My computer crashed, and all my chapters were lost, so I needed to start from scratch. Sorry about the delay.

Special Thanks to…

~ DaCupCakePhiles -I appreciate your support of this writing; thanks for the encouragement. Actually, thanks for pulling me out of the slums and rekindling my hope that people are reading this.

~ MaggieMagpie – Thanks for being there every step of the way with a bit of advice, and thanks for not being afraid to give me constructive critism.

Disclaimer: I do not, nor shall I ever, own Alice in Wonderland.

It might have been as the Mad Hatter was carrying her down into the hole that she awoke slightly. Still reeling, she dizzily peeled her eyes open, lifted her head a little and tried to look around, but everything was brushed with a coat of darkness. Sighing, she let her head fall back and was rushed by the flood of memories she had tried desperately to keep locked away.

"…lice. Alice. Pay attention, please. Would you like to tell the class what you were dreaming about just now?"

"It's about that wonder-place, isn't it? Tee hee hee, how silly our poor Alice is."

"That's enough Gertrude, come do this problem on the board then. Alice must still be a little shaken up."

She blinked a few times, trying to clear her mind, but to no avail. Drawing slow circles on the top of her desk with her finger only helped her remember leaving.

Once Hatter had angrily stormed off, she had tried to find him, searching in all the places he usually hid. It was a game- he would become angry, then she would calm his temper; almost mother-like in fashion. But that day was different, that day he was nowhere to be found, that day she had to leave without saying goodbye.

Looking high and low, she had even asked the twins to help her search as they knew the better hiding places in Wonderland, but even with their assistance, they could not find him; he had vanished. Rushing through the forest calling his name, she stumbled through the underbrush and ended near the caterpillar's frequent home. Following the trails of smoke, she sought his council, but it seemed as though everyone was hiding from her- maybe it was indeed time for her to go home.

On that day she had boldly left Wonderland without an escort: alone and sad, she found herself in the rain as she entered into her own world. Slinking with silent trepidation, she found herself under the cover of the worn gazebo, crying under the clouded heavens. Truly, she had wished to tell them all farewell and be sent off with good thoughts and luck. It was, perhaps, a fitting end to her visits- that day in the cold, dreary rain.

"Alice! Will you please pay attention for five minutes?" She flinched, causing snickers to fill the hollow classroom. She felt crowded by these people, and she was aware of the secret stares they threw her way; she felt out of place in the society of normal people. There was still a longing feeling she felt in her heart every time she thought about Wonderland, but it tasted dull in her mouth- the resilience was lost among the many who refused to believe. Imagination was something they treasured there- it was said that if you had the capacity, you could begin to work things with your mind, through imagination. Dreamily, she recalled staring at the ground, willing a flower to come up from between the rocks and grass. When it did not come, she slumped to the ground and rolled onto her back- it was her way of dealing with frustration.

If only she could do that now.

_Author's Note_

Alright, here's what's going to happen. This is part one of a chapter, as you may or may not have noticed, and I am now attempting to type the second half, thinking all the while about what the heck I am going to do with this story. I want to have memories of Alice, because that, for me, is fun to write, and I enjoy backstory. From there, I will move back into the original story, of which you may or may not have liked in the first place and are now possibly screaming at me to return to. I apologize about the amount of background information, but I felt it was necessary, and stuff and things.

If you have any ideas to suggest to this addled brain of mine, then please feel free to let me know.

It's going to be a mad couple of days.

But then again, it's always an adventure with Alice.