A/N: Heyyy! Just had this idea floating around in my head for awhile and i thought it would be fun to try something a little different! I probably shouldn't, as I'm still finishing my other story but, well, I couldn't resist!

First off, I'm a sucker for those girl in ME, and ME characters in our world stories, always have been, always will be and this is one of those stories, so you have been warned.

Secondly, these first few chapters Neal is going to have a very different view of Thranduil, so her assessment will be harsher and they are not going to be overly fond of one another. Give her some time to go, she'll come around ;)

Ok! If anyone is still left reading this, please enjoy and let me know what you think! I'm pretty excited to write this and to explore Thranduil's character, and the interactions between the two. I'm interested to hear what you all think.

"Is that her?"

"Yes, in all her glory."

"Oh, she's beautiful." Neal whispered, awestruck. "I have a client who would pay a lot of money for her, Thomas."

Thomas McDermott indignantly snatched the photograph out of the woman's hand, putting it back in the folder he kept for his field notes.

"Neal, I didn't show it to you to sell her! She's a relic! She belongs in a museum, not in the pool house of one of your over-hyped, spoiled rich clients!" Neal simply rolled her eyes and flipped her dark hair over her shoulder.

"Anything can be sold, for the right price." She said, giving him a playful smile as she flipped the folder back open to gaze at his photograph of the statue in question. She really was exquisite, she thought, fingers lightly tracing the picture as she flipped to another photograph, this one featuring a close up of the woman's likeness forever captured in the stone. Her cheek had been rubbed smooth, possibly from years of people touching it, out of fondness or was it luck they believed in? She didn't know why, but the statue made Neal feel sad…like whoever had carved it had given up hope, and tried to preserve it all in this statue. "But you're right…not this one."

The two of them studied the photographs for a few moments longer, in the reverential silence they felt was owed her. She was regal, in her own right, a carved circlet placed atop her head, under a covering that fell in waves over her figure. But if she was royalty wouldn't there be more fanfare about her, Neal wondered, flipping back to the first photo, before they had removed all of the dirt and vines away from the statue.

"We think this was a memorial, to honor her death." Thomas explained, answering her unspoken question and flipping to a photo of several other busts and statues all looking livelier and more jubilant than the first. "All the others don't wear a shroud like this, so we can only assume it's's the artists way of showing she died, like a mourning veil. You see? Furthermore, we found her miles away from the others, so either they simply kept the dead away from the main living space or the memory was too painful to be kept in plain sight."

"And you still don't know who she is?" Neal asked quietly. There was something striking about it this photograph, a melancholy appeal and Neal found her eyes drifting to the photograph more and more. "Or who could have lived here? It's kind of sad someone can be lost like that don't you think?"

"Yeah, it is sad, no, we haven't found anything." Thomas answered, running his hands through his unkempt hair in frustration. "We've been trying to dig up some sort of clue as to who they are…for a while we thought it could be anglo-saxon but the carbon dating on some of the pieces suggests its much older."

"Yeah, but aren't there books, written history, something to give you a clue? I find it hard to believe an entire team of archaeologists found an unground city that has been more or less perfectly preserved with little to nothing to show for it." She asked, leaning against the man's desk and frowning down at him in unbelief.

Thomas rolled his eyes and slumped further back into his chair, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh, we've found books, but they don't do us any good if we can't translate them, Neal. And trust me, it's not perfectly preserved, not even close."

"What do you mean you can't translate them? What language is it, I'll call some friends and see if we can have a translator over here tonight." She suggested, digging through her purse to find her phone and do just that.

"We don't know." Came the man's growled out reply. "When no one recognized it right off the bat we did a search in the database and nothing came up, and there haven't been any findings like it. Evidently, it's a completely unknown language."

"Well that is exciting! What a discovery!"

"Yes, it would be, if the museum was just as excited about it as we were. But me and the team haven't been able to recover anything linking these people to a specific date in history, so we can't even begin to pinpoint who they might be, we've found no bodies, no burial sites, no way to decode their language, nothing. We've been here for two months and all we have are assumptions and we're running out of money, fast. At this rate, if we don't raise enough money at tonight's Gala I'm screwed."

"Well it's a good thing I've invited all of my over-hyped spoiled rich clients then, isn't in?" Neal asked, a satisfied smirk on her lips. She watched his shoulders sag in relief as he gave her a sheepish grin.

"It really is Neal. I have to admit, I thought this whole Gala auction thing was a little much, and to have it in the city, after we just found it? Ludicris! But you've been able to pull this together while maintaining the integrity of the site. You've really saved my ass."

Neal shrugged nonchalantly, though secretly she had been pleased by the praise and really hoped this event would go off without a hitch. She'd coordinated hundreds of events for all types of people, in all sorts of locations and Neal Carter had made quite a name for herself in the industry, but this event was personal to her.

Thomas had always held a special place in her heart, and while it hadn't worked out between them, she knew he was one of the good ones. He was one of the most earnest, hardworking and passionate man she'd ever known so for him to call her and ask her to host a fundraising event in the hopes of prolonging his research how could she say no? And with such an interesting location as this was, an underground city deep in the forest, with a ballroom that could easily hold a thousand people, Neal knew they had told hold it there. Plus the photographs of the event were sure to pull in a ton of clients for her! It was a win win

The first time she'd gone out with him to see the site, to hear how and what they found there, Neal could already envision star shaped lights strung up in the cavernous ceiling, a live orchestra, dancing, gourmet food and even a horse and carriage to take the guests to and from the location and back to their cars and limos at the end of the evening.

Everything was coming together, just as she'd hoped and after making a few calls to her clients and more elite contacts they'd sold out of tickets for the event within two days! She'd even convinced Thomas to place some of the artifact in glass display boxes around the room so that they could be viewed by their guests. Surely, they'd want to know exactly what their money was going toward, right? She'd been able to procure quite a nice array of items for the auction and if enough people showed interest then she was more than confident they'd be able to raise the necessary fund for Thomas and his team to continue on with their research.

"Well don't thank me yet, we still have to pay the vendors and get people to buy the auctioned items." She said, smoothing her black pencil skirt and hoisting herself off of his desk.

"No, I have to thank you." The man said earnestly, standing to his feet. His brown eyes bored into her own and Neal had to look away to escape the intensity of them. She swallowed, giving him another smile as she waved him away. "No really, how could I ever repay you for everything you've done? You've worked so hard putting all of this together for me, and you won't let me pay you, the least I can do is thank you, and that's not nearly enough, I know it's not."

"Well, obviously I don't mind doing it, Thomas. You know what you mean to me" Neal said lightly, leaning forward to smooth the lapel on his rumpled sport coat, frowning a bit at the dried food on the edge, which she scraped off quickly with a manicured nail.

"Neal…" He started quietly, eyes softening as he struggled to start a conversation that they'd had countless times before.

"And I couldn't let you go on with your barbeque idea, that would have been a nightmare!" She rushed, getting the words out before the conversation took its predestined turn. She gave the sport coat a satisfied pat, realizing it was as smooth as it was going to get, and stepped back, silently critiquing the outfit and praying he would just put on the Ralph Lauren suit she'd sent him. "But, if you insist on making it up to me, there is one way…"

"What?" He asked suspiciously, the sly smile creeping onto her face making him regret even asking. He should have just said thank you and let it be!

"The necklace."

"Neal!"

"I want to wear it tonight, for the Gala."

"No."

"Just tonight and I'll return it in the morning."

"Neal, I can't let you wear an artifact. Do you have any idea what it's worth?"

"Do you?" She countered, crossing her arms and resisting the urge to click her heel against the floor of his trailer office. The man flustered, his eyes lilting over her for the briefest moment.

"N-not yet, but, hell, have you looked at it? It's got to be worth a fortune!"

"I know, which is why it would look stunning on me, don't you think?"

"No. I mean yes it would, but no!"

"Don't get upset with me, you did ask!" Neal argued,her pride taking a bit of a dip as she grabbed her purse.

"Because I thought you'd ask for something more reasonable. Like a yacht! Or keys to the city!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic Thomas!" She chided, irritably digging through her purse for her car keys. "You asked how you could repay me and I told you. Why wouldn't I say exactly what I wanted?" She asked, the hidden meaning in her tone making him look away, and carefully put the photos back in their assigned folder.

"And Neal Carter always gets what she wants." He whispered, just low enough that she had missed it.

"Forget it, I was joking anyway. Obviously, I am not expecting anything." She relented, grabbing the keys out of her bag and holding them in her hands as she stood there for longer than she should have. "I did it because I believe in you, and what you're doing here. I think it's amazing…you've found something that has been lost for so long we can't even put a name on it…but that's what you're doing. You're giving these people, whoever they are, their name back…and you can't stop that now, not after everything, it's too important. They can't be lost again… she can't be lost again." Neal said, nodding to the photograph of the mysterious sculpted woman.

No one said anything as they remembered just exactly what they were here for and after several tense moments Neal walked forward and kissed his cheek, the familiar sensation reminding him of a time not so long ago when he'd had more than just the memory of her lips on his. As she walked toward the door, the click of her heels echoed his heartbeat, and in a moment of what can only be described as complete and utter lunacy Thomas heaved a relenting sigh.

"Wait." He called, hating himself as he grabbed his keys and unlocked the safe underneath his desk. He pulled out the box, sliding it across his desk toward her. "You weren't joking…and it would look beautiful on you."

Neal opened the box and gasped at the beauty of the necklace that was far more beautiful in person than the pictures he'd shown her. The white gems glinted like starlight along the silver strands that held them in place, and she couldn't help but imagine just how lovely they'd look with the black ball gown she bought for tonight...but…

"Thomas, I couldn't. Not if you really don't want me to. Really, I'm sorry for all the fuss." She said, closing the lid soundly and sliding it back to him. The man rolled his eyes and slid the box back to her, nodding satisfactorily as she caught it.

"Yes, you can, and you will." He said, turning from her and moving to sit back behind his desk. "Just for tonight and you will give them back in the morning, understood? I don't want a repeat of Ocean's 8, we don't have that kind of insurance."

Neal laughed and grabbed the box before she or he changed their mind, barely restraining her excitement.

"Oh, you, you are a stud, do you know that? A gift giving, superhero of a man." She exclaimed, to the seemingly unaffected man.

"Whatever you say, but this makes us even. And please, for the love of God, be careful with it ok?"

"Oh, we are so even. I'll see you tonight! I can't wait, wear the suit I sent please!" She shouted, heading out the door excitedly. "I've got to go, I have a hair appointment and then I've got to change for tonight but I'll meet you at the front, right? I've put a sign at the front of the forest so the guests will know to wait for the carriage. Don't be late, you need to give your presentation about what you and you're team are trying to accomplish. That's the most important part! It makes people feel like they can be a part of history."

"I'm not gonna be late! When have I been late?"

"Since I've known you you." Neal tutted. "Where the suit." She called rushing out the door

"Yeah, yeah, I'll wear the suit. Go get your hair done, you look awful." He teased, delighting in the sound of her laughter long after she had left him alone in his office, with his artifacts and words left unsaid.

"Yes, so happy you could come Angelique!" Neal gushed, a fake smiled plastered on her face as she greeted the guest and ignored her assistant doing her best to stifle a laugh.

"Of course, my husband and I would not miss such a…quaint event." The woman replied, returning the insincere smile. "My husband has always taken a special interest in historical mysteries…the more outrageous the better. This one seems to be of a particular interest to him, probably because I warned him it could be a scam." Angelique teased, the very obvious dig making Neal grind her teeth.

"Oh, I assure you this isn't a scam, though it is pretty remarkable." She soothed, "This team has worked tirelessly to find the artifacts you see here on display now, along with many other items that will be unveiled after they've finished their work. This necklace I'm wearing is just one of the many items that are sure to stir up quite the buzz and I promise you, you and your husband will be most thankful he was here to contribute to one of the greatest historical finds this side of the globe."

Angelique's lips tightened ever so subtly as she took in the necklace on Neal's neck, glittering in the candlelight. Neal couldn't help the smug smile the tugged at her mouth as she lifted her neck to show it off.

"Yes, it is rather lovely…but they are not diamonds, so there is no telling what they are worth." The woman replied and Neal smiled widely, and leaned in, beckoning the woman to do the same.

"No, you're right they're not diamonds," Neal whispered, "they're even better. Now, please do enjoy the rest of the evening! Auction starts in an hour!"

Angelique lifted the hem of her gown, and slid past Neal without sparing a second glance.

"Ha!" She cackled to herself under the reproachful eye of her assistant, Helen.

"You shouldn't egg her on Ms. Carter." Helen chided, tucking her clipboard under her arm. "We need her to bid, as much as she can. Her husbands a Baron!"

"Yea I know," Neal agreed, grabbing a glass of champagne of the tray being passed around, and handing one to Helen. "She's just such a nasty thing, she always has been, and why? What for? Your husbands a baron and suddenly you're better than everyone else?"

"You know she does it to get a rise out of you? She'll be calling you to coordinate her next charity auction, mark my words! And you won't want to be turning down her buisness either."

"She's just...just the worst! Deserves a good dose of her own medicine now and then. Quaint. This event is a hell of a lot more than quaint. "

"Well thank the good Lord we don't all get what we deserve." Helen added, taking a sip of her drink. "Ignore her and enjoy your night! It's going very well, you should take the time to enjoy it while you have the time!"

"Oh, you're right! You're always right." Neal relented with a roll of her eyes, and took a heavy swing of her drink before correcting herself. "Give her the table up at the front, by the band. That will soften her up. Oh, and have you seen Thomas? He was supposed to be here two hours ago for his presentation. He knows this."

"No, I haven't seen him all day, Ms. Carter. Although it's my guess he'll be down that hall to make sure guests don't wander off where they're not supposed to." Neal placed the empty drink glass on an empty tray and thanked Helen before heading off to track him down. She waved and smiled to various guests, making short small talk as she passed through the throngs of people, asking each one to bid and allowing them a chance to get a look at the necklace. Occasionally she was stopped to handle some sort of crisis or another, but her main mission was to find Thomas.

"Where in the world is that man?" She muttered to herself after every accessible corner of the public area had been checked and still no sign of him

She checked her phone once more, for good measure but just as last time, she had no service.

Typical. She thought heading out of the ballroom and toward the hall where she guessed Thomas might be hiding out. I guess these ancient people couldn't have anticipated the need for reliable cell service back then. Neal stepped back behind the velvet rope, marking off the corridor that had yet to be cleared by Thomas and his team, and scurried down the hall calling for him.

Yes, if Thomas was anywhere in this place, it would be down here protecting the hall from all the big bad dinner guests and dirtying up his suit as he tried to get in more work.

"You're not getting off that easy Thomas! If I have to meet and greet so do you! This is for your benefit after all!" She grumbled, hiking up the hem of her dress and heading forward, the click of her heels echoing against the cavern walls. Neal hadn't been walking long when it had grown too dark to continue on, the lights the Gala provided unable to pierce the darkness of this hall.

"Thomas?" She called once more, waiting for his familiar grumble to call back in response, but she heard nothing except the orchestra playing for the guests, and the happy chatter that accompanied it. A small seed of worry began to grow in the pit of her stomach as she waited. This wasn't like him. Sure he was late, but two hours? Not likely. If he said he would be somewhere, he'd be there. So where was he?

Neal stared hard into the dim waiting for some clue that he was down there as her concern mounted. Where could he be? Was he even down there or could be at the party now? But, if he was further in the cave and he wasn't responding he was either too far to hear her or worse…

"Thomas, if you are down there say something! You need to give this speech and I'm not doing it for you!" She growled, her voice cracking ever so slightly with worry. "If you're doing this on purpose just know that we will not be even anymore! But, if you're hurt…let me know…somehow."

She listened to her voice echoing back to her, suddenly feeling stupid as she heard herself.

He's fine, he's probably in the bathroom or something. You should head back. You shouldn't be down here you'll get everyone in trouble or ruin the integrity of the site or something.

Just as she began to turn around, a light caught her eye, flickering further down the hall and a sigh of relief left her lips.

"There he is." She muttered, grabbing her cellphone and using the flashlight to guide her steps. She wasn't going to risk a broken ankle, not tonight when she looked this good! Determinedly she followed the light, thinking of all the ways Thomas would pay her back for the inconvenience as she rounded a corner. "Thomas you really ought to let someone know-"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the light extinguished, snuffed out by a sharp wind that cut through the cavern with a howl so worrisome had Neale believed in ghosts she would have sworn there was one here with her now.

The hairs on the back of her neck raised as she stood there in the dark, with nothing but her cellphone flashlight to light the way, and she knew she had made a terrible mistake. She needed to head back, now! If Thomas still couldn't be found they'd send a search party after them but she certainly couldn't do it by herself! And she certainly couldn't go around personifying wind!

Without a word or second thought Neale hurried along as fast as was able until, making a left and then a right. Or had she made a right than a left? She didn't remember making any turns at all, hadn't it just been a straight shot through the cavern? No, she was going the right way, she had to be right?

She could no longer hear the orchestra, or the chatter of party guests, just the oddly comforting sound of dripping water that seemed to make its home in every cave.

This wasn't the best situation, but surely, she'd just taken a wrong turn, somewhere right? Maybe it would lead her right back out to the party, like one giant circle.

Another flash of light, a beacon in this maze light up the hall, and she followed it like a moth to a flame, stumbling over her dress to find its source.

"Hey! Hey, can you-"

Just as before, the moment she spoke the light was doused, as if it had never been there at all. What was happening? There shouldn't be anyone else here, right? Slowly, Neal bent down to take off her heels. She couldn't run in heels and a warning in the back of her mind was telling her she'd need to run soon.

The moment her bare feet touched the cold, damp cavern floor, she began to realize the magnitude of the situation she was in. She didn't want to admit it but she couldn't ignore it any longer.

She was lost…and she wasn't alone.

The alert on her phone, signaling a dying battery left Neale with only two options. She could continue going the way she was going or, she could turn back around and try to retrace her steps. The problem was…she wasn't quite sure what those steps were.

How the hell did you get in this mess, Neal, you big idiot! You should have been at the party, drinking champagne and rubbing its success in Angelique's face!

Another burst of light flickered, bending like torchlight against the hall and Neal plunged deeper down the hall, chest heaving with effort as she raced forward to reach it.

"Help! Please, just help me! No, no, no, no!" She screamed in frustration as the light was doused just as before, but this time she was without any additional light. Her phone was dead, laying in her hands uselessly she fought the urge to chuck it against the wall. She slammed her fist against the wall, cursing loudly.

This was not good.

Her breath came out in short pants as she tried to keep her imagination from running wild. There was nothing there. Just her and the dark…no mystery light, nothing, maybe she had just had more champagne then she realized.

Yes, that must have been it. Too much champagne and an odd reflection of her cell phone light that had caused the illusion, but now there would be no more of that since her phone was dead.

There would be no more light at all.

"Stop it." She whispered to herself. She was being silly! They had to know she was gone by now, she was the event coordinator and basically the host! They'd be looking for her! They had to be.

Yes, she was sure that any moment she'd hear the search party calling her name and she'd be whisked back to safety, regaling her guests with the details of her harrowing journey. So, she would just sit and wait. And that was precisely what she did.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited still.

It felt like hours had passed, but there alone, in the dark it could have only been a few minutes, even still Neal had begun to panic. So, it was only natural that as she sat there, anxiously fiddling with the necklace, that she clambered to her feet as soon as she saw the curious flash of firelight yet again, ready to chase after it. This time, however, something stopped her and she sank back to the ground.

To Neal, it seemed that every time she chased after that light she went deeper and deeper into the cavern only to have it disappear the moment she spoke or got too close. She couldn't risk getting even more lost! No, help was coming. She needed to just stay put and wait.

"Screw you." She muttered, waiting for the light to extinguish.

It didn't.

It continued to flicker, casting strange bent shadows against the wall, beckoning her to come see what relief it held, but still she wouldn't go.

"I'm not falling for it!" She shouted, louder this time just so she knew it got the message. Still the light shone and suddenly she could hear the sound of a party! Hope soared in her chest as she stood to her feet, the music playing in time with each relieved breath. It didn't sound like the music she had asked the orchestra to play, but who cared? Let them play Bohemian Rhapsody for all she cared, she just wanted to get out of here!

Her face hurt from smiling so wide, and her stomach growled in response to the smell of food wafting through the air, smelling better than what she had expected lobster puffs and crudités to smell but, what the hell! She hadn't eaten all day trying to fit into this dress and she would have eaten her shoe if she'd be stuck down here any longer!

"Neal!"

She heard her name called from behind her.

"I'm here! Yes, I'm right here, I'm coming!" She shouted in response.

The lights dimmed just as before, once again plunging her into darkness but she didn't care. She was saved! Quickly, she spun around, trying to yank her heels back on before they found her looking like such a mess.

"Neal! Where are you?"

"I'm here!" She shouted, again elation overwhelming her. "Hey! Over he-"

"How did you get through here?" A voice called, a sharp as the sword held to her throat. Neal could move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think! This wasn't happening! The owner of that voice moved closer, stepping in front of her, but Neal could barely see him, all she saw was an actual sword pointed at her, and piercing blue eyes. "I will once more, how did you get in here? This entrance is not well known and heavily guarded. One as clamoring as yourself would surely have drawn their attention would you not think?"

"I-i…" Neal stammered. Her mouth had gone dry, and the room began to spin. She reached for the wall to steady herself, but nearly fell down on her face before the man caught her. Yes, she was absolutely going to pass out, she was sure of it, she realized as the man's eyes traveled down to where the necklace hung from her throat.

The air around her felt like it had gone colder as the man's face hardened. Neal was frozen in place, locked in his grip and stammering like a fool. She had to get out of here! She had to scream, run, do something!

"Where did you get this?" He asked, the acid in his voice shaking Neal out of her paralysis.

"It's mine. Let go of me!" She shouted, trying to push herself away but his grip only tightened.

"Yours?! That necklace was never meant for you!" He seethed, "Where did you get it? Did the Dwarves sell it to you? Or did you take it?"

"I didn't take anything! What Dwarves, get off of me! Help! Help me! Thomas!"

"You think you could steal from me and then sneak into my home? To what, to mock me?" With an amount of strength Neal had no idea she had, she shoved the man, removing herself from his grasp and took off running full tilt down the pathway. He was behind her she knew it and quickly catching up to her.

Neal grasped at her neck, hoping to hide the necklace before her caught her but it was gone! Had it fallen off somewhere? Where was it? She couldn't leave without that necklace, Thomas would never forgive her!

That moment's hesitation was all it took for the man to catch her again, and Neal pushed and kicked and shouted but to no avail!

"Help me! Help! Thomas!" Neal screeched, praying her saviors would arrive before it was too late. His silver hair tickled her arm as he leaned closer, his anger rolling off of him in waves. Neal had never seen someone so angry in her life! "I didn't steal anything, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Return what is mine and I will release you! Return it to me!"

All Neal could hear were the sounds of her own screams intermixed with the shouts of this enraged man before everything went dark.

A/N: Ok! Soooo, what do you think? Also, don't worry you know who is not going to stay that aggressive. But I hope I've intrigued you enough to want to keep reading, please leave me reviews and let me know!