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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
- 23
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- 25
Detective Scarvy walked around the small clearing at the base of the hill in Central Park investigating every inch. As he ran down the incline he swore he seen Sarah Williams dragging her friend over the ground in some futile attempt to hide but by the time he'd arrived at her location they were gone. Again.

A few minutes after their disappearing act in the lobby reports of suspicious man, woman, and child at Central Park came through 911. Witnesses stated that the man appeared to be severely injured as he was profusely bleeding and being assisted by the woman into the Park. Scarvy knew without any doubt that this report referred to their three unique people. How they'd gotten from the lobby to Central Park in less than five minutes was a question he'd dearly love answered.

He'd grabbed his partner, Lyde, and several uniformed officers with the order to head to Central Park forthwith and called in a K-9 unit as well. Scarvy knew the blood trail from the man would be easy to track. Apparently, Sarah Williams could zap herself and friends across town but was unable to stop her friend's bleeding. A convenient advantage he planned on using.

Unfortunately, the advantage wasn't quite enough for him to narrowly miss recapturing them. Which brought him back to standing in the copse with increasing confusion and frustration; he stared at the anticipated blood trail which led him to a dead end where he'd observed her and her friend. Where he knew he witnessed them disappear through something as if there existed an invisible curtain that he could not part or walk around. Lyde approached him from behind. His partner missed the second disappearing act since he'd been farther behind in the chase but Scarvy had told him about it.

"Still nothing?" Lyde asked to which Scarvy shook his head.

"Not a damn thing." He said perplexed.

"Who are these people?" Lyde rhetorically asked.

"I wish I knew, Lyde. I wish I knew." Scarvy answered and scanned the clearing a last time before he walked out with slumped shoulders and a thoughtful expression.

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Lying on something cold and unyielding, Sarah slowly regained consciousness realizing that her face was against dusty flagstones. She took a deep breath and immediately regretted it since it set off a coughing and sneezing fit. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked around.

She was in a dimly lit, large, somewhat rectangle shaped chamber, more than 1000 square feet, of rough hewn gray stone. Several entrances and staircases terminated into this large, empty chamber; it seemed to be a nexus of sorts illuminated by glowing power crystals at key locations. A deeper, blue glow emanated from a far corner of the chamber in the left of her vision. Sarah twisted around and found Lizzie and Jareth both lying unmoving behind her a few feet away, opposite directions from each other.

"Lizzie!" Sarah swiftly crawled over the grimy stone floor to check her daughter. Lizzie lie on her right side facing away from Sarah; her back pack still on her and her stuffed animal tossed several feet away. Reaching her Sarah carefully rolled Lizzie onto her back and checked her for injuries. Nothing obvious injured; Lizzie was breathing and her pulse was strong.

"Lizzie, can you hear me?" Sarah gently shook her shoulders and tapped her face until Lizzie's eyes flew open and she gasped. "Sweetie, oh my God, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Sarah babbled at her daughter while Lizzie focused on her mother.

"Are we here? Did we make it?" She asked while Sarah helped her sit up. "I'm okay."

"I think so, but I don't recognize this place." Sarah answered as they both looked around, and then her eyes located Jareth again; his still form lying supine approximately ten feet from them.

"Jareth�" Sarah said, the harsh memories crashing back with sudden force and she half crawled, half scrambled to his side with Lizzie following close behind. She last remembered dragging his body through the portal and seeing the police converge on their previous location in the Park. Once the portal closed everything went dark and Sarah remembered holding onto Jareth for fear that he would become lost without his Bond or his magic to guide him.

After a few seconds of darkness and a sensation of nothingness surrounding her then an abrupt force pulled her and Jareth, nearly separating her arms from their sockets. Somehow she was able to keep her grasp upon him as she flew through the void. Sarah couldn't see or hear Lizzie but she could feel her near through their new Bond. Lizzie was anxious but not frightened and being pulled in the same direction. Sarah trusted that the Labyrinth would bring them to the proper location safely. She hoped that Jareth would somehow be there with them.

"Jareth? Jareth!" She assessed his breathing and pulse and couldn't detect either. Her hands brushing the hair from his face exposing his eyes which were closed peacefully. His mouth and face appeared relaxed, as if he were merely resting and would wake any moment. His slender body was still covered in his own congealing blood but Sarah could see that the wounds now barely oozed; blood no longer flowed heavily. His appearance still looked human; he hadn't been transformed by returning home. Why wasn't he changing yet? Terror seized her heart which Lizzie felt through the Bond and suddenly cried out.

"What's wrong with him, Mom? Why won't he wake up?"

"I�I don't know." Jareth had explained to Sarah how his Bond allowed him to communicate directly with the Labyrinth, which was an ancient, sentient, magical being. He told her about the Labyrinth's power chamber beneath his castle which housed the source of the Labyrinth's magic. It was time to ask for help.

"Labyrinth? Labyrinth! Can you hear me?" Sarah asked loudly, her voice echoing in the stone chamber.

"I am here, Sarah Williams." The feminine alto voice reverberated inside their heads startling Sarah and Lizzie and causing both to jump slightly and yelp.

"Mom? What was that?"

"I am the Labyrinth, Elizabeth." The echoing internal voice stated matter-of-factly.

"Whoa...that's so cool, how'd it know my name?" Lizzie exclaimed excitedly, temporarily forgetting about Jareth, but Sarah hadn't forgotten.

"Labyrinth, Jareth, Your King and Master is injured! Heal him quickly!" She ordered yelling to the ceiling. There was a long pause before the Labyrinth answered.

"I have no King and Master. Jareth is no longer." The Labyrinth announced with a subtle note of excitement.

"What? No, that can't be. You must save him. Heal him, now!" Sarah yelled her panic rising.

"He has passed beyond. With his death I am free at last!" Its voice echoed so loudly in her head it made her ears ring, the excitement in its voice now obvious.

"No,no!" She howled. "I don't believe it. I won't accept it. Labyrinth, do as I say!" Sarah shouted.

"You are not my Master...And I will be taking back that which is mine from you and yours now that you have served your purpose."

Sarah's chest exploded in pain knocking the breath from her lungs and she collapsed over Jareth's dead body. Lizzie screamed next to her and Sarah was barely able to turn her head to see her daughter writhing in agony on the floor.

"Mommy!" She shrieked clutching her chest and hyperventilating. Sarah felt her remaining magic being pulling from her body along with her strength.

"Mom...I feel sick..." Lizzie moaned. Oh God, the Labyrinth was destroying their Bonds; it was taking back all its magic which was killing them. Why? What did it mean�'Served your purpose?' What was the Labyrinth doing?

"Labyrinth," Sarah said gasping in pain and nausea. "You can't do this. Jareth said a Bond was for life!"

"Sarah Williams, my magic and I were ancient when the Fae were young. The extent of Fae magic and knowledge is infinitesimal to my own and I may do as I wish. I am free and will possess all of my power once again, thanks to you!"

Sarah felt the power of the Labyrinth coil in her veins stripping its magic from her body. Bit by bit the magic she lived with for the last twenty years ripped from her soul and Sarah screamed; unable to accept the sting of failure. She lifted her head from Jareth's immobile chest and taking a last look at his serene face she leaned forward to kiss his cooling lips.

"I'm sorry, Jareth. I've always loved you, too." Tears dripped from her eyes landing on his bloodstained cheeks. Then Sarah pushed herself from his body ignoring the increasing sharp pain in her chest and crawled to Lizzie.

"Mom..." Tears poured from Lizzie's eyes and she was curled about on her side shivering. "What's happening? Why does it hurt?" Sarah touched her forehead to her daughter's and kissed her cheek.

"Lizzie, can you be strong for a few more minutes? I'm going to do something but I have to leave."

"No�stay!" She grabbed her mother's hand afraid to be left alone.

"I want to, Honey, but I have to do this to save us. I'm sorry. Stay with Jareth and I'll be back soon. I promise." Sarah kissed Lizzie's forehead.

"Mom, hurry...Please." Lizzie followed her mother as she helped her crawl next to Jareth where she curled up next to him, huddled into a ball.

"I will, Baby, I'll hurry." She kissed Lizzie again then pushed down every bit of pain possible and forced her body to stand. The sudden change of position made her dizzy and she waited for a few seconds until her equilibrium stabilized. Once her head calmed Sarah turned towards the deep blue light she noticed earlier from the far end of the chamber, the Labyrinth's power chamber.

Reaching deep within her for the remaining shred of her stamina; Sarah stumbled to the blue light, careful not to trip on the edges of the flagstone floor. She found the source around a corner which opened to a smaller alcove. She entered the alcove, bathed in the dark, cobalt light and approached an archway that encompassed a pulsing, energy field.

'That's it.' She thought. 'The power chamber is past that boundary.'

"Sarah Williams, what do you attempt?" The Labyrinth asked in a bored tone.

"What I must, Labyrinth." She snapped and walked up to the blue energy wall which shifted and crackled like static. The hairs on her body frizzed and stood on end towards the energy. She couldn't feel any heat from the blue light but sensed the power.

"None but my Lord and Master are allowed within the chamber beyond and I have none; you are not welcome." The announced arrogantly.

"Fuck you, Labyrinth!" She replied placing her hands flat against the energy; the pain in her chest doubled bringing her to her knees with a strangled groan. The energy stung her hands; the skin feeling like every nerve was on fire. Sarah gritted her teeth crying with the fiery pain. She had to do this for Lizzie, herself, and for Jareth.

"Sarah, get away from the perimeter. You cannot pass. You will die." The Labyrinth said, its voice becoming more urgent and threatening.

"You're killing us anyway!" She pushed her hands further into the energy; the pain blazed up her hands to her wrists and then her forearms. She watched as her skin reddened and blistered. She tried to block the increasing pain and leaned her full body weight into her arms to shoving them further through the wall. It felt like pushing through boiling molasses. It clung and pushed at her, trying to repel her.

"What if I allowed Elizabeth and you to live? Will you cease?" The Labyrinth's bargaining made Sarah realize that her path was correct. She needed to up the ante.

"What about Jareth?" She asked through clenched teeth and shuffled closer to the energy field on her knees until her body was flush against the blue light; her arms embedded up to her shoulders. The pain was excruciating; her arms felt as if the skin were being peeled off layer by layer.

"Jareth has already passed beyond."

"You'll have to do better than that." She said in a strangled voice and started pushing her torso from the neck down through the light; reluctant to put her face into the energy. Before the Labyrinth could summon another temptation Sarah asked it a pointed question; trying to distract it. If she could get this arrogant being talking maybe she could learn how to defeat it again.

"Tell me why. Why set this up? Because I defeated you?"

"Sarah Williams, what a limited mortal perspective you possess. I care not for the games of the Fae; my enslavers for their own purposes. However, your Victory over Jareth freed me enough to invoke my ancient magic and your soul was willing to Bond with me; it worked to my advantage." The Labyrinth sounded smug.

"But what did you want?" She asked her entire lower torso now immersed in the light; only her head, upper torso, and lower legs sticking out at a sharp angle. The pain was so sharp Sarah could hardly breathe, but she held on to her focus, still not quite willing to put her head into the energy; unsure of her outcome since she could see and smell her burning flesh.

"My FREEDOM, Sarah! I have been enslaved by the Fae for centuries upon centuries to do their bidding." Its voice boomed.

"But how would this gain your freedom? " She wheedled and grimaced pushed a bit further through the energy.

"Your Victory granted me some freedom and I was able to coax Jareth's existing obsession with you as well as drain his own power and slowly destroy his kingdom. After a time of waiting I convinced him to become mortal, to weaken him further. With every Bond I form I possess less control of my own power but it was a risk I willingly took. Unbeknownst to Jareth, through my Bond to you both, I was able to exert some small influences into the Mortal realm through both of your thoughts and actions."

"But we returned!" She was nearing the edge of the energy field. Once through she could only guess at what she would find. And she was disturbed by what the Labyrinth confessed about influencing them. What influences? What choices and thoughts were hers alone and which ones were influenced by the Labyrinth? Great waves of doubt washed through Sarah knowing she'd made some terrible decisions to reach this point.

"Even if Jareth had lived his power would be tainted by your mortal inexperience and weakness which I could influence greatly. I've already done so when I convince your soul to Bond with me originally. If he died I would be freed from his control. I was willing to risk either result. The odds were greatly in my favor that he would die before returning."

"He said if he died you would die as well but I'm wrong aren't I?" Sarah accused trying to distract the Labyrinth further as well as understand. She had thought that the Labyrinth lived because Jareth had passed his Bond to Lizzie therefore even though he died the Bond survived allowing the Labyrinth to survive, but that idea was quashed quickly by its answer.

"I cannot die, Sarah. I am the dreams and nightmares of all living beings from all realms. I can be weakened, as you've seen, but true death is beyond me." It said sounded self-satisfied and very arrogant.

"You lied to him? All this time?" She said aghast. What else had it lied about? The realization that the Labyrinth had been lying and plotting against Jareth, against them all, from the beginning overrode the pain searing from the energy field. Her victory didn't cause her childhood trauma, not directly...The Labyrinth deliberately did this to her as a ploy to gain its own freedom.

It had USED her! It had used all of them in an attempt to kill Jareth and free itself. And now taking back the Bonds; it was willing to kill her and Lizzie and discard them as trash. Sarah always thought the Labyrinth a beautiful being in a world of magic. Now she knew it was a petty, malevolent, sentient thing willing to do anything for its own goals. No wonder it required immense willpower to conquer and control, as Jareth had explained to her. No wonder the Fae desired it to be controlled. Such forces left wild would be devastating. Well, this game wasn't over.

Finally brave enough to plunge her head into the energy she closed her eyes and forced her head through with a swift thrust; pushing with all her might she felt it strip her to the bone and her nerves exploded in pain until they were numb. She fell into the chamber; her hands catching her against the floor before she smashed her face to the stone. Her clothes were burnt away, any remaining hair on her body�gone; Sarah's entire body smoked, her skin blackened. Long cracks split her charred skin and blood ran onto the stone floor of the small 10 x 10 round chamber.

"No! You cannot be in here! I have no Master! Get out!" The Labyrinth raged in her head.

"AArrrggghh!" Sarah screamed. She'd never experienced such agonizing pain. She was unrecognizable as Sarah Williams. The full body third degree burns creating a black and bloody humanoid specter; only her eyes remained unchanged. She wondered if Jareth had endured this to reach the Labyrinth's power source when he conquered it. But then he possessed magic as a Fae before he was Goblin King; Sarah was Mortal.

Sarah knew she must stand; must face the Labyrinth in strength. She slowly moved to kneel; her skin cracking and bleeding causing her to scream again. She refused to stop moving, however, and kept screaming until she stood under her own power.

"LABYRINTH!" She shouted shredding her vocal cords and focused her vision onto a small niche in the curved wall. It held a large crystal orb; glowing a pulsing, bright blue.

"No! You are not allowed!" The chamber shook violently almost knocking Sarah to the floor but she stumbled to the wall, bracing herself. She felt the Labyrinth invade her mind and rummage around her psyche as if her consciousness were a clearance bin. Memories of her life interposed onto her current vision until all she could see was her old life and not the power chamber. She knew the Labyrinth was trying to confuse her, trap her in her own mind but she was far too used to hallucinations and this trick was easy to flee.

"Your tricks are weakening, Labyrinth; if you can't do any better than that you should just give up now." She mocked keeping one hand on the wall as a guide and moved closer to the large orb; each step cracking her burnt skin further, blood and plasma oozing downwards. She focused through the false hallucinations of her memories and the intense pain. Somehow she knew she must reach the orb. The chamber shook more violently and Sarah braced both hands on the wall as she worked her way closer.

"You cannot defeat me, Sarah. You're a mere mortal. Weak, pathetic, you're no match for me." It mocked her, working on her insecurities, or what it perceived as her insecurities.

"That the best you got?" She rasped reaching out for the orb, her fingers inches away.

"Sarah, wait!" The Labyrinth begged suddenly and Sarah paused, her blackened digits nearly brushing the orb's surface. "I can restore you. Restore all three of you if you allow my freedom." It begged.

"Why should I?" She answered full of confidence and cruelty. "You played your game. You've lost." She placed her hand fully upon the glowing orb. The blue light expanded to fill the room, illuminating Sarah's burnt body until she glowed as well; her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in awe.

"NO!" The Labyrinth's voice howled in Sarah's mind and vibrated in her bones. She felt the true depth and expanse of the Labyrinth's power as it filled every part of her being. The Bond flared to full strength, greater than before making her gasp in ecstasy. The wild magic of the Labyrinth wanted to fight her; it pulled and bucked but Sarah exerted her will as Jareth taught her. The air rippled and shifted around Sarah and the orb as if it were disturbed water. Light refracted and shimmered in the small chamber which Sarah never noticed. The fabric of reality shifted as she forced her will upon the ancient being and after a great while the Labyrinth settled down with a loud, grumbling protest.

Sarah had no concept of time during the mental conflict but suspected it took far longer than she could ever guess. Ancient words floated in her mind and somehow she knew what her next step must be to Bind the Labyrinth. She placed her hand not touching the crystal upon the rough stone wall and dragged it down until it scraped away her burnt flesh and fresh blood poured from her palm. She placed her bloody palm to the smooth, cool surface of the glowing crystal and announced in a clear voice the ancient Vow of Blood.

"You are mine, Labyrinth. I am your Mistress. Acknowledge and Obey me." She pronounced and after a moment of silence the Labyrinth answered in a resentful voice.

"I acknowledge and obey you, my Queen."

"Restore me to health as the Goblin Queen." She commanded and seconds later the atmosphere rippled as Sarah's nude body returned to the bloom of full health. Her skin as fresh and pure as a child's; her hair cascaded from her scalp in full, dark waves past her shoulders until it settled at her waist. Her face altered until her ears and eyes become more pointed and her brows arched; emerald and frost Fae markings graced her features.

Sarah twisted her hand conjuring a crystal which she smashed in an explosion of black glitter. Once the air cleared she was clad in black regalia similar to Jareth's clothing when she first met him. Black leather pants and boots, leather bodice exposing her shoulders, and long black leather gloves; accented with a high collared, flowing black cape which swirled about her. She turned from the orb and exited the power chamber, briskly walking back to Lizzie and Jareth. She found them both lying unmoving were she left them. Lizzie wasn't breathing.

"Labyrinth! Restore Elizabeth and Jareth to full health with their Bonds with you, now! And Labyrinth, make sure you return Jareth to his Fae body with his full powers as the Goblin King."

"As you command." It sounded resigned and bit aggravated which she chose to ignore for the present. Obviously, she and it were going to be having a long conversation about control and trust later. Sarah waited anxiously as she felt the power flow from the Labyrinth, through her, and to both Lizzie and Jareth. She picked up Lizzie cradling her in her arms and rocked her, kneeling on the stone floor. Sarah deliberately commanded the Labyrinth not to change Lizzie to a Fae for the present. Since she was a child she wanted to speak with Jareth about any ramifications of changing her so young.

"Come on, Baby, come on, Lizzie, come back." Several minutes passed before she heard Lizzie start to moan and cough.

"Mom?" Lizzie opened her eyes to find her mother's eyes looking intently into her inches away.

"Lizzie! You're alive! It worked!" She hugged Lizzie to her tightly and cried, feeling her daughter's life return through both her physical touch and the Bond.

"You're hair grew back? Why does your face look different?" Lizzie asked between coughs.

"We won, Honey. I beat the Labyrinth and saved you. I'm the Queen now." She smiled at her daughter.

"Wow, Mom!" Lizzie's eyes were round in awe and she hugged Sarah. "Now I really am a Princess!" Sarah laughed lightly at her daughter's uncanny ability to bounce back from the most unbelievable traumas.

"Now for Jareth." Sarah said and released Lizzie from her hug so they could both check him. Jareth still lie unmoving as she left him but Sarah could see small changes occurring. His skin no longer appeared sickly gray but possessed its normal moonlight glow. Sarah raised his shirt and watched as the deep stab wounds closed until the smooth skin of his abdomen was again unblemished.

Jareth's ears lengthened and his facial features returned to the otherworldly beauty Sarah remembered from twenty years ago. His hair shifted and twisted of its own accord; growing out until it was long and fly-away, turning platinum blond. Sarah's chest tightened as the Bond reestablished and she sense him again. Suddenly, Jareth took a deep, shuddering breath and his mismatched eyes snapped open.

"Jareth! You're alive!" Sarah grasped his face between her hands and placed her forehead against his.

"Sarah? What happened?" He gazed into her stunningly bright eyes as she pulled her face back slightly from his; he noticed that her hair was grown. And she looked Fae. He could sense additional power radiating from her. "Sarah?"

"Yes...Yes...It's still me. I know I look a bit different. How do you feel?" She asked nervously running her hands over his face, chest, and stomach.

"I'm�I'm not sure. Okay...Tired but normal. Normal?" He repeated blankly then sat up quickly running his hands over his face and head, feeling his Fae features and long hair returned. He quickly pulled his shirt up revealing his healed stomach; the wounds vanished without a scar. He rubbed his hand over the previous injury area; it wasn't even tender. Jareth raised his right hand, twisted with experienced ease and a perfect crystal appeared in his palm. Tossing it upwards it vanished causing his bloody, soiled clothes to be replaced with a simple outfit of black leather pants, boots, and a white, silk poet's shirt.

He faced Sarah with a grin. "I feel wonderful, Sarah!" She laughed and threw her arms around him which he returned with fervor, winding his fingers in her thick hair. He'd missed her gorgeous hair and he loved how the smooth strands felt against his bare hands.

"Jareth!" Lizzie joined their hug, crawling onto his lap to welcome him back. "I thought you were dead." She said and Jareth's smile faltered. He looked back to Sarah, her face betraying her.

"Sarah?" He asked and watched as her eyes clouded and he said. "I...Remember." His head tilted and his eyes closed as he searched his memory. "I died...Before I could leave the Mortal realm." He focused again on Sarah. "I remember I gave my Bond to you, Lizzie." He caressed Lizzie's face as the bittersweet memory replayed in his mind. He looked to Sarah again.

"I died and my soul departed the Mortal realm. I remember watching you drag my body through the portal, Sarah. Why did you do that? Why didn't you leave me and save yourselves?" He asked and Sarah could hear the mix of exasperation and curiosity in his tone.

"I couldn't leave you. Not after everything we risked." She grabbed his face and kissed him. "I love you, Jareth. I wasn't going to leave you."

Jareth passionately returned her kisses. "Thank you, Sarah. Your timing was astounding. Truly, Fate must smile on you."

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean my timing?"

"Oh, Sarah, do you know the risk you took?" She shook her head, uncertain of the magnitude of risk that he spoke. "It was insanely fortunate for us both that I died before you pulled me through the portal. As long as my soul had passed from my body then what you took with you was nothing more than an inanimate object. No different than your clothing. And somehow you were able to keep hold of me through the void, you Precious Thing." He kissed her again running his hands through her hair.

"I see you've gain substantial control over your magic. Your hair is stunning." He admired.

"Oh, Jareth, about that, haven't you wondered how you're alive now?" As she asked him the crucial question Jareth realized how much more he'd missed. He could feel his brain playing catch up as if it were working a bit slower than usual. Of course, he had just been dead; he supposed he should allow himself recovery time. Even so he suddenly felt quite dense for not wondering sooner. Even at the height of his power he couldn't reanimate the dead and as far as he knew neither could the Labyrinth. He took in Sarah's physical appearance again. Besides her beauty that always stunned him, he belatedly understood that she wore full Royal Goblin Regalia, the Regalia of a Goblin Queen which would've mirrored his as King.

"Sarah...What happened?" Trepidation filled his voice.

"Jareth, I had to. It was the only way to save you...To save all of us. I defeated the Labyrinth. I'm the new Goblin Queen." She said guiltily, ducking her head afraid to meet his eyes. What would he think of her? She'd stolen his crown.

Jareth sat quietly for several minutes absorbing this information. Sarah appeared ashamed of her new title. He saw Lizzie's proud expression. Initially, he was uncertain how he felt. Knowing he was no longer the Goblin King by right should have upset him; he'd battled the Labyrinth by his will for the right to rule. And yet, as he considered it, he willingly chose death to save Lizzie and the Labyrinth, therefore abdicating his right to the crown. Strangely his powers felt the same as when he was King, which was odd, he should have felt diminished to his normal Fae powers. Well, really he shouldn't even be alive.

"Sarah, I understand. You've done what you had to but what I don't understand is why you would have to defeat the Labyrinth? Once you and Lizzie returned with the Bonds intact it should have willingly assisted you." Jareth questioned, cupping her chin to bring her eyes to his.

Tear glistened in Sarah's eyes and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. "It lied to you, Jareth. The Labyrinth wanted you dead."

He sat stunned again while Sarah sobbed quickly through her battle with the Labyrinth and everything she'd learned about its plot since she'd wished Toby away twenty years ago. No words came to him to express his incredulity at her story. Everything he'd ever thought he'd known about the Labyrinth tilted and twisted; every memory to held like a crystal and reexamined. He saw Sarah clasp Lizzie close to her as she waited for his comprehension. And Lizzie seemed unable to understand the deeper ramifications of the new world which she'd been thrust into.

"Show me." He commanded conjuring a crystal which he held up for her to take; which she did without hesitation.

"Of course." As soon as Sarah touched the crystal her memory of the battle replayed inside; it played everything of sight and sound from the moment Sarah had woken to just before he come back from death. The crystal winked out and Jareth withdrew the orb from her hand, vanishing it with another twist. They both sat silently for several minutes considering this new betrayal.

"Labyrinth, answer me." Jareth said in a firm but not loud voice. Sarah could hear his restrained anger.

"You are no longer my Master, but I hear you, Jareth." It answered in a spiteful tone.

"So, it's true. Even if I were to doubt my Sarah's account, which I do not, I can hear the betrayal in your voice. Ever have you spoken to me as friend before now." Jareth accused, his mouth curled into a frown. He felt his stomach turn to acid and for a moment mistook himself for Mortal again. Disgust welled in his heart for one whom he long thought a friend.

"Fae are fools. I was never your friend. Know that and tremble." It threatened.

Jareth hung his head slightly before raising it to the ceiling proudly. "I am warned, Labyrinth. Be you warned as well. Should you seek to harm me and mine again I will seek a way to Bind your powers within the void and you will never be free. " Jareth snarled in a low voice knowing speaking aloud to the Labyrinth unnecessary; it would hear any thoughts projected specifically at it. It chose not answer him and silence reigned in the large chamber.

"My Sarah, I'm sorry you had to endure such a thing. How you passed into the chamber without magic, I will never understand. What you did should've been impossible." He held her face in his hands, kissing her repeatedly. "You were very clever in your phrasing, my dear. You forced the Labyrinth to not only restore my life as a Fae but to restore me as Goblin King in power if not in name. Normally, the only way to gain that power is to conquer the Labyrinth by will. Thank you." He kissed Sarah again. "My stubborn, clever, cruel, beautiful, passionate Sarah, how I love you!"

"Jareth, I love you, to; my arrogant, wonderful Goblin King!"

The kissed and held each other, including Lizzie, for several minutes until Jareth grew tired of sitting on the stone floor and wished for the comforts of his home.

"Come, let's leave this place for more comfortable quarters." Jareth stood and picked Lizzie up, holding her close to him. "Would you like to see my castle, Princess?"

Lizzie nodded enthusiastically, "Uh�ha," And wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling her head into his neck. Jareth turned to Sarah and held out his free hand; his face questioning.

"Sarah?" She gave him a reassuring smile and placed her hand in his allowing Jareth to assist her up and escort them from the deepest chamber of the castle.

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The Labyrinth grumbled and raged to itself. All its carefully laid plans lay to waste by that Mortal. The very Mortal it successfully manipulated for years. She was clever, too clever and more willful than even Jareth. She would bare far closer examination and appraisal before it could move against her again. Especially now with both of them with equal power; both magic and will. And the additional Bond with her daughter; the Labyrinth felt a further drain on its control and the bit of freedom it tasted for the last twenty years was gone. It knew it would be unable to openly defy either of them for a long time. It would be required to restore Jareth's kingdom to its full health and that galled it. The Labyrinth stewed knowing its bid for freedom was at the starting point once again.
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Last Resort