Fishy: It's still holidays for me. Sooo, what better way to fend off the boredom by writing stories?

Disclaimer: I don't and never will own H/J/C/D no kuni no alice.

Snow falls gently down the sky, only to be stacked on another. A brunette could be seen from afar,outside the tower of clover, rising her head to stare at the frozen droplets. Her hand unconsciously clutched her coat closer to the body, trying to prevent heat from leaving her body. This small action wasn't miss by Julius whom have already noticed her standing for quite some time.

"If it's cold for you, come back inside.", said the usual gruff voice without looking away from the clock.

"Sorry, I spaced out.", said Alice.

With a sheepish smile, she walked in the tower to be greeted with warm air. Her pale face was slowly regaining the redness.

Gray came by to retrieve some papers, only to notice the unusually pale Alice. Worry surface in his golden orbs.

"Alice, are you okay?"

Without finishing his sentence, his hand has found it's way on her face. Gray could clearly feel that the skin under his hand was ice cold.

"I'm fine. Just got distracted by the snow outside. Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes. Wait here, I'll get you some warm coco."

Before Alice was going to say something, Gray had already went down the path of the kitchen. Sensing the worry he had for her, Alice couldn't help but give out a small smile.

'I'll get this papers to Nightmare first.'

With that, she walked down the hallway with greetings of the coworkers.

Julius seeing that both person was gone, sighed with mumbling of their stubbornness.

~.M.~

Alice knocked on the door, papers in her hand.

"Nighmare, I'm coming in.", she added as the doors opened.

"Oh Alice! Wait, are they the papers for me?", asked Nightmare with uncertainty and fear.

"Yeap."

"Noooo. I want a break! Gray made me do so much work and it's so cold."

And there it goes again, this had been Nightmare's tenth whine of the day. Seriously, Alice wonders how Gray could tolerate Nightmare's whining sessions.

"It's because I'm a powerful incubus!"

"And a blood coughing one too."

"Hey-"

Before Nightmare continued his sentence, the door was opened. Gray walked in with a three cups of coco on a tray. He handed Alice one and took one too.

"Hey, what about me?!"

"Nightmare-sama, if you finish the work Alice brought in, I'll give you one."

"But, by the time I finish, it's gonna get cold~"

"Then you better start now."

Nightmare opened his mouth and closed it, figuring there was no way to get out of this situation. He immediately started those dreadful, boring papers. Alice laughed at the sight, it was always funny seeing them interact.

Gray turned around and looked at her. His hand raised and pinched her cheeks.

"And you. I told you to wait for me and you just go off your merry ways."

"I'm swowwy", pronounced Alice unclearly due to her mouth being pinched.

"You should be."

Gray gave one final 'listen-to-me-when-I-tell-you-to-do-something' look before releasing his hold on her soft cheeks. A slight blushed went up his face at the memory of her soft skin.

"Ha, pervert."

Gray calmly raised a brow at the statement and gave a threat that included the disappearance of the reward given upon completion of papers. (a.k.a cake is a lie.) Nightmare's good mood of being able to make a comeback was instantly destroyed.

Alice remembered something, since they had coco, what about Julius? Did he have anything to drink?

"Gray, did you make something for Julius?"

"Nope. I saw his coffee cup still half full."

"Knowing him, he's probably finished. I'll make some for him."

Before she could walk out of the room, Gray called her name with worry so evident in his voice.

"Alice, it's great that you worry about other people but before you do that. Worry about yourself. Lately, you've been so absent minded and low spirit. Tell us, what's wrong? Is it the Hatter or is something bothering you?"

"No, I'm fine."

The smile she gave to prove her statement only did the opposite. Gray and Nightmare wasn't buying it but before they could say anything, Alice rushed out the room.

"Something is definitely wrong with Alice."

~.M.~

Julius rose his head after hearing a clank and the smell of coffee. Alice was standing beside him, waiting for the score. Without ado, he took a sip of the coffee.

"73."

"That's lower than last time.", said Alice with a frown.

"You didn't pay much attention when you grind the coffee beans right?"

"Yes. I got distracted with my thoughts."

Julius just sighed and remembered how absent minded Alice have been for the past few time periods. She would trip or walk into the wall. Heck, she'd even stay in one position for who-knows-how-long. Even the coworkers talk about it among themselves.

This has to stop.

Fishy: A bit short for how much I usually write but I worry more if I can pull this off. Oh well, expect this to be at multi chapters.