Chapter 9

A/N: Not much to say this time around as anyone who is still with me should be current on notes and thoughts.

There's not much to this chapter, just a little further plot development and sadness. And a few other things, but enough chatter. Let's get on with it!

BorisxAlice (obviously)

Bait

Chapter 9

Alice sat in the bath, her knees drawn up to her chest and watched as the small bubbles slowly dissolved.

Boris lounged on some pillows on the floor not far from the bath, idly flipping through a book. He'd offered to scrub her back or wash her hair for her, but she declined with a small but firm shake of her head.

She wasn't ready for anything that intimate yet. A part of her was, longed for Boris to stretch his lithe body on top of her, behind her, around her, but the other part of her felt her stomach lurch at the thought of being touched.

She couldn't erase the past few days in mere hours. She couldn't get over the feeling of the hands, the cruel faces, and then watching Boris watching her as she was taken.

She shook her head, trying to will back the fresh tears that sprang to her eyes. But Boris noticed of course, because really though he appeared to be reading, most of his focus was on Alice.

"Alice, don't. Please don't cry. If there was anything I could do to fix what was done to you, I-"

"I just...need time. I think...I just have to process...I can't stop thinking about everything they...all the things they did to me, and I...I can't…"

Fresh sobs shook her now, and Boris knelt beside the tub, angry he couldn't touch her, knuckles going white from gripping the tub's edge.

"Alice, you have to stop. I can't imagine how hard it must be. But we stopped them. No one will ever hurt you again. I won't let them. Blood won't let them. Hell, even that annoying ass Prime Minister.. we all care for you, Alice.

I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner. I did everything I could. I know I failed you, but I want to do everything I can to help. I...I love you."

Boris froze when those words escaped him. He had never said them before, and then he just sort of word vomited them out. He was hurting because Alice was, and since he couldn't physically hold her with his arms, he supposed his words would have to do.

She was looking at him now, a mix of emotions on her face. But the words that came to her lips were not the ones he expected.

"Boris, you...you can't. What am I now…? I'm... nothing. I'm...not good enough for you anymore."

...

Vivaldi and Blood sat, sipping tea in the Rose garden. He had finally come down off of the high he felt from murdering and had returned to his neutral demeanor.

Vivaldi sat her cup down on its saucer and touched a napkin to her lips.

"So you handled everything then?"

"Yes. Ace and Peter eliminated a fair few, but we wiped the rest out. All of them. The entire family has been eliminated."

Vivaldi somewhat regretted that she didn't participate, but it was not a Queen's place to dirty one's hands with scum. Especially not when she has such a resourceful brother that would have scoured all of Wonderland for Alice.

"What are you going to do, little brother?"

Blood met her eyes and cleared his throat. "It's back to business as usual now that the matter is handled. I-"

"I meant about your feelings for Alice."

Blood felt his heart quicken as his pulse beat in his ears.

"Sis...I don't...know. I care for her so, but...she loves the cat. What am I to do?"

Vivaldi regarded him with a mixture of sympathy and affection as she reached over and touched his shoulder.

"What indeed, little brother."