Alice stared flatly at the dress on her bed. Blood had picked it out earlier, saying that she needed 'something a touch more formal' for the meeting.
Knowing Blood, knowing their past, and knowing him now, she didn't trust it. She knew he had done something, altered it somehow so that it was much more sensual than it needed to be.
Then again, the longer she delayed it, the longer it would take to go to town and possibly find her family.
Sighing, Alice picked it up. It was an A-line dress, deep red-violet in color with a bateau neckline, made of a satiny fabric. A dark-colored small sweater, with a high neck closed by a pink crystal brooch, was paired with it. While the sweater would cover the back, it seemed that anything below her collarbone to the neck of the dress would be displayed. Black ballet shoes and pantyhose waited on a nearby chair.
A knock sounded on Alice's door, making her jump.
"Are you finished yet, my dear? Do you need assistance?" It was Blood.
"Ah, I'm fine! Give me a few seconds!"
Quickly, Alice slipped on the dress. The sweater was thin, thankfully, and everything fit perfectly.
She caught herself in the mirror, and silently thanked everything that the neckline of the dress did not plunge too low, and despite her initial thought, the sweater covered her chest.
She opened the door to see Blood in his usual white attire leaning on the frame.
"Ah, perfect." He leaned in. "My measurements were correct."
Alice sidestepped and began to walk down the corridor. "Let's get to the meeting." Her voice was flat and tone hard.
^.v.^
Boris stared at the ceiling. During the last time period, Nightmare had let him stay the night in the tower, but a sly smile let Boris know that Nightmare knew exactly what he was going to do.
And he had done it. Cut a hole between doors and pasted his bedroom, his and Alice's bedroom, to the room he had been given. No way in hell was he sleeping in the tower.
Hadn't made sleep easy, though. He was so used to the large bed being occupied by another person, one that would cuddle up to him, hug him close, and murmur in her sleep. Used to having someone to wake up to, to rouse with a good morning kiss full of morning breath. Last night had been hell on this land, making him wake up at odd times because he thought Alice was there.
God, he missed her.
He dimly heard a clock chime and a knock sounded at his door. Grumbling, he sat up and shuffled over, swinging it wide open to see Grey.
"What." Boris growled.
"The meeting will begin shortly. Bring yourself to the room." The butler walked off, and after grabbing his shrug, Boris did too.
He hated this. Hated the suit he had to wear. Hated the stupid meeting for taking away precious searching time. Hated that the land had shifted, and flung everyone in different directions.
Boris skulked up the stairs and plopped himself into a chair in the reception area. He didn't want to pick a seat, not yet. He scanned the crowd, looking for a flash of pink or gold or blue or something-
"Boris!"
Dee and Dum's voices rang out through the room. Boris sighed, then put on a small smile.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
"What's the matter Boris?"
"Yeah you look pretty down."
"Is it about Big Sis?"
"Cause she's coming up with Boss and Blonde Chicky Rabbit."
Boris sprang out of his seat. "She's what?!"
Dee turned around, then pointed. "Yeah, over there!"
Boris snapped his head up to see a very disgruntled Alice walking between a sly-looking Blood and a neutral Elliot.
Everything around him didn't matter in that moment. His body surged forward.
^.v.^
"Blood, for the last time-" Alice's retort to the Hatter Boss was cut short when a large, lanky body smashed into hers, nearly bowling her over until arms wrapped around her, a face burying itself atop her head.
"Oh thank God, you're okay!"
"B-Boris?" Alice pried herself out enough to see her lover's face smiling down at her, tears sparkling in the corners of his eyes. Her heart nearly stopped out of joy.
"Oh Boris, Boris!" She buried her face into his neck now, arms flinging themselves around him as she began to sniffle. He held her tighter, nuzzling her shoulder, whimpering quietly.
"Ahem."
The couple turned to see a disgruntled Grey standing in the entrance. The room was quite empty now, as everyone else had adjorned to the meeting room. "As much as I hate to break up the happy reunion, there is a meeting to attend to. If you would?" He spun on his heel, leaving the two.
Boris growled. "Fucking Lizard, why doesn't he go-"
"Boris."
Alice's soft voice drew him back to reality.
"We'll have time after the meeting, okay?"
He nodded. "Okay." Pressing a soft kiss to her lips, he took her hand and they entered.
^.v.^
The Forest was quiet, save for the tiny flits of birdsong.
"GRAAAHHHHH!"
Then it wasn't.
Birds took flight as Laura stomped forward, hair disheveled and eyes blazing.
"Where is everybody?! Why can't I get out of this stupid forest?!"
Her ear twitched and her tirade stopped. Crouching to sneak, Laura drew behind a nearby bush. Peering over, she saw a deer that somehow hadn't run off when she entered screaming. Carefully and slowly, she knocked an arrow, drawing it and taking aim.
The wood of her bow belied its age. It was handmade, and had been lovingly used for many, many time periods.
And today was its last hurrah.
Just as she released, the bow snapped in half, echoing a resounding crack that startled the deer, arrow just barely missing its haunch and thudding into the ground as it fled.
Laura couldn't believe it. Her weapon, gone. The arrows were alright for stabbing, but in a world where guns were everywhere, long range weaponry was essential.
She threw the broken mess of wood and string onto the ground, tears of frustration springing to the corners of her eyes.
She didn't know what to do.
"I wanna go home." she whimpered childishly.
A snapping branch caused her to look up. A humanoid figure was not too far away, animal ears perched on its head.
Laura stepped closer. "Dad?" She called out.
The figure stopped, turned.
And screeched.
"CAT!"
It took off into the forest. Despite her hunger and fatigue, Laura gave chase.
"Hey, wait, I'm not gonna hurt you! Stop!"
They plunged deeper into the underbrush, branches snapping her in the face. She winced as she felt the sting of open cuts.
"I SAID STOP DAMMIT I JUST WANNA TALK AND MAYBE GET SOME DIRECTIONS AND A WEAPON!"
The figure slowed down, and Laura drew nearer. She could see a boy, or a young man, with feminine features and soft brown hair. A pair of round ears perched on his head, as did a small top hat.
"You-you're not the cat."
"N-no, I'm n-not." Laura panted. "Listen, I just need food, water, a weapon, and directions-"
"You look like him though." The boy stepped back.
"I have no idea which cat you're talking about, but if his name is Boris Airay, he's my dad. I don't know who you are or where I am, I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm scared, my bow just broke, so if you would calm down for five seconds can you give me something?" Frustration began to seep its way into her voice.
"O-oh." The boy drew closer. "Well, I'm Pierce the Doormouse. And I can get you stuff."
"Charmed. Laura Airay-Liddel."
^.v.^
"Thank you, Blood." Alice closed the door to her room in the manor. Boris sat on the bed behind her.
She turned, looked at him, eyes becoming glassy. He gave her a weak smile, opening his arms as she careened headlong into him.
"I thought I wouldn't find you," Alice sobbed. Her hands clutched at his shirt, searching for anything to disprove that he was real and here. Her face was smashed into the crook of his neck, nuzzling him.
Boris stroked her hair, choking on his own tears of relief, clutching her like a life preserver. "I know, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I should have told you these things happen." He pressed his lips to hers, both of them finding comfort in touch.
When they broke apart, Alice's eyes were fearful. "Boris, Laura wasn't with me. I wanted to go find her but-"
"I didn't see her either. I ran all around town looking for you two. If she had ended up with Vivaldi and Peter and Ace, they would have brought her with them to the meeting."
Alice clenched the front of Boris' shirt, tears trailing down her face as she laid her head against his chest. Her baby girl was out there, alone.
"She's somewhere in the forest, hon. We'll find her, I swear. Let's ask the Hatters for help, alright?"
Alice nodded, hiccuping. Boris squeezed her tighter.
"We'll be okay."
^.v.^
"Will this be okay?"
Laura stared dumbfounded at Pierce. He'd brought her to his house after making her drink some weird liquid that caused them to shrink, given her some food, and was now presenting her with a new weapon. One that had the trigger of a gun, but a sideways facing bow, and a series of metal bolts.
A crossbow.
"You don't have any….traditional bows?"
"Nope, sorry, I checked. I have a lot of guns if you want a gun-"
"No, no guns." Laura took the crossbow, turning it in her hands. "It's just….I've never used one of these."
"Well," Pierce explained, "You load it up like this"-inserting the bolt and pulling the string back to the release- "aim like a gun, kinda, then shoot."
Pierce pulled the trigger, sinking a bolt into a couch cushion. He handed the crossbow back to Laura before trotting over to dig out the bolt.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that normal arrows don't work with this."
Pierce shrugged. "Dunno, but you're welcome to try."
Laura sighed, then swung her quiver over her shoulder, dumping out her arrows. She picked up the bolts, one by one, and loaded them in.
"Oh, here!" Pierce scampered back over to his hoard of weaponry, pulling out a quiver made of different material with a clip. "This goes on your belt. Easier to pull from and safer too."
Laura smiled. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm used to over the shoulder."
"But what if yours rips?"
"It's lasted me a while, I think it can handle crossbow bolts."
"If you say so."
Laura slung the now heavier quiver back over her shoulder, picking up her new weapon. She caught a glimpse of herself in a nearby mirror. Bandages were smattered across her face from the assault by the branches, and dirt was smeared over her hands and knees.
She looked badass.
"Thanks for everything, Pierce."
"Oh, one more thing!"
Laura gaped as Pierce handed her a satchel and water canteen.
"It's got some bread and jerky. Should last you for a few time periods before you get to town. There's also a potion in there to bring you back to normal size."
"Pierce, I can't-"
"It's thanks for not hurting me."
He escorted her outside, pointing in a direction.
"Town is that way. Walk straight and you'll find it."
"Thanks. See ya!"
Laura downed the potion, growing back to size and running off.
"I'm coming, mom and dad!"
PLW: I know, cheesy ending, but hell, I didn't really have a better idea. Between getting bowled over in the face with new stuff in classes and trying to remember how to write an essay, I'm taking what I can get for fic writing ideas. But hey, two updates for a single fic in a week! That's a step forward in the right direction!
I don't know how long it'll be till the next update, but keep your eyes peeled! Love y'all!
I only own Laura, and nothing else.