Thank you guys so much for the reviews! I truly never expected that many reviews in that short amount of time. (COOKIE S FOR EVERYONE!) I forgot to give you all heads that my grammar and spelling is horrible, I'm still looking for a Beta. If anyone knows one, can they give me their name or if you want to do it, just send me a message. Well here is the latest addition to Return Once More!

Chapter 2: A White Heart

Alice P.O.V

"She's waiting for you, Alice."

'No, no, no, no….' My mind thought over and over again as I watched the setting sun in the West. It shall be night shortly…..meaning that the Bandersnatch and I were drawing near to the White Queen's Castle, cutting my thinking time shorter. My eyes averted to the sky as I noticed the stars. The stars were beginning to come out of their slumber and light up the sky like thousands of tiny fireflies. I began to think of my father as I stared; we used to lay under the stars when I was younger and make pictures out of them. It was something I always used to look forward to throughout the day, it was a way to use my imagination. My father used to always tell me that my imagination was too great to acknowledge because of what used to go on inside my head. I was always thinking up childish stories or grand adventures my father and I would have once I got older. Sadly…I stopped thinking them once he died. My whole world fell apart because of him; he was my inspiration.

The Bandersnatch let out a low whine and turned his head towards me, signally me to look down at my hands. I was gripping his fur instead of the collar. I immediately let go and grabbed the collar once more. "Sorry 'bout that." I whispered to him and he nodded his head in forgiveness before continuing full speed towards the castle. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that I was hurting him; I needed to control my emotions a lot better. Imagine, me like this in front of Mirana? Now that was a thought that I didn't want to think at the moment, it just brought a nervous feeling in my stomach. I never had that feeling before around another person, not even around a man back in England.

A slight blush formed on my face as I thought about being around Mirana like that…being like a lover or something along that line of preference. Mirana holding be tightly and never letting go. Her whispering sweet nothings into my ear, making my heart flutter with every word that came from her mouth. Those gentle hands lightly brushing through my hair as we're laying in bed…after…

A sharp turn from the Bandersnatch broke me from that thought and I'm kind of glad that he did because I felt the heat rushing to my face at an alarming rate. I won't be able to explain myself if the others saw me with my face all red. They might think I have gone mad! I really have….haven't I? No, I shook my head once more before looking straight ahead towards the long rocky path towards the entrance of Her home.

The Cherry Blossom trees, in my eyes, looked beautiful at sunset. The way the diming sun shined on their branches, giving them a fresh snowy coat look. Well…there isn't any snow in England. I have seen the watery substance over in China, when I was over there for the promotion of the trading routes between the two countries. I was always hoping that one day, maybe snow will appear in England but by the looks of it, that's highly going to happen. The flowers on the trees make them look so peaceful, giving off a gentle atmosphere. It almost made me feel like I was back with my father, laying under the stars at night and laughing at the different things that happened throughout our day. A light breeze blew through the Cherry Blossoms, making the petals dance around me and the Bandersnatch as we passed through the little whirlwind of them, one landing on my hand. My eyes averted down to the petal and my heart swelled. On the petal, was a faint heart; a white heart. Someone's heart was entrusted to nature and now it was giving it to me. But who would do something like that…oh dear. My mind already knew who it was; it was the person my heart yearned for.

"Alice!" Several voices broke my train of thought once more and my hand gently closed over the petal before looking ahead to see who it was. A huge smile began to form on my face as I saw everyone was there waiting for me, even…"Mirana…" My voice whispered out into the night air, hoping that it possibly might not be heard. The White Queen, herself, standing next to the Mad Hatter and Bayard. Tweedledee and Tweedledee were jumping up and down with the Dormouse; a chuckle escaped my mouth as I watched them. The Cheshire Cat reappeared on my shoulder and I turned my head towards him with slightly narrowed eyes.

"I told you she was. Would this face lie to you, love?" His famous smile appeared after trying to butter up to me and I just sighed before shaking my head. I turned my head back towards the path, which was shorter than I even imagined, and I looked in the corner of my at him with a small smirk. God, I love Wonderland. It just makes become curiouser and curiouser every passing minute. But as we approach the castle, where my friends are waiting for me, I won't want to change one minute of it. It's what I've been looking for; being home is what I've been looking for. It's just taken me over a year to realize it; I really need to think what's important in my life these days.

Once we reached the entrance, the Hatter quickly ran over to me and grabbed be off the Bandersnatch's back before hugging me. Our laughter reached everyone's ears, beckoning them over to help welcome me back. After I was placed back down on the ground, I smiled at him before reaching up and resting my hands on his face. "Have I gone mad?" I asked him softly before he smiled at me once more before shaking his head in response.

"Someone once told me, that all the best people are." I felt tears brim my eyes as she repeated what I told him over a year ago, while in the Red Queen's castle. A happy giggle escaped as a tear managed to escape and I quickly wiped it away before turning my attention back towards everyone else. I greeted everyone with just as much affection as I did with the Hatter. The Dormouse got her little hug and might I say, I'm glad we're on better paths now instead of fighting like we've always been. Tweedledee and Tweedledum both got their hugs and their kisses on their foreheads, while Bayard and his family got their chances of tackling me to the ground. Then my attention was focused on one other that had been waiting to greet me, since it was in fact this one person that wanted me to return in the first place. But I'm glad I came back.

"Hello Alice." Mirana greeted me gently before giving me a quick bow before smiling at me. Her white wavy hair was down, like always, around her shoulders and her white dress that completed her exterior complexion. My mouth went dry as my eyes met hers once more after a year of being apart and I'll admit this now, this time it's going to be a lot harder to be around her since…my feelings have developed to another level. All I could hear was my heart thumping a mile a minute as we just stared at each other as if we were trying to speak without words to one another. I let out a cough and averted my eyes from her as I felt a blush begin to form on my face after that little greeting.

"Hello, Mir…Mirana." I stuttered lightly before catching myself and bowing slightly back in respect before looking around at anything but her. Her footsteps were quiet enough for me to not catch and the next thing I knew, Mirana was in inches from me. Mirana's hand slowly reached up and was placed lightly on my check. Her hand felt like it was actually burning my skin, not in a bad way of course, but it was like it was leaving its print on my skin. I couldn't control my eyes any longer and they quickly looked up and met the White Queen's light chocolate ones. I heard her begin to speak to me but all I could do was stare, just stare and admire everything about her.

But then everything happened too fast. My head began to get really light and my breath came at a much faster rate that I couldn't keep up with it. The ground soon began to get closer to my face than I thought it was and then…I was unconscious. Nice job, Alice…nice job. You bloody fainted because you couldn't stand being near Mirana for too long! How are you going to talk to her when the time comes to tell her how you feel! Will this happen again or will you run like you usually do? The voices in my head began to fade as I felt like I was beginning to fall into a never ending pit of darkness. Maybe…I'll stay here for awhile.

Slowly, I began to come through and my eyes slowly began to open. I quickly closed them because I didn't know what to expect when I opened them but there was nothing there. My eyes looked around the ceiling, trying to make it process where I am before looking around the room. 'I must be in one of the guest bedrooms.' I thought to myself softly as I began to feel my head pound rapidly like someone took a hammer and is slamming it over and over again into my fragile skull. I raised one of my hand gently up to the side of my head that was throbbing before slowly sitting up and taking in the sight of the rest of the room. It was a variation of silvers, whites and blacks, covering every inch of the room and the furniture. There was a double door directly left of me, which probably led outside and into the gardens. But then, I reached the other side of the room, where someone was sitting there; asleep.

I squinted my eyes lightly before chuckling softly at who it was. Mirana was resting her head on her hand as her elbow was resting on one of the tables in the room. I coughed lightly at first but I only managed to make her toss in her sleep but then coughing a little louder, she shot up and looked around the room in alarm. "Mirana, it's ok. It's just me." I ensured her before resting my head back a little bit and watched her stretch a little. She got up from her chair and walked over to my side of the bed where I was resting quite comfortably. I watched her move with grace with every step she took and slowly a blush began to form on my face for the third or fourth time today. I looked away and then heard her stop, right next to me.

"Alice, are you alright? You frightened all of us when you suddenly…fainted as one might call it." Mirana asked me worriedly before resting her hand quickly against my forehead to check my temperature and then took it away. She seated herself on a little space on the edge of the bed before reaching out and resting her hands on my, which were neatly folded on my lap. "Can you tell me why, Alice?"

I shook my head no quickly before looking up at her in a shy manner and she gave a look of dishonesty. My hands before react on themselves when they began to rest one on top of the either, covering Mirana's white pearly hand. I let out a quick breath before I looked up at her once more with my face all red from embarrassment. My mouth began to open but no words came out at first before they answered the truth on their own.

"You were, Mirana."

Well, there you go the second chapter! I hope you are all enjoying the story so far because I know I am, even though I'm the one writing it. I'm giving you all heads that the next update won't be until Friday night or Sunday night. I'm going away on my preseason softball tournament down the cape and I'll be playing and no internet. Just remember to press the buttom before this‼