The Little Mouse's Monster, an once upon a time fanfic

THIS IS A ONE SHOT THAT HAS BEEN CREATED WITH THE HELP OF A STORY CALLED MONSTERS AND MICE. THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR HAS GRANTED ME PERMISSION TO USE SOME OF THEIR STORY PLOT IN MY OWN. I DID HOWEVER CHANGE THINGS. IF YOU WANTED TO CHECK OUT THE FIRST RENDITION OF THIS THEN YOU CAN GO TO MY BIO AND FIND THE LINK TO THE AUTHOR'S PAGE.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE STORY! AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO COMMENT AND FAVORITE!

The Little Mouse's Monster

Once long ago there was a little girl who lived in a village deep in the forest of a mystical realm. The dense wood covered the land; trees that had the vibrant colors of the spring, and blazing colors of the fall. No one would be able to not stare in awe of the beauty from the trees and the forest. Even if the village was deep within the forest, some travelers would always find a way into the town every once and awhile.

But there was one special little girl in the tinier part of town, the Little Mouse as she was called. Her features were all doll like, and her size resembled the size of a mouse. Therefore, that's what she was nicknamed across the whole population of the forest town. Sadly, her real name was rarely used. Only when she was out of line with her father- the shop keeper- was it ever used. On those rare and few in between occasions, Alice Lillian's name was as sweet as honey. In the end, she truly was a beautiful little girl.

The only problem in the sweet girl's world was that she was lonely. Ever since her mother died Alice hadn't been around anyone besides her father, her world shrunk into a pea sized reality. Then when her father came out into the town to shop for food and needed supplies; she came with him. Little Alice would hide behind him while she walked with her Father around the town.

One of those times while she was in town, she heard rumors of a monster just by the river in the woods. Since she was in one of her adventurous moods on that day, she vowed that she would find this monster in the wood. So as her father was attending to his shop; she went to play off in the forest. She told her father that she would be home by the ringing of the village bells that signaled that night was falling onto them.

While she was racing to the stream that ran through the forest and on through the woods until a lake came into view. Alice still darted to the lake so she could take a sip of its waters, but as she looked up she noticed something on the tree line. This was all happening as she was taking a drink from the creek attached to the lake. The trees around the water were producing flowers. Cherry blossom flowers to be exact.

Her curiosity was hidden for such a long time that when she saw the shadow hidden behind one of the closer trees, she wanted to know more. The figure looked a little over her height, and a lot thinner than any normally fed human should look like. That made a pang of guilt wash over the Little Mouse, even thought she had nothing to do with the figure's affliction. With all her might and courage, she spoke. "Please come out, I won't hurt you. I couldn't even if I tried, you're too big for me to fight you."

So slowly, the monster behind the trees came out into the sunlight. To her surprise the monster behind the tree-line was only a boy. A tall lanky boy with sandy blond hair, and tired scared grey eyes. His arms were spread out in front of him, shielding himself from the sun most likely. There was still that part of Alice that thought that the boy was shielding himself from her, and that saddened her to no end.

When the so called monster finally stopped walking out, he stood at least five feet away from her. His body was shrinking back from her trying to go back into the trees and hide in some way. Even though his words were hesitant, the boy did finally speak. "You're not afraid of me?"

Alice shook her head to say no. To be honest she wanted this boy to be her friend; he looked like he needed one too, just like she did. Since no one in the village really knew her, this was her one chance to have what she wanted most nowadays. A friend to keep her company when she was lonely, to help her through troubles, and to sooth her when her heart needed it most. Sure, her father was there, but he wasn't really himself after her mother died. Instead, she made a decision to befriend the monster.

"Do you want to sit with me for a while? I would be good company, I'm sure that you don't get a lot of visitors around here."

His eyes widened at the thought of actually not being by himself. He nodded eagerly to her suggestion. He watched as she sat down, then he joined her. The monster sat next to the stream, and looked at her. You could see a faint smile on his face. That was good. The poor boy was probably all alone out here considering that he looked so happy to be offered a friend to be with for a while. Alice looked at him too, she was so happy that he was smiling. After a while Alice wanted to stop their quiet calm atmosphere, and create a comfortable conversation with this misunderstood boy.

"Alice."

The boy's head perked up, and he looked at her. His eyes bore into her after she spoke. Though she knew that he wasn't confused enough to talk. "What?"

"My name. It's Alice, but only people who are mad with me use it. Although I would enjoy it if you to call me that. I miss having someone use my real name as a symbol of who I am, and not for a punishment."

"Alice. Your name is Alice." He was testing the name on his tongue as he spoke.

"Yes, and I'm eight."

"A pretty name, it goes well for you."

She was surprised that he complimented her name, but that made Alice wonder about his. What was his name? But as she wanted to ask, Alice was still trying to stop the blood that was rushing to her cheeks. She hated being so shy. Her mind talked to itself, 'why couldn't I just say thank you, and be done with it. NO, I just had to add that little fact that I can't go, and say thank you without blushing to make it all the better. Plus, it's just plain embarrassing. '

"What's your name?"

The boy looked like he was contemplating the thought. Finally, he did speak up, and answer her.

"Felix." His reply was short. Guess he didn't like questions, Alice thought.

"And how old are you?"

"Nine. Why do you have to ask so many questions?"

"Because I'm curious as to why you're here by yourself, and not with your family."

"No family to care…"

So after that, the two talked and talked until the sun went down. Once while they were together, Felix got up and placed a cherry blossom in Alice's hair. The flower was right behind her left ear. Later, that's when they heard the distant sound of bells ringing in the air. Alice looked at her monster with wide eyes. He looked shocked at her reaction. As she got up, Felix got up too. He looked down at her when he spoke; not afraid to speak to Alice anymore.

"What's wrong?! Where are you going Alice?"

"I told my father that I would be home when the bells rung at sundown. I have to leave; will you help me get to the village Felix?"

Her monster looked sad at the thought of Alice leaving. She knew what she had to do to make sure that he would not be so insecure about Alice going. "Felix I need your help. I can't find my way back at this time of night, but I promise to see you again when I can."

"You promise?" He almost looked like he was trying not to be terrified that she would leave forever. But he was.

"I do. Plus, you're really the only friend I have, so why would I give that friendship up so easily?"

That lifted his spirit more than anything, and he grabbed her hand, and started to run in the direction to the village. The sun was setting, the forest was becoming darker and darker with each passing moment. Moss dusted soil was moist underneath their leather boots as they ran. Plus, you could smell the dew from the earlier shower when Felix and Alice were talking by the creek. When they finally did reach the very end of the forest line, Felix stopped. As Alice went forward, he stayed back. Luckily the jerk of the impact wasn't very hard otherwise she was sure that he would have felt awful. Alice recovered quickly, and looked back at him. His eyes were full of wariness and sadness. In that moment again she felt bad for her monster.

"What are you doing, Little Mouse? You have to go. I promise too, I will see you again even if I have to sneak into the village."

Alice's eyes widened at his honesty. 'Why wasn't he allowed in the village? Why did he have to sneak in?' These were all questions going through her mind. She had no time to answer as he ran back into the woods with a nod of his head, and a wave of his hand. By the time she couldn't see him, she could hear the sound of her father's voice calling out for her. So Alice ran as fast as she could, and she found him near the bakery in town.

"Papa! I'm right here, I'm okay!"

When he noticed Alice he left his spot at the corner, and ran to her. The look of happiness was etched onto his face. As well as worry, but it was disappearing quickly. "Little Mouse! There you are." Once her father reached Alice's side, he picked her up and spun her around in his arms. After his momentum died down he just hugged Alice tightly. A few moments passed before he put her down. Then they both held hands, and her father walked both of them home. When they got to the door of their house, he stopped Alice from going in and looked at the cherry blossom in her hair.

"Where did you get this?"

"By the creek from my monster."

He nodded his head and opened the door for both of them. Her father never thought that when she was talking about her monster, that he was real. He probably thought that her eight-year old subconscious made up some imaginary friend to keep herself company today. But it didn't; Felix is real, and he forever will be her monster.

xXO00OXx

So a year past as Felix and Alice played around the trees, talked to the other, or sat in silence. They were always happy with each other's presence. Some days Felix would make Alice little wooden statues to play with or a crown of flowers in the spring. So every time she came home with his gifts, Alice's father would always ask her where she got them from. And every single time Alice would reply, "From my monster." But there was one time where they were talking, and the little mouse said something life changing to her monster. Her questions of why and where somewhere resurfacing in her mind.

"Why are you not allowed in the village, Felix?"

"Because the people there don't accept me."

That convicted Alice. She loved him, why would he think that he was unwanted. "I do."

"Really?"

"You are my monster, no one else's. I wouldn't want it any other way Felix."

"Well it's a good thing that no one else wants me then; other than you, I'll be all alone. I fear that is my fate, Alice."

"I don't want you to be alone for the rest of your life. I will be the one that stays by your side if you want me to, that is."

Felix looked at Alice like she was crazy, that or as precious as the moon. Alice hoped for the latter. She'd guess he didn't know what to do. Did what Alice say mean that much to him? She doesn't know. Alice only hoped that it didn't ruin what they had for the last year. The calmness in his face showed her that Alice didn't ruin anything, in fact she may have just changed something for the better.

"Really. Why would you do that? Why would you want to end up marrying me when we're older?"

"Because you are the only one that understands me."

Felix's eyes almost bugged out of his head, and his eyebrows shot up to his hair line. This is all out of shock of what Alice had said. He looked at her like she was a whole other person. "Alice, you do realize I'm the one who should be saying that."

"My dear monster, I hope you do realize that you and I are the same."

"NO! Little Mouse, you have a bright future ahead of you. I don't want you to have to live in the isolation of what I have. I can't do that to you."

"Felix, I don't want to have to meet anyone, or have new friends. I only want my monster."

Around this time Felix was giving up arguing with her. He just wanted to make her happy. Sadly, for the two nine and ten year olds, they were so insightful to the world around them that they had the minds of an older teenager. So after deciding that he wasn't going to win this fight, he sighed in defeat.

"Fine, but you can always change your mind."

Alice looked at her monster, and her view never wavered. "I don't think so Felix."

So as the days passed, they both grew and grew. Alice aged in grace and beauty, while Felix grew into his role as her protector. Even if they still were only children. Alice's long black curls loosened so her hair was messy tresses, but they weren't ringlets, her face looked like that of an adolescent rather that of a child's, and the rest of her body grew with her features.

As for Felix, his height shot up even higher than it was before. Not even to mention the fact that his voice became lower and lower every time she saw him. He looked more groomed than he looked when Alice first met him. For over the last few years she has bought him personal things that he needed, and could not get without consequence. So instead of an unruly mop of hair on top of his head, it was always parted down the left side over his eyebrow and combed out. To be honest, Felix looked more like a regular boy of his age more than he had used to.

xXO00OXx

When the days had passed and Alice made Felix tell her his birthday, she ended up getting him a present every year. This time it was a well-made dagger from the blacksmith in the town. The blade was made of a hard steel that could only be broken under an impossible amount of force. The pummel and handle were made from a black colored metal, and fabric, that accented the steel well. The vines and flowers etched into the steel was like a picture of the Mouse and the Monster. The vines being the guard for the beautiful buds the plant produced in spring. Needless to say, Felix tried to deny her gift, but Alice had insisted. And she won… Like always.

Time and time again, the two would end up sitting by that same stream. Side by side, and hands interlocked. This was a day in the late of spring, and the turning point of summer. By this time a few weeks had passed from Felix's birthday, and the fourteen-year-old had a few questions for his Little Mouse.

"Alice, why did you want to find me all those years ago? And don't tell me that you were just being curious or lonely, I know you better than that."

With the comfort that Felix was trying to persuade her to answer with was working. The circles coming across the back of her hand were so gentle. The breeze added to that factor as well. So Alice gently laid her head down on Felix's shoulder, and waited a couple moments before she really did answer him.

"To be honest, it was because I wanted to see the monster that the villagers were talking about. Before I met you, I thought that you were some type of bear-like creature that would end up taking me away or killing me instead. I wanted to get rid of all the sorrow and loneliness that my life had had in it. All my reasons that I gave you before were true as well, but they were watered down."

Alice paused to look over at Felix. His eyes were clenched shut, and a silent tear rolled down his cheek. She hadn't noticed that the grip he had on her hand had tightened significantly. He was trying so hard not to cry. Alice heard and felt the unsteadiness in his chest as he released the breath that he was holding. Then again, and again. Alice didn't know why he was acting like this. Was it because of how she thought of him before she knew him, or the fact that she had wished it over?

None the less she continued. "But in the end, that incredible monster still changed everything. And I don't want anything- the pain, the loneliness, the sorrow- I don't want anything to change because it lead the Littlest Mouse to her monster."

After Alice finished speaking she was in same kind of mess as Felix was. Her eyes were red and puffy, as well as the salt water tracks that stained her face. Once she looked to Felix again, Alice noticed that he was facing her. He didn't bother hiding the emotion on his face. He hadn't blocked himself off to her in a long time, and that was when they first met.

Felix extended his hands to the sides of her face, and gently swiped the pads of his thumbs across the tear trails. It was slow and caring, and everything that Felix was in a small little moment. Before he could properly know what he was doing, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to the center of her forehead. After his mind finally came back to his body, Felix almost jumped back from Alice. They never EVER kissed before that moment. Sure they held hands and gave each other hugs, but this was a whole new thing for them.

"Alice, I'm sorry. I wasn't thi-"

Felix was caught off guard when Alice reassured him with a peck to his cheek. The smile that came from Felix was brighter than the sun. His eyes lit up, and you could see all his teeth that were in the front row. That wasn't all that Alice saw though; as time passed on, Felix's face became redder and redder as his heart and mind realized what she had done. When he continued to stare after she kissed his cheek with that thousand-watt smile that he was wearing, Alice looked to the ground attempting to hide the blush that was blossoming over her face now.

Now instead of backing down from the precious tiny moment, Felix created one of the most intimate moments that the two of them would ever have. Once again Felix placed his palms on the side of her face, and looked straight into her eyes. Instead of kissing her again like he so craved too, all he did was rest his forehead against her own. In the process of this Felix unknowing started to rub his nose against Alice's.

"Alice, I need to tell you something."

A wave of confusion and distress overcame Alice. She had no idea what could come out of his mouth; things could be tipped on either side of the scale. Felix could say the most wonderful thing in the world, or he could turn her into a blubbering mess of sadness in one second flat. Although they would've been able to move at any time- neither of them did. So when she wanted to voice her concerns, she didn't. "Felix?"

"Alice, you are so wonderful. Nothing in this universe could bring me to my knees more than you; how you do it still I will never understand. You were this Little Mouse the first day that I met you here, and know- I can't even describe how amazing you are. Alice you are a little light in the vast sea of darkness that had engulfed me in these woods. And for that I can't ever thank you enough. In my book you will be forever that hero; the Little Mouse who defeated the monster, and saved him from himself."

Alice's waterworks were back, and nothing in time and space could stop the flow of her tears. Her face was contorted, and her lip was trembling. Alice didn't know how her voice would sound, but it ended up sounding weak and small. "F-Felix, w-what are you trying to say to me?"

"That I love you with every fiber of my being, but I'm not worthy of you. I never have been and I never will be; in comparison you would be the princess, and I would be the lowest of the low. I'd be the stable boy who cleaned the stalls, but that doesn't change the fact about how I feel for you. Never."

"Felix, I love you too. Ever since we were kids I've loved you. Do you remember that promise we made when I told you that I understood what you were going through a couple of years ago?"

Felix's hands drifted to grab her hands in his, but didn't stop looking at her. His brow furrowed for a few seconds as he wondered what she was doing. "I think about what you said that day all the time, it was one of the happiest moment of my life. Why?"

"Because I want you to ask me. I want you to keep your promise." Felix was beyond surprised by this. His eyes widened, and his eyebrows rose as his jaw slacked some. When Felix's jaw slacked, his lips parted almost as he was going to talk. When he gulped down air his slightly noticeable Adam's apple bobbed, and he slightly shook his head to release himself from his stupor. When he did get his wits back, Felix nodded once. This was when he finally did release Alice from his hold, and pulled of the chain hidden under his shirt. There, on the end, was a simple gold band; it was one of the last things he had of his mother. As he held it out to her so she could take it, he spoke.

"Alice will you be my partner, my love, my friend, and the most important person of my life in total? Will you be my wife?" Felix's voice was strong and steady when he was first beginning to speak, but his English drawl got weaker and weaker as he kept talking. Finally, ending in nothing more than a whisper.

Alice's face radiated love and happiness. The smile on her face in comparison to the sun was an impossible anomaly. So instead of being straight forward all she said was, "What do you think Felix?" In the same tone that he himself has ended in.

"But what about your father, and not to mention our age. I mean I just turned fourteen, it's not like we're old enough to actually get married." His tone had razed in one of concern as Felix spoke to his beautiful Mouse, but none the less he continued, so instead of taking the golden worn ring off the chain Felix unclasped the hook and clipped it back together on her neck.

After Felix clasped the chain into its spot, he gently placed her hair were it was before she moved it aside for him to see clearly when he put the ring onto her little neck and shoulders. Now it just looked like she was wearing a necklace with a band on the chain. No one would suspect that she was engaged to her monster. "There, now no one will realize you're already taken, but that also worries me to no end."

Alice was considering what Felix had said, but all she did was lean into him. "I would never want anyone else. No matter how many suitors my father will present as I grow- I will only see you. And if it comes to an arranged marriage, then we'll run away." After Alice finished speaking she pressed her lips to his cheek in reassurance once again. "I only love my Monster."

xXO00OXx

A few weeks later their little bubble of happiness was popped when a crew of pirates ransacked the town where Alice lived in the wood. Those pirates that came to Alice's home were nasty and disfigured with scars. Their cloths weren't in a better position than their bodies. The garb that they wore was torn, and ripped, and sewn together with patches. They had their belts decorated swords and pistols that could easily kill anything that they pointed them at. Sadly, four of the pirates had their sights set on Alice.

In the darkness of the fallen sun, the moon was the only thing that helped Alice see where the four men were and vice versa. She had just come home from staying with Felix at their spot. Alice hoped to every single star that littered the night that Felix would hear the screams, smell the smoke, and see the light of the flames beyond the trees.

"Well look at this boys, I found us a toy." The brute of a pirate sounded like the slimiest, most disturbed, and most perverted person that she has ever heard in her entire life. Alice hoped that she would never have to hear that sound again.

"FELIX! HELP ME!"

The pirate beside the other man that spoke before. "I wouldn't do that girly, unless you want to die of a painful death, that is." As soon as the word 'die' came out of his mouth, his sword was out of its sheath, and pointed in her direction. Before any of the others could say anything else a worded growl came from the tree-line.

"Don't even think about touching her." His voice was almost inhuman. Felix was standing there with the blade that Alice had bought him for his birthday clenched in his hand, and was hanging by his side. He began to walk forward. You could see that his stance was ridged and his head was tilted down into the most murderous scowl that any single human would ever witness. In the moon light, you could easily see how his once bright grey eyes had turned pitch black; Alice was pretty sure all he could see though was red. That's when one of the stupid pirates challenged him.

"And what are you going to do about it boy? Kill us with that little blade of yours, it's not even ten inches long."

"No, it's eight."

That's the exact moment everything changed for them. Felix raced, practically pounced on the pirates. One down, then another, but the first one that had spoken was walking towards Alice still while Felix fought the other one. Before the pirate fully came next to Alice, they both heard a yelp from Felix as the last one of them nicked his cheek with their blade. 'That is going to leave a mark,' was what the man said to Felix before he used his incredible speed gained from life in the woods, and killed the man where he stood.

Alice wasn't scared of Felix. She wasn't afraid that he had killed the three other drunken pirates to save her- in fact she looked at him as a hero. But he didn't know that though. Finally, the leader of the rest of the dead pirates grabbed Alice forcefully, and pinned her back to his front with his dagger placed on her neck. Not to mention the dirt clad hand that covered her mouth from being able to cry for help. Finally, Felix jerked his hand from the dead pirate as the man's body dropped to the ground. When he turned to look for his Mouse, the mask he once wore but a few minutes ago was back.

"I would put down that weapon if I were you boy, otherwise girly here dies."

A flash of fear waved off of Felix as he looked to Alice, her helplessness didn't help the fact that Felix felt guilty that he should have protected her, and focused less on the pirates around them. When Felix was about to drop his blade to the grass, a pistol was shot and the sound rang in their ears. The pirate who had a hold on Alice, his eyes widened as he realized that he was the one who was shot. As he stumbled though, his dagger ripped through Alice's shoulder. Luckily missing her neck in the process. Thus causing a long crimson streak to show that it cut through shirt, bodice, and skin.

"ALICE!"

The pirate was already dead on the grass of the ground, and sadly Alice was starting to stumble towards her monster. Felix raced to his mouse faster than he has ever moved, and when she fell onto her knees he was there to catch her. Felix cradled her head to his chest, and rocked back and forth before his coarse voice rang through the air. Unknown to him though, the shot that killed the pirate was originated from her father's pistol that he kept hidden in case of something like this; and he was already running in their direction.

"Alice you're going to be okay. I need you to keep your eyes open for me Little Mouse."

"Felix, i-it hurts."

"I know Alice, I know. I need you though, you can't leave me- fight Little Mouse, fight."

Before either of them knew what was happening, a tall man dropped to his knees next to them. The man was one of the villagers, and he saw how Felix had Alice stationed. Alice cradled in Felix's arms, and his hand brushing the apple of her cheek as he held onto her. Not to mention that they were both soaked in dried sticky blood.

"What happened to her?!" The man's voice was deep, and stressed while his eyes looked frantic.

"The pirates… I-I I tried to save her…. But the last got ahold of her." In between his intervolves, Felix stopped to sniffle the snot that was running from his nose as he cried. "I should have just- just got her out of here. This is all my fault." After Felix spoke to no one in particular, Alice turned her head to the man.

"Hello Papa." Well that created a whole new outlook on Felix's take on the situation. The man next to him and Alice, was her father. The man he had never met before, but yet held such a high respect for only because he was the reason that Alice had been born in the first place. Alice ended up turning her head to Felix again.

"Felix I'm really tired." Her small voice sounded even smaller as she spoke, but both the male's eyes widened.

"Alice, I need you to stay awake. Please, Alice for me- and your father." Felix ended up mumbling the last bit in embarrassment. What would her father think of him when all the smoke cleared? Felix was considering this, but know was not the time. He had to save his Little Mouse. It seemed that all the pirates were gone since more and more people were coming towards them, and since they wanted to see and hear the events unfold they didn't utter a word.

"Lad, I need you to go find the doctor."

"I can't. I don't even know what he looks like. Sir, please take Alice to the doctor. I'm not even supposed to enter the village, and I can't lose her like this."

The man beside Felix nodded his head once even though he looked quite confused. Felix started to shift their weight so that her father could take her into the doctor in the village. "My monster, don't leave- don't leave me."

"I won't leave for long Alice. I need you to be healed, and you need to go with your father to do that. Good-bye for now Alice."

"I love- love you Felix, and I will never say good-bye to you."

"I love you too Alice; I hope I won't say goodbye for long, but you have to get better otherwise you'll lose too much blood and die." He stopped to look at her father who had a sad smile written on his face, and spoke to him instead of Alice. "You need to take her now. Go!"

Needless to say, her father didn't need to be told twice. He lifted Alice into his arms, and carried her away like a new born babe. Her knees were over one arm while the other arm supported her back. Felix stood up, and watched as Alice ended up farther and farther away from him. The people who did end up crowding around the three just watched Felix as he retried his dagger, cleaned the blade in the grass, and traveled slowly back into the woods.

When the morning came that he was going to visit Alice, Felix was so over joyed that he could finally see his Little Mouse again. He even made himself look presentable for her father's agreeance. Felix tended to his nicked cheek, washed and combed his hair, and as well as made sure that all the blood that stained his clothes was completely washed out.

Felix was so happy that he ran all the way to the village, but when he ended up in the town square he was lost. So he decided to ask one of the close by fruit stand sellers. Sadly, the man in the booth thought him to be Felix's father: a drunk, a liar, and painfully last, a murderer. But to be fair, he did kill the pirates from the raid. That was only to protect Alice though; Felix was not cold-blooded.

In the end, Felix ended up with another longer nastier cut across his face. The townsfolk ran him straight out of their village, and he never got to see Alice one last time.

xXO00OXx

The last thing that she remembered was her monster. Those thoughts brought forth a new array of memories from the back of her mind: the raid, the blood, and her father leaving without him. Yet as Alice's subconscious was still dormant as the memories in her mind played like a film within a theater. But this was more of an undesired dream- a nightmare. The time passed on as her mind and body were finally connecting to the other, and with a loud startled gasp Alice's body shot up out of the bed, and started heaving air.

Alice had wide eyes, and her chest was still raising to the speed of sound. Her father heard the sound of her gasp and awoke from his slumber next to her bed side. He raced to hold her close to him- afraid that she would go back to sleep and not wake again. The tears in his eyes notified her that he was happy, scared, in awe, probably thanking God and his lucky stars that his little Mouse got back to him. Alice was not in the mood for anything but her monster and her father. She wanted her family. Not the town. Not the strangers. Not even the kind old lady that she would help at the little library. Alice only wanted the people who fully knew her, and loved her in every single way.

"Papa, where's Felix? Papa… What's wrong?" The look on her papa's face when she mentioned her monster was not a good sign that he was okay. Her father's face was sullen. Almost like he was about to dread the next part.

"Mouse, the people thought that you were dead. You haven't woken up since the raids."

Now Alice was worried. How long had she been sleeping? "Papa… How long was I asleep?"

"Five full moons. The fall has just fallen upon the forest."

That was not what she was expecting to hear. And where is her monster? Felix still hadn't shown up yet, and she was getting worried. No matter how much her papa was going to try to hide things from her, Alice would get them out of him eventually if that was what it took. Which saddened her heart; she didn't want her father to lie to her.

"Papa, where is my monster? Don't lie to me, I want to know where Felix is."

"Little Mouse, a few moons ago he tried to come back into the village, but he got lost in the square…" Her father paused not wanting to accept the thought that she knew he was about to say. Felix had come into the village. "The poor boy was mistaken for his ill-willed father, and the people who remembered that sour sir were scared that their peace was going to be tested again so they got rid of him."

Alice swears her heart stopped in that very moment, and she broke. She completely and utterly broke down in front of her father. Her empty hand that wasn't locked with her father's flew to her mouth in record time to try to stop the sobs that rang through the air. Her entire body slumped. Her father looked shocked for a second, then realized what word text he had used.

"No, no, no, no, no Little Mouse. He's not dead- I don't think so at least. The people did wound him though, and he hurried out of the city in fear of losing his life to the people. I'm so sorry I said it like that. I didn't want you to think him dead." The relief was clearly visible on her young face. Alice's thirteen- or has her birthday already passed- year old self wanted to know as much as possible to find her monster again. But before she could do that, she needed to know the little things about herself first. That included the conversation over her and Felix's relationship. When Alice rationalized with herself that he was still out there, she condensed herself down to sniffling instead of full blown bawling on her father's chest.

"Papa I have a few questions, but I'm sure that you do too."

"What do you want to know Little Mouse?"

"What is my age?" And this is how their house was filled with the two playing twenty questions, but so far the only questions came from Alice.

"You're four and ten years of age."

"What did you think of Felix when you first met him?"

"That he was well trained for combat. As well as a lover- you know how the saying goes Mouse- 'I'm a lover not a fighter, but I'll fight for the things I love'. Those were my first impressions, but as I thought it over, I thought that he was going to take away my baby girl from me, and take the role that I am supposed to fill."

"I hope that if we find him, that he will keep his promise to do so. What would you think of him if he did?"

"Whoa, Little Mouse, are you saying that you want him to pursuit you all the way to a courtship? Or marriage? Alice you are only fourteen! You still have two years before we have a celebration to signify that suitors may pursuit you." He sighed, long and hard. "You really love him don't you Little Alice?"

Alice's face lit up at the thought of her monster finally wedding her; as well as her father giving her away. "With all my heart Father. My monster was the only one I had for a long time. Eventually, we both grew to understand what the other was feeling, and… and, I don't know. We were always so happy with the other almost like we were made for the other."

"You're kindred spirits, and the way you speak of your time together- maybe even true loves." Her father's tone was DEAD serious. He thought that she had true love with Felix?

"Papa, would you be okay of I used your ring to present to Felix when we do get married? I see it only fair."

The look on her father's face was priceless. His dark eyebrows were practically at his hair line, his cyan eyes were almost bugging out of his skull, and it was as if he lost all breath in his body. Not mention the bubbling mess he was. Once he was over his little fit, he was actually able to speak coherent sentences. "Why do you say that as if you will absolutely marry Felix?!"

"Because he already asked for my hand, and I agreed." That got her father going even more than she got him to last time.

"Why on Earth would you do that without my consent Alice!? That's a huge step between two people! Plus, he never asked for my blessing, so how could I let you marry someone who doesn't even consider my opinion?! How could I let a lad take care of you when doesn't even think about the people surrounding him? He'd be to recluse." Her father looked mad enough to spit nails.

"I'm sure he would've if he was even allowed to come near the village. Papa he had his reasons for not asking, and I know that it's a big step. We have both agreed that we would wait until a year after my sixteenth birthday celebration to wed. That way we will fall through the trials and tribulation just like we have for the past five years…. He's a very agreeable boy Papa. I know once you are properly introduced you'll love him as much as I do."

"You've known him for five years? And you haven't told me?" Her Papa looked hurt that she didn't tell him about Felix, but…. She did.

"But I have Papa. What did I answer you with every time I got a present mysteriously?"

"That it was from your monster." Her Father answered without delay.

Then gears in his head were turning. Her father looked like he was in a fazed state as he was searching for the significance in her words. Finally, when it hit him, it hit him straight in the face. Felix had been called her monster time and time again throughout their conversations. The same monster that looked and cared for her as a child when she went to go play in the woods, and the same one who loved her enough to give her everything that he had. That was what Alice had said when she was still Little Mouse.

She was too old to be called little.

"He was the monster in the woods when you were a child, isn't he? The one who gave you little gifts, and braided cherry blossoms in your hair?"

Alice nodded, smiling at her father in the process. "That's Felix."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because you do stuff like that for the people you love."

xXO00OXx

The months and years had passed since Alice had been injured in the raid, and Felix gone missing. After she had healed properly, her father and herself went and searched the wood as well as a few of the neighboring villages. Although he wasn't there, they kept looking for her monster. Time and time again they would end up without him. Every village seemed to never have seen the poor boy. When the third year of searching had dawned on them, Alice's father had caught a nasty sickness. Thus being the case for her alone to continue to venture by herself. Every time she would search through one village, she would come back to her father to make sure that he was still breathing in the land of the living.

Sadly, there had come the time where he would not stay there for long. Alice's father had been dying, and when she rode home during this time, she never stopped until she got there. At most, the only time she stopped was to eat, let the horse rest, or let herself sleep- when it absolutely necessary. And even then it was only a short break; ten to fifteen minutes at most. When she did finally reach her small corner village in the woods, she didn't stop till she reached her father's side. When she had arrived next to him, Alice pulled up a chair and grasped onto his hands tightly.

"Papa, how are you?" Alice's pained voice asked him as he held onto her hands too.

"I've been better, Mouse, but today is a good day. The pain isn't as bad today as it was yesterday, and to be honest I think Erin is a witch taking pity on me. I don't know how she is so good at what she does, but none the less I am thankful."

Alice smiled at her father's words. For she was thankful that his pain level was small too, as well as for Erin for taking such good care of her father while she was gone. Her father noticed that she still wore that ring around her neck, and remembered what she had asked of him many years ago. They sat in silence for a while after that, and Alice hadn't realized that he noticed. When her father ended the loud silence, he spoke about what he had seen her wearing.

"Alice do you still believe that you can find him?"

"To the very last breath I breathe, Papa." She nodded to him to accompany her words of reassurance to him.

"Then I want you to have it."

Alice's face was now crossed with confusion. "Have what Papa?"

"My ring, of course." He paused watching as her face changed perspective in understanding. "I do remember a certain Little Mouse asking for my ring to give to her spouse when they married. Am I wrong Mouse?"

The blushed that flushed over Alice's cheeks was easily seen by her father. To add to the humor that was bubbling within her father, a mumbled 'no' tumbled from her lips. Alice's father grinned slightly at her, while a soft laugh erupted from him. The next moment her father removed his hands from his daughter's, and tugged off the silver band that decorated his left ring finger. After all this time, he never took it off because it reminded him of his deceased wife Willow. As he finally got it off, he dropped it into the center of Alice's petite hand, and curled both their fingers around the ring.

"Never give up hope Little Mouse. I know that it seems impossible, but that word never seems to apply to you. For everything that you set your mind to can be done. Even though I haven't spent a lot of time talking to your Monster, yet the small time frame that I did see you two together reminded me so much of your mother and myself. I saw how he would go to the end of the world for you, and that's all that matters to me. That you will be loved not for your looks, but for your heart of gold. I'm glad that you found your Monster, even if you have lost him for a while, I do believe that you will find him again." By the end of her father's words, Alice couldn't hold back the pooling tears that had found their way into her eyes.

"Thank you Daddy, and just because I love Felix doesn't mean that I will ever forget about you. I will always be your Little Mouse. I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Little Mouse. Never forget that."

That was the last conversation that Alice had had with her father before the sickness took him. Alice was in sorrow as she went to see if he wanted breakfast the next morning only to find that he had passed in his sleep. The most peaceful way to go, and for that she was happy he hadn't died in pain. Alice had rallied the minister and a few good friends of theirs from the village to bury him properly. As the ceremony finished, she paid her tributes and went to pack the rest of her stuff to leave. She didn't have time to lose. Now that her father was gone, Felix was the only one left that truly cared about her.

The next few days consisted in Alice gathering up all the supplies that she needed, and selling off the few things that were useless for her journey. All the books and nick-knacks were sold to the library, and boy did she get a pretty penny for all the journals and volumes that her father owned. She did however keep the few books that were their special ones; Treasure Island, Gulliver's Travels, Robinson Crusoe, and the one to top it all off, The Odyssey. Those were the few books that she pocketed into her bag for safe keeping.

The rest of the furniture was just left alone, since she couldn't really sell it. Alice just left the simple things for the next family that was going to live in her house… well not for much longer. When she finally had everything packed on her horse she said goodbye, and mounted her steed. Her horse was a bay colored animal with three black socks, mane, and tail. His name was Wonder. The leather bags on his back held the only things that Alice was taking with her: food, water, books and maps, and the last of the little things. Her father's ring for instance, but that was placed carefully right next to the ring Felix gave her three years ago before he disappeared.

And from that moment her life was about to change. For the next few weeks she continued where she left off, and asked around for anything extraordinary. Sadly, none of them knew anything. When she finally reached the coast of the land, she asked a couple of old spinners if they had seen or heard anything that wasn't normal. Alice was expecting that they wouldn't, but to her surprise they had. The two spinners talked so strangely. They finished each other's phrases- not even full sentences- but they always had a clear understanding of what the other was going to say.

"Yes dearie, there-" The taller and thinner one with black hair had said.

"Was something strange happening-" Next was a short and stout woman with brown hair, and a sickly sweet voice. It went on in this way until they finished what they were trying to tell her.

"On the west side of the forest-"

"Yesterday. If you want to-"

"Know, all you have to do is-"

"Look."

Alice was still incredibly uncomfortable to be around the two witch-like spinners, but she thanked them with a few copper pennies. Then headed off into the west to find what they were talking about. That was before one of the spinners- the tall one- poked her head out, and spoke one last time to Alice.

"You may want to wait dearie; the music only plays at dark." Before Alice could turn around, and thank her again- the house was gone. Like magic. 'I knew it. Those two were witches.' Alice's mind was ringing in onto itself.

And so with that last piece of information from the witch spinners, she went to replenish her body. She went straight to the bed n' breakfast conjoined with the tavern. The sign that hung above the wooden door read The Wolves Den. When she entered the tavern the smell of ale and food rushed into her lungs. Alice was grateful that it wasn't like most of the other taverns she'd been in: nastily unclean, smelt of vomit and drunken men, or had brothel members sitting in most of the men's laps.

In all honesty, this was a little modest stop in her journey, and she loved it. The kind ladies, and even gents that served her. They truly did take interest in her words, and were momentarily friends with the poor girl. Her favorite though, was Ruby. A regular sized woman who was quite beautiful. She had rich amber eyes, dark chocolate hair, and fair skin. When Alice was there, she was surprised that no one moved to grab her attention.

But as the night grew upon them, Alice was told why. Ruby was the granddaughter of the owner of The Wolves Den. Everyone called her Granny though, even people who weren't even related to her and the people were just there for a plate of food. Not to mention that Ruby already had a husband that most people would call mad or strange. His name was Victor; that was as much as she had said to Alice about her husband. Alice knew that if the town thought that he was strange that, maybe they were right, but if Ruby loved him then he was okay. Alice rested assured in her friend's judgment of the man she married.

By the time the sun had started to fall Alice had a few trustworthy people that she knew were pure of heart, and kind to the people around them. Granny, Graham- the gentlemen that brought her food as well as talked to her, Ruby, and if she could trust Ruby she was sure that she could trust Victor too. So as Alice was getting ready to leave, they all said their goodbyes, and left with parting words.

Ruby went to embrace Alice in a hug first. "Alice, if you ever need a place to stay, or someone to talk to, me and Granny will always be there. Stay safe Alice."

The next was Granny, and boy, that little old lady was strong. The wind was knocked out of poor Alice when she went in for a hug. "Ruby's right dear, don't forget us."

Alice looked at Granny and gave her a sad smile. "Me- never. Goodbye, Granny. Bye Ruby." Granny and Red both answered Alice at the same time as she was walking towards the west forests. "Goodbye Alice!"

When she had continued to walk towards the west, since she left her horse with Red and Granny. Alice began to hear the sound of a flute. The sweet melody was making her body feel numb to her surroundings. Not before long, Alice noticed that she was not alone anymore. So she did the only thing that she could do to keep herself safe from the others; she pulled the dark cloak hood over her head and continued on.

As the song kept on playing, every single person was heading towards the sea. The only thing that was making her feel better was the little fact that there were boats lining the shore, but that was quickly evaporated when she noticed who she was following. Alice was following the Pied Piper. A person who took unwanted boys from their homes, and gave them a home with him. Alice was terrified at what she was doing, but this was all for Felix. And her monster wouldn't back down now.

So she went on.

Although she had kept her hood up, she couldn't distance herself from the others since the boats were so small. It seated seven at most, yet there were at least fifteen others trying to find a place on the vessel. Everyone was squeezed together as the boat began to move. Slowly the wooden death trap glided across the water getting closer and closer to the small island in the distance. When it finally reached the shores of the mysterious island, everyone still continued to follow the hollow music into the center of the land mass.

After walking what felt like hours, they all were gathered in the center of a clearing; and there in the center was a mischievous looking boy with a pan-flute in his hand. A few others were standing next to him. To Alice's dismay, none of them were Felix. The piper's eyes were dancing around the others standing around her, probably Alice as well. His face was young, but twisted. He was almost like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"Welcome to the Island of the lost. This is where boys like yourselves come when they feel abandoned or unloved, and I am the leader of this place." He paused giving everyone a more dramatic feel to the air. "I have rules that you must follow. If you don't, well- there will be harsh consequences." The look on his face was pure terror and cruelty for the boys in front of him. 'I take it back. He isn't a wolf in sheep's clothing, he's a demon in a boy's skin.' Alice's conscience was ringing with warnings similar to the statement that had just presented itself in her mind. Although she would never say them out loud, all of them were probably true.

"Now when the other lost ones come back from their hunt, you will introduce yourself. Am I clear?" The demon boy's words rang through the air, and it made a shiver go down Alice's spine. She was now fearing every moment closer to introducing herself because that would mean one more second closer to being discovered. She stayed silent as the others replied in a robot-like fashion.

"Yes, sir." Was all they replied.

As they were doing this, Alice had a chance to look at the demon boy's features. By her memory she was sure that he was a little taller than Felix had been at the age of fourteen. His hair was a dark blond; probably from all the mud that could easily be found on anyone's skin from not bathing, and playing around in the dirt. That could make it even worse. His eyes were like the grass around their boots, a green so vibrant that you could see it through the darkness. With the demon boy that wasn't the greatest quality, since you could easily see the anger in them. Last but not least, his cloths were all green too. Except for the fact that he had a brown belt and knee-high boots, coin pouch, and small dagger tied to said belt. But the strangest thing on his entire body were the cuffs he wore around his writs; it was as he was trying to cover something.

But as Alice had finish addressing what the piped piper looked like, the hunting party was coming into the clearing. Alice's time was almost up. Then she would have nowhere to hide. At the most twenty other boys came walking into the open wood with dead birds, a deer, and a prize winning boar that needed to be cleaned and cooked for what would be held as the celebration for the new recruits.

The boys that were holding the dead animals walked away in the other direction while the other party was slowly creeping onto the new-bees. Only in reality the younger boys were jumping and playing in celebratory matters for their hunt. The younger ones seemed to be so full of energy that Alice had to do a double take to make sure that she was actually witnessing these boys. Their happy and carefree, and that seemed so strange to Alice since they were all in this gloomy-looking island.

The older ones though, knew that this was not a time for jumping around, they had new fish to fry. Not literally of course, because what would be the point of gaining all these new boys only to see them defeated and sent back. If that's what happens at all. But the older boys seemed to flank the younger ones. Most of them looked like ordinary teenaged boys, but there was one that had spooked Alice's interest. He was the only one with a hood on over his head- just like her. She couldn't see any of his features, she could only see the bottom of his face. Which really only amounted to skin tone, and the boy under the hood was quite fair if she was going to said so.

"Alright boys! Quite down!" The leader's voice rang through the air. His harsh tone was accented, that much she could tell but he wasn't Felix. "You'll introduce yourself as we go down the line starting with you." He pointed to the boy on my left. He was only five people down from her.

Now she was in trouble.

Before the boy was able to speak though, the leader started talking… again. "But none of you know my name. So really I guess I'm starting. I'm Peter, leader of the lost ones. As I said before, I have simple rules, follow them and you'll live. You don't, well I wouldn't wish to be you." And with that warning, the boy a few feet away from me begin to introduce himself too.

"I'm Matthew, but most people call me squirt." And she could see why the people called him that. It was just like her nickname; it suited him well since Matthew was quite short. I guess he hadn't had his growth spurt like the other ones had. His hair was a dark color, and since his hair was so short people couldn't really tell if it was black or just dark brown.

The next one after him went, after Peter made a gesture for the boy to stand with the other lost ones. "I'm Caleb." Not really all that talkative, she noticed. He had olive skin just like Matthew did, but his hair was a lighter color- it almost had a pinkish tint to it. Then the next one went.

"I'm Urijah, but if want to shorten it, you could always call me Uri. I don't mind." The big goofy grin that lit up Uri's face was strange to see, since he was older than most of the boys here. His skin wasn't like the last two, but it suited him better. His dark hair and caramel colored skin probably made him who he was. When he was going over to the rest of the other boys, he practically skipped his butt over to the others. Weirdo. Defiantly too happy for someone who was lost.

"I'm Killian. I'm not 'rom around 'ere, but I guess no one 'ver is." The boy's voice was so accented that the others really had to struggle to understand what he was saying. He sounded like he was from a faraway place; Alice only knew one person who had talked the same way. Although, the inn keeper never actually told her where he was from sadly. He was another boy with olive skin, but you could defiantly tell that he had black hair. Especially since the small rays coming from the moon made his hair shine that special blue that only reflected of black hair.

One person left, before she was supposed to go.

"Aye, very well. I'm Liam, and to be 'air, I'm Killian's older 'rother." The only thing that the two held in common as much as she could see was that they both had slightly tanned skin. Liam's hair was a dirty blond, and he was quite taller than his younger brother. Their size gave that away quickly. Along with how boyish killian looked compared to his older sibling.

Now it was Alice's turn, but she didn't say a word. She just stood there, buying her time to run. Alice knew that they would catch her, but maybe in doing that she could show them that she was more of a tomboy than a girl. She did like to fight like any other boy, but she was commonly underestimated since Alice was a girl. As the time kept ticking away, and still Alice still didn't utter a word to him while Peter became impatient.

"What is your name?" And still Alice didn't answer. So the leader came closer and closer to Alice with a look of anger flashing in his eyes. His stride was power filled with his cockiness that he seemed to have. Most of his other followers looked at me with wide eyes, and were gently shaking their head side to side. They didn't want her to test what he could do, because they knew that it would be something terrible.

Now he was in her face. He slightly towered over her, and yet even at this close of a distance he didn't realize that she was a girl. Her head went lower so that it would be insured that Peter didn't see her true identity. That or pull down her hood- that would be even worse. "I said. What. Is. Your. Name?

Yet she never spoke anything to him. Alice just stood there, and all she did was wait. The darkness of the night encased all of them. It held them like an icy grip that wouldn't let go. All Alice could feel was the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach; that numb feeling that signaled fear and told you to run as fast as you could in opposite direction. And so, she ran.

Alice kicked Peter's feet out from under him, and ran in the opposite direction. Everyone stood still in shock at what they had just witnessed. A low inhuman growl emanated from the back of Peter's throat. To say that he was not happy was the understatement of the realm. Alice didn't stick around to see how murderous he looked. The lost ones however saw the extreme anger, and the sickness of her decision that overcame his features. Some of the new boys looked like they wanted to wet themselves from how angry he looked.

"WHAT ARE YOU STANDING AROUND FOR! FIND HIM!" Since no one knew that Alice was a girl, even Peter assumed that she, was in fact a 'he'. As she ran and ran the other boys seemed to be right on her tail. She never stopped, but the island seemed endless. The branches scraped at her face, and the thistles yanked at her ankles. Both caused scratches up and down her body. Although Alice couldn't feel the pain from all the adrenalin, she could faintly smell the sting of the copper. The sting of blood.

And so even though she couldn't feel it, her lungs burned for air. The lack of air was like her entire rib cage was slowing developing third degree burns, but she had to fight. She had to work for what she wanted, and Alice knew that would be one of the many things that she would have to do. Alice would have to run, she was a mouse after all, but she was a fighter.

The chase lasted longer than she thought it would. When they were finished, she was on the complete other side of the island. The beach was illuminated by the full moon, and she could see everything. The soft sand shot behind her feet as she ran, and she could feel the salt water itching on her skin.

Her guess was that Peter had had enough of this game, and cheated because one moment she was running and the next she was being held by the back of her hood. Alice could feel the aggressiveness in the hold that held her. The hands that her were big enough to put fear into her entire being. She had wanted to prove that she was tough enough, and gain some worth in their eyes so she could find Felix. Instead she had done the exact opposite. Alice had angered the leader, and turned everyone against her. No way would she get out of this alive.

Before she knew what was happening, her head was put into a lock. The boy behind her was practically chocking her in his hold. The crock of his right elbow was pressed against her throat, and his left arm locked her mid-section in place so she couldn't run again. Alice continued to struggle though. No way would she give up this easily; Alice would fight until her last dying breath. Her love for Felix fueled her every move, every thrash, and every second she fought was for him.

Not long after one of the boys pulled her closer, his voice rang out amongst the crowd. "Now boys, let's see who this traitor is!"

It was Peter.

The lost one who man-handled her was their leader.

She was going to die.

The group of lost ones crowed in one clustered arrangement to see the traitor. That's when her head snapped back, and her hood was removed. The sound of soft inhalable gasps was heard amongst the crowd, and the older boys actually looked surprised. When she saw the boy with the hood, along with the club slung over his shoulder- his head was slightly titled to the side.

There was no possible way that they couldn't see that she was a girl. Her black curls were starting to spill off of her shoulders, and her face looked to feminine for a boy. No boy had high that high of cheek bones, or that long of eye lashes. Her eyes were so blue in the night that they looked like a wolf's in the dead of night, so bright that even in the dark you could see them.

Peter looked at her like she had two heads. "You're a girl?"

She snarled at him. "And you're sexist."

His face only became more enraged than before, if that was even possible. "How did you get here?"

Alice didn't answer him. So instead of asking her again, his hands began to literally squeeze the life out of Alice. Panic seized her, and she started to croak her answer. "Followed… the… music."

His eyebrows razed as his eyes widened, for no girl had ever heard the sound of his pan flute before. "You heard my music?"

Alice rolled her eyes, and then tried to talk. Since Peter still had a grip on her, Alice's voice was strained. "I would love… to answer… but I'm rather… out of... breathe."

At her comment, Peter released her enough for a small fraction of a second that when she pulled fast enough, she was released entirely. He wasn't touching her at all, in fact she was at least four feet away from him. And she wanted to keep it that way. Her voice was still rough after, but she could speak easily now.

"Yes, I can. Why wouldn't I be able too? And I won't run. I just needed your attention, and slight favor. I'm looking for someone, and I thought that he would be here."

"Why would I help you? You have nothing I want." He was back to the tone he used when we had all walked into the clearing: Cocky and confident.

Wonderful.

"It would make sure that I'm out of your hair faster. The sooner I determine that he is or isn't here, the faster I'm gone."

Peter tilted his head side to side to make it look as if he was trying to decide what he wanted. Alice already knew that he already had something planed for her, and her guess was that it was not in her favor at all. Before she realized Peter was walking towards her, and now stood in her face.

"Or I could just leave you out here to die, and I would never see you again either."

Alice's eyes flashed with pain for a fraction of a second, but then was replaced with anger. "You don't even know who I'm looking for, let alone who I am! So why don't you put your ego aside for one stupid moment and help me!"

To say that he can move faster than normal would be incorrect, Peter can move at the speed of light. One moment Alice was standing in front of him, and the next she was pinned onto a tree held by her throat by Peter's hands. Her eyes were huge. 'Don't insult his ego, ever!' Alice's mind screamed at her while her lungs were once again looking for air.

"Get one thing straight, you don't tell me what to do." He paused looking at her so hard it was like he was trying to kill her with his mind. "And get this straight as well- Don't ever make me look like a fool in front of my boys, or you will wish you were never born to begin with…"

His brow sunk low on face, he was obviously confused. "What is your name anyway?"

To answer him, she started to claw at his hands. He knew that she couldn't answer him like this, so he let his hands release her from his hold. While at the same time he stepped back from her. Alice's body dropped to the ground like an apple that fell to the earth. Her gasps rang through the air as she clutched her throat. Alice was doubled over in pain in front of the tree that she pinned behind previously. Peter didn't let her rest. He began to kneel in front of her, and grabbed her chin to look at him harshly. By this time Alice had caught her breath, but her tears were falling down her cheeks.

"What is your name girl?"

"Well, some would call me a mouse."

"You certainly sound like one." His voice held laughter, while his eyes held a coldness so freezing that everything in his path would be turned to solid ice. Alice would have been one discolored ice sculpture if that happened then. The scars that covered her body were all different colors with age, not to mention the hand shaped bruises that were forming on her neck. Some of the boys laughed along with Peter, but as she looked at the boy with the hood again she saw that he hadn't moved an inch. Not one.

"Who are you looking for anyway? I'm sure he couldn't be that important if he loves you, you're nothing." Peter's words cut her deeper than any blade could. Felix thought that she was something when nobody else did, and she did the same for him. But Alice snapped.

She shot up off of the dirt covered ground, and charged at the demon boy. He was so off guard that when she pushed towards him, he didn't have the force to keep himself up. So they were both now on the dirt ground with her pinning him down. Her eyes were filled with unspeakable anger, it looked like her rage was great enough to match his.

"I'M NOT NOTHING!"

After she screamed in his face, Peter was about to move. Alice saw it coming though, and ripped his own dagger out of his belt while then proceeding to hold it at his throat. So now Alice was gaining the upper hand. She had beat Peter at his own game. No one was going to argue with her. The way she had Peter pinned under her, along with the Aconite covered blade that she held to his throat told everyone to back off so she could finish what she started.

"Stay out of this, or so help me I will drive your blade so far into your chest even the strongest of magic couldn't save you."

He didn't answer her. Peter only gave Alice the nastiest glare you could ever receive because if looks could kill, she would have been murdered, resurrected, and murdered another thousand times over. Even though he was giving that look only reserved for his enemies, he didn't move. Instead he watched as Alice walked towards his boys, and rolled his eyes at her as she addressed the crowd. Peter just stood, but he plotted.

"Lost Ones, I'm looking for a monster."

They all snickered at her, all except one. The boy in the hood, still he stood in the exact same place. So Alice completely disregarded the others, and marched her way over to him. Alice could still hear the laughter of the other boys a few paces away from her, but she didn't let it tear her spirits down. She would find him. Even if she had to go through every last realm in the universe.

As the dirt under her feet became indented with her foot prints, Alice became more and more curious as to who was under the hood. He was tall, she'd give him that. Not to mention the fact that he was good at staying on the side lines, and she knew all too well what that felt like. Felix and Alice were the very definition of the word wallflower.

When Alice stood no less than a foot away, she pushed her head slightly to the sky. Not really to the sky, but to the boy in front of her. His hood still stood in the way of his face. It was a wonder that he could even see. Alice didn't want to have her last hope of finding him look at her like she was this miniature porcelain doll that could break at the drop of a hat. So she squared her shoulders, and talked like what she was worth to Felix- like she was worth the stars.

"Can you help me?"

"Depends what kind of monster you're looking for, Mouse."

When the boy in the hood spoke, everyone stopped laughing. There was complete silence in the coast-line clearing. The only thing the boy in the hood had ever said to any of them was that he was alone and heart broken when he first arrived. Nothing else. He always kept his mouth shut, and obeyed orders in the back. He never engaged in conversation, or answered when someone spoke to him. The only things he would do is watch over the others, and take orders from Peter when he gave them. To be fair, if anyone looked at Peter himself, even he was shocked.

After all this silence, the hooded boy for once, wasn't silent. His voice was deep and coarse. Even he probably didn't remember what he sounded like after all that time being void of speech. His accent wasn't like Killian's or his brother, or even Peter's. It was completely different. As he spoke Alice felt a strange pang in her heart. She didn't know why, but it sounded familiar.

"I'm looking for a lonely monster."

"Why?"

"Because the Little Mouse needs to find her monster again."

Alice's voice was so close to breaking that she forced herself to stop from sharing the rest of her answer. Even the crowd of boys could hear the quake in her voice, it was so noticeable. But while the others were focusing on the scene in front of their eyes, Peter put his plot of revenge into motion. He had warned her before, and she didn't heed what he had said.

Peter had grabbed the dagger he held in his left boot slowly. His form crouching down little by little as the two spoke, and the others watched. When he had felt the cool metal sting under his fingers; he grasped the blade and started to rise again while inching towards Alice. Finally, as Alice was saying why she was looking for a monster, Peter was directly behind her.

Before the hooded boy could understand what was happening his eyes widened in more than just fear under his hood, and he watched as Peter plunged the blade deep within Alice's shoulder. After that everything seemed to happen at once. A cruel smile curled onto Peter's face. The hooded boy pulled Alice into his arms to keep her standing, and her screams of agony filled the air. The sheer shrill of her voice caused most of the on looking lost ones to cover their ears, and sink to the ground waiting for that sound to go away.

Alice and the hooded boy slowly sank to the ground. Only because her knees started to buckle, and he let both of them sink. His arms were still tightly wrapped around her mid-section, for he only tried to keep her steady. When the boy had finally set her on a nearby tree that was merely a couple of feet away, he made sure she was okay then he grabbed his wooden club.

The hooded boy stood in front of Alice like she was but a child. His club was fallen at his side, his shoulders squared, and his head tilted down under his cloak. Not to mention the growl that was seeping from the back of his throat. It sounded inhuman. That's when an injured Alice realized why he was protecting her, only because the scene was all but to memorable to both of them.

"Don't even think about touching her." His voice was almost inhuman. Felix was standing there with the blade that Alice had bought him for his birthday hanging by his side. He began to walk forward. You could see that his stance was ridged and his head was tilted down into the most murderous scowl that any single human would ever witness. In the moonlight, you could easily see how is once bright grey eyes had turned pitch black; Alice was pretty sure all he could see though was red.

The boy in the hood was Felix. She had found her monster, but as he said years ago- no one could touch her. But Peter had, in fact the blade was still in her shoulder. There was going to be much that need to be paid for from him. Her guess was that her Monster was beyond furious, and nothing was going to stop him from protecting her.

"Come on boys, let's go. The Mouse is finished." Peter's cruel words rang in the air as he watched all but one of his boys join him. When they were farther away than previously, Peter felt a pair of eyes drilling into the back of his head. When he turned around and stopped, the others seemed to follow his example. They all turned around to see a murderous monster standing in front of his mouse. Peter didn't care that she was in pain, or bleeding out slowly- he just wanted to leave.

"Come on, we've got places to be." In response to his comment, Peter got an ever louder nastier snarl from Felix. The only thing that Peter could see though was Felix's lips form into the grimace that accompanied his animal-like noises. Under his hood however, Felix's nose was scrunched and his eyes were black instead of their regular icy grey color. Peter became impatient waiting on his answer, while he completely ignored the growl that was emanating from the hooded boy. The demon boy walked closer to the hooded figure until they were both face to face.

"What's the matter, laddie? Too weak to let the poor girl die, or are you too soft as to not let her die alone?" Peter paused and tilted his head so that he could see past Felix, and look towards Alice. "And you'll never find your monster now. How tragic, you came all this way for nothing Mouse. Your young life has been wasted."

With all the strength that Alice had left in her still petite body, she shot back her own comment. "No. I have found him, and he looks murderous. I wouldn't want to be right know." In response to her reply to his taunt, Peter's face contorted in confusion along with a raised eyebrow while the other one sunk further down his forehead. As he made a move to look back at the hooded boy blocking himself entirely from her, the boy moved his arms at lightning speed.

In the next moment, Felix's wooden club swung through the air towards Peter, and was aimed at his head. In the end Peter ducked just fast enough to evade his powerful swing. When Peter regained his head on the situation, the battle between the two boys commenced. Time pasted and each boy made passes at the other: a punch from Peter, another swing of his mace from Felix, but that was before Felix kicked Peter's knees out from under his body. For the second time that night.

Peter's entire body dropped from the force of gravity. The demon boy felt completely humiliated. Within the last two hours he's been beat, bested, and utterly dethroned from his kingdom. He was beat by Alice when she got his dagger, he was bested when Felix had gotten him flat on the ground, and with both of these acts witnessed by his boys- he lost all respect from most of them.

The last act to end the fight was a swift blow from Felix's club to the back of Peter's head while he was defenseless on the ground. His lifeless body just laid still on the cold dirt as the rest of the boys looked at him like he was a monster- funny that all of the others he had shown his protectiveness to thought the same thing too. As the lost ones continued to look at Felix, his body was heaving for air after his fight with the demon that ran the island that they were all stuck on.

Finally, as the monster got his breath back he started to walk towards his mouse. The crowd never stopped staring at either of them; they all were in too much shock at what they just witnessed. When he did reach Alice, he kneeled in front of her and proceeded to bandage her shoulder. But first and foremost, he had to get the dagger out. That was really going to hurt.

"Little Mouse, before I bind your shoulder I have to take the blade out first." He paused waiting to make sure that she had actually heard him. "On three, okay… THREE!"

Felix had completely foregone saying one and two just to make sure that Alice didn't work herself up over the pain. Instead of a shrill shriek again she just yelled angrily at him "FELIX!" Her face had shock, slight pain, and anger written all over it. Alice's scowl had sent shivers down his back, but he did it because he loved her. So he had to do what was necessary.

"I'm sorry, Alice." And by the way his voice sounded, he really was. He never wanted to cause her pain. So when he had started to wrap the ripped cloth from his cloak around her shoulder, she felt his how tender his touch was. So after she was all bound up and cared for, Felix helped her stand. Before they had separated however, she reached her hand up to the side of his hood.

"Please take your hood off. I don't like not being able to see you." Alice said with so much sadness in her voice.

"I don't want too, Alice, now I really do look like a monster. You would never love me again if you saw."

"What do you mean again? I never stopped loving you."

"But what about when I killed the pirates in the raid? I murdered three pirates right in front of you, how do you think that I'm not already a monster? I really am I monster to everyone Alice, you can't change that."

"Felix, I know that you did that to protect me. You're not a cold-blooded murder. You only did that to defend both of us from what they were planning on doing. They did that to themselves, it was their own faults that they went after our village, after me, not to mention the fact that they were drunken pirates anyway. It's not your fault." Alice had so much fire burning within her small body to make sure that he didn't sell himself short of what he truly is. "Felix you were a hero. Both my father and I recognized you as such, and that's all that matters. As for being a monster, you were only a monster because of your father's reputation, but the truth is that you fell so far away from him that they all should have realized that he tormented even you."

"You really think that Alice?"

"With everything I have. Which now as I remember is yours too."

Felix was confused for a second, and as he tried to figure out what she was trying to tell him- he couldn't. "What do you mean Mouse?"

Her sly smile was the only thing that was keeping him from asking again. He knew that she had something up her sleeve. So when she moved her head in a devious motion, which was really just tilting her head slightly, she answered. "I can't tell you unless you take your hood off."

So instead of fighting like he would have long ago, trying to at least negotiate, he just gave up and put his head down so she could reach the top. With her good arm, Alice reached up and grasped the dark fabric in her hand, then pulled the top off behind him. Even in the dimness of the night, Alice could still see the long cross scar that ran down his face. The entire thing started at the edge of his forehead, down over the bridge of his nose, and slightly further down his cheek.

"See Alice, I look like a monster."

"No you don't. You look just like any other warrior that has fought in battle." Felix smiled weakly at Alice. Just hearing her reassurance was a great help to him, but he still wanted to know what she had been talking about before she had taken his hood off. He at least deserved an answer to his question since he gave into her request. So instead of being gloomy anymore, he began to be almost free spirited in posture, and talked in a flirty tone with her.

"You know Alice, I do believe that you left me without an answer to that little thing you were saying earlier."

Alice decided to play along with his tone, and made another little remark that only she could say to Felix without majorly annoying him. "I don't know what you're talking about, Felix. You shouldn't be so generalistic, Monster."

So with her response, Felix had been starting to doubt whether she was actually telling the truth, or was she just saying that to see under the hood of his cloak. He didn't mind if she had. Although if she had, and he was to be honest- he would be kind of hurt. Felix had to try and rationalize with himself though. For as he remembered, Alice wasn't the lying type. She never was, and even though he noticed that she got a little sassier- she could never be more than his Little Mouse.

Kind.

Caring.

Honest.

That was just her. Nothing could have replaced what she was in the last years that they were separated. As Felix was contemplating this, he pulled Alice as close as possible to himself without hurting her. In this, they were both flushed up against the other. His eyes long since returned to their regular icy grey color looked down into her water blue ones. "Please Alice, no more games." His tone was so soft that her face completely dropped from before, and she was back to looking sullen.

"As I do remember correctly, I was engaged to you before we were separated. So everything I have left is yours too."

When Alice said that they were engaged, Felix's eyes widened at her. He had thought that they were never going to see each other again, but if they did that she would never love what had happened to him. So even if she had found him or vice versa, he always let himself think that she would never want him; he wasn't worthy of her anyways. So why after all this time would she still hold to her promise? But Felix was so wrong, Alice had never taken off his ring to her for it was still safely around her neck from the first time he put it there.

"Yes, we were. I still remember, but I never let myself hope. That was the one memory that I could never think about without crying." He paused. "I still can't."

Alice looked at Felix for a moment before moving a step back. As she stepped back, his face was so terrible miserable that she almost regretted for a moment. Although she put her feelings aside for a second, she had one last thing to do before they left this cursed island. She still couldn't bear to look at her Monster as she undid her clasped cloak with her one functional arm, and in one fluid motion the cloak was now resting on her forearm instead of on her body.

When the cloak was finally off of her body, Felix saw what was hanging around her neck. Their rings. Felix had only recognized the ring that he had presented her years ago, but quickly deduced that the second sliver one was for him. For the size and shape of it looked like a man's ring. A thick bland band that had nothing special other than the fact that the metal was worn with scratches. The gold band next to the sliver one however was similar with the wear in the rings metal, but the single miniature diamond that was in the center still shown like the day his mother first got it.

"I need your help to take off the necklace Felix. I can't really lift my arm."

And with that, Felix unclasped the chain and slide the rings off of their resting place. Felix handed Alice the sliver one while he kept on holding the one his mother had worn long ago. Alice was the first to move. She reached out her hand to grab his left one. Her touch was feather-light, but he easily trusted her with this. So he went with her hand, and allowed her to place the cool metal onto his finger. Then he did the same with her. The only difference with his presenting of the band was that after he was done sliding the ring on her finger, he kissed the back of her hand.

"Would you look at that; you have to deal with me now. There's no turning back."

"Felix there was no turning back when we met, and I wouldn't want it any other way."

Felix gave her one of his thousand watt smiles that just brightened anything that looked at him. He didn't say anything else for a while, but he did take Alice's cloak and put it back on her body. He didn't want her to get cold out there. And when he finished, he took her left hand and started to walk past the crowd of boys that had sullen looks on their faces from what they just witnessed from Felix and Alice, while said couple went back to the other side of the island. The older boys looked like they wanted to have that kind of love with someone, but the younger ones looked like they were disgusted with the display of affection.

They were all now going for the boats. One of the older boys even slung Peter over his shoulder. The journey to the other side of the island took a few hours, but they got back. Not to mention how many trips it took for all of the boys back to the mainland. But they did complete their task none the less. Finally, when the last group of boys made it over the water, everyone was back together in one small group of lost ones. Felix and Alice lead the boys back into town, but some of the newer boys that had gone on the boats that evening had gone home for they realized that nothing was more important than the people you love. The ones who had nowhere to go however stayed with them until they reached The Wolves Den.

When Alice had gone back into the pub, both Granny and Ruby were so pleased to see her again, but they were both shocked to see the boy towering over her. When they had realized that she had found her Monster, their celebration went well into the morning hours. However, when they needed to retire to sleep Alice asked Granny quite the favor.

"Granny, we have quite a few boys who have nowhere to stay, and I wanted to know if we could all share a couple of rooms until me and Felix find a house where we all can live."

"Dear, of course you can. We wouldn't deny a friend anything."

And so with that they all went to bed. Granny closed the tavern for the night, and the boys that had joined them shared three rooms in total; four boys shared one room, four in another, and three in the last one. Although Felix and Alice got their own room so they wouldn't have to share. Ruby helped a little with that one. The sly woman noticed that Alice's rings were no longer on her necklace, but now on the monster and the mouse's respected fingers that showed their engagement status. A few days later, Alice and Felix found their new home for all of them. One that could fit all the boys, Alice and Felix, and there was even a spare bedroom that they left unoccupied in case later in life they had a Little Monster or Little Mouse. Soon after Felix and Alice went to the convict's house in the town, and finally were married… finally.

Peter however did not have the most pleasant of fates in store for him. On the behalf of his crimes against the families, boys, and people who he had killed- Peter was placed in the royal dungeon. The demon boy was tried and found guilty for kidnapping, manslaughter, attempted murder, and injury of an innocent. Once he was placed in the cell, the boys never saw the demon that ruled over them for goodness knows how long.

And so the years passed from that one day that all the misunderstood kids that found their place onto that cursed island grew and grew. The older ones were put into the work force while some joined the navy, and the younger ones stayed home with Alice and helped her throughout the day with keeping the house clean. Eventually the older ones found love like Felix and Alice's. The younger ones did too, but it took longer.

But each and every one of them found their true home, and they lived lives that they would consider great. The only way they could all get to that point was to go through the great tragedy that constructed each boy's childhood. Felix and Alice however were the happiest amongst all of them. They didn't end up living happily ever after; they did have their sad times, and times that worried them to no end. Like when Willow and Parker were born. Felix wouldn't stop fussing over Alice during her pregnancy, but in the end they were all just fine. A healthy baby girl and one healthy baby boy. With all their Uncles who couldn't love them more, besides their parents.

And so, all of them just lived…