Chapter 4

"Now, let's all sit, shall we?" Cheshire said warmly, gesturing at the log he was on a few moments ago.

"Let's. Now, how should we start? Any ideas, Cheshire? Hare?" Hatter said, sitting down in a comically regal fashion. Hare and Cheshire sat down next to him. I looked around, too uncomfortable to sit next to them on the log that has hardly enough room for the three of them. I decided to sit on the ground in front of them; I looked up and waited for ether questions or a story to explain what was going on.

"Maybe we should answer any questions the Miss has?" Cheshire said, grinning in a way that could scare some small children into running for their mothers.

"True, but we could always tell the whole story, then answer any questions she has left," Hare spoke, looking at Cheshire.

"I think I agree with Cheshire. Let us answer any questions the Child has, then tell her what else we think she should know," Hatter decided. Looking towards me, he asked, "What do you ask then, Child?"

"Umm…. For one, where are we, and who are you guys?" I inquired, looking at each of them, my eyes lingering on Cheshire.

"Miss, we happen to be in Wonderland. I am Cheshire, the man on my right Hatter, and the miss on my other right is Hare." Cheshire grinned again, looking me in the eyes.

"Okay…. How did I get here? Why am I here? And another thing, are names important or something here?" Looking up them, I let some of my desperation leak into my voice. I was tired, scared, and confused as hell.

"Well, you came here with me, and I am afraid to say, Miss, I don't know why you are here," Cheshire said, looking into my eyes again, this time not grinning like a fool.

"I have a question now, Cheshire. Why did you the Child here? Don't you know the Queen could have your head for this?" Hatter said, looking at Cheshire.

"Well, she needed out of danger back home, and I didn't bring her over the border to Wonderland, White did. I was going to take her back to her home, in her world, when he and Chris captured us," Cheshire looked uncomfortable, and was avoiding Hatter's eyes. He didn't seem to notice, though, as he took in this information.

"Wait a minute, this girl has seen Chris and White? Shit. We're in trouble now. Does the Queen know? Did you guys even make it that far?" Hare said suddenly looked petrified, for reasons unknown.

"The Miss has, Hare. If she didn't know before, she knows now, alright. We didn't, they stopped for a rest and we made a break for it then. That's how come we were in this clearing," Cheshire stated, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes.

"Oh, lovely. We'll talk about this later, we have company at the moment, isn't that right, Child?" Hatter said, sighing. Hel looked at with expecting eyes, as if waiting for my next question. Boy was he going to get an earful.

"Okay. Next questions, why is that such a big deal? Who is this queen you keep talking about? You still haven't answered my question if names were important here. Is White the White Rabbit? Are all of you really characters from Alice in Wonderland? What the HELL is going on here? Why won't you talk about the situation now, in front of me, so I might understand what is going on better? Where is everyone, or everything, if this is the Wonderland I think it is?" All throughout this little bought of questions, their eyes kept getting bigger and bigger, and shock really started to bloom on their faces. I wasn't done yet though, because there was more, "Cheshire, I know that you know my name, why don't you call by it? Does it have to deal with names having power here? And you two, Hatter and Hare, was it? Who the fuck are you? Just tell me everything for fuck's sake! I don't understand what the HELL is going on here! …I just want you start from the beginning and tell what is going on here. NOW." I finished my bought of ranting and yelling and questioning by standing up and looking down at their knocked for six faces. They looked to be at a loss for words, like they had never seen a girl rant and yell before. Then again, they probably hadn't seen too much of it, either. What the hell am I thinking? I just exploded in the faces of the only people that have treated me somewhat okay if this place! How stupid can I be? Oh, well. Nothing I can change now, I guess… let us see how this plays out, then.

Cheshire was the first to overcome his being stunned. "N-now, Miss, we can't qu-quite have y-you going and sh-shouting at us. It d-does neither of u-us any g-good." Despite the stutter, he did quite well at controlling himself as he stood up and held his hands in front of himself, out to me. What is he thinking? I just exploded in their faces, wanting information, and he says that they can't answer some of my questions? Damn, he's brave… I thought, looking at him, stunned then myself, not only at his words but his actions.

"I a-agree, Child. Let us all calm down before we speak, no?" Hatter put his ten cents in, standing up, but staying by the log, letting Cheshire inch ever so much closer to me.

"R-right let us all sit and cool our heads. Then we can talk. We'll tell you as much as we know, or can, for that matter," Hare said standing up next to Hatter, grabbing his arm, shaking. All the while Cheshire had been getting closer and closer to me. He finally got a hold on my shoulders, making me squeak and jump a little at his touch. I looked up into his beautiful eyes, shocked, and saw genuine regret there. What could he be regretful for? I wonder if—I was suddenly brought out of my thoughts as Cheshire suddenly pulled me into a warm, tight hug. My eyes widened, but I didn't pull away. Carefully, slowly, I wrapped my arms around his waist, seeing as how his arms were around my shoulders.

"Shhh…. Don't cry… It's alright… I know you're scared… shhh…" Cheshire mumbled, just loud and clear enough for me to hear, in my ear. Startled I brought a hand from around him and lifted my face from his shoulder where I had rested it just high enough to touch my cheek. Sure enough, I felt a wet trail tracking its way down my face. I was dumb-struck, and then I started to cry in earnest, for I had realized my situation in earnest. I was in another world and I had a queen out for my head, or something. Also, I had no way home.

I just turned my head into his neck, brought my arm back around him, squeezed, and sobbed.

What am I going to do? Why me? …How long has it been since I cried like this? I don't even have any idea… I think the last time was when that happened…