Recently read the Looking Glass Wars novels and instantly fell in love as soon as I read the first book. As for how this fic was created, it's based off a dream I had had about... two or three nights ago? It's a 'What If' fic about what would happen if The Cat hadn't followed through on dashing off once he was inside the palace. Goes by quick, because I didn't want to take forever on the prologue. So I made it short and simple - for now, that is. Hopefully I didn't make anyone too OOC for now... if I have, I'd like to apologize right now (but I have figured that The Cat might be a little OOC here) yet if he's absolutely OOC, I'll try to make him in character as possible in the future chapters.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything really... just my 'What If' plot. That's about it, don't own any of the characters or settings. And the title ("In This Together") I picked from a song by Apoptygma Berzerk. It was playing on my i-Pod while I was typing this up and since I hadn't created a title yet, I figured this would be pretty good with this story.

Now, with that all said and done, please enjoy!

In This Together

Prologue: End of a Small Sanctuary

He had no idea what caused him to make such a bold move.

The plan had been simple: wait for the naïve princess at the palace gates, purr as soon as she picked him up, and once he was in to dash off and make certain no one followed him. Simple as that, an easy task compared to most he had been given by her. Yet that wasn't the case now.

No.

Instead he discovered that he was still in the presence of the birthday girl, watching as she conjured a bowl of milk for him to have by using her imagination and watched him intently. It was… pathetic. How did this occur? His tail twitched in annoyance as he scolded himself, pupils narrowed, as he continued to lick the fresh milk.

Nor had he expected for her to sneak him into the room where her guests resided, still not wanting to inform her mother about the gracious gift that a stranger had left for her. And even if he hadn't upheld his part, she would most likely still be able to gain entrance. She would not let this moment pass her by, not when she had created such a force and advanced her imagination to heights that seemed unbelievable. She had worked too hard and long to let his mistake, his failure, stop her from taking the throne.

And once she had, he would suffer a punishment for not following his orders. For not doing as they had original planned, for not seeking her out and helping her army advance into the castle. That she would imagine something dark and torturous for him.

Yet that didn't bother him.

What bothered him was how the innocent and gullible princess would be among one of the dead. How did it even happen? Guilt was never a part of him, he never felt it nor would he ever feel it. Never, ever would he feel such a pitiful emotion, but if that were so then what was that heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach?

It didn't matter though as a blast came through the wall, the dust settling and separating, like curtains, revealing she herself and her army. Shouts were sounded as the palace guard jumped into battle, palace soldiers making their way to protect the queen, princess, and lords and ladies that had come to celebrate the wondrous event.

The princess and her companion from earlier had ducked underneath the table, hiding from enemy eyes that threaten to take their life without a second thought. She quickly gathered him into her arms and started to scratch his ears, almost as if she was trying to keep him calm. But he knew she was doing it to keep herself calm.

Everything happened in a blur as her male companion dashed from underneath the table, crying out for his father and disappearing from sight. The seven year-old girl tightened her hold on him, his name falling past her lips in utter shock and fright. And the next thing he knew, he had fallen from her hold and tumbled out from the opposite end of the table, glancing back and realizing she had been nabbed by her. That was all part of the plan though, her life taken right before her mother's eyes and all others around them.

It didn't matter.

He shouldn't care.

But why was he now morphed into his humanoid form, clawed hand wrapped around her wrist, and dashing down one of the hallways of the palace. The cries of his mistress's roars still ringing in his ears as she continued to scream what he never thought himself to ever be: traitor.

Genevieve, the Queen of Wonderland, had suddenly appeared from around the corner, prepared to strike at him with her imagination before the approaching footsteps of her sister and her soldiers reached their ears and ushered her daughter, surprisingly him too, into her room. She told her daughter, in an embrace, not to look back. To keep running and go through the Pool of Tears, promising her that she would follow after.

What he also hadn't expected, was her to turn full attention to him, saying softly in a dangerous tone that if he let anything happen to her, he would forever be haunted by her spirit and have a painful death.

The doors were banged repeatedly, almost ready to give away and allow the incomers entrance, to seal their fate. And when she had finished with her sister and niece, her wrath would be thrown upon him, making certain all nine lives were taken from him by a slow and excruciating death. Or in his case it would actually be 'deaths'.

Before entering the portal she placed a vial in one of his paw, telling him when he saw fit to drink it if necessary. And that was when he pounced through; paw once more around the distressed princess' wrist and focusing on his… their… destination. He had glanced over his shoulder at the female human, making certain that she didn't dare take a glance back. If the new soon-to-be queen had her way, she would send soldiers after them once she finished the once-had-been queen. He was slightly surprised that she kept her eyes ahead of her, following her mother's instructions not to look back.

Now they stood on the cliff, staring down into the pool. His ears went back, a low hiss escaping past his throat. He hated water. He hated getting wet. Snaps of twigs sounded behind them as soldiers trampled through the woods, most likely ordered to capture them. Either that or kill them on the spot.

Why should he run? He was one of the most feared creatures in Wonderland. And how did he even get into this mess? Right now he had the chance to slice off her head, bring it back to his queen's feet to show that his true loyalty always – and shall – remain with her. Glancing down at the crying girl, he scowled as that same feeling made its way back to his stomach. And again he knew he would be unable to follow through with that idea.

A choked sob came past her lips as she brought her free hand to her face and wiped her eyes, more strangled sobs soon escaping and more tears falling. She tried to speak, tried to tell him that she didn't want to jump, that she didn't want to leave her mother, and that she wanted to go back. She wanted to make sure everyone was OK, that the lady in red with sharp razor teeth roses was defeated, that her father had come with reinforcements and defeated them all.

He kept silent.

He wouldn't tell her that her father really was deceased.

Not yet.

The approaching footsteps got closer, the yell of orders becoming clearer. His lip pulled back in a sneer as he gazed back down into the water, the fur rising on his arms and back knowing there was no other way. The red queen would surely take his lives for the hideous mark he had bestowed upon her face, catching her off guard and making quick escape with the girl. He would most likely be forever hunted, along with the seven year-old princess, until she had grown to where her White imagination overpowered the newest queen's Black one.

His tail lashed about and the cries became louder, almost as if to cover the sky like a dark cloud.

And he still had no clue as to why he did it as he and the princess were pulled down before changing course and being rushed back up to the surface.

There you have it, the prologue. I'm not really sure when the next update for this will be, considering I have other fics that need to be updated as well. But this has been bothering for the past two days so my imagination forced me to put this on paper. And plus if I hadn't, I wouldn't be able to focus on a few of my other fics. So, yeah. There you go.

Advice? Suggestions? Feedback would be most appreciated.

And as I've said, this is a 'What If' fic. I know The Cat would most likely never, ever betray Redd. But it would be interesting to see what it would be like if he had, ne? Well, I think it would be interesting to see. And I'm not sure if it'll turn into a romance fic (my friend who I had read it for any spelling errors wants it to be, but I'm not so sure...). So, like I said, advice and suggestions would be really appreciated.

Um, yeah... that's all for now.

Thanks for reading!