Nothing but the idea is mine. Disney owns Marvel, Once Upon a Time is owned by… someone professional. Please read and review.
Winter comes to Wonderland. It's the first Winter in centuries, the hedges die; the cards can't even keep the Red Queen's roses living. This all passes Jefferson; the Mad Hatter locked up in his room, making useless hats misses when the gardens become bleak, when the people come searching for food. Even when the Red Queen drags him to Court and parades him among the rich and well fed.
All that he knows is . Grace turns into Steve and Jefferson doesn't know who Steve is.
Its 70 years into the Winter when the Scarlet Witch comes. She appears in the skeleton of a maze and is escorted into the Palace. By her side is the Silverman, her brother. She and her brother are brought before the Red Queen, the Hatter by her side as always. She likes to drag him out when they have guests.
"I apologize, your highness," The Scarlet Witch says curtsying to her. The Silverman stands by her side, not moving. "We did not mean to invade your lands."
"A spell gone wrong!" the Queen crowed delighted. "I know of many with that problem." The two visitors glance at each other before the Witch smiles.
"Yes, milady, we will be out of your lands as soon as-"
"None sense!" she says. "You are the family of my non-blood. Stay here in my welcome." They're escorted away and Jefferson is released to return to his room. He's wandering past an alcove when something catches his attention.
"This is all your fault," the Witch is saying. Jefferson pauses.
"My fault? You're the one who stormed off after Stark-" Stark.
"Don't bring him into this," she huffs. The Silverman oomph's after being hit. "We have to get out of here."
"Obviously, even I've read this book," her brother growls.
"What book?" Jefferson asks stepping into the alcove. His voice is rough and hasn't been used in years except the occasional screaming. The siblings go very still. "You said this was a book and-and you said that-that Stark is at fault. What are you talking about?"
"We're from another-"
"Yes, yes, another world. I used to be able to move through the worlds as well," Jefferson says looking between them. They look familiar. (A young boy, cleaned within the filthy bodies around them, fed while the others are hungry. Tortured, experimented on.)
"In our world, this one is a book. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis-
"Lewis Carroll," he gasps grasping at his necklace. Little tags of metal that once had writing on it, worn away before he worked in Story Land. "A-and Stark, Howard Stark?"
"No," the Scarlet Witch says frowning at him.
"But Tony's father was Howard, wasn't he?" the Silverman asks his sister. "How do you know that?" Jefferson –James- starts to laugh, hysterically. It's enough to draw the guards and he's hauled away but not before he's able to press one of those tags into the Witch's hands.
"All hail the Red Skull!" he shouts before the Knave knocks him out. When the guards allow him to awaken, the siblings are gone. Sitting on his work station is his tag, second tag, letters raised and sunken it. His true name.
He rips apart everything in his room and next time he's before the court, he tries to stab the Queen with his scissors.
He doesn't leave the dungeons, he's not fed.
The Blue Court arrives. They decimate the Red Court and James is dragged before the King. The king is not like his people, he's not a giant, blue humanoid. He's not much taller then the human, dressed in gold and green with a staff which is topped with a blue cube.
"You do not belong here," the Green Mage says lounging on the Throne which is covered in ice. James keeps his eyes on the man's boots and the green cloak. The dungeon is red, green is a good color. "Speak, human. Do you belong here or do you not?"
"N-no," James says voice cracking. The boots stand, comes closer, crouches down and a warm kind hand runs through his matted long hair, tipping his head up. The king has green eyes, black hair and a lovely face. He could be a Prince in Story Land, he probably is.
"And your name?" the King asks.
"Jefferson-"
"Your True name, my mad Mad Hatter."
"James… James Barnes."
"And might you be James 'Bucky' Barnes, sergeant in the USAA, second-in-command of the Howling Commandos?" James stares at him shocked and confused.
"Y-you're from my world?" he chokes out feeling tears. The king smiles gently.
"No… but your friend has been looking for you."
"Steve." Breathless, his chest is tightening. The king's lips drop.
"No, I apologize, Steve Rogers does not know of your continued life," he says brushing a thumb under James' eyes to collect the tears. "That one sacrificed his life not long after your arrival here but you had another friend. One that developed into Midgardian royalty and passed on his legacy. A few of his friends, the daughter and son of someone you once saved from the Camps, came here I believe and tipped him off."
"The Scarlet Witch and the Silverman."
"Yes, though his name is Quicksilver."
"Howard kept looking?"
"Howard continued to look for you and Steven," the mage says stroking his hair. "Anthony, both a dear friend of mine and an enemy, asked that I confirm their story."
"Please," James said bowing his head. "Please my lord, please bring me home. Bring me back to Steve." The hand pauses before he's dragged into the mage's armored chest.
"Soon, James. We'll go home soon."