Alice took the first ship she could, she made sure Lord Drakon was not there the day she was to leave, he was away on business making sure everything was in order regarding the trade routes. He would most likely take all the credit for it but she no longer seemed to care, she thought this strange, she thought she would be more upset about the idea being taken over by this pompous man but she didn't.

When the carriage arrived to take her and her things to the dock she had to check herself so she did not run to her freedom, she merely walked faster then people were accustomed. The horses were too slow, her mind began to wander to think of impossible things, things that would take people farther and faster. She had no idea what they would like, maybe horseless carriages that could reach speeds no horse ever had.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the door being opened, a disjointed voice saying that her things were already aboard, the ship would be leaving soon. She took his proffered hand and stepped down onto the dirt road. She did not look behind her as she walked towards the wood planks of the dock towards the ship that would take her home. The pull was still there, would not leave her alone, it seemed to be more persistent but she knew that she was doing the right thing.

It was true she had done much during her time here and she would not soon forget it but she would be glad to moved on with her life. She knew men were crafty, that they wanted women and when they didn't get their way could become violent but she had never experienced it first hand. She was worried that all men were like this, a prospect that made her think it would be best if she did not have a man in her life.

She imagined that the return journey would feel longer then the trip to this far off place, it seemed agonizingly long even though it took the same amount of time as her first trip. There were no storms but there were dreams that plagued her still. Always the same, they seemed to make the nagging feeling worse.

Then she came down with a fever, which was strange since the day before she had been fine and the next she could not get out of bed. As soon as it was there it was gone again. All she wanted to do was get home.

The day finally came when she heard one of the men yell "land ho", signaling that she would soon set foot on land, her home. She hoped with all her being her mother would be there to take her home since all she wanted was to go to sleep as soon as she set foot in her room. She was exhausted beyond words but had no idea why this was so.

She felt herself drift off even though she tried to stay awake. In what felt like five minutes, one of the men was shaking her awake, saying that they had landed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, realizing that she had not dreamed this time, something that scared her more then the actual dream.

As she came out of the bowels of the ship, the light hurt her eyes until they adjusted; she could hear the sea gulls, the noise from the dock coming from the people going about their business. She had not realized how much she had missed her home here in England, how much she missed her mother.

She searched the crowd until she saw her mother waving among the crowd, she waved back in relief and hurried over to where her mother stood waiting. Alice practically threw herself into her mother's arms, was engulfed in the warmth of her mother, Alice let go of a breath she realized she had not been holding.

"I missed you so much Alice."

"I missed you too," Alice whispered.

Her mother held her at arms length, "You've changed…"

"For the good I hope…"

"Yes. Of course for the good. It has not been the same without you. I left everything as you left it though. Your room is ready and waiting for you."

Alice wearily smiled at her mother as they walked to the carriage that would carry them home.

"I was surprised that you returned so quickly. I thought you would be gone at least another half a year…"

"The more I saw of the world, the more I was dissatisfied with it. It just didn't feel right. The ambition of men is astounding…"

"So you will stay home now? There are many eligible men you know. There's Lord Byron…he is a respectable fellow and well off in more than one way I hear…"

"Mother! I just got home and already you are trying to marry me off again! I just want to relax for now if you don't mind…"

"Of course dear…I'm sorry…I just don't want to see you alone for all your life…"

Alice scowled at her mother. They came up to the front of the house but Alice no longer felt the exhaustion that had plagued her before.

"I think I will take a walk in the garden if you have no objections," Alice said as she stepped down from the carriage.

"Don't wander off too far and don't be too long dinner will be served shortly…"

If her mother warned her about anything else she could not hear it as she quickly walked away, at least as quickly as propriety would allow. Propriety, there was something she would have to get used to again now that she was back in England. She had so much more freedom when she was not here under the constant eye of her mother, something she hoped her mother would not bother her about right away.

She sighed as she contemplated her fate of being constrained by her mother as if she was still that girl who had left all that time ago and did not like the thought one little bit.

•••

The White Rabbit saw the carriage pull up in front of the house, saw Alice step down, his heart began to race. Finally she had come home. He needed to speak with her as soon as possible, there was no saying what kind of state Tarrant was in now. He had been gone for quite sometime and the difference between worlds in time was still beyond him.

Before he could think of a way to approach Alice Ches showed up beside him. He jumped as he registered the new arrival.

"Must you always do that Ches?"

"I am sorry to alarm you but I have news. Tarrant has been taken by the former Red Queen."

The White Rabbit's eyes bugged out and his breathing increased ten fold.

"Calm down or you will faint," Ches told him.

"I'm trying…I must speak with Alice!"

"Well here's your chance. She's going to the garden now."

With that Ches disappeared back to Underland leaving the White Rabbit with even more disturbing news then he had held before.

•••

Just as Alice was about to turn one of the corners in the expansive garden of the manor house she saw a flash of white. She came up short as her breath hitched in her throat. The familiarity of the situation unsettled her and just as she was about to turn around and go back to the house she saw the flash again.

She could feel herself start to panic and for the life of her she could not say why, but the tugging she had grown accustomed to suddenly became more pronounced. It could only be a rabbit, the garden was full of them.

She began to walk towards the house again when she saw the flash again but this time it stopped by the corner of the hedge and peeked out at her. It wiggled its nose at her and slowly stepped out from its hiding place, on its hind legs.

She saw that it had on a vest of royal blue and a fob watch dangling from a chain. He looked at her with his huge red eyes, saying nothing, just staring at her.

Alice became more and more anxious as he seemed to be staring through her. No longer able to stand that penetrating gaze she asked, "Why are you staring at me?"

"Maybe if I stare at you long enough you will understand why I came."

"There is a reason?"

"Yes there is…you forgot again didn't you?"

"Forgot what?"

He sighed as if she was the slowest being in all of creation, "Underland of course. You've been there twice now and it's about to become a third."

"Underland?"

He slapped his head with aggravation and said, "The place you think only exists in your dreams…"

"That place actually exists?"

He was losing patience with her, "Yes and you need to come with me again."

He started to hop away as Alice called after him, "Why do I need to go back?"

He called back, "Because she has him!"

He picked up the pace and Alice was forced to follow him. She ran after him, her dress getting caught on branches, her feet sliding out from underneath her on more than one occasion but she was able to stay upright.

The White Rabbit would every now and then look behind him to make sure she was following but never slowed his pace. They had no time to waste.

He finally reached the tree, the gateway between the above land and Underland. He stopped long enough for her to see him and then he went down the hole.

Alice skidded to a stop by the tree trying to catch her breath, the strongest sensation of dejavu washed over her. I have done this twice before according to him. Those dreams actually happened. That means they were memories. That also means I already made this revelation the second time.

Without any hesitation like the first two times she let herself fall down the rabbit hole. The same thing, a seemingly unending fall, the random furniture and other knick-knacks rushing past, some hitting her, the bed that she bounced off of and then the descent again.

This time she was prepared for the impact, an impact that didn't come. She landed lightly on her feet the right side up.

The White Rabbit was waiting for her and he quickly ran to a door, this one was the right size though and he somehow had a key for it.

"Don't I have to…"

"Not this time. This time there truly is no time."

"Why?"

"She has him…."

"So you said the first time I asked. And like the first time it has cleared nothing up."

He sighed heavily as he thought whether he should tell her now or wait for the White Queen to tell her. Either way she would find out and if he did not tell her she might become stubborn and threaten to follow him no further until he told her.

He turned to look her in the eye and said, "The former Red Queen has Tarrant."