Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
No One Can Blame You
Chapter Four: "It Hurts Like Hell"
The next afternoon, Sarah and Veronica were sitting among the empty house seats, watching some of the dancers practice. Sarah had noticed that her friend had been in an unusually good mood all day. She wondered if there was a man involved.
"Ronni, what happened to you last night? I mean, the last time I saw you, you looked a little bored, then you said you had to talk to Steve." Veronica could almost see the light bulb come on in her head. "Did you go on a date with Steve?"
Veronica laughed heartily. "All Steve cares about is this musical. No, I wasn't with Steve."
"Then who? And don't tell me no one; I know you went out last night."
"Okay, I went out with a friend of mine," Veronica said, smiling.
"Who?" Sarah asked, extremely curious.
"You don't know him." **Is that a lie? Does Sarah really know Jareth?**
"Well, you look like you had fun."
Veronica decided to change the subject slightly. "What did you and Jareth talk about?"
Sarah turned to watch the dancers. "He wants to marry me," she said quietly.
"Wow," Veronica said, feigning surprise. "What did you tell him?"
"I told him that he has three weeks to prove to me that he loves me."
"Do you want to marry him?"
"I don't know," Sarah admitted. "There are times when..."
"Good afternoon, ladies," a familiar male voice interrupted.
Sarah and Veronica looked up to see Tony Banders standing there, smiling. Sarah smiled back shyly but Veronica was wary. She knew that Sarah was interested in Tony, and it seemed that Tony felt the same way.
**Looks like Jareth has some competition,** Veronica thought. **I guess I'll have to warn him.**
"No need for that, my dear," Jareth said quietly.
He watched through a crystal as Tony asked Sarah out to dinner that evening. When Sarah gladly accepted, Jareth threw the crystal at an unsuspecting goblin, knocking him senseless. He formed another crystal and watched as Veronica left Sarah and Tony alone.
When Veronica was in the deserted hallway, Jareth appeared next to her. Veronica nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Don't do that!" she said when she had gotten a hold of herself.
Jareth merely shrugged an apology. "How could you leave Sarah alone with that ... that ..."
"Tenor?" Veronica offered, grinning.
Her reward was an icy glare. "I cannot let him interfere," Jareth said angrily.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about. Tony's the love-'em-and-leave-'em type, a real heartbreaker. He'll take Sarah out a time or two then dump her like a bad habit. Jareth, really, there's no need to worry."
"Sarah is a very romantic young woman. Any man who shows any interest in her becomes the leading man in one of her fantasies."
Veronica rolled her eyes. "That may be how she was when you first knew her, but she's a lot more mature now. Look at it this way -- when Tony dumps her, she'll need a shoulder to cry on."
Jareth caught her meaning. "And who better for that than someone who loves her? My dear, you are a genius."
She smiled. "Thank you, Jareth. Now, what are you going to do in the meantime?"
The Goblin King grinned mischievously. "Make Tony and Sarah's date interesting."
**Uh oh. I'd better go too and make sure he doesn't do anything too terrible.** "I'm coming with you."
"Very well, my dear."
That night, Veronica found herself crouching in the bushes of a park near the theatre. Jareth was beside her, watching Sarah and Tony very carefully.
"What does he have that I do not?" he whispered.
"Sense enough not to hide in the bushes," Veronica whispered back.
"Ha ha." Jareth peered over the bushes and watched as Tony handed Sarah a goblet of champagne. He toasted their success.
**You may be successful in your little play,** Jareth thought, **but you will not be successful in winning Sarah.** "I will not lose my kingdom because of some upstart actor," he whispered.
"How do I get myself into these things?" Veronica muttered. "I could've been drooling over Bowie in 'The Linguini Incident,' but no, I had to come with you."
"Keep your voice down!" Jareth whispered harshly.
For the rest of the other couple's moonlight picnic, while Jareth studied Sarah and Tony, Veronica studied Jareth. **This guy has gone completely round the bend.** "You can stay here and play Peeping Jareth," she whispered, "but I'm going back to the hotel."
Jareth grabbed her wrist before she had a chance to stand up and blow their cover. "You will stay here," he whispered menacingly, "or I will throw you headfirst into the Bog Of Eternal Stench."
"You don't scare me, Goblin King," Veronica whispered back determinedly.
Jareth was about to respond when they heard Tony clear his throat. Both of them turned to see Tony looking at Sarah with a very devoted expression on his face.
"Sarah," he said, "I know I have a reputation for being, well, a heartbreaker. I won't lie to you, that word was a good one to describe me."
**"Was?"** Jareth thought. **Try is, Tony.**
"But now," Tony continued, "I'm ready to have a mature, long-lasting relationship." He gently took Sarah's hands and gazed deeply into her eyes. "And, Sarah, I want to have it with you."
"Over my dead body," Jareth whispered. He was about to send Tony to the BOES when Veronica put a restraining hand on his upper arm.
"You won't win Sarah's heart by hurting Tony," she whispered.
Jareth knew she was right. **Why did I get an assistant who is so ... sensible?** He turned back to Sarah and Tony.
After a moment of speechlessness, Sarah finally found her voice. Shakily, she asked, "You know how in 'All I Ask Of You,' Christine asks Raoul for 'freedom, a world with no more night?'" At Tony's nod, she went on. "There's a man in my life, a man of night and illusions and mystery. He says he loves me and wants me to marry him. Tony, he scares me. He can be so cruel... He even said so."
Tony looked concerned. "Is he the one who sent you those flowers?"
Sarah nodded slowly. "Those peach roses... He drugged me with a peach once."
Now Tony was extremely concerned. "Sarah, is he stalking you?"
"He's been watching me for years. He's not going to rest until I'm his." She looked at him desperately. "Tony, please, take me away from him. I'll never have any peace if I know that he could still claim me."
**My God,** Veronica thought. **She's making Jareth sound like some kind of monster.** She stole a glance at her companion.
Jareth was watching the couple in total shock. **How can Sarah think that I would hurt her? I would *never* hurt her. Never! Good God, she hates me.** "We're leaving," he whispered, his face and voice emotionless.
Jareth waved his hand and they appeared in Veronica's hotel room. He sank onto the spare bed and buried his head in his hands.
Veronica's heart went out to him. **How do you comfort a depressed Goblin King?** She sat down next to him and gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Jareth, I'm sorry," Veronica said softly. "I know how much you love Sarah."
After a moment, Jareth raised his head to look at her with dead eyes. In a voice choked with emotion, he said, "Losing Sarah is painful, but losing my kingdom hurts even more."
She remembered everything Jareth and Sarah had told her about the Labyrinth. "What will happen to it?"
"It will become part of Fey, and all who live there will be under my brother Oberon's rule." Jareth's voice sounded so defeated.
"What will happen to you?"
"Oberon will most likely allow me to be the lord of the Labyrinth. I would still have my castle and some degree of power."
Veronica saw a glimmer of hope. "That doesn't sound so bad."
Jareth shook his head slowly. "No, I would be subject to Oberon. He would rule the Labyrinth and my life. My only alternative is to leave the Labyrinth forever."
"Where will you go?" Veronica asked, concerned.
"I will stay here, I suppose. I can find a quiet place away from everything and everyone. Perhaps I will have a cozy little cabin in the woods."
The despair in Jareth's voice was enough to break Veronica's heart. **There must be something I can do to help him.** "What about someone else?"
Jareth shuddered inwardly at the thought, and he let out a bitter laugh. "Like you?"
Veronica felt herself stiffen at his tone. "Not necessarily. Just a woman who's willing. I'm sure there are dozens of women who would love to be your wife." **Why do I feel the need to volunteer?** she asked herself. **He doesn't want me, he made that perfectly clear.**
"Sarah is the only woman I could ever marry. No other woman comes close to her."
Later that night, Veronica lay in bed, trying hard to fall asleep. Her mind kept going back to her conversation with Jareth, specifically when he laughed at the thought of marrying her.
**Why should I care if he wants to marry me or not? It's not like I love him, right?**
She got out bed and walked over to the dresser. Grabbing her walkman, she put the headphones on and turned it to a local music station. Listening to soft music at night often helped her sleep.
A woman's soft voice came on. "This is Samantha, and you're listening to Pillow Talk on KLTE, your lite rock station. Here's a dedication from Kevin to Alexa."
The opening music of a song very familiar to Veronica started, but until now, she had never really paid attention to the lyrics.
Sometimes the snow comes down in June.
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon.
I see the passion in your eyes.
Sometimes it's all a big surprise.
'Cause there was a time when all I did was wish
You'd tell me this was love.
It's not the way I hoped or how I planned,
But somehow, it's enough.
And now we're standing face to face.
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed,
You go and save the best for last.
All of the nights you came to me
'Cause some silly girl had set you free.
You wondered how you'd make it through,
I wondered what was wrong with you.
'Cause how could you give your love to someone else
And share your dreams with me?
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see.
But now we're standing face to face.
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed,
You go and save the best for last.
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see.
Sometimes the snow comes down in June.
Sometimes the sun goes round the moon.
Just when I thought our chance had passed,
You go and save the best for last.
You went and saved the best for last.
"That was Vanessa Williams' 'Save The Best For Last,' from Kevin to Alexa," the D.J. said. "Here's another, this one's from..."
Veronica turned off the walkman, tears slowly running down her cheeks. **Oh God, I do love him. What the heck do I do now?**
No One Can Blame You
Chapter Four: "It Hurts Like Hell"
The next afternoon, Sarah and Veronica were sitting among the empty house seats, watching some of the dancers practice. Sarah had noticed that her friend had been in an unusually good mood all day. She wondered if there was a man involved.
"Ronni, what happened to you last night? I mean, the last time I saw you, you looked a little bored, then you said you had to talk to Steve." Veronica could almost see the light bulb come on in her head. "Did you go on a date with Steve?"
Veronica laughed heartily. "All Steve cares about is this musical. No, I wasn't with Steve."
"Then who? And don't tell me no one; I know you went out last night."
"Okay, I went out with a friend of mine," Veronica said, smiling.
"Who?" Sarah asked, extremely curious.
"You don't know him." **Is that a lie? Does Sarah really know Jareth?**
"Well, you look like you had fun."
Veronica decided to change the subject slightly. "What did you and Jareth talk about?"
Sarah turned to watch the dancers. "He wants to marry me," she said quietly.
"Wow," Veronica said, feigning surprise. "What did you tell him?"
"I told him that he has three weeks to prove to me that he loves me."
"Do you want to marry him?"
"I don't know," Sarah admitted. "There are times when..."
"Good afternoon, ladies," a familiar male voice interrupted.
Sarah and Veronica looked up to see Tony Banders standing there, smiling. Sarah smiled back shyly but Veronica was wary. She knew that Sarah was interested in Tony, and it seemed that Tony felt the same way.
**Looks like Jareth has some competition,** Veronica thought. **I guess I'll have to warn him.**
"No need for that, my dear," Jareth said quietly.
He watched through a crystal as Tony asked Sarah out to dinner that evening. When Sarah gladly accepted, Jareth threw the crystal at an unsuspecting goblin, knocking him senseless. He formed another crystal and watched as Veronica left Sarah and Tony alone.
When Veronica was in the deserted hallway, Jareth appeared next to her. Veronica nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Don't do that!" she said when she had gotten a hold of herself.
Jareth merely shrugged an apology. "How could you leave Sarah alone with that ... that ..."
"Tenor?" Veronica offered, grinning.
Her reward was an icy glare. "I cannot let him interfere," Jareth said angrily.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about. Tony's the love-'em-and-leave-'em type, a real heartbreaker. He'll take Sarah out a time or two then dump her like a bad habit. Jareth, really, there's no need to worry."
"Sarah is a very romantic young woman. Any man who shows any interest in her becomes the leading man in one of her fantasies."
Veronica rolled her eyes. "That may be how she was when you first knew her, but she's a lot more mature now. Look at it this way -- when Tony dumps her, she'll need a shoulder to cry on."
Jareth caught her meaning. "And who better for that than someone who loves her? My dear, you are a genius."
She smiled. "Thank you, Jareth. Now, what are you going to do in the meantime?"
The Goblin King grinned mischievously. "Make Tony and Sarah's date interesting."
**Uh oh. I'd better go too and make sure he doesn't do anything too terrible.** "I'm coming with you."
"Very well, my dear."
That night, Veronica found herself crouching in the bushes of a park near the theatre. Jareth was beside her, watching Sarah and Tony very carefully.
"What does he have that I do not?" he whispered.
"Sense enough not to hide in the bushes," Veronica whispered back.
"Ha ha." Jareth peered over the bushes and watched as Tony handed Sarah a goblet of champagne. He toasted their success.
**You may be successful in your little play,** Jareth thought, **but you will not be successful in winning Sarah.** "I will not lose my kingdom because of some upstart actor," he whispered.
"How do I get myself into these things?" Veronica muttered. "I could've been drooling over Bowie in 'The Linguini Incident,' but no, I had to come with you."
"Keep your voice down!" Jareth whispered harshly.
For the rest of the other couple's moonlight picnic, while Jareth studied Sarah and Tony, Veronica studied Jareth. **This guy has gone completely round the bend.** "You can stay here and play Peeping Jareth," she whispered, "but I'm going back to the hotel."
Jareth grabbed her wrist before she had a chance to stand up and blow their cover. "You will stay here," he whispered menacingly, "or I will throw you headfirst into the Bog Of Eternal Stench."
"You don't scare me, Goblin King," Veronica whispered back determinedly.
Jareth was about to respond when they heard Tony clear his throat. Both of them turned to see Tony looking at Sarah with a very devoted expression on his face.
"Sarah," he said, "I know I have a reputation for being, well, a heartbreaker. I won't lie to you, that word was a good one to describe me."
**"Was?"** Jareth thought. **Try is, Tony.**
"But now," Tony continued, "I'm ready to have a mature, long-lasting relationship." He gently took Sarah's hands and gazed deeply into her eyes. "And, Sarah, I want to have it with you."
"Over my dead body," Jareth whispered. He was about to send Tony to the BOES when Veronica put a restraining hand on his upper arm.
"You won't win Sarah's heart by hurting Tony," she whispered.
Jareth knew she was right. **Why did I get an assistant who is so ... sensible?** He turned back to Sarah and Tony.
After a moment of speechlessness, Sarah finally found her voice. Shakily, she asked, "You know how in 'All I Ask Of You,' Christine asks Raoul for 'freedom, a world with no more night?'" At Tony's nod, she went on. "There's a man in my life, a man of night and illusions and mystery. He says he loves me and wants me to marry him. Tony, he scares me. He can be so cruel... He even said so."
Tony looked concerned. "Is he the one who sent you those flowers?"
Sarah nodded slowly. "Those peach roses... He drugged me with a peach once."
Now Tony was extremely concerned. "Sarah, is he stalking you?"
"He's been watching me for years. He's not going to rest until I'm his." She looked at him desperately. "Tony, please, take me away from him. I'll never have any peace if I know that he could still claim me."
**My God,** Veronica thought. **She's making Jareth sound like some kind of monster.** She stole a glance at her companion.
Jareth was watching the couple in total shock. **How can Sarah think that I would hurt her? I would *never* hurt her. Never! Good God, she hates me.** "We're leaving," he whispered, his face and voice emotionless.
Jareth waved his hand and they appeared in Veronica's hotel room. He sank onto the spare bed and buried his head in his hands.
Veronica's heart went out to him. **How do you comfort a depressed Goblin King?** She sat down next to him and gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Jareth, I'm sorry," Veronica said softly. "I know how much you love Sarah."
After a moment, Jareth raised his head to look at her with dead eyes. In a voice choked with emotion, he said, "Losing Sarah is painful, but losing my kingdom hurts even more."
She remembered everything Jareth and Sarah had told her about the Labyrinth. "What will happen to it?"
"It will become part of Fey, and all who live there will be under my brother Oberon's rule." Jareth's voice sounded so defeated.
"What will happen to you?"
"Oberon will most likely allow me to be the lord of the Labyrinth. I would still have my castle and some degree of power."
Veronica saw a glimmer of hope. "That doesn't sound so bad."
Jareth shook his head slowly. "No, I would be subject to Oberon. He would rule the Labyrinth and my life. My only alternative is to leave the Labyrinth forever."
"Where will you go?" Veronica asked, concerned.
"I will stay here, I suppose. I can find a quiet place away from everything and everyone. Perhaps I will have a cozy little cabin in the woods."
The despair in Jareth's voice was enough to break Veronica's heart. **There must be something I can do to help him.** "What about someone else?"
Jareth shuddered inwardly at the thought, and he let out a bitter laugh. "Like you?"
Veronica felt herself stiffen at his tone. "Not necessarily. Just a woman who's willing. I'm sure there are dozens of women who would love to be your wife." **Why do I feel the need to volunteer?** she asked herself. **He doesn't want me, he made that perfectly clear.**
"Sarah is the only woman I could ever marry. No other woman comes close to her."
Later that night, Veronica lay in bed, trying hard to fall asleep. Her mind kept going back to her conversation with Jareth, specifically when he laughed at the thought of marrying her.
**Why should I care if he wants to marry me or not? It's not like I love him, right?**
She got out bed and walked over to the dresser. Grabbing her walkman, she put the headphones on and turned it to a local music station. Listening to soft music at night often helped her sleep.
A woman's soft voice came on. "This is Samantha, and you're listening to Pillow Talk on KLTE, your lite rock station. Here's a dedication from Kevin to Alexa."
The opening music of a song very familiar to Veronica started, but until now, she had never really paid attention to the lyrics.
Sometimes the snow comes down in June.
Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon.
I see the passion in your eyes.
Sometimes it's all a big surprise.
'Cause there was a time when all I did was wish
You'd tell me this was love.
It's not the way I hoped or how I planned,
But somehow, it's enough.
And now we're standing face to face.
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed,
You go and save the best for last.
All of the nights you came to me
'Cause some silly girl had set you free.
You wondered how you'd make it through,
I wondered what was wrong with you.
'Cause how could you give your love to someone else
And share your dreams with me?
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see.
But now we're standing face to face.
Isn't this world a crazy place?
Just when I thought our chance had passed,
You go and save the best for last.
Sometimes the very thing you're looking for
Is the one thing you can't see.
Sometimes the snow comes down in June.
Sometimes the sun goes round the moon.
Just when I thought our chance had passed,
You go and save the best for last.
You went and saved the best for last.
"That was Vanessa Williams' 'Save The Best For Last,' from Kevin to Alexa," the D.J. said. "Here's another, this one's from..."
Veronica turned off the walkman, tears slowly running down her cheeks. **Oh God, I do love him. What the heck do I do now?**
