Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

No One Can Blame You
Chapter Two: "You'll Find Someone True"

Veronica drove herself and Sarah back to their hotel. During the ride, Sarah kept talking about the leading man, Anthony Banders.

"Isn't Tony the greatest tenor you've ever heard?"

Veronica rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. "I don't know, I think Michael Crawford's better."

"Michael was the first Phantom," Sarah said, "but Tony's the best. He could sing circles around Michael, he could..." She stopped when Veronica burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry," Veronica said, still giggling, "I just can't help it. 'Sing circles around Michael?'" With that, she laughed again and didn't stop until they reached their hotel.

After another hour of girl talk in Sarah's room, Veronica went to her own and got ready for bed. Pulling off her t-shirt and jeans, she put on her favorite royal blue cotton PJs and climbed into one of the two double beds then turned off the bedside lamp and settled down for a well-earned rest.


Jareth watched the sleeping young woman through a crystal, waiting for just the right moment to interrupt her slumber. When he saw that she was starting to dream, he knew it was time.

"You will be mine, Sarah," Jareth whispered, "and this woman's help will ensure that."


Veronica dreamt of receiving the Best Actress Oscar, standing in front of Hollywood's A-list in a designer gown with a king's ransom in diamonds around her neck, when she realized that she didn't have an acceptance speech because there wasn't anyone in her life to thank.

She woke up with a strong sense of loneliness, then realized she wasn't the only one in the room. With shaking fingers, Veronica turned on the lamp to reveal a man standing in front of the open sliding glass door.

The scream was ready to escape her mouth when the blonde stranger raised a gloved hand in a universal gesture of silence. Not wanting to upset what could be a homicidal maniac, all Veronica did was stare.

The man before her was certainly something to stare at. He stood at least six feet tall, and his spiky hair made him appear even taller. His clothes were the color of the night behind him. A long cape fluttered in the breeze, and he also wore a silk shirt, very tight pants, a leather vest, suede boots, and velvet gloves. There was an inherent strength in his face and a challenge in his odd eyes. All in all, he looked like a man who was used to having total control.

Veronica took a deep breath and decided that reasoning with the very strange stranger was the best thing to do. "I don't know why you are here, but if you're looking for jewelry, you're out of luck. All I own is costume jewelry; I didn't even bring that with me. As for money, unless you want a check, you've struck out again."

**Does this woman actually think I am here to rob her?** Jareth thought, amazed and insulted at the same time. "My dear girl," he said as gently as he could, "I am here to do nothing of the sort."

Veronica's expression changed from surprise to suspicion. "Then, what are you here for? If you don't want money or jewelry, you must want..." The thought came instantaneously, and sickeningly. She whispered, "You must want me."

Jareth laughed before he had a chance to stop himself. **The very idea of me touching such a ... mouse. Impossible.** "I assure you," he said when he got a hold of himself, "I am not going to hurt you in any way, Veronica."

"How ... how do you know my name?" she asked, shocked.

"I have been watching you," Jareth said simply.

"Watching me? Why?"

"You can be of some use to me."

"How? I don't even know you."

Jareth smirked. **Someone who has not read the book? This will be a pleasure.** "I am Jareth, the Goblin King."

**Yeah, right,** Veronica thought. **And I'm the Tooth Fairy. This guy must be an escaped mental patient.**

Jareth could see the disbelief in her eyes and knew he had to prove himself if he wanted to get anywhere with her. He formed a crystal in his gloved hand and watched her eyes widen as it rolled across his arms, seeming to take on a life of its own.

"How ... ?" Veronica started to ask, too amazed to say much else.

"Magic, my dear," Jareth informed her, his smirk telling her even more. "The lifeblood of my world, with the lion's share flowing through me."

"Your world?" Veronica laughed a little. "I should've known you weren't from around here."

The crystal rolled back to Jareth's hand and he held it up again. An image formed within the pellucid sphere, an image of a gigantic, complex maze with a fortress-like castle in its center.

"This is the Labyrinth, my kingdom."

Wanting a better look, Veronica rose from the bed and slowly approached the Goblin King. The maze inside the crystal was unlike any she had ever seen, and the puzzle-loving side of her was dying to try it, then she remembered her Greek mythology. "Nice maze. Is the minotaur there too?"

Jareth ignored that comment. The image changed to one of Sarah. "I need your help. I need you to help me win her heart."

Veronica stared at the crystal then looked up at him saucer-eyed. "How do you know Sarah?"

Jareth gave out a soft, painful sigh. "Fourteen years ago, Sarah was babysitting her baby brother when she wished him away."

"Wished him away?"

"She had read 'Labyrinth,' a play based on the legend of me and my kingdom. As the Goblin King, it is my duty to take children that have been wished away. The wishers have thirteen hours to get through the Labyrinth and defeat me. Sarah thought it was just a story and that the words were harmless. How wrong she was.

"I came and took Toby. Sarah made her way through the twists and turns and, with the help of friends she made along the way, she made it to the castle and managed to beat me at my own game. I had no power over her. She knew it, and she called me on it. No one before or since has ever defeated me."

"Sarah beat you and you still want to marry her," Veronica said quietly, worried that she might anger him. "And you want me to help you." She stared at Sarah's image. "I can't, I can't let you possibly hurt Sarah."

Jareth was desperate, but he knew he couldn't let it show. The image of Sarah vanished and he held out the transparent crystal to Veronica. "I offer you your dreams in exchange for this favor."

She scoffed at this. "I don't have any dreams."

One feathery eyebrow arched in surprise. "Oh? And what of this?"

An image from Veronica's dream appeared in the crystal. Veronica gasped.

"You were spying on me! You were spying on my dreams!" Her voice shook with fury and fire blazed in her eyes.

"Dreams and illusions are my domain," Jareth informed her. "I create dreams, I control them, and I can give them." His unemotional tone changed to a soft, intimate murmur. "Wouldn't you love to be an award-winning actress? To have your name in lights and the world at your feet?"

**I have to admit, it's tempting, but it means that I would have to help him trap Sarah. It wouldn't be as bad if...** "Do you love Sarah?"

**Love?** Jareth considered what he did feel for Sarah. **I loved her madly when I first saw her, but defeat has a tendency to lessen such emotions. I suppose I still love her, but now my motive for having Sarah is primarily to save my kingdom. Love can wait, duty comes first. Still, I cannot tell this girl that.** "Yes, I do. I love her with all my heart and I want to make her my queen. Of course, that is not my only reason for marriage."

Veronica gave him another once-over. "You want to fend off all your adoring, *male* fans?" she guessed, grinning slightly.

Jareth glared at her. "I need to be married in less than a month or I will lose my kingdom."

It was Veronica's turn to raise an eyebrow. "That sounds more like you."

"Nevertheless, I need your help. You know Sarah better than anyone."

**If I help him, Sarah will be the Goblin Queen and I'll be a famous actress. Do I really want that? On the other hand, if I don't help him, he'll lose his kingdom. Decisions, decisions. Sarah definitely needs someone in her life. Maybe this guy's it.** She looked at him again. "If I do help you, I want to name my own reward."

Jareth smiled triumphantly. "Done."

"Should we shake on it?" Veronica asked.

She held out her hand. After a moment, Jareth removed his glove, and Veronica noticed that his hands were beautiful, long-fingered, and strong. The second his cool, smooth hand touched hers, he felt something akin to a jolt of electricity. Startled, he shook her hand and let go quickly.

Veronica didn't notice his reaction because she was too busy trying to figure out what she had felt. **He touched me and it was like lightning had struck. What was that? It must have been his magic. No wonder he wears gloves.**

Jareth quickly covered up his discomfort. "What is the best way for me to win Sarah's heart?"

"You have to be her friend before you can even think about being anything more," Veronica said reasonably. "Otherwise, she won't trust you and you'll never get anywhere."

"What you are saying makes sense," Jareth said thoughtfully. "How do I become her friend?"

"You need to spend time with her. Let her see that you're not the villain she thought you were."

"Will that work?" he asked.

Veronica shrugged. "All I can say is that it might. If that doesn't work, we'll think of something else." She yawned and glanced at the alarm clock. "It's after one. I have to get back to bed and I'm sure you have something important to do."

Jareth nodded. "I should get back to my kingdom. You will be seeing me again, my dear." With that, he vanished.


The next morning, Veronica woke up convinced that the visit had been nothing but a dream. There was no sign that he had been there -- no crystals, not even a boot print on the carpet. She got out of bed and walked over to the glass door. It was still locked, just as it had been when she had gone to bed. Veronica unlocked the door and stepped onto the balcony. She looked down at the three-story drop. "No one could've climbed up that. I must be losing it from the stress of being on the road for so long. I mean, Goblin Kings appearing out of nowhere and disappearing into thin air? Impossible."


"Nothing is impossible, my dear," Jareth said, watching Veronica through a crystal. For some reason, he found himself needing to see her while she slept and then he continued watching her until she awakened. Jareth couldn't understand why he wanted to watch such a plain woman. **Her eyes are dull brown and too large; they make her look younger than her years. Her hair is nothing special either -- brown and straight and almost always pulled back into a tight ponytail. As far as her figure, who can tell what kind of body she has underneath those baggy clothes? Her face... Well, her face would be better if she would just lose those glasses.**

When Veronica stepped into the bathroom to take a shower, Jareth knew that it was time to put in an appearance.


Veronica stared at her reflection while she combed out her still-damp hair. She knew she was ordinary and had no delusions that she could ever be anything else. **Besides,** she thought, **it's not like there's anyone I want to impress.**

She walked out of the bathroom and stared at the man lounging on the spare bed. With his hands folded behind his head and his booted feet crossed at the ankles, he looked like the picture of perfect ease. Jareth turned his head and smiled at her then raised up on his elbows.

"I have been waiting for you."

"I ... I thought you were a dream," Veronica said quietly.

"You dreamed about me?" Jareth asked, surprised. "I must admit, I am flattered."

"No, I thought your visit last night was a dream." She watched as Jareth sat up and leaned against the pillows. "Why are you here?"

"I told you I would return. You have a lot of work to do."

"Me?" Veronica asked. "I thought I was supposed to help you win Sarah. I am not doing this by myself."

Jareth sighed. "Fine, fine. What do I do?"

"I told you, be her friend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get dressed."

The Goblin King couldn't help grinning wickedly. "I think I will stay right here."

Veronica glared at him until he gave in. Jareth vanished, but she suspected that he was still watching her, so she changed in the bathroom. When she emerged, she found him going through her scrapbook.

"And what do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

Jareth looked up. "Just a little research, my dear. I wanted to see exactly how close you are to Sarah." He looked back down at the pictures of Veronica and Sarah at a recent opening night party. The two young women were laughing and looked as close as sisters. "Sarah means a lot to you."

"She's the closest thing I have to a sister," Veronica said. She sat down next to him and looked down at the album. "I would do anything for her, and I feel like I should protect her. She's a little naive when it comes to men, so you'd better not hurt her."

"I swear, Veronica, I would never hurt her," Jareth promised. "All I want is to make her happy, but I need your help to do it."

"And you have it. Just don't make me regret this, Goblin King."

Jareth smiled at the challenge in her voice. "Believe me, my dear, none of us will regret it."