy, evil glare. "Thanks for taking care of Lizzie, was she any trouble?"

"She was much better behaved than her mother." He retorted sharply. Sarah tried to repress her smirk. He certainly was a grouch when he was embarrassed. She leaned down to scoop her daughter off his majesty cautiously as not to wake her.

"I'll take her to bed, you get yourself cleaned up." He just glared at her again but didn't answer causing Sarah to smirk and shake her head. She carried Lizzie to her room and slipped her under the covers; Lizzie never even stirred. She needed to hire Jareth full time as a nanny; whatever he did had Lizzie out cold earlier than she'd ever gotten her to bed. Walking back to the living room she found him in the kitchen washing his face and arms; she noticed the living room was still a mess. Apparently his majesty didn't provide maid services as well.

"What took you so long? You need more mediation practice." Jareth snapped sounding tired and peeved. Taking one look at the irritation in his mismatched eyes she felt her own ire rise and chose not to give him a verbal answer. Rather she stretched her arm out towards him with her palm open and this time she focused her irritability through the magic; she felt tingling in her chest and thought glitter as she forced the crystal to form.

Jareth froze mid wash, his hands under the running water of the facet but his eyes staring at the crystal in Sarah's palm inches from his face. Before he could say anything she tossed the crystal to the kitchen ceiling and it exploded into a cloud of silver sparkles littering Jareth's hair, clothes, and the area surrounding him. His eyes rolled upwards at the mess then back to her; his hands still under the running water.

"I take it something happened." He deadpanned. She grinned. She really loved shocking the arrogant, immortal, lovable ass.

"You could say that."

Jareth's mood improved dramatically once she explained what happened after she arrived at Carol's gallery and the spark of aggression which had been the focus trigger for her mind. Apparently, calming mediation techniques weren't her forte. He surmised that strong emotion helped clear and focus her mind rather than passivity; much like the opposite side of the same coin. Now she would learn to control the trigger of the aggression and focus it so that she could draw on it at will instead of depending on the spark of emotion.

He had heard of similar Fae in the Underground with her talent but since it was a rare ability and he had no personal experience with it and hadn't considered relevant. Once he realized this difference he cringed at himself. Again his pride nearly became his downfall. If Sarah had not discovered her ability by chance he would've had her practicing inappropriate meditation techniques for weeks until it was too late. He was also surprise when she told him that she confessed everything to Carol.

"Sarah, I thought you wanted to convince her otherwise? I don't understand."

"She never believed us anyway. She confronted me as soon as I arrived and I decided to take a chance and trust her." She tucked her head just below his as they snuggled face to face in bed; their bare skin in full contact with each other's.

"Mmmm and how did she react?"

"At first she was supportive but patronizing like I was the sick like girl everyone still assumes I am. But once I manifested the crystal in her face she believed me." She felt and heard his deep chuckle and his hand caressed her back.

"I dare say. Can we trust her?"

"With our lives; she's my best friend, Jareth. She won't talk." She kissed the smooth, pale skin of his chest and breathed in his rich, masculine scent. She felt so safe in his arms, like nothing in two worlds could ever touch or harm her. Sarah closed her eyes feeling him rubbing her back and gradually she fell asleep in Jareth's arms.
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Last Resort