A/N:

Ok, well… I had to cut up my Sora part into two chapters. I didn't expect it to be this long. Also, I should mention that this story will be wrapping up soon. If that disappoints you, sorry. I'm ready to move on to other projects… =D

I should first say this: I'm surprised I actually pulled so much out of this plot as I did. Originally, this was way shorter in my mind, so if you think the chapters are short now, imagine if I didn't expand… .

Alice trembled in Namine's arms. The two sat in a cage next to the Queen's throne, along with Sora, who sat apart from them. Hugging the girl, Namine turned to face Sora.

"We might as well figure out how to get out of here," she whispered. Sora didn't say anything. He didn't even look up at her. The blonde sighed and slid over next to him. "Look, I'm sorry, but I told you I was trying to save my friend. I was going to come back for you, whether you believe it or not."

Sora still didn't bother to look up. He played with a buckle on his pants as he replied, "Even if you weren't going to come back for me, I guess I understand. After all, I'm searching for friends I lost too." He cocked his head in her direction, and gave her a half smile from behind his spiky locks. Namine reached her hand out to him. Even if he was still upset with her, at least he was back on her side. In a strange world, it was always good to have a team. Leaning closer to him, she explained her plan.

"Alice," she breathed into the younger girl's hair.

"Yes?" Alice asked, batting her eyes. She looked bleary-eyed, as though she had just woken up. Namine jerked away, amazed at what fear had done to her sweet face.

"Come on," The blonde said, nudging the girl out of her lap where she had been laying, "you have to get up. I know how to save you."

"Ma'am," Alice called up to the Queen from the cage.

"What?" she asked with annoyance heavy in her voice. She peered down at the children from her throne as though they were scum.

"I'm getting awfully hot down here, and my legs are hurting. Don't you think you could let me out for only a minute?"

"No."

Alice turned back to Namine and Sora and shrugged, but they nodded for her to keep going. After all, Alice knew how to be persistent. "Please, ma'am. You must!"

"Why should I?"

"Because, your majesty," she emphasized, "I have gold. It could be yours if only you let me out." The Queen looked down on her with doubt.

"Show me."

"It's heavy. I couldn't hold it up to show you. Come down and let me out, and I'll show you," the blonde insisted. The three teens watched as the Queen bit her lip in thought. She tapped her chin with a long bony finger, surprisingly skinny compared to the woman's large body. Finally, she called to her guards to let her out. "But ma'am," Alice persuaded, "You don't want your guards to steal your gold, do you? In fact, make them leave the room, so then you'll know that they won't see where you hide it away."

"You make a good point, child," thought the old lady. "Guards! You heard her! Out with you!" The children watched as one by one the guards exited through the side door hidden in hedges. A rustling came from above them as the Queen climbed off of her tall throne and teetered to where Alice waited at the door of the cage.

"Where is it, girl?" The Queen spat at Alice once she was off of the throne.

"Ma'am, you have to come over here. I told you, all of this gold is awfully heavy…" Alice moaned. Namine had to admit, she was a better actor than she was given credit for. The old woman draped in hearts scuttled until she was almost touching the bars of the cell. "Can I come out?" asked the blonde, lip poking out, "We had a deal, you know."

"Ah, yes," the Queen said, fumbling with the lock. Finally, she managed to open it. Namine guessed that she normally made her guards work with this kind of thing.

Once the door was opened, and Alice walked to the middle of the yard, Sora pounced behind her, landing on an unsuspecting Queen. The boy's keyblade struck the woman in the head, causing her to topple over onto the grass. Thankfully, it muffled her screams, so none of the guards could come to her aid. The three children stood around for a second nervously. Alice felt a pang of guilt for the Queen, despite how wicked she had been. It was in Alice's nature to care for people, no matter how cruel.

"Hurry!" Namine cried, breaking the momentary trance that the injury had created. The Queen hadn't even died; she was simply unconscious under the blow.

Together, the three children rang out of that place, hoping never to set foot in such danger again.

Turning to Sora, Namine grinned. "See? I told you I would come back for you."

"Yeah. I never doubted you," Sora replied, returning the smile.

"Alice, I have to go again, sorry," Namine said, almost in tears.

"It's ok!" Alice said, just happy to be freed, "Why are you crying? You'll come back, I know you will."

The older girl felt the cold tears running down her pale face. It was inexplicable, "I just feel like I'll never come back…"

Back in Castle Oblivion, Namine ran into Axel yet again. It was odd, that he always seemed to be here when she would come back from Wonderland. Namine looked at his spiky red hair, unique to him. His back was to her, and as Namine came up on his side, she noticed his arms were crossed, and he had a blank expression on his face.

"Axel?" Axel turned to her, as though just noticing she was there. He nodded at her, but didn't say anything. She continued, "How come you never tell?"

For a second, the redhead just gave her a puzzled expression. He finally asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you obviously know where I go, so how come you haven't told the organization yet?"

"Oh. That." He glanced at the floor, his blue green eyes tracing patterns in the tiling.

"I just get more out of not telling then I would if I told. At least, that's how it is now." Namine understood what he meant, and it sickened her. He meant things like last night. He truly was despicable.

"What do you mean, 'At least that's how it is now'?" Axel gave her a sideways grimace, and tapped his chin.

"Well… I don't know. I'm just saying…" Axel trailed off. "Now rush on back to your room before the organization finds you."

As Namine sprinted back to her bedroom, she thought back to the last thing she had told Alice. "I just feel like I'll never come back…" Tears rolled slowly down her face, their salty flavor finding their way into her mouth. The blonde didn't know what was going to happen exactly, but Namine felt that something was going to change.