Labyrinth Fan fic from my archives
Sarah could see it. The winding walls, strange creatures, and smell in her mind causing her to attempt to wake from her never ending dream. So many years had passed and yet it was like a curse that would not leave her. She had thought she was through with the Labyrinth and him that night she saved Toby from becoming a goblin. However as time passed she found herself envisioning the past more and more. She awoke to a baby crying. As she opened her eyes she was her ceiling fan. She was in her own apartment, with a sigh of both relief and exasperation she rolled out of bed.
Making her way across the hall she peered into the crib of her first child. She was no longer crying just staring up at her mother with one blue eye and one brown. Her gaze was almost piercing and sometimes sent shivers up Sarah’s spine. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her child; it was more Sarah was afraid of her child. Gwen was the product of a one night stand that Sarah really could not remember. She had been at a club with her friends and gotten a little drunk. Later her friends found her in the park where she used to Role Play several blocks from the club. They told her she had left with a handsome man but that was the only detail she was given.
It was the only detail she needed. The location, the black out, the mystery, as if those clues weren’t enough during her pregnancy she would see shadows of an owl at night and feel as though she were being watched. If that wasn’t enough, when Gwen was born the doctors were astounded at her presence and her gaze. On top of that her appearance gave her away.
Gwen was HIS child. Everything was confirmed. Sarah had been date raped by and given birth to the child of the being she rejected and defeated at the young age of 16.
"If this is his idea of revenge, then he sure got it." Sarah let Gwen wrap her hand around Sarah’s finger. "Maybe I will wish for him to come and get you." Sarah’s gaze was dark. Gwen coughed and started to cry again. Sarah picked her up and cradled her in her arms. "No, I couldn’t, he would be happy with that."
8 years later
Sarah sat at home staring at her father. "Dad, I told you, I can’t move back home."
"Sarah, you are barely supporting yourself and Gwen." He said concerned. "I know you are independent but shouldn’t you think of Gwen? You won’t let her join after school programs or hire a babysitter anymore. You aren’t home because you have to work. Don’t you think it would be better if the two of you stayed in our in-law suite until you stabilize your life a little?"
"And have to listen to your wife moan and groan about how my life has been wasted because I chose to keep my daughter?" Sarah sighed. "Although, I am not sure why I did either."
"Sarah!"
"Well it is true! I can’t think of one good reason. After all she has been nothing but" Sarah cut off mid sentence. Gwen stared at her with an aloof blank expression and just dropped her back pack on the sofa.
"Hello, Gwen." Sarah’s father greeted.
"Hi, Grandpa." Gwen started walking to the kitchen.
"How was school?" Sarah asked.
"It was school. I am going to have a cookie." Gwen smirked.
"Sweetie, you will ruin supper."
"Oh no, how dreadful." Gwen mocked.
"Gwen, behave for your mother." Sarah’s father scolded.
"Oh all right." Gwen rolled her eyes and went into the kitchen. She reached up and grabbed a cookie. Walking back to the living room she looked at her mother, took a bite of the cookie, and then walked to the stairs to go to her room.
"Aren’t you going to say anything?" Sarah’s father asked.
Sarah was just looking at the floor. Guilt filled her mixing with her frustration. Why had she said that about Gwen? It wasn’t her fault. "Dad, I think I will have Gwen stay with you this week-end, I need some time to calm down. You are right, I am overly stressed."
"All right, I will tell your step mother." He said smiling sadly. "It will work out, honey. And Toby will be happy to see Gwen; you know how good he is with her."
Sarah tensed then forced a smile. "That’s good." Toby was unnervingly comfortable with Gwen that much was true. Although she couldn’t help but wonder if that was a good thing or a bad thing in the end.
Gwen closed her door and locked it. Glancing over she saw the music box her mother had given her as a keepsake. She picked it up playing the sweet song while her mother’s words echoed in her head. It was not the first time she heard this. She had once stumbled into eavesdropping on her mother talking to Uncle Toby on the phone asking him how she was supposed to love a child like her. Tears burning behind her eyes Gwen threw the music box across the room. She jumped onto her bed and pulled a rag doll out from under her pillow. She snuggled against the doll and tried to keep from crying.
A small crystal sphere rolled across her mattress into her line of vision. She quietly gasped and sat up looking around. Brushing her chestnut hair out of her face she saw the tall handsome and graceful man sitting on her window sill. He had blond hair, one bleu eye, one brown eye, and was dressed in a regal yet simple outfit.
"Daddy!" She said happily as she jumped up and ran to his side. Hugging him she forgot about the need to cry.
Jareth smiled at his child placing an arm around her to return her affection. "Hello, Gwen." His British accent was soothing. He looked at the music box on the ground. He pulled Gwen back so he could look her in the eyes. "You should be more composed, it is alright to feel angry, but a little grace can work to your advantage."
Gwen looked down ashamed at first but then looked up at him with a little pride. "I will try. But what is wrong with showing a little anger?"
Standing, Jareth walked over and picked up the music box. "Showing anger is not wrong, but being composed and clever can lead to others respecting you." He placed the music box on the dresser. "Do you understand?"
"Not really." She answered honestly. "But I will give it a try."
"That’s a good girl." Jareth patted her on the head. "Now have you been practicing?"
Gwen blushed. "A little. But..."
"You have allowed yourself to become distracted." Jareth sighed.
"Mother caught me trying."
"Oh, I see." Jareth picked up the crystal from the bed. "She scolded you I take it?"
Gwen nodded. Jareth sighed at this with composed yet obvious irritation. Sarah was not always cruel to Gwen, but it did happen enough to where he grew tired with it. Gwen was his little girl, his child, his heir, he would take her to the Labyrinth but for one little problem. Gwen was half human. Until she became more powerful in magic the only way she could go to the Underground and stay there were if her mother wished her away. Sarah was unwilling to wish Gwen away, probably out of fear of what happened last time, and thinking Jareth wanted her to. He did, but that wasn’t the point.
Grinning, his charming smile Jareth took Gwen’s face in his hands and kissed her forehead innocently. "Do not worry about misunderstandings." He stared into her eyes and she smiled with great devotion. "Now, show me what you have learned."
Gwen stood up and took a deep breath as she motioned her hand gracefully. A small light collected at her fingertips as a bubble formed. It was actually pretty advanced for one so young but it was hardly perfect yet. Jareth was proud regardless but he didn’t show it. He liked to spoil her but if he did too much she would never learn.
"You must learn to bend the magic to your will. You feel the power but are letting it do the work." Jareth paced around. "Try it again."
A few hours passed and Gwen managed multiple bubbles but was very tired. Jareth stood watching his child maintain composure as best as she could even though she was exhausted. He knelt down to her and said softly "That is enough for today." As she fell against him her face smiling with joy. He lifted her in his arms and for a moment, just a moment he was tempted to just leave with her; but he could not. He placed her in her bed and kissed her cheek. Walking silently to the window he glanced over one more time before vanishing into a swirl of cloth and feathers.
ps I own nothing.
Making her way across the hall she peered into the crib of her first child. She was no longer crying just staring up at her mother with one blue eye and one brown. Her gaze was almost piercing and sometimes sent shivers up Sarah’s spine. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her child; it was more Sarah was afraid of her child. Gwen was the product of a one night stand that Sarah really could not remember. She had been at a club with her friends and gotten a little drunk. Later her friends found her in the park where she used to Role Play several blocks from the club. They told her she had left with a handsome man but that was the only detail she was given.
It was the only detail she needed. The location, the black out, the mystery, as if those clues weren’t enough during her pregnancy she would see shadows of an owl at night and feel as though she were being watched. If that wasn’t enough, when Gwen was born the doctors were astounded at her presence and her gaze. On top of that her appearance gave her away.
Gwen was HIS child. Everything was confirmed. Sarah had been date raped by and given birth to the child of the being she rejected and defeated at the young age of 16.
"If this is his idea of revenge, then he sure got it." Sarah let Gwen wrap her hand around Sarah’s finger. "Maybe I will wish for him to come and get you." Sarah’s gaze was dark. Gwen coughed and started to cry again. Sarah picked her up and cradled her in her arms. "No, I couldn’t, he would be happy with that."
8 years later
Sarah sat at home staring at her father. "Dad, I told you, I can’t move back home."
"Sarah, you are barely supporting yourself and Gwen." He said concerned. "I know you are independent but shouldn’t you think of Gwen? You won’t let her join after school programs or hire a babysitter anymore. You aren’t home because you have to work. Don’t you think it would be better if the two of you stayed in our in-law suite until you stabilize your life a little?"
"And have to listen to your wife moan and groan about how my life has been wasted because I chose to keep my daughter?" Sarah sighed. "Although, I am not sure why I did either."
"Sarah!"
"Well it is true! I can’t think of one good reason. After all she has been nothing but" Sarah cut off mid sentence. Gwen stared at her with an aloof blank expression and just dropped her back pack on the sofa.
"Hello, Gwen." Sarah’s father greeted.
"Hi, Grandpa." Gwen started walking to the kitchen.
"How was school?" Sarah asked.
"It was school. I am going to have a cookie." Gwen smirked.
"Sweetie, you will ruin supper."
"Oh no, how dreadful." Gwen mocked.
"Gwen, behave for your mother." Sarah’s father scolded.
"Oh all right." Gwen rolled her eyes and went into the kitchen. She reached up and grabbed a cookie. Walking back to the living room she looked at her mother, took a bite of the cookie, and then walked to the stairs to go to her room.
"Aren’t you going to say anything?" Sarah’s father asked.
Sarah was just looking at the floor. Guilt filled her mixing with her frustration. Why had she said that about Gwen? It wasn’t her fault. "Dad, I think I will have Gwen stay with you this week-end, I need some time to calm down. You are right, I am overly stressed."
"All right, I will tell your step mother." He said smiling sadly. "It will work out, honey. And Toby will be happy to see Gwen; you know how good he is with her."
Sarah tensed then forced a smile. "That’s good." Toby was unnervingly comfortable with Gwen that much was true. Although she couldn’t help but wonder if that was a good thing or a bad thing in the end.
Gwen closed her door and locked it. Glancing over she saw the music box her mother had given her as a keepsake. She picked it up playing the sweet song while her mother’s words echoed in her head. It was not the first time she heard this. She had once stumbled into eavesdropping on her mother talking to Uncle Toby on the phone asking him how she was supposed to love a child like her. Tears burning behind her eyes Gwen threw the music box across the room. She jumped onto her bed and pulled a rag doll out from under her pillow. She snuggled against the doll and tried to keep from crying.
A small crystal sphere rolled across her mattress into her line of vision. She quietly gasped and sat up looking around. Brushing her chestnut hair out of her face she saw the tall handsome and graceful man sitting on her window sill. He had blond hair, one bleu eye, one brown eye, and was dressed in a regal yet simple outfit.
"Daddy!" She said happily as she jumped up and ran to his side. Hugging him she forgot about the need to cry.
Jareth smiled at his child placing an arm around her to return her affection. "Hello, Gwen." His British accent was soothing. He looked at the music box on the ground. He pulled Gwen back so he could look her in the eyes. "You should be more composed, it is alright to feel angry, but a little grace can work to your advantage."
Gwen looked down ashamed at first but then looked up at him with a little pride. "I will try. But what is wrong with showing a little anger?"
Standing, Jareth walked over and picked up the music box. "Showing anger is not wrong, but being composed and clever can lead to others respecting you." He placed the music box on the dresser. "Do you understand?"
"Not really." She answered honestly. "But I will give it a try."
"That’s a good girl." Jareth patted her on the head. "Now have you been practicing?"
Gwen blushed. "A little. But..."
"You have allowed yourself to become distracted." Jareth sighed.
"Mother caught me trying."
"Oh, I see." Jareth picked up the crystal from the bed. "She scolded you I take it?"
Gwen nodded. Jareth sighed at this with composed yet obvious irritation. Sarah was not always cruel to Gwen, but it did happen enough to where he grew tired with it. Gwen was his little girl, his child, his heir, he would take her to the Labyrinth but for one little problem. Gwen was half human. Until she became more powerful in magic the only way she could go to the Underground and stay there were if her mother wished her away. Sarah was unwilling to wish Gwen away, probably out of fear of what happened last time, and thinking Jareth wanted her to. He did, but that wasn’t the point.
Grinning, his charming smile Jareth took Gwen’s face in his hands and kissed her forehead innocently. "Do not worry about misunderstandings." He stared into her eyes and she smiled with great devotion. "Now, show me what you have learned."
Gwen stood up and took a deep breath as she motioned her hand gracefully. A small light collected at her fingertips as a bubble formed. It was actually pretty advanced for one so young but it was hardly perfect yet. Jareth was proud regardless but he didn’t show it. He liked to spoil her but if he did too much she would never learn.
"You must learn to bend the magic to your will. You feel the power but are letting it do the work." Jareth paced around. "Try it again."
A few hours passed and Gwen managed multiple bubbles but was very tired. Jareth stood watching his child maintain composure as best as she could even though she was exhausted. He knelt down to her and said softly "That is enough for today." As she fell against him her face smiling with joy. He lifted her in his arms and for a moment, just a moment he was tempted to just leave with her; but he could not. He placed her in her bed and kissed her cheek. Walking silently to the window he glanced over one more time before vanishing into a swirl of cloth and feathers.
ps I own nothing.