Disclaimer: No, I do not own anything from the world of Labyrinth. Believe me, I'd know if I did.

That said...enjoy my first work of fanfiction!

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It was happening again. Everything was spinning.

The ballroom, bathed in amber fire, hummed wildly around her. Dressed in a gown of silver moonlight and caught between faceless dancers draped in jeweled silk, she drank in the dream. Slowly, she weaved through the gilded hall as shaped spun around her. The richly mirrored walls reflected their empty eyes and painted faces.

A flash of pale gold passed before her. Too many faces. She had to get out. She couldn't get out.

"She must come…can't wait…now."

A disembodied voice echoed through the hall. Sarah spun blindly towards the sound, her layered skirts swirling around her. There was something she needed to do. Something important. But there were too many faces. She couldn't focus.

"Sawah…help" a new voice growled.

Darkness fell upon the enchanted hall, drowning out the pleading voices. Heavy shadows seeped through forgotten corners and veiled figures with hooded eyes took their place among the dancers. Night burdened the hall, imprisoning the golden fantasy. Her heart ran wild, but she stood frozen in time.

"…before too late…my lady…" mumbled a third weakly.

The amber glow dimmed until it faded completely. The crowd of dancers grew restless, hopeless, before falling to the floor en masse. The mirrored walls shattered behind them, revealing crumbling cobbled grounds and barren plains. The shadows urged her towards the winding paths.

Another flash of color, this time a calming blue and warm brown.

She was surrounded by heavy ebony, trapped in a mythical nightmare. It was too much. Sarah gave in to the pressure, running for the labyrinthine escape beyond the shattered crystal.

"…don't call her...must be another way…going to be late for lunch"

Wait. What? Sarah drifted in and out of consciousness. Not another dream about the Laby…Sarah quickly banished the thought.

"Come on Sarah! We're going to be late."

Sarah urged a single eye open, then quickly clenched it shut. Too early. Much too early. I'm still sleeping, just let me sleep. Kate Wilson, on the other hand, was not convinced.

"It's no use pretending to sleep girl, I know you're awake. How can you still be in bed…it's almost noon!"

Sarah moaned and methodically rolled to her back. Damn. Her traitorous eye inched open a second time as she searched out the owner of the voice.

"Well", Kate prodded, "are you coming or not? They aren't going to wait all day."

Another moan. Sarah buried her head deep into her emerald bedding, reveling in the warmth. Not yet. Sarah thought, just a few more minutes…

A barrage of ice water quickly jarred Sarah from her thoughts. Still tangled in the sheets, she fell soundly to the wooden floor.

"Good god!" She cried, "What was that for?"

Sarah snapped both of her tired gray eyes open and properly considered the figure now perched on her bed above her. Long, honeyed brown hair, startlingly blue eyes…

Kate. Sarah realized with a sullen pang. Really, Sarah, who else were you expecting?

"Oh come on, it was just a little water. And look, it helped you out of bed!"

Sarah untangled herself from the fabric and got to her feet, padding across the floor towards her closet.

"Yeah, yeah…remind me to thank you later."

Yawning, she pulled a pair of dark jeans from its hanger, and threw them deftly over her right shoulder. She turned back to the mass of clothes. Her prized theatre costumes, packed tightly between pants and pullovers, dangled precariously from their hooks. At 20, Sarah Williams had achieved more than most actors did in a limetime. Her most recent off-broadway success proved it. She was good. The critics knew it, her college friends knew it, hell, even she was honest enough to admit it. But it still wasn't enough. She had hoped that once she'd been cast in her dream role, her nagging inner urges for something more would be silenced. How wrong she was. After each final bow and glowing review, the chasm in her chest expanded, threatening to swallow her whole. Something was missing from her life; something she had yet to pinpoint. Come on Sarah, now is not the time to wallow in self-pity. She cleared her head and turned back towards the vibrant colors.

Where is that sweater? I know I just had it dry-cleaned…

Sarah tiredly craned her neck backwards.

"Have you seen my mock-neck…" A flash of crimson flew at her. "…sweater?"

Sarah saw Kate grinning sheepishly through the eye not covered by woven fabric. Pulling the sweater from her face, she closed the closet doors and slowly crossed back across the room towards the hallway, pulling the sweater on as she went.

"Hurry up girl, the guys are meeting us there in twenty. And rumor has it they are bringing a friend" Kate practically sing-songed. "A very handsome friend…"

"Ugh. Not another one. I already told you Kate, I'm not looking for a boyfriend!"

Kate frowned and followed Sarah down the hall towards their apartment's small restroom.

"But Sarah…"

"Not now. I have enough to worry about. Like Orwell's calculus final, or Madame's paper on symbolism in French Literature. Now THAT is a mistake of a class. 'Ah bonjour, Madame! Mais Oui, Madame. Vous etes toujours magnifique, Madame'."

The door shut quickly and the sound of running water was heard through the wall.

"But Sarah…"

"And I really should be looking for a job…my college loans are going to kill me otherwise…"

"Yes, but…"

"Plus, I haven't even spoken to my family in weeks. God knows what Irene has tortured Toby with…"

"SARAH!"

"What Kate, what?"

The white oak door was thrown open to find Sarah fully dressed with brush in hand, calming her shoulder-length chocolate tresses.

"He's a friend from out of town. From what I heard, he's just here for a few days to visit Evan and Anthony."

"…Oh."

Sarah smiled weakly.

"Sorry about that Kate. I haven't been sleeping and well, I'm a little stressed out."

Kate softened considerably, "Care to share? You having bad dreams or something?"

"Something like that" mumbled Sarah.

The pair flipped off the hall lights and continued down the hallway, pausing only once to grab Sarah's car keys from the hook in the kitchen. Throwing open the worn front door, they hurried down the three flights of stairs into the nearest car. The battered blue Honda lurched sharply as it backed out of the lot.

"Maybe you should get a job Sarah, this car isn't even going to make it to the restaurant!"

"At least I have a car", she mocked, effectively silencing her friend for the remainder of the drive downtown.

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"We must summon her, my lord! One wish is all it takes. The dwarven city is all but deserted, and the Magobi Plains have withered to nothing. As your advisor I feel as if it is my duty to…"

"Enough!" bellowed the king. With feline grace, he lept from his chair and began his prowl across the throne room. Long gloved hands rose to pinch the bridge of his aquiline nose in frustration. Leather clad feat paced once, twice, three times before his advisor. He paused, frowning, to consider his next move.

Jareth, King of the Goblins, was deeply troubled.

For many Underground leaders, this seemed an average, everyday occurrence. But Jareth was far from average. He was Goblin King, Lord of the Labyrinth, and Keeper of the Game. He was the most powerful being in his land, possessing the sole ability to alter time and space as he pleased. But he was also the most vulnerable to the Wild Forces, and even he couldn't keep It from calling. Time was fading for his kingdom and as much as he detested admitting it, he was running out of options.

She would have to be called. Damn.

"Give word to the elders that she'll be here by dawn" Jareth commanded, "but stress that she will be residing with me until the Game commences. Do I make myself clear, Sir Didymus?"

The loyal knight nodded once, sharply, and turned back from the throne room. After ensuring his dismissal, he straddled his mount and bounded out the door to prepare for the journey East.

"Let us hope that you have yet to lose your inner fire", the King whispered to himself. "My Sarah…"

Sir Didymus bowed his head in respect. For a beast with a misguided sense of smell, his hearing was impeccable. My Lady, please forgive His Majesty for what must be done.

Unfortunate as it was, Underground Law still reigned supreme. Come dawn, the Game would begin.

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I have a general outline for where I want this to go, so hang with me. Granted, I am a college student so life will probably intervene. But reviews certainly encourage updates!