Dying Breath (Labyrinth Fanfic) (UNEDITED VERSION)

Chapter 24 - Wishes

Sarah's POV:

I scowled and straightened my coat. For some random reason, Maitland had decided to hold a ball. I didn't like the idea and most certainly didn't trust the Fae/Dullahan any more. I had very little proof and he still acted perfectly normal.

But, I knew what I had seen and I believed it. I never voiced a word and it had been nearly two days. Berry had showed me how to craft a tracking crystal but it hadn't worked at all. I had ended up tracking Maitland with my bird form. He had been on his best behavior. I wanted to ring his neck.

I tugged at my tights and felt a presence behind me.

"I know your there, Berry." Berry chuckled and walked over to me.

"You look lovely, Deary." I sighed. I remembered the days when I got dressed up to play games. The days that where long behind me. The days before I was a queen and fighting a war.

"I don't feel lovely, Berry. I felt dead. I feel empty." She rubbed my back gently with her wrinkled hand.

"I can see it missing in your eyes. All light is gone. Once this war is over, you will be fine." I nodded and put on a smile.

"Yes, I am sure I shall be." Deep down, I knew it was a lie. Until I joined Jareth in death's cold grave I would never be happy. I could almost wish for death but Jareth always said to be careful what one wished for so I never did.

I smiled again Berry and walked towards the center of the camp where a large dance floor had been formed. I stood in the shadows and watched the Fae and the goblins dancing to some tune being played by the Fae.

Berry looked up at me and said, "Go dance. It will do you good to get your thoughts off of the war." I sighed. I never had been much of a dancer. The last time I had danced it had been with Jareth in a dream.

That perfect dream I now wished I had never woken from. I looked at her and said,

"Well, what's the harm? I need something to do." I half smiled and walked towards the dance floor. I pushed my way to the edge and watched as some of the men skipped to an old tune and the goblins were drinking as usual.

Fortunately for me, they could be sobered up quickly when necessary. I had that plan ready to be execute at any moment. I found a seat and sat down to watch everyone. I had nothing to do and didn't feel like dancing despite what I had told Berry.

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked up to see a young Fae man standing beside me,

"Goblin Queen, are you engaged for any dance?" I shook my head and said,

"No, I am not claimed." He smiled and said,

"Then may I dance with you?" I nodded. I didn't want to but to turn this youth down would be impolite and harsh. He didn't deserve to share in my pain. He held out his hand and I took it gently. I closed my eyes and forced away the memories of that dance with Jareth.

That perfect dance I wanted to repeat so many times and sometime did in my dreams. The Fae boy led me onto the dance floor and spun me around in an unending dance that soon left me dizzy. 

As we whirled around in circles I started to see Jareth instead of the Fae boy who's name I didn't even know. All I could see were those mismatched eyes and gentle smirk. The face of the man who I had learned to love. I had loved him and lost him.

He had put me through hell with his love and I still couldn't hate him. He couldn't help his death in battle. I shook my head to clear it of the illusion but I couldn't. It was Jareth who was standing before me.

It looked like him. Down to the slightly healed boots and way too tight pants. Yeah, I didn't not need to look down. I snapped my head up to his face and for an instant saw reality. It was the Fae boy. I realize it was just my mind playing tricks on me.

With that realization, I ran from the scene. Jareth was just in my head and I knew I had left a very confused Fae boy behind. I ran to my tent and flung myself onto my cot. I had taken to doing that lately for very little reason.

Without warning, I started to sob. I couldn't handle the pain. The fresh raw agony I thought I had gotten over. But, no, I hadn't. It had just been buried so deep, even I couldn't reach it. But now, it welled to the surface in body-shaking sobs.

I didn't want comfort so when I heard Berry come into the tent I shooed her out. She obeyed which surprised me. I just wanted to be alone and live in the pain. Yes, that was the answer. If I couldn't beat the pain, I would embrace it!

I created crystal after crystal and smashed them against the ground. An hour later, I was too tired to even create another. It had been too much for me. I collapsed onto the bed and cried out my last few tears.

I was completely drained. I was useless. Suddenly, my heart acted instead of my brain and I shouted,

"I wish the Goblin King Jareth was here, right now!" I instantly regretted the words as I knew either they would bring false hope or a corpse with them. I felt a breeze behind me and dared for a moment not to look.

Finally I turned around and saw Berry standing in the doorway. Her hands were on her hips and I could tell she was angry. I got up and said,

"Berry, I told you to leave me alone." She huffed and said in a voice not her,

"You wished. You got. Words have power, precious." I took a step away from her and whispered,

"What do you mean?" The voice, the tone, the nickname were all Jareth. He always called me Precious. He loved to call me precious. Berry huffed and said,

"I shall prove it to you. You shall believe this." She tugged at the tips of her fingers and pulled off what I had thought were her hands. No, they were just gloves. She then reached under her chin and pulled off her face. With what I now realized to be a fake face came the whole "Berry" outfit.

She, or I should say he as I now realized that the person before me was a man, tossed it aside and glared at me. I couldn't draw a breath for several seconds because the person who stood before me wasn't Berry but someone who I had thought I would never see again.

Jareth.