It was dark.
Alice couldn't see. There was only blackness all around her. What's going on? Where am I? she wondered.
Then the memories came rushing back. Hatter. The pain in her side. The Looking Glass-Oh God, the Looking Glass! It had malfunctioned, hadn't it? Something had gone wrong. She had been pulled back through to Wonderland instead of returning to her world like she should've. What had gone wrong? And what about the sharp pain in her side that she had felt?
"Did you like my 'coming home' gift, little Oyster?"
Alice jumped, looking around again. It was still black all around her-she couldn't see anyone. "Who-who are you?" she asked, trying to keep the shock and fear out of her voice.
"No one you should be concerned with," the voice replied, almost sounding like it was purring. "Merely one who seeks to alter Wonderland's future."
"What do you want from me?" Alice demanded. If only she could see who was talking, then she might be able to place the voice that sounded so familiar...
"From you?" the voice asked with a soft laugh. "You've already served your purpose. You were merely my warning to the others. No one is to leave Wonderland without my consent, see... if I can't have the Looking Glass, then no one can."
"Why are you keeping us here?" God, that voice was so familiar, and yet it wasn't at the same time! Why couldn't she place it? She was sure she had heard it before...
The voice chuckled. "Isn't it obvious? I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on the fun..." Before Alice could respond, the voice spoke again. "Hmm... now what to do with you... that was quite a show you put on a while back. Almost single-handedly overthrowing a tyrant and bringing down the House of Cards... much like the old Alice of Legend, aren't you...? And with the Looking Glass! Dear, dear, all the scientists agree that the little stunt I pulled would've killed any Oyster. No one knows how you survived... But this puts me in a bit of a dilemma, see. I can't reach my goal with you in the way."
"Goal? What goal?" Alice asked, her breath catching in her throat. She didn't like the threatening tone the voice was using now.
"Nothing you need to live for..."
Alice barely had time to register the threat when a low, cat-like growl sounded from somewhere near her. "What the-?" the voice began, but there was a feral screech and a yowl and the voice cried out, seemingly in pain. When it spoke again, Alice got the impression that it was angry-angry and infinitely more dangerous than before. "Your little pet may have protected you this time, little Oyster, but mark my words... I will get what I want..."
The voice trailed off into nothing, and Alice's eyes flew open. Finally she could see. She was in a hospital room. Hatter was standing over her, and his eyes widened as he saw she was awake. "Alice?"
The second thing she noticed was the cat on the ceiling.