Summary: Alice has returned to England and her mother is still trying to marry her off. On the fourth proposal she cant take it any more and jumps back back down the rabbit hole and back to the man that stole her heart. Sonfic John McLaughlin's So Close
Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland or John McLaughlin's So Close :(
So Close
Your in my arms,
and all the world is calm.
The music playing on,
for only two.
I sighed and stepped out of the carriage mother, Margaret and I were riding in. It had been about 3 weeks since I returned from China and already my mother was trying to marry me off to some Prince, Lord or something. I knew that today was another engagement party for me and it was going to be yet another waste of time. Mother had already hosted four parties since my return and all the whist I have gracefully turned them down, explaining that they weren't the right men for me, and it was true none of them had that spark that I had expected a man I should marry to have. This week it was yet another Lord. Lord Covington I believe his name is.
So close together,
and when I'm with you,
So close to feeling alive.
Lord Covington came over and bowed ever so slightly, I rolled my eyes in frustration. I didn't want a husband who would be polite and gentle all the time, I want one that will be mad and crazy, agree when I think about what it'll feel like to fly, also he has to hate the quadrille. I shivered. I hated that dance so much. I'd must prefer to dance the futterwacken and embarrass myself than dance that dreaded dance.
"Miss Kingsley, care to dance?" he asked. I looked at my mother who was flying her hand everywhere. I sighed and took his arm.
I closed my eyes and imagined myself back in Underland. I imagined being surrounded by all my friends, dancing the futterwacken with him. Him being the Hatter, or Tarrant Hightopp.
Our life goes by,
Romantic dreams must die.
So I bid mine goodbye,
and never knew.
The dance suddenly stopped and everyone turned towards us.
"Alice, meet me under the arch in 10 minutes, I have something to consult with you"
I walked off towards a spare seat and I sat down, putting my face in my hands and sulking like a little girl who couldn't have a sweet.
"I think you should say no again Alice" I heard someone speak. I turned around to see the twins. Faith and Fiona. Fiona had stepped forward so she must have spoken first.
"Why do you think that?" I asked.
"Because, we are your friends and friends can tell when you have someone else on your mind" Fiona told me.
"And this person isn't a Lord or Prince is he Alice?" Faith finished her sisters comment.
I sighed. They were right I did love someone else and yes this man wasn't a Lord or Prince.
"No, he is a Hatter" I confessed to the two girls.
So close was waiting,
waiting here with you.
And now forever,
I know.
All that I want is to hold you,
so close
"I knew there was someone else, well why are you here and not with him?" Faith asked.
"Because he isn't from this world girls"
Fiona looked confused. "Then where does he live then?"
"Remember the day of the Lord Ascot's proposal?"
"Yes" They said in unison.
"Well remember I told you about me falling down the rabbit hole and ending up in a place called Wonderland"
They suddenly brightened up. "Oh, yes I remember" Faith said.
"Is he from there Alice?" Fiona asked.
I just nodded and they understood perfectly. We stayed silent for some time until Fiona broke the silence with a gasp.
"Oh I have an idea!"
"What?" Faith and I asked in unison.
"Why don't you just go back down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland again?"
I looked shocked. "Fiona, I cant I have duties up here and a family"
"So your just going to marry someone you don't love then?"
I was just about to answer when Lord Covington's mother appeared.
"Alice dear we must be going to the arch now. Come on" She took my hand and dragged me away from my two friends. I looked back at them and I saw Faith mouth. "Think about it Alice" before they disappeared from my sight.
So close to reaching,
that famous happy ending.
Almost believing ,
this ones not pretend.
Now your beside me,
and look how far we've come
So far,
We are,
So close.
We walked towards the arch in silence. I couldn't stop thinking about what Fiona said. Going back to Underland now? Telling Tarrant how I felt? I sighed and closed my eyes. Thinking of all the time I spent with him.
*Flashback*
"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"
***
"Tarrant, they're going to execute you! Don't you want to live?" Alice shrieked.
"Not in a world of her making!" Tarrant spat back.
"But this world wouldn't be the same without you in it" Alice cried on the verge of tears.
***
"You could stay?" Tarrant asked eyes welling up with tears.
Alice smiled. "What an idea. A crazy mad wonderful idea…" Her smiled turned into a frown and soon tears appeared in her own eyes. "But I cant, there are questions that still need answering" She looked at the White Rabbit. "Things I'm late for doing" She drinks half the potion shuddering at the taste.
"You wont remember me" He whispered.
"Of course I will, I'll be back before you know it" She exclaimed.
He sighed and leaned in. "Fairfarren Alice"
She tries to hold back my tears but fails helplessly, She whispers back.
"Fairfarren Tarrent" Before everything disappears from her sight and she appears out of the rabbit hole eyes still wet and stinging from the tears.
*End of Flashback*
So how could I face,
the faceless days
If I should lose you now?
I open my eyes to find Lord Covington on one knee and my hands in his.
"Alice Kingsley, will you do the honour of being my wife?"
I froze, my mother was pleading that I would say yes, I looked at my sister but instead of agreeing with my mother she mouthed.
"Follow your heart"
I looked at my two best friends who pointed to a path that I knew would lead me to the rabbit hole and to Tarrant. I sighed and turned back to Lord Covington.
"I know everyone is praying that I say yes to you but I am sorry. I cant. You see there is someone else and I cant stop thinking about him. I love him and well I don't think it would be right marrying you and slowly hurting you in the process."
I turned to the crowd. "I'm sorry, I need a moment"
Then I ran, I ran through the path Faith and Fiona pointed to, I ran through the tree's ripping my dress but I didn't dare stop. I ran my fastest until I saw it. The tree. I slowed down and walked up towards it. I found the rabbit hole and looked down it, it was….
…open.
I closed my eyes and jumped head first. Books, tables, chairs, suitcases, cups and plates all flew past me. I landed on the bed that sent me flying straight towards the floor. BANG! I looked up and my hair was out in front of me. I knew the room would tip right side up sooner or later. It picked sooner. I went CRASH and landed on the checked floor of the room with many doors. I grabbed the key from the table and opened the door. I drank the Pishsalver and remembered to grab the Upelkuchen before stepping through the door and into Underland. Eating only but a smidge of the Upelkuchen I grew to my normal size and I was ready to find Tarrant.
I ran though Tulgey Wood so fast I was scared I might trip, but luckily Underland had decided to give me a break and I didn't. I reached the end of the wood and the place I remembered I met the Cheshire Cat for the second time. I closed my eyes and wished he was here to show me the way to the tea party.
"Ahh wishful thinking often does the trick" I flew open my eyes and became face to face with the Cheshire Cat.
"Chessur!"
"Well Alice, long time no see" He purred disappearing and reappearing on her shoulder. "Where have you been lurking?"
"Nowhere, I just got here"
"Yes, about an hour ago"
I sighed I wasn't in the mood for his babble. I had to get to Tarrant. Now!
"Look, we'll have forever to argue over this but right now you need to take me to Tarrant and Thackery. Please." I pleaded batting my eyelashes.
"Urgh fine I'll take you to the Hatter and the Hare but no further"
"Good because I don't want to go any further"
"Well come on then" He called, he moves fast.
***
"Twinkle twinkle little bat, how I wonder where your at. Up above the world you fly like a tea-tray in the sky" sang the March Hare before throwing a scone at Mallymkun and laughing mechanically.
"Oh dear you never do calm down do you?" Chessur called as he appeared at the table next to the Hare.
"Your late for tea!" He called launching a tea cup at him.
"Well isn't that nice to welcome a friend who escorted another friend to you. Is it Tarrant?"
Tarrant looked up and from where I was hiding he looked confused. "What heavens are you talking about Chessur?"
"Well I was just strolling about Tulgey wood when I came across the most curious thing?"
"And that thing being?"
Chessur moved in closer to Tarrant's ear. "That thing being…" There was a small pause between the two and I could almost feel the tension. "…Alice"
The tea that Thackery was drinking at the time came flying out of his mouth and all over the table.
"Oh Thackery, do mind your table manners" Mally exclaimed slightly annoyed.
"Sorry, but did I just here you say…Alice? " He said pulling at his ears.
Chessur rolled his eyes. "Yes I did and as I said, I brought her to the Hare and the Hatter and no further. So I shall be off." He stopped and looked at me. "Fairfarren Alice. See you soon"
He disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. I coughed and cleared the air, looking up I saw the three tea party members staring back at me with hoping eyes that Chessur was telling the truth as I know from past experiences with the cat that he can be a horrible liar.
I came out of my hiding place and noticed that the three automatically changed their expressions. Mally gave a small smile but then soon returned to her teapot. Thackery gave a mechanical laugh and threw a scone at me but I barley noticed. I only had eyes for the man sitting at the top of the table with the bright orange hair and the infamous top hat upon his head.
"Hello again, Tarrant" I broke the silence that I felt was a little awkward. "I told you I'd be back"
For a moment I thought he wasn't going to answer but he stood up and walked towards me. "No, you said you'd be back before I knew it"
"How long have you known it Tarrant?" I asked feeling a little guilty for leaving him so long.
"Since the moment you disappeared in front of my eyes"
Were so close to reaching,
that famous happy ending.
Almost believing ,
this ones not pretend.
Lets go on dreaming,
For we know we are.
"Tarrant, I am so sorry I hurt you. But I had to answer questions up there, ones that if I didn't answer would be on my conscience for the rest of my life"
"What questions?"
"The question that Hamish asked me was one of them" I replied looking at the ground when I realised that I hadn't told Tarrant about Hamish.
"What did he ask you?" his lisp showing and eyes turning blue. Sadness.
"Will you marry me" I said truthfully.
"And your answer" I didn't have to say anything to answer the question. I held up my left hand to show him that there was indeed no engagement ring on my finger.
"I have had about five suitors ask me that question in a course of three weeks, all of them I turned down because I only have eyes for one man" I looked at him and he looked at me, our eyes met in a click and it only made my decision to stay grow stronger.
"And who is that, may I ask?"
I stepped forward so our faces were extremely close. "…you" I whispered. In that second I said that our lips collided with one another's in a kiss that made my heart stop beating for a mere second. I felt as though my heart was going to burst. I loved him and by the way he was kissing me I knew he loved me too.
We pulled apart for air.
"I love you Tarrant Hightopp" I stated.
"I love you too Alice Kingsley" He replied.
Yes, love is certainly wonderful.
So close,
So close,
and still
So far.
Please Reveiw.... :)