Bonjour, Madmoiselles and Monsiours. Me amo Eris and this is the second story I have written for Alice in the Country of Hearts. This will be multichapter and holds my OC Karol. Did they ever tell you anything about the friend that Elliot smashed his clock? Not much, so he'll be debuting i9n this chapter and this chapter only.

WARNING! THIS CONTAINS BLOOD/ALICE PAIRING AND AN OC/CANNON PAIRING! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

I lay out in the grass, my arms cradling my head along with a large pink boa. Contented purring resounded from the figure beside me and I turned to smile at the punk cat. When I looked at him, I was met with gold eyes, glittering in the moonlight. I giggled and stroked his velvety pink ears, my hand tracing his golden earrings. The night air was chilly, but no frigid enough to be uncomfortable. With a large pink cat to keep me warm, nothing could make me cold.

When I shifted my gaze upward, I noticed a star beginning to fall out of the sky. It lit up as it fell before disappearing entirely. I couldn't help the excited squeal that rose up. Boris chuckled from beside me. I smiled at him sheepishly.

"Did you see that?" I asked pointing at the sky. He nodded.

"Yeah, that's a shooting star," he explained, "have you ever seen one before?"

I shook my head, excitement still written all over my face.

"Make a wish, then. If you wish on a shooting star, it'll come true."

I closed my eyes, softly making my wish. Please, please let Boris and I stay best friends forever and never let anything pull us apart. When I opened my eyes, Boris was snoring softly. I couldn't help but giggle. That cat just couldn't get enough sleep. I curled up next to him and I wasn't long before I, too, fell into a deep sleep.

I wonder, did making a wish like that, when there was no way for anything to destroy our friendship, jinx it?

Well, whatever happened, my life as I knew it was coming to a close.

I remember being shaken awake when the sun was high in the sky.

"Seriously?" came the deep, dark voice of my older brother. My ocean eyes snapped open, meeting his electric green, and I smiled before I hugged him.

"Blood! You're home!" I yelled, squeezing him tightly, and effectively waking the slumbering cat beside me. Boris looked up, dazed.

Blood had been away on a trip for border negotiations with the other two territories. He has told me it would take a month, but it had only been two and a half weeks. I was so happy. In actuality, Blood was my half-brother. He and Vivaldi were born to a faceless woman after she slept with Deagamon Dupre, Lord of Hatter Mansion. Both children were faceless, until Vivaldi received a face and was placed in the Queen of Hearts throne. Blood was proclaimed Hatter Mansion's successor when he received his face not long after she did. Blood was seven, Vivaldi eleven, the day Harley Victarian came to Wonderland. She and Deagamon fell deeply in love, and a year later I was born.

Now, Blood was a full grown man: twenty going on twenty-one.

Vivaldi and I never really spoke with each other. She was really nice, according to Blood, but she was so far away, and it was hard for two people of enemy territories to meet with each other. The only place Boris and I were able to meet was in the forest near Clock Tower Plaza; it was neutral ground. Sometimes it was difficult, but being able to hang out and just be friends was worth it.

My clock ticked erratically as Blood spun me around in a circle. I had missed him so much.

"Hiya, Blood." Boris said cheerfully. Blood smiled at him.

"Hey, Boris. Been taking care of my little sister here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Boris nodded his head.

"Like always," he responded. He smiled at me and waved. "Well I better be off. Gowland'll get mad if I'm not back soon. See you, Kar!"

Blood grabbed my hand and with the other one I waved back at Boris. "Bye!"

As we walked back to Hatter Mansion, Blood told me all about his trip to the other territories. He explained about his meeting with Mary Gowland *snicker* and riling him up enough to cause an all out war. I grimaced at his gory description of the battle.

"Do you really need to make him so angry all the time?" I asked. I may be young, but I am smart enough to know not to pick on an insane man with a shotgun. Then again, said man wasn't very smart for picking on the Mafia boss. Blood did have a knack for shooting things with his machine gun. That man will be the death of me, I swear.

"You know how I am, Little Sis. I can't help but pick on poor Mary all the time." He replied, smirking. I couldn't help erupting into giggles at the mention of Gowland's first name. It was just so funny.

I just loved Blood. We'd always been really close. It was hard to not love his rugged charm.

"How did speaking with Vivaldi go?" I asked, genuinely curious. I was always curious about my mysterious half-sister. I never got to see her because of the territory dispute, so that was probably the root of my curiosity.

Blood shrugged. "Like usual. She was very polite the whole time. Sometimes I wonder if she has any personality."

I giggled again. Hearing him talk about our older sister in such a flippant way made me feel less jealous when he visited her. He was my brother; I really didn't want to share him. I leaned my head against his chest, the rhythmic tick, tick filling me with peace and comfort. Blood felt like home. No, he was home. He wasn't leaving me anytime soon.

"Hey, Blood, the next time you leave for border negotiations, can I come?"

Blood smiled down at me, the top of my head barely brushing his chest. "Anything you want, Kar. Anything you want."

The sun streaming through my window woke me from my nightmare. I was drenched in cold sweat, my breathing ragged and my body tangled in the bed sheets. Every time I slept, they returned. The only time I could escape them was when I was with Boris. I wasn't afraid to sleep with him by my side. Not even Blood could chase the nightmares away.

A gun shot; pain shooting through my chest; blood blossoming through my white dress; Blood crying for the first time; Boris squeezing my hand; my mom struggling to keep me alive; blackness…

I was trembling as the images from my dream danced before my eyes. Why was I plagued by them? Why did I continue to see myself die? Why this, why that, but none of my questions could be answered…

"Karol, are you ready for breakfast?" my mother called from the lower level of the mansion.

"Yes, Mother!"

I dressed quickly in a white dress that was very voluptuous at my knees. Black and white striped knee high socks were next along with white gloves that stretched to my elbows and a large black top hat. Black shoes were the final touch to my ensemble. I smoothed down my tangled black hair with a brush and took several needed deep breaths. It was all okay. They were only dreams. There was nothing to be worried about.

I descended the staircase to meet my mother. I then followed her down the hallway to breakfast. Blood and Elliot were already eating along with the four-year-old twins that had just received their faces. Their roles would be gatekeepers of Hatter Mansion the moment they could lift a scythe. I waved to Elliot and sat down next to Blood, my mother giving me a slightly disapproving glance.

My mother loved Blood, she really did, but she didn't like me hanging around a man with such violent mood swings. They didn't bother me; I was used to them.

"Good morning everyone!" Tyler yelled as he stepped into the room. He was a tall man, but significantly shorter than Elliot or Blood, with two droopy brown dog ears. His hair was the same shad as his ears with two almond shaped eyes that were a brilliant sky blue. He was dressed in a long dark blue trench coat with black trousers and black shoes. A black necktie was slightly askew around his throat and his short hair was sticking up in places. He was a jolly young man whose company I quite enjoyed. He and Elliot were the best friends you could find and the only reason the blond haired rabbit (though don't cal him a rabbit to his face) was here was because of Tyler. Everyone loved Tyler; he was one of those types of people.

"Morning, Tyler!" I responded just as cheerfully. He beamed at me, offering a dazzling smile and a wink. The twins cackled maniacally when he sat down next to them. They reached for his ears and he allowed them to tug on the adorable puppy ears (something Elliot forbid).

"So, what's the schedule for today?" the dog asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Blood, Elliot, and you have paperwork; we are in need of new servants. Karol will be babysitting the twins for the day and I will be cleaning the house. Someone has to get groceries sometime today as well." my mother replied stiffly. Tyler nodded as he grabbed a piece of buttered toast.

"Sounds like a plan." He turned to Elliot and Blood. "Shall we, Gentlemen?"

The three men left the table and proceeded upstairs. Blood smirked at me and gave a small wave. I lifted the twins into my arms when they were out of sight.

"Is it okay if I take them outside?" I asked. My mother nodded as she sipped her coffee.

"Yes, just keep them out of trouble."

The twins played in the grass, watching and occasionally squishing bugs. I laid back in the grass on my arms, absorbing the suns rays. A light breeze gently ruffled my black hair and pushed it away from my shoulders. The middle of the day was my favorite time of day; it usually lasted the shortest amount of time, but it was worth every second of it.

A rustle in the bushes not far from where I sat captured my attention and a familiar pair of pierced pink cat ears peeked out from behind the topiary. I smiled, closing my eyes.

"Hey, Boris. Come join us!" I yelled, waving him over. The twins squealed in delight when he emerged and lazily plopped down on the grass beside me. He slung an arm around my shoulders which caused me to instinctively lean in towards him.

"So, what's up, Kar?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I'm babysitting the twins. They're playing in the dirt and I decided it would be beneficial to my skin if I laid out in the sun." I yawned, the rays of the sun making me drowsy.

"If you're tired, I'll watch them for a little while." Boris offered. I smiled but shook my head.

"Thanks for the thought, but it's okay. I'm really not all that tired." I replied. His golden cat eyes narrowed slightly, but he shrugged and let it go. We sat in comfortable silence, the only noise coming from the twins playing together.

"I'm so glad to have you as a friend." I said, breaking the silence. "I hope we can stay like this: watching the sun and simply relaxing in the cool grass."

"Me too." Boris sighed.

I opened my eyes and angled my body towards him. "Hey, do you—" I was interrupted by guns going off and a bunch of faceless men emerging from the forest. Boris stiffened and I pulled Dee and Dum closer to me. I wouldn't let the get hurt. Boris shoved them behind us, and for once they remained silent.

"Give me the money, you dirtbag!" one yelled. He had an air about him that seemed leader-like.

"You'll get it when you get it!" another yelled. There were seven men; four were clustered in one group and three in the other. They had guns raised and were shouting back and forth at each other.

"No, you'll give it to me now!"

"I said you'll get the money! I don't have to give it to you today!"

"Yes you do!"

After yelling this, the one who I assumed was the leader of the larger group fired a shot, but it missed the man he was yelling at. Suddenly, I was hit with a pain in my stomach. I cried out; it hurt. My head hit the soft ground, but the pain was still there and that was when I began to scream. The gangs turned, saw what happened, and fled.

"Dude, you hit the Dupre girl!" someone yelled. "You're as good as dead!"

"Not if he can't catch me."

Boris turned to look at me, terror written all over his features. I was still screaming. Red liquid blossomed outward from a thin hole in my powdery white dress.

"Karol, Hang on!" Boris said frantically. "HELP! KAROL GOT SHOT!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to shout over my continuous screaming. The pain was overwhelming. Make it stop! I felt like I was being ripped apart. Boris placed his hands over the wound and pressed hard in an attempt to stop the blood flow. Servants nearby began to rush inside for help. Blood was the first outside. He lifted me into his arms and took me inside, Boris still pressing on my wound. He laid me down on a white divan and my mother darted into the room, a hand clasped over her mouth.

"Get bandages! Get a surgeon!" Blood ordered the nearby servants. When no one moved, he got angry. "MOVE before I KILL you!"

People started moving then. If I hadn't been in so much pain, I would have laughed.

My mother was handed bandages and Boris proceeded to help her wrap my stomach. Boris' hand slipped into mine and he squeezed it. I started to feel lightheaded from the blood loss and the pain in my stomach was starting to ebb as blackness began to cover my vision. I looked up into the bright green eyes of Blood. Moisture hit my face and I realized he was crying.

"Stay awake, Kar!" he yelled as my eyes began to flutter. "STAY AWAKE!"

I faintly remember hearing "KAR!" yelled from Blood, Boris, and my mother, but the blackness had taken over while I welcomed it with open arms. My clock began to tick slower and slower with each shallow breath until both my clock and breathing stopped entirely.

My name is Karol Dupre. I was twelve-years-old the day I died, the day my new life began.