Six Impossible Things

She rose with the sun that morning, and as usual she felt the longing. Something of a melancholy that always followed her as she left her world of dreams and memories; it always felt as if she were leaving Wonderland, and in such him, behind. Somehow, it felt much worse this morning; the longing for that world she had left to tie up her loose ends here was almost too much for the young woman to bear.

Surely, she had done everything she needed in this world during the past five years? She declined a marriage, told her mother how she really felt, gotten psychiatric help for Aunt Imogene, and taken her late father's company farther than even he had dared to dream. Surely, that was enough to have tied up all loose ends here. It wasn't as if Lord Ascott could not run the company well enough without her; most frowned upon her partnership with him in the company anyways. Women were meant to be wives, and yet Alice dared to be part owner of a company so large and had spread it all the way to China! While astonishing, people often viewed it as scandalous, and she was sure that it would be better in the capable hands of Lord Ascott.

Her mother had long accepted Alice as the odd, but delightful girl she was, no longer lecturing her about propriety and other such tedious things. She was also quite well off without her youngest daughter's support, as she had found a man who loved her just as much as Alice's father had. Margarett's husband cleaned up his act and was now the man that said woman had always believed him to be. Her entire family was happy and in love, while she was alone and pining for things of the past.

After all she had done, it didn't seem quite fair, and as she finally rose from her bed, she fought down a rather childish tantrum. A frown was etched on to her pretty face as she went through her morning routine in an automatic fashion, the same manner in which she did most things these days, though it seemed as though nobody really noticed it. They were all far too busy with their own lives.

Alice sighed.

For the longest time she questioned her decision to return here after defeating the Jaberwocky. What would life have been like for her in Wonderland? It was likely that she'd have been on the queen's court, as she had been the one to return her to the crown. However, would she still be unwed? If not who would she have married? Would it have been the Hatter?

A light blush crossed her face at that thought. It was one that seemed to come up a lot, she knew. In fact, her thoughts always seemed to lead to one person rather than just the place. She knew that she fancied that mad man something awful, however she often repromanded herself for it. After all, there was not a single chance that he felt the same way, he often treated her as a younger sister. She had convinced herself that he would never think of her in any other way.

I sometimes believe six impossible things before breakfast.

The thought hit her so suddenly. When was the last time she had believed in impossible things; she couldn't seem to remember an exact time. Perhaps she hadn't believed at all since her return. She decided to make a concious effort to remember what she believed.

"One," she spoke aloud to herself as she had the day she defeated the Jaberwocky, "there is a potion that can make you shrink."

"Two: there is cake that can make you grow."

She paused briefly, details of her adventure had been ebbed away in the time she had returned, and only came to her in sleep. She tried to make herself remember what came next.

"Three," she hesitated, "Animals can talk."

"Four, cats can disappear."

She felt a bit more confident now. After remembering four, the last two couldn't possibly be too difficult.

"Five, there is a place called Wonderland," she paused briefly, glancing at her reflection in a looking glass, "and number six, I am going back!"

With that, Alice rushed out of her house and to the stables. She quickly attached a sadle and harness to a horse, before jumping on and galloping to the gardens where her would be engagement party was held five years prior. She was determined to go there, and she was determined to stay. She'd never been happier than she was when she was with her friends there, and when she was with him. Wonderland was where she belonged, and that she took so long to realize it made her feel like a fool.

Authors Note: I saw the Movie on Friday, and I've been toying with a few ideas in my head ever since.
I'm not sure if this is going to be the Alice in Wonderland story I stick with, or if I'll write a different one, or even if I'll write multiple. It really all depends on what you think.
Please review.