I don't own Alice in Wonderland. Bellatrix and the plot belong to me.
Hello! Welcome to my first story. Since this is my first story, you guys will have to be patient with me, as this story probably isn't one of my best writings. I am working to improve it, though. I'm sorry about the errors, I don't have a beta yet, but I did check it over twice. This story is only going to be a few chapters long, but if it goes over well, I may do a sequal. I've already began writing the second chapter, but I do work mornings and early afternoons, so I don't have a whole lot of time to write now. Hope you enjoy the story! Review!
"Bellatrix, come back here!" Alice called after her daughter as she ran out the front door of their home. Sighing, Alice walked out and stood on the front porch of her Dover* home, watching as her daughter chased the ever familiar blue butterfly.
It had been three years since Alice had left Underland, going back to her world. At first, she had just wanted to get things out of her system, prove to society that she could make it in this world and not follow their rules, and have a proper goodbye with her mother, but all of those plans were just memories now. Things had changed when she found out she was pregnant with Bellatrix.
Of course Alice knew who the father was. It was the man she had fought to protect, the man she had fought alongside with, the man she had left. The man she had fallen in love with. Tarrant Hightopp, the Mad Hatter.
One night with him, the night before the Frabjous Day, had cost her everything. She couldn't go back. No matter how much muchness she had.
Even thinking off all of that, Alice couldn't bring herself to regret her decision to keep Bellatrix. When she had first learned she was pregnant, while in China, she had denied it. She had thrown herself into her work, expanding her father's company, but after a while, it got to the point where she couldn't ignore it any longer. She was pregnant. And she knew who the father was. That was something she had never been able to deny. No matter how much she wanted to. It wasn't that she really regretted it; she had just regretted her decision to leave him.
Alice let a small smile cross her lips. Her mother had been horrified when she had come home from China, her baby bump very noticeable. She had demanded to know who the father was. Of course, Alice couldn't tell her the truth, so she made up a story about a love affair during her travels. Alice's mother had tried to force her daughter into house arrest during her pregnancy. She had explained that if Alice stayed inside and they gave up her child, no one would have to know. Alice wouldn't have that. She wouldn't let her child be thrown into an orphanage and forgotten no matter what society thought of her or how many friends her mother would lose. So Alice had used money she had earned from her father's company and moved to Dover.
Everyone in her new home believed her a young widow, which suited Alice just fine. She wouldn't mind the stares on her, but she did not want her daughter to grow up scorned.
Turning her attention back to Bellatrix, Alice watched as her daughter played happily, blissfully unaware. To her, Underland, Wonderland as she called it, was just a nighttime story. Bellatrix reminded Alice so much of Tarrant, from her love of sewing, to her obsession with hats. Smiling to herself, Alice spoke,
"Bellatrix, come in for lunch." It amazed Alice how much her voice sounded like her mother's when she had spoken to her as a child.
Bellatrix ran up to her mother, her blond hair, the same shade as her mother's, streaming behind her. Her eyes, at the moment, were her natural bright green. Like her father, Bellatrix's eyes changed colour with her moods. Taking her hand, Alice lead her inside and into the kitchen.
As they ate lunch, Bellatrix happily chatted away about the quilt she and her sewing teacher were making. Alice couldn't help but laugh. When Bellatrix had been a baby, she had constantly gotten into her mother's sewing kit, so for her third birthday, Alice had hired a sewing instructor for Bellatrix.
After lunch, Alice made Bellatrix take a nap. After she was down, Alice sat down at her desk in her study and began a letter to Lord Ascot. She had promised him before she lad left for Dover that she would write every once in a while so he would know she was ok. Alice still worked for him; of course, she corresponded regularly with their China branch. Looking out the window as she finished her letter, Alice let a sigh escape her lips. She hadn't spoken to her mother in almost three years. Lord Ascot had assured her that her mother was physically fine, mentally; she still had trouble coping with the fact that Alice was gone. Alice missed her mother dearly, but refused to visit, or even write, until she accepted that fact that Alice would not give up Bellatrix.
Signing and sealing her letter, Alice decided to take Bellatrix to the post office instead of leaving her at home. It had been a while since Bellatrix had left their home. Standing, Alice tucked her letting into a pocket of her dress and left the room, climbing the stairs towards Bellatrix's room. Alice knew she had not fallen asleep. Bellatrix didn't sleep during the day, Alice had enough trouble getting her to sleep at night.
Walking into the bedroom, Alice smiled as she saw Bellatrix sitting on her bed, a book nestled in her small hands. Though she was still learning to read, Bellatrix often settled down with one of Alice's books and tried to decipher them.
Smiling at her, Alice motioned Bellatrix that she could get out of bed. Beaming, she climbed out of bed and scrambled to get her shoes on.
The day was cool and bright as Alice and Bellatrix made the short journey to the post office. Bellatrix chatted happily as she skipped slightly ahead of Alice. Once they delivered the letter, they stopped to have tea at a little shoppe in the center of town. Alice liked the shoppe well enough, but it was nothing compared to the teas in Underland.
After their tea, Alice took Bellatrix's hand and they walked silently through the darkening streets of Devon. The walk was silent, Bellatrix's chatter paused by the thoughtfulness of the twilight. Alice couldn't help but think during the silence. She often thought about what would have happened if she had stayed in Underland. 'Bellatrix would have a father'. That was the one thought that always took the fore front of her mind. If she hadn't left, hadn't ran like a coward, Bellatrix would have her father in her life. Alice looked down at her little girl and her heart melted. She had never pictured herself as a mother,, she had vowed to herself as a child that she wouldn't have children and risk becoming like her mother. But Alice could never bring herself to regret her decision to keep Bellatrix.
Soon, the house came into view and Bellatrix's ran forward. Alice smiled at her daughter's endless supply of energy. She was glad she was growing up this way and not the way Alice had been raised after her father died. Opening the door, Alice and Bellatrix walked into the dark house. It was early fall, so the nights were growing colder. Walking into the parlor, Alice started a fire in the small fireplace and light the gas lamps. Bellatrix had already settled down with her quilt and began working on it again. Many of Alice's neighbors couldn't believe how easily Bellatrix could handle a needle, especially at her age. Alice just brushed them off. She knew the truth. Bella's father was the reason. She had gained his natural ability.
Alice settled down in a chair near the fire, picking up a book from a table nearby. She watched Bellatrix work quickly for a while before opening her book at her marked page and settled back, getting lost in the world of the story. After a few hours, Alice laid down her book and looked at Bellatrix.
"It's time for bed," she told her in a quiet voice.
Bellatrix gathered up her materials and put them away. She quickly ran upstairs to wash and change. Alice walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of water for Bellatrix. She always needed one next to her bedside. Walking upstairs, Alice found Bellatrix lying in her bed, awaiting her. Setting the glass on the table, Alice sat on the edge of the bed, picking up a book of the Grimm Brother's fairy tales from the floor. Laying it on Bellatrix's lap, Alice watched as her daughter opened the book to Cinderella. Alice smiled and began to read, Bellatrix eyes quickly following, examining the pictures she had seen time and time again with great detail.
After she finished the story, Alice kissed her on the forehead and tucked her in. Sitting by her bed, Alice watched as Bellatrix slowly drifted off to sleep. After a while, Alice got up and made her way to her room. Leaving Bella's door open, Alice began walking down the hallway. Suddenly, Alice felt a presence behind her. Her instincts kicked in, but before she could react, she felt a sharp pain on the back of her head. Gasping, she fell to the ground, her world going black.
*Dover is a town in England. A bit south of London.
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