Authors Rant!: Hey Guys, as some of you may have read my other story, Within You, Without You. You are probably aware that it is unfinished! This I am aware of, and will finish it shortly. I just needed a break to try something else! And... Ta Da! Wandering in the Dark happened! It is another third person story, and with another OFC. As much as I really dislike doing those kinds of stories, I really like the character I am developing. She's pretty cool.

Also, I'd like to fill you in, anything in italics is a flash back! Don't be confused! There will be a lot of those.

Thank you for giving this story the time of day, this chapter is a little wordy. However, it will setup the future chapters, and I promise you it will get better and more action packed, and yada yada yada.

Disclaimer!: Things I do not own - Jareth and the Labyrinth, they belong to the amazing Jim Henson. Thing I do own- Evelyn, and any other characters I invent!

So please, read, review, and above all, enjoy!

Another warm, simple sunny day graced the sleeping town of Raleigh, North Carolina as Evelyn woke with a slight stir. Her internal alarm clock never letting her sleep passed eight thirty anymore was both a blessing and a curse, especially on her days off. Evelyn rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she cracked a slight yawn. Yes, another day in her life Aboveground, day two-hundred and sixty three to be exact. Now, while most humans would only be concerned of living hopefully closer to their eighties, Evelyn was not most humans. In fact, Evelyn wasn't human at all. Evelyn was born a Fae in a place not many humans would ever know existed; unless having been there themselves(which was slightly impossible for those select humans to remember in the first place). The Underground was a place of magic and wonder; at its heart lied a beautiful and enchanted Labyrinth, and at its center, a castle. The Underground was filled with surprises, and such mystery that would make any Aboveground dweller envious. So why would Evelyn trade such luxury? The answer was simple; Evelyn wanted simplicity. She didn't want a life where magic ruled her every day agenda, she did not want an unwound chaotic life, unsure of what everyday would bring. No, Evelyn wanted what most humans run from... a routine. Some would even say Evelyn was crazy for wanting such a switch, and most have had their share in words. Evelyn shrugged her shoulders on her one-thousandth five hundred and thirty seventh birthday, and asked the Labyrinth goddess to take her to the Aboveground. Normally, such a request would be denied... but for some reason unbeknownst to many, her wish was granted. While some would spend these last two-hundred something years attempting to figure out how this wish was granted, Evelyn would become part of the Aboveground.

Every couple of years or so, she would relocate to a new town, settle in, find a job, and then after a while she would relocate when everyone around her was growing too old for her to blend with. It was a hassle sometimes, yet a simply brilliant plan on her part. Evelyn loved the idea of daily routines, and having something to do every single day. However, what she enjoyed most of all out of everything you could possibly imagine, she loved the idea of never using magic. A Fae lives off magic, it is one thing that helps them thrive in the Underground, yet Evelyn had not used a single drop of magic after her first day in the Aboveground. Granted, she needed to blend in and have some form of shelter and currency. But after all that, she swore to never go back to that 'old' life, and start a new... and so she did.

Evelyn rose from her comfortable bed, and headed to the bathroom to quickly shower and get dressed for a new day. She knew exactly what she wanted to do with this day, and that was to see Daniel. A month prior, Evelyn had gone to the local library, and was 'sought out' by this attractive male figure named Daniel. From there, chemistry had it's way, and no matter how hard she tried to fight it, he was a captivating mortal.

Evelyn made it to the library, and with a bounce in her step she walked into the building, hoping to find something new and exciting. Raleigh was a newer town in which she settled, having been here less than seven months, it was different. Everything seemed slower in time here, which was something she searched for. Time in the Aboveground was short, the days turned to weeks, and then weeks turned to years so quickly for the Fae. She longed to be able to stay in one place for longer than a few years. She ached for more consistency in time, and though she would never admit it, it was one thing she missed about the Underground. She sometimes felt that she never really had enough time to enjoy a single place for long. People would move, or get sick and die, or she would have to move before people discovered her magical unfading appearance. Time was very cruel in the Aboveground.

Evelyn skipped over the fictional sections of the library, and headed for history. At first she would read the fictional books with delight, that was until she realized most books had mythical creatures wrong, and she soon found herself correcting them. With a sigh, she gave up the ideas of fantasy(mostly from living in a magical world all her life), and headed straight to realistic things like world wars, and world history. She loved the history of the Aboveground, it was magical in its own right. She found herself in the section labeled for the ancient Chinese culture, and began to indulge. After skimming the section, she found a book that caught her interest. She removed the book, only to see from the other side of the shelf, another pair of eyes met hers. The green eyes sparkled with delight, and a curious smile to match. Evelyn smiled slightly before looking away and looking to the new book she found. Her eyes wandered. She looked up again to see the green eyes still looking, and trying to get her attention. Evelyn turned away, the smile never fading as she began to walk down the aisle and away from the stranger. The stranger was game, and followed her slowly; pretending to be looking at books on the Russian revolution(though he had no true interest in the book). Evelyn would pick out different books as she walked, and the stranger would pick out the corresponding book from the other side, just to take a peak at her once more. Evelyn would put the book back, and continue on. The man held onto the books he would take out, and continue after her. She was an attractive female, with blue eyes of her own and copper colored hair. She was beautiful to the human eye, yet average to the Fae's.

Evelyn eventually turned the corner, only to walk straight into the green eyed man. He was attractive for a human, she thought. His green eyes were captivating, and matched his shaggy chestnut brown hair well. His smile was overwhelmingly welcoming, and his exterior definitely showed confidence. "My apologies!" He chuckled slightly. "I hope you don't think me strange for following you."

"Not at all, it was quite amusing." Evelyn smiled. Evelyn looked at the strangers arms, he must have been carrying at least six books. "Do you plan to read all of those books?"

The man looked down at his arms, and laughed. "No, I guess I don't." He shuffled the books around to evenly distribute the weight. "Care to join me in putting them back? My arms are getting sore."

Evelyn laughed slightly. "I suppose I could."

"Great." He smiled, and Evelyn felt her heart beat faster. "I'm Daniel."

"Evelyn."

"Well, now that I've made a complete ass out of myself, I might as well go further and be completely forward." Daniel laughed. "Would you mind accompanying me to the coffee shop down the street?"

Evelyn thought for a moment. This was something new. Granted, she had interactions with men before, but she knew better than to get too close to someone. While her mind was telling her to not get too close to this man, she couldn't help but feel a strong connection with Daniel. After seeing Daniel's confidence shift with her slow reply, Evelyn finally nodded. "I think I could stop for a quick cup of coffee."

Daniel smiled once more. "Great."

"But first, the books." She laughed.

"Right, the books." Daniel laughed along with her.

Daniel and Evelyn sat at the coffee shop for almost four hours. Their conversations were full and detailed. Daniel loved hearing Evelyn talk about the places she had been to, it was like living the adventure for himself the way she described it. Evelyn truly enjoyed Daniel's mortality. Hearing a human talk about their lives and what they enjoy, really brought joy to Evelyn. While she had some trouble adjusting to living centuries, and feeling no true end to her life; she loved their sense of living in the moment. That was something the Underground lacked. To Evelyn, Daniel was a stop watch from this fast paced life. Everything seemed to slow down in the moment they were sharing, and she was loving it. Yet, time was never truly slowing down, and soon the two had to part.

"Would it be weird if I said I really enjoyed my time with you?" Daniel asked as they walked towards Evelyn's car.

"Not at all." She confessed. "I enjoyed it as well."

Daniel smiled. "Maybe we could possibly do this again?"

Evelyn nodded. "I'd like that." The two were silent as they approached Evelyn's car. Daniel turned to look at the Fae, unaware of what she truly was, and unaware of how short time would seem with her.

"Hey, before you go..." Daniel coughed nervously. "I should probably give you my phone number just in case I need help putting away library books."

Evelyn laughed at his joke. "Here, I have a pen." She took the pen out of her purse, and Daniel placed his hand in front of her, gesturing that it was okay. She smiled and wrote down her number.

"Great." He smiled looking at the number. "Let's hope this is a real number." Evelyn laughed once more. "Maybe I'll see you soon?"

Evelyn smiled, getting in her car. "Maybe." She said hopefully. Daniel watched Evelyn back out of the parking spot and began to drive away. This could be the start of something beautiful...

Evelyn smiled as she got dressed and headed downstairs to eat something quick, the thought of Daniel intoxicating her thoughts. She was sure she wasn't in love with the mortal, knowing how quickly something like that would end... she couldn't love him for his own sake. She knew she would outlive him and the heartache was too much to even think of. However, she loved how time seemed to slow down around him. He was so open and honest with his mortality(even though he was unaware of being so), that she couldn't help wanting to be around him. She yearned for a mortal life, and knew she could never have it. This was the next best thing.

Something was wrong... She could feel it in her inner, most deepest thoughts. Something was off on this normal, run of the mill, routine day. She walked over to the kitchen sink and began to wash her hands, noticing goosebumps forming all up her arm. Something was making her skin crawl, and being sensitive to outer worldly things... it wasn't 'normal' for this world.

For two-hundred some odd years, Jareth had been left...uneasy. In fact, uneasy was an understatement. Jareth had grown irritable, and cold. His thriving Kingdom felt empty to him, everything seemed pointless. He still ruled the best he could, but part of him was missing. He was a scorned man, and nothing was going to change that. His light was fading, and he knew that. His two-thousandth birthday was nearing, and for a Fae his age this was a big to do. Fae magic on its own thrives within the Fae, however, once the Fae reaches their second century, the magic begins to fade. Once the magic begins to fade, eventually the Fae themselves fade too. This can be counteracted when two Fae join in a ceremony like what the Aboveground calls marriage. This ceremony binds the two Fae's magic together, to help keep it flowing and alive. Without a counterpart to balance his magic, Jareth was dying.

"Something's wrong." The wild blond haired Fae stated without warning. He stared into the crystal sphere he had just conjured. 'Was it something in the Labyrinth?' He thought to himself.

"Sire?" A stoutly goblin asked with concern. He looked above his glasses that hung oddly over his rather larger nose. He had been reading to his Majesty new edicts that would be brought up in future Fae court sessions, when all of a sudden the air had grown thick.

The blond haired Fae walked towards the balcony window of his study, peering out the window as he stared at the blood red sky. "I do not know what has happened, but something has left me... uneasy, Lorso."

Lorso, the Goblin, kept his eye on his King with the utmost concern. "Care to elaborate, Jareth?" He lost all formality then. Normally, he would never break formal code, especially in front of other Fae or Goblins, or any kind alike. Yet, being the Goblin adviser that has raised and stood by Jareth's side since he was a child, sometimes it slipped.

"There is something... happening." Jareth said cryptically. "Something... strange."

"Any idea what it could be?"

Jareth took a moment before responding, his words being chosen carefully. "No... but it's unwelcoming." With that a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Jareth sternly looked out to his land, his mismatched eyes trying to see a sign; anything that would give him insight on what was to come.

"You should take it easy, Jareth." Lorso sighed. "A Fae your age..."

Jareth interrupted him. "A Fae my age is no different than any other Fae." Jareth understood the concern coming from his adviser, however, the thought of being weak offended him still.

"Forgive me." Lorso glared not so much in anger at Jareth, but mostly concern. "But you should still take things slow."

"I am Fae, all time is for me is slow." Jareth stated.

"Now you sound like her." Lorso muttered, only to feel tension rise in the room. He knew he had hit a nerve by even mentioning her.

"Don't you have other duties to attend to?" Jareth hissed.

"Yes Majesty, of course." Lorso took the hint, knowing he was already in trouble to begin with. Lorso left Jareth's study. He knew his King was troubled by his upcoming birthday, and knew he was troubled over past events that still haunted him. One thing Lorso never truly understood was how after two-hundred years now, Jareth still hadn't gone to find a counterpart Fae. Time was running out, and he never made any advances. Lorso could see through most of Jareth's anger, and knew a lot of his motivation was non-existent thanks to her. They weren't betrothed or anything, hell, they weren't even in love. But for some reason, her leaving left him scarred. Lorso feared for the Fae, knowing that with time fading, soon the magic would fade away, and there was nothing he could do but watch Jareth fade with it.

"Thunder?" Evelyn uttered quietly as she stared out her kitchen window. "I didn't know it was supposed to rain today..." The uneasy feeling still lingered in the back of her mind as she continued to look out the window. Her mind kept going back to the sense of something terrible happening, she was so lost in the thought she didn't hear the doorbell ring at first. After hearing the second ring, she shook her head and gracefully walked to the door to answer it. She opened the door with a weary smile, only to have it matched by Daniel's.

"Morning sunshine." His voice sang, sensing something off today. "Something wrong?"

Evelyn peered outside a little more, only to see the sky was a crystal blue. Yet, where did the thunder come from? "I swear I heard thunder before..." She admitted quietly, unsure if Daniel actually heard her.

"Thunder? On a day like today?" Daniel began to look up at the clear sky as well. He shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the troubled girl. "You must be losing it."

Evelyn pursed her lips, biting slightly on the bottom one. "Must be..."

Daniel shifted moods quickly. "Are you going to let me in, or is this a bad time?"

Evelyn shook her head, nervously laughing as she stepped out of the way. "I apologize, please, come in."

Daniel smiled and took the invite with a smile. He stepped inside the home, having Evelyn closing the door behind him. She began to walk away from him and towards the kitchen; Daniel knew something was still off about her. "So, any idea what you'd like to do today?"

Evelyn left the human alone in the living room, and headed to the kitchen once more. Maybe a glass of water was what she needed. Dehydration wasn't too farfetched for a Fae after all, even if most ailments were. She grabbed a glass from the cupboard and then called out to the house. "Daniel, would you like something to drink?" There was no reply. Evelyn listened carefully, not hearing even a little creak from the floorboards, or even a muffled voice. She turned her head towards the direction of the living room and waited for the reply. "Daniel?" She called out only to receive no reply once more. She placed the glass on the counter and headed towards the doorway to the living room. She looked down at her feet and then back up again. "Daniel, are you-" Before she could finish her sentence, a black smog came towards her at great speed, knocking Evelyn backwards and onto the counter. She fell down the counter and onto the floor, where she tried to regain a sense of control. Evelyn's eyes snapped open, trying to focus them she scrambled to her feet. She looked around the kitchen in a panic, trying to find the black smog, but to no avail.

Evelyn looked around for a weapon, anything to defend herself as she called out with a shaking voice. "D-Daniel?" Nothing. "D-Daniel!" Another rumble of thunder sounded from outside, followed by a screech that sounded like metal crunching under a flat iron. She knew that noise, she knew exactly what that screech was. Her eyes widened as she ran for the door once more, she had to get out of there. If it was the creature she suspected it to be... she was in trouble. As she ran for the front door, she could hear the screech growing louder. The door was within arms reach, she faintly touched the doorknob only to be ripped backwards. Evelyn skidded across the floor, feeling her back burning slightly from the contact. She opened her eyes to see the ceiling... when the black smog began to close in. Her last cry echoing through the house as she screamed for Daniel.

Final Thought: Thanks again for giving this a chance, again, I'm sorry for it being so wordy, it's just an introduction really. I hope you continue to read!