A/N: Hi ladies and germs! It's been years since I made the prequel – Get Over It – to this story and I did promise to get a sequel out, but forgot about it in lieu of other fandoms catching my attention. I feel like I can make this sequel somewhat better than Get Over It because I noticed the lack of details, poor spellchecking, poor grammar, and an overall rushed feeling to Get Over It. (I was a novice writer when I did that story, my skills have greatly improved, I think.) So, I invite you to be the judge and welcome you back into the troubled relationship between Jareth and my OC, Mai…
Enjoy!
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Mai stepped out of her apartment, being careful to lock the door behind her. A woman stood where a girl had been just three years ago. A miserable, young woman.
No one seemed to notice that upon first glance. They'd see a young woman with a small smile on her full lips, dark chocolate brown hair that never needed to be colored, and bright, warm honey colored eyes. They couldn't see that her smile was fake; her eyes were full of deep sadness that came from losing a love that she missed with all her heart.
Jareth…
The estranged princess of Elven Country sighed and brushed her hair back away from her face as she walked out into the sun. "I shouldn't think of him…thoughts are dangerous..." she chastised herself.
She never expected things to turn out the way they did. She never expected to be on the run from her first love or to lose her first child. All she ever wanted was gone and the only person she had to blame was herself. She had gotten too close to the Goblin King's heart and another jealous person had attacked her again. It was, as Sarah so perfectly pointed out, unfair. But what was there for her to do about it?
I can't go back…not now. Not ever.
Mai stepped across the parking lot of the apartment complex quickly, without looking around her. Once at the other end of the parking lot, she sat down on a bench to wait for her best friends. Even after everything that Mai had been through, she had never turned her back on Sarah and Peter, who kept her up to date on what was happening in the Underground when it was convenient for him. Mai never asked many questions about Jareth, finding it difficult to mention his name without the fear of making the Goblin King appear before her.
"I'm not ready to face him," she had said to Pete when he forced her into a literal corner. "I'm not strong enough to go back to the Goblin City to face anyone…"
"How strong do you have to be to return to the people who love you?" Pete had countered. "We need you back…Jareth needs you back."
"I can't come back until I'm strong enough to protect myself from the person or persons who attacked me and killed my baby. Give me some more time."
"Jareth won't last that long…"
"He has to…Pete, please give me a year to study more magic. And then you can wish me back to the Goblin City – or tell him where to find me."
For some reason, Peter had agreed to give her time. She couldn't remember when they had had that particular conversation – they had had so many like it, that it was hard for her to keep the time straight. Mai kept her wards up against those who would scry upon her, whether it was through looking glasses or crystal balls. Her location had to remain secret or more people could be hurt. Jareth's family could be hurt.
"Mai!" Sarah's voice broke through the Halfling's thoughts and brought her to back to reality. "Well, are you coming or not?"
Mai looked at her friend, the Champion of the Labyrinth. She could tell why Jareth and then Peter had fallen in love with the dark haired beauty. Sarah carried herself with grace and exuded confidence which fit her role as an actress. Sarah was Peter's match in every way; he was a star right next to her on the big screen. Mai envied the two of them, knowing she had left her confidence with Jareth in the Underground. She was just lucky enough to be in several television commercials, nothing like her more popular friends.
A smile appeared on her face and Mai stood up as her best friend approached her. Sarah wrapped her arms around Mai and air-kissed her on both cheeks before pulling back to look her over. Peter was leaning against his car, looking oh-so-casual in his designer clothes. Mai couldn't look at him for long – except on the big screen – because his facial structure was so similar to Jareth's that it hurt her to look at him. It made sense though, seeing as he was one of Jareth's younger brothers. He looked at her with his crystal blue eyes and smiled slightly and if she hadn't grown used to him – or knew her heart resided with Jareth – she could easily picture herself falling for his charms.
"Ugh! Why do you people have to look so perfect?" Mai teased as she was escorted towards the car by her best friend. "Or have I gone mad?"
"Because we're superstars," Peter said, running a hand through his hair. "We have to look good for the paparazzi…or we'll hear about it from our fans and agents…Believe me, that is madness."
Mai rolled her eyes. Peter's eyes became saddened and a frown tugged at his lips. Mai knew what he wanted to say but he held it back as he always did around Sarah. The poor bloke was worried that Sarah would jump on his case or freak out if he mentioned Jareth because she thought they'd all put the Underground in their past and forgotten about it like some old dusty book no one wanted to read anymore. If he got Mai alone, he'd be on her case in a flash. She held his gaze for a moment before looking back at the Champion of the Labyrinth.
"So," she said, ready to change the subject. "What's with the unexpected dinner plans? Don't tell me you two are breaking up with me?" She put on a hurt look. "Please, I can change…"
Sarah laughed and shook her head. "We aren't breaking up with you, Mai. We just thought you'd like to celebrate your birthday with us." Her glamorous smile fell. "Don't tell me you forgot about your own birthday?"
"Oh," Mai suddenly felt sad again, "I guess I did forget, but…I usually don't celebrate my birthday."
"Well, you are today," Sarah said firmly. "It's not every day that a woman turns twenty-one. You've got to celebrate this milestone."
Mai was pushed towards the open car door and the door was immediately closed behind her. Sarah sat in the passenger's seat and waited for Peter to start the engine before turning her head to look at Mai. The Elven princess tried to look amused, but she knew she had failed by the look on Sarah's face.
"Why aren't you happy about this?" Sarah asked before dropping her voice down to a whisper. "You're not on your monthly friend, are you?"
"No…"
Peter cleared his throat. "It's because the summer solstice is upon us…Those of Fae blood go through…well, you know…"
"No, I don't know," Sarah said, looking at him. "What's so wrong with the summer solstice?"
"It's Fae mating season," Mai muttered quietly. "For three days, there is a powerful urge for Fae to mate with their soul mates."
Peter nodded and reached out, squeezing Sarah's thigh. She smacked his hand away and looked at Mai with concern in her eyes. Mai sighed and picked at her nails.
"So you and Jareth would -?" Sarah asked.
"If she hadn't run out on him," Peter said, glancing into the rearview mirror. "She went to him once three years ago and left right after they mated. Like a coward."
"Pete!" Sarah exclaimed. "You know why she left him! Someone tried to kill her and killed her baby!"
"And Jareth would have protected her from further attacks," Peter snapped back. "But she left him! She obviously doesn't care about the people of the Goblin City or the rest of my family who welcomed her…"
"…" Mai looked out the window with tears swimming in her eyes.
"Do not call my best friend a coward, Peter!" Sarah snapped, punching him in the arm. "She did what anyone else would do!"
"I'll call her whatever the hell I want to! She broke my older brother's heart and keeps saying that 'she loves him'! If she loved him, she'd never have left him! Baby or no baby…"
Mai quietly unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door, sliding out of it while it was still in motion. She heard the squeal of brakes and the sound of people calling out to her, but paid no heed. Mai turned into a dove and disappeared into the sky, trying to get away from all the harsh accusations that she knew were true.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Mai walked among the monuments and tombstones, her eyes taking in the sight of weeping angels that stood guard over the dead. Her feet carried her on a familiar path while her mind was numb to the world. Stopping under a magnolia tree in full bloom, Mai stared at the headstones that marked her parents' graves and that of her unborn child.
She placed a hand on the headstone of her father, running her fingers over his name, Alexander, and the dates underneath. He'd only been alive for forty-five years. She looked at the headstone of her mother, Rebecca, but did not touch it, knowing that her mother's dates were lies and that her mother's body was no longer in the casket. Mai realized that she didn't even know how old her mother was, but the thought was pushed aside as she moved on.
A small headstone with an angel carved on it, stood to the right of her mother's. Grass clippings covered it and Mai fell to her knees, brushing the clippings away. There was the name she'd given her child, Madylyn,followed by the words Loved, but Never Forgotten. No dates, but Mai knew the day she'd lost the baby and was unable to forget it.
"Madylyn," Mai whispered, letting her tears fall. "I'm sorry that I was not strong enough to protect you…There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you…and your father. You'd be a few months from turning three now…Probably speaking so many words and doing magic that would drive your father crazy…" She laughed sadly. "He'd love you…You'd be a daddy's girl for sure…Don't you remember him singing to you while you were in my belly? I've never seen him that gentle or happy…at peace with the world…It lulled me to sleep so many times, I haven't forgotten the love he showed you while you were still inside me…I miss you…I miss him…"
She knelt on the grave of her child, letting the sounds of the surrounding world wash over her. A breeze caressed her face, cooling her too warm body. Her eyes closed and she let out a sigh.
"You can come out of the shadows now," she said quietly. "I know you're there and have always been there…"
Mai opened her eyes as a man stepped out of the shadows of the magnolia tree. He was very pale with long black hair and an angular face. The shadows swirled around his feet and not a sound could be heard as he walked over to her. A large ring glistened on his right hand, radiating powerful magic. Mai knew what he was and knew what he was capable of. She also knew she should be afraid, but she was past fearing for her life.
"How long have you known that I was following you?" the man asked, folding his arms over his broad chest.
Mai shrugged. "For a year now…" she admitted, running her fingers over the grass that had grown on the grave of her baby. "I noticed the shadows following me and heard things at night. And I noticed the smell of copper, rust, and death…" She looked up at him. "I've done my research. You're a vampire."
"And you're not afraid?" the male vampire asked.
"No…just curious…someone sent you to watch over me."
"And you know who did," the vampire assumed.
Mai nodded. "I do…but I won't mention his name…" She brushed away the tears that straggled down her face. "He wants to keep an eye on me, keep possible mates away, and make sure that I never have a moment's peace without worrying about what was hiding in the shadows…Am I correct?"
The vampire nodded, his violet eyes flashing in the sunlight. Mai held her hand out and he took hold of it, helping her to her feet. Once standing, Mai brushed her knees off and looked at the vampire.
"Well, he needn't worry about other mates. I haven't had much interest in other men after him…Did you- did you tell him where I was?"
"No, I respected your privacy enough to never give him information about your location. Your secret is safe, princess."
Mai smiled a sad smile at that. "Some princess I am…I never wanted the title, never felt it was right to have people think that they are below me…" She glanced at him. "You don't have to call me 'princess', Mai suits me just fine."
The vampire bowed his head in acknowledgment. "As you wish."
"Wishing is what got me in this trouble," Mai whispered, folding her arms over her chest. "I haven't made a wish in three years…can't risk having something bad happen." She turned to face him, regarding the vampire with honey brown eyes. "What is your name?"
"Avery." He smiled at the peculiar expression on her face. "I know, it's not a traditional vampire name in the human world, but my parents weren't concerned with traditions of humans."
Mai nodded as if she understood and gestured at the ring on his finger. "He gave you that, didn't he?"
It was Avery's turn to nod. "It is the only way I can walk out in sunlight," he explained, twisting the ring around his finger. "There are only a few in existence…"
"The Blood Stone is one of the rarest in the Underground…only those who are of higher castes are given them…It renders the sun powerless against the vampire who wears it, allowing them to walk in daylight…"
A smirk came to his face. "You've done your research."
Mai started walking, Avery falling into step next to her. "I've had three years to study magic, Wiccan medicine, and about the creatures of the fantasy world as the humans call it…Still, there is much that I don't know, that I can't do…" She sighed and brushed back her hair. "Peter told me that my aura is growing brighter and that my magical abilities are increasing a little more each day. Nothing to rival you-know-who's powers, but close enough."
"Then why don't you return to his side?"
Mai's eyes saddened. "I haven't forgotten the very clear warning to stay away from his heart I received three years ago – the same warning that killed my baby. His baby…" She glanced at him. "Whoever attacked me had powerful magic that I've never seen before, even more so than him…They haven't bothered me here in the Aboveground…" Avery arched an eyebrow. "Not much anyway…"
"So the fire, the mugging, the attempted murder at knife point, and the ghost driven car that almost ran you over – that was someone not bothering you?" Avery shook his head. "You're not safe up here."
"And I'm even less safe down there," Mai retorted. "People of the Underground are less powerful when they come to the Aboveground. It's a small difference in power levels, but it's enough to save someone's life." She folded her arms over her chest. "No matter how many guards that he sends to protect me, there will always be an opening that my baby's killer will find and exploit…That's why I've been studying magic for so long, I'm not strong down there."
"You're joking, right? The entire populace of the Underground has heard the stories about you. How you tricked the armies of the King of Elven Country and the Goblin King into chasing you, the powerful magic you used to separate yourself into numerous copies on the back of a Separating Serpent…The way you fooled the three Elven Sisters into thinking that you were dead, and defeating them in ease…How do you deem that as 'not strong'?"
The estranged Elven Princess shrugged. "I had the Labyrinth on my side. Its power enhanced my own and…I had to give it back when the peace was restored. Therefore, I am not strong down in the Underground, but I am working on it."
Avery sighed, "You will be returning to the Goblin City some day in the future, right?"
"It's not like I will have a choice. Either Peter will wish me away or he will come for me and take me back by force. It just depends on who gets fed up the most." She led the way out of the cemetery and out onto the sidewalk. "I will not be welcomed back with open arms – not by him anyway. Not after everything I've done or haven't done."
Mai walked down the sidewalk in the direction of her apartment when the sound of tires squealing met her ears. She turned and saw someone hanging something out of the passenger's side. It took her a moment to realize it was a gun, but by then it was too late. Bullets ripped through the air and embedded themselves in her soft flesh, causing her to fall back against Avery.
"Hold on Mai," Avery ordered, his words echoing in her head. "Hold on…"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A/N: Lots of things happened in this chapter. So much drama and painful emotions with more to revealed in the next chapter, when I get around to it. I warn you that updates will be slow because I'm working on several stories at once and dealing with a hectic college schedule, so it's really a balancing act for pleasure and school work. Feel free to leave any comments, flames, and suggestions in the review box. I really appreciate those who do. Until the next chapter update, I bid you adieu. ~Scarlet