Vorpal Eyes Chapter 1: It's a Part of Her, an american mcgee's alice fanfic

A/N: Just another disclaimer. I put one for everything in my profile, but this is just to make sure. None of the song lyrics are mine. They belong to the bands that wrote them.

Fire.

It took her home.

Her family.

Her sanity.

Alice was eight years old. She was found spread out on the snow in front of the burning house. By the time the fire was extinguished there was nothing left. Only a garden of charred rubble…and bones. He was there when she was lifted on a stretcher and carried to the ambulance, still conscious.

He had gingerly placed his hand on hers, avoiding where she had been burned. In an effort to comfort her, he said, "It's okay. You're alive."

Her face was stained with tears. Without looking at him, she said, "I shouldn't be."

She passed out.

"Doctor?"

The doctor lifted his head up, pulled out of the memory. The nurse was standing in the doorway of his office, looking concerned. "You wanted to see me?"

He stood up, pulling a bottle off of his desk. "Yes. I've got it."

Unscrewing the cap of the bottle, he tilted it slightly to show her the contents. She looked over, her face the picture of curiosity. The bottle was filled with red liquid and had a slight smell of raspberries. "What exactly is 'it'?"

He smiled, truly smiled, something she hadn't seen him do for a long time. Now that she thought about it, no one had seen him truly smile since Alice was admitted to the hospital. He screwed the cap back on. "It's for Alice. I think I've finally found a cure for her. The proper amount should cause her to forget all about Wonderland. Of course, she'll need to take it daily, even after she gets released."

Already he was out the door and walking rather quickly to Alice's room. The nurse trotted to his side. "You're sure this will work?"

He stopped and pulled a small ring of keys out of his pocket. "Of course." He pushed the door open.

Before he entered the room, the nurse stepped in front of him. "Wait. Is this really right?"

He looked at her with slight disbelief. "Right?"

She said quietly, "I mean…you're just going to suddenly make her forget? Isn't that too sudden? We should help put Wonderland behind her, not force her to forget it."

The doctor gently pushed her out of his way. "Wonderland is only a dream. I have a chance to wake her up. Eight years of her life have been spent in this hospital, and more than half of those years were spent in a coma. She's fourteen now. There's still time for her to have a normal life. A life outside these walls. I have a chance to help her live that life, and I'm taking it."

He walked in, followed by the reluctant nurse. Alice was sleeping peacefully, for the moment. There were nights when her screams and struggles were so loud and violent that the nurse wondered whether the girl was lost in a dream or a nightmare.

Dr. Wilson took the cap off the bottle and held it to Alice's lips. He tipped it so that a little bit of the medicine drizzled into her mouth. "Alice…I know you can hear me. Alice…Alice…" She stirred slightly, but didn't respond. He tilted the bottle again. "Listen to me, Alice." She started to groan.

"There is no Wonderland, Alice."

He tilted it again.

"There never was a Wonderland."

He tilted it again.

Her sleep was growing fitful now, the nurse could see it. Alice was starting to twist and groan. Her hand flew up and grabbed the doctor's wrist, trying to force the bottle away. Medicine was leaking from the corner of her mouth as she tried to fight him off. Her moaning grew louder, and the doctor removed the bottle from her lips.

"You're dreaming Alice. WAKE UP."

Alice screamed.

The thundering of the waterfall echoed around the Valley of Tears. Alice stood in front of it, watching the nimble form of the Rabbit dart towards the beginning of the ledges that would help him scale the cliff. The Cheshire Cat appeared next to her. "Are you planning ahead or simply enjoying the view?"

Alice gave a short laugh. "I've learned that Rabbit isn't always the most reliable one to follow."

The Cat shrugged. "You've learned quite well."

As she watched Rabbit draw closer to the cave, a bizarre feeling swept through her. The whole world was starting to shift around her, and everything seemed to be melting. The sound of the waterfall grew distant and in its place she heard someone calling her name. "What…?"

"Beg pardon?" the Cat said, not looking at her.

She blinked and looked around. Rabbit was still running, and the Cat was still watching with mild interest. She was about to reply when a strange taste filled her mouth. The world started spinning again, and she gasped when a sharp pain jabbed her stomach.

"Alice?" This time the Cat looked over at her. His grin disappeared.

Filling his lungs with moist air, Rabbit soared over the small gap that separated the rocks from the clearing. He turned quickly and started bounding up the waterfall. He knew there was a cave halfway up that would take him straight to where he wanted to be. He also knew that Alice would have to take the long way around. Taking such a long head start wasn't very fair, but he couldn't resist a little mischief. He was the White Rabbit, and he wasn't one to wait around.

He heard a crash resonate on a higher ledge and knew immediately that one of the army ants had thrown a boulder over the cliff to bar his path. He smirked inwardly. With his speed, he'd make it to the cave with time to spare.

That is, he would have made it if the Cat's voice hadn't stopped him. "RABBIT!"

The stern call froze Rabbit in his tracks. He looked down and saw Alice doubled over on the ground. The Cat was sitting close to her, her hand clasped in his paws. "GET DOWN HERE!"

Rabbit looked at the cave just in time to see it barricaded by the boulder. He spun on his heel and started dashing down the rocks. What panicked him more than seeing Alice in danger was the Cat's voice. He had never heard the Cheshire Cat yell before, and his usually relaxed tone had a hint of fear.

Fear.

Just the thought of the word leant wings to his feet.

Alice squeezed her eyes shut, the pain in her stomach growing unbearable. She raised her head to look at her friends. Something felt like it was dripping from her lips. She put her hand to her mouth, finally recognizing the strange taste. It was the taste of raspberries. When she pulled her hand away it was coated in watery red liquid, too watery to be blood.

"Cat…Rabbit…" she moaned, trying to rid her mouth of the liquid, "What's happening…to me?"

They were sliding in and out of focus, their words fading away before she could understand them. "Alice…hold on…"

She bent over again. This time it felt like a cold, invisible hand was reaching through her body. Through her body and into her soul. Slowly…painfully...long fingers wrapped around something that was a part of her…

And started to pull it out.

A moan that turned into a scream of pain exploded from her as the unseen hand tore something that was real and alive from her soul. She took a last look at the Cat and Rabbit and saw their horrified, wide eyes. The waterfall and valley disappeared. Her friends were drained of color, making them look like ghosts…

She was fading away. Her hands disappeared like smoke from their paws.

Alice opened her eyes in Rutledge's mental hospital. The doctor was standing next to her bed and the nurse was standing by the door.

He placed a bottle on a small table. "Alice…do you remember Wonderland?"

Alice…

She looked up at him. "Wonderland?"

Come back…

He nodded.

Remember…

The voices faded out of her head. Wonderland. It sounded familiar…

Her eyes blank, she asked him, "What is that?"

Sweet berries ready for two ghosts are no different than you
Ghosts are now waiting for you
Are you...
Sweet berries ready for two ghosts are no different than you
Ghosts are now waiting for you
Are you...
Dreaming
Dreaming the night
Dreaming all right

Do we
Do we know
When we fly?
When we, when we go
Do we die?

-System of a Down
Question!