A/N: Hello Readers! Aren't we all happy that I've uploaded early! (Or at least a lot earlier than usual). I don't really have a good excuse. It's the summer, my brain has shut off and I apologise. I'm also sorry for replying to everyone so late, I wanted to reply when I uploaded so I could say: "Hey, next chapter is up!" But it took me awhile to upload. Anyway, wanted to give big virtual hugs to all those who have clicked favorite, author alert and story alert. Everyone is always about review and comments. Those are all nice, but I love getting all those too! So to all you lovely people, hope you like it.

PS: Accidentally clicked reply instead of the reply URL to some reviews so I don't know if it sent or not. But I replied to everything anyway and I hope you can ignore my little screw up.

Escape From Wonderland

Chapter Five: First Day of School

The footsteps from behind her had ceased and Alice too decided to slow to a halt. Hot blood pounded in her ears but the adrenaline was seeping away, leaving exhaustion. Maybe she really should have opted for sleep earlier was her weary thought as she collapsed against a tree.

The emotions were flooding back in, but so jumbled that they couldn't be discerned from one another. She clutched her middle tightly and squeezed her eyes together until her head hurt, preferring a headache to the awful churning in her stomach.

What were you supposed to feel in this kind of situation? She wondered helplessly.

She thought back to her defiance of her father when she'd told him she wouldn't do what he'd ordered. It had been one of the very rare times when she'd done so and now all the trouble of it seemed so pointless. Maybe the best option really was to just go with it, get married. Officially they would be, but she really didn't have to be with him. She could live in a completely different house – which would probably be to the liking of both of them – and be free like she wanted and be out of her father's life like he evidently wanted. It sounded so easy in her head: just let go.

And then she was crying and the sobs racketed through her body, unable to stop.

They flowed until her eyes were red and sore and her mangled hair was stuck on her face. What would her manservant say if she suggested they should just get engaged after all? Would he refuse? Would he eventually see how plausible it sounded once she'd explained her thinking? They would be rid of the clown for one thing, and she'd never have to look at Seaweed Head ever again. And all she'd have to put up with was appearing as his wife at social events, holding his arm in public and smiling as if nothing were wrong...

These horrifying thoughts began to form in her head, but it wasn't as worse at what would happen if she actually did suggest it. He'd smirk and then laugh and say something aggravatingly disgustingly annoying like "I can't believe you're giving up, Mrs. Vessalius."

And if there was one thing that could snap her out of it, it was that. She got up, wiping her face dry and waiting until she was sure no sign of tears remained. There was no way she was going to allow her manservant to know she'd been crying.

Which reminded her: where was her manservant? He'd been chasing her and then suddenly stopped. For some reason it pissed her off. A servant should be concerned for their master. Off to go give him a piece of her mind she retraced her way back through the forest and was calling out angrily: "Hey Manservant! Where are you?"

A flash of gold flicked in the corner of her eye and she folded her arms. What was he doing?

"Hey you – "

She emerged to find him crouched down, an unreadable expression on his face as he stared at the curious headstone in front of him. She was about to ask when the sweetest and eerily saddening melody filled her ears and her eyes widened.

"What, have you heard it before?" Her manservant inquired, holding up a beautiful gold pocket watch up. "You have," he concluded, correctly interpreting her silence.

Yes, Alice thought blankly, eyes focused on the watch. Yes I have."

Oz read and reread the words again and again.

Here lies Lacie Alania Vessalius

Beloved wife

Beloved mother

Beloved friend

...

What the hell?

Oz remembered that day as if it were yesterday. He'd been glaring at the sky because it had no right being clear and sunny. He was holding his little brother and sisters' trembling hands as they sobbed. His father stood a little off to the side, where his eyes seemed to turn into stone – the expression he'd worn ever since. He watched as the casket came into view, born by six men. And finally when it was slowly lowered into the pre-dug hole, did Oz start to cry.

A number of men came forward, some he remembered vaguely from being around his father, some he'd never seen before. Each in turn they took a long, finely-crafted silver shovel and put a single scoop into the hole.

He was only vaguely understanding any of it. The only sure thing was that mother was gone and with each drop of earth she lay colder and farther out of reach. Come night, she wouldn't be there to tuck them in to sleep.

Oji-san came an offered him the shovel but Oz could only shake so badly that he was sure he'd drop it if he did manage to extract his hands from his siblings' tight grips. Beside him someone made a disgusted grunt and he looked up to find it had come from his father. He brusquely snatched the shovel out of the man's hand and made to put the last scoop down. He'd never seemed so tall and so distant before.

Oz brought himself back to the present. The point was, his mother was buried on a hill far to the south, miles away, where generations of family lay. Which begged the question: why was he staring at a grave marked with her name in an obscure forest? Surely the remains of his mother's body were not beneath where he stood now and sure his father didn't know this was here? Just the thought of it would be dishonorable to him.

And then there was this pocket watch. It was finely made, real gold, far too outlandish to randomly end up here. Not your typical boquet of flowers. What connection did it have with his mother?

He sighed in frustration.

What the hell did it mean?

Shaking his head he swiveled around to face the trees, suddenly remembering how he ended up here. Where was Alice? He really hoped she wasn't crying. Oz really hated girls that cried. In his opinion, there was nothing more useless than tears. It wasn't like they were going to change things. After all, tears hadn't brought his mother back.

He flicked the watch open and close and open again, squinting his eyes so tightly between that and the headstone as if hoping they would reveal their secrets. He crouched there for what seemed like hours when a snappy voice called from behind.

"Hey you –"

Alice appeared from the trees and opened her mouth before snapping it shut. Her eyes locked on the pocket watch and her chest swelled.

"What, have you heard it before? You have."

Alice had heard the melody so often it felt like second nature to hear it again. After all, there were times when it was played at a constant loop at home.

"What's wrong? Where have you heard it before?"

Alice had forgotten her previous anger and now only stared at the face of her manservant, whose face was twisted in confusion. "My father, he plays it at home, on his piano." Truthfully, she'd never seen him play it before as it was always echoing from a wing she'd never been allowed in, but who else would it be?

This information seemed to be a lot more important to her manservant, whose face grew somehow even more confused. She however was more concerned about the grave they were standing on. She stepped past his contemplating form and read the headstone.

Lacie Vessalius.

Being of nobility she had obviously heard of it. 'A tragic loss' were the whispers that ran through the upper society. 'Died giving birth, the baby didn't even survive..'. But as it was about a Vessalius, Alice hadn't exactly been overwhelmed with grief.

"Hey!" Her face was suddenly directly in front of her manservant's. She pushed herself back, gearing to punch him.

If he thinks he going to kiss me again –

"Why aren't you more concerned about this?" he demanded, his eyes flashing angrily.

"What does it matter?" She snapped, her fist still rising.

"It matters to everything! Aren't you wondering why a pocket watch is here on my mother's grave in the middle of a forest, that plays a song that your father plays at home?"

"I don't see the point in wondering. Who cares that that pocket watch plays that song. I'm sure it's a popular song." Alice could hardly see her father as someone who spent his time composing his own music.

"Well let me tell you it is definitely not a popular song and that you should care very much. This is not coincidence."

"Alright then," Alice snapped irritably. "But we have no time to investigate a dumb watch."

He groaned. "Are you really as stupid as you look? We need to search for clues linking our families and one appears right in front of you and you still can't see it."

Alice felt her face go hot and fury rush through her.

"We need to go to the Baskerville mansion and –"

"And what? Go marching up to my father and demand to know if he put this put watch here? Oh yes, I think that'll go down very well. Oh I know, why don't you be the one to do it, since you're so keen on it after all."

This shut him up effectively.

Smirking and basking on deflating his ego even only slightly, Alice was about to turn back and head to the mansion when her manservant grabbed her right arm and whipped her around. She winced slightly and he snapped the pocket watch open again. But this time, the melody seemed to scratch at the back of her head, and a memory resurfaced.

"You've got that dumb blank stare as if you've remembered something."

Alice slapped him hard on the arm before recounting the event.

It had been at a soiree that she'd – reluctantly – attended. In attempts to escape the crowd she'd gone upstairs and wandered the halls where she'd heard it. The song. She'd followed it into a room with the door slightly ajar and saw a boy playing on a grand piano. A boy with very messy hair and long shaggy bangs that came over his overly large glasses.

Alice shrugged when she finished retelling the story. It wasn't a very exciting tale and she didn't know why it had anything to do with them. But her manservant, once again, was deep in thought.

"Repeat that. The boy – playing the song, what did he look like."

"Black hair, messy and wearing giant glass. I didn't see his face. And they were circular – the glasses."

He mumbled something and she caught one name. "Leo..."

"Leo? Whose Leo?"

"Leo is Elliot Nightray's valet." He scowled at the name.

"Elliot Nightray?" The Nightray's were another powerful family. But while the Baskerville's and Vessalius's never got along, the Nightrays never got along with anyone. Alice had never met him. "And Leo's his valet? So he's a manservant too!"

He ignored her and continued. "Giant circular glasses with long, messy hair that hides his eyes, that's Leo all right and Elliot never goes anywhere without him."

"You don't look too happy about it," she observed.

"Yes, because it means we may have to pay him a visit."

Another plan had formed. They, along with Gil who'd found nothing else in his father's study, would go to Latowidge Academy where Oz knew Elliot and Leo attended. He had to admit that Alice – who'd made a good point for once – was right. Her father wouldn't be very helpful to demands about the watch any time soon. But Oz didn't fancy the thought of seeing Elliot either.

Being that the Nightray house attending social events less often, they crossed paths only sparingly, but each time was enough to harbor a strong disliking for the other. Oz was used to not being very fond of in other's eyes. Girls especially. They hated him as much as they loved him. With guys, it was generally a mixture of envy and respect. But with Elliot it was different. Since their first meeting, he'd just hated him, so much that it caught Oz off guard. The only one to openly hate him so much was his father and at least he never talked to him. He had a feeling they'd as much chance of getting him and Leo to talk than Alice's father.

He breathed deeply and rolled over. It was ironic, now that Alice had finally called for rest and he was in a bed that he couldn't sleep. He had the pocket watch out and was turning it over in his hand. His and Alice's contract seemed far less important to him suddenly. He just wanted to know why his mother was involved.

"Okaa-san."

He rolled over again, forced himself to place it on the bedside table and shut his eyes, hoping that sleep would come soon...

The next morning Oz got dressed and found that Gil was already up. He'd kindly chosen to take the bedroom in between him and Alice, as merely a "precaution." He stormed out of her room in an angry huff.

"I can't get her up," he cried in bewilderment. "She's sleeping like a rock!"

Oz yawned and followed him inside. Alice was sprawled on the bed, the smallest bit of drool trickling down her chin and the look of utter contentedness on her face. "Have you tried slapping her? Pouring water on her?"

"Everything. That girls not normal."

Oz couldn't disagree with that. He scratched his head. He had no clue about what to do. He'd never had a girl sleep over that did nothing but actually sleep over. But then again, he was experiencing a lot of new things lately. And then it hit him.

"Gil, get a plate of ham from the kitchens."

"What –?"

"Just do it."

He left without another word.

Oz was left to observe the girl drooling on his sheets. In sleep, she looked far less menacing and annoying and looked almost... almost... cute...

The door squeaked open and Gilbert came flustering in with a large plate of glistening honeyed ham. And as if broken from a spell, Alice sprung up, her eyes ravenous.

"Meat!"

Oz smirked and watched in fascination and mild disgust as she devoured the ham in record time. Gilbert was still looking perplexed.

"Alright!" she piped dlkgb pakgf ak;fcheerfully, "Let's get going!"

He and Alice sat in the back of the carriage while Gilbert drove. He'd been reluctant to do it, obviously not fond of Oz being alone and in tight quarters with "that dumb girl" but Oz had spoken against it. He was far above being a carriage driver, this position would be far better than Gilbert and her together, and there was no way in hell was he about to give Alice the reins. He cherished life.

So he sat across from her, not looking forward to the long ride ahead.

It was hours later, with the sun fully high in the sky and Alice grumbling every fifteen minutes about being hungry that Oz finally asked what had been on his mind the last two days.

"So... can I ask you a question?"

Alice narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Alright."

Oz hesitated. Did he really care to know the answer? But then again, it had been bugging him... "What happened to your arm?"

Her eyes widened for the briefest moment before it was replaced with her usually stubborn glare, but it was just enough to confirm his suspicions. "There's nothing wrong with my arm," she said, making a point to hold both out.

"At my uncle's mansion, in the forest, I distinctly remember you throwing me with your right arm. And when you p – after I kissed you, you definitely used your right hand."

"So what's your point?" Alice snapped, but her face was slightly pink. "Do you want me to punch you again for good measure?"

Oz continued unperturbed. "And when we were at my place, you were only using your left arm: when fighting with Break, throwing pillows – "

"And how can your prove that I don't just use both hands effectively?" There was a hint of a smirk on her lips, she thought she had him stumped.

Oz however had thought of this. There was no doubt all those pillows thrown at him had hurt, but that wasn't what was concerning him. It had been just last night, at his mother's grave, when he'd grabbed her arm... she'd flinched, as if it had hurt. "I can't but, you don't have to lie. I know something's wrong."

She shifted uncomfortably and her left hand moved just slightly over her right. "If you know so much why aren't you smirking like an idiot like usual? Shouldn't you be happy that I'd be hurt?"

To his surprise, that stung a little. He raised an eyebrow and feigned injury. "That stings. Do you really think I'd be so heartless?"

'Oz, you may have everything in the world, but the one thing that I know you don't have, is a heart.'

It hadn't bothered him then when Lotti had said it to him. Nor did it when any other girl had said it. But was Alice going to join the long line of girls who'd say so?

And sure enough, she smirked and said: "Absolutely."

"So is that all you wanted to ask?" She hoped she looked more annoyed than she actually felt. She ran a gentle finger along her right arm and forced herself not to wince. How could he have known there was something wrong with her arm? She was sure she'd kept it well concealed.

Stupid, dumb manservant, she thought angrily. It was one thing if he made fun of her or something, but god forbid he try to be nice to her because of it – Alice wasn't sure she would be able to handle that.

The cuts along her arm were still painful to the touch and left her arm nearly indisposed. She hoped for not too longer, it made her feel weak.

"Yes. I thought, in the forest, you'd be bawling your eyes out after - nevermind."

"What?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, closing the subject.

It was silent for the rest of the trip that included a night at an inn at which her manservant refused to allow her or Seaweed Head near any alcohol. It was early next morning when the school came into view.

Alice gaped at it, even when they were still miles away. She'd been tutored at home with her sister and had only ever heard of places like Latowidge, academies for children of noble families. She'd always wondered what it would be like to be around others her age. It was only at social events she was forced to attend did she meet peers. Granted, she wasn't very fond of most of them.

As they approached it, she realized it was huge. The gates were nearly a mile away from the front doors. But she felt the carriage roll to a halt and they stopped along a thick stretch of trees and got out.

"What are we doing?"

"You're putting this on," Seaweed Head said, pulling something from the back.

Alice was on the verge of refusing hotly when he brought out a garment of recently pressed cream-colored material and a matching skirt. "Huh?"

He held it up in front of her and squinted. "I think it'll fit. This is one of Ada's older uniforms when she was smaller so it should fit."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Her manservant walked up to them with his arms crossed.

Seaweed Head turned bright red and stammered and tried to look anywhere but at his master. "N – Nothing. Just put it on will you?"

"Why?" Alice had crossed her arms too, still trying to decipher why her manservant suddenly seemed so cross.

"Did you expect them to just let three random strangers waltz into the grounds? Now just put it on. Don't worry, I won't be watching," He added with a touch of impatience.

She scowled but snatched the clothes and made sure to go enough a distance into the trees to change. When she was ready she examined herself. So this is a school uniform huh? She wasn't sure skirts should have been allowed to be this short, noting how breezy it was. Clutching her other clothes in her arms, she returned to a very dejected-looking Seaweed Head and her blonde-haired manservant looking quite irritable before it was wiped blank when she saw her.

"What?" She didn't understand, but her face felt hot.

He shrugged and turned away. "Better than I expected," she thought she heard him mutter.

They reentered the carriage and made the last trek into the gates where a man in a crisp red suit caught a look at Alice before allowing them entrance, but she was still trying to break down what her manservant could have possibly meant that she only snapped into focus when they were at the front entrance.

She frowned. "Just so you know, you two don't exactly blend in," she said.

They ignored her and nodded to each other before Seaweed Head left, disappeared and returned shortly with two male uniforms. "You're wearing Oz's sister's uniform. We have been here before," he answered her confused expression.

All three of them looking like Latowidge students, they entered the finely polished halls. Alice was gaping at everything. She had expected a lot of things, but she hadn't expected the place to look like this. If it weren't for the uniforms, one would have expected it to be a very large, very gorgeous mansion. Where were the classrooms?

"Where is everyone?" she asked aloud.

"Well it's the middle of the day," her manservant observed, "So they're all in class I suspect."

"And where exactly are we going?" Both of them seemed to be walking without any distinct destination.

An answer was interrupted by the abrupt opening of doors from either side of them and students began flooding the halls. Alice watched with a twinge of envy as she saw a large group of them laughing with each other.

"No wonder Ojii-san had me home-schooled," her manservant said, winking to a passing brunette who giggled. "I'd have been far too distracted." In fact, many of them were staring at him through thick fluttering lashes, and turning a bright red when he grinned back.

Alice felt a flush of anger overpowering the connection that she and her manservant both didn't go to proper schools. "You're repulsive," she said.

"So I've been told a plenty," he answered, too distracted eyeing a girl from across the hall.

Already the crowd was thinning, crisscrossing each other to get into different classes.

"Hey, remember me?" A girl asked him.

"Not really," he answered absently.

Alice's disgust rose to new heights. "Will you cut it out?"

He smirked at her. "Why? Jealous?"

"Absolutely –"

"Onii-chan!" A very pretty girl with the trademark green eyes and blonde hair came towards them.

"Did you just say 'absolutely?" Was all he could get in before the girl threw her arms around him. She pulled back and hugged Seaweed Head too. "And Gilbert-chan!"

He turned a mild shade of pink. "H – Hi Ada-san. It's good to see you again."

"Gilbert-chanI told you. It's Ada-chan alright? We've known each other since we were kids."

He turned even redder.

She pulled back and looked at Alice. "Hello, we've never met."

So this is Ada. Alice became vaguely aware that she was wearing her uniform. She was around Alice's age but was rather... developed. Wait, is that what Seaweed Head meant by smaller?

"This is Alice," her manservant said with a jerked gesture.

"Alice...?" Her mouth formed into a large O. "Alice! Hi it's so nice to meet you!" she chirped so genuinely happily that Alice was slightly taken aback. She was in no way like her brother – thank goodness. "I'm Ada, Oz's little sister. I don't know if he's ever told you about me but I'm sure he was lying."

"Urg, right."

She rounded on the boys but the face she made told her she wasn't done talking to he. "So what are you doing here? I've got the feeling like you didn't check in with the main office." Her eyes seemed to register their uniforms and Alice saw a little golden badge on her chest reading Prefect.

"Ada, we're looking for someone," her brother said in a low voice.

"Who?"

He made a face. "Elliot."

"Elliot-kun?" She looked mildly surprised. "Alright, I guess. He has the same spare as me so he shouldn't be in class. The music room I suspect. Or the library perhaps."

They followed her through the corridors and when Ada had finished catching up, she pulled Alice slightly aside. Her face lit up too brightly. "I can't believe it," was her excited whsiper.

"Can't believe what?"

She was suddenly animated. "I mean, after all these years I just accepted it would never happen. You won't believe how many times I've tried to get him to just act nicely to a girl. But they only ever stay a night, two if he's having a particularly nice day. Of course, I've absolutely forbidden him to even talk to my friends. I love nii-chan, but really. And have you seen his room? All those cards? Oh gosh! That must have been really embarrassing I'm so sorry. I made him keep them to try and adhere to his conscious, god only knows he needs a little guilt in him."

Alice was staring at her slightly baffled and having no idea what she was saying in the slightest.

Ada continued. "Oh, a few things you should know since you've only known him what – a few days? There are some good things about him. Onii-chan loves listening to music. Any and all types of music. In fact, the opera house is one of the few places that you won't catch him with a girl. Bewildering I know, considering it's be such a convenient location. Anyway, he also enjoys reading. He's been reading this one series forever. Something about a knight named Edward or something and – wow I'm just so amazed at the moment. Onii-chan finally found a girl he liked enough to be with – I mean, not that he wouldn't like you enough. You are very pretty. But when Ojii-sama gave me the news I could hardly believe it. But he told me I couldn't tell anyone which was the worst part. And now I can't believe I've finally met you!"

"Uh..." She took this moment to glance at her manservant who gave her a knowing wink, compelling the urge to knock him on the head.

"So how did he do it?"

"What?"

"How did he propose?"

"Wait...What?" The entire one-sided conversation came into abrupt sense. "No – No we are not together." Evidently, she had not been informed of the details of the event.

"You're not?" She looked more than a little disappointed.

"No."

"Oh." She smiled weakly," Sorry about that," and retreated to Seaweed Head who appeared positively divine having her near him. Her manservant was casting dark glances at them. It was a marvel to Alice, seeing how he acted with a girl who he was related to and not trying to coax into bed.

"What are you looking at ?"

"Nothing."

They neared a large set of doors that had the appearance of once being incredibly shiny. Years had long worn it down and gave it the look of old grandeur. Ada poked her head inside and opened them wide, revealing the largest grand piano Alice had ever seen.

"Hmm, I guess the library then," she said after a quick look around. Instruments of all kinds were everywhere. She turned, ready to direct them out again when a voice spoke that made them all spin round.

"No one is allowed to be here right now. Shouldn't you know that Ms. Prefect."

Alice found a kid with strawberry blonde-hair, as tall as her manservant, a rather unpleasant scowl on his face.

"Elliot-kun!" Ada exclaimed.

A/N: Hello Readers! Again. Just wanted to say a few things. Next chapter and so forth I'm going to stop with these Japanese honorifics. Don't know why I put them in, in the first place. I usually hate them, they turn me off in a story and it made me wonder if I was turning people off myself by putting them up. I'm not even Japanese and I'm always worried I put something wrong. So yes, I'm going to stop with them and edit them out of this chapter and the first ones. I was too lazy to take them out of the fifth chapter though.

Ada is not going to be into the occult. I think that was so dumb in the manga so she's not going to be into it in my story. I put her enthusiasm of that and put it into something realistic. Like her brother getting married!