I think I've wanted to do a Alice in Wonderland/DoctorWho crossover since I first came on FF. Because it just fits, no?

Inspired by: Madness, wishing to pass the time, and something to practice writing.

Apologies if it's written poorly. I'll try to fix it a bit more when I'm more awake.

Please, please review? Reviews... They keep me writing. *nods*

It was cold and silent.

Alice could barely hear the outside world as it rushed by her.

It was a quiet world inside her head, yet not a very quiet one outside her head. In all honesty, Alice prefer staying inside her head. It was much pleasant.

Less noise.

Less blinding sunlight.

Yes, the darkness was quite welcoming.

Alice reluctantly opened her eyes once again to the bright sunlight. It was a social gathering. If her mother spotted her dozing during this event, she would surely get a scolding. So, like a good little girl, Alice sat up straight and patted down her skirt, glancing around at the people, staring at the particulary pretty blonde talking to her sister.

"Hello there..."

Alice looked up. There was a man, younger than her father, with rather unruly hair, smiling kindly at her. He was wearing a suit, not the plain and gray ones that her father often wear, but a brown one with strange patterns.

Alice replied politely, "Hello."

What a strange man! Adults would talk to adults and children would talk amongst children. That always seemed like an unspoken rule in these events. This man must know that.

"You look rather bored." The man leaned forward and whispered to her with a wink. "I'm bored too."

Alice couldn't help herself and let out a small giggle.

"Why did you come if you are bored?"

Alice couldn't understand why someone would come a social gathering willingly, especially if one became bored so quickly.

The man sighed, "Rose wanted to experience some...eh... proper society. I'm not much for it, honestly."

Alice nodded. That made sense. The man's clothes did not scream anything proper about him nor did his hair. "Rose? Is that your wife?"

"Eh, no...no. Just my friend, a nice friend. I mean, a good friend." The man stammered awkwardly before running his hands through his hair.

Must be a nervous habit, Alice noted to herself, if his messy hair is anything to go by...

The man smiled at her again, "I'm the Doctor, by the way. Pleasure to meet you...?"

Alice sat up primly, "Alice. You're a doctor? A medical doctor?"

Her father was never fond of doctors, not after she had visited one shortly after Wonderland. They said she was mad, absolutely crazy. Her father had not wanted his little girl locked away in asylum for the rest of her young life, so he pleaded with her. To forget Wonderland. To come home. To be normal again. Alice loved her father so she did as he asked and stopped telling everyone about her wonder-filled adventure.

Her thoughts were interrupted.

"Nah. That's my name. The Doctor." He wiggled his fingers at her. "Hello! I study everything, not just medical. Eveything. I'm a traveler."

Alice stared at him. This was certainly an odd man...she rather liked him. Although... a traveler? What if...

"What do mean by travel? To different countries?"

The Doctor glanced at her, "Can you keep a secret?"

Alice nodded her head, "I'm very good at keeping secrets."

He leaned forward to whisper, "Not just to different countries...different worlds."

Alice blinked. Was this man mad? Wait, no, she had no reason to call him mad. Afterall, what was she? Different worlds... maybe this man could help her.

"Have you heard...of a place called Wonderland?"

The Doctor frowned, "It sounds familiar. But I haven't been there in a long time. So long... How would you know about that place?"

Alice paused, reluctant to share any more. She had promised her father that she would not speak upon that place anymore. That she would bury it forever.

This man was...different, she could tell. There was something about him that was just...different. He would understand.

" I-...can you promise to keep a secret?"

"Oh, believe me. I'm very good with secrets."

Alice took a deep breathe, "I once...visited Wonderland."

She looked up. The Doctor was smiling at her, urging her to continue and so encouraged, she kept speaking. "It was mad place. With smiling cats, crazy queens, mad hatters and...talking caterpillars."

Alice fell silent and dared to look up the slightest bit. The Doctor was grinning and looked absolutely amazed.

"You, Alice, are a very special girl."

She tilted her head and blinked in surprise, "I am?"

"Yep. Absolutely brillant, you are." The Doctor laughed, "I don't think I have ever met someone who has visited Wonderland and has come back to their regular life."

"You don't think I am mad?"

"Ah, now. I didn't say that, did I? You are quite mad. And you know, Alice..." He winked at her. "Some of the best people are."

Alice giggled. This man was just like her friends in Wonderland.

She kicked at the ground, "They called me crazy when I came back"

The Doctor knelted down to look at her at eye level and she was taken aback at how dark, no... how old his eyes were and somehow she didn't doubt for one second that he had seen different worlds.

"People reject what they don't understand, Alice." He said gently, patting her on the head.

"So they don't understand me?"

"You just need to find someone who does. One day you will. Everyone does. "

She shifted uncomfortably and asked, "Have you found someone. Your friend? Rose. Does she understand you?"

The smile he gave her this time was rather strained, "Sometimes. Definitely sometimes... and that is more that I can ask of her."

Alice nodded and quickly changed the subject. She didn't want to scare him off by asking such personal questions. "Are you from somewhere...like Wonderland?"

The Doctor said, "Well. A bit. My place is more...less mad and more strict."

Alice wrinkled her nose. That sounded terrible.

"Like here?"

"Yeah, similiar."

"They couldn't have been that bad. You travel, don't you? You have freedom!" That was more than what she had, is what Alice wanted to say but she restrained herself. No use whining, she told herself sternly.

The Doctor smirked, "The only way to be free is to break a few rules. So, I stole something and ran away."

Alice gasped in surprise. Never could she imagine stealing something and running away. She loved her family far too much to follow through with it. Briefly she wondered if it would be wise to ask of his family, but decided to be slient.

Some things are a bit too personal to disclose to a stranger.

Like Wonderland? A voice asked in her head.

Shut up. She told the voice with a frown.

"Ah."

She turned to see the Doctor frowning and she followed his line of sight to the pretty young blonde she saw earlier, waving and gesturing towards him.

"You have to go?"

"Yep! That's Rose. Guess I got to head off now." He stood and brushed the grass from his suit absently as he gave her another smile which she returned.

Alice couldn't help herself and said quickly. "You are very nice person, Doctor."

The Doctor patted her head, before strolling off towards his friend with a grin, "Haha. Thank you, Alice. I hope you don't forget our talk today."

Alice shook her head. There was no way she would ever forget this day, she thought to herself as she watched the Doctor hold out his hand to the young lady before they both disappeared, walking around the corner of the building till she couldn't see them.

...

Alice was suddenly filled with an urge to do something quite unlike her. It was like when she had followed that rabbit that lead her to that wonderful land.

All this talk of freedom, running away, and madness.

She wanted to know more.

Which is why she started running across the lawn where that strange man had disappeared, bumping into several guests who yelped at a little girl pushing by them and she just stumbled before continuing to run towards something so, so strange.

She was attracted to such strange things.

Then she stopped around the corner and stared.

Tall, dark blue with windows. It was a box.

That wasn't there earlier. She was sure because she had walked this path not long after the party had started. It was far too big to be moved easily or quickly. So how...?

With a timid hand, she brushed down the wood panels, feeling the rough wood slide against her skin.

What is this?

A terrible wheezing filled the air and she stumbled backwards, falling as she tripped on the uneven ground. She was only able to stare in disbelief as the blue box merely faded into nothingness before her eyes.

Alice was silent for quite a while before a small giggle escaped her and it faded into the air after a few moments. There only sounds were the laughter of guests behind her and the whistling of birds in the distance.

She was too late.

She choked back a sob while not moving from the ground, feeling utterly miserable after having such hopes.

Oh, how she hated being late.