Prologue:
Hatter sat in his favorite chair, listening to Cheshire try to cheer him up.
"Come on, Hatter!" She said, "Alice has been gone for a week now, you need to let go. She wasn't really right for you. She's an Oyster, you're a Wonderlander. You should marry within your own kind."
She was laying with her legs behind her and her chin resting on her arms which she had folded across his leg and smiling up at him. Cheshire always smiled, no matter what her mood was. She smiled when she was happy, she smiled when she was sad, she even smiled when she was angry. It was the kind of smile that mattered. She was the closest thing to family that Hatter had, and was, with out a doubt his best friend (despite the fact that she was only 15, a whole 12 years younger than himself). He'd known her since she was 4 when he and Mad March (who had then been called Marchy and his best friend) had picked her up off the street and saved her life from the Resistance. He had taught her almost every thing she knew about fighting (she'd even taught him a thing or two), and she was brilliant at it. She was probably one of the best fighters in all of Wonderland and was extremely cleaver. There wasn't a puzzle or riddle in Wonderland that she couldn't figure out.
Hatter could barely hear Cheshire's words of advice as he thought about how stupid he'd been for not telling Alice how he felt about her when he'd had the chance. "You know you could come visit my world." she'd said, and what did he reply with? "Yeah! We could do pizza!" Pizza. Hatter thought, Of all the stupid things to say-
"Hatter, you can't just sit here and cry about it!"
That Hatter did hear and almost smiled. Sometimes Cheshire's unique way of cheering people up had been known to make them even more aggravated, and this was no exception .
He looked at her, meeting her dark eyed stare for a moment before looking away again.
Cheshire sighed and pushed back her royal blue hair (her hair had always been blue. She was just born that way) then looked back at him, a little frustrated.
"Hatter, really, you need to move on."
He didn't respond.
"Alice is killing you! You know she is! You haven't eaten, slept or even spoken since Alice left and, if I'm not mistaken, the only time you've left that chair has been to pace up and down, from here over to that wall about once or twice a day when you get restless."
Hatter ignored her.
Cheshire sighed. She just couldn't stand to see him like this. She made her decision and, slowly, she stood up. "Get up, Hatter. You're coming with me." Her voice sounded determined, but her face was full of resignation.
Hatter looked at her, questioningly.
"You're going to see Alice."
Hatter stood up abruptly, but he didn't look happy, as Cheshire thought he would. No, he was most certainly not happy. In fact, he looked like he was going kill Cheshire.
"Don't you dare!" He nearly screamed at her, shoving her back and making her fall. "Don't you dare tell me that I can do some thing that I know is impossible! Don't you dare tell me that I can be with Alice! Don't you dare give me false hope that I'll ever see the woman I love again!"
Cheshire had always had a short temper, and now she was past angry. Past mad. Past furious. She was homicidal. "Of all the no good, idiotic, asinine, ridiculous, just plan STUPID people in the worlds, Hatter!" She was screaming at him and started walking threateningly toward him. "Why do you think its bloody FALSE hope?"
"They're not letting any one go through the looking glass!" Hatter said.
"Who in Wonderland was stupid enough to tell you that?"
"The King! Jack Hart!"
Cheshire stopped and stared at him, her smile quickly becoming amused. "Well, I knew he didn't like you very much... Goodness... He must hate you!"
"What do you mean?" said Hatter.
"Well, if that's the case this is going to be harder than I thought..."
"What are you talking about?"
"But than again, if I-"
"Cheshire! What are you going on about?"
Cheshire's smile widened. "Hatter, you can go through the looking glass if you have consent from the king. But if Jack hates you that much... This could be…tricky..."
Hatter sat back down in his chair, absent mindedly spinning around, and said, more to him self then to Cheshire, "I'll kill him. I'm going to kill him."
Cheshire was thinking. Then slowly the words came out of her mouth: "I don't think you have to..."
Hatter curiously looked up to see Cheshire wearing a devious smile…
The blue haired girl walked into the throne room. It was only a temporary throne room. Jack had decided to build a whole new castle not far from were the casino had been, and this little house would have to do for now.
He looked at the girl for a moment. When she noticed Duchess she jerked her head sarcastically in her direction with a strange look on her face. Jack cleared his throat and she looked back at to him now smiling more sweetly. "Well, Miss… ah… What did you say your name was?" Jack asked.
"Cheshire." She was confident and calm yet still respectful which rather impressed Jack. Most adolescents her age were ether too timid or too cocky.
"Well then, Cheshire, what do you want?"
Cheshire gave him a dazzling smile. "I would like to go through the looking glass."
"For what reason?"
Cheshire shrugged. "Just curious, I suppose. I've never been there before. I've been every where in Wonderland. Every where worth going any ways."
"You mean you're an explorer." Jack confirmed. She nodded. "You seem a bit young to be an explorer." Jack said.
"In years, yes." She said, "But I've had a lot of experience!"
She seemed so enthusiastic that Jack almost laughed. "Very well. You may have your wish. I shall escort you to the looking glass, and see you off tomorrow."
"Thank you, your Majesty." Cheshire bowed deeply and started to leave then stopped and looked back at Duchess. "So I hear that you two are getting married?" Jack smiled and nodded. The girl managed to smile so broadly that her mouth seemed to almost touch her ears. "How lovely!" She said, "I'm sure all your dreams and wishes are coming true, aren't they, Duchess?" She gave Duchess one last smile before she turned on her heel and left.
"Nice girl." Jack said to himself. He glanced at Duchess and saw that she'd turned as white as a sheet. "What's wrong, my love?" he asked her, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"What?" she said, turning to look at him. "Oh!" She smiled although the color had not fully returned to her face. "I was just thinking about... It's nothing." She put her hand on his then stood up and hurried out of the room, leaving Jack alone and confused.
Outside, Hatter was leaning up against the wall. "How did it go?" he asked.
Cheshire smiled. "He fell for it! You're going tomorrow and I didn't even have to lie too much."
Hatter laughed then gave her tight hug and lifted her off the ground. "Cheshire, I love you! You're amazing!"
"Of course I am!" Cheshire said, "Now put me down, I can barley breath!"
Hatter placed her back on the ground and they began walking back to Hatter's tea shop.
Cheshire managed to wait until Hatter's back was turned before she started to cry…
Cheshire walked into the Looking Glass house, carrying Hatter's suitcases and stood, and waiting for Jack.
Hatter entered right behind her. "Ready?" he asked.
"Yeah," Cheshire said, she had to tell him. "Hatter, I… I've always…" she swallowed.
"What is it?" Hatter asked.
Oh, for goodness sake, Cheshire! She thought, Just tell him!
"Hatter, I've… ever since I met you-"
"Well, Miss Cheshire, are you ready?"
Cheshire spun around to see Jack who stopped when he saw Hatter.
"What are you doing here, Hatter?" He said firmly.
"Seeing off a friend." Hatter said.
Jack looked a little bit… was it nervous?
"Don't worry, Jack." said Hatter, giving him half a smile, "I know why you lied to me. Besides, what could I do about it?"
"Right then," said Jack still a little uneasy, "are you ready, Miss Cheshire?"
"Yes, I just-"
"Well than, come along." Jack took her arm and forcefully led her to the looking glass then placed the ring (that had caused so much trouble) in the little box to restart it.
Cheshire pushed Hatter's suitcases through the looking glass, and acted like she was about to step through when Hatter came up the stairs that led to it.
"Wait." He said and placed his hat (a black top) on her head. "You might want something to remember me by."
Cheshire couldn't stop the tears from running down her face, this would be the last time she ever saw him.
"Hatter, I-"
"All right, Hatter. That's enough." Jack said.
"Go, Hatter." Cheshire whispered.
Hatter kissed the top of her forehead. Then, as quick as lightning, he went through the looking glass.
"Good bye…" Cheshire said, a tear running down her cheek. Then with speed equal to that of Hatter's, she snatched the ring out of the box and placed it on her own finger then clenched her hand into a fist that no one could unclench and stood in front of Jack so that he couldn't go through.
Jack looked at her, angrily. "You tricked me!" he said.
Cheshire glared at him. "Of course I tricked you, fool!" she said, "Why would I ever want to go to the Oyster World? I hate Oysters!"
He tried to push her out of the way to go after Hatter but Cheshire grabbed him by the arm and jerked him around. Once he was off balanced she kicked him in the chest and he fell to the floor were she pined him down. "Regretting not bringing any Suits now, Jack?" She said, "Didn't think a young girl would give you any trouble that you couldn't deal with, did you?"
"I demand you let me up." Jack said.
"You're not exactly in a position to order me about, are you?" Cheshire said.
"I am your King!"
Cheshire raised an eye brow. "Does it look like I care?"
"I could have you put in prison for this."
"I'd like to see you try." Cheshire said.
"Hatter was on a list of people that couldn't go to the Oyster World." Jack said.
"Well, you might as well take him off because he's there now." Cheshire said, "I don't want him to be in that world with her anymore then you do, but he has to be."
"What are you talking about?"
"He would have died!" she said, "He needs that miserable girl!" She glanced behind her and stood up. "I believe the looking-glass is closed now. You can get up. And you can have this back" (she held up her hand and wiggled her fingers showing him the ring), "When I think that you can handle it."
"Do you know how many laws you are breaking?" Jack demanded.
"Let me see," Cheshire said, thoughtfully, "I attacked the King, I helped someone that the king had wanted to keep in Wonderland go to the Oyster World, I'm stealing the stone of Wonderland right in front of you. Am I forgetting anything?"
"You will be taken back with me and put in jail until the prison is complete." Jack said.
"Jacky, you can't take me back on your own." Cheshire said, "You'd never manage it."
"I'll come back with Suits and hunt you down."
"You will never find me." Cheshire said, "Now as much as I've enjoyed this, I really should be going. Enjoy your life with Duchess. I hope you won't mind that I won't be attending the wedding. Try and be a good king, don't do anything stupid." She turned to leave.
"You said 'he would have died'," Jack said when she was half way out the door. "What did you mean?" She turned and looked at him. The world was suddenly blurry and Cheshire found that her eyes were full of tears. "He wasn't eating or sleeping of even talking. I'm sorry, I have to go." She ran out, sobbing uncontrollably.
She knew she would never see the man that she had loved all her life ever again. Definitely not, with the luck that she had. But the thing about luck is it's always changing…
And she's back! See I didn't die on you. I'm reeeaaaally sorry this took so long to get up, I've got the next 2 chapters coming up too and I'll get the rest up as fast as I can.
Hope you're enjoying this and that you enjoy the rest of it and don't forget to review and that I'd like you to be completely blunt and tell me exactly what is wrong with my story!