It's Only Forever

Imprisonment

 Sarah slowly opened her eyes a few blinks at a time to ultimate darkness. She hoped her eyes would adjust, but it looked like there was absolutely no light filtering in to wherever she was. Sitting up, she felt around her. It was a wide expanse of ground, no low ceilings or walls so close together.

She could only guess that she was in the middle of a large room, and likely had been dropped in there if her aching body was any indication. It hurt a lot more than when Autumn accidentally bucked her off... then again, she figured that it also might just be the continuous after-effect from that very incident.

'Autumn....' Was she waking up now? Was she on her way to save them? There obviously wasn't much she could do since Jocelyn knocked her out with no problem.

Sarah gave a light sigh. She was about to do something that she always wanted to slap characters in horror movies for... "Hello!? Anyone here?"

"Sarah!?... Sarah!"

She flinched at the suddenness of the voices, but she would recognize them anywhere. Her eyes teared up and, when the pairs of shuffling feet walked up to her, a match was lit and transferred to candles. And there were her friends' faces glowing in front of her.

"Hoggle!" she hugged the dwarf, her tears flowing freely now. "Ludo!" she stood and reached up to wrap her arms around the tall monster. "Sir Didymus!" she bent down again to hug the brave fox. Standing back, she wiped her eyes, "I'm so glad you're all okay!"

"Well, we're alive. I'm not so sure about okay," Hoggle said with a bit of an awkward shrug, holding out his arms to her to show the rope burns. "Jocelyn still thinks we're tied up, but she probably believes you'll undo the ropes anyway."

She giggled slightly, and looked around with a bright smile to see the rest of the goblins huddling around her. She frowned when she realized who was missing.

"Did you — um — did you hear anything about Jocelyn's other prisoners?"

The faces of everyone around her were suddenly downcast as they all looked at each other.

She sat down roughly, her fears suddenly overcoming her. "Where —?"

"Well, some good news first," Hoggle said quickly.

At this, Sir Didymus gave a little smile and finished, "We hear that Ambrosias got away before they took everyone else once again. My... cowardly, and yet brave little champion...."

"And — and what about Serboa and — and Jareth?"

"Jareth is being held elsewhere," Hoggle said, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "We hear he sports a few bruises, but otherwise he is in perfect health."

She smiled a bit at that.

"But Serboa wasn't so lucky," he continued.

Sarah's heart quickly dropped.

Ludo chipped in, "Hurt... baaaad...."

"Wh — where is he?"

The faces of the goblins around her looked surprised as she asked this with a tear racing down her cheek. But she didn't notice. When they made an opening, she quickly stood and made her way through with her friends following behind her.

Upon reaching the crippled looking body at the end of the little goblin tunnel, Sarah knelt down next to Serboa and gently picked him up in her arms. He groaned a bit, but once he was comfortable he gave a little 'hmph!' His ears were more floppy than they used to be, he was covered in dirt and bruises, and it seemed difficult for him to even open his eyes.

"What was that for?" Sarah asked, trying to be humorous while sitting cross legged so she could lay him across her lap. Goblins leaned forward, staring more at her tears than anything else as though they were miracles.

"I... I told Jareth... that you would... try to follow us... anyways," Serboa said in between flinches. "But he... thought... you would be... reasonable."

"I think he may have somehow forgotten just how unreasonable I can be," she laughed.

"Agh.. I blame it... on that kiss..."

A few more tears fell down her face, "But look at you, I — I'm glad I'm here, I could —"

"Sarah..." he said warningly. "You can't... help me...."

"You sound just like Bjorg — of course I can help, I just need to find out how."

"I know.." His response confused her until he eyed her with the utmost seriousness. "If... you find a way... out of here.... Run. Run and don't look back."

She shook her head, "No... I can't just —"

"Sarah she won't... kill or hurt Jareth... unless... she kills you first... you need to get... as far away... as possible..."

"But..."

"When Jareth fought Jocelyn... and was defeated... she used me as... as an example... to him about how... she'll destroy you... in front of him... and I don't think... that she'd let you live... much longer." Serboa took a few slow breaths, trying to regain some air. "Jareth was already worried... about how you were... faring at Bjorg's... don't make his efforts... to keep you safe be... left in vain." Serboa closed his eyes, his breath exhaling further as he finished his sentence.

"Serboa!" Sarah shrieked, shaking him slightly. 'He just can't die — not now!'

He let out a snort and flinched, keeping his eyes closed. "What is it?"

She let out a breath of relief, "If you weren't hurt so bad, I'd hit you. I thought you were dead!"

Serboa let out light chuckles. "Well... I'm not dead yet!"

"You really care for a goblin like him?" the voice came from a goblin but, when she looked up at the group surrounding her, she couldn't pick out which one.

"I.. I care for all of you. And Jareth does, too. We scoured our way through the Labyrinth to destroy Jocelyn, and save all of you...." a wave of determination washed over her at their hopeful gazes. "I will get all of you out of here unharmed."

They all whispered amongst each other in shocked voices.

"What about you?" another asked above the rest.

Sarah thought about that. Serboa was right... Bjorg and Jareth had been right... but she just couldn't run away. No, she wanted to fight. She wanted to be more useful than just being the damsel off to the side waiting while the heroes fought the villains. She somehow just felt like, without her, the Goblin King wouldn't be able to win this fight.

"I'm helping to take back what is rightfully Jareth's kingdom... what is rightfully your home."