I do not own Syfy's Alice.

But we've already been through that, yeah?

Bloody Maddening

The First Time She Trusted Me


That was the thing about Alice when I met her.

She was so afraid, so scared.

I didn't know what of.

But I could sense it, buried way down deep inside her where no one could find it.

I just didn't know what it was.

I just assumed it was the shock and surprise at the grit of Wonderland to an oyster who had previously considered it a story in a kid's book.

Something I could use to me advantage to get what I wanted.

Since then Alice has educated me as to what assuming gets you.

Rather a blunt observation if you ask me.

But we won't go into that just now.

Rather, back to those first few hours.

So Alice, she was afraid and scared all the time.

That's why she had to be so tough, you see.

So nobody would guess, nobody would know.

That's when she was at her best, her most confident, when she was fighting.

When she was fighting, she had something tangible to conquer, something to beat, something to win against.

But she couldn't beat that ledge.

At least not alone.

I found that out straightaway.

And another piece of the Alice puzzle fell into place.

There, on that narrow ledge.


You gotta move fast in Wonderland. So you don't get spotted by the White Rabbit, the Suits, or any other unsavory characters that might catch you sneaking about.

Very few people just wander aimlessly out in the open.

So I guess you could say time was of the essence for us.

So when I glanced up to see those strong, red tighted legs still descending the ladder, me patience (a shallow cuppa tea in the first place with this maddening little oyster) ran all but dry.

Blimey, woman, speed up, yeah? We'll be at this all day.

I reached up to help her down and her entire body went rigid like I was attacking her or something.

Ridiculous notion, love. Whaddya take me for anyway?

She mumbled a polite thank you false as tea is hot and I reckoned I should be thanking her for not slugging me, what with all the distaste pouring out of her at me touch. I turned away, embarrassed and ready to be done with the entire thing already.

Let somebody else be affronted by you for a while then, yeah?

Heading off with haste toward our destination, I silently continued scheming me impending interaction with the swarthy, rotund Dodo.

Alone.

What the bleedin' . . .

I turned back.

And there she was.

Miss Not Alice of Legend.

Clutching the metal rung, face milk white and drawn as she stared out over the yawning edge.

Most of Wonderland towered up above the ground. And the outskirts, which we were currently skirting, offered up only narrow walkways between us and empty sky.

Wasn't nothing for it. Just the way Wonderland was built.

Oh for crying out loud, we don't have time for this.

But I could tell she wasn't well.

In fact, looked like she was gonna keel over.

Which woulda put a damper on me day I can tell you.

Right over the edge she woulda went.

No more pretty oyster in a very wet dress.

No more curiosity mixed with frustration at her maddeningly wise doubt and constant questioning of me.

No more trip to Dodo for a trade and me own cut.

No more nothing.

Just back to the Tea shoppe and those needy, pitiful Wonderlanders and their sick, sorry desperation.

Shame that woulda been.

All because . . .

"I got a thing about heights."

Oh blimey, love. Ain't you in the wrong place. Nothing but ups and downs 'round here I'm afraid.

"Why couldn't you guys build this city on the ground?"

The . . . ground?

On that's right, in her world everything was crossways and linear. Why would we want to do that? Right boring that would be.

But there she was, rough and tough and ready to fight Alice.

Frozen solid to that bloody ladder.

And us out in the wide open like sitting ducks.

Oh bloody hell, you are just gonna be a chore the entire time, ain't you?

But short of tossing her over me shoulder . . .

Probably kick me in the bits anyway.

. . . and bodily dragging her away, there wasn't much I could do.

'Cause she was good and stuck.

Already falling down and away.

While standing shock still.

Still, I had to get her off that ladder so's we could keep movin'.

"Look at me."

She couldn't. She wasn't with me on the ledge anymore, she was already out there with the empty air and hungry gravity.

All alone.

And bleedin' all if I didn't feel me irritation melt away at the sight of her.

Lost. Helpless.

Alone.

"Alice."

And there they were. Those big, blue, beautiful eyes.

She needed me.

Didn't want to.

But needed me all the same.

I saw her fight everything inside her, weigh all her options. And find only one.

Me.

She didn't like it.

But I was all she had.

So she reached out and clutched me hand with her own cold, trembling, pale one.

Gotcha.

And I let me breath out and relaxed a little.

I had her. Held fast with me right sledgehammer.

She wasn't going to fall over the edge with me holding her with that.

She was safe.

I told her not to look down and she clung to those words, blue fabric'd chest heaving as she forced herself to breathe. Like she was finally getting air up here in a place that was nothing but with none at all for her.

Then I locked me eyes to hers. So big. So bright. So blue.

I had her. I wouldn't let her fall.

I started backing up, guiding her away from the edge of her fear.

Slowly, carefully.

I was her strength, her rock.

I carried her right off that ledge.

Just by looking her in the eyes.

And holding her hand.


A bit more going on there than you originally thought? Yeah, most things are like that. Bigger on the inside.

Well, anyway, thanks to the encouragin' DinahRay for speakin' up and to Draco167 for adding your support to this retelling.