Strangers 'Til Now - A Labyrinth fan fiction

Chapter 16 - Amnesia

The spectators questioned all mentioned seeing Gideon lead Sarah out of the ball room. When questioned, he admitted he had led her off, but to see the hall of mirrors. He recalled being right outside the room when he'd been knocked unconscious.

"... And when I came to, I rushed off to see if Sarah had returned. It never occurred to me she'd have gone on into the hall. I didn't think she'd realized we were there. I even believed that it was she who had hit me, still upset for the way I'd treated her at first."

"Sarah would never do something so cruel!" Jareth shouted forcefully. "She hasn't a cruel bone in her body!"

"I know," Gideon said as he lowered his eyes. "Is she any better?"

"No," Jareth started to pace the room. "It's frustrating. I've made her immortal, this shouldn't be happening!"

Every time Jareth was in the room when she woke, Sarah ranted and raved so much that she needed to be sedated. Jareth had taken to locking himself in the castle library while Esmeralda and Alesia watched over and talked to Sarah. They hoped to ease her insistent fear and anger toward Jareth. He was ashamed. Had he been that cruel, that intimidating to her when she'd run the labyrinth? He hoped for a miracle to happen. His love for her couldn't do a thing if she was too afraid to see or feel it.

What was to be a one week stay, turned into a full month, then 2. Hoggle sent letter after letter, most of which Jareth ignored. Until (if, he often found him self thinking pessimistically) this amnesia subsided, he didn't care about the goblin kingdom.

In fact, Byron ultimately had to step in and was the one who answered Hoggle's constant inquiries. He'd tried to talk sense into Jareth multiple times, and had left furious each time.

Alesia and Esmeralda talked with Sarah daily, trying to jog her memories. Every time she voiced concern or fear over Jareth, they reminded her he was harmless.

After 3 months, Sarah knew that Jareth had saved her life. She knew that he'd fulfilled his promise by letting she and Toby go home all those years ago, and was brought back when she'd agreed to immortality in the Underground rather than death in the Aboveground.

She finally agrees to see Jareth, but only if Alesia was also present. Optimistic, Alesia plans a dinner "date" for them. She has grown fond of Sarah's human customs and wanted to make her as comfortable as can be in her amnesia'd state.

Alesia accompanies Sarah to the dining room where Jareth is waiting. He stands to pull out their chairs and they all sit.

"How are you feeling?" He asks Sarah.

"I've been better, but I'm sure I've also been worse," She squirms a bit, willing herself to stay calm. She could feel no maliciousness coming from im. The look in his eyes could even be described as... Love?

They began to eat, Jareth keeping his eyes on her. He longed to hold her in his arms, kiss her and hear her talk to him in affection again. He wouldn't ever give up on her. What they now shared would surely conquer her adolescent fear and caution.

"When are we to be married?" Sarah asks.

Jareth clears his throat before answering.

"Whenever you were comfortable. We never set a date, though I know mother desperately wanted one so she could start planning."

"Oh hush dear," Alesia chuckled as she sipped her tea.

Sarah asked various other questions. He could hear the doubt in his answers in her voice and his patience was stretching thinner by the minute.

"You did save me?" She asked condescendingly. "I really did get hit by a car? Or did you take me from my family and break your promise?"

Jareth eyes flickered with impatience and annoyance. This regression in Sarah was so frustrating. How was he supposed to show her his love when it was as though she was 15 again! He calmed slightly before answering her in the realest way he could. He wanted her to feel how he felt. He didn't care as long as she got her damned memory back.

"It was a light blue BMW. A male, mid 20's was driving. It was raining and he swerved, hitting you. He drove off, it was a hit and run. You were hit on your left side and went up over the vehicle, falling on your head and shoulders before laying on your front in a heap of blood and broken bones. A pedestrian turned you over to see if you were breathing and still alive. The paramedics were called but they could do nothing." He said it all in a rush, perhaps too harshly because neither woman spoke. "I gave you an ultimatum, which you accepted. You've been in the underground for nearly 10 months now."

"And we were getting along?" She fires back.

"Yes, we were getting along very well," He smiled at her, lost in thought.

"Were we ever int - I mean... Did we ever...?" Sarah blushed bright red and refused to finish.

Jareth laughed under his breath, knowing exactly what she was trying to ask. Alesia, feeling the sudden tension, stood abruptly.

"Well, I'll just pop into the kitchen to see about dessert, hmm?" And with that she disappeared.

Sarah feigned fascination with her water goblet. Cautious and mindful of her reaction, Jareth walked around the table to her, sitting in Alesia's abandoned chair.

"No," He said softly. "We were waiting for our wedding night."

Sarah looked up and their eyes met, meshing together, each set fighting for control. Sarah broke the contact, confused, and sipped her water.

Alesia returned with the maid carrying a tray of cake and coffee. Sarah stood.

"I'm full... I think I'll just return to my room." She walked out of the room.

"Poor dear, everyone walking on eggshells around her," Alesia said.

Jareth also left the room, heading for the library where he raged alone inside his head about the cruelness that was all around him and Sarah these days.