Preface

A young girl about eight with curly light brown hair woke to find her seven year old sister at the window talking to someone.

"What are you doing?" she asked the ginger haired girl.

"I'm talking to the kitty," she answered simply.

"The kitty?"

She nodded, "The one that grins."

Now curious the elder girl went to join her sister.

"What is that noise?" An old woman asked aloud as she headed toward the room at the end of the hall and opening the door to find her granddaughters not only awake but at the window waving to something. "What are you two doing up?" she asked sounding a bit upset causing the two girls to quickly hop back into bed.

"We were talking to the kitty that grins," the ginger haired one replied with a smile.

"The what that what's?" her grandmother asked not sure she heard her correctly as she tucked her in.

"The Cheshire Cat Baba," the brunette said sitting up in her bed as her grandmother came over. "He showed up outside, Marie was talking to him, and when I heard her I woke up and went to see. He's a bit odd but then again I guess a cat grinning is something you have to get used to."

The grandmother stared at her, "Aileene, I'll not have you making up such wild stories."

"Really Baba we saw him."

"Not another word," she said tucking her in. "You two will go to sleep at once and I won't hear of this again. You hear me?"

"Yes Baba," both girls answered knowing better then to argue.

"What's going on?" a young man asked coming in the door.

"These two were at the window when they should be asleep, and then Aileene tries making up a story about some cat that grins," the grandmother said sounding quite unhappy with the whole thing.

"But I saw him, Marie did too," Aileene pleaded not wanting to be though of as a liar.

"It was probably just the moon in the trees you stupid girl!"

"Mother!" the young man said shocked at what she'd said. The grandmother felt a bit ashamed and left the room without saying anything more.

"Don't listen to her Ali," her father said kneeling by her. "Sometimes there are people that no matter how much they love you can't believe in something impossible."

"Mother would have," Ali said sadly. "She always believed in impossible things, she told me so. She said she could believe in at least six impossible things before breakfast."

"That she could," her father said with a smile. "I'm not sure I could do that, but I do believe in impossible things and I hope you two will too no matter what happens. After all believing in the impossible is the only way to make it possible."

"I will," Ali said knowing it was a promise she could keep.

"Me too," Marie said sleepily.

"Good," he smiled again as he kissed them both on the forehead. "Goodnight my dears."

"Papa?" Marie asked before he'd gone out the door.

"Yes Marie?"

"Do you think we really saw him?"

"Or are we imagining it or going mad?" Ali asked slightly worried by what her grandmother had said.

He smiled at them, "I believe you Aileene, and Marie; but who knows you may be going mad. I'll tell you something though all the best people in this world are at least a bit mad, if not half mad, or as mad as hatters." Ali smiled and Marie giggled both thinking how interesting it would be to be though of as mad. "Goodnight my darlings, totally bonkers the both of you." As he closed the door he heard another fit giggles erupt from the both of them causing him to smile.

Ch1 Why must things change?

Ali had her nose stuck in a book and was so engrossed in the story and in her own thoughts she hardly heard a word anyone was saying.

"Ali? ALI! Are you listening?" said a young woman in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Huh? Oh I'm sorry Marie, you where saying?" Ali said turning her green eyes up from the book as she adjusted her glasses.

"You were thinking about it again weren't you?" Marie asked.

"Yes." Ali looked out the window of the car watching the scenery go by. Ten years had gone by since that night but she still remember it, the last time they'd seen their father.

"Me too, though I wonder how you can do something like read a book and think about that at the same time," Marie said brushing a few stray strands of her short ginger hair away. "I wonder how dad would be handling this."

"Better then Grandmother most likely, who I believe will be shocked at your choice of dress Marie, and your hair," Ali said smiling a bit.

"Whatever do you mean?" Marie asked trying not to smile herself. Her ginger hair was now cut short in a rather becoming bob cut, her hazel eyes were surrounded by smoky make-up, while she wore a black mesh shirt that had black and dark red striped sleeves over a slightly tight dark red dress that ended at her knees which had black and white striped stockings on with a pair of high heeled Mary Janes. "I suppose yours may be more to her liking, minus the sneakers and pants of course." Marie said pointing at the black sneakers on Ali's feet that poked out from under a pair of black slacks.

"Perhaps," Ali said thinking about it a bit, hoping her lilac top with sleeves that ended a tad past her elbows would be sufficient, as she tugged at her loose ponytail that ended slightly past her shoulders. "Either way I like them, and my shirt. I don't see why we need to wear dresses anyway."

"To be proper," Marie said mimicking their grandmother's voice.

Ali sighed, "I swear if someone told her it was proper to wear a fish on her head she would."

Marie laughed, "I would love to see that." As Marie spoke the car stopped in front of a large building were a group of people were entering, "Well too late to turn back now." Ali nodded as they got out of the car and walked toward the building.

Walking into the building Ali and Marie were stopped by their grandmother.

"What on earth are you two wearing?" she quietly hissed at them, herself wearing a long brown dress that almost dragged on the floor.

"Well I have on a dress and Ali has a blouse and pants on," Marie stated simply.

Their grandmother glared at her slightly before trying to smooth down her dress and Ali's pants, "Oh the two of you will be the death of me. Now behave and do as you're told we need to try and convince Mr. Kyles we're proper people."

Marie rolled her eyes; Ali patted her on the back as they followed their grandmother outside to the garden with the others.