Title: Do you really want to hurt me

Parts: one

Rating: G

Fandom: labyrinth

Disclaimer: I don't own labyrinth, culture club owns the song the title is

from

Summary: Jareth thinks about his lost daughter

"You have no power over me!" The cry still echoed through his mind,

his heart, his soul, his entire being. The pain of that single

statement would probably be with him forever. Even in his owl form, he

managed a smirk at that thought. He would definitely be alive long

enough to find out. Now forever would never be not long at all...never

again would it be anything but a difficult challenge to keep going.

Jareth sighed inwardly as he watched the fifteen-year-old dance around

her room with her friends. He supposed he could forbid his minions from

ever visiting her again, but he didn't have it in him. He could never

deny her anything.

            When he finally couldn't stand to watch any longer, the owl took off

towards a land serene, a shadow of ghostly white. It glided into the

throne room of the Castle Beyond the Goblin City silently and with an

explosion of crystal magic, the ruler of the Labyrinth appeared and

slumped into his throne.

            "Er...Your Majesty?" Jareth looked up as Hoggle entered.

            "Yes?" He really didn't feel like talking at the moment. Not even to

his most trusted advisor, who also happened to be quite a talented

actor, a trait which was made use of quite often.

            "I'm sorry Your Highness...we're all sorry. We did the best we could."

That was true...every inhabitant in the labyrinth that Sarah had come

across had tried to delay her, from the goblin army, to Didymus,

Hoggle, Ludo, and even the little worm. He had been so sure she would

be back in his arms by this time, and now he didn't know how to get on

with his impending eternal life. "Maybe she'll remember someday..."

            Sighing, he decided to respond, knowing that the dwarf wouldn't leave

until he had received some sort of answer. "Maybe...she certainly had

her own idea of what her quest was...I didn't count on that." His

speech faltered slightly and he covered his face with his hands.

            "Well, Sire, you couldn't expect her to remember, and you weren't

allowed to tell her," Hoggle said carefully, not wanting to upset the

king's fragile state of mind at that point. He had suffered too much

all in one day.

            Jareth's voice came slightly muffled by his hands when he next spoke.

"I know, I know...but I thought she might have at least felt some

connection! After all, we belong together! I tried everything that

might appeal to her...but it looks as though it's useless. I'll never

have my Sarah with me ever again." He raised his head slightly so that

he could look into Hoggle's eyes. Never had he seen the king so lost.

Not knowing what to make of the king's desperate speech, he merely

nodded and shuffled out of the room.

            "She was right about one thing, though...life certainly isn't fair..."

he sighed, standing. It might have been easier if she hadn't been the

only one he had lost in the past few decades. Maybe not; he wasn't

sure. All Jareth knew was that pain and loneliness threatened to eat

him from his very center. He hadn't wanted to rule goblins or take

children, but it was the position he had born into. Life had at least

been merciful for a while when he had met and married his beloved wife.

She was everything he could have hoped for, beautiful, kind, forgiving,

loving, possessing an inner fire and creative spark that had captivated

him completely. Sarah was just like her...

            Jareth shook his heading, pushing the girl to the back of his mind.

Instead, he remembered his child, his little princess that he had loved

so much. He had given her everything she could ever want, and more...he

had been so proud when she had been born. Kidnapping children to turn

into goblins was such a depressing duty and she had brought such life

and hope to his kingdom. In turn he had done everything for her...

            Again, his thoughts drifted to the girl who had just beaten him.

*No...don't even think of her...think of happier times...* That was the

only way he could ever get through this nadir. All had been perfect, it

seemed, until his soulmate and wife became dreadfully ill with a

magical sickness...one that had no cure. He couldn't even get near her

without the danger of being infected, so the mighty king was forced to

put her in a converted oubliette until she eventually passed to the

afterlife. That had been the hardest thing he had ever had to do...to

watch from afar but never be with her in her time of need. At the

images his memory triggered, Jareth, king of the goblins, began to weep

silent, bitter tears. He knew she was with him, somehow, somewhere, and

didn't blame him for what had happened, but it didn't make the loss any

easier.

            Then the absolute most horrid possibility had happened. One night, not

long after his wife's passing, he had sent a goblin to check on the

sleeping princess when another call had prevented him from doing it

himself. That had been the stupidest thing he had ever done.

Apparently, that particular goblin was smart enough to hold resentment

against having to do the job in the first place, plus was angered at

the fact that she was now a disgusting goblin and the princess was a

lovely little jewel of a child. He had always tried to be kind to his

subjects, at least he had been. With everything that had happened,

lately he was using them more for stress release than anything else.

That night when he returned he had been horrified to discover that his

little girl, his one connection with his wife, had been wished away to

the human world. Things like that just weren't supposed to happen...it

was virtually impossible, but maybe the moon had been right or things

just momentarily fell into place. At any rate, the pain cut through the

king's soul like a crystal shard and twisted until he begged for

mercy...but none came.

            Fortunately, he had been able to use what little influence he had in

that area to put his child in the place of the one he had kidnapped and

changed that night. Surprisingly, the parents didn't know the

difference, but the magic had probably helped out in that area, too.

She was raised as well as any human could raise a child, he supposed,

but it still didn't stop the pain. Through the years Jareth had poured

over books and consulted every Fae immaginable to find a way to get his

daughter back, but none was available. This instance was the only one

anyone had ever heard of a reverse wish actually succeeding.

Eventually, it was dismissed by everyone except Jareth, himself. Yes,

she was taken care of, but he could have done better. Stupid

humans...they couldn't even stay together in their relationships half

the time...and there was much more pain and anguish available to his

daughter in the mortal world. No wonder she felt so different at

times...she was, although her magic would never become apparent on

earth.

            Cringing as he did so, Jareth produced another crystal and focused on

the image it held. A girl, soundly sleeping, satisfied with her day's

progress. She had chosen reality over fantasy...bested her foe, and

returned safely home. Or so she thought. He had missed his one

chance...his only opportunity that he never thought he would have. He

had failed. And now she was practically a mortal, dismissing her

feelings and intuition that she might be special for the comfort of

reality and everyday life. Silently, a tear glided off Jareth's pale

cheek and splashed against the crystal. The girl in the image paid it

no mind...she had what she thought she wanted. Shaking his head, Jareth

pressed his lips lightly to the crystal before letting it fade into

oblivion. She hadn't really meant it...she just didn't know. Mentally,

the king reminded himself that she honestly didn't mean to hurt him.

Now, he had things to do, other calls to respond to. He had to move on,

just like she had. Maybe one day, he would gain another chance. But for

now, he couldn't dwell on it. Jareth wouldn't dwell on it, but he would

always love his daughter Sarah.