Jefferson shook the trembling girl quickly, repeating his words a bit slower so they would sink in. "It is very important you remember what I'm telling you. Find…"
The girl nodded her head in understanding and swallowed, shaking the shock from her face. "Find Mr. Gold," she said. "And tell him….Regina locked me up." Even though her memories were gone, and she did not know the name she spoke was the very one of the woman—the only woman outside the staff that came to see her—who leered at her with an evil smirk of triumph, she spat out her name with a hint of disgust.
"Good." Jefferson nodded and handed her the 'borrowed' nurse's coat. "He'll protect you." He helped her slip the coat on and led her through the door. After seeing that the only one down there was the sweeping man in blue coveralls, he herded her towards the back exit. He got to the steps and pointed. "That will lead you outside. Go!"
"Wait!" The girl looked at him, her eyes incredulous. "And where am I supposed to find this Mr. Gold? I can't even remember what outside looks like!"
As an afterthought, Jefferson pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. "I've mapped it out for you. Just follow the directions, and move quickly." He placed it into her palm and ushered her forward. "Go, now!" He watched her race up the stairs, and made sure she was able to exit before he turned away to head down another hallway. "One down…" he muttered. With his pace steady yet swift, he came before his destination. The name plate beside the door was coated in dust and cobwebs; the only thing clean was the doorknob, used only to allow her leave for the restroom. He paused with the key above the knob; she had been in there just as long as the other girl, if not longer. He wasn't sure about it anymore, time didn't make sense here until Emma had arrived. With a small shake of his shoulders he jammed the key in and swung the door open.
She was sitting in the corner, her pillow case laying across her lap in torn and knotted shreds. She looked up from tying a knot and stared at him. Her dark hair hung around her shoulders like a blanket, her eyes large and green in confusion as her tiny mouth tightened up as if she were keeping her voice locked. She, like the other girl, simply stood to her feet and waited. Her eye twitched suspiciously as he took a step toward her.
He outstretched his hand for her. "Come on," he said, his voice a little softer this time.
She moved faster than the other girl, and slapped her hand into his without much hesitation. "You're taking me out of here?" she whispered, her words coming out more as a statement than a question. When he just nodded back at her and tugged her forward towards the door, she quickly moved behind him.
He ran with her down the hall, making his way towards the door the first girl went through. In the back of his mind he heard the faint slapping of the girl's feet against the cold concrete. Shit, she didn't even have any shoes. They broke through the door and he squinted at the light before him. He turned and saw the girl blocking her face. Even though the sun was behind the clouds, it was much brighter than any light she had seen in the last who knew how many years. He tugged at her arm. "This way," he urged.
The girl darted a quick look backwards towards the asylum before sucking in a breath and following after him, his fist still holding a tight clutch over her hand. She hardly noticed the sharp stings the broken twigs and rocks beneath her feet caused her. Her eyes narrowed onto Jefferson's mode of transportation. A matte black motorcycle that seemed to have seen better days. As they reached the bike, he helped her mount it and reached behind her to open up the compartment to pull out a helmet. He placed it upon her head, snapped down the visor to shield her face, and gunned the engine. He snapped on his own helmet and sped off.
xXx
When they approached his manor he helped her off, wincing as he noticed the cuts and bruises already forming around her feet from the escape. He ushered her through the front door and into the living room. He watched as she eyed everything around her. It was then he noticed she still held something in her hand, her pillowcase which she had destroyed. When she turned to the side he saw she had knotted it into the shape of a rabbit.
She then turned those big green eyes at him. "Why have you brought me here?"
Jefferson crossed over towards the kitchen. "Would you care for some tea?" he called out to her. "Or something to eat? I'm sure you're starving, and those meals you've been eating at the hospital can hardly be called food." Without waiting for an answer, he already started heating the water and prepared a plate of biscuits and cheeses.
When he returned, she was sitting on the couch, picking at her knotted cloth rabbit's ears and glancing around. He set the tray of tea and food before her, waving his hand for her to start.
She simply looked down at the teapot and teacups, her thin brow arching as she looked up at him through her inky black hair. "I only take tea with friends," she stated firmly.
Jefferson lowered himself into the easy chair across from her. "We were friends," he said lowly, watching as she straightened up to look at him fully. "A long time ago."
"Oh, is that so? Then why don't I remember you?"
Jefferson smiled and nodded, gesturing back to the tea set. "Please, have something to eat. It won't do me any good for you to die of starvation." When she didn't move, he sighed and leaned forward to pour himself a cup. "It's not going to hurt you to have some tea." After pouring his own cup, he poured one for her. Then, after a brief thought, he grabbed a biscuit.
She narrowed her eyes but took the warm cup with one hand. "So," she started. "I'm only good to you alive." She took a sip and inwardly shivered as the hot liquid made its way down her throat. "What use do I have for you?"
Jefferson leaned backwards into his seat and absently placed his feet upon the coffee table. "You are capable of becoming a powerful ally. We have a history, you and I, a tumultuous one at best…but still, a history."
The girl tilted her head and set the cup down. "What history do you speak of? I have not seen you before this day. You wear the same scrubs as the hospital staff, yet you have never been one of the very few who would come to my cell."
"There is a woman," Jefferson said. "A very powerful, evil, manipulative woman, who—in a way—is responsible for your being locked up. I have helped her in the past believing she would help me in return, but…" He was a fool. He shook his head with a sorrowful and maddening laugh and then downed his cup. "She has crossed me for the last time. I released another like you, and I hope she and her companion will also become an ally against this woman. I cannot go against her directly, but you, you can."
Her green eyes narrowed even more with suspicion. "How?" she demanded.
"You, unlike me, have nothing to lose."
She smirked sardonically and then ran her tongue over her teeth as she realized it. "That's why you broke me out, isn't it?" she whispered. "You claim we were friends once, so because of this 'history' you think I'll be part of this…alliance?"
Jefferson smiled and stood to his feet. "I'm hoping." He nodded his head and held out a hand for her. "Come, why don't you get cleaned up and we'll talk some more afterwards? I'm sure you'll have more questions….not all of which I'll be able to answer, but I'll do my best."
With a scoff she stood to her feet as well and swiped her hands down the front of her hospital gown. "Right. Forgive me if I don't seem too trusting of you. I've noticed that following strange people can often lead to even stranger places." She glanced around to the luxurious walls surrounding her. "But I suppose the view is much better this time around than in that cell. Well then, old friend, what am I to call you?"
"Jefferson," he answered. "My name is Jefferson, Miss Liddell."
Her green eyes flashed with a hint of menace at the sound of her last name from this stranger's mouth. "Alice," she said through clenched teeth. "My name is Alice."
xXx
A/N: First chapter! And I didn't put it in the crossover section because it's mostly in 'Once Upon a Time' setting and not 'American McGee's.' I just borrowed Alice for it. But if it's better off in that section then I'll change it.
Once Upon a Time and characters belong to abc and respected writers.
Alice Liddell belongs to American McGee, Spicy Horse, EA…and whatever else.