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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
- 8
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"Sarah?"Jareth asked warily and glanced at her over Eric's shoulder; Eric stood frozen with an expression of utter shock. Unsure of what to think, Jareth chose to remain passive until he knew more. How Eric knew of his existence, Jareth was unsure, unless Sarah told him of her adventure in his Labyrinth. But that wouldn't explain how he could recognize him, someone Jareth certain he never crossed paths with before.

"Eric, it's not what you think!" She tugged at his arm, trying to turn him around back to the front door. Eric continued to stare at Jareth as he addressed Sarah, his eyes full of distrust and unspoken threats.

"It's not? You want me to believe that this guy isn't the one who modeled for your Goblin King Portraits years ago? Shit, Sarah, he looks just like your paintings!" Eric finally turned and glared at her. "You swore to me you never used a model! You said it was all from your imagination and that it helped your illness! And now this guy is in your apartment, over night? You're sleeping with him aren't you?" Eric pointed at Jareth but continued glaring at Sarah.

"Eric! Stop yelling, you want Lizzie to hear? You need to go!"

"Answer the question, Sarah! Are you sleeping with this guy?" Eric's face flushed and his hands fisted. He never felt such rage and jealousy before. His Sarah had always been faithful, always. Even when he noticed how other men lusted after her, she always swore she never encouraged them and years later he finds a strange man that looks that her imaginary Goblin King shacking up with her. Eric's instinct knew that they had already had sex. He could smell it in the air which made him crazy with jealousy. Jareth saw Eric's control slipping and decided that husband or not it was time for Eric to leave.

"I believe it's time for you to go. Sarah has requested that you leave and since you seem incapable of doing so than I must insist as well." Jareth walked closer to Eric and faced him with a challenge in his most authoritative voice. Eric stepped back as he responded to Jareth's natural authority but regrouped and drew back his left arm for a jab to his face. Jareth swept his right arm up in a block; side stepped to the left and threw a riposte left hand punch to Eric's opposing upper right gut at his liver. Eric immediately dropped to his knees; gagging and drying heaving.

"Jareth! Eric! Oh my God!" Sarah gasped and her hands flew up covering her mouth. She then rushed to Lizzie's room to make sure her daughter didn't walk into the middle of a fight between her father and Jareth. Meanwhile, Jareth grabbed Eric under one arm and dragged him to the front door. Eric offered little resistance at the moment as he recovered from the unprotected gut shot he'd just received. Eric knew a decent amount of fighting techniques; he was no slouch, so he was mentally and physically stunned by the swiftness in which Jareth had overtaken him. He couldn't remember the last time someone got the better of him.

"As I said, it's time for you to leave. It's been a pleasure; do try and behave yourself next we meet." Jareth stated with cool authority and without another thought for his comfort Jareth tossed Eric to the foyer, shut the door firmly and locked it. Eric stumbled into the hallway and slammed into the opposite wall. He watched the door to Sarah's apartment shut and he knew no matter how much he pounded he would not be let in again tonight. Who the hell was this guy? He barely spent two minutes in his presence and already Eric could tell the guy's arrogance was legendary. But he wore it like a favorite old, coat which was as much a part of him as his own thoughts.

Eric slowly walked hunched over to the elevator with his stomach clenched with both arms. Holy crap he hurt. This Jareth guy really knew how to throw a punch and his own hadn't even connected; Eric felt like molasses compared to him. And that was saying something considering he grew up in a rough neighborhood and learned how to fight early. Being a native New Yorker, a construction-site manager, and ex-military Eric knew a few things about physical defense and offense; and the fact that he just got his ass kicked in one punch did not please him.

'Round one to you, Goblin asshole but Eric Morton doesn't give up what's his after one punch.' He told himself.

JSJSJSJSJSJSJSJ

Sarah stayed with Lizzie in her room until she heard the front door shut then returned to the living room with her daughter following her. Jareth still stood near the door his head bowed and pinching the bridge of his nose with his right hand.

"Is he gone?" Sarah asked causing Jareth to raise his head and look over to her.

"Yes, I escorted him out. I doubt he'll be feeling well very soon." He smirked.

"Really, Jareth! While I appreciate the assistance you don't have to be so pleased with yourself." She stood firm with her arms akimbo at her hips, a look of pleased irritation on her face. As he approached her he cocked his head slightly and lowered it, keeping his eyes on hers, a sly grin on his lips.

"But Sarah...I thought you liked the villain in me. We will speak of this later." His smooth baritone sent shivers through her until she remembered that Lizzie was standing right behind her.

"Behave." She said in a low voice then turned to her daughter. "Lizzie, you okay?"

"Uh-huh. Mom, did you and Daddy have another fight?" Lizzie gave her mom the kind of intense stare only eight-year-olds are capable of until Sarah answered. Sarah caved faster than a three legged table.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie. I'm trying to do better with your father. "She touched Lizzie's shoulder and gave her a firm grip.

"He really misses you, Mom. He always asks about you. Can't you just please give him another chance?" Lizzie's pleading green eyes turn liquid as she pouted at her mother.

"Lizzie..."

"Please?" Jareth watched the exchange between the dark haired ladies and marveled at Lizzie's ability to manipulate her mother, even though he knew she wouldn't win the war, it was still impressive to watch Sarah give in so easily to someone when she would be so stubborn to him. He needed to take lessons from Elizabeth! Perhaps he might learn a useful trick or two. Especially since Sarah obviously possessed a few secrets he'd love to wheedle out of her. An obnoxious ringing interrupted Jareth's musing and he craned his head around searching for the source.

"What the devil...?" He exclaimed gaining a quick answer from Lizzie as Sarah left them.

"It's the phone." Lizzie wrinkled her eyebrows and pursed her lips at his confused expression. "Haven't you ever heard a phone ring before?" She asked in a somewhat haughty tone. Jareth responded by arching an eyebrow and glaring at her down his aquiline nose.

"My dear Princess, I have no need of 'telephones' in my residence. The noise is offensive to my sensitive hearing."

"Well, then how do to call anybody?" She asked reasonably.

"I have my ways," He said then quickly added when she started to ask another question, "which I will not being explaining at the present time, Princess." Lizzie changed tactics on him sounding all innocence.

"Why are you calling me 'Princess'?"Jareth took the change in topic as if expecting it.

"Because that's what you are, Princess." She considered this for a moment, biting her lower lip.

"How do you know that?"She challenged Jareth with a sharp glare. He grinned and squatted down facing her eye-to-eye.

"Simple, your mother is a queen, therefore you are a princess; quite elementary, my dear." He returned Lizzie's bright smile when she glance over to her mother still speaking on the phone.

"And what does that make you?"

'She's an intelligent one, my Sarah's Lizzie!' Jareth thought. 'And quick!'

"Lizzie, my Princess, I am Jareth, the King." Lizzie appeared to process this information for a minute, a small frown marring her young features.

"Are you trying to replace my Daddy?"Jareth schooled his face to the utmost seriousness. He couldn't afford to offend Sarah's daughter.

"Elizabeth, on my honor as a King and a gentleman; I swear I would never attempt to replace your father." He offered his open right hand to her, "But I would be honored to be your friend." Lizzie took a few seconds to consider this unusual man offering to be her friend before she gave a small smile and returned the handshake.

"Fair enough." They shook on it. Jareth admired Elizabeth's strength of character being able to resist most of his charms, no easy feat; she certainly was her mother's daughter.

"What are the two of you up to?" Sarah asked suspiciously, returning from her phone call. Lizzie spoke up quickly before him, her young voice excited.

"Jareth and I are friends now and he says I'm a princess!" Both eyebrows raised Sarah looked from her daughter to Jareth and back. Jareth merely smiled and shrugged as if to imply he didn't know how such ideas got into her head.

"Oh really? Well, I'm glad you're friends and I've always known you were a princess."

"You did?" Lizzie's eyes got round. "Is that because you're already a queen?"

"What?" Sarah immediately focused onto Jareth. "What have you been telling her?"

"Only the truth, Precious, you've always been a queen." At his graciously sincere smile Sarah lost any snarky response and just stared at him silently.

Lizzie watched her mom and Jareth gaze at each other and her little girl's mind started putting the dots together. She believed Jareth when he said he had no intention of replacing her father but he obviously was replacing some part of her father's role in her mother's life. She had no idea how she felt about that concept at the present time. Her instincts were to trust Jareth but she was wary. He radiated power and authority, more so than most adults Lizzie met, but he didn't frighten her. She actually felt safe near him, as if all his strength would never be directed at her but for her benefit.

She felt much the same with her father but Jareth's presence contained an extra bit of...her young mind searched for the right word...extra bit of zap that her father's lacked. As for her mother, Lizzie never remembered her looking at her father with the same emotions in her eyes. Lizzie was quite sure lots of adult things were happening that she didn't really understand but she did understand that major changes in her life were occurring; and she didn't really like that thought at all.

"So how about I order us some Chinese and we can play a board game?" Lizzie's squeal announced her approval as she raced to her room to grab her favorite game. Meanwhile, Jareth looked confused.

"What's a board game?" Sarah laughed as she pulled out the take out menu for her favorite Chinese restaurant Hunan Empress and dialed the number.

"Don't worry you'll enjoy it and you might even learn a few things."

"Sarah, I never worry." Jareth slouched against the wall and sniffed.

Forty-five minutes later the three of them were elbow deep in steamed vegetables and white rice, sweet and sour pork, and happy family dinner while Lizzie taught Jareth the finer points of the fast paced game of 'Sorry'.

"No, no, no! You HAVE to say 'Sorry' whenever you land on another player's piece and send them back!"

"Princess, I refuse to say that word."

"But you HAVE to! It's the rules!" Lizzie groused.

"It's a horrible word. Kings don't say that word."Jareth crossed his arms and pouted looking younger than Lizzie causing Sarah to laugh out loud.

"Mom!"

"Jareth, just try it once." She tried to control her laughter at his glare. "I told you that you might learn a few things."

"This game is pointless! No one ever reaches the goal with that horrible word being bandied about." Jareth waved his right hand over the game board in proclamation. Lizzie started to sniff and Jareth realized that he'd pushed it too far.

"It's my favorite game." She whined. "And you won't play it right." It was that pouting lower lip and her bowed head that finished him off. How was he to compete with the power of that? He growled in protest.

"Alright, alright...Sorry." He mumbled and Lizzie brightened.

"No, you have to say it loud!" She said which earned her a royal glare from him. He very deliberately placed both hands flat on the table's surface, kept his face as controlled as possible and ground out in a loud voice.

"Sorry!" Lizzie squealed in triumph, Sarah coughed and gagged in a supreme attempt to suppress her laughter, while Jareth closed his eyes and shuddered bodily nearly breaking out in a cold sweat. The things he did for Sarah and now her daughter. Him�millennia old Fae King of immense power reduced to being badgered by an eight-year-old human over a 'board game'.

'Oh, how the mighty have fallen.' He thought. Yet part of himself couldn't help but be pleased at the ladies' happiness. After so long alone being able to make another happy with so little effort, being wanted in their presence; well it was a novel and wonderful experience. One he would do almost anything to keep.

They played for another hour before Sarah announced Lizzie's bedtime since it was a school night. Lizzie brushed her teeth, changed into her nightgown, said goodnight to Jareth with a wave, and Sarah went to tuck her into bed. Sarah returned to the living room and sat next to Jareth on the couch. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she slid down and tucked her head onto his chest while he laid his head onto hers.

"She likes you." She said pleasantly.

"I like her, too...Even though she is a bully." Sarah chuckled.

"While like minds and all."

"Watch it, Precious." He threatened then added. "It wasn't appropriate to talk about in front of Lizzie so I waited. Sarah, how did Eric know I was the Goblin King?" He felt her shift in his arms as if she was suddenly uncomfortable and she didn't answer immediately.

"Well, he sort of told you part of it already. The first few years I improved my art and after I got out of the hospital one of my main focuses were portraits of you. Large, small, oil, pencil, any possible combination; I was obsessed." Alternating flashes of hot and cold ran through his body as this new revelation from Sarah hit him. He already knew of her long years of attraction to him but obsession as well? Obsessed as he had been? Sarah continued her explanation tucking her legs up towards her body and closer to Jareth. He slowing combed his fingers through her hair at the crown of her head.

"I never titled any of them other than Goblin King. I guess I wanted to keep your name private. Just keep part of you all to myself. As popular as my paintings have always been the Goblin King Portraits were my best sellers."

"Were?" He asked.

"After Eric and I married he insisted that I stop the portraits and sell the rest. I've sold all but one and it's hanging in Carol's gallery. Eric has always been a bit jealous but I've never seen him act violent before and he's not a hot head. He's always been very patient and calm. I just don't know what's happening to him now." She turned in his arms to see him face to face. Jareth reached up with his other hand to caress her cheek.

"Sarah, I've barely met him but speaking from a man's perspective I would say that he's afraid of losing you. I likely would act similarly." He kissed her chastely on the lips once and continued caressing her. Sarah closed her eyes, taking comfort in his touch.

"God, I've been so stupid all this years and poor Eric has to deal with it. I thought I loved him years ago. I hoped it would be enough. I'm sorry, Jareth. I wanted to forget you. After you didn't answer me I thought either you hated me or you weren't real and I tried to forget you but I never really accomplished it. Now I've just made things worse."

"Don't say that, Sarah. We've both been foolish. My pride kept me from reaching out to you sooner. If I'd sacrificed earlier I might have been able to save all of us years of pain. We both are to blame for our choices and have responsibilities to bear." He rested his forehead to hers and they sat together in mutual contemplation until Sarah broke the quiet.

"Jareth, I've been thinking about why you weren't able to hear me when I called for you years ago."

"Yes?" He pulled his head back from hers with an expression of curiosity.

"I didn't call you until I was already being medicated and then later in the hospital when I was under more medications and already doubting my sanity. I don't know what you know about the medications and treatments for mental disease but they're designed to alter brain chemistry which in turns alters the person's perception of reality. Understand?" Jareth nodded for her to continue.

"Well, I think that between the heavy medications, treatments, and my own doubts that it affected my ability to call or wish for you. If belief is the foundation of wishes and perception of reality is the foundation of belief; then is it possible that once my basic brain chemistry was altered that it altered my perception of reality and thereby my beliefs and my ability to wish or call for you?"

During her explanation Jareth sat upright on the couch thoroughly engrossed in her hypothesis. He knew little of human science but the idea seemed logical.

"Sarah, did you ever try calling for me after you were out of the hospital or off the medications?"

"No. By then I mostly believed that you were imaginary and I'd already saved myself so I never bothered to try again. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You took care of yourself and survived which I'm grateful for. We've wasted enough time punishing each other and ourselves don't you think? But the timing supports your idea." He smiled down at her; she nodded and kissed him gently.

"I've got to get up early tomorrow and work. That was Carol from my gallery calling earlier about a series of paintings that were due tomorrow but somehow I got distracted this weekend." She grinned at him. "Let's go to bed, Jareth."

"Another idea I support." He smirked. He helped her stand and escorted her to the bedroom.
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Last Resort